 of just rice
porridge (kanji), sometimes using the sweet recipe and other times using the
savory digestive spices to add a little bit of variety. Generally, you want to
stick to rice kanji until you feel real hunger. After the first few days, slowly
introduce other foods, starting with more soupy, blended recipes like the
warm oatmeal shake, sweet potato smoothie, or the sautéed and steamed
fruits. Then, as you feel your digestion getting stronger, start adding more
vegetables and whole foods that require more chewing, like the steamed
root veggies or kitchari. In the evenings, have the milk tonic. Be sure to add things gradually, noticing how your body is able to digest
them as well as being aware of how dif ferent foods may af fect your little
one. If you notice your babe has more gas or seems fussier, go back to a few
days of just kanji, and then slowly introduce just one recipe at a time to see
what may be af fecting little babe. Ghee
Ghee, or clarified butter, is one of Ayurveda’ s most important
contributors to a healthy and strong recovery after birth. It deeplynourishes depleted tissues down to the cellular level and rekindles
agni, the fire of digestion. It carries the medicinal qualities of food
and herbs that are warmed in it through the tissues, and it also
supports mama in making rich milk for her baby, balances her
hormones, stabilizes her mood and emotions, remedies constipation,
and much more. If you are choosing to not have ghee for
physiological or ethical reasons, or if you’re experiencing congestion,
use sesame oil for cooking instead, as it is gently warming, mildly
astringent, antiseptic, and antibacterial. Ingredients
2 quarts (16 sticks) of organic, cultured, unsalted butter
Instructions
Place butter in a pan on medium-low heat to simmer. As the butter
melts, it may look cloudy with foam at the top. Do not stir the cooking butter. Continue simmering for twenty to thirty minutes until you see the
particulates sink to the bottom of the pan and the foam disappears
from the top. Wait until liquefied butter turns a clear amber color and remove from
heat. Let cool and then strain through a cotton cheesecloth. Store in
a glass jar. Dashamula T ea
Dashamula  means “ten roots” and is known to be a vata-pacifying,
grounding, and nourishing tonic. It will support digestion, balance the
nervous system, strengthen the body, and calm the mind. Drink twice
a day postpartum; each morning and evening. Ingredients1 teaspoon dashamula powder
1 cup water
Instructions
Boil the dashamula in the water until there is only ½ cup of liquid
remaining. Drink ½ cup in the morning and repeat in the evening each day for
forty-two days. Sweet W ater Lactation T ea
Not only does this tea support healthy lactation and breastfeeding, it
also supports digestion and soothes the nerves. The low ratio of
herbs to water allows this tea to stay hydrating rather than drying. This recipe by Ysha Oaks is beneficial to drink daily for forty-two
days. Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
4¼ cups water
Instructions
Add spices into boiled water, turn of f heat, and steep for fifteen or
twenty minutes. Strain and sip warm throughout the day. CCF T ea
Cumin, coriander, and fennel tea is an Ayurvedic staple. CCF tea
supports healthy digestion, absorption, assimilation, elimination, and
lactation. It helps the body break down toxins in the gastrointestinal
tract, and because it supports agni, the digestive fire, as well assupporting the absorption of nutrients, it is great to sip on before,
during, or after meals. Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon fennel
4¼ cups water
Instructions
Boil water, turn down to simmer, and add spices. Cover and steep for ten minutes. Strain and drink throughout the
day. Garlic Chutney
Garlic supports appetite, digestion, lactation, grounding, and
immunity—as long as it is well cooked and properly prepared. Garlic
also greatly minimizes the risk of infection and generally speeds up
the post-birth recovery process. This recipe for garlic chutney, from Ysha Oakes’ s Touching
Heaven,  ensures that the garlic is cooked and the moisture has
evaporated, allowing the garlic to release its helpful properties
without negative side ef fects to baby or mother. Mamas can take 1
teaspoon of this chutney with savory meals, beginning three days
postpartum, and continue throughout the forty-two days. For
example, it can be mixed into a soup broth, rice dishes, or
guacamole. Pitta mamas or mamas showing signs of excess heat in
body, mind, or emotions should consume this chutney more
sparingly. Ingredients4 tablespoons ghee
½ cup peeled garlic cloves
1 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
4 tablespoons black peppercorns
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
1¼ teaspoons salt
juice of one lime
Instructions
1.Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a skillet on medium heat and
add the garlic cloves. Sauté them on medium heat for about four
minutes. 2.When the garlic cloves have cooled, puree the garlic along with
the rest of the ingredients in a blender to a fine paste. Add a little
water for ease in grinding. 3.Heat the rest of the ghee, add the ground paste, and sauté on
medium heat for about twelve minutes. Herbal Chewing Mix
Build your digestive fire with this simple preparation, another recipe
from Ysha Oakes’ s Touching Heaven. Enjoy 1–2 teaspoons after
each meal starting three days postpartum, continuing for forty-two
days. Chew well for maximum benefit. Keep a day or two’ s supply of
the mixture in a small bowl on your dining table and take some with
you to make it available right after a meal. Keep the remaining mix
refrigerated. You can experiment with dif ferent measures of the
ingredients for variety in taste. For a dif ferent texture, grind roasted
sesame, fennel, and coconut in a cof fee grinder.Ingredients
½ cup fennel seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 tablespoon clove
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon mineral salt (or black salt if available)
Instructions
1.In a cast-iron pan, toast fennel and sesame seeds until they turn
light brown (the sesame seeds will pop, so cover the pan with a
splatter screen or glass lid). 2.Add coconut and toast for a few more minutes, until everything
turns golden brown; stir constantly to prevent burning. 3.Place the toasted coconut, sesame, and fennel seeds in a bowl. 4.Add the remaining spices and stir well. 5.Let the mixture cool completely before storing in the fridge,
keeping out just what you can use in the next day or two. Hot Milk T onic
Ayurvedic medicine views milk as uniquely rejuvenative, as milk is
valued for its ability to nourish the deepest tissue layers more quickly
than any other food. This hot milk tonic will soothe your nerves,
encourage healthy digestion and elimination, restore strength and
vitality, and build a healthy milk supply. If you can find a local sourceof raw milk, that is ideal. Otherwise, a cream-top milk from your local
health food store is best. Ingredients
1-inch piece fresh ginger (grated)
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon clove buds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup whole cream-top milk
1 cup water
iron-rich sweetener to taste
Instructions
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and partially
cover. Simmer for ten minutes, then remove from the heat. Enjoy
every night before bed. Be sure to not mix milk with any salty foods! Almond Date Shake
This shake made from almonds and dates is a nourishing and
delicious ojas-building drink that can be had warm or at room
temperature any time of day (or night!). Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
4 cups water6 soaked dates
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
10 saf fron threads
Instructions
Soak the almonds overnight and then squeeze the skins of f.
Blend the almonds with all other ingredients on high speed for about
a minute. Warm Oatmeal Shake
Oats build ojas and are very nourishing during pregnancy, birth, and
postpartum. This warm oatmeal shake can also be used during labor
for energy. Ingredients
4 cups water
½ cup oats (soaked for at least 30 minutes, then rinsed)
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamon
pinch of salt
¼ cup soaked cashews
4 tablespoons maple syrup or other iron-rich sweetener (or more, to
taste)
1 tablespoon gheeInstructions
Boil the water, then add oats and spices. Cook until oats are broken down and the porridge is soupy—about
ten minutes.


, its influence cannot be diminished. It is clear that the instinctual origins of the ego mechanisms are based on
satisfaction and gratification of survival needs and desires. The narcissistic core of the ego is aligned with being “right,” whether
being “right” means being in agreement with wisdom or rejecting it as
invalid. With humility, the serious searcher discovers that the mind alone,
despite its educa tion, is unable to resolve the dilemma of how to ascertainand validate truth—which would require confirmation by subjective
experience as well as objective, provable criteria. It is most important to remember that to violate principle for practical
expediency is to relinquish enormous power. The rationalization that the
execution of criminals deters crime, for instance, does not hold up under
study; and the end does not justify the means.... Because  we fail to
differentiate principle from expediency, the average person lacks the
discernment to understand the difference between patriotism and true
Patriotism, between americanism and Americanism, between god and God,
between freedom and Freedom, between liberty and Liberty. Thus,
“americanism” is used as a justification by white supremacy groups
(calibrated at 150) and lynch mobs, just as warmongering throughout
history has been conducted in the name of “God.”... Learning the
difference between principles and their imitators requires experience and
educated judgm ent. The exercise of such discretion is necessary for moral
survival in the modern world in general but is imperative in those gray areas
where ethical ambiguity has been elevated from convention to an art form:
the political arena and the marketplace of daily commerce. Radical truth means what is being experienced, not what one is actually
thinking about it or the concepts that one is projecting onto the experience;
it is not the labeling of it but what one is literally experien cing within
oneself. The brain is the sense organ of the experiencer, and one realizes that it is
destined for physical death. Therefore, the importance of the Self rather
than the self is realized by accepting the inevitability of mortality.Concepts have levels of power that can be calibrated. The higher the
level of truth, the greater its power. The energy of the concept results from
the truth  of the statement plus the level of consciousness of the speaker. Unaided by a higher energy (as from a great teacher), the ego/mind cannot
transcend itself. Opposites do not exist in Reality. They are only concepts of speech and
mentation. Let us take the seem ing opposites of light and dark. Actually,
there is no such thing as darkne ss; there is only light. The conditions then
can be accurately described as light is either present or not, or light is
present at various degrees; therefore, all light or the lack of it can be defined
only in terms of light by its presence or degree, or not. Thus, there is only
one variable : the presence or absence of light. A verbalization helps to set a context that then progressively becomes
nonverbal and more inclusive. Accurate information saves time and speeds
fruitful inquiry by indicating which routes would be fruitlessly time-
consuming and diversionary. If time is nonexistent, then so is the notion of “place.”... “Space” is a
concept. The mind imagines that if something exists in a place, then that
place must be a space. Like time, “space” is an imagination.... In the
nonlinear Reality, there is no time track upon which to position a moment
or an instant denotable as “now.”The study of form is fascinating to the intellect in its expre ssions of
physics, chemistry, astronomy, cosmology, etc. Man then begins to ask
where the universe came from  and where is it going. Actually, this
demonstrates another animal instinct that is very important, that of
curiosity. In order to find food, a mate, or shelter, the animal is always
instinctively searching and seems to have an insatiable curiosity. Exploration is innate to manki nd, and its highest levels lead to spiritual
inquiry. This brings up the questions of who am I, what am I, where did I
come from, what is the origin and destiny of the self, and who and where is
God. All aspects of human life are transient; therefore, to cling to any aspect
eventually bring s grief and loss. Each incident, however, is an opportunity
to search within for the source of life, which is ever present, unchanging,
and not subject to loss or the ravages of time. The body itself is actually not experienced; instead, only the sensations
of the body are experienced. Therefore, awareness of the body is merely a
composite sensation by which the somatic area of the brain records input,
and, by neuronal function, replicates the body image. Ultimately, everything is know able only by virtue of the identity of
“being it.” The conundrums of epistemology can be solved only by the
elimination of thought because all languaging is a paradox. One can take
any word and trace it to its roots. How does the word origi nate? From
where? Is the word the same thing as its meaning? By asking suchquestions, one is eventually confronted with the ultimate paradox of duality. The radical Reality is that to understand the essence of anything is to know
God. One might say that all languaging is a substitute for God. There is no timetable or prescrib ed route to God. Although each person’ s
path is unique, the terrain to be covered is relatively common to all. The
work is to surm ount and transcend the common human failin gs that are
inherent in the structure of the human ego. One would like to think that
these failings are personal; however, the ego itself is not personal. It was
inherited along with becoming a human being. Details differ based on past
karma. That “it” of the ego structure is not unique or individual, and it is
relatively simila r, with karmic variations, in everyone. What really varies
from individual to individual is the degree to which one is enslaved by its
programs. The degree of domina nce is therefore determined by the extent to
which one identifies with it. Inherently, it has no power, and the power to
decline the ego’s programs increases exponentially as one progresses
spiritually. Because of its inherent limita tions, the ego itself cannot know God
experientially. God is the absolute subjectivity that underlies existence and
the capacity for awareness. God is beyond all time, place, or human
characteristics. All the descriptions of the Ultimate Reality by enlightened
beings throughout history have been identical. There is only one Supreme
Reality.... Inasmuch as the Godhead, or God Unmanifest, is beyond all
depiction, the Ultimate Realization is radically and purely subjective and
absent of all content. To acknowledge the absolute divinity of the InfiniteSupreme would  be unacceptable to entities that are deluded into claiming
godship. We can then say that a false deity is an entity that has declined
truth for power, pride, and control over others, and has succum bed to the
Luciferic error which proclaim s that the ego is God (i.e., megalomania). The basis for the error is the unwillingness to surrender sover eignty from
the “I” of the ego to the Allness of God. Pride in the form of the vanity of thought, mentation, conc epts, and
opinions is the basis of ignoran ce. The antidote is radical humility, which
undoes the domination of perception.... To enter the domain of reality is
like going throu gh a fine screen —only clear water can traverse through it,
and all the fish, bugs, and debri s are left outside. Only pure consciousness
devoid of content can pass through the barriers of perception and become
the clear water beyond the screen.... The finite is born of the infinite and
is never actually separated from it except by perception; the infinite
potentiality of the unmanifest becomes the actuality of the manifest by the
will of God as Creation. Traditionally, the readiness for spiritual learning has been termed
“ripeness,” indicating a fortuitous combination of sincere intention plus
maturity, progressive evolution of consciousness, and activation of the
desire for experiential learning.... There develops an enthusiasm and
eventually a dedication, and spiritual goals and values progressively replace
the lesser ones of the worldly ego.... Progress is best described as the
unfolding of realizations and spontaneous revelation that are often ascribed
to intuition and inner guidance.... As spiritual work advances, the self
progressively dissolves and merges into the Self, which has its own learning
capacities that dif fer from those of the ego/mind. The more advanced seeker has heard that there is no “out there” or “in
here” and thus takes responsibility for all that happens. There is the
dawning awaren ess that all which seems to occur really represents what is
being held in what was previously considered as “within.” Thus, the
proclivity to project is undone. The “innocent victim” positiona lity, with all
its spuri ous “innocence,” is unmasked.... Beliefs are the determinant of
what one experiences. There are no external “


 dimensio n of the
total picture, the way cameras on a movie set record the same scene
from a dierent angle. Each method conrms and validates the
others. These points of view parallel each other and interact through
their mutual correspondence to the fundamental concepts of Yin-
Yang and Five-Phase Theory. Like the editing room in which the
footage is spliced together, a diagnosis becomes one person’s
seamless moving story. There are many possible combinations and permuta tions of
interacting variables. This chapter illustrates methods and
techniques of information gathering and the process by which a
complex array of symptoms, signs, and other characteristics is
interpreted. CATEGORIES OF  STRESS AND THE  GENESIS OF  DISEASE
Efrem studied in China at the Kunming Railway Workers Hospital in
the midst of an icy winter. Because it was almost as cold indoors as
out, he took notes wearing gloves, periodically wrapping  his hands
around a hot cup of tea. A tense and downhearted young man
walked into the hospital acupuncture clinic complaining of
numbness and immobility on the left side of his face. The left corner
of his mouth drooped, interfering with his speech. Terse and
reticent, he appeared unhappy as well as worried about his
condition. He reported that he had spent much of the previous day
riding his motorcycle, whipp ed about by the harsh cold wind. The
doctor placed  needles in points corresponding to the areas of
paralysis, warming the area with a lighted moxa stick. She also
inserted needles on the top of his feet in a point on the Liver
meridian. Efrem asked why she included these distal points. She
replied that the young man felt angry and depressed following a
disagreement with his family and had torn o on his motorcycle to
relieve his frustration. She felt that his emotional state had
predisposed him to being injured by the cold wind. Treating theLiver channel would help to loosen the Qi that had become blocked
by prolonged frustration and unhappiness. A disturbed emotional state, harsh weather, and imprudent
behavior comb ined to adversely aect the health of this young man
in Kunming. Generally, Chinese medicine recognizes emotions,
climate, and life-style as the primary sources of pathogenic stress. Sudden changes in weather or prolonged exposure can leave the
body vulnerable to attack by wind, heat, dampness, dryness, and
cold. Intense, persistent or suppressed emotional reactions such as
anger, joy, rumination, sorrow, or fear can cause a disruption of the
circulation of Qi and Blood. Misuse of the body through overwork,
overuse of the senses, or prolonged sitting, lying, or standing wastes
the Qi and injures the Blood. Overindulgence in or neglect of dietary
and sexual needs depletes Vital Essence. THE FIVE CLIMATES
The Five Climates  correspond to the cycle of the seasons. When a
person exhibit s internal response patterns analogous to external
climatic conditions, Chinese medicine postulates that a person has
that condition: that climate exists internally. Cold, for example,
makes things  contract. Contracted blood vessels constrict
circulation, chilling the body and producing a craving for warmth. When symptoms correspond to those produced by cold, Chinese
medicine describes a person as manifesting a condition called Cold,
regardless of whether actual exposure to external cold caused the
condition. An adverse intern al climate can be unrelated to outside
weather. An inhabitant of the Antarctic can manifest a condition of
Dampness  when the air is dry or Heat in the dead of a ercely cold
winter. Whenever specic “weather” starts to dominate the body milieu,
it can become a pathogenic stress. This may be both the source and
the outcome the root and the fruit, of imbalance. Usually a
multiplicity of factors contrib ute to the disease pattern in which oneexcess conditio n combines with another. There is not necessarily a
causal chain of events, but a circle o invariable associations. WIND
The nature of Wind  is movement that rises and falls unpredictably,
rustling and disturbing the location and direction of things. Because
spring is a time of sudden and rapid change, it is considered the
season of Wind. Both this season and climate correspond to the
Wood Phase. Of all the climatic forces that can engender disharmony, Wind  is
deemed the most virulent, as in “an ill wind that blows.” The
concept of Wind  refers not only to the movement of air, but to the
capricious, foreboding nature or shifting conditions; hence the
expressions “winds of war” and “blown away.” Being perched in a
tree as it’s shaken by gusts of gale-force wind conjures up an image
of instability, disequilibrium, and fright. Wind  can steal into the
body, just as it nds its way through the cracks and crevices of
doors and windows. It creates an intense draft, the nature of which
is to unsettle and disrupt surface and interior circulation. In the body, Wind  can manifest as jerky movement, dizziness,
uncoordination, or symptoms that migrate from one region of the
body to another, suddenly appearing and disappearin g without
apparent pattern. Wind  invading the surface of the body manifests
as soreness, itching, and sensitivity of the skin and muscles. The
latter occurs when circulation is obstructed by external attack. Disorders of external Wind  are the common cold and u,
characterized by dizziness and migratory pains in the joints,
muscles, and head. Diseases of internal Wind  are characterized by
labile emotion s, vertigo, tremors, headaches, seizures, strokes, and
the agitation of the Liver Qi by fever, deciency of Blood, or
emotional instability. Because of the ability of Wind  to penetrate the
body’s defensive perimeter, Wind  can create a portal through which
the other adverse climates— Dampness, Dryness, Cold, and Heat—
enter the body.HEAT
The nature of Heat is to accelera te metabolic activity, dilate blood
vessels, and activate circulation. Heat tends to rise and move out
toward the surface. Summ er is dominated by Heat, and both
correspond to the Fire Phase. When Heat becomes excessive, it generates conditions such as
inammation, rapid pulse, and fever. Inammation is characterized
by redness, swelling, and pain. Among other types of swelling and
pain, Heat is distinguish ed by the appearance of redness and the
feeling of increased warmth. In Chinese medicine it is not necessary
to have a fever recorded on a thermometer to establish the presence
of excess Heat somewhere in the body. Hot conditions are often
associated with thirst, dryness, constipation, dicult urination,
agitation, a desire for cold, and an aversion to warm foods, drinks,
and climate. The tendency for Heat to move toward the surface is illustrated by
perspiration, the manifestation of Yang Heat released or discharged
through the skin. This may be due to increased metabolic activity
from exercise, feverish disea ses, or the ingestion of warm or spicy
foods. When Heat invades the surface, it may also show up as skin
eruptions such as red rashes, welts, sores, ulcers, boils, and acne. A redde ned appearance of the face, neck, and eyes reects the
rising tendency of Heat, often occurring in association with intense
emotional states such as anger, happiness, or embarrassment. A
person “red-fa ced” with embarrassment, “livid [or purple] with
rage,” “hot under the collar,” and so on manifests the ascension of
internal Heat. Certain B vitamins, thyroid hormone, sugar, coee, adrenaline,
spicy food, alcohol, and amphetamines all produce Heat. If someone
already has excess Heat, these substances may exacerbate the
condition and encourage the accompanying symptoms. DAMPNESSThe nature of Dampness  is to sink and accumulate, like a stagnant
swamp. Dampness  is characterized by an abnormal buildup of uids
or excess secretions. It appears as swelling and a sense of fullness
and heaviness, locally or throughout the body. Because of its
tendency to collect and coagulate, Dampness  easily causes stagnation
and obstruction of circulation. Late summer is dominated by
humidity or Dampness  and corresponds to the languid and sultry
Earth Phase. During this period of relative inactivity, the air is
motionless, the water is still, the atmosphere is heavy. Whether
there is signicant humidity  in the air or not, feelings that are
sluggish, apath etic, dull, or torpid provide evidence of the inuence
of Dampness. Dampness on the surface of the body shows up as oily skin, sticky
perspiration, subcutaneous edema, and swelling around the joints. Internally, Dampness  is indicated by the appea rance of phlegm,
abundant discharge of mucus, water retention, and edema of the
abdomen and extremities. Heaviness of the head and limbs, dull
pains, and lethargy characterize Dampness. Dairy produc ts, starchy
and glutinous foods,


 until all air is out of the
lungs. Rememb er that you need  to exhale air through the hole in the lips
with a fair amount of force. This exercise is unusually refre shing for tired and exhausted person. The
first attempt will convince you of this. Practice this exercise until you learn
how to perform it easily and naturally. Weight loss

Starting position : lying, sitting or standing - as you feel comfortable. Before
starting, you slowly, but with force, exhale while pulling in the abdominal
wall. Then you slowly inhale through the nose: first you extend the
abdominal wall, then expand the lower ribs, raise the chest and at the same
time expand the upper ribs. At the end of the inspiration, when the air fills
the lungs, the stomach is slightly pulled inward, creating supp ort with the
lungs filled with air. Holding the breath for 1-2 seconds - and begin to
exhale by furthe r drawing the abdomen into the abdominal cavity, the chest
is kept slightly  raised and straightened. Then you gradually relax the
stomach, squeeze the ribs and lower your shoulders, the air goes out
through the nose. As the lungs are released from the air, the chest and
abdomen lower, and the abdominal wall retracts. Exercise is performed in
the morning and in the middle of the day, first 3 times and gradually
brought up to 20 times. Inhal ation and exhalation should pass quietly,
without the help of muscles. Blood cir culation impr ovement

Fig. 30

Get up straight. Take a full breath, hold your breath. Lean forward slightly,
pick up a stick or cane at the two ends, firmly squeezing and gradually
putting all the power into the hands that gripped the stick. Lower the stick
and straighten, slowly exhaling  air, Fig. 30. Repeat several times. This
exercise can be done without the help of a stick, imagining it to yourself,
but putting all the power into the imaginary squeezing of the stick with your
hands. This exercise is highly apprecia ted by yoga, as it has the ability to direct
arterial blood to the limbs and direct venous blood to the heart and lungs. Prolapse of the stomach, intestines, kidneys and uterus

Fig. 31

Exercise agains t prolapse of the stomach, intestines, kidneys, uterus are
abdominal breathing exercises. Stand straight, with your feet approximately
30-40 cm apart,  with your feet parallel to the feet. Tilt the housing slightly
forward. Keep your arms bent at the elbows with your palms on your hips,
with your thumb s pointing to your groin. After a full breath, exhale slowly,
pulling the abdomen inward strongly, raise the diaphragm as much as
possible so that the abdomen “disappears”. It should be noted that this
exercise can only be performed on an empty stomach. Holding the air at
first for 5 secon ds, gradually increase the duration of the breath -holding. Inorder for the diaphragm to rise, the lungs must be free of air until the end of
the exercise. Exercise is an excellent tool against the prolapse of the stomach, intestines,
kidneys, and uterus. It also stimulates the function of the solar plexus,
restores the balance of the autonomic nervous system, has a beneficial
effect on the functioning of the heart, lungs and diaphragm, restores
diaphragm mobility and maintains lung elasticity. In gener al, abdominal exercises are very effective, especially since they are
not difficult to perform. Exercise is contraindicated in all acute forms of
diseases of the abdominal organs and heart diseases. If you feel pain during
the exercise, you should stop exercising and be examined by a doctor. Conjunctival pallor

“With a pale conjunctiva of the lower eyelid, a series of maximum pauses
between inhalation and exhalation before stopping uncomfortable
conditions shou ld be applied,” Buteyko wrote. “Plug both nostrils with
cotton, mechanically limiting the depth of breathing. And also to avoid a
deep breath after maximum pauses - sniff the grated horseradish alternately
one and the other nostrils to tears. Drink strong infusions, a decoction of
bitter herb leave s and green tea until the lower eyelid conjunctiv a turns red. Massage the subclavian cavities and knead the upper back.”

To impr ove blood cir culation in the eyes

Fig. 32

Step 1 : starting position: standing, legs together, socks apart, arms along the
body. Take a full breath. Hold your breath as you inhale, preventing air from
escaping through your nose or mouth. Close your eyes. Lean forward so that your head  is below the level of the heart. The knees
can be slightly bent. There should be no tension in the body. Blood flows
directly to the head and eyes. It will be oxygenated blood. Oxygen at this
time will wash away the poisons accumulated in the eyes. Eyes remain
closed.Stay in this position, counting to 5. Gradually increase the retention of this
pose in the account to 15. Calmly and slowly straighten up to the starting position. Just as calmly and slowly, exhale through your mouth, (Fig. 32). Repeat the exercise again. Do this eye cleansing by breathing at least 10 times during the day. Fig. 33

Step 2: the starting position is the same. Take a deep breath and hold your
breath as you inhale. Bend in your belt and lean as close to the floor as you can. When the head
is down, close your eyes.When closing your eyes, screw them up as tight as possible. Then open
wide. All the time that you hold your breath as you inhale, counting from 10 to
15, open and close your eyes in the way. Sit up calmly, returning to the starting position. Exhale vigorously through your mouth. Take a breath. Repeat the exercise again. Chapter 13. Maternity exercises

Even br eathing

First of all, you need to pay attention to how the diaphragm works. Sit
comfortably, place both hands on the diaphragm (under the chest) and
inhale, lifting the chest as high as possible. At the same time, holding your
breath, relax your shoulders and keep your head straight. When you lower
your hands to your knees, the diaphragm is released and your breathing
becomes deeper. Note that the chest expands when you inhale, and contracts
when you exhal e. This movement is the main one with all phys ical efforts. You need to train your ability to breathe evenly, regardless of whether you
exercise or give birth, and this ability will increase when you improve your
sensation of muscles that help your diaphragm during breathing. Now put one hand on the stomach and the other on the chest, inhale and
expand both the chest and the abdominal cavity. Then exhale. Toward the
end of the exha lation, slowly pull the stomach up and in. Inhale again,
slowly expanding the abdome n first, and then the chest, then exhale,
slightly pulling  the abdomen towards the back. Repeat several times. Balance the breath at the expense of 1-2-3-4 - inhale, 1-2-3-4 - exhale. Inhale through the nose; exhale the way as you feel comfortable. It is possible that your head will feel slightly dizzy or your child will stir,
having received an unexpectedl y large portion of oxygen. Breathe a little
slower and everything will pass. If not, stop training for full breath and
breathe as you used to. You need to breathe at a speed of 4-6 breaths per
minute. Abdominal br eathing

First take 6 full breaths, and then change your breathing a bit: when you
exhale, relax your abdominal muscles. When the abdominal cavity is not
involved in the breathing process, the breath will be less deep, and the
relaxed abdominal muscles will not respond to exhalation. Place both hands
on the lower abdomen to check how relaxed these muscles are. When the
uterus contracts during childbir th, the ability to relax the muscles of the
abdominal cavit y is very usefu l to you (the uterus will be able to move
freely). T rain to breathe at a speed of 6-10 times per minute. Chest br eathing

Fig. 34

Now try to train chest breathing  using only the muscles of the chest. Place
both hands on the ribs under the chest so that the fingers touch the ribs and
the thum b is pointing to the back. Inhale and separate the finger s so that the
ribs expand, exhale - and the fingers join. Repeat several times. Watch the
abdominal cavit y. It moves slightly, but does not participate in the process
of breath ing. Now your breathing is more superficial and faster, 12-20 times
per minute. The count for inhalation and exhalation should be the same. It’s
difficult to regulate the breathing process, but these exercises will help you
to consciously prepare for the birth process, as they are extremely important
for their relief, Fig. 34. Shallow br eathing

Try breathing while tensing your chest muscles even less. Open your mouth
so that the tongu


ography	and	time. A:	Nothing	in	the	universe	happens	by	chance	or	accident. The	universe	is	a
coherent	concurrence	and	interaction	of	innumerable	conditions	attendant
on	the	infinite	number	of	energy	patterns. In	the	state	of	Awareness,	all
this	is	obvious	and	can	be	clearly	seen	and	known. Outside	that	level	of
awareness,	it	could	be	likened	to	innumerable,	invisible	magnetic	fields
that	automatically	coalesce	or	repel	one’s	position	and	interact	according
to	the	positions	and	relative	strengths	and	polarities. Everything	influences
everything	else	and	is	in	perfect	balance. In	Awareness,	the	subtle	inner	workings	of	the	universe	reveal
themselves	as	a	magnificent	dance	of	incredibly	complex	design	and
execution. It	becomes	clear	that	what	the	world	calls	miraculous	occurs	as
the	consequence	of	a	shift	of	energy,	such	as	that	created	by	love	or	prayer. It	is	also	possible	to	arbitrarily	select	any	aspect	of	human	activities	and
interactions	and	calibrate	the	power	of	the	energies	involved. The	intrinsic
energies	associated	with	all	that	exists	determine	their	fate,	depending	on
all	prevailing	conditions	in	an	entire	universe. In	the	entire	universe,	these
are	expressed	locally	as	prevailing	conditions. No	accident	or	unfairness	is
possible. Every	action,	decision,	thought,	or	choice	alters	the	interacting
balances	and	has	consequences. Q:	Is	karma	then	a	general	condition. A:	The	entire	unfolding	and	interaction	in	evolution	of	everything	in	the
universe	is	totally	karmic. Human	life	is	no	exception. Likewise,	all
possibilities	are	determined	by	the	entire	set	of	the	universe	and	everything
in	it. A	cat	does	not	suddenly	turn	into	a	dog. It	is	‘karma’	that	results	in
the	selection	of	the	genes	and	chromosomes	of	one’s	birth,	as	well	as	the
place,	location,	and	conditions	of	it. A	potential	cat’s	energy	field	does	not
get	attracted	to	enter	the	body	of	a	dog. One	can,	with	muscle	testing,	track
the	‘karma’	of	any	entity. Within	each	entity,	karma	is	a	field	of	possible
choices	as	well	as	consequences	of	past	choices. Commonly,	these
prevailing	sets	of	conditions	are	referred	to	as	destiny,	fate,	or	luck. Q:	What	is	the	interaction	between	the	visible	and	invisible	domains. A:	Any	separation	between	the	two	is	arbitrary	and	one	of	perception	only. Both	the	manifest	and	the	unmanifest	are	an	integrated	whole. The
physical	world	of	perception	is	a	world	of	effects. That	which	is	the
ordinary	world	has	no	power	to	cause	anything. The	power	of	causality
exists	only	in	the	invisible	domain. The	Empire	State	Building	came	into
existence	first	as	a	thought	and	design	within	the	mind	of	its	creator,	which
was	then	empowered	by	volition	to	appear	as	a	consequence	in	the	visible
world. As	a	physical	building,	it	has	no	power	of	causality	to	cause
anything	to	happen. Its	presence	represents	a	local	condition	that	has
consequences,	such	as	wind	currents	or	shadows,	but	the	power	of
causality	is	not	intrinsic	to	the	structure	or	its	parts. Q:	What	accounts	for	the	existence	of	anything. A:	Divine	Grace	determines	all	Creation	in	all	its	expressions	and	aspects. We
say	that	the	unmanifest	comes	into	expression	as	manifestation	by
ordinance	of	Divine	will. This	is	made	possible	and	activated	by	the
Presence	whose	quality	is	to	potentiate	the	evolution	of	possibility	into
actuality. We	could	say,	for	instance,	that	a	seed	is	dormant	and	inactive,
but	in	the	Divine	Presence,	it	begins	to	grow. The	potential	patterns	for	the
emergence	of	materiality	reside	within	the	invisible	domain	as	energy
patterns. The	quality	of	‘realness’	is	only	the	radiance	of	the	Self	that
imbues	the	quality	we	call	realness. The	ordinary	mind	attributes	this
quality	of	realness	to	any	material	and	imagines	that	the	realness	emanates
from	the	material	itself. The	only	thing	that	is	real	is	the	Self	that,	by	the
nature	of	its	divinity,	radiates	forth	the	qualities	of	life,	reality,	and
existence. Life	is	either	present	or	not. There	is	no	self-existent	reality	such	as	death,	just	as	there	is	no	suchthing	as	‘off-ness’	in	an	electrical	wire	that	is	without	current. Divinity
expresses	itself	as	form	and/or	life,	depensding	on	local	conditions	and
potentialities. Without	the	prior	potentiality	(‘karma’)	for	life,	no	one
could	be	born. The	entire	universe	and	everything	in	it	is	actually	a
synchronous	karmic	display	and	single	event. Q:	It	sounds	as	though	all	life	is	pretty	much	predetermined. Isn’t	that
predestination. A:	No. Predestination	is	something	quite	different. As	a	term,	predestination
implies	limitation	and	outcomes,	whereas	karma	sets	up	opportunities	and
areas	of	freedom	for	choice. The	range	of	choices	available	is	limited	by
prevailing	conditions	that	are	attracted	or	set	by	one’s	karmically	patterned
energy	field. Choice	supersedes	karma	and	can	overrule	it	or	change	it	by
an	act	of	the	will. Q:	What	of	free	will. A:	As	part	of	one’s	energy-pattern	inheritance	at	birth,	there	is	an	innate
capacity	for	choice	and	decision. These	are	available	in	quality	and
quantity,	depending	on	one’s	calibrated	energy	field. Within	an
individual’s	inheritance	and	evolution	into	the	world,	we	experience	that
one	has	the	opportunity	to	forgive	or	to	hate	and	condemn. It	might	be	said
that	one’s	spiritual	buoyancy	goes	up	with	the	choice	of	forgiveness	and
down	with	hatred. Each	choice	then	moves	one	into	a	different	‘locale’	in
an	overall	energy	field	of	human	life. We	say,	“Birds	of	a	feather	flock
together”;	“Like	seeks	like”;	“Birds	go	home	to	roost”;	“What	goes	around
comes	around”,	and,	“We	reap	what	we	sow. ”	The	Buddha	said	there	is	no
need	to	attack	or	punish	one’s	enemies	for	they	will	bring	themselves
down	as	a	result	of	their	own	natures. All	religions	teach	that	this	life
influences	the	next	one;	whether	the	next	is	actually	physical	or	not	is
therefore	irrelevant. Life	cannot	become	nonlife;	it	can	only	change	form
and	expression. Q:	Is	not	an	energy	field	of	a	higher	calibration	‘better’	than	a	lower	one. A:	It	is	not	‘better’,	only	different. Each	entity	has	its	work	to	do	in	its
contribution	to	the	whole. One	brick	is	not	better	than	another	because	it	is
bigger	or	higher	up	in	the	building. ‘Greater’	or	‘lesser’	or	‘better’	are
judgmental	terms	arising	from	positionality. Each	entity	that	lives	takes
equal	joy	from	the	awareness	of	existence. The	Divine	Presence	in	All
That	Is	imbues	that	quality	as	a	consequence	of	Creation. The	animal,	the
plant,	or	the	human	are	equal	in	their	joy	of	existence. The	human	mindcan	think	and	ponder. A	plant,	if	it	had	a	mind,	would	probably	consider
thinking	as	superfluous	and	stupid. Section summary:

*   Discusses various spiritual principles that are necessary for a person's growth on their path to enlightenment. *  Explaines how


 some of their characteristics and behaviors as part
of my car efully designed mask to hide my inner ﬂaws and
imperfections. It was a game I didn’t even know I was playing at the
time. If I discover ed something about myself that was notacceptable to my ego ideal, I would sear ch the outer world
to see who was acceptable, and with the sensibilities of a
true artist I sculpted the new me, giving the illusion that I
was the person I wanted to be rather than the person I
feared I was. The pr oblem was that no matter how much I
over-compensated for the parts of myself that I fear ed or
was ashamed of, in the silence of my own mind I knew the
truth about who I was under neath my public mask. Although
some could see thr ough the glorious act that I had cr eated,
for the most part I had become a successful human being
because I could fool those ar ound me. I trick ed people into believing my smok e-and-mir rors act. I
was able to enr oll people in my happy life by smiling and
spouting my many accomplishments of the day. Or I could
invite them into one of my other favorite nar ratives—“W oe
is me”—wher e I played the part of the damsel in distr ess. Either way, I became a master at hiding not just fr om
others, but also, and most of all, fr om myself. I didn’t know
who I was or what I r eally wanted. I didn’t know what truly
made me happy or what lef t me feeling empty and devoid
of emotions. My shadow was in contr ol, even though, in all
my ar rogance, I believed I was the one in char ge. Truly the
dark side had won, until my persona came crumbling down. Just lik e Humpty Dumpty, who fell to the gr ound, by the
time I was twenty -seven I was stripped of my “I have it all
together,” know-it-all persona and lef t wailing on the ﬂoor of
a drug tr eatment center. It was ther e that I came face-to -
face with the r eal Debbie F ord—with all of her ﬂaws,
weakness, and disowned qualities as well as her gif ts,
strengths, and deeply hidden inner needs. It was ther e that I
knew I was mor e than I could ever even imagine and that I
was nothing but one of six billion human beings struggling
to mak e peace with their dark side and their human
vulnerabilities. It was during this very humbling meeting with myself that
I committed to lear ning about who and what I was and why Ifelt compelled to do the things I did. It was at this pivotal
time in my life that I began to understand the human
shadow and the eﬀect it had on my life and the lives of
those ar ound me—not as a theory in a te xtbook, but as a
woman struggling to deal with her own unwanted feelings
and deep insecurities. Driven by deep feelings of loneliness that came fr om not
understanding who I was or why I was her e, I began my
journey of becoming intimate with my dark side, my shadow
self. This moment of r eckoning became a catalyst for living a
life beyond my wildest dr eams. It has led me to study,
grapple with, and dwell in not only my own human behavior,
but the behavior of hundr eds of thousands of people whom I
have been privileged to guide into the ter ritory of their
unclaimed self and the glorious discovery of a life yet to be
lived. It is not my light that has led me to the wisdom I have
shared in my last seven books, but my battle with my dark
side (and the ultimate sur render in the war within) that has
been my guide and continued inspiration. It is the very
darkness that I spent the ﬁrst part of my life running away
from that is now my passion and my fuel to help lead others
in this magical jour ney thr ough the human psyche into living
in the light of their gr eatest e xpression. It is a spiritual call,
a higher voice that asks me to ask you: Ar e you r eady to
embark on this jour ney of r eclaiming all of yourself, the light
and the dark, your good self and your evil twin. Ar e you
ready to r eturn to the love of your true, total, authentic self
rather than stay trapped in the judgmental angst of a
disjointed human ego. Becoming intimate with your shadow is one of the most
fascinating and fruitful inquiries you can ever embark upon. It is a mysterious jour ney that will lead you to ﬁnd your most
authentic self—a place wher e you feel at home with who
you ar e, wher e you r ecognize your weaknesses and your
strengths, wher e you can bask in your gif ts, admit to yourimperfections, and admir e your gr eatness. This self that is
hidden beneath the mask of your human persona is the self
that you ar e thrilled to be, a self that knows who it is and
who honors the human jour ney. This self that you will
discover as you embrace mor e and mor e of your hidden and
disowned aspects is a self that oﬀers you the conﬁdence to
speak your truth and pursue what’s truly important to you. It’s ir onic that to ﬁnd the courage to lead an authentic life,
you will have to go into the dark r ooms of your most
inauthentic self. You have to confr ont the very parts of
yourself that you fear most to ﬁnd what you have been
looking for, because the mechanism that drives you to
conceal your darkness is the same mechanism that has you
hide your light. What you’ve been hiding fr om can actually
give you what you’ve been trying har d to achieve. THE INFL UENCE OF THE SHADOW
From its invisible home deep within our psyche, the shadow
wields enor mous power over our life. It deter mines what we
can and cannot do, what we will be ir resistibly drawn
towar d, and what we will do almost anything to avoid. It
explains the mystery of our attractions and our r epulsions
and deter mines what we will love and what we will judge
and criticize. Our shadow inﬂuences what race or class of
people we will appr ove of or r elate to, whether we will be
religious or an atheist, what party we will vote with, and
which causes we will support and which we will ignor e. It
tells us how much money we ar e entitled to ear n and
deter mines whether we spend it wisely or piss it away. It is
our shadow, our hidden self, that dictates how much
success we’r e entitled to cr eate or how much failur e we’r e
doomed to e xperience. The shadow deter mines the degr ee
of car e or neglect we give our body, the amount of e xtra
weight we car ry around our belly, and the level of pleasur ewe allow ourselves to feel, give, and r eceive. The shadow
casts us into pr eassigned r oles that we blindly follow in
everything fr om work to love. Unbeknownst to us, the
shadow is the author of a pr ewritten script that springs into
action in times of fear, pain, or conﬂict or when we ar e just
going about our business on autopilot. If lef t une xamined,
our shadow will emer ge from the darkness to sabotage our
life when we least e xpect and want it. Our shadow deter mines whether we will r espect our
childr en and trust that they will gr ow up to be independent,
capable adults or whether we will try to mold them into
everything that we ar e not. When back ed into a cor ner, will
we lash out in rage or will we withdraw into venomous
silence. The shadow is an oracle that can pr edict all of our
behaviors and r eveal what mak es us the people we ar e
today. It decides whether we will be pr oductive, inspiring
members of society or invisible lost souls. When we e xpose
our dark side, we understand how our personal history
dictates the way we tr eat those ar ound us—and how we
treat ourselves. This is why it’s imperative that we unmask
it and understand it. T o do this, we must uncover what
we’ve hidden and befriend the very impulses and
characteristics that we abhor. Our shadow deter mines whether we will live a happy,
successful, and str ess-fr ee existence or whether we will
struggle with our ﬁnances, our r elationships, our car eer, our
temper, our integrity, our self -image, or an addiction. The I
Ching  tells us, “It is only when we have the courage to face
things e xactly as they ar e, without any self -deception or
illusion, that a light will develop out of events, by which the
path to success may be r ecognized. ”


	exhausted. Storing	proteins	in	the	blood	vessel	walls	also	means
that	the	body	can	no	longer	pass	adequate	amounts	of	oxygen,	glucose,	and	other	essential
nutrients	to	the	cells. The	cells	affected	by	such	a	“famine”	may	include	those	that	make
up	the	heart	muscle. The	result	is
heart	muscle	weakness
	and	reduced	performance	of	the
heart. This,	in	turn,	contributes	to	degenerative	illnesses,	including	diabetes,	fibromyalgia,
arthritis,	and	cancer. Whenever	the	heart	is	affected,	the	entire	body	suffers. THICKENING	OF	BLOOD	CAPILLARY	WALL
	Figure	8
:	The	beginning	stages	of	heart	disease

Once	the	capillary	walls	have	no	space	left	to	accommodate	excessive	protein,	the	basal
membranes	of	the	arteries	themselves	start	taking	up	protein. The	beneficial	effect	of	this
action	is	that	the	blood	remains	thin	enough	to	avert	the	threat	of	a	heart	attack,	at	least	for
some	time. Eventually,	though,	the	very	same	tactic	that	prevents	the	threat	of	sudden
death	also	damages	the	blood	vessel	walls. (
Note:
	Only	the	more	primary	survival
mechanisms	of	the	body,	such	as	the	fight-or-flight	response,	the	common	cold,	or
diarrhea,	are	without	significant	side	effects.) The	inner	lining	of	the	arterial	walls
becomes	rough	and	thick,	like	rust	in	a	water	pipe. Cracks,	wounds,	and	lesions	appear	at
various	locations. Smaller	blood	vessel	injuries	are	dealt	with	by
blood	platelets
. These	tiny	blood
components	release	the	hormone
serotonin,
	which	helps	to	constrict	the	blood	vessels	and
reduce	bleeding. However,	larger	wounds,	as	are	typically	found	in	diseased	coronary
arteries,	cannot	be	sealed	by	platelets	alone;	they	require	the	body’s	more	complex	process
of	blood	clotting. If	a	blood	clot	breaks	loose,	it	can	enter	the	heart	and	result	in
myocardial	infarction,
	commonly	called	a	heart	attack. A	clot	that	reaches	the	brain
results	in	a	stroke. A	blood	clot	entering	the	opening	of	a	pulmonary	artery	that	delivers
used	blood	to	the	lungs	can	be	fatal. To	prevent	this	danger	before	it	arises,	the	body	uses	an	entire	arsenal	of	first	aid
measures,	including	the	release	of	the	blood	chemical
lipoprotein	5
	(LP5)	and	cholesterol. Owing	to	its	sticky	nature,	LP5	works	as	a	“Band-Aid”	to	create	a	firmer	seal	around	the
wounds	and	lesions	within	the	arteries. As	a	secondary	but	equally	important	rescue	operation,	the	body	attaches	specific	typesof	cholesterol	to	the	injured	areas	of	an	artery	(more	on	this	in	the	section	“High
Cholesterol”). This	acts	as	a	more	reliable	bandage	than	LP5	can	provide. Since
cholesterol	deposits	still	are	not	protection	or	fortification	enough,	extra	connective	tissue
and	smooth	muscle	cells	begin	to	grow	inside	the	blood	vessel. Called	atherosclerotic	plaques,	these	deposits	can	eventually	block	an	artery	completely,
thereby	severely	obstructing	the	flow	of	blood	to	the	heart. In	response	to	this	grave
situation—unless	interfered	with	through	a	bypass	operation,	angioplasty,	or	the	insertion
of	a	stent—the	body	makes	its	own	bypasses	by	turning	existing	or	new	capillaries	into
small,	blood-supplying	arteries. Although	this	option	is	better	than	surgery,	it	still	does	not
significantly	reduce	the	danger	of	a	heart	attack. Contrary	to	common	assumption,	a	heart	attack	does	not	occur	as	a	result	of	blood
vessel	obstruction,	but	rather	because	of	blood	clots	and/or	soft	fragments	of
atherosclerotic	deposits	making	their	way	into	the	heart. The	blood	clots	and	soft	pieces	of
cholesterol	implicated	in	triggering	heart	attacks	are	almost	never	released	from	the	rock-
hard	structures	of	the	more	occluded	sections	of	an	artery,	but	tend	to	be	released	from
newly	created	lesions	and	their	protective	cholesterol	patches. For	this	reason,	stent	or
bypass	operations	have	neither	reduced	the	incidence	of	heart	attacks	nor	lowered	the
mortality	rate	from	these	attacks. Although	the	gradual	destruction	of	blood	vessels,	known	as
atherosclerosis,
	initially
protects	a	person’s	life	against	a	heart	attack	caused	by	a	blood	clot,	it	is	eventually	also
responsible	for	causing	such	an	attack. Most	forms	of	coronary	heart	disease	can	be
reversed	by	cleansing	the	liver	and	by	clearing	out	any	existing	protein	deposits	in	the
capillaries	and	arteries. (See	Chapter	3.) High	Cholesterol

Cholesterol
	is	an	important	building	block	of	every	cell	in	the	body	and	is	essential	for	all
metabolic	processes. It	is	particularly	important	in	the	production	of	nerve	tissue,	bile,	and
hormones. On	average,	our	body	produces	about	half	a	gram	to	one	gram	of	cholesterol
per	day,	depending	on	how	much	of	it	the	body	needs	at	the	time. The	adult	human	body	is
able	to	produce	400	times	more	cholesterol	per	day	than	what	it	would	obtain	from	eating
3.5	ounces	of	butter. The	main	cholesterol	producers	are	the	liver	and	the	small	intestine,
in	that	order. Normally,	they	are	able	to	release	cholesterol	directly	into	the	bloodstream,
where	it	is	instantly	tied	to	blood	proteins. These	proteins,	which	are	called	lipoproteins,
are	in	charge	of	transporting	the	cholesterol	to	its	numerous	destinations. Three	main	types
of	lipoproteins	are	in	charge	of	transporting	cholesterol:
low	density	lipoprotein
	(LDL),
very	low	density	lipoprotein
	(VLDL),	and
high	density	lipoprotein
	(HDL). In	comparison	to	HDL,	which	researchers	privileged	with	the	name	“good”	cholesterol,
LDL	and	VLDL	are	both	relatively	large	cholesterol	molecules;	in	fact,	they	are	the	richest
in	cholesterol. There	is	good	reason	for	their	large	size. Unlike	their	smaller	cousin,	which
easily	passes	through	blood	vessel	walls,	the	LDL	and	VLDL	versions	of	cholesterol	are
meant	to	take	a	different	pathway;	they	leave	the	bloodstream	in	the	liver. The	blood	vessels	supplying	the	liver	have	a	quite	different	structure	than	the	ones
supplying	other	parts	of	the	body. They	are	known	as
sinusoids
. Their	unique,	grid-like
structure	permits	the	liver	cells	to	receive	the	entire	blood	content,	including	the	larger
cholesterol	molecules. The	liver	cells	rebuild	the	cholesterol	and	excrete	it,	along	with
bile,	into	the	intestines. Once	the	cholesterol	enters	the	intestines,	it	combines	with	fats,	is
absorbed	by	the	lymph,	and	enters	the	blood,	in	that	order. Gallstones	in	the	bile	ducts	of
the	liver	inhibit	bile	secretion	and	partially,	or	even	completely,	block	the	cholesterol’s
escape	route. Owing	to	backup	pressure	on	the	liver	cells,	bile	production	drops. Typically,
a	healthy	liver	produces	over	a	quart	of	bile	per


popular in certain cir cles, and for good r eason. Getting the
energy up and out is of ten a good way to shed the physical
tension that mak es it so diﬃcult to pray when you need it
most. Our anger stands in fr ont of our love. L etting it out is
part of the pr ocess of r elinquishing it. The last thing you
want to do—ever—is to buy into the insidious delusion that
spiritual lives and spiritual r elationships ar e always quiet, or
always blissful. 10. WORKING ON OURSEL VES
“Only what you have not given can be lacking in
any situation.”
Relationships ar e meaningful because they ar e opportunities
to expand our hearts and become mor e deeply loving. The
Holy Spirit is the medium of miracles, a guide to a diﬀer ent
way of viewing ourselves in r elation to other people. I watch
my baby as she e xtends her love to everyone she meets.She hasn’t lear ned yet that anyone is unsafe. Nothing
stands between her natural impulse to love and her
expression of that love. She smiles with the tender ness of
her true feelings. One day I will have to teach her that not
every e xpression of love is appr opriate. But locking your
door is vastly diﬀer ent fr om locking your heart. The gr eatest
challenge of par enthood will be to support her in k eeping an
open heart while living in such a fearful world. We can’t r eally give to our childr en what we don’t have
ourselves. In that sense, my gr eatest gif t to my daughter is
that I continue to work on myself. Childr en lear n mor e
through imitation than thr ough any other for m of
instruction. Our gr eatest opportunity to positively aﬀect
another person’s life is to accept God’s love into our own. That is one of the primary principles of miracles in
relationships: W e are to look to ourselves—our own lessons,
thoughts and behavior—in or der to ﬁnd peace with another
person. “The sole r esponsibility of the miraclework er is to
accept the A tonement for himself.” The ego will always
tempt us to think that the br eakdown of a r elationship has
to do with what they did wr ong, or what they’r e not seeing,
or what they need to lear n. The focus must r emain on
ourselves. W e’re aﬀected by other peoples’ lovelessness
only to the e xtent to which we judge them for it. Otherwise
we ar e invulnerable to the ego, as the Son of God is meant
to be. Sometimes people will say to me, “ But Marianne, I think
ninety per cent of this is their stuﬀ.” “ Fine,” I say. “Then we
have ten per cent to investigate and lear n from.” That ten
percent that is “ your” part is what you need to look at and
learn from. It is what you will car ry with you into the ne xt
scenario. The ego knows this, which is why it tries to put the
focus on the other person. The ego’s purpose is to mak e uscontinually self -destruct without knowing that we’r e doing it. It’s har d enough cleaning up your own act. T rying to clean
up someone else’s is just an ego trick to k eep you fr om
applying yourself to your own lessons. In or der to lear n the
most fr om relationships, you have to focus on your own
issues. These days it’s very common to hear people complain
that their issue is that they choose the “ wrong” people. The
ego is very sly her e. It’s trying to convince us that we’r e
taking r esponsibility for the pr oblem, when in fact we’r e only
doing that to a very small degr ee. Because our description
of the pr oblem still mak es someone guilty, it can only lead
into further darkness, not light. “I continue to choose people
who can’t commit” is not a miracle-minded per ception. A
more enlightened question might be, “ How committable am
I, really? How pr epared am I in the deepest r ecesses of my
being to give and r eceive love in an intimate, committed
way?” Or, “ How can I for give those who could not go past a
certain wall of fear when dealing with me? How can I for give
myself for the ways in which I contributed to or participated
in their fear?”
Sometimes it seems as though you’r e hook ed: You feel
obsessed or compulsive about another person. When this is
the case, it’s a pr etty good bet that on some level you’r e not
letting them oﬀ the hook. In spite of the temptation to look
outside yourself for the sour ce as well as the answer to a
problem, you hold to miracle-minded thought by looking
inside yourself for both. The price you pay for not taking
responsibility for your own pain is the failur e to r ealize that
you can change your conditions by changing your thoughts. Regardless of who initiated a painful interaction, or how
much of the er ror still lies in someone else’s thinking, the
Holy Spirit always pr ovides you with complete escape fr om
pain thr ough for giveness on your part. The other persondoesn’t have to consciously join you in the change. ‘Whoever is saner at the time,’ says A Course in Miracles, ‘is
to invite the Holy Spirit into a situation.’ It doesn’t matter
whether or not another person shar es our willingness to let
God enter. Everything you need in life alr eady e xists inside
your head. I once had a crush on a gay man. It might have been
unreasonable, but I couldn’t get him out of my mind. I ask ed
for a miracle, and the following thoughts occur red to me:
“You know, Marianne, you’r e obsessed, you’r e so unr eleased
about this because you’r e not r eleasing him. Accept him as
he is. R elease him to be wher e he wants to be, doing
whatever he wants to do with whomever he wants to do it. It’s what you’r e not giving that is lacking her e. It’s what
you’r e doing to him that’s causing you pain. Emotionally,
your ego is trying to contr ol him, which is why you’r e feeling
contr olled by your emotions.” I got it. I r eleased him in my
mind, and then I felt r eleased. 11. CL OSED HEAR TS
“No one can doubt the ego’s skill in building up
false cases.”
I once knew a man who came on very str ong at the
beginning of r elationships, but couldn’t seem to help closing
his heart as soon as a woman had opened hers. I have
heard that kind of behavior r eferred to as an “addiction to
the attraction phase” in r elationships. This man did not
maliciously go ar ound hurting women. He sincer ely wanted
to be in a genuine, committed r elationship. What he lack ed
were the spiritual skills that would enable him to settle
down in one place long enough to build anything solid with
an equal partner. As soon as he saw human faults andweaknesses in a woman, he would run. The nar cissistic
personality is looking for perfection, which is a way of
making sur e that love never has a chance to blossom. The
initial high can be so heady, so tantalizing, that the r eal
work of gr owth which needs to follow the initial attraction
phase can seem too dull, too har d to commit to. As soon as
the other person is seen to be a r eal human being, the ego
is repelled and wants to ﬁnd somewher e else to play. At the end of a r elationship with someone lik e this, we
feel as though we’ve tak en cocaine. W e had a fast and very
exciting ride, and it felt at the time lik e something
meaningful was happening. Then we crashed and r ealized
that nothing meaningful had happened at all. It was all
made up. Now all we have is a headache, and we can see
that this kind of thing isn’t good, isn’t healthy, and we don’t
want to do it again. But ther e’s a r eason why we’r e attracted to r elationships
such as this. W e wer e drawn to the illusion of meaning. Sometimes someone who has nothing to oﬀer in a r eal
relationship can come on lik e they’r e oﬀering the world. They ar e so dissociated fr om their own feelings that they
have become highly skilled perfor mers, unconsciously
playing whatever part our fantasies pr escribe. But the
responsibility for our pain still r emains our own. If we hadn’t
been looking for a cheap thrill, we wouldn’t have been
vulnerable to the lie. How could we have been so stupid? That’s


ough  the bod y, not away from it. Thi s is why
no tr ue master h as ever advocated fighting or leaving the body, although
their mind-based followers often have. Of the ancient teachings concerning the body, only certain fragments
survive, such as Jesus’ s statement that “your whole body will be filled
with ligh t,” or they survive as m yths, such as the belief that Jesus never
relinquished his  body but remained one with it and ascen ded into
“heaven” with it. Almost no one to this day has understood those
fragments or the hidden meanin g of certain myths, and the “you are not
your body” belief has prevailed universally, leading to body denial and
attempts to escape from the b ody. Countless seekers have thus been
prevented from attaining spi ritual realization for themsel ves and
becoming finders. Is it pos sible to r ecover the lost teachings on the significance of  the body
or to r econstruct them fr om the existing fragments. There is no need for that. All spiritual teachings originate from the same
Source. In that sense, there is and always has been only one master, who
manifests in many dif ferent form s. I am that master, and so are you, once
you are able to a ccess the Source within. And the way to it is thr ough the
inner body. Although all spiritual teachings originate from the same
Source, once they become v erbalized and written down they are
obviously no more than collections of words — and a word is nothing
but a signpost,  as we talked about earlier. All such teachings are
signposts pointing the way back to the Source. I h ave already s poken of the T ru th that is hidden within your body, but I
will sum marize for you again the lost teachings of the masters — so here
is an other signpost. Please ende avor to feel your inner body as you read
or listen. SERMON ON THE BODY
What you perceive as a dense physical structure called the body, which is
subject to disease, old age, and d eath, is not ultimately real — is not you. It is a m isperception of your e ssential reality that is beyond birth and
death, a nd is due to the limita tions of your mind, which, ha ving lost
touch w ith Bein g, creates the b ody as evidence of its illusory belief in
separation and to justify its stat e of fear. But do not turn away from the
body, for within that symbol of impermanence, limitation, and death that
you per ceive as the illusory creation of your mind is concealed the
splendor of your essential and immortal reality. Do not turn your
attention elsewhere in your search for the T ruth, for it is nowhere else to
be found but within your body. Do n ot fight ag ainst the body, for in doing so you are fighting against
your own reality. Y ou ar e  you r body. The body that you can see and
touch is  only a thin illusory ve il. Underneath it lies the invisi ble inner
body, the doorway into Being, into Life Unmanifested. Through the
inner body, you are inseparably connected to this unmanifested One Life
— b irthless, deathless, eternally  present. Through the inner body, you are
forever one with God. HA VE DEEP ROOTS WITHIN
The key  is to be  in a state of permanent connectedness with y our inner
body — to feel  it at all times. This will rapidly deepen and transform
your life. The more consciousness you direct into the inner body, the
higher i ts vibrational frequency  becomes, much like a light that grows
brighter as you turn up the dimmer switch and so increase the  flow of
electricity. At this higher ener gy level, negativity cannot af fect you
anymore, and you tend to attr act new circumstances that reflect this
higher frequency. If you keep your attention in the body as much as possible, you will be
anchored in the Now. Y ou won’ t lose yourself in the external w orld, and
you won’ t lose y ourself in your mind. Thoughts and emotions, fears and
desires, may still be there to some extent, but they won’ t take you over. Please examine where your attention is at this moment. Y ou are listening
to me, or you are reading these words in a book. That is the focus of your
attention. Y ou are also periphe rally aware of your surroundings, other
people, and so on. Furthermore, there may be some mind activity around
what you are hearing or reading, some mental commentary. Y et there is
no need for any of this to absorb all  your attention. See if you can be in
touch with your inner body at the same time. Keep some of your
attention within. Don’ t let it all flow out. Feel your whole bo dy from
within, a s a single field of ener g y. It is almost as if you were listening or
reading with your whole body. Let this be your practice in the days and
weeks to come. Do n ot g ive all your attention away to the mind and the external world. By all means focus on what you  are doing, but feel the inner body at the
same tim e whenever possible. Stay rooted within. Then observe how this
changes your state of consciou sness and the quality of what you are
doing. Whenever you are waiting, whe rever it may be, use that time to  feel the
inner body. In t his way, traf fic jams and lines become very e njoyable. Instead of mentally projecting yourself away from the Now, go more
deeply into the Now by going more deeply into the body. The art of inner -body awareness  will develop into a completely new way
of li ving, a state  of permanent c onnectedness with Being, and will add a
depth to your life that you have never known before. It is  easy to stay present as th e observer of your mind when  you are
deeply rooted within your body. No matter what happens on the outside,
nothing can shake you anymore. Unless you stay present — and inhabiting your body is al ways an
essential aspect of it — you wi ll continue to be run by your m ind. The
script in your head that you learned a long time ago, the conditioning of
your mind, will dictate your thinking and your behavior. Y ou may be free
of it  for brief intervals, but rarely for long. This is especially true when
something “goes  wrong” or ther e is some loss or upset. Y our co nditioned
reaction will then be involuntar y, automatic, and predictable, fueled by
the one basic emotion that underlies the mind-identified state of
consciousness: fear. So w hen such challenges come, as they always do, make it a habit to go
within at once a nd focus as muc h as you can on the inner ener gy field of
your bod y. This  need not take long, just a few seconds. But you need to
do it  the  momen t that the challe nge presents itself. Any delay w ill allow
a co nditioned mental-emotional reaction to arise and take y ou over. When you focus within and feel the inner body, you immediately become
still and  present as you are withdrawing consciousness from the mind. If
a r esponse is required in that situation, it will come up from th is deeper
level. Ju st as the sun is infinite ly brighter than a candle flame, there is
infinitely more intelligence in Being than in your mind. As long as you are in conscious contact with your inner body, you are
like a tree that is deeply rooted in the earth, or a building with a deep and
solid fo undation. The latter analogy is used by Jesus in the generally
misunderstood p arable of the two men who build a house. One man
builds it  on the sand, without a foundation, and when the sto rms and
floods come, the house is swept away. The other man digs deep  until he
reaches the rock, then builds his house, which is not swept awa y by the
floods. BEFORE YOU ENTER THE BODY, FORGIVEI f elt very uncomfortable when I tried to put my attention on the inner
body. Th er e wa s a feeling of agitation and some nausea. So I haven’ t
been able to experience what you ar e talking about. What you felt was a lingering emotion that you were probably  unaware
of, u ntil you star ted putting some attention into the body. Unless you first
give it some atte ntion, the emotion will prevent you from gaining access
to the inner body, which lies at a deeper level underneath it. Attention
does not mean that you start thinking  about it. It means to just observe
the emotion, to feel it fully, and so to acknowledge and accept i t as it is. Some emotions are easily identi fied: anger, fear, grief, and so on. Others
may be much harder to label. They may just be vague feelings o f unease,
heaviness, or constriction, halfw ay between an emotion and a physical
sensation. In any case, what matters is not


 to 100 mEq/day of this mineral. In the blood, norm al K+ levels
range from 3.8 to 5.5 mEq/liter (mmol/L). Vital to maintain ing electrical conduction within the cardiac and skeletal
muscles, K+ is affected by variations in the secretion of adrenal steroid
hormones and by fluctuations in pH, serum glucose levels, and serum
sodium levels. A reciprocal relationship exists between K+ and Na+; the
substantial intak e of one causes a corresponding decrease in the other. Although the body readily conserves sodium, potassium deficiency may
develop rapidly and is quite common, because there is no efficient method
for conserving potassium. The laboratory test for serum potassium is used to evaluate clinical signs
of either potassium excess (hyperkalemia)  or potassium depletion
(hypokalemia). It also monitors kidney function, acid-base balance, and
glucose metabo lism, and evaluates arrhythmias, neuromuscular disorders,
and endocrine disorders. Hyperkalemia is common in patients with
excessive cellular K+ entering the blood as in cases of burns, crushing
injuries, diabetic ketoacidosis, and myocardial infarction. It will also be
present where there is reduced sodium excretion from renal failure that
causes an abnor mal Na+-K+ exchange and in Addison’ s disease caused by
the absence of aldosterone, with consequent K+ buildup and Na+ depletion. Note: Although elevated serum potassium is uncommon in Gerson
Therapy patients, if it does occur, supplemental potassium should be
reduced or temporarily discontinued. Then the consulting Gerson-trained
physician should immediately be consulted. The signs and symptoms of hyperkalemia are weakness, malaise, nausea,
diarrhea, colicky pain, muscle irritability progressing to flaccid paralysis,
oliguria, and bradycardia. An electrocardiogram (EKG) reveals a prolonged
PR interval; wide QRS; tall, tented T wave; and ST depression. Indications
of hypokalemia are decreased reflexes; rapid, weak, irregular pulse; mentalconfusion; hypo tension; anorexia; muscle weakness; and paresthesia. The
EKG shows a flattened T wave, ST depression, and U wave elevation. In
severe cases of hypokalemia, ventricular fibrillation, respiratory paralysis,
and cardiac arrest could occur. THE SERUM  CHLORIDE  LABORA TORY TEST
The laboratory test for serum chloride, another quantitative analysis, is a
measurement of blood levels of the chloride ion (Cl-), the major
extracellular fluid anion. Interacting with Na+, Cl- helps maintain the
osmotic pressure, blood volume, arterial pressure, and acid-base balance. Chloride is absorbed from the intestines and is excreted prim arily by the
kidneys. By evaluating the body’ s fluid status, the serum chloride laboratory test
detects two types of fluid imbala nces, acid-base (acidosis and alkalosis) and
extracellular cation-anion. Normally serum chloride levels range from 100
to 108 mEq/liter (mmol/L). Maintaining a normal amount of chloride in the
blood reflects acid-base balance by its inverse relationship to bicarbonate. Excessive loss of gastric juices or other secretions containing chloride may
cause hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis or excessive chloride retention. Ingesting it may lead to hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. Elevated serum chloride levels (hyper chlor emia ) can come on from
severe dehydration, complete renal shutdown, head injury (which produces
neurogenic hyperventilation), and primary aldosteroism. Manifestations
consist of stupor, rapid and deep breathing, and weakness that leads to
coma. A situation of low chloride levels in the blood (hypochlor emia)  is
associated with reduced blood sodium and potassium levels coming from
prolonged vomiting, gastric suctioning, intestinal fistula, chronic renal
failure, or Addison’ s disease. Congestive heart failure, or edema resulting in
excess extracel lular fluid, can cause dilutional hypochlo remia. The
indications are hypertonicity of muscles, tetany, and depressed respirations. THE LACTIC  DEHYDROGENASE  (LDH) L ABORA TORY TESTThe laboratory test for lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) is a measurement of
five specific isoenzymes which catalyze the reversible conversion of
pyruvic acid present in all muscles of the body into lactic acid. Many
common diseases—myocardial infarction (MI), pulmonary infarction,
anemias, liver disease, kidney disease, erythrocytic damage, and others—
cause elevations  in total lactic dehydrogenase, and the LDH laboratory test
is useful for dif ferentiating between them. The five identified isoenzymes in lactic dehydrogenase are LDH1 and
LDH2 appeari ng in the heart, red blood cells, and kidneys; LDH3 in the
lungs; and LDH4 and LDH5 in the liver and the skeletal muscles. Testing
for these  enzymes is especially appropriate for the delayed measurement of
creatine phosphokinase (CPK) associated with MI and for monitoring
patient respons e to some forms of chemotherapy. Total LDH levels
normally range from 48 to 115 U/L. Normal distribution of the five
isoenzymes is as follows:

LDH1: 17.5% to 28.3% of total
LDH2: 30.4% to 36.4% of total
LDH3: 19.2% to 24.8% of total
LDH4: 9.6% to 15.6% of total
LDH5: 5.5% to 12.7% of total

Since a vast number of illnesses involve the enzymes of LDH, this
laboratory test for lactic dehydrogenase is broadly employed for
establishing diagnoses. THE ASPARTATE TRANSAMINASE /SERUM  GLUT AMIC -OXALOACETIC
TRANSAMINASE  (AST/SGOT) L ABORA TORY TEST
The laboratory blood examination for aspartate transaminase and serum
glutamic-oxaloacetic (AST/SGOT) is a measurement of specific amino acid
residues left behind by nitrogenous portions of the metabolized aminoacids. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is found in the cytoplasm and
mitochondria of many tissue cells, primarily in the liver, heart, skeletal
muscles, kidneys, pancreas, and red blood cells. AST is released  into blood serum in proportion to cellular damage, and
its detection (together with creatine phosphokinase and lactate
dehydrogenase) indicates myocardial infarction. The test also helps in the
diagnosis of acute liver diseas e. It monitors patient progress in healing. AST adult serum  levels range from 8 to 20 U/L. Normal values for infants
are four times higher. Maximum eleva tions of AST are associated with viral hepatitis, severe
skeletal muscle trauma, extensive surgery, drug-induced liver injury, and
passive liver congestion. Levels ranging from 10 to 20 times normal may
indicate severe MI, severe infectious mononucleosis, and alcoholic
cirrhosis. Moderate-to-high levels ranging from 5 to 10 times normal
indicate Duche nne muscular dystrophy, dermatomyositis, and chronic
hepatitis, along with prodromal and resolving stages of diseas es. Low-to-
moderate levels  of 2 to 5 times normal may show hemolytic anemia,
metastatic liver tumors, acute pancreatitis, pulmonary emboli, alcohol
withdrawal syndrome, fatty liver, and the first stages of biliary duct
obstruction. THE SERUM  BILIRUBIN  LABORA TORY TEST
The laboratory test for serum bilirubin, the main product of hemoglobin
catabolism, is a measurement of bile pigment which indicates the state of
health of the liver and gallbladder. After being formed in the retic-
uloendothelial cells, bilirubin is bound to albumin and then transported to
the liver, where it’s conjugate d with glucuronic acid to form bilirubin
glucuronide and bilirubin diglucuronide. These two compounds are then
excreted in bile. Measurement of indirect or prehepatic (unconjugated)
bilirubin helps to evaluate hepatobiliary and erythropoietic functions. The serum bilirubin laboratory test showing elevated levels often
indicates liver damage in which the parenchymal cells can no longer
conjugate bilirubin with glucuronide. Then indirect bilirubin reenters the
bloodstream. Also, an elevated reading alerts the health professional to the
possibility of severe hemolytic  anemia. This test aids in the differentialdiagnosis of jaundice, biliary obstruction, and dangerous levels of
unconjugated bilirubin. Normally in an adult, indirect serum bilirubin measures 11 mg/d L or less;
direct serum bilirubin of less than 0.5 mg/dL). Neonates have total serum
bilirubin ranging from 1 to 12 mg/d


 use anything—from your past or your present—to
convince you that the world is a dangerous place and that everyone,
including you, just isn’ t good enough. Thinking such things, we shrivel. We become defensive rather than
openhearted, critical rather than forgiving, always seeing a reason to blame
rather than bless, inventing sometimes the cleverest ways to cast others
from our heart. The anxiety and depression that result from all this don’t mean that
something is wrong with you. This is soul pain. Soul pain is a functional
response to living a life so deeply at odds with who we are and why we
were born. Just as the brain registers pain if the body is wounded, the
psyche registers pain when the soul is wounded. And just as you can’t treatbodily pain by simply numbing  it, you can’t treat psychic pain by simply
numbing it either. For far too many, the human condition is a mental nightmare. And like
any nightmare, it feels very real while we’re in it. Yet the only way to
escape is to awaken. The enlightened masters of the world are called the
Awakened Ones  for that reason: they’ve awakened from the illusions that
dominate the world. The purpose of our lives is to heal from the wounds of living  in this
world, and to help heal others as well. Jesus is in your mind to remind you
who you are, to remind you you’re more than good enough, to remind you
he is with you, and to remind you that miracles are your natural inheritance. You are no better and no worse than anyone else. All the children of
God are special, and none of the children of God is special* (T-12; T-313). You are as God created you. Remembering this is liberation from all
manner of psychic pain. Your mistakes have no power to uncreate what God created. The ego is
both that which sets us up to do the wrong thing and that which  punishes us
savagely for having done so. God is not that which sends us to hell, but that
which delivers us from it. He desires to correct our mistakes, not punish us
for them. The Atonement is an expression of God’ s infinite mercy, a way to
realign with our innocence no matter how far we have strayed from it. Another way to live means another way to be. Another way to be means
another way to think. Another way to think becomes a different way to act. And a dif ferent way of acting then creates a dif ferent life. One of my favorite quotes is said to be from author Geor ge Eliot: “It is
never too late to be what you might have been.” I rememb er how that
sentence struck me when I first saw it, and it still feels so true to me every
time I read it. We can give birth to a better version of ourselves. We are heale d of the
wounds that belong to a self with which we no longer identify. Again, is this denial? Yes. It is positive  denial. It is denying the effects
of a lie and af firming the power of a no longer deniable truth. Who you are is an unalterable, eternal creation of God. Your true self is
an undeletable file. The fact that it’s unchosen doesn’ t mean it’s been
deleted from the computer. Something in you does know how to live life succe ssfully; you’re
programmed by God to do so. But the problem is that your inner computergot hack ed. Learned powerlessness is a common ploy of the ego mind,
convincing you you’re fundam entally broken in order to ensure that you
always will be. The voice that tells you that you cannot change is not the
voice of love. Allow the voice of Jesus to drown it out. As with everything else, practice does make perfect. There’ s no more important effort in life than becoming who we are
capable of being. Yet the ego loves to ingratiate itself into the process. It
gives us endless excuses for bad behavior while we’re “working on
ourselves.” Yes, we need to own our shadow, but we also need to own our
light. In the separation lies your weakness, and in your oneness with God
lies your strength. Jesus is a way of remembering that such strength is there. Spirit is the loving use of your mind; salvation therefo re is a
psychological process. The fundamental shift is from a constant and almost
pathological obsession with analyzing the darkness, to a creative and
proactive determination to receive, to own, and to embody the light. Remembering Jesus, you remember who you’re capable of being. I remem ber years ago a woman at one of my lectures asking me what to
do to get past a pattern she had of acting like a scolding mother  toward her
husband. The audience looked eagerly in my direction to see whether I had
some insight that might help her unravel this dysfunctional  behavioral
pattern. My response was based on years of experience with myself and others. “Yes, I do,” I said slowly. “Don’ t do it anymore.”
She got it. I saw it from the look on her face. And the room did too. There’ s more power in practi cing being who we want to be than in
constantly analyzing why we’re  not already. The ego simply doesn’ t want
us to realize we can choose another way. There’ s no more powerful praye r than this: “Dear God, I know I act this
way, but I am willing not to. I am willing to change. Please show me how. Amen.”
It doesn ’t mean that from this day forward we’re going to be all better,
problem handled, personality changed. But it does mean we’re on our way;
we’ve begun the process of fundamental change. Facing our defects is one of the ways we address our wounds, not by
blaming others but by holding ourselves accountable. And as we do, the
universe supports us. In the places where we got it wrong before, we’re
even better once we learn to do things right. For we have becom e humbler.We’ve been taken down a notch, perhaps, but sometimes that isn’t bad news
—it’s good news. Years ago, I knew a woman who was quite a character, fun and relatable
but also grandiose and boisterou s and over the top. She was entertaining for
sure, but most people would have put her in the category of a bit too much. A couple of years after I met her, I was watching a popular new comedy
show on televis ion. It featured a character who must have been based on
her. Same town, same professio n, same mannerisms. Hilarious, yes, but at
the same time I thought to myself how humiliating this would have to be for
her. Literally millions of people were now laughing at her as much as with
her. When I saw her again about a year later, she had clearly change d. There
was a calm and a humility and even an elegance to her that I would never
have expected. I didn’ t want to embarrass her by bringing up the show, but I
did say something about how she seemed quite dif ferent. She looked to me as if to say, Okay, we can cut the bullshit, Marianne. She simply said, “How could I not have? It was that, or I would have died.”
Good for her. She went through  a fire and came out more beau tiful on
the other side. She learned through pain, but she learned. OceanofPDF.comMore Powerful than All the Powers of the World
There really is no world outside us, since everything we see is a projection
of our thoughts. Since all minds are joined, as I heal my own life I am
contributing to the healing of the world. I can’t pretend to be part of a global evolutionary change if I’m
unwilling to try to change myself. Everything we do is imprinted with the
consciousness with which we do it; therefore our thoughts as well as our
actions influence the world around us. Pregnancy, whether of a person or of
a new civilizatio n, begins with an internal conception, gestates within, and
is then brought forth into the world. The Second Coming is both an individual and collective experience of
remembrance, or rebirth. As our relationship to God becomes more real, as
we deep en our practice and take spiritual principles more seriously, we
begin to attract those whose desires to heal the world are similar to ours. They may or may not share a conscious spiritual perspective, but they are
distinguished by their willingness to dedicate their lives to making the
world a better place. It’s a law of nature that we attract into our experience that which
resonates with our consciousne ss. The more we uplift our thoughts above
the narrow confines of the ego mind, the more we will attract into our
experience those  whose thoughts are similarly uplifted. And there is a plan
to that. The Atonement works  not just on the individual level but also
collectively. There is not only an individual curriculum for all of us, but
also a plan for the salvation of the world that includes the matrix of our
relationships. The more you progress spiritually, the more you’re joined on
your path by “mighty companions”* (MT-11) who, like you, are about their
Father ’s busines s. That language may or


! • The three steps to success in prayer
The usual procedure is as follows:
1. Take a look at the problem. 2. Turn to the solution or way out known only to the subconscious
mind. 3. Rest in a sense of deep conviction that it is done. Do not weaken your prayer by saying, “I wish I might be healed.”  “I
hope so.” Your feeling about the work to be done is “the boss.”
Harmony is yours. Know that health is yours. Be-come intelligent  by
becoming a vehicle for the infinite healing power of the s ubconscious
mind. Pass on the idea of health Jo your subconscious mind to the
point of conviction; then relax. Get yourself off your hands. Say to t he
condition and circum-stance, “This, too, shall pass.” Through
relaxation you impress your subconscious mind enabling the ki netic
energy behind the idea to take over and bring it into concrete
realization. 97  • The law of reversed effort and why you get the opposite o f what
you pray for
Coué, the famous psychologist from France who visited America
about forty years ago, defined the law of reversed effort as follows:
“When your desires and imagination are in conflict your imaginat ion
invariably gains the day.”
If, for example, you were asked to walk a plank on the floor, you
would do so without question. Now suppose the same plank were
placed twenty feet up in the air between two walls, would you walk it? Your desire to walk it would be counter-acted by your imaginati on or
fear of falling. Your dominant idea, which would be the picture  of
falling, would conquer. Your desire, will, or effort to walk on the
plank would be reversed, and the dominant idea of failure would be
reinforced. Mental effort is invariably self-defeated, eventuating alw ays in the
opposite of what is desired. The suggestions of powerless-ness to
overcome the condition dominate the mind; your sub-conscious is
always controlled by the dominant idea. Your subconscious will
accept the stronger of two contradictory propositions. The e ffortless
way is the better. If you say, “I want a healing, but I can’t get it;” “I try s o hard;” “I
force myself to pray;” “I use all the will power I have,” you must
realize that your error lies in your effort. Never try to compel the
subconscious mind to accept your idea by exercising will power. Such
attempts are doomed to failure, and you get the opposite of what  you
prayed for. The following is a rather common experience. Students, when
taking examinations and reading through their papers, find that all
their knowledge has suddenly deserted them. Their minds become
appalling blanks, and they are unable to recall one relevant thought. The more they grit their teeth and sum-mon the powers of the wi ll, the
further the answers seem to flee. But, when they have left the
 98  examination room and the mental pressure relaxes, the answers the y
were seeking flow tantalizingly back into their minds. Trying to force themselves to remember was the cause of  their
failure. This is an example of the law of reversed effort wher eby you
get the opposite of what you asked or prayed for. • The conflict of desire and imagination must be reconciled
To use mental force is to presuppose that there is opposi-t ion. When
your mind is concentrated on the means to overcome a problem, it is
no longer concerned with the obstacle. MATT. 18:19 says, If two of
you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Who are these
two? It means the harmonious union or agreement between your
conscious and subconscious on any idea, desire, or mental imag e.
When there is no longer any quarrel in either part of your m ind, your
prayer will be answered. The two agreeing may also be rep resented as
you and your de-sire, your thought and feeling, your idea and emotion,
your desire and imagination. You avoid all conflict between your desires and imagina-tion by
entering into a drowsy, sleepy state which brings all effort to a
minimum. The conscious mind is submerged to a great extent when in a sl eepy
state. The best time to impregnate your subconscious is prior to sle ep. The
reason for this is that the highest degree of outcropping of th e
subconscious occurs prior to sleep and just after we awaken. I n this
state the nega-tive thoughts and imagery, which tend to neutrali ze
your desire and so prevent acceptance by your subconscious mi nd no
longer present themselves. When you imagine the reality of th e ful-
filled desire and feel the thrill of accomplishment, your subcon -scious
brings about the realization of your desire. 99  A great many people solve all their dilemmas and prob-l ems by the
play of their controlled, directed, and disciplined imagination,
knowing that whatever they imagine and feel as true will and must
come to pass. The following will clearly illustrate how a young girl over-c ame the
conflict between her desire and her imagination. She desired a
harmonious solution to her legal problem, yet her mental imager y was
constantly on failure, loss, bankruptcy, and poverty. It was a
complicated lawsuit and there was one post-ponement after anoth er
with no solution in sight. At my suggestion, she got into a sleepy, drowsy state each night
prior to sleep, and she began to imagine the happy ending, feel ing it to
the best of her ability. She knew that the image in her mind had to
agree with her heart’s desire. Prior to sleep she began to dra matize as
vividly as possible her lawyer having an animated discussion with her
regarding the outcome. She would ask him questions, and he would
answer her appropriately. He would say to her over and over agai n,
“There has been a per-fect, harmonious solution. The case has bee n
settled out of court.” During the day when fear thoughts came into  her
mind, she would run her mental movie with gestures, voice, and sound
equipment. She could easily imagine the sound of his voice, smile,
and mannerism. She ran this mental picture so often; it became  a
subjective pattern, a regular train track. At the end of a  few weeks her
attorney called her and confirmed objec-tively what she had been
imagining and feeling as true sub-jectively. This is really what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, Let the words
of my mouth [your thoughts, mental images, good] and the meditations
of my heart [your feeling, nature, emotion] be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord [the law of your subconscious mind], my strength, and my
redeemer [the power and wisdom of your subconscious mind can
redeem you from sickness, bond-age, and misery]. PSALM 19:14. 100  • Ideas worth recalling
1. Mental coercion or too much effort shows anxiety and fear, which
block your answer. Easy does it. 2. When your mind is relaxed and you accept an idea, your
subconscious goes to work to execute the idea. 3. Think and plan independently of traditional methods. Know that
there is always an answer and a solution to every prob-lem. 4. Do not be overly concerned with the beating of your heart, wi th
the breathing of your lungs, or the functions of any part of your
anatomy. Lean heavily upon your subconscious and proclaim
frequently that Divine right action is taking place. 5. The feeling of health produces health; the feeling of wealth
produces wealth. How do you feel? 6. Imagination is your most powerful faculty. Imagine what is
lovely and of good report. You are what you imagine yourself to be. 7. You avoid conflict between your conscious and subconscious in
the sleepy state. Imagine the fulfillment of your desire over and over
again prior to sleep. Sleep in peace and wake in joy. 101  9
How to Use the Power of Your
Subconscious for Wealth
If you are having financial difficulties, if you are trying to make
ends meet, it means you have not convinced your subcon-scious mind
that you will always have plenty and some to spare. You know me n
and women who work a few hours a week and make fabulous sums of
money. They do not strive or slave hard. Do not believe the story t hat
the only way you can become wealthy is by the sweat of your brow
and hard labor. It is not so; the effortless way of life is the best. Do the
thing you love to do, and do it for the joy and thrill of it. I know an executive in Los Angeles who receives a salary of
$75,000 yearly. Last year he went on a nine-month cruise seeing th e
world and its beauty spots. He said to me that he had succeeded i n
convincing his subconscious mind that he is worth that much money. He told me that many men in his organiza-tion getting about one
hundred dollars a week knew more about the business than he did, and
could manage it better, but they had no ambition, no creative ide as,