 couldn't go back to heavier breakfasts. If you want
to know what it feels like to swallow an anvil, all you have to do is eat
exclusively fruit and fruit juice in the morning for about ten days, and
then try to go back to having a heavier meal in the morning. You simply
won't do it. Yes, perhaps you will on occasion, and that is certainly
okay. Because occasionally is one thing. Every day is something entirely
different. The consumption of exclusively fruit and fruit juice in the morning is
at the very heart of FIT FOR LIFE. Interestingly, many people have told
me that although they don't adhere to the program exactly all the time,
the one thing they do most consistently is adhere to the exclusive con
sumption of fruit and fruit juice before noon, because with that alone
they still reap enormous benefits. It is without question the major con
tributing factor to the success of FIT FOR LIFE. If you are going to start
with only one principle, this should be it. FRUIT EXCLUSIVELY IN THE
MORNING. Some people think that a lot of fruit and fruit juice is fattening. The
only time fruit can cause any negative manifestations at all is when it is
altered by heat or incorrectly combined, meaning consumed with or im
mediately following any other food, WHEN EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOM
ACH, FRESH FRUIT CAN HAVE ONLY A POSITIVE EFFECT; IT
ACCELERATES WEIGHT LOSS. When we tell people they can freely eat
more fruit than usual and make this a habit in their lives, some of them
initially express concern over the amount of calories they are taking in. Calories are enemies only if they are consumed in foods that are highly
processed or ill-combined. High-quality calories, those found in high-
water-content food, are not going to add to your weight problem. They
will furnish the energy to do away with it. THE PRINCIPLE OF CORRECT FRUIT CONSUMPTION • 57 I have always found calorie-counting to be such a bore. It is a depress
ing way to determine what to eat. I implore people to forget about calo
ries and think of high-quality food. Calorie-counting is a very antiquated
and ineffective means of trying to regulate one's weight. It looks viable in
theory, so does the theory that the sun orbits the earth. Calorie-counting
is an unrealistic gauge by which to measure one's progress. That is why
so many calorie-counters do not find the results they are looking for, even
though they diligently count their calories. I remember once going into a very nice restaurant in Palm Springs for
breakfast. This establishment prided itself on the fact that everything on
the menu had the number of calories indicated next to it. Here is why
calorie-counting is practically worthless: I worked out two possible break
fasts from the menu. Both had three items. One was 220 calories, the
other 190. Well, if I were operating under the delusion that a calorie is a
calorie is a calorie, and I should eat fewer at a meal whenever possible, I
would have opted for the breakfast of 190 calories. But understanding the
principles of Natural Hygiene as 1 did, I unhesitatingly had the 220-
calorie breakfast. Lucky for me. You see, thinking that a calorie in a food
that has been denatured, devitalized, and otherwise processed to death is
just like a calorie in a fresh, unadulterated food is folly of the highest
order. All cars are cars too. Would you rather have a broken-down old
jalopy with no brakes that barely runs or a shiny new Rolls-Royce. Both
are cars, but one can endanger your life while the other can serve it. So it
is with calories. One kind can add weight to your body, another kind can
supply the energy to help you lose weight. When dealing with calories,
it is a classic instance of quality being of far greater importance than
quantity. The 190-calorie breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal, one piece of wheat
toast, and cream cheese. The 220-calorie breakfast was a glass of fresh-
squeezed orange juice, a slice of fresh melon in season, and a bowl of
fresh strawberries. Now that you have a clear understanding of the ex
treme importance of eating foods high in water content, properly com
bined, I'm sure you can see why I opted for the 220-calorie meal. The
190-calorie breakfast was three items devoid of water. It was a protein
(cream cheese) and two carbohydrates (toast and oatmeal). It would have
sat rotting in my stomach for some six to eight hours, robbing me of my
precious energy, supplying no nutrition, and leaving a thick layer of toxic
waste to clog my system. It would have done absolutely nothing to assist
in my desire to lose weight. It would have added weight. The 220-calorie
breakfast was all high water content. No putrefaction or fermentation and
the resulting distress to my system. It passed through my stomach in less
than half an hour and was actually supplying me with real energy within
58 • FIT FOR L1FF. an hour. My system was helped, not prevented from cleansing itself of
waste, because my elimination cycle was not thwarted. Anyone who would think that this program is successful because it
supplies fewer calories than a "regular" diet has missed the point of it
entirely. Merely lowering calorie intake will not achieve the loss of
weight desired if the calories consumed are from foods that are de
natured, ill-combined, toxic, and clogging. That is why this program has
been so successful for so many people, many of whom used to count
calories religiously. It is a life-style change having nothing to do with
calorie-counting. The reasoning behind eating exclusively fruit in the morning is tied
closely to the efficient functioning of your body cycles. This is a perfect
time to look at these cycles again and see exactly why. Since in weight
loss we are interested in not blocking the elimination cycle, let's empha
size that cycle by looking at it first. • CYCLE i—ELIMINATION (4 A. M. -NOON): You have already learned
that digestion of conventional food takes more energy than any other
body process. You have also learned that fruit demands the least amount
of energy for its digestion. So it is most beneficial for FRUIT OR FRUIT
JUICE TO BE THE ONLY FOODS CONSUMED DURING THE ELIMINATION
CYCLE, if you consume anything at all. Anything else halts the elimina
tion process, and the by-products of foods that should have been elimi
nated are now added to your toxic load and to the unwanted pounds in
your body. That is why the success of this program (and your success in
losing weight) depends on the exclusive consumption of fruit and fruit
juice before noon. Successful and comfortable weight loss is dependent
on the efficiency of the elimination cycle. By sabotaging this cycle you
sabotage your success, HAVING ONLY FRUIT AND FRUDT JUICE EX
CLUSIVELY BEFORE NOON IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACET
OF THIS SYSTEM. (Even if you continue to drink coffee or take supple
ments, don't do it during the elimination cycle. Do it after noon. This is
essential. ) • CYCLE ii—APPROPRIATION (NOON-8 P.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: According to the text, what happens to the food in the stomach as soon as it comes into contact with digestive juices?,
A: The entire mass of food begins to spoil and turn to acid, causing discomfort.
Q: What is the ideal composition of the five essential food groups, according to the text?,
A: The ideal composition is 90% glucose, 4-5% amino acids, 3-4% minerals, <1% fatty acids, and <1% vitamins.
Q: What is the recommended time frame for eating fruit after a non-fruit meal?,
A: At least 3 hours after eating other foods.
Q: What is the recommended way to consume fruit, according to the author?,
A: Fresh, uncooked, and on an empty stomach.
Q: What is the author's stance on the importance of protein in the diet?,
A: The author believes that protein is not as important as other food groups, and that the body can recycle and utilize amino acids from plant-based sources.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>The sun was filtering through
the trees and glistening off the moisture on the flowers and grass. Just
then perhaps a chipmunk scurried across your path. What was your VERY
FIRST INSTINCTIVE inclination upon the sight of the chipmunk, before
you even had time to think? To pounce on it, grab it with your teeth, rip
it apart, and swallow it, blood, guts, skin, bone, flesh, and all? Then lick
your lips with delight and thank the powers that be that you chose this
particular path through the woods so you had the opportunity to devour
this delectable little tidbit? Or would you instantly, upon sight of the
furry little creature, say, "Shhh, did you see that cute little chipmunk?" I
wonder how many more vegetarians there would be if when people


. Bring that darkness to the light so you see that the
guilt has nothing at all to do with the world or your behaviors. As you go
deeper, you start to realize that there is never a reason to feel guilty—it is
just part of that false ego belief system. You start to become aware that
the way out is miracles. The more miraculous your life beco mes, the
more habitually miracle-minded you become, and you experience the
innocence that comes from miracle-mindedness.
You have had glimmers of this innocence. You don’t need to
change. You don’t need to become better at something. You don’t need
to fix something. You are just perfect. In the next chapter, we will bring
more clarity to this as we get into the importance of our thought s and the
power of our minds.
Think of all your relationships. How would it feel if you saw
everybody as perfect? What if when somebody came to you and said,
“Oh, I feel so bad for what I’ve done,” and you could just smile  and give
them a big hug and say, “I love you so much.” When you can give that
gift to yourself, you have the power to give that gift to everyone : to all of
your friends, family members, coworkers, and people in the grocery
store. And it feels so good to give that gift. It must come from the Holy
Spirit because the ego could never conceive of such a gift. It has been
the greatest joy in my life to give the gift of innocence away: “You are
not guilty; you are innocent. I see you as innocent, I will treat you as
innocent, and I will think of you as innocent.” It is only by giving away
that which you want for yourself that you can escape from guilt!Chapter 5
Private Thoughts
We communicate through words, through language, and by sharing our
thoughts. This happens every day: in our families, in our schools, and at
work. When we share our thoughts with others, we expand our view,
connect, and grow. Communic ation can also be wordless and still be
shared clearly, for example through body language. But if we don’t have
someone to talk to, we believe that our thoughts are not shared.  It seems
like we can think about whatever we want, and nobody else knows about
it. This is the belief that we have privacy inside our minds. But our
thoughts alone make up the whole (seemingly private) world we see.
At our Course in Miracles –inspired monastery, we have no vows of
poverty, chastity, or obedience as they do in traditional monasteries.
Instead, we have a guideline: we encourage everyone to have no private
thoughts and to expose what has been hidden.
Private minds with private thoughts seem to be the very basis of the
human condition: humans value privacy, autonomy, and independence. It
is said that these things make the human being, but it is a game of
pretense, a ruse. These unreal concepts and ideas generate a fiction of the
human race, a fiction of individuality and separateness. In this fiction, it
seems each person goes their own way and leads a distinct life apart,
only to meet with others at certain times. This has never brought us
consistent joy, happiness, peace, or contentment. Stemming from the
belief in separation, private minds and private thoughts have us
wandering, lost in time and space. We just need to open up and share.
Returning to Jenny’ s story, she says:
In my early twenties, my marriage was not happy. It felt abusive,
and my husband even raged a lot. I didn’ t feel like I had anyone
to talk to about it. Then I met a pastor at a conference who I
found very, very trustworthy. I poured out my whole heart to him,all my experiences, and all the pain from my marriage. This
pastor just listened to me. He was very open-minded, very
interested, engag ed, and patient, and I felt such an opening in my
heart and in my mind. It felt so valuable, like a long-sought
lifeline. I felt seen and heard. This opened me to the many steps I
needed to take to move forward and heal. Opening up my priva te
thoughts opened up my life.
The urge to keep stuff within and not share comes from our urge to
defend and protect ourselves. But the need to be defensive can only
come when we have identified with an illusion of our self. If you take a
thought that comes, a feeling of mild concern, or a bit of worry, and
follow it down into your mind, you will find an image of yourse lf that is
not the real you. It is a picture that was made to take the place of your
true Self.
It’s not that good or bad things  happen to us. We can learn to not
judge the form and instead see that everything is an opportunity to
expose our fears, doubts, and beliefs. We’ve been accustomed to taking
things on, to taking things personally, to feeling bad, and to feeling like
we’re not worthy of sharing, not worthy of being.
Experiencing and perceiving an external world is rooted in hiding
and holding on to private thoug hts. When you become more aware of
your thoughts and beliefs, you’ll find that what seems to be happ ening in
form is connecte d to your inner feeling experience. The interna l and the
external world aren’ t really different; they merge. It seems like there’ s a
world outside the mind, but it’s actually not out there. It’s synonymous
with mind. This means you really don’t have interpersonal relationship
problems. You really don’t have  any physical problems. You really don’t
have issues with what could happen to the environment. It’s all in your
mind. It’ s all mental.
The Core Private Thought
When it comes to healing the mind and opening up to freedom  and joy,
the big shift happens when we open up our most private thoughts.Underneath all the others, there is one core secret that is intolerable to
hold in mind, and it is this idea: “I am separate from God.” This core
private thought marks the birth of a belief in time and projects  a whole
world. This thought puts everything fearful “out there” as well as what is
believed to be enjoyable. This is where beliefs such as pleasure and pain
come in attempt ing to strengthen the idea that you are a body. We can
say that thoughts of valuing the body and identification with it are
diluted private thoughts that cover the core private thought of separation.
Essentially, all the thoughts that separate a “me” and a “you” are private
thoughts.
Thoughts that lead you away from an experience of this present
moment, or any thoughts invol ving time, are private thoughts. This is
because time, as used by the ego, excludes the experience of the present,
the miracle. A private thought always involves the past or the future in
one way or another. Regret of something that seems to have happened in
the past or worry about something that can happen in a hypothetical
future are examples of this. These thoughts, often concerns, worries, or
even hopes, only involve the perception of a separate individual. They
are therefore also called hypothetical thoughts. Hypothetically speaking,
as-if, in the future, something may or may not occur. If you really watch
your thoughts as they roll through, you’ll see that there are a lot of
hypothetical, private thoughts. Some of them are judged to be very
desirable, which explains why you think about them over and over.
Some of them are very fearful or worrisome and have a lot of doubts,
anger, and guilt attached to them. But they are all part of a mechanism to
distract you and keep you from experiencing the present moment.
The Holy Spirit knows that the sleeping mind is heavily invested in
private thoughts. When the Self is realized and there is an expe rience of
pure oneness, there are no longer any experiences of private thoughts,
yet the condition  of being in this world is to believe in those thoughts. In
fact, they are believed to be the only reality. So in truth, I have no private
thoughts, but as a separate self, all that I am aware of is private thoughts.
This must mean that the separate self is not who I am. By their very
nature, private thoughts come from an individual mind, with memories
and thoughts of the past as well as future planning and looking  forward
to things. So, through exposing all your thoughts to the Holy Spirit andmaybe to a very trusted friend, you are opening up to a completely
different experience, dif ferent than you’ve ever had before.
You have surely  noticed that there are a lot of emotions connected
to private thoughts, and that’s why it can seem like the human condition
is just an emotional rollercoaster ride. Up and down. People will even
say, “Life is meant to be a serie s of challenges,” and “It’s inevitable that
you will have challenges every  day.” And this is an experience most
people have, which is based solely on these private thoughts  and the
emotions that come with them. If we had to give a definition of God’ s
will for us, it would be perfect happiness. God’ s will is definitely not for
a rollerc oaster ride of emotions and


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 Revised and Updated. San Francisco:
HarperSanFrancisco.
Watts, A. [1957] 1999. The Way of Zen. New York: Vintage
—. [1955] 1972. The Way of Liberation in Zen Buddhism. Society for Comparative Philosophy,Alan
Watts Journal; 2nd ed.
OceanofPDF.comABOUT THE AUTHOR
Biographical and Autobiographical Notes
Dr. Hawkins is an internationally known spiritual teacher, author, and
speaker on the subject of advanced spiritual states, consciousness research,
and the Realization of the Presence of God as Self.
His published works, as well as recorded lectures, have been widely
recognized as unique in that a very advanced state of spiritual awareness
occurred in an individual with a scientific and clinical background who was
later able to verbalize and explain the unusual phenomenon in a manner that
is clear and comprehensible.
The transition from the normal ego-state of mind to its elimination by
the Presence is described in the trilogy Power vs. Force (1995) which won
praise even from Mother Teresa, The Eye of the I (2001), and I: Reality and
Subjectivity (2003), which have been translated into the major languages of
the world. Truth vs. Falsehood: How to Tell the Difference (2005) and
Transcending the Levels of Consciousness (2006) continue the exploration
of the ego’s expressions and inherent limitations and how to transcend
them.
The trilogy was preceded by research on the Nature of Consciousness
and published as the doctoral dissertation, Qualitative and Quantitative
Analysis and Calibration of the Levels of Human Consciousness (1995),
which correlated the seemingly disparate domains of science and
spirituality. This was accomplished by the major discovery of a technique
that, for the first time in human history, demonstrated a means to discern
truth from falsehood.
The importance of the initial work was given recognition by its very
favorable and extensive review in Brain/Mind Bulletin and at later
presentations such as the International Conference on Science and
Consciousness. Many presentations were given to a variety of
organizations, spiritual conferences, church groups, nuns, and monks, both
nationally and in foreign countries, including the Oxford Forum. In the Far
East, Dr. Hawkins is a recognized “Teacher of the Way to Enlightenment”
(Tae Ryoung Sun Kak Dosa).In response to his observation that much spiritual truth has been
misunderstood over the ages due to lack of explanation, Dr. Hawkins
presented monthly seminars that provided detailed explanations which are
too lengthy to describe in book format. Recordings are available, along with
questions and answers that provide additional clarification.
The overall design of this lifetime work is to recontextualize the human
experience in terms of the evolution of consciousness and to integrate a
comprehension of both mind and spirit as expressions of the innate Divinity
that is the substrate and ongoing source of life and Existence. This
dedication is signified by the statement “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!” with
which his published works begin and end.
Biographic Summary
Dr. Hawkins has practiced psychiatry since 1952 and is a life member of
the American Psychiatric Association and numerous other professional
organizations. His national television appearance schedule has included The
McNeil/Leher News Hour, The Barbara Walters Show, The Today Show,
science documentaries, and many others.
He is the author of numerous scientific and spiritual publications,
books, videotapes, and lecture series. Nobelist Linus Pauling coauthored his
landmark book, Orthomolecular Psychiatry. Dr. Hawkins’s diverse
background as researcher and teacher is noted in his biographical listings in
Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. He was a consultant
for many years to Episcopal and Catholic Dioceses, The Monastery,
monastic orders, and the Zen Monastery.
Dr. Hawkins has lectured widely, with appearances at Westminster
Abbey, the Universities of Argentina, Notre Dame, and Michigan, Fordham
and Harvard Universities, and the Oxford Forum. He gave the annual
Landsberg Lecture at the University of California Medical School at San
Francisco. He is also a consultant to foreign governments on international
diplomacy and was instrumental in resolving long-standing conflicts that
were major threats to world peace.
In recognition of his contributions to humanity, in 1995, Dr. Hawkins
became a knight of the Sovereign Order of the Hospitaliers of St. John of
Jerusalem, which was founded in 1077.
Autobiographic NoteWhile the truths reported in this book were scientifically derived and
objectively organized, like all truths, they were first experienced personally.
A lifelong sequence of intense states of awareness beginning at a young age
first inspired and then gave direction to the process of subjective realization
that has finally taken form in this book.
At age three, there occurred a sudden full consciousness of existence, a
nonverbal but complete understanding of the meaning of “I Am,” followed
immediately by the frightening realization that “I” might not have come
into existence at all. This was an instant awakening from oblivion into a
conscious awareness, and in that moment, the personal self was born and
the duality of “Is” and “Is Not” entered my subjective awareness.
Throughout childhood and early adolescence, the paradox of existence
and the question of the reality of the self remained a repeated concern. The
personal self would sometimes begin slipping back into a greater
impersonal Self, and the initial fear of non-existence, the fundamental fear
of nothingness, would recur.
In 1939, as a paperboy with a seventeen-mile bicycle route in rural
Wisconsin, on a dark winter’s night I was caught miles from home in a
twenty-below-zero blizzard. The bicycle fell over on the ice and the fierce
wind ripped the newspapers out of the handlebar basket, blowing them
across the ice-covered, snowy field. There were tears of frustration and
exhaustion and my clothes were frozen stiff. To get out of the wind, I broke
through the icy crust of a high snow bank, dug out a space, and crawled into
it. Soon the shivering stopped and there was a delicious warmth, and then a
state of peace beyond all description. This was accompanied by a suffusion
of light and a presence of infinite love that had no beginning and no end and
was undifferentiated from my own essence. The physical body and
surroundings faded as my awareness was fused with this all-present,
illuminated state. The mind grew silent; all thought stopped. An infinite
Presence was all that was or could be, beyond all time or description.
After that timelessness, there was suddenly an awareness of someone
shaking my knee; then my father’s anxious face appeared. There was great
reluctance to return to the body and all that that entailed, but because of my
father’s love and anguish, the Spirit nurtured and reactivated the body.
There was compassion for his fear of death, although, at the same time, the
concept of death seemed absurd.This subjective experience was not discussed with anyone since there
was no context available from which to describe it. It was not common to
hear of spiritual experiences other than those reported in the lives of the
saints. But after this experience, the accepted reality of the world began to
seem only provisional; traditional religious teachings lost significance and,
paradoxically, I became an agnostic. Compared to the light of Divinity that
had illuminated all existence, the god of traditional religion shone dully
indeed; thus spirituality replaced religion.
During World War II, hazardous duty on a minesweeper often brought
close brushes with death but there was no fear of it. It was as though death
had lost its authenticity. After the war, fascinated by the complexities of the
mind and wanting to study psychiatry, I worked my way through medical
school. My training psychoanalyst, a professor at Columbia University, was
also an agnostic; we both took a dim view of religion. The analysis went
well, as did my career, and success followed.
I did not, however, settle quietly into professional life. I fell ill with a
progressive, fatal illness that did not respond to any treatments available.
By age thirty-eight, I was in extremis and knew I was about to die. I didn’t
care about the body but my spirit was in a state of extreme anguish and
despair. As the final moment approached, the thought flashed through my
mind, “What if there is a God?” So I called out in prayer, “If there is a God,
I ask him to help me now.” I surrendered to whatever God there might be
and went into oblivion. When I awoke, a transformation of such enormity
had taken place that I was struck dumb with awe.
The person I had been no longer existed. There was no personal self or
ego, only an Infinite Presence of such unlimited power that it was all that
was. This Presence had replaced what had been “me,” and the body and its
actions were controlled solely by the Infinite Will of the Presence. The
world was illuminated by the clarity of an Infinite Oneness that expressed
itself as all things revealed in their infinite beauty and perfection.
As life went on, this stillness persisted. There was no personal will; the
physical body went about its business under the direction of the infinitely
powerful but exquisitely gentle Will of the Presence. In that state, there was
no need to think about anything. All truth was self-evident and no
conceptualization was necessary or even


 beans Parsnips (acorn,  buttercup,
Landcress Radishes,  cooked butternut,  spaghetti)
Lotus  root
Minor Watercress
Arugula Daikon Peppers Bamboo  shoots
Eggplant Plantain
Bell  peppers Endive Pokeroot
Bok  choy Escarole Potatoes,  white
Broccoli Gourd  squash Pumpkin
Broccoli  rabe Jerusalem  artichokes Radicchio
Burdock  root
Jicama Snow  peas
Cabbage Kale
Spinach Carrots Karela,  well  cooked
Sprouts Cassava Kohlrabi Sweet  potatoes
Cauliflower Lambsquarter Turnip  greens Celery
Papaya, green Zucchini
Corn,  fresh Parsnips
Cucumber,  seedless Peas
Regressive
Brussels  sprouts Shiitake  mushrooms Tomatoes
Mushrooms Swiss  chard Turnips
Onions,  raw Taro  root Vegetables,  raw
86
^mjr
EATING   ACCORDING   TO   YOUR    BODY   TYPE
VATA-KAPHA
FRUITS
Apricots
Berries
Cherries
Coconut
Dates
Figs,  fresh
Apples
Avocado
Bananas
Dried  fruits
Grapes Use  fresh  and  seasonal  fruits.
Major
Lemon
Lime
Mango
Melon
Papaya
Minor
Kiwi
Oranges
Pears
Persimmon
Regressive Cranberries  Prunes
Dried,  sour,  or  sweet  fruits,  in  excess Peaches
Raisins,  moist
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tamarind
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate Soursop
Quince
GRAINS
Since  most  dry  goods  are  available  throughout  the  year,  grains
are  categorized  by  season  for  the  dual  body  types.
V-K  types  should  avoid  a  mono-diet  of  brown  rice.
Winter/Spring  (December  to  end  of  April)
Major Minor
Regressive Barley Amaranth Buckwheat
Millet Basmati  rice,  brown  or  white Oats,  whole  cooked
Quinoa Brown  rice,  long-  or  short-grain Rye Wheat
Major
Brown  rice,  long-grain
Wheat Spring/Summer  (May  to  end  of  August)
Minor Barley
Brown  rice,  short-  or
medium-grain
Millet
Oats,  whole  cooked
Wild  rite Regressive Amaranth
Buckwheat
Corn
Quinoa Rye
87
jmt.
THE    PRACTICE    OF    AYURVEDA
VAT  A -KAPHA
Fall  (September  to  end  of  November)
Major Minor
Regressive
Basmati  rice,  brown Basmati  rice,  white Amaranth
Brown  rice,  long-grain Brown  rice,  medium-grain Buckwheat
Oats,  whole  cooked Millet
Corn
Quinoa Rye
Wheat
Wild  rice
PROCESSED  GRAINS  (ALL  YEAR)
Minor
Bulgur Oats,  steel-cut Udon  noodles
Couscous Pasta,  whole  wheat Unbleached  white  flour
Mochi  (pounded  sweet rice)
Rice  flour
Regressive Whole  wheat  flour
Cereals,  commercial  or dried Corn  meal
Rye  flakes Corn  grits Oat  bran
Oats,  rolled Wheat  bran
LEGUMES,  BEANS,  PEAS,  AND  SOYBEAN  DERIVATIVES
Major
A chiki  beans Mung  dhal,  split  or  whole Toor  dhal
Lentils,  brown  or  red
Minor
Black  beans Muth  beans Urad  dhal
Chickpeas,  black  or  yellow Tofu
degressive
Black-eyed  peas Pinto  beans
Split  peas
Kidney  beans Soybeans Tempeh
Lima  beans Soy  by-products,  except  tofu White  beans
Navy  beans
NUTS  AND  SEEDS
Coconut
Poppy  seeds Minor
Pumpkin  seeds,  roasted
Sesame  seeds,  roasted Sunflower  seeds,  roasted
88
jm:.
EATING    ACCORDING   TO   YOUR    BODY  TYPE
VATA-KAPHA
Regressive
All  nuts.  Small  amounts  of  almonds,  cashews,  pecans,  pistachios,  and  walnuts  are
permitted  in  the  fall  (September  to  end  of  November).
DAIRY
Major
Cottage  cheese Ghee Goat's  milk
Butter;  unsalted Minor
Cow's  milk,  certified  raw Yogurt
Regressive
Small  amounts  of  cheeses  and  sour  cream  may  be  used  in  the  fall
(September  to  end  of  November).
Buttermilk  Dairy  products,  commercial  or         Ice  cream
Butter,  salted  powdered  Sour  cream
Cheeses,  salted
OILS
Major
Canola Sunflower
Minor
Almond Corn Sesame,  dark  or  light
Apricot Mustard Soy
Avocado Olive Walnut
Coconut Safflower
Regressive
Animal  oils or  lard Vegetable,  mixed
SWEETENERS
Amasake  (rice  milk)
Dates Major
Fruit  juice,  mixed
Honey,  raw  and  uncooked Sweet  fruits
Barley  malt
Brown  rice  syrup
Brown  sugar,  unrefined Minor
Fruit  juice  concentrates
Maple  syrup Sucanat
Sugarcane  juice
89
jmtr
THE    PRACTICE    OF    AYURVEDA
VATA-KAPHA
Fructose
Honey,  cooked
Molasses Regressive
Sugar  substitutes  (saccharin,
Sweet  'n  Low,  NutraSweet) White  sugar
HERBS,  SPICES,  AND  FLAVORINGS
Allspice
Anise
Asafoetida
Basil
Bay  leaf
Black  cumin
Black  pepper
Caraway
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Cumin
Curry  powder
Dill  leaves Major
Eucalyptus
Fennel
Garam  masala
Garlic,  cooked
Ginger,  dried
Mace
Marjoram
Mint
Mustard  seeds Nutmeg
Onion,  dried
Orange  peel
Oregano
Paprika Parsley
Peppermint
Poppy  seeds Rosemary
Saffron Sage
Savory
Spearmint Star  anise
Tamarind
Tarragon
Thyme
Turmeric
Vanilla
Almond  extract
Cayenne
Dill  seed
Fenugreek
Garlic,  raw Minor
Ginger,  fresh
Horseradish
Kudzu
Mango  powder
Regressive Mugwort Neem  leaves
Orange  extract
CONDIMENTS
Cilantro
Chutney,  coconut  or
sweet  mango
Daikon,  grated
Gomasio,  mild
Horseradish
Lemon  juice Minor
Mayonnaise,  noncommercial
Mint  leaves
Mustard,  noncommercial
Olives,  black
Pickles,  cucumber  or  ginger
or  lime  or  mango
Rose  water Rock  salt
Sea  salt
Sprouts Vinegar,  brown  rice  or
herbal  or  umeboshi
Wasabi
Yogurt,  spiced
90
>90Cr
EATING    ACCORDING    TO   YOUR    BODY   TYPE
V  AT  A  - K A  PH  A
Mayonnaise,  commercial
Miso
Mustard,  commercial Regressive
Preservatives  and
additives,  chemical Salt,  iodized
Vinegar,  commercial
SEAWEEDS
Use  moderately  during  the  fall  (September  to  end  of  November).
Soak  and  rinse  seaweeds  thoroughly  before  use.
Agar-agar
Arame
Blue-green  algae
Dulse Minor
Hijiki Kelp
Kombu Riverweeds
Seaware
Wakame
BREWS  AND  BEVERAGES
Apricot  juice
Berry  juice
Carrot  juice
Carrot-ginger  drink
Apple  juice
Banana  drink
Carrot-vegetable  juice
Coffee
Alcohol
Aloe  vera  juice  or  drinks
Caffeinated  teas
Carbonated  drinks Major
Cherry  juice
Chicory  blends
Grape  juice


  30,  31-33,  32,  44
and  doshas,  33
chana  dhal,  171
Chana  Dhal,  245
channels  of  circulation,  27-29
Chapati,  207
charoli  seed,  297
Chat  Masala,  303
Cheese,  Curd,  184
chemicals  in  food  growing,  1 85-86
cherry
RECIPES  USING
Cherry,  Lettuce,  and  Cucumber  Aspic,
291
Cherry  Strudel,  313
Orange  and  Cherry  Chutney,  309
Cherry,  Lettuce,  and  Cucumber  Aspic,  291
Cherry  Strudel,  313
chewing,  152
Chickpea  and  Seitan  Stew,  269
Chickpeas  and  Onions,  244
chowla.  See  lobya
Chutneys,  307-10
Cilantro  and  Coconut  Sauce,  277 Cilantro  and  Parsley  Chutney,  309
cinnamon,  297
Cinnamon  Spiced  Wheat,  215
circulation,  thirteen  channels  of,  27-29
Clay  Pot  Baked  Apples,  313
Clay  Pot  Baked  Pears,  314
Clear  Ginger  and  Corn  Soup,  282
Clear  Noodle  Soup,  285
cloves,  297
coconut
milk,  fresh,  194
oil,  175
Coconut  Oatmeal  Porridge,  222
Coconut  Rice,  214
Coconut  Sambar,  247
cognitive  memory,  12-15 animals  and,  14
author's  experience,  13
sadhanas  and, 14
Collard  Nori  Rolls,  218
collective  self.  See  ahamkara;  cognitive memory
colocasia  leaf,  297
companion  planting,  186
Companion  Planting  (Franck),  186
compassion,  332-33
condiments,  tastes  and  energy  of,  68
consciousness  body,  21
conservation,  184-85
Cooked  Wheat  Berries,  222 cooking
ancient  utensils  and  methods,  156-57
author's  introduction  to,  156
dhal,  172-73,  773
grains,  167-70,  169,  170
measuring,  153-54 modern  utensils  and  methods,  158,
193-94,  198-99
sadhanas,  160
transition  to  Ayurvedic,  158-59
Cool  Barley  Brew,  321
coriander,  297
corn,  166
RECIPES  USING
Corn  and  Red  Pepper  Aspic,  290
Corn  Balls  and  Red  Peppers,  237
Clear  Ginger  and  Corn  Soup,  282
Creamed  Corn,  238
Millet  and  Corn,  209
Millet  and  Corn  Soup,  283
Peppered  Corn  on  the  Cob,  230
Rye  and  Corn,  208
Saffron  Rice  and  Corn,  209
Whole  Oats  and  Corn,  2 1 1
Corn  and  Red  Pepper  Aspic,  290
Corn  Balls  and  Red  Peppers,  237
corn  oil,  175
couscous,  164
Couscous  and  Carrots,  221
cows,  mistreatment  of,  176-78 Cracked  Rice  Uppama,  215
Cream  of  Wheat  Porridge,  220
Creamed  Corn,  238
Creamed  Squash,  237
Crisp  Cooked  Millet,  222
cucumber
RECIPES  USING
Carrot  and  Cucumber  Aspic,  290
Cherry,  Lettuce,  and  Cucumber  Aspic,
291
Cucumber  Raita,  310
Pressed  Cucumber  and  Dill  Salad,  272
Pressed  Endive  and  Cucumber  Salad,
271
Zucchini  and  Cucumber  with  Oil  and
Vinegar  Dressing,  236
Cucumber  Raita,  310
cumin,  297
black,  296
Cumin  and  Basmati  Rice,  208
Cumin  and  Black  Pepper  Rasam,  304
Cumin  Dressing,  279
Cumin  Millet,  211
Cumin  Quinoa,  212
Curd  Cheese  (panir),  184
curry,  298
dadhi  (Fresh  Yogurt),  183
Dahi  Vada,  207
daikon  radish,  340.  See  also  radish
daily  and  seasonal  activities
Kapha  types,  55
Pitta  types,  51-52 Vata  types,  47
daily  routines,  186-89 dairy
lactose  intolerance,  1 79
milk,  176,  178
recommended  consumption,  179-82
tastes  and  energy  of,  69
date
RECIPES  USING
Date  Bread  Pudding,  318
Energy  Shake,  325
Marzipan  Date  Cake,  319
Date  Bread  Pudding,  318
devotion,  334
dhal,  171-72
cleaning,  washing,  and  soaking,  172-73
cooking  chart,  173
pressure  cooking,  1 73
RECIPES  USING
Adai,  202
Aduki  and  Shallot  Dhal,  246
Amavadai,  202
Baked  Beans,  243
Barley  and  Mung  Kichadi,  255
Barley  and  Whole  Mung  Beans,  254
Basmati  and  Split  Mung  Beans,  253
Bean  Pudding,  319
348
^flfiCr
INDEX
Black  Bean  Chili,  252
Black  Bean  Soup,  283
Brown  Rice  Kichadi,  255
Caraway  Rice,  212
Chana  Dhal,  245
Chickpeas  and  Onions,  244
Coconut  Sambar,  247
Cumin  Millet,  211
Dahi  Vada,  207
Leek  and  Chickpea  Soup,  282
Millet  and  Mung  Kichadi,  256
Mung  and  Buckwheat  Soup,  288
Mung  and  Spinach  Kuttu,  250
Mung  and  Wheat  Berry  Soup,  288
Mung  Humus,  244
Orange  Rasam,  249
Othappam,  202
Peppered  Barley  Idli,  205
Plain  Dhal,  244
Plain  Dosa,  203
Pressed  Sprouted  Mung  and  Cabbage
Salad,  270
Red  Lentils  and  Basmati  Rice,  253
Rice  and  Aduki  Beans,  253
Rice  and  Whole  Mung  Beans,  253
Rice  Idli,  205
Rye  and  Urad  Dosa,  204
Soybeans,  243
Soybeans  and  Red  Cabbage  Dhal,  246
Spiced  Rice  and  Millet,  216
Spinach  Sambar,  249
Split  Pea  Dhal,  245
Sweet  Rice  and  Aduki  Beans,  254
Toor  Dhal  and  Cabbage  Kuttu,  250
Toor  Dhal  and  Eggplant  Kuttu,  251
Toor  Rasam,  247
Tridosha  Sambar,  248
Urad,  Mung,  and  Rice  Dosa,  203
Vada,


 and it seemed we would never get to the hospital. Once there, I was led to a reception area where after some fifteen minut es wait (this seems typical in emergency
situations) I insisted on someone doing some thing. No sooner said than done. I was
ushered into another room resembling a business office where I came face to face, across a desk, with an efficient looking woman dressed in white. She coldly inquired
as to my type of medical insurance. I got the vibrations that a lengthy interview was
forthcoming and I wanted no part of it at that particular time, so I asked to be taken to
see a doctor. The lady in white stated she had to have certain information and then I
would be able to see the doctor, so she proceeded to obtain my address, profession, phone number, mother's maiden name, religion, and answers to a dozen or so more
questions. I almost thought she would ask me why I was there. More precious minutes
ticked away and finally the two giant swinging doors opened exposing an orderly who
guided me into an examining room and onto a table. At last, I thought, the doctor will
see me. Sure enough, about fifteen tension-filled minutes later a very young-looking intern strolled in and asked a battery of questions. He proceeded to examine me and
decided to give me an EKG ( electrocardiogram ) ; but guess what? That's right!
There was no EKG unit in the room. So out he went to locate one. More nervous
minutes passed until he returned with the apparatus. He proceeded to put the jelly on
the various parts of my body where the electrodes would be hooked up. After connecting me, he was ready to begin. The machine was plugged in, the switch was
thrown, but nothing happened. The intern jiggled the switch and made a few
adjustments, but still nothing happened. He went to get help while I became more
upset with the entire idea. Finally he returned with a young female intern and between
the two of them the EKG unit was finally activated, but they could not get the machine to record on the graph. They played with it for a number of minutes--the
blind leading the blind--until finally I could not contain myself any longer and got up and showed them how to work it, then I put myself back on the table while they made
the test. The results were negative. No evidence of any heart problem. Everything was
normal. But after a careful history was taken,  it was determined that the entire episode
was due to the effects of all the various drugs in my system, each one potentiating the action of another, interfering with normal body function.
   This incident reminded me of the story of the man who, when he regained
consciousness in his hospital bed, asked the doctor standing over him what had
happened. The doctor told him that all of his tiny time pills went off at once.
   The point of this whole experience is the frightening prospect that if I, in fact, was
having a heart attack, I could have easily died while running the gamut of hospital-
medical red tape and laxity most likely due to "routineness." I'm sure this is not always the case, but I wonder how many people have died "waiting"?
   My drug doses were of course reduced  and altered on subsequent visits to my
doctor, but I was ordered to continue ta king drugs. Soon I began to experience some
nausea and severe general itching as reactions to these drugs. I was then ordered to
take two more drugs. One was Dramamine, which was used for nausea, and the other was Periactin, which was used for the itching. Neither of these did much good and
there were many other signs of actual poisoning making themselves manifest, some of
which were drying of the mouth and mucous membranes, headaches, blurred vision, nervousness (for which the doctor prescribed phenobarbital), mental slowness, and
fuzzy mind--probably due to the phenobarbital. There were other signs, but these will
give you some idea of the dangers of drugs. This is known as iatrogenic disease,
doctor-induced disease, from the so-called "cure," which is usually worse than the
disease. In fact, I consider it a small mir acle that my infant son, born in December
1960, and my other son-to-be, who would be born in December 1963, were completely normal and had no genetic damage as a result of my system being loaded
with poisonous drugs, including one of the most dangerous--cortisone.
   After a few more months of treatment, my condition worsened to a point where I
began losing weight. I dropped eight or ten pounds from my average 170 pounds. This
was of course due to increased intensity of diarrhea, thereby causing dehydration and
loss of nutrients. There was also a decreased capacity to digest and absorb food. There was chronic, low-grade fever present, accompanied by malaise and weakness. As the
drugs were continued, they caused an alteration in the normal intestinal flora
(beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins and are an integral part in the digestive
process), creating more diarrhea, vitamin and mineral deficiency, bleeding with
subsequent anemia, putrefaction of bowel contents, and resultant gas formation, etc. All of the preceding problems contributed to what was to be a form of malnutrition--
another problem I didn't need.
   A sick body needs rest. A body that does not have the power to carry on proper
digestion needs rest. A body that is weak needs rest. Rest was one necessity that was
not supplied. My body was too busy working trying to digest food and detoxifying or
making harmless the many drugs being poured into it. How could the body possibly
heal itself under these circumstances? The factors necessary to maintain and restore health were never supplied. You will become very aware, later on, of the nature of
these factors. The sad part was that I was a llowed to deteriorate as far as I did with
none of my doctors being truly aware of the conditions necessary for health. From
here on it becomes a veritable nightmare.
   After two and one-half years Dr. Leopold finally gave up. He referred me to Dr.
Evans, early in 1961, who was rated as a "big specialist" with a broader knowledge
and experience in treating ulcerative colitis. So I began all over again with blood tests
and stool samples, which showed a type of anemia (low hemoglobin in my red blood
cells), and the upper GI series and barium enema, which showed worsening changes--
and which made me sicker afterward.
   After all the above tests were completed, Dr. Evans had me come into his office for
a proctosigmoidoscope to "see what's going on in there." He was quite concerned with
what he saw internally as well as my generally run-down external appearance and
decided I needed some additional drugs. So he started me on Donnatal to quiet things
down inside; Combex with C, a multivitamin; Betalin-S injections, a B vitamin which
was supposed to give me an appetite; Equanil, a tranquilizer; Haldrone, a member of the cortisone family; and calcium carbonate, to combat the indigestion and stomach
upset caused by these other drugs. Of course  he cut out most of the drugs that had
been prescribed by Dr. Leopold.
   My diet was now rearranged. Dr. Evans allowed me the similar mushy foodless
foods, but in addition he advised a very hi gh protein consumption. This consisted of
much eggs, milk, meat, and whole wheat bread, which are notorious allergens to
many people. A weakened digestive system cannot possibly handle this type of food
without having it ferment, rot, and further poison the body. So what happens when a
person with ulcerative colitis ingests these? Severe reactions occur such as increased
intestinal spasm and diarrhea, mucous form ation, and much gas from putrefaction of
these foods. I was also allowed coffee, which is a stimulant to the intestinal tract, and
I needed that like a proverbial hole in the head.
   You can see the inconsistency in medical treatment thus far, which continues as
time goes on. Harmlessness should be the watchword, but it was the exception rather
than the rule. I saw Dr. Evans approximately once a week for the year of 1961. I was
31 years old but felt twice my age and almost looked it. The proctosigmoidoscopy
was done twice at each office visit and was becoming a most uncomfortable and enervating procedure now because diarrhea was increasing to about 12 to 15 times a
day, the rectal area was becoming extremely sore, and painful hemorrhoids were
developing due to the constant spasms from the diarrhea. This meant it was difficult
for the doctor to push that scope past the hemorrhoids.
   I could feel myself beginning to crack emotionally. There were periods of apathy
and deep depressions accompanied by nervousness and irritability, making it most
difficult for my wife to cope with me. In f act, the strain was beginning to show in her.
She felt so helpless to do anything for me. She could only watch the gradual wasting
away of a once happy and healthy human being.
   Since the hemorrhoids were becoming quite painful, Dr. Evans decided to use
injection therapy to destroy them. This is a treatment, or should I say torture, where a


my sadness that I’m alone again,” which is also a 10. The
emotions under lying these issues may be at the core of the energy
disruption. You may need to address them first before the difficulty can be
resolved.
Sometimes  shifting aspects  may be behind apparent lack of headway on a
problem. This means that while you tap on one specific issue, such as
“sadness about the loss,” you’re feeling many things: anger, sadness,
frustration, upset, annoyance, self-pity, and more. The issue might not be
shifting because  you’re feeling all these things at once. In time, you must
tease these various aspects out and tap on them one at a time to get results.
At first, they may be all jumbled together like a big knotted ball of yarn.
As detailed at this chapter ’s end, tapping additional points is helpful
when you’re stuck. I have found them effective when I’m having a hard
time moving down the intensity scale and when the intensity is quite high,
as well. Sometimes the issue can be better handled with the help of a
supportive perso n working with you to get the results you know you can
achieve, including a therapist or a seasoned and proven EFT practitioner. Be
prepared to make that call when you need it.
The EFT Spiral: When Aspects Lead to Core Issues
It is typically the case in my own practice that the problem of the day, even
if minor, pings off earlier traum atic events, often early childhood traumas.
Even if no logic al link exists between the “today” upset and the past, that’s
okay, we’re working with the subconscious which has a “mind” all its own.
Ask yourself “what does this problem remind me of? Have I ever
experienced something like this before?” Then go to that “before” problem
and tap on that. The earlier you go, the more likely you will address the
cause that set in motion patterns that have troubled you for years.When you aim EFT at the earlier experience, you have the opportunity to
resolve not just the minor current problem, but also the root cause from
back in the day. Once these historic emotional traumas release, you might
feel like your whole world has changed. EFT is not a linear process. It’s
more like a spiral  process.
So wh en you tap about a teeny, weeny, seemingly superficial upset on the
outside of that spiral, you may also be working through a deeper issue at the
heart of that same spiral, and vice versa. When you’re working on one
event, you are in a sense working on all events housed in that same energy
disruption. Assu me in most cases that even when you are jumping in with
the small stuff, you are working on a number of levels at the same time. In
the long run, when you grow more comfortable with EFT, you’ll  start at any
point on the spiral—from the deep, dark interiors all the way to the little
wiggly tail.
With Matt’s troublesome should er, here are some aspects or details that
he did tap on: “This is where I injured my shoulder before; I’m scared it’s
going to get worse; why did I help my sister move that piano yesterday?!”
Each of these would be a separate round of tapping. Lest you think this will
take too many minutes from your life, ask yourself how much the problem
is costin g you now. Then time one tapping round. It takes all of 30 to 60
seconds.
Matt addresses these aspects and now feels almost no shoulder pain at all.
Is he done? If there is more work to be done, something else may come to
mind, such as a bothersome thought, image, past upsetting experience,
question, or sudden idea about what the target problem is attached to. The
arising of other thoughts and issues is completely normal; consider it a
marvelous hallm ark of EFT and a taste of what can happen when you
harness it for your healing benefit.
As Matt  focuses in again on the shoulder, a fleeting  thought comes to
mind: his big work project deadline. He now realizes he’s been holding
himself so tight in the shoulder because of the tight project deadline bearing
down hard on his shoulders and frustration about his colleague who hasn’ tbeen pulling his fair share of the project’ s weight. This is a different issue
from the pain in the shoulder; it’s part of what’ s holding up the pain in the
shoulder. Matt crafts a different EFT setup statement to reflect this. In
accordance with our EFT spiral, Matt’ s present issue is stretching back to an
earlier or core energy disruption from childhood. There was the time when
his father expected him to do something beyond Matt’ s abilities— he had no
idea how to do it. Matt might have felt that performing under  this heavy
burden was the only way he could get approval or love from his father. Here
is the core issue where the ener gy disruption began.
The outermost symptom on the EFT spiral—the tight shoulder of today—
leads Matt to a core unresolved problem from his childhood at the spiral
heart: the need to take on heavy burdens without help in order to gain
approval. So the tight shoulder might be an opening to address with EFT
core unresolved painful experiences and events from his childhood.
Eventually his tight left shoulder would be a thing of the past or a welcome
reminder that he is taking on too much work or pushing himself too hard
while neglecting  to acknowledge how well he is doing. Later we’ll discuss
in more detail how a simple issue can lead to clearing a chain or pattern of
negative emotions.
Can you see how EFT could benefit Matt? His physical shou lder pain
could disappear completely. He would remember to stretch more often at
work and would n’t snap at coworkers. He could ask for help and address
team slacker issues, no longer terrorized by deadline problems. He would
feel more ener gized and vital at home and at work.
Thinking, feelin g, and acting differently come with the territory of EFT
results. Recall the image of the small stone in the still pond: the ripples
radiate from the center and affect the whole body of water. EFT ripples will
change your life in surprising ways.
Insights and shifts like Matt’ s are par for the course, even when you are
new to tapping. They are called cognitive shifts in EFT parlance. By its
nature, when performed appropriately, EFT goes deep.Going Deeper: W elcoming the Bad Feelings,
Expressing Af firmations, and More
We welcome bad feelings with EFT, but not because we’re gluttons for
punishment—quite the opposite. The problems are opportuniti es for us to
reconnect with parts of ourselves that were shut down or abandoned in
order to cope. Now we receive ourselves back.
Targeting the Negative
Some clients initially resist saying the negatives. With EFT, we say the
negative to allow it to clear, not to feed the fire. Focusing on the negative
with the EFT setup statement does not mean that you are indulging in your
problems or complaining or that you’re going to attract even more
negativity into your life. You are popping the big fear balloon you’ve been
carrying inside and removing the power it has over you.
By acknowledging the negative  problem while tapping, we actually stop
pushing it down and start allowing it to flow through and out of our body,
mind, and energy system. Intentionally allowing ourselves to feel what we
actually feel about a problem releases the troubling emotions around it, and
our bodies experience a corresp onding relief, as they never lie. Living in
present time, our bodies are incapable of lying. Tapping will resolve the
energy disruption, bring relief, and allow our system to rebalance.
By pairing the negative with the positive and staying focused on a
specific tapping  target, we can resolve the problem thought, feeling, belief,
or memory with minimal pain and discomfort.
More on Choosing the T apping T arget: Specific V ersus
Global and T abletops
First, clearly identify the problem you’re experiencing. Then home in on the
specific part or aspect  of the problem that’s most bothersome. Taking on the
whole ball of wax is overwhelming, so finding the one thing about the
problem that troubles you most provides a simple and achievable task.
Ask yourself thoughtful questio ns, and give yourself a minute or two to
realize what’s causing your present upset. Are you feeling tense  because ofall the traffic? Was it that phone  call a moment ago, when the boss took out
her anger on you? Are you just feeling tired and out of sorts because you’re
bored? Do you have a sinus headache or toothache?
Tapping asks us to slow down a moment and check in: “What feels off or
really wrong right now?” Then we get to do something about it. If it feels
too hard yet to identify a target, one way to ease yourself into tapping is
simply to tap and talk about the issue bothering you. This means you tap
while you are talking about something that is upsetting you, which could
include a body ache or pain. Tapping while talking will bring you some
relief,  because  it is activating the body’ s life-ener gy system and pushing the
upset through. Y ou can also tap while you are ta lking on the phone.
Tabletop


 l e s,  a n d
w h a t e v e r  o u r  p r o b l e m  i s,  w e  c a n  r e l e a s e  i t  i n t o  t h e  h a n d s  o f
G o d.  T o  p r a y  “ G o d,  p l e a s e  t a k e  t h i s ”  i s  a n  a c t  o f
e m p o w e r m e n t,  n o t  w e a k n e s s.  W h o  i n  t h e i r  r i g h t  m i n d
w o u l d n ’ t  c h o o s e  m i r a c l e s  o v e r  s t r e s s  i f  t h e y  t r u l y  k n e w  t h e y
h a d  a  c h o i c e?
S o m e t i m e s  p e o p l e  t a l k  a b o u t  t h e  “ c o m m i t t e e ”  i n  t h e i r
h e a d,  t h e  e n d l e s s  c h a t t e r i n g  o f  t h e  e g o  n a y s a y i n g  t h e m
t h r o u g h o u t  t h e i r  d a y.  I ’ v e  l e a r n e d  s o m e t h i n g  a b o u t  t h a t
c o m m i t t e e  i n  m y  h e a d :  I ’ v e  l e a r n e d  i t ’ s  u p  t o  m e  t o  t a k e
c h a r g e  o f  t h e  m e e t i n g.  I t ’ s  u p  t o  m e  t o  t h i n k  p o s i t i v e
t h o u g h t s  s o  t h e r e ’ s  n o  r o o m  f o r  a l l  t h e  n e g a t i v e  o n e s.  W h e n
I  u s e  a  m i r a c l e - m i n d e d  “ p r o b l e m - s o l v i n g  r e p e r t o i r e ” * —
l o o k i n g  f o r  e t e r n a l  r a t h e r  t h a n  w o r l d l y  i n s i g h t,  s t a n d i n g  i n
f a i t h  a n d  a s k i n g  f o r  m i r a c l e s — I  s t o p  l i v i n g  a t  t h e  e f f e c t  o f
w o r l d l y  d r a m a.  I t ’ s  m y  r e s p o n s i b i l i t y  t o  r e m i n d  m y s e l f  h o w
b l e s s e d  I  a m  a n d  t o  e x t e n d  t h a t  b l e s s i n g  t o  o t h e r s.  W h e n  I
r e m e m b e r  t h a t  G o d ’ s  p o w e r  i s  u n l i m i t e d,  I  s t o p  s t r e s s i n g
a b o u t  h o w  l i m i t e d  m i n e  i s.
I t ’ s  a l l  u p  t o  m e,  b e c a u s e  i t ’ s  a l l  i n s i d e  m y  h e a d.
O n e  n i g h t  I  w a s  h a v i n g  a  p a r t i c u l a r l y  h a r d  t i m e  e n d u r i n g
o n e  o f  t h o s e  s t r e t c h e s  o f  d e s p e r a t e  h o u r s  t h a t  a r e  t h e
m e a n i n g  o f  a  s p i r i t u a l  w i l d e r n e s s.  T o o  m a n y  t h i n g s  h a d
p i l e d  u p,  a n y  o n e  o f  w h i c h  I  p r o b a b l y  c o u l d  h a v e  h a n d l e d
o k a y  b u t  t h e  c o m b i n a t i o n  o f  w h i c h  h a d  s e n t  m e  r e e l i n g.  A
l a r g e  t h e f t,  b e t r a y a l  b y  p e o p l e  I  t h o u g h t  w e r e  h o n o r a b l e — a
f e w  t h i n g s  l i k e  t h a t  a n d  I  w a s  r e e l i n g.  I t  w a s  a l m o s t  f i v e  i nt h e  m o r n i n g,  a n d  I  h a d n ’ t  b e e n  a b l e  t o  s l e e p,  t h o u g h  I
c o u l d n ’ t  w o r k,  r e a d,  o r  d o  m u c h  o f  a n y t h i n g  e l s e  e i t h e r.  A l l
I  c o u l d  d o  w a s  c a t a l o g  m y  p e r c e i v e d  d i s a s t e r s,  a n d  I
r e m e m b e r  a c t u a l l y  s a y i n g  o u t  l o u d,  “ D e a r  G o d,  I  f e e l  l i k e
s u c h  a  f a i l u r e. ”
F i v e  m i n u t e s  l a t e r  I  p i c k e d  u p  a  F e d  E x  p a c k a g e  s i t t i n g
n e x t  t o  m y  b e d.  I t  h a d  a r r i v e d  t h e  d a y  b e f o r e,  c o n t a i n i n g  t h e
g a l l e y s  o f  R a b b i  H a r o l d  K u s h n e r ’ s  n e w  b o o k.  H e  h a d  a s k e d
m e  t o  r e a d  i t,  a n d  I  f i g u r e d  I  w o u l d  g e t  t o  i t  w h e n  I  c o u l d.  I
p i c k e d  i t  u p  i n  a n  e f f o r t  t o  g e t  o u t  o f  m y s e l f,  t o  d o
s o m e t h i n g  f o r  s o m e o n e  e l s e,  t o  t r y  t o  c o u n t e r  t h e  s p i r a l  o f
s e l f - p i t y  t h a t  w a s  t a k i n g  m e  d o w n  s u c h  a  d a r k


  d o,  w e  w i l l  n o t  r e a l l y  l e a r n  t h e m  a t  t h e  d e e p e s t  l e v e l.
T h e y  w i l l  n o t  i n f o r m  o u r  s o u l s  o r  t r a n s f o r m  t h e  w o r l d.
A n d  i f  t h a t ’ s  t h e  c a s e,  w e  w i l l  g o  d o w n  i n  h i s t o r y  a s  t h e
g e n e r a t i o n  t h a t  k n e w  w h a t  w e  n e e d e d  t o  k n o w  y e t  d i d n ’ t  d o
w h a t  w e  n e e d e d  t o  d o.  I  c a n ’ t  i m a g i n e  h o w  i t  w o u l d  f e e l,  t o
d i e  w i t h  t h a t  r e a l i z a t i o n.W e ’ v e  s u b s c r i b e d  t o  a  k i n d  o f  i v o r y  t o w e r  n o t i o n  o f
s p i r i t u a l  e d u c a t i o n :  k e e p  i t  a b s t r a c t  a n d  i n t e l l e c t u a l  a n d
s a f e.  Y e t  t h e  s p o i l s  o f  h i s t o r y  u s u a l l y  g o  t o  t h o s e  w i l l i n g  t o
g e t  d i r t  u n d e r n e a t h  t h e i r  f i n g e r n a i l s.
I  h e a r d  a  w o m a n  t a l k i n g  r e c e n t l y  a b o u t  h e r  f r u s t r a t i o n
w i t h  p o l i t i c s :  “ W e ’ v e  t r i e d  s o  h a r d,  a n d  n o t h i n g  e v e r  s e e m s
t o  c h a n g e! ”  I  t h o u g h t  s h e  m u s t  b e  j o k i n g.
“ U h,  n o,  w e  h a v e n ’ t.  H o w  m a n y  o f  u s  e v e n  v o t e? ”  I
a s k e d  h e r.  “ A n d  i f  w e  d o,  w h a t  d o e s  t h a t  m e a n — w e  g o  t o
t h e  v o t i n g  b o o t h  e v e r y  t w o  o r  f o u r  y e a r s?  W h e r e  d o  w e  g e t
o f f  t h i n k i n g  t h a t  w e ’ v e
t r i e d  s o  h a r d? ”  A r e  w e  t h i n k i n g  w e  m a d e  s o m e  s u p r e m e
a n d  n o b l e  e f f o r t  t o  c h a n g e  t h e  w o r l d,  a n d  i t  d i d n ’ t  w o r k?!
W e ’ v e  b e e n  s o  t r a i n e d  b y  t h i r t y - m i n u t e  s i t c o m s  t h a t  i f  w e
d o n ’ t  g e t  w h a t  w e  w a n t  i n  h a l f  a n  h o u r,  i t ’ s  l i k e,  u h - o h,  w e
t r i e d  b u t  f a i l e d.  T o o  b a d.  I t ’ s  o v e r.  N e x t.
M o t h e r  T e r e s a  m a d e  a  s u p r e m e  a n d  n o b l e  e f f o r t.  M a r t i n
L u t h e r  K i n g  J r.  m a d e  a  s u p r e m e  a n d  n o b l e  e f f o r t.  S u s a n  B.
A n t h o n y  m a d e  a  s u p r e m e  a n d  n o b l e  e f f o r t.  W e  h a v e  n o t
m a d e  a  s u p r e m e  a n d  n o b l e  e f f o r t.  I n  f a c t,  m o s t  o f  u s  m a k e
v e r y  l i t t l e  e f f o r t  t o  c h a n g e  t h e  w o r l d.  B u t  t h e n  w e  f e e l
f r u s t r a t e d  w h e n  w e  s e e  t h a t  i t ’ s  n o t  c h a n g i n g!
U s u a l l y,  w h e n  p e o p l e  s a y,  “ W e ’ v e  t r i e d  s o  h a r d! ”  t h e y ’ r e
n o t  r e a l l y  t a l k i n g  a b o u t  t h e m s e l v e s.  I t ’ s  m o r e  l i k e,  “ W e l l,
t h e r e  a r e  o t h e r  p e o p l e  I  k n o w  w h o  h a v e! ”  I t ’ s  l a u g h a b l e
w h e n  y o u  t h i n k  a b o u t  i t.  P e r h a p s  w e  d o n ’ t  r e a l i z e  t h e  b i g
s e c r e t  i n  o u r  m i d s t —  w h i c h  i s n ’ t  h o w  l i t t l e  p o w e r  w e  h a v e
t o  c h a n g e  t h i n g s,  b u t  r a t h e r  h o w  m u c h  p o w e r  w e  h a v e  t h a tw e  a r e n ’ t  u s i n g!  W e ’ r e  l i k e  b i r d s  w h o  w e r e  n e v e r  i n f o r m e d,
o r  h a v e  f o r g o t t e n,  w e  h a v e  w i n g s.
B u t  a  g r e a t  r e m e m b e r i n g  i s  r e v e r b e r a t i n g  a m o n g  u s,  a n d
w h a t e v e r  w e ’ v e  d o n e  o r  h a v e n ’ t  d o n e,  s u c c e e d e d  a t  o r
f a i l e d  a t ;  w h a t e v e r  t i m e  w e ’ v e  u s e d  w e l l  o


 to attractor fields, is subject.
experimental attempts to verify has gained a place of some respect in the
of theoretical and applied human wisdom
Of lesser moment, but still enormously
experiences such as extrasensory American health field, with many
have a common point of conver gence. Or
powerful, are the "ordinary" enlightened
perception.physicians learning the technique despite
perhaps it might be better said that they
teachers who have taught the path to the
The field of psychiatry originally arose
the fact that traditional medicine has not
share a common point of origin. Bill
realization of the "Self." The Self has
from the attempt to address the tangible
recognized any ener gies other than
W ilson's revelation from the depths of
been described by the enlightened
etiology of the intangibles in human
mechanical, electrical or chemical.
despair did not proceed from conceptual
throughout time as infinite, formless,
behavior and disease. Psychiatry, as a
Holistic approaches operate from a
rationality or any other introspective
changeless, all present, unmanifest-and-
branch of medicine, concerned itself with
dif ferent context of the nature of human
focus of self, but from a leap to highermanifest.l Herein is the One (218) ness, the
pathology; therefore it dealt almost consciousness than does traditional
consciousness, a transport of Self to a
All-ness and God-ness of all that exists,
exclusively with the lower levels of
medicine, with emphasis on healing
Presence of Infinite Light and Power. 18
indistinguishable from the Creator,
consciousness and their neurophysiologic
rather than treating. And though their
That this transformational experience has
whose power in the human realm is a
correlates. Consciousness as such connection with the theoretical
led to the recovery of millions is merely
giant attractor field which allows and
remained outside the paradigms of breakthroughs of recent decades may
not testimony to the power of ener gy fields
encompasses variation (free will) so that
psychiatry.
appear explicit, the alternate therapies
which calibrate at 600 or more. That is
"all paths lead to Me." T eachings and
In medicine, physicians who workedemployed by holistic health-care givers,
the level at which there is a crossover of
other works that treat of this have
from a lar ger paradigm of the healing
whether physicians, alternative
the experience of consciousness from
typically calibrated at 700 in our studies.
process and included non-traditional practitioners or lay healers-however
form to formless.
At the ener gy field of 600, ordinary
modalities in their therapeutic approaches
widely they dif fer in their approach and
This formless power, the "Higher Power"
thought ceases. Beyond temporal linear
became known as "holistic" practitioners,
method-all have one common element:
of the worldwide twelve-step self-help
process, existence is witnessed as
an appellation that at first carried distinct
all are based on techniques to influence
movement and the basis for its millions
Knowing-ness, omnipresence, non-overtones of unprofessionalism among
not protoplasm as such, but an ener gy
of recoveries,19 is the same wellspring of
duality. Because existence has no
the ranks of the medical establishment.
field which surrounds, courses through
power to which all these far -flung
locality, the "me/you" duality and
But the contributions of pioneering (215)
and conditions the human body.15
branches of intellectual exploration have
consequent illusion of separation
individuals in this field, especially in
Outside the medical domain, the
been not so much thrusting forward as
disappears. 2 This state is the peace
such areas as recovery from heart attacks
phenomenal success of the twelve-step
working their way bank. It is the power
beyond all understanding, infinite,
or the use of prayer to speed up
self-help movement, to which we haveof pure consciousness itself.
unconditional love-all encompassing, all
recuperation in sur gical patients, frequently alluded, has impressively
knowing, all present, omnipowerful and
demanded serious recognition.
established that healing can be ef fected
22. SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE
coincident with the Self, which is the
Elizabeth Kubler -Ross brought the through the practice of principles of
FROM THE UNDERST ANDING of
awareness that the Manifest is one with
attention of the professions, as well as the
consciousness. The capacity to heal
consciousness at which we have arrived,
the Unmanifest.
105
106
T ruly spiritual states can be said to begin
200 do, in fact, generally preclude
we have seen, was the precise experience
the ad- (221) dicted invariably recommend
at a calibrated level of about 500
spiritual experience. The classical chakraof Bill W ilson which resulted in the
avoiding the influence (i.e., the ener gy
(unconditional love) and continue to
system recognized by many spiritual
founding of AA. This experience seems
fields) of former lifestyle associations.
infinity. T eachers who calibrate in the
disciplines correlates almost exactly with
typically to be characterized by a total
These addicts found that leaving the drug
high 500s and the 600s are frequently
the Map of Consciousness that has
transformation of consciousness and was not enough. T o do so was
merely to recognized as saints; their state of
emer ged from our studies. The level 600
liberation from the entrainment of lower
attack the A>B>C of addiction. As long
consciousness is often described as corresponds to the crown chakra, 500
to attractor fields and a sudden emer gence
as they could not make the commitment
sublime. 3
the heart, 200 and up to the solar plexus,
into higher awareness. (This type ofof will to entirely leave the influence of
It is a common experience for as yet
while the lower attitudes and emotions of
experience, common in the early days of
the field-of which the music, like the
unenlightened devotees to enter such a
spite, envy, resentment and jealousy are
AA when its members were frequently
drug, was simply a manifestation-they
sublime state when in the presence of
associated with the spleen. The base
"last-gaspers," is not reported by "high
could not escape entrainment to the low
teachers whose ener gy fields calibrate at
chakra has to do with animal survival,
bottom" members who constitute the
ener gy attractor, the ABC of addiction.
550 and over, through the process of
absorption with which prohibits spiritual
majority of newcomers to Alcoholics
Recovered addicts who leave the ener gy"entrainment"-the dominance of a progress; thus all spiritual teachings
Anonymous today.)
field of their self help programs rather
powerful attractor field. Until the devotee
advise against worldliness, suggesting
Just as the entrainment or influence of
predictably relapse.9 Besides having
himself arrives at the higher state of
avoidance of attachment to sex or
the higher ener gy fields has an anabolic,
relinquished the infusion of the combined
awareness, this state will not persist
money.6
or growth-enhancing, ef fect on a subject,
power of their fellow members, their
when he is out of the higher ener gy field
The lower regions are also the locus of
entrainment by lower attractor fields has
assertion that one can go it alone is a
of the teacher. 4 Advanced spiritual
addictions; one can be fixated at any of
a catabolic, or destructive, ef fect; thenotorious symptom of an oncoming
seekers often fluctuate in and out of this
the lower levels. Almost all of these
most widespread example in today's
r elapse, because it indicates an
"presence of the Beloved" as they
ener gy fields and the behaviors
culture is the influence of some forms of
infiltration of arr ogance and pride,
approach enlightenment; this loss of the
associated with them now have given rise
violent pop music. Among our test
calibrating at 175, well below the
higher state and descent to a lower is
to specific self-help groups, all of which
subjects, punk rock, death rock and
power of the energy field r equir ed for
identified in both Eastern and W estern
concur that without a spiritual context,
gangster rap music made every subject
healing.
literature as an "anguish of the soul."5recovery is quite unlikely. In
go weak, confirming earlier observations
(Fr om my experience with volunteers with
Spiritual work, like other intensive consciousness-raising programs in
made by Dr. John Diamond.7 In a more
diseases, this self assertion also applies.
pursuits such as sport, can be arduous
general, a universal dictum is that one is
recent study of students reported in The
T racy)
and frequently requires the development
powerless until one tells the truth. All
Arizona Republic, July 4, 1994, Dr.
The same principle, of course, operates in
of specific tools for the task, including an
spiritually oriented self-help groups
James Johnson of the University of North
the other direction


 at
pluck-an d-nurture had results ranging from the farcical to the
tragic. Although this sexual vampirism was performed mostly by
men on female partners, willing or not, some women were known
to be virtuosas. When both partners were practitioners, inter
course became a sexual duel, in which the unsuspec ting "plucker,"
usually the man, might end up the "pluckee."
The cult of pluck-and-nurture, however, was an aberrant out
growth of the vast repertoire of Chinese sexual practices advocated
by various ancient Chinese sexology schools. The mainstr eam
Art of the Bedchamber taught of health benetits fron1 the mutual
absorption of sexual secretions and sexual energy by both partners
during frequent but prudent sexual unions.
Thus the classics of the Art of the Bcdcha n1ber advocated
joyous sexual un ion to benctit tht· health of both partners. It
frowned on sexual abstinence as it did on sexual indulgence. It
cautioned against excessive c:tnissions of n1alc sc:tnen. which was
bc:lic:vc:d to bt·lirnitcd. ))uring the Ming dynasty, centuries after
the: principal st·xology classics disappt·arc:d in China, a new bed
roorn ''scit'tKc" flourished antong n.·rtain sectors of the leisure
class: sexual alchcrny. This had noth ing to do with the ancient
Taoist alcherny that ainll·d at creating the elixir of life, and it had
no connection to the pursuit of inunortality. It was not an integral
part of the ancient Art of the llt·dcharnber. but a perversion of it.
This later sexual alcht•nty. which also recognizt·d tht· health bene-·nrc· Srx r4al Dt�rl f:!{ Plruk-a nd-Nurturr
tits of absorbing one's partner's sexual Sl'Crl·tions. was hascd on an
obsessive fear of rnale crnission.
This fear probably reflects feedback fron1 the anci ent Chinc Sl'
sexology. ntoditied by Lan1aist practices popular in the second half
of the fourteenth century, under the last Mon golian en1peror. At
that tin1e, Tantric debauchery both inside and outsidl · the royal
palaces pushed tht· Ti.toists and all tht·ir theories on health and sex
uality to the background.
After the Mongolian dynasty fell, in 1368, and the Yuan dy
nasty gave way to the Ming, Taoist priests staged a comeback. To
contpete with Lantaist practices, the Taoists developed the arcane
theory of pluck-and-nurture, which was based on the ancient Art
of the Bedchamber's plausible pren1ises of good health and good
sex. Pluck-and-nurture cultists created a sexual practice with a
n1ystical health goal and elaborate, sometimes ritualistic tech
niques.
Although a cultural renaissance took place under the Ming
dynasty, some of the crudity and oppressiveness of the oust ed
Mongolian regime rubbed off on the rulers of this new dynasty.
Many literati were persecuted for real or imagined sedition. Nco
Confucianism, which exaggerated Confucian concepts of loyalty
to the emperor and of female chastity, became stronger. By the
second half of the sixteenth century, European missionaries visit
ing China reported that the seclusion of women in the cities was
virtually total. The militant nco-Confucian bur eaucracy appeared
in complete control. China became a nation of prudes-at least
on the surface.
By then books of ancient sexology had disappear ed. Any sex
ual texts originally contained in both Buddhist and Taoist canons
had been expurgated. Pluck-and-nurture treatises, once written
in plain language, now read increasingly like essays on military
strategy or alchemy, to avoid the possible wrath of the nco
Confucian guardians of public morals. This did not deter some
brilliant writers from producing pornography on the sly, how
ever, or members of the leisure class from practicing tsai-pu be
hind closed doors.
The theory of pluck-and-nurture appears to have a believable
foundation, the linking of sex with health. But it had also an ob
viously fallacious minor premise-its obsession with none jacu-
125 THE ART OF THE BEDCH AM BER
126 lation by the tnale. Adherents of the Taoist pluck-and-nurture
school believed that when a man em it ted semen during orgasm,
he suffered a catastrophic loss. A woman, it was believed, also
ejaculated a fluid at orgasm. The fluids emitted by one partner
would be absorbed by the other as ambrosia through the genitalia,
and refined and stored in the cinnabar field. Taoists of the Ming
era consi dered this absorption the most effective form of rejuve
nation.
The theory supposed ly worked both ways, so a woman too
could rejuvenate herself by indulging in such practices. Hsi Wang
Mu, the mythological Queen Mother of the Western Heaven,
where the Peach of Immortality grows, was the su preme exam
ple. This Taoist immortal attained the stature of goddess through
the divine ways of nurturing her chi. Every day she ate yogurt,
and played the five-string lute� she kept her serenity, never letting
any extraneous thoughts distract her meditation. Her best secret
of youth was her sexual union with many men. Her extraction
was so effective that after a single encounter with her, a man would
fall sick and become sexually withered, while she became ever
younger and healthier. Ancient Chinese chronicles cite numerous
wotnen, both historic and fictional, who reportedly practiced
these techniques and reaped similar benefits.
Although the Taoists traditionally consider ed female orgasn1
hannless, some pluck-and-nurture advocates believed that it would
benefit a woman n1orc if she could refrain fron1 orgasn1 while ab
sorbing a man's semen. The wontan thus would try titillation and
arousal to bring her partner to clitnactic ecstasy, while holding
herself back fron1 reaching orgasn1.
Pluck-and -nurture was practiced ostensibly for two respect
able purposes. l)ne was to sire a healthy son. By repeatedly ex
tracting fenule orgastnic secretions \Vithout hitnsclf tjaculating,
culti sts bclievt·d, a nun's sexual esse nce could be so refined that
when he did t'tnit, his supercharged sen1en would produce a supe
rior baby boy. The other purpose was for health and rt:juvenation.
How TO PLucK, How To NuRTURE
Though short-lived and litnitcd to a snull pt'rccntagt' of the pop
ulation, ts,li-pu was a virtual subculturt', with its own theorit'S and Tile Scxucr l Oud (!f Pluck-mrd-N urtur r
t'SOtt'ric vocabulary. unintdligibk· to the unini tiated. A woman to
be pluc kt'd, t'ln cxantpk. \Vas called a "crucible."
Connoisseurs were nteticulous in picking their cruciblt •s
and used nuny tt·sts to sdect candidates. ()nn · a crucible was
chosen, sht• Wt'nt through a cotnpkx training procedure to pre
part'tor the plucking. The nlt'n trained too. Whil e the pluckn·
was lx·ing grootncd filr the grand l'ncomltcr. thl· plucker dis
ciplined hi tnsd f with tht· techniques of "sealing" and "refining"
sen1en, so that at the actual plucking he could extract the fentale
essenCl' dll.·ctivdy. and stor e this elixir of in11nortality insi de
hitnsclf
Atnong thl' pluck-and-nurture aticionados, the really rich and
decadt'nt usually got their nutrition fron1 young concubines or
stables of weB-nourished young won1en kept especially for this
purpose. Such playtnates were assured a pleasant lifestyle-fine
clothes. cotntortable living quarters, nutritious food and herbs.
They were treated like patnpered n1ilk cows, so that the essences
they yielded would be of a superior grade. Nurture lovers who
could not atTord stables of their own had to pluck whenever op
portunity presented itself
The art of pluck-and-nurture, which was all technique, could
be performed in several ways. In one method, a sort of "inner
copulation," an individual derived benefits through exercises.
self-massage, solitary meditation. and sexual intercourse in the
mind. This method was


antly	think	about	a	past	mistake,	you	will	develop	it	into	something	so
big	that	it	will	wash	over	and	affect	every	aspect	of	your	life,	and	will	only
serve	to	increase	your	thought	activity	and	create	an	agitated	and	distracted
mind.	A	distracted	mind	will	divide	your	attention	every	minute,	every	hour,
every	day.

At	some	point	in	the	past,	if	you	carried	out	an	action	that	greatly	hurt	other
people,	understand	that	such	action	was	based	on	the	conditioning	and	beliefs
of	your	mind	at	that	time.	Make	amends	if	you	can.	Ask	for	forgiveness	if
possible.	Your	pain	is	there	to	give	away.

Thirty	years	ago,	it	was	customary	in	Ireland	to	have	a	few	pints	of	alcohol
and	drive	a	car.	Two	local	men	from	Dun	Boyne	went	to	a	football	match	in
Trim.	After	the	match,	they	had	a	few	drinks.	On	the	way	home,	they	crashed
their	car	and	the	passenger	was	killed.	The	driver,	who	was	35	years	of	age	at
the	time,	escaped	with	injuries.	For	the	next	thirty	years	until	his	death,	the
driver	frequently	thought	about	the	accident.	In	his	later	years,	he	became
depressed	as	a	result	of	these	thoughts.	Yes,	the	man	made	a	mistake	and	did
an	unintentional	act.	But	the	human	mind	turned	this	into	thirty	years	of
anguish.	The	driver	was	my	father.

A	child	grows	up	in	a	housing	estate	where	drugs	are	openly	sold	as	the	main
form	of	income.	From	a	young	age,	the	childis	immersed	in	this	culture.	The	police	are	enemies	and	other	people	are	a
means	to	make	money.	When	the	child	grows	older,	he	peddles	drugs.

The	pusher	sells	a	bad	batch.	A	quiet	22-year-old	buys	drugs,	develops
permanent	brain	damage	and	is	placed	in	life-long	care.	The	22-year-old	is
my	brother.

Do	you	think	the	pusher	sold	the	drugs	with	a	free	mind?	Do	you	think	a
conscious	choice	was	made?	The	pusher’s	actions	were	based	on	the
conditioning	of	his	mind	at	that	time.

You	might	have	done	bad	things	in	the	past.	You	might	have	made	terrible
mistakes.	But	don’t	allow	the	past	to	totally	consume	your	life.	If	you	do,	you
will	shut	yourself	off	from	life.	Your	mind	is	kept	alive	when	it	is	allowed	to
dwell	in	the	past	or	future.	You	can	only	think	of	either	the	past	or	the	future.
There	is	no	room	to	think	when	your	attention	is	absorbed	in	the	present.	See
your	mind	as	a	moving	right	arm.

“What’s	done	can’t	be	undone.”
—
William	ShakespeareStop	stirring	the	problem
Y
ou	have	a	bucket	of	muddy	water	and	you	would	like	the	water	to	be	clear.
Therefore,	you	get	a	stick	to	stir	the	water	in	an	effort	to	see	the	bottom.
However,	the	more	you	stir	the	water,	the	more	the	sediment	is	agitated,
further	muddying	the	water.

This	is	the	human	mind.	The	water	is	muddy,	which	is	akin	to	having	a
problem.	Instead	of	stirring	the	water,	we	run	the	problem	through	our	mind
over	and	over	in	an	effort	to	reach	a	solution.	If	we	allow	the	water	to	settle,
the	sediment	would	fall	to	the	bottom	of	the	bucket	and	the	water	would
become	clear.	If	we	allow	the	mind	to	become	quiet,	it	becomes	clear	and	a
solution	can	enter.	There	is	no	room	for	a	solution	to	enter	an	agitated	mind.

We	tend	to	dwell	on	problems	with	thought	after	thought	after	thought.	We	go
for	a	drive	and	think	about	the	problem.	We	go	for	a	walk	and	think	about	the
problem.	We	lie	wrapped	up	in	our	cozy	beds	at	night	and	think	about	the
problem.	We	talk	with	our	friends	and	family	and	think	about	the	problem.

Our	decision-making	process	becomes	clouded	by	the	intensity	of	worry,	fear
and	anxiety.	The	more	we	think	about	the	problem,	the	larger	it	grows	within
our	heads	and	the	less	likely	the	possibility	becomes	of	finding	an	outcome.

Upon	identifying	the	problem,	connect	with	the	problem	instead	of	running
away	from	it.	See	it	as	something	that	needs	to	be	attended	to.	I’m	not	saying
avoid	the	problem	or	ignore	it	and	hope	that	it	sorts	itself	out.	What	I	am
saying	is	make	an	attempt	to	solve	the	problem	but	without	the	mental
commentary.	See	it	head	on	for	what	it	really	is:	something	to	be	addressed.

Think	about	finding	a	solution	for	a	few	minutes,	then	drop	the	problem	and
enter	stillness	for	a	period	until	your	mind	settles.

Alternate	between	thinking	and	stillness.	When	the	time	is	right,	a	creative
solution	will	enter	your	mind.	You	will	know	it	to	be	right.	You	will	have	a
good	feeling	about	it.	A	creative	solution	does	not	arise	from	constant
thought.	It	arises	from	a	gap	in	thought,	from	a	cessation	of	thinking.	Drop	the
belief	that	constant	thinking	will	solve	your	problem,	as	it	won’t!

If	you	don’t	have	a	solution	to	your	problem,	put	a	request	out	there	and	feel
that	a	solution	is	coming.	Have	faith	that	it	will	be	sorted	out	at	the	right	time.But	whatever	you	do,	don’t	keep	running	the	problem	through	your	head.	Feel
your	inner	body.	Reduce	your	breathing!

Do	you	have	the	patience	to	wait	till	the	mud	settles	and	the
water	is	clear?
Can	you	remain	unmoving	till	the	right	action	arises?	by	itself?
Lao-Tzu,	Tao-te-ChingThe	bullying	child
C
ian	returned	home	from	school.	Some	child	was	calling	him	names	and	he
was	upset	and	not	at	all	happy.	His	mother	instinctively	tried	to	find	out	what
happened,	listened	to	him	and	then	told	him	not	to	worry	about	it,	that
everything	was	okay	and,	if	necessary,	she	would	chat	with	his	teacher.	Cian
went	outside	to	play	and	soon	forgot	about	the	whole	incidence.

What	if	this	situation	ended	differently?	What	if	Cian’s	mother	was	to
repeatedly	ask	him,	“What	did	he	call	you?	When	did	he	call	you	this?	Why
did	he	call	you	this?	Where	did	he	call	you	this?	What	did	the	other	children
do?	Were	they	laughing	at	you?	Did	you	like	getting	called	names?	How	did
you	feel	when	he	was	calling	you	names?”

Imagine	if	she	asked	Cian	the	same	questions	half	an	hour	later	and	again
before	dinner,	again	before	he	went	to	bed	and	first	thing	in	the	morning	when
he	awoke?

Instinctively,	Cian’s	mother	would	not	do	this.	She	knew	that	constant
rehashing	the	situation	would	only	turn	the	problem	into	a	drama.	If	she	asked
Cian	to	repeatedly	run	the	same	situation	through	his	head,	he	probably	would
have	been	un


	been	dairy	consumption.
A	2001	Harvard	review	of	the	research	could	hardly	be	more
convincing
96
:
…	twelve	of	…	fourteen	case-control	studies	and	seven	of	…	nine
cohort	studies	[have]	observed	a	positive	association	for	some	measure
of	dairy	products	and	prostate	cancer;
this	is	one	of	the	most	consistent
dietary	predictors	for	prostate	cancer	in	the	published	literature
	[my
emphasis].	In	these	studies,	men	with	the	highest	dairy	intakes	had
approximately	double	the	risk	of	total	prostate	cancer,	and	up	to	a
fourfold	increase	in	risk	of	metastatic	or	fatal	prostate	cancer	relative	to
low	consumers.
96
Let’s	consider	that	again:	dairy	intake	is	“one	of	the	most	consistent
dietary	predictors	for	prostate	cancer	in	the	published	literature,”	and	those
who	consume	the	most	dairy	have	double	to	quadruple	the	risk.
Another	review	of	published	literature	done	in	1998	reached	a	similar
conclusion:
In	ecologic	data,	correlations	exist	between	per	capita	meat	and	dairy
consumption	and	prostate	cancer	mortality	rate	[one	study	cited].	In
case	control	and	prospective	studies,	the	major	contributors	of	animal
protein,	meats,	dairy	products	and	eggs	have	frequently	been	associated
with	a	higher	risk	of	prostate	cancer…	[twenty-three	studies	cited].	Of
note,	numerous	studies	have	found	an	association	primarily	in	older
men	[six	studies	cited]	though	not	all	[one	study	cited]….	The
consistent	associations	with	dairy	products	could	result	from,	at	least	in
part,	their	calcium	and	phosphorous	content.
97
In	other	words,	an	enormous	body	of	evidence	shows	that	animal-based
foods	are	associated	with	prostate	cancer.	In	the	case	of	dairy,	the	high	intake
of	calcium	and	phosphorus	also	could	be	partly	responsible	for	this	effect.
This	research	leaves	little	room	for	dissent;	each	of	the	above	studies
represents	analyses	of	over	a	dozen	individual	studies,	providing	animpressive	bulk	of	convincing	literature.THE	MECHANISMS
As	we	have	seen	with	other	forms	of	cancer,	large-scale	observational	studies
show	a	link	between	prostate	cancer	and	an	animal-based	diet,	particularly
one	based	heavily	on	dairy.	Understanding	the	mechanisms	behind	the
observed	link	between	prostate	cancer	and	dairy	clinches	the	argument.
The	first	mechanism	concerns	a	hormone	that	increases	cancer	cell
growth,	a	hormone	that	our	bodies	make,	as	needed.	This	growth	hormone,
Insulin-like	Growth	Factor	1	(IGF-1),	is	turning	out	to	be	a	predictor	of
cancer	just	as	cholesterol	is	a	predictor	for	heart	disease.	Under	normal
conditions,	this	hormone	efficiently	manages	the	rates	at	which	cells
“grow”—that	is,	how	they	reproduce	themselves	and	how	they	discard	old
cells,	all	in	the	name	of	good	health.
Under	unhealthy	conditions,	however,	IGF-1	becomes	more	active,
increasing	the	birth	and	growth	of	new	cells	while	simultaneously	inhibiting
the	removal	of	old	cells,	both	of	which	favor	the	development	of	cancer
[seven	studies	cited
98
].	So	what	does	this	have	to	do	with	the	food	we	eat?	It
turns	out	that	consuming	animal-based	foods	increases	the	blood	levels	of	this
growth	hormone,	IGF-1.
99–101
With	regard	to	prostate	cancer,	people	with	higher	than	normal	blood
levels	of	IGF-I	have	been	shown	to	have	5.1	times	the	risk	of	advanced-stage
prostate	cancer.
98
	There’s	more:	when	men	also	have	low	blood	levels	of	a
protein	that	binds	and	inactivates	IGF-I,
102
	they	will	have
9.5	times	the	risk	of
advanced-stage	prostate	cancer
,
98
	Let’s	put	a	few	stars	by	these	numbers.
They	are	big	and	impressive—and	fundamental	to	this	finding	is	the	fact	that
we	make	more	IGF-I	when	we	consume	animal-based	foods	like	meat	and
dairy.
99–101
The	second	mechanism	relates	to	vitamin	D	metabolism.	This	“vitamin”	is
not	a	nutrient	that	we	need	to	consume.	Our	body	can	make	all	that	we	need
simply	by	being	in	sunlight	fifteen	to	thirty	minutes	every	couple	of	days.	In
addition	to	the	production	of	vitamin	D	being
affected	by	sunlight,	it	is	also
affected	by	the	food	that	we	eat.	The	formation	of	the	most	active	form	of
vitamin	D	is	a	process	that	is	closely	monitored	and	controlled	by	our	bodies.
This	process	is	a	great	example	of	our	bodies’	natural	balancing	act,	affecting
not	only	prostate	cancer,	but	breast	cancer,	colon	cancer,	osteoporosis	and
autoimmune	diseases	like	Type	1	diabetes.	Because	of	its	importance	for
multiple	diseases,	and	because	of	the	complexity	involved	in	explaining	how
it	all	works,	I	have	provided	in
Appendix	C
	an	abbreviated	scheme,	just
enough	to	illustrate	my	point.	This	web	of	reactions	illustrates	many	similarand	highly	integrated	reaction	networks	showing	how	food	controls	health.
The	main	component	of	this	process	is	an	active	form	of	vitamin	D
produced	in	the	body	from	the	vitamin	D	that	we	get	from	food	or	sunshine.
This	active	or	“supercharged”	D	produces	many	benefits	throughout	the	body,
including	the	prevention	of	cancer,	autoimmune	diseases	and	diseases	like
osteoporosis.	This	all-important	supercharged	D	is	not	something	that	you	get
from	food	or	from	a	drug.	A	drug	composed	of	isolated	supercharged	D
would	be	far	too	powerful	and	far	too	dangerous	for	medical	use.	Your	body
uses	a	carefully	composed	series	of	controls	and	sensors	to	produce	just	the
right	amount	of	supercharged	D	for	each	task	at	exactly	the	right	time.
As	it	turns	out,	our	diet	can	determine	how	much	of	this	supercharged	D	is
produced	and	how	it	works	once	it	is	produced.	Animal	protein	that	we
consume	has	the	tendency	to	block	the	production	of	supercharged	D,	leaving
the	body	with	low	levels	of	this	vitamin	D	in	the	blood.	If	these	low	levels
persist,	prostate	cancer	can	result.	Also,	persistently	high	intakes	of	calcium
create	an	environment	where	supercharged	D	declines,	thus	adding	to	the
problem.
So	what	food	substance	has	both	animal	protein	and	large	amounts	of
calcium?
Milk	and	other	dairy	foods.
	This	fits	in	perfectly	with	the	evidence
that	links	dairy	consumption	with	prostate	cancer.	This	information	provides
what	we	call	biological	plausibility	and	shows	how	the	observational	data	fit
together.	To	review	the	mechanisms:
Animal	protein	causes	the	body	to	produce	more	IGF-1,	which	in	turn
throws	cell	growth	and	removal	out	of	whack,	stimulating	cancer
development.
Animal	protein	suppresses	the	production	of	“supercharged”	D.
Excessive	calcium,	as	found	in	milk,	also	suppresses	the	production	of
“supercharged”	D.
“Supercharged”	D	is	responsible	for	creating	a	wide	variety	of	health
benefits