 previous chapter we have talked about the Clostridia family and
their toxins. Clostridia are difficult to study due to the fact that they are
strict anaerobes. However, in his book Dr William Shaw describes in detail
a number of autistic children who showed significant improvements in
their development and biochemical tests while on anti-clostridia medica
tion. Unfortunately, as soon as the medication was stopped the children
slipped back into autism. As we have mentioned in the previous chapter,
the best way to deal with Clostridia and many other pathogens in the gut is
establishing proper healthy gut flora, as the beneficial bacteria are the
natural way of controlling Clostridia.
Other frightening toxic substances have been found in autistic children
by a biochemist Dr Alan Friedman. These chemicals are called deltorphin and dermorphin. They were first found on the skin of poison dart frogs in
South America where native people used to dip their darts into the mucous
on these frogs in order to paralyse their enemy, because deltorphin and
dermorphin are extremely potent neurotoxins. Dr Friedman believes that
it is not the frog that produces these neurotoxins, but a fungus, which
grows on the skin of this frog. It is possible that this fungus grows in the gut
of autistic children. Hopefully, future research will elucidate this issue for
us.
A number of other potent toxins have been identified and studied in
GAPS people. To look at all of them is beyond the scope of this book. The
important point is that GAPS children and adults are very toxic people.
This toxicity comes from their digestive systems. So it is the person's diges
tive system we have to concentrate on first and foremost in order to treat
the condition. 7. THE FAMILIES
Being a mother of an autistic child, I am very familiar with the feeling of
guilt, which so many parents experience. We feel that we have done or
haven't done something which caused our child's condition. It is a perfectly
natural feeling and as parents we have to learn to deal with it as well as
everything else our GAPS children bring into our lives. Whenwestartread-
ing and learning about what could have caused our child's condition on
biochemical and physiological levels, we start feeling even guiltier. If only
we could have avoided this and that and if only we could have done things
differently, our child might have been different! In this chapter I am going
to talk about the health of parents of GAPS children and how it could con
tribute to your child's condition. In no way do I want to make anybody feel
guilty about it. We are what we are! Our children are physically made by us
from whatever we are made of. Some of these things, like genetics, we are
born with and there is nothing we can do about them. Some were given to
us by our parents, like our bodily microbial flora and our eating habits.
Some were created by our life-styles and choices. Some were imposed on
us by our modern society and the world we live in. Most parents of GAPS
children, I have met, rather than concentrating on their feeling of guilt,
find a way of learning as much as possible about their children's condition
and concentrating on what can be done about it
So, let's carry on learning!
As far as the science knows an unborn baby is sterile. Its body has no
bacteria, viruses or fungi living in it. When the time of birth comes, as the
baby goes through the birth canal, it gets its first dose of microbes. Its skin,
eyes, mucous membranes in the mouth and nose acquire their first micro
flora. Through swallowing liquids in the mother's vagina the baby's diges
tive system gets its first population of bacteria, viruses and fungi. So, what
ever lives in the vagina of the mother is what the baby would get.
Now, let's have a look at what lives in a mother's vagina. A healthy
woman has a very large population of microbes in her vagina, called vagi
nal flora. Normally it is dominated by Lactobacillus species, namely
Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Fermentum and others. These good bacteria keep the pH in the vagina quite acid,
around 4-7, which does not allow other bacteria to take hold and grow. This
normal flora in the vagina is absolutely vital for the woman's health. It pro
tects her from infections, keeps the mucous membrane of the vagina and
other organs in that area healthy, stimulates the production of large num
bers of immune cells and immunoglobulins in the walls of the vagina to
keep it well defended from any invaders. But when these good bacteria are
damaged the problems start.
Let's see what can have a damaging effect on vaginal flora.
Antibiotics and other systemic antibacterial drugs have a direct effect on
the composition of vaginal flora, because they destroy the beneficial bacte
ria in the vagina as well as everywhere else in the body. If the beneficial
bacteria in the vagina are not there then the coast is clear for any invading
bacteria, fungus, virus or parasite to take hold and grow. The pH in the
vagina goes up and various aerobic, anaerobic and micro-aerophilic
species start populating the woman's vagina, such as Gardnerella vaginalis,
Prevotella spp., Peptostreptococcus spp., Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma
urealyticum and Mobilincus spp. causing inflammation with many very
unpleasant symptoms. A well-known family of fungi, called Candida albi
cans, is a very common inhabitant of an unhealthy vagina, causing thrush.
This fungus cannot live in a vagina with a good population of healthy
bacteria.
The contraceptive pill has the same damaging influence on vaginal flora
as antibiotics. Steroids in the pill have an ability to suppress the immune
system and change the composition of bodily flora. Unfortunately, in our
modem society women are put on the pill at a very early age and by the
time they are ready to have children they have been taking these drugs on a
regular basis for years, which would have a profound effect on the compo
sition of their bodily micro-flora.
Many other drugs have a damaging effect on vaginal flora particularly
steroids, sulphonamides, some non-steroid anti-inflammatory prepara
tions and others.
Apart from drugs there are some other influences, which can change the
composition of vaginal flora, for example poor diet, infections, personal
care products and prolonged stress. But here we have to talk about the
most important question: where does the vaginal flora come from?
The medical science shows that the flora in the vagina comes from the
gut. What lives in the woman's bowel will live in her vagina. For example, in
women with recurrent thrush, no matter how many powerful anti-fungal topical preparations are used, the thrush always comes back. It comes back
because the fungus, which causes it, called Candida albicans, lives in this
woman's bowel. Until she gets rid of it in the bowel, she is not going to be
free from vaginal thrush. But why does this woman have an overgrowth of
fungi in her bowel? Because she does not have a healthy gut flora to protect
her from this fungus and many other microbial invaders. This woman has a
condition, called Gut Dysbiosis. She will not only have an overgrowth of
Candida albicans in her gut but lots of other pathogenic microbes, causing
many other health problems.
Amongst all the parents of GAPS children I have met, the mother always
invariably has signs of chronic gut dysbiosis. Most mothers have been
taking the contraceptive pill for years before having children. Many moth
ers have had numerous courses of antibiotics. Many of them have not been
breast fed as babies and their mothers show typical symptoms of gut dys
biosis. Almost every one of them has one or more health conditions which
are typically associated with abnormal gut flora. The most common health
problems, which mothers of GAPS children suffer from are: digestive disor
ders, asthma, eczema, hay fever and other allergies, migraines, PMS,
arthritis, skin problems, chronic cystitis and vaginal thrush. These condi
tions seem to be unrelated, but they are all children of one parent - Gut
Dysbiosis.
What about fathers? In many cases fathers of GAPS children also suffer
from digestive problems, asthma, eczema, migraines and skin problems
which indicates that they do not have a normal gut flora. Of course the
father is a great contributor to a mother's vaginal flora through regular
sexual contact. In fact in those rare cases when the mother did not show
any signs of gut dysbiosis the father was severely affected by it. Having
abnormal gut flora the father would have abnormal flora in the groin,
which he would regularly share with his wife. Then the wife would pass that
flora to the baby at the time of birth.
So, what happens after the baby is born? The most important thing that
should happen is breastfeeding. Breast milk, particularly colostrum in the
first days after birth, is vital for appropriate population of the baby's dig


 requires
the patient to sign a release, stating that he is allowed to do anything he deems necessary or best,
under whatever circumstances he may encounter. If the patient agrees to such a general release,
she may end up having too many lymph nodes removed. Instead, she should state in the release
that she does not agree to the removal of more than two lymph nodes.
Radiation
Radiation can be used for medical diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. The earliest exposure
of patients to radiation is in the form of X-rays, for diagnostic purposes. These are comparatively
the least harmful. Other diagnostic tools include CAT scans (CT, Computed Tomography
Imaging), which uses a large amount of X-rays to produce detailed images from several angles
of the patient’s body, arm or leg. The only diagnostic tool that does not use X-rays is Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI), which utilizes radiofrequency waves and a strong magnetic field to
produce clear pictures of internal organs and tissues.
If the initial investigation results in a cancer diagnosis, the patient is advised to have a course
of radiotherapy, usually consisting of 30 treatments. Although the technique has been greatly
improved in recent years, aiming to limit the radiation solely to the affected area of the patient’s
body, severe damage in the form of burns can still occur. According to the official allopathic view,
radiation burns are virtually impossible to heal; yet the damage is almost entirely reversible by the
Gerson technique. Dr. Gerson’s book, A Cancer Therapy—Results of 50 Cases, features a patient
(Case #11) who had been pre-treated with 88 applications of deep X-rays, and was left severely
burned. Worse still, his cancer recurred. Interestingly on the Gerson Therapy his spreading
lung tumors and lymph nodes disappeared faster than the radiation burns. However, he healed
completely and lived for almost 50 years in good health.
In cases of oral cancers radiation treatments are particularly destructive, since they cause
the salivary glands to dry up. The resulting dry mouth keeps the patient from sleeping and
requires constant sipping of water, to moisten the dry mouth. Yet we have seen patients’ mucous
membranes reverting to normal after radiation damage in less than two weeks on the Therapy.
In general, Gerson doctors rarely use radiation treatments. There is only one specific case in
which they can be useful, namely in easing the extreme pain of bone cancers or bone metastases,
which are difficult to control and heal more slowly than malignancies in soft tissues. In order to
help the patient, a very few (sometimes just 3-5) radiation treatments are used to stop the advance
of the tumor and alleviate the pain. Radiation is preferable to pain management with drugs,
which—being toxic—interfere with healing. Since radiotherapy makes drugs unnecessary, the
bone can heal and the pain does not return.
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 142Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comChemotherapy
Since about 1960, chemotherapy has been one of the main tools of orthodox cancer therapy.
It has many varieties, but they all have one thing in common: they are highly toxic. The purpose
of using them is to kill cancer cells and thus eradicate malignant tumors. However, no form of
chemotherapy exists that doesn’t also kill healthy cells.
 The way these toxic chemicals are supposed to work is by interfering with the metabolism of
malignant cells and stopping their rapid division. They do this; but there are other cells and tissues
in the human body that also divide rapidly, namely the bone marrow, which among other things
produces the white blood cells essential to immunity, the mucous membranes of the intestinal
wall, and the hair follicles. These are seriously damaged by the chemotherapy’s toxins, resulting
in reduced immune function, nausea, vomiting, intestinal bleeding, mouth ulcers and loss of
hair. Eventually the damage becomes much wore. Patients report loss of memory, children have
learning difficulties. Heart, lung and kidney damage have been reported, together with a much
higher incidence of infections.
 Chemotherapy drugs are subject to constant innovations, often motivated by financial
considerations. One of the latest drugs, Gemzar, that had originally been accepted for the
treatment of lung and breast cancer, has now also been cleared for use in advanced ovarian
cancer. There is no evidence to show that this drug extends life; on the other hand it worsens the
side effects of previously used chemotherapy drugs; however, it is very expensive. Recent reports
state that one course of Gemzar treatment, consisting of six doses given over six months, costs
about US$12,600.
 Chemotherapy can claim a few triumphs, achieving true cures. But these are limited to rare
and special cancers, such as for instance women’s cancer of pregnancy, called choriocarcinoma. A
type of lymphatic cancer known as Burkitt’s lymphoma, found mostly in certain areas of Africa,
has also been cured in some 50% of cases. An additional area of success has been the control of
many acute childhood leukemias, where some 50% of child patients survived over five years.
Testicular cancer is also claimed to be curable, and indeed a good number of recoveries are on
record.  Unfortunately these successes only refer to rare kinds of malignancy. The most common
types, such as breast, prostate, lung cancer, and more recently colon cancer, have not shown a
good response, even though chemotherapy is almost always administered in such cases.
 A telling and alarming summary of the use of chemotherapy in late cases was given as long
ago as 1972 by Dr. Victor Richards in his book, Cancer—the Wayward Cell: Its Origins, Nature,
and Treatment (Berkeley,University of California Press, 1972). In his book Richards states that
while even palliation  (pain relief and mild tumor shrinkage) occurs only “for brief duration in
about 5 to 10% of the cases, chemotherapy serves an extremely valuable role in keeping patients
oriented toward proper medical therapy, and prevents the feeling of being abandoned by the
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 143Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comphysician. These potentially useful drugs may also prevent the spread of cancer quackery...”
Deploring the use of chemotherapy, Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., writes in his book, The Cancer
Industry: Unravelling the Politics,  Paragon House, New York, 1989: “In Richards’ view it is
worthwhile to risk putting patients through possible nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hair loss, mouth
sores, and even premature death simply in order to keep them ‘oriented toward proper medical
therapy’ and away from ‘cancer quackery.’” In other words stopping them from looking for help
other than what is provided by orthodox medicine. In most chemotherapy drug packages the
warning states that this very drug is known to cause cancer.
The seriousness of chemotherapy’s toxic effects may be best seen in an oncology nurses’
manual. It warns nurses who only prepare the drugs for administration that they may experience
“significant risk” of damage to the skin, reproductive abnormalities, hematologic (blood system)
problems, and liver and chromosomal lesions. Nurses are also instructed “to never eat, drink,
smoke, or apply cosmetics in the drug-preparation area.” (From Questioning Chemotherapy, by
Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, 2000.)
Breast Implants
These are the choice of some breast cancer patients, mainly for cosmetic reasons, but they
can have serious health consequences. Of course it is understandable that post-mastectomy
patients wish to make up for the loss of one or both breasts. However, there are risks in the
procedure, depending on what materials are used for it. The worst choice is a silicone-filled pad,
which has been known to burst and release the silicone into the surrounding tissues. In one case
we have seen this caused serious toxicity in the entire chest area, as well as migraine headaches
and extreme weakness, to the point where the patient became bedfast. The Gerson treatment
cleared most of the trouble: the patient got rid of the migraines, regained her energy and was able
to function normally.
If other fillers are used, bursting is less of a problem, except that the implant is still a foreign
material, which the body attempts to reject. It cannot do so, since the implant remains firmly in
place; this in turn causes constant irritation, which is particularly dangerous for patients who had
mastectomies for breast cancer. Weighing up the pros and cons of implants, it stands to reason that
cosmetic considerations are less important than the avoidance of a recurrence.
Household Help
The only serious drawback of the Gerson treatment is that it is highly work-intensive, almost
the equivalent of a full time job. Much time, energy and sustained effort is needed to produce
10-13 eight-ounce glasses of freshly made juice a day every hour on the hour, besides preparing
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


 reported a 400% increased incidence of death from thyroid cancer due to radioactive iodine.
18
Furthermore, a nine year study of 2,793 patients who received radioactive iodine found:
19
1
.
56% increase in mortality
2
.
40% increased risk of stroke
3
.
29% increased risk in mortality from cancer of any sort
To be fair, there are other articles pointing out no increased risk of illness after radioactive iodine therapy. However, common
sense would dictate extreme caution with
using radioactive iodine. I feel radioactive iodine therapy should be the last choice in
any thyroid treatment program.
RADIOACTIVE IODINE: IS IT INEXPENSIVE?
The cost of radioactive iodine is approximately $3,000-$5,000. Radioactive iodine is an expensive procedure that does not
address the underlying cause of the illness. There are much better alternatives than radioactive iodine.
SEARCHING FOR AN UNDERLYING CAUSE OF AUTOIMMUNE THYROID PROBLEMS
In order to formulate an effective, safe, and inexpensive treatment for autoimmune thyroid problems, one must first search for
an underlying cause of the illness. As I discussed in my book,
Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, 3
rd
 Edition
, the underlying
cause of autoimmune thyroid disorders can be varied. This can include infections, toxicities, food allergies (e.g., glutenintolerance), and nutritional imbalances. I believe that iodine deficiency is a causative risk factor in developing an autoimmune
thyroid problem.
Tracy, 40-years-old, was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease ten years ago after the birth of her son. Her TSH
elevated to 150mIU/l (normal 0.2-4.7mIU/l) and she felt miserable. “I could not think clearly. I felt like my brain was in
a fog. I would go to the store and not know why I was there. I was also extremely fatigued”, she said. She had symptoms
of hyperthyroid and
hypothyroid problems. “Sometimes my heart would start racing for no apparent reason. I was
irritable and moody. I couldn’t work out because I felt so poorly,” she claimed. Tracy was placed on Synthroid
®
, but felt
no better. Although her laboratory tests improved and her TSH became normal, none of her symptoms improved. When I
began treating Tracy, I found, through blood testing, that she was suffering from gluten sensitivity. I placed her on a
gluten-free diet that alleviated many of her symptoms. She was also given nutritional supplements to correct many
vitamin and mineral imbalances. Tracy’s thyroid medication was changed to a more natural thyroid prescription–Nature-
Throid
®
 and she improved. “I felt much better. I could think more clearly. Most importantly, my energy came back,” she
said. When I investigated her iodine status, Tracy was found to be markedly iodine deficient. With the use of a
combination of iodine/iodide, she further improved. Tracy claimed, “When I started taking iodine, my energy improved. I
was sleeping better and dreaming better. I started to lift weights and build muscle which I haven’t been able to do in a
long time. I cannot believe the positive changes that I have seen with the iodine.” Tracy’s iodine levels have improved
with using a combination of iodine/iodide and she continues to supplement today.
Marlene, a 45-year-old advertising executive, was diagnosed with Graves’ disease one year ago. “I woke up one
morning and my heart was beating very fast and I felt like I was on too much caffeine,” she said. Marlene went to her
physician who diagnosed her with Graves’ disease. “I asked him what caused it, and he couldn’t answer me. When he
told me he wanted to treat me with radioactive iodine, I questioned him. I wasn’t satisfied with his answers and I began
to look at the alternatives,” she said. Marlene was diagnosed with iodine deficiency (24% excretion on an iodine loading
test—normal levels >90%). She was also found to have multiple nutritional deficiencies and elevated mercury levels. I
treated Marlene with 50 mg of iodine (Iodoral
®
) per day as well as vitamins and minerals. In addition, a mercury
detoxification plan was implemented. Furthermore, Marlene improved her diet, eliminating refined carbohydrates and
drinking more water. After four weeks on this therapy, she noticed a dramatic improvement in her symptoms. “I was
thrilled. All of the hyperthyroid symptoms resolved. I began to feel much better and even my energy level went up. People
began asking me what I was doing, since they thought I looked so much better,” she said. Marlene’s case is not unique.
Graves’ disease can be treated effectively with a comprehensive holistic program.
My initial study on the iodine status of 24 patients (see
Chapter 2
) showed that 92% of those with Hashimoto’s and Graves’
disease also had iodine deficiency. Nearly every one of these patients had dramatic improvements in their symptoms
with the use
of a combination of iodine/iodide to replace the body’s deficit. Rarely do I see a negative side effect from the use of iodine and
side effects are easily rectified with adjusting the dosage. Keep in mind I am using iodine as part of a holistic treatment regimen
that includes unrefined salt.
As mentioned previously, inorganic, non-radioactive iodine (such as Lugol’s or tableted Lugol’s) has been used to treat
autoimmune thyroid problems for over 100 years. There are numerous reports in the literature citing the beneficial effects of
iodine. In fact, iodine has been shown to reduce the hyperplasia and hypervascularity characteristic of Graves’ disease.
20
 In cases
of hyperthyroidism, milligram doses of iodine/iodide were used effectively prior to thyroid surgery to decrease thyroid hormone
blood levels and prevent thyroid storm–a complication of thyroid surgery.
There is a concern that the use of iodine in an autoimmune thyroid patient can exacerbate the symptoms of thyroid toxicosis.
Sometimes this claim is made when the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test elevates shortly after starting iodine therapy. As
previously mentioned, after beginning iodine therapy in an iodine-deficient patient, it is expected that the TSH level will elevate.
How can I make that statement? Understanding the biochemistry and physiology of the thyroid gland allows me to make that
statement. The laboratory reference range for TSH is
from 0.4-4.5mIU/L. An elevated TSH–in the range of 5-20mIU/L–with
normal thyroid hormone, T4 and T3, along with a normal physical exam and history does not indicate a hypothyroid condition.
Rather, it is a normal and expected response from the body to iodine supplementation. In the majority of patients, the TSH level
may remain elevated for three to six months, before lowering into the reference range. The lowering of TSH indicates the body’s
iodine stores are increasing. More information about this mechanism can be found in the next chapter.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I believe all individuals with a thyroid problem should have their iodine levels checked. If iodine levels are suboptimal, iodine
replacement with the correct form of iodine should be instituted. However, it is important to make sure that the patient does not
have an autonomous functioning thyroid nodule. Luckily, this condition is rare.
My experience has clearly shown that, for the vast majority of patients, the appropriate use of iodine in treating thyroid
disorders, from hypothyroidism to Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease, is not only safe, but effective and inexpensive. This is a
holistic way to search for and treat an underlying cause of thyroid problems with a safe and natural agent. But, most importantly,people improve their condition without experiencing any serious adverse effects.
My clinical experience has shown that when iodine is added to a hypothyroid patient’s regimen, it may become necessary to
adjust their thyroid dosage. Approximately one-third of patients being treated for hypothyroidism will need to lower their dose of
thyroid hormone when an iodine-deficient disorder is corrected. The other two-thirds of the people taking thyroid hormone can
usually maintain their dosage. Also, patients with Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease may have to adjust their thyroid medications.
Iodine replacement is not the only therapy for thyroid illness. Nutritional supplementation, detoxification, drinking adequate
amounts of water and dietary changes can also improve these conditions. For more information on a comprehensive holistic plan
to treat thyroid disorders, I refer the reader to my book,
Overcoming Thyroid Disorders, 3
rd
 Edition
.
1
 Second National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population.
http://www.cdc.gov/nutritionreport/pdf/Nutrition_Book_complete508_final.pdf#zoom=100
. Accessed 7.4.13
2
 Thyroid. Vol. 23. N. 8. 2013. DOI: 10.1089/thy.2013.0012
3
 Thyroid. Vol. 21 N. 4. 2011

4
 Hollowell et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 83:3401-3408, 1998

5
 WHO. Assessment of iodine deficiency disorders and monitoring their elimination, 2nd Edition. 2001.
6


	light	circling	the	horizon.	My	mental
guide	wasn’t	an	accident	or	a	daydream.	I	realized	that	for	a	long	time	I’d
wanted	to	know
how	it	all	works
.	The	answer	is	that	mind,	the	world,	and
Karma	are	the	same	thing,	perfect	mirrors	of	one	another.	Their	complexity	is
impossible	to	fathom.	Their	infinite	connections	can	never	be	mapped	out,
and	even	if	they	could	be,	the	next	tick	of	the	clock	will	bring	a	new,	equally
infinite	set	of	possibilities.
That	realization	is	as	close	as	I’ve	ever	come	to	being	in	the	gap	where	a
new	lifetime	is	chosen.	The	gap	is	pure	freedom,	and	when	you	see	that	you
are	completely	free,	choices	change.	Some	souls	want	to	remain	completely
unattached;	they	choose	Moksha,	or	liberation	from	a	physical	body	and	the
karma	it	acts	out.	Other	souls	cherish	Moksha	but	want	to	enjoy	it	while
possessing	a	body.	They	choose	to	reincarnate	with	complete	self-awareness
—we	call	them	enlightened.	The	rest	of	us	fall	somewhere	else.	We	cherish
being	free,	but	we	also	want	new	experiences.	So	we	let	Karma	weave	a	new
story	for	us.	We	keep	some	self-awareness	and	sacrifice	some.	We	agree	to
acquire	amnesia	about	“I	am”	in	exchange	for	the	drama	of	being	a	separate
person	with	likes	and	dislikes,	challenges	and	opportunities.
The	new	life	we	clothe	ourselves	in	will	contain	its	unique	measure	of
connection	and	disconnection.	This	is	hardly	the	perfect	way	to	relate	to
mind,	Karma,	and	the	world.	The	perfect	way	is	freedom.	But	in	our
imperfect	way	we	become	part	of	a	mystery.	We	accept	a	role	in	this
fascinating	play	of	light	and	darkness,	and	once	again	the	physical	world
becomes	our	reality.	We	return	to	a	belief	that	death	is	a	fearful	thing,	that
struggle	is	necessary,	that	pleasure	is	worth	pursuing	and	pain	worth	avoiding.
We	forget	the	knowledge	that	our
souls
	have,	or	that	we	had	when	we	were	in
the	gap.	We	keep	only	a	bit	of	the	truth	close	by	so	that	we	have	something	to
aspire	to.	I	have	a	feeling	that	we	also	keep	a	measure	of	sorrow	for	the
decision	we	made	to	leave	truth	behind.	Our	half-truth	has	one	virtue,
however.	As	long	as	we	believe	in	it,	the	soul	will	never	give	up	on	teaching
us	the	rest.	For	that	purpose,	the	dream	continues.Part	Two
T
HE
	B
URDEN	OF
	P
ROOF

UNTIL	THIS	CENTURY
	the	burden	of	proof	in	spiritual	matters	lay	with
disbelievers.	Religion	had	such	a	powerful	hold	upon	the	human	imagination
that	for	whole	cultures—the	ancient	Egyptians	and	medieval	Christians	come
to	mind—the	material	world	was	much	less	real	than	the	world	of	the	gods	or
God.	Most	modern	people	can	barely	fathom	this	worldview,	because	we	are
as	immersed	in	materialism	as	they	were	in	idealism—the	belief	that	nature
begins	in	subtle	realms	of	spirit.	In	idealism	the	earth	is	a	lower	world	while
heaven	is	higher.	Thus	everything	about	earthly	life—its	physicality,
appetites,	sexual	drive,	disease,	suffering,	and	old	age—is	further	from	God
or	spirit	than	heaven.
Science	did	not	overturn	this	view	by	disproving	it.	Idealism	was	simply
outmoded	by	a	new	worldview—materialism—that	was	more	practical.
Materialism	brought	about	technology,	with	its	attendant	comforts,	and	it
explained	many	phenomena	that	religion	preferred	to	regard	as	a	mystery
known	only	to	God.	Like	any	worldview,	the	old	one	overstepped	its	bounds
when	it	claimed,	for	example,	that	diseases	were	acts	of	God	to	punish
sinners.	Once	germs	were	discovered,	this	explanation	seemed	pointless	and
ultimately	irrational.	But	by	the	same	token,	the	new	worldview	would
overstep	its	bounds,	as	it	has	today,	when	science	claims	that	without	physical
proof	we	can	abolish	all	notions	of	God,	angels,	ghosts,	spirit,	the	soul,	and
the	afterlife	itself.	Just	as	religion	had	no	competency	in	physics	and
chemistry,	science	has	no	competency	in	spiritual	issues.
The	burden	of	proof	has	shifted,	and	now	it	is	the	believer	who	must
prove	that	God	and	the	soul	are	real.	For	many	people,	the	triumph	of
materialism	is	so	complete	that	even	showing
why
	we	should	care	about	God
and	the	soul	is	a	tough	challenge.
If	skepticism	carries	the	day	in	some	circles,	in	popular	culture	the	burden
still	lies	with	proving	that	the	afterlife
doesn’t
	exist.	Consistently	polls	show
that	90%	of	people	believe	in	heaven,	and	almost	that	many	believe	they	are
going	there.	Belief	in	hell	suffers	a	sharp	decline	to	75%	and	only	68%
believe	in	the	devil.	This	leaves	most	people	in	a	quandary,	dividing	their
allegiance	between	faith	when	it	comes	to	spirituality	and	science	when	it
comes	to	the	material	world.	No	less	than	Sir	Isaac	Newton	was	a	devout
Christian	who	wrestled	his	whole	life	with	the	schism	he	saw	between	science
and	metaphysics.
There	is	another	way,	however.	In	this	book	I’ve	tried	to	present	a	view	of
the	afterlife	based	on	consciousness,	and	issues	about	consciousness	can	be
settled,	at	least	partially,	through	science.	The	evidence	we’re	looking	for	isn’tphotographs	of	supernatural	phenomena	(these	already	exist	in	abundance	but
only	lead	to	more	skepticism).	The	most	helpful	evidence	would	be	in	support
of	the	major	claims	that	underlie	Vedanta,	which	is	consistent	on	its	own
terms.	The	primary	claim,	of	course,	is	that	reality	is	created	from
consciousness.	We	will	have	our	proof	if	we	can	answer	the	following
questions:
Is	Akasha	real?
Does	the	mind	extend	beyond	the	brain?
Is	the	universe	aware?
Does	consciousness	have	a	basis	outside	time	and	space?
Can	our	beliefs	shape	reality?
These	are	fundamental	questions	that	science	has	touched	upon,	even
though	few	researchers	had	the	afterlife	in	mind	when	they	made	their
findings.	It’s	fair	to	say	that	physics	never	set	out	to	prove	that	the	universe	is
self-aware.	But	so	many	mysteries	remain	unsolved	if	the	universe
isn’t
	self-
aware	that	cutting-edge	theories	are	starting	to	include	that	once	unthinkable
idea.
Looking	at	unsolved	mysteries	is	our	best	hope,	in	fact,	because	only
those	things	that	science	hasn’t	explained	offer	room	for	radically	new
thinking.	At	present,	neurology	doesn’t	know	how	memory	works,	or	how
brain	cells	turn	raw	data	into	complex	thought,	or	where	identity	is	located.	If
we	knew	these	things,	there	might	be	no


 your true self. Royal Yoga teaches you to appreciate this
aspect, which unites body and mind in a mutual relationship, the bodymind.
Week 4: Vital Energy
(Stage of Transformation—Pranayama)
In the fourth week, you learn to connect your breath with every  state of
the body mind. Royal Yoga considers the breath to be the carrier of life
energy. This energy animates your cells and organs, and brings vitality to
your thoughts and moods. At a subtle level, breathing in and out is the
bridge between all of creation “out there” and every experience “in here.”
Week 5: Staying in the Light
(Stage of Transformation—Pratyahara)
In the fifth week, you learn to make the light your home base, no longer
moving in and out of the light but always staying with it. Royal Yoga
considers this the most significa nt transformation; it is like a second birth.
A new existence opens. Realizing that you belong in the light, you nowaccept without a doubt that being completely whole and healed is your
birthright.
Week 6: The Power of Attention
(Stages of Transformation—Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi)
In the sixth week, the final three limbs are combined because they serve
a single theme: the power of attention. Simply by paying attention to any
thought, impulse, desire, or goal, you cause it to be fulfilled. Royal Yoga
considers that knowledge is power, and the deeper your knowledge of
consciousness and how it operates, the more power you posse ss. But this
isn’t knowledge in the sense of information or education. It is inner
knowing that depends upon nothing but living in the light. The creative
power of consciousness is revealed.
If you want to, you can jump directly to Week 1 of the journey, whose
theme is Social Intelligence. But I’d like to expand a little more on why
Yoga is distinct as a unique method of self-transformation.
“CHANGE YOURSELF, CHANGE THE WORLD”
Royal Yoga works—this has been proven over the centuries—and the
reason it works is radical. In fact, the basic principle of the whole Yoga
system is so revolutionary, it seems highly improbable that anyone would
pursue it. The principle is simply this: The world we think we live in is
unreal. Like characters in a movie or a novel, we are living a fictional
existence. Being  unreal, this world we accept causes every kind of problem
and suf fering.
To return to your true self, you must understand how you got separated,
or lost, in the first place. Yoga places the blame on vrittis, a Sans krit word
that literally means “whirlpools, ” but that Yoga uses to describe every form
of ment al disturbance. The most revered text in Yoga is Patanjali’ s Yoga
Sutras, a text containi ng 195 aphorisms (sutras) outlining in authori tative
fashion the entire scope of Yoga in theory and practice. No teaching is moreimportant than the one concerni ng vrittis, which appears at the very outset
of the book.
Here are the three opening sutras.
1. Now begins an exposition of Yoga.
2. Yoga is the cessation, or settling down, of the modiﬁcations of the mind (vrittis).
3. Then the knower is established in his own fundamental nature.
That’ s our entire  journey in a nutshell. When the mind settles down into
a quiet state, free from every kind of mental activity (vritti ), the true self is
revealed. This is straightforward as a path to the ideal life. The radical part,
which is quite explosive, is packaged inside the word vritti, because,
according to Yoga, every middle stage between you and your source is just
a modification of the mind. The whole package of mind-made obstacles is
known as maya, which is generally translated as “illusion,” but includes
distractions, deceptions, and mistaken thoughts and beliefs, all of which
prevent us from experiencing the true self.
Is this a convinc ing way of looking at your life? It is undeniable that the
mind creates suffering. The list of human troubles—war, crime, fear,
depression, loneliness, suicide—is long and it belongs to no other living
creature. It’s the part about the world being unreal that stops everyone.
“Walk in front of a bus,” the skeptics scoff. “Then talk to me about how
unreal everything is.”
You might think there’ s no possible answer to that challenge.  In fact,
there is, and we’ll come to it. Yoga isn’t pointing to an illusi on that will
vanish in a puff of smoke. Buses, mountains, clouds, cities, and all other
physical objects have their place, no matter what your worldview is. The
unreality Yoga talks about runs deeper. It is a false foundation that
undermines anything you try to build on it, like building a skyscraper on
sand. No matter how beautiful, elaborate, and architecturally  perfect the
skyscraper is, resting it on a foundation of sand guarantees that it will
topple.
We need Yoga if we want to put a secure foundation under our lives,
because, if we don’t, eventually we will pay a price in pain and suffering. Ifyou want to base your life on reality instead of illusion, Yoga points to the
bedrock of existence: consciousness. We do not actually live in the physical
world, according to Yoga. We live in the world of experience, and every
experience takes place in consciousness. Nothing is more basic.
The “real” reality is consciou sness. That truth gives us a reliable
starting point for being transformed. Next, we need the motivat ion to make
us want to move  forward. This is supplied by another radical idea: Change
yourself, and you will change the world. You are the only agent of change
that really counts. How do you create any change? By becoming more
aware. The journey that takes us deeper into reality is worth taking, just
because the more aware you are, the more things you can chang e—not just
the world but your body, mind, emotions, beliefs, habits, indeed, anything
you can think of.
Yoga is so radical, it overturns everything you and I have accept ed since
we were  children. We’ve been chugging along year after year based on
completely hollow beliefs and assumptions. Some beliefs matter more than
others. These are known as “core beliefs,” and when your core beliefs are
wrong and misguided, trouble is always brewing—if not today, then in
some worrisome future. To bring them closer to home, I’ll list the core
beliefs we all take personally.
FALSE CORE BELIEFS
I don’t really matter. I am small, ordinary, and insigniﬁcant.
I deserve only so much love. At heart, I am probably unlovable.
Life hasn’t been fair to me. That’s because life is unfair.
If I don’t look out for number one, no one else will.
There is much to fear in this world. Self-protection is very
important.
If I show anyone that I am vulnerable, they will take advantage. I
need to seem strong and independent.
The forces of Nature are all-powerful. I will be fortunate if some
natural disaster doesn’t befall me.The universe is a vast, cold, empty void. The Earth and
everyone on it are less than a speck of dust, a product of
random events going back to the Big Bang.
These beliefs undermine everyone’ s life. They are ingrained in us early
on, and they have sunk so deep into our sense of self that they hardly
deserve a second glance.
If you accept the unreality that Yoga rejects, your core beliefs will seem
completely logic al. Look around you or listen to the twenty-fou r-hour news
cycle. Isn’t life unfair? Don’ t each of us deserve only a limited amount of
love? Isn’ t the Earth a speck of dust floating in a cold, empty void?
As you’ll see over the next thirty days, Royal Yoga holds out an ideal
life based on a new set of core beliefs. These are literally the opposite of the
false core beliefs we have all been mistakenly living by.
TRUE CORE BELIEFS
Your existence is based on an inﬁnite ﬁeld of consciousness. It
is your source.
Your true self has access to inﬁnite possibilities.
At your source, you are connected to inﬁnite love and bliss.
Your true self is immune to fear, depression, aging, and death.
You are always completely safe. There is nothing to worry
about.
You have no need to project an image of strength and
independence. You have no need to project any image at
all.
The Earth and everything on it have a unique place in the
tapestry of reality, woven by cosmic co nsciousness.
When people read these statements about an ideal life, they immediately
assume they are merely someone else’s beliefs, like the beliefs that underlie
organized religion. Many would  say that the entire issue of spirituality restsupon belief alone. It is impossib le to accept Christianity unless you affirm
the divinity of the resurrected Jesus, or so St. Paul declared in his letters to
the early churches. It is imposs ible to accept Buddhism unless you affirm
the Buddha’ s enlightenment and the existence of Nirvana. In the same way,
to accept Yoga, you must


, an impossibility when he was the Unmoving M over by
definition. ( He  is archaic and not correct  in Hebrew, but I’m
resorting to the masculine for convenience, since he/she/it  is
cumbersome.) When referring to God, the medieval Christian
mind couldn’t violate—or escape—divine perfection.
That ob session survives today, but in a different guise. With no
perfect creatio n to dream about, we are left with o ur own
imperfections. We feel as bewildered and confused as the biblical
Adam and Eve. We feel guilty about despoiling the planet  and yet
cannot help ourselves, even as Nature crumbles before our eyes.
This book has proposed that creation unfolds from pure
consciousness. There is no divine artist with a picture in mind.
There is just c reation evolving without end. The process  has no
one story line; it embraces all story lines. It has no m orality.
Tragedy is as fascinating to the human imagination as comedy,
which is why we keep creatin g both. (Shakespeare presented the
whole panoram a to his audience standing in the pit of the Globe
Theatre, and Hollywood keeps the show going.)
The evolution of consciousness is the only explanation for
creation that holds everything  together. It has the advanta ge of no
boundaries. Th e miraculous stands on the same level playing field
as the mundan e. At this poin t I am going to go out on a limb. If
you go  to YouTube and enter three search words, Lourdes
levitating Host, yo u can watch a filmed miracle that occurred in
Lourdes, France. As one informed online commentator explains it:
In 1999, during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Billé,
then archbisho p of Lyon, the Host began to levitate just
above the paten [the plate us ed for Eucharist] from the
moment of the epiclesis  u ntil the eleva tion. The prodigy
was filmed for broadcast an d a clip of it is making its
way around the internet. At the time, the French bishops
decided to keep it quiet. Recently, it was brought to the
attention of a cardinal in th e Curia, who took it upon
himself to verify the origin of the clip and ask the
current archbishop of Lyon for the position of the
French bishops on the matter. This cardinal in turnpassed it on to  the Holy Father. He is concerned that
certain bishops were too quick to put the lid on what
seems to be an authentic sign.
The existing video is blurry, but it shows what the commentator
describes. During this Mass a large Host was used, about  the size
of a dinner pla te. The levitation, which lasts several minutes, ends
with th e elevat ion of the Hos t, when the archbishop lifts it up to
display to the congregation. The levitation, if that is wha t we are
seeing, raises the Host only an inch or two into the air.
I d on’t know w ho is in a position to rule the footage rea l or a
clever d igital h oax, but for m e the issue isn’t about mirac les. It is
about what human beings ar e willing to allow into the acceptable
picture of reality. To date, millions of people have seen the video
of t he levitating Host, and their responses cover the spectrum.
Most people I know are momentarily impressed; others question
the blur ry imag es. A few get a strange expression on their faces, as
if th ey were H oratio and Hamlet had just said, “There a re more
things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your
philosophy.”
You co uld say that Hamlet is accusing his friend of not
dreaming deep ly enough. Miracles are similar reminde rs. The
levitating Host may be explained away one day—after all,
antigravity exists in theoretic al physics. It might be exposed as a
fraud or simply sink into the morass of forgotten experience. Even
so, something important happened. A bit of strangeness was
allowed to enter our collective dream. It takes only a spark to burn
down a  forest. You never kn ow which strange bit will dispel our
collective dream.
The time for waking up never grows short. Waking up takes you
beyond the bounds of time. Yet it’s hard not to feel the pressure of
disaster the closer it approac hes. There is such a thing as a storm
so powe rful it occurs only on ce every five hundred years, but by
the reckoning of meteorologists, twenty-six such storms have
occurred in the past decade. If we are going to make cosmic
consciousness matter, we cannot wear rose-colored glasses. Those
storms, and the human misery they generated, were allowed intovirtual reality.  Many things have entered virtual reality to make
life nightmarish.
The average person isn’t prepared to accept responsibility for
the spell/dream/illusion we are entangled in. The accumulation of
greenhouse gas es can be explained as divine retribution, or as the
outcome of a series of very  unfortunate events, or as human
imperfection screwing up one more thing. Self-destruction is part
of our nature, but self-creation is infinitely more powerful. By
waking up, metahumans can make right what humans ha ve done
wrong. Waking  up happens o nly one person at a time. Reality isn’t
a numb ers game. It’s a one-player universe, and you an d I are
enough to move creation itself.One purpose of this book is to demystify the process of
waking up. The direct path i s meant to be effortless and natural.
The only uncertainty is time—people who want to achieve higher
consciousness all begin at a different place, and this makes a
difference. I’ve found in my own experience that desire is a
powerful incentive no matter  where you start from. If you really
want to learn something—a new language, French cooking, rock
climbing—the process becomes enjoyable. The better you get at
learning, the more enjoyable it is.
Unlike those things, however, waking up isn’t a skill. There’s no
set of rules or  guidelines. Even finding a teacher is fraug ht with
missteps. How does a teacher prove that he’s awake? But every
culture that believes in higher consciousness has, over time,
developed a setting for this special kind of learning, suc h as an
Indian ashram or a Zen Buddhist monastery.
These settings fit into the context of each culture. If you don’t
happen to belong to the culture, however, and you’re viewing
these settings from the outside, ashrams and monasteries look
alien and exotic. Yet there’s no proof that a special setting is
mandatory. Af ter all, the process of waking up is abo ut self-
awareness. No  one can teach you to be self-aware. No one needs
to. Con sciousness already includes self-awareness. I’ve been
arguing in this book that existence is  consciousness. In other
words, you were born with the tools to become more self-aware.
It’s just a matter of applying them.
In the process of waking up, n o special lifestyle is required. You
live as you’re living now, by being aware of the world “ou t there”
and the  world “in here.” The  only thing new is that you relate to
both wo rlds using new assumptions. You assume that the “real”
reality isn’t the same as virt ual reality. You assume that you are
whole at the le vel of the true self. You assume that the true self
offers a better way to live, a more conscious way but also more
creative, open, relaxed, accepting, and free.
Assumptions a ren’t the same as truth or facts. They need to be
tested, which is the purpose of this section. You are asked toexperiment on yourself, spen ding time every day for a month to
find out if the direct path works. It’s a fortunate time to seek
higher consciousness. Stripped of religious trappings and the fog
of m ystery, consciousness h as entered a new phase as  a full-
fledged researc h topic, studied by psychologists, psychoth erapists,
biologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and even physicists.
This explosion  of interest makes for a better setting, in  fact,
than traditional ashrams and monasteries. You can be fully
engaged in everyday life while placing your deeper attention on
waking up. It’s a little odd th at someone must learn to w ake up,
but that’s the result of living  so long with the conditione d mind.
Convinced that the spell/d ream/illusion is real, our  minds
conform to it. Waking up happens by dismantling the conditioning
that kee ps us trapped in mental constructs. When those co nstructs
begin to fade away, waking up is the state we arrive at.
Arriving there is unpredictable and totally personal. It’s best to
set out with an open mind and no expectations. Just adopt the
attitude that waking up is real; other people have done it f or many
centuries, and the only requirement is self-awareness.
A  D a i l y  P l a n


them.	(See	appendix	C	for	my	personal	choices.)
Toxic	Cleaning	Products
The	home	can	be	a	toxic	place	already—do	not	make	it	more	so	with	toxic
cleaning	products,	solvents	and	workplace	chemicals.	Household	cleaning
products	rank	among	the	most	toxic	everyday	substances	to	which	people	are
exposed.	Unfortunately,	the	manufacturer	of	household	products	is	seldom	the
best	source	of	accurate	information	about	safety.	As	a	practical	matter,	do	not	let
any	chemical	come	in	contact	with	your	skin	unless	you	know	it	is	safe.	Most
commercial	brands	are	not	safe,	although	safe	household	products	are	available
at	health	food	and	specialty	stores.	(See	appendix	C	for	my	choices.)
Some	especially	toxic	household	cleaners	include	ammonia,	chlorine	bleach,
aerosol	propellants,	detergents,	petroleum	distillates	and	toluene.	Many	of	these
substances	not	only	harm	the	skin;	they	also	give	off	toxic	fumes	that	affect	the
person	using	the	product	and	everyone	else	in	the	household.	If	you	cannot	avoid
toxic	household	products,	at	least	use	them	sparingly	and	in	well-ventilated
areas.
Symptoms	from	“the	flu”	to	headaches	have	been	associated	with	products	we
use	to	clean	our	furniture,	bathrooms	and	clothes,	as	well	as	air	fresheners	to
keep	our	bathrooms	smelling	pleasant.	Debra	Lynn	Dadd,	in
Nontoxic	and
Natural,
wrote	about	a	fifteen-year	study	of	housewives	in	Oregon.
Women	whostayed	home	all	day	had	a	54	percent	higher	death	rate	from	cancer	than	women
who	worked	away	from	home.
The	study	concluded	that	the	higher	rate	likely
was	a	consequence	of	exposure	to	the	chemicals	in	household	products.	Dadd’s
book,	along	with	many	others,	contains	formulas	for	making	your	own
environmentally	safe	household	products.
A	Prescription	for	Toxic	Overload
Often,	toxic	exposure	comes	from	medical	and	dental	offices,	from	the	very
professions	that	you	expect	would	keep	you	healthy.	Whether	it	is	antibiotics	in
your	food,	the	drug	in	your	inhaler,	steroids	on	your	skin,	mercury	in	your
mouth,	medicines	in	your	stomach	or	fluoride	in	your	water,	the	medical	and
dental	industries	are	significant	sources	of	toxins.	In	fact,
medical	journals
acknowledge	that	prescription	drugs	are	the	third	leading	cause	of	death	in
America	(after	heart	disease	and	cancer).
As	you	recall,	prescription	and	over-the-counter	drugs	“work”	by	interfering
with	normal	chemical	processes	in	cells.	They	are	designed	to	suppress
symptoms,	but	do	not	cure	disease.	In	fact,	by	interfering	with	normal	cell
function,	prescription	drugs	can	cause	cellular	malfunction,	which	is	the	same	as
causing	disease.	Decisions	about	which	procedures	and	medicines	to	choose
should	be	based	on	knowledge	of	the	toxicity	involved.	Every	molecule	you	put
into	your	body	is	going	to	have	an	effect,	for	better	or	worse.	Almost	always,
prescription	and	over-the-counter	drugs	are	for	the	worse.
Furthermore,	physicians	label	many	of	today’s	chronic	diseases	as	being	of
“unknown	etiology,”	a	fancy	way	of	saying	“we	are	clueless	about	the	cause.”
Actually,	many	new	disease	conditions	can	be	traced	back	(either	directly	or
indirectly)	to	environmental	toxins	that	bioaccumulate	in	tissues,	contribute	to
toxic	overload,	disrupt	cell	chemistry	and	cause	disease.
The	Toxic	Truths	Inside	Your	Body
Although	we	are	accustomed	to	thinking	about	toxins	in	the	outside	world,
often	we	forget	about	the	powerful	toxins	produced	within	our	bodies.	The	body
must	eliminate	internal	toxins	to	stay	healthy.
Under	normal,	healthy	conditions,	the	body	is	designed	to	control	those	toxins
and	protect	us	against	harm.	Under	other	circumstances,	however,	the	toxins
produced	internally	can	be	a	serious	problem,	worse	than	anything	from	theoutside	world.	When	these	internal	toxins	are	produced	excessively	or	cannot	be
properly	detoxified,	they	build	up	in	the	body	and	cause	disease.	In	almost	any
chronically	ill	person,	internally	generated	toxins	play	a	major	role.
When	toxins	are	generated	in	the	digestive	system	(intestinal	toxemia),	they
enter	our	bloodstream,	and	if	these	toxins	are	present	in	excess	of	the	liver’s
ability	to	detoxify	them,	they	damage	cells	all	over	the	body.	Intestinal	toxemia
has	been	associated	with	AIDS,	allergies,	asthma,	cancer,	cardiac	arrhythmias,
arthritis,	eye	problems,	high	blood	pressure,	mental	problems,	headaches,
various	gastrointestinal	conditions,	senility,	skin	problems	and	other	diseases.	In
my	own	disease	process,	the	internal	toxins	I	was	producing	were,	indeed,	a
major	contributor	to	my	own	physical	and	mental	debilitation.
Intestinal	toxemia	was	the	“mysterious”	ailment	plaguing	Michael,	who	had
just	completed	his	junior	year	at	Harvard	and	had	gone	off	to	Europe	for	the
summer	with	friends.	As	he	was	traveling	around,	he	began	to	feel	ill,	dizzy	and
fatigued.	He	went	to	see	a	physician	in	London	who	prescribed	a	drug	that	did
not	help.	Michael	saw	other	physicians	in	Germany	and	Switzerland,	but	he
finally	returned	home—too	sick	to	remain	abroad.
A	strapping	twenty-one-year-old	college	student	should	be	at	the	peak	of
health.	Instead,	Michael	was	suffering	from	debilitating	fatigue,	he	was
lightheaded	and	dizzy,	and	he	had	visual	disturbances,	not	to	mention	various
aches	and	pains.	After	many	thousands	of	dollars	worth	of	testing	(including	a
brain	scan	to	check	for	a	brain	tumor),	Michael’s	physicians	were	at	a	loss	to
explain	his	condition	and	referred	him	to	a	psychiatrist.	Desperately	concerned
for	her	son’s	future	and	furious	with	a	medical	system	that	was	obviously	not
working,	Michael’s	mother	looked	for	other	options;	at	that	point,	she	called	me.
As	with	any	sick	person,	I	knew	exactly	what	was	wrong	with	Michael:	his
cells	were	malfunctioning	because	of	a	combination	of	deficiency	and	toxicity.
The	question,	as	always:	How	to	restore	his	cells	to	healthy	function?	I	used	the
six	pathways	as	a	guide	and	eventually	discovered	that	digestive	toxins—a
critical	aspect	of	the	toxin	pathway—were	the	source	of	Michael’s	problems.
Digestive	toxins	are	produced	in	a	couple	of	ways,	notably	by	an	abnormal
growth	of	bacteria	or	yeast	in	the	intestines	and	by	improperly	digested	food,
which	putrefies	in	the	digestive	system.	Intestinal	toxemia	creates	highly
poisonous	toxins	as	well	as	nutritional	deficiency.	When	bad	bacteria	and	yeasts
overgrow,	they	displace	the	friendly	bacteria	necessary	for	producing	nutrients
such	as	the	B-complex	vitamins,	vitamin	B


 This girl presented a very marked underdevelopment of the
lower third of the face which produced the appcarance of protrusion of her upper teeth so that it
was quite difficult or impossible for her to cover them with her lips. An operation to improve her
appearance consisted in removing the first bicuspid on each side above and then moving the bone
carrying the anterior teeth backward with appliances, the width of the two removed teeth. This
changed the relationship of the teeth as shown in the two upper views in Fig. 134. The operation
greatly improved her facial appearance and she lost the inferiority complex which had prevented
her from mingling with young people. When she went to the hospital for her first child, there was
special concern because of her weak heart, and every effort was made to obtain a normal birth
rather than one by Caesarian section. This proved impossible and the Caesarian operation was
done. Great difficulty was experienced in saving the life of the mother and child. Her boyish figure,
of which she had been so proud, and which had been a part of her serious deformity, during her
formative period had nearly resulted in her undoing. She nursed her baby for some time but the7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 244/250overdraft of reproduction on her frail body was so great that she aged rapidly, her back weakened
and she stooped forward as shown in Fig. 134, lower right. In the view at the lower left, it will be
seen that the teeth remained in their new position. A point to keep in mind is that her physical
deficiency was probably directly caused by an inadequate nutrition of her mother during the
intrauterine development and prior to conception. It is, of course, possible that the father also
contributed a poisoned germ cell that constituted a disturbance in the architectural design of the
offspring. In this connection, it is important to have in mind the tragic influence of a program of
deliberate starvation of mothers-to-be in order that the bones of the baby may be soft and thus
provide an easy birth. Some literature has been published indicating the foods that would be
efficient in accomplishing this. This means almost certain wreckage or handicapping of the child's
life.
FIG. 134. This girl suffered with a serious deformity of her
face. She also had very contracted pelvic arch. The facial
deformity was improved as shown. She nearly lost her life
with the birth of her first baby which was removed by
Caesarian operation. Note her badly deformed back from the
overload of reproduction.
    Information from many sources may suggest that the expectant mother needs more calcium and
more vitamin D. She may go to the pharmacy with a prescription or on her own initiative obtain
calcium tablets and so-called vitamin D as a synthetic preparation. We are concerned here with
data which will throw light on the comparative value of the treatment the modern mother will thus
give herself with that that the primitive mother would provide.
    Dr. Wayne Brehm who is associated with two Columbus, Ohio, hospitals has recently published
the results (5)  of a study of the effect of the treatment received in 540 obstetrical cases divided into7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 245/250six groups of ninety individuals each, on the basis on which their nutrition was reinforced in order
to study the comparative effects of the different treatments. The reinforcement of the diet consisted
in Group 1 of taking calcium and synthetic vitamin D as viosterol; Group 2, calcium alone; Group
3, viosterol alone; Group 4, calcium and cod liver oil; Group 5, cod liver oil alone and Group 6, no
reinforcement. For those receiving the calcium and viosterol there was extensive calcification in the
placentae, marked closure of the fontanelle (the normal opening in the top of the infant skull) and
marked calcification in the kidneys. For those receiving calcium alone there was no placental
calcification, slight closure of the fontanelle and no calcification of the kidneys. Group 3 receiving
viosterol had moderate to marked placental calcification, moderate closure of the fontanelle and no
calcification of the kidneys. Those receiving cod liver oil alone had very slight placental
calcification, slight fontanelle closure and no calcification in the kidneys. Those receiving no
reinforcement had very slight placental calcification, normal fontanelle closures and no calcification
of the kidneys. The effect on the mother was a prolonging of labor in Group 1 and at birth the fetal
heads were less moulded not being able to adjust their shape to the shape of the birth tube. These
infants had a general appearance of ossification or postmaturity. This strongly emphasizes the great
desirability of using Nature's natural foods instead of modern synthetic substitutes.
    It is a matter of great importance that the most serious disturbances in reproduction and
childbirth are occurring in the most civilized parts of the world. In Chapter 19 I have referred to
the important work of Dr. Kathleen Vaughan entitled "Safe Childbirth." She has not only had wide
experience among several tribes in India and in the British Hospitals but has collected a large
quantity of information regarding the experience of many races throughout the world. Her data
strongly emphasize the necessity that the growing girl shall be allowed to have an active outdoor
life not only until the completion of the building of her body at about fourteen years of age, but
through the child-bearing period. In practically all countries a restricted sedentary indoor life
greatly increases the complications associated with childbirth. She quotes Whitridge Williams to
the effect that: "At the onset of pregnancy the (males) are 125 to 100 (females), and he adds that
sex is determined in the germ cells, primarily or immediately after their union, and is immutable by
the time segmentation of the ovum begins." Notwithstanding this advantage, prenatal and infant
mortality reduces the proportion of boys to a level below that of girls. Dr. Vaughan in her
reference to the data on the annual report of the chief medical officer, the Minister of Health, states
as follows:
    Our infant mortality returns show that over half the number of infants dying before they are a
year old die before they have lived a month (and 6,744 of them before they are twenty-four
hours old), strongly suggesting that their vitality was impaired by the process of birth. The
figures of those who did not survive one month are 20,060, and of these more than half are
males. So we lose over ten thousand boys every year under a month old! (Public Health Report,
No. 55, British). Hear what Dr. Peter McKinley has to say on the subject. "The death rate of
infants in the period immediately subsequent to birth is nine times as high as that which occurs
later in the first years of life." He shows how the difficulty experienced by the mothers during
parturition leads to the death of infants at and just after birth, and says in this connection,
"Infant deaths under a month are significantly associated with the death rates of mothers in
childbearing." He quotes Netherland statistics showing that of stillbirths due to difficulty during
birth, male stillbirths predominate, and says, "These figures might be taken in support of the
view that the greater size of the male head is a cause of some greater difficulty in labour than
there is with a female birth." Here, indeed, in civilized childbirth is the laboratory where the sex
of the population is finally determined-the actual births of boys and girls are nearly equal in
number, but the small ones slip through; the larger children are the ones who are killed during
birth, or so damaged that life is heavily handicapped, and we are left with an enormous surplus
female population. This destruction of male infants, which goes on day by day and year by year,
puts the consequences of the Great War into the shade. Our surplus female population (now
reaching over one and a half million in excess of the male) is directly due to it. We have no need
of Pharaoh's midwives to kill our boys off at birth (Exodus i. 16). Civilization does it unaided, for
all civilized races as they pass their zenith and are on the downgrade have eventually had to
face the same problem, the outnumbering of men by women, and most of them have met it as the
East does to-day by female infanticide. A more intelligent policy would be to prevent the males
dying at birth. We see that difficult childbirth leads to a high maternal mortality, but it is also the
cause of a high infant mortality falling most heavily upon the male infants, and it is also
responsible for the production of mental defectives in ever-increasing numbers.
    Dr. Vaughan's work places emphasis on the necessity that the human body be properly built,7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 246/250especially that of the mother-to-be. She shows clearly that the shape of the pelvis is determined by
the method of life and the nutrition. In all primitive tribes living an outdoor life childbirth is easy and
labor is of short duration. She shows that this is associated with a round pelvis and that the
distortion of the pelvis to a flattened or kidney shape, even to a small degree, greatly reduces


chronic bronchitis and asthma have sometimes been put on Mexican food
laden with chili pepper. The antitoxic effect of pungent is said to help clear
the skin, even though Pitta is increased—the Vata dryness clean s out the oily
pores that exacerbate acne.
In excess, pungency turns to pain—eating a raw chili causes swollen lips
and eyes, burni ng skin, and hot sweat. Too much spicy food makes you
overly thirsty, dizzy, and unsett led, reflecting the Vata influence (too much
Vata makes for light-headednes s and dryness). The sharpness of pungent, if
pushed too far, will not excite the body but irritate it.
The same is true of the emotio ns. Pungent humor is invigorating, but it
can also be sharp and hurtful. Excitable, extroverted people  are already
inclined to be pungent—if you add more, they turn feverish. If a Vata or Pitta
imbalance is present in the body, pungent food is not desirable.
Astringent, the taste that makes your mouth dry and puckered, is the least
familiar of the six rasas. It is an alkaline taste, equal but opposite to the
puckering of sour lemons. Like bitter, astringent is Vata—the gas produced
by boile d cabbage and the dry, mealy taste of beans are both Vata effects.
Astringency is light like bitter but more appetizing; traditional cultures
around the world have subsisted on beans, and in the Middle Ages, cabbagewas a staple food throughout Europe. Astringency is settling; potatoes,
carrots, and other earthy foods bring out this satisfying ef fect.
Astringent is cooling and constr ictive; it stops the flow of secretions such
as sweat and tears (making beans a good pairing for chili peppe rs, since they
offset each other). In excess, its constricting effect may lead to Vata
complaints of constipation and dry mouth, along with gas or distension in
the lower abdomen.
People who have a dry wit are astringent. It is a quality that dampens
excitement and brings you back to yourself. Taken too far, however,
astringency becomes shriveling. The sudden constriction when you are
seized by fear and the dry mouth that anxiety brings are both negative
astringent qualities. Astringent emotions lack warmth in general; to be old,
cold, and shriveled up is what makes people into old prunes if they age
badly. If there is a Vata imbalance in the body, astringent food is undesirable.
AGNI—THE DIGESTIVE FIRE
Most people have never consulted a physician about their digestion. As a
society used to good health, we take for granted our ability to process food,
and, in the absence of a seriou s problem like peptic ulcers or colitis, we
ignore the occasional upset stomach or uncomfortable night spent after
“eating the whole thing.”
Ayurveda, on the other hand, considers poor digestion a major factor in
the disea se process and extols good digestion as the giver of health. Every
cell has been created from food. If the food has been used well, then the cells
will be built well; if it has been used badly, then the disease  process has
already started. The Ayurvedic sages liked to say that if you could digest it
properly, poison  would be good  for you, while with poor digestion, a person
can die from drinking nectar.
DIGESTION AND THE DOSHASAyurveda says that there are no absolutely good or bad foods, only food
that is good or bad for you. Being able to extract every life-giving value
from what you eat is of the utmost importance. People are not born equal in
this regard— the three major body types have very different powers of
digestion.
Vata digestion tends to be variable and often delicate.
Pitta digestion tends to be str ong and intense.
Kapha digestion tends to be slow and often heavy.
As with everyth ing that the doshas touch, each style of digest ion has its
advantages and drawbacks. Vatas may not be thrilled to discover that they
tend to have delicate or unreliable digestion, but this makes them more
discriminating eaters, and they rarely have to worry about the runaway
appetites of Pittas or the discouraging slide into overweight experienced by
many Kaphas. The important thing is to make maximum use of the digestion
you were born with and improve it as much as possible.
The digestive tract not only extracts nutrition for your body, it is highly
responsive to your emotions. Your “gut feelings” have been put there by
nature so that the mind and body can communicate. Vata imbalance often
shows up as disturbed feelings that create pain in the intestines. Pitta dosha
is responsible for correct metabolism and “pure blood” (absence of toxins) ;
it is also the dosha that controls the proper rate of digestion. This is called
agni, or “the digestive fire.”
Agni is one of the most impor tant principles in Ayurveda, equal to the
doshas. A primary sign of good health is that your agni is burnin g bright, that
is, you are digesting your food efficiently, distributing all the necessary
nutrients to every cell, and burning off waste products without leaving
deposits of toxins. Therefore, by balancing agni, one keeps all these things in
balance at the same time.
Nature has set up everyone’ s body in such a way that agni follo ws a cycle
throughout the day; unless agni’ s daily rhythm is correctly set, digestion willsuffer. One of the most valuable things to know is how to reset a flickering
agni and coax it back into its natural groove.
HOW  TO RESET  AGNI
Agni’ s daily rhythm rises and falls, making you slightly hungry in the
morning, very hungry at noon, and moderately hungry in the early evening.
In between these times, agni shuts down your appetite so that it can proceed
to diges t the food you have already eaten. When your stomach is empty
again, agni renews your appetite once more.
If this basic cycle is thrown off, the body becomes confused—ap petite and
digestion start to overlap. Your agni will tell you if this has happened by a
wide range of symptoms:
Heartburn and acid stomach
Fluttering stomach or nervous digestion
Loss of appetite at mealtimes
Constipation or diarrhea
Lack of interest in food
Overweight or underweight
Serious digestive disorders: irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers,
diverticulitis, et cetera
The first and most important thing to do if any of these symptoms appears
is to reset your agni to its natura l cycle. It is also a good idea to do this just
to tone your digestion, even if you have no digestive problems.
Vata types can reset agni once a month.Pitta types can reset agni twice a month (it is also good to do it when ever
your appetite has become ravenous and you begin to overeat).
Kapha types can reset agni up to once a week, unless there are serious
digestive compl aints. Kapha dosha benefits from this routine more than the
other doshas, since digestion tends to be heavy and slow.
No matter what your body type, do not attempt to reset your agni if you
are feeling sick. Being sick usually indicates that agni is down (or at least
not running correctly); that is not a good time to be tampering with it. If you
have an ulcer, colitis,  or any other serious digestive complaint, do not restart
agni, except under a doctor ’s care.
The method for resetting agni is as follows:
Weekend Pr ogram
It takes roughly two days to reset agni. Since rest is one of the
requirements on the day you do not eat, doing the program over the weekend
is best for most people.
FRIDA Y ROUTINE
Eat normally at breakfast and lunch. Do not have an afternoon snack or
any alcohol after noon. Eat a light dinner of nourishing food, making sure
that it is satisfyi ng but not heavy; exclude spicy food and cheese. Just before
bedtime, take a laxative—three tablets of senna (Sennokot®), followed by a
small glass of hot water. Go to bed early. Some people will wake up during
the night for a bowel movement, others will wait until morning —either way
is normal.
SATURDA Y ROUTINEBefore you can reset your agni, it is necessary first to lower it. This is
done by not eating meals and only drinking liquids during the day. Vata and
Pitta types shou ld drink fruit juice diluted with warm water. Apple or grape
juice are good; orange juice is too acidic. Drink one glass of juice at
breakfast, at lunch, and at dinnertime; three or four more can be taken
between meals, but do not drink more than that unless it’s water. The aim is
to have no appe tite and only a minimum of calories to digest. Kapha types
can follo w this routine or drink only warm  water, if they are comfortable
with that.
Spend the day reading, watchin g TV, or performing


ens	into	your	diet,	since	raw	greens	are	considered
cooling.
•
Eat	sweet,	watery	fruits	such	as	pineapples	and	mangoes	to	help	balance	the
internal	“fire.”•
Avoid	full	body	saunas	and	spa	treatments	that	saturate	your	face	in	heat.
The	half	infrared	sauna	is	a	great	option	(see	Kimberly’s	website	for
recommendations	at
kimberlysnyder.
com
).
•
Avoid	fragrances,	dyes,	and	acids,	which	can	all	be	irritating	to	the	skin.
Here	are	a	few	great	skin-care	ingredients	to	incorporate	for	red,	patchy	skin:
•
Chamomile	and	aloe	are	soothing	ingredients	for	your	skin.
•
Green	tea	acts	as	a	natural	anti-inflammatory	and	helps	neutralize	aging	and
irritating	free	radicals.
RADICAL	SOOTHER	MASK
Cucumber,	green	tea,	and	chamomile	are	all	cooling,	anti-inflammatory	ingredients	that	are	fantastic
for	soothing	inflamed	skin.	You	do	not	necessarily	have	to	peel	an	organic	cuke,	as	there	is	lots	of
zinc
and	other	minerals	in	the	skin.	As	with	all	recipes	in	this	book	and	in	general,	use	organic	products	as
much	as	possible.
2	tablespoons	cucumber,	peeled	and	seeded
1	teaspoon	brewed	and	cooled	green	tea	(preferably
loose	leaf)
1	teaspoon	brewed	and	cooled	chamomile	tea
(preferably	loose	leaf)
1	tablespoon	aloe	vera	gel
1	tablespoon	arrowroot	flour	(also	known	as	starch)
Blend	the	cucumber,	green	tea,	and	chamomile	tea	together	(if	you	have	trouble	blending	such	a	small
amount,	just	mash	the	cucumber	in	a	mortar	and	pestle	with	the	teas).	Mix	in	the	aloe	vera	gel	and
arrowroot	flour	until	the	mixture	starts	to	thicken.	Place	in	the	refrigerator	for	about	30	minutes	to
cool.	Spread	over	face	and	neck	in	an	even	layer	and	relax	for	about	20	minutes	before	rinsing	it	off.
Spider	Veins
You	can	blame	your	grandmother	for	these	beauties.	Poor	Granny	is	sweet	and
innocent,	and	you	sure	do	love	that	great	lady,	but	the	fact	is	that	vein	issues	are
largely	linked	to	heredity.	Most	of	us	never	think	about	our	veins	and	take
them	completely	for	granted.	That	is,	until	they	start	rearing	their	bluish,
unwanted	heads	up	to	the	surface!	There	are	two	main	types	of	cosmetically
unfortunate	vein	issues.	The	first	is	varicose	veins,	which	can	be	a	more	serious
form	of	venous	insufficiency.	These	can	lead	to	pain	and	soreness,	as	well	as
restless	legs.	If	these	issues	have	become	a	problem	for	you,	get	them	checked
out	by	your	doctor.On	the	other	hand,	telangiectasia,	commonly	known	as	spider	veins,	can
indicate	a	much	more	mild	form	of	venous	insufficiency.	They	are	cosmetically
a	doozy,	but	are	not	health-	or	life-threatening.	So	what	causes	these
unfortunate	blue	malfunctions?	Broken-down	valves	in	the	veins	cause	venous
insufficiency.
These	malfunctioning	valves	prevent	blood	flow	back	to	the
arteries,	which	can	cause	blood	to	accumulate	and	pool	up.	Such	vein	issues	can
become	more	pronounced	if	one	is	sedentary	or	has	reduced	circulation,	and
they	can	even	be	aggravated	by	hormonal	issues	like	hormone	replacement
therapy,	pregnancy,	or	birth	control.
4
	Here	are	some	things	you	can	do	about
them:
•
Walk	around	often	to	keep	circulation	flowing.
•
If	you	stand	still	often,	look	into	compression	hose	to	help	with	support.
Some	are	more	visually	appealing	than	others,	and	you	might	not	want	to
wear	some	of	them	on	your	bare	legs	(at	least	out	in	public),	but	you	can
certainly	wear	them	under	a	long	skirt	or	pants.
•
When	showering,	massage	the	area	around	the	broken	veins	first	in	a	gentle
circular	motion	and	then	in	an	upward	motion	to	help	improve	circulation.
(Avoid	this	with	painful	varicose	veins.)
•
Dry	brush	your	skin,	as	discussed	earlier	on
this	page
,	which	helps	stimulate
the	growth	and	repair	of	the	tissues	and	underlying	veins	by	increasing
blood	flow	to	the	area.	It	also	helps	remove	the	blood	that	has	leaked	out	of
the	capillaries	by	diffusing	it	into	the	interstitial	fluids	for	removal.
Brushing	the	spider	veins	very	gently	in	a	circular	motion	then	upward
toward	the	heart	several	times	per	day	can	improve	their	appearance.
•
Vitamins	A,	B	complex,	C,	D,	and	E	are	all	great	nutrients	to	help	with
tissue	repair,	optimal	circulation,	and	strong	veins.	Great	sources	include
carrots,	nutritional	yeast,	mushrooms,	almonds,	lemons,	and	bell	peppers.
•
Avoid	inflammatory	vegetable	oils,	especially	when	cooked,	which	can
become	rancid	in	your	body	and	increase	free	radicals	and	cellular	damage.
•
Make	sure	you	eat	the	right	beauty
fats,	such	as	avocados,	coconut	oil,	and
olive	oil	(best	taken	raw	and	lightly	on	certain	dishes	such	as	salads).	This
can	help	you	build	nice	strong	cell	walls.
•
Eat
pineapple!	It	contains	a	dietary	enzyme	called	bromelain,	which	can
improve	overall	circulation	by	reducing	the	buildup	of	fibrin	along	the	walls
of	the	blood	vessels.
•
Spider	veins	are	often	associated	with	the	use	of	hormone	replacementtherapy	(HRT)	and	birth	control	pills.	High	levels	of	estrogen	from	these
medications	seem	to	aggravate	venous	insufficiency.	If	you	are	using	birth
control	pills,	you	may	want	to	ask	your	doctor	for	a	lower-estrogen-dose
formula.	If	you	are	on	HRT,	you	may	want	to	consider	switching	to	a	lower
dose,	adding	progesterone,	or	using	a	weaker	formula,	such	as	an	estrone
cream.
•
Try	to	elevate	your	legs	to	hip	level	for	a	few	minutes	several	times	a	day.
Frequency	is	more	important	than	the	amount	of	time	in	this	case.	Get	out
of	the	habit	of	crossing	your	legs,	knees,	and	ankles	when	seated.	If	you	have
a	desk	job,	try	to	spend	a	few	minutes	walking	around	every	hour.	If	you
have	a	job	that	requires	standing	for	hours	on	end,	try	to	sit	and	elevate	your
feet	to	hip	level	once	every	hour.
CIRCULATION	AND	REJUVENATION	MASK
Chickpea	flour	has	been	used	in	some
Ayurvedic	recipe	preparations	for	the	skin	and	is	believed	to
help	exfoliate	and	soften	it	as	well	as	stimulate	circulation	and	rejuvenate	tissues.	Bananas	are	a	rich,
incredible	beauty	food	high	in	B	vitamins,	vitamin	A,	and	minerals	such	as	potassium.	Try	this	simple
mask	on	your	face—or	even	on	the	spider-vein	areas	of	your


 of the organism. Food makes up
for loss of quantity, while sleep makes up for loss of quality. It
repairs the nerves. Both kinds of reparation are indispensable, but
sleep is even more essential than food. It is physiologically
possible to go without food for days, weeks or even, in certain
cases, months. Sleep, on the other hand, can only be dispensed
with for some days. Sleep supplies something even more
important than the elements furnished by food.
In the waking state there is a difference between all plants,
animals and men, and also betwee n all individuals. But sleep is
universal; it abolishes all differences. Sleep is the same in plants,
animals and men; in rich and poor, in wise and foolish, in poet
and peasant.
The differences between individuals consist of the
differences in the activity of their respective cerebro-spinal
systems. It is the cerebro-spinal system which regulates
individuality and personality. During sleep this activity stops and
the differences between individuals are consequently removed.
The organo-vegetative system presides over the organism while
sleep is in progress. It is this which is responsible for all
unconscious activities of the organism, while the cerebro-spinal
system directs all our conscious activities. The organo-vegetative
system governs the beating of the heart and the various processes
of metabolism, while the cerebro-spinal system controls attention,
intelligence, association of ideas, memory, etc. The former
system is the executive organ of all the natural laws and forces in
every organism, while the latter is the director of the individual's
actions. When a man is awake, he makes many deviations from
the natural laws, but when he is asleep he obeys them wholly.
The results of these deviations (fatigue, weakness and the toxins of disease) are repaired by sleep at night when harmony with the
laws of Nature is restored. It is, therefore, impossible to live
without sleep. Prolonged fasting, on the other hand, is perfectly
possible, and often beneficial. Such is the explanation of sleep
from a physiological standpoint, as given by Zoroaster in the
Avesta between seven and eight thousand years ago.
Contemporary official science does not, however, look at sleep in
this fashion.
While a poisoned organism cannot dispense with sleep for
long, a completely healthy and clean one can manage without it
for many days. Conversely, a very overintoxicated organism may
sleep for weeks or months on end. There are many examples to
be found of these phenomena in antiquity, in the Middle Ages
and at the present day. Reports are occasionally given in the
newspapers of persons whom doctors are unable to wake up.
In the Avesta Zoroaster also tells us the significance of sleep
for a detoxicated and pure organism. Where there are no toxins
present, there can naturally be no elimination of them. Sleep,
then, has quite another significance. Instead of repairing the
organism, it improves its vitality. While the right food effects a
quantitative improvement of it, sleep leads to an improvement in
quality. It is a rule that in a!l the vital functions qualitative
changes arc more important than quantitative.
During sleep there is an absence of pain. It is for this reason
that artificial sleep is created for performing surgical operations.
It has been shown experimentally that the organism when asleep
can resist poison and that death from poison w hile sleep actually
lasts is impossible. It only occurs on waking. This great power of
sleep was observed by various peoples of antiquity.
It is not uncommon to find our problems solved during
sleep. The diaries of scientists and writers often relate that they
always invented or composed at night or in the morning after
sleep. So sleep is a source of knowledge— in addition to the
usual ones. It brings the organism into contact with quite different
forces to those which influence it during the day. In the daytime it
is in contact with harder, inferior forces; it is in contact with finer
and higher forces during sleep.
During the day the solar rays are predominant and are the
strongest as the daylight half of the globe is turned towards the
sun. The sun's rays are strong and stimulate corporeal, physical
activity in the organism. At night, on the other hand, the
influence of the sun's rays is weak, and the cosmic radiations, of
which the source is more distant than the sun and which are of
superior quality, become predominant. These cosmic radiations
come from a direction opposite to that where the sun now is and
are not counteracted at night by its rays. Their source is very
distant— even in the ultra-galac tic systems of universal space.
These higher cosmic radiations influence the higher activities of
the organism—activities that are finer and more imponderable
than those of the daytime. It is thus that sleep comes to represent
another source of knowledge.
The more detoxicated an organism is, the more capable is it
of establishing contact with the higher radiations during the night.
"When an organism is poisoned, all its forces are paralysed by the
elimination which must take place during sleep. In a healthy organism, however, all its forces are liberated and it is capable of
effeccting contact with and recei ving the higher radiations.
Antiquity provides us with numerous examples of superior
revelations. The explanation of these phenomena must be sought
in the laws of the Universe and of Nature. All the great teachers
and thinkers of antiquity led very sober lives, lives of great
simplicity and harmony. In consequence, they were extremely
healthy and free from toxins. It was not mere chance that they,
and not other people, received these higher revelations. The
knowledge they received was na tural; there was nothing mystic
about it. Simply their organisms had developed certain capacities
lacked by those of others.
Sleep, then, represents a higher source of knowledge for the
detoxicated, while for the intoxicated it is merely a means of
detoxication. For a majority it represents a process of
physiological reparation, while for a small aristocracy of will and
intelligence sleep represents the psychological perfection of the
individual. For the intoxicated, sl eep is at best only a fragmentary
source of knowledge, which will always remain incomplete and
one-sided. And a one-sided improvement always leads to
disequilibrium. There is a close affinity between genius and
madness. Onesided geniuses are mad as well as geniuses, while
every-sided geniuses are supermen. According to Lombroso,
eighty or ninety per cent of geniuses are one-sided and mad,
while only ten per cent can be ca lled complete. The majority had
sick unbalanced organisms; only a small minority had complete,
equilibrated organisms. Zoro aster, the author of the Avesta, was a
complete genius, Omar Khayyam was incomplete. Plato and
Pythagoras were complete; Pl otinus and Philo incomplete.
It is impossible to lay down dogmatically the amount of
sleep required. It depends on the degree of intoxication of each
individual. In order to establish the quantity of sleep necessary,
one must first go through a process of detoxication and see how
much sleep is needed at the end.  So much for the physiological
aspects of the question.
On the psychological side we  find a certain correlation
between our waking and our sleeping life. When a person is
unable to satisfy his inner needs and tendencies during the day,
the repressed and unsatisfied tendencies remain in the
unconscious and cause dreams at night. According to Freud,
dreams are a satisfaction of sexua l tendencies repressed by social
or other external factors. In th e conception of Adler, where there
is a sense of inferiority or failure in life, the opposite tendency
will be manifested in dreams. Thus the poor will dream that they
are rich. Naturally the process is not so simple as this in reality.
An entirely healthy person, on the other hand, has no dreams.
(They can be provoked by over-eating.)
Equilibrium consists of harmony between the tendencies of
an individual and his environmen t. Dreams are always a warning
of an unbalanced organism or consciousness. Sleep without
dreams, on the other hand, becomes an enrichment of the ideas
and consciousness. The practical psychological consideration is
that attention should be paid to one's thoughts, ideas and
sentiments before going to sleep, since the latter's quality and
content is influenced strongly by the thoughts and sentiments entertained prior to sleeping. If we go to sleep with harmonious
thoughts, our sleep will be a source of energy, harmony and
knowledge. In harmonious thoughts, on the contrary, are sources
of inharmony. Sleep supervening on such thoughts fails to bring
refreshment to the sleeper, who wakes with a feeling of fatigue
and lethargy next morning.
If, before sleeping, the energies  are directed towards certain
objectives, the conscious forces ar oused will be transformed into
unconscious forces during sleep, with the result that in the course
of the night the objectives will progressively be attained. The
morning will find the goal reached automatically. On the other
hand, if we go to bed with a fear  of certain things, the fear will
paralyse our psychological capa cities and forces, lowering our
resistance


 turned and
walked away.
As I headed down the alley toward my car, I looked
back at the b lackboard that had lured me into this
unbelievable e vent. I remembered that before I walked
into tha t restaurant I thought I knew what was going on:
a very interesting flow of events had brought me to my
brown rice and vegetables. I was wrong. It was much
bigger than that. It’s always much bigger than that—for
everyone. I was so glad I had decided to devote my life to
learning to surrender. I didn ’t know what was going on,
and I had reach ed the point of not even wanting to know.
I j ust wanted t o cease to inte rfere with the perfection of
life. Apparently, even a business trip to Boston is fair
game for a miracle.S e c t i o n  V I I
When Dark Clouds Become
Rainbows3 9.
A  T o u c h  o f  M a g i c
M y bi rth sign is Taurus, and my nature has always been
to j ust settle i n and do my work. I wasn’t the type of
person who was always looki ng for change. I enjoyed the
repetition of a stable lifestyle and gradual, sustainable
growth. Both the business and the Temple went through
natural stages in their growth. I always thought each
stage would become the steady state.
By t he early 19 90s, I certainly felt that we were done
with ou r rapid  growth. Personalized Programming was
in phenomenal shape. We were up to twenty employees,
and the bottom line was net ting a few million dollars a
year. I still ha d not changed my personal lifestyle, so I
continued using the money to build up an endowment
for the Temple  and to support various charities. At that
time, B arb was  living in my house, and I was in a small
guest accomm odation in the building the Temple used
for dinners. This building had a long wooden boardwalk
stretching across a wetlands area connecting it with
Personalized Programming’s office. That walk was my
commute to work. Those of u s living at the Temple were
all working hard and keep ing morning and evening
services toge ther. People from the Gainesville
community were coming out regularly for my Monday
and Thursday night talks, and a large crowd always
found their way out on Sunday mornings. Things were
good, a nd I thought the perio d of crazy growth was over.
Apparently, I was wrong.
To u nderstand  the next wave  of growth, it is important
to unde rstand what was going on inside of me at thattime. All the events that h ad unfolded so far in my
experiment wit h surrender had shown me that the more
I w as willing to let go of the inner noise created by my
personal likes and dislikes, the more I could see subtle
synchronicities in what was unfolding around me. These
unexpected co ncurrences of events were like messages
from life gently nudging me  in the direction she was
going. I listened to these subtle nudges instead of
listening to the not-so-subtle mental and emotional
reactions caused by my personal preferences. This is how
I pr acticed surrender in everyday life, and the purpose of
all t hese stories is to share wi th you the perfection of the
journey that unfolded.
Take the case of the Temple property. As I’ve already
mentioned, we  had no interest in owning a lot of land.
Yet, ove r the years, the Tem ple would end up with an
enormous amount of propert y, and each purchase along
the way seemed to have something magical about it.
Such was the c ase in October of 1990 when I received a
call regarding a piece of pro perty that had come up for
sale in our area. The Realtor said it was eighty-five acres
of c ombined woods and field, and it was considered one
of th e most be autiful pieces of land in Alachua County. I
told him that I  doubted we would be interested since our
primary interest was in land that bordered the Temple
property. He insisted on giving me a tour, and we were
both very surprised when we discovered that this
exquisite piece of land actually did border directly on the
Temple’s lease d land. That was enough of a nudge for
me. I put ou t a minimal amount of effort, and the
purchase just seemed to fall into place by itself.
I considered that land a gift from the universe. It came
to us completely unexpectedly, and I was speechless
seeing how these properties w ere lining up like pieces of
a jigsaw  puzzle. It was just three months later when the
golfer, Tom Jenkins, called to say they were going to
move, and we realized that his property was practicallysurrounded by our new purchase. This would mean that
the Temple would now own 1 70 acres of contiguous land.
We couldn’t have done better if we had bought it all as
one piece of p roperty to begin with. It was as though
each pie ce wait ed until we co uld afford it. The perfection
of what  had unfolded was stunning, but we weren’t done
yet.
After we closed on the Jenkins property, Radha moved
into tha t house. At the time, she mentioned to me that I
should have a better place to  live than that space behind
the kitchen building. The room was very small and had
almost no privacy because everyone kept coming in and
out of the main house day and night. I told her that I was
fine, and I liked waiting for the flow of life to make things
happen. She challenged me by saying that the flow had
given us plenty of land and s ufficient money. What did I
expect—that the universe would call me on the phone
one day and tell me to build a house? I told her that if I
was meant to have a house, something would happen
that wo uld make it perfectly clear. In the meantime, I
was fine with where I was living.
It w as o nly two  weeks later w hen I got a call from one
of o ur neighbors informing m e that he was about to put
his house up fo r sale. The onl y lot lying between his land
and my original ten acres h ad been purchased by the
Temple years earlier. This meant that his property
directly bordered Temple property. Because of the
conversation I had with Radha just a few weeks earlier, I
paid sp ecial attention to what my neighbor had to say.
He told me tha t he had spent  many years building a very
special house,  and he would like to show it to me. I
played it cool o n the phone, b ut I literally got shivers up
my spine realizing what was  about to happen. I called
Radha and told her that she s hould probably come along
with me to see this place—ju st in case this turned out to
be the call from the universe regarding a house for me.As w e p ulled u p the long wind ing driveway, a beautiful
chalet-style ho me awaited us on the back side of the
property. My first impression was that there was
something very special about this house. It turned out
that my neighbor was a boat-level carpenter. He had
spent twelve years handcra fting the house like some
people would build a high-end yacht or sailboat.
The house was not large, only about eighteen hundred
square feet. It sat on a twelve -acre piece of land that was
so w ell kept th at it felt like a park. Once I looked around
inside, I realized that I could not have designed a more
perfect house for myself if I had tried. Though every bit
of the house h ad its own special character, there was
something magical about the small third story that sat
above the kitchen area. As I climbed up the steep open
staircase, I felt like I was goin g up into a tree house. But
what I found was the most perfect space for a meditation
room I could im agine. The top floor was a single ten-by-
twelve-foot room with every inch handcrafted into an
artisan’s drea m. All four walls were wrapped with
antique leaded glass windows that had been saved from a
centuries-old admiral’s house in Boston when it was
taken down. The result was so exquisite that standing
there you felt l ike you had been transported back to the
eighteenth century. As if that were not enough, when I
looked up, I realized that the top floor was covered with a
cupola. Its exposed beams c ame to a high peak in the
center of the r oom, making it feel as though you were
standing inside a pyramid. The space was so exquisite
that the mind became quiet just being there.
Needless to say, I purchased the house and have lived
there ever since. The magic of how all these properties
joined together came to a crescendo with this latest
purchase. My neighbor had a lways entered his property
using h is front driveway. It only took a moment of
exploration to realize that the back side of the property
directly bordered the field we had leased from Wilbur.Once we cut an opening in the trees behind the house, I
could drive or walk to the Temple