temporary and in a constant state of change. Since you’re on this planet,
you too are a part of this always-changing and always-decomposing
principle. In this 23rd verse of the Tao Te Ching, you’re asked to observe
the ways of nature and then make the choice to live harmon iously with
them. Nature doesn’ t have to insist, push, or force anything; after all, storms
don’t last forever. Winds blow hard, but then they subside. The Tao creates
from an eternal perspective, but everything is on its return trip home the
moment it comes into being. So Lao-tzu instructs that if you live
harmoniously with this simple principle, you’ll be in tune with nature. Let
go of a desire to force anyone or anything, and choose instead to
consciously be part of the cycli cal pattern of nature. Lao-tzu reminds you
that not even heaven can sustain a forced action. In its inherent beingness,
all action has a temporary existence and returns to a calmer state. In
contemporary language, we’d say that “everything blows over.”
The teachings of this passage invite you to pause in the midst of strife or
tension and remember that serenity and peace are on the way. This verse
emphatically points out that you always have a choice! In every single
situation, you can choose to observe exaggerated and forced energy. It
might be verbally attempting to control a situation or cursing  how life’s
events are unfolding; regardless, these moments can be invitations to open
to the Tao even  while in the midst of chaos and angst. This is how to
“follow the Way”: Remember how nature blows hard and then returns to
calm. Follow the goodness of the Tao and you become goodness. Stray
from goodness and you become one with failure. You are part of the law of form in time and space, comp osing and
decomposing. Everything in nature is returning to its Source.... The
question is, do you wish to participate consciously with this natural
goodness, or would you rather spend your moments in anxiety and failure? The Tao response to this crucial question isn’t within your ego, for itstrongly believes in your ability to force things, to make things happen, or
to be the person  in charge. The Tao points out that the Way is responsible
for everything, with a naturalness about it that isn’t forced. It reminds you
that what seems so devastating in the moment is benev olent perfection in
another moment. When you conform to the naturalness of the universe, you
cooperate with this all-creating power that flows  through you. Suspend ego-
driven plans and instead particip ate in the power that created you—allow it
to be the guiding force in your life. Here’ s what Lao-tzu says to you, through me, from his 2,500year -old
perspective in this verse of the T ao Te Ching:
Change your life by actively observing natur e’s way. See how thunderstorms or fierce winds are temporary conditions that
pass, instead of thinking of them as destructive or inconvenient events. When what seems like a forcef ul, uncomfortable situation arises, seek the
natural cycle. Affirm: This is a tempo rary setback. I am going to release
myself from having to be the person in contr ol. Then observe what you’re
feeling, with openness to what is, in this moment. Remember that this is
nature’ s method. Center your mind in a natural way, in perfect rapport with
the patience of the universal T ao. Change your life by trusting your ability to r espond naturally to the
circumstances in your life. At first this may involve observing yourself in a friendly way instead of
responding immediately. When  you feel your inclination to make your
opinion known, let this urge silently tell you what it truly wants. Your body
knows how to be at peace and wait out the storms of life, but you need to
allow it to feel that you’re welcoming its signals. Be still and allow yourself
to be in harmony with the creative T ao, opening yourself to its power. T. S. Eliot evokes the natural cycle in his poem “Ash-W ednesday”:
Because I know that time is always time
And place is always and only place
And what is actual is actual only for one time
And only for one placeI rejoice that things ar e as they ar e... That’ s the idea: Rejoice in the stillness of the T ao. Do the T ao Now
Spend an entire day noticing nature and the countless instances that it
cycles organically. Seek at least three ways that you’d like to be more
natural in your response to life. The cat curling languidly in the sun might
symbolize how you’d like to be. Or perhaps it’s the dawn slowly
illuminating the dark without rushing. Maybe you prefer to focus on the tide
comfortably coming in and out, apparently without judgment. Find your
symbolic images, whatever they may be, and invite their counte rparts in the
Tao to blossom within you. OceanofPDF.com24th Verse
If you stand on tiptoe, you cannot stand firmly. If you take long steps, you cannot walk far. Showing off does not r eveal enlightenment. Boasting will not pr oduce accomplishment. He who is self-righteous is not r espected. He who brags will not endur e.

All these ways of acting ar e odious, distasteful. They ar e superfluous excesses. They ar e like a pain in the stomach,
a tumor in the body. When walking the path of the T ao,
this is the very stuff that must be
uprooted, thr own out, and left behind. OceanofPDF.comLiving
Without Excess
In this verse, Lao-tzu advises that the path of the Tao needs to be cleared
of any weeds of excessive perso nal importance. After all, accomplishments
derive from the all-creating Source that Lao-tzu calls “the Tao.” Everything
that you see, touch, or own is a gift from the Tao; thus, it is your duty to
suspend your ego and seek an attitude of gratitude and genero sity for the
Tao’s creativity. In this way, you walk the path of the Tao by becoming like
it is, which is always existing in a state of unlimited giving. It is to this state
that the 24th verse of the T ao Te Ching ur ges you to return. Notice how the natural flow of the Tao operates: It asks nothing of you as
it provides you and everyone else with unlimited supplies of food, air,
water, sunshine,  land, and beaut y. It is always creating for the benefit of all,
and it has no need for prideful boasting or demanding something in return. This poem by Hafiz bears repeating here to illustrate this point:
Even
After
All this time
The sun never says to the earth,

“You owe
Me.”
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the
Whole
Sky.The sun symbolizes the Tao at work: It offers its warmth, light, and life-
giving energy to all, illuminating the globe without any demand for
recognition. Imagine if the sun needed attention and demanded accolades
for its efforts—it would shine only where it felt most appreciated or when it
received payme nt for that life-giving energy! Soon the world would be
partially shut off from the sun’s magnificence, and ultimately the entire
planet would be covered in darkness as wars erupted over ways of
appeasing the “sun god.” It’s easy to see why Lao-tzu refers to such
inclinations to be boastful and self-righteous as “odious” and akin to “a
tumor in the body.”
Walk the path of the T ao by being a giver rather than a taker, providing for
others and asking nothing in return. Then view your desires to brag and
seek approval as weeds appea ring on your journey. Seeing yourself as
important and special because of your artistic talent, for instanc e, is walking
the path of ego. Walking the path of the Tao means that you express
appreciation for the hands that allow you to create a sculpture. This is how Lao-tzu advises you to walk the path of the Tao, free of your
ego-driven desires to be recognized for all of your efforts and
accomplishments:
Change your life by consciously choosing to be in a state of gratitude. The journey of your life will change when you emphasize gratitude for all
that you are, all that you accomplish, and all that you receive. Practice
silently repeating I thank Y ou throughout your waking hours, and as you fall
asleep and awaken. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re thanking God,
Spirit, Allah, the Tao, Krishna, Buddha, the Source, or self, because all
those names represent the great wisdom traditions. Give thanks for the
sunshine, the rain, and your body, including all of its components. Have a
brain-, heart-, liver, and even a toenail-appreciation day! Your practice of
gratitude helps 24th Verse you focus on the real Source of everything, as
well as notice when you’re letting ego dominate. Make this a silen t daily
practice: Give thanks for the bed, the sheets, the pillows, and the room you
sleep in at night ; and in the morning, say


im,	love	is	a
force	that	flows	through	everyone	and	everything. Many	years	later	I	came
across	a	wonderful	experiment	that	applies	here. It	involved	a	group	of	rabbits
in	a	laboratory. They	were	kept	in	cages,	and	instead	of	eating	lettuce	and
carrots,	these	rabbits	were	fed	an	extremely	unhealthy	diet	to	see	if	they
would	develop	high	cholesterol	and	hardened	arteries,	just	as	human	subjects
do	when	their	diet	is	extremely	unhealthy. In	time	the	rabbits	became	sick,	as	the	researchers	had	expected—all	but	one
group,	and	no	one	could	understand	why,	because	this	group	was	eating	the
same	diet	as	all	the	others. Then	it	was	discovered	that	something	different
was	happening	to	them. One	of	the	college	students	assigned	to	feed	this
group	of	rabbits	used
	to	stroke	and	cuddle	them	before	they	were	fed. The
experimenters	were	forced	to	see	that	love,	in	the	form	of	touching	and
caring,	can	actually	change	the	body’s	chemistry. I’ve	never	forgotten	this	experiment,	but	as	a	child	I	already	knew	a	saying,
“If	you	give	nectar	to	an	angry	man,	he	will	turn	it	into	poison,	and	if	you
give	poison	to	an	enlightened	man,	he	will	turn	it	into	nectar.”	So	it	wasn’t
hard	for	me	to	believe	Baba	when	he	said	that	love	is	more	than	a	feeling. Love	has	the	power	to	create	change. What	is	it	that	people	really	want	to
change? They	want	to	be	healed
. This	means	in	both	mind	and	body,	because	life	hurts
us	in	both	ways. They	want	to	feel	safe
. This	means	living	without	fear	and	knowing	that	you
are	accepted. They	want	to	expand
. This	means	feeling	more	free,	not	having	that
suffocating	feeling	of	being	trapped	or	closed	in.They	want	to	be	inspired	to	do	great	and	wondrous	deeds
. I	don’t	have	to
explain	this—why	else	does	Hollywood	make	billions	of	dollars	a	year? Even
the	fantasy	of	great	and	wondrous	deeds	makes	us	go	back	for	more. As	you	look	at	yourself	right	now	can	you	create	these	changes? Nobody	can,
not	on	their	own	just	by	thinking. You	need	true	alchemy. You	must	release
the	same	flow	of	love	that	was	given	to	the	rabbits. Baba	taught	me	that
alchemy	comes	from	inside. People	spend	a	lot	of	time	looking	for	all	kinds
of	outside	solutions. They	move,	they
	change	jobs	and	get	new	friends,	they
forget	their	troubles	with	games	and	sports	and	movies. They	aren’t	thinking
about	love,	however;	the	supreme	power	in	the	universe	has	been	overlooked. The	first	thing	Baba	wanted	me	to	know	is	that	I	should	never	overlook	love
again.The	Boy	Who	Needed	Love
B
aba	had	been	standing	still	when	suddenly,	true	to	his	habit,	he	moved
quickly	out	the	cabin	door,	heading	straight	for	the	road. I	ran	after	him,
thinking	he	was	going	to	the	village,	but	after	a	few	moments	he	stopped. We
had	come	across	some	boys	up	ahead. “Take	a	look,”	he	said. I	knew	them	all. Four	boys	from	school	who	were	kicking	down	the	road	on	a
summer	day. They	needed	diversion,	and	at	that	moment	they’d	found
something	promising,	because	one	of	the	boys	was	shouting,	“No	way! Go
home,	Stinky.”
“What	are	we	looking	at?”	I	asked. Baba	was	paying	close	attention	to	the
boy	they	were	picking	on. “Someone	in	dire	need	of	an	alchemist,”	he	said. Jimmy	Stinky? I	thought. His	real	name	was	Jimmy	Starkey	which	made	him
unpopular	to	begin	with	because	he	had	an	Indian	mother	and	a	British	father. He	was	the	kid	who	forever	got	teased. Jimmy	was	wiry	and	small	for
	his	age. Somebody—probably	his	dad—had	told	him	that	he	had	to	try	and	fit	in. So
every	Saturday,	like	clockwork,	Jimmy	showed	up	to	give	it	another	try. This
time	he	held	out	a	new	cricket	ball. Indian	boys	are	probably	even	more	crazy
for	cricket	than	for	soccer. “Where’d	you	get	that	ball?”	one	of	the	other	boys	said. “Hand	it	over.”
Jimmy	hesitated. “What’s	wrong,	you	afraid	we’ll	take	it?”
“We	just	want	to	see	your	ball,	Stinky. What’s	wrong	with	that?”	another	boy
chimed	in. “Okay,”	Jimmy	said	doubtfully. He	handed	the	ball	to	the	first	boy,	who
started	tossing	it	up	and	down. “My	dad	bought	it,	for	all	of	us,”	Jimmy	said. He	was	actually	sounding	hopeful. “Please,	Baba,	let’s	go,”	I	said. It	made	me	uncomfortable	to	watch;	I	had
been	one	of	Jimmy’s	tormentors,	and	if	Baba	hadn’t	been	there,	my	attitudewould	have	been	just	like	his	present	tormentors’. But	Baba	wouldn’t	budge. I	don’t	have	to	tell	you	how	this	scene	was	playing	out. After	they	began
tossing	his	ball	around,	the	three	boys	wouldn’t	throw	it	to	Jimmy;	then	he
wanted	it	back,	but	they	wouldn’t	give	it	to	him;	then	they	threw	it	into	a	ditch
and	walked	away	laughing. “I’m	watching	him,”	said	Baba. “I’m	feeling	his	misery,	but	I	can	also	feel	his
tormentors,	who	are	happy	and	satisfied	with	how	they	treated	him. It’s	a	little
drama	about	human	nature,	isn’t	it?”	Jimmy	was	now	in	the	ditch
	by	the	side
of	the	road	trying	to	find	his	lost	ball	in	the	weeds. I	didn’t	want	to	get	involved	at	all. Jimmy	found	his	ball	in	the	muddy	ditch,
and	when	we	passed	him,	he	hung	his	head	while	I	looked	the	other	way. Baba	let	me	walk	down	the	road	at	my	own	slow	pace. I	couldn’t	get	Jimmy
out	of	my	mind,	and	more	than	once	I	wanted	to	turn	and	run	after	him. “And	what	would	you	do	if	you	caught	up	with	him?”	Baba	asked. “I’d	tell	him	I	was	sorry,”	I	said. “What	if	he	didn’t	want	to	listen?”	Baba	asked. “I’d	try	and	convince	him.”
“How?”
I	didn’t	like	being	interrogated. I	had	stood	by	and	watched	while	Jimmy	was
ragged	without	mercy. There	was	no	good	reason	why	he	should	trust	me. I
did	have	an	idea,	though. “I’d	ask	him	if	he	wanted	to	practice	pitching	and
batting	with	me. He’s	really	lousy	at	cricket,”	I	said. Baba	shook	his	head. “Once	a	dog’s	been	beaten,	it’s	hard	to	make	him	see
your	hand	holding	anything	but	a	stick.”
Baba	had	never	talked	so	grimly	before,	and	I	wondered	why	he	was	trying	to
make	me	feel	even	guiltier. “G


. For exam -
ple, arterial catheters made of polycarbonate, polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile, and
polyvinyl chloride needed to be avoided because DMSO could partly dissolve or chemically leach these products. DMSO was found safe to use with conventional or linear polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and teflon catheter systems, and products using these plastics also included hubs in disposable needles. 64
One question that arose from these studies was the potential of DMSO to dissolve
plastics. In the United States, most intravenous bags and tubing are made of polyvinyl chloride, which are safe to use with DMSO. The preliminary reports on DMSO published by the University of Chicago neu -
rosurgery team were sufficiently encouraging to try and extend those findings by targeting other CNS injuries, as we will review in the following text. These findings also stimulated other independent groups to examine DMSO’s potential in other types of brain injuries. When a drug is experimentally tested against a primary drug of choice for a
clinical condition and is reported to be superior to the standard treatment, a flurry of extracurricular research studies by other investigators usually follows to verify or not the merits of the new drug. This flurry of research studies on DMSO by other investigators exploring possible brain injury treatments was soon to confirm the data reported by the University of Chicago investigators. First, a three-part study from the University of California, San Diego, was under -
taken to test DMSO in the control of lethal ICP and subsequent brain edema using a rabbit model. 42 All animals were monitored for EEG activity, ICP, central venous
pressure, systemic arterial pressure, and water content in the brain. Animals had a circular area of the parietal cortex frozen for 90 s using a probe previously cooled in liquid nitrogen. This lesion created a consistent localized area of necrosis and hem -
orrhage at the surface and a few millimeters below the cortex. When animals were injected with Evans blue, the dye was observed to extravasate just beyond the lesion site only in the cryogenic lesion group, allowing the measurement of the dye spread following each treatemnt. 42 It was found that EEG activity after 1 g/kg of a 10%
DMSO solution given 24 h after the cryogenic lesion was an improvement in volt -
age and the number of slow waves in five of six animals treated when compared to untreated lesioned animals. The ICP was significantly reduced 5 min after DMSO with no changes seen in the central venous pressure, which rose only in untreated lesioned animals. Brain water content was significantly reduced after DMSO in both hemispheres
and was increased in the untreated cryogenic lesioned animals. This study concluded that after a cryogenic lesion, DMSO stabilized systemic arterial pressure, water con -
tent in the brain, and central venous pressure and reduced ICP while increasing cerebral perfusion when compared to untreated lesioned animals. 42
This cryogenic lesion study led to a second study by the San Diego group to
further test DMSO’s ability to reduce toxic brain edema at variable doses that
could be effective and still maintain electrolyte and fluid balance.43 The same rab -
bit model and cryogenic lesion was used, and the findings suggested that a 1 g/kg
of a 10% DMSO solution given as an intravenous bolus was as effective in reducing ICP as a 1 g/kg of a 40% DMSO bolus, a dose that could create red cell hemolysis. 142 Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in Trauma and Disease
These authors found that while a 10% bolus of DMSO would avoid red cell hemo -
lysis, it would also increase central venous pressure and fluid overload. However,
the authors determined that the central venous pressure increase and fluid overload side effects could be avoided when 2 g/kg of a 20% DMSO infusion was given continuously over 1 h. This approach seemed as effective as the 10% bolus injec -
tions. 65 Since the study was terminated 1 h following all treatments, it was hard
to judge whether a bolus or slow infusion was preferable in a patient developing a rapid extradural hematoma following a closed head injury. The optimal dose of intravenous DMSO would become a controversial stumbling block in subsequent clinical and experimental studies examining how best to treat a brain injury. This impasse of DMSO given as an intravenous bolus or slow infusion at an opti -
mal concentration was finally solved, as we shall see in Chapter 9, in two clinical pilot trials performed by Turkish investigators treating severe closed head injury patients using DMSO. 44,45
The third study carried out by the San Diego researchers43a focused on extending
the infusion time of DMSO from 1 to 3 h using the same cryogenic rabbit model of brain trauma used in the first and second studies. This experiment examined whether DMSO at a dose of 2 g/kg 20% infusion given 24 h after the cryogenic lesion would still lower ICP and reduce other side effects when given over 3 h rather than over 1 h as reported in the second study. The results indicated that DMSO infused over a 3 h period was able to signifi -
cantly lower ICP from 12.9 mm Hg before treatment to 7.3 torr after 45 min and to 4.2  mm torr after 3  h. Systemic arterial pressure and central venous pressure remained unchanged during and after DMSO infusion. 43a Brain electrolyte levels of
sodium and potassium showed a reduction of both electrolytes in the lesioned and unlesioned contralateral hemispheres after DMSO, which was similar to untreated lesioned animals. The San Diego studies determined an optimal dose of DMSO at 2 g/kg in a 20%
solution given over a 3 h period as a more optimal approach to lessen DMSO possible side effects such as volume overload, a rise of potassium brain levels, and red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis. 65 We now know that the optimal dose of DMSO in human
patients sustaining a severe brain injury is 1 g/kg in a 28% solution mixed with 5% dextrose in water. 44,45
It should be noted that the gross hemolysis seen after a rapid bolus of high intra -
venous doses of DMSO has been shown to be a temporary side effect that does not involve organ damage, including the kidneys. 66 Hemolysis after high rapid doses
of DMSO is a reaction that always disappears after the discontinuation of DMSO. This was demonstrated in a pathologic study monitoring blood chemistry, hema -
tology, urine, ocular, neurological, and cardiovascular systems in rhesus monkeys given repeated high doses of DMSO (3 g/kg 40%) for 9 days and followed up for 4  months. 65 At the end of the study, all animals underwent postmortem analyses,
including gross and microscopic pathological examinations. No significant or long-
lasting changes were recorded in any of the parameters studied when these data were
compared to those animals given normal physiological saline.66
The three-part study by the San Diego group also showed that DMSO could sig -
nificantly reduce ICP without affecting systemic pressure or central venous pressure 143 DMSO in Basic Neuroprotection
while lowering the brain water content in the lesioned hemisphere. These studies
also suggested that a slow infusion of 2 g/kg of a 20% DMSO solution over a 3 h period was as effective in lowering ICP as 1 g/kg of a 40% DMSO bolus but without the gross hemolysis seen with the bolus. 42–44
Although this conclusion is probably valid for a cryogenic lesion to the cortex
where local necrosis and hemorrhage develop immediately and remain a nonexpand -
ing lesion, it is not the case with a relatively slower-building epidural hematoma (also called extradural hematoma) that results from a severe blunt trauma to the skull and meninges. An extradural or epidural hematoma occurs when there is a rupture of a blood
vessel, usually an artery, which then bleeds into the space between the dura mater and the inner wall of the skull. An epidural hematoma is generally an expanding mass that can reach its peak in 4–8 h and is capable of stripping the dura apart and threatening the formation of malignant brain edema as well as inducing secondary brain damage and death. This means that a brain trauma patient’s arrival at the emer -
gency department requires quick evaluation and if an expanding epidural hematoma is found, rapid surgical evacuation is mandatory. Drug treatment is generally con -
sidered when refractory high ICP is detected. 67,68 This implies that if brain edema is
present, rapid intravenous infusion (fast drip or bolus) of an antiedema drug should be applied to control rising ICP and failing cerebral perfusion. 66
The cryogenic lesion model was again used by the San Diego researchers who
compared the acute effect of DMSO and pentobarbital, an agent used to reduce ICP often by creating barbiturate coma, on the development of brain edema in rabbits. 69
DMSO was given 1 mg/kg in a 10% solution by intravenous bolus, and pentobarbi -
tal 40 mg/kg was administered intravenously over a 30


 who have discovered the secret
of the relative world —and refused to
acknowledge its reality. In short, Masters
are those who have  chosen only love. In
every instance. In every moment. In every
circumstance. Even as they were being
killed, they loved their murderers. Even as
they were being persecuted, they loved
their oppressors. This is very difficult for you to understand,
much le ss emulate. Nevertheless, it is  what
every Master has ever done. It doesn’t
matter what the philosophy, it doesn’t
matter what the tradition, it doesn’t matter
what the religion —it is what every Master
has done. This example and this lesson has been laid
out so clearly for you. Time and time  again,
over and over has it been shown to you. Through all the ages and in every  place. Through all your lifetimes and in every
moment. The universe has used every
contrivance to place this Truth before you. In song and  story, in poetry and dance, in
words and in motion —in pictures of motion,
which you call motion pictures, and in
collections of words, which you call hooks. From the highest mountain it has been
shouted, in the lowest place its whisper has
been heard. Thr ough the corridors of all
human experience has this Truth been
echoed: Love is the answer. Yet you have
not listened. Now come you to this book, asking God
again what God has told you countless
times in countless ways. Yet I will tell you
again —here—in the  context of this book. Will you listen now? Will you truly hear? What do you think brought you to this
material? How does it come to pass that
you are holding it in your hands? Do you
think I know not what I am doing? There are no coincidences in the unive rse. I have heard the crying of your heart. I have
seen the searching of your soul. I know  how deeply you have desired the Truth. In
pain have you called out for it, and in joy. Unendingly have you beseeched Me. Show Myself. Explain Myself. Reveal
Myself. I am doing so here, in terms so plain, you
cannot misunderstand. In language so
simple, you cannot he confused. In
vocabulary so common, you cannot get lost
in the verbiage. So go ahead now. Ask Me anything. Anything. I will contrive to bring you the
answe r. The whole universe will I use to do
this. So be on the lookout. This book is far
from My only tool. You may ask a question,
then put this book down. But watch. Listen. The words to the next song you hear. The
information in the next article you read. The
story line of the next movie you watch. The chance utterance of the next person  you
meet. Or the whisper of the next river, the
next ocean, the next breeze that  caresses
your ear —all these devices are Mine; all
these avenues are open to Me. I  will speak
to you if you will listen. I will come to you if
you will invite Me. I will show  you then that
I have always been there. All ways. Chapter 2
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy
presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand
there  are pleasur es forevermore.”
—Psalm 16:11
I’ve searched for the path to God all my
life—
I know you have —
—and now I’ve found it and I can’t believe
it. It feels like I’m sitting here, writing this to
myself. You are. That does not seem like what a
communication with God would feel like. You want bells and whistles? I’ll see what I
can arrange. You know, don’t You, that there are those
who will call this entire book a blasphemy. Especially if You keep showing up as such
a wise guy. Let Me explain something to you. You have
this idea that God shows up in only one
way in life. That’s a very dangerous idea. It stops you from seeing God all over. If you
think God looks only one way or sounds
only one way or is only one way, you’re
going to look right past Me night and day. You’ll spend your whole life looking for God
and not finding Her. Because you’re  looking
for a Him. I use this as an example. It has been said that if you don’t see God in
the profane and the profound, you’re
missing half the story. That is a great Tr uth. God is in the sadness and the laughter, in
the bitter and the sweet. There is a divine
purpose behind everything —and therefore
a divine presence in everything. I once began writing a book called God is a
Salami Sandwich. That would have been a very go od book. I
gave you that inspiration. Why did you  not
write it? It felt like blasphemy. Or at the very least,
horribly irreverent. You mean wonderfully irreverent! What
gave you the idea that God is only
“reverent”? God is the up and the down. The hot and the cold. The left and the right. The reverent and the irreverent! Think you that God cannot laugh? Do you
imagine that God does not enjoy a good  joke? Is it your knowing that God is without
humor? I tell you, God invented humor. Must you speak in hush ed tones when you
speak to Me? Are slang words or tough
language outside My ken? I tell you, you
can speak to Me as you would speak with
your best friend. Do you think there is a word I have not
heard? A sight I have not seen? A sound I
do not know? Is it your thought that I despise some of
these, while I love the others? I tell you, I
despise nothing. None of it is repulsive to
Me. It is life, and life is the gift; the
unspeakable treasure; the holy of holies. I am life, for I am the stuff life is. Its eve ry
aspect has a divine purpose. Nothing  exists —nothing —without a reason
understood and approved by God. How can this be? What of the evil which
has been created by man? You cannot create a thing —not a thought,
an object, an event —no experience of  any
kind—which is outside of God’s plan. For
God’s plan is for you to create  anything —
everything —whatever you want. In such
freedom lies the experience of  God being
God—and this is the experience for which I
created You. And life itself. Evil is that which you call  evil. Yet even that
I love, for it is only through that which  you
call evil that you can know good; only
through that which you call the work of the
devil that you can know and do the work of
God. I do not love hot more than I love  cold, high more than lo w, left more than right. It
is all relative. It is all part of what is. I do not love “good” more than I love “bad.”
Hitler went to heaven. When you
understand this, you will understand God. But I have been raised to believe that good
and bad do exist; tha t right and wrong are
opposed; that some things are not okay,
not alright, not acceptable in the sight of
God. Everything is “acceptable” in the sight of
God, for how can God not accept that
which is? To reject a thing is to deny that it
exists. To say tha t it is not okay is to say
that it is not a part of Me —and that is
impossible. Yet hold to your beliefs, and stay true to
your values, for these are the values of your parents, of your parents’ parents; of
your friends and of your society. They form
the structure of your life, and to lose them
would be to unravel the fabric of your
experience. Still, examine them one by
one. Review them piece by piece. Do not
dismantle the house, but look at each brick,
and replace those which appear broken,
which no longer  support the structure. Your ideas about right and wrong are just
that—ideas. They are the thoughts which
form the shape and create the substance
of Who You Are. There would be only one
reason to change any of these; only one
purpose in making an alteratio n: if you are
not happy with Who You Are. Only you can know if you are happy. Only
you can say of your life —“This is my
creation (son), in which I am well pleased.”  If your values serve you, hold to them. Argue for them. Fight to defend them. Yet seek to f ight in a way which harms no
one. Harm is not a necessary ingredient in
healing. You say “hold to your values” at the same
time you say our values are all wrong. Help
me with this. I have not said your values are wrong. But
neither are they right. They are simply
judgments. Assessments. Decisions. For
the most part, they are decisions made


 and vigor that he was able to jog for hours without feeling unduly tired. “And all the while I had adhered to the Single Meal Routine – a diet which gave me little more than 1000 calories of energy
daily. On the Single Meal Routine I have been able to maintain my body weight constant at 100 lbs. – not an abnormally low
weight for an Asian of average height. This amounts to a loss of only about 10 lbs. compared to my body weight in early
youth, when I was eating three or four meals a day. But paradoxically, my reduction in weight was compensated by
increased vigor, a keen appetite, and – most important of all – a gradual abatement of all my chronic ailments and complete
eradication of cancer. ”
 For the past 14 years since his biopsy, free from colds, hay fever, and catarrhal troubles and in recent years, with further
improvement in health and vigor, he was able to indulge in strenuous sports like badminton, judo, and weight lifting in
addition to running. “I must add that, despite my increasing daily expenditure of energy, I haven’t increased substantially the quantity of food
eaten daily. Yet, during the past few years, I have been able to gain a few pounds in weight. The mechanism of human
metabolism is certainly more complex than can be simply explained in terms of calorie requirements. ’”
 The treatment for cancer does not end with the cure – the cure is just the beginning of the treatment. It is appalling to think
of the number of supposedly “cured” cancer patients who continue to die needlessly because they won’t make any personal
effort to guard against recurrence of the disease. “My recovery from cancer is in no way extraordinary or unique. The
recuperative power of the human body from illness to health can only be described as little short of amazing. The cure for
cancer must ultimately lie with the patient himself, and the reward of recovering is only for those who are prepared to
undergo with fortitude some degree of self-denial. “It is one of the most remarkable attributes of the human body that it can adapt itself to changes in habits of eating and
living with extreme flexibility. My Single Meal Routine, initially employed as a desperate measure to check a fatal disease,
has now become to me an established habit, inasmuch as I have come to look upon the three-meal-a-day routine as
something bothersome and tedious. I still adhere – though it is no longer necessary to do so with rigidity – to the raw food
diet, as I consider it a natural preventative against cancer recurrence. “My daily solo running has lost its initial boredom and become a pleasing habit. It has helped me build up a satisfactory
level of health; it has helped me, in my late forties, to maintain my blood pressure at around 120 mm (systolic) and to regain
and relive a youth long lost to ill health and disease. “To those cancer sufferers whose prospects of recovery seem dim, I would say ‘as long as there is still breath in the body
and the will to live, there is always hope. there will always be hope’. ”
The recuperative power of the human body from illness to health can only be
described as little short of amazing.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What did Dr. Bass's patient do to manage his backache and other health issues?,
A: He went on a strict diet and a short water fast.
Q: What did Dr. Bass recommend for his patient who had a parasitic infection and was unable to walk?,
A: A strict diet and three 21-day water fasts.
Q: What did Dr. Bass use in his practice as a treatment for his patients?,
A: A combination of high-quality diets and fasting, along with general advice on lifestyle changes.
Q: How did Dr. Bass's patient recover from his cancer?,
A: He followed Dr. Bass's single-meal-a-day diet, which consisted of raw liver, eggs, and fruits, and also started a new lifestyle.
Q: What did Dr. Bass advise his patient to avoid during the healing process?,
A: He advised him to avoid drugs, herbs, and other products that claim to be detoxification-enhancing, as they can delay healing.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Dedication
Dedicated to all of humanity
May  The Greatest Secret fr ee you fr om all suffering and
bring you everlasting happiness. That is my intention for you, and for every human
being.Epigraph
“Of all the things human beings can learn in this life, I
have the gr eatest news to tell you, the most beautiful
thing to shar e...”
—MoojiContents
Cover
T itle Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Acknowledgments
The Beginning
Chapter 1: Hidden in Plain Sight
Chapter 2: The Greatest Secret: Revealed
Chapter 3: The Reveal Continued
Chapter 4: Y ou’re Dreaming... It’ s T ime to W ake Up
Chapter 5: Freedom from the Mind
Chapter 6: Understanding the Power of Feelings
Chapter 7: The End of Negative Feelings
Chapter 8: No More Suf fering
Chapter 9: Dissolving Limiting Beliefs
Chapter 10: Everlasting Happiness
Chapter 1 1: The W orld: All Is W ell
Chapter 12: The End—There Is No End
The Greatest Secret Practices
Featur ed in  The Greatest Secret
About the Author
Copyright
About the PublisherAcknowledgments
The Gr eatest Secr et  cou ld not have come into the world
without the help and support  of many. First, I wish to
acknowledge a nd honor the teachers whose illuminating
teachings are featured throughout this book. They epitomize
grace an d wisdom, and I am beyond grateful for their presence
and willingness to be a part of this life-transforming book. T o the scientists  and doctors fea tured in this book, my deepest
gratitude for your leading-edge perspectives that humankind
needs to take us out of the dark ages of old paradigms that
don’ t work anymore and into th e illuminating presence of the
true Infinite Being that we are. T o t he members of The Secret team who worked with me on
The Gr eatest Secr et, there are no words that can describe my
gratitude for your dedication and support of this project. Whenever I announce to the team that I have discovered
something earth -shattering that I must share with the world, I
am s ure they ta ke a deep breath, wondering what is going to
come next. But without excepti on, they open their minds and
lift their  consciousness to the level that is required, so as to
provide their invaluable contribution through their roles. Skye Byrne (my daughter) is The Secret’ s editor, my editor,
and my human compass for a ll of my books. T o edit my
books, Skye needs to understand all the teachings at the
highest possible level to ensure that I stay on track and fulfill
my grea test desire—to write as simply as possible so that
millions will be set free from su f fering and be in joy. T o work
on the early stages of a book is no mean feat, and there isn’ t
another person on the planet who could do it to the level of
brilliance and perfection with which she does it. T o Skyecomes my deepest and immeasurable gratitude, as her guiding
hand can be found on every page. Another hand you will find on every page is that of our
creative director, Nic Geor ge. The beautiful design of this
book is due to his extraordinary  creative abilities, his beautiful
creative eye and hand, and his deep intuitive sense. Creating a
new book with Nic is a process of sheer joy, and I am blessed
to have him, along with Josh Hedland, who worked side by
side with Nic on the cover and interior of The Gr eatest Secr et. Glenda Bell worked diligently with the teachers, contributors,
and their teams so that the teachings would be accurately
portrayed in the book. In a migh ty ef fort, she worked selflessly
and enthusiastically around the clock, through the nights and
weekends, to connect with all time zones, for which I am very
grateful. Thank you to the rest of the am azing Secret team: Don Zyck,
our CFO, who is always ready for the next quantum leap with
our com pany and who ushers us through the legal and
financial require ments, keeping everything flowing toward our
intention; Josh Gold, who man ages all of our social media
platforms brillia ntly and who w ill ensure that every country in
the world knows of this book; Marcy Koltun-Crilley, my
dearest friend who has been on this journey with me from the
beginning and who I am honored to say is an integral part of
The Secret team; and producer P aul Harrington, who has been
with me since a decade before  The Secret even came into
being. Paul encouraged and inspired me to write The Gr eatest
Secr et  in the early sta ges, when it se emed almost impossible
that this precious truth could b e conveyed simply. Paul also
produced The Gr eatest Secr et  audiobook, working beside T im
Patterson in post-production and bringing the revelatory words
in this book to life in audio


progress for hepatitis, cirrhosis without jaundice, liver toxicity, and acute liver disease. It also
distinguishes between myocardial and hepatic tissue damage. ALT values range from 10 to 32 U/L in men; from 9 to 24 U/L in women; twice those levels
in infants. When they are very high—up to 50 times normal—viral or drug-induced hepatitis must
be suspected. Or there may be other liver disease with extensive necrosis. Moderate-to-high levels of ALT may indicate infectious mononucleosis, chronic hepatitis,
intrahepatic cholestasis, early or improving acute viral hepatitis, or severe hepatic congestion due
to heart failure. Slight-to-moderate ALT elevations may appear with any condition that produces acute
cellular injury in the liver such as active cirrhosis and drug-induced or alcoholic hepatitis. Marginal elevations possibly show acute myocardial infarction or secondary hepatic
congestion. An interfering factor for the alanine transaminase, serum glutamicpyruvic transaminase
laboratory test is the taking of opiate analgesics such as morphine, codeine, and meperidine,
The Total Serum Cholesterol Laboratory Test
This quantitative serum analysis measures the circulating levels of free cholesterol and
cholesterol esters and reflects the amount of cholesterol compound appearing in the body tissues. Both absorbed from the diet and synthesized in the liver and other body tissues, cholesterol is a
structural component in cell membranes and plasma lipoproteins. It contributes to the formation
of adrenocorticoid steroids, bile salts, androgens, and estrogens. A diet high in saturated fat raises
cholesterol levels by stimulating absorption of lipids, including cholesterol, from the intestine;
a diet low in saturated fat lowers them. Elevated total serum cholesterol is associated with an
increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Thus, the total serum cholesterol laboratory test assesses the risk of coronary artery disease
(CAD), evaluates fat metabolism, and aids in diagnosing kidney disease, pancreatitis, liver
disease, hypothyroidism, and, hyperthyroidism. Total cholesterol concentrations vary with age
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 186Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comand sex. Its common range is from 150 to 200 mg/dL. A desirable blood cholesterol is below 200
mg/dL, and levels from 200 to 240 mg/dL are considered borderline or at high risk for CAD. A
level in excess of 250 mg/dL (hypercholesterolemia) indicates high risk of cardiovascuar disease,
incipient hepatitis, lipid disorders, bile duct blockage, nephrotic syndrome, obstructive jaundice,
pancreatitis, and hypothyroidism. They require treatment. Hypercholesterolemia from high dietary
intake requires modification of eating habits and possibly medication to retard absorption. Hypercholesterolemia can occur from taking adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosteroids,
androgens, bile salts, epinephrine, chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, oral contraceptives, salicylates,
thiouracils, and trimethadione. Low serum cholesterol (hypocholesterolemia) is associated with malnutrition, cellular
necrosis of the liver, and hyperthyroidism. Cholesterol often drops below normal in the Gerson
program, because patients are eating an extremely low-fat diet. The Lipoprotein/Cholesterol
Fractionation Laboratory Test
To assess the risk of coronary artery disease, the lipoprotein/cholesterol fractionation
laboratory test is conducted. By centrifugation or electrophoresis, it isolates and measures
the cholesterol in blood, which appears as low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density
lipoproteins (HDL). It’s known that a lower HDL level in the population gives rise to a higher
incidence of CAD. Conversely, higher HDL levels produce a lesser amount of CAD. Note: Since the Gerson Therapy offers a minimal amount of fat, it often lowers the risk
of coronary artery disease; but it does provide an adequate supply of certain polyunsaturated
essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins that cannot be synthesized in adequate amounts for
optima[ body function. Normal HDL cholesterol ranges from 29 to 77 mg/100 mL of blood, and normal LDL
cholesterol ranges from 62 to 185 mg/100 mL. Too-high LDL levels increases the risk of CAD,
while elevated HDL generally reflects a healthy state. Or it might indicate chronic hepatitis, early-
stage primary biliary cirrhosis, or too much alcohol consumption. The Serum Triglycerides Laboratory Test
Being the body’s main storage form of lipids (constituting 95 percent of fatty tissue), the serum
triglycerides laboratory test provides a quantitative analysis of them. It identifies hyerlipemia in
kidney disease and CAD. The triglyceride values vary according to age:
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 187Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comAge            Trigyceride Values
                                                                 Mg/dL     nmol/L
0-29              10-140    0.1-1.55
30-39          10-150    0.1-1.65
40-49          10-160    0.1-1.75
50-59          10-190    0.1-2.10
Test abnormality suggests that other measurements are needed. High triglycerides indicate the
risk of atherosclerosis or CAD. Mild-to-moderate levels advise of biliary obstruction, diabetes,
kidney disease, endocrinopathies, or too much consumption of alcohol. Decreased levels are rare
but may show malnutrition or a betalipoproteinemia. Note: On the Gerson diet, flare-ups and healing reactions are shown by elevated tri-
glycerides. The Serum Protein Electrophoresis Laboratory Test
The major blood proteins of the body, albumin and four globulins, are measured in an electric
field by separating them into patterns according to size, shape, and electric charge at pH 8.6. Comprising more than 50 the serum creatinine level (see the test description which immediately
follows). With normal values ranging from 8 to 20 mg/dL, the BUN test helps to evaluate kidney
function, aids in the diagnosis of kidney illness, and assesses the body’s hydration. An elevated
BUN happens in reduced renal blood flow from dehydration, renal disease, urinary tract
obstruction, and ‘increased protein catabolism as in burns. Depressed BUN levels occur in severe
liver damage, malnutrition, and overhydration. Note: Due to  initial decreased dietary protein intake, a person following the Gerson Therapy
will likely show a slightly reduced level of BUN. The Serum Creatinine Laboratory Test
Providing a more sensitive measure of kidney damage than the BUN, the serum creatinine
laboratory test is a quantitative analysis of the nonprotein end product of metabolism, creatinine. Kidney impairment is virtually the only cause of creatinine elevation in the blood; therefore,
creatinine levels are directly related to the glomerular filtration rate. They assess renal glomerular
function and screen for kidney damage. Creatinine concentration in males normally ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 mg/dL; in females it ranges
from 0.6 to 0.9 mg/dL. Elevation of serum creatinine means that serious renal disease is present
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 188Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comwith 50 percent damaged nephrons as in gigantism and acromegaly. Interfering factors are too
much absorption of ascorbic acid, barbiturates, diuretics, and sulfobromophthalein. Also, athletes
may have above-average creatinine levels, even with normal kidney function. The Serum Uric Acid Laboratory Test
Used mainly to detect gout, the serum uric acid laboratory test measures levels of uric acid,
a metabolite of purine in the blood. Glomerular filtration and tubular secretion gets rid of uric
acid, but it’s less soluble at a pH of 7.4 or lower which occurs in certain diseases such as gout,
excessive cellular generation and destruction as in leukemia, and kidney dysfunction. Uric acid concentrations in men range from 4.3 to 8 mg/dL; in women they range from 2.3
to 6 mg/dL. Although elevated levels of serum uric acid don’t correlate with severity of disease,
they do rise in congestive heart failure, glycogen storage disease, acute infectious diseases
such as infectious mononucleosis, hemolytic anemia, sickle cell anemia, hemoglobinopathies,
polycyth


 dry fasting ... 98
Filonov’s method: fractional dry fasting (FDF) .. 105
7. What are the advantages of dry fasting compared
to water  fasting?......................................................  113
8. What mechanisms does a dry fast trigger within
the body?................................................................. 124
8.1. The mechanism of toxins burning "in their
own furnace" and production of "endogenous" water
...................................................................................... 124
8.2. Anti -inflammatory and immune -stimulatory
mechanism: the action of free forms of
glucocorticoids........................................................... 128
8.3. The mechanism of acidification of the internal
environment of the organism: the first and second
acidotic crises.............................................................. 137
8.4. Autolysis ............................................................ 150  8.5. The mechanism of rejuvenation and tissue
renewal: apoptosis ...................................................... 155
8.6. Youth and quality of life extension................ 168
8.7. Preventive mechanism: protection against
radiation, adverse environmental factors, prevention
of oncological diseases .............................................. 195
8.8. Renewal of the organism’s energy ................. 208
9. How to properly prepare your body for dry
fasting?....................................................................  217
9.1. Bowel cleansing. Introduction ....................... 217
9.2. Methods of use of enterosorbents .................. 231
9.3. Intestinal sorbent cleansing procedure ......... 235
9.4. Liver cleansing ..................................................  253
9.5. Intestinal and liver cleansing (week -long
program) ..................................................................... 258
9.6. Accelerated cleansing of the body ................. 270
9.7. Dietary recommendations to follow after
cleansing procedures ................................................. 275 9.8. Buckwheat porridge fast ................................. 276
10. What is fasting accompanied by?...................  278
10.1. Hunger sensations ......................................... 280
10.2. We akness ......................................................... 284
10.3. Chilliness or fever (more typical of dry
fasting)......................................................................... 286
10.4. Bad breath ....................................................... 288
10.5. Dimmed vision, vertigo ................................ 289
10.6. Headache ......................................................... 290
10.7. Sleep disturbances .......................................... 292
10.8. Pain in various parts of the body ................. 293
10.9. Toothache ....................................................... 296
10.10. Egress of pus ................................................. 297
10.11. Nausea, regurgitation and vomiting
(sorbents required) .................................................... 298
10.12. Palpitations ................................................... 300
10.13. Heartache ...................................................... 301
10.14. Muscle pain from overstrain ...................... 303  10.15. Colds .............................................................. 304
10.16. What to do if menstruation occurs during a
dry fasting practice?................................................... 305
11. How should you conduct a short dry fast?..... 306
11.1. Before fasting ..................................................  306
11.2. Essential benefits of fatty acids contained in
fish................................................................................ 308
11.3. The importance of fish oil fatty acids in
sustaining health and vessel health......................... 310
11.4. Home dry fasts up to 5 days ......................... 316
11.5. How to conduct a dry fractional fast properly
...................................................................................... 320
11.6. Recommendations on conducting dry fasting
...................................................................................... 324
11.7. Let’s move on to the day -to-day description of
the 5 -day dry fast ........................................................ 340
12. What time and which days are best for fasting?.................................................................................  348 13. How to exit from short dry fasts (1 -2-3-4- 5 days)
properly?................................................................. 351
13.1. Withdrawal from dry fasting. Recommendations..................................................... 351
13.2. Withdrawal from a 1 -day fast ...................... 352
13.3. Withdrawal from a 48 -hour fast .................. 353
13.4. Withdrawal from a 3 -day fast ...................... 355
13.5. Withdrawal from a 4 -5 day fast ................... 357
13.6. Nutrition program for good digestion (during
withdrawal from a fast) ............................................. 363
13.7. How to prepare Bolotov’s whey (serum) .... 369
13.8. What are the potential complications during
withdrawal from fasting?.......................................... 371
14. What’s the ideal scheme for conducting a dry
fractional fast at home?..........................................  379
15. How many kinds of dry fasting exist?............  384
15.1. Interesting facts: Secrets of Japanese monks
...................................................................................... 392  15.2. Interesting facts: Dry fasting and dousing
with cold water ........................................................... 399
16. How should you conduct a long dry fast?...... 401
17. Dry fractional fasting. Who do we recommend it
to?............................................................................  473
18. How to come out of a 9 -day dry fasting course?.................................................................................  480
A nutritional program for coming out of a fast .. 495
19. What diseases can be cured through dry fasting?.................................................................................  499
19.1. Dry fasting for acute diseases....................... 499
19.1.1. Fasting for acute infections (acute
respiratory diseases, influenza) ........................... 502
19.1.2. Dry fasting for the relapse of gastric ulcer
or duodenal ulcer, chronic pancreatitis,
cholecystitis, colitis, etc........................................ 516
19.1.3. Dry fasting for diabetes ......................... 521
19.2. Dry Fasting for chronic diseases .................. 524  19.2.1. Dry Fasting for endointoxication and
atherosclerosis............................................................ 529
19.2.2. Dry Fasting for hypertension .................... 532
19.2.3. Why dry fasting helps fight chronic diseases
...................................................................................... 539
19.2.4. Dry fasting for cystic tumors in the body  543
19.2.5. Dry Fasting for Infertility .......................... 546
19.2.6. Toxemia in Pregnant Women .................. 551
19.2.7. Endometriosis ............................................. 558
19.2.8. Dry Fasting for Benign Tumors ................ 561
19.2.9. Mastopathy ..................................................  566
19.2.10. Prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia
...................................................................................... 568
19.2.11. Dry Fasting for Bronchopulmonary
Diseases....................................................................... 573
19.2.12. Cardiovascular Diseases: Hypertension
and Atherosclerosis ................................................... 591  19.2.13. Neurological diseases: degenerative disc
disease, protrusions, disk herniation, migraine.................................................................................. 600
19.2.14. Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylos ing
spondylitis, deforming osteoarthrosis, infectious
polyarthritis........................................................... 604
19.2.15. Can dry fasting treat AIDS and hepatitis
C?............................................................................ 627
19.2.16. Dry Fasting against Cancer ................ 631
19.2.17. Dry Fasting against Skin Diseases ..... 637
19.2.18. Functional Nervous System Disorders
................................................................................. 649
19.2.19. Dry Fasting against Obesity ............... 652
20. How does doctor Filonov debunk myths about
dry therapeutic fasting?..........................................  679
Literature ..............................................................  722

 Foreword by the curator of English and
Italian edition Vera Giovanna Bani
Between 29 June and 13 July 2019 I had the
honor and the privilege of organizing the first
dry fasting practice in Europe (Strunjan - Slove-
nia), with Dr. Filonov and his team of masseurs:
his daughters Olga Kulikova, Anastasiya An-
tonova and nephew Andrey Cherkasskyj. We
worked with a fantastic group of almost thirty
people, all Italians except for one German girl,
one French and one Swiss. The experience was
wonderful, effective and constructive for every-
one (see the p hoto dossier at the end of the
book). But how did this project of disseminating
dry fasting begin?... …In October 2016, I began to get interested in
dry fasting without suspecting that this path
Copyright ©


-hatred. Think what immunityfrom such baneful possibilities means to youthof both sexes. A TRIAL  OF FLETCHERISM  AND ITS RESULTS. The very large test of Fletcherism as a
temperance expedient hereinbefore referred towas entirely accidental. It occurred in acommunity of students of a missionary collegein Tennessee. The institution is conducted under religious
auspices, the sect supporting it being that called" Seventh-Day Adventists. " The buildings are ona large farm, and most of the students earntheir board and tuition by doing farm work. Many subsist by what is called " boardingthemselves," that is : purchasing raw food anddoing their own cooking. To assist in thisindependence there is a commissary whereeverything needed is bartered or sold. One of the prominent persons in the
Adventist denomination is Dr. Kellog,Superintendent of the Battle Creek Sanatorium,who from the beginning has been one of themost ardent advocates and teachers ofFletcherism, and to whom is largely due thepermanency of its designation as " Fletcherism. " During a visit to the Tennessee institution,
Dr. Kellog so successfully preached the meritsof natural eating, that all the students were
induced to give it a trial as a health andeconomic measure. The trial was conducted under observation
for six months, when an accounting was made. During the six months the drafts on thecommissary had been a trifle less than halfwhat they formerly had been, and at the sametime the community had been free from theusual " seasonable " and bilious complaints orillnesses. No one had been cured of a craving foralcohol, for the reason that all were teetotalerson principle, but the sheer economy andhealthfulness of the results obtained were ofprodigious importance to young persons" working their way through college. " Theamount of the benefit can be imagined when itis considered that they needed to work less onthe farm to earn their food because the food-billwas much reduced. The time saved from workwas available for study, and the increase ofenergy and immunity from sickness addedenormously to the average studentability. One day there was brought to the institution
on a stretcher a poor chap of the neighbourhood,crazy with delirium tremens. In the infirmary of
the college emergency patients were received, aspart of the missionary training is medical. The sorry dipsomaniac was sobered-up in the
usual way and instructed in the process ofFletcherizing. He took kindly to it, as all do whohave been dietetic sinners, and the result wasthe same as with the beery and bleery trampmentioned in the early part of this chapter. Helost his " taste " for " booze " and continued theincident by becoming a worker on the place anda sound temperance example. Here was a revelation worth while to the
missionary workers. Their field of service wasthe mountain districts of their State and theneighbouring State of North Carolina, whichare famous for their moonshine whisky stills. The whisky distilled in the mountains does notpay any Internal Revenue tax if it can beavoided, and hence the stills are hidden in deepforests and operate by the light of the moon. The inhabitants of these lawless regions are thepoorest of the poor and call down the contemptof the negroes. They are called " poor whitetrash," and moonshine whisky that will kill atfifty yards is responsible for much of the povertyand trashiness. They are as good marks for
missionary sympathy as any "heathen" theworld can produce anywhere. I have beenamong them all and I assure you, these listlessand luckless inebriates of the poor white trashregions are the most pitiable. FLETCHERISM  AS FIRST  AID. As soon as the incident of the victim of
delirium tremens had been measured at its fullsignificance, it dawned upon the missionariesthat Fletcherism was to be their most potentassistant in curing the mountaineers of theirvices and preparing them for religiousinstruction. They were won over to the ideal ofDietetic Corpoculture as " First Aid to theInjured " in establishing Temperance on asound basis. Thus it was that the graduated missionaries
introduced themselves to their charges bybuilding simple ovens of road-side stones in rail-fence corners, as field surveyors might do, andinvited those who came along to feed with them. There is never any trouble in securing guests
at a feed anywhere, and it is extremely easyamong the poor to whom free food means less
work and more leisure. It is easy, too, to get theears and attention of guests at meals who wouldlike to be invited again. It is also easy to teachFletcherizing to youthful dinner-guests, asMadame La Marquise de Chamberay and Ifound out in connection with our East Sideinvestigation in New York. *
The result of this strategy on the part of the
Tennessee missionaries was reported to ameeting at the Battle Creek Sanatorium, andthe summary of the good attained up to thattime was as follows : More than a thousandpersons were saving an average of $3. 00 amonth on the cost of their sustenance, and weretemperance converts through the sloughing offof all desire for their moonshine product. Thinkof a saving from sheer waste of $3,000 a month($36,000 a year) to a community where $1,000 isconsidered to be a princely fortune, and a savingof a thousand human units from the scrap-heapof worse than death. * This reference is to an unique experiment in New York,
account of which will sometime be published under the title of "
Parties of Politeness," a name suggested by the little guests
themselves. CHAPTER XIII
THE MENACE OF MODERN MIXED MENUS
Gluttony and Avoirdupois—Contentment—Fletcherism and Political
Economy. WHILE it is true that " Variety is the spice of
life," and that an appetising variety of plain foodis more tempting than a monotony of the mosthighly-spiced dishes, every tendency of modernmenus is a menace to health, and the only wayto counteract the menace is to be especiallycareful in observing the rules of EpicureanEconomy. If the soup is particularly good, there is a
temptation to go on and completely satisfy theappetite on it. It requires the restraint ofcivilized suppression to keep from following theexample of Oliver Twist, calling for more andmore till the supply or appetite is exhausted. Then comes the fish : Who can resist
accepting a generous helping of this course,served in any one of the dozens of styles thatare familiar to the patrons of Frenchrestaurants. And how hard it is to refrain from
cleaning up the plate in a hurry so that none ofit will be whisked away by the waiter to makeroom for course number three. Nothing has been said of the Hors d'oeuvres
of the French menu, or the Ris Tavel of theDutch East Indian gorge, or the Smoer Gose of aScandinavian " Spread. " A fairly ravenousperson, given time enough, and with no onelooking, can be counted on to make a " squaremeal " on these " appetizers " alone before thesoup is announced. Mention of the " Roast," the " Entrées," the
 " Légumes," the " Dessert," and a bewildering
variety of cheeses to be followed by fruit, nutsand raisins, with several different wines,cordials, coffee, and cigars or cigarettes on theside. Even mention of them is likely to causepsychic indigestion. If one goes to a restaurant with a quarto, gilt-
top appetite, and scans one of the monster,modern, mixed menus for a suggestion of whathe shall order, he will, undoubtedly, see five orsix items that will appeal to his imagination as " just the thing " ; and if the cost is no specialreason for restraint, he will put down on his
order list twice or three times as much as hecan possibly eat in order to be as many kinds ofa fam dool as he can be at the moment. This is not an unreasonable or fantastic
illustration of the menace of a multiple menuand a colossal appetite in convenientconjunction. It is said that an amorous lover hasneither conscience nor discretion. This maysometimes be the case ; but it is always a surebetting proposition that an opulent, ravenously-hungry person will measure off with his eagereyes much more than his tummy can possiblyhold. Then follows the inclination of the average
human being to " get his money's worth," even ifhe " must die for it. " This is not alone a humancharacteristic exaggerated in sumptuously-civilized communities, but it is an animal traitas well. If a racehorse is turned out in a field ofclover that stands as high as his neck, he willvery likely eat himself to death. Likewise, if alittle child, with the animal characteristicsuppermost, is given a bag of sweets, he will besure to want to put himself securely outside ofthe whole bag-full in the shortest time possible,
so that he will make certain that no one willtake it away from him. GLUTTONY  AND AVOIRDUPOIS. The menace of the munificent menu also
leads to the uncomfortable acquisition ofsurplus avoirdupois. On some persons it hasquite the opposite effect, however. The writerremembers that it was a tradition in his colle


liver,
and
to
make
poultices
on
the
area
of
  the
pancreas
with
the
most
suitable
type
of
urine. In
the
initial
stages
of
diabetes,
you
can
apply
an
enema
with
Shankprokšalana,
with
the
addition
of
slightly
salty
water,
evaporated
or
activated
urine. This
enema
is
recommended
to
be
done
once
every
three
days
until
complete
healing. The
total
amount
of
liquid
is
from
3
to
4
liters. The
ratio
between
salt
water
and
urine
is
about
3
liters
of
water
per
500
grams
of
evaporated
urine. Example:
“I
once
met
a
group
of
old
people
on
a
train
who
were
full
of
energy
and
had
a
healthy
complexion. When
I
asked
how
they
maintain
such
health,
they
replied
that
they
have
cured
all
diseases,
including
diabetes,
with
urine
therapy
and
feel
young. At
that
time,
I
had
been
suffering
from
severe
diabetes
for
many
years,
the
blood
sugar
content
reached
29.7
units. After
meeting
on
the
train,
I
started
drinking
my
own
urine
every
morning
for
about
two
months. I
didn't
follow
any
diet. Blood
sugar
dropped
to
5.4
and
there
was
none
in
the
urine. I
maintain
this
state
to
this
day.”
Next
follows
a
series
of
excerpts
from
letters
from
one
and
the
same
person,
showing
how
to
fight
diabetes
and
related
diseases. Letter
#1:
"I
have
had
diabetes
for
seven
years
and
fungal
eczema
for
five
years. I
started
treatment
with
urine
therapy. I
drink
urine
three
times
a
day,
I
massage
my
hands,
feet,
neck
and
face
with
a
quarter's
urine
once
a
day
after
11
p.m. However,
one
thing
was
killing
me:
at
first
my
penis
became
red
and
swollen. I
couldn't
even
touch
him. I
consulted
an
endocrinologist
and
a
urologist. I
didn't
take
any
medicine
except
urine. Shall
I
continue?" Recommendation:
Cleanse
the
colon
and
liver. To
better
cleanse
the
body
of
harmful
substances
and
waste,
go
to
the
steam
or
sauna
more
often
and
do
not
eat
artificial,
refined
foods. Letter
#2:
“As
I've
written
before,
I
have
diabetes
and
eczema... I've
done
a
colon
cleanse
and
cleansed
my
liver
twice
and
my
kidneys
once
(with
sunflower
oil). I
cleaned
my
joints
with
rice
and
bay
leaf
decoction. I
starved
for
three
days
a
month. Eczema
is
slowly
receding,
it
has
almost
disappeared
from
the
palms,
there
is
still
rough
skin
on
the
feet. I
have
applied
the
poultice
to
my
limb
several
times
as
per
your
advice
and
have
no
more
problems. Rub
the
hands,
feet
and
limbs
with
a
quarter's
worth
of
urine
daily. However,
I
have
another
concern. In
the
last
letter
you
advised
me
to
omit
bread
from
my
diet,
because
my
body
is
heavily
clogged
with
phlegm
and
slime. Should
I
give
up
all
bread
and
for
how
long? Otherwise,
I
visited
the
steam
room
and
felt
wonderful. I've
been
single
for
five
years
due
to
eczema. I
no
longer
take
medication
for
diabetes
and
treat
eczema
only
with
urine. I'm
in
a
good
mood. I'm
just
asking
for
answers
to
questions
about
bread
and
eczema
on
the
feet.' Recommendation:
Continue
to
cleanse
the
body,
eat
only
natural
products
and
cook
onlywith
melted
water. Letter
#3:
"I
will
describe
to
you
the
result
of
my
treatment. Recently,
I
drink
urine
three
times
a
day
and
at
the
same
time
rub
a
quarter
of
the
urine
on
my
feet
and
palms
for
5
to
10
minutes. I
starved
four
times,
twice
for
two
days
and
twice
for
three
days. I
pass
urine
5-6
times
a
day
and
have
eliminated
bread
and
pastries
from
my
diet. In
the
past
two
months,
I
have
cleansed
my
colon
twice
and
my
liver
five
times,
washed
my
kidneys
once
with
rosehip
root
decoction,
drank
melted
water,
bay
leaf
decoction
and
ate
rice,
porridge,
salads
and
potatoes. At
the
same
time,
I
also
cured
hemorrhoids
with
urine
therapy,
and
it
seems
diabetes
too:
in
any
case,
its
symptoms
disappeared,
such
as
sweating,
weakness,
dry
mouth,
etc. According
to
your
advice,
I
go
to
the
steam
room
every
day. The
feet
are
cleared
of
eczema,
but
slowly. Eczema
on
my
palms
no
longer
bothers
me. I
await
further
advice.' Recommendation:
Supplement
the
diet
with
sprouted
grain
(stimulation
of
the
body
with
group
B
vitamins
and
trace
elements),
instead
of
massages,
apply
poultices
with
one-fourth
evaporated
urine
to
places
with
eczema
(use
it
more
often
at
all)
and
fast
for
longer
than
two
or
three
days
in
order
to
achieve
a
deeper
cleansing
of
the
organism. Letter
#4:
"I
have
not
been
able
to
completely
cure
my
eczema. I
ate
sprouted
grains
on
an
empty
stomach,
put
compresses
on
my
feet
with
evaporated
urine,
didn't
eat
bread
or
pastries
for
a
month,
and
starved
myself
for
a
week. I
drank
evaporated
urine
twice
a
day. I
follow
a
diet,
eat
only
salads
and
porridges,
drink
juices,
but
I
have
not
achieved
a
complete
cure. Although
my
feet
are
almost
eczema-free
and
my
palms
are
clean,
my
urine
and
blood
sugar
levels
are
close
to
normal. Anyway,
I
improved
my
health
with
urine
therapy.' Comment
and
recommendation:
Only
five
and
a
half
months
have
passed
since
the
beginning
of
the
treatment,
yet
the
disease
was
long-term:
diabetes
for
seven
years
and
eczema
for
five
years. The
diabetes
has
pr


adiyah Surakarta, Faculty of Health Science in Indonesia, and
presented at the 3rd International Conference on Science, T echnology, and Humanity (ISETH)
in December 2017, showed a significant VO2  max increase over a control group. Dani Fahrizal
and T otok Budi Santoso, “The Ef fect of Buteyko Breathing T echnique in Improving
Cardiorespiratory Endurance,” 2017 ISETH Pr oceeding Book  (UMS publications),
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.or g/c2ee/b2d1c0230a76fccdad94e7d97b1 1b882d217.pdf ; Several
more study summaries are available at Patrick McKeown, “Oxygen Advantage,”
https://oxygenadvantage.com/improved-swimming-coordination. “ d i a g n o s e d  m a c h i n e  d i s o r d e r s ” :  K. P. Buteyko, ed., Buteyko Method: Its Application in Medical Practice
(Odessa, Ukraine: T itul, 1991). s h o t  t o  2 1 2 :  Details from this biography were taken from several sources. “The Life of Konstantin
Pavlovich Buteyko,” Buteyko Clinic, https://buteykoclinic.com/about-dr -buteyko ; “Doctor
Konstantin Buteyko,” Buteyko.com,
http://www.buteyko.com/method/buteyko/index_buteyko.html ; “The History of Professor K. P. Buteyko,” LearnButeyko.or g, http://www.learnbuteyko.or g/the-history-of-professor -kp-
buteyko ; Ser gey Altukhov, Doctor  Buteyko’ s Discovery  (TheBreathingMan, 2009), Kindle
locations 570, 572, 617; Buteyko interview, 1988, Y ouT ube, https://www.youtube.com/watch ? v=yv5unZd7okw. h e a d e d  t o  A k a d e m g o r o d o k :  “The Original Silicon V alley,” The Guar dian, Jan. 5, 2016,
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2016/jan/05/akademgorodok-academy-
town-siberia-science-russia-in-pictures. L a b o r a t o r y  o f  F u n c t i o n a l  D i a g n o s t i c s :  See an amazing photo of the lab here:
https://images.app.goo.gl/gAHupjGqjBtEiKab9. 6. 5  t o  7. 5  p e r c e n t  c a r b o n  d i o x i d e :  A copy of Buteyko’ s carbon dioxide chart can be found here:
https://tinyurl.com/yy3fvrh7. B u t e y k o  d e v e l o p e d  a  p r o t o c o l :  Buteyko’ s papers and musings can be downloaded for free on Patrick
McKeown’ s website: https://tinyurl.com/y3lbfhx2. Z á t o p e k  d e v e l o p e d :  More about hypoventilation training is available on Dr. Xavier W oorons’ s website:
http://www.hypoventilation-training.com/index.html ; “Emil Zatopek Biography,” Biography
Online, May 1, 2010, https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/athletics/emile-zatopek.html ;Adam B. Ellick, “Emil Zatopek,” Runner ’ s W orld, Mar. 1, 2001,
https://www.runnersworld.com/ad  vanced/a20841849/emil-zatopek. For what it’ s worth,
Zátopek’ s height is something of a mystery; some references state he was six feet tall but
others, such as ESPN, have him as five-six. The consensus, according to Runner ’ s W orld, is
that he was about five-eight. w i d e l y  d e r i d e d :  T imothy Noakes, Lor e of Running, 4th ed. (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2002),
382.
w o u l d  l a t e r  b e  n a m e d :  “Emil Zátopek,” Running Past, http://www.runningpast.com/emil_zatopek.htm ;
Frank Litsky, “Emil Zatopek, 78, Ungainly Running Star, Dies,” The New Y ork T imes, Nov. 23,
2000, https://www.nytimes.com/2000/1 1/23/sports/emil-zatopek-78-ungainly-running-star -
dies.html. “ h u r t,  p a i n,  a n d  a g o n y ” :  Joe Hunsaker, “Doc Counsilman: As I Knew Him,” SwimSwam, Jan. 12, 2015,
https://swimswam.com/doc-counsilman-knew/. s w i m  f a s t e r :  Some interesting context on the possible dangers of Counsilman’ s approach in training for
younger athletes by swim coach Mike Lewellyn: https://swimisca.or g/coach-mike-lewellyn-on-
breath-holding-shallow-water -blackout/. An alternative view by Dr. Rob Orr can be found at
“Hypoxic W ork in the Pool,” PT ontheNet, Feb. 14, 2006,
https://www.ptonthenet.com/articles/Hypoxic-W ork-in-the-Pool-2577. What I’ve surmised
from these and several other posts is that hypoxia training works, but it should not be employed
as one-size-fits-all training regimen. Physiological, psychological, and numerous anatomical
factors must all be considered, as with most any other, training technique. And like any other
underwater training, hypoxic training must always be under the close supervision of
professionals. C o u n s i l m a n  u s e d  i t :  “ISHOF Honorees,” International Swimming Hall of Fame, https://ishof.or g/dr.-
james-e.--doc--counsilman-(usa).html ; “A Short History: From Zátopek to Now,”
Hypoventilation T raining.com, http://www.hypoventilation-training.com/historical.html. U. S. O l y m p i c  s w i m  t e a m :  Braden Keith, “Which W as the Greatest US Men’ s Olympic T eam Ever?,”
SwimSwam, Sept. 7, 2010, https://swimswam.com/which-was-the-greatest-us-mens-olympic-
team-ever ; Jean-Claude Chatard, ed., Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming IX  (Saint-
Étienne, France: University of Saint-Étienne Publications, 2003). b o o s t  i n  r e d  b l o o d  c e l l s :  T o be clear, W oorons’ s research is directed at elite athletes looking to get an edge
on the competition. Nobody knows the long-term ef fects of consistently pushing the body into
a highly anaerobic state, and several researchers suggest such constant anaerobic workouts may
break down the body and cause damaging oxidative stress. Meanwhile, with just a few weeks
of Olsson’ s lighter, milder training, several of his clients registered significant gains in red
blood cell counts. More blood means more oxygen delivered to more tissues. Lance
Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist, didn’ t get busted for taking adrenaline or steroids but for
injecting himself with his own blood and increasing his red blood cell count, which would
allow him to carry more oxygen. What Armstrong was essentially doing was a instant fix of
breath restriction training. B r e a t h i n g  way less :  Xavier W oorons et al., “Prolonged Expiration down to Residual V olume Leads to
Severe Arterial Hypoxemia in Athletes during Submaximal Exercise,” Respiratory Physiology
& Neur obiology 158, no. 1 (Aug. 2007): 75–82; Alex Hutchinson, “Holding Y our Breath
during T raining Can Improve Performance,” The Globe and Mail, Feb. 23, 2018,
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/fitness/holding-your -breath-during-
training-can-improve-performance/article38089753/. J u s t  a  f e w  w e e k s :  E. Dudnik et al


4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice
4 cups (1 L) canned, drained or fr esh
skinned tomatoes, halved or chopped grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1–1/4 cups (300 mL) packed br own sugar
1–1/4 cups (300 mL) white wine
3 tbsp (45 mL) fr esh thyme leaves
4 cloves garlic,
peeled 4 bay leaves
8 coriander seeds

1. Cut fennel bu lbs into quarters. In lar ge pot, combine water and 1/4 cup
(50 mL) lemon juice. Immerse fennel in water. Set aside. 2. Heat four 1-quart (1 L) jars in boiling water, and scald the  lids, lifter,
funnel and tongs ( Boiling W ater Method, Step by Step ). 3. In a Maslin pan or canning kettle, combine tomatoes, lemon rind and
juice, sugar, wine and thyme leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring
constantly. Boil,  stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Drain fennel quarters and
add to pan. Boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until
fennel is tender -crisp but still intact. 4. Using tongs, lift fennel quar ters out of tomato sauce and fill hot jars,
leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) headspace. Add 1 garlic clove, 1 bay leaf and 2
coriander seeds to each jar. Ladle tomato sauce over fennel, leaving a 1/2-
inch (1 cm) headspace. Run a thin non-metallic utensil around the inside of
the j ar to allow air to escape. Add more hot sauce, if necessary, to leave a
1/2-inch (1 cm) headspace. W ipe rims, top with flat lids and screw on metal
rings. Return jars to the hot water bath, topping up with h ot water if
necessary. Bring  to a full rolling boil and process jars for 15 minutes
( Boiling W ater Method, Step by Step ).5. Remo ve cann er lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars t o a towel or
rack to cool com pletely. Check seals, label and store in a cool place for up
to 1 year. Use: For an ele gant side dish, e mpty the contents of a quart (1 L) jar into
a casserole dish. Combine 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh or dry bread crumbs,
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, chopped, and 3 tbsp
(45 mL) olive o il. Pat over the top of the fennel and bake in a 350°F
(180°C) oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly and
fennel is heated through. Alternatively,  you can divide the finnochio
among 4 small casserole dishes, top with the bread crumbs, bake and
serve as a starter. Add fin occhio to cooked potatoes or carrots, or combine with more
canned tomatoes for a great wi nter soup. It can be used to po ach fish or
vegetables for a winter stew. Make a carrot confit: Shave thin ribbons from 2 carrots. In a deep
saucepan, heat 1 cup (250 mL) olive oil over low heat until warm. Add
carrots and cook gently, stirri ng occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes or
until tender-crisp. Drain well. Meanwhile in another saucepan, heat
finocchio. Add carrots and mix well. Serve warm or at room temperature. Drying Fennel Leaves
Snip the feathery leaves from stalks and set aside in a warm, dark spot to dry. When
dry, t ransfer to an airtight and dark container and use as a seasoning for salsas and
tomato sauces and as a pickle brine for preserves. r o a s t e d  t o m a t o,  f e n n e l  a n d  b a s i l  r e l i s hI ha ve always m arvelled that tomatoes and basil, such a per fect match,
ripen at  the same time, as if the  two wer e divinely or dained. C ombined in
this rich ly ar om atic sauce, they help to make it extraor dinary. Ther e is no
doubt about it—this is a sophisticated sauce. Be sur e to use plum or Roma tomatoes because they ar e meaty and can
stand up to the r oasting. 2 rimmed baking sheets, lightly oiled
Pr eheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS (1.5 L)
2–1/2 lb (1.25 kg) ripe plum tomatoes, halved
and seeded (9 or 10)
1 r ed bell pepper, halved
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1onion, cut into eighths
4 tbsp (50 mL) olive oil
2fennel bulbs (about 2 lb/1 kg), cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) dice
1/2 cup (125 mL) balsamic or r ed wine vinegar
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed br own sugar
1 cup (250 mL) loosely packed shr edded
basil leaves 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fr esh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp (15 mL) pickling salt
1 tsp (5 mL) gr ound nutmeg
1. O n one of the prepared baking sheets, arrange tomato halves in a single
layer, cut side down. On the other baking sheet, arrange red pepper halves
cut side down and place the garlic cloves and onions around them. Drizzle
each pan with 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil. 2. Roast in preh eated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft
and wri nkled and garlic is lig htly browned and tender. Onions may be
slightly charred. Let the vegetables cool on the sheets. 3. M eanwhile, heat six 1-cup (250 mL) jars in boiling water, a nd scald the
lids, lifter, funnel and tongs ( Boiling W ater Method, Step by Step ). 4. In a M aslin p an or canning kettle, combine fennel, vinegar and brown
sugar. S tir in basil, parsley salt and nutmeg. Bring to a boil ove r high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. 5. S lip skins o f f tomatoes and peppers and discard. Roughl y chop the
tomatoes, peppe rs, onions and g arlic. Add chopped roasted vegetables and
any juices that have accumulated on the baking sheets. Boil for 1 minute. 6. S kim of f and discard any foam. Fill hot jars, leaving a 1/2- inch (1 cm)
headspace. Run a thin non-metallic utensil around the inside of the jar to
allow ai r to escape. Add more hot relish, if necessary, to leave  1/2-inch (1
cm) hea dspace. W ipe rims, top with flat lids and screw on m etal rings. Return jars to th e hot water ba th, topping up with hot water if necessary. Bring to  a full r olling boil and process jars for 15 minutes ( Boiling W ater
Method, Step by Step ). 7. Remo ve cann er lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars t o a towel or
rack to cool com pletely. Check seals, label and store in a cool place for up
to 1 year.Use: As a pasta sauce and in recipes where canned or stewed tomatoes
are called for. Serve as an ac companiment with grilled shrimp, fish or
pork. g r i l l e d  s c a l l o p s  w i t h  r o a s t e d  t o m a t o,  f e n n e l  a n d
b a s i l  r e l i s h
A hearty  and easy entrée when a ccompanied by pasta or rice, this dish can
also be served as an appetizer. Sea scallops ar e plumper and lar ger than
bay scallops. For a vegetarian dish, you can substitute grilled peppers and
eggplant for the scallops. MAKES 4 CUPS (1 L)
4 tbsp (50 mL) olive oil, divided
2 tsp (10 mL) fr eshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) Cajun seasoning
1 lb (500 g) fr esh sea scallops
2 cups (500 mL) Roasted T omato, Fennel and Basil Relish

1. In  a bowl, combine 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil, lemon juice  and Cajun
seasoning. Add scallops and toss well to coat. 2. In a skillet, heat remaining oil over high heat. Add scallops and cook for
about 2 minutes on each side o r until done. Scallops are done when they


  (October
1930),
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the true source of all art and science. 117He might also have said it is the source of all growth and excite-
ment as well. But too many people equate the unknown with danger. The pur-
pose of life, they think, is to deal with certainty, and to always know
where they are headed. Only the foolhardy risk exploring the fuzzy
areas of life, and when they do, they end up being surprised, hurt,
and worst of all, unprepared. As a young scout you were told to Be
Prepared. But how can you prepare for the unknown. Obviously,
you cannot. Therefore avoid it and you’ll never end up with egg on
your face. Be safe, don’t take risks, follow the road maps—even if it
is dull. Perhaps you’re getting tired of all that certainty, knowing what
every day will be like before it has been lived. You can’t grow if you
already know the answers before the questions have even been
asked. Probably the times you most remember are those in which
you were spontaneously alive, doing whatever you wanted, and
delightfully anticipating the mysterious. We hear the cultural messages of certainty throughout life. They
began with family and are reinforced by educators. The child learns
to avoid experimentation and is encouraged to avoid the unknown. Don’t get lost. Have the right answers. Stay with your own kind. If
you still cling to these fearful encouragements to security, now is
the time to break free. Get rid of the idea that you can’t try out new
and doubtful behavior. You can if you choose to. It begins with an
understanding of your conditioned reflex to avoid new experiences. Openness to New Experiences
If you believe in yourself fully, no activity is beyond your potential. The entire gamut of human experience is yours to enjoy, once you
decide to venture into territory where you don’t have guarantees. Think of the people who are regarded as geniuses and were spectac-
ularly effective in their lifetimes. They weren’t people who could
do only one thing well. They weren’t individ-118 / Your Erroneous Zonesuals who avoided the unknown. Benjamin Franklin, Ludwig van
Beethoven, Leonardo da Vinci, Jesus Christ, Albert Einstein, Galileo,
Bertrand Russell, George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, these
and many like them were pioneers, adventurers into new, unreliable
areas. They were people, just like you, set apart only in that they
were willing to traverse areas where others dared not tread. Albert
Schweitzer, another Renaissance Man, once said, “Nothing human
is alien to me. ” You can look at yourself with new eyes, and open
yourself up to experiences that you’ve never even considered as a
part of your own human potential, or you can do the same things,
the same way, until you reach your coffin. It is a fact that great men
remind you of no other, and their greatness is generally discernible
in the quality of exploration and the boldness with which they ex-
plored the unknown. Opening yourself up to new experiences means surrendering the
notion that it is better to tolerate something familiar than to work
at changing it because change is fraught with uncertainty. Perhaps
you’ve adopted a stance that the self (you) is fragile, and easily
shattered if you enter areas where you’ve never been before. This is
a myth. You are a tower of strength. You are not going to collapse
or fall apart if you encounter something new. In fact, you stand a
much better chance of avoiding psychological collapse if you elim-
inate some of the routine and sameness in your life. Boredom is de-
bilitating and psychologically unhealthy. Once you lose interest in
life you are potentially shatterable. You won’t choose that mytholo-
gical nervous breakdown if you add a little spicy uncertainty to your
life. You may also have adopted the “if it’s unusual I must stay away
from it” mentality, which inhibits your openness to new experiences. Thus, if you see deaf people using sign language, you watch with
curiosity but never attempt to converse with them. Similarly, when
you encounter people who speak a foreign language, rather than
work it out and attempt somehow to communicate, you very likely
just wander off, and avoid the vast unknown of communicating in
other than your own spokenEXPLORING THE UNKNOWN  / 119language. There are uncountable activities and people who are
considered taboo merely because they are unknown. Thus homo-
sexuals, transvestites, the handicapped, the retarded, nudists and
the like, are in the category of the obscure. You are not quite certain
how to behave, and therefore you avoid the entire business. You may also believe that you must have a reason for doing
something; otherwise what’s the point of doing it. Balderdash. You
can do anything you want just because you want to, and for no
other reason. You don’t need a reason for anything that you do. Looking for a reason for everything is the kind of thinking that keeps
you from new and exciting experiences. As a child you could play
with a grasshopper for an hour, for no reason but that you liked it. Or you could climb a hill, or take an exploratory trip in the woods. Why. Because you wanted to. But as an adult, you have to come up
with a good reason for things. This passion for reasons keeps you
from opening up and growing. What freedom to know that you
don’t have to justify anything to anyone, including yourself, ever
again. Emerson, in his Journal of April 11, 1834, observed
Four snakes gliding up and down a hollow for no purpose that
I could see. Not to eat. Not for love…But only gliding. You can do whatever you want because you want to and for no
other reason. This kind of thinking will open up new vistas of exper-
ience and help to eliminate the fear of the unknown that you may
have adopted as a life-style. Rigidity vs. Spontaneity
Take a hard look at your spontaneity. Can you open up to some-
thing new or do you rigidly hang onto your accustomed be-120 / Your Erroneous Zoneshavior. Spontaneity means being able to try anything, at the spur
of the second, just because it is something you’d enjoy. You may
even discover that it’s something you don’t enjoy doing but you did
enjoy attempting it. It is likely that you will be condemned as irre-
sponsible or incautious, but what does the judgment of others matter
when you’re having such a marvelous time discovering the un-
known. There are many people in high places who find it difficult
to be spontaneous. They live out their lives in a rigid fashion, oblivi-
ous to the absurdities they blindly follow. Democrats and Republic-
ans support the statements of top party leaders and vote the party
line. Cabinet officials who speak spontaneously and honestly are
very often ex-cabinet officials. Independent thinking is discouraged,
and there are official guidelines for how one should think and speak. Yes-men are not spontaneous men. They desperately fear the un-
known. They fit in. They do what they are told. They never challenge
but rigidly adhere to what is expected of them. Where are you on
this dimension. Can you be your own person in this area. Can you
spontaneously take the avenues that don’t always lead to a sure
thing. The rigid never grow. They tend to do things the same way they’ve
always done them. A colleague of mine who teaches graduate
courses for teachers frequently asks the old-timers, who have spent
thirty years or more in the classroom, “Have you really been teaching
for thirty years or have you been teaching one year, thirty times. ”
And you, dear reader, have you really lived 10,000 or more days or
have you lived one day, 10,000 or more times. A good question to
ask yourself as you work toward more spontaneity in your life. Prejudice and Rigidity
Rigidity is the basis of all prejudice, which means to prejudge. Prejudice is based less on hate or even dislike for certainEXPLORING THE UNKNOWN  / 121people, ideas, or activities than on the fact that it’s easier and safer
to stay with the known. That is, people who are like you. Your pre-
judices seem to work for you. They keep you away from people,
things and ideas that are unknown and potentially troublesome. Actually they work against you by preventing you from exploring
the unknown. Being spontaneous means eliminating your prejudg-
ments and allowing yourself to meet and deal with new people and
ideas. The pre-judgments themselves are a safety valve for avoiding
murky or puzzling provinces and preventing growth. If you don’t
trust anyone you can’t get a “handle on”; it really means you don’t
trust yourself on unfamiliar grounds. The “Always Having a Plan” Trap
There is no such thing as planned spontaneity. It is a contradiction
in terms. We all know people who go through their lives with a road
map and a list, unable to vary their life a single iota from the original
plan. A plan is not necessarily unhealthy, but falling in love with
the plan is the real neurosis. You may have a life plan for what you’ll
do at age 25, 30, 40