 doesn’ t exist in action, yet
paradoxically you can find it through action. It will appear as a silent witness that stands back from activity simply to
observe and appreciate what is going on. Soldiers in battle and daredevil
adventurers often feel themselves becoming peaceful, unattached observers
completely divorced from the frantic activity around them. Speaking for
myself, I’ve found that moment s of nonattachment are characterized by the
following:
•  I am present with my body. •  My breathing becomes very refined, approaching stillness. •  Mental activity has calmed down. •  I feel no threat; there is a certainty of belonging. •  I perceive my inner world as an open space with no boundaries;
awareness exten ds in all directions rather than being focused on
specific thoughts. •  Self-a cceptance flows out into the environment. Things “out there”
seem intimate to me, an extension of myself. This experience of unity is also my working definition of love. For most of
us love is an emotion that comes and goes; we feel it intensely at times,
while at other times we don’t feel it at all. But the essence of love isn’t afeeling—it is a state of being. Or to be more exact, it is the state in which
you are in contact with Being. Someone who is truly experiencing love
feels tremendously real and alive, with no desire to do anything except exist
within the fulfill ment of love. Love’s greatest action is simply to be, which
is no action. That is why love is a supreme state of nonattachm ent and yet
the most satisfying state. For your action plan to succeed,  you need to find an outlet for your love,
a place where you can give it freely. The more openly you experience love,
on what ever terms, the closer you will come to finding its essence. Love
that doesn’t flow is no love at all; it is just yearning and longing. The
renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell pointed the way for expressing
love when he said, “Follow your bliss. ” Bliss is the tingling rush of love in
action, the flow of Being as it reaches out to meet itself and curl back with
delight in contact. Love wants to find itself, and when the circuit is
complete, bliss flows. Ask yourself, “Where do I find bliss. ” then write
down the steps you can take to increase this experience in your life. Do not confuse pleasure with love. There are many things that give
pleasure, such as watching television, with very little love in them. Love
certainly brings pleasure but in a more profound way. Carrying  a meal to a
shut-in is an act of love that is far more pleasurable than watching
television, for example, and there is much more to learn from such an action
in terms of sharing, compassion, and understanding. So don’t be distracted by superficial pleasures. The deep joy and delight
that exist at the core of life must be diligently uncovered. When you make
your list, you’ll  find that many  of your most cherished mome nts of bliss
have gone forever. For example, you cannot duplicate the first new feeling
of fallin g in love with the perso n to whom you are now married. But love
has depth after depth. As you make your list, you will remember how you
felt the day your children were born, and in that reminder is a clue: Your
children can still be a source of bliss, if you resolve to reach deeper into
your relationship with them. Nothing is more important than reconnecting
with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real. Exercise 2: Being Love versus Being in LoveI’d like to explore the state of love further, because it is the surest road
back to Being. The ancient sages declared that ultimately everything is
made of consciousness, and when we experience consciousness purely, with
no extra neous images or assumptions, that is love. The great Bengali poet
Rabindranath Tagore declared, “Love is not a mere impulse; it must contain
truth, which is law. ” The merging of love, truth, and reality is the great
revelation of unity consciousness, the moment when a person can truthfully
say, “I am the All,” and, “I am love,” in the same breath. Seen from this
perspective, love is the feeling-s tate that is always present when  a person is
perfectly aligned with dharma, the flow of evolution. Being in love is not the same state as this. When you fall in love, an
opening is created for repressed feelings to rush forth and attach themselves
to another person. If the love is deep enough, the other person seems ideal
and perfect (this has nothing to do with his or her actual state, which could
be quite imperfect and even destructive). But the force of love changes
reality by changing the perce iver. Why and how does this happen. Physiologists have measured the increase in certain key neurotransmitters
such as serotonin in the brains of people who are in love, but chemicals are
only crude markers. Clearly, serotonin does not cause people to fall in love;
it is only the biochemical basis for the pleasant sensations triggered by
being in love. In a series of revealing exper iments, Harvard psychologist David C. McClelland probed the physiology of love. He had a group of subjects view
a short film of Mother Teresa in her daily work of caring for sick and
abandoned child ren in Calcutta. The film displayed a profound  outpouring
of love. As the audience watched the film, McClelland discov ered that a
marker in their immune systems increased—this was SIgA, or salivary
immunoglobulin antigen. High levels of SIgA, as measured in people’ s
saliva, indicates a high immune response; as it happens, an elevated
immune response is also characteristic of people who have recently fallen in
love. (The popular saying “If you don’t want to catch a cold, fall in love”
recognizes this connection between emotions and physiology. ) Curiously, when  the film was over and the audience was asked their
opinion of Mother Teresa, not everyone found her work laudable. Some had
objections of one kind or another, centering on differences in religiousbelief, while others reported feeling disturbed by the sight of children who
were starving or suffering from  leprosy. Yet all the audienc e members
experienced an increase in SIgA levels; their physical response to love
appeared to be more powerful than their rational attitudes. This led
McClelland to question one of the most popular definitions of love in
modern psychol ogy, which holds that love is a reflexive response that arises
when two people meet to fill each other ’s needs. According to that
definition, love would depend on a person’ s conscious evalua tion of the
benefits he or she was getting in a relationship. But here were people whose
bodies were responding at a much deeper level, deeper even than pleasure. McClelland also found that the positive effect on the viewers’ immune
response decline d and disappeared an hour or two after they had viewed the
film. It remained highest among  those subjects who reported a strong sense
of being loved in their own lives and having strong ties to family and
friends. This implied that some  people are already in a state conducive to
love. Instead of experiencing it as a passing state, they had incorporated it
as a trait. In other words, the statement of the enlightened sage, “I am love,”
was present in these people, if to a smaller degree. What is love as a trait rather than as a passing phase. Even the most
passionate exper ience of being in love eventually cools off, leaving people
dismayed to find that little real love, in a lasting sense, remains. Pondering
this problem, McClelland wondered what had become of the experiences
described in the poetry of love. These experiences did not refer to the
selfish advantages of being in love but to altruistic, undying devotion. Was
Shakespeare simply wrong when he declared, “Love is not love which
alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no. It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempest and is never shaken. ”
McClelland also knew of instances cited in the psychological literature
where people were in loving relationships that made no sense in terms of
gaining any objective benefits. Such people felt deep love and devotion
despite the fact that they had no rational reason for feeling that way. What all this implied to McClelland was that love is a state that
transcends reason and whose purpose is simply to allow the experience of a
larger shared reality. One critical matter in this regard was a person’ s
reaction to the death of a loved one. If two people were in love just for whatthey could get, their interdependence would form the basis for loving and
being loved. Thus, the death of the loved one would cause great  pain as the
bond was ripped apart. Certainly this could be observed in real-life
relationships, but McClelland felt from personal experience that something
very dif ferent was possible:
The death of a loved partner should cause intense suffering and
grief, according to this theory. Yet when my wife died of cancer a few
years ago, I did not react in this way. We had been very much in love,
happily married


aketheirlivesintheirhandsby
treatingseriousillnessesathome.Nevertreatserious
injuriesorcomplaintsyourself.Ifinanydoubtseek
expertadvice.Causeforconcernbelowlistsgeneral
alarmsymptoms,andspecificalarmsymptomsto
watchoutforareindicatedintheindividualcom-
plaintsthatfollow.CauseforConcern
Thefollowingsymptomsmayindicateserious
problemsandsosignaltheneedforimmediatepro-
fessionalhelp.Someofthemalsoappearinthe
remedypictures,forexamplethelabouredbreathing
ofAntimoniumtartaricumandthedeliriumofa
Belladonnafever.Ifyouareveryworriedaboutthe
generalstateofyourpatientIsuggestyoucallforhelp
andthengivetheindicatedhomeopathicremedy.In
someinstances,wherethepictureisveryclearand/or
youknowfrompastexperiencethatyourpatientisnot
seriously ill,youwillbeabletogivetheremedyand
waitforimprovement. Ifheorshedoesnotshowsigns
ofimprovingquicklyyoucanthencallforhelp. Seeoverleaffordiseaseconditionsnotcoveredby
thisbook. SEEKHELPIFTHEREIS:
Bleeding,unexplained,fromanypartofthebody,
includingtheskin
Breathing,rapid-overfiftybreathsperminuteatrest
inchildrenundertwo-overfortybreathsper
minuteinchildrenagedtwototen-overthirty
breathsperminuteinanyoneoverthirty
Breathing,shalloworlaboured(difficult)
Chestpain,severe
Convulsions
Delirium
Feverabove105°F,40°C
Fever,high,withaslowpulse(normaladultpulseis
about90beatsaminuteand120inachild)
Fever,persistent-lastingforlongerthan24hoursin
aninfant
Headache,severe-especially ifaccompaniedbyone
ormoreoftheothersymptomsinthissection
204 DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK
Mentalconfusion,uncharacteristic
Neckstiff
Stools,pale-greyoralmostwhite
Urinationprofuse,accompaniedbyagreatthirst
Urinedarkandscanty/bloody (certainfoodswhen
eateninquantitycanchangethecolourofurine;
beetrootforexample,canturnurinered.Thisis
nothingtoworryabout)
Vomiting,unexpected,repeated-comesonsome
timeaftertheonsetofaviralinfection(i.e.achild-
hoodillness)
Weakness,extreme
Wheezing,severe
Yellowingoftheskinorwhitesoftheeyes
IFSOMEONESEEMSVERYILL,EVENIFTHEYDO
NOTHAVEANYEASILYIDENTIFIABLESYMP-
TOMS,ALWAYSTRUSTYOURINSTINCTSAND
GETHELP. ALWAYSSEEKPROFESSIONALHELPIFYOUR
SYMPTOMSRECURORDONOTIMPROVE. diseasesandconditionsnot
Coveredbythisbook
Withtheexceptionoftreatingtheacutepainofarthri-
tisandrheumatism, thisbookdoesnotcoverchrome
diseases;thesearecomplexconditionsandneedcareful
diagnosisandtreatmentatallstages.The
homeopathictreatmentofchronicdiseaseoften
requiresalong-termcommitmentsothatthehomeo-
pathcantreattheseunderlyingweaknessesinthe
constitution. Thefollowingsymptomsarenotdealtwithinthis
bookforthereasonsgivenineachcase:
Seriousdegenerativediseasessuchascancer,hepati-
tis,heartdisease,AIDS,andsoon,arenotwithin
thescopeofthefirst-aidprescriber.Thesecon-
ditionsrequiretimeandskilltotreatandshouldnot
beregardedlightly. Frequentlyrecurringsymptomsfromflu,headaches,
diarrhoeaandcoughs,todepressions, etc.Symp-
tomsoccurringasoftenaseveryweek,whichcanbe
sobadthatworkhastobecancelled.Theyarenot
symptomsthatoccurtwoorthreerimesayearand
thathaveobviouscauses,forexampleheadaches
afterthestressofexams. Skinsymptomsincludingeczema,psoriasis,dermati-
tis,etc.,shouldneverbeattemptedbythefirst-aid
prescriber.ReadtheLawsofCure(page15)to
understandthedangersofsuppressingaskindis-Asthmaisadeep-seatedchronicdiseaseandneeds
carefulmanagement tocureit.Theacuteattacksof
asthmacanbealleviated,buttheseshouldalways
beprescribedbyahomeopathwhoisinchargeof
thewholecaseandwhoisprescribingconstitutional
remediesbetweenattackssothattheirseverityand
frequencyislessened. Hayfeverforthesamereasonsasasthma.Itis,how-
ever,possibletoalleviatesymptoms,andforthis
reasonafew.remediesareincludedinthisbook. However, Istronglyadvisethatvoutakeupconsti-
tutionaltreatmentforthemonthswhenyouarefree
ofhayfeverinordertohelpclearthediseasefrom
thesystem.Itcantakeseveralyearsforthisto
happen,withthesymptomslesseninginseverity
eachyear. Persistentconstipationcanmaskamoreserious,
underlyingcomplaintthatneedsprofessional treat-
ment,butitmaysimplybearesultofpoordiet(lots
oflow-fibrejunkfood),inwhichcasethefirststepis
tomakethenecessarydietarychanges.Remedies
areincludedforoccasionalconstipationcausedbya
changeinenvironment(althoughtheoccasional
doseofalaxativewilldonoharm). Persistentabdominalpainshouldalwaysbechecked
byaprofessional.Neverself-prescribe,exceptinthe
fewinstancesoutlinedinthisbook.Alwaysseeyour
GPtomakesurethereisnoneedforurgentsurgery
(suchasappendicitis). Ulcers,oftheskin,stomach,etc.Theseareevidence
ofadeep-seatedchronicconditionthatneedsexpert
attention.Youmaytreatoccasionalmouthulcers
yourself.Iftheyrecur,especiallyfrequently,then
theyneeddeeper,constitutionaltreatment. Lumpsandbumps-cysts,growths,warts,etc.any-
whereonorinthebody(exceptforstyes,bruises
andwarts,asoutlinedinthebook)mustalwaysbe
takentoaprofessionalhomeopathsothatheorshe
canprescribeontheunderlyingweaknessandpre-
venttheirrecurrence. COMPLAINTSYOUCANTREAT
Abscesses
Youcantreatasimpletooth(gum)abscessyourself
whilewaitingforyourdentalappointment. Ifthepain
isgreatlyrelievedasaresultand/ortheabscessdis-
chargesitspusthenwaitalittlewhilebeforestarting
onantibioticsastheymaynotbenecessary. Ifthepain
returns,ordoesn'tclearcompletelyandquickly,take
themedicinesprescribedbyyourdentist,orvisit
aprofessionalhomeopathwhocantreatthese
abscesses. DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK Bites/stings •205
DO
•restandeatwelltobuildupyourdefences. •applyhotcompressestotheabscess. Anaemia
Theanaemiacoveredbythisbookisiron-deficiency
anaemia,whichiscausedbyinfection,poordiet,
duringpregnancywhentheironcountdrops,andby
lossofbloodafteranaccident,toothextraction,heavy
period,nosebleedorchildbirth. Othertypesofanaemianeedtobetreatedbya
professionalhomeopath. DO
•eathealthy,iron-richfoodssuchasliver,greens
(notspinachastheacidinitmakestheiron
difficulttoabsorb),cabbageanddriedapricots. •rest. •drinkplentyoffluidsbutcutouttea(which
preventstheabsorptionofiron). •takeaherbalirontonicifitsuitsyou. DON'T
•takeironpillsavailablefromhighstreetchemists
astheyoftencauseconstipationandcanmakethe
conditionworsebyblockingtheabsorptionofiron. ArthritisseeJointpain
Athlete'sfoot
Thisisbesttreatedwithinternalremedies. Ifitis
apersistent(chronic)problem, itwillrequirepro-
fessionalhomeopathictreatment. DO
•keepyourfeetcleananddrymeticulouslyafter
bathing. •useCalendulatalcumpowder(availablefromsome
homeopathicpharmacies)orusethecreamifthe
skiniscrackedandpainful. •gobarefootasmuchaspossible,andwearsandals
inthesummer. DON'T
•wearrunningshoes,whichcanexacerbatethe
problem. •useanri-perspirantsonyourfeet.Thisformof
suppressioncanleadtomoreseriouscomplaints. SEEKHELPIF
•thereisswellingorpain,especially


 you know the joy that comes from this partner-
ship. And what you are aligning with is pure, unconditional love and
acceptance of all that is. You abandon your fear of anything. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AS AN ABSENCE OF FEAR
All fears stem from the idea that we are alone and separated from
the one divine source that we give many names to, including God or
Holy Spirit. When you adopt a stance of unconditional love, you
104
Manifest Your Destiny
automatically abandon fear. In the absence of fear and in the pres-
ence of unconditional love you find the solution to the mystery of
manifestation. Once you truly know that you are ‘not separate or
alone, fear is replaced by unconditional love and you have gained
access to the Holy Spirit. The ego is where fears originate, with constant messages that you
are incomplete and need more, that you need to win to be better in
comparison to others. With its unceasing pressure, the ego keeps you
in a constant state of turmoil and anxiety. Here is where all fears are
birthed and nurtured within you. To accept unconditional love as your premise for living, you will
have to tell the ego that there is no need to prove anything and that
all you want or hope for is already here. The ego, moreover, needs to
be taught that you are connected to a creative source that is far more
powerful than the ego. You are able to detach from how it has to show up, and you can
send out the energy of unconditional love with your thoughts wher-
ever you go, trusting that it is all in order. No demands, no pressure. A simple knowing accompanied by an unconditionally loving atti-
tude. With this kind of declaration, fear is removed from your life
and is replaced with love. Remember the biblical quote, “Perfect love
casteth out all fear. ”
Fear and love are unable to reside simultaneously within you. If
you are afraid, you have cast out love. If you are experiencing perfect
love, which is within your free will, then you have cast out fear. This principle of unconditional love as a prerequisite to manifest-
ing your own destiny is a tough one to put into practice full-time. Yet
you can begin this process by working on it one step at a time, begin-
ning right now. Below are some suggestions for living and radiating
unconditional love. 105
WAYNE W. DYER
SOME WAYS OF PUTTING UNCONDITIONAL LOVE INTO
PRACTICE go
Keep uppermost in mind that love transforms. Every single act of
love releases blocked energy in your body. Unconditional love heals
the body and the mind. Keep reminding yourself of this truth until
it becomes your reality. Love is a frequency that you can choose to
tune into, just as you tune into a frequency on the radio. The polarity of love is fear. Fear is a current of energy that literally
runs through your body and is produced when you feel cut off from
the source of unconditional love. Every time you experience fear,
ask yourself, “What is going on that I have substituted fear for love
in this moment. ” This kind of self-talk will bring you back to an
awareness that fear is running through you because you have lost
your alignment with love. In this moment of insight, send the fear energy out of your body
by embracing unconditional love. In those moments of fear, your
anxiety about failing, not receiving approval, your appearance, your
grades or whatever can be traced to the absence of unconditional
love. Go to your source when you are experiencing fear and you will
find fears dissipating almost instantly,
Remember that love is experienced in your thoughts and in your
acts of oneness. The more you consider yourself connected to the
divine source, the more you will act in loving ways to all others. Acquire a private, nonpublicized and regular habit of meditating. With every breath you take, feel yourself taking in unconditional
love. With every exhalation, expel thoughts of fear. This personal
exercise can be your lifeline to unconditional love and to the world
of manifesting. 106
Manifest Your Destiny
When you go outside for a walk, use your breath to bring in the
essence of love and feel it flowing throughout your body. Simply use
your breath as a means of inhaling love from the divine source, and
exhaling fear in the next breath. You will feel yourself relaxing and
knowing more joy and freedom. Pick one day to practice this exercise with a partner of your choice. Make a decision to think, act and radiate nothing but unconditional
love for the entire twenty-four-hour period, including your dreams. Every moment of this mutually agreed upon day will be infused
with only love. This means that the moment a moralizing or judgmental thought
enters, you immediately shift it out of your inner field and replace it
with one of unconditional love. If this works for you for one day, see
if you can extend it for another day or two. The longer you can stay
with this exercise, the more dramatic the changes. You will begin to notice synchronistic events showing up and you
will feel as if God is taking special care of you. You will notice an
increase in energy; an interesting shift in your dreams as they
become more intense and spiritual; you will observe yourself
attracting things that previously seemed to stay away; you will most
assuredly note an increase in joy, bliss and a growth in your relation-
ships as well. Make a decision to turn over your most difficult challenges in the
area of unconditional love to God. Simply turn them over with a
request such as, “I have been unable to bring love into my life in
these areas, and I am asking for your divine guidance in accomplish-
ing this. I still think angry and hateful thoughts toward these peo-
ple, and I am asking you to show me the way to unconditional
love. ”
By acknowledging that you feel powerless, you admit that your
107
WAYNE W. DYER
conditioning and life experiences have not given you the tools to
radiate love in these places. But you are also acknowledging that you
know there is a higher energy and you ask that higher force to guide
you. By turning it over, you place your complete trust in the God
force and admit that you cannot break the ego’s stronghold. In your silent moments of prayer do not be afraid to ask for help. If
you want to remove fear and hatred in the spirit of wanting peace,
help will be forthcoming. Place no restrictions on how that help is
to show up in your life. Simply ask honestly, and when it does show
up, give thanks. Know the connection between manifesting your heart’s desire and
unconditional love. Unconditional love is the energy of the uni-
verse, it is what God is, and, therefore, what you are as well. Without your connection to this love, you lose your connection to
the creative processes. You cannot attract to yourself that which you are already con-
nected to if you have short-circuited the connection. The presence
of unconditional love is in all things that you wish to attract as well
as in you. Keep it honestly, and you keep your ability to “know that
ye are a god. ” Lose it, and you lose your godliness. It is that simple. Remind yourself of this when you ask why your desires aren’t
showing up in your life. The answer will invariably have something
to do with an absence of unconditional love someplace in your
inner world. You do not need to fool yourself with unconditional love. If you do
not love the personality of another, be open and honest about it, but
you can still love the essence, the truth of everyone on this planet
and beyond. See the unfolding in everyone, even if their behavior
108
Manifest Your Destiny
conflicts with what you know to be divine and holy. Know that their
egos have gotten a stranglehold on them and twisted their divine
essence right out of their behavior, but still send love to the essence
that is behind that action. The more you are able to see past the personality and the indi-
vidual behavior, the more you will be a beacon of light for the entire
planet. It is through a change in consciousness that our world is
going to be transformed, and that new consciousness is one in
which love is going to triumph over the passions of the ego. Send
love out past the appearance with which you are in disagreement
and it may shift right before your eyes. Make your word law. Keep this harmony within yourself and you
will experience love in virtually ail settings. If you say it, live up to it
lovingly. This gives you a sense of inner balance that is missing in
those who live with self-repudiation and guilt. The more you prac-
tice “My word is law. I must keep it,” the more balanced your life
becomes. The universe runs on balance, and the energy that keeps it in bal-
ance is love. By declaring yourself as a person who keeps his word,
you align yourself with the loving essence of the world. I have witnessed unconditional love in action in the story of Kaye
O’Bara, who has been caring for her comatose daughter for twenty-
seven years. On an hourly basis—I (along with my wife Marcelene) told
her story in a short inspirational book titled A Promise Is a Promise and I
urge you to familiarize


 Zhi mu is first mentioned
in the 1st-century ce herbal, the Divine Husbandman’s Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing). Medicinal Actions & Uses  Zhi mu has a
bitter taste and a “cold” temperament and is
used in Chinese herbal medicine for “excess heat”—fever, night sweats, and coughs. It has
been shown to have significant antibacterial
activity and is commonly used to treat sores
and mouth ulcers.frequently for premenstrual syndrome and period pain, especially when these are accompanied by nervous exhaustion. In France, it has traditionally been used for treating coughs and as a sedative  for sleep difficulties. Pulsatilla is also used to treat  eye problems such as cataracts. The fresh plant  is not used because it is strongly irritant. Pulsatilla  is one of the most commonly used of all homeopathic remedies. Related Species  The meadow anemone
(A. pratensis) is used interchangeably with pasque flower; wood anemone (A. nemorosa) is now  rarely used in herbal medicine. QCautions  T ake only under professional
supervision. Do not take during pregnancy. Do not take the fresh plant, which is toxic. angelica archangelica (Apiaceae)
Angelica
Description  Aromatic biennial herb growing
to 61⁄2 ft (2 m). Has ridged upright hollow stems,
large bright green leaves, and greenish-white flowers in umbels. Habitat & Cultivation  Angelica grows in
temperate regions in western Europe, Siberia, and the Himalayas. It prefers damp sites and is often found near running water. Leaves and stems are harvested in early summer, seeds as they ripen in late summer, and roots in late autumn after one year’s growth. Parts Used  Root, leaves, stems, seeds.Dill was used as a
remedy by the ancient
Greeks to encourage
a good night’s sleep.anemone pulsatilla syn. pulsatilla
vulgaris (Ranunculaceae)
Pulsatilla
Description  Hairy perennial growing to
6 in (15 cm). Has feathery leaves, and large,
purple-blue, bell-shaped flowers, with bright  yellow anthers. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to Europe,
this herb thrives in dry grassland in central  and northern parts of the continent, preferring chalky soil. The aerial parts are harvested when  it flowers in spring. Parts Used  Dried aerial parts. Constituents  Pulsatilla contains the lactone
protoanemonin (which on drying forms anemonin), triterpenoid saponins, tannins, and volatile oil. History & Folklore  In Greek mythology, the
goddess Flora was jealous of her husband’s attentions to the nymph Anemone and so transformed her into a flower, at the mercy of the North Wind. Anemone literally means “daughter of the wind” in Greek. The alternate name “pasque flower” derives from the French name  for Easter, when the plant is often in flower. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Pulsatilla
is less commonly used now in herbal medicine than in the past, though it is still considered a valuable remedy for cramping pain, menstrual problems, and emotional distress. It is considered a specific treatment for spasmodic pain of the reproductive system, both male and female, and is given quite Seeds
anethum graveolens syn. peucedanum graveolens (Apiaceae)
Dill
Description  Aromatic annual that grows to a
height of 30 in (75 cm). Has an erect hollow stem,
feathery leaves, and numerous yellow flowers in umbels. Fruit is very lightweight and pungent. Habitat & Cultivation  Dill is native to
southern Europe and central and southern
Asia, growing wild in open areas. It is also widely cultivated, notably in England, Germany, and North America. The leaves are picked as a culinary herb. The seeds are harvested in
late summer. Parts Used  Seeds, essential oil, leaves. Constituents  Dill seeds contain up to 5% volatile
oil (about half of which is alpha-phellandrene), flavonoids, coumarins, xanthones, and triterpenes. History & Folklore  An ancient Egyptian
remedy in the Ebers papyrus (c. 1500 bce) recommends dill as one of the ingredients in a pain-killing mixture. The ancient Greeks are believed to have covered their eyes with fronds  of the herb to induce sleep. Dill was commonly used as a charm against witchcraft in the Middle Ages, when it was burned to clear thunderclouds. Its name comes from the Norse dylla—meaning “to soothe.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Dill has always
been considered a remedy for the stomach, relieving gas and calming digestion. Dill’s essential oil relieves intestinal spasms and cramps and helps to settle colic, hence it is often used in gripe water mixtures. Chewing the seeds improves bad breath. Dill makes a useful addition to cough, cold, and flu remedies, and is a mild diuretic. Like caraway (Carum carvi, p. 184), it can be used with antispasmodics, such as cramp bark (Viburnum opulus, p. 150), to relieve period pain. Dill increases milk production, and when taken regularly by nursing mothers, helps to prevent  colic in their babies. Caution  T ake the essential
oil internally only under professional supervision. US_158-179_Abies_balsa_Boswe_serratta.indd   168 17/03/16   4:01 pm169 other medicinal Plantsanthriscus cerefolium
Constituents  Angelica root contains a volatile
oil (consisting mainly of beta-phellandrene),
lactones, and coumarins. An extract of the root
has been shown to be anti-inflammatory. History & Folklore  The British Flora Medica
(1877) reports that “the Laplanders considered
this plant as one of the most important
productions of the soil … They are subject to
a severe kind of colic, against which the root
of angelica is one of their chief remedies.” The
stems are candied for culinary use. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Angelica is a
warming and tonic remedy, having a role to play
in a wide range of illnesses. All parts of the plant
will help relieve indigestion, gas, and colic. Angelica
can also be useful in cases of poor circulation, as it
improves blood flow to the peripheral parts of the
body. It is considered a specific treatment for
Buerger’s disease, a condition that narrows the
arteries of the hands and feet. By improving blood
flow and stimulating the coughing up of phlegm,
angelica’s warm, tonic properties bring relief from
bronchitis and debilitating conditions affecting the
chest. For respiratory conditions, the roots are
most commonly used, but the stems and seeds
may be employed as well. Caution  Do not take as a medicine during
pregnancy. Do not confuse with Chinese Angelica. Self-help Use  Stomach spasm, p. 305.
angelica dahurica (Apiaceae)
Bai Zhi
Description  Aromatic perennial growing
to 8 ft (2.5 m). Has a hollow stem, large
3-branched leaves, and umbels bearing many
white flower heads. Habitat & Cultivation  Grows wild in thickets
in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Cultivated mainly
in central and eastern regions of China. Part Used  Root. Constituents  Bai zhi  contains a volatile oil
and the coumarins imperatorin, marmesin,
and phellopterin. History & Folklore  Bai zhi  is first mentioned
in Chinese herbal medicine in the Divine
Husbandman’s Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing ) of
the 1st century ce. The famous military physician
Zhang Congzheng (1150–1228) classified bai zhi
as a sweat-inducing herb able to counter harmful
external influences on the skin, such as cold, heat,
dampness, and dryness. Medicinal Actions & Uses  The pungent,
bitter  bai zhi is used for headaches and aching eyes,
nasal congestion, and toothache. Like its cousins
angelica ( A. archangelica, see preceding entry ) and
dong quai ( A. sinensis, p. 63), it is warming and
tonic, and it is still given for problems attributed  to “damp and cold” conditions, such as sores,
boils, and ulcers affecting the skin. Bai zhi  also
appears to be valuable in treating the facial pain
of trigeminal neuralgia. Caution  Do not take during pregnancy. annona squamosa (Annonaceae)
Custard Apple
Description  Tree growing to 33 ft (10 m). Has
oblong- to lance-shaped leaves, greenish flowers,
and segmented green fruit. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to tropical
America and the Caribbean, this herb is cultivated
throughout the tropics. Parts Used  Leaves, bark, fruit, seeds. Constituents Custard apple


 Seek professional advice if symptoms do
not immediately improve. Nausea with Headache
Herbs Peppermint (Mentha x piperita, p. 114), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, p. 235), bo he (Mentha haplocalyx, p. 234)Remedy Make an infusion with 1 level tsp of one herb per 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water. Drink up to 21/3–3 cups (600–750 ml) a day. Other uses This remedy combats abdominal fullness
and helps improve the appetite and digestion. Caution Do not give these herbs to children under 5. Do not take pennyroyal during pregnancy. Loss of Appetite & Vomiting
Herb Codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula, p. 83)
Remedy Make a decoction and sip 21/2 tbsp
(50 ml) every 2–3 hours until the vomiting stops or the dose has been taken over 2 days. Other uses For anorexia, add 5 g of licorice
(Glycyrrhiza glabra, p. 101). Caution Do not take licorice during pregnancy. Herb Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum, p. 93)
Remedy Make an infusion with the crushed
seeds of 2 cardamoms per 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water. Drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. Herb Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora, p. 228)
Remedy Make an infusion using 1 tsp of dried or 2 tsp of fresh leaves per 1 cup (150 ml) of water and take up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. Herb Peppermint (Mentha x piperita, p. 114)
Remedy Make an infusion and drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. (See General cautions.) Mouth & Tongue Ulcers
Herbs Myrrh (Commiphora molmol, p. 85),
echinacea (Echinacea spp., p. 92), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra, p. 101)Remedy Mix equal parts of the tinctures and apply neat or diluted (1 part tincture to 5 parts water) every hour. US_300-307_Allergies.indd   306 26/02/16   4:43 pm307 herbal remedies for home useConstipation & Diarrhea
Acidity & IndigestionHerbs help both constipation and diarrhea
by gently restoring normal bowel function. Constipation often results from insufficient
intake of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains,
while diarrhea is usually caused by intestinal
infection or inflammation, such as food
poisoning. Irritable bowel syndrome gives rise to
alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea,
and spastic constipation results from tension
and muscle spasm in the colon. Herbs
Dandelion root, licorice, and yellow
dock  are mild laxatives. Senna  is a strong laxative and should only be
taken when other herbs have failed. Psyllium  seeds and husks cleanse the colon and
encourage normal bowel habits. Cramp bark  has antispasmodic properties and
can help spastic constipation. Agrimony, bael, bistort, and black
catechu are astringent herbs that dry and
tighten the bowel lining. Only take in the short
term, as they impair absorption of food. They
are taken mixed with soothing, demulcent herbs,
such as psyllium or marshmallow, for diarrhea. Diet for Constipation
Fruit acts as a gentle laxative within the large
intestine. Eat plenty of fresh fruit each day, such
as figs ( Ficus carica, p. 211), apples, or tamarind
(Tamarindus indica, p. 274), which also counter
vomiting, gas, and indigestion. QGeneral caution Seek professional advice for
persistent constipation or diarrhea. Indigestion, caused by too much acid production,
suggests a poor or inappropriate diet. To coat
the inner lining of the stomach and intestines
and protect them from excess acidity, take
slippery elm, arrowroot, or Iceland moss, which
are sticky, mucilaginous herbs when soaked in
water. Meadowsweet strengthens the lining of
the stomach and reduces acidic symptoms, while
German chamomile is amazingly versatile for a
number of gastrointestinal problems. Diet
Cut out acidic foods, such as oranges, red meat,
spinach, and tomatoes, as well as alcohol and
tobacco if possible.Constipation
Herbs Y ellow dock ( Rumex crispus, p. 264),
Chinese rhubarb ( Rheum palmatum, p. 126)
Remedy Make a decoction using 1 tsp of either
herb to 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water. T ake last thing
at night. Note  Y ellow dock is one of the mildest laxatives and
should be tried first. If this has no effect, take a single
dose of Chinese rhubarb each day. This has
a stronger action than yellow dock. Cautions  Do not take Chinese rhubarb or yellow dock
during pregnancy. Persistent Constipation
Herbs Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale, p. 141),
licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra, p. 101), yellow dock
(Rumex crispus, p. 264)
Remedy 1  Make a decoction using 20 g of
dandelion root to 3 cups (750 ml) of water and
drink each day, or use the ground root to make an
infusion and drink 12/3–21/3 cups (450–600 ml) a day. Remedy 2  Mix 3 tsp of dandelion root and
yellow dock and 1 tsp of licorice. Use the mixture
to make a decoction with 3 cups (750 ml) of
water and drink 3/4–11/4 cups (150–300 ml) a day. Cautions Do not take yellow dock or licorice
during pregnancy. Herbs Senna ( Cassia senna, p. 75), ginger ( Zingiber
officinale, p. 155)
Remedy Steep 3–6 senna pods and 2–3 slices
(1 g) of fresh ginger in 3/4 cup (150 ml) of warm
water. Alternatively, take senna tablets. T ake either
preparation for up to 10 days. Note  This is the strongest laxative listed. QCautions  T ake for up to 10 days at a time. During
pregnancy, take on advice of a health care practitioner. Do not give to children under 5. General Remedies
Herbs Slippery elm ( Ulmus rubra, p. 145),
arrowroot ( Maranta arundinacea, p. 233), Iceland
moss ( Cetraria islandica, p. 186)
Remedy 1  Make an infusion with 2 heaping tsp
of one of the herbs to 1/2 cup (100 ml) of water. Leave for 15 minutes. T ake 1/2 cup (100 ml) up to
4 times a day. Remedy 2  Make slippery elm “food” by mixing
1 heaping tsp of powder and 3 tsp of cold water. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water. Add a
pinch of cinnamon ( Cinnamomum spp., p. 81) or
nutmeg ( Myristica fragrans, p. 11) to taste. T ake 1
cup (250 ml) 3 times a day. Herbs Fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare, p. 212),
galbanum ( Ferula gummosa, p. 211), anise
(Pimpinella anisum, p. 248), or any one of the
Nausea & Vomiting  herbs listed on p. 306. Spastic Constipation
Herb Cramp bark ( Viburnum opulus, p. 150)
Remedy Make a decoction using 15 g of the
root to 3 cups (750 ml) of water and take 3/4–11/4
cups (150–300 ml) a day or take 2 tsp of tincture
with water once per day. Diarrhea
Herbs Agrimony ( Agrimonia eupatoria, p. 162),
sage ( Salvia officinalis, p. 131), bael ( Aegle
marmelos, p. 161), bistort ( Polygonum bistorta,
p. 253), black catechu ( Acacia catechu, p. 158)
Remedy The above herbs are listed in ascending
order of astringency. Make a decoction using 1
heaping tsp of one herb to 1 cup (225 ml) of
water and simmer for 15–20 minutes. T ake up to
12/3 cups (450 ml) a day for no longer than 3 days. Note If using bistort or black catechu (the most
astringent herbs), mix


 play a game of
“hide an d seek” with food. What once was a pleasurable and satisfying
experience becomes this phan tom that we either run to or run from:
controlling and logging every morsel that goes into our mou th or eating
with rec kless abandon, ignoring  the physical symptoms of being full, yet
remaining unsatisfied. How do we find that middle ground? G U I L T  A B O U T  W O R L D  H U N G E R
Many of us fe el guilty when we see world hunger or other forms of
suf fering in the world. Our problems may begin to seem very small and
irrelevant by comparison. The m ind thinks, “It could have been  me, I have
no r ight to have  what I have when there is so much suf fering in the world.”
The heart immediately connects us to others and feels their pain. Guilt may
show that we care, but it does not take care of the problem we care about. One of the hardest things I had  to learn in my clinical practice was that
there are no vict ims. The truth is, we are all here on our solo journeys, with
dif ferent lessons to learn. The experiences we go through are what our soul
must experience. This is one of the mysteries of life and we ca n’ t do much
but surrender to it. W e realize how little we know.This does not mean we don’ t show compassion and extend a helping hand. But we can’ t do  that by feeling  guilty about the blessings we have in our
life. W e can be grateful for all that we have, and perhaps spare a prayer for
those less fortunate than we are. W e have the opportunity to replace guilt
with hum ility, gr atitude, prayer and compassion. Now we may b e able to be
of assistance. W A S T E  N O T,  W A N T  N O T? “Finish the food on your plate, you can’ t waste it, especially w hen there is
so much hunger in the world,” m ight be words you have heard in the past. For many of us, they bring out guilt, which only results in ove reating. The
fact is that when we overeat, or feel we must clean our plat e, we don’ t
resolve world hunger, we simpl y overeat. This not only results in physical
illness, but it a lso negatively af fects our mental health, as we either
consume guilt with our food or s imply overuse or rationalize our overeating
by c halking it up to the guilt we feel about world hunger. However, we
might possibly help resolve world hunger by buying and cooking smaller
quantities of food, and putting less food on our plates. W e can  donate the
money w e save  to or ganizations that work to lessen world hunger, or we
can don ate meals to families in need; there are countless ways to make a
dif ference. W e don’ t make the world a better place by dimming our own
light. Nor can we help  others by harm ing ourselves; we can only help them if we
help ourselves first. When we e xperience our own blessings and allow joy
into our lives, w e uplift those around us and that helps in its own small way
to lessen  world suf fering. Instead of perpetuating suf fering, we become a
source of inspiration. In order for compassion and love to flow ef fortlessly
to o thers, our o wn hearts must be filled with it. Anything less than that
keeps us emotionally hungry. Let’ s explore that in the next chapter. Is ther e a trace of guilt and shame in your struggle with food? Can you think of any examples of how that shows up for you?C H A P T E R  2E m o t i o n a l  H u n g e r
Emotions are at the center of every aspect of our life; they can either propel
us towards a particular outcome or take us away from it. When we love
what we  do, we do more of it, but when our hearts are not into something,
we drag our feet and eventually stop doing it. Whatever it is we do, we do it
because we get emotional satisfaction from it. Eating is no exception. Emotions and food are directly linked. Our physical
satisfaction or nourishment is no t separate from our emotional satisfaction. Most of us look  forward to eatin g and we enjoy food. W e can’ t think on an
empty stomach. A cup of chai  on a cold winter day is such  a comfort. Cof fee in the morning makes ma ny people happy. Food is at the very center
of o ur existence, our lives. The kitchen is where the family gathers. Food is
a celebration of life, our connectedness, and a way to share love. Our first  experience of love was  when we were fed by our mot hers. Eating
imparted the feelings of satisfaction, love, happiness, warmth, nourishment
and com fort. I often hear clients who need to make some seriou s nutritional
changes say, “This is how my partner loves me, by cooking for me.”
“Perhaps they can love you a little less,” I have laughingly responded. It is no surprise that when love is missing in our lives, we turn to food. How we relate t o food is how we relate to ourselves. When we eat well and
healthily, we feel good and confident about ourselves and in our ability to
take care of ours elves in a positi ve way; similarly, when we overeat, eat too
little or eat unhealthily, we feel bad about ourselves. In that sens e, all eating
is e motional, however food ca n’ t be the only source of our emotional
fulfillment. The problem arises when we turn to food to stuf f down our
painful emotions, or use food to make up for what we lack in other areas of
our lives. It is  important to note that w hile most emotional eating is linked to
unpleasant feeli ngs, it can also be triggered by positive emotions, such asrewarding onese lf for achieving a goal or celebrating a holiday, or a special
event. Using food from time to time as a pick-me-up, or to celebrate, is not
a ba d th ing. W e have all experienced emotional eating at least once in our
lives, if not mor e often. It is only a problem when it becomes a  pattern that
we can’ t break. H E R E  I S  W H A T  E M O T I O N A L  H U N G E R
M I G H T  L O O K  L I K E :
Making room for desert, even when we are already full
Diving into a pint of ice-cream when we feel down
Opening the refrigerator when we feel upset, angry, lonely, st ressed,
exhausted or just bored
Rewarding ourselves with food or punishing ourselves by not eating at
all! (binging or starving)
Feeling powerless or out of control around food
Eating out of nervousness
Constantly thinking about food and eating
T urning to food when painful emotions surface
Everyone’ s story  is dif ferent and unique to them. Nonetheless, our internal
struggles show up in our eating habits. Regardless of our reasons, food only
provides a temporary solution. Eating for reasons other than hunger not
only cau ses heal th problems, but it also does not take our chall enges away. It actually stuf fs the emotions deeper into our subconscious, making them
even stronger and leading to more emotional eating; this keeps us stuck in
the pattern. Emotional hung er can be just as powerful as physical hunger and it’ s easily
mistaken as such until we pay at tention. It is important to figure  out ways to
dif ferentiate the two. Here are the top five clues that I have summarized
from Harvard Medical School Special Health Report.1
1. Emotional hung er comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and
feels ov erwhelming and ur gent. Physical hunger, on the other  hand,comes on more gradually. The  ur ge to eat doesn’ t feel as dire or
demand instant satisfaction (unl ess you haven’ t eaten for a very long
time). 2. Emotional hunger craves specific comfort foods. When you’re
physically hungry, almost anything sounds good—including healthy
stuf f. But emotional hunger cra ves fatty foods or sugary snac ks that
provide an instant rush. Y ou feel like you need chocolate or piz za, and
nothing else will do. 3. Emotional hung er often leads to mindless eating. Before you k now it,
you’ve eaten a whole bag of chips or an entire pint of ice cream
without really paying attention to the food or fully enjoying it. Once
you start, you ca n’ t stop; you must finish the whole bag of cook ies. In
that sens e, it looks like an addiction. Often my clients will say,  “I did
not even  remember eating the whole bag.” When you’re eating in
response to physical hunger, y ou’re typically more aware of what
you’re doing. 4. Emotional hunger isn’ t satisfied once you’re full. Y ou keep wanting
more and more, often eating until you’re uncomfortably stuf fed


 persons still closer to our present history, such as Nelson
Mandela, who lived in captivity for nearly thirty years and emerged from jail to forgive his
jailors —and to ask a country to do so as well. What kind of man is this. A man who has listened to his soul, not just to his mind, and
who has thus recontextualized his experience  by adopting a perspective that opened him to
a perception that produced a belief that impacted his behavior in a way that p roduced
events that created data for the mind of man that resulted in a truth from which emerged
thoughts that generated emotions that stirred an entire world, creating an experience that
elevated humanity’s reality forever. And let me make it clear that s uch modern saints are not limited to persons who lead
movements or nations. Your own mother may have been such a saint, or your father. Or
both. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things have often sacrificed in order to serve the
sacred and holy agenda o f others. We cannot guess what that agenda may be, but we can see that it takes modern saints to carry it out. Ronald Cotton is such a person. He simply led
an ordinary life —much of it behind bars. You see, Ronald was found guilty of raping Jennifer Thomps on one night in 1984 in
Burlington, North Carolina. I heard about Ronald and Jennifer in a story broadcast by CBS
News on 60 minutes. The story recounted how Jennifer identified Ronald as her rapist, and
how he spent eleven years in prison for the offense. There was only one problem. He didn’t
do it. He said he didn’t do it, but nobody believed him. After all, as 60 Minutes  showed,
Jennifer Thompson had identified him, and she was certain when she did so that she had
found the right man. But in 1995 new DNA  evidence revealed that another man was the rapist. After eleven
years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Ronald Cotton was set free. The story made
all the news and was highlighted in March 2009 on 60 Minutes. Today Ronald Cotton and
Jennifer Thomps on are friends. In fact, they have written a book together with writer Erin
Torneo, Picking Cotton, in which they share their story. Most fascinatingly, they have
become good friends. They speak regularly on the phone, and they travel together to bring
to light the many problems with eyewitness evidence. As dramatically recounted on 60 Minutes, the first time Ron Cotton saw Jennifer
Thompson after being released from prison, she told him with tears streaming down her
face, “If I spent every second of every minute of every hour for the rest of my life telling you
how sorry I am, it wouldn’t come close to how my heart feels. I am so sorry. ” She said he
just reached out, took her hand, and said, “I forgive you. ”
Cotton said that when he spoke quietly with the w oman in a church where she asked
him to meet with her, he told her, “I don’t want you to look over your shoulder. I just want
us to be happy and move on in life. ”
What kind of a man looks into the face of a person who falsely accused him of a crime
that se nt him to prison for over a decade and forgives in an instant. Well, human beings, it turns out, are capable of such extraordinary responses to life
when they expand their viewpoint beyond the limits of the mind to the perspective of the
soul. They may not  even know, consciously, that they are doing this (or they may not call it
that), but they are making a choice about life and how they are doing to live it, and I suggest
that this choice comes from a place deep within, far past the reaches of the mind. When we use the System of the Soul (our higher knowing) with  the Mechanics of the
Mind, we have combined the two most powerful tools with which human beings are
endowed. Knowing that everything that has ever happened to you has happened in some
way for your own higher good and fastest evolution is very, very empowering. For it means
that everything that is going  to happen to you in the future is, likewise, for your own good. This radically alters your idea about future change. You no longer have to fear it. And by
not fearing it you take control of it, because you now feel free to take the actions and
decisions that are most desirous, rather than always opting for those that a re most
cautious. It is desire that ignites the engine of creation, not caution. Never, never caution. Always,
always desire. Look to see what you most desire in your life, then ride that feeling all the way to
creation. If you do this you are using what h as been called the Law of Attraction. In simple
terms: thought in action. At a very high metaphysical level: the process of synergistic
energy exchange. Everything is energy. In this field of energy, like attracts like. What you think, you create. Yet what  you believe is what you think, and what you perceive is what you believe —and all
of your perceptions depend on your perspective. AND. It is your current reality that creates your next perspective. It is a circle. I know you have already heard al l of this. but I want you to really “get it. ”
If you step out of a Distorted Reality you could carry that distortion into your next
perspective, skipping right over the place of Pure Being from which the soul’s perspective
emerges. This will affect yo ur next perception, which will affect your next belief, which will
affect your next behavior, which will affect your next event, and so on around the clock of
your life. to the creation of your Next -Moment -Reality. This is not good. Life is not going to go well if your Distorted Reality is so strong and
feels so “real” that its energy affects your next perspective. That’s why you are urged to get
in touch with your soul, which rests between your last reality and your next perspective (at
“twelve o’cloc k high” on life’s Time Clock). What the soul brings to this process that the
mind cannot is that enlarged perspective  I keep talking about. Once you have gained that new perspective, once you have made that New  Data part of
your mind’s Past  Data, you can t hink a new thought about tomorrow, and how you want it
to be. You do not have to come from worry or anxiety or negativity or any less than joyful
vision of your future —no matter how  “bad” you think today has been. Knowing that all
things turn out for the b est, that all outcomes are perfect for your evolution, gives you
extraordinary confidence in tomorrow. And that’s where your power lies. Okay, enough for a while. I’m going to invite you now to just
Put the book down for a bit
Give yourself a chance to tak e all of that in. Read the notes you’ve placed in the margin. (You have  been taking notes, haven’t you. ) Maybe do a little writing in your journal. (You are keeping a journal, yes. ) Then. when you feel refreshed, please go on to. YOU R NEW IDEA ABOUT TOMORROW
What I’m saying here is that life is an energy that feeds on itself. Life produces more life
through the process of life, and life’s energy duplicates itself. What I’m saying here is that
thinking in a positive way about a present  event not only changes our present experience of
that event, but sets into motion energies that create future events. What I’m saying here is that an extraordinary life emerges from a change in your idea about future change —#7 on
our list. What you projec t, you produce. What you conclude, you create. And all that stuff. “All that stuff” is what spiritual teachers of every stripe and color, of every persuasion
and belief, have been sharing with humankind since time began. All spiritual teachers say
the same  thing. Don’t you think that’s a bit unusual. All religions teach the same doctrine. Don’t you find that interesting. On this particular subject, on the question of how life works
and what makes the world go ’round, every dogma agrees: As you believe, so w ill it be done
unto you. James Allen wrote an extraordinary little tract on this subject, titled As a Man Thinketh. I
read this more than thirty years ago and it changed my life. The James Allen website [self -improvement -ebooks. com] says that this mystical  author
(1864 -1912) wrote in his own powerful words what the Buddha taught: All that we are is
the result of what we have thought. Allen’s text has it this way: “As a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he. ”
Allen’s message “is one of hope even in the midst o f confusion. Yes, he says, humanity
surges with uncontrolled passion, is tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by
anxiety and doubt. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified,
makes the winds and the storms of the sou l obey him,” the website says. This is, of course, exactly what I have been telling you here. Again I notice, it is what all
spiritual teachers and writers have said forever and ever. In a striking affirmation of the
very book you are now reading,


 using
the term  the way others use supreme enlightenment  (known in
Sanskrit as Paramatma ). If  metahuman is the awakened state,
think of it as crossing a threshold. There is a vast new ter ritory to
explore beyond. C o s m i c  C o n s c i o u s n e s sCosmic consci ousness doesn’t give a little bit of itself to an
amoeba, more  to bees, still more to octopuses, and fin ally the
grand p rize to Homo sapiens. In a hologram, a fragment of a laser
image c an be used to projec t the whole image—with only Mona
Lisa ’s smile, the entire painting can be projected. Hologram
technology can  even simulate a statue or a living person in 3-D
from a laser im age in two dimensions. Cosmic consciousn ess does
this on a huge scale—the entire universe—using merely the
possibility  of a cosmos. Therefore, it’s not quite true that
something is created out of nothing. The physical universe sprang
from a conception in cosmic consciousness that unfolded in
material form. Pure consciousness is not nothing. This capacity has been inhe rited by human beings. If I  say,
“Imagine the Eiffel Tower” or “See the Statue of Liberty  in your
mind’s eye,” it only takes the name of those monuments for you to
see them in to tality. A name doesn’t have three dimensions; in
fact, it has no dimensions, being just a verbal tag for a concept. The Statue of Liberty is the concept of freedom transformed into a
work of art. But liberty  can  also prod uce completely different
manifestations, such as r evolutionary wars or an antiwar
movement. Con cepts are constantly shaping and reshaping events,
civilizations, and the human world in general. You are  living in a world that  consists of ideas blown into three
dimensions. As usual, the great minds got there before us. More
than two thousand years ago  Plato argued that everything in the
world originated in abstract universal ideas, which he called
“forms. ” Leap ahead two millennia, and here is Werner
Heisenberg: “I  think that mod ern physics has definitely decided in
favor of  Plato. In fact the sma llest units of matter are not physical
objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be
expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language. ”
If th e elementary building blocks of matter and energy are
conceptual, then the universe itself is bubbling up from a set of
ideas or forms, too. This par ticular set of ideas that became our
home u niverse could have other variations, some of which would
be inconceiva ble to the human mind. One feature of the
multiverse, if it actually exists, is that billions of other universes
may be operating on totally d ifferent laws of Nature from ours. Alaw of Nature is simply a mathematical model, and math ematical
models are concepts. Let me interject a personal no te here. When I first encoun tered
the quantum, which led to a book, Quantum Healing, I was
thrilled that physics was in accord with profound insigh ts from
India. Maya, the Sanskrit word usually translated as “illusion,”
refers to virtual reality, and the doctrine of Maya holds that the
illusion is merely a concep t. The parallels went even deeper. Heisenberg held that Nature exhibits a phenomenon according to
the que stions we ask of it—i n other words, the qualities of time,
space, matter, and energy are extracted from the quantum field by
the observer. In ancient India, Maya originates through the
participation of humans seeking confirmation of our inner beliefs. In both cases Nature is showing us what we want to see. I was thrilled by the prosp ect that the inward path o f the
ancients and the outward pa th of modern science had ar rived at
the sam e reality. So it came as a shock to discover that
contemporary physics has largely turned its back on the inspired
quantum pion eers. As a professor at Cal Tech told m e, “My
graduate students know more about physics than Einstein ever
did. ” This advance in technical knowledge has been tremendous,
but does it justify throwing out what the quantum pioneers
understood about reality. Einstein at least recognized t he danger when he remarked, “So
many people today—and even professional scientists—seem to me
like someone who has seen thousands of trees but has never seen a
forest. ” To correct this short-sightedness, Einstein advocated that
scientists acquire a broad outlook from philosophy, which he
considered the mark of “a real seeker after truth. ” In the twenty-
first cen tury, a las, fewer forests are being seen today than ever as
every science becomes more specialized and fragmented. You can
spend a n entire career in physics focusing on a single concept like
eternal inflatio n or a single elementary particle, like the Higgs
boson. Cosmic consciousness sounds like something very far away
from how we use our minds in day-to-day life. In reality, however,
each person’s mind is projecting cosmic consciousness all the
time. Yo ur min d is a fragmen t of cosmic consciousness, yet, as in ahologram, a fragment is e nough to project the whole. The
following exercise will help bring this insight home. E x e r c i s e :  S u r f i n g  t h e  U n i v e r s e
Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing on a beach,
watching the surf roll in. When you have this image firmly in your
mind’s eye, start transformi ng the waves in various ways. See
them become bigger, swelling  into the monster waves that world-
class surfers ride. See them s hrink to small chop. Make the waves
turn different colors—red or purple or neon orange. Place yourself
on t op of the waves, balancin g without a surfboard as you  ride to
shore. If you wish, you can  invent your own transformations. Perhaps a mermaid emerges  from the waves, singing her siren
song. You get the idea. When y ou made these creative changes to the surf, reflect on
what was happening. You didn’t thumb through a ca talog of
possibilities. You were free instead to let your imagination roam. Two pe ople doing this exercise would come up with d ifferent
creative choices. The possibilities are unlimited and not bound by
any rules. Nothing stops you from turning the Pacific Ocean into
pink Jell-O. It makes no sense to claim that these creative
possibilities ar e stored in the atoms and molecules of yo ur brain
cells. You made conscious choices without precedent, building a
unique chain of creative thoughts. But even if all seven billion people on the planet performed this
exercise, they would be doing only one thing—transforming
possibility into reality. This one thing is occurring all the time, and
it is  enough to  create the un iverse. In the spring of 1940, one of
the most far-seeing physicists in modern times, John Wheeler,
telephoned another far-seeing physicist, Richard Feynman. “Feynman,” Wheeler exclaimed, “I know why all electrons have
the same charge and the same mass. ”
“Why. ”
“Because, they are all the same electron. ”This startling notion, which became known as the One-Electron
Universe, sank into Feynm an’s imagination, although, as he
recalls, he didn’t take it seriously enough at first. When we look at
the physical world, a huge number of electrons exist—trillions
send electrical charges through your household current every
second. Each electron traces a path in time and space, kno wn as a
“world line. ”
Wheeler propo sed that a single electron could zigzag all over
the pla ce, creating a tangle of world lines. It’s a fascinating
alternative to many electrons creating many world lines. N ow let’s
translate this into human terms. Instead of many electrons,
substitute man y observers, each with his own eyes. On  planet
Earth there would be over sev en billion observers. However, those
billions of observers express the ability to observe, which is one
thing. So it’s e ntirely plausi ble that we inhabit a “one-o bserver
universe. ” It’s like saying “All humans draw breath” without
having to count how many humans are breathing. Suc h is the
perspective of cosmic consciousness. I didn’t choose the i mage of
waves p ounding the shore by accident. The ancient Indian seers
pointed to the sea and said, “Each wave is an outcropping of the
ocean without being different  from the ocean. Do not be fooled by
your individual ego. You are an outcropping of cosmic
consciousness without being different from it. ”
Homo sapiens  is the only creature that can choose which
perspective to take. We can be separate waves of one oce an. The
only difference between a one-electron universe and a many-
electron univer se is our perspective. Both are as real as we decide
they are. Or, to put it more strongly, both are only  as real as we
decide they are. Standing at the pivot of


	before	they	are
placed	on	shelves. The	FDA	conducts	premarket	reviews	only	of	certain
cosmetics’	color	additives	and	active	ingredients	that	are	classified	as	over-the-
counter	drugs. 12
,
13
	It	also	has	no	authority	to	require	recalls	of	harmful
cosmetics,	and	manufacturers	are	not	required	to	report	cosmetics-related
injuries	to	the	agency. The	FDA	relies	on	companies	to	report	injuries
voluntarily
14
	(yes,	you	read	that	right—
voluntarily. ). Cosmetics	in	the
European	Union	are	far	more	strictly	regulated. There,	over
1,000	ingredients	have	been	banned	from	use. In	contrast,	the	FDA	has	only
prohibited	a	fraction	of	those	ingredients,	including	some	color	additives	and
other	prohibited	substances. 15
	Another	scary	fact	is	that	federal	law	allows
companies	to	leave	some	chemical	ingredients	off	their	product	labels,
including	those	considered	to	be	trade	secrets	and	some	components	of
fragrance	and	nanomaterials. 16
Since	the	FDA	does	not	play	a	big	role	in	regulating	the	safety	of	ingredients,
it	has	authorized	the	cosmetics	industry	to	police	itself	with	the	Cosmetic
Ingredient	Review	panel. To	date,	in	its	thirty-plus-year	history,	the	industry
panel	has	declared	only	eleven	ingredients	or	chemical	groups	to	be	unsafe,
17
and	its	recommendations	on	restricting	ingredients	are	not	binding	on
companies. 18
	So	it	doesn’t	sound	like	much	real	“policing”	is	going	on. Where
does	that	leave	us,	as	consumers. Ingredients	from	cosmetics	not	only	are	absorbed	through	the	skin	but	are
also	often	swallowed	and	inhaled	from	sprays	and	powders. Many	of	them	are
hormone	disruptors	that	can	create	developmental	and	reproductive	damage
and	allergic	reactions,	act	as	carcinogens,	and	create	other	kinds	of	damage	in
the	body. 19
,
20
	It’s	ultra-important	to	understand	labels	and	ingredients,	as	the
FDA	says	that	descriptions	such	as	“hypoallergenic”	or	“natural”	can	“meananything	or	nothing	at	all. ”
21
	Don’t	assume	that	companies	or	any	prevailing
organizations—governmental	or	otherwise—are	necessarily	looking	out	for	your
best	interests. It’s	important	to	scan	labels	and	look	into	the	ethos	of	brands
that	you	choose	to	use	in	and	on	your	body. Ultimately,	we	have	to	look	out	for
our	families	and	ourselves	and	not	leave	our	safety	in	the	hands	of	anyone	else. Toxic
Skin-Care	Ingredients	to	Avoid
There	are	countless	toxins	and	additives	in	commercial	skin-care,	makeup,
body-care,	and	other	personal-care	products. It	would	fill	this	entire	book	(and
more)	to	list	and	describe	them	all. But	there	are	some	common	offenders	that
are	worse	than	others. For	more	information,	the
Campaign	for	Safe	Cosmetics
(
safecosmetics. org/
)	and	the	Environmental	Working	Group	Skin	Deep
Cosmetics	Database	(
ewg. org/
skindeep/
)	are	two	great	resources	to	consult
about	the	toxicity	of	specific	products	and	ingredients. These	organizations,	as
well	as	certain	reports,	believe	that	toxic	ingredients	can	create	DNA	damage;
act	as	carcinogens;	create	brain,	liver,	kidney,	and	other	organ	abnormalities;
produce	allergic	or	other	reactions;	and	cause	eye	damage,	nervous	system
damage,	reproductive	damage,	and	birth	defects. 22
	The	list	of	these	possible
dangers	continues	to	grow	as	more	chemicals	are	introduced	and	studied. Here	are	some	of	the	most	glaringly
toxic	ingredients	to	avoid. Again,	this	is
like	a	drop	in	the	ocean,
not
	an	exhaustive	list:
•
Benzoyl	peroxide
•
Synthetic	(or	artificial)	FD&C	colors	and	dyes
•
Propylene	glycol	(PG)	and	butylene	glycol
•
Diethanolamine	(DEA),
monoethanolamine	(MEA),	and
triethanolamine
(TEA)
•
Methyl-,	butyl-,	ethyl-,	and	propylparabens
•
Sodium	lauryl	sulfate	(SLS)	and	sodium	laureth	sulfate	(SLES)
•
Dioxin
•
Polyethylene	glycol	(PEG)
•
Avobenzone
•
Phthalates
•
Triclosan•
DMDM	hydantoin	and
imidazolidinyl	urea
RADICALLY	TIMELESS	BEAUTY	MASK
This	nourishing	mask	will	leave	your	skin	feeling	moisturized,	smooth,	and	radiant. Used	regularly,	it
can	help	ward	off	wrinkles	and	puffiness. These	ingredients	are	rich	in	nourishing	enzymes,	vitamin
E,	and	beauty	fats	and	oils. 1	tablespoon	raw,	organic	honey
1	teaspoon	almond	oil
1	teaspoon	rose	water
Combine	the	ingredients	in	a	small	bowl. Apply	to	your	face	and	neck	for	about	15	to	20	minutes. Rinse	well. Sunscreen	Ingredients:	Wading	Through	the
Toxic	and	the	Safe
It’s	well	established	that	sunscreen	can	help	protect	against	skin
cancers	and	sun
damage. The	risk	isn’t	entirely	related	to	how	much	sun	hits	your	unprotected
skin,	since	exposure	when	you	were	a	child	can	lead	to	a	higher	risk	of	skin
cancer	as	an	adult,	and	the	exposure	doesn’t	need	to	be	drastic. The	best	rule,
however,	is	to	protect	yourself	from	the	sun’s	ultraviolet	(UV)	radiation	as
much	as	you	can. Best	medical	advice	also	holds	that	you	use	a	higher	sunblock
number. Simple	measures	like	wearing	a	sun	hat	with	a	wide	brim	help	remove
the	burden	from	sunblocks,	along	with	sitting	in	the	shade	and	wearing
sunglasses	that	are	UV	resistant. Also	be	aware	that	there	are	a	multitude	of	toxic	ingredients	in	most
sunscreens. When	choosing	a	sunscreen,	look	for	products	with	the	active
ingredient
zinc	oxide	or	titanium	dioxide. These	are	physical	protectants,	which
reflect	UV	rays	off	your	skin,	rather	than	chemical	products. Here	are	some	toxic	skin-care	ingredients	to	look	out	for	and	avoid. OXYBENZONE	(AKA	BENZOPHENONE-3)
While	the
American	Academy	of	Dermatology	says	oxybenzone	is	safe,	the
Environmental	Working	Group	(EWG)	and	other	toxicology	experts	believe
that	oxybenzone	is	linked	to	hormone	disruption	and	potentially	to	cell
damage	that	may	lead	to	skin
cancer. 23
	Some	studies	have	linked	oxybenzone
use	in	pregnant	women	to	low	birth	weight,
24
	which	can	lead	to	serious	health
problems	later	in	life;	it	also	may	impact	the	adrenal	system
25
	and	may	alsoreduce	testosterone	levels	in	men. 26
NANOPARTICLES
These	are	extremely	tiny	particles	added	to	sunscreen	that	are	easily	absorbed	by
the	skin. About	100,000	times	smaller	than	the	width	of	a	human	hair,	these
tiny	particles	can	penetrate	the	blood-brain	barrier,	leading	to	damage	or
genetic	changes	in	the	brain	cells. 27
	Be	sure	that	the	ingredients	on	your
sunscreen	are	in	a	non-nano	form. This	even	goes	for	safer	sunscreen
ingredients	such	as	zinc	oxide	and	titanium	dioxide,	as	micronized	titanium
d


I had been told by “experts” how futile were my efforts to tell the
world about Your Erroneous Zones, but within my heart was the
understanding that though their advice might in fact be true for
them, it just made me more willing to do what I had to do. And I
loved every step along the way, instead of viewing my efforts as
some kind of torture path that I had to traverse in order to get to
the picnic grounds. I would have my own internal celebration
each time I overtook another obstacle. And I came to know that
that future picnic ground was just an illusion, since the future
does not exist at all, only the working unit of our lives, which is
now.Once you are truly willing to do what is necessary regardless of
obstacles, your openness will lead to an internal harmony that will
not let you give up. Being willing does not mean having  to suffer,
or having  to do everything. The willingne ss itself is often enough,
and willingness is a thought. 4. Realiz e there is no such thing as failur e. Keep this in mind and
you will achieve all that you conceive in your mind. You never
fail, you simply produce results. Always results. If you make an
attempt to hit a golf ball one hundred yards and it dribbles off to
the right, you have not failed. You have produced a result. Your
concept of failure comes from believing someone else’s opinion
about how you could have hit the golf ball. But in our reality, you
could not have hit the golf ball any other way than how you hit it. You have produced a result. Then you either berate yourself or
you place the ball back up on the tee and proceed from the result
that you produced. If you do this two hundred times, you still
have not failed, you simply have produced two hundred results. Thus, following  the principles of visualization, if you want to be
able to hit a golf ball down the fairway one hundred yards or
more in the air, you must be willing to do what it takes to make it
happen. Very very simple. You do not do what it takes for your
spouse, or for Arnold Palmer, you do what it takes for you. One
hundred swings, two hundred, six thousand. If you want to make
your vision a reality in the world of form, you must be willing to
do what it takes,  and remind yourself that you cannot fail at being
yourself. You can only produce results. Supposing you weigh 250 pounds and would like to weigh 125
pounds. You have not failed, you have produced massive resul ts. Now apply the four principles of thoughts as things. See yourse lf
as the 125-poun d person. Get an image of this person in your
mind and never, never let that image out. You will then begin
acting on that image, and find your eating and exercising habits
shifting to fit the image. Second ly, remind yourself that the 125-
pound person that you visualize yourself to be is already here,
even though he or she is surroun ded by 125 extra pounds. Thirdl y,be willing to do whatever it takes to bring about your
visualization, to reach your objective. Not what worked for your
sister. For your visualization. Finally, remind yourself that you
cannot fail at this process; you will only produce results. If the results continually are that you do not lose weight, get to
work to discover the belief system that is keeping you fat,
because it is your thoughts that are creating the unwanted resul ts. The most effective methods for doing this, in my opinion, are in
the programs which emphasize that you have your own answers. Find the approach that suits you, an approach involving self-
responsibility and understanding that what you believe is what
you see. You might try dreamwork, whereby you pursue knowin g
yourself better by inviting solutions, answers, and clarifications to
come to you from your inner consciousness through your dream s
and meditation. YOU ARE THE DREAMER OF DREAMS

The you that is beyond form is eternal and alive in a formless world. A
brazen statement, perhaps, but would you be convinced of that if you could
leave your body, exist in a formless world, and then reenter your body and
exist in the state that we call form? I suggest that you do exactl y that every
single night, and that you spend approximately a third of your entire time
here on this planet doing precisely that. We call it dreaming, and much can
be learned about ourselves as part of pure thought by seeing what happens
when we leave our bodies and enter the world of dreaming. Every time we go to sleep and begin dreaming, I believe we actually
leave our body, and enter a new dreaming body. We convince ourselves that
our dreaming body is real while  we are dreaming; otherwise we would not
be able to have the dream. Where would it take place? Let’s take a look at the rules that apply while we are dreaming, and see
how different they are from the rules that apply while we are in waking
consciousness. First of all, in dreams, time does not exist. We can go backward and
forward at will. We can be with someone who died many years ago and that
person will seem very real. We can be a teenager again, and that too seemsquite real while we are in the dreaming body. We can live an entire lifetime
in a fourteen-minute dream sequence and it is all real to our dreaming body. Secondly, there is no cause and effect  while dreaming. We can at one
moment be talking to someone we know very well, and in the next moment
be on a bus talking to a stranger. We can engage in an activity that produces
the opposite result from that which would occur in waking life. Thirdly, dreams can be without beginni ngs or endings. We can shift in
the middle of a sequence to another place, and then come right back again,
years younger than we were a moment ago. Fourthly, in the dream every single obstacle turns into some kind of
opportunity. If in the dream we are driving along a road that suddenly ends
at a cliff, we can turn that into an opportunity to fly over the terrain rather
than crash into an abyss. In a chase scene we somehow develop the
amazing ability to catch bullets in midair. Fifthly, we create every thing that we need for our dream. This is very
important to my hypothesis. If we need a person to yell and scream in the
dream we create  that person as well as an episode of screaming. Everyone
and everything that we need for the dream, we create. If we don’t, who
does? Sixthly, our reactions within the dream are manifested in our physical
body, but the things that create the reactions are all illusions or thoughts. For instance, if you create someone threatening you with a knife, your heart
will start beating faster, and that is real. But the knife and the person
wielding it are illusions. And lastly, the only way we know we are dreaming is to awaken. If we
dreamed twenty-four hours a day, that would be our reality. We are convinced that the body is real, yet everything that we experience
in the dream is entirely in the realm of thought. There is no physical reality,
it is an illusion, we realize when we awaken. We spend approximately a
third of our lives  sleeping, and a large percentage of our sleep time in dream
activity that is pure formless thought which seems very real before we
awaken. In fact, we are capable  of some pretty fantastic feats while in our
dreaming body. We can fly, transcend time, create anything we choose; and
male dreamers can even create the entire dance of life in this state of pure
thought. What is a nocturnal emission or a wet dream but the ejaculation of
the proto plasm of life? Pure thought creating the opportunity for the dance
of life. No physical contact. Pure thought creating life. Quite an amazingprocess in this fabulously mysterious world of pure formlessness, of
thought. I am not addressing here the interpretation of the content of dreams. I am
writing about the process of dreaming in order to encourage you to become
a waking dreamer. That is, to help you understand that the rules that seem
to apply only to your dreaming body can become applicable to your waking
body as well. This lesson was advanced by Thoreau, who put it this way:
“Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake.”
For purposes of comparison, think of three levels of consciousness. The
level at the bottom we will call our dreaming consciousness; the next level
up we will call our waking consciousness; and the third level we will call a
higher level of consciousness. Now let’s see what these various levels are
like, and what they mean in our lives. I will use a personal example. As a youngster I would often dream of shoveling snow, and sometimes I
would mumble out loud about my shovel and wake up one of my brothers. He disco vered that if he disguise d himself as part of my dream, by speaking
gently he could get me to hand him my dream shovel, which of course he
thought very funny, and he would wake me up with his laughter. But as
long as he masq ueraded as part of my dream, I would coopera te from my
dreaming level with him in his waking level. This I believe illustrates our
ability to communicate between


 as possible without 106
strain, then release the finger pressure on the nostrils and
slowly exhale. During this exhalation release mula bandha
and vajroli mudra, but keep the fingers in position. Maintain
awareness of the sahasrara. At the end of the exhalation,
relax for a few seconds and then repeat the whole process. Duration: For as long as possible without strain. Notes: In the body there are nine openings through which
sensory experiences of the external world enter and waste
matter is excreted: the two ears, the two eyes, the two
nostrils, the mouth, the anus, and the urinary passage. These
openings are called the nine "gates" in the "temple" of the
body. By closing these gates and withdrawing the mind in
ward, one is able to pass through the tenth gate - that of
spiritual awakening - thereby transcending mundane con
sciousness. The mystical tenth gate is in the crown of the
sahasrara chakra and is known as the gate of Brahma (higher
conscousness). Benefits: As the mind is drawn within from the external
world, awareness develops of the nada, psychic sounds
which originate in the sahasrara chakra and emanate from
an important center in the brain called bindu-visargha. (10) Agnisar Kriya (Vahnisar Dhauti: "purification by fire
breathing"). Vajrasana 107
Sit in Vajrasana (note diagram, p. 106), keeping the toes
together and separating the knees as far as possible. Place
both hands on the knees and lean the upper half of the body
forward slightly, keeping the arms straight. Open the mouth
and extend the tongue from the mouth. Breathe rapidly in
and out by contracting and expanding the abdomen. The
breathing should resemble the panting of a dog. Repeat this
rapid breathing 25 times. Advanced form: Take the same pose as in the sample form. Exhale as deeply as possible and perform jalandhara bandha. With external retention, rapidly contract and expand the ab
dominal muscles. Precautions: Wait at least four hours after eating to prac
tice this mudra. Limitations: Those with high blood pressure, heart disease,
or peptic or duodenal ulcers should not do this practice. Benefits: Abdominal conditions such as excessive wind
(flatulence), constipation, depressed liver function, etc., are
relieved, the abdominal organs are toned, and the appetite is
stimulated. This serves as a good preparation for uddiyana
bandha (see Chapter III p. 92) and nauli kriya (abdominal
massage, see Chapter IV, p. 120). Although described here with the basic mudras, aginsara
kriya, which can be used as a substitute or preparation for ud
diyana bandha, is not a mudra proper, but a part of hatha
yoga practice. With it, this section is concluded, and we pro
ceed to the methods for awakening the chakras. Methods for Awakening the Chakras
One traditional approach to the awakening of the chakras
is exemplified by the Gorakshashatakam, a brief treatise writ
ten in the tenth century by the guru Goraknath. This text will
be presented in detail in Chapter VI-B. The principle tech
nique described is the concentration on each chakra while
gazing at the tip of the nose. For example, Goraknath 108
writes, "The first chakra, called adhara (the muladhara), is
like burnished gold. Meditating on it with the gaze fixed on
the tip of the nose, one is freed from sin. The second chakra
is the svadhisthana, as beautiful as a genuine ruby. Meditating on it with the gaze fixed on the tip of the nose,
one is freed from sin." The effectiveness of this practice can be explained by the
location of the ida and pingala nadis, which originate in the
muladhara chakra - the seat of kundalini - and terminate
in the left and right nostrils, respectively. Gazing at the tip of
the nose therefore stimulates these nadis and the muladhara
chakra, as well as the kundalini it houses. When using this
method while concentrating on another chakra, the practi
tioner can cause kundalini to rise and further energize that
chakra, already activated by mental concentration. This 109
technique of nose-gazing, then, is a powerful method which
can potentially double the effects of concentration. However, since this practice is so simple and monotonous,
a beginner finds himself easily distracted by thoughts and
desires which emerge from the subconscious. His mind
becomes restless, and his concentration is easily broken. For
these reasons, the practices recommended here are of a more
comprehensive and varied nature. Indian yoga has devised
and handed down other effective methods for awakening the
chakras which combine chakra concentration with asanas,
pranayama, and mudras. The mechanism of these practices
follows a distinct pattern: first, prana is absorbed through
pranayama; next, the chakra is stimulated physically and
phychically through specific asanas and mudras; and finally,
the chakra is activated by the infusion of channeled prana
and direct mental concentration. The following descriptions of practices for awakening the
chakras are largely based on Tantra of Kundalini Yoga by
Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Please realize that the prac
tices enumerated here traditionally have been taught only to
outstanding students under the careful guidance of a guru. Practicing alone from a book can easily lead to a misunder
standing and thus considerable danger. It is essential that the
instructions recorded here be followed only under the most
expert guidance. (1) Awakening the Ajna Chakra
Sit in siddhasana (women in siddha yoni asana) with the
eyes gently closed. If siddhasana is impossible, sit in half sid
dhasana, with one heel - whichever feels more comfort
able - pressing against the perineum. Place the hands on the
knees in chin mudra and make sure the spine is erect. It is
important to keep the eyelids closed gently; the unconscious
strain generated when the eyes are closed tightly prevents
entry into deep meditation. Concentrate between the
eyebrows or on the tip of the nose, fixing the eyes themselves 110
on either spot behind the closed lids. At the same time, alter
nately contract and relax the perineum gently, where the
heel is pressing. Continue for 5 to 10 minutes. Next, become aware of the breath and adjust to the rhythm
so that the perineum is contracted during inhalation and
relaxed during exhalation. Breathe at a natural speed in this
way for 50 breaths, maintaining awareness of both the
perineal contractions and the breath. This is the first half of
the method. Next, remaining in the same position, concentrate on the
ajna chakra between the eyebrows. Inhale slowly and deeply,
imagining the absorption or prana between the eyebrows as
you chant OM* in your mind. Then exhale slowly, imagining
that you are radiating prana from the eyebrow center, return
ing it to the universe, as you continue to chant OM. Continue
for as long as possible (30 minutes to two hours). There are two reasons why stimulation of the perineum,
the location of the muladhara chakra in the physical body, is
helpful in awakening the ajna. First, this practice helps to
awaken the kundalini which resides within the muladhara. No chakra can be awakened unless it is energized by an ac
tivated kundalini. Secondly, the ajna is directly connected to
the muladhara by the ida, pingala and sushumna nadis,
which converge at these two points. Direct stimulation of
one of these chakras generates a contingent effect upon the
other. Thus, the activation of the muladhara in the first part
of the practice described here is an excellent preparation for
the direct concentration on the ajna which follows. Concentration on the ajna chakra is strongly recommend
ed before attempting to awaken other chakras, for the follow
ing reasons. Each chakra is said to possess its own latent kar
ma, which is brought to the surface and activated to some ex
tent when it is stimulated through ascetic practice. The
* Pronounced like "home" without the "h". III
awakening of the ajna chakra avowedly enables the practi
tioner to purify the karma of the lower chakras, in addition to
that of the ajna itself. Thus, if the ajna is awakened first, the
overpowering and potentially dangerous karmic forces hid
den in the lower chakras may be safely controlled. Furthermore, by first activating the ajna the practitioner
strongly stimulates the kundalini residing in the muladhara,
owing to the direct connection between the two chakras


 proper recognition an p. It. also hoped that in near
ld b ade to liminate lt. IS ~ effort shou e m. will hel in· starting research centres or
future leaders of ~c,~ty. fo~ and its propagation. carrying out scientific lnvestlga'. portant precautions. First,
I. I wish to repeat two lm bed. In cone us1on, be bl d nor its efficacy dou t m
the urine treatment should not damet old age reduced vitality, H. on some cases ue o.'I case i! is ine ectlv~'0 bod or due to some other factors. n
high quantity of poisons m th\ ihat the predominace of one or
such cases, one should rea ISe t llowed urine to do its work. h bo causes have no a ld t more of t e a ve h lth by this treatment shou no
Second, the person restored_ to =~~ libe in diet and in unresr~c:ed
think that he has been pern:''~ed. d" (and.living for maintammg
I·• He must observe restnctlons m le lie..
health. L_ PART IV
WORK AND VIEWS
OF
PRACTITIONERS, EXPERTSAND THINKERS CHAPTER I
URINE THERAPY IN NUTSHELL
1. Auto-urine is an easy, natural and self-dependent means to
health. 2.• It is germicide, anti-poison and a tonic. 3. It is a destroyer of disease and restorer of health. 4. It is nutritive, digestive and a unique and sure laxative. 5. It is equally useful to males and females of all the age-groups
from childhood to old age. 6. It protects and restores to health every organ of the body. 7. It is incomparable as regards its merits and inexpensiveness. 8. It is harmless, faultless and is in consonance with religious
sanctity. 9. It is helpful to a simple and a disciplined life. 10. It fulfils the universal law of circuit. 11. No diagnosis is required in auto-urine therapy. 12. It is a sure cure for all minor and major diseases all <3:t a time. 179 CHAPTER II
THE CRAZE FOR MEDICINE
By Gandhiji
[Mahatma Gandhi while in South Africa, wrote a few articles in
Indian Opinion on "General Konwledge about Health". Therein ho
has given his opinion on the medical profession. He has also
quoted a number of physicians. The articles appear to be more
applicab.le today even after a lapse of more than half a century. we
are quotrng one below because of its great importance for a seeker
of ture health. Indeed it is quite relevant in the conte~t of the urine
therapy. It.is wort.h mentioning here that Gandhiji was a great
naturopath rn practrce and had cured hundreds of patients thereby.] It is our habit that, at the slightest illness, we rush at once to a
doctor, vaidya or hakim. '1 And if we do not, we take whatever
medici•·~ the barber or our neighbour suggests. It is our belief that
no sick.1ess can be cured without drugs. This however is sheer
superstition. People who suffer from other causes are -and will
conti~ue to be -fewer than those who have suffered, and are
sufferrng, because of this superstition. It, therefore, we can get to
know what constitutes illness, we should be able to take a
somewhat balanced view: "Darad"2 means pain. 11Roga113 means
much the same. It is right to seek a remedy for pain, but it is futile
to take drugs to suppress pain. Actually, the result is often harmful. :ra'~ing medicine has the same effect as my covering up the refuse
rn my house. Refuse which is kept covered will putrefy and cause
me harm. Moreover, the covering itselfmay putrefy and add to the
refuse. I have than to get rid of the refuse which has since formed as
well as that which was ta begin with. This is the fate that befalls
people taking drugs. But, if one throws out the refuse, the house
1 A VaJdya practises the Ayurvedic and a hakim the Unani system of medicine. 2 & 3 Gujarati words for pain, ailment, disease
180 THE CRAZE FOR MEDICINE : 181
will become as clean as it was before. By giving rise to
illness-pain [that is} -N~ture, in fact, informs us that ~here e.xi~ts
impure matter in our body. Moreover, Nature has provrded ~rthrn
the body itself the means of cleansing it, so that, when ~llness
occurs, we should realize that there exists impure matter rn the
body and that she has commenced her cleansing process. I should
be thankful to anyone who came forward to remove the refuse from
my house. So long as he has not done with ~he clea~ing,.l m.ight be
inconvenienced but I would keep my patrence. Lrkewrse rf I am
patient while Nature is cleansing the body, which is my home, it will
be well again, and I shall become healthy and so free from p~in. If
1 have a cold 1 do not have to rush to swallow drugs -sunth [for
instance]. 1 k~ow that some impure matter has accumulated in a
certain part of my body and that Nature has stepped in to remove it. And so 1 must let her have her way, so that my body may be
cleansed in the shortest possible time. If I resist Nature, her task is
doubled· she has both to cleanse me and cope with my resistance. I
can asslst Nature, for instance, by getting rid of the effective cause
of the impurity, so that more of it does not accumulate. Tha~ is to
say, if 1 stop·eating for the duration of the illness, thus ~reventrng the
ingress of further impurity, and if I exerc~se in fresh.ar~, I shall also
start ejecting the impurity through the skrn. That thrs rs the golden
rule for keeping the body free of disease, every one can prove for
himself. Only, the mind must be kept in a stable state. One who
reposes true faith in God will always act in this fashion.. The
following [thought] will help in bringing about this state of mrnd :
11Even if 1 undergo the treatment prescribed by the ~aidya or ~orne
such person, no one can guarantee that my disease wrll be got rrd of. Not all thof:e who put them~elves in the hands of a d~ctor are
cured. If they were, Mr. Gandhi should not have to wrrte these
chapters and all of us would be leading happy lives." Experience show that once the [medicine] bottle enters. a house,
it · never leaves. Countless persons suffer from some arlment or
other throughout their lives, go on a:dding to the drugs one after the
1 Ginger dried and ground, is a much used household remedy. 182 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
other or go on changing their vaiayas and hakims in their search for
the one who will cure them; finally, having ruined both themselves
and others, they die, a troubled death. That famous judge, the late
Mr. Justice Stephen, who had lived in India [for a time], once said
that doctors introduce herbs, of which they know little, into bodies
of which they know even less. Doctors say the same thing after
attaining due experience. Dr. Magendie has said : "Medicine is a great hoax." A famous
doctor, Sir Ashley Cooper, has observed : "The science of medicine
is based on mere guess-work." Sir John Forbes has remarked :
"Notwithstanding the skill of physicians, it is Nature which cures
most men of their diseases. "Dr. Baker tells us : "In cases of night
fever many more patients die of the drugs than of the disease." Dr.
Froth declares that it is difficutl to find a more disbounest profession
than that of medicine. Dr. Thomas Watson writes : "In the most
important matters our profession drifts on a sea of dubious
hypotheses·." Dr. Caswell feels that the human race would benefit
immeasurably if the entier medical pr~fession was ended. Dr. Frank
avers that thousands have been killed in hospitals. Dr. Mason Good
says: "Drugs claim a heavier sacrifice of human lives than do wars,
epidemics and famines." We find that an·increase in the number of
doctors is followed in one place after another by a rise in the
incidence of disease. Large advertisements appear in newspapers
which do not accept other advertisements. When Indian Opinion
used to accept advertisements, its workers had to go about soliCiting
these from others, but as for drug advertisements, their
manufacturers pressed them on the. journal and would even tempt
[us] with large sums