 contains fruit
sugars and mucilage. Medicinal Actions & Uses  In the West
Indies, the young shoots are used with peppermint
(Mentha x piperita, p. 114) to relieve colds and
chills. In Cuban medicine, the leaves are taken to
reduce uric acid levels. The leaves, bark, and unripe
fruit are all strongly astringent and are used to
treat diarrhea and dysentery. The crushed seeds
are mixed with an inert powder and employed as
an insecticide. Research  Custard apple has been shown to
have antiprotozoal and anthelmintic (worm-
repelling) activity.was traditionally employed for supposedly
hysterical conditions relating to the uterus. Cautions  The whole plant can cause blistering
if applied fresh to the skin. Do not take during
pregnancy or if breastfeeding. anthriscus cerefolium (Apiaceae)
Chervil
Description  Annual herb growing to 2 ft
(60 cm). Has finely grooved stems, opposite leaves,
and many small white flowers arranged in
compound umbels. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to Europe,
Asia Minor, Iran, and the Caucasus, chervil grows
freely in open areas. It is cultivated throughout
the world. The herb is gathered when in flower
in summer. Parts Used  Aerial parts. Constituents  Chervil contains a volatile oil,
coumarins, and flavonoids. Chervil is an aromatic herb
that plays a role in healing
as well as in cooking. anthemis cotula (Lamiaceae)
Mayweed,
Stinking Mayweed
Description  Annual or perennial resembling
German chamomile ( Chamomilla recutita, p. 77). Has slightly hairy stems and large solitary daisy-type
flowers. As the name stinking mayweed suggests,
this plant has an unpleasant smell and taste. Habitat & Cultivation  This herb commonly
grows wild in Europe, the Americas, Australia,
New Zealand, and Siberia. The flowers and leaves
are gathered in summer. Parts Used  Flowers, leaves. Constituents  Mayweed contains sesquiterpene
lactones (including anthecotulide). History & Folklore  In his Irish Herbal  of
1735, the herbalist K’Eogh states that mayweed
is “good for women with the falling down of the
womb, if they but wash their feet with a
decoction of it.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Although it looks
similar to German chamomile, mayweed is far less
effective as a medicine. It has been used as an
antispasmodic and to induce menstruation, and
US_158-179_Abies_balsa_Boswe_serratta.indd   169 26/02/16   12:47 pm
170
other medicinal Plantsaphanes arvensis
History & Folklore  A basket of chervil seeds
was one of the items found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. The herb is traditionally used as a “spring tonic” in central Europe. Chervil is aromatic and is used extensively in cooking. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Chervil is a good
remedy for settling the digestion. It is also used to “purify the blood” and to help lower blood pressure, as well as being considered a diuretic. Juice from the fresh plant is applied to various skin conditions, including wounds, eczema, and abscesses. aphanes arvensis (Rosaceae)
Parsley Piert
Description  Prostrate, hairy annual growing to
4 in (10 cm). Has small wedge-shaped leaves and tiny green flowers in tufts. Habitat & Cultivation  Parsley piert is native
to Europe, North Africa, and North America. It grows to an altitude of 1,600 ft (500 m), thriving  in dry sites, including the top of walls. The herb is harvested when in flower in summer. Parts Used  Aerial parts. Constituents  Parsley piert contains tannins. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Astringent,
diuretic, and demulcent, parsley piert is used to treat kidney and bladder problems, especially kidney stones. It is also frequently used in the treatment  of bladder stones (gravel), which cause pain and irritation and obstruct urine flow. Best taken in an infusion, the herb is also a useful remedy for cystitis and recurrent urinary infections.encourages sweating, is stimulant, and detoxifying. It is taken for rheumatism, asthma, and coughs. Applied externally as a poultice, the herb is used  to treat a number of different skin conditions, including eczema. Related Species  Wild sarsaparilla (A. nudicaulis)
is a North American relative used medicinally  in much the same way as American spikenard. The leaves and stalks of two East Asian Aralia,  A. chinensis and A. cordata, are eaten as vegetables. Cautions  Do not take during pregnancy. arbutus unedo (Ericaceae)
Strawberry Tree
Description  Evergreen shrub growing to 20 ft
(6 m). Has an upright stem with reddish bark, leathery serrated leaves, white or pink bell-shaped flowers, and round warty red fruit resembling strawberries. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to
Mediterranean coasts, strawberry tree also grows
in western Ireland, Australia, and Africa. The leaves are gathered in late summer and the fruit in autumn. Parts Used  Leaves, fruit. Constituents  Strawberry tree contains up
to 2.7% arbutin, methylarbutin, and other hydroquinones, a bitter principle, and tannins. Arbutin is powerfully antiseptic in the urinary system. History & Folklore  The fruit of strawberry
tree is used in preserves, but it is not palatable fresh. The Latin unedo comes from un ede, meaning “[only] one I eat.”Medicinal Actions & Uses  Strawberry tree
is valued as an astringent and antiseptic herb. Its antiseptic action within the urinary tract makes it  a useful remedy for treating cystitis and urethritis. Strawberry tree’s astringent effect has been put to use in the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. Cautions Do not take during pregnancy or if
suffering from kidney disease. arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Ericaceae)
Uva-ursi,
Bearberry
Description  Low-lying evergreen shrub growing
to 20 in (50 cm). Has long trailing stems, dark green leaves that are glossy on the upper side, bell-shaped pink flowers, and small glossy red berries. Habitat & Cultivation  Uva-ursi is native to
Europe, and naturalized throughout the northern hemisphere up to the Arctic. It grows in damp conditions in undergrowth, heathland, and grassland. The leaves are gathered in autumn. Parts Used Leaves, berries. Constituents The leaves of uva-ursi contain
hydroquinones (mainly arbutin, up to 17%), tannins (up to 15%), phenolic glycosides, and flavonoids. Arbutin and other hydroquinones have an antiseptic effect in the urinary tract. History & Folklore  The name uva-ursi means
“bear’s grape” in Latin. Bears are fond of the fruit. The plant is first documented in The Physicians of Myddfai, a 13th-century Welsh herbal text. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Uva-ursi is one of
the best natural urinary antiseptics. It has been used extensively in herbal medicine to disinfect and astringe the urinary tract in cases of acute and chronic cystitis and urethritis. However, it is not a suitable remedy if there is a simultaneous infection of the kidneys. Research  Experiments have shown that uva-ursi
extracts have an antibacterial effect. This action is thought to be stronger in alkaline urine—thus the efficacy of uva-ursi is likely to increase if it is taken in combination with a vegetable-based diet. Cautions  Do not take during pregnancy or with
kidney disease. Unsuitable for children under 12. It is generally advisable to take uva-ursi for no more than 7–10 days at a time. Strawberry tree’s leaves
and fruit are astringent and antiseptic. aralia racemosa (Araliaceae)
American Spikenard
Description  Aromatic perennial bush growing
to 61⁄2 ft (2 m). Has thick fleshy roots, large
leathery leaves, small greenish-white flowers, and
red or purple berries. Habitat & Cultivation  American spikenard
is native to North America. The root is unearthed in summer or autumn. Part Used  Root. Constituents  American spikenard contains a
volatile oil, tannins, and diterpene acids. History & Folklore  The Cherokee made a
tea for backache from American spikenard, and  the cure was later adopted by New World settlers. The Shawnee used it for flatulence, coughs, asthma, and breast pain; the Menominee as a cure for blood poisoning. The plant was included in the  US National Formulary from 1916 to 1965. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Many of
American spikenard’s current uses come directly from Native American


 with demulcents such as
psyllium seeds ( Plantago  spp., p. 123) or marshmallow
root ( Althaea officinalis, p. 165). Add 1 tsp, plus a pinch
of peppermint ( Mentha  x piperita, p. 114) or other
mint ( Mentha  spp., pp. 234–235), per 1 cup
(225 ml) of decoction. QCautions  Do not take for more than 3 days at
a time and do not take again for 3 days. If there is
no improvement, seek professional advice. Do not
take sage in pregnancy. Do not give mint to children
under 5. Chronic Diarrhea &
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Herb Psyllium ( Plantago  spp., p. 123)
Remedy T ake 1 heaping tsp of seeds and husks
with at least 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water, 2–3 times
daily, or mix with food and then drink at least 3/4
cup (150 ml) of water. Seeds may be soaked in
cool water overnight before taking. Remedy Make an infusion using 1 heaping tsp
of fennel or anise seeds, or galbanum herb,
to 3 cups (750 ml) of water. Drink during
the day. Indigestion, Abdominal Pain,
Bloating, & Hiccups
Herb German chamomile ( Chamomilla recutita,
p. 77)
Remedy Make an infusion in a covered
container. Drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. Acidity with Gastritis
Herb Meadowsweet ( Filipendula ulmaria, p. 98)
Remedy Make an infusion with the flowering
tops. Drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. Before taking any herbal remedies, see pages 290 & 298–299
US_300-307_Allergies.indd   307 26/02/16   4:43 pm
308
herbal remedies for home useNerve & Stress-Related Problems
Most of us have little opportunity to escape from daily
pressures, and consequently the nervous system is unable to recover its natural vitality. Long-term stress can lead to anxiety, nervousness, depression, insomnia, palpitations, and irritability. Herbal medicines can be wonderfully effective for nourishing the nervous system, calming and relaxing the mind, and gently stimulating or sedating the body. Headaches and migraine
respond well to treatment with herbs, as can conditions directly affecting the nerves, such as neuralgia. Anxiety, Depression, & T ension
Neuralgia (Nerve Pain)Valerian
(Valeriana officinalis)
Many people have experienced lack of well-being
and feelings of powerlessness that develop as stress, anxiety, and tension take hold. There
is no instant answer, but a remarkable number
of herbs can reduce these symptoms, and, by supporting the nervous system, gradually
restore health. Lemon balm, skullcap, and damiana are
all calming herbs that ease physical tension and help maintain a balanced mental and emotional state. Lemon balm alleviates stress-related digestive problems, skullcap combats panic attacks, and damiana acts as a gentle “pick-me-up.”Valerian has tranquilizing qualities.Ginseng and Siberian ginseng are  excellent for coping with stressful events  such as competitive sports, examinations, or moving a household.Ashwagandha is a supportive tonic herb, strengthening and encouraging recovery  from long-term stress or chronic illness. Lifestyle
When emotionally stressed, it is important  to eat well, exercise regularly, and allow time  for relaxation. Y oga and T ai Chi can be particularly helpful. Neuralgia is the pain caused by an irritated,
damaged, or trapped nerve. It usually occurs  in brief, severe bouts and can be felt shooting along the nerve. Although it is difficult to treat, the following remedies may bring relief to minor problems. St. John’s wort is analgesic and antiviral, helping to relieve sciatica (pain caused by a trapped spinal nerve) and head pain. Cloves  have an anesthetic effect, and peppermint  eases pain. Try also the St. John’s wort oil rub (see Back Pain, p. 313). QGeneral caution Seek professional advice if there is
fever, or swelling of the gums with toothache.General Remedies
Herbs Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, p. 113),
damiana (Turnera diffusa, p. 144), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora, p. 135)Remedy Make an infusion using one of the herbs. Drink up to 21/3 cups (600 ml) a day. Herb St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum,
p. 106)Remedy T ake tablets or make an infusion and drink up to 21/3 cups (600 ml) a day. Note This remedy may take 2–3 weeks before there is a
noticeable effect. Digestive Problems due to Stress
Herb Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, p. 113)
Remedy Make an infusion with a handful of fresh leaves and 3/4 cup (150 ml) water, or make an infusion with the dried herb. Drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day, or add the daily dose to a bath. NoTe  This remedy also calms palpitations and
encourages sleep. Panic Attacks & Headaches
Herb Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora, p. 135)Remedy Make an infusion and drink up to 3 cups  (750 ml) a day.Chronic Anxiety & Hyperactivity
Herb Valerian (Valeriana officinalis, p. 148)Remedy T ake 10 drops of tincture in water every hour for up to 2 weeks at a time. Nervous Exhaustion,
Muscle Tension, & Headaches
Herb Codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula, p. 83)
Remedy Make a decoction and drink in equal doses during the day, or cook up to 25 g of  the root a day in a soup or stew. Short-term Stress
Herbs Ginseng (Panax ginseng, p. 118), Siberian
ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus, p. 94). Remedy Either take ginseng tablets, chew 0.5–1 g of root a day, or use it in cooking. Alternatively take 1–2 g of Siberian ginseng capsules up to twice day. Cautions Do not take for more than 6 weeks at a
time. Do not give to children under 12. Do not take during pregnancy. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine. Long-term Stress & Convalescence
Herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera, p. 152)
Remedy Make a decoction using 3 g of root to
3/4 cup (150 ml) of water and take during the
day, or chew the same amount of root. General Remedies
Herbs St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum,
p. 106), lavender (Lavandula officinalis, p. 108),  clove (Eugenia caryophyllata, p. 97)Remedy Apply neat St. John’s wort infused oil  to painful areas, or add 20 drops each of clove  and lavender essential oil to 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp  (50 ml) of St. John’s wort infused oil and then
apply every 2–3 hours as required. Herb Peppermint (Mentha x piperita, p. 114)
Remedy Make an infusion with 25 g of herb to 3 cups (750 ml) of water and bathe the affected area. Alternatively, dilute 20 drops of essential oil in  2 tbsp plus 2 tsp (50 ml) of carrier oil and gently massage into the painful area. Caution Do not use on children under 5. Head Pain
Herb Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata, p. 97)
Remedy Mix 1⁄2 tsp of powder with water to
make a thick paste and apply to the head. Toothache
Herb Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata, p. 97)
Remedy Chew a clove or rub 1 –2 drops of neat essential oil onto the affected tooth 2–3 times a day for up to 3 days. QSeek immediate professional
advice for:
■ Severe nerve, chest, or head pain
■ Headache or pain that does not improve
within 48 hours despite self-medication
■ Loss of sensation or loss of movement
■ Double vision
■ Severe depression
US_308-309_Nerve_and_Stress_Related_Problems.indd   308 26/02/16   4:43 pm309 herbal remedies for home useHeadaches & Migraine
InsomniaHeadaches and migraine can be very debilitating,
especially when they occur frequently. Headaches  are caused by many factors, such
as toothache, neck tension, eyestrain, and
hangovers. It is important to diagnose and treat
the underlying cause, which could mean visiting
a dentist, optician, or osteopath in the first
instance.


. Physical hunger, on the other hand, doesn’ t need to be stuf fed. Y ou feel
satisfied when your stomach is full. 5. Emotional hunger isn’ t located in the stomach. Rather than a growling
belly or a pang in your stomach, you feel your hunger as a craving you
can’ t get out of your head. Y ou’re focused on specific textures,  tastes,
and smells. One of the insi dious things about any negative cycle is tha t it is self-
promoting. Emotional eating lea ds to more emotional eating. How can we
break this cycle? I am a firm believer in the idea that how we do one thing
is how we do everything. The  way we eat is inseparable from our core
beliefs a bout ou rselves, about the world, and about life in general. As we
bring more fulfillment and more balance into our lives, food does not take
center st age, it simply becomes a necessary and enjoyable way  to nourish
ourselves. The goal is to lessen the ef fect emotions have on our eating habits. But first
we must understand the extent of this ef fect. I’m going to share some tools
that have proven to work in my clinical practice. Some of them  are simpleand easy, while others require a longer process. Begin with what  you can do
today an d build upon that one t iny step at a time. Every plan th at you turn
into acti on strengthens you and magnifies your self-reliance. Do not come
from a place of despair or hope lessness; come from a position of strength. Build on  your strengths. What else in your life have you over come? Y ou
can overcome this issue as well, and here are some tips to assist you with
that:
1. B E C O M E  M O R E  A W A R E
This is always on the top of my list of resolving any challenge. If I can
impart one thing to a client, it is this. W ithout this tool, we wil l always be
hopping from one solution to the next, as they will all p rove to be
temporary. W e can’ t become aw are just because we want to. As discussed
in the next section, awareness is borne out of a level, or a field, of
Consciousness. Higher levels of Consciousness give rise to deeper
awareness and insights. If we exist at a lower level of Consciousness, we
may be aware of what is on that particular level, but not necessarily what’ s
really go ing on at the deep sub conscious levels of our being. Please note
that your level of Consciousness is not a measure of how wonderful a
person you are; it simply relate s to the level of insight that yo u may have
about your life and the world, thus af fecting the quality of your l ife in a way
that is not conv entionally consi dered. (A conventional quality of life may
mean yo u are focused on material things and your status; your level of
Consciousness is about the quality of your thinking and the depth of your
understanding.) Meditation is an ideal way to m ake conscious what is in the subconscious,
and we’ ll talk more about that la ter. Moreover, it is a much-need ed antidote
to stress  and anxiety, side ef fe cts of our modern lives. This is how we
connect with our true nature or true Self. A meditation practice strengthens
our connection with that part of ourselves that is beyond our body and
mind, raising our level of awar eness. Changes stick if they are internally
driven rather than externally imposed. That’ s why developing awareness
will have a much bigger impact on your life than your willpower.Another simple way to raise your awareness is to journal what you are
eating and how you are feeling. Let’ s call it a food and mood journal. Every
time you overeat or feel compelled to reach for that ice cream or cookie,
take a moment to figure out w hat triggered the ur ge to do that. If you
backtrack, you’ll usually find an unsettling event that kicked of f the
emotional eating  cycle. W rite th is all down in your food and m ood journal:
what hap pened t o upset you, how you felt before you ate, what  you ate (or
wanted to eat), what you felt  as you were eating, and how you felt
afterward. If there is a patte rn here, you’ll see it emer ge over time,. Maybe  you always
end up gor ging yourself after spending time with a friend who is very
critical. Or perhaps you stress ea t after a phone call from a certa in someone,
or at family gatherings. This type of work will reveal the connection of your
emotions to your eating habits. 2. T U N E  I N T O  Y O U R  C H I L D H O O D  B E L I E F S
W ere you always asked to finish all the food on your plate? W as food in
abundance or barely enough? W ere you rewarded for good behavior with
ice-cream or pizza? W ere you sent to bed hungry as a punishment? Or given
cookies when you were feeling sad? Perhaps some of your eating is driven
by nostalgia, i.e. eating certain foods makes you feel connected to your tribe
and to your past. T o what extent  are these beliefs shaping your beliefs about
food tod ay? Are these beliefs still in alignment with who you ar e now? Are
they serving you? If not, it is wise to cut the cord with them. (V isualize a
cord between you and the belief and, using imaginary scissors, cut that
cord). Rememb er, you are cutting the cord connecting you with those
beliefs, not the p eople who “gave” them to you. What new beliefs can you
put in place to build a new foundation for yourself? Our beliefs and habits need periodic r eview and r enewal. Just as we
change our wardr obe or the color of paint in our homes, so  should we
upgrade our beliefs every no w and then, too. Certain b eliefs need
changing to continuously align with our higher purpose and values.Another point that is worth making is that regardless of how we were
raised, ultimatel y our life is our own responsibility. Our car egivers and
parents do what they know to do. The point of visiting our chi ldhood is to
gain insight into the belief patterns that may be at play in our adult life, it is
not to blame all of our challenges on our upbringing, as the ultimate
responsibility rests with each one of us. Holding on to be liefs that no lon ger serve us can make us sick on all levels. The dise ase manifestation is a process that started a long time ago in our
subconscious mind and eventually expressed itself in our body as a full-
blown p hysical symptom. W e don’ t see the disease in the making and we
mistakenly believe it to be only physical; we thus limit treatment to just the
physical aspect of who we are. Modern medicine does that quite well,
hopping from symptom to sym ptom, bandaging them all up but rarely
getting to the root cause. I have yet to meet a client who se physical
symptoms did not have a big ps ychological component. The disease is the
unresolved story  or conflict that  resulted from holding on to old beliefs that
you know are no longer true but can’ t seem to release. Masking the
symptoms confu ses our physiology and mentally debilitates us in very
subtle, yet powerful, ways. W e can’ t af ford to not pay attention to that! 3. D E V E L O P  Y O U R  E M O T I O N A L
I N T E L L I G E N C E
That’ s a big phrase! However, it just means that we are willing to look at
our emo tions to gain more insig ht into who we are and what w e need. Our
feelings are a w indow into our inner world. They help us und erstand and
discover our deepest desires and  fears, our frustrations, and the things that
will make us ha ppy. Is food fill ing in for what’ s otherwise lacking in your
life? How else can you fulfill your emotions other than through food? Feeling painful emotions isn’ t fun. Y ou may fear being overwhelmed by
them and not know how to find your way back through them. But having
them control your life is far worse. And the truth is that whe n we don’ t
obsess o ver or suppress our em otions, even the most painful and dif ficult
ones sub side relatively quickly and lose their power to control our attention. Learning to surrender to our emotions is a skill that we can easily master bypractice. Here is a meditation on allowing. Read it to understand it and then
give it a try. Meditation on Allowing
Find a comforta ble place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and get settled
in y our body. P ay attention to your breath and let it become slow and
relaxed. What’ s most painful in your life right now? Invite that in, recalling
the d etails of th e situation. Allow yourself to feel all the emotions that are
associated with it


 James Al len wrote one hundred years ago:
“Tempest -tossed souls, wherever you may be, under whatsoever conditions you may
live, know this —in the ocean of life the isles of blessedness are smiling and the sunny shore
of your ideal awaits your coming. ”
Thus, says the self -improvement -ebooks. com website, “Allen teaches two essential
truths: today we are where our thoughts have taken us, and we are the architect —for
better or worse —of our futures. ”
My grown sons have a way of dealing with whatever is going on in thei r life. No matter
what happens they say, simply: “It’s all good. ”
You can’t make a scheduled lunch date. “It’s all good. ” The car gets grumpy and won’t
start.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the purpose of the author's workshop?,
A: The author's workshop gives people the opportunity to move from Distorted Reality to Observed Reality in a short period of time.
Q: What is the author's message about the nature of change?,
A: The author emphasizes that change is a process that occurs because we want it to, and that we have the power to create our own reality through the System of the Soul and the Mechanics of the Mind.
Q: What is the author's opinion on the concept of the universe?,
A: The author believes that the universe is a harmonious and benevolent place, where everything that happens is for the highest good of all concerned.
Q: What is the author's advice for dealing with difficult life situations?,
A: The author suggests that people should not resist or react to difficult situations, but rather focus on the soul and the energy of the universe to find a higher perspective and move forward.
Q: What is the author's message about the nature of the soul and the mind?,
A: The author emphasizes that the soul and mind are interconnected and that the soul is the source of our true power and potential, and that we must learn to listen to the soul and not just the mind in order to create a positive and harmonious reality.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>I cannot know, and I cannot pretend to know, the soul -agenda of the people who die of
starvation or are sexually abused or have suffered one loss after the other in their lives or
who in some other way have live d lives of struggle, pain, and sadness. I can only keen for them, yearn for them to have their suffering end, notice the part of
me that wants no one  to suffer and nothing  to be abused, and, as Mary O’Malley advises, let
my heart break as I do —because as my heart breaks, my heart opens. I can only stand in
honor of them and of their sacrifice and of their journey and of the soul choices they have
made in order to take  their  journey. Then I can decide who I am  in relationship to them. Who am I, and who do I choose to be, in relationship to the starving children of the
world? Who am I, and who do I choose to be, in relationship to the oppressed and the
downtrodden? Who am I, a nd who do I choose to be, in relationship to the disaffected and
the disadvantaged, the disavowed and the disconnected, the dispossessed and the
disenfranchised? Who am I and who do I choose to be? That  is the question. That  is what life gives me an opport unity to decide. And likewise,
who am I and who do I choose to be in relationship to my own incredibly good fortune, the
gifts I have been given, the talents I have been allowed to nurture, the kindnesses I have
been granted, the opportunities I have been offered, the intelligence I have been permitted
to possess, the success I have been able to experience? What do I want to make of this life, and of my Sacred Self in relationship to it? That  is the
question. That  is what life gives me an opportunity to dec ide. And my life lived  is my
decision and my answer. You are faced with the same opportunity. And this much I know. The universe is
conspiring in your favor. It is placing before you in every moment all of the right and
perfect people, circumstances, and s ituations with which to answer life’s only question:
Who am I? Have you decided yet? As I’m sure you know, there are two ways to decide anything. One way is to decide it,
and the other way is to not decide it. Yet always remember: Not to decide is to decid e.
The important thing is not to allow yourself to be defined by default. If you think you are
making no decision by making no decision, you are making a mistake. If you are not careful,
the biggest decision you will ever make could be the decision you nev er made. So let’s be clear: all of life is a deciding. You are deciding... with every truth you
embrace, with every thought you birth, with every emotion you express, with every
experience you produce... you are deciding Who You Are and Who You Choos e to Be. Every act is an act of self -definition. All the changes in the collective experience of humanity have been created through the
collective experience of humanity —and all the changes in the singular experience of your
life have been created though t he singular experience of your life. I said it before and I’ll say
it again: Life is an energy that feeds off the energy of Life Itself. Life is self -nourishing and
self-creative. Life informs life about life through the process of life itself. When a chan ge occurs in your life it is because something in your life was not working,
and you sought to change that. You may not think that you did —you may not have any
conscious awareness that you did —but you did, I promise you. You and those who co -
created with y ou. Let me give you just one example of how this can occur. A man comes home from work every day in a sour mood about life at the office. He has
come to dislike his job, despise his boss, disrespect his co -workers, and disparage the
whole company. He is a clever man, though, and since he does not yet have even the
slightest prospect of another job, he manages to cover his true feelings very well. He says
nothing untoward, offers no criticism, displays no antipathy, and is seen on the surface as
nothing but a loyal, model employee. After months of this he is suddenly laid off. Downsized. Let go. He can’t figure it out. What did he do to deserve this? Nothing. The answer is, nothing. But he did do something to
create  it. His negative energies, inward and hidde n as they were, created the energy field
from which emerged the outcome with which he is abruptly faced. Do you believe this? Do you believe that this is the way something like this can happen? Trust me. This is exactly the way it happens. “As a man thinke th in his heart, so is he.” If he thinks day and night, “I hate this place —I
wish I didn’t have to be here anymore,” his wish will come true —even if he never utters a
word about it. Life is like a genie let out of the bottle: It says: Your wish is my comma nd. Now let’s take your own current situation. Unlike the man in the above little story who
hated his work, what’s going on in your life right now is a change that you did not wish (in
even in your most private thoughts) would happen. This all came down ag ainst your will. So how does that  work? Simple. You may not have wished that this change would take place, but at some level
you must have known that it could, and even might. And this was not a small knowing. It
was a big knowing, in your heart. It is your knowing that creates the strongest energy, not your wishing. In fact, knowing
trumps wishing  every time. That’s because knowing has enormous power behind it. Wishing is wimpy, flimsy. “Knowing of a certainty” is the kind of faith that moves
moun tains. Someone once said, “What you know is what is so.”
You can wish to win the million -dollar lottery, but if you know  that you don’t stand much
of a chance, then you won’t stand much of a chance. You can wish to get a date with the
most desirable person  in the class, but if you know  that you don’t stand much of a chance,
then you won’t stand much of a chance. You can wish to feel just fine about the huge change
that is happening in your life, but if you know  that you don’t stand much of a chance, then
you won’t stand much of a chance. Ah, yes... “if only wishing could make it so....”
Well, wishing is a good start. Jiminy Cricket was right about that. But in the end, you
must turn that wish into an awareness that your wish will come true. You must know that it
will. But what do you tell yourself then  if, after all is said and done, it just doesn’t happen? You must let yourself remember that you are always creating at three levels of creation: the
subconscious level, the conscious level, and the super -conscious level


 making this choice, we
stand at the pivot of creat ion. Only one thing is hap pening:
possibility is becoming reality. John Wheeler was also responsible
for saying that we live in a participatory universe. I’m only
expanding on the same idea. A participatory universe offers
infinite choices; the one thing you can’t choose is not  to
participate. Once you are i n the game, h ow you play it is entirely open to
you. Hu mans can look upon creation and explain it any  way we
choose. Why are there cold viruses, elephants, sequoias, and micein th e world. Some may say God created them on purpos e, while
others believe that they emerged from the quantum vacuum
through random processes th at took billions of years to come to
fruition. The most radical exp lanation is that Homo sapiens  added
everything we desired to our  virtual reality. Each explanation is
simply a different story. Beyond stories, cosmic consciousness is
creating from within itself. Stories are postcreation; cosmic
consciousness is precreation. T h e  C a u s e l e s s  C a u s e
Our role as cr eators of reality imposes a heavy burden if we
view it from th e limitations of human nature. For many centuries
the whole thing could be left to God. The medieval m ind, for
example, made  God the origin of everything in Heaven and on
Earth—Thomas Aquinas, the greatest of medieval theologians,
presented God  as the “first mover” ( primum mobile  i n Latin ). God
alone had the knowledge to create the universe. Because perfec tion is a divine attribute, God must have set
creation in perfect motion, while in the fallen world ev erything
that is in motion, even a beat ing heart and surging ocean w aves, is
an impe rfect representation of God’s work. When Adam and Eve
fell, so did Nature. The first humans were driven out of a  perfect
natural world into an imperfe ct one. The Garden of Eden gave way
to a hostile wilderness. In the Divine Comedy, wh ich stands as the most complete
reflection of medieval cosmol ogy in literature, Dante reached for a
visual image of divine perfection that his readers could grasp. As
the website Danteworlds describes it, “In the Primum Mobile
(‘first mover’)—the swiftest, outermost sphere that imparts motion
to the other sp heres—Dante s ees nine fiery rings whirling about a
central point of intense light. ”
These n ine fiery rings are angelic orders, because in Da nte’s
religious world view there had to be perfected beings ass igned to
keep creation going. Otherwis e, God would have to be engineeringeverything, an impossibility when he was the Unmoving M over by
definition. ( He  is archaic and not correct  in Hebrew, but I’m
resorting to the masculine for convenience, since he/she/it  is
cumbersome. ) When referring to God, the medieval Christian
mind couldn’t violate—or escape—divine perfection. That ob session survives today, but in a different guise. With no
perfect creatio n to dream about, we are left with o ur own
imperfections. We feel as bewildered and confused as the biblical
Adam and Eve. We feel guilty about despoiling the planet  and yet
cannot help ourselves, even as Nature crumbles before our eyes. This book has proposed that creation unfolds from pure
consciousness. There is no divine artist with a picture in mind. There is just c reation evolving without end. The process  has no
one story line; it embraces all story lines. It has no m orality. Tragedy is as fascinating to the human imagination as comedy,
which is why we keep creatin g both. (Shakespeare presented the
whole panoram a to his audience standing in the pit of the Globe
Theatre, and Hollywood keeps the show going. ) The evolution of consciousness is the only explanation for
creation that holds everything  together. It has the advanta ge of no
boundaries. Th e miraculous stands on the same level playing field
as the mundan e. At this poin t I am going to go out on a limb. If
you go  to YouTube and enter three search words, Lourdes
levitating Host, yo u can watch a filmed miracle that occurred in
Lourdes, France. As one informed online commentator explains it:
In 1999, during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Billé,
then archbisho p of Lyon, the Host began to levitate just
above the paten [the plate us ed for Eucharist] from the
moment of the epiclesis  u ntil the eleva tion. The prodigy
was filmed for broadcast an d a clip of it is making its
way around the internet. At the time, the French bishops
decided to keep it quiet. Recently, it was brought to the
attention of a cardinal in th e Curia, who took it upon
himself to verify the origin of the clip and ask the
current archbishop of Lyon for the position of the
French bishops on the matter. This cardinal in turnpassed it on to  the Holy Father. He is concerned that
certain bishops were too quick to put the lid on what
seems to be an authentic sign. The existing video is blurry, but it shows what the commentator
describes. During this Mass a large Host was used, about  the size
of a dinner pla te. The levitation, which lasts several minutes, ends
with th e elevat ion of the Hos t, when the archbishop lifts it up to
display to the congregation. The levitation, if that is wha t we are
seeing, raises the Host only an inch or two into the air. I d on’t know w ho is in a position to rule the footage rea l or a
clever d igital h oax, but for m e the issue isn’t about mirac les. It is
about what human beings ar e willing to allow into the acceptable
picture of reality. To date, millions of people have seen the video
of t he levitating Host, and their responses cover the spectrum. Most people I know are momentarily impressed; others question
the blur ry imag es. A few get a strange expression on their faces, as
if th ey were H oratio and Hamlet had just said, “There a re more
things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your
philosophy. ”
You co uld say that Hamlet is accusing his friend of not
dreaming deep ly enough. Miracles are similar reminde rs. The
levitating Host may be explained away one day—after all,
antigravity exists in theoretic al physics. It might be exposed as a
fraud or simply sink into the morass of forgotten experience. Even
so, something important happened. A bit of strangeness was
allowed to enter our collective dream. It takes only a spark to burn
down a  forest. You never kn ow which strange bit will dispel our
collective dream. The time for waking up never grows short. Waking up takes you
beyond the bounds of time. Yet it’s hard not to feel the pressure of
disaster the closer it approac hes. There is such a thing as a storm
so powe rful it occurs only on ce every five hundred years, but by
the reckoning of meteorologists, twenty-six such storms have
occurred in the past decade. If we are going to make cosmic
consciousness matter, we cannot wear rose-colored glasses. Those
storms, and the human misery they generated, were allowed intovirtual reality. Many things have entered virtual reality to make
life nightmarish. The average person isn’t prepared to accept responsibility for
the spell/dream/illusion we are entangled in. The accumulation of
greenhouse gas es can be explained as divine retribution, or as the
outcome of a series of very  unfortunate events, or as human
imperfection screwing up one more thing. Self-destruction is part
of our nature, but self-creation is infinitely more powerful. By
waking up, metahumans can make right what humans ha ve done
wrong. Waking  up happens o nly one person at a time. Reality isn’t
a numb ers game. It’s a one-player universe, and you an d I are
enough to move creation itself. One purpose of this book is to demystify the process of
waking up. The direct path i s meant to be effortless and natural. The only uncertainty is time—people who want to achieve higher
consciousness all begin at a different place, and this makes a
difference. I’ve found in my own experience that desire is a
powerful incentive no matter  where you start from. If you really
want to learn something—a new language, French cooking, rock
climbing—the process becomes enjoyable. The better you get at
learning, the more enjoyable it is. Unlike those things, however, waking up isn’t a skill. There’s no
set of rules or  guidelines. Even finding a teacher is fraug ht with
missteps. How does a teacher prove that he’s awake. But every
culture that believes in higher consciousness has, over time,
developed a setting for this special kind of learning, suc h as an
Indian ashram or a Zen Buddhist monastery. These settings fit


ioxide	has	been	associated	with	cellular	damage. 28
RETINYL	PALMITATE
In	a
National	Toxicology	Program	study	on	lab	animals,	it	was	found	that	when
skin	is	treated	with	a	mix	of	retinyl	palmitate	(RP),	a	vitamin	A	derivative,	and
skin	cream	and	exposed	to	ultraviolet	light,	the	cream	with	retinyl	palmitate
stimulated	lesion	and	tumor	growth. 29
	As	discussed	earlier,	while	vitamin	A
may	be	considered	a	wonderful	skin-care	ingredient	in	its	natural	state,	it
should	be	restricted	to	night	creams	for	those	that	choose	to	use	it—and	never
used	in	sunscreen. OCTYL	METHOXYCINNAMATE	(AKA
OCTINOXATE,
EUSOLEX	2292,
AND
UVINUL	MC80)
This	is	an	ingredient	that	is	believed	to	create	free	radicals	inside	the	skin,
which	can	create	cellular	and	DNA	damage. Similar	to
oxybenzone,	it	works
with	other	penetration	enhancers	to	enter	through	the	skin	and	accumulate	in
the	body. It	has	the	potential	to	possibly	create	phototoxic	effects,	meaning	that
toxic	reactions	are	provoked	by	light. 30
PADIMATE	O	(AKA	PARA-AMINOBENZOIC	ACID,	OR
PABA)
Because	this	can	be	very	irritating	to	the	skin,	it	has	largely	been	phased	out	of
most	sunscreens. But	it’s	worth	looking	out	for,	just	in	case	it’s	still	lurking
around	in	some	brands. According	to	the	EWG,	PABA	can	release	free	radicals,
create	allergic	reactions,	damage	DNA,	and	induce	estrogenic	activity;	and	they
implicated	padimate	O	as	a	nitrosamine,	a	class	of	compounds	that	may	be
carcinogenic. 31
SOLAR	BEAUTY	SMOOTHER	TREATMENTAlmond,	argan,	and	olive	oils	are	particularly	good	for	replenishing	the	moisture	in	dry	skin	and
contain	vitamin	E	and	nourishing	minerals. Sweet	orange	oil	is	believed	to	be	particularly	effective	in
helping	rejuvenate	and	revitalize	the	skin	against	sun	damage. 2	teaspoons	almond	oil
1	teaspoon	argan	or	avocado	oil
8	drops	sweet	orange	essential	oil
Combine	all	ingredients	until	mixed	well. Rub	onto	sun-exposed	areas,	reapplying	two	or	three	times
per	day. For	a	firmer,	more	cream-like	consistency,	store	in	a	glass	or	BPA-free	container	in	the
refrigerator. Beautiful	Underarms:	Toxic	Versus	Safe
Deodorants	and	Antiperspirants
One	beautiful	way	your	body	was	designed	for	detoxification	is	to	allow	wastes
to	evaporate	through	the	pores	of	your	skin. A	key	area	where	your	body
detoxes	itself	is	under	your	arms,	where	sweat	glands	and	lymph	nodes	are
located. The	modern	concept	of	using	antiperspirants	to	stop	your	underarms
from	sweating	can	hold	toxicity	in. This	is	not	natural	or	recommended. Clogging	your	body’s	normal	channels	for	waste	removal	is	not	a	good	idea. You	can	wipe	or	cleanse	your	underarms	during	the	day	if	you	are	concerned
about	excessive	moisture,	and	there	are	natural	solutions	to	prevent	underarm
odor. Keep	in	mind	that	as	you	clean	up	your	diet	and	improve	your	digestion
and	the	elimination	of	wastes	in	your	system,	your	level	of	offensive	bodily
odors	may	naturally	decrease. But	you	will	probably	still	want	to	use	something
to	ensure	that	you	always	smell	fresh	and	clean. When	you	do,	it’s	important	to
choose	your	deodorant	wisely. Commercial	deodorants	contain	some
potentially	toxic	materials	that	you	should	try	to	avoid. Some	of	these
ingredients	include	aluminum,	parabens,	propylene	glycol,	triclosan,	TEA,
DEA,	FD&C,	phthalates,	and	talc. Aluminum	has	been	linked	to	Alzheimer’s,
cancer,	and	allergic	reactions. Some	people	dispute	the	link	between	the	type	of	aluminum	used	in
deodorants	and	these	diseases,
32
	but	others	believe	it	is	worth	avoiding. Some
have	suggested	that	aluminum-based	compounds	in	antiperspirants	may	be
absorbed	through	the	skin	and	can	be	a	health	risk	factor,	though	much	more
research	is	needed	to	show	a	definite	link. With	all	the	alternatives	out	there
nowadays	in	various	deodorants,	you	can	certainly	avoid	aluminum	if	you
choose. Parabens	mimic	the	activity	of	estrogen	in	the	body. Since	estrogen	promotesthe	growth	of	breast	cancer	cells,	and	a	woman	is	eight	times	more	likely	to
develop	breast	cancer	in	the	part	of	the	breast	closest	to	the	underarm,	scientists
are	studying	the	connection,	though	further	studies	and	research	are	needed. RADICALLY	SAFE	DEODORANT
It	is	easy	to	make	your	own	deodorant	that	is	safe	and	effective	in	eliminating	unpleasant	underarm
odor. The	coconut	oil	and	baking	soda	in	this	DIY	version	both	have	antibacterial	properties	and	help
prevent	odor,	while	the	grapefruit	extract	smells	bright	and	fresh	and	has	antibacterial	and	antiseptic
qualities	as	well. The	arrowroot	starch	helps	thicken	your	deodorant	into	a	somewhat	solid	form	that
is	easy	to	apply. 3	tablespoons	coconut	oil
3	tablespoons	baking	soda
40	(or	so)	drops	grapefruit	extract
1½	tablespoons	arrowroot	starch
In	a	bowl,	mix	together	all	the	ingredients	until	well	combined	into	a	thick,	paste-like	consistency. Store	in	the	refrigerator	for	20	to	30	minutes	to	let	the	coconut	oil	resolidify	if	it	liquefied	during	the
mixing	process. Place	the	mixture	into	a	small	glass	or	BPA-free	container. Dip	your	fingers	into	the
mixture	and	apply	it	directly	to	your	underarms. To	keep	your	deodorant	solid,	be	sure	to	store	it	in	a
cool	place,	but	even	if	it	liquefies	a	bit,	it	will	still	work	just	as	well. SHIFT	7:
Practices	to	Nourish	Your	Skin	from
the	Outside	In
In
Pillar	1
,	you	learned	to	boost	your	beauty	from	the	inside	out	by	eating
foods	with	unique	properties	that	help	boost
circulation	and	support	your
body’s	natural	processes. Many	people	don’t	realize	that	in	addition	to	using
the	right	skin-care	products,	there	are	also	many	things	you	can	do	to	improve
the	body’s	functions	from	the	outside	in. Supporting	Your	Lymphatic	Circulation	for
Enhanced	Detoxification	and	Slowed	Aging
Most	people	don’t	think	about	it	that	much,	but	we	have	a	second	circulatory
system	devoted	to	healing	and	immunity	known	as	the
lymphatic	system. Composed	of	your	spleen,	thymus,	lymph,	lymph	nodes,	and	lymph	channels
as	well	as	your	tonsils	and	adenoids,	your	lymphatic	system	works	directly	with
your	cardiovascular	circulatory	system	to	keep	blood	and	lymphatic	fluid	levels
in	balance	and	flush	toxins	out	of	the	body. Fluid	squeezed	from	the	blood,
called	interstitial	fluid	or	“lymph,”	transports	waste	to	your	lymph	nodes
through	a	series	of	vessels	similar	to	veins. There,	the	fluid	is	neutralized,
filtered,	and	eventually	returned


 our dreaming and waking consciousness. What if someon e from a dimension higher than waking consciousness
wanted to walk and talk with us? That person would also have to be
disguised, and pretend to be one of us, though he or she woul d know that
there was a much greater consc iousness beyond the waking consciousness
level. If that being was charismatic and convincing, many might listen and
achieve a sense of the potential of the higher consciousness beyond waking
consciousness. Such is, I believe, the process of highly spiritual masters
who have come  here to teach us about the dimensions that are there for us
in the world beyond our form. What would be a good disguise? How about
that of a carpenter who gives us an inkling of what is available  for us, and
who tells us while performing miracle after miracle, “He that believeth in
me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall
he do”? How about a teacher, or a writer, or a gas station attendant? Yes,
there are miracle workers out there who can lead us to the edge of our
waking consciousness, to glimpse something more. The great spiritualmasters who have lived amon g us and who continue to do so have
transcended the rules of form that we believe are the only set of rules. While we are in our dreaming bodies experiencing the part of our lives
we spend in this world of pure thought, we can have transcendent
experiences when we choose. We do not need any of our senses in this
formless state. We need not touch or feel or smell anything using our senses
to know that it is real. Thought is real. By beco ming a waking dreamer, you will enter that higher level of
consciousness beyond waking consciousness, the level that spiritual masters
have let us glimpse through their teaching and their example s as human
beings. But to do so you must challenge your reality-thinking belief system. To become a waking dreamer you must learn to “die while you are alive.”
Let’s start by looking briefly at the process of dying. It is my belief that (1)
we cannot kill thought, and (2) all form is in transition. It follo ws then that
death will be very much like the dream consciousness I descr ibed above. We, our thoughts, leave our body when we enter our dream, and then we
(the thoughts we are) reenter the body for waking consciousness. Similarly,
when we die our thoughts leave  the body and can look back at this dream
we are living now which we call waking consciousness, with the same kind
of vision that we look back at our dreams. This is a powerful idea. It could
free us from fearing death if we learn to internalize it. The reason we have
difficulty accepting that this waking consciousness is a dream is that
everything seems just too real. But go back to our dream consciousness. The same ration ale applies here. While we are in the dreaming body we are
convinced that it is real, but it is real only for the dream and becomes an
illusion when we awaken. Everything that we experience in our waking
consciousness is also real to us. To die while we are alive gives us the only opportunity we will ever have
to get outside of this package that houses us temporarily. An ancient parable
repeated generation after generation by the spiritual maste rs of India
illustrates this point:
A traveler from India went to Africa to acquire some local products and
animals, and while in the jungle  he saw thousands of beautiful multicolored
talking parrots. He decided to capture a talking parrot and take it back as a
pet. At home he kept his parrot in a cage and fed him wonderful seeds and
honey, played music for his pet, and generally treated him well. When itwas time for the man to return to Africa two years later, he asked his parrot
if there was any message he could deliver to the parrot’ s friends back in the
jungle. The parrot told his master to say that he was very happy in his cage
and that he was enjoying each day and to convey his love. When the travel er arrived back in Africa he delivered the message to the
parrots in the jungle. Just as he finished his story, a parrot with tears welling
up in his eyes fell over dead. The man was alarmed and decided that the
parrot must have  been very close to the parrot in the cage and that was the
reason for his sadness and demise. When the travel er returned to India, he told his pet what had happened. As he finished his story, the pet parrot’ s eyes welled up with tears and he
keeled over dead in his cage. The man was astounded, but figured that his
pet died from the despair of hearing of the death of his close friend back in
the jungle. The trader opened up the cage and tossed the dead bird outside onto the
trash heap. Imm ediately his pet parrot flew up to a branch on the tree
outside. The trader said to him, “So, you are not dead after all. Why did you do
that?”
The parrot answered, “Because that bird back in Africa sent me a very
important message.”
“What was the message?” the trader inquired impatiently. “He told me that if you want to escape from your cage, you must die
while you are alive.”
We must indeed die while we are alive in order to be able to look back at
our waking consciousness and see ourselves trapped in our cage, which in
our case is our body. And then we will see how unnecessary it is to remain
caged. Let’s take a closer look at those seven rules that apply to our dreaming
body and see how much more enchanting our waking consciousness will
become if we learn to die while we are alive—to become an awake
dreamer. 1. Time does not exist. Einstein’ s life study was devoted to the
simple message  that we exist in a completed universe. If time
does not exist, except as a convenience for man, then eight hours
and eighty years are the same thing. A dream of eight hours and adream of eighty years are identical, and the only way we know we
are dreaming is to wake up. In a dream, we can be a tiny baby or
a toddle r or an adolescent. We can get married, have children,
pursue a career, go bankrupt, have grandchildren, move to a
retirement community, and become old—all in a period of
minutes. In the dream it is very real and we are able to reduce it
all into a tiny segment of what we call time. While we are awake,
in the waking-consciousness level, it is possible also to recognize
that time is an illusion and redefine ourselves to include our
formless and ageless natures. 2. There is no cause and effect. In the dreaming body we come
and go freely without being restricted to the laws of cause and
effect. In though t we are exactly  the same. We can have a thoug ht
that is totally unrelated to the previous thought within a greater
thought process. We can have a dream within a dream within a
dream. In wakin g consciousnes s too we can choose to recognize
that we need not be confined to the rules that determine form. The
physical law of gravity does not apply in thought. In fact, just
beyond our atmosphere even  our form is not confined to
gravitational restrictions. A waking dreamer can dream any
thought without  reference to the previous thought. We can flit
from one thought to another and use only those thoughts which
are useful. In waking consciou sness we can understand that we
are capable of shifting gears anytime in our life. If you traine d
yourself to be a physician and it no longer applies in your life,
you simply choose new thought s and begin to apply the concepts
of making your visualizations your waking-consciousness reality. 3. There is no beginning and no end. In our dreaming body we do
not disappear or terminate, because it is only in form that there
are beginnings and endings. We never die in our dream in the
sense that we simply discontinue being. Nor do we in waking
consciousness, and we must understand this if we are going to get
over our fear of death. We cannot kill thought, and we prove thisover and over every night. Your dead grandmother can be right
there in your dream, at age fifty-three and eighty-three,
unrestricted to the rules of form. When we go into our dreamin g
body we do not have to have a beginning for each dream
sequence, we are simply there, pure and simple; there is no need
to start out. We can be right here now in waking consciousness as well,
disregarding beginnings and endings, imagining forever instead. Within the concept of eternity, the notion of a beginning and an
ending is an absurdity. Try imagining where the universe starts
and ends, and you will see how foolish all of that is. Try
imagining a thought having a beginning and end and you know
that thought does not conform to such rules. The universe, and
everything in it, including mankind, is thought, and the wakin g
dreamer strives  to comprehend rather than being preoccupie d
with where it ends and how it begins. Truly enlightened souls
knew that they cannot die. They know that death is just a
transition of form, and that the astral thought dimension
experiences no such phenomenon as


. The only way to discover the precise location of the ajna is
through direct experience, but the sensation is often
reported as follows. When the perineum is repeatedly con
tracted and relaxed in coordination with the breathing, the
area becomes hot and a subtle vitration is felt there. At the
same time, a similar sensation is felt at a point between the
eyebrows, the location of the ajna chakra. As the student
maintains concentration on this point, visualizing the ab
sorption and diffusion of prana while chanting OM, the ajna
is gradually activated. After months or years of continued
practice, awakening should take place. (2) Awakening the Muladhara Chakra (Manduki Kriya)
Sit in Vajrasana (Japanese seiza posture - sit on the heels,
knees pointing forward) with the knees slightly separated. Interlock the hands and hold them below the navel, wrists on
the thighs. With the eyes closed, direct your gaze to the tip of
the nose, concentrating there. Then open the eyes slightly
and continue to concentrate. Even though the nose-tip may
not be visible, a sensation should be felt there. When the eyes
become tired, close them for awhile, continuing mental con
centration. When they are rested, resume visual concentra
tion. Repeat this process for 10-20 minutes. Next, shift your
attention to the perineum. Alternately contract and relax it
for a period of 30-60 minutes. These two techniques, prac
ticed together, comprise the method for awakening the
muladhara chakra. 112
Lateral Aspect of Rt. Lower Leg Medial Aspect of Rt. Lower Leg
The value of sitting in Vajrasana to stimulate the
muladhara chakra can be explained in terms of acupuncture
theory. The muladhara controls the functions of the
urogenital organs, which, in terms of Chinese medicine, are
governed by the urinary bladder and kidney meridians. The urinary bladder meridian runs down the back of the
leg, with the kidney meridian somewhat to the inside. These
meridians are stimulated by the weight of the upper half of
the body in Vajrasana, and this stimulation is transmitted to
the muladhara chakra, helping to activate it. We have already seen how concentration on the tip of the
nose stimulates the muladhara, due to the ida and pingala
nadis which connect the two areas (see Chapt. IV, p. 108). In
fact, when an acupuncture needle is inserted into the
perineum (the location of the muladhara in the physical
body),to a depth of 1 cm., a tingling sensation is often felt at 113
the tip of the nose, and nasal blockages are cleared. After 5 to
10 minutes, ki energy which has stagnated in the head flows
downward, and the balance of ki-flow throughout the body is
restored. The above information suggests that before attempting to
awaken a given chakra, it is useful to concentrate first on a
complementary chakra at the opposite end of the interconnect
ing nadis. This resembles a common pattern in acupuncture
treatment: to treat a given problem area, a point located at
the opposite end of the body but closely related through the
meridian network is strongly stimulated. For example, a
needle may be inserted in the hyakue point (Paihui, GV20) at
the top of the head to treat hemorrhoids. Techniques based
upon this principle - either in acupuncture treatment or yoga
practice - promote the improved functioning of the internal
organs and increased prana flow. In the case of yoga, chakra
awakening is facilitated by strengthening the mutual interac
tion of the individual chakras. (3) Awakening the Svadhishthana Chakra
Sit in siddhasana, placing the upper heel at the lowest
point of the abdomen, in the center. This point is the location
of the svadhishthana chakra. With both hands on the knees,
assume chin mudra. Close the eyes and keep the body per
fectly still. Then concentrate directly on the svadhishthana. Practice khechari mudra (see Chapter IV, p. 101), releasing it
whenever tired. While concentrating, slowly contract and
relax the surrounding muscular area. The contraction starts
from the point of svadishthana itself, but eventually should
cover a larger area which includes the genitals. However,
make certain that the muladhara area stays relaxed, unaf
fected by the contraction process. At first it may be difficult
to isolate the various muscle groups, but continued practice
will bring results. Both contraction and relaxation should be
slow and deliberate, performed with full awareness. Ud-114
diyana bandha (Chapter III, p. 92), shlabhasana (Chapter IV,
p. 118), and dhanurasana (Chapter II, p. 61), are recommend
ed to help develop conscious control of the contraction-relax
ation process. Another technique often suggested to facilitate concentra
tion on the svadhishthana is as follows. Press the palms
against the knees, raising the shoulders a little but keeping
the elbows straight. Bend the neck forward as in jalandhara
bandha (Chapter III, p. 89), and perform the same contrac
tion and relaxation described above. (The breath retention of
jalandhara bandha is unnecessary.) After practicing in this
pose for a few minutes, return to the standard erect posture
and continue. This contraction and relaxation, performed with a deeply
meditative attitude and in complete stillness, is called vajroli. After practicing vajroli for 30-60 minutes, release khechari
mudra and chant OM three times. The beneficial effects of khechari mudra and the posture of
jalandhara bandha - both of which stimulate the throat
area - upon the svadhishthana chakra can be explained as
follows. Like the muladhara, the svadhishthana is related to
the urogenital organs, and thus to the kidney and urinary
bladder meridians of acupuncture. The kidney meridian
flows through the larynx and pharynx, which are stimulated
by the forward bending of the neck in jalandhara bandha,
and by pressure from the tip of the tongue in the complete
form of khechari mudra. This stimulus is transmitted along
the kidney meridian to the urogenital organs, improving
their function and helping to activate the svadhishthana
chakra. In addition, the heart meridian passes through the
tongue, and therefore is stimulated by khechari mudra. The
heart meridian is directly related to the kidney meridian,
together they form the "lesser yin" meridian (heart in the up
per body, kidney in the lower). Therefore the stimulus to the
heart meridian indirectly affects the kidney meridian and
thus the svadhishthana chakra. 115
Shalabhasana (the "locust" pose), mentioned above, is
helpful in awakening the svadhishthana. Method: Lie on the stomach with the hands beside the
thighs, palms facing down. Stretch and raise the legs,
together with the abdomen, as high as possible, by pressing
the arms against the floor. Make sure the knees do not bend. Hold for a few seconds, then lower the legs carefully. Breathing: Inhale deeply in the prone position. Retain the
breath inside while raising the legs and abdomen. Exhale
while returning to the starting position. Perform in conjunc
tion with bhujangasana (Chapter II, p: 60) and dhanurasana
(Chapter II, p. 61). Duration: Perform up to five times. Concentration: On the vishuddhi chakra. 116
Limitations: Those who suffer from peptic ulcers, hernia,
intestinal tuberculosis, or poor heart function should not
practice this asana. Benefits: This asana tones and regulates the liver, in
testines, pancreas, and kidneys, and stimulates the appetite. It is especially useful in treating diseases of the stomach and
intestines. In addition, it strengthens the lower back and
tones the sciatic nerves. (4) Awakening the Manipura Chakra
The following,practice, consisting of four stages, is recom
mended by Swami Satyananda as a powerful method for
awakening the manipura chakra. The main technique is a
variation of mula bandha, but three other techniques are in
cluded to increase its effectiveness. The four parts are:
1) the same as the first half of the ajna chakra awakening
method;
2) vajroli mudra (for svadhishthana awakening);
3) the main technique, in which prana and apana* are
unified in the navel area, generating shakti power which
activates the manipura chakra in the spine;
4) manduki kriya, also used to awaken the muladhara. Part 1 Sit in siddhasana and assume chin mudra with the
eyes closed and spine erect


. We pay a rupee for medicine which should
cost no more than a pie. Most manufacturers generally do not let us
know what the drugs are made from. A drug-manufacturer recently
brought out a book entitled Secret Medicines, his object being to
ensure that people ·are not misled. He reveals therein that the
ingredients of sarsaparilla, fruit salt, syrup and other well-known
patent medicines, for which we pay from three to seven shillings a URINE THERAPY -ALREADY A SCIENCE : 183
bottle cost from a farthing to a penny. This means that we P~Y from
36 to' 336 times the actual cost of the medicine. The proftt to the
dealer is thus 3500to 35000 per cent. The reader ought surely to see from all this that it is unnecessa~
for a patient to rush to a doctor or buy drugs in a hur~. But few WI~ I
so forbear. All doctors are not dishonest. That every time the drug IS
harmful, the common man wi.ll not admit. To such persons, one may
say: n Forbear as much as you can. Do not bother a do_ctor as long
as you can help it. If you must call in one, get only a reliable_ person
and, having called him, stick to him. Consult another onl~ ~f h~ so
advises. Your disease is not under your doctor's control. If It IS given
to you to live, you will get well and if, in spite of all that you ~ave
done death comes to your or to your relatives, know that death IS no
I. more than a transition."...
(From Gujarati : Indian Opinion, 11-1-1913)
The Coll~cted Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. XI
(March 1964), pp. 434-36
CHAPTER Ill
URINE THERAPY -ALREADY A SCIENCE
I have ~ust now read the book Water of Life. T~e autho~ has
mentioned human urine itself as water of life. The unn_e of ant_m_als
also is water of life, i.e. the water produced ~y life or ltvtng
organism. The new system of urine therapy cl_alms that ~ good
number of ailments can be cured with human unne. The ~als~.avas
will disagree with this. They would ask -'Is urine also a ~nnk. But
the author says that while on one hand the human betng spends
thousands of rupees for medicines, on the other they do n?t car~ to
have any benefit from this supreme medicine. Eve~ybody IS advtsed
to drink aut~-urine. It is a panacea for diff~_rent. dtseases. Any~y
can come to me and see that book. Shri RaOJibhal Patel, an assoetate 184 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
of Gandhiji in South Africa, has written a book in Gujarati entitled
Ma~av Mutra (The Human Urine) on the basis of the book. This
subject ~as also become a science. It is, therefore, advised that in
future urrne and stools should no more be objects of hate. From an address by Saint Vinoba on 4-4-1959
CHAPETER IV
THE FOLLOW-UP WORK
..E~ery mission. requires a follow-up work. But unlike politics,
m1~S1onary work 1tsefl creates its own missionaries and workers. u.nne therapy is a missionary work and it has created its own
p1oneers for its development anc;J propagation. It is a universal
remedy and it is developed in different countries to a greater or
lesser e~tent. From the foregonig chapters it can be seen that it was
kn.own.m En~land and Armstrong gave it a scientific form. Protestant
prrests 1n Afnca used to cure the natives by urine therapy of their
own and they had two books on this therapy with them. They gave
them to Dr. Manubhai Patel, District Medical Officer of Mehasana
when he was in Africa. In lnd,ia this therapy was commonly known
to the ~randmothers and the artisans. It is very well mentioned in
Ayurved1c.and other texts. Shri Raojibhai took up Armstrons's thread
a~d experrmented not only on himself but on his relatives and
frrends and the mission spread automatically. So urine therapy
bega~ to ~evelop. Shri Raojibhai was not alone to do
experrmentat10n in the field of urine therapy. Shri Juthabhai Shah
gave Raojibhai Armstrong's book and intorduced him to this
thera~y and at the same time carried on his own experimentation
on urrne. Dr. M~n~bhai. Patel also knew about this therapy from
the Protestant ~ISSionanes in Africa. Some allopathic doctors also
kn~w about th1s therapy and they used it to cure thousands of
pat1ents during the first and second World Wars. All these facts THE FOLLOW-UP WORK : 185
prove the universality of urine cure. But somehow it could not
become popular. It required missionaries for its develpment and
propagation. Armstrong in England did a real pioneering work in this
field. shri Raojibhai took up his mission and gave it a great impetus
not only to. its propagation but to its development by
experimentation. Urine therapy by its very nature is in a way easy
for a trial and hundreds of people took up his suggestion to cure
themselyes by auto-urtne. There were hundreds of successful cases
of urine experiments and the experimenters gladly wrote and
informed Shri raojibhai of their successful urine treatments. It was a
self-styled propagation of urine therapy. But there was the moving
and guiding spirit of Shri Raojibhai to gave impetus to the self-styled
experimenting patients whenever they required guidelines at the
time of difficulty. So the idea of urine therapy caught fire ·and
began to spread automatically. It was as if in the air and at that very
time there were others too, who were independently thinking and
trying to propagate this therapy. Such a worthy person was and still is Dr. Paragjibhai D. Desai. He had read Armstrong's book of his own in 1955. He first tried
this therapy on himself and found it very useful. Himself being a
doctor and an eye-specialist, he could very well understand the
limitations and abuses of medical science. He was t.he only popular
eye-specialist in this area of South Gujarat during the years between
the two great World Wars. Being a very experienced doctor and
having an altruistic attitude of mind, urine therapy caught his
imagination and he began to use it on some willing patients and
thus he began to gather sufficent material in support of this therapy. When Shri Raojibhai began to propagate this therapy he heartliy
welcomed his activity and so naturally after Shri Raojibhai's demise,
his mantle fell on Dr. Paragjibhai's shoulders. Now he is 82, but he
works so hard for its propagation and development that it seems the
spirit of Shri Raojibhai has entered his body! Once somewhat shy,
he has now become an active prapagandist of urine therapy! Dr. Paragjibhai has already started two urine therapy centres at 186 : AUTO-URINETHERAPY
Bulsar and at Bombay for the last seven years. For sometime he
used to visit Poona and Baroda and Ahmedabad to give guidance to
patients in urine treatment. He was honoured for this philanthropic
work in an assembly at Bombay presided by Shri K. K. Shah, the
present Governor of Tamil Nadu. Dr. Paragjibhai desires to start a
research hospital of about ten beds if monetary donations come
forward. He has already moved the matter with Sate Government
Dr. Sal aria's silent and steady work cannot be forgotten while the
follow-up work after Shri Raojibhai is being described. He has his
own humble hospital at Ahmedabad but he tries urine therapy on
willing patients only. He is very enthusiastic about this therapy and
does silent but concrete work in the propagation of this therapy. Similarly Shri Hansraj 'Hans' too is a silent worker who has great
faith in urine therapy and has translated Shri Raojibhai's book
Manav Mutra into Hindi with a devotional spirit. He naturally does
his best in the propagation of this therapy among friends and
acquaintances. Bharat Sevak Samaj (Gujarat Branch), its President Shri Pannala
Zaveri and his associates are doing splendid work in the
propagation of urine therapy. They gudie by correspondence the
patients who ask for instructions. They publish. books on urine
therapy and the. present book too is an outcome of their efforts and
good~will. CHAPTERV
HUMAN URINE AND IMPORTANCE OF DIETING
By Bapalal Vaidya
In the Water of Life, armstrong has described his own
experiments and that


performed	by
Schmidt	and	all	the	other	parapsychologists	before	him. After	twelve	years	of	study,	it	was	found	that	roughly	two-thirds	of
ordinary	people	could	influence	the	outcome	of	the	machine,	unlike	in
Schmidt’s	study. These	ordinary	people,	like	his	psychics,	could	will	material
changes,	evoking	more	zeros	than	ones,	more	ones	than	zeros,	about	51	to
52%	of	the	time. This	again	may	seem	like	a	slim	margin,	but	it	turns	out	to
defy	chance	by	a	ratio	of	a	trillion	to	one. The	solidity	of	the	outcome	is
particularly	radical	because	random	chance	is	a	bedrock	of	quantum	physics,
Darwinian	evolution,	and	many	other	fields. (A	dozen	related	follow-upstudies	also	came	up	with	results	in	the	51–52%	range. ) If	we	accept	that	our	minds	are	embedded	in	the	quantum	field	and	can
change	it,	where	does	that	leave	us. We	could	be	influencing	the	field	a	little
bit—no	more	than	a	matter	of	slight	coincidences,	such	as	thinking	of	a
friend’s	name	and	having	that	friend	suddenly	call	on	the	phone—or	at	the
other	extreme,	perhaps	everything	we	call	reality	is	manifested	by
consciousness,	coaxed	out	of	the	field	by	intention. After	examining	this
research	in	detail	in	her	excellent	book
The	Field
,	Lynne	McTaggart	sees	the
possibility	of	a	complete	revolution	in	consciousness	theory:
“On	the	most
profound	level,	the	[Princeton]	studies	also	suggest	that	reality	is	created	by
each	of	us
only	by	our	attention. At	the	lowest	level	of	mind	and	matter,	each
of	us	creates	the	world. ”
Jahn	and	his	colleagues	remained	resolutely	technical,	however. They
were	baffled	by	their	results,	because	if	ordinary	people	could	influence	a
machine,	which	part	of	the	complicated	machinery	did	they	affect. Would	we
have	to	say	that	the	mind	actually	changes	the
rate
	at	which	electrons	are
emitted. Just	as	important	is	the	question,	“So	what. ”	If	an	ordinary	person
can	make	a	machine	generate	more	zeros	than	ones,	does	that	really	impact
the	big	issues	in	science. In	fact	it	does,	in	profound	ways. Does	Akasha	Explain	Everything. Akasha	can	be	interpreted	as	the	field	through	which	the	mind	operates. Ervin
Laszlo,	a	prominent	Hungarian	theorist	on	science	and	consciousness,	has
taken	the	bold	step	of	introducing	Akasha	as	the	unifying	answer	to
everything. After	forty	years	of	delving	into	cutting-edge	theories	in
philosophy,	biology,	cybernetics,	and	physics,	Laszlo	found	himself
embracing	the	antiquated	and	discredited	idea	we	discussed	earlier:	the	ether. Physics	had	proven	that	light,	unlike	waves	rippling	across	a	pond,	doesn’t
need	a	medium	to	travel	in. When	a	photon	starts	at	point	A	and	moves	to
point	B,	the	journey	can	be	accomplished	by	the	vanishing	act	discussed
earlier:	the	first	photon	winks	out	of	existence,	changes	its	location
somewhere	in	virtual	reality	(the	Zero	Point	Field),	and	reappears	intact	in	the
second	location. It	doesn’t	slow	down	due	to	friction	the	way	a	rock	skipping
over	the	water’s	surface	does. Moreover,	in	the	instant	that	it	is	gone,	the
photon	can	“speak”	to	every	other	photon	in	the	universe,	coordinating	its
activity	with	every	form	in	creation. I’m	giving	the	scenario	without	any
technical	jargon	in	order	to	describe	why	physics	threw	out	the	ether—it
simply	wasn’t	needed	in	quantum	calculations,	not	for	half	a	century	or	more,
during	which	time	physics	made	enormous	progress. Then,	according	to	Laszlo	and	other	systems	analysts,	physics	hit	a	wall. It	couldn’t	explain
how
	the	universe	managed	to	be	so	precisely	coordinated. When	matter	and	energy	disappear	into	virtual	reality,	as	they	do	thousands	of
times	per	second,	things	happen	out	of	sight
in
	some	uncanny	way. Time	gets
regulated;	objects	in	space	communicate	their	position,	and	seemingly
random	matter	stays	in	touch	with	them. The	Big	Bang,	which	contained	so
much	energy	in	a	space	millions	of	times	smaller	than	an	atom	that	billions	of
galaxies	still	express	only	4%	of	it,	occurred	within	a	tiny	window	of
possibility. If	the	expanding	universe,	moving	at	millions	of	miles	per	minute,
had	been	off	by	a	fraction	of	a	second,	the	formation	of	stars	and	galaxies
would	have	been	impossible,	because	the	momentum	of	the	explosion	would
have	exceeded	the	ability	of	gravity,	the	weakest	force	in	nature,	to	halt	it. Only	the	most	delicate	balancing	act	kept	the	push-pull	of	two	forces	so	close
together	that	they	can	dance	together	instead	of	tearing	each	other	apart. Randomness	is	a	feeble	explanation	for	such	precision,	Laszlo	claims. (In
the	Princeton	experiments,	anyone	who	relied	on	randomness	would	be	right
only	one	in	a	trillion	times. ) Something	so	precisely	organized	requires	a
principle	to	hold	it	together	and	a	medium	to	carry	information	from	one	end
of	creation	to	the	other. The	old	notion	of	the	ether	doesn’t	suffice,	but
Akasha	does. In	his	2004	book,
Science	and	the	Akashic	Field
,	Laszlo
explains	that	Akasha	is	necessary,	not	as	a	medium	for	visible	light	but	as	a
medium	for	invisible	light,	and	invisible	energy	in	general. Think	of	a	jump
rope	nailed	at	one	end	to	a	wall. As	the	jump	rope	is	turning,	which	stands	for
vibrating	energy,	follow	the	rope	closer	and	closer	to	the	wall. Every	fiber
now	vibrates	in	a	smaller	and	smaller	range,	until	you	reach	the	end	point
where	the	rope	is	nailed. That	point	isn’t	moving	at	all;	it	is	the	zero	point,	the
beginning	and	end	of	energy. Zero	isn’t	satisfactory,	however,	since	quantum
calculations	already	show	that	empty	space	is	packed	with	infinite	amounts	of
virtual	energy,	more	per	square	centimeter	than	inside	a	star. So	think	again	about	the	point	where	the	jump	rope	meets	the	wall. If	you
put	a	super-sensitive	stethoscope	to	the	wall,	the	rope’s
vibration
	is	shaking
the	whole	wall,	and	in	return	the	wall	is	sending	some	of	that	vibration	back
out	again. This,	according	to	Laszlo,	is	also	happening	at	the	zero	point. Every	vibration	is	sending	signals	throughout	the	field,	and	in	return	the	field
is	sending	signals	back. The	universe,	it	turns	out,	is	constantly	monitoring
itself	by	somehow	coordinating	every	vibration	that	occurs	anywhere	in	the
visible	or	invisible	domain. Imagine	two	photons	floating	through	the	vastness	of	interstellar	space. By	chance	they	collide	with	each	other	and	bounce	apart. Did	anything
happen	that’s	different	from	two	grains	of	sand	hitting	each	other	as	the	surf
crashes	on	the	beach. Yes,	Laszlo	says:	they	exchange	information	and	they
begin	to	relate	to	each	other


 is often made simultaneously by several people
working independently in dif ferent areas of the world. There are hidden channels of communication from the unconscious to
our conscious minds. As I previously mentioned, Jung has written, “Thefuture is unconsciously prepared long in advance, and therefore can be
guessed by clairvoyants.” Since I’ve made patients understand that it’ s safe
to tell me any experience they’ve had, I’ve encountered cases of
precognition many times. Some patients draw or describe the exact details
of upcoming sur gery, down to the precise placement of equipment and
personnel, despite having no knowledge of the room or the procedure. Several years ago I was asked to see Janet, a pregnant woman whose
husband had just been killed in an auto accident. At one point during our
conversation, I said, “Y our husband knew he was going to die.”
“Do you really believe that?” she asked. “I certainly do.”
It gave her some comfort, for then she understood better why her
husband had insisted she become independent by earning a nursing degree. She also recalled that, several weeks before her husband’ s death, they’d
been talking about accidents, and he said, “If I ever have brain damage, I
wouldn’ t want to live. I can lose an arm or a leg and I would still go on, but
if I have brain damage I wouldn’ t want to live.” The autopsy had shown
extensive brain damage. I also told Janet I believed her husband’ s spirit exists.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        However, a significant number of ECaP  members had already exceeded
predictions before joining the group, so there is a self-selection process at
work that is hard to keep from skewing the results. At the end of
Morgenstern’ s study, he noted that new patients entering ECaP  do begin toshow a higher survival rate and that this deserves careful observation and
follow-up, which we are now planning. It isn’ t easy to put love under a microscope, and because I’m a
practicing physician trying to help people here and now, I prefer to deal
with individuals and ef fective techniques, and let others take care of the
statistics. There is also a lack of grant money for this research, but that will
surely change as psychoneuroimmunology becomes more widely accepted. Research gradually improves medical care, and I believe that someday we
will understand the physiological and psychological workings of love well
enough to turn on its full force more reliably. Once it is scientific, it will be
accepted. When doctors and patients understand the healing power of love, we
will begin to add another dimension to medicine. Then we will be well on
our way to the glorious revelation predicted by Teilhard de Chardin in these
famous words:

Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and
gravity, we shall harness for God the ener gies of love. Then for the second
time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire. EMOTIONAL  SUPPOR T
We encourage spouses, relatives, and friends of patients to attend ECaP
meetings, because it’ s much harder for one person to change while loved
ones continue in the old patterns. Ideally, the entire family or extended
family should be treated as a unit. We have to understand that, in a sense,
everyone  has the disease when it strikes one family member. In a group
setting, we can often help people see how destructive behavior patterns
interact to reinforce each other, and how love heals. It’s also well known that a focus outside the self helps people survive a
crisis. London sociologist Geor ge W. Brown reported in 1975 that, based on
psychiatric testing, “an intimate and confiding (but not necessarily sexual)
relationship with a husband or boyfriend” reduced the likelihood of
depression among women who had recently under gone severe stress of any
kind. In 1979 L. F. Berkman and S. L. Syme reported long-term work with
4,725 adults in Alameda County, California. They studied the ef fects of
marriage, church and club memberships, and friends, with controls forsmoking, obesity, and other previous health problems. The researchers
found that those with the fewest social contacts had a death rate two and a
half times higher than those who had the most social contacts. Those who
have pets live longer after heart attacks than those who don’ t, and nearly
everyone knows someone who has postponed death until after Christmas, a
reunion, or a birthday. Love of other people always is a sustaining factor. In a sense, however,
living for others is a “gimmick,” a stopgap measure like sur gery or
chemotherapy, which can buy time until people learn to live authentically
for themselves. We all know that one of our basic needs is someone in whom to confide,
and recent research is proving that confession is good for the body as well
as the soul. Several statistical studies have shown that people in
psychotherapy visit physicians less often than people not in therapy. In experiments spanning the early 1980s, James Pennebaker, a
psychologist at Southern Methodist University, has shown that sharing
sorrow with someone else protects people from the stress of loss. Pennebaker studied men and women whose spouses had committed suicide
or died in auto accidents and found that those who bore their grief alone had
a much higher than average rate of illness, while those who could talk over
their troubles with someone else had no increase in health problems. In
another experiment, Pennebaker told volunteers he would ask them to talk
about a traumatic event in their lives, either into a tape recorder or in a
simulated confessional booth. When he had them describe some trivial
event instead, physiological measurements showed them to be tense, but
when later they were asked to reveal the tragedy after all, their bodies
relaxed completely, even though many cried and expressed powerful
emotions. Writing apparently works, too. Students who wrote about their traumas
made fewer visits to physicians in the ensuing six months than did others
who wrote about less important subjects. Keeping a diary gets us in touch
with our thoughts. It’ s really a type of meditation. When I suggest keeping a
diary, I don’ t mean where you went that day, but what you thought that day. It makes us aware how active our minds are while we’re paying no attention
to our thoughts, as we shower or eat. A diary can help us become conscious
of all these ideas and learn from them. The people in a patient’ s emotional support network often need to be
educated, too. Many people simply don’ t know how to relate to someone
who has a life-threatening illness. The only essential, really, is an honest
optimism. Patients need people to help them keep sight of their hopes and
the joys that are possible as long as life goes on. But patients sometimes
need to gently remind friends and loved ones that a false determination to
be constantly upbeat, no matter what the situation, is destructive. It springs
from the fears of disability and death that illness evokes in those who are
well. It’ s a natural reaction, but it must be faced, and it’ s one area where
group sessions can be enormously helpful. Beyhan Lowman, who died of
cancer at thirty-one in 1978, left behind A Spirit Soars, a booklet that serves
as a marvelous guide to those facing the same challenge. In it she wrote
poignantly of the patient’ s need for honesty:

Although everyone around me was trying his best to be light-hearted
and optimistic, somehow the ef fect on me was just the opposite. Suddenly
being thrust into a situation where everyone behaved only positively while
around me made me realize to what extent I was no longer part of that
world. The doctors and nurses who cared for me could not always have a good
day. They must have been tired of turning me over in bed or hearing me
complain. But, I never saw that. The lab technician taking a blood sample
must have been frustrated because my veins were so hard to find. But, she
always smiled through gritted teeth. Many times I heard the medical staf f
outside my door talking in agitated tones. But then, they always appeared in
my room as if they were actors going onstage in a well-rehearsed role. The same was true of my family and friends. Everyone tried to help by
telling me how wonderful and courageous I was. Even the man in my life
treated me dif ferently. I knew he must have felt some sense of injustice at
being involved with a dying woman—a development he never bar gained
for. Yet, he never expressed it to me. Of course, his intentions were to
protect me, but I would have had a lot to say to him. Instead of probing his
emotions, which would have included me in the life process, I allowed
myself to feel excluded by his silence. Since disease has usually fulfilled some psychological need for the
patient, it’ s also important to encourage change by doing things that reward
health, not continued illness. As adapted from a list given by the Simontons,
these include:
1. Encourage the patient to be active and do things for himself. 2. Comment when the patient improves. Don’ t get so involved with
diff


include recipes for milkshakes, cocktails, and other treats for
special occasions, not because these drinks are particularly
healthy, but because they’re a natural part of a book on this
topic — and of life. P a r t  V :  T h e  P a r t  o f  T e n s
This wouldn’t be a For Dummies book without a Part of Tens. This part is a very good place to start if you want to ﬁnd some
tips and quick facts about juicing and smoothies. Here I answer
ten frequently asked questions about juicing and smoothies and
list ten antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Icons Used in This Book
Icons help you to zero in on important facts and things that are
worth noting. Here’s a key to what the icons mean: Anything marked with the Tip icon makes your life easier
— at least when it comes to juicing and smoothies. When I want to draw your attention to an important
piece of information, I use this icon. The Remember icon
indicates something I think is worth remembering. When health or safety issues arise, the Warning icon
appears. It lets you know that you need to heed with care
the subject at hand. I don’t use the Technical Stuff icon very often, but when I
do, it adds some extra scientiﬁc or technical information
that offers a bit more information on a topic. Feel free to
ignore anything marked with this icon. Wher e to Go fr om Her e
If you’re shopping for a blender or juice extractor, Chapter 3 is a
good place to start. If the produce section of your local
supermarket is a foreign land to you, turn to Chapter 4 for tips
on shopping for fruits and vegetables. If you’re not really sold
on the health beneﬁts of juicing and smoothies, check out Part
II. And if all you want is to make something delicious right here,
right now, turn to Parts III and IV. I hope you achieve a healthy lifestyle that includes juices and
smoothies and a whole-foods diet because I know for a fact thatit’ll be a great place for you to be.Part I
An Introduction to Juicing and
Smoothies
In this part...If you’re just getting started with juicing and smoothies, this
part is a great place to begin. It starts by telling you what juicing
and smoothies can do for you. Then it walks you through the
equipment you need (don’t worry — it’s not much) and how to
buy fruits and vegetables. I end the part by giving you juicing
and smoothie guidelines for every stage of life, and special
needs such as pregnancy and diabetes.Chapter 1
Drinking Your Way to Better Health
In This Chapter
 Getting acquainted with the liquid lifestyle
 Looking at what juices and smoothies offer
 Juicing for the joy of it
 Savoring smoothies
Welcome to a healthier life through juicing and smoothies! With
this book, you can regain your natural energy or life force by
eating and especially by drinking to be well. Energy is the basic
force throughout all of nature that drives life. It starts at the
cellular level. To nourish the cells and live life at optimum
health, we need four essential components: sleep, air, water,
and nutrients. You can get those nutrients from a variety of sources, but you
get the most bang for your buck with whole, organic foods. Whole foods are unprocessed and unreﬁned, not chemically
treated, and they’re in as pure a state as possible when we eat
them. Whole foods are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, herbs, unprocessed meat, and
dairy products. Whole foods offer a wide variety of nutrients
including phytonutrients; not only are they a source of soluble
and insoluble ﬁber but they’re also relatively low in fat. Juices and smoothies offer immediate results and a gigantic
step along the path towards health and wellness. If you own a
blender, you can start today and with very little money, time, or
effort, you’ll have more energy, improved digestion andelimination, a stronger immune system, a better memory, and
healthy skin and nails — and you’ll likely lose some weight, too. When you start drinking your way to better health, you’ll feel
positively charged and fully able to take whatever life has to
offer. The Liquid Lifestyle
Let me explain what I mean by the term liquid lifestyle. First, I
use the word liquid to describe juices and smoothies. I like to
think of juices and smoothies as drinkable whole foods. They’re
liquid and, therefore, drinkable because:
 A juice machine has pressed or spun the water along with
the nutrients out of them. The powerful blades of a blender have broken down the
carbohydrate and ﬁber so much that they’re liquidized
and easily swallowed. The word lifestyle indicates that drinking juices and smoothies
is something that becomes a part of your life because it’s
incorporated into a daily routine. So, the liquid lifestyle is a
convenient way to incorporate organic, whole fruits and
vegetables into your daily life in order to feel great and stay
healthy. The liquid lifestyle starts with healthy habits. You don’t need a
miracle pill or expensive supplements to enjoy good health, and
you don’t need to radically overhaul your life or your diet. When you opt for a liquid lifestyle, you’re choosing to add one
new healthy habit. That’s it — simple and convenient. It’s not
daunting or mystifyingly complicated. Instead, it’s easy and fun,
with rewards that you may not expect. And if you keep at it by
following some of the tips in this book, it’s a habit that will leadto other healthy food decisions without making you feel like
you’re giving something up. By making this one healthy decision to drink juices or
smoothies when your energy starts to wane or when you feel
thirsty or hungry, you’re doing more than just one positive
thing for yourself. Here are just some of the magical things that
result from choosing a liquid lifestyle:
 You’re eliminating high-fat and high-calorie foods that only
add calories with no nutrients. You’re resetting your taste sensors to eliminate your
craving for salty or sugar-ﬁlled junk food. You’re adding valuable ﬁber to help your body eliminate
toxins and keep you regular. You’re ﬂooding your cells with high-quality nutrients that
repair cells and protect against diseases. In fact, when you’re enjoying a liquid lifestyle, you’re doing so
much more than simply feeding a thirst or hunger. A liquid
lifestyle can change the way you think about yourself. It can
pave the way for a shift in your diet almost automatically,
without making you feel deprived. After all, who wants to follow
a refreshing fruit or vegetable juice with french fries? Life in the 21st century is exciting, fast paced, and, at times,
stressful. It’s a double whammy that as life gets faster, so does
our food. So, most people are grabbing reﬁned and processed
foods with less ﬁber and nutrients when their hectic jobs and
busy schedules are actually pushing their bodies to require
more and more quality foods just to keep them functioning. I know from experience that from the very ﬁrst glass of raw,
fresh vegetable juice, you’ll feel the immediate response fromyour body. Keep up the liquid lifestyle, and you’ll be drinking
yourself to better health. The one key beneﬁt of juices and smoothies is that they
boost your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, two of the
most important whole foods. Healthy Living in a Glass
Opting to make your own smoothies and juices means that
you’re making a fresh start. Commercial juices and smoothies,
whether purchased at your grocery store or at a juice bar, are
still better for you than junk food and soft drinks, but making
your own allows you to be in total control of what goes into the
drink. You can save money and still buy organic, fresh fruits and
vegetables that are at their peak of ripeness and, thus, bursting
with optimum nutrients. Reaching for a glass of homemade juice or a smoothie means
that you can stop taking commercial supplements. You’ll save
money and get more of your daily nutrient requirements by
drinking two or more pure fruit or vegetable drinks. The
advantage of eating or drinking whole fruits and vegetables is
that they contain so many complementary nutrients and trace
elements, not just the major ones such as calcium or vitamin C
or A. These complementary nutrients help the body metabolize
or use the vitamins or minerals that we assume we’ll be getting
from a particular food or a commercial supplement, and they
help to boost their effectiveness. Commercial supplements that have isolated one or two
nutrients lack all the other substances that occur naturally in
foods and allow the body to fully use them. For example, if youwere taking a multivitamin with 10 mg of iron and it didn’t have
enough vitamin C and calcium to assist the body in taking up
and using that iron, the iron would pass through your body
virtually unused. My advice for complete and optimum healthy living in a
glass is to drink the rainbow twice a day. Try to include as
wide a variety as possible of the vibrant and colorful fruits
and vegetables available to you. This approach ensures
that you’re getting the best and the most nutrients