able	(less	damaged	by	processing),
while	vitamins	are	the	most	easily	damaged. A	cucumber	loses	a	quarter	of	its
vitamin	C	just	by	slicing	it	to	make	a	salad. If	the	salad	stands	around	for	an
hour,	the	loss	goes	up	to	a	third,	and	if	it	stands	for	three	hours,	half	its	vitamin
C	will	be	gone. Fresh	orange	juice	loses	almost	a	fifth	of	its	vitamin	B
1
within
twenty-four	hours,	even	when	refrigerated. Cooking	and	mashing	a	potato	will
diminish	vitamin	C	by	80	percent. The	heat	used	in	cooking	foods	damages	nutrients	and	typically	makes	them
more	difficult	to	digest. Cooking	even	damages	protein	(the	most	hardy	of
nutrients). Consider	oatmeal:	In	the
Food	and	Nutrition	Encyclopedia,
Aubrey
Ensminger	reported	that	dry	oatmeal	contains	14	percent	protein,	but	that	figure
drops	to	only	2	percent	after	it	is	cooked—a	loss	of	85	percent. Cooking
common	vegetables,	such	as	carrots,	can	cause	losses	of	75	percent	of	the
vitamin	C,	70	percent	of	the	vitamin	B
1
,	50	percent	of	the	vitamin	B
2
and	60
percent	of	vitamin	B
3
. The	higher	the	heat	and	the	longer	the	cooking	time,	the
more	nutrients	your	food	loses. Heating	food	deactivates	its	enzymes	(the	cellular	machinery	that
manufactures	all	the	products	our	cells	make). Although	the	human	body	is
capable	of	making	its	own	enzymes,	we	also	receive	enzymes	directly	from	our
food. Cooking	destroys	these	enzymes. Eating	cooked	foods	stresses	the	body,
which	must	manufacture	extra	enzymes	in	order	to	digest	food	and	compensate
for	enzymes	lost	in	cooked	food. By	eating	cooked	foods,	you	can	actually	lose
more	nutrients	than	you	gain. Consuming	sufficient	enzymes	is	one	reason	that
eating	raw	foods	is	so	important. Cooked	foods	contribute	to	our	epidemic	of
chronic	disease.Although	the	health	benefits	of	raw	foods	need	emphasis,	a	few	words	of
caution	are	important	about	raw	animal	products	(such	as	eggs,	meat,	fish	and
poultry). Even	though	nature	intended	us	to	eat	raw	foods—animal	products
included—	today’s	hazards	of	bacterial,	viral	and	parasitic	infections	make	raw
animal	foods	dangerous. Also,	raw	animal	foods	must	not	touch	other	foods
intended	to	be	eaten	raw. Even	just	a	few	generations	ago,	people	typically	ate	more	raw	food	than	they
do	now,	and	the	trend	toward	cooked	and	processed	foods	appears	to	be
worsening. According	to	U.S.	Department	of	Agriculture	statistics,	over	the	last
century	average	consumption	of	fresh	apples	declined	by	more	than	three-
fourths,	fresh	cabbage	by	more	than	two-thirds	and	fresh	fruit	by	more	than	one-
third. During	that	same	period,	consumption	of	processed	vegetables	went	up
hundreds	of	percent	and	consumption	of	processed	fruits	went	up	by	about	1,000
percent. Eating	processed	fruits	and	vegetables	(canned,	dried,	frozen,	etc.) is
fundamentally	inferior	to	eating	fresh	fruits	and	vegetables. Eat	for	Your	Future,	Too
The	nutritionally	deprived,	cooked	and	processed	foods	you	eat	today	will
damage	your	health	tomorrow,	as	well	as	the	health	of	your	unborn	children	and
grandchildren	in	the	years	to	come. This	profound	concept	was	demonstrated	in	the	1940s	by	Francis	Pottenger
Jr.,	M.D.,	and	published	in	his	book
Pottenger’s	Cats. More	than	nine	hundred
cats,	some	fed	a	diet	of	raw	food	and	some	a	cooked-food	diet,	showed	striking
differences	in	their	own	health	as	well	as	the	health	of	their	offspring. Within	six
months,	the	cats	eating	the	cooked	food	developed	numerous	health	problems. Subsequent	generations	suffered	infections,	dental	problems,	vision	problems,
skin	problems,	allergies,	arthritis,	miscarriages	and	behavioral	changes—
including	nervousness,	viciousness	and	violent	behavior. Each	new	generation
was	sicker	than	the	last. By	the	third	generation,	almost	all	the	cats	suffered	from
allergies	and	had	trouble	reproducing	because	of	miscarriages	and	stillbirths. Meanwhile,	the	cats	on	the	raw-food	diet	remained	healthy	and	well-behaved,
generation	after	generation. We	have	much	to	learn	from	Pottenger’s	work;	the
most	significant	(and	ominous)	implication	is	the	impact	of	poor	nutrition,
supplied	by	cooked	food,	on	the	health	of	future	generations. Another	case	dramatically	proves	the	need	for	raw,	fresh	foods. During	World
War	I,	sailors	aboard	a	German	cruiser,
Kronprinz	Wilhelm,
ate	beef,	ham,
bacon,	cheese,	potatoes,	canned	vegetables,	dried	peas/beans,	white	bread,margarine,	tea,	coffee,	sugar,	condensed	milk,	cake,	champagne	and	beer. Their
entire	diet	consisted	of	cooked	and	processed	foods. After	six	months	on	this
diet,	the	crew	was	experiencing	shortness	of	breath,	paralysis,	atrophied	muscles,
enlarged	hearts,	constipation,	anemia,	and	muscle	and	joint	pain. Fifty	men
could	no	longer	stand. After	eight	months,	500	were	sick,	110	were	bedridden,
and	they	were	falling	at	a	rate	of	four	per	day. New	symptoms	included	pleurisy,
rheumatism,	pneumonia	and	other	infections,	and	fractures	and	wounds	that
would	not	heal. An	emergency	stop	in	Virginia	brought	a	new	diet	containing	some	raw	fruits
and	vegetables. After	ten	days,	the	men	stopped	falling	sick;	forty-seven	had
been	discharged. Conditions	gradually	improved	thereafter. Access	to	fresh,	raw
food	was	all	it	took. Notably,	the	only	people	on	the	ship	who	did	not	get	sick
were	the	officers	who	had	ongoing	(if	limited)	access	to	raw	fruits	and
vegetables,	apparently	providing	just	enough	nutrition	to	make	the	difference
between	health	and	disease. Think	of	all	the	people	that	you	know	who	suffer	from	allergies,	gum	disease,
heart	problems,	vision	problems,	arthritis,	antisocial	behavior,	miscarriages	and
other	health	problems. Could	malnutrition,	perhaps	even	the	malnutrition	of	their
parents	or	grandparents	before	them,	be	contributing	to	their	problems? Talk	to
those	people	you	know	who	have	lived	in	good	health	into	their	eighties,	nineties
or	even	older. Chances	are	they	grew	up	on	farms	and	ate	plenty	of	raw,	real
food	during	their	developmental	years. By	contrast,	consider	the	deteriorating
health	of	many	people	in	the	baby	boomer	generation—the	first	humans	to
develop	eating	processed,	“TV	dinner”	diets	starting	in	the	1950s. Families	today	often	have	grandparents	that	lived	(or	are	still	living)	into	their
nineties,	while	the	next	generation	is	getting	sick	and	dying	in	their	seventies	or
sixties. Today


40% of the CO
2 captured is released through the plants’ roots to feed the soil microbes below. Soil microorganisms transform these carbon resources, resulting in a complex mixture of plant and microbial biochemical compounds in various stages of decomposition. Soil or -
ganic carbon can persist in the soil for decades or millennia when physically protected in soil aggregates and chemically protected by soil minerals. Carbon sequestration serves multiple purposes, including mitigating climate change and
improving the health and biodiversity of our global soils, which allows for higher agricul -
tural yields. Healthy, carbon-rich soils are also directly tied to fresh water availability and create greater resilience in the face of droughts and floods. By implementing agricultural practices that actively encourage carbon sequestration,
we can begin to transform our soils and put carbon back into the land where it is needed most. 115
FruiticultureRegenerative Agricultural Practices
Soils are dynamic. They can act as a source or sink of carbon, depending on how they
are managed. The conversion of native grasslands to cropland, wide-scale deforestation, and practices that leave soil uncovered and exposed to the elements, encourage soil to act as a source of carbon, releasing it as CO
2 into the atmosphere. Regenerative agri-
cultural practices do just the opposite, fostering soil’s natural role as a carbon sink and enabling it to store carbon in a stable, solid form. Here are some common regenerative practices. Cover Crops - The practice of planting and maintaining crops that return nutrients to
the soil and are typically not harvested, in order to avoid bare soil
•  Suppresses weed growth and common crop diseases•  Lowers soil temperatures during hot weather•  Improves soil fertility•  Reduces soil erosion•  Provides habitat for beneficial organisms
Perennial Plants - The practice of selecting and planting perennial crop varietals, which
are better able to capture and store carbon than their annual counterparts
•  Increases soil’s ability to capture and store carbon•  Extensive root networks protect against soil erosion and runoff•  Lowers annual labor and input costs•  Improves soil structure and nutrient content•  Increases soil’s water storage capacity116
FruiticultureMulching - The practice of leaving crop remains after harvest in food forests and or -
chards to decompose, rather than clearing them from the land
•  Improves soil fertility•  Increases nutrient availability•  Increases soil biological activity and fertility•  Reduces soil erosion•  Moderates soil temperature•  Suppresses weed growth •  Feeds beneficial bacteria and fungi that facilitate soil carbon sequestration
Composting - The practice of collecting organic waste, such as food scraps, yard and
farm trimmings and other plant waste materials, and allowing them to decompose and transform into a nutrient-rich agricultural input
•  Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from landfills•  Increases nutrient content of soil•  Improves soil’s ability to retain water •  Increases agricultural yields •  Feeds beneficial bacteria and fungi that facilitate soil carbon sequestration
Crop Rotation - The practice of growing different crops on the same land in succession,
in order to preserve a balance of nutrients in the soil and enhance ecosystem processes. •  Reduces the prevalence of early-season pests and damage from these insects •  Improves productivity of rotation crops •  Reduces the need for synthetic inputs and chemicals•  Improves water quality •  May increase farmers’ profits, due to lower input costs and higher yields117
FruiticultureDr. David Klein’s editorial addition:
Fruitcentric Agroforestry - The practice of integrating fruit trees, fruiting vines and
bushes, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, ornamentals and flowers in crop production
•  Provides additional habitat for beneficial organisms•  Decreases atmospheric CO
2 concentration and increases oxygen content
•  Reduces soil erosion•  Improves health and stability of soil•  Improves soil’s ability to retain water•  Increases crop yields
f
118
FruiticultureRegenerative-Biological Agriculture
by Gerry Ross, Ph.D.
www.kupaafarms.org
“Organic farmers and organic farming
are the answer to climate change. ”
-Dr. Gerry Ross
Currently, modern conventional agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases. It
has caused dramatic losses of topsoil and contamination of freshwater and marine water bodies through unmitigated agricultural runoff. Additionally, agriculture faces a daunt -
ing task of feeding a growing population on a static or shrinking base of arable land. The philosophy of Earth system science examines cross-dis-ciplinary interconnections of our planet from a holistic per -
spective in much the same way that permaculture approaches agriculture. Applying these holistic concepts to agriculture re -
veals important lessons that can help address key elements of human survival by utilizing and building on the strength of the soil ecosystem, i.e., Regenerative-Biological Agriculture. The soil ecosystem is an under-explored aspect of modern ag-
riculture but has evolved with plants since their emergence from the oceanic realm more than 400 million years ago. Regenerative-Biological Agriculture can be a powerful ally in the “more with less” challenge. Examples include drought
resistance and enhanced mineral availability by culturing symbiotic soil fungus, us -
ing nitrogen fixing microbes to decrease our reliance on chemical fertilizers, and en -
hanced resistance to soil erosion through soil particle aggregation, a byproduct of a healthy soil ecosystem. Perhaps the greatest opportunity of widespread application of Regenerative-Biological Agriculture will be sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the form of organic matter (humus) such that properly stewarded agricultural lands
119
Fruiticulturerepresent our best bet to rescue our planet from the brink of climate damage. A most optimistic perspective on the role of Regenerative-Biological Agriculture is of -
fered by the Rodale Institute:  “... climate change has provided an unparalleled opportu -
nity to harness cutting-edge technologic understanding, human ingenuity and the rich
history of farmers working in tandem with the wisdom of natural systems to arrive at a stable climate by way of healing our land and ourselves. Let’s get going. ”  For more infor -
mation, please visit:
http://rodaleinstitute.org/regenerative-organic-agriculture-and-climate-change/. n
Watch Dr. Ross’s presentation on Regenerative-Biological Agriculture given at a Hawaii
Farmers Union United meeting on Maui (2015):
https://youtu.be/wUvqJ-wrQSo
f
Kupa’a Farms, Kula, Maui 120
FruiticultureWhole Life Systems Depend on
Healthy Soil
by Don Weaver
It was during 1977, while spending a year study -
ing Ecology and Natural Agriculture and Whole
Life Systems at Farallones Institute in Northern California, that I first discovered the think -
ing and writings of engineer-farmer-ecologist John D. Hamaker, while reading through the back issues of Acres, U. S. A. (“A Voice for Eco-Agriculture”). My initial impression was “here is a remarkably brilliant, unique and fascinating human being with some very important things to say!”  All these years later I think there was no one more intelligent as an “ecological thinker”  on this planet, nor one with more to contribute to human and biospheric health and survival. (Taking nothing away from the huge contributions of Bill Mollison, Richard St. Barbe-Baker and others, of course). One of the first John Hamaker articles I read began as follows:“This study is about some of the basic laws of nature to which we must conform. Those who
see the human race as masters of nature invite death on a massive scale. Those who see nature as a code of laws superior to any man-made law can look forward to a quality of life which is almost unbelievable from the perspective of an economy of scarcity subsisting in a wasted land. The land is wasted because it has lost its fertility. Organic matter is not fertility in itself but
is only a rough measure of fertility. Organic matter is made up of the residues of dead plants and microorganisms. Dead plants, as such, provide no fertility. Soil fertility is protoplasm—
121
Fruiticulturethe substance inside the cellular walls of microorganisms. The microorganisms can be fresh,
in which case the protoplasm is available fertility. Or the microorganisms can be dehydrat -
ed, in which case the protoplasm is not available but constitutes the bank of fertility. The cycle of life is really the story of the travels of the protoplasm as it goes from microorganisms to the life above the soil and back into the soil again. Microorganisms produce the protoplasm of all living things. Microorganisms themselves
feed on the total mixture of minerals and gases in the biosphere and are energized by car -
bon. We can build enormous per acre tonnages of protoplasm into the soil in a very short time—enough so that sun energy reaching the plant becomes the limit of growth. The foods of microorganisms are the cheapest raw materials on earth. ”  (“The Second American Revolution, ” Part I, Acres U. S. A., April 1974)
As one already very excited about optimum nutrition and health for all living things,
hopeful that humanity could still find and implement the ways of living which would make possible the regeneration of itself and the Earth, and committed to helping how -
ever I could, this fellow Hamaker was striking some deep chords in me. The more I read, the more I realized that his messages were designed to strongly influence not only my own life, but probably everyone else’s. Soon I read his four-part series in Acres, U. S. A. entitled, “Life or Death—Yours”, which had this conclusion:
“Everything in this world is connected


 strife
becomes possible. It keeps the subjective aspect of our
being (self) trapped in some objective form or quality, var- Ego and Self 127
ious bodily sensations or mental states in which there is
change and sorrow. Ego is the primary function of consciousness directed
externally. It brings about the entire outward development
of consciousness through the mind and body, which are all
fragmentations in the field of awareness. Ego affects all the
functions of the mind. Everything we do is based upon the
self and its motivations. Ego pervades all levels of con-
sciousness and all the bodies of the soul, which require a
self-sense for their function. Normally we only know the
physical or waking ego, but subtler levels of our nature
have their respective egos that allow for their various activ-
ities. The ego concept arises from the atomic nature of the
mind. Because we can only focus on one point at a time,
we develop the idea of ourselves as a separate center in time
and space. By its point-like nature, ego creates a narrow
focus or bias, a central blind spot that distorts our vision. Because of this self-sense, all humans have an inherent feel-
ing of pride. We like to think that we or what we identify
with — our religion, country, race, class, or family — is
the best or the only valid one. This process of pride causes
us to look down on others and creates conflict. Ego and the Functions of the Mind
Ego arises from a failure of intelligence (Buddhi). It is
a misjudgment or error in our perceptual process. The
most important function of intelligence is to ascertain the
nature of the self. Self-determination is the most primary
of all determinations. First we must know who we are
before we can know what the world is or what we should
do. Ego arises when we fail to discern our true Self, which
is pure awareness, and mistake it for the body, which is no
more than an object. 128 Ayurveda and the Mind
However, once intelligence makes the mistake of the
ego, the ego distorts intelligence, which then serves to
rationalize it. We use our intelligence to further the ego's
goals of accumulation and achievement in the external
world, and lose track of our inner goal, which is to know
our real nature. This ego of intelligence is the hardest ego
to overcome because it is so primary a misconception. Some thinkers regard Buddhi or intelligence as the Self. 42
This is a mistake, because the Self transcends all move-
ments of thought. However, since intelligence is close to
the Self, it can lead us gradually to it. Our deeper consciousness (Chitta) precedes the mani-
fest ego but itself contains a rudimentary or latent ego. As
a part of matter (Prakriti), consciousness has an inertia to
take form that develops through the ego. Ego uses our
deeper consciousness to cling to life and to sustain its
experience. The rudimentary ego hidden in our deeper
consciousness gradually evolves into all the diversification
of the mind-body complex. From ego arises the outer mind (Manas), senses and
body, through which we experience our separate existence. The sense-mind, by its outward propensity, is naturally
under the sway of the ego, and only with difficulty can be
brought under the control of true intelligence. Ego oper-
ates through the mind to acquire sensations that allow it
to expand and feel good about itself. The ultimate crystal-
lization of the ego is the physical body, in which we expe-
rience ourselves as completely separate from other crea-
tures. Whatever function occurs in consciousness, an ego is
automatically posited as part of its boundary. Each emo-
tion projects a kind of ego. For example, the ego of anger
is very different from the ego of love. We run into prob- Ego and Self 129
lems in our behavior when the ego of our emotions drives
us to actions that we later regret. Because ego is inherently limited and isolating, it must
bring unhappiness. It causes us to identify with some
things and not with others. When we lose those objects we
have identified with, we must feel pain. When we contact
what we are not identified with, what we regard as alien to
ourselves, we also experience pain. Ego and Perception
Ego arises automatically during the perceptual process. As the thought of I underlies all thoughts, so the sensation
of I underlies all impressions. The sense-mind (Manas)
provides a series of sensory impressions, for which the body
is the main focus and instrument. The ego inherent in
body-consciousness colors all these. Ego appropriates
impressions, such as "I like this" or "I do not like that," "I
love this," or "I hate that. " Similarly, ego appropriates
intelligence and uses it to justify its own reactions. Its
logic is that "I must be right" or "I must be good. " Ego
stops intelligence from perceiving the truth and instead
imposes its own opinion as truth. The ego cannot appropriate our deeper consciousness
(Chitta), but it can narrow and distort it. We can only
become aware of that part of our consciousness acceptable
to the ego. Ego is our most basic subconscious reaction
that keeps the greater field of consciousness suppressed. We must learn to observe our perceptual process to tran-
scend the ego. This requires that our deeper consciousness
is in a state of peace and that our intelligence functions
objectively. The ego as a form of ignorance (Tamas) and
distraction (Rajas) becomes reduced as we no longer pro-
vide the environment in which it can flourish. Ayurveda and the Mind
Cosmic Aspect of Ego
Each individual creature must have some sort of ego. Ego exists even in insects and rocks. It is ego that allows
for the gross elements and inanimate world to come into
being. The inanimate creation is pure ego, so contracted
that it does not allow any action of the vital force or sens-
es, which require consciousness of the external world. Ego exists as a cosmic principle. From it the root ideals
and archetypes of creation (which are inherent in Cosmic
Intelligence) can be diversified. Ego is responsible for the
creation of the different objects, creatures and worlds. From it the gross and subtle elements arise. We can per-
ceive higher cosmic states of ego once we expand our sense
of self into the deeper levels of consciousness. We can move
from being identified with our body to being identified
with our family, country, world, and universe — and ulti-
mately to being one with all beings. Composition
Ego is the seed of Tamas (darkness) or the Tamasic side
of consciousness (Chitta). It corresponds to the earth ele-
ment or the heavy matters in consciousness. Ego develops
from ignorance, not knowing our true nature as pure Con-
sciousness. It is the source of attraction, repulsion and
attachment, the emotional afflictions that bring pain and
sorrow. It puts us under the rule of all duality, the ups and
downs of our emotional experience. As the power of ignorance, ego relates to the mineral
kingdom in which no sensitivity has developed. The ego is
the inertia of the rock — matter asserting its existence
apart from the spirit. As isolation and fragmentation, it is
the source of decay, disease and death. Transcending the
ego is the basic evolutionary movement of life, through Ego and Self 131 A
which we form associations and seek to know the greater
universe in which we live. Energy
Ego relates to the heavy matters that accumulate in our
consciousness and so has an energy of inertia (Tamas). It
relates to Apana Vayu or the downward moving Prana that
brings about disease and decay. Ego drives us to fragmen-
tation and ultimately to self-destruction, unless we learn
how to control it. Its energy is negative, or entropy, and
leads to eventual loss of energy. Function
The ego allows us to identify with and feel one with
things. Through it we build up a self-identity based upon
the objects and conditions we have accepted as our own. It
functions in two ways: 1) self-sense, and 2) mine-ness. *'
Self-sense is the sense of owning a body, through which
we know the body as I or me. Self-sense also expropriates
the mind, identifying with its various thoughts, emotions
and sensations, such as "I am wise" or "I am happy. " Mine-
ness is the sense of owning external objects, which we
accumulate around our bodily existence. Through it we
feel that particular objects, like our house, money, or job,
belong to us. Mine-ness depends upon and follows from
self-sense. Through mineness, the ego establishes its terri-
tory and grows and expands in the outer world. As long as
we have a sense of ownership or possession of anything, we
are caught in the ego and its bonds. The ego, like the sense-mind, has an outgoing energy,
but while the mind seeks enjoyment in the realm of the
senses, the ego seeks to embody itself in a material form. The ego's identification


find specific suggestions which apply to your everyday world, inspired by
the Saint Francis prayer, in the second half of each chapter. Ultimately these
will lead you to the life-changing realization that you can benefit from so-
called problems when you opt for spiritual solutions. With the inspiration of the Saint Francis prayer you need not give up
anything other than the illusion that supports the problem. Motivated by
your desire to increase your ener gy level and practicing the suggestions
originating in the Saint Francis prayer you will be able to stop thinking
about what you need to receive from the universe. Y ou can learn to replace
this needy attitude with thoughts of what you can contribute to the ener gyenvironment of situations that appear problematic. This is in the spirit of the
second half of this powerful prayer which asks, “Grant that I may not so
much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love...”
Spiritual solutions mean you are an instrument for giving peace rather than
demanding that you be given  peace. This means coming to grips with the
ultimate irony of a problem-free life, as expressed in the conclusion of the
Saint Francis prayer. “For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Yes, we receive by giving, and this turnaround in thinking is essential to
finding spiritual solutions. It begins with becoming an instrument of peace. OceanofPDF.com7
LORD, MAKE ME
AN INSTRUMENT
OF THY PEACE
If you are yourself at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world. Then share your peace
with everyone, and everyone will be at peace. —THOMAS MERTON
The two words thy peace  are the most significant part of this first request
of Saint Francis. When you think of God, think peace. That is what occurs
when we are in conscious contact with God. I’ve heard enlightenment
described as being immersed in and surrounded by peace. This definition
implies that the enlightened life is one in which peace is the overriding
experience. Connecting with your highest spiritual sense is the same as
living in the peace that we refer to as God. Consider the greatest saints who have ever walked among us. They are
different from the rest of us in one unique quality. All they have to give
away is peace. And what is this peace? It is the expression of the universal
creative intelligence, which winds its way in and through everything. It is
the perfection of creation. This is what the term “thy peace” means to me. It
is something I am always connected to, since there is no place that it doesnot exist. I lose peace when I allow my thoughts to entertain the illusion of
problems. I recall my friend Edgar Mitchell, the Apollo 14 Commander and the sixth
man to walk on the moon, describing to me how he could cover the entire
earth with his thumbnail from inside his capsule as he circled the moon. He
had an epiphany in which he realized that this was an intelligent system of
peace that we are all a part of as he saw millions of heavenly objects
hurtling, spinning and orbiting in perfect unison. W ithin each object this
same peaceful harmony exists, and this includes the earth as well as every
cubic inch of space on the planet in every single object and living creature. “Thy peace” is the essence of our universe. It is God at work, at play, and
everywhere in between. It is infinite love. There is no anger, fear, greed,
malice, or envy. There is a vast ocean of peace always available when one
comes to know “thy peace.” It is only a thought away. In this place,
problems do not exist. The most compelling aspect to all of this is that “thy peace” can become
exclusively yours one hundred percent of the time whenever you make the
conscious decision that this is how you are going to live. “Thy peace”
becomes what you are an instrument of, as Saint Francis requests in this
opening line of prayer. When followed, it provides you with a spiritual
solution to every problem. MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT
If harmony is the nature of things, and it is all held together in perfect unity
by the invisible power, then it seems sensible to say to yourself, I too want
to be in that peace since it is my nature to be in agreement with, rather than
against the peace of God. Deep within you, you know that being at peace is
natural even when you feel that it is impossible to be peaceful with the
presence of so many problems. Not feeling peaceful is the result of an error
in your thinking. Thoughts that send you away from your peace go something like this: “If
only you were more like me, then I wouldn’ t have to be upset right now,” or“If only the world were the way I think it should be, then I could be at
peace.” But people are not the way you think they should be, nor is the
world anything but what it is. Peace is the result of retraining your mind to
process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. As simple as this
sounds, this is the secret to being an instrument of God’ s peace. I am not asking you to become indif ferent or apathetic, but to simply
observe the world and all the people in it as they are and refuse to allow
yourself to create thoughts that result in leaving your peaceful natural
energy state. I gave this advice to a flight attendant after our plane had been
on the runway for forty-five minutes and the captain announced that we
would be returning to the gate because of a warning light that had appeared
in the cockpit. As we headed back to the gate for a lengthy delay, the flight
attendant began to bemoan her upcoming fate to me. “Here we go,” she
said. “I’m going to have two hundred and fifty passengers all mad at me
and giving me angry looks as they leave the airplane. This causes me so
much stress when these delays occur.”
I talked with her for several minutes suggesting that she realize that she was
at peace in her innermost being. I explained to her that this innermost being
is covered by her skeletal structure, just as her body has a uniform covering
it. “T ry not letting anyone who does not come in peace into the territory of
your true being,” I told her. “Let them only impact the uniform or the outer
covering called your body, but determine that your inner self can only be
penetrated with peace.” I watched as each of the passengers who glowered
at her was met with a peaceful, loving response. In just a few moments she
had managed to deflect what used to infiltrate to her very soul. In a nineteenth-century chapel in New England, a manuscript called
Desiderata  was found. It contains much wisdom, and one exquisite line I’ve
always remembered. “A void loud and aggressive persons. They are
vexations to the spirit.” I might add, they keep you away from your peace! The real you can always choose to remain impervious to nonpeaceful
entreaties. When others don’ t come to you in peace, they can only reach the
outer protective coverings. It is always about how you choose to process
events, not the events themselves that determine your level of peace.You can become an instrument of peace in any given moment of your life
by deciding that you are not going to use your mind for anything other than
peaceful thoughts. This may sound extreme to you when you take into
consideration all the dif ficult people you have to deal with, your financial
picture, the illness of a close relative, the inconsiderate boss you must face,
the taxes you owe, as well as outrageous traf fic delays, and on and on. T ry
taking a breather from your habit of continuously looking for occasions to
be nonpeaceful. Go to that quiet, serene peaceful place within you that is
covered by the outer layers of your material life. It is here that you know
what being an instrument of peace means. Here, your emphasis is on giving,
rather than receiving, peace. DELIVERING PEACE
When you are an instrument of thy peace, you are not seeking anything, you
are a peace provider. You do not seek peace by looking into the lives of
others and wishing that they would change so that you could become more
peaceful. Rather, you bring your own sense of calm to everyone you
encounter. You do not go about viewing every circumstance of your life in
terms of whether it meets with your standard for peace. Rather, you bring
your peaceful countenance to the chaos you encounter and your presence
soothes the outer turmoil. Even if the turmoil continues, you have the
freedom to choose a peaceful thought, or to quietly remove yourself from
the immediate scene. How do you do this? Memorize this line of the prayer
and silently repeat it: Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Those
chaotic moments are times to remember that you will not gain your peace
from anyone else and that you choose to bring peace to every life situation
you encounter. Gradually this reality will begin to sink in. The most important moments for cultivating this awareness are when you
find yourself right smack in the middle of a tumultuous exchange, when
someone is ar gumentative, surly, or irrational and you sense yourself falling
into the pand


 have to take supplements. The diet, which is described in this book,
will provide you with concentrated amounts of nutrition in a natural form,
which the body recognises and knows what to do with. luicing will add
more concentrated amounts of vitamins, minerals and other useful sub
stances. A good probiotic on average increases absorption rate of nutrients
from food by 50% or more. On top of that probiotic bacteria are supposed
to be the main source of vitamins B, K, bio tin and many other substances
in the body. Indeed, that is the first group of nutritional deficiencies which
usually disappear when the patient starts taking therapeutic doses of a
strong probiotic. The diet and probiotic will start healing the digestive
system, so the patient will start absorbing the nutrients from the food
properly. Another important point we have to consider when it comes to our GAPS
patients is that their digestive system is inflamed and damaged. A lot of
synthetic supplements, fillers and binders in tablets and capsules will
aggravate and irritate already sensitive GAPS gut lining and interfere with
the healing process. I have seen many patients who put a lot of effort into
implementing the diet, but would not achieve the best results until they
removed most of their supplements. That is why I normally do not recommend any vitamin or mineral sup
plementation at the beginning of the programme. I recommend putting
most effort into implementing the diet first and starting the healing pro
cess in the gut. Once the digestive system starts working properly in many
patients their nutritional deficiencies disappear without any supplemen
tation. They disappear the natural way through the body sorting it out for
itself. Of course, aU patients are different and some of them require targeted
supplementation. But that is a matter for a qualified practitioner to decide. Here are some important points to keep in mind. • Choose supplements without any ingredients which may aggravate
the gut condition. Supplements in a liquid form are better than in
powder, tablet or capsule. Substances, which are not allowed on the
diet, should also be out. • Choose supplements with a high absorption rate, for example, vita
min and mineral supplements with added fulvic acid. Fulvic acid (not
to be confused with folic acid) is produced by bacteria in soil. It can
ensure a very high absorption rate for a supplement the natural way. It
also has good chelating properties for heavy metals. Soil bacteria in
your probiotic will provide your gut with this acid. • Keep supplements to an absolute minimum. DETOXIFICATION FOR
PEOPLE WITH GAP SYNDROME
Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. Erma Bombeck
We live in a polluted world. Every day we breath in car fumes and industrial
wastes. We eat foods containing pesticides, herbicides and other agricul
tural chemicals. We drink milk and eat meat from animals which are rou
tinely given antibiotics, steroids and other drugs. We eat a countless
number of various chemicals in processed foods. We use personal care
products full of various chemicals shown to be carcinogenic and generally
toxic for humans. Our modem energy-conserving homes and offices have
become toxic places. Modern building materials, insulation, paints,
domestic cleaning chemicals and fire retardants all outgas toxic sub
stances which we breathe day in and day out. For example, chemical anal
ysis on outgassing of common carpets and carpet adhesives in modern
homes found considerable amounts of toxic substances such as formalde
hyde, toluene, xylene, benzene, methacrylate, tetrachloroethylene, methyl
naphthalene, phthalates and styrene. All these chemicals are known toxins
for a human and we breathe them in large quantities all the time we are at
home. Hospitals and shopping centres have even higher amounts of toxic
substances in the air, that is why many people feel so tired and drained
after a shopping trip or a long visit to a hospital. And as if all that is not
enough, we routinely take prescription drugs, drink alcohol and smoke
tobacco. So, how do we survive. How do we manage to live our lives, go to work,
have children, without just dropping dead after our first breath of traffic-
jam air in the morning. We survive thanks to a very important system in our bodies. A system
which until recently we did not know much about - a DETOXIFICATION
SYSTEM. It is a system, which is like a cleaner in the body. It constantly cleans out
all the toxins, produced as a result of normal body metabolism, and toxins
arriving from the outside. It has got its headquarters in the liver and
departments in every cell of the body. The sophistication and complexity
of this system is staggering to even the most knowledgeable biochemists and there is a lot we still don't know about how it works so efficiently. But
what we do know is that this system, in order to function well, has to have a
constant supply of certain nutrients: zinc, magnesium, selenium, molyb
denum and other minerals and trace elements, hundreds of enzymes,
many amino acids and essential fats - all the substances which our GAPS
children and adults are deficient in. Due to these deficiencies the detoxifi
cation system cannot function at an optimum level in a GAPS person. At
the same time this system is overloaded with work, because GAPS patients
are very toxic people. Imagine a worker, who is being starved of food and
drink, and at the same time is being given more and more work to do. How
is he going to cope. He is going to put most of this work into a backlog,
hoping for easier times when he would be able to attend to it. That is
exactly what the detoxification system does in a GAPS patient - it stores
various toxic substances in different tissues in the body in order to deal
with them later. That is why when these patients are tested for heavy
metals, petrochemicals and other toxins they always test positive. Unfortunately, a lot of these chemicals have affinity for fats and therefore
get stored in body fats. A human brain and the rest of the nervous system
have a very high proportion of fats in its tissues and become a storage site
for these toxins. A brain clogged with toxicity cannot develop or function
well. We see this very clearly in GAPS patients.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the maximum amount of vitamin A that can be given to a child with a vitamin A deficiency?,
A: 60,000 micrograms as a single dose.
Q: What is the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for an adult, and what is the recommended dose for a small child?,
A: The recommended daily allowance is not specified in the text, but it is mentioned that an adult would need 20 times the recommended daily allowance to reach toxic levels, which translates to 20 teaspoons of cod liver oil. For a small child, it is not specified, but it is mentioned that a dose is needed that is different from the recommended daily allowance.
Q: What is the recommended approach to treating GAPS patients with vitamin A deficiency?,
A: The recommended approach is to test the patient's vitamin A status and adjust the dose accordingly, taking into account the poor absorption of vitamin A in GAPS patients. However, in practice, most patients cannot be tested regularly, so it is recommended to follow the recommended daily allowance according to age.
Q: What is the recommended approach to detoxification in GAPS patients?,
A: The recommended approach is to reduce exposure to environmental toxins, use natural remedies, and not use antibiotics. It is also recommended to use probiotics, and to avoid using processed foods and personal care products that contain toxic substances.
Q: What is the recommended approach to treating ear infections in GAPS patients?,
A: The recommended approach is to try natural remedies first, such as using warm compresses, drinking hot drinks with honey, and using garlic and olive oil. If these measures do not work, antibiotics can be used.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Chemically altered and artificial fats: margarines, butter replace
ments, cooking and vegetable oils, processed foods prepared with
these fats. 4. Lack of high quality protein in the diet from meats and fish, eggs,
dairy products, nuts and seeds. 5. Exposure to man-made chemicals: cleaning and washing chemi
cals, personal care products, paints, fire retardants, petrochemi
cals, pesticides, etc. 6. Exposure to man-made radiation: electronic screens (TV; comput
ers, play stations, etc. ), mobile phones, high-power electricity
lines, nuclear stations and nuclear wastes. 7. Drugs: antibiotics, steroids, antidepressants, painkillers, anti
cancer medication, anti-viral drugs, etc. 8. Lack of fresh air and physical activity. 9. Lack of exposure to sunlight. io. Lack of exposure to common microbes in the environment. Living
in a too sterilised environment is strongly associated with compro
mised immunity. The immune system needs constant stimulation
from the microbes in the environment. 4. CONSTIPATION
Many GAPS children and adults, whom I see in my clinic, are constipated. Sometimes the constipation is very severe when the person cannot pass
the stool for 5-7-10 or more days. This is one of the common scenarios. A little boy J. would not have a
stool for a week or so and then he would pass an enormous stool,


 drug or drugs that can have toxic side effects. In the case of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it is
certainly worth considering whether the issue is an underlying
hormonal dysfunction that could be treated naturally with the
right diet and with bio-identical progesterone. Until fairly recently, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in
children was virtually nonexistent. Today, over 1 million
children have been diagnosed with this condition. The main manifestations seem to be hyperactivity, disruptive behavior,
extreme mood swings, and anger issues—all suggestive, of |   85 ExCESS  ADRENALINE: THE  UgLy
course, of excess adrenaline. These children are often placed
on powerful psychoactive drugs, many of which the FDA has
not approved for use in children. Today, over 1 million children have been diagnosed
with bipolar disorder, even though they fail to
demonstrate the classic signs of severe mood swings. While high levels of adrenaline can explain all of the
behaviors these children exhibit, making that observation is not
cost efficient for the business of medicine. Many psychiatrists
are compensated only if they prescribe a drug. Once a child
is started on an antipsychotic, the psychiatrist has a built-in patient for years to come. Primary care doctors are reluctant to prescribe these types of drugs, and certainly will not take the responsibility of discontinuing them. My personal view is that the school killings of recent years
as well as teenage suicides may have involved young people on
these drugs whose side effects have caused these tragic episodes. Although gun legislation may be of benefit, it might be even
more effective to limit the prescription of these powerful drugs
to children. A poignant example of the problem with false diagnostic
labels, as well as the failure of the medical establishment to
understand how hormones affect mental health, is the story of
a four-year-old girl, Rebecca Riley. On December 13, 2006, Rebecca died of an overdose of drugs given to her for bipolar
disorder, prescribed by a doctor who had never examined
her. In 2010, her parents, in separate trials, were found guilty
of murder, and both received life sentences. Their crime:
deliberately overdosing their daughter. ADRENALINE DOMINANCE 86  |
Her doctor had prescribed excessively high doses of three
psychoactive drugs—Depakote 750 mg per day, Seroquel 200
mg per day, and clonidine 0. 35 mg per day—based not on
examining Rebecca but on the mother’s reports of Rebecca’s
behavior. Interestingly, both the doctor and the mother agreed,
in interviews before the trials, that Rebecca most likely did not
have bipolar disorder, even though she had been diagnosed
with it. The state of Massachusetts neglected to file charges against
the doctor. It is hard to fathom why the doctor was held
blameless for Rebecca’s death, and why the pharmacists were
not reprimanded for refilling the prescriptions for Rebecca
almost every other day. In my opinion, every person associated
with her care shares the blame for her death: her parents, the
doctor, the pharmacists, the staff at her school, and social
services. Her death, I feel, could have been prevented had the
medical profession been aware of the relationship between
hormones and ADHD. It has been noted that bipolar disorder runs in families. This makes sense since children inherit their hormones from
their parents. I would guess that the parents of children who are given a bipolar diagnosis both have
ADHD. Indeed, most
of the patients I have seen with bipolar disorders have the signs
and symptoms I recognize as creative type ADHD. In other
words, they have a lot of adrenaline in the brain. The treatment for bipolar disorder that I have found
repeatedly effective consists of the patient utilizing the proper
dose of progesterone cream, following the correct meal plan,
and weaning himself or herself off any bipolar medications
he or she is taking. |   87 ExCESS  ADRENALINE: THE  UgLy
HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM
It is not unusual for pregnant women to experience morning
sickness during the first three months of pregnancy. This
nausea and vomiting is caused by estrogen when progesterone,
the hormone that normally blocks the effects of estrogen, is
inadequate. At the start of the second trimester, the placenta
starts putting out large amounts of progesterone, which
normally eliminates the nausea and vomiting. However, some women continue to vomit through
their entire pregnancy, a condition known as hyperemesis
gravidarum. Not being a gynecologist, I have not seen women
in my practice at the time they exhibited this condition. But a
number of my women patients report having had this problem
during their pregnancies. These women go into the second trimester with their
brains starved for fuel, so their bodies are pouring
out adrenaline to raise their sugar levels. I have noted that the majority of these women have creative
type ADHD, which means their brains require more fuel than
a “normal” brain. Most of these women are progesterone-
deficient to begin with. As a result, they experience fairly intense
nausea and vomiting in the first trimester due to unopposed
estrogen. They go into the second trimester with their brains
starved for fuel, so their bodies are pouring out adrenaline
to raise their sugar levels. Unfortunately, this outpouring of
adrenaline also induces nausea and vomiting and suppresses the
appetite. To exacerbate matters, these women are still putting
out large amounts of estrogen, which may also contribute to the nausea and vomiting. ADRENALINE DOMINANCE 88  |
A review article titled “ Nausea  and Vomiting in Pregnancy”
in the October 14, 2010 issue of the New England Journal
of Medicine  says that “the cause of nausea and vomiting in
pregnancy is unclear. ” However, knowing how adrenaline
affects the body provides a reasonable explanation of the cause. We know that in certain stressful situations, when the body
is likely to produce excess adrenaline, some people experience
nausea and vomiting. Examples include performers just before
going on stage, professional athletes before going out on the
field, and trial attorneys before giving their opening remarks. So overproduction of adrenaline is likely a key factor in women
with hyperemesis gravidarum also. I suspect that giving women suffering from this
condition high doses of bio-identical progesterone via vaginal
suppositories, along with transdermal progesterone cream,
would significantly relieve their symptoms. If nutrition with
low-glycemic carbohydrates, either orally (if possible) or
via tube feedings, is added, the problem could possibly be
eliminated in 24 to 48 hours. Three other obstetrical complications that also seem related
to high adrenaline are preeclampsia, toxemia of pregnancy,
and gestational diabetes. Both preeclampsia and toxemia of
pregnancy, which are extremely serious, often necessitating
early termination of the pregnancy, are associated with
hypertension. It seems reasonable that adrenaline and insulin
are causing the rise in blood pressure. I also suspect that women
with these complications are not producing a sufficient amount
of progesterone during their pregnancy. Adrenaline and insulin
presumably play key roles in gestational diabetes just like they
do in regular diabetes, as discussed in the previous chapter. At the time of this writing, the FDA has just approved use |   89 ExCESS  ADRENALINE: THE  UgLy
of a synthetic progestin to prevent premature births. The cost
of this drug is about $1,500 per week. The good news is that
compounding pharmacies can provide the identical preparation
for about $95 per week. The bad news is that the FDA has
made it illegal for compounding pharmacies to compound it. However, there is still a silver lining to this story. Physicians can
offer their patients an even better option, namely, bio-identical
progesterone in the form of vaginal suppositories and topical
cream. The FDA cannot block compounding pharmacies from
dispensing bio-identical progesterone suppositories or cream
because drug companies do not provide them. Bio-identical
progesterone is natural and does not cause the serious side effects
that synthetic progestins cause. It is also the least expensive as well as the most effective option. CYCLICAL VOMITING SYNDROME
Cyclical vomiting syndrome, which is similar to hyperemesis
gravidarum, is another condition for which the medical
establishment cannot identify a cause. One of my patients,
aged 47, had this condition. He told me that every morning
of his life he would wake up and vomit. When he was a
child, every time he got excited, he would start vomiting and couldn’t stop and would have to be hospitalized. To my way
of thinking, the only possible explanation for this type of
vomiting is adrenaline. On his first visit he sat across the desk from me, clenching
the arms of his chair. It was fairly easy to observe that this
man was pouring out adrenaline. I applied some progesterone
cream to his forearm, and in less than ten minutes he leaned
back in his chair and stated that in his entire life he had never
felt so good. ADRENALINE DOMINANCE 90  |
In the six years (as of this writing) since his


, emotions, thoughts, and the
events of the world. Have you ever heard of anyone becoming
displeased by this discovery? Question : Does the letting go technique contradict any spiritual or
religious teachings? Answer : A study of the subject reveals that there is no conflict
between the letting go of negativity and any spiritual teaching. Question : I gave up religion many years ago because it created so
much guilt I couldn’ t handle it. What would be the ef fect of using
the letting go technique? Answer : In clinical observations over the years, guilt emer ges as
the most frequent reason for which people give up their religion. It
is because the goals seem unobtainable. Ask yourself what hasmade these goals seem unobtainable. It will always be the disparity
between what one is taught they should be, as compared to what
they perceive they really are. Instead of feeling guilty, try letting
go of all the negative feelings that come up and wait and see for
yourself what change of attitudes might occur. Again, letting go is
a tool. It can be utilized to facilitate your goals in any area of life. How you use it is up to you. A good place to start is to let go of all
of your guilt since it fosters an emotional environment for
suf fering and disease. Meditation and Inner T echniques
Question : How does letting go and surrendering correlate with the
dif ferent meditative techniques? Answer : Almost all meditative techniques have as their goal the
quieting of the mind. This is the basis of the dictum from the Book
of Psalms, “Be still and know that I am God.” As most meditators
have discovered, achieving silence of the mind is the main
problem of meditation itself. This is because suppressed feelings
constantly produce thoughts, which are the main distractions in
meditation. Acknowledging and letting go of the ener gy behind
these suppressed feelings, therefore, facilitates the goal of
meditation. When the feeling behind the train of thoughts is
located and surrendered, then that entire train of thought instantly
stops. By constantly surrendering, it is possible to arrive at an
extremely silent state of mind. This can be accomplished as one
goes about one’ s daily activities, thus greatly expanding the
capacity to meditate. Most meditative techniques are limited to a
specified number of minutes or hours during the day. It is possible
by constant surrender to reach high states of consciousness. Question : I do not follow a spiritual pathway, but I do af firmations
and visualizations. W ill the letting go technique be of use to me? Answer : Letting go greatly facilitates the power of af firmations. An af firmation is a positive statement. Its power is limited by the
fact that, either consciously or unconsciously, we have multiplenegative programs that are saying the very opposite thing to the
af firmation. Y ou can discover this for yourself by noticing that, as
you write the af firmations, your mind comes up with, “Y eah, but
… ” It is these “Y eah, buts … ” that limit the power of the
af firmation and reduce its ef fectiveness. If you surrender the
obstacles to the af firmation, you will notice a rapid increase in
their ef fectiveness. Psychotherapy
Question : I am in psychoanalysis. W ould the letting go technique
be helpful or would it be in conflict with my analysis, which is
getting progressively more expensive? Answer : Therapists who have studied the technique agree with it. Many psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists have learned it
and utilize it in their practices. So far, we have heard only 100%
positive evaluations of the results, because the so-called “working
through” is facilitated by the patient’ s capacity to let go of
negativity and self-limitations, which allows the therapy to move
forward much more rapidly. Psychotherapists, themselves, have
found that letting go has greatly facilitated their understanding of
patients and the resolution of counter -transference. If therapists
know how to acknowledge and let go of negative feelings, then
they can avoid the development of many stress-related illnesses
during the course of their practice. Thus, the technique is
considered to be of assistance in psychotherapy, increasing its
ef fectiveness and the satisfactoriness of its outcome. Question : I am in group psychotherapy. How would that work
with the mechanism of surrender? Answer : Just as in individual psychotherapy, the capability of
surrendering one’ s inner negative feelings greatly facilitates group
work. Question : I am a Jungian analyst. W ould this approach fit in with
my work?Answer : Through surrender, we can free ourselves from being at
the ef fect of the archetypes. The archetypes are obviously a
collection of beliefs and feelings and are, therefore, programs like
any other. The individual who uses the mechanism of surrender to
let go of programmed beliefs and feelings has the power of choice
over the archetypal patterns, rather than unconsciously being run
by them. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
Question : I am a member of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), and I
would like to know if others in A.A. have benefited from this
technique. Answer : The common experience is that the technique of letting
go greatly facilitates working the 12 Steps of Alcoholics
Anonymous, especially the Third Step. The Third Step states,
“Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God
as we understood Him.” This very step is frustrating to many
people in A.A. because there is no how-to. Just how do you turn
your will and life over to the care of God or some Higher Power? If we look at will, we see that it is desire. This desire is connected
to attachments. The mechanism of surrender, therefore, facilitates
freedom from attachments and is almost equal to the Third Step in
its intention. Surrendering to God means letting go of one’ s
willfulness. W illfulness is the ego itself. The obsession to drink is a drivenness, a compulsion due to an
attachment. This can be weakened and lessened by the process of
surrendering. Drinking is also an escape from the pain of negative
feelings; therefore, letting go of negative feelings decreases the
psychological need for escape in that particular form. This applies
to other drugs as well, which are all attempts to replace a lower
feeling with a higher feeling. The letting go technique does not replace the need for self-
help groups or for Alcoholics Anonymous; however, it greatly
facilitates success in recovery programs and is certainly
compatible with all the anonymous groups, which are based
uniformly on the 12 Steps.Relationships
Question : I’ve been on a spiritual path for many years and do not
understand why I still experience negative emotions. Answer : There’ s a common illusion that spiritually evolved,
loving people never have any negativity, as though they are
already angelic. They get annoyed that they still have negative
feelings, and then it’ s compounded by their guilt and self-
frustration. They have to realize that feelings are transitory,
whereas their intention to evolve remains constant. Let go of
feeling guilty that you are still just an ordinary human despite your
angelic ambitions! Having compassion towards your innate
humanness, its nervous system, and the brain function that goes
with it allows for greater equanimity. Heavenly ambitions do not
necessarily make us angels! Question : I have a colleague at work who doesn’ t carry his load. Every time I see him, I feel resentful. Then, I feel guilty for
resenting him. How would I begin the letting go technique in that
situation? Answer : W e notice and accept what our feelings are about a
situation, and then we proceed to clear them as a priority rather
than indulge in emotionality. In the workplace, many people think
they should suppress their feelings of resentment; however, this
approach does not handle the problem and the tensions will fester. W ith the letting go technique, go within yourself and acknowledge
the negative feelings as they arise. Let them come up without
suppressing them and without venting them. And then shift your
attention from the feelings to something else. Let the feelings be
there and let them go. Question : Y ou recommend that we shift attention away from the
negative feeling. How is this dif ferent from repressing the feeling? Answer : Repression is an unconscious process by which
unaccepted feelings are put out of awareness and not dealt with. In
shifting attention, you make a choice not to indulge the negative
emotion. Y ou have already acknowledged and accepted the feelingwithin yourself as part of being human, but you are choosing to let
it go because you want something higher, like peacefulness,
harmony, and getting the job done. People will sometimes shift
their attention by way of actions such as rearranging the furniture a
little bit, opening and closing the window shades, making a quick
trip to the bathroom, or going for a short cof fee break. These
actions allow for a moment to shift from the negative to the
positive. Question : I notice there are certain feelings that seem to recur
frequently, even though I use the method with regularity. Answer : The frequent recurrence of negative feelings would
indicate the necessity for a period of contemplation about recurrent
patterns. For instance, the manner of handling negative emotions
may follow parental or family patterns, as well


100 trillion cells are under your  command, and you are comma nding them
and instructing them with your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Whatever you believe about your body, your cells believe too. They don't
question anything you think, feel, or believe. In fact, they hear every
thought, feeling, and belief you have. If yo u think or say, "I always get jetlag when I travel," your cells rece ive
"jetlag" as a command, and they must carry out your instructions. Think and
feel that you ha ve a weight pro blem, and your cells receive the order of a
weight problem. They must follow your instructions and kee p your body in
an overw eight c ondition. Be afraid you might ca tch an illness, and your
cells receive the message of the illn ess, and they immediately get busy
creating the symptoms of the illness. Y our cells' responding to your every
command is simply the law of attraction working inside your body. "Face towar ds the perfect image of every or gan, and the shadows of disease
will never touch you. " (Robert Collier 1885-1950)

What do you want. What woul d you love. Be cause t hat is what you must
give to your bo dy. Y our cells are your most loyal subjects who serve you
without question, and so whatever you think, whatever you feel, becomes
the l aw of your body. If you want to feel as good as you did when you were
a child, then give your cells those commands: "I feel amazing today. " "I
have so much ener gy. " "I have perfect eyesight. " "I can eat whatever 1 w ant
and maintain my ideal weight. " "I sleep like a baby every night. " Y ou are
the ruler  of a kingdom, and whatever you think and feel becomes the law of
your kingdom - the law within your body. The Power of Y our Heart
"In some sense man is a micr ocosm of the universe; ther efor e what man is,
is a clue to the universe. " (David Bohm 1917-1992)

The inside of y our body is an exact map of our solar system and the
universe. Y our heart is the sun and the center of your body system. Y our
or gans are the planets, and just as the planets depend on the sun to remain in
balance and harmony, so do all the or gans in your body depend on your
heart to remain in balance and harmony. Scientists at the Institute of HeartMath in California have shown that
feeling love, gratitude, and apprec iation in your heart boosts your immune
system; increases vital chemical production; increases physical vitality and
vigor; reduces stress hormone levels, high blood pressure, anxiety, guilt,
and burn out; and improves glucose regulation in diabetics. Feelings of love
also create a h igher degree of harmony in the rhythm of your heart. HeartMath has shown that the magnetic field of the heart is 5,000 times
more po werful t han the magnetic field of the brain, and reaches out several
feet from our body. Other sc ientists are revolutioniz ing our understanding of the af fect of love
on o ur h ealth, th rough experime nts with water. What does wate r have to do
with hea lth. Y ou r body is made up of 70 percent water. The inside of your
head is 80 percent water. Researchers in Japan, Russia, Europe, and the United States have
discovered that when water is exposed to positive words and feelings such
as lo ve and gratitude, the ener gy level of the water not only increases, but
the structure of the water chan ges, malcing it perfectly harmonious. The
higher t he positive feeling, the more beautiful and harmonious the water
becomes. When water is exposed to negative emotions, such as hate, the
ener gy l evel of the water decrea ses, and chaotic changes occur, negatively
af fecting the structure of the water. If hu man emotions can change the structure of water, can you im agine what
your fee lings are doing to the health of your body. Y our cells are made of
mostly w ater. T he center of eve ry cell is water, and each cell is completely
surrounded by a layer of water. Can you imagine the impact of love and gratitude on your body. Can you
imagine the power of love and gratitude to restore health. When you feel
love, your love af fects the water of the 100 trillion cells in your body. How to Use the Power of Love for
Perfect Health

"Wher e ther e is the gr eatest love, ther e ar e always miracles. " (W il la Cather,
Pulitzer Prize W inning Novelist, 1873-1947)

T o receive the health you want and love, you must give love. In the face of
any sickness, give good feelings about health, because only love brings
perfect health. Y ou cannot giv e bad feelings about sickness and receive
health. If you hate or fear a disease, you will be giving out bad feelings,
and disease can never go away through bad feelings. When you give
thoughts and feelings of what you want, your cells receive the full force of
health. When you give negative though ts and feelings of what you don't
want, the force of health to your cells reduces. It doesn't matter if you feel
bad about a sub ject that has not hing to do with your health; when you feel
bad, you reduce the force of health to your body. But when you feel love for
anything - for a sunny  day, new house, friend, or promotio n - your body
receives the full force of health. Gratitude is the great multiplier, so say thank you for your health every
single day. All the money in the world cannot buy health, because it is a gift
from life, and so more than anything else, be grateful for your health. It's
the best health insurance you can ever take, because gratitud e is the
assurance of health. Be grate ful for your body inste ad of finding fault with it. Every time you
have a thought of something you don't like about your body, rem ember that
the w ater inside your body is receiving your feelings. Instead s ay than k you
with all your heart for what you do like abo ut your body, and ignore the
things you don't like. "Love draws forth love. " (St T er esa of Axila,1515-1582)

Before y ou eat food or drink water, look at what you're about to  eat or drink
and feel love and gratitude. Make sure your conversations are positive when
you are sitting down to a meal. Blessing food gives love and gratitude for food. As you bless food, you
change t he struc ture of the wat er in the food and its ef fect on  your body. Blessing water with love and gratitude does the same thing. Y our positive
feelings of love can change the structure of water in everything - so use the
power. Y ou can give  love and gratitude and  use their power while receiving any
medical treatment. If you can imagine being well, you can feel being well,
and if you can feel it, you can receive it. T o see your health improve, all you
have to do is giv e love more than 50 percent of the time. Just 51 percent is
the tipping point from sickness to health. When ha ving yo ur eyesight checked or blood pressure checked, or if you're
having a general checkup, re ceiving results from tests, or anything
concerning your  health, it is very important that you are feeling good during
it and while receiving the resul ts, in order to  receive  a good outcom e. By
the law of attraction, the outcom e of the checkup or tests must match the
frequency you're  on, so to bring the good outcome you want, y ou must be
on the frequency to receive it. Life does not happen the other w ay around. The outcome of every situation in your life will always match your
frequency becau se that is the law of attraction. T o get yourself onto a good
feeling f requency about a test, imagine the outcome you want and feel that
you have already received that outcome. Every p ossible outcome can happen, but you must be on a g ood feeling
frequency to receive good outcomes. "Possibilities an d miracles mean the same thing. " (Pr entice Mulfor d 1834-
1891)

Imagine and feel having t he health you want in your body. If you want to
restore your eyesight, give love for perfect vision and imagine having it. Give love for p erfect hearing and imagine having it. Give love for the
perfect weight, perfect body, per fect health of an or gan, and imagine having
it, a nd be utter ly grateful for everything you do have. Y our body wiU
change into whatever you want, but it can only do it through  feelings of
love and gratitude. When a  young, fit w oman was told she had a rare heart disease, her life
crumbled around her. She suddenly felt weak and fragile. Her future - a
normal, healthy life - had disapp eared


 of just rice
porridge (kanji), sometimes using the sweet recipe and other times using the
savory digestive spices to add a little bit of variety. Generally, you want to
stick to rice kanji until you feel real hunger. After the first few days, slowly
introduce other foods, starting with more soupy, blended recipes like the
warm oatmeal shake, sweet potato smoothie, or the sautéed and steamed
fruits. Then, as you feel your digestion getting stronger, start adding more
vegetables and whole foods that require more chewing, like the steamed
root veggies or kitchari. In the evenings, have the milk tonic. Be sure to add things gradually, noticing how your body is able to digest
them as well as being aware of how dif ferent foods may af fect your little
one. If you notice your babe has more gas or seems fussier, go back to a few
days of just kanji, and then slowly introduce just one recipe at a time to see
what may be af fecting little babe. Ghee
Ghee, or clarified butter, is one of Ayurveda’ s most important
contributors to a healthy and strong recovery after birth. It deeplynourishes depleted tissues down to the cellular level and rekindles
agni, the fire of digestion. It carries the medicinal qualities of food
and herbs that are warmed in it through the tissues, and it also
supports mama in making rich milk for her baby, balances her
hormones, stabilizes her mood and emotions, remedies constipation,
and much more. If you are choosing to not have ghee for
physiological or ethical reasons, or if you’re experiencing congestion,
use sesame oil for cooking instead, as it is gently warming, mildly
astringent, antiseptic, and antibacterial. Ingredients
2 quarts (16 sticks) of organic, cultured, unsalted butter
Instructions
Place butter in a pan on medium-low heat to simmer. As the butter
melts, it may look cloudy with foam at the top. Do not stir the cooking butter. Continue simmering for twenty to thirty minutes until you see the
particulates sink to the bottom of the pan and the foam disappears
from the top. Wait until liquefied butter turns a clear amber color and remove from
heat. Let cool and then strain through a cotton cheesecloth. Store in
a glass jar. Dashamula T ea
Dashamula  means “ten roots” and is known to be a vata-pacifying,
grounding, and nourishing tonic. It will support digestion, balance the
nervous system, strengthen the body, and calm the mind. Drink twice
a day postpartum; each morning and evening. Ingredients1 teaspoon dashamula powder
1 cup water
Instructions
Boil the dashamula in the water until there is only ½ cup of liquid
remaining. Drink ½ cup in the morning and repeat in the evening each day for
forty-two days. Sweet W ater Lactation T ea
Not only does this tea support healthy lactation and breastfeeding, it
also supports digestion and soothes the nerves. The low ratio of
herbs to water allows this tea to stay hydrating rather than drying. This recipe by Ysha Oaks is beneficial to drink daily for forty-two
days. Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
4¼ cups water
Instructions
Add spices into boiled water, turn of f heat, and steep for fifteen or
twenty minutes. Strain and sip warm throughout the day. CCF T ea
Cumin, coriander, and fennel tea is an Ayurvedic staple. CCF tea
supports healthy digestion, absorption, assimilation, elimination, and
lactation. It helps the body break down toxins in the gastrointestinal
tract, and because it supports agni, the digestive fire, as well assupporting the absorption of nutrients, it is great to sip on before,
during, or after meals. Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon fennel
4¼ cups water
Instructions
Boil water, turn down to simmer, and add spices. Cover and steep for ten minutes. Strain and drink throughout the
day. Garlic Chutney
Garlic supports appetite, digestion, lactation, grounding, and
immunity—as long as it is well cooked and properly prepared. Garlic
also greatly minimizes the risk of infection and generally speeds up
the post-birth recovery process. This recipe for garlic chutney, from Ysha Oakes’ s Touching
Heaven,  ensures that the garlic is cooked and the moisture has
evaporated, allowing the garlic to release its helpful properties
without negative side ef fects to baby or mother. Mamas can take 1
teaspoon of this chutney with savory meals, beginning three days
postpartum, and continue throughout the forty-two days. For
example, it can be mixed into a soup broth, rice dishes, or
guacamole. Pitta mamas or mamas showing signs of excess heat in
body, mind, or emotions should consume this chutney more
sparingly. Ingredients4 tablespoons ghee
½ cup peeled garlic cloves
1 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
4 tablespoons black peppercorns
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
1¼ teaspoons salt
juice of one lime
Instructions
1.Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a skillet on medium heat and
add the garlic cloves. Sauté them on medium heat for about four
minutes. 2.When the garlic cloves have cooled, puree the garlic along with
the rest of the ingredients in a blender to a fine paste. Add a little
water for ease in grinding. 3.Heat the rest of the ghee, add the ground paste, and sauté on
medium heat for about twelve minutes. Herbal Chewing Mix
Build your digestive fire with this simple preparation, another recipe
from Ysha Oakes’ s Touching Heaven. Enjoy 1–2 teaspoons after
each meal starting three days postpartum, continuing for forty-two
days. Chew well for maximum benefit. Keep a day or two’ s supply of
the mixture in a small bowl on your dining table and take some with
you to make it available right after a meal. Keep the remaining mix
refrigerated. You can experiment with dif ferent measures of the
ingredients for variety in taste. For a dif ferent texture, grind roasted
sesame, fennel, and coconut in a cof fee grinder.Ingredients
½ cup fennel seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 tablespoon clove
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon mineral salt (or black salt if available)
Instructions
1.In a cast-iron pan, toast fennel and sesame seeds until they turn
light brown (the sesame seeds will pop, so cover the pan with a
splatter screen or glass lid). 2.Add coconut and toast for a few more minutes, until everything
turns golden brown; stir constantly to prevent burning. 3.Place the toasted coconut, sesame, and fennel seeds in a bowl. 4.Add the remaining spices and stir well. 5.Let the mixture cool completely before storing in the fridge,
keeping out just what you can use in the next day or two. Hot Milk T onic
Ayurvedic medicine views milk as uniquely rejuvenative, as milk is
valued for its ability to nourish the deepest tissue layers more quickly
than any other food. This hot milk tonic will soothe your nerves,
encourage healthy digestion and elimination, restore strength and
vitality, and build a healthy milk supply. If you can find a local sourceof raw milk, that is ideal. Otherwise, a cream-top milk from your local
health food store is best. Ingredients
1-inch piece fresh ginger (grated)
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon clove buds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup whole cream-top milk
1 cup water
iron-rich sweetener to taste
Instructions
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and partially
cover. Simmer for ten minutes, then remove from the heat. Enjoy
every night before bed. Be sure to not mix milk with any salty foods! Almond Date Shake
This shake made from almonds and dates is a nourishing and
delicious ojas-building drink that can be had warm or at room
temperature any time of day (or night!). Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
4 cups water6 soaked dates
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
10 saf fron threads
Instructions
Soak the almonds overnight and then squeeze the skins of f.
Blend the almonds with all other ingredients on high speed for about
a minute. Warm Oatmeal Shake
Oats build ojas and are very nourishing during pregnancy, birth, and
postpartum. This warm oatmeal shake can also be used during labor
for energy. Ingredients
4 cups water
½ cup oats (soaked for at least 30 minutes, then rinsed)
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamon
pinch of salt
¼ cup soaked cashews
4 tablespoons maple syrup or other iron-rich sweetener (or more, to
taste)
1 tablespoon gheeInstructions
Boil the water, then add oats and spices. Cook until oats are broken down and the porridge is soupy—about
ten minutes.


conventional diet. Even those young adults who feel fit have
health defects. Some have dental caries, thin hair,
approaching baldness, acne or allergies, headaches, impaired vision, constipation, and so on, ad infinitum. And these are
just superficial phenomena that the individuals can spot
themselves. Medical examination finds more. How many
ailments afflict the human race? One hundred? Five hundred? One thousand? Are we more expert in breeding disease than are wild animals? Can you name even one species of wild
animal afflicted with a hundred diseases? Fifty? Twenty-five? Or even one? We must exclude "wild" animals that feast at
our
garbage dum ps. To make themselves disease- proof, do wild animals perform some special ceremony we don't know
about? We shall see. There are three classes of enzymes: metabolic enzymes,
which run our bodies; digestive enzymes, which digest our
food; and food enzymes from raw foods, which start food
digestion. Our bodies—all our organs and tissues—are run by metabolic enzymes. These enzyme workers take proteins,
fats, and carbohydrates (starches, sugars, etc. ), and structure
them into healthy bodies, keeping everything working
properly. Every organ and tissue has its own particular
metabolic enzymes to do specialized work. One authority made an investigation and found 98 distinct enzymes working
in the arteries, each with a particular job to do. The liver has
numerous different enzymes working. No one has ever
investigated how many specific enzymes are needed to run the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, etc. Since good health depends on all of these metabolic
enzymes doing an excellent job, we must be sure that nothing interferes with the body making enough of them. A shortage
could mean trouble, many times serious. Modern research is
implicating enzymes in all of our activities. Even thinking
involves some enzyme activity. In 1930, 80 enzymes were
known; in 1947, 200; in 1957, 660; in 1962, 850; and by 1968, science had identified 1300 of them. If you wanted to
find out how many enzymes are known today, you might
have to hire a specialist full-time to make a survey. And
although thousands of enzymes are known, many more
reactions have been identified for which the enzymes responsible are not yet known. Hundreds of metabolic
enzymes are necessary to carry on the work of the body—to repair damage and decay, and heal diseases. Digestive enzymes have only three main jobs: digesting
protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Proteases are enzymes that
digest protein; amylases digest carbohydrate, and Upases
digest fat. Nature's plan calls for food enzymes to help with
digestion instead of forcing the body's digestive enzymes to
carry the whole load. If food enzymes do some of the work,
according to the Law of Adaptive Secretion of Digestive Enzymes, the enzyme potential can allot less activity to
digestive enzymes, and have much more to give to the
hundreds of metabolic enzymes that run the entire body. If
food enzymes did some of the work, the enzyme potential
would not be facing impending bankruptcy, as it is now in the bodies of millions of people on the minus diet—food minus
its enzymes. Our enzyme potential has a problem somewhat
similar to a checking account which could become
dangerously deficient if not continually replenished. THE FOOD ENZYME CONCEPT
   The Food Enzyme Concept introduces a new way of
looking at disease. It heralds a revolution in our understanding of disease processes. According to the Food
Enzyme Concept, enzymes possess biological, as well as
chemical, properties. When ingested, the enzymes in raw food, or supplementary enzymes, result in a significant degree
of digestion, lowering the drain on the organism's own
enzyme potential. The heat used in cooking destroys all food
enzymes and forces the organism to produce more enzymes,
thus enlarging digestive organs, especially the pancreas. When an excessive amount of digestive enzymes is made, the
enzyme potential may be unable to produce an adequate
quantity of metabolic enzymes to repair body organs and fight
disease. Are digestive enzymes being wasted? The Food
Enzyme Concept furnishes conclusive proof that in most people digestive enzymes are being used up with reckless
abandon. Although the body makes less than two dozen
digestive enzymes, it uses up more of its enzyme potential
supplying these than it uses to make the hundreds of
metabolic enzymes needed to keep all of the organs and tissues functioning with their diversified activities. The
digestive enzymes of civilized humans are infinitely stronger
and more concentrated in enzyme activity than any of the
metabolic enzymes—more concentrated than any other
enzyme combination found in nature. Human saliva and pancreatic juice are loaded with enzyme activity. There is no
evidence that wild animals, living on natural raw diets, have
digestive enzyme juices even remotely approaching the
strength of those found in civilized human beings. THE LAW OF ADAPTIVE SECRETION
OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
   If the human organism must devote a huge portion of its
enzyme potential to making digestive enzymes, it spells
trouble for the whole body because there is a strain on
production of metabolic enzymes and there may not be
enough enzyme potential to go around. There is competition
between the two classes of enzymes. Does science point a way out of this desperate situation? Yes. In 1943, the
physiological laboratory of Northwestern University
established the Law of Adaptive Secretion of Digestive
Enzymes by experiments on rats. The amount of digestive
enzymes secreted by the pancreas in response to carbohydrate, protein, and fat was measured and it was found
that the strength of each enzyme varied with the amount of
each of these food materials it was called upon to digest. Prior
to this it was assumed that enz
ymes were secreted in e qual proportions, according to the rule laid down by Professor
Babkin. The Law of Adaptive Secretion of Digestive
Enzymes holds that the organism values its enzymes highly
and will make no more than are needed for the job. If some of the food is digested by enzymes in the food, the body will
make less concentrated digestive enzymes. The Law of
Adaptive Secretion of Digestive Enzymes has since been
confirmed by dozens of university laboratories throughout the world. If humans take in more exogenous (outside) digestive
enzymes, as nature ordained, the enzyme potential will not have to waste so much of its heritage digesting food. It can
distribute more of this precious commodity to the metabolic
enzymes, where it rightfully belongs. This rightful
distribution of enzyme energy will not only act to maintain
health and prevent disease, but is expected to help cure established disease. The old saying that nature will cure really
refers to metabolic enzyme activity, because there is no other mechanism in the body to cure anything. To get enzymes from food, one must eat raw food. All life,
whether plant or animal, requires the presence of enzymes to
keep it going. Therefore, all plant and animal food in the raw
state has them. But the mere touch of heat destroys them. Enzymes tolerate no heat at all. They are different from
vitamins in this respect. Pasteurization destroys the life force
in them, even though much less heat is used than in cooking
(145°F versus 300°F or higher). If water is hot enough to feel
uncomfortable to the hand, it will injure enzymes in food. All foods from a food factory have been heat processed by one
means or another. Evidence of Enzyme Wastage
   We are guilty of being careless with enzymes. They are the
most precious asset we possess and we should welcome
outside enzyme help. If we depend solely upon the enzymes
we inherit, they will be used up just like inherited money that is not supplemented by a steady income. The Food Enzyme
Concept points out that acute wastage of large quantities of
enzymes is strenuously objected to by the body. It can lead to
serious illness and even death. In an experiment in 1944,
young rats and chickens were fed a diet of raw soybeans (high
in enzyme inhibitors) and huge quantities of pancreatic
digestive enzymes were wasted in combating the inhibitors. The pancreas gland enlarged to handle the extra burden, and
the animals sickened and failed to grow. Soybeans are seeds,
and all seeds have some enzyme inhibitors. (Enzyme inhibitors are discussed in Cha
pter 7. ) The earl y experiments, proving that organisms rebel against having their enzymes
wasted, have now been repeated and amplified in dozens of
scientific experimental laboratories. Eating the seeds and their
inhibitors causes a great outpouring and wastage of pancreatic digestive enzymes, enlargement of the pancreas, decrease in
the supply of metabolic enzymes, stunted growth, and impaired health. My organ weight tables, some of which are presented in this
book (see pp. 81, 126), show that the size and weight of the
pancreas varies with the type of diet. When the pancreas must
process more enzymes, it enlarges. Is this wholesome for the individual? When the heart works too hard pumping blood
through damaged arteries, it enlarges. Who wants an enlarged
heart? Are enlarged tonsils something to desire? Or an
enlarged thyroid gland, turning into a goiter? What about an
enlarged liver? The everyday variety of enlarged pancreas is painless, not letting its owner know


 by altering the givens, assuming control
over tendencie s and reactions that I had presumed came with my
territory. All of us established relationships between physical and emotional
patterns, connecting what had otherwise seemed unrelated. In
Western medicine, cold extremities, back pain, hearing loss, and
fatigue are not associated with each other or with the kidney. Troubled sleep, excitability, and laughter are not associated with the
heart. Menstru al problems are unrelated to the liver. But in Chinese
medicine, a weak Kidney  may mean not only having a backache,
poor hearing, and fatigue, but also being fearful, stingy, withdrawn,
and apathetic. The Organ Networks  of Chinese medicine were not
equivalent to the anatomical organs of Western medicine. Organ
Networks  were dened functionally, not structurally. As such, they
included emotional and mental function as well as physiological
performance, and even their physiology was dened dierently. Furthermore, within this logic, problems are not isolated from the
context in which they occur, so a single symptom is understood in
relation to the entire body environment. The strategy is to adjust the
eld, reorganizing the process out of which symptoms grow,
coercing them into retreat by eliminating the milieu in which they
thrive. Stimulated and unsettled, many of us underwent personal as well
as professional transformation. The sun still rose each morning andtraded places with the moon at night, but our perception of
ourselves and the world around us altered. After reading these chapters, you will also learn how to interpret
yourself within  the context of these concepts so that you can say, “I
am an Earth  type who has conict with Wood  and weakness in
Water. My primary therapeutic focus will be in these areas.” That is
a purpose of this book. THE CROSS-FERTILIZATION OF  MEDICINE:  EAST GOES WEST AND  WEST
GOES EAST
From the late Middle Ages on, traditional Chinese medicine trickled
into foreign lands. A compre hensive Chinese herbal text written in
1587 found its way into the hands of German physicians around
1605. In 1810 a French physician named Louis Berlioz reported
successfully treating neurogenic diseases with acupuncture. In 1929,
after serving as French consul in China, Dr. Soulie de Mourant
translated a Chinese text, furthering the practice of acupuncture in
France. During the mid-1800s Chinese immigrants building railro ads and
mining gold in the United States brought their medicine with them. For the most part it rema ined within the Chinese community. However, a few exceptions occurred in the Northwest, where local
settlers beneted from the care of Chinese doctors. Historical
records from the towns of John Day, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho,
indicate that Chinese doctors successfully treated respiratory,
digestive, and reproductive infections, as well as arthritis and
symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Pioneer women who were
unable to conceive were helped to bear healthy children. Meanwhile, European and American missionaries had been
exporting Western medicine to China. The Chinese were very
impressed with surgical technique, vaccinations, and the means of
hygiene and sanitation that helped reduce the spread of infectious
diseases, wound sepsis, and the mortality of women followingchildbirth. Western industrial and medical technology came to be
associated with progress. By the time penicillin was developed in
the 1940s, traditional medical institutions in China had been
signicantly replaced by the more highly prized Western medical
schools. In 1949, the year of the Chinese revolution, there were 10,000
Western-trained doctors for 400 million people. At this time the
550,000 traditional doctors recovered their stature within the
medical establ ishment because of the dire need for more doctors
and a fervent desire to reassert faith in China’s own cultural legacy. Since 1949 traditional medicine has been revived and incorporated
as a mandatory part of the training in many modern medical
schools. Resea rchers there now investigate the bioch emistry of
herbal constituents and the electrophysiology of acupuncture points
to trace their impact on the healing mechanisms of the body. Still, in many life-threatening situations, only Western medical
and surgical techniques are appropriate. Functional disorders
constitute a middle ground where either system may be elected. In
chronic degenerative illnesses for which Western medicine has little
to oer, traditional medicine is a welcome option. Some Chinese
hospitals accom modate alternate oors for Western and traditional
care, with doctors selecting what best suits their patients’ needs. In
some circumstances both systems work in concert. For instance,
Western surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy is used to control
cancer, while traditional Chinese medicine is used to strengthen the
body and enhance immunity, enabling the person to better tolerate
treatment. During the 1950s and 1960s when traditional medicine was being
reintegrated in its homeland, travel, commerce, and exchange
between the United States and China was highly restricted. In 1972,
the year when then-Presid ent Nixon unstrapped the political
restraints upon our relationship with the People’s Republic,
acupuncture needles passed from East to West. At this time our class
of Americans at the College  of Acupuncture was preparing to use
these needles on American bodies.While in China, New York Times  journa list James Reston had an
emergency appendectomy, and his postoperative abdominal pain
was relieved by an acupun cture needle in his leg. It appeared
particularly spectacular because it was so little understood. Realizing that Qi travers es the body through channels, it becomes
less enigmatic that toothache s can be relieved by the stimulation of
a point along a pathway that connects the mouth to the hand or
foot. Learning that white fungus reduces blood cholestero l levels, it
no longer seems a miracle that people who live in regions in China
where it is part of the diet have lower incidences of heart  attacks. It
is comm on knowledge among Chinese that pseudoginseng powder
stops hemorrhage, chrysanthemum ower tea will relieve a bilious
headache, and black mushrooms increase immunity. Since the dawn of this century the West has been exporting
medical techn ology and pharmaceuticals to the East. In the last
quarter of this century the medicinal treasures of the Orient have
been imported to the West. In 1976 Efrem and I were among the
rst two hund red and ten practitioners to receive an acupuncture
license from the California State Board of Medical Quality
Assurance. Nationally there are now between six and ten thousand
practitioners of Chinese medicine, and two dozen other states have
instituted licensure programs. Two decades ago there were no
colleges of Chinese medicine  in this country; now there  are more
than twenty. What began as a handful of books on the subject has
grown to a library of more than four hundred titles, many of which
are translations of Chinese texts. MIRACLES  EAST AND  WEST
The advantages of integrating Western and Chinese medicine were
dramatized for Efrem and me following the birth of our son in 1975. Born with two gaping holes  in a swollen heart, Bear’s life would
have been eclipsed without surgical intervention. After diagnosing
his problem by injecting a dye into his heart that projected an image
on a video screen, our cardiologist determined it was possible forthe holes to be closed with Dacron patches. If he had been born
twenty years earlier when open-heart surgery for infants had not yet
been develope d, his heart could not have been repaired. We were
grateful that miracles existed in the West. Following surgery, because of his fragile constitution, he was
subject to countless bouts of bronchitis and upper- respiratory
infection. In San Francisco we studied herbs with local Chinese
doctors. When  Bear was able to swallow herbal pills, they became
incorporated into his routine along with breakfast and lunch. We
used certain formulas for overcoming acute illness and others as a
tonic for strengthening him, improving his resistance. Eventually he
rebued the onslaught of winter colds even when his schoolmates
succumbed. Now as a teenager Bear radiates the health we had
hoped for from his birth. We were grateful for miracles of the East
as well. In 1980, after eight years of practicing acupuncture, Efrem went
to China to further study the use of herbs and experience Chinese
medicine in its native habitat. A Western-style dispensary stood
alongside the herbal pharmacy at the Kunming Railway Workers
Hospital. A special kitchen brewed individual herb teas, delivering
fresh medicine to both inpatients and out-patients. Efrem’s teache r, Dr. Zheng Wen Tao, was rst trained as a
Western physician. Later he was asked to return to schoo l to study
traditional medicine. He combined classical knowledge  with the
ndings of modern research,  producing herbal formulas particularly
eective for treating cardiovascular and immune disorders. Dr.
Zheng Wen Tao was partic ularly renowned for his treatment of
intractable diseases. Efrem witnessed the gradual remission of
scleroderma in a young woman after one year of herbal treatment. Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease, is marked by the progressive
hardening of connective tissue, considered both fatal and
untreatable by Western