 Herbal medicine can be very helpful
for headaches, although choosing the right herbs
can be difficult. The following remedies contain
relaxing herbs that alleviate headaches triggered
by stress as well as other more specific factors. Lavender is soothing, while vervain is a tonic
and relaxing herb for nervous exhaustion. Peppermint is effective for headaches that are
linked to indigestion. Migraine  is a more specific problem. The
remedies aim both to prevent the onset of a
migraine as well as treat the symptoms. Hangovers  are not a nerve problem in a direct
sense, but they should be treated in the same
way as any other type of mild poisoning that
requires detoxification and headache relief. Make sure you also drink plenty of water. QGeneral caution For migraine or recurrent
headaches, consult a professional practitioner to
diagnose and treat the underlying cause. Difficulty in sleeping affects everyone at one time
or another. Herbs can provide a safe and gentle
solution to this problem. Sedative herbs  such as German chamomile,
linden, lavender, hops, and passionflower are
relaxing and, unlike some herbs, are most likely
to be effective against insomnia when taken at
night. Hops are excellent when the mind refuses
to “switch off.”
Stimulant herbs  are effective when the
body suffers from nervous exhaustion and
feels, paradoxically, too tired for sleep. Oats
and ginseng encourage a good night’s sleep,
especially for people suffering from nervous
tension and fatigue. Herbal sleeping pills,  containing
combinations of valerian, hops, passionflower,
and similar herbs, are often helpful in
overcoming mild sleep problems and in
reducing feelings of anxiety and stress.General Remedy
Herb Lavender ( Lavandula officinalis, p. 108)
Remedy Rub a few drops of neat essential oil on
the temples. Tension & Sinus Headaches
Herb Linden ( Tilia spp., p. 277)
Remedy Make an infusion using 1 heaping tsp of
linden to 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water, or use teabags. Drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day. Nervous Exhaustion & Overactivity
Herbs Vervain ( Verbena officinalis, p. 149), valerian
(Valeriana officinalis, p. 148)
Remedy Make an infusion of vervain and drink up
to 21/4 cups a day. Alternatively, mix 1⁄2 tsp of each
tincture and take with water up to 3 times a day. Caution Do not take vervain during pregnancy. Digestive Headaches & Biliousness
Herbs Peppermint ( Mentha  x piperita, p. 114),
pennyroyal ( Mentha pulegium, p. 235)
Remedy Make an infusion of either herb in a
covered container, using a teabag, a small handful
of fresh leaves, or 1 level tsp of dried herb per
3/4 cup (150 ml)  of water. Drink up to 3 cups
(750 ml) a day for up to 1 week, or up to 21/3
cups (600 ml) a day if taking for 2  –3 weeks. Cautions Do not give to children under 5. Do not take
pennyroyal during pregnancy. General Remedies
Herbs German chamomile ( Chamomilla recutita,
p. 77), linden ( Tilia spp., p. 277), lavender
(Lavandula officinalis, p. 108), passionflower
(Passiflora incarnata, p. 119)
Remedy The above herbs are listed in
ascending order of strength. Start with the
weakest, German chamomile, and if it does not
help, try the next strongest. Make an infusion in
a covered container using 1–2 heaping tsp per 3/4
cup (150 ml)  of water. T ake prior to sleeping. Alternatively, take 1 tsp of tincture with water
up to 3 times a night. Herbs Valerian ( Valeriana officinalis, p. 148), hops
(Humulus lupulus, p. 104), passionflower ( Passiflora
incarnata, p. 119)
Remedy 1  T ake tablets containing one or more
of the herbs. Remedy 2  Make a sachet with dried hops
(see p. 104) and place inside your pillow. Caution  Do not take hops internally if feeling low
or depressed.Overactive Mind
Herb Hops ( Humulus lupulus, p. 104)
Remedy T ake the tincture with water at night. Start with 10 drops up to a maximum of 40
drops each night. Caution  Do not take hops internally if feeling low
or depressed. Poor sleep & nervous exhaustion
Herb Oats ( Avena sativa, p. 175)
Remedy Eat oats daily, for example as a hot
cereal, and take 1 tsp of oat straw tincture with
water 3 times a day. Herbs Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera,
p. 152), Siberian ginseng ( Eleutherococcus
senticosus, p. 94)
Remedy T ake 1–2 g of ashwagandha or
Siberian ginseng up to 3 times a day. Either
chew the root, or cook it in a soup. Alternatively,
take tablets. Cautions  Avoid taking caffeine while taking
ashwagandha and Siberian ginseng. Do not take
Siberian ginseng for more than 6 weeks at a time. Do not take during pregnancy. Do not give to children
under 12.Migraine Prevention
Herb Feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium,
p. 140)
Remedy At the first sign of an impending
attack, take tablets or 10 drops of tincture with
water. Alternatively, place a fresh leaf between
slices of bread and eat as a sandwich. Cautions Do not give to children under 12. Do not
take in pregnancy. Migraine
Herb Skullcap ( Scutellaria lateriflora, p. 135)
Remedy Make an infusion using 1 heaping tsp
of herb to 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water. Drink up to
3 cups (750 ml) a day. Herb Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis, p. 128)
Remedy Make an infusion using 1 level tsp of
herb per 3/4 cup (150 ml) of water and take up
to 21/3 cups (600 ml) each day. Detoxification for Hangover
Herb Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale, p. 141)
Remedy Make a decoction using 15 g of
root to 3 cups (750 ml) of water. T ake the
decoction in small quantities at frequent
intervals throughout the day. Before taking any herbal remedies, see pages 290 & 298–299
US_308-309_Nerve_and_Stress_Related_Problems.indd   309 26/02/16   4:43 pm
310
Herbal remedies for H ome useRespiratory Tract Problems
The respiratory system stretches from the lining of the eyes
and sinuses to the base of the lungs, and is constantly exposed to dust, dirt, and organisms in the air. It is no surprise that in our ever more polluted world we often face problems such as sinus congestion and asthma. Herbal remedies aim to protect the linings of the eyes, ears, sinuses, nose, and throat, as well as the respiratory “tree” of the lungs by countering infection,
clearing congestion, soothing the mucous membranes, and relieving inflammation or allergy. Coughs & Bronchitis
Nosebleeds
Eye ProblemsThyme
(Thymus vulgaris)
The act of coughing is usually a reaction to irritant
particles in the bronchial tubes. It is worthwhile to consider the type of cough you have and where it is centered. Herbal remedies can then
be chosen to work effectively to clear or ease the cough. Productive, chest coughs may produce white, yellow, or green phlegm. Unproductive coughs are dry and irritant
and often take a long time to clear.Bronchitis occurs when the lining of the lungs’ airways becomes inflamed, resulting in a chest cough, possible breathlessness, and a raised temperature. Use both an external and an internal remedy.Herbs Thyme is an effective antiseptic for
the whole system. Licorice acts as a soothing expectorant for persistent coughs and makes any remedy more palatable. T ake plenty of garlic to fight bronchitis. QGeneral caution Seek professional advice if a cough
lasts for more than 1 week without a cold or infection. Many herbs are reputed to stop nosebleeds,
and most are effective. Using an herb as snuff is a traditional way of staunching a nosebleed. QCaution If the nosebleed continues for some hours
or is very heavy, seek immediate professional advice. Rather than treating the eyes themselves, these
remedies benefit


: pain, anger, frustration or whatever they may be. Imagine
that the whole s cenario or the experience that generated those emotions is
happening right now. Let this experience fill your entire body from head to
toe. Stay  with this and keep inviting the feelings in; allow them to fill your
entire being. How intense are th ese emotions? Can you name them? Where
in y our body ar e you feeling t hem the most? Are they in one particular
place or are yo u feeling them all over? Or perhaps you can’ t quite tell? Keep fe eling the m with a gentle  attention on your breath. Perh aps you are
beginning to cry? It is okay. Con tinue and simply feel what you feel. Notice
if there is any change in how you are feeling. Are you still feeling as intense
as when you sta rted? If so, don ’ t rush to change how you feel. Allow it to
be as it is! Just be as you are. Has anything changed? Does it feel okay for
you to open your eyes? If not, continue to sit, allow yourself to feel what
you feel and open your eyes when it feels okay to open them. By a llowing the painful emotions, you worked through them a nd here you
are! Stil l okay! Y ou may no longer be gripped by those emotions once you
are not afraid of feeling them. Y ou may feel a sense of surrender, a gentle
letting go, and perhaps some sadness. What typically happ ens in this
meditation is that the emotions transform from fear to sadness and it is the
sadness that we were so afraid  to feel. The allowance is what makes our
sorrows sweet, causes the tea rs to flow and opens our heart to love. Ultimately, love is all we wanted in the first place, and now it i s here, right
in our hearts. In a culture that is fixated on controlling everything, allowing may be a
foreign concept. I have come to  realize that there is very little that we can
actually control and the only response is to simply allow events to unfold.Feelings can’ t be purposefully “fixed,” they can only be allow ed and felt. Allowing “fixes” them. Life can certainly be downright hard at times, but we make matters worse
for o urselves when we believe life should be anything other than what it is! As painful as it is to feel deeply, controlling how we “should” feel would
make it far worse. W e must surrender to life in all its glory in order to come
alive ful ly. This is how we show up for our life and for ourselves. Like one
of my teachers from long ago sa id, “I never promised you a rose garden,” to
which m y answer used to be, “W ell, someone should!” And that someone
turned o ut to be only me. Darn! And there is no rose garden, only the rose
colored glasses—my perception. 4. T A K E  T I M E  T O  E A T
T reat ea ting as an activity like any other activity that you make time for. Sit
down an d eat in a settled and peaceful environment. Chew you r food well
and take  time to savor your foo d. And don’ t rush away right after eating. Of fer gr atitude f or the food you are to consume and all that took  place for it
to be on your plate. Eating is a sacred act that not only nourishes us on a
physical level, but also on a psychological level. It’ s important to give
yourself permiss ion to eat what  you enjoy at mealtimes. I have never told
my clients to ea t something because it is good for them unless they like it
because happin ess is the most important ingredient in improving your
digestion. W e are a culture that is big on snacking, yet snacking ca n result in
overeating: it doesn’ t allow you to feel completely satisfied like  you would
be if  you sat down and had a meal. W e remain physically and emotionally
hungry. When we don’t take the time to eat, we end up eating all the
time. Ski pping meals is another big trend in our society, as if it is a  badge
of im portance or busyness. Anytime we skip a meal, we end u p more than
making up for it at the next meal. The truth is that when we sit down and
eat cons ciously, we feel satisfied and have no desire for food u ntil the next
meal, when we naturally begin to feel hungry. Snacking bef ore we are
completely hungry gets in the way of our body fully metabolizing theearlier m eal. An unmetabolized meal is one of the causes of tox icity in our
body. There are a lot of myths circulating about eating frequent, smaller meals
throughout the day. This may be  needed for those with blood sugar issues or
certain o ther hea lth conditions. But in general, eating meals at regular times
will go a long way towards improving our health and maintaining our focus. It is useful to have even a vague idea of what your meal will be, instead of
randomly eating  whatever is aro und. That leads to mindless eating and does
not p rovide the satisfaction that we desire on every level. When it comes to
our health, short-term thinking results in short-term health; for long-term
health we must think about the long term ef fects of our habits
5. P A U S E  B E F O R E  G I V I N G  I N  T O  C R A V I N G S
As ment ioned earlier, emotiona l eating tends to be automatic and virtually
mindless. Before you even realize what you’re doing, you’ve re ached for a
tub of ice cream and polished of f half of it. But if you can take a moment to
pause and reflect when you are  hit with a craving, you give yourself the
opportunity to make a dif ferent decision. All you have to do is put of f eating for five minutes, or if f ive minutes
seems unmanag eable, start with one minute. Don’ t tell yourself you can’ t
give in to the cr aving; remember, the forbidden is extremely tempting. Just
tell y ourself to w ait.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        This wonderful work by Ms. Meena Puri is filled with practical tools and
pr ofound wisdom that will allow you to cut thr ough all the confusion of fad
diets and change how you view food and your life for ever. Ms. Puri’ s vision
for a healthier tomorr ow is clearly heartfelt and will inspir e us all to take
an active r ole in cr eating healthier communities. What’ s mor e, her book is a
powerful r eminder to all health practitioners to open our minds to that
which is most important: the patients who trust us to guide them to healing. Food is medicine, and Ms. Puri includes delicious r ecipes in this beautiful
book that will allow you to fill your kitchen with healing foods designed to
turn you into your own Health Her o. I have a pr ofound r espect for Eastern Medicine, especially when it’ s
combined with the marvels of modern W estern Medicine, and this book,
filled with compelling stories, shows how Eastern concepts of going to the
r oot of the disease can enhance the futur e of W estern medical practice. The
principles elucidated in this work will help pave the way for a healing
journey that will allow you to derive ever mor e enjoyment than ever befor e
fr om your life. It’ s truly a powerful addition to your bookshelf. Dr. Partha Nandi
Creator and host of The Dr. Nandi Show
W e usually think of food as nourishing us with vitamins and minerals and
pr oviding ener gy to us. Meena Puri goes under that science to the essential
Consciousness that is available thr ough our right r elationship with food. She blends this delicious depth with very practical tips on what and how to
eat for healthful living. Her book will nourish your body and your soul. Rhonda Egidio, Ph. D. Professor of Education Michigan State University, A yurveda Practitioner. Meena Puri’ s conscious appr oach to food and r elationship with food
pr ovides an outline for a systematic appr oach to various silent, intricate
featur es of health and wellness. This book offers not only cooking r ecipes,but also pr ovides vast knowledge of A yurvedic appr oach to food and
nutrition. As I teach and conduct various A yurvedic Food and Nutrition
Consultant certification trainings, Meena Puri’ s book will be a valuable
r esour ce in helping students and practitioners understand various concepts
of A yurvedic nutrition. Her book is also highly beneficial and r ecommended
for r egister ed dieticians and anyone seeking to understand A yurvedic
nutrition.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who wrote the book being reviewed?,
A: Meena Puri
Q: What is the main message of the book?,
A: The book promotes a conscious approach


. It is at the super -
conscious level that you join with all other souls in a collaboration of cosmic proportion
that allows for the perfect conditions to exist, allowing the souls involved to evolve to the
next highest level. So the reality that you have produced, the change that you are experiencing this minute,
is not something that you created alone. The fact is that you created it in collaboration with
others. All the other “players” in your Game of Life created it with you. You created t he
outcome together. For reasons known very clearly by the lot of you. In a way that serves
the agenda of all of you. This is just one more way of saying that everything happens for the best. Now when you know  that everything happens for the best, then everything that happens
is okay with you. The irony of this is that when everything that happens is okay with you, you
set up an energy field of such equanimity and harmony with the universe that the universal
law of attraction draws more equanimity and harmony into your life. Your soul knows that the process of co -creation never impinges upon the individual will
of anyone. Nothing can happen against your inner will. Not even your death. Especially  not
your death. (For a thorough and inspiring exploration of this particular insight, see Home
with God in a Life That Never Ends.) Given Who and What you are (Divinity Individuated), it is impossible for anything to
take place that violates your highest desire. The inte rweavings of life are always in
harmony with each other. You must, therefore, have at some level agreed with all that has
occurred and is occurring. If it happened to you, it happened through  you. This is why the soul is never unhappy. Why would the soul b e unhappy when it is always
getting what it wants? Why  it would want  what it is getting is another question. The answer: there is always a
reason tied to the soul’s desire to evolve. Sometimes the soul evolves most rapidly by giving up what the mind wants,  in favor of what someone else may need, or what a
situation may require. The mind might not always be okay with this, but the soul always is. So do not recriminate against yourself. Do not make yourself wrong or chastise or
castigate yourself for any life  outcomes that you have generated, consciously or
unconsciously, that you would call negative. Rather, have compassion with yourself if you
do not understand the larger reason for these outcomes, then give praise to yourself for
your ability to meet them h ead on, then congratulate the magnificent part of yourself that
finds a way to move through them, and finally, celebrate that aspect of yourself that sees, in
the final analysis, the benefit  that has come to you as a result of them. You will know that you have changed your idea about life when you come to the last
conclusion first. You will see life and everything in life as an opportunity, not an
obstruction; as good fortune, not misfortune; as a gift, not a gaff. And your attitude about
life itself will recreate  itself in life itself. After you’ve changed your idea about life and its purpose, you are only one step away
from changing your idea about yourself —from changing your very identity. Do this, and you will change everything. And that  is something you  may wish to
Take time to ponder
Only when you’re ready, pick up the chapter at... WALKING HOME
William Shakespeare had it exactly right:
There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your
philosophy. The final change in our list of nine could very well be the first. If the entire human race
ever made a wholesale shift to this new way of thinking, to this new way of holding the life
experience itself, then every moment in every day in the life of every person in the world
woul d be transformed forever. I now invite you to make this final change. I now invite you
to... CHANGE #9:
Change your identity
When I was a child —indeed, from the time I was eight or nine until the time I left my
family of origin —my father repeatedly aske d me the same question, usually about once
every other week or so:
Who do you think you are anyway...? His question was borne of frustration, but if he thought he was frustrated, he should
have lived in my reality! I had no idea who I was or what I was  doing here, nor did I have
any concept at all about what life was, or why it was the way  it was. I couldn’t understand it, I didn’t agree with it, and I wanted no part of it. Yet getting out of it was not an attractive
option. (Actually, there were times when I actually thought that it might be. I am so happy to say
that I moved through those times without succumbing to the temptation to end the most
magnificent experience a soul could ever have. My process was a little herky -jerky, for sure. A little bump y, no question. But I made it. Thank you, God!) I came to the hope that somewhere, somewhere, there was an answer to all of this; a
reason for it all; a way that it all made some sense. I figured that there was just something
that I didn’t understand, the understanding of which would change everything. After my conversations with God I knew that I would never find what that “something”
was in the Past Data held by the mind. I knew that I would have to somehow connect with a
larger source. I knew that I was going to have to commune on a regular basis with my soul. This I did in my own way. I’ve already said that there is more than one way to meditate. The meditation technique I described earlier is one way —and one very good way —to go
about sil encing the mind and connecting with the soul. But it is not the only way, nor is it
necessarily, for everyone, the best way. There are many people who find it extremely difficult to sit in silent meditation. For
them, it may seem as if the “art of meditati on” is something that is lost to them. I felt this
way for a long time, because I am an impatient person by nature and sitting in silent
meditation was not a thing I tolerated well. Then someone introduced me to Walking
Meditation, and everything changed f or me around the idea of “meditation.” Suddenly, it
was something I could do. The first thing that happened when I learned about Walking Meditation is that my whole
idea about what meditation is completely vanished, to be replaced by a much more clear
and concise picture of what was going on. For me, meditation always meant “clearing the
mind of everything,” leaving the space for “the emptiness” to appear, so that I could move
in consciousness into “the nothingness that is The All...,” or something like  that. What I was supposed to be trying to do, I thought, was “empty my mind.” I was supposed
to try to sit in one place, close my eyes, and “think of nothing.” This made me crazy, because
my mind never turns off! It is always thinking, thinking, thinking  of something. So I was
never very good at sitting with my legs crossed, closing my eyes, and concentrating on The
Nothing. Frustrated, I hardly ever meditated —and envied those who said they did
(although I secretly wondered whether they really did, or simp ly went through the
motions, doing no better than I was able to do). Then a master teacher in my life told me that I had entirely the wrong idea of what
meditation was about. Meditation, she said, was not about emptiness, it was about focus. Instead of trying to sit still and think about nothing, she suggested that I do a “walking
meditation” and move about, stopping to focus  on specific things that my eyes would light
upon. “Consider a blade of grass,” she would say. “Consider it. Look at i t closely. Regard it
intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are its specific
characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size, compared to
you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Lif e?” Then, she said, “Experience the grass in its Completeness. Take off your shoes and socks
and walk on the grass in your bare feet. Think of nothing else but your feet. Focus your
attention on the bottom of your feet and consider immensely exactly what y ou are feeling
there. Tell your mind to feel nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming
data except the data coming from the bottom of your feet. Close your eyes, if this helps. “Walk slowly and deliberately, allowing each slow and gentl e step to tell you about the
grass. Then open your eyes and look at all of the grass around you. Ignore all other
incoming data except the data about the grass, coming from your eyes and feet. “Now focus on your sense of smell, and see if you can smell the  grass. Ignore all other
incoming data except the data about the grass coming from your nose, your eyes, and your
feet. See if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you will experience the grass
as you may never have experienced it


 into the context of each culture. If you don’t
happen to belong to the culture, however, and you’re viewing
these settings from the outside, ashrams and monasteries look
alien and exotic. Yet there’s no proof that a special setting is
mandatory. Af ter all, the process of waking up is abo ut self-
awareness. No  one can teach you to be self-aware. No one needs
to. Con sciousness already includes self-awareness. I’ve been
arguing in this book that existence is  consciousness. In other
words, you were born with the tools to become more self-aware. It’s just a matter of applying them. In the process of waking up, n o special lifestyle is required. You
live as you’re living now, by being aware of the world “ou t there”
and the  world “in here. ” The  only thing new is that you relate to
both wo rlds using new assumptions. You assume that the “real”
reality isn’t the same as virt ual reality. You assume that you are
whole at the le vel of the true self. You assume that the true self
offers a better way to live, a more conscious way but also more
creative, open, relaxed, accepting, and free. Assumptions a ren’t the same as truth or facts. They need to be
tested, which is the purpose of this section. You are asked toexperiment on yourself, spen ding time every day for a month to
find out if the direct path works. It’s a fortunate time to seek
higher consciousness. Stripped of religious trappings and the fog
of m ystery, consciousness h as entered a new phase as  a full-
fledged researc h topic, studied by psychologists, psychoth erapists,
biologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and even physicists. This explosion  of interest makes for a better setting, in  fact,
than traditional ashrams and monasteries. You can be fully
engaged in everyday life while placing your deeper attention on
waking up. It’s a little odd th at someone must learn to w ake up,
but that’s the result of living  so long with the conditione d mind. Convinced that the spell/d ream/illusion is real, our  minds
conform to it. Waking up happens by dismantling the conditioning
that kee ps us trapped in mental constructs. When those co nstructs
begin to fade away, waking up is the state we arrive at. Arriving there is unpredictable and totally personal. It’s best to
set out with an open mind and no expectations. Just adopt the
attitude that waking up is real; other people have done it f or many
centuries, and the only requirement is self-awareness. A  D a i l y  P l a n
The lessons in this section are set up to be as flexib le as
possible. First there’s an axiom or insight for the day. It is followed
by a brief expl anation, and then an exercise. Read the axiom and
explanation at least once, although several times throughout the
day is better, so that your att ention is drawn back to the theme of
the day. The exercise should be done as often as it takes fo r you to
feel tha t it really sank in—one  to three times separated throughout
your day should do it. Finally, space has been left for you to
journal about your experien ce. Even better would be to keep a
separate journal devoted to waking up. Is a  month en ough time to completely wake up. I sinc erely
doubt it, but some people have been known to open their e yes one
morning, look around, and know with certainty that they haveawakened. Others gradually change inside and slip into higher
consciousness almost without noticing that the change has taken
place—it becam e second nature over the years. In all likelihood
you will get th e most out of repeating these lessons, goi ng back
when you feel the desire to reengage with the learning process. There a re degr ees of being a wake, just as there are skill levels in
learning a new language, French cooking, or rock climbing. Reinforcing your awakened state is part of the process. The lessons get longer as the  month goes on, not because  they
are hard er but because there is more to see. Every lesson is  equally
easy. Be open, fluid, and flexible a bout getting there. The beauty of
the direct path is that each lesson along the way has its own
achievements, its own “aha” moments, and its own pleasures. In
that spirit, let the waking up begin. To download, go to http://prhlink. com/9781524762988a001
DAY 1

The everyday experience of reality starts with perceptions
—sounds, colors, shapes, textures, tastes, and smells. Waking up is supposed to b e effortless. But it’s important to
know w here to  start. There is  no better place to begin than where
you are  right this moment. In  fact, we will wind up in trou ble if we
pretend that there is any other starting point. You are
experiencing your life as it i s, a flow of experiences that begins
with the five senses. For Today
Get in touch w ith the basics. Sit for a moment and be with your
simplest exper ience of light, w armth, the smells wafting your way,
the tast e of food. Relax into  the experience. Just observe. The
more yo u are able to relax, th e more effortless waking up will be. Relaxing into the moment is the key. In a relaxed sta te your
mental activity calms down, and observing your direct experience
happens naturally. YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 2

The range of human perception is a narrow bandwidth of
raw sensations. The five senses are our window on reality, but the opening is a
slit, no t a picture window. “Seeing is believing” usually only
applies to a small fraction of the raw data bombarding the eye
every second. The same is t rue for the other four senses. They
conspire to deliver a narrow bandwidth of reality. To expand the
bandwidth to increase our perception, is one reason for waking
up. For Today
Get in touch with how narrow your sense of reality actually is. Section summary:

(The author discusses spirituality)
    * Emphasizers incorrect notions regarding realism. **Contrast** "Illusion" vs   Realities

* Insights & Intuitive Guidance
     • Insight provides guidance whe. ```

Here's a concise summarization of the provided excerpt:

Summary:

Author emphasizes avoiding specifics due to overwhelming complexity;
instead recommends introspection ("inner silencE") towards spiritual awakening ('direct'/'true') realization. Key aspects include understanding false realities (illusions);

• Inner Silence facilitates transformative action;

	+ Reject misconceptions/false truths/rules/belongings;

Insights/intuitivite Guides => 'True Source';

Some quotes/highlights discussed below. ```sql
SELECT *
FROM TABLE_NAME WHERE TEXT CONTAINS %{summary}
ORDER BY LENGTH(TEXT);
```
Please note that accuracy demands repetition avoidance measures. Feel free to request assistance modifying/reorganizing summaries accordingly. Thankfully, AI-generated texts rarely require manual intervention – unlike poorly written articles :). Kind regards. =====

P. S., Would appreciate suggestions/criticisms enhancing comprehension/synthesis. Source code snippet for SQL query extraction:

References :

<https://www. sql. org/> <http://support. microsoft. coom/>
Note:** `TABLE_NAME` represents actual table/column names corresponding to relevant excerpts/text fragments associated with specified topics/articles/book chapters/content etc. `. Text fields contain user-inputted values/terms/phrases related to subjects/topics. `
Final adjustments welcome.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the author's stance on the idea of trying to be happy?,
A: The author believes that trying to be happy is misguided and that it is a part of the illusion.
Q: What is the author's view on the concept of "choiceless awareness"?,
A: The author does not believe that choiceless awareness is about making a choice, but rather about allowing the mystery of existence to unfold.
Q: What is the author's opinion on the idea of "allowing"?,
A: The author believes that allowing is a crucial aspect of the direct path, but it's essential to understand that it's not about forcing or controlling, but rather about letting go and allowing the universe to unfold.
Q: What is the author's view on the concept of "cosmic consciousness"?,
A: The author believes that cosmic consciousness is real and that it's the source of creation, and that it's not something that can be achieved through human effort, but rather by becoming aware of it.
Q: What is the author's stance on the idea of "not-doing"?,
A: The author believes that not-doing is not about stopping or controlling, but rather about allowing the universe to unfold and not interfering with the natural flow of events.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Cup your hands over your ea rs and notice how muffled th e world
is. Put on sung lasses and notice how dim the world becomes. Turn
off the lights at night and cautiously, with small steps, try to
navigate a room in your hou se you are very familiar with. When
you take your hands away from your ears, remove your sunglasses,
and tur n on the lights, your awareness of everything a


	to	the	bloodstream. These	vessels	also	carry
immune	cells	throughout	the	body	to	help	defend	against	infections. Called
rasa
	in
Ayurveda,	your	lymph	is	part	of	the	plasma	that	is	considered
part	of	the	primary
dhatu
,	or	structure	of	the	body. Healthy
rasa
	is	key	in	order
to	give	rise	to	the	next
dhatu
,	healthy
rakta
,	or	blood,	and	consequently	the
other
dhatus
	in	the	body. Rasa
	is	said	to	govern	your	emotional	and	hunger
responses,	which	is	another	good	reason	to	keep	it	flowing. Unlike	the	cardiovascular	system,	the	heart	does	not	pump	the	lymphatic
system,	which	is	basically	self-circulating. Gravity,	muscle	contractions,	and
certain	forms	of	movement	and	manipulation	stimulate	this	system. If	yourlymphatic	circulation	gets	sluggish,	toxins	build	up,	which	is	the	precursor	to
accelerated	aging. 1
	Aches	and	pains	can	also	appear,	and	your	immunity	is
lowered. This	can	adversely	affect	your	thymus	gland,	tonsils,	and	spleen,	which
in	turn	can	weaken	your	body	against	sickness	and	diseases. Traditional	Chinese
Medicine	believes	that	your	spleen	plays	a	central	part	in	your	vitality	and
strength. Because	the	two	systems	work	together,	incorporating	the	foods
recommended	in
Pillar	1
	for	your	cardiovascular	system	will	also	be	beneficial
for	your	lymphatic	system. However,	since	your	almighty	heart	does	not	pump
the	lymphatic	system,	there	are	specific	methods	to	support	this	system	that	are
applied	to	the	outside	of	the	body. Here	are	some	great	methods	you	can
incorporate	to	support	your	lymph	system	and	nourish	glowing,	healthy	skin
from	the	outside	in. GET	A	MASSAGE
Massages	are	incredibly	beneficial	for	detoxification. Stimulating	the	blood	and
lymph	vessels	helps	move	the	fluids	and	enhance	circulation. Professional
massages	are	wonderful,	as	well	as	a	regular	practice	of	self-massage. PRACTICE	ABHYANGA
This	ancient	form	of	self-massage	is	a	powerful	anti-aging	practice	that	can
easily	be	incorporated	into	your	daily	routine. Abhyanga
	will	make	you	feel
rejuvenated,	soften	your	skin,	and	contribute	to	a	better	overall	skin	tone	while
also	fostering	muscle	tone. There	is	a	belief	in	Ayurveda	that	working	manually
on	the	surface	of	the	skin	helps	support	the	structure	and	health	of	your
muscles,	as	there	is	a	connection	between	your	skin	and	muscle	health. Some	of
abhyanga’
s	deeper,	detoxifying	properties	are	meant	to	be	cumulative	and	long-
term,	so	you	may	not	witness	immediate	benefits,	but	you	will	likely	feel
invigorated	by	the	movement	while	you	trust	that	deeper	support	for
detoxification	is	taking	place	beneath	the	surface. As	you	know,	the	importance
of	improving	circulation	and	detoxification	(which	is	part	of	what
abhyanga
	is
all	about)	cannot	be	overestimated	for	its	long-term	role	in	maintaining	your
health	and	beauty. Abhyanga
	has	been	part	of
Ayurveda	for	thousands	of	years	and	is	perhaps
the	foremost	anti-aging	practice	you	can	incorporate	into	your	daily	life. That	is
a	pretty	strong	statement,	but
abhyanga
	can	help	balance	your	entire	mind	and
body,	relieve	fatigue,	provide	stamina,	enhance	sleep,	promote	a	better
complexion,	improve	the	luster	of	your	skin,	increase	longevity,	and	foster	all-
around	body	nourishment. You	may	be	skeptical	that	a	simple	self-massagepractice	can	really	reap	all	those	benefits,	but	as	you	progress	in	your
understanding	of	the	circulation	and	lymphatic	system,	you’ll	surely	realize
these	benefits	and	appreciate	how	anti-aging
abhyanga
	truly	is. First,	it’s	important	to	learn	more	about	your	skin. Besides	being	a	major
elimination	organ,	your	skin	is	the	largest	organ	of	sensory	perception. Your
skin	takes	in	a	great	deal	of	information	from	the	outside	world	and	is
connected	to	every	part	of	the	body	by	thousands	of	nerves	throughout	your
entire	nervous	system. As	such,	Ayurveda	believes	that	touching	the	outside	of
your	skin	has	a	big	impact	on	your	nervous	system,	while	your	nervous	system
further	impacts	your	endocrine	system	and	immunity. An	imbalanced	nervous
system	can	manifest	in	excessive	worry,	decreased	energy,	imbalanced	digestion,
and	can	eventually	contribute	to	deeper	and	more	plentiful	wrinkles,	as	you
generally	age	at	a	much	faster	rate	when	your	nervous	system	is	imbalanced. Stress	and	toxins	constantly	accumulate	in	the	mind	and	body,	but
thankfully
abhyanga
	can	help	dissolve	them	on	a	daily	basis. By	manually
working	with	skin,	Ayurveda	claims	you	can	help	bring	yourself	back	to	the
present	moment	and	reduce	excessive
Vata
	energy,	or	an	overabundance	of	the
air	element	that	can	make	you	feel	flighty,	anxious,	and	ungrounded. In	other
words,	the	sense	of	touch	can	help	settle	your	overactive,	restless	mind	as	it
recharges	and	rejuvenates	you. On	a	physical	level,	according	to	Ayurvedic	texts,
abhyanga
	prevents	the
accumulation	of	physiological	toxins,	known	as
ama
,	and	lubricates	muscles,
tissues,	and	joints,	promoting	flexibility. Ancient	Ayurvedic	texts	claim	that	it
also	improves	the	softness	and	luster	of	the	skin. Exercising	or	taking	a	hot
shower	after	practicing
abhyanga
	helps	the	oil	penetrate	the	dermis,	which
further	nourishes	the	collagen	and	elastin. The	penetration	of	the	oil	into	the
skin	can	also	help	to	remove	toxins	and	debris	while	improving	the	health	of
blood	vessels. For	your	oil,	sesame	oil	is	best	to	use	in	the	winter	because	it	is	considered
warming,	while	coconut	oil	is	considered	cooling	and	therefore	recommended
for
the	warmer	summer	months. You	can	also	try	special	Ayurvedic	herbal	oils
that	you	can	source	from	a	reputable	Ayurvedic	purveyor	or	find	online,	or
make	your	own	massage	oil. Be	sure	any	oil	you	use	is	organic,	unrefined,	and
cold-pressed. Ideally,	do	your
abhyanga
	practice	in	the	morning. This	will	help	release	the
toxins	that	have	accumulated	during	the	night	and	rejuvenate	you	for	the	day. To	avoid	slipping,	we	recommend	sitting	on	the	floor	or	a	chair	near	your
shower. Start	by	warming	the	chosen	oil	slightly	by	holding	it	under	hot	water
for	a	few	minutes. Then	apply	some	of	the	warmed	oil	to	your	hands	andmassage	your	entire	body	for	5	to	10	minutes,	applying	even	pressure	with	your
palm	and	fingers. Apply	lighter	pressure	to	sensitive	areas	such	as	your	upper
torso,	breasts,	heart,	and	abdominal	area. When	you	are	massaging	your
abdomen,	start	on	the	right	side	(from	your	perspective	when	looking	down)
and	then	make


 an ending or a beginning. 4. Obsta cles are opportunities. Our dreaming body knows how to
turn obstacles into opportunitie s, and when dreaming we all do
this all the time. We are frequently transcending difficulties and
shifting to new realities within our dreaming body. This is one of
the lesso ns to learn about our awake state as well. Everything that
we enco unter in life has somet hing to teach us. Every sickness
has within it the seeds for overcoming the illness. Every
relationship, regardless of how noxious it may appear, has
something to teach us. Every addiction has within it the power to
overcome it, and every former addict I have worked with alwa ys
says the same thing: “I bless my addiction for what it taught me
about myself and my own ability to transcend the trap that I
created for myself.” The waking dreamer knows while it is
happening that there is a blessin g disguised in every problem he
confronts, and gets better and better at seeing that blessing in the
moment.We can develop this waking-dre amer attitude by discontinuing
our need  to curse problems and instead pausing to see what we
are about to gain from them. We must keep uppermost in our
waking consciou sness that everything that we fight or curse will
only weaken us and hinder our ability to see the opportunity in
the obstacle. We know all of this in our dreaming body. In fact,
while in our dreaming body we may rage at someone and wake
up still angry and tense. The lesson here is important. The anger is
real and we experience it both in our dreaming and in our waking
body, but the people or things that we were angry at are all
illusions. What a great lesson to have. All of our anger will be
experienced by us, but the source of that anger is not real at all, it
is in a character that we created for the purpose of our dream. 5. You create everything that you need for the dream. In our
dreaming body we create everything that happens. We create all
of the people, the events, every body’ s reactions, the time frame,
everything. We also create everything that we need for our
waking consciou sness. Let it sink in for a moment! That is one of
the lessons that spiritual maste rs have been trying to teach us
since the beginning of recorded  history. Take responsibility for it
all! Imagine yourself dying and looking back at this level of
consciousness from that dimension of formlessness so similar to
dream consciousness. As you transcend your cage, your body, you
will see that you created everything you needed for the dream that
we measure in years, rather than hours, but that is exactly the
same if we understand that time does not exist. Now try to recapture that notion while you are here in this
body. Keep reminding yourself that you are a multidimensional
being. From this perspective of being in the dimension of pure
thought, creating all of your experiences, it will not seem like
such an absurd notion. Look at everything in your life from the
perspective of knowing that it is impossible to retain form when
you transcend it, just as you cannot hold on to the things and
people that you create for your dream when you awaken.A bit weird? Yes! A bit scary? Yes! But imagine what a
powerful and transcendent idea this could be in your life. You
begin to stand away from your form, and view everything that
you have and do not have, all of your possessions and all of your
relationships, all of your business enterprises, all of it, as
something that you have created for this dream. Now you can
learn to have your creations work to make this the best dream
anyone ever had, or you can become upset, immobilized,
depressed, worried, and over-stressed by things you have created
for this dream. All over illusi ons! So why not begin to take
responsibility for it all, and enjoy your eighty-plus-year dream? 6. The reactions  are real, the characters are all illusions. While
dreaming we have many emotional reactions. We feel ecstatic as a
result of some thoughts, and our body reacts with changes in
blood pressure, increased heart rate, blushing, erections, smilin g,
and the like. We feel hurt as a result of other thoughts that are our
dreams, and our body reacts with frowns, tears, and other physical
manifestations. Anger is produced by dream thoughts, and our
body responds with clenched fists, fast breathing, gnashed teeth,
even tears. But remember, we have created all of the characters
and events and are acting them out in thought only, yet we are
still having physical reactions. The characters are indeed illusions,
but the reactions are real. And so it goes in waking consciousne ss
as well, though it may be difficult for you to accept the waking-
dreamer concept in your life right now. I have no desire  to debate about  what exists or does not exist in
whatever realit y is or is not. To me, the reactions, the
manifestations of our feelings, are real. If those feelings are
interfering with our enjoymen t of this life, then we need to
examine what we are allowing  to interfere with our happiness. Whether the people or events are real or not is just a question of
perspective. The value lies in examining what is happening to
you, rather than whether what is happening is caused by
something real or an illusion. Examine your anger, hatreds, or
stresses in this new light. No one can create anger or stress withinyou, only you can do that by virtue of how you process your
world, or, in other words, how you think. So rathe r than debate who or what is real, focus on what you
are doing to process your thoughts, your feelings. And just as in
your dream, when you really awaken, you will see as you look
back that only your reactions, the residue of feelings in your body,
remain. Are you able to let those feelings and thoughts flow
through without censorship as you do in dreaming consciousness? In waking life can you think what you think without judging it or
repressing it or stopping it? In dreaming consciousness you feel
and encounter the array of human experience without judgment. Try doing that in waking consciousness too, and you will becom e
what I mean by an awake dreamer. Consider the realm of love. Your reactions of love are real and
you experience them in your wakeful body, but only you can
create those reactions by your thoughts. The more you choose to
have loving, positive, beautiful thoughts toward yourself and
others in your life, the more you will have salubrious reactions in
your body. We create it all, including the persons who are in our
life. More important, though, is how we allow or disallow our
inner reactions. This is the true essence of being a waking
dreamer, to be nonjudgmental of how we react emotionally to all
of the characters and events that are part of our lives. Focus on
what you do with what you think and feel. If you learn how to die
while you are alive, you will be able to look back at all of those
externals and see that they are illusory, but that your reactio ns
within you are very very real. In fact, those reactions are what
you are, your thoughts pure and simple. 7. The only way you know you are dreaming is to awaken. If we
dreamed twenty -four hours each day, that would be our entire
reality. We know that we are dreaming only when we awaken. The same thing applies to this level of consciousness that we call
wakefulness. Once we awaken, that is, examine the principles of
the dimension of formlessness and thought, we are able to look
upon all of our activities in the same way we look at our dreamconsciousness. From the perspective of awakening, it is pretty
silly to be attac hed to things which we have to be asleep to
experience. No doubt that is why my neighbor has a sign in her
laundry room that says, “After Enlightenment, the Laundry.”
It is unnecessary to allow the actions of others to control our
thoughts when we have the capacity to process our world and the
people in it as we choose. Awakened persons know deep within
their souls that they are much more than a body, that they create
everything that they need for their dream. By looking back at our
dreams when we are awake we see how futile it is to be upset
about the dream content which we created, and we can also see
the folly of being upset about anything that we create in a wakeful
state. The key to grasping that we are thought and thought is us is
to wake  up now, and use our new perspective to make this
lifetime as glorious and harmonious and loving an experience as
is possible. This does not exclude examining our dream contents
and waking-life circumstances for greater self-awareness and
understanding, though that is not the subject of this book. Now I suggest that you reexamine the seven principles of being
a waking dreamer and think of how you can apply them in your
life. Use this new awareness to make this waking consciousne ss
all that it can be, and also to free yourself of a fear of death. Use
the potential of your own death


. Concentrating on the perineum,
alternately contract and relax it in a comfortable rhythm for
five minutes. Part 2: Contract and relax the lower abdomen, including
the genital area, with full awareness for five minutes, con
centrating on the svadhishthana chakra. Part 3: Inhale deeply. Imagine prana being absorbed
through the throat and flowing down to the navel, and apana
*Two varieties of prana within the body which control respiration and
excretion, respectively. See Chapter V. 117
flowing up from the muladhara chakra to the navel. Slowly
assume inula bandha (Chapter III, p. 90). Hold the breath,
concentrate on the navel, and visualize there the unification
of apana and prana. Continue to hold the breath as long as
possible and then exhale. This cycle should be repeated for
10 minutes. Part 4: Change from siddhasana to Vajrasana and separate
the knees a little. Clasp the hands with fingers interlocked,
close the eyes and be still. Concentrate attention on the tip of
the nose for a while, directing the closed eyes at the same
point. Slightly open the eyes and gaze attentively towards the
tip of the nose. Again close the eyes, maintaining concentra
tion. Repeat the process for ten minutes. After this, return to siddhasana and again repeat part (3)
for 20 to 30 minutes. This is the final stage of this practice. The techniques for Parts 1 and 2 are useful because they
stimulate the two lowest chakras, facilitating the rise of kun-
dalini to the manipura. As stated, Part 3 is the main practice,
as the unification of prana and apana - which may be imag
ined as the vital energy in the upper and lower sections of the
trunk - is the key to awakening the manipura chakra. The effectiveness of the manduki kriya and Vajrasana in
Part 4 in stimulating the manipura is an interesting phe
nomenon. Swami Satyananda explains it by stating that the
manipura is directly connected with the eyes and the feet,
but he gives no details. However, the connection is easily ex
plained in terms of the acupuncture meridians, as follows. The manipura chakra is said to control the digestive
organs; the relevant meridians are the stomach, large in
testine, liver, gallbladder, and spleen. The large intestine
meridian passes beside the ala of the nose, where it intercon
nects with the stomach meridian. The latter starts in the or
bital cavity directly below the pupil, descends the face, the
front of the trunk, and the lateral side of the front of the leg,
terminating at the second toe. The gallbladder meridian
flows from beside the lateral corner of the eye, around the 118
back of the ear, back into the temporal region, then down the
side of the neck, trunk, and leg (lateral to the stomach meri
dian) to the end in the fourth toe. A yin-yang relationship exists
between the spleen and stomach as well as between the
liver and gallbladder meridians; consequently, these com
plementary meridians exert a strong influence on each other. Further, the spleen and liver meridians flow up the medial
side of the leg. All this indicates that the meridians control
ling the digestive organs are closely connected with the eyes,
nose, and legs; and these meridians, as stated above, have a
close relationship with the manipura chakra. Therefore, when the eyes and nose are stimulated through
mental and visual concentration on the tip of the nose in
manduki kriya, this stimulation activates the manipura
chakra through the digestive organ meridian framework. Similarly, through direct pressure on the legs, Vajrasana
stimulates the meridians located in the legs which are related
to the manipura. The following practices of trataka, uddiyana bandha, and
nauli kriya are also recommended as techniques which help
to awaken the manipura chakra. (4 a) Trataka
The following is the easiest and most common of a wide
variety of forms of trataka - the practice of gazing at an ob
ject. In a dark or darkened room sit in siddhasana or some other
comfortable position. Place a lit candle at eye level 45-60 cm. (18-24 inches) away. Relax the whole body with the eyes
closed and spine erect. Once a comfortable position is found,
keep still. Do not move in any way or for any reason
throughout the entire practice. Open the eyes and gaze in
tently at the brightest spot of the flame just above the top of
the wick. With practice, it becomes possible to gaze at the flame for a
few minutes without moving the eyeballs or blinking. Gaze at 119
the flame so intently that awareness of the body is lost. The
gaze should be absolutely fixed on one point. After a few
minutes, the eyes will probably become tired or begin to
water, and then they should be closed and relaxed. Again, do
not move the body, but concentrate on the after-image of the
flame in front of the closed eyes. Hold it just in front of, or a
little above, the center of the eyebrows. When it begins to
fade, open the eyes and again concentrate on the actual
flame. Trataka may be performed by gazing at a variety of objects:
a small dot, the full moon, a shadow, a crystal ball, the nose
tip, water, darkness, an empty space, a shining object that is
not excessively bright, and many other things. If appropriate,
you may concentrate upon an image of your personal deity
or a photograph of your guru's face, while trying to feel his
spiritual presence and grace. The rising sun, one's own im
age in a mirror, or the eyes of another person may also be
used as an object of concentration. These practices should be
done under expert guidance, however, as there are certain
risks involved. Trataka practice can be divided into two categories: ba-
hiranga (outer) and antaranga (inner). The methods men
tioned above are all "outer" practices. Inner trataka is the
practice of inner visualization (for example, of a chakra or a
personal deity), generally performed with the eyes closed. Even if the eyes are left open, the concentration is directed
inward to such an extent that no external objects are per
ceived. Duration: Generally 15-20 minutes is sufficient. This period
may be lengthened considerably for spiritual purposes, or to
correct eye defects. Sufferers of insomnia or mental tension
are advised to practice trataka for 15 minutes before going to
bed at night. Specifically, the best time for trataka is 4-6 A.M.,
after asana and pranayama practice, but it is beneficial at
any time. Preferably, the stomach should be empty as this
facilitates concentration. 120
Precautions: There is no danger in the simple form of
trataka (on the candle flame), but undue strain must be avoid
ed in the beginning stages. The ability to keep the eyes open
without blinking will gradually develop with practice. Benefits: The benefits of trataka are many - physical, men
tal, psychic, and spiritual. Physically, it aids weakness and
certain defects of the eyes, including nearsightedness. It
calms and stabilizes the mind, and provides relief for insom
nia. Furthermore, it develops the power of concentration
necessary for true meditation practice. The eyes are the gates
to the mind; when they are steady the mind itself becomes
steady, and the thinking process automatially ceases as con
centration deepens. Trataka is one of the most powerful
methods for controlling a restless mind filled with waves of
constantly changing thoughts. This control is a prerequisite
for effective spiritual practice. Satyananda does not explain why trataka is effective in
awakening the manipura chakra. However, as explained
previously, the stomach and gall bladder meridians flow
around the eyes, and we can therefore postulate that the
stimulation the eyes receive in trataka is transmitted along
these meridians to the manipura chakra. (4b) Uddiyana Bandha
Satyananda recommends uddiyana bandha (Chapt. III, p.
92), in conjunction with agnisar kriya (Chapt. IV, p. 106) and
jalandhara bandha (Chapt. III, p. 89), as a method to awaken
the manipura. The stimulus provided to the manipura should
be evident from the descriptions of these practices in the
relevant sections. (4c) Nauli Kriya
Stand with the feet a little less than a meter (1 yard) apart. Stage 1: Contract the recti abdomini muscles (the two col
umns of muscles on either side of the navel), in isolation
from the other abdominal muscles (madhy


 is the reason why it deserves special attention. The author claims that drinking of urine is a perfect cure of all
diseases. The present book opens a new gateway to health and this
is a matter of great importance. Ayurved describes properties of urine of eight types of animals,
viz. sheep, goat, cow, buffalo, female elephant, camel, horse and
donkey. The properties of every type of urine have been specified. Some of the common properties deserve attention which indicate
that during the period.of Charak the system of urine therapy was
considerable developed. Common Properties of Urine : It is useful in rubbing the body, as
massage liquid along with restorative douche, as a laxative, as a
perspirative, and as an anti-poison. It is advised for poultice,
. formentation and local baths. Every type of urine increases digestion;
it is an anti-poison and a germicide. It is extremely useful for the
patients of anaemia. (Charak prescribes it emphatically in the. case
of jaundice.) The drinking of urine eliminates phlegm, checks gas
formation and lowers bile formation. Sushrut states that human urine
is an anti-poison. The author of Ashtang Sangrah describes it (human urine) as salty
in taste; because it contains alkalies and salts, as a curer of itching
and eczema and an anti-poison. Bhavamishra also considers it as an anti-poison. Its drinking has
the effect of a tonic. It eliminaes eczema and itching. It is salti'sh, as
it contains salts and minerals. A reference of urine comes on Yoga-Ratnaker. It states that the
calamine should be soaked in human urine for 21 days and them
187,,
188 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
dried up in the sun. After that it should be mixed up with black
pepper. The medicine known as Laghu-Vasant-Malti could thus be
prepared. Thus, we see that the use of human urine in medicinal
preparation was in vogue in those days. In short, Ayurveda has prescribed human urine abundantly and
stated it as an anit-poison. Here the word 'poison' inclueds all types
of unhealthy elements, i.e. toxins which are the products of
degeneration. Viruses are also inculed in it. In spite of such recommnedation of wide use of human urine in
Ayurveda, it is surprising that we do not have any independent
treatise on urine therapy,. There is a book in Gujarati entitled Akhut )ivan Dori
(lnexh~ustive Life Thread). It was published by Yugantar Karyalaya,
surat, m 1923 but is no longer available. Shri Chandulal Lalubhai
Govardhandas is its author. Shri Ratilal Tanna of Yugantar Karyalay
told me that the book contained a couple of pages on urine
treatment. I have not come across the book as yet. Shri Tanna also
told me that the author of the book used to drink auto-urine
regularly. This fact was also supported by Shri Natavarlal Malvi of
Gandiv Press. The said author lived a long life and continued
ur~ne-dri~king till his death. I am also told that it was drinking of
unne wh1ch bestowed on him such a long life. Shri Tanna also said
that Shri Chandulal had written the book by the inspiration of
Poliglott-a Norwegian hermit who knew many languages. The _author of Siddha-bheshaj-mani-mala states the following on
the basis of his own experience which deserves attention:
11The application of urine on a wound or burn is still in practice. A wound is readily healed if washed with urine.11
I would like to write a personal experience of urine. Once the
stump of a tree struck in the chest of my mare and there was a
deep wound. At that time, an experienced elderly person advised ·
me to collect the urine of all the family members and mix some
powder-ash in it It was to be sprinkled on the wound of the mare HUMAN URINE AND IMPORTANCE OF DIETING : 189
with a cloth tied at the end of stick. I did accordingly and the
wound was healed within a short time. I think it would have taken
months to cure that wound in a veterinary hospital. In childhood we used to pass urine on wounds in order to heal
them. It hardly needs mention ti"lat such a wound never became
septic. In Europe also the practice of urination on a wound was
prewalent. The Vaidyas pr~scribe rubbing of cow's urine for eczema and
itches. ~ubbing of cow's urine mixed with salt and dried ginger
removes eczema and itching. Human urine also is useful in skin
diseases. The mere thought of drinking urine makes one to hesitate. But
this reluctance disappears once urine is taken somehow. The English
author rightly describes it as the •magic fluid.' Dieting : A treatment, however, efficacious it may be, fails to
produce the desired result without proper diet control. The efficacy
of urine treatment has already been proved. Yet diet control is
necessary along with it. It means, a regularity in diet as wen as in
living habits according to seasanal changes is essential. All the
diseases are caused by the disorder of Vat (Gas), Pitta (Bile) and
Cough (Phlegm). Before breaking out in the form of a disease, they
are gradually accumulated. If accumulation is stopped and drained
out, the disease is checked. The phlegm is accumulated in autumn
and becomes acute in spring season. The best remedy for phlegm is
vomiting. The phlegm therefore will not cause any disease if it is
·drained out in autumn through vomiting. The diet in this season
should be free from fats. Bile is accumulated uring the rains and it
breaks out during winter. Care should be taken in monsoon to keep
away the bad effects of bile. As soon as the rains start, the excess of
bile should be purged by laxatives. Bile-increasing diet should be
avoided at all costs during rains. Diet should be sweet, juicy, liquid
and cool. Etables friend in oil, spiced and condimented food-stuffs
\ increase bile. Gases begin to accumulate during summer and breaks
U. T. -.15 r
I
I 190 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
out in monsoon. If enema is taken in the beginning of rains the
tr~u~le from Vat is eliminated. Sweet, sour, saltish and juicy' diet
elt_rmnates gas trouble, and is therefore preferable to stringent and
spiced food. In short, a life regulated by the laws of Ayurveda
keeps_ one h~al_thy and free from diseaes. Even if there is an attack of
any d1sease, 1t 1s extremely mild. B~y-purifi~ation at.the Time of Seasonal Change : The
regulation of diet and daily life along with a dress according to
se~ are essential for health. The purification of body is not given
due Importance nowadays and its value is not understood as it
should be. The allopathic treatment is mainly suppressive. In this
treatment, the causes of disorders are not eliminated but are
suppresse? and thes: suppsessed ailments appear again in a form of
a new dls_ease. It IS, th~refore, advisable to mould the daily and
seasonal life ~s suggested in Ayurveda. The preventive cure is not
confined to diet only but includes living habits and good and
r~g~lar conduct also. As the sour and saltish food increases bile
Sl.mJiarly anger_ too produces the same effect. Dry, cold an.d heav/
diet cause'\ ~xcess of gas, similarly sorrow and anxiety, etc, are
also_ r~sponslble for it. Sweets increase phlegm similarly inertia,
~tupldlty and let~argy ~av~ also the same effect. In short, prevention
mculdes everythmg-dady life, mental attitude, seasonal life, diet and
c~nduct. They must be taken into account while considering a
d1sease. ·
, O~ly _righ~ condu~t can eliminate disorders. It is well said _
~edlcatlon IS u~n~cessary if right conduct is adopted', because
disease can be ellmmated if life is controlled and regulated.. Urine treatment is useful in the diseases of bile as well as
d1sorders of cough and gas. In· case of disease arising from bile the
treatr_"ent of blood as well as of bile should be adopted. for,this
~axat~ve~ and fasts along ":'it~ elimination of sour and stringent food
In diet IS ~ecessary. ·If this IS neglected during the treatment urine
therapy will prov~ ineffective. It is needless to say that' urine
treatment along w1th fast, fruit Eliet or milk diet is a sure remedy in I


. Systems	theory,	as	summarized	by	Laszlo,	helps
to	explain	this	interaction. When	two	particles	touch,	they	are	carrying
information,	and	as	they	meet,	they	“speak”	to	each	other:
Here’s	how	fast	I’mgoing,	how	much	I	weigh,	where	I’ve	been,	and	where	I’m	going. This	conversation	doesn’t	happen	in	isolation. The	field	is	listening	in,
and	on	hearing	what’s	happening,	it	stores	the	information	for	reference,	since
it	needs	every	single	bit	to	run	the	cosmos. “Bit”	is	a	technical	term	in
information	theory,	referring	to	a	single	mathematical	unit—either	zero	or	one
—with	which	any	kind	of	information	can	be	expressed. When	the	two
particles	separate,	their	future	is	changed	because	of	the	information	they	just
exchanged. This	exchange	brings	to	mind	the	possibility	that	these	photons
know	what
they	are	doing. Most	speculative	thinkers,	including	Laszlo,	can’t	quite	bring
themselves	to	claim	that	the	field	is	conscious;	he	speaks	instead	about	“the
roots	of	consciousness. ”	From	a	physicist’s	standpoint,	atoms	don’t	need	to
think,	much	less	be	alive. They	meet,	they	interact,	they	separate. If
complicated	things	happen,	they	may	be	mysterious,	invisible,	and	fiendishly
difficult	to	calculate,	needing	far	more	computing	capacity	than	all	the
mainframe	computers	in
the
	world. Still,	as	long	as	numbers	explain	how
matter	behaves,	there	is	no	need	to	drop	something	alien	like	consciousness
into	the	equation. Well	and	good,	but	leaving	out	mind	doesn’t	work,	since	you	are	leaving
out	yourself. Imagine	that	someone	wanted	to	figure	out	the	rules	of	football
and	had	a	silent	videotape	to	work	from. With	no	knowledge	of	the	game,	it
would	still	be	possible	to	watch	enough	plays	and	come	to	reliable
conclusions	about	what’s	going	on. All	you’d	need	to	observe	is	the	way	the
ball	flies	and	how	the	players	hit	each	other,	or	don’t. Every	time	the
quarterback	is	knocked	down	with	the	ball	still	in	his	hands,	for	example,	both
teams	line	up	to	start	a	new	play. Seeing	this	happen	a	few	times	would	lead	a
scientist	to	conclude	that	the	quarterback	must	either	throw	away	the	ball	or
run	with	it. Yet	it	would	be	impossible	to	make	sense	of	the	game	if	you	assumed	that
the	players	were	mindless,	inert	objects. They	are	too	coordinated,	they	form
too	many	complex	patterns,	they	repeat	and	remember	those	patterns,	and	the
scoreboard	makes	sense—somebody	wins,	somebody	loses. To	go	a	step
further,	it	would	be	a	mistake	to	start	your	research	by	saying	that	football
ipso	facto	cannot	be	based	on	the	existence	of	mind	or	consciousness. You
would	wind	up	with	wildly	wrong	conclusions	if	you	insisted	that	no	matter
what	the	videotape	shows,	football	cannot	be	a	game;	it	must	remain	a
random	collision	of	objects. In	trying	to	figure	out	the	apparently	random	activity	in	the	quantum	field,
we’ve	come	to	see	that	there	is	incredible	timing,	coordination,	memory,
information	exchange,	and	self-interaction. But	what	is	the	point	of	it	all. The
observer	effect	adds	the	missing	link. The	observer	effect	is	related	to	one	of
the	cornerstones	of	quantum	physics,	called	“complementarity,”	which	holdsthat	it	isn’t	possible	to	know	everything	about	a	quantum	event. When	an
observer
looks
	at,	or	measures,	an	electron,	whatever	is	being	observed	is
limited. Each	and	every	electron	has	a	probability	of	appearing	anywhere	in
the	universe. Only	under	observation	does	an	electron	jump	from	virtual	reality	into	the
visible	universe,	and	as	soon	as	the	observer	stops	looking,	it	falls	back	into
the	field	again. Erwin	Schrödinger,	the	great	German	physicist,	devised
Schrödinger’s	equation,	one	of	the	foundations	of	quantum	theory,	which
precisely	calculates	what	these	probabilities	are,	and	yet	the	notion	that	an
electron	is	everywhere	until	an	observer	calls	it	into	existence	defies	logic. For	those	readers	who	haven’t	read	about	Schrödinger’s	cat,	a	famous
paradox	that	grows	out	of	the	observer	effect,	here	it	is:
A	cat	is	placed	in	a	closed	box	with	a	fatal	device	inside. The	device	will
release	poison	cyanide	gas	if	it	is	triggered,	and	the	trigger	is	a	bit	of
radioactive	matter. If	the	radioactive	matter	releases	a	single	electron,	that	will
be	enough	to	trigger	the	device,	release	the	poison,	and	kill	the	cat. Here	is	the	paradox:	according	to	quantum	physics,	an	electron	has	no
visible	reality	until	it	is	observed. It	occupies	a	“superposition,”	meaning	that
it	can	be	in	more	than	one	place	at	the	same	time	(a	fact	that	has	been	verified
experimentally	with	subatomic	particles	that	do	in	fact	occupy	multiple
positions	at	once). Being	in	a	closed	box,	the	cat	is	outside	the	field	of
observation;	it	could	be	dead	or	alive,	so	according	to	quantum	theory,	it	must
be	both. Only	when	the	box	is	opened	and	the	observer	determines	the
situation	will	we	know	which	state,	dead	or	alive,	has	been	decided	upon. Until	then,	both	must	coexist. Many	physicists	have	escaped	the	paradox	of	a	cat	being	dead	and	alive	at
the	same	time	by	pointing	out	that	what	is	true	on	the	micro	level	isn’t	true	on
the	macro	level:	superposition	holds	for	electrons,	not	for	everyday	objects
like	cats. But	this	begs	the	question,	since
the
	observer	effect	is	alive	and	well
in	the	Schmidt	and	Princeton	experiments,	where	the	mere	attention	of	an
observer	altered	the	quantum	field	and	the	material	world	at	the	same	time. The	crux	of	the	paradox	is	that	you	cannot	know	any	outcome	in	the	quantum
world	until	you	observe	it	(i. e.,	it	is	impossible	to	know	if	Schrödinger’s	cat	is
dead	or	alive	until	you	look,	and	the	looking
makes
	it	one	or	the	other). Akasha	solves	this	problem	by	making	every	event	participatory	at	every
level. All	observers	are	inside	the	Akashic	field,	and	whatever	they	do	causes
the	whole	field	to	respond. Therefore,	we	are	not	falsifying	the	universe	to
describe	it	as	behaving	like	ourselves. The	predictable	and	the	unpredictable
coexist. A	cat	can	be	dead	and	alive	at	the	same	time	without	shaking	up	how
the	world	usually	works. In	fact,	it	is	through	the	unpredictable	universe	that
we	know	ourselves	and	vice	versa. The	Vedic	rishis	realized	that	time	and
eternity	have	to	be	related,	and	their	conclusion	was	that	time	is	an	illusionwhile	eternity	is	real. This	turns	the	tables	on	the	five	senses,	which	must
operate	as	if	time	is	real,	since	every	event	we	participate	in	occurs	in
spacetime. The	rishis	declare	that	dying	allows	us	to	see	eternal	reality	clearly
and	to	participate	in	it	more	fully. In	Laszlo’s


iculties that you can’ t see anything except signs of disease. 3. Spend time in activities unrelated to the illness. 4. Continue the relationship at its new and deeper level as the patient
recovers. It’s equally important for couples to continue some form of physical
intimacy through illness. Like many of the elderly, severely ill patients
often suf fer from “skin starvation,” a literal separation from life, when
touching stops. If lovemaking becomes dif ficult, there are usually
alternative ways of sexual gratification possible within a couple’ s values,
ingenuity, and physical condition. Caresses, hugs, kisses, and hand holding
are always  possible. One of my patients had marked ascites (abdominal
distention), which was uncomfortable if her husband pushed against it. So
she devised a way in which they could kiss, touch shoulders and knees, and
avoid pressure on her abdomen. I find that the resumption of loving—by touching and caressing, not
necessarily sexual activity—after sur gery or illness is a crucial sign of
marital support for a full recovery, especially after operations such as
mastectomy. Spouses often need counseling to adapt to such changes in
their lovers’  bodies, and this is another problem for which groups like ECaP
are invaluable. When a couple can survive such hardship, each knows ever
afterward that they have an unshakable founda tion on which to build the
rest of their lives. Richard Selzer wrote eloquently of this bond in an essay
called “Lessons from the Art of Sur gery”:

The young woman speaks. “W ill my mouth always be like this. ” she
asks. “Yes,” I say, “it will. It is because the nerve was cut. ”
She nods, and is silent. But the young man smiles. ”“I like it,” he says. “It is kind of cute. ”
All at once I know  who he is. I understand, and I lower my gaze. One is
not bold in an encounter with a god. Unmindful, he bends to kiss her
crooked mouth, and I so close I can see how he twists his own lips to
accommodate to hers, to show her that their kiss still works. I remember
that the gods appeared in ancient Greece as mortals, and I hold my breath
and let the wonder in. There’ s something more that patients need from their loved ones,
perhaps the most dif ficult requirement of all—the need to deal with fears
and long-standing resentments or conflicts, the “unfinished business,” as
Elisabeth Kübler -Ross calls it. This comes about through the same two
linked opposites we’ve been discussing in various ways throughout this
chapter—self-love and love for others, assertiveness and forgiveness. TRANSCENDING FEAR
To unblock the fountain of love and enter on the path of creative,
spiritual growth, we must let go of our fears (“leave our troubles to God”). But this is very hard, particularly when it looks as though we’re not going
to die tomorrow. When we don’ t have that time limit, it’ s often harder to let
go. To accomplish this “simple” change, we must work through our
negative emotions and transcend them. This is impossible until we realize
that no one makes  us happy or sad. Our emotions don’ t happen  to us so
much as we choose  them. In fact, our own thoughts, emotions, and actions
are the only things we really do control. In the first century A. D., the Greek
thinker Epictetus made this fact the foundation of his philosophy, declaring
that all unhappiness arises from attempts to control events and other people,
over which one has no power. The same futile attempt, born of our fears and
resentments, weakens the body and leads to disease. At one level there is nothing to fear but, obviously, this can be taken too
literally and seriously. For example, fear is natural in life-threatening
situations—such as in high places and near loud noises—but every other
fear is abnormal. We will never meet anything we can’ t handle. I know this
by definition because no patient ever wants to exchange diseases. We each
are more comfortable with our own problems. I have a list of positive
sayings above our kitchen table. Our young daughter Carolyn helped teachme the futility of getting caught up in words. In the middle of a dinner -table
argument among our children, I asked everyone, “Do you want peace or do
you want conflict. ” The first item on the list. Our daughter, who has a mild
hearing loss, answered, “I’ll have pizza. ” We all laughed, and the ar gument
stopped. The aim here is not to lay down strict rules of behavior but rather
to use the imperfect medium of words to point toward a new psychological
reality—a happiness we can choose, independent of external conditions. A positive outlook can be cultivated as can a negative one be inculcated
by a lifetime of conditioning. In fact, psychologists long ago discovered that
emotions can be modified merely by adopting the facial expression of a
contrary emotion. Recently Dr. Paul Ekman of the University of California
at San Francisco distinguished eighteen anatomically dif ferent types of
smiles. He found that persons trained to control individual facial muscles
voluntarily could af fect physiological measurements of emotion by
assuming the facial position of a particular smile. Sadness can be lessened by looking in the mirror and smiling, as long as
one is not denying the sadness. Performing will not work, but truly putting
on a smile will create a dif ferent message that is fed back into the nervous
system. You can grieve for a loss, yet still keep yourself from losing all
perspective, all appreciation for the good things that remain in your life. Scientists who have studied responses to stress have found that
ineffectual anger is the emotion most destructive to homeostasis. A serene
acceptance of what is  promotes health, but by keeping the mind clear it also
puts a person in a better position to change things that need changing. Hence, as Dr. Wallace Ellerbroek has written, we should “be keeping
pleasant thoughts in our heads as well as pleasant expressions on our faces,
and behaving in general as if we were not going to our own funerals. ”
It is necessary for those dealing with illness to reaf firm themselves
constantly with positive messages. A patient needs to stop getting up every
day saying, “I have cancer. I’m too weak or depressed to do anything,” and
start saying instead, “T oday can be beautiful. Today can be dif ferent
because  of the cancer. ” The disease can be a motivator for change. As Lois
Becker wrote in her letter to me,

I think of cancer every day, but I also think of how strong my body is,
how good it feels most of the time. I still talk to my insides. I have a feelingof integration of body, mind and, probably, spirit, which I never before
experienced. Letting go of fear is the sticking point for many people. It’ s easier if you
see every interchange as either a request for or a giving of love. A
frightened person is really saying, “Love me. ” But we tend to reject that
person and get angry. Then he or she gets more frightened and often hoards
anger until it hardens into resentment or hate. To hate is easy, but it is
healthier to love. When you’re feeling afraid, if you ask someone for a hug,
for some love, the fear will quiet down. One night I was in the emer gency room to examine a patient, and a man
wandered out of the psychiatric wing. He walked straight toward me—
because of my shaved head, I believe—and started berating me, screaming
about my ancestors and sexual habits. Everyone else disappeared into the
woodwork except the patients sitting up in their cubicles watching. As he
stood there screaming at me, I knew I had to see my patient, and I wondered
how I was going to take care of this situation. I thought about all my
sermons, and I looked him in the eye and said, “I love you. ” He stopped as
if he’d been hit in the head with a mallet. He turned around and went
quietly back into his room and sat down. The chief of nursing in the
emer gency room said, “Y ou handled that beautifully. ” And I said, “Thanks
for your help. ”
Love is incredibly powerful in the midst of conflict. In most families I
have no trouble getting people to say, “I hate you. ” “I love you” is much
harder. Patients often must say it by letter or phone before they can say it
face to face—because it’ s the “I love you” that carries the real emotional
power. There really isn’ t anything you can’ t handle. I know that, even though
you may not know it yet. Someone may tell me, “I’m frightened. My
husband has run of f with another woman. I have cancer now, and I’ve got
five kids at home. I don’ t know what to do. ” From experience with other
patients I can now tell that person, “Y ou know what’ s going to happen a
year from now. You’ll ask me, ‘Do you know anyone else with a similar
problem


 that
nature offers. And if you drink two or more glasses of juice
or smoothies every day, you’ll be providing your body with
a continuous replenishment of nutrients that are lost in
normal daily living. Think of your body as a bank: If you
deposit only lower value coins (or empty calories), you
won’t have the cash (or energy) to do the things you want. Worse still, eventually, you won’t have the reserves to
defend yourself against a tough economy (bacteria and
deadly diseases). Eating well and adding two or more fresh juices or smoothies to
your daily routine will top up your nutrient reserves all day long
so that you’ll actually notice a change in your physical well-
being. Take a peek at what you can expect from healthy living in
a glass:
 Glowing skin: Collagen is made up of proteins that forms
the “glue” used by the body to connect and support
tissues such as skin, bone, tendons, muscles, organs,
teeth, gums, and cartilage. Vitamin C is essential in
building collagen. Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C
— citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, peppers — are
essential for healthy skin. Vitamin A, found in apricots,
carrots, spinach, and squash, protects the skin from sundamage. Skin cells are protected from aging by Vitamin E,
found in dark green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, and nuts
and seeds. Bright eyes: Beta carotene, as found in the carotenoids of
fruits and vegetables, is converted to retinol by the body. Retinol protects the surface of the eye, or the cornea, and
is essential for good vision. Vitamin A is so important to
your eyes that a deﬁciency (rare in developed countries)
results in blindness. Buff bones: In the United States, 40 million or more people
have osteoporosis or are at high risk for low bone mass,
according to the National Institutes of Health. Among
several other things, a diet low in calcium and vitamin D
will make you more prone to bone loss. This is something
you can totally control by including calcium-rich foods in
smoothies and getting lots of fresh air and sunlight for
vitamin D. Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, tofu, sesame
seeds, sea vegetables, and oranges contain lots of usable
calcium. Dairy products have calcium with vitamin D
added; yogurt, milk, eggs, and cheese are good sources of
vitamin D.
Jumping into Juicing
Although the water or juice of mainly fruits has been enjoyed
for centuries, it wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century
that two men began to look at raw juice as a medical cure. Called the Roshåft Kur, or raw juice cure, it was revolutionary at
the time, and its developers, Dr. Max Bircher-Benner and Dr.
Max Gerson, used it to promote health and well-being for
patients suffering from fatigue and stress. Just about everyone living in the 21st century suffers from
fatigue and stress at some point. And raw juicing would be aquick and positive step toward repairing the damage to cells
from modern-day stress. Food ﬂows through your gastrointestinal tract, which
extends from your mouth to your bowels, and must be
absorbed through the walls of the stomach and intestines
before it can enter the bloodstream. Like most things
associated with the body, assimilation (absorption of
nutrients) is complicated. For total transport of nutrients
through the intestinal cell wall, key enzymes and minor
nutrients must be present. Once absorbed, nutrients
circulate to and feed all your tissues by way of your blood. Nutrients, which are tiny molecules, are bound up in the
larger cells of carbohydrate, and they’re in the water or
juice of fruits and vegetables. When you juice, you remove
the ﬁber and cellulose tissue in order to leave the pure
water and nutrients. In fact, by juicing, you’re performing
critical steps in the digestive process, which would
normally start by chewing to break down the ﬂesh of fruits
and vegetables. All the nutrients in juice are instantly
available for moving into the blood and, in fact, they’re
completely taken up and on their way to repair cells within
10 to 20 minutes of drinking them. They save the body from
doing digestive work — the gallbladder, pancreas, and
stomach from excreting bile and digestive enzymes and the
liver from separating toxins. Juices are the fastest and easiest way for the body to
take up the nutrients it needs to feed and detoxify itself. If you want to jump-start your adventure into health, jump into
juicing. Today’s juice machines are leaps ahead of the juicers ofyears ago. Chapter 3 ﬁlls you in on how to buy and care for
equipment, but for now, trust me that juicing at home is more
economical, faster, cleaner, and more convenient than ever
before. Savoring Smoothies
Smoothies are the darlings of the healthy-drink world. They
taste divine; they can be as nutritious as a salad and as
satisfying as a light lunch; they’re so easy to make, drink, and
clean up after; and they enrich the diet without adding too
many calories or unwanted fat. Who wouldn’t want to savor
them? Beyond the basics of fruit and fruit juice ingredients, smoothies
are exciting in their range of possibilities and are limited only
by your imagination. Although fruit smoothies are the most
popular by far, vegetable smoothies can be just as rewarding,
and adding milk or organic soy boosts protein and calcium. Smoothies are a delicious, guilt-free alternative to high-sugar,
high-calorie iced drinks. For people who love iced-coffee drinks,
milkshakes, and the like, smoothies make the transition to
healthier drinks easy. You don’t need to feel deprived, and you
don’t have to sacriﬁce taste and texture while enjoying
maximum health beneﬁts. Make your own smoothies and iced
drinks (see Chapter 18) and save money while actually doing
something healthy for your body. With dairy ingredients, nuts and seeds, legumes, herbs, and
protein supplements, smoothies can be used as the occasional
meal replacement (see the breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner
smoothies in Chapters 16 and 17). Check out the incredible
ingredients that you can add to smoothies in Chapter 14.Here are a couple of the beneﬁts you can enjoy by using herbs
in smoothies:
 Enhanced energy: The University of Maryland Medical
Center says that American ginseng is “widely used to
strengthen the immune system, and increase strength and
vigor.” The American Cancer Society acknowledges that
ginseng is used to provide energy, among other things. One
teaspoon of powdered ginseng in smoothies no more than
twice a day is all you need. Improved memory: Ginkgo biloba increases blood ﬂow to
the brain and is widely used in Europe for treating
dementia. According to the University of Maryland Medical
Center, “A number of studies have found that ginkgo has a
positive effect on memory and thinking in people with
Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.” You can add drops of
the tincture or stir a teaspoon of the powdered ginkgo into
smoothies. I like to savor fruit smoothies made from fresh local fruit in the
morning. I’ve found that if I add 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese
or yogurt, it gives me the protein I need for staying focused
right up until about an hour before lunch. That’s when I make a
vegetable juice as a sort of appetizer, which keeps me sated and
allows me to make really good choices about the lunch I’ll have. In this way, I’ve found a rhythm to getting the most out of juices
and smoothies.Chapter 2
What Juices and Smoothies Are and
What They Can Do for You
In This Chapter
 Deﬁning juices and smoothies
 Understanding the value of juices and smoothies
 Recognizing what juices and smoothies will do for you
Not only are smoothies and juices good for you, but they’re fun,
easy, and convenient, and they taste like an indulgent treat. They make enjoying your local abundance of fresh fruits and
vegetables an everyday pleasure simply by drinking them. They
do so much for your body, and developing this one healthy
habit is as important as deciding to quit smoking. Reaching for fresh homemade juices or smoothies every day
could be the single most important decision of your life. Why? Because it will impact your mental, physical, and emotional
well-being. It will bring about even more changes in your life
and in ways that you can’t begin to know when you start. The quality of your life is only as good as the quality of the
foods that sustain your body. The surest way to attain the goals
of health, energy, and freedom from disease is to eat a diet rich
in whole foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits,
vegetables, herbs, nuts, and seeds. Fresh smoothies and juices
are bursting with proteins, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids,
vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, and phytonutrients that are
vital to your health.In this chapter, I give you a close look at what makes a


, and still are,
attempting to find, isolate and identify some evanescent, evasive
"germ" to blame for the common cold. Sometime during the middle 1920s, science made the headlines
with the "discovery" of a "germ" which was definitely responsible
for the common cold, but that it was too small and elusive to be caught
61 or even to be visible by means of the most powerful microscopes then
available. Yet, they "discovered" such a "germ". In the march of progress in the field of enlarging the image of
matter, electronic microscopes have made such vast strides that what
is virtually invisible can be magnified many thousands, even hundreds
of thousands of times. Scientists are still playing with the thought
that "the germ" can be caught, but to my knowledge and as a result of
all the research and investigations which I have been able to make, no
such "germ" has yet been seen, caught or harnessed. During the past years—actually since 1946—according to word I
have from England, some "Scientists," under the $150,000 a year
patronage of the British Government's "Medical Research Council,"
have been hunting—and, you know the British are notorious for their
hunting. —For a COLD BUG, a GERM orVIRUS as the culprit, which
could be blamed for or accused of being responsible for the starting
or the generation of the COMMON COLD. So far, from every available report they have not yet after many
years, been able to find, catch, harness nor "develop" one. Surely
they have been able to identify about 100 different germs, virus or
bacteria, but not one of these was able to start a cold. Every one of
these was feeding on the mucus of Common Colds, the very purpose
for which they were created, namely to dissolve, break up, decompose
and so dispose of the mucus that manifests the Common Cold. As I understand it, these British "Scientists" have some kind of a
research hospital where they not only invite people to come there and
stay for 10 days or so, free of charge, all meals and everything else
provided, but patients are paid something like five shillings a day to
come there and submit themselves to the Scientists' attempts to find
a germ or virus that will GIVE them a cold. It has become quite a fad
for some 30 people at a time to go there once or twice a year for a
very inexpensive vacation with pay. I understand that so far only a handful of people during the past
few years did develop a cold, but the germ or virus that was supposed
to create it has never been discovered. No, indeed, there is not a germ in existence which can cause one
to have a cold. The electrical analogy in reference to a cold is worth
remembering. The electric system in your home is equipped with
fuses. Right. What happens when the electric circuit is overheated
because you have overloaded the line with too many lights and
appliances. Does a "germ" notify you that a fuse will blow out or
62 that the overheating of the wires may burn down your home. No,
indeed. If the fuse fails to blow out, the overloaded and overheated
wires will start a fire. Think this over when you "catch a cold. " The waste matter in the system, if not eliminated, builds up
fermentation and heat in the body in the natural course of events. When such fermentation has reached a sufficiently toxic state. Nature
becomes worried about our neglect to keep the body clean within,
and gives us a warning in the form of mucous elimination which has
been labeled "a cold. " It is just as simple as that, and we have seen it
demonstrated over and over and over again, that if the warning is
ignored and disregarded, more serious conditions develop, conditions
which are so well-known that a list of them covers a medical
encyclopedia. Never curse a cold which has caught up with you. Rather be
thankful for the timely warning, and do something about it. No drug
was ever known to cure a cold without the development of eventual
afflictions of a more serious nature, rarely attributed to such drugs. To put it briefly, a cold is the result of the secretion of too much
accumulated waste, and insufficient and improper elimination. The
Colon is the recipient of all this corruption. Toxins spread throughout
the body generating unhealthy mucus in the sinus cavities. Excessive
waste matter is the contributing factor in the generation of mucus. The result —A COLD. An intelligent individual will give due consideration to these facts,
and as a matter of course will do what innumerable other people have
done at the first signs of a cold, namely, take enemas and colon
irrigations to remove the cause. Fruit juices and fasting for a day or
two — using nothing but water and fruit juices — have been very
effective during such cleansing procedures. A regimen of raw foods and juices has been found to be the best
means to prevent the accumulation of waste and mucus when the
body, and the colon in particular, has been kept consistently clean. YOUR ENDOCRINE GLANDS
The human body could not function were it not for the
ENDOCRINE GLAND system. The glands in our body are the
activating mechanisms responsible for, and involved in, every function
and procedure taking place within our system. 63 There are glands of internal secretion and glands of external
secretion. These glands all manufacture in micro-microscopic
quantities a substance known as HORMONES. Hormones are a product generated and elaborated in the glands
and discharged into the blood or lymph, in most cases, while in some
instances their action is somewhat like making an electrical contact
in one place, to start, stop, or to modify an action in a separate and
perhaps remote place. Endocrine means that the manufacture of hormones takes place
within the gland, with no duct for its discharge from it. The discharge
takes place by osmotic transmission from within the gland through
its covering, and is collected by the blood or the lymph from outside
the gland. Glands of external secretion are those with a duct or ducts leading
directly from the generating plant in the gland, out of the gland into
the blood or the lymph or into its environment. The Tonsils and the
Appendix are external secretion glands, the former injecting its product
into the throat, while the Appendix injects its product into the colon. The volume of hormone secreted at any one time is so
infinitesimal, so infinitely small, that in order to obtain one-quarter
of an ounce of the Pineal Gland Hormone extract, for example, it
would be necessary to collect hormones from more than 20,000,000
individual glands. Like every other part of the human body, glands must have
constant nourishment in order to be able to operate efficiently. Such
nourishment should be of the very finest quality, because of the
important, intricate, and delicate work which the glands are called
upon to perform. I have made and drawn a Chart of the Endocrine Gland System,
showing the human form, and radiating from it are explained and
indicated the various Endocrine Glands and their relation to one
another. The chart indicates the nature of their function and of their
disfunction, reviews what stimulates them and what inhibits them,
lists the elements of which they are composed and shows what fresh-
raw vegetable juices we have found to be of help and benefit for their
well-being. This Chart measures about 17" by 22" and is intended to
be framed for hanging on the wall of your study, office or your home. The extensive ramifications of the hormone chain is nothing short
of stupendous, and even a superficial study of this Chart is enough to
64 make us appreciate our Creator for furnishing our insignificant body
with such a marvel of ingenuity. The least we can do to help our wonderful glandular system to
function at its highest state of efficiency is to keep our body thoroughly
cleansed of waste and corrupt matter, nourish the body with the best
natural raw foods and juices available, and completely learn to control
our mind and our emotions. With due and careful attention to this program, we should acquire
the energy we need to live a full, happy, useful, joyous and intelligent
life. VINEGAR
All references in my previous publications to the injurious effects
of VINEGAR applied definitely ONLY to the white distilled vinegar
and to wine vinegar, in which the destructive element is the
predominance of ACETIC ACID. Pure APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, on the other hand, made from
whole apples and not diluted, contains the constructive MALIC ACID,
an ingredient needed in the digestive processes. There are three kinds of Vinegar which are generally used in this
country, Apple Cider and the white distilled Vinegar. There is also
Wine Vinegar which is a commonly used condiment in Latin countries,
and which, like the White Distilled Vinegar contains ACETIC ACID. White Distilled Vinegar is injurious to the system. It rapidly
destroys red blood corpuscles resulting in anemia. It also interferes
with the digestive processes, retarding them and preventing the proper
assimilation of food. Such Vinegar (C2H40,) is