MMath, Head of the Lipid Neuroscience Group, MRI Unit, Hammersmith
Hospital, Imperial College, London; and author of the books The Natural
Way to Beat Depression; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and Natural Energy.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has done an excellent job of summarising
the nutritional biochemical connections with pyschiatric and neurological
disorders and gastrointestinal  function. She has done an admirable job in
relating specific digestive disorders in conditions such as schizophrenia,
autism, attention deficit disorder and other problems of child develop
ment. The book is full of valuable and interesting facts that can be used by
people to optimise the health of themselves and their children.
Dr. William Shaw, PhD., Great Plains Laboratories, Kansas, USA
Dr. Campbell-McBride's book provides important information and great
insight into the understanding and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders
in those with developmental disabilities and other disorders. The book
contains basic information for the beginner as well as in-depth infor
mation for those at an advance level. Thank you Dr. Campbell-McBride for
writing this book.
Dr. Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D., Center for the Study of Autism,
Oregon USA. This book is fantastic and will become a classic. Every medic should have
one.... No, every household should have one!
An invaluable resource for patients with'syndrome diseases' and
so-called'mental health problems'. The medicine of the future already in
practice.
Martina Watts BA(Hons) DipION MBANT,
practising nutritionist and journalist
This book presents the case for investigating the nutritional aspects, how
the gut works and how poor gut function seriously impacts not only
physical health but also brain function, for all children with learning and
behaviour difficulties.
Countless parents seeking help from The Hyperactive Children's Support
Group find their children benefit greatly from dietary and nutritional
interventions. Vitamin, mineral and essential fatty acid deficiencies are all
too frequently discovered.
This book offers an insight to how the digestive system affects the brain.
Sally Bunday, Founder Director,
The Hyperactive Children's Support Group, UK WICKEN FEN
The old wooden gates swinging wide open
leaving room for a path of wood stretching out in front of you.
The heavenly scent of the clean fresh air.
The whistling sound of the grass and the trees
swaying left and right in the breeze.
At night you stare at the wonderful sight.
The path leading over the moist soft grass.
You walk on the bridge over a gently flowing river.
The hill reaching so high, almost touching the sky.
The windmill still stands as you walk the stairs
which have been there for years.
The buzzing of the bees busy in their hive.
All the sounds surround you.
The warm feeling of welcome is quick to arrive.
The sun shining bright on the grass
as green as the leaves in summer.
The way forward getting thinner leaving the feeling that lasts.
The adventure is over.
Feeling warm inside.
Farewell until next time.
Nicholas Campbell-McBride, 11 years old,
Cambridge, UK CONTENTS
To the Parents of Autistic Children - an Open Letter 1
Introduction 5
Part One: What Is Going On?
1. All Diseases Begin in the Gut 9
2. The Roots of a Tree 15
3. Immune System 25
4. What Can Damage Gut Flora? 31
5. The Opportunistic Flora 37
6. The Gut-Brain Connection 45
7. The Families 53
8. Vaccinations. Does MMR Cause Autism? 59
9. Schizophrenia 63
Part Two: Treatment
Diet
1. The Diet - A Discussion 71
2. The Appropriate Diet for GAP Syndrome 93
3. Recipes 119
4. It's Feeding Time! Oh, No! 157 Supplementation for Children and Adults with GAP Syndrome 163
1. Probiotics
165
2. Fats: The Good and the Bad
3. Vitamin A 187
4. Digestive Enzymes
5. Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation
Detoxification for People with GAPS
Part Three; Different Issues
1. Ear Infections and Glue Ear
2. Top Ten Influences, which Boost Immunity 221
3. Top Ten Influences, which Damage Immunity 223
4. Constipation 225
5. Genetics
229
6. A Few Words About Education
235
Selected References
243
Index 261 To THE PARENTS OF
AUTISTIC CHILDREN - AN OPEN LETTER
Not many people would choose to become parents of an autistic child. Yet
it is happening to more and more of us in our modern world. There is an
unmistakable epidemic of autism going on across the globe. If this can
possibly be of any comfort for a parent, then I would say that you are
certainly not alone!
Autism used to be a rare disorder, so that the majority of doctors never
saw it in their practice and most people had never heard of it. Fifteen years
ago in western countries the incidence of autism used to be on average one
child in 10,000. Now according to the UK Department of Health 1 in 166
children in Great Britain are diagnosed with autism. According to the USA
Centre for Disease Control (CDC around 1 out of 150 American children are
diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders now and the numbers are
growing every day. Similar numbers are reported by the Autism Canada
Foundation. A Finnish study published in the European Journal of Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry (2001, volume 9) reported an incidence rate of 1
child in 483 diagnosed autistic in Finland. In Sweden a rate of 1 child in 141
was reported.
So, what is happening? Why do we have such a dramatic increase in
numbers of children falling prey to this terrible disorder, deemed incurable
by orthodox medicine?
Is the reason for this epidemic genetic? The truth is - we don't know!
However, what we do know, is that genetic disorders do not show such a
sudden increase in incidence. Genetics just don't work that way. This kind
of increase in new diagnosis of autism cannot be explained by genetics. On
the contrary, it provides a strong argument to support the statement, that
genetics may not play an important part in the development of autism
after all.
Is this epidemic due to better diagnosis? That is what some very well-
established British medical experts are trying to tell us. So, in effect are they
saying that 10 years ago doctors in the UK were so bad at recognising and
diagnosing autism
case, where are all these children today? They would by now be teenagers with autism, because we know that this disorder does not disappear with
age. We clearly do not have 1 in 166 teenagers in the UK with autism. So, this
argument does not convince anybody. Something else is going on.
Something that cannot simply be explained away and something that
cannot be fixed with a pill.
Most parents of autistic children can clearly recall that traumatic
moment of the diagnosis of "Autism" being announced to them by a doctor
followed by the statement "There is nothing that can be done." Well, being
a doctor myself, I have to say that your doctor is wrong, there is a lot that
can be done! I would even go further, depending on your commitment and
certain circumstances, you have a good chance of bringing your child as
close as possible to normality! Hundreds of autistic children across the
globe, appropriately treated and educated become almost indistinguish
able from their typically developing (normal) peers. The sooner the treat
ment starts - the better are the results, because the younger the child is, the
less damage there is to undo and also because they have less catching up to
do in their development with normal children of their age. Thankfully, the
medical professionals, though often being unhelpful as far as treatment is
concerned, are much better nowadays at diagnosing autism. The majority
of children get diagnosed by the age of three, which was not the case 10-15
years ago. Receiving the diagnosis so early gives the parents a chance to
start acting early, which gives the child a better chance of recovery.
In the western world there is a general tendency to delegate responsi
bility for our health to the medical profession. If you are ill you go to the
doctor. When it comes to autism, after establishing the diagnosis, official
medicine has virtually nothing to offer the child. It is a big shock for par
ents to suddenly find themselves facing this monster called "Autism" on
their own. Most of the parents I have met are intelligent and often well-
educated people. The first thing they do is to learn as much as possible.
Today there is a whole world of information available on the subject of
autism, including solid scientific research. Looking at the amount of
research done in other areas of medicine in the last 10 years, it is often less
than what has been achieved in the field of autism. I believe the reason is
that research in autism is almost entirely driven by the most motivated
people on Earth - the parents of autistic children. Among them are doctors,
biochemists, biologists and simply intelligent people looking for solutions
to their child's problem. There is a network


 period; more, if other family members also eat Gerson food and/or wish to use
enemas.
 A distiller needs an electric connection and an extra water faucet; many patients install theirs
in the laundry room or the garage. The machine needs to be detached and cleaned every 3 days.
Seeing the sludge left behind will convince anyone of the need to purify water as thoroughly as
possible.
Distillation works by heating water to the point of it becoming steam, which is run through
a tube that causes it to cool and condense back into water. Since minerals, various impurities and
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 9 5Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comadditives do not turn into steam, they stay behind, leaving the cooled, condensed steam free from
harmful components. However, volatile liquids, such as benzene fractions, also boil away, and
get condensed back into the purified water. To remove such items, all distillers should contain a
small tube of carbon pellets, so that when the condensed water drips back into a fresh container,
it passes through the carbon filter, which removes the unwanted volatile items.
It is sometimes claimed by health professionals that distilled water “removes minerals from
the body” and shouldn’t be used. But they are wrong. The minerals found in water are generally
inorganic and are therefore poorly absorbed or downright harmful, e.g. sodium or calcium. On the
other hand, the patient is virtually flooded with the easily absorbed organic minerals contained in
the large amount of juices drunk throughout the day; the “loss” of minerals contained in tap water
is actually a gain.
Cleaning Chemicals
Cleanliness is of course all important in the Gerson household, but, as stated before, special
care must be taken not to use toxic products. Here are the ones to avoid:
Chlorine : this is not only bleach, but also a powerful disinfectant, able to kill or control all
kinds of germs.. For that reason it is present in almost all kitchen cleansers (also in swimming
pools and in tap water!).  Chlorine is harsh and unsafe, able to displace iodine from the thyroid
gland and must be avoided.  There are a few kitchen cleansers that do not contain chlorine—try
to find one. You can also produce your own by mixing malt vinegar with water, half and half,
and decanting it into a spray-pump bottle to clean glass or polish kitchen surfaces—but keep off
wood. Plain soap and hot water are also recommended.
To remove lime scale, soak a piece of cotton in white vinegar, wrap it around the faucets in
your kitchen or bathroom, and leave for 30 minutes. Wash off with soap and water.
Clean stainless steel pans with olive oil. The result is stunning, but use the oil sparingly and
be careful to clean it all off.
Solvents : paint solvents, grease or glue solvents are all toxic and damaging to the patient.  If
one has to be used, take it outside and don’t allow it to evaporate in the kitchen. .
Dishwasher soap : Most dishwashers are equipped with two wash cycles followed by one
rinse cycle.  Since the Gerson Therapy does not involve the use of greasy food or baking dishes,
it is best to use one wash cycle and ensure that the soap is cleared by using two rinse cycles.  That
way the dishwasher soap should be completely eliminated, with no toxic residue remaining on
dishes.
Laundry soap & bleach :  If the laundry is washed in a washing machine, more or less the
same applies as to dishwasher soap.  You can use any appropriate soap and even add bleach, if
needed—as long as it is inside the machine and the patient doesn’t smell it.  (If he can smell it,
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 9 6Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comhe is getting some into his system.) Then make very sure that the laundry is thoroughly rinsed,
possibly running a second rinse cycle.
Fabric Softeners :  These should be avoided, whether in liquid form or as drying sheets. Either
way they leave a chemical film, which never washes out completely. They are also irritating to
sensitive individuals, e.g. asthma sufferers. As a harmless alternative, add 1⁄4 cup of distilled white
vinegar to the wash cycle. This is said to soften your clothes and also get rid of static cling.
 If you are washing delicate items (marked: ‘hand-wash’), use a mild soap and wear rubber
gloves.
Dry Cleaning: As this is done outside the home, it doesn’t directly affect the patient.
However, when dry-cleaned items are brought home, it is wise to leave them outdoors without
their plastic covers, to let them air and get rid of any remaining chemical.
Aerosols and sprays: Do not use any of these. Once the spray is distributed in the air, it
is impossible to avoid inhaling it. Obviously the toxic pesticide sprays are the most dangerous.
However, any cleaning chemical (window cleaner, oven cleaner) that is sprayed will go into the
air and be breathed in.
If a window cleaner is used, just pour a little on a cloth and wipe the window clean without
spraying.
Oven cleaning is not much of a problem, since the Gerson food is clear of fats and doesn’t
cause deposits on the oven walls.
The Bathroom: Chlorine-containing cleansers should not be used in the bathroom. Disinfect
with 3% commercial hydrogen peroxide. Choose mild soaps for personal use and avoid spray
deodorizers.   Men should use spreadable shaving soaps, not products sold in aerosol cans or
sprays.  Avoid after-shave lotions and underarm deodorants.  (see Chapter 5.on cosmetics, Pg.
26, pp. 5.) Only use plain white unscented toilet paper.
Living area:  Many kinds of toxic damage can be caused inadvertently in the living room.
One possible culprit is furniture polish, which c ontains solvent and must be banished.  Carpet
cleaning presents another potential hazard..  Do not use (or allow cleaning services to use)
chemical cleaners, only soapy solutions.
Very serious toxic damage has been caused by new carpeting, most of which is impregnated
with toxic pesticides or other chemicals to resist staining, etc.
If it is absolutely necessary to install new carpeting, track down non-toxic kinds.  Several
manufacturers have been sued for their carpets causing allergic reactions in sensitive people.  As
a result non-toxic carpets are now being produced.
An even more dangerous process is termite extermination.  Some exterminators use a whole
house cover and spread gas throughout the building.  When the covers are removed, fresh air is
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 9 7Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comallowed back in, but a lot of poison is left behind in upholstered furniture, carpets and drapes.  It
takes some six months or so to outgas!  There are other, non-toxic methods available:  find out
about the freezing approach.
Living room areas are often routinely treated to “air fresheners” via sprays or a chemical
solid.  Do not use either.
Whole house painting: No part of the inside of the house should be painted while the patient
is recovering.  Walls may be washed down with mild soap; stains can be removed with a non-
toxic cleanser.  The house may not look perfect; but for the time being the patient’s recovery must
be given absolute priority.
Outdoor garden sprays; agricultural pesticides: Some areas of daily life are beyond the
caregiver’s control.  One of these is having neighbors who spray their gardens with pesticides.  If
and when this happens, make sure that all windows are closed; use the room air cleaner and ozone
generator to protect the patient.  A similar problem is caused by pesticide spraying of agricultural
areas in the vicinity.  In one such case the recovering patient had a serious reaction and suffered a
recurrence, until she moved away (to live with her sister) for the time being.  There she recovered
again.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 9 8Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 10
Forbidden Foods
“A McDonald’s ‘Breakfast for Under a Dollar’ actually costs much more
than that. You have to factor in the cost of coronary bypass surgery.”
         George Carlin
Just as some foods, brilliantly combined in the Gerson protocol, are great healers, others are
strictly excluded from the patient’s diet. In his classic book, A Cancer Therapy—Results of 50
Cases,  Dr. Gerson gives a long list of “


Disorders, 3
rd
 Edition
, that I believe these numbers are too low and a more accurate estimate would probably approach 30-
40%
of the population (up to 52 million adult Americans).
13
 Why the discrepancy? Conventional medicine diagnoses a thyroid
problem based solely on the blood tests. I feel that the blood tests are not sensitive enough to pick up thyroid abnormalities in the
vast majority of patients suffering from thyroid problems. Therefore, a holistic approach to diagnosing a thyroid issue, as I outline
in my book, is a much more comprehensive way to diagnose a problem that affects every single cell in the body.
Why is adequate thyroid hormone so important? Every single cell, muscle, and organ in the body depends on adequate
thyroid hormone levels for optimal functioning. Thyroid hormone acts as the body’s major metabolic regulator. In a low thyroid
state, known as hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland is releasing inadequate amounts of thyroid hormone to meet the body’s
metabolic demands, and the metabolic rate is therefore reduced. In a hyperthyroid state, the thyroid gland is releasing excess
amounts of thyroid hormone that results in an elevated metabolic rate.
Why do so many people across this country and the world have a serious problem like a thyroid disorder? Although the
etiology of thyroid illness can be varied, one common denominator that could explain this epidemic is iodine deficiency.
As previously discussed in
Chapter 2
, one-third of the world’s population lives in an iodine-deficient area by World
Health
Organization (WHO) standards. This large number of people living in an iodine-deficient area closely correlates with the estimates
for the number of people who have thyroid disorders. All individuals with a thyroid disorder should be screened for iodine
deficiency.
WHAT DOES IODINE DO IN THE THYROID GLAND?
Iodine is responsible for maintaining the normal architecture of the glands of the body including the thyroid, ovaries, uterus,
breast, and prostate. When the cells of the glandular tissue have enough iodine, the tissue maintains a normal structure.
When iodine is deficient, the architecture of the glandular tissue becomes disrupted and the tissue becomes cystic. Cysts are
fluid-filled sacs that have a distinct border from the surrounding normal tissue. When palpated, cysts are generally soft and
compressible.
If iodine deficiency persists, the cysts become nodular—that is, they become more firm upon palpation. If iodine deficiency
continues, the nodules start to change their histological appearance to become hyperplastic. Hyperplasia literally means ‘over-
formation’. In a hyperplastic state, the cells start to multiply rapidly and take on an increasingly disordered appearance when
viewed microscopically. Eventually, if iodine deficiency is not corrected, the end stage of this continuum can be cancer.
Chapter 8
 will discuss fibrocystic breast disease and iodine deficiency. Fibrocystic breast disease is a precursor to breast
cancer. I have successfully treated many fibrocystic breast disease patients with iodine. I feel that cysts on any glandular tissue
should prompt a physician to check the patient’s iodine status and to prescribe iodine, if indicated, to reverse the process.
In the thyroid gland, iodine deficiency results in the formation of cysts, nodules, and goiter. The thyroid gland does not
function optimally when the normal architecture is disrupted. I have treated hundreds of patients for growths in their thyroid and
other glandular tissue that resolve or get significantly better with iodine therapy.
Lexi is a 15-year-old girl who was diagnosed with thyroid cysts and nodules one year previously. Her thyroid was
two-times the normal size. At our first visit, I could see Lexi’s thyroid protruding out of her neck. Lexi had seen two
endocrinologists who both recommended surgery. Lexi’s mother commented, “I really don’t want her to have surgery, but
they are offering me nothing. We have been following her thyroid ultrasounds and it just keeps getting bigger. I have a
surgery date already scheduled for three weeks from now unless you tell me otherwise,” she said. At our first visit, I
asked Lexi how she was feeling. She did not
have any major complaints. Her energy level was good and she was very
active in school activities. I told Lexi and her mother that surgery was not warranted yet; the enlarged thyroid had not
caused any problems. After my exam, I ordered a spot urine iodide level and a 24-hour urinary iodide loading test. Lexi’s
spot urine iodide was below the laboratory detectable limits. Her 24-hour loading test was also low at 50% excretion
(normal 95%). At this point I prescribed iodine—25mg/day, unrefined salt (1tsp/day of Redmond’s Real Salt), and a
multivitamin (Optivite). Two weeks later, Lexi had another ultrasound of her thyroid because both both she and her
mother–who is an ultrasound technician–felt the thyroid was visually smaller. The ultrasound showed a 50% reduction in
the overall size of her thyroid and all the cysts and nodules were shrinking. “The radiologist called in two other
colleagues to look at the ultrasound as he could not believe how much it had shrunk,” Lexi’s mother commented.
I have seen countless patients with cysts, nodules, and disrupted architecture of glandular tissue—including the breasts,
ovaries, uterus, and prostate improve or dramatically reverse their condition with iodine supplementation. In many cases, iodine
supplementation results in a cure. How long does this process take? For most patients, three to six months is a reasonable time
period to see results. Severely ill patients may take years to see results.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
The thyroid gland controls the metabolic activity of the body. When there is adequate thyroid hormone available for the cells
of the body, there is a normal metabolic activity present. By contrast, in a hypothyroid state, the metabolic activity of the body islowered.
Table 4
, on the following page, lists some of the signs and symptoms related to hypothyroidism.
The main thyroid hormones, T4 and T3, require sufficient iodine in order to be produced. In an iodine-deficient state,
hypothyroidism is the expected outcome as thyroid hormone will not be manufactured. My research has shown that iodine levels
need to be investigated in all hypothyroid individuals. If iodine is found to be deficient, many times, supplementing with iodine can
improve or even cure the hypothyroid condition without the use of exogenous thyroid hormone.
Iodine and thyroid hormone have a synergistic action in the hypothyroid patient. When it is indicated, it is more effective to
use iodine along with thyroid hormone to achieve the best results.
Karen, age 50, suffered with hypothyroidism for 15 years. Her symptoms included fatigue, mental confusion,
puffiness, and hair loss. I diagnosed Karen with hypothyroidism three years ago and began treating her with Armour
®
thyroid as well as a combination of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. She noticed a significant improvement in her
symptoms when she began taking Armour
®
 thyroid. “I feel like I got my life back. I could think much more clearly and
my energy level started to improve,” she said. Karen’s daughter, Lisa (22 years old) had similar symptoms and was
diagnosed with hypothyroidism two years ago. She had similar positive results with thyroid supplementation. Four
months ago, the laboratory tests showed both Karen and Lisa had iodine deficiency. Three months after starting iodine
supplementation, I received a letter from Karen that said in part, “Lisa and I take Armour
®
 thyroid and we have had
much success with that, but adding iodine really made a difference. We have
more energy and it is much easier to get up
in the morning. The muscle stiffness I occasionally experienced is gone. As you know, I spent three weeks in California
with my mom who had undergone surgery for colon cancer. I was in a bed other than my own and I was on a different
time schedule. I wasn’t getting much sleep and the stress level was very high. In the past, a situation like that would have
exhausted my body and I would be aching all the time. Not this time! In spite of everything that was going on, I felt
great. I attribute that to the iodine, because it is the only change I have made since being in California. Lisa’s experience
has been similar. She is in college and has a very irregular schedule. Since she started taking iodine, I have a noticed a
big difference in her energy level. She actually wakes up on her own and has much more energy during the day and
night.” After two months of therapy, I had asked Karen and Lisa to reduce their iodine dosage slightly and they did not
feel as good. “When Lisa and I cut down our dosage of iodine, we gradually noticed we did not feel as well. At your
recommendation, we increased the dosage and began to feel as good as we were before,” Karen wrote. Karen and Lisa’s
experience is very common for many of my other patients. As is the case with Karen and Lisa, optimal thyroid function is
dependent on having adequate iodine ingestion.

Table 4: Signs and Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
IODINE AND THYROID SUPPLEMENTATION
It has been over 20 years since I started studying and
practicing holistic medicine. During this time,


ily,	and
she	first	became	aware	of	angels	at	a	birthday	party	when	she	was	three	or
four.	“My	mother	turned	off	the	lights	so	I	could	blow	out	the	candles	on	my
cake.	I	looked	around	and	noticed	these	people	standing	around	the	edge	of
the	room.	They	weren’t	there	when	the
lights
	were	on.	I	pointed	to	them,	only
to	discover	that	nobody	else	could	see	them.	But	I	remember	that	they	made
me	feel	very	happy.”
Lily’s	first	encounter	was	the	most	physical	one.	After	her	motherdiscouraged	her	from	seeing	“people”	where	there	were	none,	they	quickly
disappeared.	Lily	was	still	aware	of	their	presence,	however,	and	as	she	grew
up	she	learned	to	adapt	to	this	presence.	Eventually	“the	guys,”	as	she	called
them,	became	images	she	could	see	when	she	closed	her	eyes,	and	voices	she
could	hear	when	she	asked	questions.
“They	weren’t	constant	voices,”	she	says.	“I	never	considered	them
hallucinations.	I	had	to	consciously	call	on	the	guys,	and	when	I	did	I	felt	a
comfort,	a	guiding	wisdom.	I	know	most	people	don’t	make	contact	with	their
own	guides,	but	I	can	see	theirs,	too.	We	all	have	them.”
This	ability,	which	the	rishis	would	say	belongs	in	the	world	of
“consciousness	filled	with	subtle	objects,”	came	and	went	in	Lily’s	life.	A
great	deal	seemed	to	depend	on	where	she	found	herself.	Right	after	college
she	had	a	brief	marriage	to	a	man	who	discouraged	Lily	from	contacting	“the
guys,”	and	after	their	divorce	Lily	held	an	office	manager’s	job	for	fifteen
years	that	needed	little	inner	guidance.	But	eventually	she	was	led	to	think
about	the	issue	of	healing.
“The	guys	told	me	that	I	could	heal	people	emotionally,	and	that	they’d
help.	At	first	this	made	me	nervous.	But	I	kept	noticing	how	painful	it	is	for
many	people	when	they	are	faced	with	their	old	wounds.	The	guys	told	me	it
didn’t	have	to	be	that	way.	They	would	show	me	how	to	move	the	trapped
energies	of	pain	and	trauma.	I	could	learn	to	do	this	without	the	person	feeling
anything	stressful.	That	appealed	to	me	deeply.”
By	the	time	she	turned	forty,	Lily	had	begun	her	healing	work	in	earnest.
She	started	out	with	friends	with	whom	she	could	freely	talk	about	“the
guys.”	As	the	work	deepened,	she	began	to	use	the	phrase	“higher	guides	and
angels”	to	fit	what	she	saw.
“I’m	a	conventional	person	in	many	ways.	When	I’m	not	tuning	in	to	the
level	where	I	do	my	work,	my	life	is	completely	ordinary.	It	took	me	years	to
think	of	the	guys	as	angels,	but	then	they	showed	me	the	archangel	Michael.	I
brought	in	the	presence	of	Christ	to	help	me.	I	tell	people	that	they	are
energetically	connected	to	God.	It’s	become	very	natural	now	because	I	can
see	everything	I	talk	about.”
Outside	the	boundaries	of	the	reality,	on	which	we	generally	agree,	people
like	Lily	exist	and	always	have.	Lily	brings	us	to	a	critical	point	in	our
investigations.	It	doesn’t	matter	if	we	try	to	settle	the	argument	over	whether
angels	are	real	or	unreal,	whether	they	are	here	on	earth	or	far	away	in
heaven.	Our	own	consciousness	regulates	what	is	real	and	unreal;	we	have
stepped	into	our	own	projection.	If	that	projection	consists	of	physical	objects
only,	to	the	exclusion	of	subtle	objects,	it’s	nevertheless	a	self-creation.	You
and	I	exist	not	as	observer,	or	observed	or	the	process	of	observation	but	all
three	at	once.	To	deny	this	is	to	deny	our	wholeness,	and	the	power	that	is	our
birthright.“I	have	various	ways	of	seeing	people,”	Lily	says.	“I	see	them	physically,
but	even	then	I	sense	their	energy.	When	I	go	inside,	I	see	their	energy	as	a
field	of	light	around	them.	That’s	the	basic	reality,	but	if	I	ask	to,	I	can	also
see	their	angels	and	other	etheric	beings.	Some	of	these	are	very	negative.
They’ve	been	drawn	to	the	person	by	negative	beliefs.	I	can	see	people	as
they	were	in	other	lifetimes,	and	to	a	limited	extent	I	can	see	them	in	the
future.	It’s	all	very	fluid,	but	it’s	all	accessible.”
Twenty	years	ago	I	knew	no	one	with	subtle	sight	like	Lily;	now	I’ve	met
many	of	them.	Each	has	learned	to	ignore	the	boundary	that	society	sets
between	one	level	of	life	and	another.	At	the	soul	level	we	are	free	to	do
whatever	we	want	with	the	potential	given	to	us.	Angels	are	not	absolutes;
they	have	changed	over	history	as	human	imagination	has	changed.	This
creative	project	of	ours	goes	back	millennia,	and	it	continues	to	this	day.
When	you	die,	how	much	of	what	happens	will	be	your	choice	and	how
much	will	be	left	to	outside	forces?	Lily	herself	is	clear	about	this.	She	and
“the	guys”	could	work	together	without	interruption	by	physical	death.	In	this
way	Lily	is	doing	consciously	what	we	are	all	doing	unconsciously.	Thanks	to
the	devata	effect,	we
are
	the	process	of	creation.	Through	us,	gods,	angels,
and	souls	come	in	and	out	of	being.	Lily	says,	“When	I	started	out	on	this
work	a	lot	of	my	vocabulary	was	Christian,	because	from	early	on	I	felt	very
close	to	Jesus.	Then	I	began	to	experience	him	as	the	Christ	presence,	without
any	picture	in	my	head.	I	discovered	that	there	was	an	esoteric	name	for	the
universal	Christ,	which	is	Sananda,	and	the	guys	told	me	I	could	use	that
when	I	wanted	to	relate	to	the	cosmic	Christ.	Now	even	Sananda	has	become
more	abstract,	like	a	field	of	compassionate	light.”
I	asked	Lily	what	might	come	next	for	her.
“That’s	the	big	question,	isn’t	it?	At	some	level	I	know	I	don’t	really	need
the	guys.	They’re	just	aspects	of	myself.	If	I	wanted	to,	I	could	just	ask
myself	what	needs	to	be	done	and	rely	on	my	own	abilities.	That’s	the	next
stage.”
If	she	knows	it	is	all	herself,	I	asked,	what	keeps	her	from	moving	on	to
the	next	stage	right	now?
“Habit,	maybe	some	residual	fear	that	I	haven’t	faced.	You’ve	got	to
remember,	the	guys	have	been	with	me	all	my	life.	I	imagine	I’ll	hold	on	to
them	until	I’m	comfortable	enough	to	be	on	my	own.”
We	are	all	at	some	stage	of	taking	responsibility	for	participating	in
creation.	Gods	and	goddesses,	angels	and	etheric	beings	exist	because	they
have	been	draw


ciou sness, you are relaxing away from the part of you that’s
complaining. There is definitely complaining going on in the mind, no
reason to deny that. But if you relax and lean away from where the noise is
coming from, you will be leaning back into the seat of Self.
Two things happen when you relax and release. One, you stop fighting
with the causes of your disturbe d mind, and that gives them room to release.
Two, you are actually relaxing back into the seat of Self, and you will grow
spiritually. If you will do that with the weather, if you will do that with the
car in front of you, if you will do that with all these low-hanging fruit
situations, you’l l grow every single day. The way to know that you are
working with low-hanging fruit is that the situation is resolved simply by
letting go inside. There is nothing else to do about it. You were the only
problem, and once you let go of creating the problem, the problem is solved.
If you accept the weather, there’ s nothing else to do about it. If you accept
the myri ad meaningless things you have decided to bother yourself about,
there’ s nothing else to do about them. That’ s how you identify the low-
hanging fruit.In contrast, if you let go of your reactions to a situation and there is still
something in front of you to deal with, then you have some work to do
outside. If you lose your job and work with letting go of your negative
reaction, that’s good, but you still need to go out and look for a new job.
Letting go does not absolve you of your responsibilities in life. You are not
letting go of life, you are letting  go of your personal reactions to life. Your
personal reactio ns do not help you deal with situations in a constructive
manner—they actually cloud your ability to make good decisions.
When all is said and done, you’re going to find the majority of your
inner disturbance falls into the category of low-hanging fruit. The only
reason there’ s a problem is because you defined it that way. You are the
problem, and that can’ t be solved outside. It can only be solved inside.Chapter 32.
The Past
You’re driving down the street and a billboard reminds you of something
that troubled you in the past. Perhaps it was an event that happened eight
years ago. What is the benefit of getting disturbed by that? You just ruined
your day for no good reason. Just because something bothered  you in the
past doesn’ t mean it should still be bothering you. After all, it’s no longer
happening. You think that since you don’t want to go through it again, you
need to remember how bad it was. That’ s like saying you need a doggy bag
for the food that made you sick so you can take it home, taste it each
morning, and remember how sick it made you. You would never do that
with bad food, so why do you do it with bad experiences?
We are now ready to pay attenti on to another area that is very ripe for
spiritual growth, your past. You probably won’ t agree at first, but it also
falls under one-hundred-percent cost and zero benefit. Of what possible
benefit could it be to still be bothered by something that happened before
that isn’t happen ing now? It’s already over. There is zero benefit to being
bothered by something that is not even happening. On the other hand, there
is certai nly an amazing cost: your entire mental, emotional, and even
physical health.
Instead, if you let experiences pass completely through you when they
are actually happening, they will touch you to the core of your being and
become part of you without leaving any scars. You will simply be able to
learn from the experience and grow. Once you fully digest an experience,
you will natural ly know how to deal with it should it happen again. If you
touched a hot stove when you were a child, you don’t have to keep the
painful experience in the forefront of your mind. You don’t need to always
remind yourself that stoves are hot and can hurt you. If you do that, you willhave made a samskara out of the experience instead of simply learning from
it. Don’ t worry, you will know darn well not to touch a hot stove again.
Similarly, once you have learne d a sport or a musical instrument, you
don’t have to keep thinking about how to play—it becomes second nature.
That means it has integrated into your whole being. It becomes totally
natural, and you never need to think about it again as you do it. That is how
all your past learning experiences should be, effortlessly there when you
actually need them, never bothering you when you don’t. If you process
your experiences properly, they will always be there to serve you, never to
haunt you.
Perhaps this exercise will help you understand what it means to fully
process somethi ng instead of having to pass it through your thinking mind.
Just for a moment, glance at the scene in front of you. How hard was it for
you to see it? Obviously, it took no effort at all; you just instantly saw it.
What if the finest artist in the world called you on the phone  wanting to
paint what you saw, right then. How long would it take you to describe
everything to them? We’re talking about every color shade, reflection of
light, grain variation in the wood, every single detail. That would be a very
long phone call. Yet you saw it all in a billionth of a second. That is the
difference betw een consciousn ess just seeing versus the mind trying to
process what is seen.
This difference holds true for all life’s experiences. When you have an
experience, it can simply come in and touch consciousness directly. It
doesn’ t need the mind to judge it as desirable or undesirable and then store
it accordingly. Just as you were able to see the scene in front of you in full
detail without “thinking” about it, so you can integrate the fullness of your
experiences into your being without having to block them in your mind.
There’s nothing richer than a fully processed experience integrated into
your whole being.
How many incid ences from your past would you like to truly be done
with rather than having to deal with them mentally and emotionally, long
after they are ancient history? In fact, to achieve deep spirituality, your
unfinished past cannot be inside of you. It must be gone—not suppressed,
but gone. You will see over time that when those blocked patter ns are gone,
all that is left is the flow of spirit. What is left is the most beautiful thing
that could ever exist.How do you let go of the past? It’s very straightforward. The past
blockages will come up on their own on a daily basis, and when they do—
let them go. There is no game here. It’s quite simple. Outside events cause
stored patterns to come up. Good, let them come up. Things are going to
happen in your life that hit your samskaras. If samskaras are in there, they
are going to get hit. The world is perfect for each person’ s growth, but not
for the reason you think. The world is a perfect fit for everyone’ s growth
because everyon e is looking at the world through their own blockages. It’s
the same as with the Rorschach inkblot test. It’s not that the inkblot is
perfectly tailored to bring up your issues. It’s that you are looking at the
inkblot through the veil of your issues and projecting your issues onto it.
That’ s why the same inkblot works fine for diagnosing all patients, just as
the same  world works perfectly  for everyone’ s growth. If you want to see
what is really out there, you need to get rid of your inner issues.
Our scientists tell us there’ s really nothing out there—just a bunch of
atoms made up of electrons, neutrons, and protons. Our quantum physicists
go even further. They tell us that there’ s really just a quantum field of pure
energy that has both wave and particle characteristics. The subatomic
particles emanating from this energy field (quarks, leptons, and bosons) are
what make up our entire universe. Though you couldn’ t care less about
these particles, the structures they create come in through your senses, hit
your stored blockages, and it gets uncomfortable in there. You are doing
this; the subatomic particles can’t be doing this. To free yourself, the
moment you notice disturban ce, let go. Don’ t wait until that initial
disturbance takes over your mind. You are perfectly aware that you’re
beginning to get upset before you actually get upset. You feel it. You feel
when something starts to bother you. If you want to grow spiritually, that’s
the moment when you do the work.
This is the essence of spiritual growth. If you work on yourself,  you’re
going to create a beautiful place  inside to live. This is more important than
your marriage or your family. It’s more important than your job or your
career. You’re working on yourself directly instead of indirectly. If you
create a beautifu l inner environment, you can have a wonderful  marriage, a
wonderful family


 Zen Buddhism bring the body
under control through sheer focused awareness. When you felt
your he artbeat and breathing, for example, you took the first step
to co ntrolling both processes at once through the vagus nerve, one
of the ten cranial nerves that  extend from the brain to the rest of
the central nervous system.
The vag us nerve is a wanderer, tracing its course like the t runk
line of an old-fashioned tel ephone system from brain to neck,
down into the chest, past the heart, and extending into the
abdomen. It is the longest cranial nerve, and its fibers both send
and receive sensory information. Most of the sensations you
experienced in the exercise you just did were channeled through
the vagus nerve.
You can take advantage of t his knowledge in a practical way
through “vagal breathing,” which consists of inhaling to the count
of fo ur, holding the breath to the count of two, and exhaling to the
count o f four. This simple rhythm of 4-2-4 is easy for a  normal
healthy adult, and no one should try to force it to the point of
gasping or feeling uncomfort able. To the great surprise of medical
researchers, vagal breathing is the best way to reduce  stress,
particularly the immediate signs of ragged breath, increased heart
rate, and muscle tension.
It tu rns out tha t chronic, low-level stress is more important and
more pervasive  than acute stress. In modern life, being in a state
of chronic low-level stress is so common as to be accepted as
normal. But your body doesn’t experience it as normal at all; the
earliest beginn ings of heart disease, hypertension, sle ep and
digestive disorders, and probably some cancers can be traced to
chronic stress.It is  no accide nt that the location of these disorders par allels
the course of th e vagus nerve, which serves to communicate stress
to the heart, stomach, digestive tract, and then the rest of the body
as t he nervous system branches out. Vagal breathing brings the
state of  the body back into ba lance and relieves tension. So even if
you haven’t come to the real ization that everything physical and
mental happens in consc iousness—meaning that our body
happens in consciousness—here is an unmistakable clue.
We accept that a skill like walking and riding a bike is
permanent onc e it has been learned. But, at a more basic l evel, the
biorhythms th at sustain the bodymind as a whole were learned
and absorbed millions of ye ars ago by our hominid ancestors.
Modern life pushes us to unlearn them, as witnessed by the huge
number of people with digest ive and sleep disorders. Both of those
functions are controlled thro ugh built-in biorhythms. On ce your
body has forgotten how to express a biorhythm, the effec t is like
one trumpet or violin playing a different piece of music from the
rest of the orchestra—the whole symphony is ruined.
Vagal b reathing may wind up being very useful beyond its
ability t o norm alize heart rate, lower blood pressure, and make
breathing more regular. It’s  a good practice to use in bed just
before you fall asleep. Mild to moderate insomnia can often be
eased o r totally healed. General stress is eased, including stressful
thoughts and a racing mind, which countless people experience
when they try to go to sleep.
I’ve gone into a little detail (the whole topic is covered in depth
in The Healing Self, which I coauthored with Rudy Tanzi) to make
the point that a physical map  of the nervous system, the operation
of the vagus n erve, consciously intervening in its operation, and
sensing the results directly ar e all one thing. The direct path leads
us b ack to that  one thing, wh ich will, in time, completely end the
state of  separation and allow us to rest in wholeness, which is
reality.
Y o u r  B o d y,  Y o u r  S t o r yOnce you begin to experience your body in awareness,
transformation starts to oc cur. You are moving out of the
separation between mind and body toward wholeness. You need
to be whole to be who you truly are. The direct path is experiential.
It’s not theoretical, nor is it therapy or a spiritual journey.
As you experie nce your body in awareness, you have taken time
out from your story. This seems like a modest thing, a moment or
two spent in d oing nothing but being here. Yet there’s no other
way to disman tle your story that is this direct. Millions of people
benefit from therapy and walking the spiritual path. But
eventually we must all face the fact that everything  we do, even in
the name of h ealing and spirituality, is taking place inside our
story. As a res ult, we can get glimpses of wholeness—these are
often q uite beautiful and uplifting—yet they do not carry us to
metareality as our home.
At t he moment you are your story—it can’t be helped—and this
keeps you trapped in separation. The word separation  may not
come to mind; you might n ot even consider it a prob lem. To
illustrate, cons ider the following sentences, which all of us have
said or heard:
I hate my body.
You’re only as old as you think you are.
Youth is wasted on the young.
I used to have a perfect figure.
The statements express diffe rent sentiments, but each reflects
the sep aration of mind and body. “I hate my body” comes from
someone who feels trapped in physicality. The person is
bemoaning what she has done to her body, or what her body has
done to  her. The state of sep aration is obvious. “I” is pla ying the
part of the victim, and “body” is the culprit.
“You are only as old as yo u think you are” is much more
optimistic, asserting that the mind can overcome the deterioration
of aging. Yet, as we all know, this is in part wishful thinkin g. Aging
is an inexorable process. It is much better to have a positive
attitude toward it than a negative one—society is benefiting fromthe “new old age,” which env isions every stage of life as v igorous,
productive, and  healthy. But a thought or a belief isn’t the same as
a state of awareness. “You’r e only as old as you think y ou are”
cannot substitu te for the true self. When established in yo ur sense
of s elf as a permanent state, aging holds no threat beca use you
identify with the timeless (we will go into what the timeless state
means in the next section). A good attitude toward the aging
process still leaves you trapped in your story.
Oscar Wilde’s quip “Youth is wasted on the young” puts a witty
face on  a sad w ish that many people have: If only I could  go back
in t ime, I’d live my life so much better. Regret over the  past is
mingled into everyone’s story, and the basis for this regret  (and its
opposite, which  is nostalgia) is that the passage of time has power
over us. “I used to have a perfect figure” states this more directly
by c onnecting  the passing of the years with a loss of physical
attractiveness, while implying that “a perfect figure” is the  same as
self-worth and sexual desirability.
These example s of how the mind feels separate and different
from the body could be expan ded endlessly. The body is su bject to
all man ner of judgment, and yet the underlying process, whether
you lov e your body or hate it, hasn’t been examined closely. This
underlying process is the inescapable way your body has absorbed
every detail of your life story and now mirrors it. To be tra pped in
your story and trapped in y our body are the same thin g. Your
brain has been shaped every minute since you were born, and it
has communicated everything you experience to the body’s fifty
trillion cells, which in turn pass the messages on to your DNA.
Wholeness, then, isn’t just a mental shift. It’s a revolution in
the bodymind that undoes the past, beginning in the brain but
reaching out to liberate eve ry cell and influencing the genetic
activity in each cell. To see ho w this revolution occurs, let me go to
the heart of every story, which is time.
H o w  t o  B e  T i m e l e s sThere was a period in infancy when your experience was
original and authentic. You were too young to interpret the world
on your own. All your development was occupied with the basics
of walk ing, talking, exploring the world, and so on. Let’s call this
the pre story period of life. W illiam Blake divided one group of
poems i nto “so ngs of innocence” and “songs of experience,” which
were a nonbiblical narrative  of the Fall from Grace. Like the
romantics who were to follow, and who idolized him, Blake
believed


	“tour”	of	hidden	toxic	residues,	Cynthia,	Tom	and	I	took	a	walk	downthe	frozen	foods	aisle.	According	to	the	1982–1986
FDA	Total	Diet	Study,
frozen	french	fries	contained	70	different	pesticide	residues.	Frozen	pizzas	had
67	industrial	and	pesticide	residues.	Frozen	chocolate	cake	contained	61	toxic
residues	and	milk	chocolate	had	93.	Peanut	butter	had	a	whopping	183,
including	highly	carcinogenic	aflatoxin,	which	is	produced	by	a	mold	that	grows
on	peanuts.
Lurking	in	all	the	aisles	was	another	overlooked	danger:	packaging	materials.
The	toxins	in	packaging	materials	(such	as	plastic	wrap,	plastic	bottles,	milk
containers,	juice	boxes,	Styrofoam	and	epoxy	can	linings)	can	leach	toxins	into
our	foods	before	we	eat	them.	Foods	coming	into	contact	with	packaging
materials	that	contain	water	or	oil-soluble	toxic	chemicals	can	absorb	these
chemicals,	and	then	the	consumer	ingests	them.	Portions	of	the	polymers,
plasticizers,	stabilizers,	fillers	and	even	colorants	in	plastic	wrap	can	dissolve
into	the	food.	Avoid	foods	packaged	in	plastic.	Choose	foods	packaged	in	more
appropriate	materials,	such	as	paper	and	glass.	It’s	ironic	that	people	sometimes
spend	extra	money	to	buy	organic	foods,	yet	the	foods	may	be	wrapped	in	toxic
packaging.	Why	purchase	organic	meat	in	a	Styrofoam	tray	topped	with	plastic
shrink-wrap,	or	organic	canned	goods	in	an	epoxy-lined	can?	Unfortunately,
these	conveniences	come	at	a	price,	and	that	price	is	the	bioaccumulation	of
toxic	chemicals	in	your	body	and	subsequent	disease.
Choosing	Your	Oils:	A	Slippery	Slope
We	continued	our	shopping	trip,	learning	how	to	avoid	foods	that	invite
sickness.	In	the	oils	and	salad	dressings	section,	I	reminded	Cynthia	and	Tom
that	almost	all	oils	on	supermarket	shelves	are	processed	and	toxic.	These	toxic
oils	also	find	their	way	into	a	variety	of	prepared	and	processed	foods,	including
salad	dressings,	canned	and	baked	goods.
Most	oils,	especially	peanut,	cottonseed	and	soybean,	are	highly	contaminated
with	pesticide	residues	toxic	to	the	nervous	system.	Many	modern	oils	use
chemical	extraction	methods,	which	leave	solvent	residues	that	are	lung	irritants,
nerve	depressants	and	detrimental	to	health	in	general.	Even	oils	that	have	been
cold-pressed	(rather	than	chemically	extracted)	often	are	refined	with	toxic
chemicals	and	exposed	to	high	temperatures	in	their	bleaching	and	deodorizing
processes,	making	the	oils	toxic.	Exposed	to	high	temperatures,	nutrients	in	these
oils	are	altered	and	turned	into	toxic,	trans-fatty	acids	and	a	variety	of	other
toxins	(aldehydes,	ketones	and	hydroperoxides).	About	one-third	of	all	the	oil
sold—whether	bottled	or	contained	in	margarine,	vegetable	shortenings,	baked
goods,	breakfast	cereals,	peanut	butter,	etc.—has	been	hydrogenated	or	partiallyhydrogenated	and	contains	toxic	trans-fatty	acids	and	numerous	other	toxic
chemicals.
Since	these	processed	oils	have	come	into	widespread	use,	the	incidence	of
myocardial	infarction	(a	type	of	heart	attack)	has	increased	eightyfold,	and	heart
disease,	formerly	rare,	has	become	a	leading	cause	of	death.	Coincidence?
According	to	Udo	Erasmus,	author	of
Fats	That	Heal,	Fats	That	Kill,
the	reason
for	these	burgeoning	health	problems	is	that	processed	oils	promote	a	condition
known	as	“fatty	degeneration.”	In	this	book,	Erasmus	wrote:	“Sixty-eight
percent	of	people	die	from	just	three	conditions	that	involve	fatty	degeneration:
cardiovascular	disease,	cancer	and	diabetes.”	Only	a	handful	of	healthful	fats
and	oils	are	on	the	market:	organic	butter	or	ghee,	high-quality	olive	oil	(difficult
to	find),	and	high-quality	essential	fatty	acid	products	such	as	flaxseed	oil	(see
appendix	C	for	my	personal	choices).
Dangers	in	Dairy	and	Meat
Our	little	group	arrived	at	the	dairy	section.	As	you	recall,	milk	and	dairy
products	are	not	appropriate	for	human	consumption	and	should	be	avoided	by
everyone,	especially	infants	and	young	children.	Toxic	bioaccumulation	is	a
problem;	virtually	all	of	the	toxins	to	which	a	cow	is	exposed	during	its	life
bioaccumulate	in	its	tissues,	and	these	toxins	are	then	present	in	its	milk.	You
should	regard	milk	as	a	toxic	soup	filled	with	pesticides,	antibiotics,	dioxins,
hormones,	sulfa	drugs,	tranquilizers	and	other	contaminants.	Worse,	the	practice
of	pasteurization	(a	heat	treatment	done	to	virtually	all	milk	products	to	kill
bacteria)	alters	the	physical	and	chemical	properties	of	the	milk.	Pasteurization
not	only	renders	the	nutrients	less	useful	to	your	body	but	creates	toxins	as	well.
Between	the	toxic	bioaccumulation,	the	pasteurization	and	the	fact	that	milk
products	make	up	25	to	50	percent	of	many	Americans’	diets,	milk	is	a	major
contributing	factor	to	our	high	rates	of	infectious,	allergic	and	chronic	disease.	In
fact,	milk	consumption	has	been	linked	to	many	diseases,	including
osteoporosis,	multiple	sclerosis,	diabetes,	heart	disease	and	cancer.	My
recommendation	to	Cynthia	and	Tom	was	that	they	eliminate	milk	and	milk
products	from	their	family	diet;	I	recommend	the	same	to	you.	Milk	does	not	do
your	body	good.
Animal	products	were	our	next	stop.	Meat	and	eggs	can	have	serious	toxicity
problems.	Though	animal	products	contain	essential	nutrients	(and	I	do	not
recommend	a	diet	devoid	of	them),	you	must	choose	your	sources	carefully.	The
nutritional	value	of	a	food	source	should	always	be	weighed	against	the	toxins	it
contains	or	is	likely	to	contain.Commercial	livestock	contain	many	toxins,	which	become	concentrated	in
their	tissues.	Foods	from	commercial	cattle	(and	their	milk),	chickens	(and	their
eggs)	and	most	farmed	fish	are	all	poor	food	choices.	All	their	lives,	these
animals	are	fed	foods	that	are	lacking	in	nutrition	and	toxic	(contaminated	with
pesticides	and	other	agricultural	chemicals).	Pound	for	pound,	livestock	feed	is
substantially	more	toxic	than	the	foods	we	eat,	not	to	mention	that	large	animals
like	cattle	eat	a	lot	more	food	than	we	do.	When	you	eat	these	highly	toxic
animals,	or	products	derived	from	them,	the	toxins	enter	you.	In	1976,	the	EPA
studied	human	breast	milk	and	found	that	the	toxic	contaminants	in	the	milk	of
vegetarian	mothers	was	only	1	to	2	percent	of	the	national	average.	The	solution
is	to	minimize	toxic	exposure


connection with the development of the Mongolian group. Bleyer (9)  has reported a study of 2,822
cases. He reports that of the total births in the United States in 1934, of 1,095,939, there were
1,822 reported as Mongoloids. The average age of the mothers of these individuals was forty-one
years. He reports data indicating that in the age group of mothers forty to forty-four the chances of
the development of a Mongoloid would be seventy-five times as high as normal expectancy, and in
the age forty-five to forty-nine the chances are 125 times normal expectancy. In a group of 1,942
Mongoloids, 1,100 or 57 per cent were last children. These data are in keeping with those of
several other investigators, and emphasize the problem of depleted reproductive capacity.
    The interesting problems involved in the birth of identical twins throw light on the origin of both
physical and mental characters. It is a matter of great significance in connection with these studies
that anomalies which we can associate with parental deficient nutrition are reproduced in both
twins. Important additional light has been thrown on this phase by a family of six pairs of fraternal
twins born to the same parents. These are reported by Dr. William W. Greulich, of New Haven.
(10) It is significant that nine of these individuals (one of the oldest pair is deceased, and the
youngest twins are yet babes in arms) show marked narrowing of the nostrils and lack of
development of the middle third of the face, narrowing of the face and tendency to be mouth
breathers. Further, the severity of this condition appears to be progressively more severe in the
younger pairs of twins, sufficiently grown to show facial development. There is accordingly,
evidence here of progressive lowering of reproductive efficiency, and the fact that both individuals
are involved similarly has great significance, since they are fraternal twins arising from a single
ovum. This seems clearly to relate this disturbance with a deficient germ plasm. Factors that are
reproduced in identical twins would include both hereditary characters and those that are
produced by a disturbance in environment resulting in an interference with normal hereditary
processes. In a case of twins that are not identical, there is significance in the development of
similar deformities which are likely to be of acquired origin rather than of hereditary origin. In Fig.
127 is seen a pair of twins. Note that they have similar disturbance in the development of the
dental arches with the upper laterals depressed and the cuspids crowded outward in the arch.
FIG. 127. These boys are twins, not identical. Note, however,
both have same type of deformity of the dental arch,
7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 224/250apparently due to the same cause.
    A very important source of information which deals with the relation of disturbances of the
physical development of the head and mentality is provided by a study of the members of the teen-
age group who are classed as mentally backward. In an examination of a Cleveland school in a
colored district that has been set aside largely for boys and girls who are distinctly deficient in their
ability to learn, it was disclosed that a very large percentage suffered from gross facial deformities
when judged by these standards. Typical individuals in this group are shown in Fig. 128, one is
white, lower left. It is clear that these boys were all physically injured in the formative period. Their
clinical history indicates that the brain was involved in this disturbed development.
FIG. 128. These four boys are typical of a group of several
hundred in a special school for backward children. Practically
all showed some evidence of incomplete facial and dental
arch development. The range of defects is wide. Blacks are
similarly injured as whites. This is inhibited heredity.
    One of the problems involved in the development of the group of disturbances having physical
and mental expressions, is associated with the sensitiveness of the body during the period of
adolescence. Many students of degenerative problems have emphasized various phases of this
large problem. Burt" commented: "It is almost as though crime were some contagious disease, to
which the constitutionally susceptible were suddenly exposed at puberty, or to which puberty left
them peculiarly prone." The age of adolescence is also the period of greatest susceptibility to
dental caries. Data derived from chemical studies of the blood and saliva show that in this period
of susceptibility to dental caries the supplies of minerals and vitamins are inadequate to meet
Nature's demands, and the system borrows minerals from the skeleton to maintain vital processes.
Lichtenstein and Brown (12) report data which reveal that educational quotients, like intelligence
quotients, fall with increase in age during the years of developing puberty. They show that the
educational quotient at nine years of age for the group studied was 100; at eleven years of age, 89;
at twelve years, 83; and at thirteen years, 74. The changes in facial and dental arch form, which I
have described at length in this volume, develop in this age period also, not as a result of faulty
nutrition of the individual but as the result of distortions in the architectural design in the very early
part of the formative period. Apparently, they are directly related to qualities in the germ plasm of
one or both parents, which result from nutritional defects in the parent before the conception took
place, or deficient nutrition of the mother in the early part of the formative period. Case records
show that the first signs of delinquency generally make their appearance during these years. The
age reported most frequently was that of thirteen.7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 225/250    One expression of the rate of the progressive degeneration that is taking place in the United
States is the increase in delinquency and crime in young people between twelve and twenty years
of age, as well as in crime in general. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Bureau of Investigation, has
recently published data showing comparative figures for 1936 and 1937, during which time crimes
in the United States increased from 1,333,526 to 1,415,816, an increase of six per cent. This
increase is occurring in spite of the rapid development of social organizations for improving the
environment.
    Preventive measures among the unsocial group, who pass through the stages of predelinquency
and crime, have been almost entirely confined to improvement in the social surroundings of the
growing youth. While, no doubt, individuals with a low factor of safety are less likely to develop
serious criminal tendencies under favorable environments, such factors as constitute a first-
conditioning force, i.e., injury of the germ plasm, and deficient nutrition in the developmental period
are not corrected by these efforts. These new data relating to the nature of the underlying causes
strongly emphasize the need for beginning much earlier. Indeed, the preparation for the next
generation should begin early in the life of the preceding generation.
    Many investigators have emphasized the sensitiveness of the nervous system to disturbances in
the formative period. Considerable data have been presented indicating that the tissues of the
nervous system are the most easily affected of all the structures of the body. The extent of the
injuries to the nervous system vary through a wide range.
    Harris in his chapter on "Congenital Abnormalities of the Skeleton" in Blacker's (13)  "Chances of
Morbid Inheritance" has presented data indicating the sensitive period at which the ovum is most
likely to be injured:
    Few normal human embryos have been subjected to careful study. The vast majority of
human embryos examined have been abnormal, and it is their abnormality which has led to their
abortion between the sixth and thirteenth weeks of embryonic life, a critical period associated
with the development of the placenta, during which the death rate is probably in the
neighborhood of at least 15 per cent.
In tracing the development of the human embryo, he tells why the growth process is very different
from that of the development of embryos of lower forms. He states regarding deformed ova: "Ova
that survive the eighth week tend to live on to term, and are born as monsters." I have referred
previously to a personal communication from Professor Shute, of the University of Western
Ontario, which states that he had been impressed with the high percentage of deformities in
aborted fetuses. This seems to be Nature's method of eliminating defective individuals. Harris says
further:
    It is sometimes suggested that threatened abortions in early pregnancy should not be treated
by rest and quiet, as it is quite possible that the uterus is attempting to rid itself of a
pathological ovum which might become a monster in the future.
    The available data emphasize strongly that a very small percentage of the total gross deformities
ever develop to menace society. Harris quotes Mall: (14)
   He estimated from the records of 100,000 pregnancies that there were 80,572 normal births,
11,765 abortions of normal embryos and early monsters, and 615 monsters born at term. Thus at
term 1 child in 132 is born with some anatomical defect. For each such case appearing at term, 12
others died and were aborted during pregnancy.
    These data deal with gross defects involving physical deficiencies in the infant and indicate that
the defects that are produced in the formative period


. A human body requires the same
simple ingredients, repeated countless times at different levels of the
physiology. You are a knower, your body is the object you form with your
knowledge, and the millions of cellular functions taking place inside you are
the process of knowing. DNA  too is a knower, but on a different scale,
parceling out its knowledge in the form of biochemicals. On yet another
scale, a red blood corpuscle is a knower, knowing how to attach itself to
oxygen atoms for transport to all other cells in the body.
This threefold model of knowle dge enables us to see how one thing—our
inner intelligence—diversifies itself into endless combinations of things.
Your 50 trillion cells, bound together as a community by hundreds of
enzymes, proteins, peptides, amino acids, et cetera, represent an incredible
display of one becoming many. Yet it is dangerous to get lost in the display.
The “mistake of the intellect” occurs when the mind forgets its real source—
the one intelligence flowing through every cell—and becomes hopelessly
lost in the many. To prove that this is not just a philosophical point, let’s turn
to some groundbreaking experiments that demonstrate a startlingly simple
solution to the aging process. To understand these experiment s, we need a
little background in physiology.
Chronological age (how old you are according to your birth certificate) is
one way to measure the aging process, but not the most accurate one, since
people vary widely in how their bodies change over time. Physiologists
therefore refer to a second measure, called biological age, which measures
the actual rate of aging in a person’ s cells, tissues, and organ systems.
Chronological age matches biological age only when you are young. Two
healthy 20-year -olds are likely to look almost identical if you compare their
hearts, livers, skin, eyesight, and so on. But after middle age no two people
have aged the same. Two 70-year -olds present drastically different profiles:
one has arthritis, the other heart disease; one is myopic, the other not; and so
on. This means that biologi cal aging, though an accurate measure
theoretically, is difficult to pin down, short of looking at every  organ in the
body. Fortunatel y, there are accepted ways to measure biological age, which
include such things as near-point vision, acuity of hearing, and systolic
blood pressure (the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is pumping).These biologica l markers of aging usually deteriorate steadil y over time;
therefore, they give a reliable approximation of the biological age of the
whole body at a given chronological age.
Several years ago a team of researchers made the exciting discovery that
the biological markers of aging can be retarded or even reversed through
meditation. The research was headed by Dr. R. Keith Wallace, a physiologist
who studied eighty-four meditat ors with an average chronological age of 53.
He divided his subjects into two groups according to how long they had been
regularly practic ing meditation. One group had meditated for at least five
years, the other for fewer than five years.
Wallace found that meditation made his subjects biologically younger than
their years, and by a considerable amount: the short-term meditators were
five years younger than their chronological age, the long-term meditators a
full twelve years younger. In other words, a woman of 60 who had been
practicing medit ation for at least five years would typically have  the body of
a 48-year -old, biologically speaking. (This does not include cosmetic
changes in skin and hair, although many of the subjects did have strikingly
youthful appear ances.) These results did not depend on any other factor;
people were screened for diet, exercise, and other habits. Interestingly, the
controls revealed that not eating red meat was correlated with a slightly
younger biological age, in keeping with various findings on the longer life
span of vegetarians.
Wallace’ s findings were unprecedented at the time. Follow-up studies
were soon cond ucted in England that confirmed his research. In one group,
meditators were seven years younger in their biological age. When the same
people were measured a year and a half later, they scored a further drop of
one and a half years, implying that a year of meditation takes off a year of
biological age.
More recently, Dr. Jay Glaser, a physician with a strong background in
meditation, decided to pursue one of the naturally occurring chemicals in our
bodies that may be connected with longevity. He measured the level of an
adrenal hormon e called DHEA  (dehydroepiandrosterone) in meditators.
Although the precise function of this hormone remains mysterious, it isknown that DHEA  reaches its highest levels at around age 25 and then
declines in almost a straight line, year by year, until by age 70 only 5 percent
of it remains. Initial enthusiasm over DHEA  developed when it was injected
in large doses into laboratory animals and showed striking anti-aging
properties. Older animals showed renewed vigor, improve d immunity,
increased muscle tone, and better memory.
Glaser found that levels of DHEA  were significantly higher in all ages of
meditators compared to a matched group of nonmeditators. This was true for
both men and women, with the biggest difference showing up in the oldest
subjects. For example, Glaser found that the older meditators had the same
DHEA  as nonmeditators five to ten years younger. He interpreted these
finding to sugge st that meditation somehow increases the natural production
of this interesting hormone.
Researchers have studied the effects of giving DHEA  to people with
mixed results. Although experiments with DHEA  have shown that it causes
changes in hormonal levels and may improve people’ s mood, it has not yet
been found to have the same convincing benefits on memory or vitality in
humans as it does in animals. Still, it is intriguing that a simple mental
meditation technique can induce changes in a hormone that seems to play a
role in the aging process. This biochemical clue gives support to the
experience of people meditating who often report that they feel mentally and
physically younger.
RASA YANAS—HERBS FOR LONGEVITY
Herbs are an immense part of Ayurvedic medicine that we have not yet
touched on. Many thousands of medicinal herbs are prescribed in Ayurveda,
and experienced Ayurvedic doctors often include herbs as part of their
treatment. This is because herbs are not the same as drugs, but are more
general and milder in effect. The simplest way to view herbs is as
concentrated food. One of the ways in which herbs are traditionally
classified is according to taste, using the six rasas—sweet, sour, salty, bitter,
pungent, and astringent—that apply to food.However, herbs are more potent and specific in their action. A bitter herb
like quinine can bring Pitta down promptly, making it useful for reducing
fever and inflammation. A pungent chili can instantly drain excess mucus as
it reduces Kapha. An astringent  spice like turmeric can dry the phlegm in a
sore throat in a matter of minutes. In the section on diet in part III, I give
some of the common household  herbs that can be used at home to balance
your doshas. Using herbs in combination with food is a safe approach.
For treating disease, stronger herbs are employed, which need to be
medically supervised. In our Center we use specific herbs in the context of a
holistic approac h. Ayurvedic herbs are usually taken from the whole plant,
which reduces the possibility of harmful side effects. The principle here is
that the herb’ s active ingredient is packaged in the plant with other chemicals
that buffer it, offsetting its possible undesirable actions. In other words, in
Ayurveda the whole plant is part of nature’ s pharmacy. In Western medicine,
however, only the active ingredient is regarded as useful.
HOW  AYUR VEDIC HERBS WORK
As they apply to longevity, the Ayurvedic texts list some special herbs,
alone or in combination, that are classified as rasayana. The word loosely
translates as “nourishing the essence of life.” Rasayanas are not youth
potions, they are correctives for loss of memory in the cells. Each herb is a
packet of vibrations that specifically matches a vibration in the quantum
mechanical body.
The liver, for example, is built up from a specific sequence of vibrations at
the quan tum level. In the case of liver malfunction, some disru ption of the
proper sequence in these vibrations is at fault. According to Ayurveda, an
herb exists with this exact same  sequence, and when applied, it restores the
liver’s functioning.
The principle at work here is called complementarity. Complementarity
holds that “nature thinks everywhere alike,” a Vedic slogan that means that
nature uses the same materials when making plants, minerals,  mantras, or
human bodies. These are not just similar molecules (although it is the samecarbon that goes into coal, diamonds, sugar, and blood). What is more basic
still are the subtle vibrations that hold molecules together; these  are the real
building blocks  of nature, according to the Vedic sages.


kin	cells	to	allow	new,
fresh	cells	to	grow	in	their	place.	If	you	don’t	slough	old	cells,	it’s	harder	for
your	body	to	absorb	the	ingredients	from	your	skin-care	products;	they	will
more	likely	just	sit	on	the	surface	of	the	older,	dead	skin	cells	and	not	do	you
any	real
good.	What	a	waste!	This	is	similar	to	the	concept	of	internal
detoxification.	You	have	to	make	space	for	the	new	raw	materials	to	come	in
and	be	absorbed	and	assimilated	so	they	can	be	used	to	fuel	your	beauty.
AHAs	exfoliate	without	scrubbing	with	physically	dense	abrasives	such	as
grains,	granules,	apricot	pits,	and	the	like,	which	can	lead	to	broken	capillaries
and	damaged	pores.	However,	if	your	skin	is	dark	or	particularly	sensitive,	be
very	careful	to	avoid	irritation.	There	are	various	kinds	of	AHAs	and	different
strengths	to	choose	from,	including	malic,	mandelic,	lactic,	and	glycolic	acids.
The	mandelic	and	malic	acids	tend	to	be	much	safer	for	dark	skin,	though	be
sure	to	ask	your	dermatologist	if	you	are	unsure	which	AHAs	are	right	for	your
skin,	and	ask	what	strength	to	use.	AHAs	can	also	make	your	skin	more
sensitive	to	sunlight,	so	be	sure	to	protect	yourself	properly.
Green	Tea
Green	tea	is	a	fantastic	ingredient	to	include	in	your	skin-care	routine	due	to	its
polyphenols,	a	type	of	flavonoid	that	enacts	powerful	antioxidant	activity.
Topically	applied,	green	tea	can	help	reduce	inflammation	in	your	skin,	thereby
preventing	or	slowing	the	formation	of	lines	and	wrinkles	and	reducing	sagging
skin.	Some	studies	have	shown	that	green	tea	can	also	reduce	damage	from
environmental	pollution	and	sun	damage.
9
PeptidesPeptides	are	protein	fragments	that	have	been	shown	to	have	some	beneficial
effects	on	skin.	In	particular,	they	help	heal	damaged	tissue	from	scars	and
wrinkles	and	stimulate	the	production	of	healthy	normal	skin.	Some	research
has	shown	that	peptides	can	help	enhance	cell	communication,
10
	regulating	the
exchange	and	growth	rates	between	layers	of	skin	cells.	Peptides	can	also	prevent
harmful	oxidation	that	damages	the	skin,	and	they	have
anti-inflammatory
properties	that	can	better	set	up	your	skin	to	heal	itself.
Essential	Fatty	Acids	(EFAs)
EFAs	reduce	the	amount	of	moisture	lost	through	your	epidermis,	the	top	layer
of	your	skin,	thereby	keeping	your	skin	soft	and	elastic	instead	of	dried	out.
They	are	particularly	protective	in	cold	or	windy	weather,	which	can	strip	away
the	skin’s	lipid	barrier	and	contribute	to	skin	conditions	such	as	eczema.	The
anti-inflammatory	properties	of	these	essential	fats	are	also	helpful	for	eczema
and	psoriasis,	and	in	preventing	inflammation	that	can	contribute	to	aging.
There	are	many	natural	sources	for	these	essential	fatty	acids,	such	as	shea
butter,	kukui	nut,	jojoba,	rosehip,	sesame	seed,	black	currant,	evening	primrose,
camellia	seed,	almond,	apricot	kernel,	argan,	hemp	seed,	manuka,	kokum,
pumpkin	seed,	olive,	black	cumin	seed,	coconut,	sea	buckthorn,	avocado,
borage,	tamanu,	and	walnut	oils.
Hyaluronic	Acid	(HA)
The	body	uses	hyaluronic	acid	to	make	new	cells,	and	it	is	a	natural	compound
found	in	the	skin.	As	we	age,	we	produce	less	of	this	acid,	so	adding	it	back
helps	repair	the	skin	and	reduce	inflammation.	As	a	skin-care	product
ingredient,	it	helps	not	only	to	deliver	moisture	to	the	skin	but	also	to	hold	it
there,	preventing	moisture	loss	for	continued	smooth	skin	while	protecting	the
skin	from	dirt,	debris,	and	pollutants.	It	doesn’t	penetrate	too	deeply,	staying
near	the	surface	of	your	skin.	Hyaluronic	acid	was	once	produced	largely	from
the	comb	of	a	rooster,	but	thankfully	it	is	now	produced	in	a	lab	from	a
fermentation	process	that	involves	plant	materials.
Clay
There	are	different	kinds	of	clays,	which	are	a	highly	beneficial	ingredient	to
include	in	skin	masks.	Sometimes	masks	are	pushed	to	the	side	in	a	skin-care
routine,	but	applying	masks	is	an	ancient	beauty	tool	that	can	be	very	beneficial
to	use	at	least	once	a	week	(depending	on	your	skin	type)	to	help	you	maintain
beautiful	skin	for	the	long-term.
Clay	is	a	unique	ingredient	with	the	ability	to	absorb	excess	oils,	dirt,	andharmful	toxins	from	the	skin.	Clays	are	made	up	of	different	mineral	contents,
which	are	unique	to	different	types	of	clays,	and	these	minerals	help	rejuvenate
the	skin	as	the	clay	simultaneously	exfoliates	and	stimulates	blood	circulation
to	the	skin.	The	more	regularly	you	use	clays,	the	fresher	your	skin	will	look.
Improved	circulation	and	the	removal	of	debris	from	your	pores	instantly
improve	the	brightness	of	your	skin.
Rose	clay	is	mild	kaolin	clay	that	is	great	for	normal	to	dry	skin	and	gently
helps	cleanse,	exfoliate,	and	improve	skin’s	condition.	It	gets	its	delicate	pink
color	from	the	iron	oxides	it	contains.	White	clay,	also	known	as	China	clay,	is
basically	kaolinite	and	is	the	mildest	of	all	clays.	It	helps	stimulate	circulation
to	the	skin	while	gently	exfoliating	and	cleansing.	French	green	clay	consists
mostly	of	montmorillonite	and	is	highly	efficient	at	drawing	oils	and	toxins
from	the	skin.	It	also	helps	nourish	the	skin	with	minerals	and	phytonutrients.
It	is	great	for	oily	skin	and	is	commonly	included	in	spa	body	wraps.	It’s	not
recommended	for	sensitive	or	dry	skin.	Yellow	kaolin	clay	is	mild	and
stimulates	circulation	to	the	skin;	it	is	suitable	for	use	on	sensitive	skin	as	well
as	dry	skin.
ANCIENT	BEAUTY	INGREDIENT:
ROSE	WATER
Roses	are	one	of	the	most	universally	revered	flowers	for	their	beauty	and	sweet
fragrance,	but	what	can	they	do	for	your	skin?	In
ancient	Rome,	rose	water	was
allegedly	used	as	a	cleanser.	Some	even	bathed	in	it.	Rose	water	has	also	been	a
part	of
Indian	skin	care	for	millennia.	Just	like	natural	foods,	natural	skin-care
ingredients	can	impart	their	beautifying	properties	onto	you.	Pure,	true	rose	water
is	created	from	steam	distillation	of	damask	rose	petals.	It	smells	delicate	and
delicious	and	nothing	like	the	synthetic	and	sickeningly	strong	fragrances	that	are
used	in	toxic	sprays	and	car	air	fresheners.
Rose	water	is	said	to	have	some	antibacterial	and	antiseptic	properties	and	is
believed	to	help	restore	the	skin’s	pH	levels	and	tighten	pores


 wrought by
prayer than this world dreams of." And fasting, physical in application, conduces to the highest degree of mental clarity. Th e body,
purified of its dross, approaches more nearly the spiritual vehicle it is intended to be. Successfully conducted to the point of the
return of hunger, the body and its brain are enhanced in substance and in function. In this condition difficulties are solved,
decision s are made, and conclusions are reached with marvelous clearness and despatch.

    The Gospel relates that Jesus was led up into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted --a test through which mere man
passes daily, and ofttimes daily fails to meet. But Jesus, before temptation assailed, fasted for the approximate time needful for
physiological purification of the adult body, and the fast concluded, we are specifically told, with its physiologically corr ect
symptom, the return of hunger. We do not e rr, we think, in attributing to the Christ in the flesh the experiences of the flesh. Why
Page 61 of  72 else should he have been subjected to temptation? And physically there must have been need for regeneration, for the incident
occurred just before the beginning of hi s active ministry, when all of his power of endurance was to be called forth, and mental
acuity more than normal was to be commanded at every future moment of his physical life. And in addition the divine plan
embodied further proof of its all -embracing wi sdom in that it held up to the world divinity clothed in a material body, endowed
with physical attributes, and subjected to the test of physical desire --a test that could perfectly be withstood only by a mind
functioning in a body physiologically pure.

    The Christ invariably worked through the material, the physical, to the mental and spiritual. And perfect spirituality in man
requires its vehicle, the material body, to be physically excellent. Purity of body, purity of mind, purity of heart --these al one may
commune with the divine.

CHAPTER XX
DEATH IN THE FAST
A THEORY OF DEATH:
ELEVEN CASES OF DEATH IN THE FAST:
SUMMARY OF POST MORTEM FINDINGS

    NO FULLY satisfactory definition in explanation of what is called death in the physical body has  ever been given. In
conformity with the theory of life, upon which the belief of the author is based, a definition of physical death is offered t hat,
following the tenets of that belief, covers completely for her the phenomenon of the dissolution of the a nimal body. The theory
referred to considers energy, vitality, or life force, as an entity that emanates from a source without the animal organism, and that
animates the latter when, with the body as a laboratory, the chemical transformations necessary to life are effected. This means that
the expression of energy as exhibited in sentient living organisms is achieved with those organisms functioning merely as mea ns of
transmission, as vehicles. While the explanation may be a bit labored, its purport should be clear, and the definition of physical
death here offered is this: --when, for one reason or another, the mysterious force which permeates every sentient living body,
giving to it motion, sensation, and thought, is prevented entrance to or passage through  the organism, what is called death occurs.
This definition is not strikingly original, nor is it completely satisfying, but, after all, the sciences have not as yet bee n able to
analyze life nor the sources of life; and the phenomenon of its cessation, or  what is called death, is just as much a mystery.

    A digression may here be pardoned. Just what is to be after death, apart from what faith may predicate, we do not know. And
men should fear only what they know. They should not, like children, be afra id to go to bed in the dark, afraid of things that they
imagine. In all that we really know there is nothing about death to frighten us. We know that our bodies go back to the earth. We
know that birth and death come alike to all of us. We can remember not hing that occurred before we were born, yet this thought is
not fearsome. We know that this universe, in which the earth is but a grain of sand, is managed with marvelous wisdom and
justice. We know in consequence that we have no reason to fear injustice, or terror, or torture.

    Death in the physical body is to be regarded as having taken place when there is complete stoppage of the functions of the br ain
and of the organs of respiration and circulation, with sequent cessation of the processes dependen t upon these functions. To
amplify, death occurs whenever, through disease or shock, the brain, the storage battery of physical and mental life, becomes
unable to perform its task of transmitting energy --life force to its points of action or expression, th e vital organs of the body. Vital
organs cease functioning when there is obstruction or demolition of some portion of the main lines of transmission followed b y life
force in its passage from the brain. That this may happen by reason of long continued deni al of food to the organism is
undoubtedly true, but death from the exhaustion of inanition caused by absence of food is most rare in occurrence. On the oth er
hand, in bodies that are continuously supplied with sustenance, exhaustion from lack of nourishmen t because of disorder of the
nutritive functions proves a most usual agent of dissolution. And this is true since this sort of exhaustion, while having it s source in
the functional disability of the organs of nutrition, eventually succeeds in inhibiting th e cells of the brain from acquiring and hence
assimilating those substances necessary for their conservation.

    In average conditions death results from disease that is functional in character, not organic. In the experience of the autho r,
death during  a fast never has occurred when merely functional disorder was present, nor did it ever result for the sole reason that
food was withheld. In every instance listed in this chapter, in every instance of death that has happened during the long yea rs of
pract ice upon which this text is based, the cause of dissolution was conclusively shown by post mortem examination to have been
the inevitable consequence of obstruction through structural defect of some portion of the avenues through which life force i s
expres sed. And it is questionable whether, in a conscious being not afflicted with morbid impairment of tissue, or not so situated
that food could not be supplied when hunger made its demand, death has resulted from starvation, or, in other words, from the
exhau stion of brain sustenance. No evidence that is conclusive shows that this has ever happened.

    In disease that is functional in origin and character the fast may be carried to its logical end without a particle of anxiet y, for the
law of hunger marks t he limit beyond which abstinence may not continue lest starvation ensue. Hence, death from starvation is
impossible during a fast when functional disease is in question. In the presence of structural organic deficiency the result is not
assured. When, howe ver, impairment of tissue is slight in degree, recovery is possible; but, when the fault is such that structural
Page 62 of  72 restoration of the organ or organs affected is beyond the power of natural law, no hope of cure exists, although, because fun ctional
labor is l essened through abstinence, and distress is with certainty relieved, life may be prolonged. It is always to be remembered
that in all disease, whatever its form, the fast is nature's sole curative agency, and is then as much a function as is feedi ng in hea lth.

    The autopsies held upon the bodies of the subjects of whom the causes of death are here described disclosed in every instance
disease that was organic in character. In most of these cases arrested development of one or more of the functioning pa rts of the
body was discovered, and in all of them malformation of the intestines was displayed that must be attributed to long continue d
irritation with inflammation. These cases are those of persons who had resorted to orthodox methods for the relief of their
suffering until orthodoxy proved without avail, and who only then bethought themselves of natural law.

    In view of the defects exhibited, it is certain that malnutrition occurring in the developing period of life, coupled perhaps  with
the banefu l effects of drugs administered in the attempt to remedy disease, was responsible for fatal issue. Nature had endowed
each of these subjects at birth with presumably normal vitality; each of them had suffered early in life from severe forms of
functional d isorder; and each, with one exception, had virtually exhausted the list of medicines designated as remedies for the
symptoms displayed.

    While it is not at all a just concept to attempt to place entire responsibility for the conditions shown upon drug  dosage, it is to be
recognized that, broadly speaking, there is no drug that is in effect not a poison. It is also to be recognized that, while h arm ensues
when drugs are used for the suppression of disease in mature years, the consequences of administeri ng medical remedies in infancy
and in adolescence are much more detrimental.

    The instances of death now to be cited occurred while a fast was in progress, or while the patient was undergoing a period of
dieting. Each casts light upon the ease of diagnosis consequent upon abstinence from food as a therapeutic measure; while the


 I drove in to a new video store I had
noticed on the north side of Gainesville. It is worth
noting that I h ardly ever went into town at night. The
store was empty except for someone behind the checkout
counter. While I was browsing the movies in the back of
the stor e, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation
the clerk was having on t he phone. He was telling
someone that he had gone into a bank for a working
capital loan, but it seemed banks were not going to lend
to a small vide o store. The man looked vaguely familiarto me, but I just couldn’t p lace him. When I went to
check out, it hi t me: the man behind the counter was Jim
Owens.
Jim rec ognized me, and we c aught up on the past ten
years si nce we had last seen  each other. He told me he
had left banking and was n ow trying his hand as an
entrepreneur w ith his own bu siness. I apologetically told
him I couldn’t help overhearing his conversation about
needing a loan. Mindful of what he had done for me
years earlier, I asked if perhaps I could help. He looked
very surprised by the offer but eventually disclosed that
he w as looking for a loan of a bout $20,000 to cover cash
flow wh ile he upgraded the store. That was pretty much
the exact amount he had provided for me ten years
earlier when our roles were reversed. I couldn’t believe
this was happening. What was the probability of these
events, includi ng my being i n that store right after the
bank had rejected his loan request and exactly at the
time of  that phone conversation? It was as though after
ten years I was sent there to repay Jim’s act of kindness.
Needless to say, I was honored to make him that loan.3 0.
T h e  E v e r - E x p a n d i n g  T e m p l e  o f  t h e
U n i v e r s e
B y the spring of  1978, Built w ith Love was building fine
custom homes  and doing l arge residential remodels.
Around that time, I stopped teaching at Santa Fe. The
college invited  me to stay, but only on a full-time basis,
and I would’ve had to use a s tandard sociology textbook
for a ll m y class es. It was not as though a decision had to
be m ade; life h ad already given me a full-time job. The
transition to Built with Love had already taken place by
then. I experienced none of the mental resistance that
had been present during my previous periods of change.
As natural as a  snake sheds i ts skin, so this transition in
my life naturally took place.
Not too  long after I left Santa Fe, I was hired to build a
beautiful house for Tom Jenkins, a professional golfer on
the PGA tour. As it turned out, the Jenkinses purchased
a piece of prop erty just down the road from the Temple.
Only one lot la y between our interior field and that land.
To me it was like another miracle—I got to build my
nicest custom home within walking distance of where I
lived. And if I thought that was special, I wonder what I
would have thought if I had known that someday we
would end up owning that h ouse, and it would provide
the perfect home for some Temple residents.
This raises a very interesting topic: the expansion of
the Tem ple of the Universe. We had six or seven people
living o n Temple property by the end of 1978. We were
charging rent for anyone living here, and though it
wasn’t m uch, a t least no one  was coming for a free ride.Built with Love taught us how to run a small business
properly, and Radha ran the T emple’s affairs in the same
professional manner.
As f ate would have it, the pe rson who moved into our
only cabin with a kitchen loved cooking vegetarian meals
for din ner. It didn’t take lo ng before all of us started
showing up at that house as  regular dinner guests. We
also got together there for holiday gatherings and
birthday parties. That was pretty much as communal as
we got. The people who l ived at the Temple were
expected to keep morning and evening services and to
pay their rent—not so difficult. They were also expected
to try their be st to not get caught up in the incessant
chatter of the personal mind—much more difficult.
It se emed as though Built wi th Love kept earning just
enough mone y to allow u s to purchase bordering
properties as they came up f or sale. I made that a game
with life: if a neighboring property came up for sale and
we had the funds available to purchase it, the Temple
would buy it. It was then fascinating to sit back and
watch h ow just the right peop le would show up to occupy
those houses.
There are some amazing stories of how people ended
up a t the Temp le, and these stories had a profound effect
on m y willingness to surren der to life’s flow. It was as
though people  were handpicked to show up at just the
right time in their spiritual growth—and ours. Perhaps
no stor y is more stunning t han that of a student who
ended up living at the Temple for many years. I
remember that I first met her when I was teaching at
Santa Fe one w inter toward the end of my tenure at the
college. I had entered one of my classes, and the students
were complaining about how  the overheated room was
making them sleepy. I went to a window, opened it up,
and sta rted waving in fresh air. Shortly thereafter, a new
student entere d the room and found herself a seat. I
often h ad unregistered students sit in my classes, so Ithought nothing of it. I also thought nothing of it when
this sam e stud ent started attending meditation services
at the Temple. She was ve ry sincere in her spiritual
practices and eventually mov ed into one of the houses on
Temple property. It was not until years later that she
related to me how she had wanted to come to my class
for a long time, but she  had been too shy. S he actually
became teary-eyed as she told me how appreciative she
was tha t I had seen her procrastinating on the walkway
that col d winter day and open ed the window to wave her
in. I was stunned to hear what she thought had happened
that da y. When I related m y side of the story, she
realized it was actually life’s hand that had beckoned her
to rise above her fears and come into the class.
Things like that just kept happening. I became deeply
committed to serving the unfolding of that force. In fact,
if you had asked me toward the end of 1978, I would have
told you that I had surrend ered my entire life to the
Universal Flow, and it had taken over every moment. It
taught me how to keep regular spiritual practices while
working in the world and how to support others to do the
same. It taught me how to build and run a successful
business that would support t he ever-expanding spiritual
work. It taught me how to serve others by sponsoring
statewide retreats for leadin g spiritual figures and by
providing a home for what g rew to a dozen or so very
special and sincere seekers. I saw this work as something
that could continue to grow in a linear fashion. I would
never have guessed that I had seen nothing yet. It would
have been beyond my comprehension that everything I
had bee n taught so far was just the foundation for what
was com ing next. No one cou ld have guessed that all that
had transpired during those early stages of my surrender
experiment was just the launching of a multistaged
rocket headed for the stars.3 1.
M e t a m o r p h o s i s  o f  a  C r e a t u r e
B efore moving on to the tremendous growth of the
1980s, I should share anothe r aspect of my life that was
teaching me a great deal about surrender—my prison
work. N o matt er how busy I got, every other Saturday
morning I spent my time i n the prison. Once Radha
finished school, she began joining me on these visits.
Radha also took care of the  increasing correspondence
with the inmates and brou ght in spiritually oriented
books they requested. If I had to, I would have
rearranged my life to not miss any one of those visits.
It is difficult to  explain how sincere those men locked
up in a maximum-security prison became about their
inner freedom. The walls could hold their bodies, but
nothing could  imprison their souls—except their own
minds. They saw this at a very deep level. I taught them
meditation and how to do a little yoga. But mostly what
we discussed was letting go of oneself. They learned to
watch t hat voice in their hea d, and they learned how to
not listen to a ll the garbage it says. After my talk, we
would have group sharing sessions. Sometimes one of
the men would relate an incident that