 few months, most of the calcium and phosphorus
crystals that make up your skeleton have come and gone. Every year over
98 p ercent of all the atoms in the  human body have been exchan ged. After a
course of three y ears, you would be hard pressed to find an atom that was a
part of you then, which could still be considered yours now.T o help you appreciate this idea, consider that your body is lik e a local
branch o f the public library. Although on one level the library seems to be
stable, on another level it is co nstantly changing. Books are coming and
going every day, with completely new ones added and old ones returned to
the downtown facility. Particula r books do not define a library; rather, it
represents the site and process of this ever -changing exchange of
information.
Y our body is lik e a flame that is constantly metabolizing new  material.
The flam mable m atter and the o xygen necessary for its combustion must be
continually renewed. The smoke and gases released are changing at every
moment. And yet the flame app ears to be nearly the same over time. The
processes of creation, maintenance, and dissolution are simultaneously at
work in a flame and in your body.
The Greek poet Heraclitus said you cannot point to the same river twice
because new water is always flowing. Like a river, like a library, like a
flame, your body may appear to be the same on the surface, but in actuality,
it is constantly changing. Rather than viewing your body as a static
biological machine, begin to think of it as a field of ener gy and intelligence,
constantly rene wing itself. T o grow younger you must change your
perception of the body, relinqui shing the idea that it is a bag of flesh and
bones. Begin to experience your body as the flow of vital ener gy,
transformation, and intelligence, and you will experience the reversal of
aging.
Even though the body appears to be material, it is not.
In the deeper r eality, your body is a field of ener gy,
transformation, and intelligence.

The Body of Energy, T ransformation, and IntelligenceEverything we have said to this point can be summarized in on e sentence:
By cultivating the habit of thinking of your body as a field of ener gy,
transformation, and intelligence, you will begin to experien ce it as a
flexible, dynamic bundle of consciousness, rather than as a fixed, material
thing. Y ou will realize its wavelike nature instead of its particlelike nature.
One way of doin g this is throug h the use of daily rituals that reinforce this
new interpretation.
Y our bo dy is a field of ener gy, at one with the ener gy of the  cosmos,
inexhaustible and constantly i n motion. The A yurvedic term for this
ener getic aspect of life is Prana (prä′-nä), which is sometimes translated as
the b reath of life. Likewise, your body is ever in transformation, always and
eternally in dynamic relations hip with the elements and fo rces of the
universe. This is known in A yurveda as T ejas (tĕ’′-jäs), the internal fire of
transformation. F inally, your body is the physical manifestation of universal
intelligence, wh ich is supreme, divine, and immortal. The A yu rvedic word
for this is Ojas  (ō’′-jäs), the infinitely flexible, fluid expression of the
physical body. T o reverse the aging process, begin using the words ener gy,
transformation, and intelligence as reinforcements to experience your body
as it really is— a field of inexh austible ener gy, in constant transformation,
and as a physica l expression of pure intelligence. If you prefer, you can use
the A yurvedic terms Prana, T ejas, and Ojas  as mantras to anchor your new
interpretation. A s you begin to experience your body in its true form, your
beliefs a bout it will also change, and your new beliefs will create your new
biology.
EXERCISE—YOUR BODY OF LIGHT
Look at the picture below.Pictur e A
Picture A is the conventional view of the human body as a modern
physician might  envision it. This picture reflects how, on a subconscious
level, yo u perceive your body at this moment. Although this perception is
accurate at the gross level, it i s an incomplete representation  of the true
nature of your b ody. Therefore,  it is not the way you should envision your
body.Pictur e B
Now loo k at picture B, a good r epresentation of how your body really is
at a quantum lev el: a field of ener gy, transformation, and intelligence. This
is how the ancient V edic seers saw it. They referred to it as the “subtle”
body. Th is subtle or quantum m echanical body is inextricably woven into,
and is one with, the ener gy and intelligence fields of the cosmos.
Look once again at picture B. N ow close your eyes and see if you can
clearly v isualize it. Can you? Op en your eyes. Look once again.  Repeat this
procedure as many times as you want, until you can see your subtle
(quantum) body  as clearly with  your eyes closed as with your eyes open.
When y ou are absolutely sure t hat you can do this, close your eyes againand mentally repeat to yourself: “Ener gy (Prana), transformation (T ejas),
intelligence (Ojas).”
Whenever you consciously take a deep breath (and make it a point to do
this several times each day), close your eyes and mentally repeat the word
Ener gy while at the sam e time visualizing your ener gy or light body  as
represented in picture B. Similarly, when you consciously  eat food,
mentally repeat the word T ransformation, visualizing the light body in
transformation. Finally, every time you take a sip of water, silently repeat
the word Intelligence and envision once again the lig ht body as fluid and
flexible. As you repeat this ritual with breathing, eating, and drinking, you
will be starting  the process o f restructuring your perception and the
experience of your body from material to subtle.
PERCEIVING YOUR LIGHT BODY
Enlivening Ener gy (Prana)
Y our vital ener gy animates both  mind and body. Throughout the  day, use
the word Ener gy and experience the life force rejuvenating every cell,
tissue, and or gan in your body.
Think “Ener gy” whenever you:
W alk through a garden.
Go from indoors to outdoors.
Practice breathing exercises (see Chapter 7)
Enlivening T ransformation (T ejas)
The essential transformational  force is the primordial fire of life.
Throughout the  day, use th e word T ransformation to enliven thetransformational process that continuously converts ener gy from one form
into another.
Think “T ransformation” whenever you:
T ake a mouthful of food.
Feel the sun on your body
Gaze into the stars at night.
Enlivening Intelligence (Ojas)
When intelligen ce is abundant and freely circulating in your body, all
your physiological systems—cardiovascular, digestive, neurological,
hormonal, and immune—function at their optimal level. Throughout the
day, use the word Intelligence to enliven nourishment in every  cell of your
body.
Think “Intelligence” whenever you:
T ake a sip of water.
W alk along a natural body of water.
Drink fresh fruit juices or other healthy beverages.
In addition to silently repea ting these words to enliven ener gy,
transformation, and intelligence while you breathe, eat, and drink, use them
when yo u are exercising. Whenever you are performing a rhythmic activity
—walking, jogg ing, swimming,  riding your bicycle, or using a treadmill—
silently repeat “Ener gy, T ransformation, Intelligence... Ener gy,
T ransformation, Intelligence...” or “Prana, T ejas, Ojas... Prana, T ejas,
Ojas... ” with your full attention on your body. After a while, y our habitual
way of experiencing your body  will change because your perc eptions will
have shifted.The Body as a River of Renewal
Y our body is not a mechanical structure fixed in time and space. It is a
field of ener gy, information, and intelligence in dynamic exchange with
your environment, capable of perpetual healing, renewal, and
transformation.
Sitting comfortably, close your eyes and take a full deep inhalation.
Now, as you slowly exhale the air from your lungs, visualize your breath
as a flow of molecules being released from every cell in your body. W ith
each outgoing breath you are releasing atoms from every or gan in your
body, and with each ingoing breath you are bringing atoms to every cell
and or gan in your body. Y ou are renewing your body and replacing parts
with every breath that you take.
Continue to breathe in and out and imagine your body as a continual
stream of ener gy and transformation, constantly renewing and refreshing
itself.
Bring your attention to your stomach and know that the entire stomach
lining will be renewed in


 and Purication on Three Levels
•  The Origin of “Sin” or Evil
•  The Way Out of Negative Creation
17 Creative Emptiness
•  How to Open Up to the New Consciousness
•  The Way Leads Through Seeming Contradictions
•  A New Fullness Begins to Manifest
•  Puncturing the Closed Circuit of the Mind
•  Making Your Mind an Instrument of Unication
•  Going Into the Emptiness
•  The Actual Experience
•  The New Person As the Receptacle of the Universal Intelligence
•  The Function of the Intellect in the New Person
•  Entering the New, Greater LifeThe Voice Within: A Meditation from the Guide
Background: The Guide, Eva, and the Pathwork Foundation
List of Pathwork Lectures
Acknowledgment
About the Author
OceanofPDF.comI n t r o d u c t i o n
No matter where you are in life, what your profession is, what
your problems are, whether  you are young or old, this book will
help you see yourself and life in a new light. This new light
combines reaso n with love and illuminates a path-way leading into
your innermost self.
This book is channeled material. Its true author is a discarnate
being who did not give himself a name, but who came to be known
as the Guide. He delivered, through Eva Pierrakos, 258 lectures on
the nature of psychological and spiritual reality and on the process
of personal spiritual development. This process came to be known as
the Pathwork and the transmissions were called the Pathwork
Lectures or the Guide Lectures.
There are many volumes of channeled material in print today, and
it therefore seems right that we do our best to let the potential
reader know what distinguis hes this book from so many others. Let
us introduce you to the two principal distinguishing features of the
Pathwork guidance:
1. The channeled teachings  of the Pathwork Guide outline a
complete path for persona l transformat ion and spiritual self-
realization.
2. This path includes a profound understanding of personal
negativity—its sources, consequences, and a process to meet and
transform it. This process, as taught by the Guide, is unmatched
anywhere else.The goal of personal psychological work is to become self-
actualized, to realize our individual human potential for meaningful
work in the world and for loving relationships with others.
The goal of spiritual practice  is to experience enlightenm ent, or
unitive consciousness, our oneness with all things. The aim of
spiritual work  is to know our innermost identity as God-inspired
beings, lled with love and light.
A complete path must help us address both the frustrations in the
fulllment of our personal lives and the limitations that prevent our
spiritual awakening. Most approaches to personal and spiritual
growth oer us help for only part of this journey. We still want to
know: How can I get from where I am to where I want to be?
Most present-day channeled material, as well as the esoteric
traditions of most religions, tell us that we create our own reality.
But if this is so and I am indeed the creator of my life, what part of me is
it that creates events that I nd quite unpleasant? Why don’t I do a
better job of creating the life that I believe I want? Why are some aspects
of myself so hard to change?
The most valuable contribution the Guide has made  to the
modern psych ological-spiritual quest is a practical, rational, and
honest way to get from where we are to where we want to be. All
spiritual teachers describe the enlightened state of love and
harmony in which one feels at one with everyone and surrenders
joyfully to God. We have also read the descriptions from humanistic
and transpersonal psychologists of the fullled life of the self-
actualized, whole person.
But if we do not deceive ourselves, we will know that we fall
short of these goals. We need a way to accept ourselves fully as we
are now, and to work with whatever in us blocks our personal and
spiritual evolution. We need maps of the psyche that do not idealize
or gloss over our all-too-hum an failings. The Pathwork outlines a
map of human consciousness  that includes our devils as well as our
angels, the vulnerable child as well as the competent adult, the
petty ego concerns as well as the grand visionary longings.
We need guidance to give us support as we take steps from where
we are now to the larger, more fullled, more aware person that wecan be. The Pathwork encourages us to stop trying to pretend we
are an idealized image of ourselves, the person who we think we
ought to be. The Guide helps  us to relax into an acceptance of who
we honestly are and what we honestly feel, moment to moment.
Any one of us who is truthful can discover disagreeable, self-
centered feelings and attitudes within ourselves.
And yet we do not feel like bad people. We would like to follow
the Golden Rule. Most of us would even agree that if we could love
ourselves, and then our neighbors as ourselves, we would feel a lot
better. Why is it so hard for me to do this? Why do I continue to be so
self-centered, or, alternately, so self-degrading?
Generally speaking, we are given very little real help on these
issues. Most religions give us moral commandme nts, often
reinforced by guilt or fear, threats or cajoling, so we won’t act out
our negativity. When we fail, as we inevitably will, we are
admonished to try harder. We are told to give over our aws to
someone else—to Christ, the church, or the guru. Or, in much
contemporary guidance, we are expected to “rise above” our own
limitations and see our negativity as merely temporary ignorance of
our divinity. How can I acknowledge my negativity without either
glossing over it or being devastated by it?
Most psycholo gies don’t answer these questions either. Instead,
we are inadvertently discouraged from taking full responsibility for
our negativity. Since guilt is such a debilitating emotion, we are
often encourag ed by the psychological approach to stop thinking of
ourselves as sinful or even awed. In one way or another we are
allowed to blame someone else—our parents, our past lives,
oppressive societal norms—for our negativity. We think of ourselves
as victims. We discharge our bad feelings toward those whom we
see as having hurt us and then we hope that bad thoughts and
feelings will go away. But they do not.
Do I just have to live with my imperfections? If I cannot overcome
them, am I condemned by them? We are left with the secret fear that
we are intrinsically bad in a way that we cannot change. This is the
source of much of our despair and discouragement.The Pathwork Lectures provide the missing element in both
contemporary and traditional approaches to personal growth. While
giving us the spiritual perspective that we are fundamentally divine,
that at our center we are one with all that is, the Guide teaches that
we also each contain a layer of negativity which he calls the lower
self. The lower self is that part of us which actively, though usually
unconsciously, chooses  negativity, separation, egotism, fear, and
distrust. Howe ver, since the lower self is ultimately a distortion of
the one divine energy that animates the universe, it can be
transformed back into its original life-arming vitality. In the
Pathwork Lectures, the Guide shows us how.
It is very hard work to come face to face with the lower self and
most of us would like to avoid it. That is why we cling to the
idealized images of ourselves. That is why we avoid the deep
emotional work where such negative feelings surface. Yet
recognizing and acknowledging our negative emotions are not too
hard when we have the spirit ual perspective and experience that tell
us that our essence is divine. The troubled feelings we nd inside
can be transformed when we acknowledge them without evasion
and learn to reconvert them into their originally divine nature. As
the Guide says:
Through the gateway of feeling your weakness lies your strength.
Through the gateway of feeling your pain lies your pleasure and joy.
Through the gateway of feeling your fear lies your security and safety.
Through the gateway of feeling your loneliness lies your capacity to have
fulllment, love, and companionship.
Through the gateway of feelin g your hopelessness lies true and justied
hope.
Through the gateway of accepting the lacks in your childhood lies your
fulllment now.
Not only does the Guide oer a spiritual approach to the problem
of evil, but also a systematic and thorough path to releasing the
light hidden behind our distortions. He leads us gently and lovinglythrough our darkness. The practice of honest, compassionate
confrontation of the lower self, while anchoring ourselves  more and
more solidly in the higher self, brings the greatest personal
liberation. This is a path of empowerment through self-
responsibility.
It is the most illuminating experience to nally be able to connect
the events of one’s life—both positive and


 His weight was now 105lbs., and  he looked in every
respect as young as he had done 20 years before. (As his photographs
showed.)
Mr. B. broke  his fast  in much the same way as Mrs. C. had  done, and
like her, became  a convert to urine therapy and  a properly balanced,  if
frugal, diet, viz., he gave up de‐natured  food and continued  to drink  his
own urine daily, with most  gratifying  results.
In the same year, more  cases  came into my hands. Mr. W. (75 at the
time), Mrs.  L. (38), Mr. B. (55) and also a boy of 11. Each case  presented
features worthy of recital at length, but brevity  must suffice. Mr. W., in 55
 spite of his age,  fasted  53 days‐which serves to show that age is no
obstacle. Mrs.  L. 42 days, Mr. B. 60 days. In the case  of the boy, a
fortnight proved sufficient  to effect a cure. All the cases were attended
with the same happy ending as that  of Mrs. C. And here  let me add that
the policy of forcing sick people to eat " in order to keep up their
strength"  is in my opinion responsible  for thousands  of untimely deaths.
Food  cannot be assimilated  by a sick body which  is already full of
obstructive  matter. The only " food " for sick people is urine,  seeing
that among its other functions  it replaces tissue in a manner nothing
else can do. As for drugs, many of those poisonous  ones employed  have
serious cumulative  effects for which  there  are no antidotes.
After 1920, during the next two years, I had over thirty cases of Bright's
disease and other  affections  of the bladder and kidneys to advise upon,
and in no instance did it take longer than from  four to fourteen days on
urine fasts to restore normality,  and a satisfactory  state of general
health.  These  cases having yielded to treatment  so much more  readily
than the ones aforesighted,  I classified  them in my notes as A.B.C. cases.
I will briefly cite one more  of the serious cases.  Man  of 60, after two
years'  constant medical supervision  and treatment  for heart, developed
Bright's disease. Finally, given up by his two doctors, specialist was
called  in. He saw the victim at the stage when his eyes were starting
from his head, tongue was  dreadfully  swollen  and  protruding  from
mouth, whilst  his lips were three  times their normal  size. Specialist  said
the case  was hopeless.  Nothing more  to be done.  I undertook  the case.
Patient passed  40 pints of water five days later, and  returned to
business in six weeks ‐ cured.
 56
 CHAPTER  VIII.
A CASE  OF LEUCOCYTHAEMIA  OR LEUKAEMIA
(Splenic Anaemia)

That remarkable  naturopath,  the late Louis Kuhne, of Leipsic, declared
that disease was a unity, and  with trifling variations  should be always
treated in the same way. He maintained  that all diseases, no matter
what their names or sites, invariably  rise from  the same cause, viz., an
encumbrance  of foreign matter  in the body.  He said it was absurd to
treat an organ separately  (as specialists  often do) for, as goes without
saying, any organ or limb  is a part of the body, and  to think to cure  an
eye, an arm, a leg or what‐not merely  by treating it locally is the height
of pseudo scientific folly! If an eye is diseased,  there  is something  in the
body itself  which  is causing that disease. For instance, he gives the case
of a woman  who was going blind. He treated her whole body, ridding it
of its " cloggings,  " and  the eyetrouble  cleared up automatically.  She
had  suffered for years from bleeding piles;  the orthodox  physicians,
having finally operated on her. Soon afterwards  she started to lose her
sight. The safety‐valve  had been blocked up by this  measure,  the
operation,  declared Kuhne, and  the poisons went to her eyes. (See The
New  Science of Healing.)
Kuhne effected many remarkable  cures by his method, but would have
effected even a greater number  had  he known the value of urine as a
means of replacing wasted tissue. Yet he was right when he declared
that all diseases (except those caused by traumatism  or structual
defects) could be cured by one means, as I myself have demonstrated.  57
 The name of the disease is of merely academic  interest, and  has
nothing to do with the curing of it. All the same,  for the  sake of
convenience,  and to prove  this fact, I have advisedly  specified  the
diseases treated, and  will now give the case‐sheets relative to what is
termed Leucocythae  nia or Leukaemia.
The patient, Mr. P.C., was brought in a taxi to my house by two of my
"disciples.  " He was too ill to walk  into my room unsupported,  looked
very pale  and  wretched,  and altogether  was  obviously  in a very bad  a
state. His age was  48, he had  lost 4 stone in one year, and another
stone during some weeks of medical treatment.
After I had examined  him, I


  woman‘s  Microc osmic circuits  can be joined
in a number  of differen t ways. The most common is the  intersectio n
of their  two circular  Orbits  at the  mouths and genitals,  form ing a
Figure  eight.  The Figure  eight  can cross  as the Micr ocosmic energ y
drawn by the man up his spine is passed  into the woman  through
his tongue,  which acts like an  electrical  switch. The male energ y
then enters  her Microcosmic Orbit  and travels  down her front,  or
Functional  Channel,  and dow n through  her vagina,  into his penis
and back  up his  spine.
    The w oman  circulates  her Orbit  in a parallel  fashion,  up her
back channel  and down his front channel,  before  it reent ers her
body  at the  vagina  and proceeds  back to  her perineum and  spine.
This is the sim plest w ay to direct  this level of  exchange  of Yin and
Yang energy.
    Each  couple  can play  with different  Figure  eight  patter ns of
exchange.  At first y ou may verbally  tell y our lover  what you are
concentrati ng on. Later  as y ou become m ore sensitive  to your own
and your lover’s  energ y, the Chi exchange  itself w ill beco me a silent
languag e, punctua ted by the pleasure  of sending  a tingling  warm
current  into y our lover  the Figure  eight  may  cross  at your mouths
only, or at your genitals.  It may snake  arou nd your Governor
Channels,  up your spine  and down his, or vice  versa.
- 274  -Chapter  VIII
   At this level  many couples  experie nce spontane ous openi ngs
of som e of the eight  special  psychic chann els taught  in the  Fusion
of the  Five  Elements Me ditatio n of theUniversal  Tao. (Fig.  8.44)
These channels  include  the positive  and negative  arm and  leg
routes,  the Belt Routes  spiraling  around  the body  and the Thrusting
Route  up the center  of the  body. Do not be alarmed if your energy
begins  moving in wa ys you are not accusto med to. Man y lovers
experience  a column of energ y rising  on a line  midway betw een
their bodies.  If this is yo ur experienc e, simply relax  and enjoy the
interplay  of these  subtle  energi es. Som e couples  report  the Chi
shooting  up to  the top of  their  heads  and show ering down a fountain
of “necta r”. Others  feel as though  wrapped in a cocoon  with their
lover  with lines  of invisible  energ y being  spun  aroun d them.
Fig. 8.44  Spontaneous  Opening  of the Nine Belt  Routes during
            Heightened  State s of Energy  Arousal
- 275  -Dual Cultivation
   When you have  opened  all your psychic  channels  and you know
what is possible  in term s of energy  exchanges,  you will then  be
free to choose  the path  of expressin g your love  at w ill. It is interesti ng
that lovers  who know nothing  of these  esoteric  methods  sometimes
have  similar experiences  during  normal sex.  Althoug h unable  to
exchange  energy  at will, they  do kno w the sensations  first- hand
from the  spontane ous opening  of their  subtle  ener gy channels.  The
Taoist practices  of Healing  Love  are designe d to focus your
awareness on the  infinite  possibilities  that lie within you. This
concentrat ed awareness is wh at sponta neously sparks  these
experiences  of divine  ener gy exchange. In this sense  love  is
universally  the path  to the greatest  freedom: thus,  the more y ou
share  with your lover;  the more choices  are open  to you.
5. Cultivating the  Valley Orgasm
   The Valle y Orgas m is a true fusion  of two lovers’ beings,  shared
in an  intensified  and balanced  way. As an even  higher  experie nce
of Yin Yang exchang e that goes  beyond the Microcosmic, it may
occur  spontane ously in any  couple  dedicate d to expanding  their
love and  spiritual  awareness. No techniqu e can guaran tee it will
happen,  but the methods taught  here  vastly  increase  the prob ability
of a couple  enjoyi ng regular  Valley Orgas ms durin g lovem aking.  It
is a state  of prolonge d orgasm, the  balancing  of Yin and Yang, a
function  of opposites,  a me lting. However do not  be disappoint ed if
you learn  to block  ejaculation  and master the Orgasmic Draw  and
Big Draw, but do not soon  have  a Valle y Orgas m. This happe ns
frequentl y and should  be expected,  especially  in a stressful  urban
setting  where there  are so ma ny distractin g forces  working against
the sustained  balance  of subtle  energies.
A.Cultivation in  the Three  Tan Tiens
   During  a Valley  Orgasm the lovers  simultaneousl y experience
an opening  of a specific  energ y center.  This releases  a tremendous
energy  that is trul y thrilling  as it radiates  to fill ever y cell of  your
body  and joins y ou with your lover.  The Hindus  call these  centers
“chakras”.  The Taoists refer  to them  as low er middle and  upper
Tan T iens,  and locate  them  in the  abdo men,  heart,  and head.  (Fig.
8-45)
- 276  -Chapter  VIII
Fig. 8.45  Taoist Practices of Healing  Love open  the Wa y to experience
                        the Greatest Freedom.
- 277  -Dual Cultivation
    In truth,  the entire  body is one  Tan Tien, or ener gy center  but in
practice  it is easier  to learn  with smaller vortexes  of energ y until
you can handle  the greater  pow er. The seque nce of opening  them
is generall y to start  with the lowest center  and move up. If  the highe r
centers  open  before  the lo wer ones,  the energ y may be unstable
and short- lived.  In that  case  the lovers  should  direct  their  highe r
energy  into the  lower centers  to create  a more grou nded polarit y.
Filling  the lo wer body with higher  energi es will lend  greate r fullness
to the  feeling  of intimacy  and create  a greate r founda tion for future
exploration  of the  spiritual  world of the two lovers.
    By  opening  these  energ y centers  you transform y our sexual
essence  into spirit.  The Valley  Orgasm is actually  a fusion  of Ching,
Chi and  Shen  (sexual,  life-force  and spiritual  energ y) in two lovers.
(Fig. 8.46)  All three  are normally prese nt in every one, but in a divided
and weakened state.  The tw o lovers  can suppl y energies  missing
in their  partne r and bring  out recessive  energies  with the simple
presence  of the  opposite  subtle  polar  ener gy. When you open  a
new ener gy center  your mind m akes a leap  in awareness by fusing
these  three  in a spontan eous  alchem ical process.  Your own spirit
is purified  and is one step closer  to beco ming  centere d in your
body. It is im portant  to know  that these  centers  cannot  be forced
open,  any more than a child  can sudde nly be forced  to grow up.
There  are natural  stages.  That is wh y you must relax  to entice  the
Tan T iens to open;  then  you will experience  a Valle y Orgas m as a
spontane ous gift, a  sparkling  jewel bestow ed upon  you by the Tao.
This state has  been  described  as one  of profoun d clarit y and
serenity  but even  these  phrases  are insufficient  to conve y its deep
beauty  and truth.
B. Cultivati on of Deep Relaxation
    The mo re deeply  you learn  to relax during  the Yin-Yang exchang e,
the more deepl y you can surrend er yourself to your lover  the more
likely  you are to reach  the balance  of polar


 while urinating, which helps you target the99 HORMONES FOR WOMEN  exact muscles you are trying to build up. The contraction of
these muscles is called the Kegel maneuver. The second is actu-ally the same exercise but done in other contexts. The samemuscles need to be compressed for about ten seconds, 20 to 30times per day, primarily in the morning. This can be donewhile you’re driving, sitting, watching television, or engaged inother activities.
In about six to seven days, most women will experience a
complete resolution of the incontinence—if, besides using thecream, they do both sets of exercises. Once the incontinence isgone, the testosterone cream can be applied to the innerforearm.
The dosages I usually prescribe are: First month: 2% cream
or gel,
⅛tsp applied intra-vaginally (if necessary for inconti-
nence) or ⅛tsp to the forearm, daily. Second month and
thereafter: 1% cream or gel, ⅛tsp applied to the forearm on a
daily basis.
The best way to gauge testosterone levels is by the libido.
If you are experiencing a healthy libido, cut the dosage to twoor three times per week. T oo much testosterone can create sideeffects, such as acne, body hair growth, scalp hair loss, elevatedcholesterol, or aggressive behavior.
DHEA—THE ANTI-AGING HORMONE
Forty percent of the DHEA produced in a woman’s body is
made by the ovaries. After menopause, the ovaries quit manu-facturing this hormone. DHEA is considered the mother of allsteroid hormones, since it is the precursor to other hormones,most notably estrogen and testosterone. Clearly, replacing thishormone alone can help to reduce hot flashes and night sweatsand restore libido.100 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  The primary source of the remaining 60 percent of DHEA
is the adrenal glands, though DHEA production by the adrenalsalso declines over the years. People who have been exposed tohigh levels of stress during their life very often have low levelsof DHEA.
As discussed earlier, DHEA is also known as an anti-aging
hormone. There appears to be a direct correlation betweenlevels of DHEA and longevity. People with the highest DHEAlevels seem to live longer lives. Perhaps this is related to the factthat DHEA stimulates the production of human growthhormone (HGH), sometimes referred to as the “fountain ofyouth” hormone.
DHEA influences the immune system and helps prevent
cancer and arthritis. It’s also beneficial for the cardiovascularsystem. It has the same effect as the “good” cholesterol (HDL)on the “bad” cholesterol (LDL), in that it prevents its oxida-tion, which can cause damage to the coronary arteries.
It is also known as a fat-burning hormone. The most likely
reason why it promotes weight loss is because it lowers insulinlevels, just as progesterone and testosterone do.
DHEA tends to enhance one’s feeling of well-being.
However, as with any hormone, replacement should be corre-lated carefully with need. Because DHEA can convert intoother hormones, it is absolutely necessary to check bloodlevels of this hormone prior to starting its use and to monitorthem during usage. When measuring DHEA, it is best to testDHEA-S levels rather than DHEA levels.
Since DHEA levels change with age, so-called normal
levels are fairly low after menopause. My preference is toreplace DHEA to achieve levels consistent with those ofwomen about 40 years of age, which is in the neighborhood of250 mcg/dl. I start women whose levels are very low, around30 or less, with a dosage of 25 mg a day. Women with levels101 HORMONES FOR WOMEN  around 100 I start at 12.5 mg a day. I recommend obtaining
DHEA by prescription from a compounding pharmacy; thenyou are assured of receiving a pharmaceutical dosage in asustained-release form. Buying DHEA over the counter is lessreliable, since standards for regulating dosages are low ornon-existent. Hormones are potent chemicals, and one shouldbe careful when using them.
The most common side effect of DHEA is acne—an
indication that most of the DHEA is being converted intotestosterone. The remedy here, of course, is to cut back on thedosage or the frequency of administration. Another approachmight be to switch to 7-keto DHEA, a form of DHEA thatdoes not convert into testosterone. It may be available at ahealth food store or possibly at a compounding pharmacy. Asuggested dosage is 100 mg/day. DHEA in any form is besttaken at bedtime.102 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  ANDROPAUSE— THE
MALE MENOPAUSE
chapter TWEL VE
Although this fact is often overlooked, men and women produce
exactly the same hormones. And most hormone levels inmen, just as in women, become lower as men get older. Sincehormones affect every system of the body, profound changesoccur as one ages. This shift in men, which begins around age 50,is known as andropause. Its characteristics include a drop inenergy, libido, stamina, and joi de vivre, associated with weightgain around the middle.
Moreover, it is just as important for men to receive
bio-identical hormone replacement as it is for women. Theconsequences of altered hormone levels in men may lead toconditions such as coronary artery disease, Alzheimer’s disease,prostate cancer, osteoporosis, and depression.
TESTOSTERONE
Unquestionably, the most important hormone to be consid-
ered for replacement in men is testosterone. It is most oftenthought of as a sex hormone, and it is, but it has otherfunctions that are probably more vital.
103T estosterone is the main hormone for the prevention of
Alzheimer’s disease. Studies done by the National Institutes ofHealth have confirmed this.
It is the number one hormone affecting heart tissue,
including the coronary arteries, the conduction system, and,most important, the heart muscle itself. There are more testos-terone receptor sites in heart muscle than in any other musclein the body. T wo studies came out in 2003 demonstrating theuse of testosterone in men who had massive heart attacks, asituation that almost always results in congestive heart failure(CHF), a weakening of the heart muscle resulting in thebackup of fluid into the lungs and possibly the rest of the body.The men who received testosterone failed to develop CHF;those who did not went into heart failure.
The development of osteoporosis, although not as com-
mon in men as women, actually has more dire consequences inmen. A fractured hip in a male, most commonly related toosteoporosis, is associated with a 25 percent mortality rate inthe first year of occurrence. T estosterone prevents and reversesosteoporosis.
An extremely common consequence of low testosterone
levels in men is the onset of depression. They lose their interestin life, and their energy levels go down. Replacement of testos-terone brings back energy, restores lost strength and interest inlife, and leads to the buildup of muscle.
Very often the libido returns too. I’ve seen male patients in
their 70s who hadn’t had sex in 25 years who, with testosteronereplacement, began having sex on a daily basis. Of course, theirpartners’ hormones had to be dealt with as well.104 THE MIRACLE OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES  THE CORRECT USE OF TESTOSTERONE
As with any other hormone, testosterone must be used correctly,
especially since testosterone can convert into other hormonesthat may cause other problems.
It is often beneficial to determine the blood levels of
testosterone. The test for free testosterone level is the mostimportant test in this regard, not the more frequently usedtest for total testosterone level. The free testosterone levelindicates the amount of biologically active testosterone thatis available. However, levels of testosterone go up and downduring the day.
The highest levels occur early in the morning, before
testing is usually done. I have found that most men after theage of 50 have a level either below the normal range or else inthe lower range of normal. Yet many of these men still getmorning erections (an excellent indication of adequatetestosterone levels) and have no problems with performanceor libido.
No matter how low the level, if a man has no sexual
problems I do not replace testosterone. Normal levels of freetestosterone range from 50 to 210. Normal levels of totaltestosterone range from 250 to 1,000. I find that checkinglevels of testosterone is more useful in determining correctreplacement dosages—too much or too little.
When replacing testosterone, one should be aware that this
hormone can be converted into other hormones that may haveunpleasant consequences. One is the form of estrogen knownas estradiol, which can cause prostate cancer and possiblycolon cancer. The other is dihydrotestosterone (DHT), whichmay cause prostate enlargement and male pattern hair loss.
Because of these possibilities, the levels of these two
hormones should be monitored. High levels of DHT can often105 ANDR OPAUSE—THE MALE MENOPAUSE  be avoided by correct placement of testosterone cream or gel
on the skin. It is always best to apply testosterone to areas ofthe body


Everything can be understood and forgiven, but when you judge, you
cut off understanding and shut down the process of learning to love.In judging others, you reflect your lack of self-acceptance. Remember
that every person you for give adds to your self-love.
8. Don’t contaminate your body with toxins, either through food,
drink, or toxic emotions. Your body is more than a life-su pport
system. It is the vehicle that will carry you on the journey of your
evolution. The health of every cell directly contributes to your state
of well-being, because every cell is a point of awareness within the
field of awareness that is you.
9. Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated behavior.
Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in the past.
Remembering what hurt us before, we direct our energies toward
making certain that an old hurt will not repeat itself. But trying to
impose the past on the present will never wipe out the threat of being
hurt. That happens only when you find the security of your own
being, which is love. Motivated  by the truth inside you, you can face
any threat because your inner strength is invulnerable to fear.
10. Understand that the physical world is just a mirror of a deeper
intelligence. Intelligence is the invisible organizer of all matter and
energy, and since a portion of this intelligence resides in you, you
share in the organizing power of the cosmos. Because you are
inseparably linked to everything, you cannot afford to foul the
planet’ s air and water. But at a deeper level, you cannot afford to live
with a toxic mind, because every thought makes an impression on the
whole field of intelligence. Livin g in balance and purity is the highest
good for you and the Earth.
Life is a creative enterprise. There are many levels of creation and therefore
many levels of possible mastery. To be completely loving, nonjudgmental,
and self-accepting is an exalted goal, but the important thing  is to work
from a concept of wholeness. Because society lacks a vision of the road’ s
end, the eminent psychiatrist Erik Erikson laments, “Our civilization does
not really harbor a concept of the whole of life.” The new paradigmprovides us with such a concept, knitting body, mind, and spirit into a unity.
The later years should be a time when life becomes whole. The circle closes
and life’s purpose is fulfilled. In that regard, active mastery is not just a way
to survive to extreme old age—it is the road to freedom.
OceanofPDF.comIN PRACTICE:
Breath of Life
In its most complete sense, active mastery means handling the whole of life.
It is a process of integration, for ordinarily many aspects of the mind are
quite separate from and out of tune with the body, and both are separate
from spirit. Sitting quietly and being aware of yourself, you will notice that
your perception is taken up with mental “noise” (random thoughts,
emotions, memo ries) and occasional physical sensations that may or may
not have  anythi ng to do with what is going on in your mind. Usually the
perception of spirit is completel y lost or ignored; even in moments of silent
witnessing, those welcome pauses when one is detached from the common
turmoil of mental events, most of us do not recognize that we are contacting
our essential selves.
Bringing all these ingredients back into unity isn’t possible on either the
mental level or the physical level alone. Paying attention to one
automatically tends to exclude the other. Unity can be accompli shed at very
deep levels of awareness through meditation, when the duality of mind and
body is transcended, but meditation is restricted to the special time set aside
for it. How do we integrate the remaining hours of our active daily lives?
Thousands of years ago the ancient Indian sages gave an answer in the
form of Prana,  the subtlest form of biological energy. Prana is present in
every mental and physical event; it flows directly from spirit, or pure
awareness, to bring intelligence  and consciousness to every aspect of life.
You sometimes see Prana defined as “life force” or “life energy,” but what
is more importa nt than a definition is to get experiential knowledge of it. If
you can experience Prana, you can begin to nurture and preserve it. The
critical importance of life energy has been recognized in many culturaltraditions; the Chinese know it as Chi and control its flow through
acupuncture, meditation, and specialized exercises such as tai chi. Other
names for the breath of life appear in Sufism, mystic Christianity, and the
teachings of ancient Egypt. What is universally agreed on is that the more
Prana you have, the more vital your mental and bodily processes. Balanced
Prana gives rise to the following qualities:
RESUL TS OF BALANCED PRANA
Mental alertness Proper formation of tissues
Responsive nervous system;
good motor coordinationSound sleep
Balanced bodily rhythms
(hunger, thirst, sleep,
digestion, elimination, etc.)Strong disease immunity
Enthusiasm Physical vitality
Spiritual realization Sense of exhilaration
These are the natural qualities of human life when it is balanced and
whole. Depleted Prana is directly linked to aging and death. Nothing can
remain alive when Prana is absent, because Prana is intelligence and
consciousness, the two vital ingredients that animate physical matter. The
experience of Prana can be had in many ways: When you are flushed with
sudden energy, feel the inrush of sudden alertness and clarity, or simply
perceive that you are “in the flow,” your attention has been draw n to Prana.
Some people sense it as a streaming or buzzing energy in their bodies.
These sensations tend to get passed of f as something else (ringing in the ear,
tingling nerves, increased circulation of blood), but that is only a reflection
of how we were taught to perceive our bodies.
In India the body is perceived first as a product of consciousness and
only secondarily as a material object. Conserving Prana is considered
extremely impo rtant, and the ancient teachings give the following basic
rules to ensure balanced and vital Prana in the body at all ages:Diet.  Eat fresh produ ce, preferably home grown. The highest Prana is in
food eaten straight from the garden. Stale food rapidly loses its Prana; in
fact, anything stale, musty, or moldly indicates the absence of life energy
and should be avoided. Processed food is also very low in Prana. Drinking
water should be pure; the best is spring water or mountain water from
melted snow. Polluted water is deficient in Prana.
Exercise. Physical activity increases Prana by bringing energy into the
body, unless carried to the point of exhaustion. Exhaustion and fatigue are
critical signs that Prana has been depleted. (In Western medicine we
recognize this change as well; when exercise is carried beyond  the body’ s
oxygen reserves, it has to gain energy by metabolizing its own tissues. See
the discussion of catabolic and anabolic metabolism, this page –this page.)
Breathing.  The body’ s main source of Prana is through the breath, which on
a gross level brings in oxygen and on a subtle level brings in life energy.
Prana is thus literally identified  with the breath of life. The ancient sages
considered the quality of a perso n’s life to be reflected in the quality of his
breathing. When  breathing is refined, slow, and regular, the circulation of
Prana is reaching all levels of body and mind, promoting a state of complete
balance.
Behavior. Actions  can damage or nouris h the body’ s Prana. Harsh, tense,
conflicted behav ior (what we today call stressed behavior) disturbs the flow
of Prana. Refined behavior that comes from a sense of ease and self-
acceptance promotes balanced Prana. The attitude of nonviolence (Ahimsa ),
sometimes calle d reverence for life, is at the root of life-nourishing
behavior.
Emotions.  Four negative emotions—fear, anger, greed, and envy—throw
Prana out of balance and are to be avoided. Positive emotions, particularly
love, increase Prana. Love is considered the most basic emotion that human
awareness can feel; therefore, it is the closest to the source of life. The burst
of well-being you feel when you fall in love is due to the fact that you
unconsciously open the channe ls of awareness that allow more Prana to
flow. Emotions that are repres sed through shame and guilt cause thesechannels to constrict. When Prana is kept from flowing in this way, pockets
of inertia and stagnation develop, eventually promoting disease. Depression
is a state of almost complete nonflow and is associated with chronic illness,
premature aging, and early death.
Thus, a healthy life, as measure d by the conservation of Prana, demands
the following:
•  Fresh food
•  Pure water and air
•  Sunlight
•  Moderate exercise
•  Balanced, refined breath
•  Nonviolent behavior and a reverence for life
•  Loving, positive emotions; free expression of emotion
Think of the difference between a salad fresh-picked from your garden
and one made from the same vegetables bought in the supermarket.
Contrast a picnic in the mountains with lunch at


sweat-
ing(seeGeneralSymptoms);shivering.
Worseatnight;forthinking.
Thepersonfeelsalternatelychilledandhot.Fever
withsweatingcomesonafterwakingoritmaybebad
inthenightifthepersonisunabletosleep.Heorshe
feelsworsewhilstsweating,andhot,especiallyonthe
solesofthefeet,whicharepokedoutofthebed.
Flatulence
SymptomsBelly/stomach: bloated;gurgling;rum-
bling.Wind:smelly;ofrotteneggs.
Betterforpassingwind.
Hairloss
SymptomsHairfallsout.
Causeschildbirth.
Hayfever
SymptomsWithcommoncold(seeabove);eyein-
flammation(seeabove).Headache
SymptomsHead:feelsconstricted; feelsfull/hot.
Pains:inforehead;burning;bursting;hammering;
pressing;intopofhead;throbbing.Withnausea.
Betterforcold.
Worseaftereating;forbendingdown;forblowing
nose;forcoughing;ongettingup;duringthemorning;
forsneezing.
Causesdampweather;excitedconversation;winter.
Thereisafeelingofconstrictionortightness,asifa
bandorhooporstringweretiedaroundthehead.The
headfeelsfullandhot,especiallyinbedorinastuffy
room.Theheadachemayrecurweekly,especiallyona
Sundaywhenthepersontriestorelax!
Indigestion
SymptomsBelly/stomach bloated;feelsempty
around11a.m.Belching:empty;sour.Flatulence:
windsmellsofrotteneggs.Painsburning.
Worseafteieating;afterdrinkingmilk.
Thepersonmaysuddenlyfeelveryhungrymidmorn-
ing,afternotwantingtoeatbreakfast,andwillneedto
eattoavoidfeelingfaint,weakandheadachey.The
appetitemay,however,vanishatthesightoffood.
Thestomachfeelsfullandheavyaftereating,and
rumblesandgurgles.
Insomnia
SymptomsUnpleasantdreams.Sleep:disturbed;un-
refreshing;restless.Waking:frequent;late.
Betterforshortnaps.
Worseafter3,4or5a.m.
TheSulphurinsomniacalwayswakestired,however
muchshesleeps.Shefeelssleepyinthedaytimeand
willberefreshedthenbyashortcatnap.Atnighther
feetgethotandburninbed;shehastopokethemout
ofbedtocoolthemdownsoshecansleep.Wakesin
theearlyhoursofthemorning,oftenfromcold,and
maybeunabletogetbacktosleep.Sheisveryrestless,
andhasnightmareswhenlyingonherback.Shemay
havetogetoutofbedaround5a.m.topassastool.
Jointpain
SymptomsPains:burning;tearing.
Worseforwalking;forwarmthofbed.
Thereisafeelingofheatinthejoints,andageneral
restlessness.
Measles
SymptomsSkinrash:red;burning;itchingmad-
deningly.Withcough(seeabove);fever(seeabove).
Worseforheat.
Sulphurisoftenneededwhererecoveryisslowfroma
NBSEEALSOPAGES203-26FORGENERALADVICE,DOSANDDON'TS.
158•Sulphuricacid(Sul-ac.) INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA
childhoodillness.Itcanhelptorelievetheitchingof
measles,Germanmeaslesorchickenpoxifitissevere,
veryred,andmuchworseforheat(ofbedora
hotbath).Thechildrenwillberestless,feverishand
sweaty,andshouldfitthegeneralpicture.Theywill
bethirstyandhungrybutwilleatverylittle.Chicken
poxrashbecomescrusty,smellyandweepsafter
scratching.
Nosebleeds
Worseforblowingthenose.
Pricklyheat
SymptomsWithSulphurgeneralandemotional/
mentalsymptoms.
Sorethroat
SymptomsThroatdry;raw.Chokingsensation.
Pains:burning;raw;sore;stitching.Tonsilsswollen.
Voicehoarse.
Worseforcoughing;forswallowing.
Thelarynxisdry,asifthereweredustinit.Thepain
andrawnessinthethroatareworseforcoughing,and
thevoiceismosthoarseinthemornings.
Toothache
SymptomsPains:spreadingtotheears;throbbing.
Worseforcoldair;forwashingwithcoldwater;for
freshair;atnightinbed.
Causesdraughts.
Sulphuricacid(Sui-ac.)
Commonname:oilofvitriol
Sulphuricacidisadense,oilyliquid,colourlessor
brown,madebycombiningsulphurwaterand
oxygen; itexistsinitsnaturalfreestateonlyinthe
RioVinagreinSouthAmerica.Itisstronglycorrosive,
abletodissolvemostmetals,anditisalsohighly
reactive.
Sulphuricacidisconsideredtobeoneofthemost
importantindustrialchemicals,asitisemployedinthe
manufactureofpractically allindustrialproducts.
Medicinally thispowerfulacidwasusedinthe
MiddleAgesfortreatingulcersinthemouthandthe
throat,butitsterribleburningsideeffectsledtoit
beingabandonedasamedicinesoonafterwards. Ithas
beenusedasanastringentfordiarrhoeaandwas
occasionallyprescribedtostimulatetheappetite.'Sul-
phuricacidlemonade'hasbeenusedbyleadworkers
asapreventiveofplumbism(leadpoisoning).Thehomeopathicpreparation ismadefromsul-
phuricaciddilutedwithwaterandthensuccussed.
GENERALSYMPTOMS
Anaemia.
Worseforalcohol;forheat;duringtheevening;mid
morning.
Sulphuricacidpeopleareanaemic,chillytypeswhofeel
hurriedandtremblyinside.Theyusuallyfeelworse
afterdrinkinganythingalcoholic,andtheirworst
timesaremorningsandevenings.
EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Irritable.Feelingofbeinghurried:whileeating;at
work;whilewriting;whilewalking.Moody.
Inspiteoffeelingabsolutelyexhausted,Sulphuricacid
typesfeelrushedandhurriedinsideanddoevery-
thing'atapace'.Theybolttheirfood,walkquickly,
andworkinafranticway,includingwritingquickly.
Theyfeeldriveninsideandcannotdothingsfast
enough.Theirmoodsmaybechangeable,swinging
frombeingreasonableandagreeabletobeingirritable.
PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Bruises
SymptomsBruises:bluish-black;slowtoheal.
Sulphuricacidwillfinishthehealingofbruisesthatturn
bluish-blackanddonotclearupinspiteofhaving
beengivenArnicaand/orLedum.
Diarrhoea
SymptomsBelchingsour.Stools:soft;stringy;
yellow.Vomitsour.
Stoolsarebrightyellowy-orange, likesaffron,and
therewillbeafeelingofemptinessandweaknessafter
passingastool.Ifthestomachisupset,therewillbe
sourburpsandvomiting.
Exhaustion
SymptomsWithtrembling.
Worseafterpassingastool.
PeopleneedingSulphuricacidsufferfromextreme
lassitudeand,althoughthismaynotbevisibleonthe
surface,theyfeeltremblyinside.
Hotflushes
CausesMenopause.
Thesehotflushesareaccompaniedbythetypical
Sulphuricacidemotionalandgeneralsymptoms.
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Tabacum(Tab.)•159
Thrush(oral)
SymptomsInchildren.Oftongue/gums.
Symphytum(Symph.)
Familyname:Boraginaceae
Commonnames:comfrey;knitbone;boneset;bruise-
wort;blackwort;gumplant;healingplant
Comfreyisahandsomeplantfoundindamp,wet
placesthroughoutEurope,WesternAsiaandthe
USA.ItstallfloweringstemsproutsinJuneandJuly
fromlow,largehairyleaves;theplantcangrowtoa
heightoffourfeet.
Comfreyhaslongbeengrowninthegardensof
countryfolkforitswell-knownhealingpowers.The
name'comfrey'comesfromtheLatinconfirma,'to
form'or'tounite',andSymphytum isfromtheGreek
Symplw,also'tounite'.Theplantinfactcontainsa
substancecalledallantoinwhichstimulatescellsto
healfaster.Culpeperquotesitasbeingso'powerfulto
consolidateandknittogether,thatifthey[theleaves]
beboiledwithdissever


 to have far fewer side effects. In 15 of these trials, the herbal extract produced fewer side effects than the placebo (or inert “medicine”) used as a comparison. Other investigations suggest that St. John’s wort may have a role in countering viral infections, promoting wound healing, and helping withdrawal from addiction, especially from alcohol.
 As is so often the case, research has confirmed traditional views. In the 16th century, Paracelsus (see p. 23) had this  to say about the herb: “Nothing chases away disease like strength. Therefore, we should seek medicines with power and strength to overcome whatever illnesses they are used against. From this it follows that God has given to Perforatum [St. John’s wort] the strength to chase [away] the ghosts of nature…and all downheartedness.” As a result of scientific research, today’s practitioners have an important advantage—how the plant works in the body is Evening primrose is native to North America and has been used to treat a wide range
of conditions, including premenstrual syndrome, asthma, whooping cough, digestive disorders, and eczema.
US_028-031_20th_Century_and_Beyond.indd   30 26/02/16   4:42 pm31 20th century onwardnow better understood, so that it is possible to be precise
about dosages, aware of side effects, and confident in what
form the herb should be taken as a medicine.
 All over the world research is now being directed into
plants with a traditional use as medicines, in the hope of
finding new treatments for all manner of health problems.
To give but two examples: the Indian gooseberry ( Emblica
officinalis, p. 204) appears to protect the liver against cancer,
lowers blood cholesterol levels, and may prove valuable
for acute pancreatitis; while thyme ( Thymus vulgaris, p. 143),
better known as a culinary herb, is a potent antioxidant that
may prevent the breakdown of essential fatty acids in the
brain and slow the aging process.
Medicinal Herbs & Big Business
The major pharmaceutical companies have realized that
rainforests, grasslands, and even along roads and fields are
sources of potentially invaluable medicines. As a result, the
industry has invested vast resources into screening the active
constituents of medicinal plants from all over the world.
The drug taxol, first extracted from the Pacific yew ( Taxus
brevifolia ), and one of the most effective treatments for
breast cancer, was developed in this way.
 In this search through the plant world it is likely that
other remarkable medicines will be found, though far
fewer new drugs have been successfully developed via this
research than was originally anticipated. In fact, there is a key
problem to this approach, for it is geared to the production
of isolated plant chemicals which can then be synthesized
and patented. With a patent, a company can make a profit,
recouping the massive investment required to research
and develop new medicines. Herbs, however, are whole,
naturally occurring remedies. They cannot and should
not be patented. Even if the major
pharmaceutical companies were able
to find an herb such as St. John’s wort,
which proved to be more effective
and safer than conventional
medicines, they would prefer
to develop synthetic chemical
drugs rather than
plant medicines.
Herbal Synergy
One word more than
any other separates herbal
from conventional medicine:
synergy. When the whole plant
is used rather than extracted
constituents, the different parts interact, often, it is thought,
producing a greater therapeutic
effect than the equivalent dosage
of isolated active constituents
that are generally preferred in
conventional medicine.
 Increasingly, research shows
that herbs such as ephedra
(Ephedra sinica,  p. 95), hawthorn
(Crataegus oxyacantha, p. 87),
ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba, p. 100),
and lily of the valley ( Convallaria
majalis, p. 194) have a greater-
than-expected medicinal benefit
thanks to the natural combination
of constituents within the whole
plant. In some cases, the medicinal value of the herb may be
due entirely to the combination of substances and cannot
be reproduced by one or two “active” constituents alone.
The Future of Herbal Medicine
The main issue for the future of herbal medicine is whether
medicinal plants, and the traditional knowledge that informs
their use, will be valued for what they are—an immense
resource of safe, economical, ecologically balanced
medicines—or whether they will be yet another area of life
to be exploited for short-term profit.
 Another issue is convincing skeptics in the medical
world that herbal medicine is not just a poor substitute for
conventional medicine, but a valuable form of treatment in its
own right. In trials into the effect of certain Chinese herbs
on patients with eczema at London’s Royal Free Hospital in
the early 1990s, conventional specialists were astonished
when the addition of one extra herb to a Chinese formula
containing 10 others resulted in a dramatic improvement in a
previously unresponsive patient. This story offers evidence of
the skill and art involved in herbal practice. In tailoring the
remedy to suit the individual needs of the patient and in
treating the underlying cause, major improvements were
made. This approach is a far cry from the standard medical
view of using a single drug to treat a single disease.
 In India and China, there have been university courses in
herbal medicine for decades. In the West this process has
been slower, with undergraduate courses emerging only in
the last 20 years. There are now degree courses in herbal
medicine or naturopathy in several Western countries,
including Australia, the UK, and the U.S., while in Germany,
medical students have been required to study naturopathy
and phytotherapy (herbal medicine) as part of their medical
training since 2003. Such developments point toward a future
where patients might be able to choose between medical and
herbal approaches when considering what medical treatment
will suit them best.The Moreton Bay chestnut is being
investigated for its anti-HIV activity.
St. John’s wort’s traditional use as a remedy for
nervous exhaustion and depression has been
confirmed by clinical trials.
US_028-031_20th_Century_and_Beyond.indd   31 17/03/16   4:00 pm
Valerian tincture
St. John’s wort
infused oil
Dried St. John’s wort
Valerian (Valeriana
officinalis, p. 148) is a good herb for calming nervous tension.St. John’s wort
(Hypericum perforatum, p. 106)  is an astringent and antiviral herb, and
is widely used in
Europe as a remedy for depression.
Goldenrod (Solidago
virgaurea, p. 271) is  an astringent herb taken for sore throats, congestion, and problems of the urinary tract.
Fresh and dried
calendula petals Calendula (Calendula
officinalis, p. 73) is  an age-old remedy  for soothing  inflamed skin.Each of the world’s major herbal traditions developed its own framework
for making sense of illness. In Europe, the principal model for understanding and explaining illness was the “theory of the four humors,” which persisted well into the 17th century. It was laid down by Galen (131–201 ce), physician to the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Galen was born in Pergamum, and part of his medical practice involved caring for the gladiators of the city, which gave him the opportunity to learn about anatomy and the remedies best suited to healing wounds. He wrote literally hundreds of books and had a crucial influence on European medicine for over 1,500 years. To this day, plant medicines are sometimes called Galenicals to distinguish them from synthesized drugs.
The Theory of the Four Humors
Galen developed his ideas from the texts of Hippocrates (460–c.  377 bce)
and Aristotle (384–322 bce), who in turn had been influenced by Egyptian and Indian ideas. Hippocrates, expanding on the early belief that the world was made up of the elements fire, air, earth, and water, classified herbs as having hot, dry, cold, and moist properties. Aristotle developed and endorsed the theory of the four humors. According to the theory, four principal fluids—or humors—exist within the body: blood, choler (yellow bile), melancholy (black bile), and phlegm. The “ideal” person bore all four
in equal proportion. However, in most people, one or more humors predominate, giving rise to particular temperaments or characters. For instance, excess choler produced a choleric-type person, who was likely  to be short-tempered, sallow, ambitious, and vengeful. Galen also believed that pneuma (spirit) was taken in with each breath, and processed in
the body to form the “vital spirit.” Vitality and health depended upon the proper balance between the four humors and the four elements and
the correct mix with the inspired pneuma.
Influence of Classical Herbalists
Two other classical writers strongly influenced the European
herbal tradition. Dioscorides (40


 26/02/16   12:47 pm
226
other medicinal plantsLamium aL bum
the leaves also contain flavonoids and coumarins.
The sesquiterpene lactones have a sedative effect.
History & Folklore  In Assyrian herbal
medicine, lettuce seeds were reportedly used with cumin (Cuminum cyminum, p. 197) as a poultice
for the eyes. Dioscorides (1st century ce) wrote that the plant’s effect resembled that of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum, p. 244).
Medicinal Actions & Uses Wild lettuce is a
safe sedative that can be given to adults and children to encourage a sound night’s sleep or to calm overactivity or overstimulation. Most commonly,
it is recommended for excitability in children. It is also taken to treat coughs, often in combination with herbs such as licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra,  p. 101). Wild lettuce is thought to lower the libido. It may also be used to relieve pain.
Research A 2011 Egyptian clinical trial found
that lettuce seed oil improved sleep in people suffering from insomnia. Lettuce seed oil has traditionally been used in Egypt for sleep problems.

Related Species  Garden lettuce (L. sativa) may
be used like wild lettuce, but has a much weaker therapeutic action.
Lamium album (Lamiaceae)
White Deadnettle
Description  Perennial growing to 2 ft (60 cm).
Has a square stem, toothed oval leaves, and clusters of white double-lipped flowers.History & Folklore  Deadnettle is so called
because it resembles true nettle (Urtica dioica,  p. 146), without the stinging hairs. It was also known as archangel, a plant “to make the heart merry,
to make a good colour in the face, and to refresh the vital spirits” (John Gerard, The Herball, 1597).
Medicinal Actions & Uses  White deadnettle
is astringent and demulcent. It is chiefly used as
a uterine tonic, to arrest intermenstrual bleeding, and to reduce excessive menstrual flow. It is also  a traditional treatment for abnormal vaginal discharge. The herb is sometimes taken to relieve painful periods. Its astringency helps treat diarrhea, and, used externally, it can relieve hemorrhoids and varicose veins.
Larix decidua
syn. L. europaea (Pinaceae)
Larch
Description  Deciduous conifer growing to 165 ft
(50 m). Has clusters of needle-like leaves, male and
female flowers, and small, light brown cones.
Habitat & Cultivation  Native to the Alps
and the Carpathian mountains of eastern Europe, larch grows to altitudes of 6,600 ft (2,000 m). It is widely cultivated for its timber. The resin is tapped in autumn; the bark is collected when the tree is felled.
Parts Used  Inner bark, resin.
Constituents  Larch contains lignans, resins,
and volatile oil (consisting mainly of alpha- and beta-pinene and limonene).
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Larch has
astringent, diuretic, and antiseptic properties.  The bark may be used to treat bladder and urinary tubule infections such as cystitis and urethritis,
and respiratory problems, including bronchitis.
The resin is applied to wounds, where it protects and counters infection. A decoction of the bark  is used to soothe eczema and psoriasis.
Caution  Do not take larch if suffering from
kidney disease.acid. The latter is reportedly harmful to the lymph glands and kidneys, though recent research shows that it has beneficial antidiabetic properties. U.S. research published in 1996 demonstrated that other lignans have antiviral activity against HIV.
History & Folklore  Widely used by Native
Americans, chaparral was taken in the form of a decoction to treat stomach troubles and diarrhea. Y oung twigs were used for toothache. The leaves were applied as a poultice for respiratory problems and as a wash for skin problems.
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Until the 1960s,
chaparral remained in wide use in the U.S., with an average of 10 tons (9.07 tonnes) consumed each year. It was thought to be a beneficial remedy for rheumatic disease, venereal infections, urinary infections, and certain types of cancer, especially leukemia. Chaparral was also taken internally for skin afflictions such as acne and eczema, and applied as a lotion to sores, wounds, and rashes. In the early 1990s, sales of chaparral were banned in the U.S. and Britain due to concern over its potential toxic effect on the liver. It now seems likely that this is another herb that can, in rare cases, cause liver damage, as with some conventional medicines. In view of the uncertainty about its safety, any potential benefit from taking the herb must be weighed against the risks.
Related Species  The North American
L. divaricata, a close relative of chaparral, contains lignans, which have been shown to inhibit lymphoid tumor growth with no apparent harmful effect on normal lymphatic tissue.
 QCautions Only take chaparral on
professional advice. People with a history of liver disease should never take chaparral.
Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae)
Bay Laurel
Description  Aromatic evergreen shrub or tree
growing to 65 ft (20 m). Has leathery, dark green leaves, small yellow male and female flowers, and shiny black berries.
Habitat & Cultivation  Native to
Mediterranean countries, bay laurel prefers damp and shady sites. It is also a popular garden herb, cultivated largely for culinary use. The leaves are picked year round.
Parts Used  Leaves, essential oil.
Constituents  Bay laurel contains up to 3%
volatile oil (including 30–50% cineole, linalool, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpineol acetate, mucilage, tannin, and resin).
History & Folklore  In ancient Greece, bay
laurel was used in divination by the Delphic Oracle. From ancient Rome comes the tradition that the sudden withering of a bay laurel tree bodes disaster Habitat & Cultivation  White deadnettle
is native to and widespread in Europe and
central and northern Asia. It thrives in fields
and in open areas. It is gathered when in
flower in summer.
Parts Used  Flowering tops.
Constituents  White deadnettle contains
a saponin, flavones, mucilage, and tannins.White deadnettle is used to treat gynecological
conditions.Larrea tridentata (Zygophyllaceae)
Chaparral,
Creosote Bush
Description  Thorny shrub growing to 61⁄2 ft
(2 m), with small finely divided leaves.
Habitat & Cultivation  Chaparral is found
in large numbers in the deserts of the
southwestern U.S. and Mexico.
Parts Used  Aerial parts.
Constituents  Chaparral contains about 12%
resin and lignans, including nordihydroguaiauretic
US_224-245_Jasmine_Harmala.indd   226 26/02/16   12:47 pm227 other medicinal plantsLepidium virginicum
for the household. In ancient Rome, bay laurel
leaves were used as a medicine, a spice, and a
decorative garland during the December festival of
Saturnalia. Bay laurel was sacred to the gods Apollo
and Asclepius, who together oversaw healing and
medicine. The herb was thought to be greatly
protective and healing. An infusion of the leaves
was taken for its warming and tonic effect on the
stomach and bladder, and a plaster made from
the leaves was used to relieve wasp and bee stings. Lawsonia inermis
syn. L. alba  (Lythraceae)
Henna
Description  Heavily scented evergreen shrub
or tree growing to 20 ft (6 m). Has narrow
pointed leaves, clusters of small white or pink
flowers, and blue-black berries.
Habitat & Cultivation  Native to the Middle
East, North Africa, and the Indian subcontinent,
henna grows in sunny areas and is widely
cultivated for use as a hair restorative and dye.
The leaves are picked during the growing season.
Parts Used  Leaves, bark.
Constituents  Henna contains coumarins,
naphthaquinones (including lawsone), flavonoids,
sterols, and tannins.
History & Folklore  Henna has been used for
thousands of years in North Africa and Asia as a red
dye and as a scent. Mummies were wrapped in
henna-dyed cloth in ancient Egypt. In the Middle
East and India, the leaves have traditionally
been used to make a pigment for dyeing
intricate linear patterns on the fingers, palms,
and feet. The leaves have also been used to dye not
only human hair but the manes and tails of horses.
Before meeting Antony, Cleopatra reputedly
soaked the sails of her barge in heady henna flower oil.


ide orally and as skin rubs. Do isometric exercises, e.g. push against a wall, lift weights, use a rebounder, and do lots of walking.
However, the main underlying factor is the level of sex hormones, and especially oestrogen – males convert testosterone into
oestrogen. Our level of sex hormones is mainly a function of our vitality; therefore we need to increase our vitality with a deliberately
healthy lifestyle. In addition, formation of hormones is inhibited in pyroluria.
Pain
Pain is a warning signal indicating that something is wrong. Therefore it is most important to search for and correct the basic cause.
The following measures are secondary to this. (See Arthritis or Infections and Inﬂammations if the pain is due to these conditions).
Generally the most effective pain remedies are sodium bicarbonate for strongly alkalising the body, Cannabidiol  or CBD which is now
legal in the US, and transdermal rubs of magnesium chloride solution and DMSO over painful areas.
DIET : Use a low-allergy or hypoglyc aemia diet with light meals, plenty of raw vegetables and their juices, and omega-3 fatty acids,
and have cleansing periods. Avoid sweet foods, gluten and dairy products (lactose); avoid or neutralize acids; do allergy testing. Pain
tends to lessen or disappear while fasting or on a raw food diet; introduction of some cooked foods may increase pain again
SUPPLEMENTS: Generally, a high calcium-magnesium level and increased blood alkalinity raise the pain threshold while acids,
phosphorus, and potassium lower it. Therefore, alkalize the body. You can add some additional baking soda to acids neutralized with
dolomite to bring the pH of the solution to 7. Vitamins A, B1, B6/P5P, C, and E can be helpful, also boron/borax, manganese, MSM,10/30/24, 4:15 PM Health-Science-Spirit - Summary of Speciﬁc Health problems
https://health-science-spirit.com/Diseases/Speciﬁc-Health-Problems.html 10/15and zinc, vitamin B12 injections work for nerve pain. D,L-phenylalanine slows the breakdown of natural pain-relieving opiates in the
brain and improves other pain-relieving measures. It is slow to act and used for long-term pain control. Topically apply 50 to 70%
DMSO and magnesium chloride solution (= magnesium oil). 4 x 100 mg of vitamin B2 helps with migraines.
ADDITIONAL  THERAPIES: With cancer, migraines, and other diseases,  pain and discomfort are often the result of liver congestion.
This can be relieved with a coffee enema and other measures to cleanse the liver. Improve the lymph circulation in a painful area and
keep the urine alkaline.
Topically place the south-pointing pole of a magnet on the pain site and/or apply blue lighting on the painful area, along with cold or
ice packs. Also make a pack of honey, cabbage leaves, or magnesium salt; add a handful of sodium bicarbonate to the bath water to
alkalize the body. Practice rhythmic breathing, meditation and relaxation exercises, visualizing blue energy extinguishing the “red
ﬁreball” of pain. Concentrate on feeling the pain, its strength, extent, rhythm, and other characteristics. If you pay enough attention to
your pain for a long period, it may simply disappear. Also ask the pain what message it has for you. Try to sense its message.
Try this form of energy healing: Firmly but without pressure touch the ﬂesh in the indicated places with the tips of the thumb and the
ﬁrst two ﬁngers of the right hand. Hold for about three minutes or until the patient (or you) feels tingling in the ﬁngertips. Concentrate
your mind on the painful body area with the intention of relieving the condition. Here are a few variations:
•  For pain in head or neck, hold ﬁngertips just behind and beneath the left ear on a line with the mouth.
•  For pains in chest, arms, or upper back, hold ﬁngertips to the base of the neck on the left side of the spine.
•  For pain in abdomen, back, sides or hips, put ﬁngertips to the left side of the spine between shoulder blades.
•  For pain in legs or feet, hold the left side near the centre of the spine.
Parasites
Parasite infestations combine with fungi, such as Candida, to greatly undermine your long-term health. Examples of common
parasites are intestinal worms and protozoa (malaria and Giardia). Most of these parasites can be eliminated with gum turpentine,
borax, or wormwood (Artemesia  absinthium), which is best combined with other herbs; wormwood is also effective against Candida.
Preferably take the mentioned parasite remedies in addition to or during a Basic Cleanse, and especially a ﬁve-day psyllium cleanse.
In animal husbandry, high copper levels are successful in eliminating parasites and keeping animals free of parasites. While animals
seem to be able to handle copper sulphate, this is not suitable for humans, and I recommend using either copper salicylate or
colloidal copper. During any parasite or Candida cure, maintain a high intake of liquids to ﬂush out toxic residues.
Parkinson’ s Disease
Most important are intestinal sanitation, controlling pyroluria, strong Candida and antimicrobial therapy, high-dose ascorbate/MSM,
magnesium and borax/boron, outdoors activity, green raw foods (e.g. using a high-speed blender), and minimising stress.
DIET : Useful are seafood, raw egg yolk, plenty of lactic-acid-fermented food, purple food, sprouted seeds, raw vegetables (blended or
ﬁnely grated, often with gelatine) such as green beans, carrots, beet root and beet tops, cabbage, green peas (fresh, not canned or
frozen), and leaf vegetables. If vegetables are cooked, use the cooking water. Preferably take fresh vegetable and grass juices before
meals; have frequent interior cleanses on such juice, possibly also on fruits. Use food appropriate for your metabolic type.
Sprouted broad beans are very high in levodopa, the precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine, lacking in people with Parkinson’ s.
Try ﬁve to 15 sprouted beans with breakfast, and use raw or blended in juice; if cooked, also ingest the cooking water. Take vitamin
B6/P5P  only several hours later. Black currants also contain levodopa. Do allergy testing and intestinal cleansing; use organically
grown foods if possible; avoid food additives, including preservatives, ﬂavouring (excitotoxins), colouring, GM food and aspartame.
Avoid exposure to aluminium and heavy metals, especially lead, mercury, and iron.
SUPPLEMENTS: Take high doses of all vitamins, especially antioxidants, B12, natural E, and the minerals boron, magnesium,
selenium, zinc, and chromium; also try copper salicylate. Take sufﬁcient additional magnesium as chloride and orotate  (keep under
the tongue) to stop any shaking and help relax muscles, also bromelain and hydrochloric acid supplement with meals. Try grape seed
extract, lecithin, ﬁsh oil and groun d linseed, evening primrose oil, iodine, MSM, royal jelly, and glutamine. Try tyrosine before
breakfast and tryptophan before the evening meal. Try the following herbs:  gotu  kola, liquorice (but not with high blood pressure),
pau d’arco, sage, and skullcap. Levodopa is commonly used combined with carbidopa  or selegeline, and then vitamin B6/P5P  can be
taken several hours before or an hour after taking the drugs, if using levodopa without  carbidopa  or selegeline  then do not take
vitamin B6.
ADDITIONAL  THERAPIES: Cleanse and strengthen all organs and glands with all available methods. Spinal tapping,
spinal  corrections, rejuvenation exercises; tensing, relaxation breathing, and body-mind exercises are all helpful. Try regression to
discover and release hidden fear. Imagine reacting appropriately in situations of panic; use emotional-release and mind-control
methods. Improve and balance energy ﬂows in acupuncture meridians, especially those of the stomach, gallbladder, bladder and the
governing meridian, by tracing meridians or having an acupuncture treatment. Do intentional exaggerated shaking exercises with
vigorous breathing. Often have a bath or foot bath with magnesium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, also transdermal magnesium
chloride/magnesium oil. Remove dead teeth and replace mercury amalgam ﬁllings.
Before breakfast have strong coffee and tyrosine; with breakfast try some of the following: bee pollen, spirulina or chlorella, ground
linseed, sprouted broad beans, ginkgo  biloba, ginseng, mixed into herb tea or fermented liquid. Reintroduce levodopa drugs as late
as possible in the day. If levodopa has become ineffective, have a “drug holiday” - stop using it for one or more weeks. Learn to
meditate and energize the brain. When not on levodopa, use willpower combined with guided imagery to move muscles


dreams and ruin plans and disrupt futures —and we are talking about healing  them with
equally life -changing events. We are saying that when everything changes, sometimes the
best thing to do is to change everything. Not only everything in the physical, but everything
in the non-physical. This would include your emotions, your thoughts, even your truths.
We’re talking about a complete overhaul here, from top to bottom, inside and out. After
all, your life has been turned darned near inside out anyway, s o why not finish the job? Only now, in the way that you want it to feel, rather than in the way that it feels you are
being forced to accept....
As we embark on this exploration I hope you can feel that I understand at least a little of
what’s going on with you, so that you know that you’re not hearing about all this from
somebody who has no idea what you’re going through —some “fix -it guru” sermonizing at
you from the mountaintop who has never been anywhere near where you are right now. I
hope you can fe el that even if nothing else is going right in your life, your having picked up
this book is at least one good thing. One good thing has happened today.
We can start with that. We can begin from there. We’re going to stand side by side, you
and I, and put your whole life back together again —in a new way, in an even better way.
Dare I promise that? Well, I’m saying, “Let’s try.” Let’s see what we can do. You’ve got
nothing to lose, right? So let’s try. Let’s make your having picked up this book be not only
one good thing that happened today, but one of the best things that’s happened in your life!
What do you say? Want to do it? Want to try?
If you’re too tired, too beaten down, too exhausted from the battle of life to even try,
would you just do this...? Would you just try to try?
If you’ll try to try, I think we can make it. And I’ll promise you this. You don’t have to go
any faster than  you want, any faster than you feel comfortable with.
I’m going to give you lots of stopping points, lots of breathing spaces, so that you can
“take a break” whenever you’d like. There’s nothing worse than a Feeling -Good -Is-As-Easy -
As-Pie book when you’re experiencing just the opposite. I hate those. I hate those
Rah!
Rah!
Ciss-boom -bah!
books. Yeah, right, just throw up a cheer and everything will be better, I say to myself. Sure.
Then I start feeling even worse, because I can’t seem to get it right —even t hough the
person writing the book says it’s so easy....
So let’s see if we agree on something here. It’s not easy. Not without the tools. And who
has the tools? What school taught Calamity 101? Where was the class in Elements of
Change in Modern Day Lif e? So dealing with major change, monumental change, has not
been easy for most of us.
Yet it can be. You can undergo change, stand in the middle of catastrophe, and be okay.
You can be very  okay. I know that feels counterintuitive, but it happens to be tru e.
That’s all I wanted to tell you in these first few moments we’re together. I just wanted to
give you a reason for going on. And I don’t mean just with this book. You know what I
mean.
Okay. That may be enough to think about for now. You can go on with y our reading if
you want, but you don’t have to. I mean, this is a perfect place to stop, to put the book down
now and take a break.
Like I said, I’ve designed the book with lots of stopping points. Lots of places to just “take
a breath” and be with yoursel f and the ideas we’re looking at. You’ll find these breathing
spaces not just at the end of chapters, but right in the middle of them. (I hate that feeling that you just want to at least make it to the end of the chapter or you feel like some kind of
dropo ut, some kind of ninny who can’t even finish a chapter, much less a book....)
I’ll actually be happy  if you don’t finish a chapter without stopping. That means you’ve
felt the impact of what I’ve just said and want to stop and think about it for a while. Terrific.
Terrific.
So feel free to stop right here  and think about what I just said. I just said, “You can
undergo change, stand in the middle of it, and be okay. You can very  okay.”
That’s a nice thought to gulp down. You can come back to the rest of this later. Whenever
you choose. If ever. Heck, you ma y choose to just throw this book away. You get to decide.
That’s the second good thing that’s happened to you today. You get to take control again.
Yes, yes, it’s a small thing —whether you’re going to continue reading this book or not —
but that’s how it sta rts. That’s how the rebuilding starts....
So stop right now if you want to and give yourself some
Breathing Space
Breathe into what you’ve just read, then decide now if you want to go on, or rest with it
for a while and meet with me here later... or not at all.
If you’re ready to go on, drop down to...
WHAT YOU AND I ARE DOING HERE
If you have this book in your hand I’m assuming it’s because the ground is shifting
beneath you. Something is changing in your life —or already has changed —and it’s
somet hing pretty important to you. It may even drive to the place of your personal safety or
security. And you may be just beginning to confront the emotions that are coming up for
you around all this. Or perhaps you’ve been facing those emotions for quite some  time and
can’t seem to get past them.
Either that’s the reason you were attracted to this book, or you bought it for someone
else —a friend or a relative, a client or a member of your congregation... in which case,
hurry and finish it  and get it to that  person immediately!
So now that we know what you’re doing here, let me tell you what I’m doing here. I’m
here because I have  been where you are, and I want to help you. I’m here because
something happened to me that helped me, and I want to pass it on.
I’m also here because I’m watching some pretty weird stuff going on in our world, the
same stuff you’re watching, and I see everything changing all over the place so fast that we
can hardly keep track of it. I’m here because I know that unless we all find a way to deal
with this changing pace of change —both collectively and individually —we’re not going to
be in a very good place. So I’m here to extend to you an invitation. An invitation in nine
parts, to change the way you experience change forever. I’m here to see if I can engage you
in “changing change.”  Okay, so those are my reasons for being here. Now let’s talk about what we might co -
create here together. I was chatting about this with my wife, Em, and she said some things
that really struck me. She said,  “I am not seeing this book as a book. I am seeing it as a
commitment. I see a person’s picking it up as a commitment to opening to a whole new way
of approaching life and of living each moment. This is like taking up a martial art, with the
understanding that it will change the way you move through life. Or choosing to learn a
foreign language until it is known so intimately that it one day feels like your natural way of
speaking. These are lifelong pursuits that change your very ground of being.
“We live in an immediate -gratification society, where everything has to be delivered in
fifteen minutes. But this isn’t instant oatmeal. There are some really essential, important
understandings that have been given to us through the ages and those can’t be laid ou t in
pamphlet form.
“This is a turning -yourself -inside -out so that you can be available to all of life again, so
that you can actually feel alive in life again, which is what some of us haven’t known since
we were four years old —or maybe ever.
“The cover of this book says When Everything Changes, Change Everything. So I hope that
people will sit down with this book, turn off their cellphone, and commit to at least a half
hour at each reading and really make it their practice.”
I couldn’t have sa id it better myself. I told her so.
“Well, nothing is more important than how  you’re experiencing life, honey,” she smiled.
“What else is there?” Then she brushed her dark hair to one side in the way that she has of
stopping my heart, and I watched her fac e become very soft. “


of chronic low-level stress is so common as to be accepted as
normal. But your body doesn’t experience it as normal at all; the
earliest beginn ings of heart disease, hypertension, sle ep and
digestive disorders, and probably some cancers can be traced to
chronic stress.It is  no accide nt that the location of these disorders par allels
the course of th e vagus nerve, which serves to communicate stress
to the heart, stomach, digestive tract, and then the rest of the body
as t he nervous system branches out. Vagal breathing brings the
state of  the body back into ba lance and relieves tension. So even if
you haven’t come to the real ization that everything physical and
mental happens in consc iousness—meaning that our body
happens in consciousness—here is an unmistakable clue.
We accept that a skill like walking and riding a bike is
permanent onc e it has been learned. But, at a more basic l evel, the
biorhythms th at sustain the bodymind as a whole were learned
and absorbed millions of ye ars ago by our hominid ancestors.
Modern life pushes us to unlearn them, as witnessed by the huge
number of people with digest ive and sleep disorders. Both of those
functions are controlled thro ugh built-in biorhythms. On ce your
body has forgotten how to express a biorhythm, the effec t is like
one trumpet or violin playing a different piece of music from the
rest of the orchestra—the whole symphony is ruined.
Vagal b reathing may wind up being very useful beyond its
ability t o norm alize heart rate, lower blood pressure, and make
breathing more regular. It’s  a good practice to use in bed just
before you fall asleep. Mild to moderate insomnia can often be
eased o r totally healed. General stress is eased, including stressful
thoughts and a racing mind, which countless people experience
when they try to go to sleep.
I’ve gone into a little detail (the whole topic is covered in depth
in The Healing Self, which I coauthored with Rudy Tanzi) to make
the point that a physical map  of the nervous system, the operation
of the vagus n erve, consciously intervening in its operation, and
sensing the results directly ar e all one thing. The direct path leads
us b ack to that  one thing, wh ich will, in time, completely end the
state of  separation and allow us to rest in wholeness, which is
reality.
Y o u r  B o d y,  Y o u r  S t o r yOnce you begin to experience your body in awareness,
transformation starts to oc cur. You are moving out of the
separation between mind and body toward wholeness. You need
to be whole to be who you truly are. The direct path is experiential.
It’s not theoretical, nor is it therapy or a spiritual journey.
As you experie nce your body in awareness, you have taken time
out from your story. This seems like a modest thing, a moment or
two spent in d oing nothing but being here. Yet there’s no other
way to disman tle your story that is this direct. Millions of people
benefit from therapy and walking the spiritual path. But
eventually we must all face the fact that everything  we do, even in
the name of h ealing and spirituality, is taking place inside our
story. As a res ult, we can get glimpses of wholeness—these are
often q uite beautiful and uplifting—yet they do not carry us to
metareality as our home.
At t he moment you are your story—it can’t be helped—and this
keeps you trapped in separation. The word separation  may not
come to mind; you might n ot even consider it a prob lem. To
illustrate, cons ider the following sentences, which all of us have
said or heard:
I hate my body.
You’re only as old as you think you are.
Youth is wasted on the young.
I used to have a perfect figure.
The statements express diffe rent sentiments, but each reflects
the sep aration of mind and body. “I hate my body” comes from
someone who feels trapped in physicality. The person is
bemoaning what she has done to her body, or what her body has
done to  her. The state of sep aration is obvious. “I” is pla ying the
part of the victim, and “body” is the culprit.
“You are only as old as yo u think you are” is much more
optimistic, asserting that the mind can overcome the deterioration
of aging. Yet, as we all know, this is in part wishful thinkin g. Aging
is an inexorable process. It is much better to have a positive
attitude toward it than a negative one—society is benefiting fromthe “new old age,” which env isions every stage of life as v igorous,
productive, and  healthy. But a thought or a belief isn’t the same as
a state of awareness. “You’r e only as old as you think y ou are”
cannot substitu te for the true self. When established in yo ur sense
of s elf as a permanent state, aging holds no threat beca use you
identify with the timeless (we will go into what the timeless state
means in the next section). A good attitude toward the aging
process still leaves you trapped in your story.
Oscar Wilde’s quip “Youth is wasted on the young” puts a witty
face on  a sad w ish that many people have: If only I could  go back
in t ime, I’d live my life so much better. Regret over the  past is
mingled into everyone’s story, and the basis for this regret  (and its
opposite, which  is nostalgia) is that the passage of time has power
over us. “I used to have a perfect figure” states this more directly
by c onnecting  the passing of the years with a loss of physical
attractiveness, while implying that “a perfect figure” is the  same as
self-worth and sexual desirability.
These example s of how the mind feels separate and different
from the body could be expan ded endlessly. The body is su bject to
all man ner of judgment, and yet the underlying process, whether
you lov e your body or hate it, hasn’t been examined closely. This
underlying process is the inescapable way your body has absorbed
every detail of your life story and now mirrors it. To be tra pped in
your story and trapped in y our body are the same thin g. Your
brain has been shaped every minute since you were born, and it
has communicated everything you experience to the body’s fifty
trillion cells, which in turn pass the messages on to your DNA.
Wholeness, then, isn’t just a mental shift. It’s a revolution in
the bodymind that undoes the past, beginning in the brain but
reaching out to liberate eve ry cell and influencing the genetic
activity in each cell. To see ho w this revolution occurs, let me go to
the heart of every story, which is time.
H o w  t o  B e  T i m e l e s sThere was a period in infancy when your experience was
original and authentic. You were too young to interpret the world
on your own. All your development was occupied with the basics
of walk ing, talking, exploring the world, and so on. Let’s call this
the pre story period of life. W illiam Blake divided one group of
poems i nto “so ngs of innocence” and “songs of experience,” which
were a nonbiblical narrative  of the Fall from Grace. Like the
romantics who were to follow, and who idolized him, Blake
believed that the Fall didn’t occur to Adam and Eve; rather, it
happened to children as they  lost their innocence. The Fa ll was a
repeated experience generation after generation.
What Blake saw in innocenc e was a fresh, simple, lyrical, and
joyous p erspective on the world. The tone is set in one of the most
famous songs of innocence, “The Lamb,” where you can read
infant  for lamb :
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed,
By the stream & o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice.
In c ontrast to this vision of  a childhood Eden, the son gs of
experience are  bitter and dar k, reflecting the hardship Blake knew
firsthand and saw all around him in eighteenth-century London.
One fam ous poem, “A Poison Tree,” reimagines the tale of original
sin as the dark side of hum an nature, in verse that cou ld be a
nursery rhyme:
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.