 of one’s physical body, sounds very
strange to the Western ear. A story is told about an English
lady traveling through northern India who was taken to the
caves along the Ganges where yogis sat in deep meditation. She was pleasantly recei ved by one yogi outside his cave. At the end of the visit, she said, “Perhaps you don’t leave
here very often, but I would be happy to show you around
London.”
“Madam,” the yogi calmly replied, “I am London.”
In their teaching stories,  the rishis also showed a talent
for beguiling the intellect. One of the most famous
concerns a youth named Svetaketu, who was sent away
from home to study the Veda. In ancient India, this entailed
staying with the priests and memorizing long stretches of
sacred text. Svetaketu stays away for twelve years. Whenhe at last comes home, he is very puﬀed up with his own
learning, and his father, half-dismayed and half-amused,
decides to deﬂate him. Here is an excerpt from the
dialogue that ensues:
“Go and pick a fruit from  that banyan tree,” Svetaketu’s
father said. “Here it is, sir.”
“Split it open and tell me what you see inside.”
“Many tiny seeds, sir.”
“Take one of them and split it open and tell me what you
see inside.”
“Nothing at all, sir.”
Then his father said, “The subtlest essence of this fruit
appears as nothing to you, my son, but believe me, from
that nothing, this mighty banyan tree has sprung. “That Being, which is the subtlest essence of everything,
the supreme reality, the Self of all that exists, That art thou,
Svetaketu.”
This is quite a quantum story, actually. The universe, like
the huge banyan, springs from a seed that contains
nothing. Without a metaphor like the seed and the tree, our
minds cannot even grasp what such a nothingness  is, since
it is smaller than small and earlier than the Big Bang. The
deeper myst ery of the tale is that Svetaketu himself is
composed of this same all-pervading, unim aginable
essence. To ﬁnd out what Svetaketu’s father means, one
has to explore the expanded sense of awareness that is
central to the rishis’ knowledge. —
“I am everything” implies an ability to transcend the
normal ﬂow of time and the normal conﬁnes of space. Despite his intuitive brilliance, Einstein did not step outsidethe river of time, excep t mentally. He said that he had
experiences of self-expansion in which there was “neither
evolution nor destiny, only Being,” but such episodes did
not enter his scientiﬁc work directly. Like all physicists, he
adhered to the objective method and scrupulously excluded
his own consciousness from his theories. His search for a
uniﬁed ﬁeld that would embrace all of time and space was
a strictly mathematical enterprise. To the rishis, this is the very attitude that makes physics
incomplete. We are not onlookers peering into the uniﬁed
ﬁeld, they said—we are the uniﬁed ﬁeld. Every person  is an
inﬁnite being, unlimited by time and space. To reach
beyond the physical body, we extend the inﬂuence of
intelligence. As you sit in your chair, every thought you are
thinking creates a wave in the uniﬁed ﬁeld. It ripples
through all the layers of ego, intellect, mind, senses, and
matter, spreading out in wider and wider circles. You are
like a light radiating not photons but consciousness. As they radiate, your thoughts have an eﬀect on
everything in nature. Physics already recognizes this fact
for sources of physical energy: any light, whether  a star or
a cand le, sends its waves throughout the quantum  ﬁeld of
electromagnetism, going as far as inﬁnity in all directions. The rishis took this principle and made it human. Their
nervous systems actually registered the distant eﬀect that a
thought produces; this was as real for them as seeing light
is for us. But we are bounded in our awareness; being
conﬁned to the waking state keeps us from perceiving the
subtle changes we are producing everywhere. Yet these changes are always present. For thousands of
years, the rishis declared that man lives, breathes, and
moves in the cosmic body. If this is so, then nature  is as
alive as we are; the whole distinction between “in here”
and “out there” is a false one, as if the heart cellsdisregarded the skin cells because they were not on the
inside. Knowing this, the rishis became extremely powerful
individuals, but not in the ordinary sense. Where most men
are interested in material power, the rishis were interested
in the power of awareness. To them, the material level of
the world was quite crude. The real power in nature lies
closer to the source, and the ultimate power must lie right
at the source. Favoring mind over matte r is not a mystical notion. If you
want to build a skyscraper today, you don’t start by piling
up concrete and steel; you go to an architect, whose
intellect prepares the plan that must exist before
construction begins. His plan contains more of the power to
build a building than is contained in the labor. Certain
ﬁelds, such as music, mathematics, and quantum physics,
can make almost no progress without geniuses who work
deep in silence—Einstein’s preferred method of
investigation was not to work in a lab but to perform
thought expe riments in his head. He was in the habit of
doing this long before he achieved any degree of fame and
position. He was placing clocks around the universe, he
once recalled, before he could aﬀord to buy a real one for
his house. To the rishis, it would seem peculiar that we portion out
our intelligence into so many small, isolated ﬁelds of
knowledge. Our social conditioning forbids the cosmic
perspective, not by condemning it but by providing so much
distracting busy-work. If you are caught up in bricks and
mortar, it is diﬀicult to learn architecture. A ﬁeld like
medicine is now so incredibly complicated that if you say,
“This patient can be treated through the ﬂow of
intelligence,” sheer momentum would be agains t you as
much as disbelief.The unbounded state is not frequently seen in our society,
while its opposite is absolutely epidemic. Psychiatrists see
patients every day who are crippled by boundaries, people
who have programmed guilt, anxiety, and unnameable
insecurities into themselves. Those who have acquired
phobias are extreme examples of this, since their deadly
fear is out of all proportion to any actual danger. If you take
an agoraphobe—someone who fears open spaces— out for a
drive, he will show inten se anxiety. If you stop in an open
ﬁeld and ask him to step out of the car, he will be as
paralyzed as a normal person who is asked to jump oﬀ a
cliﬀ. Try to force him and he will struggle for his life,
literally. The keenest anguish of a phobic is knowing that he has
created his own conditio n, but his will is not enough to
break the pattern he has programmed into his physiology. (One agoraphobe in England grew so misera ble and
ashamed of his phobia that he decided to end his life. The
method he chose was to drive two miles in his car, an
action he was sure would be lethal! When this failed, he felt
terriﬁed at ﬁrst, but then he discovered that his phobia had
lessened. He had accidentally hit upon the therapy called
“ﬂooding,” which psychi atrists sometimes use to wrench
far-gone phobics out of unreality.) Boundaries created in silence are the most conﬁning. People who have never heard of Veda generally know the
word Maya,  or illusion—in Sanskrit, it literally means “that
which is not.” Maya is greatly misunderstood—the rishis
did not call the world Maya to say that it does not exist, like
some mirage. Maya is the illusion of boundaries, the
creation of a mind that has lost the cosmic perspective. It
comes from seeing a million things “out there” and missing
one thing, the invisible  ﬁeld that is the origin of the
universe. Reading the great rishis, it is no wonder that they
considered Maya a poor substitute for the cosmicperspective. The Yoga Vasishtha said, “In the inﬁnite
consciousness, in every atom of it, universes come and go,
like particles  of dust in a beam of sunlight shining  through
a hole in the roof.”
Quantum reality leaps from Vasishtha’s pages, because
he found the perspective which showed


 can do that increase free radical
production and other things that can limit them. Things that increase free
radical formation include:
Smoking
Environmental pollution
Alcohol
Radiation, including excessive sunlight exposureBarbecued and smoked meats
Aged and fermented foods
Chemotherapy drugs
High intake of saturated and hydrogenated fats
Stress and stress hormones
W e have evolved a sophistica ted system to neutralize the d amaging
ef fects of free radicals on our bodies. This is called the antioxidant system
and it involves m any dif ferent enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. When your
antioxidant syst em is fully operational, you are able to deactivate the free
radical molecules before they do harm. Things you can do to enhance your antioxidant system include:
Eat more antioxidant-rich foods—fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts,
and beans. Use antioxidant-rich herbs and spices liberally—dill, coriander,
rosemary, sage, thyme, mint, fennel, ginger, and garlic. T ake antioxidant vitamins—A, C, and E.
Eliminate tobacco, excessive alcohol, and nonessential drugs. Reduce your stress—meditate. The accumulation of toxins in the body/mind
system accelerates aging. Relinquishing T oxic SubstancesHuman beings have this curious  propensity to be attracted to things that are
not good for them. Part of this af finity is chemical, for nicotine, illicit drugs,
and alco hol mimic natural biochemicals in doses that create cravings when
the substance is withdrawn. Part of this tendency may be our childlike
resistance to authority figures te lling us what is good and bad. W hatever the
explanation, once a toxic habit is established, the ritual itself provides
reinforcement fo r the behavior. For example, just the familiar act of pouring
a drink or lighting up a cigarette may soothe anxiety. The problem, of
course, is that the short-term relief provided by the behavior may
predispose us to long-term suf fering. Our experience at the Chopra Center has taught us that in order for
someone to release something  that is not serving them well, several
components must be in place. In order to unravel a toxic conditioned pattern
and rep lace it with a nourishing one, you will need to sy stematically
reinforce the transformation wit h your thoughts and choices. There are four
critical steps to relinquishing something toxic in your life. THE INTENTION T O DET OXIFY
The firs t import ant step is to form a clear and str ong intention. If you are
not convinced that your life will be better as a result of eliminating
something toxic, you will not have the motivation or will to make the
change. It is best to formulate your intention in a positive ra ther than a
negative way. If you want to sto p smoking, state your intention as “I want
to breathe more easily and feel comfortable in my body without the need for
tobacco,” rather  than “I need to get rid of these horrible cigarettes from my
life.” If your desire is to stop drinking alcohol, formulate the intention that
you wis h to feel safe and cente red without the need for self-m edication. If
you wan t to lose weight, formulate the intention that you want a  healthy, fit
body. Create a clear vision of how your life will be better as  a result of
letting g o of the toxin. If you are  struggling with an addiction th at you have
the c lear intention to release, tr y the “Envisioning Wholeness”  process on
the next page.If you are habitually consuming  a toxic substance that you know is not
serving you well, make the commitment now to release it. Form a clear
intention and reinforce your af firmations:
I commit to r eleasing ______ fr om my life, once and for ever. W ithout ______ in my life,
I look and feel a healthy _____ years old. Throughout the day, practice your af firmation and the envisioning of
your life free fr om the toxic ha bit until your body/mind is sp ontaneously
resonating with this vision for your life. Develop a clear vision of your new
reality and create it through all your daily choices. Envisioning Wholeness
Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and for several minutes quiet your
inner dialogue through meditation. If you have not been instructed in
Primordial Sound Meditation, practice the breathing awareness
meditation as described in Chapter 3. Now, begin to envision your life
free from the negative ef fects of the life-damaging habit. Imagine your
home and work environment, unencumbered by the addiction. Picture
how your body looks, smells, and feels free from the toxic ef fects of the
dependency. Imagine the nourishing relationships with your friends and
loved ones. Experience on the screen of your consciousness the vitality,
comfort, and sense of competence you have, liberated from the negative
pattern that is impacting your life. Allow this vision of wholeness to
permeate every cell in your body. PRACTICE MINDFULNESSThe second step is to turn the toxic behavior into a mindful meditation. This
means shifting into a mode of witnessing awareness while you are
performing the action. If you want to eliminate smoking, focus your full
attention on the action. Sit quietly and observe yourself as you s lowly reach
for y our pack, r emove a cigarette, light up, and inhale. Feel th e sensations
in your body and stop when your need has been fulfilled. V ery few  people actually enjoy their first smoke or taste of whiskey,
which re flects the inherent wisdom of the body. It is only afte r you have
overridden your  body’ s signals with false mental messages—“I look cool
when I smoke.” “Drinking alcohol makes me grown-up.” “Doing drugs is
hip.”—that your physiological impulses stop being sent. In its ef fort to
conserve ener gy, if we do not heed our internal signals, the body stops
sending them. Performing the habitual action with “beginner ’ s awareness”
will help you experience the honest ef fects of the substance. SYSTEMICALL Y DET OXIFY
The third step is  to start a general detoxification pr ogram. Set a stop date
and use  the opportunity to clear both your mind and body. F ocusing on
purification will help shorten the period of withdrawal discomfort and help
your min d and body shift into a healthier mode of functioning. D rink lots of
fresh fruit and vegetable juice s during this time. T ry fruit juices in the
morning, mixed  fruit and vegetable juices during the day, an d vegetable
juices and blended vegetable so ups in the evening. W e often recommend
gingerroot tea, prepared by adding one teaspoon of freshly grated root to a
pint of hot water. Simplify your diet for a few days, favoring whole grains,
steamed vegetables, and lentil soups. T ake hot baths or go to a sauna or
steam room to encourage the removal of toxins through your skin. Spend at
least some time every day walking in a park or along a stream, lake, or
ocean. Inhale fresh air, feel the sun on your face, and wiggle you r feet in the
sand or grass. Directly connect with nature’ s purifying influence.This is a good time to start a healthy daily routine. Commit to m editating
twice a day, getting to bed before 10:30 P.M. and rising at su nrise. Drink
plenty o f water. Begin a regular exercise program. Get some body work to
help mo bilize th e toxins from your body. Start a healthy diet. The more
positive things you introduce int o your life, the easier it will be to eliminate
whatever is toxic. Panchakarma
A yurveda reco mmends a total detoxification program known as
Panchakarma, which means th e purifying actions. The full program as
of fered at the C hopra Center prescribes a systematic process to identify,
mobilize, and eliminate stored toxins in the body. Luxurious oil massages
are followed by heat treatme nts and then some type of eliminative
procedure to dischar ge toxins through the digestive tract or nasal passages. Y ou can  perform a gentle detox ification program at home by following
these steps:
Follow a simplified diet for five days with plenty of steamed
vegetables, grains, and lentil soup. Eliminate fried foods, fermented
foods, dairy, animal products, and refined carbohydrates during this
time. For three days eat sesame seeds and golden raisins to lubricate your
digestive tract. Prepare a one-to-one mix of ⅛ cup of white sesame
seeds and ⅛ cup of golden raisins. Ingest a teaspoon of the mixture one
hour before or two hours after each meal. If you have any trouble
digesting seeds, take ½ teaspoon of sesame oil with three to four
raisins three times a day. Drink plenty of gingerroot tea by grating one teaspoon of fresh
gingerroot per pint of hot water and sipping it throughout the day. It is
easiest if you get a thermos bottle so you can keep the tea with you. T ry drinking at least one liter per day.On the evening of the fourth day, perform an oil massage (see pages
54–55) and soak in a hot bath. Around ten P.M., take a teaspoon of yogurt


 intestinal bleeding by blocking action of messenger molecules
called prostaglandins. Some prosta-glandins cause inflammation and pain, and
others stimulate healing and repair. NSAIDs block both types. Because the intestinal
lining is renewed very rapidly (about every three days), blocking the repair process
results in a gut that is weak, inflamed and leaky. What should you do for a headache? Simple acupressure techniques and
homeopathic remedies work quite well. What should you do for pain or
inflammation? Eat a whole-foods diet, at least 75 percent raw. Avoid sugar, white
flour, hydrogenated oils, junk foods and colas, and drink plenty of pure water. Avoidmeat and dairy, but choose oily fish such as salmon (ocean harvested, rather than
farmed). Take vitamin C up to bowel tolerance, 2 to 4 grams of quercitin per day, 30
to 60 mg of zinc daily, 100,000 units of beta-carotene for several days, and then
25,000 for several weeks, plus vitamin A and vitamin E. Essential fatty acid
supplements also are critical. Digestive enzymes help, and especially take 1 to 3
grams of bromelain or papain per day. A number of herbs as well as homeopathic
remedies are anti-inflammatory. These are excellent alternatives to NSAIDs. Antibiotics:
Most of us have been given an antibiotic at one time or another, and
this contributes to one of our largest sources of toxins—those generated within our
own digestive systems. Antibiotics are designed to kill disease-causing bacteria, but
they also kill the friendly bacteria in our digestive systems. If these bacteria are
absent or out of balance, a chain of unhealthy events is initiated, including
undigested or mal-absorbed food. Beneficial intestinal bacteria produce needed
vitamins, such as B-complex vitamins, vitamin B
12
and vitamin K. These essential
nutrients are no longer produced when the friendly bacteria are displaced, and
vitamin deficiency can result. In addition, friendly bacteria prevent undesirable yeasts from proliferating by
competing for food and producing biotin to inhibit yeast growth. When antibiotics
kill beneficial bacterial, undesirable yeasts and bacteria thrive and take over,
establishing their own ecosystem. This inhibits the beneficial bacteria from
reestablishing themselves. Yeasts also produce numerous immune-reactive
substances that force the immune system to form antibodies constantly. This stress
may lead to impaired functioning of the immune system to the point of immune
suppression or even breakdown. Also, yeasts inhibit magnesium absorption (which
can lead to numerous neurological problems), damage gut tissue and cause leaking
gut syndrome. A variety of health problems can result, ranging from chronic fatigue
to allergies, arthritis and other immune dysfunction diseases. A January 1996 article in
Internal Medicine World Report
stated that in 1991,
more than 40 million prescriptions were written in America for antibiotics to treat
people for the common cold. This use is inappropriate; antibiotics have no effect on
the common cold. Vast overprescribing of this type fosters the development of
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In May 1996, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report warning that
“incurable” strains of bacteria are being discovered. Many infectious diseases,
formerly controllable with antibiotics, are reappearing in forms difficult or even
impossible to treat. “We are standing on the brink of a global crisis in infectious
diseases,” said Hiroshi Nakajima, M.D., WHO’s director general. The report warns
that the spread of untreatable infections is threatening to undermine modern
advances in health care. In many hospitals, antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus
infections are epidemic. More and more people die every year from antibiotic-resistant infections, acquired in hospitals. The WHO report noted that the
“inappropriate use of antibiotics” is to blame both for the increase in drug-resistant
microbes and for the weakened immune systems of patients. Either factor is serious;
combined, they are catastrophic. Weakened immune systems play a crucial role in
the development of AIDS, autoimmune diseases, asthma, allergies and a long list of
other health problems. Antibiotics represent what may be the single most damaging category of drugs
employed by allopathic medicine, and, like most drugs, are unnecessary. Only sick
people get sick; prevent infections by eating a good diet and avoiding toxins. Stay
away from immune-damaging foods like sugar, take high-quality supplements,
reduce stress and get regular exercise. If an infection does occur, natural remedies
should be considered before defaulting to the antibiotics that physicians will
undoubtedly prescribe. Take lots of vitamins A, C (up to the point where you begin
getting excessive gas or diarrhea, then decrease), and E, garlic, herbs like echinacea,
or homeopathic remedies. Natural antibiotics like olive leaf extract are also helpful. Hormones:
Hormones are critical to health because they are part of the body’s
self-regulating system. They control gene expression, and, as part of the body’s vital
communication systems, they help balance the body. Hormone chemistry is
awesomely complex and when you begin tampering with it, the effects on the body’s
system of checks and balances are unknown and potentially catastrophic. Even
minute hormone quantities can have a profound effect on the body. The human body
manufactures only 50 to 100 millionths of a gram per day of thyroid hormone,
resulting in a blood concentration of only one part per ten billion (1 in
10,000,000,000). Yet this minute amount has a major regulatory effect. Supplemental hormones are dangerous meddling in the unknown because it is so
easy to interfere with the body’s system of hormonal checks and balances. Prescription hormones—birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and
steroid hormones— are the most common threats, as are steroids found in overthe-
counter products such as cortisone ointments and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). Hormones are part of the body’s cell-to-cell communications system, helping the
body to regulate. For instance, hormones are used to regulate blood sugar, which
normally stays within narrow limits to keep the body, and especially the brain,
supplied with the correct amount. If blood sugar is too high, the pancreas secretes
insulin, which signals the cells to take up glucose, thus lowering blood sugar and
returning to normal. If blood sugar drops too low, the pancreas secretes glucagon,
which signals the liver to break down glycogen into glucose to raise blood sugar. In
this way, different hormones act in pairs like a thermostat, turning systems on and
off. This chemistry presents a delicate balancing act. All the hormones interact with
each other in ways modern science is only beginning to understand. In blood-sugar
regulation alone, at least six hormones are involved.Steroid hormones are being prescribed almost as frequently as antibiotics, for
allergic reactions, asthma, eczema, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and for all types of
inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Often steroids are given to babies and
children to alleviate inflammations of all kinds. Steroids can cause permanent and
devastating damage, even after a single dose; once the body is thrown out of its
natural self-regulatory mode, it sometimes never “gets back.” Steroids’ beneficial
effects appear to decline in time, leaving patients in worse condition than before
they started. Steroids appear to be a “miracle cure” for asthma or arthritis; however, they
merely suppress the symptoms of these conditions. They may make people feel
better, but this feeling comes at a high price. The medical journals are filled with
steroid-inflicted horror stories, such as osteoporosis, retarded child growth and
vision loss:
• The
Annals of Internal Medicine
in November 1993 reported that after just
four months of use, oral steroids can cause osteoporosis, with an 8 percent
reduction in bone mass. • The
British Medical Journal
in August 1994 reported that extensive eye
damage and visual loss can be caused by using topical, over-the-counter, 1
percent hydrocortisone ointment for two weeks. •
Lancet
has reported that after only six weeks of use, inhaled steroids
prescribed for asthma retard growth in children. Alternative approaches to steroids include, for example, vitamin C and quercitin. These two natural anti-inflammatories accomplish similar results, but without the
side effects. Whether one takes steroids orally, inhales them or rubs them on the skin
doesn’t matter; damage can be caused quickly and irreversibly. Rubbing a little
cortisone ointment on the skin affects the chemistry of the entire body. Steroids
taken during pregnancy can cause a child to suffer from autism and impaired
cognitive performance. Topical and inhaled steroids can cause glaucoma and
cataracts. Other reported problems include fluid retention, thinning skin, slowness in
healing, headaches, muscle weakness, immune suppression, angina, hair loss and
depression. Over-the-counter hormones such as melatonin and DHEA are special problems,
partly because they are so easy to obtain. Daily doses of 50 milligrams of DHEA
have been linked to acne, oily skin, excessive facial hair growth in women and mood
changes such as irritability and aggressiveness. DHEA is a steroid hormone with a
molecular structure quite similar to cortisone. (Cortisone,


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Printed in Singapore
TUTTLE PUBLISHING®  is a registered trademark of T uttle Publis hing, a division of
Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. CONTENTS
Ancient Wisdoms, Today’s Practices  6
wellness      1 8
Abhyangam:—Traditional Ayurvedic
Massage  20
Chavitti Thirumal: Pressure Point
Massage with Feet  23
Hot Stone Abhyangam  24
Marma Massage:—Pressure Point
Massage  25
Champi:—Indian Head Massage  26
Udwarthanam:—Dry Massage with
Herbal Powder  27
Sirodhara:—Oiling the Third Eye  28
Vasthi: The Medicated Enema  32
Unani: An Holistic Graeco-Arab Medical
System  36
Siddha: Tamil Herbal Healing  38
Soba Rig-pa: Traditional Tibetan
Medicine  42
Panchakarma: Ayurvedic Revitalization
46
Mud Therapy  50
Ksheera Dhooma: Medicated Milk
Steam  52Netra Tarpanam: Vasthi Therapy for the
Eyes  53
Kizhi Therapy:—The Hot Herbal Pouch
54
beauty      5 8
Ayurvedic Facial Care  60
Hand Care  68
Foot Care  70
Hair Care  72
The Art of Mehndi  76
Body Wraps  78
Body Scrubs and Polishes  82
Water Therapies  86
Rasashastra:—Healing with Gems,
Crystals, Metals and Minerals  94
balance     9 8
Yoga  100
Amulya Uphar:—Lazy Man’s Yoga  1 12
Pranayama:—Therapeutic Breathing
Exercises  1 14
Meditation  1 18
Chakra Therapy  126
appendix       1 3 0
Nattu Vaidya:—The Barefoot Doctor  132
Healing Plants  136
Ayurvedic Preparations  142Listings  144ancient wisdoms,
today’ s practices
At n o time in the history of the planet have India’ s stress-bust ing,
all-encompassing therapies had more importance. While we st rive
to i mprove material gains, w e often neglect the spiritual, the
physical and the mental. However, with stressful lifestyles taking
their toll, taking  time out to concentrate on ourselves is no longer a
treat —  it’ s a necessity. This is where India’ s age-old traditional
practices come in. Whether you travel to India to visit a spa, to try to “find
yourself”, to experience some  medical care, or to spend some
relaxing time with friends or fam ily, you are almost certain to come
across s ome of these ancient pr actices. Even though the country is
modernizing at a rapid rate, everyone — on some level or ano ther
— is tied to its deep-rooted traditions. Ancient Healing
Many of  these age-old tradition s are explored in this book. W e get
to the core of the country’ s medical systems — A yurveda, Unani
and Sidd ha — and explore its history of herbal healing and anc ient
beauty procedures. The mind, body, spirit practices of yoga,
meditation and  pranayama  are s howcased in depth, while related
cultural phenomena such as temple and household habits and
gemology are also considered. S ome of these ideas will be familiar
to readers, others will be totally new. W e’ll take you through the
myriad o f wonders that has emer ged from this extraordinary, ex otic
subcontinent, all the while explaining how past wisdom has
relevance in today’ s world. A yurveda and yoga are probab ly the most well known of the
ancient modalit ies outside India — and both seek to encompass
much m ore than physical wellbeing. They are covered in depth in
the anc ient tex ts or V edas and there are countless wri tten
instructions for  both. Even t hough they weren’ t traditionally
practiced toget her, today they are finding syner gy. “Wh at’ s
interesting about India’ s sys tems,” explains one A yurv edic
physician, “is that they often incorporate more than one reg ime. Methods of healing like A yurved a include a lifestyle regimen, y oga,
aroma, m editation, gems, amule ts, herbs, diet,  jyotishi  (astrology),
color and more. ” It is this holistic approach that is so exciting. Utilizing the purifyin g properties of mud is an ancient practice that continues in
India to this day. Taking the earth element from the  panchamahabhut  or “five greatelements”, it cleanses skin and boosts metabolism. History of Ayurveda
T ranslated from  Sanskrit as the  “Science of Life”, A yurveda was
first mentioned in the verses of the  Rig V eda, t he first of the V edas
or Hindu sacred texts. Here there is reference to  panchamahabhut
(the fiv e basic elements of th e entire creation), and the t hree
doshas  or primary forces of  prana  or  vata  (air),  agni  or  pitta
(fire) and  soma  or  kapha  (water and earth) as comprising the basic
principles of A yurveda. Howev er, there is much more detail in an
upaveda  (subsection) of the  Atharva, the fourth V eda, written
some time during 3,000 to 2,000  BC. Here, A yurveda is documented
more sp ecifically: it is described as knowledge of self-healing or
holistic healing, with the idea th at everything is interrelated, yet still
unique. The texts stated that if A yurveda was applied on an
individual basis in people’ s ever yday lives using diet, massage, oils,
herbs and exercise, practitioners could be healthy and disease-free. Wellness treatment being administered at the luxury spa at Amanbagh. Taking the pulse is one of the first indicators in A yurvedic diagnosis. Around the turn of the first mille nnium  BC  the treatise known as
the  Charaka Samhita, the  mo st referred A yurvedic tex t on internal
medicine, appeared. Believed to have been written by the g reat
sage-physician Charaka, it explained the logic and philosophy of
A yurvedic medi cine. W ritten in the form of a symposium wherein
groups of A yurvedic scholars  take up a series of topics for
discussion, it is written in ver se in keeping with the V edic oral
tradition of conserving knowledge. It therefore seems likely that
A yurveda had been in existence for many hundreds, if not
thousands, of years beforehand. A spiritual ascetic or  sadhu  attends to a supplicant. Yoga is recommended along with A yurveda for total wellbeing. A traditional Indian welcome. Around the same time, the  Sushruta Samhita  appeared. It
comprised knowledge about prosthetic sur gery to replace limbs,
cosmetic sur gery, caesarian operations and even brain sur gery. Sushruta is famous for his inno vation of cosmetic sur gery on the
nose kn own as rhinoplasty, an interesting fact as he lived two
centuries before Hippocrates, the Greek father of W estern medicine. Around 500  AD, V agbhata compiled the third  major treatise on
A yurveda,  Astanga Hridaya. It con tained k nowledge from both
previous books,  but also new information on diseases and cure s. It
is th e text of choice for many practicing A yurvedic physic ians
because it is a precise condensation of the two earlier texts. There were, of c ourse, many other useful reference texts, and it
is documented that A yurveda became entrenched in Indian life
between 1,000  BC  and 800  AD. Both Hindus and Buddhists
maintained the academic progress of A yurveda, and also ensured
that the  science was made as


 ’s parents  and the
senses  as the  children. When they  separ ate there  is no  harmony,
but rather  disharmon y and need. People  try to search  for happiness,
satisfaction  and love  outside  of themselves  rather  than  within. They
listen to  the desires  of their  bodies  rather  than  their  minds and
spirits. The more the y search,  the mo re they  create  a need  and will
never  reall y find what they are looking  force  Instead  they create  a
deterior ation  within themselves. True  happiness,  true joy and true
satisfaction  com e with inner  peace. By  turning  inward we will not lose the  energ y outw ard, and so
can gain energy  for ourselves. For exam ple, if we  eat a tast y food
but do not  have  an inner  harmony  in our  organs  and senses,  our
eyes will want more, like  children  in a toy store. We might decide  to
see a movie, and  then  the ears  want to be  stim ulated  as w ell. We
then might decide  to go to a nightclub  or a bar  In the  end we might
feel the need  to get  drunk,  to sm oke, or  take  drugs. Turning  sexual
energy  and the resulta nt orgasm in ward is the  first step to  gaining-
energy  pleasure  and to a control  of the  senses. Once  you have
more sexual  energ y inside,  the organs  will become stronge r and
will then  be able  to control,  satisf y: and balance  the senses. 4. Beyond Orgas m
    The normal out ward-pouring  orgasm is a form  of losing- energ y
pleasure,  i.e., w e release  life-force  energ y out and we experienc e
pleasure. In the  Taoist vie w of arousal,  how ever it is the  fusion  of all
the energy  contrib uted by the organs  and glands  with the highl y
refined  sexual ener gy that creates  orgas mic energ y. Rather  than
releasing  orgas ms outw ard, as in the  normal sexual act,  we learn
to turn  this energ y inward to rec ycle, increase  and highl y refine  it. Through  the practice  of the  life-force  meditation  know n as the
Microcosmic Orbit  meditation,  we begin  to learn  how  to recy cle the
ovaries’  energ y. In the  beginni ng it is difficult and  you must practice
to retain  the energy  within yourself, but once  you feel and gain
control  of your own ener gy: you will experience  new  pleasur es
which are indescrib able. This sensation  is called  “Beyond Orgas m”
or “Valley  Orgasm.”
- 33 -Taoist View  of Wom an’s
    The concept  of an  orgasm that  is “Bey ond Orgasm” is difficult
to explain  becaus e we do not have  a word in Western languag es
or a cultural  concept  to express  it. It is a ne w idea  to us. Remember
however that when the automobile w as invented,  few people
thought  it could  replace  the horse. Later  people  realized  the benefits
of the  horseless  carriage. Cultivation  of “Bey ond Orgasm” can  be compared  to climbing a
10,000- foot mountain. In normal orgasm w e run up 1,000  feet and
run back  dow n and try again  tomorrow  to get  past  1,000  feet. Most
people  climb the  mountain  this way, perhaps  reaching  2,000  feet
on a good  day The sensations  may  be limited to the  genitals  or
rhythmic pulsations,  and relaxation  may be experienced  throug hout
the entire  body, but the energ y itself is lost to  the universe  and can
no longer  be develope d inside  the body. “Beyond Orgas m” goes
further  and further  each  time. W hen you climb this 10,00 0-foot
mountain,  you climb to 1,000  feet,  rest,  set up camp and  spend  the
night. The next  day you climb further,  rest and camp, and  you
continue  in this ma nner until  you reach  the peak. There  you enter
another  realm of pleasure. F. What is Ovarian  Kung  Fu? Originall y the Taoist sexual  exercises  were called  “Ovarian  Kung
Fu”. Som e students  feel this  sounds  too violent  or too much like
martial arts. The term  “kung  fu,” how ever means discipline  or
intensive  work, referrin g to one who puts  time into  practice. Ovarian
Kung  Fu im plies an  expression  of po wer and control,  of the ability
to take  com mand of  one’s  body  and sexual  life. In the Universal  Tao System’s Ovarian  Kung  Fu trainin g, we
practice  to gain,  increase,  collect and  transfo rm ovarian  (sexual)
energy ; It is i mportant  to remem ber that building  up energy  in your
body  without know ing what to do  with it is dange rous. Som e systems
advocate  releasing  the ener gy from  time to time in so me w ay, like
releasing  a pressur e valve. They  will reco mmend occasional
outw ard-pouring  orgas ms for this  purpose. The Universal  Tao
System, however: stresses  the importance  of learnin g the
Microcosmic Orbit,  the means by which the ener gy can be
circulated  in the body  ultimately  to be stored  in a safe area  (the
navel)  for later  use and transformation  into a higher  form  of energy. If you consider  a computer  analog y, learning  how  to push  a button
will not teach  you how to opera te a computer. Although  pushing  the
- 34 -Chapter  I
button  will give  you a result,  until  you know and underst and the
system, yo u will not be able  to control  that result. To insure  proper
training  in the art of  Healing  Love,  the concepts,  the steps involved,
and an idea  of the  pleasure  that lies ahead  will be explained  in
detail. G. Wo men’s Sexual Energy
1. The  Ovaries  contain Life Force  Energy. As previousl y stated,  the Ching  (principal)  energy  of a w oman
provides  her with life-force  energy. This life- force  energ y is
contained  to a large  extent  in the ovaries. It is here  that the hormones
are produce d that determine  a woman’s  breasts,  voice,  etc. The
ovaries  constantl y produce  sexual energy. The Ovarian  Breathing
Process  to be  taught  in this book  releases  the energy  produced  by
the ovaries,  and makes it possible  to store  this energy, which has
a Yang (active)  qualit y, in the  woman’s  body  After  ovulation  and
before  menstruation  the ener gy is mi lder as  the properti es of the
energy  change  from  Yang to Yin (passive). Also, during  this part  of
the cycle  the energy  is at its highest  stage  of development  for
absorptio n and transfo rmation. Ovarian  Breathing,  if practiced  ever y day, can start  the
absorptio n process  and conserve  the life-force  energ y that other wise
would be lost  through  menstruation. This is the process  by which
the sexual ener gy is transfo rmed to Chi. As a result  of this practice,
wome n often  notice  a distinct  shortening  of the durati on of the
menstrual  flow, or a decre ase of cram ps or other  problems
associated  with their  periods. With continued  practice  menstruatio n
may cease,  because  all the  sexual ener gy is being  transformed
into a higher  life-force  ener gy. Under  ordin ary circum stances  menstruation  can stop  for a
variety  of reaso ns, such  as poor  diet,  depression,  emotional  stress,
childbirth  or menopause. Since a  functioning  body  draws its energ y
from ever y resourc e it has,  a body  requiring  additional  energy
makes co mpensations  to suppl y that energ y where it is neede d. A
nursing  mother


 rush. These samskaras are from the past. They are things that happened to you in your past that you were not able to
handle. Now they are determining your present, and they will determine
your future if you are not careful. We could not be discussing anything more important. These stored
patterns are going to determine where you go, what inspires you, who you
marry, and whether you get divorced. You’re not determinin g your path
through life—they are. Until you get very centered in witness
consciousness, you are going to follow your thoughts and emotions, and
they are determined by your samskaras. Surely you’ve been there. All that
has to happen is for the energy patterns flowing through the heart to shift,
and everything changes. Next thing you know, you’re leaving your spouse
or your job. These stored patterns represent the lowest part of your being. They are the result of you not being mature enough, or evolved  enough, to
handle the passing events in your life. These patterns became stuck in you
and are now determining your energy flow and your entire perception of
life. Understanding the effects of these blockages helps explain why it’s so
difficult to make personal decis ions. What you’re trying to see is how one
choice or the other will make you feel. “Should I marry this person, or
should I wait until I establish my career. ” You’re using these thoughts tosee how the different choices will shift the flow of your energy through your
blockages. The problem is you have so many conflicting blockag es stored in
there that what to do is not clear. Of course it’s not clear; you’re consulting
your inner mess and expecting  a clear response. All the while, you are
noticing that these thoughts and emotions keep shifting inside. The
important questi on is not what to do about this, it is: Who is noticing all
this. The same consciousness is aware of this entire proces s going on
inside. There may be many samskaras in there, but there are not many of
you in there. There is only one consciousness watching all these competing
patterns and identifying with them. When you become one integrate d seer—the single witness watching all
these different things pass by inside—you are centered. You are clear. You
are free. But when you don’t sit in the seat of the witness, and your sense of
being is split amongst all these diverse inner patterns, things become very
confusing. It’s almost as though each path the energy takes through your
field of samskaras creates a slightly different personality. You’re one person
around this friend and you’re another person around someone else. You can
even have totally different inner dialogs going on when you’re around
different people. Look at what happens when you go to your childhood
home or a high school reunion. The surroundings stimulate past samskaras,
and you begin to think and feel the way you used to in that environment. Amazingly, in these situations  you feel completely at home with these
different versions of yourself. People in this state struggle to find themselves. They feel they must
choose which of these personalities is really them. The answer is quite clear:
none of them are you. Please don’t pick one of them and let that choice
determine your life. None of your thoughts are more you than any other
thought. You are the one who is experiencing the thoughts. There’ s not a
single thing about those shifting ener gy patterns that is you. It is certainly difficult knowing what to do when all that inner
commotion going on. The only lasting solution is to realize that it’ s the same
you noticing all of it. You are the one who is aware that your thoughts and
emotions are shifting. It happens  to us all the time. Just relax and be the one
who notices. Be the One who sees the many—this is the path to self-
realization. Chapter 24. The Cause of Moods and Emotions
Emotions are generated  when your core energy flow hits a blockage. To
understand this, imagine walki ng up to a stream that’s flowing with no
impediments. There are no rocks or other obstacles in the streambed. Under
these conditions, the water in the stream is going to flow in a very even,
undisturbed manner. There will be no eddies, sprays, or intersecting
currents. This clear stream is analogous to your core energy flow, the shakti. Both of these flows are perfectly pure and constantly flowing when in their
natural state. What if we put a rock into the pure flow of the stream. All of a
sudden there are noticeable disturbances. There are eddies, split currents,
and a spray where the flow hits the rock. Just that one rock caused a
disturbance in the force. The same thing happens if we put blockages in the
flow of shakti. These blockages—these samskaras—create obstacles to the
shakti flow, and as such, create disturbances in the flow. These inner ripples,
sprays, and eddies, combined with the release of the disturbed energy stored
within the samskara, are what we call emotions. An emot ion is caused by the
shakti hitting the blockages in your heart and shooting out to release the
blocked energies. This creates enough disturbance to your normal flow that
your attention gets drawn to these disturbed energies. Emotions are a release
of blocked ener gy. This goes for both negative and positive emotions. Remember that samskaras got stored in there for a reaso n—you
couldn’ t handle the experience that happened. These blockage s may have
been in there for years, even decades, and when something hits them, they
become activate d and start to release their pent-up energy. By definition, the
resultant emotio ns and thoughts will be very personal to you. After all,
you’re the one who held the blockage inside to begin with. You walk into a
kitchen, smell a smell, and your entire state changes because it smells like
what your mother used to cook. Just a smell, and suddenly a powerfulchange will come over you. Your heart will get softer or harder, depending
on how you interacted with your mother. Most of the time, you have no idea
what is happening. You just buy into the shift of your emotions and behave
accordingly. You can now understand where your moods come from. When you
reach a state of clarity, there are no moods. There is just the beauty of the
clean energy flow feeding you day and night. In later chapters we’re going
to discuss what it’s like to get clean, to get clear, to live in a state where you
are always high. Until you reach that state, it’s just one mood after another
as the ener gy shifts due to these stored patterns. From a yogic point of view, here’s what happens on a daily basis in our
lives. The energy flow comes up, and as it approaches the heart it can do
one of three things. First, if the energy is totally blocked by the samskaras
while trying to go into the heart, you won’ t feel your heart. A lot of people
don’t feel their heart very much. They are so used to focusing on their mind
that they don’t notice the shifts in the heart until those shifts are too strong
to ignore. Emotions are messy and much too sensitive, so people suppress
them. They want to be analytic al, not emotional. No one told these people
that if they bothered to do the work necessary to clean out the heart, the
increased energy flow coming into the mind would result in more
inspiration, more creativity, and more intuitive brilliance. A second thing can happen with energy coming into the heart. It can
make it in and begin hitting the blockages stored there. This tends to make
you moody and more sensitive to what is going on around you. Every once
in a while, however, things will line up just right, and your heart will get
quiet. Somebody is in front of you and somehow the way they look, the way
they talk, or something else about them stimulates and rearranges your
samskaras just right. “Her hair looks like my sister ’s hair, and I really got
along with my sister. Look at those glasses. They’re just like the ones my
favorite actress wore in my favorite movie of all time. This is definitely my
kind of person. ” The next thing you know, you’re saying out loud, “People
told me nice things about you, and I was really excited to meet you. Now
that I see you, it’s way beyond anything I expected. ” So it begins—love at
first sight. The words are right, the hair is right, the glasses are right. Everything is opening you. You don’t have to do anything—it’ s all
happening by itself. The stimuli coming in through your senses are
rearranging the samskaras just right to create an opening for the energy tocome up. As the energy comes up into the heart, it has the opportunity to
flow out and connect with what caused it to open. Now we’re talking about a very personal and sensitive subject. Have
you ever felt the energy start to flow out of your heart. Have you ever felt
your heart connect with another person. It’s as if there were an energy flow
tying two hearts together. People who are in love can just sit together not
even talking while that beautifu


 look at the
traditional approaches to weight management to get anunderstanding of why they don’t work.166 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  WHY CUTTING CALORIES
DOESN’T WORK
The problem with calorie restriction (dieting) as a weight loss
strategy is that it triggers the body’s survival mechanisms. Whenwe limit our meal plans to 1,200 calories per day or less, thebody gets alarmed. Is starvation in the offing? Best to startstoring and locking away fat in earnest. The body is a complex, multi-layered operating system. It
has a whole arsenal of techniques for maintaining homeostasisand for ensuring survival. This is something that dieters forget.They become fixated on counting calories, assuming that abody deprived of energy will burn its own fat to survive. Butthey are wrong. A body deprived of energy will go after its ownmuscle tissue before it will burn fat. And in the meantime, itwill marshal its powerful hormone system to alter the way itmetabolizes food for energy. People who lose weight on a diet are fooling themselves. They get on the scale and see that they weigh less, but theyshouldn’t be celebrating. They’ve just burned up muscle tissue—the only kind of tissue that burns fat. Now they have a bodythat’s less efficient at burning fat. When they “finish” their diet(i.e., stop restricting calories) they will have less of the tissueneeded to maintain homeostasis at a low weight. /Nswashinety-eight percent of people who lose weight
gain it all back again
within five years. This is why those who diet not only gain back all the weight
they’ve lost, but typically put on an extra two or three pounds.Lost muscle tissue, together with the body’s newly improved fat-storing mechanism, causes them to stabilize at a higher weight.167 PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS  WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE? Many people reason that if restricting calories is unrealistic,
then the solution must be to exercise more. Exercise, after all,burns calories. Or does it?Exercise offers tremendous benefits to those who incorporate
it into their lifestyle. It improves cardiovascular health, itmakes people feel better, it’s great for bones and muscles, itlowers insulin levels, and so on. However, as the sole approachto weight loss it’s not what it’s cracked up to be. T o lose one pound of fat by exercising, you must burn
3,500 calories. This is equivalent to going out and running 35miles. The alternative would be walking on a treadmill at fourmiles per hour for 7
½hours. In my practice I have come upon patients who were living
on 800 calories a day and exercising four hours a day, and theycouldn’t lose an ounce. Talk about frustrated! These peopleobviously were in a severe starvation mode, and the body willnot burn fat when it’s starving. WHAT ABOUT EATING LESS FAT? Another timeworn piece of advice is to tell patients to cut out
fat from their diets. Interestingly, fat is the only food substancethat does not stimulate insulin. And insulin, as you now know,is the number one hormone that creates fat, especially aroundthe middle. Ever since this country got into a nonfat, fat-free
thinking mode, we have had an epidemic of obesity. Foodslike popcorn and pretzels, which are nonfat and low incalories, create more insulin than candy does. (However, themessage here is not to eat candy. )168 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  As reported in the Framingham Heart Study, which is the
largest on-going heart study in the world, the men who ate themost saturated fat (butter, meat, eggs, etc.) weighed the least.Additionally, they had the lowest cholesterol levels and thefewest incidents of coronary artery disease. Fat is not the enemy. Additionally, given that fat is the preferred fuel for survival,
the body is not likely to burn it if a person restricts their fatintake. Even more important: nonfat foods are usually high incarbohydrates (sugar), so eating them causes insulin levelsto increase. THE LOGICAL APPROACH
So we’ve eliminated dieting, we’ve eliminated exercise, and
we’ve eliminated eating less fat. Now what are we going to do? Well, it all comes down to metabolism. The trick is to
convert your body from a sugar-burning metabolism to a fat-burning metabolism. The way to do this is to take away sugar.The body gets sugar from carbohydrates. All carbohydratesbreak down into sugar. You must eliminate those particularcarbohydrates that create the most sugar and/or stimulate themost insulin production. It takes three days from the time you stop taking in sugar
and certain other carbohydrates for your body to beginburning fat. It takes that long to get the sugar, or glycogen, outof the muscle tissue. Once you get rid of the glycogen, theusual source of energy, the muscles have no choice: they haveto start burning fat. After that point, everything you do burnsfat. Cleaning the house, walking out to the car, walkingyour dog—everything you do burns fat. Even while you aresleeping, you are burning fat. You’re still up against the fact that it takes 3,500 calories to
lose a pound of fat, but now you are burning fat constantly.169 PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS  Most people using this type of approach, depending upon how
much they weigh and how active they are, are able to burnanywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 calories per week So theirexpected fat loss would be two to three pounds per week, oreight to twelve pounds per month. SAYING GOOD-BYE TO INSULIN
Obviously, this type of approach is not for everybody. However,
certain types of people have no other choice except to followthis plan. These are the people who:
• are not big eaters; they can’t shave 3,500 calories
from their meal plans in order to lose one pound of fat
• over-produce insulin• have Syndrome X• have low progesterone levels• eat too much sugar. For most people, insulin is the enemy. Insulin creates fat by
taking any sugar the muscles have no need for and placing itinto fat cells, where the sugar is immediately converted intofat. Then the insulin sits there preventing release of fat fromthe fat cells—it is a fat-storing hormone. The bottom line for most people is that to get rid of fat they
have to reduce insulin. If they want to reduce insulin, they haveto take away sugar. Sugar stimulates insulin production. SIMILAR APPROACHES
Cutting out carbs is the basic premise behind many weight loss
approaches: Atkins, the South Beach Diet, Sugar Busters, the170 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  Zone, Protein Power, the Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, the
Mayo Clinic Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, the Stillman Diet aresome of the better-known ones. What used to be a low-fat world is rapidly converting into
a low-carb world. Many restaurants offer low-carb menus, andfast food places have also jumped on the bandwagon. This concept of eating low carb is not new. It has actually
been around for more than 150 years. There were severalsuccessful low-carb programs in the 1800s, though theyeventually died out. The idea was resurrected in the 1970s byStillman and Atkins. Now there are low-carb proponents ofall kinds. One must be aware that no single diet plan is for every-
body—there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. For example,one diet plan allows a “reward meal” at supper (eat as manycarbohydrates as you want within the space of an hour).<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Even with my son124 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  at home I couldn’t tear myself away from work. Stephanie insisted I see a psychiatrist about my workaholic
attitude. I began seeing a woman who diagnosed me as bi-polarand gave me three strong medications to even out my highs andlows. I began talk therapy as well. Looking back, I probably should have gotten a second
opinion from another psychiatrist. The talk therapy only dealtwith my euphoria and my depression. We never talked about theunderlying problems that were driving me. I began getting worseand worse. I felt so much responsibility that I couldn’t handle it. There was nothing in my life that felt comfortable and grounded. I felt anxious all the time; I couldn’t sleep or eat. At one point I threatened to drive to Hoover Dam and
jump. Stephanie got on her knees and cried and begged me to getsome real help. There is a psychiatric hospital in Connecticut myfamily knows about and they offered to send me there. By nowI’d lost my job. I knew that if I wanted to get my life on trackI’d have to get more help. So I spent the summer in Connecticut getting a lot of
individual counseling, and group therapy, too. Stephanie wentto Chicago with our son to stay with her parents. We lost ourhouse. Stephanie is now in Chicago and we are both praying forreconciliation and a chance to start life over together. In Connecticut they added lithium to the drugs I was taking,
bringing the number to four. These were all very strong drugs,including Effexor, Paxil, and Depakote. I didn ’t like the way Ifelt


 of emotion
Think of the difference between a salad fresh-picked from your garden
and one made from the same vegetables bought in the supermarket. Contrast a picnic in the mountains with lunch at a hambur ger stand, or the
taste of cool well water with water from a city tap. Freshness indicates the
presence of Prana; staleness indicates its absence. The factor least understood in our culture is balanced breath, which in
India is considered the most important. The word breath implies more than
the physical act of drawing air in and out of the lungs. Breath is the junction
point between mind, body, and spirit. Every change of mental state is
reflected in the breath and then in the body. Gross indications such as
posture as well as distinct bodily sensations are directly related to one’s
style of breathing. Changes of feeling are registered immediately in the pattern of breathing. Anger produces shallow inhalation and strong, panting exhalation. Fear
creates rapid, shallow, ragged breathing. Sorrow creates spasmodic, broken
breathing—the kind that arises when you are sobbing. On the other hand,
positive emotion s such as joy induce more regular breathing as the chest
cavity relaxes. In moments when the mind stops, struck with beauty or
revelation, so does the breath—that’ s what people are referring to when
they say that looking into the Grand Canyon for the first time isbreathtaking. At a subtler level, entering into the silence of deep meditation
slows the breath, and what spiritual masters call “the rapture of God”—
contemplating Spirit directly—is reflected in little or no breathing. This phenomenon also works in reverse—changing the breathing pattern
also causes altered emotions. As a young intern on duty in the emer gency
room, I was taught to calm down agitated patients just by sitting next to
them and asking them to breathe slowly, deeply, and regularly  along with
me. As we fell into a relaxed breathing rhythm, our bodies spontaneously
followed suit, and their agitated  emotions were stilled. In the chart on this
page  are some examples from common experience of how the link between
breath, body, and emotion works. As you can see, when joy, love, and compassion are at work, breathing is
at its most spontaneous and relaxed. The various systems of Yoga in India
teach many kinds of highly controlled breathing exercises,  known as
Pranayama,  to balance the breath, but their actual goal is not to produce
controlled or disciplined breath ing under ordinary circumstan ces. Rather,
paying attention to the breath is a vehicle for releasing stress and allowing
the body to find its own balance. Once in balance, yogic breathing is
spontaneous and refined, so that the refined emotions of love and devotion
can be carried throughout the body at all levels. When your cells experience
the fullness of Prana, they are receiving the physical equivale nt of these
emotions. The following two exercises are for balancing your breathing. They are
not full-blown Pranayamas, which should be done in conjunction with
meditation and Yoga postures, * but when properly done, these exercises
will give you the experience of Prana as a light, sparkling, flowing
sensation in your body. Usually, your muscles will become notic eably warm
and relaxed. Mentally, balanced  breathing is reflected in a sense of calm,
lack of tension, and quietness, as the static of restless thinking gives way to
silence.Exercise 1: Body Br eathing
Sit still in a chair listening to soft music, or outside listening to the wind
in the treetops. As you listen, gently let your attention flow out of your ears
as you easily exhale. Repeat for a minute, then do the same thing through
your eyes, letting your attentio n go outward on the breath, slowly and
gently. Repeat this through the nostrils, the mouth, then sit quietly just
listening to the music with your whole body. Now allow your attention to sink into your chest. Feel where your heart
center is (at the point where the breastbone and ribs join) and breathe out
through it, letting your attention go with the breath. Continue  gently for
another minute,  then sit quietly, aware of your body. This exercise takes
about two minutes but can be extended by doing another cycle or two. This exercise consciously links respiration and the nervous system,
helping to promote their smooth integration. It is a delightful exercise to
conduct outdoors, sitting next to running water or under a tree when the
wind is gently stirring its leaves. Feeling your awareness as it flows out on
your breath gives you a powerful sense of being at harmony with Nature. Exercise 2: The Expanding Light
Stand in your stocking feet with your eyes closed, arms down at your
sides, and vividly relive the sensation of your last exhilarating experience. Recapture the feeling of being happy, vibrant, and carefree. (You can use a
visual image, a loving memor y, a moment of triumph from the past—
anything that brings the sensatio n of exhilaration back to you; do not worry
if it is only faint, just have the intention of being with it.) As you do this, inhale slowly through your nose and begin to spread your
arms out slowly. Imagine that as you inhale, your breath is expanding from
the center of your chest. It is an expanding light that makes your arms float
effortlessly open, and as the light expands, your happy, exhilar ated feeling
expands with it. You can visualize this as a glowing blue-white ball of light
if you want, or just as a sensation. Let the light grow as slowly or quickly as
it wants,  spreadi ng from the center of your heart, reaching out to the tips ofyour fingers, up to your head, and down to your toes. You’ll also be
smiling, so let that grow, too. At the point of maximum extension, start slowly exhaling through your
nose and bring your arms back down to your sides. Do this slowly, taking
longer to exhale than to inhale. Take the expanded feeling/light  back down
into your chest, until it is small and localized in your heart again. As your
arms come back down to your sides, let your head drop forward. Now repeat the exercise on the next breath, expanding the feeling again
—don’ t pay attention to your physical movements, but stay with the feeling. You want to open and close it like a flower with each breath. As you continu e, you can begin to open up even more, throwing your
head back, expanding your chest, and rising on tiptoe on the outward stroke. As you exhale, slump like a rag doll, bending at the knees and waist. Don’ t
speed up the movements, however, just proceed slowly and rhythmically. You’ll notice that this is an extremely pleasant exercise, because as you
open, your body fills with breat h, awareness, and enjoyment all at once—
the sensation is light, warm, tingling. As you close, the body relaxes and
slumps under its own weight, becoming more grounded and still. You are
exploring a complete range of feeling, which allows the subtle breath to
penetrate into every channel. The Vata Connection
As we get older, there is a natural tendency for Prana to diminish; this must
be count ered to preserve youthfulness. In India, longevity was traditionally
assigned to a branch of learning called Ayurveda,  derived from two Sanskrit
roots, Ayus, or “life,” and Veda, meaning “science” or “knowle dge.” This
ancient “scienc e of life” is usually referred to as India’ s traditional
medicine, but there is a deeper spiritual basis for Ayurveda. The most
famous verse from the ancient Ayurvedic texts says, Ayurveda amritanam
(“Ayurveda is for immortality”). The meaning is twofold: Ayurveda is for
promoting longe vity without limit, and it does this from a belief that life
essentially is immortal.According to A yurveda, the life ener gy, or Prana, is channeled throughout
our bodies by a “wind” known as Vata. Vata is one of the three metabolic
principles ( doshas ) that give form to every living thing, be it a mosquito, an
elephant, a human being, a planet, a star, or the entire cosmos. Vata is
responsible for movement of every kind. In the human body it is divided
into five parts:
Prana V ata regulates the nervous system. Udana V ata regulates cognitive skills, speech, and memory. Samana V ata regulates digestion. Vyana V ata regulates circulation. Apana V ata regulates excretion. All five aspects of V ata are controlled by the first and most important, Prana
Vata, for as the name implies, this dosha brings in Prana, the life force,
which is then distributed to the rest of the body. When Prana Vata is out of
balance, there is general disruption throughout the system. Ayurveda holds
that old age is a particularly sensitive time for such imbalances. Vata is
naturally higher in old age, and if a person has not been careful to keep
Prana V ata in balance, the following symptoms will result:
SYMPT OMS OF V ATA IMBALANCE
Physical symptoms Mental/behavioral


achesandotherpainfulconditionsof
thethroatandgums,astheseedsproducedastrong
salivationonbeingchewed.TheherbalistGerard
savs,Theseed...chewedinthemouthdraweth
forthmuchmoisturefromthehead,andcleanseththe
braine.' Thepoisoningsproducesymptomsofexcite-
mentfollowedbydepressionandextremesensitivity
ofallthenerves,whichgivewaytoparalysis,a
slowingdownofthepulseandfinallydeathcausedby
asphyxia. Thehomeopathicremedyismadefromtheseedsby
trituration. NBSEEALSOPAGES203-26FORGENERALADVICE,DOSANDDON'TS. 154•Staphysagria(Stap.) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
GENERALSYMPTOMS
Anaemia.Sweatfrommentalexertion. Worseforexertion;forfasting;fortobacco;fortouch. Theseindividualsareextremelysensitive,bothphysi-
callyandemotionally,andtheysufferpainmore
acutelythanothers.Woundsandcutsareunusually
painfulandsensitivetotouch,especially ifthereisa
feelingofhavingbeenassaulted,withresultant
indignation. Theyfeelgenerallyworseforexercise,smokyrooms
andmissingmeals,andareespeciallyirritableafteran
afternoonnap. EMOTIONAL/MENTAL SYMPTOMS
ViolentlyangryApathetic.Capricious.Complaints
from:disappointed love;grief;humiliation;
indignation;mentalstrain;reprimands;suppressed
anger/emotions. Forgetful.Irritable.Sensitive:to
pain;torudeness. Thisisaremedyforsensitive,touchypeople-adults
andchildren-whoareveryeasilyoffended.They
cannottoleraterudenessinothersalthoughtheymay
wellberudethemselves.Theysuppresstheirfeelings,
broodingandlettinglittleout.Inparticular,angerwill
besuppressed;theywillfumeinsideandmayeven
appearsweetandcompliantonthesurface.-After-
wards,theyquicklybecomeexhaustedandwillsay
thattheyfeelshakyandcannotsleep,workorspeak;
andtheymaywellgetaheadache. Thissuppressionofangryfeelingscanturnintoan
activeandacidresentment.Anycomplaintthathas
beencausedbyoraccompaniedbyasenseofviolation
withensuingindignationandresentmentwillcallfor
Staphysagria.Childrenmaybecome illaftertheyhave
beentoldofforyoumaynoticethemailingafter
havingbeenbulliedorhumiliated,eventhoughthey
appeartohavetakenitwell.Staphysagriawillbeindi-
catedforadultswhohavesufferedatthehandsofan
angrybossorspouse,orareinanysituationwhere
theyfeelviolatedwhileseethinginside.Theydonot
wanttobetouchedwhentheyarefeelingloworupset. Thesepeoplecannotsayno.Theyareaccommodat-
ingandtheyallowthepressuretobuildupinside;this
endsinaviolentoutburstofrageorgettingsickor
both.Wheninthisstatetheywilloftenthrowthings
(asdoChamomillas). PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Bites/stings
Thebitesareverypainfulandsensitivetotouch.Colic
SymptomsPainscramping. Worseafterdrinking. Causesindignation;vexation. Children(oradults! )whoaretoldoffanddonotstand
upforthemselvessometimesproducestomach-aches
asaresult.Theymaynotadmittothe'event'that
sparkedoffthepainsunlessquestionedclosely. Cough
SymptomsCoughtickling. Causessuppressedanger. Thelarynxandairpassagesfeelirritatedwiththis
cough. Cystitis
SymptomsDesiretourinatefrequent.Urination:
frequent;involuntary.Urinescanty. Thiscystitisoftenfollowsasenseofbeingassaulted
eitherphysicallyoremotionally,wheretheperson's
ownfeelingsand/orneedswerenotexpressed. Exhaustion
SymptomsExhaustionnervous.Trembling. Thisisforpeoplewhobecomewornout,anaemic,
tremblyandexhaustedfromsuppressing their
feelings. Eyeinjuries
SymptomsWoundpunctured;verysensitiveto
touch. Headache
SymptomsPains:inbackofhead;inforehead;pull-
ing;pressing;sore,bruised. Worsefortouch. Causesemotions;excitement;grief;vexation. Theseareheadachesofpeoplewhocannotcopewith
stressfulemotions.Theyusuallysuppresstheiranger,
andbecomeresentful. Injuries
SymptomsCuts/wounds: painful;tonerve-richparts. Painstearing. Worsefortouch. Causesaccident;childbirth;episiotomy;surgery. Staphysagria isforwoundsorinjurieswherethereare
feelingsofhumiliation,indignationandanger.This
mightbecausedbyanoperationtoasphincter(anus,
urethra,stomach,etc. ),afteranyoperation,especially
ifmorewasdonethanexpected,afteramechanical
childbirthwithpainafterwardsandpossiblystitches,
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Sulphur(Sul. )•155
oritmaysimplybepainfollowinganunpleasant
examination. Staphysagriawoundsaretypicallycausedbysharp,
cuttinginstrumentssuchasglass;thepains(andthose
followingsurgery)arestinging,smarting.Injuriesto
theeyesoreyelidswherethereisinflammationcan
callforStaphysagriaaslongastheaccompanying
emotionalsymptomsarepresent. Styes
Thesearesensitivetotouchandareoftenaccom-
paniedbyStaphysagnaemotionalsymptoms. Toothache
SymptomsPains:spreadtotheears;gnawing;tear-
ing;indecayedteeth.Inchildren. Worseaftereating;forcolddrinks;duringmenstrual
period. Thisisforpeoplewhoseteethdecayedandturned
blackearly,andwhohavetoothacheinthedecayed
teeth,especiallywithdrinkingcolddrinks. Travelsickness
Staphysagria istheremedytoprescribefortravel
sicknesswheretheindividual isextremelydifficult,
stroppyandindignantthatthisshouldbe'happening
tohimorher'. Sulphur(Sui.) Othernames:brimstone;flowersofsulphur
Sulphuroccursnaturallyandisanessentialchemical
constituentofalllivingtissue.Itisoneofthesub-
stancesthrownoutbyavolcaniceruption;thesulphur
driesroundtheedgeofthevolcano,andthisissimilar
toa'sulphureruption'wherethepusisaggravatedby
heat,oozesoutandthenformscrustsontheskin. Itswidecommercialapplicationincludesitsusein
themanufactureofgunpowder,dyes,fungicidesand
insecticides,tohardenrubberandtomakesulphuric
acid. Ithasalonghistoryinmedicine. Itwasconsidereda
preventiveforepidemicillnesses,and'Flowersof
sulphur'wereburnedtofumigateroomsoccupiedby
peoplesufferingfrominfectiousdiseases(theburning
sulphurproducessulphurdioxide,apowerfuldisin-
fectant).Itwastakenregularly,alongwithmolasses,
to'cleanse'thegut,andhasbeenusedformorethan
2000yearstotreatskindiseases,includingacneand
scabies;otherusesinorthodoxmedicineincludeits
useasalaxative,forchronicbronchialcatarrhandfor
rheumatism.Thehomeopathicpreparation ismadefrompure
sulphur(afineyellow-greenish, grittypowder)either
bytriturationorasatinctureinstrongalcohol. GENERALSYMPTOMS
Anaemia.Breathsmells.Complaintsfromchangeof
weatherfromcoldtowarmDischargessmelly;sour;
watery.DislikesmeatFace:red,sallow;redinspots. Glandsswollen.Likes:spicyfood;sweets.Lips:
cracked;dry;red.Painsburning.Sweat:profuse;
smelly;sour;fromslightestphysicalexertion. Symptomsleft-sided.Taste:mouthtastesbitter;bad. Thirsty:extreme;forlargequantities;forwater. Tongue:white-coated;rededgesandtip. Betterforfreshair. Worseforbathing;forchangeofweathertowarm;for
draughts;forexertion;forfasting;forheat;formilk;
around10-11a.m. ;forstanding;inst


, the end. Thought finds form in something in time and space. The expres-
sion of thought in the form is a matter of gradual development,
with a beginning and an ending. Never limit the spirit in any way. If you experience any kind of fric-
tion, know that it is an error in your thinking and picturing rather
66
Manifest Your Destiny
than proof that the creative force is working incorrectly. You cannot
originate the originating force, you can only distribute it. Just continue to tell the spirit what you want without telling it
how you want it to happen. Then retreat, in faith and trust. You
need not specify the details, only be ready to see it particularize in
an endless array of possibilities. Stay alert for clues! Keep your mental picturing to yourself. What you want to attract is
a private matter between you and God. Discussing it with others
will dissipate the energy in the direction of ego and the opinions of
others. Outwardly, be mysterious and silent while inwardly you have
faith in your ability to make conscious contact with the energy that
is the source of existence. Let go of the need to convince anyone of
the rightness of your position. Remain independent of the good
opinion of others and keep yourself fixed on your ability to attract
whatever it is that you previously thought was missing in your life. Examine all the supposed lacks and scarcities in your life. Then say
to yourself, “I created all of this with my thoughts, conditioning,
beliefs and actions.” It is only by recognizing that you have always
been attracting to yourself what you have been radiating out in the
form of invisible energy that you will be able to use this same energy
in a more productive manner. Banish any guilt about your past actions. There is no past in the
all-creative force of energy. There is only the universal now. Now
you recognize that you have manifested all that you knew how to
attract to yourself in the past. Now you are going to shift this
awareness to a new way of being. You have attracted to yourself pre-
cisely what you have needed in all the days of your life that make up
this universal now. In this same now, you are shifting to a new
energy pattern that embraces this fourth principle of manifesting. 67
WAYNE W. DYER
Nothing is outside you. You can attract anything when you
know it already exists in the consciousness of your mind and has
to materialize from your new thoughts. Be responsible and trust-
ing and you will see your power of attraction working almost
immediately. Thought is creative action. It is neither good nor bad. However, the
thoughts that you dwell on determine what you will possess or not
possess. What you think about is what you will become. Be conscious of any thought or picture that will end up manifest-
ing something that you do not want. If your conditioned way of
thinking is in terms of pessimism, or impossibilities, or using your
past misfortunes as reasons for not having a happier, more abundant
life, decide to eradicate those thoughts. If you find yourself com-
plaining to others, remind yourself that your complaints are a man-
ifestation of your inner thoughts. Make contact with the power that first allows you to have a
thought and ask it to help and guide you to new ways of picturing. Once you start catching yourself in the middle of thoughts or com-
plaints, you Can initiate new pictures. This new picturing process is
easy when you realize that you are connected to the power that
allows you to attract to yourself what you desire. As difficult as it is to fathom, because of ego-based conditioning,
you are indeed one of the ways in which God has particularized in
this material world. Begin to act as if what you would like to attract is already in your
life. If you want to create healing, formulate the picture, radiate out
that energy to connect with the all-creating energy, be cheerful and
trusting in your knowing, share it with no one and then begin acting
in a new, healthy manner. The universe will give you minimal clues to begin your new
68
Manifest Your Destiny
actions. Proceeding to act in the manner of your inner picture will
hasten the process. If you want to materialize more prosperity, then start the process
of thinking abundantly and acting that way also. Give thanks for all
that has manifested in your life. Examine ways in which to be grate-
ful and take some risks, knowing that what you want to attract is
already an energy that you share. Buy yourself something special
and donate something to someone less fortunate, even if your ego
balks! Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is a special favorite of mine. I recom-
mend that you browse through it daily as I do frequently. Here is a
portion that speaks of our oneness with the divine energy. Athwart the shapeless vastnesses of space. How should I think, how breathe a single breath, how speak, if, out of
myself,
I could not launch, to those, superior universes? Swiftly I shrivel at the thought of God,
At nature and its wonders, Time and Space and Death,
But that I, turning, call to thee O soul, thou actual Me,
Thou matest Time, smilest content at Death,
And fillest, swellest full the vastness of Space. The key phrase in this passage, for me, is “... thou actual Mex
And so it is with you, no different than Walt Whitman or anyone
else in the universe. This concludes the fourth principle of spiritual manifestation. A
summary of this principle tells us that there is an intelligence and a
power in all of nature that is creative and responsive. This intelli-
gence is amenable to suggestion from us. 69
WAYNE W. DYER
You are a part of nature and of this intelligence that is greater than
any single individual. The individual you are is also a particularized
form of this intelligence. This infinite power is in all things and all
space, and it will manifest from the spiritual or formless energy that
is in the unseen world into the world of form and boundaries. When we know this beyond a doubt, and put it into practice in
our lives, we will see the pictures of our hearts’ desires transformed
into our outer reality. The fifth principle explains the importance of
our feeling absolutely worthy of receiving these gifts. 70
HONORING YOUR WORTHINESS TO RECEIVE
The Fifth Principle
n order to become a manifester, literally taking part in the
process of co-creating your life and attracting to yourself the objects
of your heart’s desires, you must know that you are worthy of receiv-
ing. This will mean examining the attitudes that you knowingly and
unknowingly hold about your life. Your thoughts, which are the
architects of the foundation of your material world, are what you
want to examine. Manifesting involves using the power of your inner world to craft a
fuller relationship with life and attract to you what you desire. You
can remind yourself all day long that the same power that brought
anything into the physical world also brought you, but if you do not
71
WAYNE W. DYER
feel worthy, you will disrupt the natural flow of energy into your life
and create a blockage that makes manifestation impossible. The fifth principle reminds you that you are worthy of abundance. If your thoughts are based on an image of unworthiness for any rea-
son at all, you will manifest what those thoughts impart to the uni-
versal mind. The energy described in the fourth principle will align
with what it is that you radiate. “As a man thinks, so is he,” are not
empty words. They state a basic truth of how the universe works. Thinking that abundance is incompatible with spirituality is a
myth that influences many of us and is the largest impediment there
is to feeling worthy. SELFISH? The myth that abundance and spirituality are incompatible is
fueled by thoughts that it is selfish and improper to visualize and
desire material things. Let’s examine this attitude and determine if
you have been influenced into believing it to be your truth. Take a look around your world and notice the abundance and end-
lessness of our universe. It goes on and on, beyond our ability to
imagine its vastness. This abundance flows from the same energy that
comprises our fundamental essence. It is you. You are it. Make no
mistake about it. Material form is how spirit makes itself known to us while we are
in form ourselves. Spirit manifests in trees, oceans, fish, birds, min-
erals, vegetables, flowers and you. All that you see around you is a
part of the material manifestation of spirit. Matter is not an illusion,
or something that ought not to be, but is the necessary means
through which spirit differentiates itself on this plane of existence. To feel that it is selfish or non-spiritual to desire and manifest is to
divide the world of spirit and the world of matter into polar oppo-
sites. When we adopt an attitude of spirit being incompatible with
matter, we are denying the spirit that is in matter as its originating
72
Manifest Your Destiny
energy. We also deny the validity of ourselves as spiritual beings. There is no reason to feel ashamed of wanting things to come into
your life. It is far better to have an attitude of deserving


 and euphoria,  though without a hangover the next day. It has a hot,  slightly aromatic and bitter taste and leaves the mouth feeling slightly numb. Parts Used Key Preparations & Their UsesResearch
■ German ban In 2002, German
regulators banned kava products
due to concerns that extracts were toxic to the liver and had led to  20 deaths. Many other countries followed Germany’s example. The ban was repealed by the German authorities in 2015. Those campaigning against it had long maintained that the traditional use of kava, especially water-based extracts of kava, were inherently safe. Australian regulators had adopted this approach in 2003 by allowing the sale of water-based extracts of kava. A rigorous reexamination of the 20 fatal cases found that only two cases could in any way be attributed to  the use of kava.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        US_104-105_Hops. indd   105 26/02/16   3:59 pm
106Hypericum perforatumkey medicinal plantsBright yellow petals
have oil glands containing hypericinHypericum perforatum (Hypericaceae)
St. John’s WortSt. John’s wort
An erect perennial growing to 32 in  (80 cm), with bright yellow flowers in a  flat-topped cluster. St. John’s wort was a folk remedy for insanity
in the Middle Ages. Habitat & Cultivation
St. John’s wort thrives in temperate
regions worldwide. It prefers a sunny site and well-drained, chalky soil. It  can be grown from seed or by root division in autumn. The flowering tops are harvested in summer. Related Species
A number of other Hypericum species have a roughly similar medicinal action. Key Constituents
■ Phloroglucinols (hyperforin)
■ Polycyclic diones (hypericin)
■ Flavonoids
Key Actions
■ Antidepressant
■ Anxiolytic
■ Antiviral
■ Wound healer
■ Anti-inflammatory
Research
■ Depression Clinical research
since the 1970s has established St. John’s wort as an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. A review in 2009 also concluded  that the herb was helpful in treating severe depression. Research shows that St. John’s wort works on neurotransmitter levels (e. g. serotonin) in several different ways. ■ Viral infection St. John’s wort
extracts (particularly hypericin, the
red pigment found in the petals and leaves) have strong antiviral activity, notably against influenza, herpes, and hepatitis B and C. ■ Safety St. John’s wort rarely
causes side effects itself, but
it does interact with certain conventional medicines, mostly increasing the rate at which they
are broken down by the liver. This changes the amount of the drug present in the bloodstream, significantly reducing its effectiveness. In rare situations,
this can be life threatening. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Nerve tonic The herb acts as a
restorative and neuroprotective,
helping to reverse long-term nervous exhaustion and lowered mood. It can prove useful in seasonal affective disorder and chronic anxiety, and improves sleep quality. ■ Menopause The herb is
considered a specific for the lowered mood that can accompany menopause, often combined with black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa,  p. 79) in such cases. ■ Tissue healing The red infused
oil has potent wound-healing properties and historically has been used to heal knife and stab wounds. Nowadays, St. John’s wort oil is more commonly used to promote healing after surgery and minor burns. The oil can be particularly helpful  in relieving neuralgia—shingles, sciatica, and toothache being  common applications. Self-help Uses
■ Anxiety, depression & tension,
 p. 308. Parts Used
Key Preparations & Their UsesFlowering tops are
picked when the flowers have opened. Fresh
flowering tops
Infusion (to make, p. 291), Drink 1/2 cup (100 ml) daily as a digestive tonic. Cream (to make, p. 296). For
cramps or neuralgia, rub onto  the affected part. Infused oil Make by steeping the herb  in oil for 6 weeks  (see p. 294). Dab  onto minor wounds and burns. ■ Back pain, p. 313. ■ Bites & stings, p. 303. ■ Cold sores, chicken pox, &
shingles, p. 304. ■ Depression & decreased vitality
due to menopause, p. 316. ■ Neuralgia, p.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the primary use of St. John's Wort?,
A: Treatment of mild to moderate depression.
Q: What is the primary use of Lavender?,
A: The essential oil of Lavender is an invaluable first-aid remedy for burns and wounds.
Q: What is the primary use of Flaxseed?,
A: Flaxseed has been used as a laxative, especially in chronic constipation.
Q: What is the primary use of Goji Berry?,
A: Goji Berry has been used in Chinese medicine for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Q: What is the primary use of Ginseng?,
A: Ginseng is used as an adaptogenic tonic to improve mental and physical stamina.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>■ Anxiety A 2003 review of kava
found that “compared with placebo, kava extract is an effective symptomatic treatment for anxiety.” The authors commented that “few adverse events were reported in the reviewed trials.” Kava is nonaddictive, and clinical evidence suggests it is also  a safe and effective treatment for anxiety linked with depression,  for insomnia, and for pain relief. Traditional &
Current Uses
■ Traditional aphrodisiac Kava
is valued in the South Sea Islands as a calming and stimulating intoxicant. It produces a euphoric state when taken in large quantities. ■ Relaxing remedy Kava is a safe
and proven remedy for anxiety that does not cause drowsiness or affect the ability to operate machinery. It is valuable for treating muscle tension as well as emotional stress. ■ Pain relief With its tonic,
strengthening, and mildly analgesic properties, kava is a good remedy  for chronic pain, helping to reduce sensitivity and to relax muscles that are tensed in response to pain. ■ Arthritic conditions The
analgesic and cleansing diuretic effect of Kava often makes it a beneficial herb for treating rheumatic and arthritic problems such as gout. It helps to bring relief from pain and  to remove waste products from the affected joint. ■ Antiseptic Kava is routinely used
by peoples of the South Pacific to treat infection, especially where pain is a key symptom. In New Guinea,  it is taken to soothe and treat sore throats and to relieve toothache. It makes a valuable urinary antiseptic and will help in treating cystitis, urethritis, urinary frequency, and bladder irritability. ■ External uses The herb makes
a useful analgesic mouthwash for treating toothache and mouth ulcers. Root relieves pain and
counters urinary infections. Dried rootTraditionally the root is
chewed and fermented with saliva  QCautions Do not exceed recommended dosage or take for more than
2 months at a time. Use water-based extracts. Do not take during pregnancy. If there is a history of liver disease, take only on professional advice. Subject to  legal restrictions in many countries. Infusion (to make, p. 291). To relieve anxiety and muscle  tension, drink
1⁄3 cup (75 ml) a day. US_122-123_Piper_Plantago.indd   122 26/02/16   3:59 pm123Plantago spp. Poultice  For boils, mix 5 g of powdered husks with sufficient infusion of calendula
to make a thick paste. Apply ( see p. 295) 3 times a day. Key medicinal plants Plantago spp. (Plantaginaceae)
Psyllium, Ispaghula (Hindi), Flea Seed
Produced by several Plantago  species— P. ovata, P. psyllium,
and P. indica —psyllium has been used as a safe and
effective laxative for thousands of years in Europe,
North Africa, and Asia. Given their small size and brown
color, psyllium husks and seeds have been mistaken for
fleas, hence their folk name flea seed. Bland-tasting, they
swell when moistened, and have a jellylike consistency
in the mouth. Habitat & Cultivation
The three species that produce
psyllium grow throughout southern
Europe, North Africa, and Asia,
especially in India, and are extensively
cultivated. They are propagated from
seed in spring and require plenty of
sun. The seeds are harvested when
ripe in late summer and early autumn. Related Species
Common plantain ( P. major, p. 251)
is prescribed for diarrhea and
irritable bowel syndrome. Che qian zi
(P. asiatica ) is used in China as a
diuretic, for diarrhea, and for
bronchial congestion. The powdered
husk is given late in pregnancy to aid
normal presentation of the fetus
(head-down position in the uterus). Key Constituents
■ Mucilage (arabinoxylan)
■ Fixed oil (2.


 consumed for its reputed tonic and aphrodisiac properties. Research  Some of the steroidal saponins have
been shown to bind to toxins within the gut, reducing their absorption into the bloodstream. This may account for sarsaparilla’s usefulness in autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis, which can be associated with this sort of toxicity. Clinical research in China suggests that sarsaparilla might hold potential in the treatment of leptospirosis,  a rare disease transmitted to humans by rats, and the acute stage of syphilis. Solanum dulcamara (Solanaceae)
Common Nightshade
Description  Slender-stemmed, woody climber
growing to 13 ft (4 m). Has deeply lobed oval leaves, dark purple flowers with yellow anthers,  and scarlet oval berries.Habitat & Cultivation  Native to Europe,
North Africa, and northern Asia, this herb has been naturalized in North America. A common wayside plant, it flourishes in open areas. The twigs are collected in spring or autumn, and the root bark in autumn. Parts Used Twigs, root bark. Constituents  Common nightshade contains
steroidal alkaloids (including solasodine and soldulcamaridine), steroidal saponins, and about 10% tannins. History & Folklore  The Swedish botanist
Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778) considered the herb to be a valuable remedy for fever and inflammatory disorders. The herb is also called bittersweet, perhaps referring to the initial bitter taste of the berries, followed by a sweet aftertaste. Medicinal Actions & Uses  This plant has
stimulant, expectorant, diuretic, detoxifying, and antirheumatic properties. It appears to be most effective taken internally to treat skin problems such as eczema, itchiness, psoriasis, and warts. A decoction of the twigs, applied as a wash,
may also help to lessen the severity of these conditions. The herb may also be taken to relieve asthma, chronic bronchitis, and rheumatic conditions, including gout. QCaution  Common nightshade is toxic in
excess. T ake only under professional supervision. Common nightshade
treats skin problems
and bronchitis. US_266-283_Sanguinaria_Ziziphus_jujuba.indd   270 26/02/16   12:48 pm271 other medicinal plantsSorbu S aucuparia
can be made from eggplant leaves. The mashed
fruit can also be applied to sunburn. Research  German research (published in 1975)
indicates that eggplant helps to prevent the
accumulation of fatty deposits within arteries. Caution  Eggplant leaves are toxic and should
only be used externally. Solanum tuberosum (Solanaceae)
Potato
Description  Perennial growing to 3 ft (1 m). Has branching stems with compound leaves,
white or purple flowers, green berries, and swollen
tubers (potatoes). Habitat & Cultivation  Native to Chile,
Bolivia, and Peru, the potato plant with its many
varieties is cultivated around the world. The tuber
is normally unearthed from autumn to early spring. Part Used  Tuber. Constituents  Potato contains starch, large
amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and K, minerals
(especially potassium), and very small quantities of
atropine alkaloids. One property of these alkaloids
is the reduction of digestive secretions, including
acids produced in the stomach. History & Folklore  Many different potato
species and varieties were cultivated by the
Quechua and Aymara peoples of the central
Andes. In the early 16th century, the potato
was introduced into Europe by Spanish voyagers
returning from the New World. It was not until
the 18th century that the potato became a staple
ingredient in the European diet. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Taken in
moderation, potato juice can be helpful in the
treatment of peptic ulcers, bringing relief from  Constituents  Goldenrod contains saponins,
diterpenes, phenolic glucosides, acetylenes,
cinnamates, flavonoids, tannins, hydroxybenzoates,
and inulin. The saponins are antifungal. History & Folklore  The herbalist John Gerard
commented wryly in 1597 that “goldenrod has in
times past been had in greater estimation and regard
than in these days: for within my remembrance,
I have known the dry herb which came from
beyond the seas, sold … for half a crown an
ounce. But since it was found in Hampstead
wood [London] … no man will give half a
crown for an hundredweight of it: which plainly
setteth forth our inconstancy and sudden
mutability, esteeming no longer of any thing
(how precious soever it may be) than whilst
it is strange and rare.” Four hundred years on,
one can only agree. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Antioxidant,
diuretic, and astringent, goldenrod is a valuable
remedy for urinary tract disorders. It is used both
for serious ailments such as nephritis, and for more
common problems like cystitis. The herb also has
a reputation for helping to flush out kidney and
bladder stones. Goldenrod’s saponins act
specifically against the Candida  fungus, the cause
of vaginal yeast infection and oral thrush. The herb
can also be taken for conditions such as sore
throats, chronic nasal congestion, and diarrhea. Due to its mild action, goldenrod is used to treat
gastroenteritis in children. Externally, it may be
used as a mouthwash or douche for thrush. Related Species  Various Solidago  species are
used medicinally in North America. Several species,
including Canadian goldenrod ( S. canadensis ), have
been taken to relieve colds, fevers, and chest pain. Sweet-scented goldenrod ( S. odora ) was listed
as a stimulant, carminative, and diaphoretic
(sweat-inducer) in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia
from 1820 to 1882. Self-help Uses  Allergic rhinitis with
congestion, p. 300; Urinary infections, p. 314. Sorbus aucuparia (Rosaceae)
Eastern Mountain Ash
Description  Deciduous tree growing to
12 m (39 ft). Has reddish bark, compound leaves,
clusters of small white flowers, and clusters of round
red-orange fruit (berries). Also known as Rowan. Habitat & Cultivation  Mountain ash grows in
woodlands throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is also cultivated as an ornamental tree. Part Used  Fruit. Constituents  The fruit contains tannins,
sorbitol, malic and sorbic acids, sugars, and
vitamin C. The seeds contain cyanogenic
glycosides, which, in a reaction upon  Goldenrod is a
valuable remedy for
urethritis, nephritis,
cystitis, and other
ailments of the
urinary tract.Potato  can be helpful in relieving the painful symptoms of
a gastric ulcer.pain and acidity. The juice or the mashed pulp
may be used externally to soothe painful joints,
headache, backache, skin rashes, and hemorrhoids. Potato skins are used in India to treat swollen gums
and to heal burns. Related Species The root of the Brazilian
S. insidiosum  is used as a diuretic and stomach-
supporting remedy. Cautions  All parts of the plant except the tuber
are poisonous. Excessive doses of potato juice are
toxic. Do not drink the juice of more than one
large potato per day. Solidago virgaurea (Asteraceae)
Goldenrod
Description  Perennial plant growing to 28 in
(70 cm). Has toothed leaves and branched spikes
of golden-yellow flowers. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to Europe and
Asia and naturalized in North America, goldenrod
prefers open areas and hillsides. It is gathered in
summer while in flower. Parts Used  Aerial parts. US_266-283_Sanguinaria_Ziziphus_jujuba.indd   271 26/02/16   12:48 pm
272
other medicinal plantsSpigelia marilandica
contact with water, produce
the extremely poisonous
prussic acid. History & Folklore  In
the Scottish Highlands, this
tree was believed to be a
reliable antidote to
witchcraft. Highlanders planted it near their houses,
and cowherds believed that by using an ash switch to drive their cattle they could protect them from evil influences. The fruit has long been used to make preserves and alcoholic drinks. Medicinal Actions & Uses  The astringent
mountain ash is most often taken as a jam or an infusion to treat diarrhea and hemorrhoids. In addition, infusions may be used as a gargle for sore throats and as a wash to treat hemorrhoids and excessive vaginal discharge. Caution  Remove the toxic seeds prior to using
the fruit as a medicine or a food.Stachys officinalis
syn. S. betonica (