, severe intestinal pains developed. For thirty days no food was  given, the stomach rejecting
even water, and at the end of the period named, virtually in constant pain the while, the patient died. Post mortem examination showed an organic condition that was most abnormal. The lungs were adherent to the walls of the
pleural cavity and to the diaphragm; the heart was slightly enl arged but functionally capable; the stomach was dilated and
prolapsed; the gall sac was divided into three distinct pouches, two of which were filled with a total of one hundred and twe nty-six
stones, ranging in size from that of a pea to one four inches in circumference; the small intestines were collapsed and midwa y in
their lower portion were intussuscepted so that two yards of their length were telescoped into but five inches, and here the diameter
of lumen was only one -quarter of an inch; all of the small intestines were below normal in size; the transverse colon lay in front of
the descending part of the bowel, an abnormality which largely increased the labor of disposing of body waste ; the ascending and
descending portions of the colon were lacking in development and were cirrhosed or hardened in structure; the sigmoid bend an d
the rectum were of diameter not to exceed that of an adult thumb, and were in an advanced state of cirrhosis;  the liver, the
pancreas, and the spleen all exhibited partial atrophy; brain and nerve centers showed no signs of deterioration. As has been stated, surgical intervention is at times essential in order to correct accidental or congenital structural defect in
tissue, and here was a case in which such intervention might have been successfully invoked at the time of the accident noted  in its
history. Neglected then, life was nevertheless prolonged despite the handicap of the abnormalities described, but  at cost constant
suffering. Case 7, that of a man fifty -six years of age, presents a history of continuous disease in youth, but includes at least twenty years
of adult life devoted to corrective dieting, judicious fasting, and to constant hygienic care of the body. At the time that the case was
brought to the attention and placed under the direction of the writer, the patient was aware that his condition was such that  recourse
must be had to every agency promising relief or he must succumb. After ex amination, the symptoms showing marked organic
irregularities, it was agreed that but one hope of prolonging life remained, and that this lay in an absolute fast. By it wou ld be
determined either the ability of the organism to continue functioning, or assu rance that the human machine had reached the point
where life could be no longer maintained. The fast began, and there was no marked disturbance until the twenty -first day, while relief was such that the patient and all
about him hoped and believed t hat the improvement noted was permanent in character; but on this day and thereafter unfavorable
symptoms progressively developed, and on the thirty -second day of the fast, the case lapsed into coma, which continued until an
abscess which had formed in the  nasal cavity was with difficulty discharged. Great ease in all respects resulted, and the patient
became conscious, assisting with interest in the efforts being made to promote his recovery. Death, however, occurred on the
thirty -eighth day of fasting. At all times during this fast large amounts of mucus were discharged in the enemas, and at intervals pain, sometimes
excruciating in kind, was felt in the bladder. In the latter stages pus in abundance appeared in the urine, and during the la st few
days of life the bladder ceased functioning, its contents being removed by catheterization. In this case muscular strength was
shown in remarkable degree, during the fast and until the day of death. The patient was able at all times during conciousness  to
move himself in bed, to rise at intervals, and to assist himself in ways that seemed marvelous when his condition is considered. The following are the results of the autopsy. The brain, weighing forty -eight and one -half ounces, was perfect in structure. Here
again is corroborative evidence of the truth advanced by Dr. E. H. Dewey, and developed by all who have scientifically
investigated and practically applied the fast as a therapeutic measure, viz., that nerve tissue is never depleted during abstine nce,
since its supply of sustenance is gained directly from body reserve, not from material freshly assimilated and appropriated b y cells
other than those of nerve substance. The lungs of this man were in excellent condition; the heart, organically considered, wa s
perfect, but was filled with a gelatinous mass of serum affected by post mortem change; from the cardiac opening of the st omach
to within two inches of the pylorus there was not a particle of healthy membrane, and the appearance of the walls of this org an was
Page 66 of  72 that of smooth, wet chamois skin; the duodenum was below normal in size, the upper portion of the jejunum being, howev er,
somewhat dilated; about midway in the tube of the small intestine a downward intussusception had taken place, in length about
two and one -half inches; this was of long -standing, since the walls of the bowel had become hardened and thickened, and thus t he
opening through the gut had been considerably reduced; the only section of the colon that was in normal state was the cecum, and
thence to the rectum the organ was infantile in size; in fact, there was not an inch of this part of the intestinal tract in to which the
tip of the index finger could have been introduced; the sigmoid flexure was less developed than any other portion of the gut;  in
reality it was not a flexure or bend, being merely a straight vertical canal continuing the descending colon to th e rectum and anus;
the liver was much congested, its left lobe, however, being partly cirrhosed; the gall bladder was distended with bilious flu id; the
pancreas was much undersize, and the spleen was that of an infant; the kidneys were in a state of degene ration and were pocketed
with pus, which discharged through the ureters into an inflamed bladder, which was itself undersize and capable of containing
within its thickened walls barely three ounces of urine. In connection with this undeveloped and fu nctionally inadequate digestive tract, it is interesting to record that the sex organs of
this man were those of a boy of twelve or thirteen. He was underweight and boyish in appearance as well. The condition met wa s
of course the result of disease in earl y life with consequent arrest of organic development. Case 9, a civil engineer, twenty -seven years of age, had suffered since childhood with intermittent acute digestive disease, which
was treated as is usual in orthodox practice. Malnutrition finall y became so pronounced that the subject decided that medicine
could no longer suggest anything to alleviate his condition, and he entered a fast of his own volition, coming for consultati on some
days after its beginning. Examination at this time showed the  uselessness of attempting to cope with the organic symptoms that
were most plainly apparent, and it was deemed best to inform the patient that recovery was out of the question. To allay as m uch as
was possible the fears of his family, food was given, but the stomach persistently rejected it, and the fast was perforce continued. The patient died at the end of twenty -one days of abstinence. Post mortem examination revealed an organism with heart, lungs, and digestive organs so extremely arrested in dev elopment
that, had it not been for the adult body in which they had been functioning, they would have been considered as the organs of  a
child four years of age. Case 10, a man of thirty -four, whose physical history had been one of constant illness a fter his twentieth year, is next presented. The patient had been treated medically for indigestion, constipation, and for various fevers. All his life he had been a heav y meat
eater and an inveterate user of strong tea. In later years fermentation, difficu lty in breathing, and abdominal pain invariably
succeeded the ingestion of a meal. For the relief of these symptoms medical correctives and tonics were taken, but the condit ion
gradually grew worse. The patient finally decided to try a fast, but, because o f interference by his family, a liquid diet was
substituted and continued for thirty -five days when death occurred. In this case pulse and temperature before the dietetic regimen
began had been constantly below normal, and during the period given they show ed but little change, the pulse standing at fifty -four
or thereabouts, with temperature as low at times as ninety -three. The autopsy disclosed the lungs completely filled with an exudation of serous fluid, a condition that was the immediate cause  of
death. The surface of the body for several weeks had been discolored in spots, these blotches, or cyanosed areas, indicating an
obstructed circulation. This symptom is sometimes present in cases of cirrhosis of the liver, and the latter organ was found in an
advanced stage of atrophic hardening. The stomach held but eight fluid ounces, and it could hold no more, for its outside mus cular
coat was in a permanent state of contraction, while its mucus membrane was very much thickened, making the walls of the or


 dialogue
between dual authors—an unnished conversation, the most
coherent statement we can express at this time. It’s not the
denitive summary of Chinese medicine, the last word, but a
starting point for new discou rse that invites the next utterance. The
“we” refers to our collaborative voice, whereas the “I” belongs to
Harriet, who sometimes chooses to convey ideas through her
personal narrative. Between Heaven and Earth  is a cross-cultural transmission and
transplantation. In transposing Chinese ideas into our own idiom,
our challenge has been to bridge gaps—between mind and body,
theory and practice, therapy and self-care, practitioner and patient,
ancient and modern, convention and invention, East and West. We
have dug into and mined the rich ore of Chinese medicine for the
purpose of creating new metal, a rened alloy. Through cultural
blending, we are transmuting wisdom from early China  into what
has relevance for us today. Welcome to an ongoing process. We have divided our discussion of Chinese medicine into three
overlapping parts:
• Theory: the ideas—about nature, the human body, and the self
—upon which the medicine is based
• Types: the psychology in Chinese medicine—how ve
archetypes symbolize human character, illuminating  our
personal tao, the way we are
• Therapy: the treatment methods of acupuncture, herbs, diet—
what they are and how to use themThe rst section, “Theory,” introduces you to the essential
principles of traditional Chinese medicine and explains the beliefs
upon which this foreign medicine rests. We also examine how these
beliefs dier from the assumptions we take for granted in Western
medicine—the conceptual baggage we carry with us from home. After establishing the philosophical grammar, the logic and
vocabulary through which Chinese medicine speaks, you can begin
to acquire the uency to converse in its language. As we worked on the second section of the book, “Types,” we
played with Chinese theory, elaborating upon it to suit American
conditions and needs. Our intellectual chemistry commingled with
Eastern thinkin g, propagatin g reactions of its own. What  came out
of this was an articulation of the psychology implicit in Chinese
medicine yet not explicitly developed by the Chinese. For Americans, psychology—the study of how people think, feel,
and behave—captures immense interest. In contrast, the gaze of
Chinese cultur e is averted away from the individual and instead
directed toward social groups (the family, collective, and state), so
psychology in China is quite underdeveloped, and its medicine has
focused primarily upon physical symptoms. But becau se Chinese
medical theory assumes human process unfolds as a consequence of
the tension and unity between interacting system s, mental
phenomena are not considered to be altogether separate or distinct
from physical events. We have fused Chinese theory with outlooks from Western
psychology for the purpose of transcending our cultural practice of
isolating physiology from psychology so that we can begin to knit
together the fracture that splits body from mind. Toward that end,
we have generated a schema of types: ve metaphors for the
emotional, physical, and spiritual dynamics that organize us. Each
of these types has idiosyncratic traits, motivations, and struggles—
ve styles of being in the world. You are invited to discover how
your style of interpreting reality ts within these categories and
discern who you are:
• The Pioneer, determined to make things happen• The Wizard, seeking magic and excitement
• The Peacemaker, constantly arranging and harmonizing the
world
• The Alchemist, who masters form and function
• The Philosopher, relentlessly in pursuit of truth
By identifying people’s archetypes, the sources of their virtues,
strengths, dilemmas, and limitations become apparent. These
depictions help to counterac t the discomting image many of us
have of ourselves as a hapha zard collection of disjointed events and
shifting identities. Instead there is a pattern in our tapestry—woven
through us and by us—we embody and manifest its design. Examining its fabric informs  us about how we are predisposed to
suer and derive satisfaction  in particular ways. An outco me of self-
recognition can be self-acceptance, often a precursor to self-mastery. This system is a lens, a model, a paradigm through which we can
understand, explain, and help ourselves and others. Although this book is not a manual or textbook, we want to
encourage you to experience as well as comprehend the potential
this medicine oers. So the third section of the book, “Therapy,”
explains methods of treatmen t and the thought process used by each
one. Acupuncture need not be intimidating; herbal medicine need
not be mystied; and the promise of Chinese food therapy has not
yet begun to dazzle our palates. In addition to explanation, we provide practical counsel by
guiding you toward the herbal remedies and foods appropriate for
you. To do this, we devised a system that simplies yet preserves
the art of prescribing. Since Chinese herbs can be purchased over-
the-counter, we outline a set of herbal formulas and herbal food
recipes so that those of you so motivated can put your
understanding into action. As you read this book you may want to selectively navig ate your
passage, readin g the text out of sequence, skipping to sections that
most engage you. Some will be intrigued by the ideas, others by
traditional Chinese diagnosis and physiology, others will search forthe right herb formula, and still others will be immediately drawn to
the middle of the book to identify themselves and their family
within the schema of the ve archetypes, returning later to the other
chapters. Many people in our culture have been nurturing a shift in
consciousness as they search for alternatives to the threatening
political and environmental dilemmas our civilization has created. Our overarching concern, the meta-purpose of this book, is to
demonstrate that to think through the mind of Chinese medicine, to
see through its eyes, is in itself a healing process. What makes Chinese medicine distinct, even more than its needles
and herbs, is its metaphysics (assumptions about reality),
epistemology (ways of acquiring knowledge), and ideology (system
of beliefs and values), all of which nd their expression in the Taoist
imperatives of preserving life and living in accord with nature. To
the extent that we learn to live with nature—with our own nature,
each other, and the earth—we have freedom, power, and purpose
and can enjoy life. To the extent that we do not, we suer. For us,
the ethic of Chinese medicine is to assist us in this striving. OceanofPDF.comI
THEORY
OceanofPDF.comOur Journey East: Exploring Foreign TerritoryCHAPTER ONE
OUR JOURNEY  EAST: EXPLORING  FOREIGN
TERRITORY
Lying motionless, gazing at a chart on the wall showing streams
of force  connec ting the little toe with the corner of the eye in a
web of continu ous loops, I feel my breath soften and my vision
sharpen
Delicate pins protrude from my elbow, ankle, and knee. My
arms and legs are ooded by tiny rivulets of current. It’s not
like a hypodermic needle that injects a foreign substance—what
I’m feeling is simply more of myself. It’s strange, in the sense of
odd and unfamiliar, but as a sensation not unpleasant. In fact,
the edges of my mouth are cradling a silly smile. The skin is stretched less tightly over my bony frame as my
pores relax. I sense movement as I lie quiet, aware of impulse
within my mind at rest. Thoughts tumble into consciousness,
roll over, and shue o. With my eyes closed, and perception directed inward,
simultaneous layers of activity play like instruments in concert
with each other. I am the composer and the composed, the
musician and the listener, the instrument and its player. SUBTLE YET PALPABLE, MY INITIAL ENCOUNTER WITH ACUPUNCTURE LEFT me
tantalized by mystery and promise. Mystery, in that tiny needles
could extend my eld of awareness and completely alter the state ofmy being. Promise, in that by burrowing into the conceptual soil of
this system, I could deepen my self-understanding. As the daughter of a surge on and the granddaughter  of two
surgeons, my early life was steeped in the cauldron of medicine
brewed over several generations. Enthusiasm for healing was
contagious, and I became infected. As a child I was impressed by my
father’s devoti on and satisfaction. He rushed to the hospital day or
night to opera te on a man lacerated in a motorcycle accident or a
child threatened by a ruptured appendix. Lives would have been lost
without his heroic intervention. The role of doctor and the appeal of medicine came naturally—
but why Chinese medicine? The ideology of Chinese medicine
immediately captivated me by its stark contrast to the perspective of
Western medical science. I had never been comfortable thinking of
myself in my father’s language of electrolytes and blood-g as ratios, a
collection of quantities and statistics. The Chinese medical
vocabulary contained metaph ors from nature like Wood


 Gregory Bateson, Fritjof Capra says, “From the
systems point of view, life is not a substance or a force, and mind
is not an entity interacting with matter. Both life and mind are
manifestations of the same set of systemic properties, a set of
processes that represent the dynamics of self-organizatio n” (The
Turning Point, 290). Bioenergetic psycho logist Stanley Keleman
emphatically argues that consciousness is not separable from our
biological experience: “Life makes shapes. These shapes are part
of an organizing process that embodies emotions, thoughts, and
experiences into a structure. This structure, in turn, orders the
events of existence.…  Feeling s are the glue that hold us together,
yet they are based upon anatomy.…  Without anatomy, emotions
do not exist. Feelings have a somatic architecture.…  Existence is atribute to how life organizes living forms. To be an individual is
to follow the urges of one’s own form, and to learn its unique
rules of organi zation.…  Each of us is a process, a whole made up
of living events with an urge toward organization.…  Human form
as a whole is made up of living events just as the universe  is made
up of living sub-systems” (Emotional Anatomy  [Berkeley, Calif:
Center Press, 1985], xi–1). And mythologist Joseph Campbell
says, “A mythology is not an ideology. It is not something
projected from the brain, but something experienced from the
heart, from recognitions of identities behind or within the
appearances of nature  … framing its community to accord with
an intuited order of nature and … conducting individuals through
the ineluctable psychophysiological stages of transformat ion of a
human lifetime” (The Inner Reaches of Outer Space  [New York:
Alfred van der Marck, 1985], 17–20). 3. We began with the ancient rudiments of psychological inference
that already exist in correspondence thinking: the sensory,
mental, and emotional mani festations of Organ Network  function
as well as the dynamic activity associated with the seasons (for
example, the Liver corresponds with visual clarity, purposeful
thinking, and volatile reactions—it also corresponds with the
arousing, initiatory, and changeable activity of spring), asking
ourselves, What is the organizing principle that links all aspects
(season, color, sound, organ, tissue, emotion, climate, faculties) of
each of the Five Phases? And can we use these ve so-called
organizing principles as a set of constructs to invent a typology of
human character and physique that describes the people we
know? 4. In A Short History of Chinese  Philosophy, Fung Yu-Lan points out a
dierence in social and cultural values, currently and historically:
Western civilization is a seafaring, exploring civilization, and
Chinese civilization is a land-based, continuity-pr eserving
civilization. In the former, the qualities of the uniqu e heroic
pioneering individual are mythologized, whereas in the latter the
qualities of the conformin g and adaptive lineage-up holdingindividual are revered. (Fung Yu-Lan, A Short History of Chinese
Philosophy. New York: Free Press, 1948.) 5. Constitutional typing classies people according to an established
set of criteria. The concept of constitution incorporates and
synthesizes knowledge about the composition, structure,
formation, and organization of human mental and physiologic
process. Historically many typological systems have been devised
to explain the formation and disintegration of human character
and structure. The Galenic medicine of ancient Greece classied
people accord ing to the four humors: sanguine, choleric,
phlegmatic, and melanchol ic. Eclectic physicians in the late
nineteenth century sorted people as constitutionally strong
(sthenic) or weak (asthenic). East Indian Ayurvedic medicine
catalogs people according to the three doshas: air (vatta), bile
(kapha), and mucus (pitta). Each of these systems uses what is
perceived to be a set of fundamental principles. 6. We have reinterpreted into our own conceptual language the
meaning of psychospiritual faculties classically associated with
each Phase ; thus Fire is associated with Shen (Transcendent Mind),
Earth  with Yi (Intellect or Self-Aware Mind), Metal  with Po
(Primitive or Subconscious Mind), Water  with Zhi (Instinctual or
Collective Unconscious), and Wood  with Hun (Ego or Executive
Mind). 7. Carl Jung states, “I have long been struck by the fact that besides
the many individual dierences in human psychology there are
also typical dierences.…  I must presume unduly upon the
goodwill of the reader if I may hope to be rightly understood. It
would be relatively simple if every reader knew to which category
he belonged. But it is often very dicult to nd out whether a
person belongs to one type or the other, especially in regard to
oneself. In respect of one’s own personality one’s judgment is as a
rule extraordin arily clouded. This subjective clouding of judgment
is particularly common becau se in every pronounced type there is
a special tendency which is biologically purposive since it strives
constantly to maintain the psychic equilibrium. The compensationgives rise to secondary characteristics, or secondary types, which
present a picture that is extremely dicult to interpret”
(Psychological Types  [Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press,
1978], 3). We know that people share similarities that set them apart from
other people, but we also know that these same people compared
with one another will reveal important dierences that make us
wonder whether or not they really were so alike to begin with. This is the dilemma of any typology: to make true generalizations
about the various expressions of human nature without ignoring
the individual dierences that are essential in understanding each
person’s unique character. No typology will be able to “explain”
all of the idiosyncrasies of a particular person: its truths are broad
and relative, not specic and absolute. We come back to the
statement of general sema ntics, that “the map is not the
territory,” merely a device to get us to the neighborhood that we
wish to explore. So, within the loose categories of our Five-Phase
typology— Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water  types, with
exaggerated  and collapsed  patterns—we  are able to make some
useful statements about people that are both explanatory and
predictive, such as what is the general nature of their process of
development in health and disease, and what kinds of
predicaments they are likely to encounter in the future. This is not
a method of divination—it is much more like a road map that
indicates cities, towns, and intersections along your route of
travel or like an almanac that indicates probable seasonal  weather
conditions and ora and fauna that you may encounter. It is very
often wise to consider this kind of information because it enables
us to make intelligent choices as we move through our lives
rather than “ying by the seat of our pants.” These human maps
help us form strategies for conscious living rather than simply
reacting to events as they happen to us. 8. Nathan Sivin, in Traditional Medicine in Contemporary China,
quotes Ko Hung (c. A.D. 320): “A human body is the counterpart of
a state. The placement of the [organs within the] thorax andabdomen is like that of buildings [in a compound]. The
arrangement of the limbs is like that of suburbs and outlying
districts. The articulation of the bones and joints is like [the
organization of] ocials in the civil service. The spirit [for
example, the body’s gover ning vitalities, Shen] is like the
monarch; the xue [Blood ] is like the ministers; the qi is like the
people. Thus we know that one who keeps his own body in order
can keep a state in order. Loving care for one’s people is what
makes it possible to keep the body intact. When the people are
dispersed the state perishes; when the qi [is] exhausted the body
dies. What is dead cannot be brought to life; what has perished
cannot be preserved. Becau se all this is so, the perfected man
allays catastro phe before it happens, and cures illness before it
has developed. He treats it in advance rather than chasing to
catch up after it has passed  him by. One’s subjects are hard to
nurture, easy to endanger; one’s qi is dicult to keep pure, easily
sullied. That is why one cultivates a majestic virtue in order to
protect one’s lands, and gets rid of desires in order to preserve
one’s vitalities.” Sivin points out that the physician’s role is to
mediate between the cosmic  and somatic, just as the emperor’s
mission was to mediate between the cosmic and political orders. He says, “The analogy between the body and state implies that
the conditions for normality are the same in both” (


primary	quality	is	really	one	of	attitude	in	that
one	looks	at	life	not	as	a	place	to	acquire	gain	but	as	an	opportunity	for
learning,	which	abounds	even	in	the	smallest	of	life’s	details. A	spiritual
attitude	leads	one	to	be	friendly,	kind,	and	well	meaning	to	all	life. We	find
ourselves	walking	over	an	ant	carefully	rather	than	squashing	it,	not	as	a
compulsive	‘must’	or	a	religious	rule,	but	out	of	a	greater	awareness	of	thevalue	of	all	life. All	animals	will	be	discovered	to	actually	be	individuals	that
respond	to	respect	and	attention. Even	plants	are	aware	of	it	when	you	love
and	admire	them. Humility
This	again	is	an	attitude,	an	awareness	of	the	limitations	of	the	mind	and
appearance. There	is	an	increasing	awareness	that	life	is	filtered	through
perception,	and	that	what	is	going	on	is	primarily	attitudes	and	perceptions
rather	than	self-existent,	external	realities. Willingness	to	Overlook	and	Forgive;	Kindness
As	a	serious	spiritual	student,	one	has	to	resign	from	the	self-appointed
duties	of	being	the	one	to	judge,	correct,	control,	direct,	change	the	world,	and
express	opinions	about	everything. As	a	serious	spiritual	student,	one	is	no
longer	obligated	to	continue	these	chores	and,	instead,	they	are	turned	over	to
Divine	justice. Inasmuch	as	the	mind	has	no	idea	of	what	Reality	even	is,
relinquishing	these	former	duties	will	be	a	relief	and	also	bring	an	end	to	a	lot
of	guilt. It	is	therefore	quite	helpful	to	give	up	‘causes’	and	rallies	for	the
oppressed,	downtrodden,	other	victims,	and	sentimentalities. Each	person	is
merely	fulfilling	their	own	destiny;	allow	them	to	do	so. With	detachment,	it
will	be	observed	that	most	people	derive	satisfaction	from	the	melodrama	of
their	lives. Observation	of	People
Physical	appearance	is	a	great	deceiver. Most	people	look	like	adults	but
are	not	really	adults	at	all. Emotionally,	most	people	are	still	children. The
emotions	and	attitudes	that	prevail	in	kindergarten	and	on	the	playground
continue	on	into	adult	life	but	are	hidden	in	more	dignified-sounding
terminology. Within	most	people	is	a	child	who	is	merely	imitating	being	an
adult. The	‘inner	child’	we	hear	so	much	about	is	actually	not	inner	at	all;	it	is
actually	quite	‘outer’. As	people	grow	up,	they	take	on	various	identifications	and	copy	what
they	conceive	of	as	adult	behaviors	and	styles;	however,	it	is	not	the	adult
who	is	doing	this	but	the	child. Therefore,	what	we	see	in	daily	life	are	people
acting	out	the	programs	and	scenarios	that	they	identify	with	as	a	child. The
young	child,	as	well	as	most	animals,	already	exhibits	curiosity,	self-pity,
jealousy,	envy,	competitiveness,	temper	tantrums,	emotional	outbursts,
resentments,	hatreds,	rivalries,	competition,	seeking	the	limelight	and
admiration,	willfulness,	petulance,	blaming	others,	disclaiming	responsibility,making	others	wrong,	looking	for	favor,	collecting	‘things’,	showing	off,	and
more. These	are	all	attributes	of	the	child. As	we	watch	the	daily	activities	of	most	adults,	we	realize	that	nothing
has	really	changed. This	realization	is	helpful	for	compassionate
understanding	rather	than	condemnation. Stubbornness	and	opposition,	which
are	characteristic	of	the	two-year-old,	continue	to	dominate	personalities	well
into	old	age. Occasionally,	people	also	manage	to	go	from	childhood	to
adolescence	in	their	personality	and	become	endless	thrill	seekers	and
challengers	of	fate;	they	are	preoccupied	with	the	body,	muscles,	flirtation,
popularity,	and	romantic	and	sexual	conquests. There	is	a	tendency	to	become
cute,	coy,	seductive,	glamorous,	heroic,	tragic,	theatrical,	dramatic,	and
histrionic. Again,	this	is	the	child’s	impression	of	adolescence	being	acted
out. The	inner	child	is	naïve	and	impressionable,	easily	programmed,	and
easily	seduced	and	manipulated. Curiosity	About	The	Nature	of	Consciousness
It	is	easier	to	stop	reacting	to	people	internally	as	well	as	externally	by
becoming	familiar	with	the	nature	of	consciousness. Human	life	is	very
difficult,	even	in	the	best	of	circumstances. Frustrations,	delays,	lapses	of
memory,	impulses,	and	stresses	of	all	shapes	and	forms	beset	any	individual. Demands	often	exceed	capabilities,	and	life	is	pressured	by	time
requirements. It	will	be	noticed	that	everyone’s	ego	is	about	the	same	as	that
of	everyone	else. The	mind	is	inherited	and	has	a	brain	run	by	genes,	chromosomes,	and	a
genetically	determined	personality	‘set’. Research	shows	that	many	of	the
personality’s	major	characteristics	are	already	present	at	birth. Few	people	can
actually	be	different	from	what	they	are. It	is	only	the	minority	of	people	that
seeks	self-improvement	or	spiritual	growth. This	is	because	whatever	one’s
self-criticisms,	one	secretly	really	believes	that	one’s	way	of	being	is	okay
and	probably	the	only	correct	way. They	are	all	right	as	they	are,	and	all
problems	are	caused	by	other	people’s	selfishness,	unfairness,	and	by	the
external	world. Seek	to	Give	Love	Rather	Than	to	Receive	It
Most	humans	believe	that	love	is	something	that	you	get,	that	it	is	an
emotion,	that	it	has	to	be	deserved,	and	that	the	more	they	give	away,	the	less
they	will	have. The	opposite	is	the	truth. Lovingness	is	an	attitude	that
transforms	one’s	experience	of	the	world. We	become	grateful	for	what	we
have	instead	of	prideful. We	express	our	lovingness	when	we	acknowledgeothers	and	their	contributions	to	life	and	to	our	convenience. Love	is	not	an
emotion	but	a	way	of	being	and	relating	to	the	world. Avoid	Creating	‘Enemies’
People	fall	into	the	trap	of	getting	even	or	making	constant	remarks. They
create	enemies	and	animosities. These	preclude	a	peaceful	life. Nobody	needs
enemies. They	can	retaliate	in	ways	unseen	and	so	bring	on	unfortunate
consequences. There	is	no	such	thing	as	winning	a	conflict;	that	results	in
hatred	by	the	loser. The	majority	of	domestic	violence	is	a	physical	response	to	verbal
provocation. However,	in	our	society,	victims	seldom	take	responsibility	for
the	provocation,	temptation,	or	hurled	insult. It	serves	spiritual	progress	to	always	accept	responsibility	for	all	that
befalls	one	and	avoid	the	trap	of	being	a	victim. From	a	higher	view,	there	are
no	victims. Nothing	in	the	world	of	appearances	has	the	power	to	cause
anything. Choose	A	Benign	Role	and	View	of	Life
Harsh	viewpoints	are	not	conducive	to	spiritual	growth. Even	if	they	are
‘right’	or	‘justified’,	a	spiritual	seeker	cannot	afford	them. One	has	to	give	up
the	luxury	of	revenge	or	enjoying	that	‘justice	has	to	be	done’


 you feel about yourself. It would be ideal if we
could stop blaming and judging all at once. In r eality,
undoing the shadow is always a pr ocess. T o stop pr ojecting
you must see what you’r e doing, contact the feeling that is
hidden beneath the surface, and mak e peace with that
feeling. See what you’r e doing:  Is it easy to r ecognize when you’r e
projecting. One clue is negativity—pr ojection is never
neutral. It manifests as negative ener gy because what it’s
disguising is negative. This tur ns out to be a help. Y ou know
when you’r e feeling angry or anxious. Those ar e shadow
feelings. But when you ar e aiming your anger at someone or
something or seeing r easons everywher e to be afraid
(negativity is pr esent), you have a clear e xample of
projection. I hope you can see the diﬀer ence between
feelings and pr ojecting those feelings; feeling angry isuseful, while aiming anger in the for m of blame isn’t. Society wants you to k eep blaming, because “us versus
them” thinking is a way—a very bad way—to hold society
together. Hence the small voice inside your head that wants
to get “them”—the ter rorists, the godless Communists, the
drug dealers, criminals, or child abusers. The list is endless. Instead of buying into all the r easons for blaming “them”
and judging all their faults (r easons that can be valid), tak e
a diﬀer ent path. L ook at yourself and what the blame game
says about you. One time the noted Indian spiritual teacher J. Krishnamurti
was giving a talk, and someone in the audience stood up to
ask a question. “I want peace in the world. I abhor war. What can I do to bring about peace. ”
“Stop being the cause of war,” Krishnamurti r eplied. The questioner was tak en aback. “I am not in favor of war. I only want peace. ”
Krishnamurti shook his head. “Inside you is the cause of
every war. It is your violence, hidden and denied, that leads
to wars of every kind, whether it is war inside your home,
against others in society, or between nations. ”
His reply mak es us uncomfortable, but I think it’s true,
because the V edic rishis  (seers) pr oclaimed, “Y ou ar e not in
the world. The world is in you. ” If that is so, then the
violence of the world is in each of us. Befor e the concept of
the shadow emer ged, such a statement sounded mystical. But once you see that you ar e participating in a shar ed self,
you can also see that every impulse of anger, fear,
resentment, and aggr ession leads dir ectly fr om you to the
collective unconscious and back again. I realize that catching yourself every time you pr oject your
own hidden negativity isn’t always easy. Denial is powerful. The shadow is secr etive. When you idealize somebody else,
a her o you hold up to the light and call perfect, it’s har d to
see any underlying negativity. But ther e is, because this
fantasy of perfection in someone else hides a deep sense ofinferiority in yourself. But if you go back to the chart about
projection and consult it of ten, you will ﬁnd it easier to catch
yourself using this defense. Contact your hidden feelings:  The minute you see that
you ar e projecting a hidden feeling is the moment you need
to contact it. Don’t delay. The door of opportunity closes
very quickly. But befor e it does, ther e’s a gap. Just befor e
you er ect your defense, you actually feel the thing you don’t
want to feel. Here’s an e xample given to me by a young man. He was
very poor in graduate school, but had pr osper ous friends
who used to invite him to dinner. One night sitting ar ound
the table, he thought of a curious anecdote. “Remember when we wer e in L ondon last summer. ” he
said, tur ning to his host. “Y ou and your wife started ar guing
right ther e on the sidewalk. Y ou both raised your voices,
while I just stood ther e. You wer e so busy scr eaming, you
didn’t notice that a van had pulled up behind you. On the
side of the van wer e the wor ds ‘Blue T antrum. ’ I guess that’s
an example of synchr onicity or something. ”
The other guests nodded and mur mured, and the
conversation moved on. But af terwar d the hostess took the
young man aside. “Why did you want to humiliate us lik e
that. ” she ask ed angrily. “I wasn’t humiliating you,” he pr otested. “I was telling a
story that I thought was inter esting. ”
“Go back,” the hostess said. “ Put yourself in the moment
when you decided to tell the story. What did you feel. ”
The young man shrugged. “Nothing. The story just came
to me. ”
She shook her head. “No, at that moment you had a
malicious impulse. Not just any story came to mind. One
that embar rassed us did. ”
Not many people have the nerve, or the acumen, to
analyze a ﬂeeting moment in this way. It’s to the young
man’s cr edit that the confr ontation work ed. He told me, “Ididn’t automatically defend myself. I went back, and she
was right. I had felt jealous at that moment. Her e was a
table of food and wine I couldn’t aﬀor d to buy. At a certain
level, it was humiliating to be ther e and know I couldn’t
recipr ocate. ” Which is why, to hide his own humiliation, he
turned the situation ar ound and told a story in which
someone else was humiliated. In this little e xample we see the traits you need if you
want to feel what is hidden inside: alertness, willingness,
openness, honesty, and courage. Or to put it another way, if
you don’t stop yourself and ask, “What am I r eally feeling
right now. ” you ar e turning your back on alertness,
willingness, openness, honesty, and courage. Y ou ar e letting
the shadow win. Make peace with your feelings:  Once you can feel what’s
really ther e, you have a choice. Several choices, actually. You can push the feeling back down. Y ou can blame yourself
for not being a good person. Y ou can attack the feeling,
lament it, or apologize for it. None of these choices ar e
productive. They play into the shadow’s hands by
reinfor cing the unwanted feeling and making it even mor e
unwanted. It sounds strange, but feelings have feelings. Being part of
you, they know when they ar e unwanted. F ear cooperates
by hiding; anger cooperates by pr etending it doesn’t e xist. That’s mor e than half the pr oblem. How can you heal an
unwanted feeling when it’s trying not to cooperate. Y ou
can’t. Until you mak e peace with negative feelings, they will
persist. The way to deal with negativity is to acknowledge it. Nothing mor e is needed. No dramatic confr ontation, no
catharsis. F eel the feeling, whether it’s anger, fear, envy,
aggression, or anything else, and say, “I see you. Y ou belong
to me. ” Y ou don’t have to feel ﬁne about your unwanted
feeling. This is a pr ocess. Anger and fear will r eturn; so will
any deeply hidden emotion. When one does, acknowledgeit. As time goes on, the message will get thr ough. Y our
unwanted feelings will start to feel less unwanted. When that happens, you will begin to hear their story. Packaged inside every feeling is a tale: “I am this way for a
reason. ” Be open to the story that comes out, no matter
what it is. Every past trauma you have ever e xperienced,
from a car accident to r ejection in love, fr om losing a job to
failing in school, has deposited its r emains in the shadow. You have been accumulating what some psychologists call
“emotional debt to the past. ” T o pay back this debt, you
listen to the story that lies behind it. L et’s say the story is “I
never got over not making the baseball team” or “I feel
guilty that I stole money fr om Mom’s purse. ” Most stories
are rooted in childhood, because childhood is the lear ning
ground for guilt, shame, r esentment, inferiority, and all of
the most primal negativity we car ry around with us. Having hear d the story, be accepting. T ell yourself that
you had a valid r eason for holding on to negativity. You had
no choice, because it was secr etly deposited and then


,	leaving	the	blood	in	a	deficit. The	blood	subsequently	takes	its	extra	calcium	from	the	bones. Most	bone	density
problems	(osteoporosis)	actually	arise	from	insufficient	bile	secretion	and	poor	digestion
of	fats,	rather	than	from	not	consuming	enough	calcium. Few	medical	practitioners	are
aware	of	this	fact	and,	hence,	merely	prescribe	calcium	supplements	to	their	patients. Apart	from	breaking	down	the	fats	in	our	food,	bile	also	removes	toxins	from	the	liver. One	of	the	lesser	known	but	extremely	important	functions	of	bile	is	to	deacidify	and
cleanse	the	intestines. When	gallstones	in	the	liver	or	gallbladder	have	critically	impeded	bile	flow,	the	color
of	the	stool	may	be	tan,	orange-yellow,	or	pale	as	in	clay,	instead	of	the	normal	greenish-
brown. Gallstones	are	a	direct	product	of	an	unhealthy	diet	and	lifestyle. If	gallstones	are	still
present	in	the	liver	even	after	all	other	disease-causing	factors	are	eliminated,	they	pose	a
considerable	health	risk	and	may	lead	to	illness	and	premature	aging. For	this	reason,	the
subject	of	gallstones	has	been	included	here	as	a	major	risk	factor	or	cause	of	disease. The
following	sections	describe	some	of	the	main	consequences	of	gallstones	in	the	liver	on
the	different	organs	and	systems	in	the	body. When	these	stones	are	removed,	the	body	as
a	whole	can	resume	its	normal,	healthy	activities. Disorders	of	the	Digestive	System

The	alimentary	tract	of	the	digestive	system	maintains	the	following	four	main	activities:
ingestion,	digestion,	absorption,
	and
elimination. The	alimentary	canal	begins	in	the
mouth;	leads	through	the	thorax,	abdomen,	and	pelvic	region;	and	ends	at	the	anus	(see
Figure	2
). When	you	eat	a	meal,	a	series	of	digestive	processes	begin	to	take	place. These
can	be	divided	into	the
mechanical	breakdown
	of	food	through	mastication	(chewing)	and
the
chemical	breakdown
	of	food	through	enzymes. These	enzymes	are	present	in	the
secretions	produced	by	various	glands	of	the	digestive	system. Enzymes	are	minute	chemical	substances	composed	of	proteins	that	cause	or	speed	up
chemical	changes	in	other	substances	without	themselves	being	changed. Digestive
enzymes	are	contained	in	the	saliva	of	the	salivary	glands	of	the	mouth,	the	gastric	juice	in
the	stomach,	the	intestinal	juice	in	the	small	intestine,	the	pancreatic	juice	in	the	pancreas,
and	the	bile	in	the	liver. Figure	2
:	The	digestive	system

Absorption
	is	the	process	by	which	tiny	nutrient	particles	of	digested	food	pass	through
the	intestinal	walls	into	the	blood	and	lymph	vessels,	which	help	distribute	them	to	the
cells	of	the	body. The	bowels
eliminate
	as	feces	whatever	food	substances	they	cannot	digest	or	absorb,
such	as	the	plant	fiber
cellulose
. Fecal	matter	also	contains	bile,	which	carries	the	wasteproducts	resulting	from	the	breakdown	(catabolism)	of	red	blood	cells. Nearly	one-third	of
the	excreted	fecal	matter	is	made	up	of	dead	intestinal	bacteria. The	body	can	function
smoothly	and	efficiently	only	if	the	bowel	removes	these	daily-generated	waste	products
every	day. Good	health	results	when	each	of	these	major	activities	in	the	digestive	system	is
balanced	and	well	coordinated	with	the	rest	of	the	body. By	contrast,	abnormalities	begin
to	arise	in	the	digestive	system	as	well	as	in	other	parts	of	the	body	when	one	or	more	of
these	functions	becomes	impaired. The	presence	of	gallstones	in	the	liver	and	gallbladder
has	a	disruptive	influence	on	the	digestion	and	absorption	of	food,	as	well	as	on	the	body’s
waste	disposal	system. Diseases	of	the	Mouth

Gallstones	in	the	liver	and	gallbladder	are	also	responsible	for	most	diseases	of	the	mouth. The	stones	interfere	with	the	digestion	and	absorption	of	food,	which,	in	turn,	forces	waste
products	meant	for	elimination	to	remain	in	the	intestinal	tract. The	storage	of	waste	in	the
intestines	creates	a	toxic,	anaerobic	environment	that	supports	breeding	of	destructive
germs	and	parasites	and	undermines	preservation	of	healthy,	resilient	tissues. Bacterial	infection
(thrush)
	and	viral	infection
(herpes)
	in	the	mouth	occur	only	when
the	intestines	have	accumulated	considerable	amounts	of	undigested	waste	matter. Destructive	bacteria	attempt	to	decompose	some	of	the	waste,	but	not	without	producing
powerful	toxins. Some	of	these	toxins	are	absorbed	into	the	blood	and	lymph	fluids,	which
carry	them	to	the	liver. The	rest	of	the	toxins	remain	trapped	in	the	intestines,	where	they
are	a	constant	source	of	irritation	to	the	intestinal	lining	(which	begins	in	the	mouth	and
ends	in	the	anus). Eventually,	the	intestinal	wall	becomes	inflamed	and	develops	ulcerous
lesions. The	damaged	intestinal	tissue	begins	to	“invite”	more	and	more	microbes	to	the
scene	of	injury	to	help	destroy	and	dispose	of	any	weak	and	damaged	cells. We	call	this
“infection.”

Infection	is	a	normal	phenomenon	seen	everywhere	in	nature	whenever	there	is
something	that	needs	to	be	decomposed. Bacteria	never	attack—that	is,	infect	something
—that	is	as	clean,	vital,	and	healthy	as	a	well-nourished	fruit	hanging	on	a	tree. Only	when
the	fruit	becomes	overripe,	lacks	nourishment,	or	falls	to	the	ground	can	bacteria	begin
their	clean-up	job. While	decomposing	food	or	flesh,	bacteria	produce	toxins. You	can
recognize	these	toxins	by	their	unpleasant	odor	and	acidic	nature. The	same	occurs	when
bacteria	act	on	improperly	digested	food	in	the	intestines. If	this	situation	takes	place	day
after	day	and	month	after	month,	the	resulting	toxins	will	lead	to	symptoms	of	illness. Thrush	indicates	the	presence	of	large	quantities	of	bacteria	that	have	spread	throughout
the	gastrointestinal	tract	(GI	tract),	including	the	mouth	area. It	shows	up	in	the	mouth
because	the	mucus	lining	there	is	not	as	developed	and	resistant	as	in	the	lower	parts	of	the
GI	tract. The	main	source	of	thrush,	though,	is	in	the	intestines. Since	the	largest	part	of
the	immune	system	in	the	body	is	located	in	the	mucus	lining	of	the	GI	tract,	thrush
indicates	a	major	weakness	in	the	body’s	general	immunity	to	disease. Herpes,	which	doctors	consider	a	viral	disease,	is	similar	to	thrush,	with	the	exception
that,	instead	of	bacteria	attacking	the	cell	exterior,	viral	materials	attack	the	nucleus,	or
cell	interior. In	both	cases,	the	“attackers”	target	only	weak	and	unhealthy	cells—that	is,
cells	that	are	already	damaged	or	dysfunctional	and	are	susceptible	to	mutate	into
cancerous	cells. Added	to	this	survival	drama,	gallstones	can	harbor	quantities	of	bacteria
and	viruses,	which	escape	the	liver	via	the	secreted	bile	and	affect	those	parts	of	the	body


. The miracle work er sees that his purpose in
life is to be used in the service of the for giveness of
mankind—to awak en us fr om our collective sleep. The Course tells us: “The Bible says that a deep sleep fell
upon A dam, and nowher e is ther e reference to his waking
up.” So far, ther e has been no “compr ehensive r eawak ening
or rebirth.” W e can all contribute to a global r ebirth to the
extent that we allow ourselves to be awak ened fr om our
own personal dr eam of separation and guilt, to r elease our
own past and accept a new life in the pr esent. It is only
through our own personal awak ening that the world can be
awak ened. W e cannot give what we don’t have. We’re all assigned a piece of the gar den, a cor ner of the
universe that is ours to transfor m. Our cor ner of the
universe is our own life—our r elationships, our homes, our
work, our cur rent cir cumstances—e xactly as they are. Every
situation we ﬁnd ourselves in is an opportunity, perfectly
planned by the Holy Spirit, to teach love instead of fear. Whatever ener gy system we ﬁnd ourselves a part of, it’s our
job to heal it—to purif y the thought for ms by purif ying our
own. It’s never r eally a cir cumstance that needs to change—
it’s we who need to change. The prayer isn’t for God to
change our lives, but rather for Him to change us. That’s the gr eatest miracle, and ultimately the only one:
that you awak en from the dr eam of separation and become
a diﬀer ent kind of person. P eople ar e constantly concer ning
themselves with what they do: have I achieved enough,
written the gr eatest scr eenplay, for med the most powerful
company? But the world will not be saved by another gr eatnovel, gr eat movie, or gr eat business ventur e. It will only be
saved by the appearance of gr eat people. A glass vase is meant to hold water. If mor e water is
poured into the vase than its volume can contain, then the
vase will shatter. So it is with our personalities. The power of
God, particularly at this time, is pouring into us at rapid
pace and high velocity. If our vessel, our vehicle—our
human channel—is not pr epared pr operly thr ough devotion
and deep r everence for life, then the very power that is
meant to save us begins to destr oy us. Our cr eativity, rather
than making us personally powerful, then mak es us
hysterical. That is why cr eative power—God within us—is
experienced as a double-edged swor d: if r eceived with
grace, it blesses us; if r eceived without grace, it drives us
insane. This is one of the r easons why so many cr eative
people have tur ned to a destructive use of drugs: to actually
dull the e xperience of the r eception of God’s power rather
than enhance it. God’s power coming into us, in a cultur e
that had no name for that power or acknowledgment of
genuine spiritual e xperience, so frightened us that we ran to
drugs or alcohol to avoid feeling what was r eally happening. It was only when we wer e stoned that we had the courage
to claim our own e xperience. “Miracles ar e everyone’s right,” says A Course in
Miracles, “but puriﬁcation is necessary ﬁrst.” Impurities—
mental or chemical—pollute the system and desecrate the
altar within. Our vehicle then can’t handle the e xperience of
God. The waters of spirit rush into us, but the vase begins to
crack. It’s not the ﬂow of power we have to work on—God’s
love is alr eady pouring in as fast as we can handle it—but
the pr eparedness with which we r eceive it. A Course in Miracles  likens us to people in a very bright
room who have their ﬁngers in fr ont of their eyes,complaining that it’s dark in her e. The light has come but
we don’t see it. W e don’t r ealize that the pr esent is always a
chance to begin again, a light-ﬁlled moment. W e respond to
light as if it wer e darkness, and so the light tur ns to dark. Sometimes it is only in r etrospect that we can see that we
were given another chance at life, a new r elationship or
whatever, but because we were too busy r eacting to the
past, we missed the opportunity at something radically new. When we’r e truly honest with ourselves, our pr oblem is
not that opportunities for success haven’t appear ed. God is
always e xpanding our possibilities. W e are given plenty of
opportunities, but we tend to under mine them. Our
conﬂicted ener gies sabotage everything. T o ask for another
relationship, or another job, is not particularly helpful if
we’re going to show up in the new situation e xactly as we
showed up in the last one. Until we’r e healed of our inter nal
demons, our fearful mental habits, we will tur n every
situation into the same painful drama as the one befor e.
Everything we do is infused with the ener gy with which we
do it. If we’r e frantic, life will be frantic. If we’r e peaceful, life
will be peaceful. And so our goal in any situation becomes
inner peace. Our inter nal state deter mines our e xperience of
our lives; our e xperiences do not deter mine our inter nal
state. The ter m cruciﬁxion means the ener gy patter n of fear. It
represents the limited, negative thinking of the ego, and
how it always seeks to limit, contradict or invalidate love. The ter m resurrection means the ener gy patter n of love,
which transcends fear by r eplacing it. A miracle work er’s
function is for giveness. In perfor ming our function, we
become channels for r esurrection. God and man ar e the ultimate cr eative team. God is lik e
electricity. A house can be wir ed for it, but if ther e aren’t anylight ﬁxtur es, what good does that do? If God is seen as
electricity, then we ar e His lamps. It doesn’t matter the size
of the lamp, or its shape, or design. All that matters is that it
gets plugged in. It doesn’t matter who we ar e, or what our
gifts are. All that matters is that we ar e willing to be used in
His service. Our willingness, our conviction, give us a
miraculous power. The servants of God bear the imprint of
their Master. Lamps without electricity cast no light, and electricity
without lamps casts no light either. Together, however, they
cast out all darkness. 4. COSMIC ADUL THOOD
“Child of God, you wer e created to cr eate the
good, the beautiful and the holy.”
As we become pur er channels for God’s light, we develop an
appetite for the sweetness that is possible in this world. A
miracle work er is not gear ed towar d ﬁghting the world that
is, but towar d creating the world that could be. Just tr eating the symptom of a pr oblem isn’t r eally
treating it. T ake nuclear bombs, for e xample. If we all work
hard, sign enough petitions and elect new oﬃcials, then we
can ban the bomb. But if we don’t get rid of the hatr ed in
our hearts, what good will that do, ultimately? Our childr en
or our childr en’s childr en will manufactur e a destructive
force mor e powerful than the bomb, if they ar e still car rying
within them enough fear and conﬂict. Everything in the physical universe becomes part of the
journey into fear, or the jour ney back to love, depending on
how it’s used by the mind. What we devote to love, is usedfor love’s purposes. So we work within the worldly illusion,
politically, socially, envir onmentally, etc., but we r ecognize
that the r eal transfor mation of the world comes not fr om
what we’r e doing, but fr om the consciousness with which
we’re doing it. W e’re actually just buying time while the r eal
transfor mation of global ener gies has a chance to kick in. The miracle work er’s purpose is spiritually grand, not
personally grandiose. The high cosmic drama is not your
career, your money, or any of your worldly e xperiences. Your car eer is certainly important, as is your money, your
talent, your ener gy, and your personal r elationships. But
they’r


conscious, you shift back and f orth for a while between consc iousness
and unconscious ness, between the state of presence and the state of mind
identification. Y ou lose the Now, and you return to it, again an d again. Eventually, presence becomes your predominant state. For mos t people, presence is experienced either never at all or only
accidentally and briefly on rare occasions without being recognized for
what it is. Most humans alte rnate not between consciousness and
unconsciousness but only between dif ferent levels of unconsciousness. ORDINAR Y UNCONSCIOUSNESS
 AND DEEP UNCONSCIOUSNESS
What do you mean by differ ent levels of unconsciousness. As you probably know, in sleep you constantly move between the phases
of dream less sleep and the drea m state. Similarly, in wakefulness mostpeople only shift between ordinary unconsciousness an d deep
unconsciousness. What I call ordinary unconsciousness means being
identified with your thought processes and emotions, your reactions,
desires, and aversions. It is most people’ s normal state. In that s tate, you
are run by the egoic mind, and you are unaware of Being. It is a state not
of acute  pain or unhappiness but of an almost continuous low level of
unease, disconte nt, boredom, or nervousness — a kind of background
static. Y ou may not realize this because it is so much a part of “normal”
living, ju st as you are not aware  of a continuous low backgrou nd noise,
such as the hum  of an air conditioner, until it stops. When it suddenly
does stop, there is a sense of relief. Many people use alcohol, dr ugs, sex,
food, work, television, or even s hopping as anesthetics in an unc onscious
attempt to remove the basic une ase. When this happens, an act ivity that
might be  very enjoyable if used in moderation becomes imbue d with a
compulsive or addictive quality, and all that is ever achieved thr ough it is
extremely short-lived symptom relief. The unease of ordinary unconsciousness turns into the pain of deep
unconsciousness — a state of more acute and more obvious suf fering or
unhappiness — when things “go wrong,” when the ego is threatened or
there is a major  challenge, threat, or loss, real or imagined, in your life
situation or confl ict in a relationship. I t is an intensified version of
ordinary unconsciousness, dif ferent from it not in kind but in degree. In o rdinary unconsciousness, ha bitual resistance to or denial o f what is
creates the unease and discontent that most people accept as normal
living. When this resistance becomes intensified through some challenge
or threat to the ego, it brings up intense negativity such as ang er, acute
fear, aggression, depression, and so on. Deep unconsciousness often
means that the p ain-body has been triggered and that you have  become
identified with it. Physical viol ence would be impossible without deep
unconsciousness. It can also occur easily whenever and wherever a
crowd of people or even an enti re nation generates a negative c ollective
ener gy field. The best indicator of your level of consciousness is how you deal with
life’ s challenges when they come. Through those challenges, an already
unconscious per son tends to become more deeply unconscious, and a
conscious person more intensely conscious. Y ou can use a challenge toawaken you, or you can allow it to pull you into even deeper sleep. The
dream of ordinary unconsciousness then turns into a nightmare. If you cannot b e present even in normal circumstances, such as when
you are sitting alone in a room, walking in the woods, or listening to
someone, then you certainly won’ t be able to stay conscious when
something “goe s wrong” or you are faced with dif ficult p eople or
situations, with loss or the threat of loss. Y ou will be taken over by a
reaction, which ultimately is always some form of fear, and pulled into
deep un consciousness. Those ch allenges are your tests. Only the way in
which you deal with them will show you and others where you are at as
far as your state of consciousness is co ncerned, not how long you can sit
with your eyes closed or what visions you see. So i t is essential to bring more consciousness into your life in ordinary
situations when everything is going relatively smoothly. In this way, you
grow in presenc e power. It gene rates an ener gy field in you and around
you of a high vibrational freque ncy. No unconsciousness, no negativity,
no discord or violence can enter that field and survive, just as darkness
cannot survive in the presence of light. When you learn to be the witness of your thoughts and emotions, which
is an essential part of being present, you may be surprised when  you first
become aware of the background “static” of ordinary unconsciousness
and realize how rarely, if ever, you are truly at ease within you rself. On
the level of you r thinking, you will find a great deal of resistance in the
form of judgment, discontent, an d mental projection away from the Now. On the emotiona l level, there will be an undercurrent of unease, tension,
boredom, or nervousness. Both  are aspects of the mind in its habitual
resistance mode. WHA T ARE THEY SEEKING. Carl Jung tells in one of his book s of a conversation he had with a Native
American chief who pointed out  to him that in his perception m ost white
people h ave tense faces, staring eyes, and a cruel demeanor. He said:
“They a re always seeking something. What are they seeking. The whites
always w ant something. They are always uneasy and restless. W e don’ t
know what they want. W e think they are mad. ”The undercurre nt of constant unease started long before the rise of
W estern industrial civilization, of course, but in W estern civilization,
which n ow cove rs almost the en tire globe, including most of th e East, it
manifests in an unprecedentedly acute form. It was already there at the
time of Jesus, and it was there s ix hundred years before that at  the time
of Buddha, and long before that. Why are you always anxious. Jesus
asked hi s discipl es. “Can anxious thought add a single day to yo ur life. ”
And the Buddha taught that the  root of suf fering is to be foun d in our
constant wanting and craving. Resistance to the Now as a collective dysfunction is int rinsically
connected to loss of awarenes s of Being and forms the basis of our
dehumanized industrial civilization. Freud, by the way, also recognized
the exis tence of  this undercurrent of unease and wrote about  it in his
book Civilization and Its Discontents, but he did not recognize the true
root of the unea se and failed to realize that freedom from it is possible. This collective dysfunction has created a very unhappy and
extraordinarily violent civilization that has become a threat no t only to
itself but also to all life on the planet. DISSOL VING ORDINAR Y UNCONSCIOUSNESS
So how can we be fr ee of this affliction. Make it conscious. Observe the many ways in which unease, di scontent,
and tension arise within you thro ugh unnecessary judgment, resistance to
what is, a nd denial of the Now. Anything unconscious dissolves whe n
you shine the l ight of consciousness on it. Once you know how to
dissolve ordinary unconsciousness, the light of your presence w ill shine
brightly, and it will be much easier to deal with deep unconsc iousness
whenever you feel its gravitational pull. However, ordinary
unconsciousness may not be easy to detect initially because it is so
normal. Make it a habit  to monitor your mental-emotional state through self-
observation. “Am I at ease at this moment. ” is a good questio n to ask
yourself frequently. Or you can ask: “What’ s going on inside me at thismoment. ” Be at least as interes ted in what goes on inside you as what
happens outside. If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into
place. Primary reality is within, secondary reality without. But don’ t
answer these questions immediately. Direct your attention inward. Have
a loo k inside yo urself. What kind of thoughts is your mind pr oducing. What do you f eel. Direct your attention into the body. Is t here any
tension. Once you detect tha t there is a low level of une ase, the
background static, see in what way you are avoiding, resisting, or
denying life — by denying the Now. There are many ways in which
people unconsciously resist the  present moment. I will give you a few
examples. W ith practice, your power of self-observation, of monitoring
your inner state, will become sharpened. FREEDOM FROM UNHAPPINESS
Do you resent do ing what you a re doing. It may be your job, or you may
have agr eed to do something and  are doing it, but part of you resents and
resists it. Are you carrying unspoken resentment toward a person  close to
you. Do you rea


 personnel  continue to evaluate the effects of the
recommended juices. They have  considered the addition of other juices and
juice products too, and they look for ways to both enhance the healing
process and minimize hardship in the practice of the Gerson Therapy. No
one says the Gerson approach is easy. As yet, the staff members have not
found any means of reducing, substituting, or eliminating any of the juices
that have already been recommended. Additionally, it must be emphas ized that preparing the juices fresh at the
time of consumption  is mandatory. This procedure works, which is why the
Gerson Institute  is reluctant to make changes. It’s difficult for the Gerson
staff members to justify risking lives for the sake of experimen tation when
there already exists a proven protocol for treating and healing degenerative
diseases. QUESTIONS ABOUT  JUICE-DRINKING  GUIDELINES
What are the functions of juice in the healing process? Why have certain
juices been chosen? Why are they used in specific ways? For what reasons
must the juices be made fresh? These are only a few of the questions asked
of us by Gerson patients. W e answer them in the following manner:
During the course of Dr. Max Gerson’ s thirty years of clinica l practice
(1928 to 1958) his anti-degenerative-disease therapy changed considerably. The variation occurred in the quantity, volume, and type of juices
prescribed. Over the years, many patients have successfully used nothing
more than the single table of juices and medications published in the sixth
edition of Dr. Gerson’ s book, A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases,  as
a road map to healing (see his “T ables” and “Combined Dietary Regime”).1
While most treatment protocols prescribed by Gerson Therapy physicians
will follow the revised guidelin es in this book, patients under  the care of
experienced Gerson physicians may see their “juice prescription” changed
in respo nse to their blood test results, healing reaction respons es, or othersigns and symptoms. Severely damaged or weakened patients often require
alterations or modifications of their medications and juices almost daily
during the first weeks of the treatment. Those health professionals who advise about the Gerson approach admit
that they do not clearly understand how those very special organic, fresh-
squeezed juices enhance healing, except for the obvious vitamin, mineral,
enzyme, and trace mineral supplementation that they provide. The nutrient
supplementation alone is proba bly not enough to explain why there is a
difference betw een juices consumed immediately after preparation and
those consumed  several hours later. Surely, oxidation of a quantity of juice
that’s been sitting for an interval of time causes loss of certain vitamins and
enzymes. Oxygen will do that. There has been much discussio n of the enzyme activity in the juices
when they are fresh. The importance of these enzymes in numerous
biochemical functions is well accepted. Yet, as any biology student knows,
enzymes are immediately destr oyed on contact with stomach acid. What
makes the difference in healing  response between the fresh juice and the
hours-old juice? One possibility is that some of the enzymes present in the
fresh juice are absorbed directly through the mucous membranes in the
mouth and esophagus, before reaching the stomach. This theory is borne out
by the observati on that patients fed through a nasogastric or stomach tube
do not respond favorably to the Gerson Therapy. Another possibil ity, from the esoteric medical literature which deals with
human and plant energies, is that there is a form of plant “vital force,” “qi,”
or “prana” present in the juices when freshly made. Some believe that this
“vital force” benefits the patient’ s vital force. Such juice promotes healing
at the energetic or psychic level rather than at the cellular or biochemical
level. The Gerson Institute possesses  little evidence to support any of the
assumptions stated above, but its personnel do not wish to rule out any
possibility that gives all of us greater understanding. In addition to the
nutritional supplementation, the juices also serve to flush the kidneys by
virtue of their high liquid content. So, however the healing process occurs from drinking juice as
recommended by the Gerson Therapy advocates, it is vital to recognize that
true physiological restoration comes as a result of the intake of fresh juices. Doing so must be consistent. The process has been validated by long-termpositive outcom es. All this gives the Gerson Insitute personnel reason
enough to follow Dr. Max Gerson’ s original directives regarding the
drinking of juices to overcome cancer and other degenerative diseases. THE MANNER OF  JUICE DRINKING BY  WEAKENED  CANCER  PATIENTS
In most situations, it is advisable to start the juice-drinking regimen of a
weakened cancer patient with 4 ounces per dose. Temporarily eliminate the
three carrot-only  juices. The juice dosage will depend on the condition of
the patie nt and his or her ability  to tolerate the juices, and the potential side
effects which may result. If the patient can tolerate the smalle r amount of
juice, juices may be increased after four to seven days, which typically
entails raising the quantity from 4 ounces to 5 or 6 ounces per dose. Increases must be carefully monitored, and care must be taken to ensure
that the patient continues to tolerate all juices, without significant nausea or
other side ef fects. The schedule of juice drinking should follow the guideline offered here. Each day drink:
1 orange juice
4 green leaf juices
5 apple/carrot juices
3 carrot juices alone
Gruel may be added to any of the juices—up to 50 percent by volume—
to reduce nausea and increase tolerance. MEDICA TION AND  OTHER  PROT OCOL  CHANGES FOR THE  WEAKENED
CANCER  PATIENT
A frustrating factor for someon e with a growing malignancy is that the
same food calories that support the healthy metabolism of normal cells can
be used by malig nant cells hungry for energy. Such a situation tends to lead
to weakness, debilitating weigh t loss, lack of energy, early fatigue, and
absence of any strength to accom plish even personal tasks such as combing
the hair, cooking  a meal, or shopping for food. This is known as cachexia,  a
general bodily decline associate d with almost any chronic disease. It goestogether with weakness for the cancer patient whether or not chemotherapy
or immunotherapy or radiation therapy has entered the treatment picture. Why does weakness associated  with cachexia occur? One hypothesis is
that the patient,  simultaneously with his or her malignancy, additionally
suffers from “hypermetabolism,” a state in which the immune-impaired
body burns up its stores of energy too quickly. A second theory is that the
chronically ill patient cannot manufacture lean body mass normally,
although fat tissue is readily created. The weight gain that such persons
might experience is probably only fat and water weight, not muscle and
lean tissue substance. However, keep in mind that both of these theories have failed their
various testings by leading onco logists even in face of repeated clinical and
laboratory investigations.1,2
A third likely cause is that the digestive system of the cancer patient is
unable to break down fats and animal proteins (“standard foods”) to their
end product that can be used to feed normal tissues. These foods, partially
digested, canno t nourish the normal body cells. However, tumor tissue
thrives on these “intermediate”  products. Thus, the patient loses weight
while the tumor is fed and grow s. On the other hand, foods supplied by the
Gerson Therapy are rich in nutrients and enzymes that are not only easily
digested even by the damaged digestive system of the chronic disease
patient, but the enzymes in fresh  raw foods and juices help to destroy tumor
tissue. That is why patients not only maintain (or gain) weight, but are able
to break down tumor tissue. Staff members and patients who follow the guidelines laid down by the
Gerson Therapy know that the patient’ s weakness, with or without having
under gone chem otherapy, requires a special altered protocol. For the sick
individual depri ved of strength and unnerved by such an exper ience, listed
below are some alterations from the standard Gerson protocol. Note that
instructions in this chapter, except for some exclusions or dosage
deviations, are quite similar to those directions provided in chapter 15. Potassium Compound Solution (Liquid)
The recommended starting dosage for potassium compound solution
suggested is 1 tsp ten times per day, which represents approx imately 500mg or 12.5 mEq each of potassium (K) acetate, gluconate, and
monophosphate. This is a total K combination of 1.5 grams or 37.5
mEq/day. In patients experiencing extreme weakening, no potassium
supplementation should be received for three to five days, or until
conditioning improves and stabilizes. The normal dosage of 10 tsp per day
may be cautiously increased to 2 tsp ten times per day after five to seven
days. If no adverse side effects are observed, increase the dosage to 3 and
then 4 tsp ten times per day, as the patient is able to tolerate. There are contraindications to K compound solution: Patien ts with a
history of renal


 guilt. Why?Because as long as I think you’re guilty—of anything, even the slightest
thing—then I will not see you are one with me. I will then feel pain that in
my spiritual ignorance I think is due to something that you did. In fact my
pain is due to my denying your innocence, for in denying your perfection I
am denying my own. Free will allows us to do this all day every day, and most of us to some
extent do. We attack, we judge, we defend, we withhold— constantly
deflecting the love that is our natural inheritance. There is, however,
another way. “Eventually everyone begins to recognize, howeve r dimly, that
there must be a better way. As this recognition becomes more firmly
established, it becomes a turning point”* (T-22). The mystic Jesus is exactly
that. Think of him as a better way. The most powerful thing we can do when
we’re in mental torment about anything is to say to ourselves the following:
“I am determine d to see this differently”* (WB-32). Our greate st power to
change the world lies in our power to think about it dif ferently. The mystic Jesus is a bridge of perception between who we are when
we are lost in ego, and who we are when we are at home in God. He is like
someone who helps us cross the river when we’re too tired to go on. He’s
not above us, but he is ahead of us in time, like a gentle guide reaching out
to a stumbling child and lifting us above the rocks. Jesus closes the gap between who we truly are and who we too often
think we are. When we think and behave in ways that are not true to our
real selves—tied to fear-based reactions based on wounds from the past—
he enters into the breach between our eternal reality and the false, fractal
self that would replace it. He cannot enter without an invitation, for free
will reigns supreme. But we cannot call on him in vain. Having fully ascended into the ethers of pure love, Jesus has gained the
authority to override the ego’s dictates. Having achieved full actualization
within himself, he has the power to intercede on our behalf when fear has
hacked our internal operating system and hides the truth of who we are. When Michelangelo was asked how he created a statue, he said that
when he went to the quarry to look at pieces of marble, he imagined that
God had already created the statue of David  or Moses, or the Pietà  and so
forth. Michelan gelo saw his job as removing the excess marble that
surrounded the perfect statue already existing within it. We’re both the statue within the marble as well as the sculptor who
makes it visible. Hiding inside the marble is the truth of who we are. Godhas already created the perfect you and me, for we are thoughts within His
Mind. Our mission is to rid ourselves of the accumulated marble that has
been added since we got here, all the layers of dysfunction and fear
resulting from our exposure to the pain of the world. We are then left “naked and unashamed,” stripped of the layers of fear
and false hood now surrounding our true self. Like plaque that can build up
in the body and decrease blood flow to the heart, a mental plaque builds up
within our minds. Our spiritual purpose is to unlearn the fear built up in our
psyches, to remember the innocence and love that is the truth of who we
are. As our true self is the statue within the marble, Jesus is a sculptor who
can work with us to make it visible. If you were able to drop your fear, your
anger, your neuroses, your anxiety, your character defects, your judgments,
your addictions, your armor, your defensiveness, your attack thoughts, and
your sense of victimization, there would be one thing left: the real you. And
that is the Christ within. Jesus is one who became that true self. He is the actualized potential of
what a human being can be. He is both a template and a guide to the self we
wish to be in the world. Jesus is an example, a teacher, and a gift. He is a
mystic power that can take us home. OceanofPDF.comThe Only Story Ever Told
The life of Jesus is like a hologra m that reveals to us the mysteries of the
universe. The more we penetrat e the mysteries of his life, the more deeply
we understand our own. The story of the spirit is the story of the psyche, not
only his but also ours. His birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection are not
just the stuff of exoteric religion; they are codes and clues and harbingers of
a different kind of existence. They are not just metaphor s; they are
principles that activate a reality that lies beyond this world. Beyond this world there is a world we want, a world revealed not by the
outer eye but by an inner eye. That world is an eternal reality unseen
because it is eclipsed, hidden as with a veil by an egoic, fear-based
worldview. The world beyond that veil is a world of endless love, the one ultimate
reality, the Mind of God. It isn’t evident because it’s hidden from our view,
yet we are the ones who are hiding it. We hide it with the kinds of thoughts
we think. We have denied ourselves vision of that world by denying it is
there. The light we seek is not something to be found but something to be
chosen, not something we can get but only something we can give. It’s not
some other place but rather another realm of perception. It is the same life
we are living now, transformed by love. The opening of the inner eye is not symbolic; it’s what happe ns when
the veil is removed and we can see. My inner eye was opened, if only for a
moment, when I looked at Salvator Mundi. I glimpsed another world in all
its tenderness and power. It was a world invoked by forgiveness, in which
our willingness to bless each other is far stronger than our temptation to
blame, and the power of an infinite love casts out the power of fear. The mystic Jesus casts out fear, thus breaking the chain of evil and
returning us to our right minds. In the presence of his love, the feardissolves. And the spirit is reborn. Jesus was a man, yes, but he is also a spirit as alive today as he was two
thousand years ago. The birth of Jesus as a physical being was the birth of
the historical Christ; the advent of divine love into our thinking is the birth
of Christ into the world today. He does not appear now as a man but as a
state of consciousness, which does not make him any less real. The very
concept of reality is transformin g as we move further into the twenty-first
century, humani ty evolving beyond the limited framework of primacy given
to external factors at the expense of internal forces. Once we recognize that
the world of matter is simply a world of effects, the causes of which lie in
consciousness, we begin to pay much more attention to the goings-on of the
inner life. We will not stop war or environ mental degradation or world hunger or
rampant addicti on or any of the stresses that plague us today until we
address the inner dynamics—t he perversions of heart—that give rise to
them. The probl em of world hunger, for instance, is not hunge r itself; the
problem is that the people of the world find it tolerable that a child should
starve. There is no dearth of food. There is only a dearth of willingness to
put love for our fellow human beings before our acquiescence to a system
that in essence doesn’ t care if children starve. Global poverty is a symptom,
not a cause. Its cause is our collective disconnection from adherence to the
principles of a moral cosmos. That Jesus works with us on the level of
cause, on the plane of consciousness, does not make him less relevant but
even more relevant to the practical concerns of humanity today. The Second Coming is synonymous with the evolution of humanity into
our self-actualiz ed state. The Second Coming isn’t the reappearance of
someone who left and will return; it’s a remembrance of what has never left
but has been obscured. The mystic Jesus is the Alpha and Omega that
always was and always will be. His reappearance in the world  means our
remembrance of who we are. How many times have people said to me, “I don’t know who I am,” or
“I can’t find a place for mysel f in this world,” or “I don’t think I even
belong here.” The world blinds us to who we are and why we’re here. The
world as we know it is not home to the true self, and we cannot find
ourselves within its walls. Even at its best it is a rickety, shoddy house
compared to the light-filled mansion that exists within.Yet the point is not to ignore the world or to reject it. We are here to
transform it. Our purpose is to become the light that casts out the darkness,
to be harbinger s of a different world by becoming different people. The
more we understand the deeper  meaning of events, the more powerful we
are at


low, probably two or three percent. Patients felt no pain, and  there
were no deaths during the operations. Dr. Esdaille suggested to the subconscious minds of all his pati ents,
who were in a hypnotic state, that no infection or septic cond ition
would develop. You must remember that this was be-fore Louis Pasteur, Josep h
Lister, and others who pointed out the bacterial origin of diseas e and
causes of infection due to unsterilized instruments and virulent
organisms. This Indian surgeon said that the reason for the low mor-tali ty rate
and the general absence of infection, which was re-duced to a
minimum, was undoubtedly due to the suggestions of Dr. Esdaille to
the subconscious minds of his patients. They responded according t o
the nature of his suggestion. It is simply wonderful, when you conceive how a surgeon, over one
hundred twenty years ago, discovered the miraculous wonder-working
powers of the subconscious mind. Doesn’t it cause you to be seiz ed
with a sort of mystic awe when you stop and think of the
transcendental powers of your subconscious mind? Consider its
extrasensory perceptions, such as its ca-pacity for clairv oyance and
clairaudience, its independence of time and space, its capac ity to
render you free from all pain and suffering, and its capacity to get the
 41  answer to all problems, be they what they may. All these a nd many
more reveal to you that there is a power and intelligence within you
that far tran-scends your intellect, causing you to marvel at the
wonders of it ail. All these experiences cause you to rejoic e and
believe in the miracle-working powers of your own subconscious
mind. • Your subconscious is your Book of Life
Whatever thoughts, beliefs, opinions, theories, or dogmas you write,
engrave, or impress on your subconscious mind, you shall experience
them as the objective manifestation of circum-stances, condi tions, and
events. What you write on the inside, you will experience on the outside. You have two sides to your life, objective and subjective, visi ble and
invisible, thought and its manifestation. Your brain receives your thought, which is the organ of your
conscious reasoning mind. When your conscious or ob-jective mind
accepts the thought completely, it is sent to the solar plexus, called the
brain of your mind, where it becomes flesh and is made manifest i n
your experience. As previously outlined, your subconscious cannot argue. It acts only
from what you write on it. It accepts your verdict or the conclusions of
your conscious mind as final. This is why you are always writi ng on
the book of life, because your thoughts become your experiences. The
American essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Man is what he
thinks all day long.”
• What is impressed in the subconscious is expressed
William James, the father of American psychology, said that t he
power to move the world is in your subconscious mind. Your
subconscious mind is one with infinite intelligence and boundless
wisdom. It is fed by hidden springs, and is called the law of life. Whatever you impress upon your subconscious mind, the latter wil l
move heaven and earth to bring it to pass. 42  You must, therefore, impress it with right ideas and construc-t ive
thoughts. The reason there is so much chaos and misery in the world is
because people do not understand the interaction of their consci ous
and subconscious minds. When these two principles work in accord,
in concord, in peace, and synchronously together, you will have heath,
happiness, peace and joy. There is no sickness or discord when the
conscious and subconscious work together harmoniously and
peacefully. The tomb of Hermes was opened with great expectancy and a se nse
of wonder because people believed that the greatest secret of the ages
was contained therein. The secret was as within, so without; as above,
so below. In other words, whatever is impressed hi your subconscious mind is
expressed on the screen of space. This same truth was pr oclaimed by
Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster, Laotze, and all the illumine d
seers of the ages Whatever you feel as true subjectivel y is expressed
as conditions, experiences, and events. Motion and emotion must
balance. As in  heaven [your own mind], so on earth [in your body and
environment]. This is the great law of life. You will find throughout all nature the law of action and reaction, of
rest and motion. These two must balance, then there will be h armony
and equilibrium. You are here to let the life principle flow t hrough
you rhythmically and harmoniously. The intake and the outgo must be
equal. The impression and the expression must be equal. All your
frustration is due to unful-filled desire. If you think negatively, destructively, and viciously, these tho ughts
generate destructive emotions which must be expressed and find a n
outlet. These emotions, being of a negative nature, are frequently expressed
as ulcers, heart trouble, tension, and anxieties. What is your idea or feeling about yourself now? Every part of your
being expresses that idea. Your vitality, body, fi-nancial sta tus,
 43  friends, and social status represent a perfect re-flectio n of the idea you
have of yourself. This is the real mean-ing of what is impressed in your sub conscious
mind, and which is expressed in all phases of your life. We injure ourselves by the negative ideas, which we enter- tain. How often have you wounded yourself by getting angry, fearful,
jealous, or vengeful? These are the poisons that enter your
subconscious mind. You were not born with these negative attitude s.
Feed your subconscious mind life-giving thoughts, and you will wipe
out all the negative patterns lodged therein. As you continue to do this,
all the past will be wiped out and remembered no more. • The subconscious heals a malignancy of the skin
A personal healing will ever be the most convincing evi-dence of
the healing power of the subconscious mind. Over forty years ag o I
resolved a malignancy of the skin through prayer. Medical ther apy
had failed to check the growth, and it was get-ting progressiv ely
worse. A clergyman, with a deep psychological knowledge, ex-plained to
me the inner meaning of the 139th Psalm wherein it says, In thy book
all my members were written, which in con-tinuance were fashi oned,
when as yet there was none of them. He explained that the term book
meant my subconscious mind, which fashioned and molded all my
organs from an invisible cell. He also pointed out that inasmuch as my
subconscious mind made my body, it could also recreate it and he al it
according to the perfect pattern within it. This clergyman showed me his watch and said, “This had a maker,
and the watchmaker had to have the idea first in mind before the
watch became an objective reality, and if the watch was out  of order,
the watchmaker could fix it.” My friend re-minded me that the
subconscious intelligence, which created my body, was like a
watchmaker, and it also knew exactly how to heal, restore, and direct
all the vital functions and processes of my body, but that I ha d to give
 44  it the perfect idea of health. This would act as cause, and the  effect
would be a healing. I prayed in a very simple way as follows: “My body and al l its
organs were created by the infinite intelligence in my sub -conscious
mind. It knows how to heal me. Its wisdom fashioned all my organs,
tissues, muscles, and bones. This infinite healing presence wi thin me
is now transforming every atom of my being making me whole and
perfect now. I give thanks for the healing I know is taking pla ce now. Wonderful are the works of the creative intelligence within me.”
I prayed aloud for about five minutes two or three times a da y
repeating the above simple prayer. In about three months my sk in was
whole and perfect. As you can see, all I did was give life-giving patterns of wholeness,
beauty, and perfection to my subconscious mind, thereby oblitera ting
the negative images and patterns of thought lodged in my
subconscious mind which were the cause of all my trouble. Nothing
appears on your body except when the mental equivalent is first in
your mind, and as you change your mind by drenching it with
incessant affirmatives, you change your body. This is the basis of all
healing.... Marvelous are thy works; and that my soul [subconscious
mind] knoweth right well. PSALM 139:14. • How the subconscious controls all functions of the body
While you are awake or sound asleep upon your bed, the ceaseless,
tireless action of your subconscious mind controls all the vit al
functions of your body without the help of your con-scious mind. For
example, while you are asleep your heart con-tinues to beat
rhythmically, your lungs do not rest, and the proc-ess of inhalation
and exhalation, whereby your blood absorbs fresh


 behavior toward animals be forever
removed from the earth. May my heart be open to ways I can be of
service to them. May the relati onship between humans and animals be
lifted to its highest place. Dear God,
Please bless the animals. Pr otect them
Fr om the actions of those with cold hearts. May we be pr oper stewar ds
Of these pr ecious cr eations in our midst. Amen.DA Y 317
I  a m  h e r e  t o  s o a r  w i t h  t h e  w i n g s  G o d  h a s  g i v e n  m e. E ach of us has a unique function on the earth. I do not serve the  world
by w ithholding my gifts in the n ame of modesty. Remembering  I am no
more or less special than anyon e else, I am free to soar with the wings
God has given me. Until I do, my place in the universe is left unfilled. My love, my
abilities, my skills are mine alone, and I was born to extend them as a
light unto darkened places. T oday, in every moment, may I be the
embodiment of the light of the world. Dear God,
Y ou have given me such special gifts,
And yet I block them when I deny Y our love. T oday may I r emember
The holy purpose Y ou have given me,
That I might find my talents
And be blessed ther eby. Amen.DA Y 318
T o d a y  m a y  I  b e  a  b e t t e r
m a t e / f r i e n d / p a r e n t / e m p l o y e r / e m p l o y e e. W hatever role I pl ay in life, I am there to be more, and do more,  than
appears. While the ego focuses in any situation on my needs as  I define
them, my only true need is to be the most shining light I can be. As I increase my own giving—a greater generosity, deeper
understanding, a nd more loving attitude toward others—my life will be
thereby blessed. May I participate today in all of my relationships from a
more healed and holy place. May I view each r ole I play as God intended it to be: the avenue
thr ough which miracles pour into me and thr ough me. May I no t
limit my  per cept ions today to th e drama of the mortal plane, but
rather see every r elationship as a holy one.DA Y 319
T o d a y  I  s e e k  t o  l o v e  e v e r y o n e. W hen I see anyone today, I will bl ess him or her silently. When I enter
a room, I will send my love b efore me. In thinking of anyone, I will
surrender the relationship to God. T oday I seek to love everyone. M y mind and heart were created to be
a vessel of God ’ s compassion, and today I pray to be aligned with His
intention for my life. Dear God,
It isn’ t easy
T o be a lover of the world,
But today I will try. May my love expand to include everyone,
Both those I like
And those I do not like. Help me love mor e deeply,
That my life might be of gr eatest use. Amen.DA Y 320
FOR REFLECTION
O n  C h o o s i n g  t o  B e  B e t t e r
O ur cl inging to ol d wounds might inspire sympathy for a time, or  even
temporary support. But it will not inspire invitations to start over, from
other people or from the un iverse itself. Bitterness is hardly the
personality trait that someone out there is looking to hire, partner with,
promote, or invest in. No matter what we have endu red, there is probably someone out
there w ho has been through worse. There are people who have
experienced the most heinous things, and have found a path forward into
happiness and peace. There are things that happen in life after w hich we
know w e will never be the sam e. But which way it goes—wh ether we
become bitter or better—is a choice that only we can make.DA Y 321
T o d a y  I  h a v e  t h e  c o u r a g e  t o  r e a c h  f o r  m y  d r e a m s. I  know in my he art that it isn’ t outer force, but merely lack of c ourage,
that keep s me from living the life I desire. I recognize the fear that keeps
me from reaching for my dreams. The miracles I seek will not unfold unless I claim the love that casts
out fear. T oday I will not hide behind the excuses that I give myself; I
will dee pen my willingness to serve the light within me, wherever it
leads and whatever it might ask of me. Dear God,
I cower in fear at times
Befor e the calling of my soul,
The call to gr eatness,
The call to enlightenment,
The call to Y ou. Please help me make the choice for love,
That I might live the life
I truly desir e
And manifest my dr eams. Amen.DA Y 322
I  t u r n  a w a y  f r o m  h a b i t s  o f  w e a k n e s s  a n d  c u l t i v a t e
h a b i t s  o f  s t r e n g t h. I  kno w I have habits of weakness in certain areas of my life. T oday, I
remember that with the help of God I can change my mind an d change
my ways. Who I have been, I need not be now. What I have done, I need not do
now. How I have acted, I need not act now. I call upon the spirit of God
to break the cha ins that bind m e to the weakness of my former self. I
choose strength, and know that God Himself supports my choice. I k now God Himself will help m e be the person He would have
me b e. T oday I eschew the habits of weakness that keep me bound
in suffering. I claim the power of God within me to br eak all
cor ds that bind me to the past and to deliver me to my better self. Amen.DA Y 323
I  s e e k  t o  b e  t h e  b e s t  f r i e n d  I  c a n  b e  t o  t h o s e  w h o
h a v e  b e f r i e n d e d  m e. H ow often I take for granted the love that is shown me by my friends. I’m rem inded to day that our m ortal lives are not forever, and  that our
friendships on earth are but fleeting gifts. May I remembe r to listen mor e, and say, “thank you” and “I love
you” more to my friends. May I seek to understand what others are
feeling, before telling them wh at I am feeling. May I be a less selfish
friend, today and always. Dear God,
I place in Y our hands
My r elationship with my friends. May I be a better friend,
Mor e supportive and understanding
And giving and compassionate. Thus may my r elationships
Fulfill their purpose
And make all of us whole. Amen.DA Y 324
M a y  I  n e v e r  b e  c y n i c a l. I t’ s easy to become pessimistic at times, to declare oneself too cool to
care, too knowledgeable or reas onable to believe in miracles. Y et love is
the power of God, and miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. T oday I will not allow cyni cism to blind me to the infinite
possibilities God  provides. Miracles are all around me and I cla im them
as my own; may I see the light that is mine to see whenever I open my
eyes. May cynicism never close my eyes, nor pessimism poison m y
thinking. May I always be looking for the ray of light eternally on
God’ s horizon. May my mind th us be a conduit for miracles an d
love.DA Y 325
FOR REFLECTION
O n  t h e  A t o n e m e n t
W hen we take full responsibility for the places where we know in our
hearts w e underperformed in the past, or acted without integrity,  or failed
to respect opportunities and abundance that once were ours, we
experience the miracle of the Atonement. Atonement is a mental proce ss through which we correct our
perceptions, thus changing the trajectory of probabilities that unfold as a
result. Atoneme nt is like a spiritual reset button. It is a gift from God,
providing us the opportunity to clear the karma of past mistakes by
owning them