 problems.
• Brain damage with lack of self-control, impaired co-ordination,
impaired speech development, aggression, mental retardation, loss of
memory and stupor.
• Peripheral nerve damage with altered senses and muscle weakness.
• Direct muscle tissue damage with altered ability to contract and relax
and muscle weakness.
• Alcohol has an ability to enhance toxicity of most common drugs,
pollutants and other toxins.
• Alteration of metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids in the
body.
Acetaldehyde is considered to be the most toxic of alcohol by-products.
One of the most devastating influences of this chemical is its ability to alter
the structure of proteins. We are largely made up of proteins; a myriad of
various active substances from hormones to enzymes are proteins. When
they are changed by acetaldehyde they can not do their jobs properly.
Acetaldehyde-altered proteins are thought to be responsible for many
autoimmune reactions, which means that the immune system starts
attacking its own body. Antibodies against these acetaldehyde-altered pro
teins, which the immune system makes to destroy them, may also attack
the normal proteins in the body with similar structure. Autistic children
and schizophrenic patients are commonly found to have antibodies
against their own tissues. One of the commonest is an antibody against a
protein in a substance called myelin. Myelin is an integral part of the brain
anatomy and the rest of the nervous system, coating brain cells and their
branches, the nerve fibres. When myelin is damaged in adults it manifests
itself as multiple sclerosis. There are some similarities in the neurological
picture of autistic and dyspraxic children and patients with multiple scle
rosis which may be due to acetaldehyde produced by the yeast overgrowth
in these children.
Alcohol and acetaldehyde render a lot of essential nutrients useless in
the body. For example, binding to proteins acetaldehyde causes functional
deficiency of vitamin B6, which is a co-factor in production of neurotrans
mitters, fatty acid metabolism and many other functions in the body What
is a functional deficiency? It means that the child may get plenty of vitamin
B6 in the diet, but because acetaldehyde occupied the working sites of this vitamin on proteins, it cannot do its job. So, it floats around the body in a
rather useless fashion and eventually gets excreted. This may not happen
just to vitamin B6 but to many other active substances in the body which
have to bind to proteins in order to fulfil their purposes.
So, we talked about alcoholism in connection with children and young
adults. Shocking, isn't it? What next?... Well, next we are going to talk about
drug addiction.
Opiates from gluten and casein
Opiates are drugs, like opium, morphine and heroin, which are commonly
used by drug addicts. What have they got to do with GAPS children and
adults?
Gluten is a protein present in grains, mainly wheat, rye, oats and barley.
Casein is a milk protein, present in cow, goat, sheep, human and all other
milk and milk products. In the bodies of GAPS people these proteins do not
get digested properly and turn into substances with similar chemical struc
tures to opiates, like morphine and heroin. There has been quite a substan
tial amount of research done in this area by Dohan, Reichelt, Shattock,
Cade and others, where gluten and casein peptides, called gluteo-
morphins and casomorphins, were detected in the urine of patients with
schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, post-partum psychosis, epilepsy, Downs
syndrome, depression and some autoimmune problems, like rheumatoid
arthritis. These opiates from grains and milk are thought to get through the
blood-brain barrier and block certain areas of the brain, just like morphine
or heroin would do.
Why does this happen? The explanation is undoubtedly hidden in the
person's digestive system. *
As we saw earlier GAPS patient's digestive system is in a poor state. The
digestion of proteins starts in the stomach with the action of pepsin, a pro
tein-digesting enzyme produced by the stomach wall. Stomach acid is
essential for protein digestion, as it provides normal conditions for pepsin
to do its work of breaking down proteins into shorter peptide chains. GAPS
people commonly have low stomach acidity due to abnormal gut flora and
overgrowth of pathogenic flora. For example, Candida alone can make
toxins which have a strong suppressing ability on stomach acid produc
tion. These toxins would be excreted with breast milk in a mother with
Candida overgrowth in her gut. It is possible that, while being breast fed,
GAPS children receive these toxins from the mother through the breast milk, which impair production of stomach acid from the very beginning of
the child's life. As the breast milk requires virtually no digestion the child
does not need much stomach acid while exclusively breast fed. But when
other foods get introduced, the child's low stomach acidity becomes a
problem. By the time the breast feeding stops the child's digestive system
would probably have grown enough of its own Candida and other
pathogens to produce toxins, which would carry on reducing the stomach
acidity. The most usual weaning proteins first introduced to the child's
digestive system are casein from formula milk and gluten from wheat. In a
stomach with low acidity the first steps in the digestion of these and many
other proteins would not go well. Then these maldigested proteins would
be passed into the intestines, where pancreatic digestive enzymes are sup
posed to carry on breaking down proteins. Low stomach acidity would
impair production of pancreatic enzymes, so the next step in protein
digestion would also go askew. Next these maldigested proteins reach the
final stage of their digestion - the intestinal wall. The intestinal wall is lined
by highly sophisticated cells, called enterocytes which on their surface
have got a whole host of different digestive enzymes to complete the final
step s in the digestion of various nutrients. As we have already discovered in
the chapter on the gut flora, in GAPS people these cells are in poor shape
due abnormal gut flora. They are not able to accomplish these final steps in
the digestion of casein, gluten and many other nutrients. As Dr J. Robert
Cade from the University of Florida said in his interview with Health
Science Centre in March 1999 "We think that with autism and schizophre
nia, the basic disorder is in the intestine, and these individuals are absorb
ing beta-casomorphin-7 that they normally should break down in the body
as amino acids, rather than peptide chains up to 12 amino acids long".
There has been some research published on one of the protein-digesting
enzymes which sit on the enterocytes. It is called dipeptidyl peptidase IV
(DPP IV) and it is supposed to brake down casomorphin and gliadomor-
phin into smaller peptides. GAPS children show deficiency in this enzyme.
Interestingly, people, who suffer from alcoholism, schizophrenia, depres
sion or autoimmune disease also have low levels of this enzyme due to the
fact that in these conditions the patient's enterocytes are also damaged.
Based on this research DPP IV is now added to some digestive enzyme for
mulations which can be supplemented to GAPS patients. The problem is
that this is only one enzyme, which we have studied and know something
about. How many more enzymes are there on the surface of enterocytes,
which we know nothing or very little about at present? With the lack of beneficial bacteria, which normally live on these cells, feed them, look
after them and protect them, these cells fall ill and become unable to func
tion properly As a result maldigestion and malabsorption set the scene In
the GAPS gut. At the same time pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses
damage the gut wall and allow maldigested proteins, like casomorphin and
gliadomorphin, and other substances to be absorbed into the blood and
carried to the person's brain.
There is another aspect to this problem. Normally proteins should be
broken down into amino acids before they are absorbed in the gut.
Apparently we all absorb some of our proteins in the form of peptides (par
tially broken down proteins) or even unchanged. These dietary peptides
act as inhibitors of a special group of enzymes in the body, called pepti
dases, responsible for breaking down our neurotransmitters, hormones
and many other active substances after they have performed their jobs. In
GAPS patients these peptidases get severely suppressed by too many
dietary peptides coming in, which floods the body with debris of our own
inner peptides, which themselves can cause damage and psychological
symptoms.
Based on the research into gluteomorphin and casomorphin a gluten-
and casein-free diet (GFCF diet) was developed. Some autistic children
show dramatic improvement on this diet. However, many children do not.
The reason for that is that diere is much more to GAP Syndrome than
gluteomorphins and casomorphins. So, for the majority of affected
patients the diet has to take into account many other aspects of GAPS.
Other toxins
In the


, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 137Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 19
The Gerson Therapy for
Non-Malignant Diseases
From his long clinical practice Dr. Gerson was able to establish that a patient suffering from a
non-malignant disease had a sick, damaged liver, while the liver of someone with a malignancy
was severely toxic (poisoned). Based on this difference, he adjusted the treatment accordingly,
creating a less intensive therapy for non-malignant conditions. At the same time he specified that
if patients in the latter category followed a stricter protocol, closely resembling the full intensive
therapy, they recovered faster.
The less intensive therapy is less demanding and easier to follow, so that patients on this
regime can continue working. This is a great advantage, since most people depend on their earned
income and cannot leave their jobs for any length of time.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 138Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comThis is a typical hour-by-hour schedule for patients on the less intensive therapy:
Enema MealFlax-
seed
OilAcidoll
CapsulesJuicePotassium
CompoundLugol’s
Solution
1/2 strengthThyroid NaicinLiver
Caps.Pan-
creatin
TabletsInjection
Liver &
B12
6:00
am
8:00
am 2Orange 2 tsp. 1 drop 1 gram 50mg 2 3
9:00
amCoffee 2 tsp.
9:30
am
10:00
amCarrot/
Apple2 tsp. 50mg
11:00
amCarrot2
12
noonGreen 2 tsp.
1:00
pm1 Tbsp. 2Carrot/
Apple2 tsp. 1 drops 1 gram 50mg3
2:00
pmCoffee Green 2 tsp.
3:00
pm
4:00
pm
5:00
pmCarrot/
Apple2 tsp. 50mg3
6:00
pmCoffee Green 2 tsp.
7:00
pmDinner 1 Tbsp. 2Carrot/
Apple2 tsp. 1 drop 50mg 2 3
10:00
pm
Make yourself a blank schedule to be filled in later as the medications change and the frequency of enemas is reduced.
Depending on the patient’s condition, it is possible to reduce the number of juices from 10 to
8.  These should consist of 4 carrot/apple juices; 3 green juices and one orange juice.  However,
do not reduce it further!  Also patients with collagen diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or
scleroderma) should not take orange juice.  Substitute freshly pressed apple juice, carrot or green
juice. It is understood that the food intake, coffee enemas, caution to avoid toxins in the home,
etc. all apply.
For details of how to pursue the Therapy when returning to work, see Chapter 20, sub-
heading Household Help.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 139Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 20
Things to Remember
In this chapter we present a number of miscellaneous items in support of your efforts to improve
and protect your health. Knowledge is power, and the emergence of the so-called ‘expert
patient’ around the world is a sure sign that more and more people are willing to take responsibility
for their health and well-being. No doubt you are one of them. We hope you will find the following
information useful.
Orthodox Cancer Treatments
Unlike the non-invasive, non-toxic and holistic cancer treatment contained in the Gerson
Therapy, orthodox oncology concentrates on the removal or destruction of the tumor by three
means, namely surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In the following we give brief summaries
of each.
Surgery
In many cases of cancer, patients are able to avoid surgery by embarking on the Gerson
Therapy instead.  However, occasionally a Gerson doctor will suggest surgery in order to ‘de-
bulk’ the patient’s tumor load.  It is true that removing a tumor makes it easier for the body to
deal with the remaining disease in order to heal.  This is because malignancies have a different
metabolism from that of normal cells and release toxins into the surrounding tissue, as well as into
the blood stream.  It stands to reason that this process should be stopped.  However, surgery has
serious negative side effects.
To start with, prior to the operation tranquilizers are administered to the patient to keep him
or her calm and prevent a rise in blood pressure.  This is followed by local or general anesthesia
for the operation, plus fairly heavy doses of antibiotics.  On waking up, the patient is in pain and
receives several doses of pain-relieving drugs.  In sum, many damaging toxins are introduced into
the patient’s organism.
In recent times, another problem has emerged.  Due to the excessive use of antibiotics and
poor hospital hygiene, so-called “Superbugs” have come into being, which are resistant to all
available antibiotics.  As a result, large numbers of patients are infected in hospitals with powerful
staph (staphylococcus aureus) bacteria that can’t be controlled.  Especially for cancer patients
who already have a weak immune system, such infections can be life threatening.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 140Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comNevertheless, under certain circumstances surgery is urgent and must be performed quickly to
save a life.  Such a situation could arise from the development of thick scar tissue that is blocking
an organ; it could be bleeding from a large blood vessel, damaged by invading cancer, that has
to be stopped; or a patient may be injured in an accident and the damage needs to be repaired
urgently. But often surgery does not have to be immediate. For instance, when a patient on the
full Gerson Therapy needs to go to hospital for some non-urgent surgical procedure, there is just
enough time to make sensible preparations for the event.
It should be borne in mind that once a person is well detoxified, his or her body will react much
more strongly to drugs, including anesthetics, pain medication and even antibiotics. If a more
or less detoxified Gerson patient tries to discuss this concern with the regular hospital surgeon
and/or anesthesiologist, they simply will not understand what he or she is talking about. For that
reason it is best to prepare the body to accept the unavoidable drugs by making it temporarily less
sensitive, even though unfortunately this means reducing the effectiveness of the therapy. The
way to do it is to double the regular daily helping of yogurt, and to serve two or three meals of
boiled or broiled fish just prior to entering the hospital. This actually puts a temporary stop to the
body’s self-healing activity.
After any necessary surgical procedure it is advisable to leave the hospital as soon as
possible. On returning home the full therapy is resumed, even omitting yogurt for a week or
so and stepping up the enemas temporarily to four or more, in order to clear out the toxins that
have been introduced. Afterwards the patient returns to the level of treatment he or she was using
before preparing for the hospital visit.
Diagnostic Surgery
When a mammogram or MRI discovers a ‘suspicious’ lump or ‘shadow’ in the breast area,
the doctor as well as the patient need to know the exact nature of the lump. The physician will
usually suggest an urgent biopsy and examination of a tissue sample, to ascertain the situation.
The next step is a “lumpectomy,” i.e., the removal of the breast lump. If in the surgeon’s
experience this is likely to be malignant, he will also examine the surrounding tissue, especially
checking the underarm lymph nodes to see if the malignancy has spread. The problem is that when
he starts to dissect the lymph nodes, he is likely to take out not just one or two, but as many as
eight or ten. In orthodox medicine this is done to give the oncologist the information he requires
for choosing what he considers appropriate chemotherapy drugs for the patient. However, if the
latter has already decided to reject chemotherapy, it is pointless to remove a lot of lymph nodes.
To do so would damage her circulation and cause swelling of her arm, due to the accumulation of
blocked fluid, and this in turn would lead to severe discomfort and even make the arm virtually
useless.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 141Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comSo how can this risk be avoided? As a matter of routine, before any surgery the doctor


, to iodine
deficiency.
In the U.S., every few years the government surveys vitamin, mineral, and toxicity levels from a cross section of the U.S.
population. It is reported as the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). From 1970-2012 NHANES
reports iodine levels have fallen by over 50%.
1
Keep in mind that nearly all conventional doctors are under the misinformed opinion that iodine supplementation causes
autoimmune thyroid diseases. I was taught that concept in medical school and I can assure you that it is still taught today.
However, the research does not support this hypothesis as, over the last 40 years, iodine levels have significantly fallen while
autoimmune thyroid disorders have markedly increased.
This concept of falling iodine levels resulting in a rising incidence of autoimmune thyroid disorders was illustrated in a
European study. Researchers in Europe reported on the incidence of hyperthyroidism in two areas of Denmark (Aalborg and
Copenhagen). The two areas were chosen because Aalborg had slightly lower iodine levels (53μg/L—measured on urinary
excretion) as compared to Copenhagen (68μg/L). The results are shown in
Figures 11
 and
12
 (next page).
For comparison to the Denmark results, the average iodide excretion in the U.S. is 134μg/L.
2
 In the U.S., nearly 60% of
women of pregnancy age are deficient in iodine and 16.5% of women in their reproductive age have a remarkably low iodide
excretion (below 50μg/L).
3

4
 The World Health Organization (WHO) claims iodide excretion below 50μg/L is classified as
moderate/severe iodide deficiency.
5

Figure 11: Iodine Excretion in Two Areas of Denmark
 Figure 12: Iodine Deficiency and the Relationship of Hyperthyroidism
If iodine caused autoimmune thyroid problems, you would expect the rate of hyperthyroidism to decline as iodine levels fall.
As illustrated in the European study above, that is just not the case. This study clearly illustrates that lowered iodine levels in
Aalborg are associated with a 260% elevated incidence of
autoimmune thyroid problems (hyperthyroidism) when compared to
an area with slightly higher iodine levels–Copenhagen.
6
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SCANNING
If iodine was causing autoimmune thyroid (AIT) disorders, it is reasonable to expect that subjects with higher thyroid iodine
levels, when compared to a group with lower thyroid iodine levels, would have an increased incidence of AIT disease. However,
that is not what the research has found. The subjects who had AIT disorders had less iodine in their thyroid as compared to the
subjects without AIT disorders.

Figure 13: Thyroid Iodine Levels and Autoimmune Disorders

X-ray fluorescence scanning measures the stable iodine content of the thyroid gland. A mean value of 10mg/thyroid was
reported in a normal population. Fifty-six subjects with
autoimmune thyroiditis had a mean value of 4.7mg iodine/thyroid–these
subjects had normal thyroid levels. Thirteen subjects with autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism had a mean value of
2.3mg/thyroid.
Figure 13
 (previous page) illustrates this study.
7
DOES IODINE TREAT AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISORDERS?
When I was in medical school, I was told that no one needed to supplement with iodine. I was also told that there was
enough iodine in salt. Furthermore, it was implied that iodine supplementation caused autoimmune thyroid disorders including
Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease. Finally, I was taught that patients with AIT disorders need to avoid ingesting all sources of
iodine. At that point in my medical career, I did not question these statements. However, years later, when I did question those
ideas, I found the medical literature did not support those conclusions.
In fact, the use of iodine to treat AIT disorders, including Graves’ disease, dates back hundreds of years. The first treatment
of toxic goiter (an earlier term for Graves’ disease) was reported in 1840 by Von Basedow and in 1854 by Sokes.
8

9
 In 1863,
the first double-blind cohort study was done with the use of iodine in a Graves’ disease patient.
10
 Dr. Armand Trousseau
inadvertently treated a Graves’ disease patient with iodine (75-
100mg of Lugol’s solution) instead of digitalis—which was the
treatment of choice for Graves’ disease at that time. Dr. Trousseau was surprised as his patient improved. Upon realizing his
mistake, he stopped the iodine and resumed the digitalis treatment. The patient worsened. Since Dr. Trousseau and the patient
were both unaware of what the patient was initially being treated with–iodine–this could be considered a “double-blind” study.
Dr. Trousseau wrote, “In the course of October, 1853, I was consulted by a young married lady…She was suffering from sub-
acute exophthalmic goiter {i.e., Graves’ disease}…. I found her heart beating at the rate of 140-150 times in the minute…I
wished to administer at the same time tincture of digitalis, but preoccupied with the idea that there would be some danger in givingiodin (
sic)
, I wrote iodin (
sic)
 instead of digitalis, so that the patient took from 15-20drops of tincture of iodin (
sic)
 a day for a
fortnight. When she came back to me her pulse was only 90. I found out my mistake, and I substituted tincture of digitalis for that
of iodin (
sic
), but, after a fortnight, the pulse had again gone up to 150, so that I at once returned to the iodin (
sic
).” Keep in mind
that Dr. Trousseau’s dose of iodine was 94-131mg of iodine per day.
In 1923, Dr. Henry Plummer was administering Lugol’s iodine pre-op (130-195mg) and post-op (62.5mg) to prevent
thyroid
storm during surgery of Graves’ disease. He reported that mortality declined from ‘high’ to zero with the use of iodine.
11

12
There are many other older research articles touting the benefits of using iodine in treating Graves’ disease.
13

14

15
 As a
treatment for hyperthyroidism, iodine fell out of favor with the advent of radioactive iodine treatment.
CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO AUTOIMMUNE THYROID DISEASE: RADIOACTIVE IODINE
The conventional approach to treating autoimmune thyroid disorders revolves primarily around alleviating the symptoms of the
autoimmune illness–mainly the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. This includes the use of antithyroid drugs (e.g., Propylthiouracil,
Methimazole) that block the production of thyroid hormone. Other conventional treatments include surgery and radioactive
iodine. Both of these destructive modalities work by reducing the volume of thyroid tissue. However, neither of these treatments
addresses the underlying causative factor of these illnesses. In fact, in conventional medicine, there is rarely a search for an
underlying causative factor. If you don’t search for an underlying causative factor, then how can you formulate an effective
treatment plan?
Radioactive iodine is the preferred method in conventional medicine for treating autoimmune thyroid disorders.
16
 In one of
the
most respected books on thyroid problems, radioactive iodine is reported as “effective, safe, and relatively inexpensive”
17
. Let’s
look at all three of these claims.
IS RADIOACTIVE IODINE EFFECTIVE?
If the goal of treating an autoimmune thyroid disorder is to destroy the thyroid gland, then yes, radioactive iodine is effective.
It is well known that iodine is taken up by the thyroid gland. By using a radioactive form of iodine (I
131
), the theory is that
wherever the radioactive form of iodine binds, the radioactivity will destroy the surrounding cells. In the case of autoimmune
thyroid disorders, the binding of the radioactive iodine to the thyroid gland will result in the destruction of thyroid tissue by the
radioactive isotope.
If the cause of autoimmune thyroid disorders is too much thyroid tissue that needs to be destroyed, then the use of radioactive
iodine could be considered effective. However, excess thyroid tissue is not the cause of autoimmune thyroid disorders; it is a
consequence of the illness.
Radioactive iodine has never been considered a treatment which addresses the underlying cause of the illness. Radioactive
iodine is solely a palliative treatment for the hyperthyroid symptoms of autoimmune thyroid problems. I believe there are more
effective ways to treat autoimmune thyroid illnesses using natural items, which will be covered below.
IS RADIOACTIVE IODINE SAFE?
Not only will radioactive iodine bind to the thyroid gland destroying thyroid cells, it will also bind to other sites in the body
besides the thyroid gland. It was established in
Chapter 1
 that iodine is present in all of the cells of the body. Radioactive iodine
will be concentrated where iodine accumulates in the body, including the breasts in women. With breast cancer at epidemic rates–
affecting one in seven women–I don’t believe a therapy should be used that may potentially increase this rate.
Researchers have


	a	vividness	and	clarity
that	shows	you	exactly	what	each	one	meant.	Right	and	wrong	are	also	clearly
revealed,	with	no	excuses	or	rationalizations.	You	become	responsible	for
everything	you	did.As	these	judgments	are	made—they	are	all	self-judgments,	not	divine
edicts—you	find	yourself	in	various	Lokas,	worlds	that	reflect	the	kind	of
reward	or	punishment	that	your	actions	deserve.	A	single	soul	is	not	assigned
to	one	Loka	forever	but	stays	only	as	long	as	Karma	dictates.	During	this
passage,	which	encompasses	worlds	of	pleasure	and	pain,	you	will	learn	about
yourself	and	come	to	your	own	conclusions.	No	external	force	tells	you	what
your	life	meant	or	how	to	proceed	to	the	next	step.	You	may	suffer	in	a	hellish
Loka	for	what	seems	like	eternity,	or	you	could	leave	immediately.	Time	is
purely	subjective,	and	what	you’re	actually	experiencing	is	your	own
awareness	working	out	its	dilemmas	and	conflicts.
Why	am	I	here?	What
makes	me	suffer?	Do	I	deserve	to	suffer?	Is	there	a	way	out?
People	who	are	disconnected	from	themselves	will	be	as	baffled	by	the
afterlife	as	they	are	by	the	present.	For	them,	cause	and	effect	aren’t	clear.
Feelings	of	being	alienated,	alone,	victimized,	tossed	around	by	fate,	out	of
control,	or	abused	by	authority	clash	with	one	another.	In	this	fog	of
confusion	they	cannot	take	responsibility	for	their	own	motivations	and
desires,	and	the	afterlife	may	frighten	or	baffle	them.
Being	disconnected	is	an	illusion	from	the	soul’s	perspective,	and
however	long	it	may	take,	the	person	eventually	prepares	to	leave	the	region
of	Lokas.	Understanding,	symbolized	by	light,	begins	to	dawn.	In	clarity	you
realize	that	“I	am”	is	your	basis,	not	the	things	you	did.	You	no	longer
identify	with	being	a	certain	person;	you	now	identify	with	being	conscious,
and	what	fills	your	mind	is	fresh	possibilities.	The	karma	you	brought	into	the
last	lifetime	has	been	exhausted,	and	fresh	seeds	of	karma	are	ready	to	sprout.
Being	reborn	enters	your	mind	gradually.	For	a	long	period	(speaking
subjectively)	you	experience	bliss,	or	Ananda;	you	have	gained	pure	being,
which	brings	its	own	fulfillment	regardless	of	any	karma,	good	or	bad.	You
find	yourself	in	the	same	gap	as	the	one	between	two	thoughts,	only	this	time
you	are	aware	of	uncountable	possibilities	from	which	to	choose.	How	do	you
choose	the	next	life?	Through	the	same	process	as	choosing	the	next	thought.
We	do	this	all	the	time,	yet	we	don’t	know	how	we	do	it;	the	next	thought
emerges	from	the	gap,	the	purely	unknown.
You	will	witness	as	the	dream	of	a	new	identity	begins	to	clothe	you,	and
you	will	fall	into	your	next	life	in	complete	surrender	to	past	actions	that	you
still	know	almost	nothing	about.	But	all	of	us	can	take	a	more	active	role	in
how	we	reincarnate.	In	the	gap,	when	every	possibility	confronts	us,	choice
lies	among	those	possibilities.	The	elaborate	rituals	in	the	Tibetan	Book	of	the
Dead	aren’t	designed	to	get	a	kind	person	to	a	nice	heaven	and	a	better	next
lifetime.	They	are	designed	to	make	freedom	of	choice	real,	to	bring	the
person	fully	aware	into	the	gap	so	that	karma	can	be	shaped,	controlled,	or
even	fully	resolved.Freeing	Yourself
What	will	it	be	like	to	find	yourself	in	the	gap?	I’d	like	to	answer	that	from
personal	experience.	A	year	ago	I	was	sitting	on	an	airplane	in	a	bewildered
state	of	mind.	During	a	short	layover	in	the	Midwest	I	found	myself	without
something	to	read.	I’d	looked	over	the	airport	newsstand,	but	nothing	on	the
racks	appealed	to	me.	When	I	boarded	my	next	flight,	intending	to	pass	the
time	by	writing,	I	discovered	that	my	notebook	and	handheld	computer	had
been	packed	away	in	a	suitcase.	Something—fate,	circumstance,	a	clumsy
oversight—had	placed	me	alone	for	four	hours.
Without	notice	or	permission,	a	subtle	mental	voice	started	to	guide	me.	It
gave	me	a	glimpse	into	how	my	mind	works	when	it	has	no	distractions
around.	What	I	saw	was	very	basic.	There	is	a	thought	in	the	mind	and	then
another,	and	then	another	and	another.	Thoughts	can	be	gripping	or	pass	by
unnoticed;	they	can	be	strong	or	weak,	momentous	or	casual,	frivolous	or
serious.	The	guiding	voice	pointed	all	this	out	in	a	few	seconds.
Now,	what	is	the	proper	way	to	relate	to	your	mind?
	the	voice	asked.
Should	you	always	do	what	it	says?	Clearly	not,	for	we	have	all	kinds	of
thoughts	that	are	irrelevant	or	fantastic.	Should	we	ignore	what	it	says?	No
again,	because	the	mind	gives	us	all	the	desires	upon	which	we	build	our
lives.
There	is	no	single	way	to	relate	to	the	mind
.	You	can’t	take	a	stance	that
will	always	work.	When	people	decide	arbitrarily	to	be	optimists,	they	may
miscalculate	when	it	comes	to	serious	crises,	evildoing,	wars,	personal
conflicts,	etc.	If	they	decide	arbitrarily	to	be	pessimists,	they	will	miss	many
opportunities	for	joy,	fulfillment,	hope,	and	faith.
My	mental	guide	showed	me	this,	and	I	was	intrigued.	It	would	appear
that	being	spiritual	is	one	stance	that	works,	yet	there	are	situations	where
even	being	spiritual—tolerant,	loving,	accepting,	and	detached	from
materialism—won’t	work	at	all.	A	parent	can’t	simply	accept	and	love	a	child
addicted	to	cocaine,	for	example;	active	intervention	is	called	for.	A	thousand
other	examples	come	to	mind.	Love	won’t	defeat	torturers;	tolerance	won’t
stop	the	excesses	of	fanatics.	A	person	must	find	an	infinitely	flexible	way	to
relate	to	the	mind;	otherwise	something	gets	lost.	The	most	precious	gift	of
the	mind—its	total	freedom—is	the	source	of	our	creativity.
Now,	my	mental	guide	said,	look	at	the	world.	Isn’t	it	the	same	as	the
mind?	The	same	unpredictability	prevails,	and	therefore	you	cannot	take	a
fixed	attitude	toward	the	world	that	works.	People	who	are	congenitally
optimistic	about	the	future	are	as	shortsighted	as	people
who
	are	congenitally
pessimistic.	Go	one	step	further.	Karma	is	also	unpredictable,	and	it	too
cannot	be	approached	single-mindedly.	To	fight	your	karma	is	just	as
frustrating	as	accepting	your	karma.
At	this	point	the	sun	had	set	and	the	plane	cabin	was	empty	and	dark.	Icould	see	the	last	band	of	blue-orange


, on the flip side, there
are dark experiences that bring confusion, pain, and suffering. Nonetheless,
the light of life is always with you because light is your very nature, your
true self.
Royal Yoga is unique because it seeks to make everyday life ideal.
There is infinite bliss as the starting  point, located in your true self.
Whenever you experience less bliss, no bliss, or actual pain and suffering,
only one thing changes: how close you are to the light. This concept defines
the entire Yoga system, no matter how complex its traditions are in India.
There are literally thousands of Yoga commentaries, and their intricacy can
be mind -bending. But we can cut through the complexity by focusing on
just one thing: living in the light.
It is vital to understand what the ideal life is, according to Royal Yoga.
What makes its approach so natural is that nothing achieved through Royal
Yoga is mystical or otherworldly. The self you experience today owes its
most valued experiences to your true self, which is already whole and
perfect.
The Ideal Life: The Gifts of Royal Yoga1. Existence becomes blissful. You experience a joyful, energetic body; a loving,
compassionate heart; an alert, vibrant mind; and lightness of being.
2. You control your mental activity. You can generate thoughts, feelings, and
impulses that are evolutionary. You are the one who gives them meaning, and
therefore the whole world as you perceive it has meaning.
3. You see everyday life as a lucid dream, incredibly vivid but an illusion. You can
improve the dream without getting trapped in it.
4. Joy becomes the only measure of success because your essential nature is joy. It
is the beginning and endpoint of every journey.
5. You understand what it means to thrive. You savor the diversity of life, which
brings richness to your unfolding story.
6. You recognize that the point of arrival is always now. You can’t move to where
you are already standing—this is the experience of timelessness.
7. You recognize that you have no ﬁxed identity. Your identity is unique but always
evolving. It is your karmic story, but you don’t need to be bound by it.
8. You recognize gratitude as the sanest response to existence. It is insanity to
believe that existence is a problem.
9. You recognize that existence is lavish and abundant.
10. Grace becomes an everyday experience. It reveals itself by the perfect way that
every experience ﬁts together. Instead of brief glimpses of synchronicity, you
live in total synchronicity.
Before we go any further, I’d like you to assess your experience s of the
light. Nothing is more important than knowing how much the light has
affected your life. Take the following self-assessment, and you will begin to
know yourself much better than most people do.
Ten Ways to Be in the Light
Yoga asks you to identify entirely with the
light, which doesn’t happen all at once. The
light is glimpsed, to begin with, in memorable
experiences. Everyone has had them at one
time or another. The list on the following
pages includes the most important kinds of
experiences.
To assess where you are right now, look at
each statement and circle the response thatapplies to you. The time frame isn’t critical—
some experiences might be very recent;
others very far back. The point is to recognize
moments of heightened experience. There are
no right or wrong responses. Just assess your
experience as objectively as you can. When in
doubt, choose the answer that ﬁrst comes to
mind.
1. I have experienced bliss. (Examples: a
peak experience of a joyful, energetic
body; a loving, compassionate heart; an
alert, vibrant mind; lightness of being.)
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
2. I feel in control of my mental experience—I
can have positive, creative thoughts
whenever I want.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
3. Life can feel like a dream, with something
hidden from sight that is very real and yet
mysterious.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
FrequentlyDon’t know
4. Much more than material success, I
measure my life by my level of happiness
and joy.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
5. I welcome a wide diversity of experiences
—they give my life real richness.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
6. I live in the present moment, without
reliving the past or anticipating the future.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
7. I experience myself in the ﬂow, adapting
easily to new situations.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
8. I experience gratitude.Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
9. I look upon life as abundant, offering
untold possibilities for fulﬁllment.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
10. I experience meaningful coincidences—
they tell me that everything happens for a
reason.
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Frequently
Don’t know
ASSESSING YOUR ANSWERS
This questionnaire is about seeing yourself
according to the quality of your inner life.
Being in the light is what ties together these
ten experiences. If you have a rich inner life,
you will likely mark “Frequently” more than half
the time. On the other hand, if you often
answered “Never” or “Rarely,” your inner life
isn’t fulﬁlling. The light has become blocked or
obscured. Most people will fall somewhere in
between the light and the dark. They areaware of their inner life, but don’t turn to it as a
great source of fulﬁllment.
For most of us, positive experiences come
and go at will; we have little control over them.
Fears, regrets, and painful memories seem to
have a life of their own. Yoga teaches us to
change the situation through the following
steps, which will become second nature as the
book unfolds:
You pay more attention to what is going on
inside you.
You notice any experience of being in the
light.
You value that experience.
You begin to focus more and more on the
light, increasing it in your life.
Living in the light is the most natural way to
live. It is easier to live more consciously than to
continue experiencing things unconsciously,
driven by habit, routine, old conditioning, and
denial. The habit of being more conscious will
emerge effortlessly and without pain and
discomfort if you keep in mind that the best
experiences in your life indicate that you have
been living in the light all along, while
struggling to get there.
THIRTY DAYS OF ROYAL YOGALiving in the light can begin anytime you choose. The principles taught
in Royal Yoga are not difficult to learn, and over the next thirty days we can
cover all the major areas you need to understand. Traditionally, these areas
are called the eight limbs, or ashtangas, of Yoga. We are going to treat them
as eight stages of transformation.
Here is how a map of the journey looks. Our thirty-day journey is
divided into six weeks, and each week gives you five days of participation
—the weekend is your time off, to reflect upon and absorb everything you
have learned.
I give the traditi onal Sanskrit names for the eight limbs, but you don’t
need to memori ze them. What is important is the theme for each week,
beginning with Social Intelligence in Week 1, Emotional Intelligence in
Week 2, and so on. Living in the light involves awakening awareness, layer
by layer, until you reach your source, the true self, which is the light of pure
awareness.
Here’ s the whole program at a glance.
Week 1: Social Intelligence
(Stage of Transformation—Yama)
In the first week, you learn to find the light in your social world of
family, work, and relationships. Royal Yoga considers this the outer shell of
existence. You move through it with your own habits, rituals, likes, and
dislikes. Your personality is your identity, which has been adapted from
input and pressure from society. By bringing light and lightn ess to your
social self, you prepare the way for the later stages of the journey.
Week 2: Emotional Intelligence
(Stage of Transformation—Niyama)
In the second week, you learn to bring light and lightness to your
emotional life. Royal Yoga considers this stage to be more personal than the
outer or social sphere, yet you are still involved with other peop le and yourfeelings toward them. When these feelings are purified, or brought into the
light, you are not dependent on other people to trigger negative emotions in
you. Victimhood and codependency are no longer the pitfalls they once
were.
Week 3: Bringing the Light to Your Body
(Stage of Transformation—Asana)
In the third week, you learn to apply awareness to your body, bringing
light and lightness to how you sense your body. Yoga considers the body to
be a vehicle for consciousness. Just as a boat carries you acros s the ocean,
your body carries you across the ocean of experience. Everyone is already
on that journey. But, at a subtler level, your body is carry ing you to
wholeness and


 site
where the bees previously encountered this odor.”
Koch links this trait, called “associative memory,” with the
famous momen t in French literature centered on a cookie known
as a madeleine. The massive seven-volume novel À la recherche
du temps perdu  ( In Search of Lost Time ), by Marcel Proust,
begins with a f lood of memory occasioned when the narrator dips
a madeleine in a cup of tea, a gesture from his childhood. This
experience of associative me mory Koch also ascribes to bees, a
lowly form of insect life. But we can find a wealth of other
examples. Staying just with bees, Koch points out the following:
[They] are capable of recognizing specific faces from
photographs, c an communica te the location and quality
of food sources to their sisters via the waggle dance, and
can nav igate c omplex mazes  with the help of cues they
store in short-term memory ( for instance, “after arriving
at a  fork, take the exit marked by the color at the
entrance”).
The upshot, Koch says, is tha t consciousness cannot be walled
off in arbitrary ways just because a life form looks biologically too
simple to be conscious. With arms wide open, he declares, “All
species—bees, octopuses, ravens, crows, magpies, parrots, tuna,
mice, whales, dogs, cats and monkeys—are cap able of
sophisticated, learned, nonstereotyped behaviors.” This gets us a
long wa y from “no,” only hu man beings are conscious, to “yes,”
consciousness is universal.
The grateful octopus was act ing out a human gesture. T o see
this isn’t sentimentality or fantasy. Koch believes that if we
weren’t so prejudiced, we’d see that animals behave constantly in
ways that would be called conscious if the same activity were
displayed by a person. A dog’s look of love toward his ma ster, his
distress if his owner is absen t, and the grief he feels if hi s owner
dies are conscious traits being expressed through another life
form. Yet our prejudice is ha rd to overcome because it se rves our
selfishness. Homo sapiens  has ancient hunting stock in it. We killand eat  a great many animals, and it salves our conscience to see
them as  lower life forms, dep rived of mind, will, and freedom of
choice.
Everything that makes othe r life forms alien in our eyes is
arbitrary. No creature looks more alien than an octopus.  Among
the three hundred octopus species, which first appeared at least
295 mi llion years ago according to the oldest fossils, the largest
types resemble the smallest in having two eyes, eight arm s, and a
beak ce ntered where the arms meet. Blown up to a large scale, as
in the giant Pacific octopus, w hich can reach a weight of up to six
hundred pounds with an arm span between fourteen and thirty
feet, those eight arms and snapping beak seem monstrous. But
like Tyrannosaurus rex  or a great white shark, the giant Pacific
octopus isn’t a monster in its own eyes. In the play of
consciousness, the octopus occupies the same cosmic status as
Homo sapiens.  It is alive and aware of itself and its surroundings.
There’s abundant evidence to support this claim. In her 2015
book, The Soul of an Octopus, naturalist Sy Montgomery closes
the gap between people an d mollusks in startling ways. In a
section that begins, “Octopuses realize that huma ns are
individuals, to o,” she relates how distinctly an octopus can make
friends and enemies. In the mildest example, one keeper at the
Seattle Aquarium was assigned to feed the octopuses while
another touched them with a bristly stick. Within a week, at first
sight of the two people, most of the octopuses drifted toward the
feeder.
But the ir ability to relate to specific humans grows much more
mysterious. A volunteer at th e New England Aquarium earned the
dislike of a pa rticular octop us named Truman for no a pparent
reason. Whenever she came close to the tank, Truman would use
its siph on (a funnel on the sid e of an octopus’s head that propels it
through the water) to spray a blast of cold seawater at h er. The
volunteer went away to college but returned months later for a
visit. Truman, who hadn’t squirted anyone in her absence,
immediately s oaked her with a blast from his siphon at first
glance.
Montgomery relates in depth the idiosyncratic behavior of
octopuses in captivity named Athena, Octavia, Kali, and others,making them almost as individual as people. Her argument for
their si milarity to humans is ultimately physical. After all, she
writes, we share the same neurons and neurotransmitters. But
even th ough o ctopuses have unusually complex nervous systems
for an invertebrate, their anatomy doesn’t resemble the human
nervous system. The majority of octopus neurons are lo cated in
their eight arms, not in their  brains. Each arm can indepe ndently
move, touch, and taste (the suckers that line each arm are
locations for the sense of taste) without needing to refe r to the
brain.
Anatomy cannot explain how octopuses recognize people and
remember their faces. Disl iking a bright light at night that
disturbed its sleep, one octopus aimed a jet of water at it and
burned it out through short-circuiting. Dissecting an o ctopus’s
nervous system doesn’t expla in how such a tactic was devised (in
the wild octopuses don’t sq uirt water above the surface of the
seas). It would seem to be an act of creative intelligence.
My contention  is that existence is  con sciousness ; therefore, no
animal ability is astonishing (except in our one-eyed view),
because every life form expresses traits that belong to pure
consciousness. These traits wake up, as it were, emerging into the
physical world according to each creature’s evolutionary story. The
grateful octopus wasn’t being like a human. We could say with
equal ju stice that when we ar e grateful, we are being octopus-like.
Both views are one-eyed.
This bo ok has been making the case for waking up, but being
awake i sn’t the  end—ahead lies cosmic consciousness. I am using
the term  the way others use supreme enlightenment  (known in
Sanskrit as Paramatma ). If  metahuman is the awakened state,
think of it as crossing a threshold. There is a vast new ter ritory to
explore beyond.
C o s m i c  C o n s c i o u s n e s sCosmic consci ousness doesn’t give a little bit of itself to an
amoeba, more  to bees, still more to octopuses, and fin ally the
grand p rize to Homo sapiens. In a hologram, a fragment of a laser
image c an be used to projec t the whole image—with only Mona
Lisa ’s smile, the entire painting can be projected. Hologram
technology can  even simulate a statue or a living person in 3-D
from a laser im age in two dimensions. Cosmic consciousn ess does
this on a huge scale—the entire universe—using merely the
possibility  of a cosmos. Therefore, it’s not quite true that
something is created out of nothing. The physical universe sprang
from a conception in cosmic consciousness that unfolded in
material form. Pure consciousness is not nothing.
This capacity has been inhe rited by human beings. If I  say,
“Imagine the Eiffel Tower” or “See the Statue of Liberty  in your
mind’s eye,” it only takes the name of those monuments for you to
see them in to tality. A name doesn’t have three dimensions; in
fact, it has no dimensions, being just a verbal tag for a concept.
The Statue of Liberty is the concept of freedom transformed into a
work of art. But liberty  can  also prod uce completely different
manifestations, such as r evolutionary wars or an antiwar
movement. Con cepts are constantly shaping and reshaping events,
civilizations, and the human world in general.
You are  living in a world that  consists of ideas blown into three
dimensions. As usual, the great minds got there before us. More
than two thousand years ago  Plato argued that everything in the
world originated in abstract universal ideas, which he called
“forms.” Leap ahead two millennia, and here is Werner
Heisenberg: “I  think that mod ern physics has definitely decided in
favor of  Plato. In fact the sma llest units of matter are not physical
objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be
expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language.”
If th e elementary building blocks of matter and energy are
conceptual, then the universe itself is bubbling up from a set of
ideas or forms, too. This par ticular set of ideas that became our
home u niverse could have other variations, some of which would


.	Chemicals	found	in	everyday	personal	products	such	as	perfume,	cologne,
shaving	cream,	skin	lotions,	aftershave,	toothpaste,	soaps,	shampoos,
deodorants,	nail	polish,	all	types	of	household	cleansers	and	so	forth,	can	be
absorbed	quickly	and	produce	effects	that	are	toxic	or	even	carcinogenic,
especially	when	these	toxic	substances	are	combined.
When	I	was	suffering	from	severe	chemical	sensitivities,	I	found,	much	to	my
surprise,	that	the	brands	of	toothpaste,	shampoo,	deodorant	and	skin	lotion	that	I
was	using	were	all	quite	toxic.	Products	such	as	lotions,	conditioners	and
makeup,	especially	when	left	on	the	skin	for	long	periods	of	time,	expose	you	to
significant	amounts	of	toxins,	which	can	bioaccumulate,	poison	your	cells	and
cause	disease.	Most	common	products	sold	to	preserve	and	protect	the	skin	in
fact	actually	contain	chemicals	capable	of	damaging	the	skin.
Virtually	all	commonly	available	cosmetic	and	personal	care	products	contain
ingredients	(such	as	preservatives	and	colors)	that	are	known	to	present
problems.	Many	preservatives	contain	or	release	formaldehyde,	a	known	toxin
and	carcinogen.	Various	parabens	(a	specific	class	of	preservatives)	have	been
shown	to	damage	deep	layers	of	the	skin	worse	than	severe	sunburn,	which
causes	the	skin	to	age	prematurely	and	even	can	cause	cancer.	Artificial	colors
have	been	shown	to	be	carcinogenic,	not	only	when	ingested	but	also	when
applied	to	the	skin.	Yet	people	voluntarily	put	these	personal	care	products	on
their	skin	daily,	unaware	that	these	products	contain	toxic	and	potentially
carcinogenic	ingredients.
By	using	products	such	as	sunscreen	and	lotion,	people
are	putting	cancer-causing	chemicals	on	their	skin,	then	wondering	why	they
developed	skin	cancer	or	why	their	skin	is	aging	so	fast.
Choosing	safe	personal	care	and	cosmetic	products	means	reading	labels
carefully	and	learning	about	the	health	consequences	of	ingredients.	Effective
products	are	on	the	market	that	are	high	in	quality	and	safety.	The	overwhelming
majority,	however,	contain	a	variety	of	toxins	that	should	be	avoided.	Some	of
the	common	toxins	to	look	for	and	avoid	include	artificial	fragrances,	colors	and
flavors,	formaldehyde,	phenol,	trichlorethylene,	BHT/BHA,	EDTA,	cresol,
detergents,	glycols,	parabens,	sodium	lauryl	sulfate	and	nitrates/	nitrosamines.Perfumes	and	other	fragrances	also	cause	problems.	Traditionally,	these
products	were	made	from	flowers	and	herbs.	But	since	World	War	II,	most
fragrances	and	perfumes	have	been	made	from	synthetic	petrochemicals,	many
of	which	are	officially	designated	as	hazardous	materials.	In	fact,	about	95
percent	are	synthetic,	and	more	than	80	percent	of	the	ingredients	used	in
fragrances	have	never	been	tested	for	human	safety.	When	they	have	been	tested,
many	are	found	to	be	neuro-toxic	and	even	carcinogenic.	(Meanwhile,	because
of	“trade	secrets,”	manufacturers	are	not	required	to	list	any	of	these	toxic
ingredients	on	their	product	labels.)	Worse,	these	fragrances	are	not	just	in
perfumes,	but	in	everything	from	kitty	litter	to	shampoos,	soaps,	lotions,	shaving
creams,	household	cleaners,	laundry	detergents	and	numerous	other	products.
Fragrances	now	pollute	our	homes,	schools,	workplaces,	stores,	churches	and
other	public	places.	People	who	regularly	use	synthetic	perfumes	are	putting	a
heavy	toxic	burden	on	their	bodies.	The	solution	is	to	use	essential	oils	made
from	natural	ingredients	such	as	flowers	and	herbs,	if	tolerable,	and	to	avoid
household	and	personal	products	made	with	synthetic	fragrances.
I	have	spent	years	researching	the	toxic	effects	of	chemicals	used	to	make
products	that	people	consume	on	a	daily	basis.	I	discovered	that	regular
toothpaste,	for	example,	contains	numerous	toxins,	such	as	fluoride,	artificial
colors,	flavors,	sweeteners	and	synthetic	detergents,	all	of	which	can
bioaccumulate	in	the	body	and	lead	to	toxic	overload.	Toothpaste	is	especially
important	because	the	mucous	membranes	in	your	mouth	are	very	permeable,	so
if	you	expose	yourself	to	toxic	toothpaste	several	times	a	day,	you	subject
yourself	to	a	lot	of	toxins.	I	eventually	selected	a	toothpaste	for	my	personal	use
that	was	both	safe	and	effective	(see	appendix	C),	but	it	took	eighteen	months	of
research	to	find	it.
Toxic	chemicals,	used	for	detergent	and	foam-generating	properties,	are
present	in	most	toothpastes,	as	well	as	in	many	other	personal	care	and
household	products.	When	these	toxins—	sodium	lauryl	sulfate,	sodium	cetyl
sulfate	and	sodium	laureth	sulfate—are	placed	on	the	surface	of	the	body,	they
can	cause	eye	irritations,	skin	rashes,	hair	loss,	scalp	flaking	similar	to	dandruff
and	allergic	reactions.	These	chemicals	are	known	to	be	irritating	to	the	skin	and
are	used	to	irritate	the	skin	in	laboratory	experiments!	Think	about	what	happens
when	your	highly	sensitive	gum	tissue	comes	into	contact	with	a	known	irritant,
like	sodium	lauryl	sulfate,	in	your	toothpaste.	Could	this	factor	be	contributing	to
our	epidemic	of	gum	disease?
These	man-made	detergents	pass	through	the	skin	and	mucous	membranes
and	bioaccumulate	in	fatty	tissue—eye	tissue,	for	example.	Is	there	a	possibleconnection	between	the	sodium	lauryl	sulfate	found	in	toothpaste	and	our
epidemic	of	macular	degeneration—a	disease	in	which	cells	in	the	central	part	of
the	retina	degenerate,	and	the	leading	cause	of	blindness	in	people	over	age	fifty-
five?
The	focus	of	manufacturers	is	always	on	marketability,	so	they	often	try	to
disguise	these	synthetic	and	toxic	ingredients	by	making	them	seem	“natural.”
Labels	will	often	state	something	like,	“sodium	lauryl	sulfate—derived	from
coconut.”	Regardless	of	derivation	they	are	toxic	and	can	accumulate	easily	in
your	tissues	to	levels	that	cause	cellular	malfunction	and	disease.
People	choose	antibacterial	soaps	thinking	they	will	protect	them	from	germs,
but	the	germicide	in	the	soap	goes	right	through	the	skin	and	bioaccumulates	in
tissue.	In	fact,	these	toxic	chemicals,	designed	to	kill	cells,	are	now	showing	up
in	alarming	amounts	in	human	breast	milk,	and	infants	are	much	more
susceptible	to	toxins.	As	always,	the	solution	is	to	choose	safe,	natural	products,
usually	available	at	health	food	and	specialty	stores.	There	are	high-quality,
certified	organic,	hair	and	skin	care	products	available	and	I	recommend	you	use


 carrying forward of all of the inheritance factors in a high state of
perfection, surely human mothers-to-be deserve as much consideration. It is shown that it is not
adequate that sufficient vitamin A be present to give the appearance of good health. If highly
efficient reproduction is to be accomplished there must be a greater quantity than this. There is no
good reason why we, with our modern system of transportation, cannot provide an adequate
quantity of the special foods for preparing women for pregnancy quite as efficiently as the primitive
races who often had to go long distances without other transportation than human carriers.
    The primitive care of a newborn infant has been a matter of severe criticism by modernists
especially those who have gone among them to enlighten them in modern ways of child rearing. It
is common practice among many primitive tribes to wrap the newborn infant in an absorbent moss,
which is changed daily. A newborn infant, however, does not begin having regular all over baths
for a few weeks after birth. While this method is orthodox among the primitives it is greatly
deplored as a grossly cruel and ignoble treatment by most moderns. Dr. William Forest Patrick of
Portland, Oregon was deeply concerned over the regularly occurring rash that develops on
newborn infants shortly after they are first washed and groomed. He had a suspicion that Nature
had a way of taking care of this. In 1931 he left the original oily varnish on several babies for two
weeks without the ordinary washing and greasing. He found them completely free from the skin
irritation and infection which accompanies modern treatment. This method was adopted by the
Multanomah County Hospital of Oregon which now reports that in 1,916 cases of unwashed,
unanointed babies only two cases of pyodermia occurred. They record that each day the clothing
was changed and buttocks washed with warm water. Beyond this the infants were not handled.
Dr. Patrick states that within twelve hours after birth by Nature's method the infant's skin is clear,
and Nature's protective film has entirely disappeared. In my observations of the infant's care
among primitive races I have been continually impressed with the great infrequency with which we
ever hear a primitive child cry or express any discomfort from the treatment it receives. Of course,
when hungry they make their wants known. The primitive mother is usually very prompt, if
possible, to feed her child.
    Among the important applications that can be made of the wisdom of the primitive races is one
related to methods for the prevention of those physical defects which occur in the formative period
and which result in physical, mental and moral crippling. When I visited the native Fijian Museum
at Suva, I found the director well-informed with regard to the practices of the natives in the matter
of producing healthy normal children. He provided me with a shell of a species of spider crab
which the natives use for feeding the mothers so that the children will be physically excellent and7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 239/250bright mentally, clearly indicating that they were conscious that the mother's food influenced both
the physical and mental capacity of the child. The care with which expectant mothers were treated
was unique in many of the Pacific Islands. For example, in one group we were informed that the
mother told the chief immediately when she became pregnant. The chief called a feast in
celebration and in honor of the new member that would come to join their colony. At this feast the
members of the colony pledged themselves to adopt the child if its own parents should die. At this
feast the chief appointed one or two young men to be responsible for going to the sea from day to
day to secure the special sea foods that expectant mothers need to nourish the child. Recent
studies on the vitamin content of crabs have shown that they are among the richest sources
available. We have then for modern mothers the message from these primitives to use the sea
foods liberally, both during the preparatory period in anticipation of pregnancy and during that
entire period. In Fig. 129 will be seen a woman of one of the Fiji Islands who had gone several
miles to the sea to get this particular type of lobster-crab which she believed, and which her tribal
custom had demonstrated, was particularly efficient for producing a highly perfect infant.
FIG. 129. This Fiji woman has come a long distance to gather
special foods needed for the production of a healthy child.
These and many primitive people have understood the
necessity for special foods before marriage, during gestation,
during the nursing period and for rebuilding before the next
pregnancy.
    For the Indians of the far North this reinforcement was accomplished by supplying special
feedings of organs of animals. Among the Indians in the moose country near the Arctic circle a
larger percentage of the children were born in June than in any other month. This was
accomplished, I was told, by both parents eating liberally of the thyroid glands of the male moose
as they came down from the high mountain areas for the mating season, at which time the large
protuberances carrying the thyroids under the throat were greatly enlarged.
    Among the Eskimos I found fish eggs were eaten by the childbearing women, and the milt of the
male salmon by the fathers for the purpose of reinforcing reproductive efficiency.
    The coastal Indians in Peru ate the so-called angelote egg, an organ of the male fish of an
ovoviviparous species. These organs were used by the fathers-to-be and the fish eggs by the7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 240/250mothers-to-be.
    In Africa I found many tribes gathering certain plants from swamps and marshes and streams,
particularly the water hyacinth. These plants were dried and burned for their ashes which were put
into the foods of mothers and growing children. A species of water hyacinth is shown in Fig. 130.
The woman shown in Fig. 130, with an enormous goiter, had come down from a nine-thousand-
foot level in the mountains above Lake Edward. Here all the drinking water was snow water which
did not carry iodine. She had come down from the high area to the sixthousand-foot level to gather
the water hyacinth and other plants to obtain the ashes from these and other iodine carrying plants
to carry back to her children to prevent, as she explained, the formation of "big neck," such as she
had. The people living at the six-thousand-foot level also use the ashes of these plants.
FIG. 130. This African woman with goiter has come down
from the 9000 foot level in the mountains in Belgian Congo
near the source of the Nile to a 6000 foot level to gather
special plants for burning to carry the ashes up to her family
to prevent goiter in her children. Right, a Nile plant, a water
hyacinth burned for its ashes.
    Among many of the tribes in Africa there were not only special nutritional programs for the
women before pregnancy, but also during the gestation period, and again during the nursing period.
    As an illustration of the remarkable wisdom of these primitive tribes, I found them using for the
nursing period two cereals with unusual properties. One, was a red millet which was not only high
in carotin but had a calcium content of five to ten times that of most other cereals. They used also
for nursing mothers in several tribes in Africa, a cereal called by them linga-linga. This proved to be
the same cereal under the name of quinua that the Indians of Peru use liberally, particularly the
nursing mothers. The botanical name is quinoa. This cereal has the remarkable property of being
not only rich in minerals, but a powerful stimulant to the flow of milk. I have found no record of the
use of similar cereals among either the English or American peoples. In Chapter 14, I presented
data indicating that the Peruvians, who were descendants of the old Chimu culture on the coast of
Peru, used fish eggs liberally during the developmental period of girls in order that they might
perfect their physical preparation for the later responsibility of motherhood. These fish eggs were
an important part of the nutrition of the women during their reproductive period. They were
available both at the coast market of Peru and as dried fish eggs in the highland markets, whence
they were obtained by the women in the high Sierras to reinforce their fertility and efficiency for
childbearing. A chemical analysis of the dried fish eggs that I brought to my laboratory from Alaska
as well as of samples brought from other places has revealed them to be a very rich source of
body-building minerals and vitamins. Here again, I have found no record of their use in our modern
civilization for reinforcing physical development and maternal efficiency for reproduction. As I have
noted in Chapter 15 special nutrition was provided for the fathers by tribes in the Amazon jungle,
as well as by the coastal tribes.
    Professor Drummond, a British bio-chemist, in discussing the question of the modern decline in
fertility, before the Royal Society of Medicine (4) suggested that the decline in the birth rate in
European countries, during the last fifty years, was due, largely, to the change in national diets
which resulted from the removal of vitamins B and E from grains when the embryo or germ was
removed in the milling process. He called attention to the fact that the decline in the birth rate7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration


, you can get just as strong a headache
computing the six rasas as trying to compute every gram of fat,
carbohydrate, and protein. This complex job belongs to a Ayurvedic doctor.
To him, food is medicine, and its properties must be scrutinized as closely as
any other medic ine. He needs to know that cabbage is sweet and astringent,
dry and cooling, and therefore a strong aggravator of Vata (that is whycabbage tends to form gas in the colon, the seat of Vata). He would then be
able to prescribe an offsetting food (such as fennel) to counteract Vata
aggravation.
He also knows that every food delivers an “aftertaste” (vipak ) that affects
the body once the food has been digested. Cabbage’ s aftertaste  is pungent,
for example. Vipak is an important consideration when a doctor is
prescribing a therapeutic diet, because he needs to know every aspect of the
food that is affecting his patient’ s doshas. At home you do not have to be so
specific. The aftertaste of food once it has been digested is something we
will leave to the doctor, but for the sake of completion, vipak is classified as
follows:
Sweet and salty tastes lead to sweet vipak
Sour taste leads to sour vipak
Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes lead to pungent vipak
Thus the six tastes are reduced to three after digestion is completed.
In the following pages we delve more deeply into the six rasas and what
they say to your doshas. I hope you will read this section at least once, but
do not memorize it. Your taste buds, not your mind, should be the final judge
of taste.
Sweet is a taste that strongly increases Kapha. Eating sweet foods will
bring on Kapha qualities in the body—coldness, heaviness (by adding fat),
steadiness, and physical energy. Just as Kapha people are naturally the mosteasily satisfied, sweet is the most satisfying taste. It is very Kapha to be
sweet-natured and motherly—from childhood on, two Kapha foods, milk
and sugar, represent motherlines s. Any food that feels nourishin g and brings
satisfaction generally has a sweet component. For instance, all meats, oils,
and most grains are considered sweet. Ayurveda looks upon rice and wheat,
the two grains that are the staff of life in the East and West, as sweet in taste.
Ghee (clarified butter) is another sweet food, being derived from milk; it is
considered the best remedy for balancing Pitta.
Sweet foods are also soothing and relieve thirst. If you are in a nervous,
unsettled mood,  which is a sign of aroused Vata, sweet will calm you; it also
puts out the fire of Pitta (an angry baby is pacified by givin g it milk or
sugar). However, too much sugar is not stabilizing; it makes the mind dull
and drow sy. Complacency, greed, and emotional dependency come from too
much sweet.
Too much sweet becomes cloying. It leads to negative qualities  that come
from pushing Kapha too far: sluggishness, overweight, mental dullness,
excess mucus, congestion, and sleepiness. Kapha people are endowed with
qualities of satisfaction and well-being that Vata and Pitta types  have to seek
through sweet tastes. However, in the case of any Kapha imba lance, sweet
foods are considered undesirab le and should be reduced or avoided. Only
honey is an exception to this rule. It is better than any other sweet food for
balancing Kapha.
Salt increases both Pitta and Kapha. It sparks digestion, a Pitta function.
Its taste adds savor to food, stokes the appetite, and starts the flow of saliva
and stom ach juices. Salt is hot like Pitta (all the digestive processes heat up
the body). Too much of it, however, and the other tastes are overwhelmed,
making nothing taste good. The Kapha connection is through two otherqualities Ayurveda associates with salt—oiliness and heaviness. By attaching
itself to water molecules, salt makes your tissues heavier. Excessive salt will
make it harder to control food cravings, which Kapha types  must do to
remain on a balanced diet. By making you eat too much, salt adds fat and
leads to overweight.
In the West, the connection between salt and hypertension has been
convincing enough that many patients with high blood pressure have been
forbidden to eat any but the smallest amounts of salt. This implied that salt
was somehow an enemy. Now it is known that such restrictions were too
severe—a norm al person can eat moderate amounts of salt without harm to
his blood pressu re. The basic reason not to overindulge is that a moderate
diet promotes health in every way, not just by averting hypertension.
Ayurveda would point out that salt doesn’ t raise blood pressure, the doshas
do. It takes a dosha imbalance before the salt will do any harm.
Too much salt also leads to Pitta-related skin inflammation, acne, and
overheating. If there is a Pitta or Kapha imbalance in the body, salty food is
considered undesirable.
Emotionally, salt gives life its zest, but too much salt nullifies this effect,
just as too many  potato chips kills the appetite instead of stimulates it. If you
overuse salt, it takes more and more of it to register at all—this is why salty
foods are compulsive. Excess salt in general is associated with cravings and
compulsive desires.
Like salt, sour is a Pitta-Kapha taste that sparks the digestion and adds
savor to food. It is refreshing to eat sour food, but it increases thirst, which is
connected to Pitta—the heat generated by extra Pitta has to be slaked with
lots of water. Sour food can therefore add to fluid retention, making the body
heavier (more Kapha). Pitta’ s sharp qualities, such as sharp intellect and
wittiness, are increased by sour foods, but “turning sour” is also possible,
since too much Pitta is connected with resentment and envy, popularly called
“sour grapes.”
Cheese and yogurt derive their sourness from fermentation. In small
quantities, sour foods make the digestive juices flow. However, Ayurveda is
distinctly opposed to fermented sourness in general—vinegar and fermented
alcohol are considered toxic, reflecting the Pitta-Kapha quality of this taste.
Out-of-balance Pitta brings toxicity to the blood; out-of-balance Kapha
makes the tissues stagnant with ama.
Excess of sour foods leads to acidic difficulties in the body, such as ulcers,
disturbed blood chemistry, skin irritations, and heartburn. If there is a Pitta
or Kaph a imbalance in the body already, sour foods are considered
undesirable. Fermented foods are undesirable at any time except in small
amounts.
Bitter is the most Vata of tastes, being light, cold, and dry in its effects on
the body. It is a corrective taste, bringing the cravings for sweet, sour, andspicy foods back into balance. Bitter quickens the palate by waking it up, not
by satisfying it, a very Vata property, since Vata is responsible for alertness.
A dash of bitters  or a glass of tonic water is effective in getting the digestion
going for people with slow digestion; the bitterness instantly makes the
palate want the more satisfying tastes.
Bitter tones the tissues, a proper ty that gave tonic water its name. Bitter is
the best taste, along with sweet, for cooling you off in hot weather. When the
body has beco me toxic, inflamed, hot, or itchy as a result of Pitta
aggravation, bitter is considered the best corrective. (Bitter quinine bark
soothes fever, for example.)
In excess, bitter aggravates Vata, leading to typical Vata complaints—loss
of appet ite, weight loss, headaches, unsteadiness, dry skin, and a hollow
feeling of weakness. The braci ng alertness associated with bitter turns to
bitter feelings in excess, associated with lack of satisfaction—anything that
is too Vata is not satisfying, because Vata’s nature is constantly to seek
change. Grief, which destroys the balance of Vata and makes life seem
completely without satisfaction, is bitter.
In Ayurveda, hot, spicy food is considered to have its own taste, called
pungent. Pungen cy is immediately recognizable because it causes a burning
sensation (the increased Pitta) and thirst (the drying effect of increased Vata).
Pungency heats up the body and makes fluids flow out of it. As a result,
digestion is increased and congested tissues are cleaned out. Sweat, tears,
saliva, mucus, and the blood all start flowing when pungency is present.Because it flushes out your sinus cavities, pungent food is the best for
balancing Kapha, which when aggravated leads to congestion of mucous
membranes. Western medicine long thought that spicy food must be bad for
anyone with irritated mucous membranes, but the effect of opening and
flushing out the tissues is now considered extremely beneficial; sufferers of


icult	for
your	body	to	break	down,	so	they	may	contribute	to	excess	storage	in	your
fat	cells	that	can	amplify	the	appearance	of	cellulite.
There	is	limited	to	no	scientific	proof	that	cellulite	creams	actually	work,	butif	you	want	to	try	using	a	cream	on	top	of	your	other	efforts,	here	are	a	few
ingredients	to	look	into:
VITAMIN	A
This	has	been	proven	to	thicken	the	uppermost	skin-cell	layer,	thereby	reducing
the	appearance	of	lumpy	cellulite.	However,	refer	back	to
this	page
	for	more
information	on	potential	toxicity	precautions	about	vitamin	A	ingredients.
And	if	you	are	trying	to	conceive	or	you’re	pregnant	or	nursing,	it’s	important
to	forgo	vitamin	A	products	altogether.
CAFFEINE
Used	topically,	caffeine	can	improve	blood	flow	to	the	skin	and	is	purported	to
help	reduce	the	appearance	of	cellulite.
RADICAL	ENZYME	MASK
Pineapple	has	potent	detoxifying	properties	and	contains	bromelain,	a	protein-digesting	enzyme	that
helps	exfoliate	dead	cells	and	debris.	It	also	has	anti-inflammatory	properties	and	high	levels	of
vitamin	C.	Papaya	contains	papain,	a	natural	enzyme	that	can	help	to	remove	and	exfoliate	dead	skin
cells,	as	well	as	high	levels	of	beta-carotene	and	vitamin	C.
You	can	try	applying	this	mask	to	cellulite-affected	areas.	As	the	enzymes,	beta-carotene,	and	vitamin
C	support	the	collagen	in	those	areas,	they	may	help	minimize	the	appearance	of	the	cellulite	over
time.	This	mask	is	also	great	for	your	complexion.	Please	note	that	the	enzymes	in	fresh	pineapple	are
“tingly”	and	pretty	potent,	so	if	you	have	sensitive	skin,	be	sure	to	test	a	tiny	area	first	to	see	if	this
mask	irritates	your	skin.
¼	cup	freshly	cut	pineapple
*
¼	cup	freshly	cut	papaya
*
1	teaspoon	cold-pressed	olive	oil
1	teaspoon	arrowroot	flour	(also	known	as	starch),	or
a	little	more,	as	needed
*
Note:
	The	pineapple	and	papaya	must	be	freshly	sliced	from	a	whole	fruit	for	this	mask	to	be
effective.	Precut	or	canned	fruit	will	not	work,	as	the	enzymes	will	be	denatured	and	some	or	all	of	the
vitamin	C	might	have	oxidized.
Blend	the	pineapple,	papaya,	and	olive	oil	in	a	blender	until	nearly	smooth	(but	do	not	overblend	or
potentially	overheat	the	mixture);	because	it’s	a	small	amount,	you	can	also	mash	the	ingredients	in	a
mortar	and	pestle.	Mix	with	the	arrowroot	starch	until	a	thicker	paste	is	achieved.	Apply	the	mixture
immediately	to	your	face	and	leave	on	for	15	to	20	minutes	before	rinsing	off.
Dry	SkinDry	skin	is	a	common	issue	that	is	often	the	result	of	imbalances	in	your	diet	or
environment.	Here	are	a	few	of	the	best	ways	to	keep	your	skin	moisturized	and
glowing.
•
Practice
abhyanga
	regularly	(see
this	page
)	using	cold-pressed,	unrefined	oils.
Be	sure	to	rinse	off	in	the	shower	afterward	before	applying	any	additional
moisturizer.
•
Avoid	eating	too	many	dry,	crispy	foods	such	as	crackers,	pretzels,	and	so
on.
•
Make	sure	you	are	taking	a	plant-based
omega-3
DHA	and	EPA	supplement.
•
Incorporate	easily	digested	beauty
fats	such	as	avocados,	coconut	oil,	and
chia	seeds.	Make	sure	you	aren’t	avoiding	fat	altogether!
•
Eat	lots	of	sweet,	juicy	fruits	to
hydrate	your	skin.
•
Drink	lots	of	room	temperature	water.
•
If	your	home	environment	is	very	dry,	consider	getting	a	humidifier.
•
Avoid	very	hot	showers	and	limit	time	in	hot	baths,	which	can	dry	out	your
skin.
•
Avoid	drying	cleansers	that	can	strip	your	skin	of	its	natural	moisture
balance,	such	as	ones	that	contain	alcohol.
Here	are	a	few	skin-care	ingredients	to	incorporate	for	dry	skin:
HYALURONIC
ACID
This	is	produced	naturally	in	your	body	and	is	also	found	in	topical	products.
It	helps	attract	moisture	and	keeps	your	skin	moisturized	and	hydrated.
SHEA	AND
COCONUT	BUTTERS
These	are	two	examples	of	natural,	plant-based	occlusives	that	create	a	thin	film
over	the	skin,	lock	in	moisture,	and	slow	the	evaporation	of	water	loss	from
your	skin’s	surface,	helping	to	create	a	barrier	against	water	loss.
GRAPE-SEED	OIL
This	is	a	great	natural	moisturizer	that	helps	strengthen	cell	membranes.	It
contains	antioxidants,	vitamins,	minerals,	and	other	nutrients.	There	are	many
other	great	natural	plant	oils,	including	black	cumin	seed,	hemp	seed,	tamanu,
almond,	and	so	on.RADICAL	BEAUTY	SKIN	TEXTURE	SMOOTHING	MASK
Coconut	yogurt	is	a	great	source	of	amino	acids	and	probiotics,	carrot	is	high	in	skin-brightening
beta-carotene	and	antioxidants,	and	avocado	is	a	rich	source	of	nourishing	beauty	fats,	vitamins,	and
lecithin	to	nourish	dry	skin,	leaving	it	feeling	soft	and	smooth.	Try	applying	this	mask	on	a	regular
basis	(ideally	once	a	week)	to	see	your	skin	become	smoother	with	diminished	age	spots.
½	cup	coconut	yogurt	(now	commonly	found	at	local
health	markets)
1	avocado,	peeled	and	pitted
3	tablespoons	raw,	organic	honey
1	organic	carrot
In	a	food	processor	or	blender,	combine	the	ingredients	and	process	until	you	reach	a	smooth
consistency.	Spread	over	your	face	and	neck	and	relax	for	15	to	20	minutes	before	rinsing.
Red	Patchiness
According	to
Ayurveda,	red	patches	are	caused	by	too	much
Pitta
	fire	present,
which	may	be	generated	from	within	by	foods	that	are	allergenic	or
inflammatory.
Try	eliminating	common	allergens,	such	as	dairy	and
gluten,	for
two	weeks	and	see	if	symptoms	subside.	Here	are	some	additional	tips	for
cutting	down	on	this	common	skin	ailment:
•
Avoid	spicy	and	pungent	foods	and	spices	such	as	chilies	and	chili	powder
to	cut	down	on	internal	“fire.”
•
Take	probiotics	and	eat	probiotic-rich	foods,	such	as	raw	sauerkraut	(known
in	the	Beauty	Detox	community	as	Probiotic	&	Enzyme	Salad).
•
To	ensure	your	digestion	is	efficient	and	regular,	try	adding	a	magnesium-
oxygen	supplement	(such	as	Detoxy	+)	in	the	evenings.
•
Try	adding	some	turmeric,	which	has	cleansing	properties,	to	your	soups
and	when	cooking	veggies.
•
Sip	warm	herbal	teas	during	the	day	to	help	keep	the	microcirculatory
channels	flowing	and	free	of	toxins.
•
Drink	coconut	water,	which	is	cooling.
•
Incorporate	lots	of	raw	gre


 the individual a quota of happiness proportional to
the value of his efforts.
5.  We believe that it is the study of the laws in Nature and in faithful
adherence to what they prescribe, that man finds the surest guides in his effort to
improve himself.
6.  We believe that human thought  and will have considerable power and
that they should be used conscientiously in the service of good, that is to say, in
the service of the force that leads Nature towards ever higher forms of
manifestation.
7.  We believe in the irresistibility of progress and in the certain triumph
of beauty over ugliness, of truth over error, of good over egotism and hatred.
8.  We believe  that  expansive love,  fraternity and co-operation are the
only effective means of collective progress, and that nothing true, beautiful or
good can be built upon hatred, the spirit of party, cliques, rivalry, revenge and
oppression.
9.  We believe that there cannot fail to be universal sympathy for every
sincere  effort to  do  good,  even when it seems to  be  in  opposition,  as the
ways  of realizing a better future are as numerous as are human temperaments.
10.  We firmly believe that we shall overcome evil, not by attacking it,
but by maintaining and strengthening the good.

Evil exists not;
    Only the past.
    The past is past.
    The present is a moment.
The FUTURE is all!
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with 50 pictures, containing concise condensations of all above books with
detailed introductions to the Essene Teaching and Cosmotherapy. Address THE
ESSENE SCHOOL OF LIFE, TECATE, CALIFORNIA.

 First  Edition 1939
Second  Edition 1941
Third  Edition 1942
Fourth  Edition 1945

Copyright 1945 by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely.
Printed in United States of America—All Rights reserved.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to all persons, of any race, creed, or nation
who believe in the Essene ideals of the Fatherhood of God, the Motherhood of
Nature and the Brotherhood of Man, based on creative altruism and scientific
knowledge of the Natural and Cosmic Laws.
The School shall always be free to maintain Essene principles by giving
its services without charge to any person, member or non-member, wherever it
considers such action desirable.
The membership fee shall be one dollar ($1.00) per month, payable in
advance, quarterly ($3.00), semi-annually  ($5.50)  or annually  ($10.00).
The membership fee has been computed from experience, based upon the
net administrative cost per member (stenography, printing, stationery, postage,
etc.). In accordance with Essene principles no other charge is made.

ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP
Quarterly members receive our International Quarterly "Health, Life and
Wisdom" for a whole year, membership card, 10% discount on all our
publications, and five semi-monthly lessons.
Semi-annual members receive all the above, and in addition, five more
semi-monthly lessons (a total of ten lessons during the six months), as well as
systematic help and guidance in their studies by the staff of the Essene School
of Life.
Annual members receive all the above, and in addition, ten more semi-
monthly lessons (a total of twenty lessons during the twelve months), as well as
the personal assistance of Professor Edmond Bordeaux Szekely in their
individual Life-problems.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS BY EDMOND BORDEAUX SZEKELY

Health, Life & Wisdom, International Quarterly
subscription for two years $1.00

COSMOTHERAPY,  COSMOVITALISM
Guide to Health, Happiness & Abundance.25
Health, Youth, Longevity .50
Cosmotherapy, the Medicine of the Future 5.00
Scientific Vegetarianism .90
The  Cure  of Constipation  1.75
One Health Day a Week .75
The Therapeutics of Fasting .75
The Diet Chart of Cosmotherapy .50

BIOCHEMISTRY, DIETETICS
Introduction  to  Minerals,  Vitamins,  Herbs.25
Mineral Therapy of Biological Functions 2.75
Vitamin Therapy of Biological Functions  2.00
Natural Herb Therapeutics  2.00
The  Biochemical  Diet  Book  2.75

MODERN MAN'S PHILOSOPHY
Modern Man's Philosophy—Vol. I & II 2.75
Origin of Christianity—Vol.  I & II  2.75
Sexual Harmony and the New Eugenics  2.00
The Dialectical Method of Thinking 1.00
Books, Our Eternal Companions.75
Natural  Economics  &  Sociology  .50
One World—One Language .90
Esperanto, World  Language .50

ESSENE SCIENCE OF LIFE
The Essene Gospel of John $1.00
The Natural and Cosmic Laws  3.75
Essene Communions with the Angels  4.75
Essene  Renaissance    3.50
The Sevenfold Peace 2.50
The Ancient Essenes.50

GREAT TEACHINGS OF HUMANITY
The  Living Jesus.50
The  Teaching  of Buddha  .50
Zoroaster, The Master of Life.50
Quetzalcoatl, the Soul of Mexico  7.50
The Essenes, by Josephus  .50
The Future of Humanity.50
The Meaning of Christmas .50
Yoga in the Twentieth Century.50
Will-Power,  the  Creator  of Happiness .50
Sleep, A Source of Harmony .50
. Beethoven, Prometheus of the Modern World.50
Guide to Scientific Thinking.50
Creative Simplicity .50

NOT FOR SALE—RESERVED FOR MEMBERS
Edmond Bordeaux Szekely's Pers onal  Semi-Monthly Letters
The Art and Method of Study—10 lessons
General and Applied Dietetics—50 lessons
The Biochemical Health Garden—10 lessons
Semi-Monthly Lessons on Vital Subjects

 SLEEP, A SOURCE OF HARMONY

FROM a physiological point of view sleep is a process of
elimination. During sleep breathing is much deeper than in the
daytime. There is consequently a more intensive elimination of
poisons and waste matter through the lungs. The toxins derived
from eating unwholesome foods and toxins that are the product of
fatigue are to a large extent disp osed of during the hours of sleep.
The length of the night's sleep must depend on the
individual concerned, on his age, condition and many other factors. The larger the accumulation of toxins in the organism, the longer the sleep required. An d the greater the fatigue of the
organism, the longer the sleep necessary to re-establish
equilibrium. More sleep is also required when wrong foods are
taken, as these produce fermentation in the organs of digestion.
But sometimes unwholesome food can have an opposite result; it can lead to insomnia. For the fermentation of food has a stimulating effect upon the nerves.
We can lay down the general rule that the length of sleep
required is directly proportional to the quantity of toxins present
in the organism, and inversely proportional to the organism's
degree of detoxication. An intoxicated organism needs from nine
to ten hours of sleep, while a healthy one will only require to
sleep for five or six hours in similar circumstances.
Sleep effects a reparation


 my
original house that bordered the pasture. We located
some of  the workers and ask ed what was going on. They
told us that they had purchased lumber rights to all the
trees on our neighbor’s property. Our neighbor to the
north was a thousand-plus-acre farm owned by a couple
named Wilbur and Juliet. They were wonderful people
whose house was on the far thest side of their propertyfrom the Temple. The land ha d been in their family for a
long tim e, and they had great respect for the property.
We didn’t understand what was going on, so we gave
them a call.
When I was finally able to reach Wilbur, he explained
that they were clearing what was left of their native forest
and planting slash pines. That would provide a cash crop
some fifteen to twenty years in the future. I told him I
would l ike to talk to him abou t it, and I asked if he would
be willing to h old off clearing the land bordering our
property until we met. He was hesitant but told me to tell
the fore man to  give him a call. In truth, I had no idea
what I would say to Wilbur when we met, but I felt a
deep obligation to do what I could to protect the
beautiful woods on that land.
As I drove over to Wilbur’s,  I focused on remaining
open an d receptive to the ex perience at hand so that I
could se e wher e life was taki ng it. As I look back now, I
am so grateful that surrender  had taught me to willingly
participate in life’s dance with a quiet mind and an open
heart.
When I arrived at Wilbur’s, there wasn’t any openness
to selling us t he thirty-five acres that lay between our
property and the stream. I explained to him that the
trees on that property were b eautiful, and they should be
spared. He agreed with the beautiful part, but he was
running a farm, and slash pines were what they had
decided to plant on the entire property. Our efforts
seemed futile until I offered to lease the property at
whatever price would assure that he earned more than
the pines would yield him. Wilbur was an astute
businessman, and that caugh t his attention. There was
risk in any cr op, but no ris k in a secured, long-term
lease. Wilbur named a price that was significantly higher
than a ny farmer would pay to lease unimproved
property. Nonetheless, it was still worth it from our
perspective of protecting the trees and pasture of thatbeautiful piece of land. In the  end, we signed a long-term
lease with Wilbur that allowed us to preserve, protect,
and hav e use of the property to our north—the property
that I had once called the Elysian Fields.
This experience only served to reinforce what I was
learning from my experiment with surrender. Something
that started out looking totally disastrous had ended up
with a positive result. Time a nd again I was seeing that if
I co uld handle the winds of the current storm, they
would e nd up blowing in som e great gift. I was beginning
to view these storms as a harbinger to transformation.
Perhaps change only takes place when there is sufficient
reason to overcome the inertia of everyday life.
Challenging si tuations create  the force needed to bring
about c hange. The problem is that we generally use all
the stirred-up energy intended to bring about change, to
resist change. I was learning to sit quietly in the midst of
the howling winds and wait to see what constructive
action was being asked of me.
If t hat were the end of the story regarding that
property, I would still label it a gift from the universe.
But it was far from the end. Just one week after signing
that lease, another piece of land came up for sale that
bordered the core of our community. Remarkably, once
we made that purchase, the land we had just leased
ended up running along the e ntire northern border of all
our property, thus tying everything together.
It left me breathless to see a ll this unfold the way it
did. I was playing a game with life, and every time life
made its move, a part of my  noisy mind fell away. Why
was I needed? Everything was unfolding on its own
much better than anything I could ever imagine—let
alone d o. I had said I would purchase adjoining property
if it were pres ented to me and if we had the necessary
cash. The Temple was now up to eighty-five acres,
including the leased land. A s we will see shortly, thisleased land was destined to play a much larger role in
what life had in store for us.
It was not just with the T emple property or the
meteoric succe ss of the business that miraculous events
were taking place. Little things were happening on a
regular basis that were so unlikely, they chipped away at
the rational mind. One of these amazing events took
place d uring a business trip to Boston in the late ’80s.
With so many Blue Cross B lue Shields private-labeling
The Medical Manager, I had received a request from Blue
Cross Blue Shield of Massa chusetts to come up for a
meeting. I arrived in Boston  late afternoon, and I was
starved. I had r ushed around all morning and not eaten a
thing all day. I nstead of eating junk food while traveling,
I figured I would get checked into the hotel and find a
nice vegetarian restaurant. I didn’t know Boston at all,
but I had a rental car, and how hard could it be?
I go t very lost  trying to find the restaurant that the
concierge had suggested. After close to an hour’s drive, I
ended u p in Harvard Square.  I drove around looking for
a vegetarian restaurant in th at area, but I couldn’t find
one. In  a big c ity like Boston, I had been hoping for a
high-end vegetarian meal. Now I would be perfectly
happy w ith just brown rice an d veggies. I decided to quit
driving around and just order room service from the
hotel—if I could find my way  back. Somehow I managed
to g et lost again  and ended up back in Harvard Square. It
dawned on me that perhaps the universe was trying to
tell me something, so I parked my car and got out.
This time I loo ked more carefully to see if there was
even a small place that might have something a
vegetarian could eat. I noticed there were some narrow
alleys th at ran  between the b uildings. They were not for
cars, but shops lined both sid es of the walkway. I headed
for one of the alleys and, lo and behold, fifty feet down
the alley was a small blackboard stating, “Today’s
Special: Brown Rice and Fresh Vegetables.” I hung myhead in both r elief and gratitude, but I would soon find
out that I hadn’t seen anything yet.
The sign  led to a narrow staircase that wound down to
a s mall restaurant. It was just perfect for the mood I was
in. I ordered, and a deep peace came over me as I
enjoyed the great meal that l ife had provided me. There
was one thing, however, that was disturbing my peaceful
respite. From the time I entered the restaurant, the man
behind the checkout counter kept staring at me. It was
enough to make me a little uncomfortable. When I was
done ea ting, instead of the waiter bringing me the bill,
the man from behind the counter brought it to me. As I
reached for my wallet, he ask ed me a question: “By any
chance, are you Mickey S inger?” I was completely
stunned as the unlikely sequence of events that brought
me to this restaurant flashed through my mind.
What in  the world was this? I didn’t know this person.
I responded affirmatively, and the energy between us
became intens ely spiritual. He said that I wouldn’t
remember him, but he remembered me. Back in 1972,
more than sixteen years ago, he was hitchhiking through
Gainesville, and I had picked him up in my VW van. He
had been going through a very difficult period in his life,
and he asked m e about the picture of Yogananda on my
dashboard. I explained to him that I was heavily into
yoga and was studying the t eachings of this great yoga
master. When he reached Atlanta, he was walking by a
bookstore and saw Yoganand a’s picture in the storefront
window. He went in and purchased a copy of
Autobiography of a Yogi  as I ha d encou raged him to do.
Apparently, it changed his life. He ended up meeting
Baba during the world tour a nd was now living in a yoga
center in Boston. He said he had often wondered if I had
ever met Baba; then he saw a picture of us together at
Disney World. It brought him great joy, and he prayed
that som eday he would have the opportunity to thank me
in pers on for the important role I had played in hisawakening. With that p rayer now miraculously
answered, he stood quietly before me with tears in his
eyes and uttered, “Thank you.” That said, he