reat	rewarder. Thus	arose	the	numerous
gods	with	many	different	descriptions	in	the	traditions	of	the	cultures	within
which	these	myths	originated. (Note	that	natural	disasters	occurred	before
mankind	was	even	on	the	planet.) The	god	of	old	is	the	projection	of	the	ego	energies	associated
traditionally	with	the	chakra	of	the	spleen. The	gods	of	the	spleen	are	really
serious	misconceptions	and	account	for	the	fact	that	many	old	religions	and
scriptures	make	one	go	weak	with	muscle	testing. They	represent	the	demonic
gods	of	fear,	hatred,	envy,	jealousy,	and	retribution. The	fear	of	God’s
‘righteous	anger’	is	still	prevalent	today. One	can	see	at	a	glance	that	righteousness	is	merely	an	arbitrary	vanity	of
positionality,	and	anger	would	hardly	be	an	emotional	limitation	to	an	ever-
present,	all-powerful	God. God	is	not	injured	by	anybody’s	wrongdoing	and	therefore	has	no	trauma
to	avenge. The	image	of	God	as	a	retaliatory,	cruel	punisher	is	hard	to
eradicate	from	one’s	thinking. God	is	blamed	for	all	that	is	actually	the
product	of	the	ego	itself. It	is	the	ego	that	is	the	source	of	guilt,	sin,	suffering,
condemnation,	and	creation	of	all	the	hells. It	seeks	salvation	by	blaming	it	allon	God. It	does	so	by	turning	God	into	His	opposite. The	gods	of	the	lower
regions	are	really	demons. In	actuality,	God	cannot	be	manipulated,	cajoled,
bargained	with,	or	maneuvered	into	a	position	of	being	either	a	perpetrator	or
a	victim. God	is	not	codependent	or	neurotic	and	does	not	suffer	from	a
paranoid	psychosis	with	grandiosity. That	which	is	all	knowing	and	all	present	registers	everything. Consciousness	detects	and	instantly	registers	every	event,	thought,	feeling,
and	occurrence	and	thus	knows	everything	completely	forever. One	can	verify
by	simple	muscle	testing	that	every	hair	on	every	head	is	indeed	counted,
noticed,	and	filed	away	in	the	knowingness	of	Infinite	Consciousness	itself. This	occurrence	is	impersonal	and	automatic	and	happens	because	of	the
innate	qualities	of	consciousness. God	has	no	personal	stake	in	all	this	nor
does	he	react. God	does	not	get	upset	or	offended	or	get	his	nose	out	of	joint
at	any	impertinence	or	lack	of	good	taste. The	infinite	mercy	and	forgiveness	of	God	is	beyond	any	and	all
conception	and	is	totally	unconcerned	with	the	trivialities	of	world	events. God	is	not	half	of	a	duality. In	Infinity,	there	is	no	‘this’	(bad)	to	react	to,	nor
‘that’. God	is	neither	sadistic	nor	cruel. He	cannot	be	injured	and	therefore
has	no	desire	for	revenge. The	experience	of	God	is	not	possible	to	the	ego,	which	is	limited	to
perception	and	deals	in	concepts,	feelings,	and	form. God	is	nonmaterial	and
is	not	detectable	by	x-rays,	spectrometers,	photo	film,	Geiger	counters,	metal
detectors,	or	ultraviolet	or	infrared	detectors,	which	are	the	favorite	tools	of
paranormal	investigators	looking	for	‘spirits’. The	love	of	God	is	unconditional. It	is	not	arbitrary	or	evanescent,	nor	is	it
parceled	out	to	the	deserving. To	understand	that	God	is	love	precludes	all
such	notions. God	does	not	make	decisions,	does	not	need	any	news,	and	does
not	need	favorable	reports	in	order	to	function. That	which	is	completely	and
fully	the	totality	of	love	has	no	capacity	to	stop	being	what	it	is. By	analogy,	one	can	say	that	space	cannot	decide	that	it	will	suddenly
become	non-space. Everything	is	totally	identical	with	the	essence	of	its	own
existence. Love	cannot	turn	into	non-love,	nor	can	God	turn	into	non-God	any
more	than	a	giraffe	can	turn	into	a	non-giraffe. God	is	not	a	disturbed	child	or	a	parent. He	does	not	read	the	news	or
punish	the	wicked. No	arbitrary	judgment	is	required	in	a	universe	that	is
innately	just	and	self-balancing. Each	entity	experiences	the	consequences	of
its	own	doing,	its	own	choices,	its	own	wishes	and	belief	systems. That	which
is	all	still,	silent,	peace,	and	love	repels	back	onto	itself	all	that	is	unloving,
non-silent,	and	unpeaceful. This	is	experienced	by	the	ego	as	hell,	which	is
thereby	self-created.All	actions,	events,	thoughts,	ideas,	concepts,	and	decisions	are
accompanied	by	an	energy	field	that	can	be	calibrated. Thus,	by	its	own	acts,
the	ego	brings	itself	to	its	own	level	in	the	sea	of	consciousness. Like
buoyancy,	the	impersonal	quality	of	the	sea	of	consciousness	automatically
determines	the	level	to	which	one	rises	or	sinks. This	is	merely	the	nature	of
the	universe’s	being	what	it	is. The	explanation	that	the	ego	and	perception
use	to	describe	the	automatic	outcome	of	actions	is	called	‘judgment’,	which
is	an	illusion,	just	as	an	explanation	of	events	in	the	material	world	is	ascribed
to	‘causality’. God	is	not	limited	by	concepts,	ideas,	thoughts,	or	languages. Because	of
the	quality	of	the	omnipresence,	the	presence	of	God	includes	All	That	Is,
including	man’s	thinking,	but	of	itself	does	not	partake	of	it. God	does	not
talk	to	anybody. A	voice	booming	out	of	the	heavens	is	at	best	an
interpretation	of	an	inner	experience	that	has	been	projected	onto	the	physical
world. Sound	is	a	physical	vibration. God	is	all	present	within	the	physical. That	which	is	formless	does	not	manipulate	sound	waves. Enlightened	beings	do	not	relate	any	experiences	of	being	spoken	to	or
verbally	addressed	by	God. This	would	surmise	a	duality	of	God	versus	a
person	to	whom	God	is	speaking. In	reality,	the	Self,	God,	and	Allness	are
one. There	is	no	separation	between	a	speaker	and	that	which	is	spoken	to. Mystics	attune	to	God	by	an	unspoken	knowingness. Messages	from	God	are
from	the	spiritual	ego,	which	has	become	dissociated	and	projected	as	some
‘other’	reality. ‘Voices	from	God’	are	usually	hallucinations. Occasionally,
they	are	due	to	astral	entities,	some	of	which	claim	‘Godship’. The	Infinite	Presence	has	no	intentions	because,	here	again,	there	would
have	to	be	the	duality	of	an	intender,	that	which	is	intended,	and	that	to	whom
the	intention	is	directed. All	such	constructs	are	conceptualizations	based	on
perceptual	duality. God	is	nondualistic,	total,	complete	Allness	and	Oneness. Misinterpretations	of	God	arise	because	the	ego	deals	in	perception	and	form. It	also	misidentifies	force	as	power. Power	is	analogous	to	a	gravitational	or	magnetic	field	in	that	everything
that	occurs	within	in	it	is	impeccably	and	automatically	the	consequence	of
the	nature	of	the	field	itself. The	field	does	not	‘choose’	to	attract	anything,
nor	does	it	have	different	rules	for	different	objects. The	field	represents	total


 or we can face
it. The ﬁrst path is a false solution, because it doesn’t
resolve the underlying fear and guilt of ecological
destruction and futur e disasters. The second path eliminates
fear and guilt the only way that pr oves viable: by solving the
problem that leads to those emotions. The same holds true
for the shadow. The pr oblem calls for a holistic appr oach to
solve it. Denial is a false solution. If you acknowledge and embrace your shadow, it is
actually nurturing, because the whole of life is nurturing—
that is, life e xists to sustain itself. When we get stuck in the
drama of good versus evil, we impose our own limited
perspective. A fter all, even when someone is committing a
violent crime or going to war or victimizing someone else,
the wr ongdoer’s cells and or gans don’t shut down. The
body’s allegiance is to life, no matter how confused and
conﬂicted the mind becomes. A New W orldviewThe miracle plays of the Middle Ages, which wer e perfor med
on feast days, took the grim seriousness of evil and tur ned it
into a cosmic jok e. The Devil is a comic character who
engages in every kind of bad deed, tempting souls and
bringing tor ment, yet the Devil fails to see that in the end
God is mor e powerful. Satan himself will be r edeemed. In
the end, the jok e is on him; no one is out of God’s r each. In
religious ter ms these miracle plays ar e saying that
wholeness always over comes separation. If you see the
world in ter ms of good versus evil, you have missed the
cosmic jok e. Whatever you think is wr ong about yourself and too
painful to confr ont can be seen a diﬀer ent way. Life—
meaning your life and mine—transcends any win- or-lose
orientation. Wholeness goes beyond simplistic cause-and-
eﬀect e xplanations. In the web of r elationship, you function
in a much lar ger conte xt. Once you see yourself as part of
the whole, a new understanding arises. Ther e is no need to
label yourself or anyone else as part of the good- versus-evil,
right- versus-wr ong drama. Y ou can e xchange judgment for
the real e xperience of compassion, love, and for giveness. That is the healing that comes with being whole. But the holistic viewpoint also unleashes a deeper
intuitive knowingness—you see why things ar e the way they
are. It’s common to hear people say, “Ther e’s a r eason for
everything that happens,” but usually, if ask ed what the
reason is, they don’t actually know. The mind k eeps
searching in vain for cause-and-eﬀect e xplanations. This
eﬀort gets us into strange speculations: “I once cheated on
my wife and now this bankruptcy is payback” “I used to be
full of anger, and now I have cancer ” “The community quit
believing in God’s commandments, and now a hur ricane has
leveled it. ” Even if you r eject such dark connections, you
probably still harbor superstitions along the same lines,
because we all do. We wer en’t taught another way to
explain the unseen workings of r eality. Let me suggest another way. What if everything that
exists, visible or invisible, ﬁts into a single scheme. In this
scheme, the entir e universe is made of consciousness. The
largest events, such as the birth and death of galaxies, ar e
connected to the smallest, the interactions of subatomic
particles. Everything is part of one consciousness, which
earlier ages called the mind of God. W e don’t have to use
religious ter ms. But lik e the traditional concept of God,
consciousness is inﬁnite, all-embracing, all-powerful, and all-
knowing. It unfolds into myriad for ms and shapes. V iewed
through the ﬁve senses, some of these for ms don’t appear
conscious. It sounds peculiar to say that a jellyﬁsh pulsating
in the P aciﬁc Ocean, a r ock on the side of Mt. Ever est, and a
raindr op falling in Brazil ar e conscious. But we’r e not talking
about possessing a brain. A jellyﬁsh, a r ock, and a raindr op
don’t have thoughts and feelings (so far as we know—it’s
good to k eep an open mind about the unknown). Ther efore,
we don’t feel intimately connected to the “ nonconscious”
life ar ound us. When we stand apart fr om objects and lower cr eatur es, as
we call them, something huge is being missed. Ther e are
principles that embrace all things. L ook at a cell in your
body and an electr on hurtling thr ough the darkness of
space, and at an invisible level some deep similarities
emer ge:
Every action is coor dinated with every other action. Information is shar ed by every part of the whole. Communication is instantaneous. Energy is r eshaped into countless variations, yet never
lost. Evolution pr oduces mor e intricate for ms as time
unfolds. Consciousness e xpands as for ms become mor e
comple x. These ar e very abstract ter ms, I know, but ultimately
there is no need for wor ds at all. When you see yourself as
separate, wor ds seem to matter much mor e than being. After all, being is passive, something we tak e for granted,
while wor ds run our lives, ﬁll our heads, bring people
together, and drive them apart. Y et all these words couldn’t
exist without the silent intelligence inside every cell. The
power that holds your body together, coor dinating an
inﬁnite number of biological actions per second among
hundr eds of billions of cells, is mor e primal than thinking
and using wor ds. Primal doesn’t mean primitive, a mistak e we mak e when
we get too pr oud of human r eason. The consciousness
found everywher e is ine xpressible; it far e xceeds the human
mind. If we list the things that come to us fr om a mysterious
source, that we e xperience deeply without wor ds, it’s a
wonder that anyone ever doubted the e xistence of the
invisible world. Her e’s a short list:
Love
Creativity
The sense of being alive
Beauty
Inspiration
Intuition
Dreams
Visions
Yearning
FulﬁllmentThe sense of belonging
Awe, wonder
Ecstasy, bliss
The numinous, a sense of the divine
A life ﬁlled with all these invisible qualities would be
nothing less than a new way of being. No one would
willingly r efuse wonder, cr eativity, love, and all the r est. Y et
millions of people do. They e xperi ence bliss and fulﬁllment
in small doses that quickly fade. They fail to get past the
shadow, which guar ds the riches of the unconscious with
sharp claws and fangs. I once hear d a guru lament to his
audience, “I show you the gates of heaven, and when a
goblin springs up shouting ‘Boo. ’ you run away. ”
Fear, anger, insecurity, anxiety, and the other aspects of
the shadow feel lik e much mor e than “ Boo. ” If we ar e going
to reach heaven’s gates, the only self that can get us ther e
is the one we have. That’s the dilemma. How can a divided
self ever attain wholeness. I’d lik e to pr opose that it can,
but the way isn’t what most seek ers think it is. Krishnamurti,
the most dry -eyed, even ruthless of Indian sages, said,
“Freedom isn’t the end of the path. It’s the beginning. Ther e
is nowher e to go. Freedom is the ﬁrst and the last thing on
the path. ” He wasn’t trying to mystif y his followers. Krishnamurti’s doctrine of the ﬁrst and last fr eedom, as he
dubbed it, was his way of saying that wholeness—the state
of complete fr eedom—isn’t about choosing this or that. It
isn’t about being good instead of bad, pur e instead of
impur e. Wholeness has no divisions. It is everything. Therefore, it must be the beginning and the end at the same
time. Our job is to tur n this insight into a practical way of
life. What Is Wholeness Lik e. The glory of human e xistence doesn’t lie in all the things
that mak e us unique. It lies in the fact that we can unite
with cosmic intelligence; each of us can become a conscious
part of the whole. When that happens, you gain a world that
is bar ely suggested by the thoughts and feelings of
everyday life. It’s practical to live holistically, because with
all of consciousness to draw upon, you will be much mor e
creative and imaginative, much


	blood	sugar,	infection,	kidney	failure	and	fluid	retention,	uncontrolled	bleeding,
coma,	and	death. The	capability	of	the	liver	to	recover	from	major	damage,	though,	is
truly	remarkable. Once	the	liver	cleanses	have	removed	all	gallstones,	and	the	afflicted
person	discontinues	using	alcohol	and	medicinal	drugs,	there	usually	are	no	significant
long-term	consequences,	even	though	many	of	the	liver	cells	may	have	been	destroyed
during	the	illness. When	the	cells	grow	again,	they	will	do	so	in	an	ordered	fashion	that
permits	normal	liver	functions. This	is	possible	because	in	liver	failure	(as	opposed	to	liver
cirrhosis)	the	basic	structure	of	the	liver	has	not	been	substantially	compromised. Figure	4
:	A	liver	lobule

Acute
hepatitis
	results	when	whole	groups	of	liver	cells	begin	to	die	off. Gallstones
harbor	large	quantities	of	viral	material,	which	can	invade	and	infect	liver	cells,	causing
cell-degenerative	changes. As	gallstones	increase	in	number	and	size,	and	as	more	cells
become	infected	and	die,	entire	lobules	begin	to	collapse,	and	blood	vessels	begin	to
develop	kinks. This	greatly	affects	blood	circulation	to	the	remaining	liver	cells. The
extent	of	the	damage	that	these	changes	have	on	the	liver	and	its	overall	performance
largely	depends	on	the	degree	of	obstruction	caused	by	the	gallstones	in	the	liver	bile
ducts. Cancer	of	the	liver	only	occurs	after	many	years	of	progressive	occlusion	of	the
liver	bile	ducts. This	applies	also	to	tumors	in	the	liver	that	emanate	from	primary	tumors
in	the	GI	tract,	lungs,	or	breast. Most
liver	infections
	(type	A,	type	B,	type	non-A,	and	type	non-B)	occur	when	a
certain	number	of	liver	lobules	are	congested	with	gallstones,	which	can	even	happen	at	a
very	early	age. The	now-common	practice	of	prematurely	cutting	or	clamping	the
umbilical	cord	that	connects	a	newborn	baby	with	its	mother	leaves	the	child	with	justtwo-thirds	of	its	required	blood	volume,	a	lot	of	toxins	normally	filtered	out	by	the
placenta	during	the	first	hour	after	birth,	and	nearly	no	antibodies	to	protect	it	against
disease. It	usually	takes	at	least	40	to	60	minutes	before	the	umbilical	cord	stops	throbbing
completely. Cutting	the	cord	too	early	constitutes	an	act	of	medical	negligence	that	can
affect	the	baby’s	liver	right	from	the	start	and	set	it	up	for	gallstone	formation	even	during
childhood. This	can	subsequently	lead	to	liver	infections. A	healthy	liver	and	immune	system	are	perfectly	able	to	destroy	viral	material,
regardless	of	whether	the	virus	has	been	picked	up	from	the	external	environment	or	has
entered	the	bloodstream	in	some	other	way. The	majority	of	all	people	exposed	to	these
viruses	never	fall	ill. In	fact,	we	all	have	most	viruses	that	exist	outside	the	body	in	our
body	right	now. However,	when	large	amounts	of	gallstones	are	present,	the	liver	becomes
congested	and	toxic,	which	turns	it	into	a	conducive	environment	for	viral	activity. Viruses
are	intracellular	parasites	that	enter	a	host	cell	and	take	over	the	host’s	cellular	machinery
to	produce	new	viral	particles	(it	also	has	been	proved	that	viruses	can	be	created	from
bacteria	within	the	cells). But	viruses	don’t	develop	and	attack	cells	randomly. Contrary	to
common	belief,	viruses	tend	to	“hijack”	the	nuclei	of	the	weakest	and	most	damaged	cells
to	prevent	them	from	mutating. Not	all	viruses	succeed,	though,	and	liver	cancer	may
result. Their	presence	in	cancer	cells	should	not	be	misconstrued	to	have	cancer-producing
effects. Gallstones	can	harbor	plenty	of	live	viruses. Some	of	these	viruses	break	free	and	enter
the	blood. This	is	known	as	chronic	hepatitis. Nonviral	infections	of	the	liver	may	be
triggered	(not	caused)	by	bacteria	that	spread	from	any	of	the	bile	ducts	obstructed	with
gallstones. The	presence	of	gallstones	in	the	bile	ducts	also	impairs	the	liver	cells’	ability	to	deal
with	toxic	substances	such	as	chloroform,	cytotoxic	drugs,	anabolic	steroids,	alcohol,
aspirin,	fungi,	food	additives,	and	the	like. When	this	occurs,	the	body	develops
hypersensitivity	to	these	predictable	toxic	substances	and	to	other	unpredictable	ones
contained	in	numerous	medicinal	drugs. Many
allergies
	stem	from	such	conditions	of
hypersensitivity. For	the	same	reason,	there	may	also	be	a	drastic	increase	in	toxic	side
effects	resulting	from	the	intake	of	medicinal	drugs,	side	effects	that	the	Food	and	Drug
Administration	(FDA)	or	pharmaceutical	companies	may	not	even	be	aware	of. The	most	common	form	of
jaundice
	results	from	gallstones	being	stuck	in	the	bile	duct
leading	to	the	duodenum,	and/or	from	gallstones	and	fibrous	tissue	distorting	the	structural
framework	of	the	liver	lobules. The	movement	of	bile	through	the	bile	channels
(canaliculi)	is	blocked,	and	the	liver	cells	can	no	longer	conjugate
4
	and	excrete	bile
pigment,	known	as
bilirubin
. Consequently,	there	is	a	buildup	in	the	bloodstream	of	both
bile	and	the	substances	from	which	it	is	made. As	bilirubin	begins	to	build	up	in	the	blood,
it	stains	the	skin. Bilirubin	concentration	in	the	blood	may	be	three	times	above	normal
before	a
yellow	coloration
	of	both	the	skin	and	the	conjunctiva	of	the	eyes	becomesapparent. Unconjugated	bilirubin	has	a	toxic	effect	on	brain	cells. A	tumor	in	the	head	of
the	pancreas	caused	by	bile	duct	congestion	may	also	cause	jaundice. Diseases	of	the	Gallbladder	and	Bile	Ducts

The	liver	secretes	bile,	which	passes	via	the	two	hepatic	ducts	into	the	common	hepatic
duct. The	common	hepatic	duct	runs	for	1.5	inches	before	joining	the	cystic	duct	that
connects	it	with	the	gallbladder. Liver	bile	continues	its	journey	through	the	common	bile
duct	into	the	intestinal	tract,	but	most	of	it	must	first	pass	into	the	gallbladder. The
gallbladder	is	a	pear-shaped	pouch	that	protrudes	from	the	bile	duct. It	is	attached	to	the
posterior	side	of	the	liver	(see
Figure	5
). A	normal	gallbladder	generally	holds	about	2	fluid	ounces	of	bile. The	bile	stored	in	the
gallbladder,	however,	has	a	different	consistency	than	the	bile	found	in	the	liver. In	the
gallbladder,	most	of	the	salt	and	water	contained	in	the	bile	is	reabsorbed,	thus	reducing	its
volume	to	a	mere	one-tenth	of	its	original	quantity. Bile	salts	(as	opposed	to	regular	salt)
are	not	absorbed,	though,	which	means	their	concentration	is	increased	about	tenfold. On
the	other	hand,	the	gallbladder	adds	mucus	to	the	bile,	which	turns	it


 and philosophical writings. It felt as though they led
me up a huge ﬂight of stairs to a giant cathedral inside my
mind, but once I r eached the top of the stairs, the door to
the chur ch was lock ed. The Course gave me the k ey that
opened the door. The k ey, very simply, is other people. Heaven, accor ding to the Course, is neither a condition
nor a place, but rather the “awar eness of perfect oneness.”
Since the F ather and the Son ar e one, then to love one is tolove the other. The love of God is not outside us. Ther e is a
line in a song fr om the play Les Miserables  that says, “T o
love another person is to see the face of God.” The “ face of
Christ” is the innocence and love behind the masks we all
wear, and seeing that face, touching it and loving it in
ourselves and others, is the e xperience of God. It is our
divine humanness. It is the high we all seek. In every r elationship, in every moment, we teach either
love or fear. “To teach is to demonstrate.” As we
demonstrate love towar ds others, we lear n that we ar e
lovable and we lear n how to love mor e deeply. As we
demonstrate fear or negativity, we lear n self -condemnation
and we lear n to feel mor e frightened of life. W e will always
learn what we have chosen to teach. “Ideas leave not their
source,” which is why we ar e always a part of God, and why
our ideas ar e always a part of us. If I choose to bless
another person, I will always end up feeling mor e blessed. If
I project guilt onto another person, I will always end up
feeling mor e guilty. Relationships e xist to hasten our walk to God. When
surrender ed to the Holy Spirit, when He is in char ge of our
perceptions, our encounters become holy encounters with
the perfect Son of God. A Course in Miracles  says that
everyone we meet will either be our cruciﬁer or our savior,
depending on what we choose to be to them. F ocusing on
their guilt drives the nails of self -loathing mor e deeply into
our own skin. F ocusing on their innocence sets us fr ee. Since
‘no thoughts ar e neutral,’ every r elationship tak es us deeper
into Heaven or deeper into Hell. 2. FORGIVENES S IN RELA TIONSHIPS“Forgiveness tak es away what stands between
your br other and yourself.”
A Course in Miracles  prides itself on being a practical Course
with a practical goal: the attainment of inner peace. Forgiveness is the k ey to inner peace because it is the
mental technique by which our thoughts ar e transfor med
from fear to love. Our per ceptions of other people of ten
become a battlegr ound between the ego’s desir e to judge
and the Holy Spirit’s desir e to accept people as they ar e.
The ego is the gr eat fault-ﬁnder. It seeks out the faults in
ourselves and others. The Holy Spirit seeks out our
innocence. He sees all of us as we r eally ar e, and since we
are the perfect cr eations of God, He loves what He sees. The
places in our personality wher e we tend to deviate fr om love
are not our faults, but our wounds. God doesn’t want to
punish us, but to heal us. And that is how He wishes us to
view the wounds in other people. Forgiveness is “selective r emembering”—a conscious
decision to focus on love and let the r est go. But the ego is
relentless—it is “capable of suspiciousness at best and
viciousness at worst.” It pr esents the most subtle and
insidious ar guments for casting other people out of our
hearts. The cor nerstone of the ego’s teaching is: “The Son
of God is guilty.” The cor nerstone of the Holy Spirit’s
teaching is: “The Son of God is innocent.”
The miracle work er consciously invites the Holy Spirit to
enter into every r elationship and deliver us fr om the
temptation to judge and ﬁnd fault. W e ask Him to save us
from our tendency to condemn. W e ask Him to r eveal to us
the innocence within others, that we might see it within
ourselves.“Dear God, I sur render this r elationship to you,” means,
“Dear God, let me see this person thr ough your eyes.” In
accepting the A tonement, we ar e asking to see as God sees,
think as God thinks, love as God loves. W e are asking for
help in seeing someone’s innocence. I was once vacationing in Eur ope with my family. Although my mother and I wer e both making noble eﬀorts at
getting along well with each other, we wer en’t succeeding. Old patter ns of attack and defense wer e continuously
cropping up between us. She wanted a mor e conservative
daughter, and I wanted a mor e enlightened mother. I kept
opening the Course for help and inspiration but much to my
chagrin, I seemed to open the book to the same section
each time I pick ed it up. I would r ead, “Think honestly what
you have thought that God would not have thought, and
what you have not thought that God would have you think.”
In other wor ds, wher e wer e my thoughts not aligned with
God’s? It was driving me crazy. I wanted support for my
defensive feelings. The last thing I wanted to be told was
that the only er ror was an er ror in my own thinking. Finally, glancing acr oss St. Mark’s Squar e in V enice, I
looked closely at my mother and said to myself, “It’s true—
God’s not looking at her and thinking, ‘Sophie Ann is such a
bitch.’” As long as I chose to see her that way, as long as I
was not willing to give up my focus on her er rors, I could not
be at peace because I was not sharing God’s per ception. As
soon as I saw this, I r eleased my tense ﬁxation on what I
perceived to be her guilt. F rom that point forwar d, the
situation began to shif t. Miraculously, she was nicer to me,
and I was nicer to her. It’s easy to for give people who have never done anything
to mak e us angry. People who do mak e us angry, however,
are our most important teachers. They indicate the limits toour capacity for for giveness. “ Holding grievances is an
attack on God’s plan for salvation.” The decision to let go
our grievances against other people is the decision to see
ourselves as we truly ar e, because any darkness we let blind
us to another’s perfection also blinds us to our own. It can be very har d to let go of your per ception of
someone’s guilt when you know that by every standar d of
ethics, morality, or integrity, you’r e right to ﬁnd fault with
them. But the Course asks, “ Do you pr efer that you be right
or happy?” If you’r e judging a br other, you’r e wrong even if
you’r e right. Ther e have been times when I have had a very
hard time giving up my judgment of someone, mentally
protesting, “ But I’m right.” I felt as though giving up my
judgment amounted to condoning their behavior. I felt,
“Well, somebody’s  got to uphold principle in this world. If we
just for give things all the time, then all standar ds of
excellence will disintegrate!”
But God doesn’t need us to police the universe. Shaking
our ﬁnger at someone doesn’t help them change. If
anything, our per ception of someone’s guilt only k eeps
them stuck in it. When we ar e shaking a ﬁnger at someone,
ﬁguratively or literally, we ar e not mor e apt to cor rect their
wrongful behavior. Treating someone with compassion and
forgiveness is much mor e likely to elicit a healed r esponse. People ar e less lik ely to be defensive, and mor e likely to be
open to cor rection. Most of us ar e awar e on some level
when we’r e oﬀ. W e’d be doing things diﬀer ently if we knew
how. We don’t need attack at this point; we need help. Forgiveness for ges a new conte xt, one in which someone
can mor e easily change. Forgiveness is the choice to see people as they ar e now. When we ar e angry at people, we ar e angry because of
something they said or did befor e this moment. But whatpeople said or did is not who they ar e. Relationships ar e
reborn as we let go per ceptions of our br other’s past. ‘By
bringing the past into the pr esent, we cr eate


 it, and which of course
is true, then would you have th ose negative feelings in the fir st place? W ithout judgme nt, without resistance to what is, they would not arise. Y ou hav e an idea in your mind that “everything is okay,” but de ep down
you don ’ t really believe it, and so the old mental-emotional patterns of
resistance are still in place. That’ s what makes you feel bad. That’ s okay, too. Are you  defending your right to be unconscious, your right to suf fer? Don’ t w orry: N obody is going to take that away from you. O nce you
realize t hat a certain kind of food makes you sick, would you carry on
eating that food and keep asserting that it is okay to be sick? WHEREVER YOU ARE, BE THERE T OT ALL Y
Can you give some mor e examples of or dinary unconsciousness? See if you can catch yourself complaining, in either speech or thought,
about a situation you find yours elf in, what other people do or say, your
surroundings, your life situatio n, even the weather. T o complain is
always nonacceptance of what is. It inva riably c arries an unconscious
negative char ge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situ ation by
taking a ction or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the
situation or accept it. All else is madness. Ordinary uncon sciousness is always linked in some way with denial of
the Now. The Now, of course, also implies the here. Are you resisting
your her e and now? Some peo ple would always rather be somewhere
else. Their “here” is never good  enough. Through self-observation, find
out if that is the case in your life. Wherever you are, be there totally. If
you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you
have thr ee options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or
accept it  totally. If you want to take responsibility for your life, you must
choose one of those three options, and you must choose no w. Then
accept the consequences. No excuses. No negativity. No psychic
pollution. Keep your inner space clear. If you take any action — leavin g or changing your situation —  drop the
negativity first, if at all possible. Action arising out of insight i nto what
is required is more ef fective than action arising out of negativity. Any act ion is often better than no action, especially if you h ave been
stuck in  an unhappy situation for a long time. If it is a mistake, at least
you learn something, in which  case it’ s no longer a mistake. If you
remain stuck, you learn nothing. Is fear preventing you from taking
action? Acknowledge the fear, watch it, take your attention in to it, be
fully present with it. Doing so cuts the link between the fear and your
thinking. Don’ t let the fear rise up into your mind. U se the power  of the
Now. Fear cannot prevail against it. If there is truly nothing that you can do to change your here and now, and
you can’ t remove yourself from  the situation, then accept your here and
now totally by d ropping all inner resistance. The false, unhappy  self that
loves feeling miserable, resentful, or sorry for itself can then no longersurvive. This is called surrender. Surrender is not weakness. There is
great st rength in it. Only a surrendered person has spiritua l power. Through surrend er, you will be free internally of the situation. Y ou may
then fin d that the situation changes without any ef fort on your part. In
any case, you are free. Or is there som ething that you “should” be doing but are not doing it? Get up and do it now. Alternatively, completely accept your inactivity,
laziness, or passivity at this mo ment, if that is your choice. Go into it
fully. Enjoy it. Be as lazy or inactive as you can. If you go into it fully
and con sciously, you will soon come out of it. Or maybe yo u won’ t.
Either way, there is no inner conflict, no resistance, no negativity. Are you  stressed? Are you so busy getting to the future that the present is
reduced to a means of getting there? Stress is caused by being “here” but
wanting to be “ there,” or being in the present but wanting to be in the
future. I t’ s a split that tears you apart inside. T o create and live with such
an i nner split is insane. The fact that everyone else is doing it doesn’ t
make it any less insane. If you have to, you can move fast, wor k fast, or
even run, without projecting yourself into the future and without
resisting the present. As you mo ve, work, run — do it totally. E njoy the
flow of ener gy, the high ener gy of that moment. Now you are n o longer
stressed, no longer splitting y ourself in two. Just moving, running,
working — and enjoying it. Or y ou can drop the whole thing and sit on a
park ben ch. But when you do, w atch your mind. It may say: “Y ou should
be working. Y ou are wasting time.” Observe the mind. Smile at it. Does the past ta ke up a great deal of your attention? Do you fr equently
talk and  think about it, either po sitively or negatively? The great things
that you have achieved, your adventures or experiences, or your victim
story an d the dreadful things tha t were done to you, or maybe what you
did to someone else? Are your thought processes creating guilt, pride,
resentment, anger, regret, or self-pity? Then you are not only reinforcing
a false sense of self but also helping to accelerate your body’ s aging
process by creating an accumulation of past in your psyche. V erify this
for y ourself by o bserving those around you who have a strong tendency
to hold on to the past. Die to the past every moment. Y ou don’ t need it. Only refer to it when it
is ab solutely relevant to the present. Feel the power of this mo ment andthe fullness of Being. Feel your presence. Are you worried? Do you ha ve many “what if” thoughts? Y ou are
identified with your mind, which is projecting itself into an imaginary
future si tuation a nd creating fear. There is no way that you can cope with
such a situation,  because it does n’ t exist. It’ s a mental phantom. Y ou can
stop this health-and life-corroding insanity simply by acknowledging the
present moment. Become aware of your breathing. Feel the air flowing
in an d out of your body. Feel y our inner ener gy field. All that you ever
have to deal wi th, cope with, in real life — as opposed to imaginary
mind projections — is this moment. A sk yourself w hat “problem”  you
have rig ht now, not next year, to morrow, or five minutes from no w. What
is w rong with th is moment? Y ou can always cope with the Now, but you
can never cope with the future — nor do you have to. The answer, the
strength, the right action or the resource will be there when you  need it,
not before, not after. “One da y I’ll make it.” Is your g oal taking up so much of your attention
that you  reduce the present mom ent to a means to an end? Is it taking the
joy out of your doing? Are you  waiting to start living? If you develop
such a mind pat tern, no matter what you achieve or get, the pre sent will
never be  good enough; the future will always seem better. A perfect
recipe for permanent dissatisfaction and nonfulfillment, don’ t you agree? Are you a habitual “waiter”? How much of your life do you spend
waiting? What I call “small-sca le waiting” is waiting in line at the post
of fice, in a traf fic jam, at the airport, or waiting for someone to arrive, to
finish w ork, and so on. “Lar ge-scale waiting” is waiting for the next
vacation, for a better job, for the children to grow up, for a truly
meaningful relat ionship, for success, to make money, to be imp ortant, to
become enlightened. It is not un common for people to spend the ir whole
life waiting to start living.W aiting is a state of mind. Basically, it means that you want the future;
you don ’ t want the present. Y ou don’ t want what you’ve got, and you
want w hat you haven’ t got. W ith every kind of waiting, you
unconsciously c reate inner conflict between your here and no w, where
you don ’ t want to be, and the projected future, where you wa nt to be. This greatly reduces the quality of your life by making you lose the
present. There is nothing wrong with striving to improve your life situation. Y ou
can imp rove you r life


 at the rate of three to six drops per day. There
are contraindications to taking Lugol for certain sick but noncancerous
patients. If the individual has a history of allergy to iodine, Lugol is not
indicated, at least initially; however, it can be cautiously added after three to
five days, one drop to start, then increasing as tolerance allows. Other ill patients presenting with hepatic (liver) insuf ficiency, hepatitis,
or hepatic cirrhosis should be started on one to two drops of Lugol per day,
to avoid bleeding or a decrease in blood platelets. Those patients known to
be affected by heavy metal toxicity should additionally receive doses of one
to two drops per day initially. Thyr oid Hormone
Thyroid hormone is taken in a dose of 1 grain once or twice  per day. Typically, patients with nonmalignant diseases do not possess as serious a
thyroid deficien cy as cancer patients. In some cases, the Gerson-trained
health professio nals have found it beneficial for patients to start on up to 5
grains of thyroid hormone for only three to five days, rather than the
fourteen days commonly prescribed for those people with malignancies. Contraindications to thyroid usage are similar to those for Lugol. Watch
for signs of hyperthyroidism, including tachycardia, anxiety, insomnia,
tremors, and others. Reduce dosage levels if any of these  signs and
symptoms are present. Also note that transient tachycardia alone is often
indicative for a toxic or flare-up reaction. Patients presenting with a historyof cardiac insuf ficiency or other cardiac incidents should be started on a
maximum dosage of 2 grains of thyroid daily. Niacin (V itamin B3)
This vitamin B3 nutrient has a dosage of 50 mg three times per day. Some
contraindications do exist, such as for patients who present with hepatic
insuf ficiency, hepatitis, or hepa tic cirrhosis. These liver-impa ired people
should receive a maximum of only 100 to 150 mg of niacin daily. Patients
with a medical history of bleeding, ulcers, or gastritis, and those who are
concurrently receiving prednisone, other steroids, or Coumadin should not
receive niacin. Pancr eatin
This pancreatic enzyme from the pig allows for a dosage of three 325-mg
tablets taken four times a day. According to Dr. Gerson, pancreatin is
contraindicated for sarcoma patients. Crude Liver/B12 Injection
Taken once daily as an intram uscular injection of 3 cc of crude liver
extract, added to the extract in the same syringe is 0.05 cc of vitamin B12 to
make up a normal 100-mcg dose. Other than excessive levels of vitamin
B12, and occasiona l allergic reactions, there is no known contrain dication
for the crude liver/B12 injection. Acidol
The gastrointes tinal enzyme product known as Acidol (betaine
hydrochloride and pepsin), is taken in a dose of two capsules daily, three
times a day with meals. There are contraindications to this digestive aid,
including gastric ulcers, gastritis, severe nausea, intestinal bleeding, oresophageal problems. Patients with these difficulties and those taking
Coumadin concurrently with Gerson treatment should not receive Acidol. Coenzyme Q10
While not a vitamin, coenzyme Q10 has vitaminlike properties. It
provides for an initial dose of 90 mg once per day. If no side effects in the
form of tachycardia or arrhyth mia arise, on the second day of taking it
increase CoQ10 to 300 mg daily, and on the third day increase the dose to
600 mg. Remain at that higher dosage thereafter. Wobe-Mugos and Megazyme Forte
These two groups of gastrointestinal enzymes are indicated primarily
when the patient suffers from severe, excessive gas. Some reports also
indicate that the enzymes may be helpful in reducing tumor masses. Laetrile
Laetrile, known  generically as amygdalin, is not indicated for the
treatment of conditions other than cancer. Brewer ’s Yeast
This type of food yeast, derived from the brewing of beer, is not
recommended under most circumstances because of the potentially
increased risk of the yeast syndrome (candidiasis) developing or worsening. Also, many people taking brewer ’s yeast report extreme abdominal
distention and gas. Castor Oil T reatment
This plant oil, if used at all, usually is administered one or two times a
week. It should be taken with great caution as castor oil is a powerfuldetoxifier, and long-buried toxins can come out of the tissues. Such a
release may produce severe healing reactions. Coffee Enemas
Coffee enemas are standardly taken by ill patients who are following the
Gerson Therapy in a 32-ounce enema once or twice per day, and the enemas
may be increased in number up to five a day. Remember that coffee enemas
tend to stimulate the liver and can cause toxic side effects from the
elimination of some long-retained noxious residues lodged within the
body’ s cells. FIRST -YEAR FOLLOW -UP THERAPY FOR THE  PATIENT  NOT ILL WITH
CANCER
Follow-up therapy is required on this reduced Gerson protocol for the
person who suffers from an illness other than cancer. Changes in the
medications will be made during the first year of Gerson treatment. For
instance, approximately one month after dischar ge from the inpatient
treatment center  (probably six to nine weeks after admission to the Gerson
hospital and start of the Gerson Therapy), thyroid hormone, potassium, and
Lugol medications, if at normal levels, are adjusted downward. Other
supplements are generally kept at initial levels. Supplemental adjustments
are often made based on diagnostic laboratory blood examinations and
other means of diagnosis. Note that this follow-up protocol differs significantly from the
information in “A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases.”  Patients must
now be kept on higher dosages of the three main medications for longer
periods than in Dr. Gerson’ s day. When medications are reduced  too rapidly
(such as according to the schedu le published in A Cancer Therapy: Results
of Fifty Cases),  patients often experience difficulties and go through a
slowing of recovery or a recurrence of disease. Nevertheless, almost any nonmalignant health problem will benefit from
being treated with the Gerson Therapy. At the beginning of this book we
cite at least fifty-two verified diseases that respond exceedingly well to theGerson treatment program. We have witnessed their improvement, reversal,
or outright cure. SOME NONCANCEROUS  ILLNESSES  REVERSED BY  THE GERSON  THERAPY
Here are eighteen examples from the vast number of acute or chronic
degenerative health problems that almost anyone can eliminate by
following the modified Gerson approach to healing (discussed  above) and
by living  the pristine lifestyle originally recommended in the book by Max
Gerson, M.D. : (1) addictions of almost all types, (2) atherosc lerosis, (3)
chronic fatigue syndrome, (4) reversible colostomy, (5) diabetes types I and
II, (6) a variety of genetic disorders, (7) emphysema, (8) heart disease and
vascular disease, (9) hepatitis A, B, and C, (10) kidney disease, (11) heavy
metal toxicity, (12) multiple sclerosis, (13) osteoarthritis, (14) osteoporosis,
(15) steroid treatment, (16) systemic lupus erythematosus, (17) rheumatoid
arthritis, and (18) ulcerative colitis. In accordance with the efficacy of the Gerson approach to treatment, we
offer below some commentary on a tiny sampling of these ills. All are able
to be corrected permanently using modifications of the Gerson protocol. ADDICTIONS
Addictions may be reversed or eliminated entirely by the habituated
individual by adapting the Gerson program. The addictions most readily
responding to some change in the standard Gerson approach are:
Codeine, Morphine, Nicotine, Amphetamines, Sedatives/Hypnotics
Those unfortunate people seeking treatment for these enslavements
should be regarded as types of chemotherapy patients, and the addictive
drugs in question must be curtailed over a three- to ten-day period. Otherwise, if the treatment is too aggressive, extremely heav y reactions
such as diarrhea and an inability to eat and drink may result. There will also
be the possible complications involving electrolyte imbalance. For those
cases in which the addictive drugs were originally prescribed as medicalrelief for pain control, placebo s may be required in the early stages of
addiction treatment. Heroin, Cocaine
Based on a limited number of patients treated with the Gerson Therapy,
our expe rience is that withdrawal symptoms are almost absent by means of
applying the full, intensive Gerson treatment plan. No program
modifications are required. However, we cannot rule out the risk of the
severe reacti ons warned about in the narcotic/sedative-
hypnotic/amphetamine protocol  described immediately above, particularly
given the likelihood of multiple drug abuse. These addicts must  be watched
carefully for reactions


talks. about Jesus. to Gentiles. ” I slowly nodded. After a few
seconds she simply shook her head, raised an eyebrow, and asked me what I
was going to wear. My father seeme d more concerned. One day he took me aside and said
very intently, “It’s the same God, isn’ t it. ”
I said, “Y es, Daddy. Of course it is. ”
I remember his looking at me sternly and saying pointedly, “Okay, I just
don’t want to hear anything about a dif ferent God. ”
No, it’ s decidedly not a dif ferent God. Permission granted. As I read the Course, I found  the concepts so fascinating that I naively
assumed my Christian friends must sit around and talk about things like
Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus all the time. I figured I just didn’ t know
that because they didn’ t do it when I was in the room. Silly me. What I
came to realize was something quite different. Many Christians  I knew had
even more aversion to all that Chris tian terminology  than I had had. I was
simply ignorant of certain concepts; they were ambivalent about them. The Course  frees Jesus from  the grip of an institutional authority that
seeks to monopolize and ultimately constrict his identity. For some the
Course  deviates from Christian principles, while for others it explains them
in a way that makes sense for the first time. As it says in the Course, its
practitioners come from “all religions and no religion. ” They are simply
those who have heard the call for a higher, transformative love. I learned that many Christians as well as non-Christians are filled with a
lot of questions about Jesus. Reading the Course, I was learning some new
ideas, while some of my friends were unlearning old ones. I have seen
thousands of people over the years, both Christian and non-Christian, find
profound psych ological and spiritual value in A Course in Miracles. The
mystic Jesus is reflective of themes at the heart of all the great religions of
the world. He is not a divider into religious silos but rather a connector of
human hearts. A Course in Miracles  does not ask us to believe in God, or in Jesus. It
asks us to believe in each other. It argues that belief itself is meaningless,
but that experie nce is everything. Some believe A Course in Miracles  is a
work of genius created by a clinical psychology professor named Helen
Schucman at Columbia University in the 1960s and 1970s, while others
believe it was written by the Holy Spirit speaking through her. The power of
the Course  is expressed not through the identification of its author but in the
practice of its principles. I feel grateful that I came to the Course  with no previou s understanding
of who Jesus was or is. My mind was devoid of preconceived notions, andat no point during my more than four decades of studying it have I felt
called away from my own religion. What the Course  is askin g us to convert
is our hearts, and that is all. If anything, my study of A Course in Miracles
has connected me more deeply to the mystical roots of Judaism. This book is about the Jesus I know as a student of A Cours e in
Miracles. All the concepts you will read here are based on my
understanding of his teachings. Everyone has their own experience of A
Course in Miracles  and of its author. This is simply mine.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who is the book dedicated to?,
A: Mickey Maudlin
Q: What is the author's understanding of Jesus?,
A: A mystic and universal force, not a personification of love
Q: What is the purpose of the Course in Miracles?,
A: To provide practical ways to apply universal spiritual concepts to daily life
Q: What is the author's initial reaction to the book A Course in Miracles?,
A: She was initially skeptical due to the traditional Christian language, but later found it to be a valuable resource for her own spiritual growth
Q: What is the author's perspective on the concept of Jesus?,
A: Jesus is a universal and mystical force, not a person, and is a guide to a higher state of consciousness and love.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Even the tiniest thought of forgiveness, of mercy, of love, can
change the trajectory of our lives. I learned at a seminar years ago a technique that I’ve passed on to many
others. We were told to look at people and silently say to them, “The love in
me salutes the love in you.” How often I’ve been in situations where I’ve
done that and seen extraordinary  changes. For all minds are joined. The vast
majority of data we receive is registered subconsciously. We can feel it
when we are being judged, and we can feel it when we are being  loved. Our
greatest power to effect change begins with our power to think differently. There is no greater preparation  for a meeting than to blast the room with
love before we get there. It changes the meeting because it changes you. How you show up in life—no t only what you do, but who you are—
determines in lar ge part the reactions of those around you. Love is the organizing principle of the universe. Just as the body
organically organizes itself, so does the universe when we allow it to. And
just as the body has a tremendous capacity to heal itself when something
has gone wrong, so does the rest of life. Miracles are the natural unfold ment of the universe, an expre ssion of
the Mind of God as every loving thought is followed by another loving
thought. “Mirac les are natural. When they do not occur something has gone
wrong”* (T-3). What has “gone wrong” is a wrong-minded thought—that
is, a loveless one. But God’ s universe is like a GPS. As soon as we take a
wrong turn, the GPS simply recalculates our path. That recalculation, that
return to right-minded thinking when the heart has been closed, is called the
Atonement. The world is moving in a dangerous direction because our
collective thoug ht patterns are infused with irreverence. This is the century
to turn things around. This will be a century of miracles, if we so choose. As someone whose mind has been purified of all ego thought, Jesus has
become one with the Atonement. In calling on him we are reaching for
divine correctio n: the thought, the feeling, the situation that will free usfrom the ego’s grip. He is a portal to a different world because he is a portal
to a dif ferent kind of thought. He cann ot do for us, however, what he cannot do through us. Without
our willingness, the miracle cannot occur. When we are willing to forgive,
be merciful, be gentle, be kind, then we are allowing our lives to be
channels for his appearance. And when he appears the world is made new. Thinking of ourselves as vesse ls through which God is trying  to express
Himself, the birth of Christ begins to make sense on a psychological and
emotional level. The light Jesus brings to the world is the light he brings to
your world. When we are more compassionate, more forgiving, then our
lives begin to change. So often we’re busy searching for an answer to a problem, unaw are that
the answer begins with us—with  the way we’re speaking to others, thinking
of others, or behaving toward others. The solution to whatever problem
confronts us is always available within the ethers of an unlimited universe,
simply blocked when our hearts are closed. Love in our hearts—and most
important, expressed in our behavior—attracts help, respect, and
willingness to help us when we need it. When our hearts are closed, we
deflect the miracles we desperately need and long for. I remem ber years ago when I would sit in a therapist’ s office
complaining about how hard it was for me to attract support in my office. So much  time and money I spent trying to analyze what had happened in
my childhood to create the pattern I constantly reenacted. If only even one
therapist had thought to ask me, “Can we look at how you behave toward
those who are trying to support you? Do you realize that in your pain you
close your heart to others? You are responsible for your effects in life. Your
childhood is not an excuse; no matter where you got the problem, it’s yours
now, and you are responsible for it. No matter what happened in your past,
the miracle lies in who you choose to be now.” It wasn’ t analysis of the
problem that freed me, it was a prayer for a miracle: “Dear God, where I am
harsh, please make me gentle.”
How profound that love truly is the Answer. Salvation itself isn’t
complicated, and perhaps that’s the reason we so often ignore it. We think it
can’t be that easy, that the answers to our problems must surely be more
complicated than simply choosing love. Yet “complexity is of the ego”* (T-
310). The truth is very simple, really. If a child is hungry, you feed them. Voilà.Choosing love is not what’ s difficult; what’ s difficult is getting


your body will become nor-mal again. 8. Keep your conscious mind busy with the expectation of the best,
and your subconscious will faithfully reproduce your habitual
thinking. 9. Imagine the happy ending or solution to your problem, feel the
thrill of accomplishment, and what you imagine and feel will be
accepted   by your subconscious mind and bring it to pass. 50  4
Mental Healings in Ancient Times
Down through the ages men of all nations have somehow
instinctively believed that somewhere there resided a healing  power
which could restore to normal the functions and sensa-tions of man’s
body. They believed that this strange power could be invoked under
certain conditions, and that the alleviation of human suffering would
follow. The history of all nations presents testimony in support of this
belief. In the early history of the world the power of secretly in-f luencing
men for good or evil, including the healing of the sick, was said to be
possessed by the priests and holy men of all nations. Healing of the
sick was supposed to be a power derived directly by them f rom God,
and the procedures and processes of healing varied throughout th e
world. The healing processes took the form of supplications to  God
attended by various cere-monies, such as the laying on of hands,
incantations, the applica-tion of amulets, talismans, rings, r elics, and
images. For example, in the religions of antiquity priests in the anci ent
temples gave drugs to the patient and practiced hypnotic sugg estions
prior to the patient’s sleep, telling him that the gods would vis it him in
his sleep and heal him. Many healings fol-lowed. Obviously, all th is
was the work of potent suggestions to the subconscious mind. After the performance of certain mysterious rites, the de-vot ees of
Hecate would see the goddess during sleep, provided that before going
to sleep they had prayed to her according to weird and fantas tic
instructions. They were told to mix lizards with resin, frankincense, and myrrh,
and pound all this together in the open air under the crescent m oon. Healings were reported in many cases following this grotesque
procedure. 51  It is obvious that these strange procedures, as mentioned in the
illustrations given, favored suggestion and acceptance by the
subconscious mind of these people by making a powerful app eal to
their imagination. Actually, in all these healings, the sub-conscious mind of the subject
was the healer. In all ages unofficial healers have obtained remarkable re-sults in
cases where authorized medical skill has failed. This gives  cause for
thought. How do these healers in all parts of the world effect t heir
cures? The answer to all these healings is due to the blind beli ef of the
sick person, which released the healing power resident in his
subconscious mind. Many of the remedies andmethods employed
were rather strange and fantastic which fired the imagination of the
patients, causing an aroused emo-tional state. This state of mind
facilitated the suggestion of health, and was accepted both by t he
conscious and subconscious mind of the sick. This will be elabor ated
on further in the next chapter. • Biblical accounts on the use of the subconscious powers
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray believe that ye re ceive
them, and ye shall have them. MARK 11:24. Note the difference in tenses. The inspired writer tells us to believe
and accept as true the fact that our desire has already b een
accomplished and fulfilled, that it is already completed, and t hat its
realization will follow as a thing in the future. The success of this technique depends on the confident conviction
that the thought, the idea, the picture is already a fact in mind. In or der
for anything to have substance in the realm of mind, it must be
thought of as actually existing there. Here in a few cryptic words is a concise and specific di rec-tion for
making use of the creative power of thought by im-pressing up on the
subconscious the particular thing, which you desire. Your thought,
idea, plan, or purpose is as real on its own plane as your ha nd or your
 52  heart. In following the Biblical tech-nique, you completely elim inate
from your mind all considera-tion of conditions, circumstances, or
anything, which might im-ply adverse contingencies. You are planting
a seed (concept) in the mind, which, if you leave it undisturbed, w ill
infallibly germinate into external fruition. The prime condition, which Jesus insisted upon, was faith. Over an d
over again you read in the Bible, According to your faith is it done
unto you. If you plant certain types of seeds in the ground, you have faith t hey
will grow after their kind. This is the way of seeds, and trus ting the
laws of growth and agricul-ture, you know that the seeds will come
forth after their kind. Faith as mentioned in the Bible is a wa y of
thinking, an attitude of mind, an inner certitude, knowing that the ide a
you fully accept in your conscious mind will be embodied in your sub-
conscious mind and made manifest. Faith is, in a sense, accept- ing as
true what your reason and senses deny, i.e., a shutting out of the litt le,
rational, analytical, conscious mind and embracing an attitude of
complete reliance on the inner power of your subconscious mind. A classical instance of Bible technique is recorded in MA TTHEW
9:28-30. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to
him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, sayi ng,
according to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened ;
and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, see that no man know it. In the words according to your faith be it unto you, you can see that
Jesus was actually appealing to the co-operation of the sub conscious
mind of the blind men. Their faith was their great expectancy, t heir
inner feeling, their inner conviction that something miraculous w ould
happen, and that their prayer would be answered, and it was. T his is
the time-honored technique of healing, utilized alike by all heal ing
groups throughout the world regardless of religious affiliation. In the words see that no man know it, Jesus enjoins the newly
healed
 53  patients not to discuss their healing because they might be subjected
to the skeptical and derogatory criticisms of the unbeliev ing. This
might tend to undo the benefits they had received at the hand of Jes us
by depositing thoughts of fear, doubt, and anxiety in the subconsci ous
mind... for with authority and power he commandeth the un-clean
spirits, and they came out. LUKE 4:36. When the sick came to Jesus to be healed, they were healed by t heir
faith together with his faith and understanding of the healing pow er of
the subconscious mind. Whatever he decreed, he felt inwardly to b e
true. He and the people needing help were in the one universal
subjective mind, and his silent inner know-ing and conviction of the
healing power changed the negative destructive patterns in the
patients’ subconscious. The resultant healings were the au tomatic
response to the internal mental change. His command was his app eal
to the subconscious mind of the patients plus his awareness,  feeling,
and absolute trust in the response of the subconscious mind to t he
words which he spoke with authority. • Miracles at various shrines throughout the world
It is an established fact that cures have taken place at various shri nes
throughout the world, such as in Japan, India, Europe, and America. I
have visited several of the famous shrines in Japan. At the  world
famous shrine called Diabutsu is a gigantic divinity of bronze where
Buddha is seated with folded hands, and the head is inclined in an
attitude of profound contemplative ecstasy. It is 42 feet in height and
is called the great Buddha. Here I saw young and old making offerings at its feet. Money, f ruit,
rice, and oranges were offered. Candles were lit, incense was  burned,
and prayers of petition recited. The guide explained the chant of a young girl as she mur-mured a
prayer, bowed low, and placed two oranges as an offer-ing. She als o
lit a candle. He said she had lost her voice, and it was res tored at the
shrine. She was thanking Buddha for restor-ing her voice. She had t he
simple faith that Buddha would give her back her singing voice if  she
 54  followed a certain ritual, fasted, and made certain offerings. Al l this
helped to kindle faith and expectancy, resulting in a conditioning of
her mind to the point of belief. Her subconscious mind responded t o
her belief. To illustrate further the power of imagination and blind beli ef I will
relate the case of a relative of mine who had tuber-culosis. H is lungs
were badly diseased. His son decided to heal his father. He


 a n  e n t e r. N o mi racle is too big or too com plicated for God. It isn’ t limits to His
power b ut only limits to my lov e that keep miracles from heali ng every
problem in my life. A loving  thought opens a door, thus attracting a miracle. An unlo ving
thought closes a door, thus deflecting one. May my mind be an open
door through which miracles can flow freely into my life. Life is simpler than I make it, for all things fall into only tw o
categories: love  or fear. Wher e I love, may I choose to love even
mor e. W her e I fear, may I choose the love and for giveness tha t
cast it out. I will thus experience my power to work miracle s,
thr ough God’ s love that is in my mind.DA Y 344
I  w i l l  n o t  j u d g e  w h o m  a n d  w h a t  I  c a n n o t
u n d e r s t a n d. O ften we have but a piece of information, a glimpse of someone’ s true
being, and then still rush to judgment. Such temptation of the ego merely
blinds us to trut h and casts us into darkness. Only through the  eyes of
love can  we truly see anything, and only through the Mind of Love can
we truly understand. I w ish only to see what God wou ld have me see. For there is lov e and
yearning in everyone. May God give me new eyes that I might see and a
new mind that I might understand. Dear God,
May I not be tempted to think I know
What in fact I cannot know. May I not be tempted to judge Y our childr en
When Y ou Y ourself do not. May my mind be fr ee of the ego thoughts
That hide the light
In everyone. Amen.DA Y 345
FOR REFLECTION
O n  t h e  S o n g  o f  t h e  U n i v e r s e
T he true you, your holy self, is b eyond any limits of the mortal world. So are the talents and brilliance within you. When you dwell in that
knowledge, simply recognizing and appreciating the divi ne spirit
residing in all of us, you receive the charisma of a self-confident person. Someone who has confidence in God comes across as confident to
the worl d; some one who thinks of himself or herself as a fol lower of
God comes across as a leader to the world. Y ou’ll develop a kind of
invisible light, a sense of humble certitude, a greatness that comes from
beyond yourself. Y our abilities, your intelligence, your talents, your personality, your
circumstances, y our dreams will all come together in a beautifu l pattern. And you will see all this as yo ur calling—a calling back and forth, in
continuous song, from your hea rt to the universe and from the universe
back to you.DA Y 346
M a y  I  l e a r n  t o  l o v e  a s  G o d  l o v e s. W hom I do not like, God still l oves. For God loves everyone. By
turning away from love for anyone, I turn away from God. T oday I
choose not to counter His will, but to be His instrument. I am an idea in the Mind of God. The Mind of God is the Mind of
Love, for everyone and everything. T oday may I learn to love as God
loves, that I might learn who I really am. Dear God,
Please lift my thoughts to love
For everyone and everything. For then I will know what it means to love
And I will know who I r eally am. Amen.DA Y 347
T o d a y  I  s e e k  t o  l o v e  m y  e n e m y,  t h a t  h e  m i g h t
b e c o m e  m y  f r i e n d. T he only sure way to rid myself of an enemy is to choose to be his
friend. My withholding love fro m anyone is not what God would have
me do. Thus ev en someone who has been my enemy can miracul ously
become my friend. T oday I allo w the power of for giveness to do for me
what I cannot do. I pray for my enemy, despite my resistance, that he or
she might become my friend. Cr eating walls of separation between others and myself will
never cr eate a miracle. Love is the power that will defeat m y
enemy, b y defeat ing within me a ny idea of having one. I choose t o
be rid of my enemies by choosing to love them instead.DA Y 348
M a y  m y  m i n d  n e v e r  b e  a n  i n s t r u m e n t  o f  a t t a c k. W hile love  would  not always hav e me agree with a brother, it w ould
always have me love him. May  my mind be an arbiter of fairn ess, and
never an instrument of attack. In d isagreeing with someone, may I do so with respect. In holding
someone accountable, may I do so with honor. In setting a boundary,
may I do so with love. Dear God,
May my mind be a conduit of love
And not fear,
That I might somehow help
T o heal this hurting world. May my mind be clear
But my heart be always open,
Accor ding to Y our will. Amen.DA Y 349
I  c l e a v e  t o  G o d,  a n d  t o  G o d  o n l y. H ow often I cling to people or things, hoping that I can keep them
close. In doing so, I repel the very people and things I love. T oday, may I cling only to God. As we depend on God within us, we
become more independent people. Through the independence of my
spirit, I attract everyone and everything that contributes to my good. Released from my ego, I free others to more easily love me. Dear God,
Please r emove
My attachment
T o things that ar e not mine. Remove my ego’ s grip
Fr om the flow of all things good,
That all things good might flow thr ough me. Amen.DA Y 350
FOR REFLECTION
O n  I n t e r n a l  R e g r e e n i n g
S ome people wonder why the ener gy in their life seems not to be
moving forward —when in fact the only thing holding them back is their
own unwillingn ess to face the  issues that still need to be fa ced, the
shadows that still need to be ow ned, and the amends that still need to be
made in order t o free their ener gy and restart their engines. As long as
we’re st uck inte rnally, our lives will be stuck externally; the only way to
go wide in life is if we are willing to go deep. It doesn’ t matter if the
problem happen ed decades ago; the challenge is to face it and deal with
it no w, s o in the decades ahead y ou’ll be released from the karm ic trap of
having always to reenact past disasters. What sometimes seems as a slowing down of our jets is often
anything but. Internal work is s ometimes done more easily while sitting
there thinking than while busily running around. A frantic schedule helps
us to avoid taking a deeper look  at ourselves, but at a certain p oint such
avoidance simpl y does not and cannot work anymore. Slower l ifestyles,
candles and soft music in the house, yoga, meditation, and the like are
often sig ns of an internal regre ening. W e are focusing on changes that
support our deepening. And that deepening is the purpose of our lives.DA Y 351
L o s t  o p p o r t u n i t i e s  a r e  n e v e r  t r u l y  l o s t. I  have not always behaved in ways that have maximized my
opportunities. But the fact that I attracted them means that they were
mine. Every lesson will come a round again, and I will have a chance to
learn it. Through my atonement, humili ty, and sincere desire to get it right
where I have gotten it wrong be fore, I will attract the same opportunities
again in another form. God hold s His miracles in trust for me u ntil I am
ready to  receive them. He will  send opportunities around again, with
even bigger plans for how they can bless me and others now. Dear God,
I am r eady to learn what I did not learn befor e.
I am r eady to gr ow and to be a b etter person because of what I know
now. I atone for the mistakes of my past
And pray that they be used miraculously
T o cr eate an even gr eater good. Amen.DA


 He also serves as the
Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at
Harvard Medical School. OceanofPDF.comWhen ﬁrst published, Quantum Healing  was a provocative
title based on a controversial idea. The idea was that the
mind inﬂuences the body either to be sick or well. Twenty-
ﬁve years ago the mind-body connection struck most
doctors as weak science,  bad science, or not science at all. Their medica l school training taught them about  systems,
organs, tissu es, and cells—end of story. Somewhere on the
fringes lurked the placebo eﬀect, a suspicious oddity few
doctors paid attention to. Patients got better when given
sugar pills they thoug ht were drugs. Sometimes the
placebo eﬀect was just as eﬀective as the drugs. Why? Hardly anyone cared. Placebos were dismissed as
psychosomatic. In other words, they weren’t “real
medicine.” I vivid ly remember the reaction of hospital
colleagues in Boston when they discovered my newfound
interest in the mind-body connection. With a frown or a
pitying smile they asked, “Do you really believe in such a
thing?” Almost three decades later I can reply, “You don’t?”
Controversial ideas have a way of becoming main stream,
and that’s what happened to the mind-body connection. No
longer does anyone have to defend their belief in
meditation, yoga, stress reduction, anger management, and
a host of positive lifestyl e changes. These measures have
one thing in common: Better messages are being sent fromthe mind to the body. With better messages a higher state
of wellbeing is possible. No one disputes this anymore. The ﬂoodgates have opened, and today Quantum Healing
could be doubled in size by introducing just a fraction of
the new evidence supporting the mind-body connection. Medical school training is still about systems, organs,
tissues, and cells, but that’s no longer the end of the story. A new ﬁeld known as integrative medicine has sprung up
since 1989. It incorporates what used to be called
alternative medicine, along with traditional healing
modalities like Ayurveda, which played a large part in my
own journey, as this book recounts. Yet the mystery of healing is far from solved. I was
baﬄed by Chitra, the ﬁrst patient mentioned in the book,
who somehow recovered from breast cancer without
beneﬁt of conventional treatment (only to die just as
mysteriously). Such cases of spontaneous remission
continue to occur. Just this month I encountered a young
man who had struggled with stomach cancer for six years,
ﬁnally giving up on chemotherapy because  of its
debilitating side eﬀects. His cancer had metastasized throughout his body, to the
bones and liver. Given six months to live, he traveled to
India, where his family originated, and renounced the
hectic life of New York City for the peace and quiet of the
rural countryside. He took up meditation and yoga. He
became a strict vegetarian. He immersed himself in the
most traditional practices of Ayurveda, practices that have
roots going back thousands of years. As of three months
ago his scans show that he is entirely free of cancer. There are thousands of spontaneous remissions of cancer
found in Western medica l journals, and yet it’s fair to say
that they make hardly any diﬀerence in the routine practice
of oncology, not directly at least. Cancer treatment has
advanced over the past quarter century, but the path it hasfollowed—toward genetics, sharply focused drugs, and
more precise statistics—has little to do with the mind-body
connection. Instead, the inﬂuence of spontaneous remissions has
been indirect, by motiva ting research into heali ng itself. Genetics is a crucial key in cancer, and the mind can
inﬂuence genes. Literally thousands of genetic markers are
improved through meditation, for example. Inﬂammation
could be just as crucial in the onset and spread of cancer,
and inﬂammation is stress related. Stress is a reaction that
begins in the mind, and a person’s mindset can be changed. Lifestyle choices that lead to obesity, lack of sleep, and
distorted biorhythms are being connected to cancer, and
these bad choices can be reversed. *1
In short, there’s nothing about cancer that is separate
from the mind in one way or another. This realization led
the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to announce
the following in 2008: “Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can
be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–
95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle.”*2
This represents an enormous shift in attitude. When I was
in medical school, 95 percent of cancers were considered
nonpreventable. If Quantum Healing  is to remain relevan t, a new
controversial idea is needed. What if all healing is
quantum? Then every barrier separating mind and body
would come down. Every cell would be conscious, not just
brain cells. Beyond the boundary of the skin, all of life
would be conscious, arising on a conscious planet in a
conscious universe. To the ﬁve senses, body, planet, and
universe are not one and the same. But at the quantum
level they have a common source. To quote the great
quantum pioneer Erwin Schrödinger, “To divide or multiplyconsciousness is something meaningless….In truth there is
only one mind.”
You and I go through life assuming that we have
individual minds and bodies. When one person burns his
hand on a radiator, he says “Ouch,” not the person standing
next to him. But at the quantum level this changes—you
and I are imbedded in one mind, a cosmic intelligence that
creates, gove rns, and controls reality. Where is this cosmic
intelligence located? Schrödinger comes to our aid again by
dissolving all the everyday barriers that keep us from
seeing our cosmic status. First, the barrier of separate minds: “Consciousness is a
singular that has no plural.” Next, the barrier of past,
present, and future: “Mind is always now. There is really no
before and after for the mind.” Finally, the barrier between
life and death: “Consciousness is pure, eternal and inﬁnite:
it does not arise nor cease to be. It is ever present in
moving and unmoving creatures, in the sky, on the
mountain, in ﬁre and in air.”
This last quote doesn’t come from Schrödinger, however,
but from one of the most ancient texts in the Indian
spiritual tradition, the Yoga Vasistha. The fact that a sage
living thousands of years ago could take an inner journey
and make discoveries consistent with quantum physics
wasn’t news  when Quantum Healing  came out. But the
world of sages, seers, and saints felt closed oﬀ from
ordinary life back then. All the ensuing research  in mind-
body medicine has helped to build a bridge between two
worlds, and the sage Vasistha, like Buddha, could be our
contemporary. What would it take to turn all healing into quantum
healing? I will addre ss this, the most burning question
facing modern medicine, in the expanded edition you’re
now reading. After each chapter you’ll ﬁnd a section titled
“Expanding the Topic,” which approaches the mystery ofhealing as viewed by cutting-edge medical research and
the world’s wisdom traditions. Beyond the mind-body connection there is a deeper
connection between now and eternity. The human brain
knows only the now. Every electrical impulse or chemical
reaction in your brain occurs right this second. The
feedback between mind and body is being replenished
thousands of times a minute. We can take great hope in this
fact, because it means that the entire universe has
conspired to bring about this very minute. Inﬁnite
creativity, intelligence, and power are supporting us once
we open ourselves up to them. When I wrote this book, I knew it was pointing in the
right direction. If I felt the barbs of skeptics then (and
there were many), I was conﬁdent that conﬁrming studies
were still to come. Now the idea of quantum healing has
had nearly thirty years of supporting research. Let’s hope
this expanded edition prompts open-minded readers to
revisit this concept. Hope is born from impossible ideas. To
the skeptical mind, the most impossible idea is this: We are
children of the universe. Our source is beyond all
boundaries. Seeing ourselves as isolated, limited physical
creatures is merely an assumed identity. I suppose those
are three ideas, but once they are fused into a new
mindset, the era of true healing will have arrived. *1 In 2013 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that
a third of cancer cases were related to smoking and another third to obesity. *2 The cited lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red
meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress,
obesity, and physical inactivity. Ocean


’t. The real issue is how to arrive at the state of
consciousness that reveals this truth. A Buddhist maxim holds that it takes a thorn to remove a
thorn. In other words, the mind encloses us in boundaries,
but only the mind can get us beyond boundaries to
experience the unbounded. In modern terms, we can refer
this paradox to the brain. The brain is the receiver of mind,
the instrume nt whose physical processes parallel every
thought, feeling, sensatio n, and image that passes through
our minds. The Buddhist maxim applies to it, too. The brain
is a thorn in that it reduces reality to ﬁxed bound aries, but
it is capable at the same time of registering the unbounded. In this regard, I became fascinated by the work done by
the Polish-American mathematician Alfred Korzybski
(1879–1950), because he worked out what the brain does
when it processes reality. Billions of bits of data bombard
our sense organs every day, of which only a fraction gets
past the brain’s ﬁlterin g mechanism. When people say,
“You’re not hearing me” or, “You only see what you want to
see,” they are expressin g a truth that Korzybski tried to
quantify mathematically. Sometimes the things a person can’t see are simply
outside the range of human experience, like our inability to
see ultraviolet light. But a great deal more depends on
expectations, memories, biases, fears, and simple closed-
mindedness. If you go to a party and someone tells you that
you are about to meet a Nobel Prize winner, you will see a
diﬀerent person than if you had been told he is a reformed
maﬁa hit man. When all the ﬁltering and processing is
complete, there is no doubt that the brain doesn’t actually
experience reality but only a conﬁrmation of its model of
reality. The model of reality you are following right this minute is
wired into the synapses and neural pathways of your brain.Some of this is so-calle d hard wiring, which means it
belongs to the brain’s intrinsic structure, such as the
wiring that leads from your eyes to the visual cortex. Other
wiring is formed through personal experience and is much
more ﬂuid; this is known as soft wiring. Between them hard
and soft wiring deliver a model of reality to you, and
whatever is outside the model doesn’t exist. Korzybski was
one of the ﬁrst analysts who pointed out that if the brain is
capturing only a fraction of the raw data being fed to it, one
cannot claim that the brain is an accurate vehicle for
experiencing reality. Two interesting points follow:
1.All models are equal as viewed from the level of the
brain. 2.Reality transcends any model we can possibly make of
it. These two points allow God, the soul, and all other
spiritual experiences back into the picture. The ﬁrst point
demolishes the notion that science is superior to religion
because it gathers facts while religion deals in beliefs. In
truth, science ﬁlters out and discards a huge portion of
human expe rience—almost everything one would classify
as subjective—so its model is just as selective, if not more
so, than religion’s. As far as the brain is concerned, neural
ﬁltering is taking place in all models, whether they are
scientiﬁc, spiritual, artistic, or even distur bed and
psychotic. Seeing little green men is a brain phenomenon
just like seeing green trees. The brain is not a mirror of
reality. There is no way anyon e can claim to know what is
“really” real. You can’t step outside your brain to fathom
what lies beyond it. This limitation is much more severe
than people suppose. The brain operates in time and space.Your thoughts, for example, come one after another, like
boxcars in a train. So whatever is outside time and space is
inconceivable, and unﬁltered reality would probably blow
the brain’s circuits, or simply be blanked out. Yet here is where the Buddhist notion of using a thorn to
remove a thorn comes in, because the mind can look
beyond the brain’s ﬁltering process. Consider this short
poem by W illiam Blake. To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild ﬂower,
Hold inﬁnity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour. This is a perspective that goes beyond everyday
perception. How did Blake arrive at it? His lines resonate
with me—I ﬁnd them quite thrilling—because Blake had
inner vision, which looks beyond the limited mode l that the
brain creates. People who are comple tely adapted to
constricted awareness still ﬁnd themselves confro nted with
glimpses of unbounded awareness. This came home to me
when Michael Shermer, founder of Skeptic  magazine, had
his worldview overturned by a mysterious event. Shermer, with whom I’ve had many debates, fell in love
with a German woman, who moved to the Unite d States
after they agreed to marry. On her wedding day she was
very happy, but with one deep regret. Her grandfather, with
whom she was very close, had died and therefore would
never witness her weddi ng day. The ceremony took place. Shermer and his bride returned home. That night over
dinner, there  was the sound of music coming from the next
room. The newlyweds followed the sound. A broken
transistor radio that belonged to the bride’s grandfather
had suddenl y come to life on its own—it was previouslydead—and it not only played music but classical music, her
grandfather’s favorite. Mystiﬁed and deeply moved, the
couple went to sleep hearing the radio play. The next day
the room was silent, and the radio returned to its previous
unusable state. Shermer published this anecdote on the back page of
Scientiﬁc American,  where he writes a regular column,
always from the skeptic al point of view. It took some
courage for him to admit that an inexplicable event had
shaken his skepticism, but what had happened to him was a
classic example of synchronicity, a meaningful
“coincidence” that is far too unlikely to be random. Predictably, Shermer’s skeptical followers weren’t buying
the story. They told him to take the transistor radio to a
good electronics shop, where he’d ﬁnd a rational
explanation. Just as predictably, these  commenters ignored
the timing of the inciden t, the congruence with what his
bride wanted, and the fact that a radio suddenly turned on
and was tuned to a station playing music her grandfather
loved. As the philosopher Leibniz pointed out, theories are
correct about what they include but wrong about what they
exclude. In this case, the radio is the least of it. The really
important parts are excluded if you stubbornly view the
event through skeptical spectacles. Perhaps not as dramatica lly, we all get glimpses of reality
that defy the limited model residing in our brains. Experiences that go beyond everyday reality are wide-
ranging. Ask yourself if any of the following have occurred
to you. You felt that your awareness extended beyond your body. You felt safe in your own being. You had a sudden insight that came out of nowhere. Your body felt physically light and buoyant.You felt at home in the world. You knew with certainty that you are loved. You felt energy bubbling through your body. You had a random thought, and it materialized. Events came  together perfectly to reach a goal you set
for yourself. You felt intuitively that everything happens for a reason. You felt a connection with a higher intelligence. You experienced the presence of God or the soul. These are moments when reality peeks through the iron
grille. No ﬁlter is ever perfect; no censor can catch every
infraction. When Buddhism speaks of using a thorn to
remove a thorn, nothing is more important than paying
attention to glimpses like these, where expanded
awareness takes over, if only brieﬂy, from constricted
awareness. As esoteric as spirituality can be, to escape
from the brain’s limitations all you need to do is say “yes”
to moments of expanded awareness instead of “no.” You are
the one who ultimately decides how much reality you want
to expe rience, and every time you say “yes,” you are giving
instructions to your brain. In time, it will adapt to any level
of awareness you want. This point was validated by studies of the brain function
of a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks. They had meditated
for years on the value of compassion (one name for the
Buddha is “the compassi onate one”), and if this value had
grown in their lives, some change should appear  in their
brains. In fact it did. The monks showed increased delta
waves, representing so-called slow-wave sleep. Considered
to be unconscious activity in most people, slow-wave sleep
is associated with remaining self-aware even when you are
in deep sleep. This is a noted attainment in yoga. In
addition, the monks showed unprecedented activ it


 with these sensations and recognize thei r various
expressions in your body. Right now, close your eyes an d recall an
experience when you were passionately aroused by something. It may have
been a beautiful piece of art, a breathtaking natural scene, or an emotionally
moving piece of music. Perhaps  it was when a brilliant business idea came
to you, or when you heard something that gave you amazing in sight into a
problem you were facing. It m ay have been an erotic, passio nate sexual
experience. Notice the sensations that your inspirational experience
generates in your body. This is the essence of sexual ene r gy, which
expresses itself in many dif ferent forms. Learn to recognize this powerful
life force in all its manifestations. Even as  you go about your dail y life, pay attention to these experiences
of inten se alive ness. They may be evoked by someone to whom you are
intensely attract ed, by a spectac ular splash of color in the sky at sunset, or
by s eeing the be autiful, loving hands of your grand-mother. Be aware of the
empowering ene r gy that is ava ilable to you as a passionate lover of life.Nurture these sensations with your attention until you feel a bubbling
exuberance in every cell of your  body. The more you look for an d recognize
these sen sations in your body, th e more your sensory experience will be one
of h eightened awareness, and the more you will experienc e a simple,
unaf fected appreciation and gra titude for the whole of creation. This is the
essence of a spiritual life. Despite what you may have been conditioned to believe, sexu al desire is
sacred a nd virtu ous. It is the suppression of sexual ener gy that is artificial,
unnatural, and contrived. For many people, the experience of sexual
intimacy is their first glimpse in to the experience of spirituality. When you
and you r beloved mer ge physically and emotionally, you go beyond the
boundaries of the ego. In this state of union you experience ti melessness,
naturalness, playfulness, and defenselessness. These are qualities of spirit
when it is not constrained by control, fear, or separation. Cultivating this
state of natural openness and self-assured vulnerability in all relationships is
the essence of a spiritual life. SEXUAL VIT ALITY
Sexual e ner gy i s available to us at all ages. Being open to sexual ener gy
reverses aging. Although many people have the impression that sexual
ener gy d iminishes as we age, st udies have shown that the vast  majority of
both men and women are sexually active through their sixties, seventies,
and beyond. About 90 percent of married men and women in their sixties
and over 80 pe rcent of men a nd women in their seventies a re sexually
active and find it enjoyable. Sexuality is a feature of intimate loving
relationships throughout adult life. There are physiological change s associated with aging that looked at
from on e angle can be viewed as a loss but from another perspe ctive can be
seen as an opportunity. Some men in their sixties and seventies take longer
to become physically aroused. Some women need help compensating fortissue dr yness that is associated with diminished estrogen production. These
issues c an be easily addressed.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        When people who have been indulging a life-damaging habit
begin meditatin g, they often spontaneously lose their desire for the toxic
experience. Wh en someone who has relinquished a toxic habi t complains
that they have started it up again, the first question we ask is “Are you still
meditating. ” Invariably the an swer is no, often because their life was
becoming so dynamic, their meditation time became a lower priority. Regularly accessing the quiet, expanded state of awareness through
meditation is an essential component of releasing noxious habits. Other approach es that can be useful in filling the space left by the
habitual behavior include starting an exercise program, taking classes in a
subject that is fascinating to yo u, and dedicating yourself to h ealing your
relationships. It is sad how often a toxic behavior that compensates for a
lack of love actually reduces the likelihood of finding genuine love. It can
be very helpful to join support groups of people who have gone or are going
through the transformation you are seeking. Associate with people who
support your healthy choices and minimize your exposure to those lookingto reinfo rce their toxic habits by disparaging your ef forts to change your
life. The elimination of toxins awakens
the capacity for r enewal. W A TER—NA TURE’S PURIFIER
A ve ry s imple b ut powerful purification technique is to boost your intake of
water. The human body is ap proximately three-fourths water and most
biochemical reactions operate best within a narrow window of
concentration. S everal scientific  studies have found that our sensitivity to
thirst diminishes as we age, so we become at risk for developing subtle
levels o f dehydration of which we may not be consciously aware. Most
people d o not drink enough wa ter, which can lead to a host of  symptoms. Headaches, constipation, dry skin, fatigue, and indigestion may actually
reflect s ubtle de hydration. Some  physicians have gone as far as to suggest
that man y comm on health concerns, including high blood pressure, asthma,
and chronic pain have their origins in dehydration. Assuming that you do not have kidney or liver problems, we recommend
getting into the habit of drin king water throughout the day. Y ou can
calculate the recommended nu mber of ounces of daily water intake by
dividing your weight in pounds by two. For exam ple, if you weigh 160 p ounds, your daily water intake should be
80 ounces or 10 cups per day. Most bottled water comes in half-liter
containers, equi valent to just ov er two cups, so this would mean drinking
five bott les per day. Soda bever ages, tea, and cof fee do not count, as theircaf feine content has a diuretic ef fect. Similarly, alcohol also causes water
loss and does n ot contribute to rehydration. If you are active in sports,
taking d iuretics, or live in a hot, dry climate, increase your dai ly intake by
another 10 to 15  percent. Favor water -rich fruits and vegetables including
cantaloupe, grapefruit, peaches, watermelon, asparagus, peppers, carrots,
and mushrooms. Minimize your intake of artificially sweetened beverages. When yo u are drinking enough water you will feel the need to empty your
bladder about every two hours. Many people who follow this water routine report that they more easily
lose unw anted weight and have more ener gy and less chronic aches and
pains. Drinking plenty of fresh,  pure water is one of the simplest and least
expensive ways to reverse the aging process. ELIMINA TE T OXIC FOODS
Freshly grown and lovingly prepared foods are richest in Prana, or life
ener gy. Foods that have been s itting around for months in a can on your
shelf are less lik ely to nourish y our body, mind, and spirit. Start a vegetable
garden i n your backyard and grow fresh herbs and spices to en hance your
meals. Shop at your local farmer ’ s markets and take the time to prepare
delicious meals,  applying the pr inciples explored in Chapter 3. If you find
yourself regularly eating frozen, canned, microwaved, or highly processed
foods, shift your time priorities to make nourishing yourself hig her on your
list. Make the preparation of m eals a family or community ex perience so
you can enjoy the process as well as the product. There is increasing evidence th at the pesticides and artificial fertilizers
used in modern agriculture are taking their toll on our he alth. These
synthetic chemi cals are finding their way into our air and water supply. They have been implicated as po ssibly contributing to a number of dif ferent
cancers, particularly of the reproductive system. Studies have shown that it takes  diligent washing to remove the  pesticide
residues that are present on fru its and vegetables. For these reasons, we
encourage you to favor or ganically grown foods. Although they cost more,
you can  feel confident that you and your family are not consuming
unnecessary tox ins along with y our meals. Y ou will also know that you are
doing your share to reduce the accumulation of toxins in your environment. RELEASE T OXIC EMOTIONS
Although we are all aware of the health-depleting ef fec ts of toxic
substances and toxic foods, to xic emotions are often the m ost harmful
accelerators of the aging process. Whenever you carry resentment, hostility,
regret, o r grieva nces in your he art, your vitality is eroded. T ry  this simple
practice:
Find a quiet place, sit comfortably, and close your eyes. Now take a few minutes to settle your mind with the So Hum
meditation. After a little while, bring your attention into your body and scan it for
any area of tension or resistance. If you identify a place of congestion,
have the intention to let it