behaves in a way that doesn’ t align with your model? Your mind and heart
catch fire. This happens even if the person hasn’ t actually done anything. All that is needed is for your mind to think, “What if my husband leaves
me? Sally’s husband left her. If Sam ever left me, I would just die.” That’ s
all it takes, and you feel pain and disturbance. All the energies become
unsettled inside. Why does this happen? It happens because you’ve beentrying to build a place of solidity within your mind that you can hold on to. As long as everything reasonably reinforces that, you feel safe and relatively
okay. But you have distanced yourself from the core of your being by
clinging to something outside. That’ s what we do, and it doesn’t work. If
you want to grow spiritually, if you want to have a beautiful life instead of a
midlife crisis, you need to do the inner work. A midlif e crisis happens when you’ve been building and clinging and
fighting for half your life in order to be okay, and you’re not. You’re simply
not free and at peace inside, even though you have the kids, the marriage,
the job. As it turns out, midlife crises are perfectly reasonable. It’s
surprising more people don’t have them. Halfway through your life, you
realize it hasn’ t worked—you’re still not okay. Sure, you’re okay as long the
spouse behaves, the kids do well in school, and you get respect at your job. As long as all this happens, and your finances hold up, you’re conditionally
okay. But inside you know it can change on a dime, so you must keep
struggling to stay ahead. That’ s why life is a struggle. The alternative is to clean up the mess inside. Someday you will realize
you are not drowning. You’re simply sitting on a planet spinning around the
middle of absolutely nowhere. That’ s the truth of the matter. The Cassini
spacecraft took a picture of the Earth from two million miles out. The Earth
is just a small dot in the middl e of dark, empty space. How can you drop
down onto the nicest planet there is and not be okay? We’ve looked far and
wide with our space telescopes, and we haven’ t found anything, anywhere,
even close to the majesty of the Earth. Basically, you won the lottery! You
dropped down onto this phenomenal planet that’s always exciting,
challenging, and growthful. It has all sorts of colors, shapes, and sounds—
it’s unbelievably  amazing. Yet, what do you do? You suffer. Why? It’s not
the planet causing you to suf fer—it’ s the stuf f you have stored inside. The logical questions become: Why are you storing all this stuff inside
you? And if you’re going to store stuff inside, why not make it nice stuff? People collect all sorts of things as hobbies. Some collect spoons, teacups,
stamps, or coins from all over the world. But you had a brilliant idea for a
hobby—let’ s collect bad experiences. That’ s what you did: “I’m going to
collect every bad experience I ever had and keep it inside me so it can
bother me for the rest of my life.” How can that work out well? If you keep
doing it, you’re going to collect more and more bad experiences, and your
life will get heavier and heavier.Are you really going to continue making your life so difficult? In
essence,  you are causing  yourself to be unhappy, then you’re going outside
and demanding that the world somehow make you happy. The world cannot
make you happy while you’re inside making yourself unhappy. It’s that
simple. You have to work on letting go of the root cause of suffering. The
spiritual path is always about letting go of yourself, and that means dealing
with the blocked ener gies. The blocked energies inside are going to build up and need release if
you don’t deal with them. These  energies may release in the form of anger,
verbal or physical fighting, and other bursts of uncontrolled behavior. When
you allow the energies to release unconsciously like this, you’re not in
charge. The energies will tend to follow the path of least resistance, as
determined by the samskaras. When you allow this to happen, the
uncontrolled energy carves channels within you that will make it easier to
flow that way again. The energy flow becomes a habit. Not only is “losing
it” unhealthy because of what you may say or do outside, but you also
increased the probability of losing it in the same way again. This can cause
all kinds of trouble. Any time you’re not in charge in there, there’ s going to
be trouble. It’ s that simple. Understanding this process of blocking and then expressing energies
helps us have compassion for our own past behaviors, as well as for others. Compassion means you understand the root cause of people ’s behavior. People have trouble handling their blocked energies, and in most cases, they
have not been taught how to channel the energies to a higher level. There is
a higher level of our being, and those lower energies can be raised up. You
have access to a much higher way to deal with inner energies than to simply
step aside and let them express. That doesn’ t mean they should be
suppressed. Your choices are not limited to expression or suppression. As
we will discuss, there’ s a third choice, transmutation, and that’s where true
spirituality comes in.Chapter 36. Transmutation of the Energy
Suppression blocks inner energy; unchanneled expression wastes its power. The highest use of the energy is transmutation. Most people know nothing
about transmutin g the energy, yet it is the essence of spirituality. Currently,
your natural energy flow is blocked by the samskaras in your lower energy
centers. When the energy tries to release, you either push it back down or
allow it to blow  off some steam externally. This external release solves
nothing in the long run—the energy will just build back up behind your
blockages. The release is temporary because the cause of the blocked energy
has not been addressed. What if, when the energy tries to come up, you see it as an opportunity
to get rid of the blockage it’s hitting? The energy is going to attempt to
release the samskara by pushing it out of the way. The probl em is if the
blockage was stored with pain, it’s going to come back up with pain. Instead
of pushing it back down because you can’t handle the experience, or
releasing it outside as a way of relief, you can relax and release at such a
deep level that you allow the blockage to pass without resistance. That is
what transmutation of the energy means. It involves using the rising energy
as a positive force by allowing it to cleanse whatever was blocking it. This is the highe st way to work with your inner energy—use it to grow
spiritually. Use it to let go of the blockages that are keeping you trapped. It
is those blockag es that cause suffering. They only allow you to be okay if
things are a certain way. This creates discomfort, anxiety, and fear about
life. That discomfort drives people to seek all sorts of distractions, which
just creates more turmoil. We all know about this cycle of disturbance and
temporary relief. Now you know there is a much higher way to live. If you
are willing to release the blocka ges, over time the energy will find its way
up. It will push the samskaras out of the way, and the next thing you know,you won’t even be able to relate to how you used to be. This is especially
true about how you used to deal with some people around you. You’ll wish
you could go back and say, “I am so sorry. I was so lost.” You will see how
relationships used to be about finding a way to be more comf ortable with
yourself. Once the blockages begin to clear, the energy will find its way into
your heart, and that will comfort and sustain you. Relationships will
naturally be about love and caring—all of them will be about serving others. They will no longer be about control or getting something you need. This is
what happens as the ener gy is free to rise within you. If you release the blockages, the energy will naturally rise higher. You
will not have to fight with it—the energy wants to come up. Always
remember, the energy wants to go up. You do not have to force it. It is best
for long-term spiritual growth if the energy is allowed to rise naturally. When you get blockages out of the way, you will feel a steady upward flow
of energy. Eventually, you will realize that the shakti wishes to express
something so beautiful, it will leave you breathless. You will begin to know
a peace that “passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). You won’ t need
anything. Your natural state is so beautiful; you are whole and complete
within yourself. It simply depends on your willingness to work with the
energies. If you do, shakti will go higher and higher until eventually it
moves as fountains of joy flowi ng out the higher energy centers. As it does,
your entire relationship with this world


 shrieks of  boisterous chil-dren in the back seat as you head to the supermar-
ket. It may choose to ignore what could be other-
wise oppressive heat, or to experience as “unevent-ful” the previously painful encounters at the dentist’s
office. You have all learned about mind over matter in
this way. You have all “forgotten” about a headache,
or “ignored” a momentary frustration, in favor of a
larger or more important experience you chose tohave. This process we are calling Step 3 is not differ-
ent from that. It is a process you have used over and over
again in your life. What is remarkable about it is not
that you have used it before, but that you do not
think you can use it whenever you wish.46Bringers of the Light
Now, as stated earlier, the degree to which your
body begins to automatically do things
which allow you to remain in a State of Being de-
pends on the degree of commitment and determi-
nation you  demonstrate. We have all seen how this process works in smaller
ways in everyday life. If you are determined  to “be” a
thing — whether it’s the thing called “peaceful” orthe thing called “joyful” or the thing called “success-
ful” — nothing in the world can stop you. That is also true if you are determined to be the
thing called “depressed,” or “upset,” or “unable,”
Nothing, nothing, in the world can stop you. Ever try to enliven a person who is determined to
be sad? You can just forget it. You’re wasting your
time. The same is true of a person who is determined to be at
peace. So if you determine to “be” a certain thing (that
is, to express, experience and fulfill a State ofBeingness upon which you have decided), and if youNeale Donald Walsch 47
stick with your decision  no matter what the appearance
of things, your body will sooner or later find itselfautomatically  doing things  which tend to enhance the
possibility of producing that beingness in your expe-
rience. Before long, your mind will also join the action. You are, after all, a three-part being — Body, Mind
and Spirit — and all three aspects of your being willsoon be engaged if you make, and stick with, a
Beingness Decision. That is because Beingness
Decisions are triggers which fire reactors in every fi-ber of your being, at every level of your functioning. They are the keys which start the engine of Creation. This explains why, once a Beingness Decision is
made, you will begin to automatically eliminate from
your life everything unlike what you seek to be. This
you will do on an almost subconscious level. That isto say, you may not even be aware that you are doing it. Your concerned family, friends and co-workers may
even say, “Are you sure you know what you’re do-ing?”  You won’t be able to answer them, because, in48Bringers of the Light
truth, you may not be sure. You have allowed, in a sense, your automatic func-
tions to take over. These include your instincts, your
responses, your inner discernment. This is what
happens when you “let go and let God.”  You mayfind yourself reaching for that cigarette, and then
suddenly putting it down for no reason...never to
pick one up again. Or calling some friends, andplacing the receiver back on the hook, never to hang
out with those people again. Or going to work, but
turning around and coming back home, never to goback to that place again. Something inside of you
will just tell you, “no more.”  Some intuitive mes-
senger will simply say, very quietly, “It’s time to quit.It’s time to move on. It’s time to change.”  And all
the fear, all the anxiety you may have had around
that will suddenly be gone. So don’t be surprised — if you stay focused  on the
State of Beingness you select — to find after a matter
of days, weeks or months that you have simply easedout of certain friendships, and “gravitated” towardsNeale Donald Walsch 49
others; eased out of certain physical environments,
and gravitated towards others; eased out, yes, even
of your job, and gravitated toward other ways of
“making a living.”  Sooner or later you will stop “mak-ing a living” altogether...and will spend all of your
time making a  life. This is the movement which will take you towards
Right Livelihood. This is the process by which you
will create and express your True Self. You will discover, if you trust this process, that
you can adopt a State of Beingness (and more than
one state if you wish), and move into the experience
of that. And you will discover that your state of in-
ner Being will, and should, have nothing to do withthe state of your outer experience. Dentist’s chair or noisy kids in the car, none of it
will make any difference. The exterior circumstancesof your life will no longer control and create the in-
terior experiences of your Soul. You will easily and effortlessly move away from
and eliminate those exterior conditions which you50Bringers of the Light
wish to eliminate, and hang on to those you wish to
retain (regardless of how “disruptive” they used to
be, for you will no longer find them “disruptive”),
and thus recreate yourself anew  in the image and like-
ness of Who You Really Are. Still, there are some things you should know about
this process you are being asked to trust.Neale Donald Walsch 51
Bringers Step 4
Observe Opposition
and call it Opportunity
The first thing you need to know is that there
will be opposition. Opposition in the form
of people, events and circumstances which will seem
to create a barrier to everything you say you are; ev-
erything you declare yourself to be. As a matter of fact, not only will there be opposi-
tion — but the opposition will increase. It will be
greater than it ever was before. So if you thoughtyou had problems before, hold onto your hat, be-
cause, in the words of the inimitable Jimmy Durante,
“You ain’t seen nuttin’ yet.”
(If you haven’t the foggiest notion who Jimmy
Durante is, move two spaces back and lose a turn;do not pass GO, do not collect $200.) The fact that “things are going to get worse before
they get better” may not be the most exciting news
you’ve heard since picking up this book. Still, youmust be told — and when you understand why this
is so, you will actually rejoice should things take a
downward turn. It all has to do with Principle #4:52Bringers of the LightNeale Donald Walsch 53
Principle #4
As soon as you decide
who and what you are,
everything unlike it will
come into the space.This is how it is, and this is how it must be. But now, try to understand why. To grasp what you are about to be told, you have
to see clearly the Truth about Opposites. The Truth
about Opposites is that they don’t exist, except in the
space of each other. That is to say, “hot” does not exist except in an
environment or space in which there is “cold.”  “Tall”does not exist except in the space of that which is
“short.”  “Fast” cannot even be a concept unless and
until there is a thing called “slow.”
In the World of the Relative (which is, by the way,
the world in which you have chosen to spend most
of your time), a thing is only what it IS relative toANOTHER thing that it is NOT. Do you understand? That may sound a bit con-
fusing, but do you get it? You should hear that as anenormous Truth ringing in your ears. It’s just another way of saying that in our present
state of existence, everything is relative. Yet the principle, applied to metaphysics, yields54Bringers of the Lightsome very interesting insights. For if a thing is noth-
ing except in the space of that which it is not, then
YOU cannot be ANYTHING except in the space of
that which YOU are not. And so the opposite of what you wish to “be” will
appear almost as soon as your wish to “be” it is heard. Indeed, your Soul draws these conditions to itself.And God will give the Soul everything it calls forth,
as the Greatest Gift of the Grandest Creator, in or-
der that the Soul may fulfill Itself in this, Its highestdesire. Thus will the Soul thank God for those treasures
which are called the Conditions and Events of Life,and thus will the Soul welcome all of Life’s experi-
ences, honoring them equally, the “good” and the
“bad,” without judgment. If you feel that you understand the concept em-
bodied in this basic principle of life, go back now to
what was said in Step 4. We said, “Not only will there be opposition — but
the opposition will increase. It will be greater than it
Neale Donald Walsch 55ever was before.”  We also said, “when you under-
stand why this is so,


ceptance flows out into the environment. Things “out there”
seem intimate to me, an extension of myself. This experience of unity is also my working definition of love. For most of
us love is an emotion that comes and goes; we feel it intensely at times,
while at other times we don’t feel it at all. But the essence of love isn’t afeeling—it is a state of being. Or to be more exact, it is the state in which
you are in contact with Being. Someone who is truly experiencing love
feels tremendously real and alive, with no desire to do anything except exist
within the fulfill ment of love. Love’s greatest action is simply to be, which
is no action. That is why love is a supreme state of nonattachm ent and yet
the most satisfying state. For your action plan to succeed,  you need to find an outlet for your love,
a place where you can give it freely. The more openly you experience love,
on what ever terms, the closer you will come to finding its essence. Love
that doesn’t flow is no love at all; it is just yearning and longing. The
renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell pointed the way for expressing
love when he said, “Follow your bliss.” Bliss is the tingling rush of love in
action, the flow of Being as it reaches out to meet itself and curl back with
delight in contact. Love wants to find itself, and when the circuit is
complete, bliss flows. Ask yourself, “Where do I find bliss?” then write
down the steps you can take to increase this experience in your life. Do not confuse pleasure with love. There are many things that give
pleasure, such as watching television, with very little love in them. Love
certainly brings pleasure but in a more profound way. Carrying  a meal to a
shut-in is an act of love that is far more pleasurable than watching
television, for example, and there is much more to learn from such an action
in terms of sharing, compassion, and understanding. So don’t be distracted by superficial pleasures. The deep joy and delight
that exist at the core of life must be diligently uncovered. When you make
your list, you’ll  find that many  of your most cherished mome nts of bliss
have gone forever. For example, you cannot duplicate the first new feeling
of fallin g in love with the perso n to whom you are now married. But love
has depth after depth. As you make your list, you will remember how you
felt the day your children were born, and in that reminder is a clue: Your
children can still be a source of bliss, if you resolve to reach deeper into
your relationship with them. Nothing is more important than reconnecting
with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real. Exercise 2: Being Love versus Being in LoveI’d like to explore the state of love further, because it is the surest road
back to Being. The ancient sages declared that ultimately everything is
made of consciousness, and when we experience consciousness purely, with
no extra neous images or assumptions, that is love. The great Bengali poet
Rabindranath Tagore declared, “Love is not a mere impulse; it must contain
truth, which is law.” The merging of love, truth, and reality is the great
revelation of unity consciousness, the moment when a person can truthfully
say, “I am the All,” and, “I am love,” in the same breath. Seen from this
perspective, love is the feeling-s tate that is always present when  a person is
perfectly aligned with dharma, the flow of evolution. Being in love is not the same state as this. When you fall in love, an
opening is created for repressed feelings to rush forth and attach themselves
to another person. If the love is deep enough, the other person seems ideal
and perfect (this has nothing to do with his or her actual state, which could
be quite imperfect and even destructive). But the force of love changes
reality by changing the perce iver. Why and how does this happen? Physiologists have measured the increase in certain key neurotransmitters
such as serotonin in the brains of people who are in love, but chemicals are
only crude markers. Clearly, serotonin does not cause people to fall in love;
it is only the biochemical basis for the pleasant sensations triggered by
being in love. In a series of revealing exper iments, Harvard psychologist David C.
McClelland probed the physiology of love. He had a group of subjects view
a short film of Mother Teresa in her daily work of caring for sick and
abandoned child ren in Calcutta. The film displayed a profound  outpouring
of love. As the audience watched the film, McClelland discov ered that a
marker in their immune systems increased—this was SIgA, or salivary
immunoglobulin antigen. High levels of SIgA, as measured in people’ s
saliva, indicates a high immune response; as it happens, an elevated
immune response is also characteristic of people who have recently fallen in
love. (The popular saying “If you don’t want to catch a cold, fall in love”
recognizes this connection between emotions and physiology.) Curiously, when  the film was over and the audience was asked their
opinion of Mother Teresa, not everyone found her work laudable. Some had
objections of one kind or another, centering on differences in religiousbelief, while others reported feeling disturbed by the sight of children who
were starving or suffering from  leprosy. Yet all the audienc e members
experienced an increase in SIgA levels; their physical response to love
appeared to be more powerful than their rational attitudes. This led
McClelland to question one of the most popular definitions of love in
modern psychol ogy, which holds that love is a reflexive response that arises
when two people meet to fill each other ’s needs. According to that
definition, love would depend on a person’ s conscious evalua tion of the
benefits he or she was getting in a relationship. But here were people whose
bodies were responding at a much deeper level, deeper even than pleasure. McClelland also found that the positive effect on the viewers’ immune
response decline d and disappeared an hour or two after they had viewed the
film. It remained highest among  those subjects who reported a strong sense
of being loved in their own lives and having strong ties to family and
friends. This implied that some  people are already in a state conducive to
love. Instead of experiencing it as a passing state, they had incorporated it
as a trait. In other words, the statement of the enlightened sage, “I am love,”
was present in these people, if to a smaller degree. What is love as a trait rather than as a passing phase? Even the most
passionate exper ience of being in love eventually cools off, leaving people
dismayed to find that little real love, in a lasting sense, remains. Pondering
this problem, McClelland wondered what had become of the experiences
described in the poetry of love. These experiences did not refer to the
selfish advantages of being in love but to altruistic, undying devotion. Was
Shakespeare simply wrong when he declared, “Love is not love which
alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempest and is never shaken.”
McClelland also knew of instances cited in the psychological literature
where people were in loving relationships that made no sense in terms of
gaining any objective benefits. Such people felt deep love and devotion
despite the fact that they had no rational reason for feeling that way. What all this implied to McClelland was that love is a state that
transcends reason and whose purpose is simply to allow the experience of a
larger shared reality. One critical matter in this regard was a person’ s
reaction to the death of a loved one. If two people were in love just for whatthey could get, their interdependence would form the basis for loving and
being loved. Thus, the death of the loved one would cause great  pain as the
bond was ripped apart. Certainly this could be observed in real-life
relationships, but McClelland felt from personal experience that something
very dif ferent was possible:
The death of a loved partner should cause intense suffering and
grief, according to this theory. Yet when my wife died of cancer a few
years ago, I did not react in this way. We had been very much in love,
happily married for 42 years, had raised five children to well-ad justed
maturity…yet when she died I did not feel the amount of pain that the
theory would require that I should feel.…What the experience felt
like was much closer to the poet’s view of love. We had felt that we
were part of something that was much bigger than ourselves—w hich
had nurtured and supported us throughout our long life together and
which continued to support me after her death. This describes a step into the realm of timeless love. When two people
use their love for each other as a doorway into this realm, the death of the
loved one does not close the door or deprive the other of the flow of love. Ultimately, all love comes from within. We are deluding ourselv es when we
believe that another person is who we love; the other person


,Puis. With:
exhaustionandtrembling:Caul. Lackofself-confidence (seealsoShy)Bar-c.,Lye
Sil. LaryngitisseeSorethroat
LazySul. LethargicseeApathetic;Exhaustion;Sluggish
Likes
boiledeggs:Calc-c.
breadandbutter:Mercs. chocolate:Phos.,Lye
colddrinks:Aco.,Bry.,Cham.,Chin.,Cirta,
Eup-p.,Merc-c,Mercs.,Nats.,Phos.,
Ver-a. coldfood:Phos.,Puis. fat/fattyfoods:Nit-ac
fruit:Pho-ac,Ver-a. ham,salami,smokedfoods:Caust. hotdrinks:Ars.,Bry. hotfood:Ars.,Bry. ice-cream:Phos.,Ver-a. ice-colddrinks:Phos.,Ver-a. milk:Phos.,Rhus-t.
refreshingthings:Pho-ac,Ver-a. salt,saltyfoods:Nat-m.,Phos. sourfood:Heps.,Ver-a. spicyfood:Chin.,Phos.,Sul.,Nux-v.
sugar:Arg-n.
sweets:Arg-n.,Chin.,Lye,Sul. vinegar:Sep.
Lips
Cracked:Ars.,Nat-m.,Sul. Blue:Cupr.,Lach. Dry:Ant-c,Ars.,Bry.,Puis.,Rhus-t.,Sul.Licks:Ars. Red:Sid. Lively(seealsoExcitable)Coff.,Lach.,Nat-c.,
Op. LonelyPuis. LoquaciousseeTalkative
LumbagoseeBackache
MastitisseeBreastfeedingproblems
MeaslesAco.,Ap.,Bell.,Bry.,Euphr.,Gels.,Puis.,
Sul..
Onset:
slow:Bry.,Gels. sudden:Aco.,Bell. Skinrash:
burns:Aco.,Bell.,Sul. hot:Bell. itches:Aco.,Bell.,Sul. maddeningly: Sul. red:Bell.,Sul. slowtoappear:Ap.,Bry.,Sul. With:
commoncold:Euphr.,Puis. cough:Aco.,Bell.,Bry.,Euphr.,Puis.,Sul. eyeinflammation: Ap.,Bell.,Euphr.,Puis. fever:Aco.,Ap.,Bell.,Bry.,Gels.,Sul. headache:Bry.,Gels. Worseforheat:Sul. Melancholic Calc-c.
Memoryweak/^rg-n.,Caust.,Cocc,Colch.,Con. MigraineseeHeadache,one-sided
Mild,gentleCocc,Sil. Moody(changeable) Ferr-m.,Ign.,Lye,Puis.,
Sul-ac,Zinc. Morose(seealsoDepression;Despondent) Bry. Mouth
Burning:Ars. Darkred:Bapt. Dry:Ars.,Bry.,Mercs.,Nat-m.,Puis. withthirst:Bry.,Nat-m.
withoutthirst:Puis. MouthulcersLye,Mercs.,Nit-ac. Ulcers:
edgesoftongue:Nit-ac. gums:Merc-s.
mouth:Merc-s.
painful:Nit-ac. onthetongue:Mercs. underthetongue:Lye
Pains:
stinging/throbbing: Merc-s.
MumpsAco.,Bell.,Carb-v.,Jab.,Lach.,Lye,Merc-s.,
Phyt.,Puis.,Rhus-t.
Glands(parotid):
hard:Merc-s.,Phyt. swellingmovesfromtherightsidetothe
left:Lye
INTERNALREPERTORY Onsetofcomplaint •189
swollen/painful: Bell.,Carb-v.,Jab.,Lack. Lye,Mercs.,Phyt.,Puis.,Rhus-t.,Sil. Onsetsudden:Aco.,Bell. Painsspreadtobreasts,ovariesortesticles:
Carb-v.,jab.,Phyt,Puis. With:
facered:Jab. fever:Aco.,Bell.,Lye,Merc-s.,Puis.,
Rhus-t.
headache:Bell. copioussaliva:Jab.,Merc-s.,Phyt. profusesweating:Jab.,Phyt.,Merc-s.
sorethroat:Bell.,Lach.,Lye,Phyt. Better:
heatRhus-t.,Sil. Worse:
blowingnose:Merc-s.
night:Merc-s. ontheleft:Lac/i., Rhus-t.
ontheright:Bell.,Merc-s.
cold:Rhus-t.,Sil. NauseaAnt-c,Ant-t.,Cocc,Colch.,Ip.,Nux-v.,
Petr.,Phos.,Puis.,Sep.,Tab. Constant:Ant-c,lp.,Nux-v.
Deathly:Tab. Intermittent:Ant-t.,Tab. Persistent:Ip. Violent:Ip.,Tab. duringpregnancy:Ant-c.
Appetite:
lost:Cocc,Colch. Belching:Ant-c,Cocc. empty:Ant-c,lp. sour:Phos. tastingoffoodeaten:Ant-c.
Belly/stomach feels:
bloated:Colch. empty:Cocc,Phos.,Sep. Pains:
gnawing:Sep. Taste:
metallic:Cocc. With:
dizziness:Petr. faintness:Cocc,Colch. facepallid:lp. retching:lp. copioussaliva:lp. vomiting:Colch. Better:
forbelching:Ant-t.
aftereating(temporarily): Sep.
freshair:Tab. forvomiting:Ant-t. Worse:
afterdrinking:Cocc,Puis.aftereating:Ant-c,Cocc,Colch.,Ip.,Nux-v.,
Puis.,Sep. afternoon:Cocc
beforebreakfast:Sep.
coughing:Puis. eatingacidicfoods:Ant-c.
eatingbread:Ant-c.
eatingstarchyfood:Ant-c.
freshair:Petr. hotdrinks:Phos.,Puis. milk:Calc-c,Nit-ac,Sep. morning:Puis.,Sep. morninginbed:Nux-v.
movement:Cocc,Ip. pork:Sep.
puttinghandsinwarmwater:Phos. sightoffood:Colch. sittingupinbed:Cocc. smelloffood:Cocc,Colch.,Ip. stuffyroom:Tab. sweating:Nux-v.
tobacco:Ip.,Nux-v.
thoughtoffood:Cocc,Colch. water:Phos. Causes:
ice-cream:Puis. pregnancy:Nux-v.,Sep.,Tab. richfood:Puis. travelling:Nux-v.,Tab. NervousseeAnxious
NettlerashseeHives
Nose
Childpicksconstantly:Cina
NosebleedsAm.,Carb-v.,Ferr-m.,Ham.,Lach.,
Phos.,Sul. Blood:
brightred:Phos. dark:Carb-v.,Ham.,Lach. persistent:Phos. thin:Ham. Children:Ferr-m.
With:
sweating:Phos. Worse:
beforeamenstrualperiod:Lach. blowingnose:Phos.,Sul. morning:Ham.,Lach. atnight:Carb-v. Causes:
blowingnose:Lach. injury:Am. menopause:Lach. ObstinateseeStubborn
Onsetofcomplaint
Slow:Bry.,Gels. Sudden:Aco.,Bell. 1
190•Overconscientious INTERNALREPERTORY
Overconscientious: Ign. Oversensitiviry seeSensitive
Pains
Absent:Op. Appearsuddenly:Bell. Appearsuddenlyanddisappearsuddenly:Bell. Kali-b.,Nit-ac. Bones:Eup-p.,Mercs.,Nit-ac,Pho-ac,Ruta. Burning:Ap.,Ars.,Phos.,Rhus-t.,Sul. Cramping:Calc-c,Cupr.,Mag-p.,Nux-v.
Flyingaround:Nit-ac. Glands:Am.,Bell.,Lye,Mercs.,Phos. Needle-like:Arg-n.,Heps.,Nit-ac. Partslainon:Puis.,Pyr.,Ruta. Pressing:Canth.,Mercs.,Rhus-t.,Sep. Shooting:Bell,Hyp.,Rhus-t.
Shootupwards:Phyt. Sore/bruised:Arn.,Bry.,Chin.,Cimi.,Eup-p.,
Ham.,Pyr.,Rhus-t.,Ruta. Splinter-likeseeNeedle-like
Inaspot:Kali-b. Stinging:Ap.,Sil. Stitching:Bry.,Kali-c.
Throbbing: Bell. Unbearable:Aco.,Cham. Wandering: Kali-b.,Kalis.,Led.,Puis. Withscreaming:Aco. Palpitations Aco.,Arg-n.,Ars.,Calc-c,Lach. Panic(seealsoAnxious;Fearful)Arg-n.
Periodproblems
Belly:
bloated:Cocc. Bleeding:
duringdaytimeonly:Puis. Blood:
brightred:Bell. darkred:Calc-p.
clotted:Bell.,Calc-p.,Cham. Breasts:
lumpybeforeperiod:Con. painfulbeforeperiod:Con. Pains:
aching:Nux-v.,Puis.,Sep. colicky:Mag-p.
cramping:Cocc.,Mag-p.,Nux-v.
cutting:Lach. draggingdown:Sep.
dull:Puis.,Sep. gripping


 Your highest self has its own language. When your body is
stilled and totally in the present, thoughts disappear. Then you can
start the exquisite process of meditating with sound. It is the magic of
this sound meditation that I am going to explain in the seventh princi-
ple. This is a technique to take you beyond the constraints of the ego
and the mind, to a place within yourself where you can change your
vibrational frequency through the use of the sounds of creation. The act of creation itself is a sound. When understood and put to
use, sound will heighten your awareness of the siddhi consciousness
within you. THE MAGIC OF THE SOUNDS OF CREATION
As you begin to incorporate these ideas of the power of sound into
your consciousness, going beyond the darkness of your mind to the
light of your highest self, think about these words that open the book
of John in the New Testament: “In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The word “God” has the same sound that is in virtually all of the
names for the original creator. All recorded history of humankind,
including primitive cultures, Eastern and Western religions and other
traditions, describes a creator of the word and humankind. Here is a
list of names used for the creator. Can you identify the sound that is
consistent in all of these names? Ra Tat
Krishna Sugmad
Rama Gaiana
Buddha Mahanta
116
Manifest Your Destiny
Waaken Tanka Mahavira
Ahdonay Anu
Brahma Khoda
Siddha Akua
Ahura Mazda Atva
Shiva Nanak
Jehovah Osenbula
Maheo Yahweh
Kami Sama God
Nagual Ato
Kali Durga Allah
The obvious sound that is in all of these names for the creator is
the sound aaah. This sound is the sound of creation, and it is the
sound of joy. Aaah expresses a feeling of bliss and joy. The sounds of
creation and joy are synonymous. It is not an accident that the name for the creator in all languages
contains the sound aaah. The sound aaah is the only sound that
humans make effortlessly by simply taking in a breath, and without
moving the lips, tongue, jaw or teeth, letting the sound of aaah flow
out. If you move any of these, the sound changes. Aaah is the sound
of effortless perfection, as is creation itself effortless and perfect. This sound of aaah, the sound of creation, is one that you will
want to use as you practice the language of siddhi consciousness. The
sound takes you beyond the incessant self-dialogue that characterizes
your mind. When you repeat the sound of aaah in connection with
your manifestation meditation practice, you are literally repeating the
name of God. In Reflection of the Self Swami Muktananda gives these words to his
devotees who desire to know more about the state of siddhi con-
sciousness. With eyes brimming with love, sing His name. All inner mysteries will be disclosed. 117
WAYNE W. DYER
Every bird and plant
will reveal itself to you as Brahman. The knowledge of Vedanta will manifest everywhere. O dear one, keep chanting God’s name
while sitting, or standing,
or involved in the world. Never forget Him. Unite your mind with the Self. He explained that these names for God have specific combina-
tions of inherently powerful syllables that have the ability to call forth
the experience of God within us. Ancient sages vocalized the sounds
vibrating in the different chakras of the body during meditation. Making these sounds acquaints us, perhaps for the first time, with
the subtle God force within ourselves. Over two thousand years ago, Patanjali set down his highly cele-
brated yoga sutras, which were designed to guide seekers to the high-
est state of awareness, known as siddhi consciousness. Patanjali is
considered, by millions of people who have studied his yoga sutras,
to be the greatest scientist of the inner world to have ever lived. Patanjali offered this advice to students seeking the power of the
highest state of consciousness: “Repeat and meditate on Aum.” Aum is
a symbol for the universal sound of creation. Patanjali explained that
when the body is left, the mind disappears and what is heard is the
sound of aum. Repeating this sound causes the disappearance of
obstacles and an awakening of a new higher consciousness that is the
creative energy. When we practice we actually become the universal
sound itself. It is the yoga (the coming together) of the observer and
the observed. Continually chant God’s name is the advice of the masters of self-
awareness to those who seek to participate in the act of creating and
manifesting. The sound of aaah is the sound of God. Repeat it sev-
118
Manifest Your Destiny
eral times and you will immediately feel the sense of joy and nour-
ishment that occurs. Make the repetition of the name of God a daily
meditation practice and you will literally transform yourself into this
universal sound of creation. You will become one with the sound
that mediates between the world of form and the highest frequen-
cies of the spiritual world. The aaah sound meditation will benefit from your developing a
mental picture of your own creation capacities for manifesting. One
way to accomplish this is to see yourself as a generator projecting
energy vibrating with the aaah God sound. Picture the sound emanat-
ing through chakra openings in your body, connecting with what you
want to attract or create in your world of form. THE CREATION MEDITATION AND THE TWO MANIFESTING
CHAKRAS
Of the total of the seven chakras of the body there are two that
are significant in learning this manifesting technique. The base
chakra, or the sex center, is one, and the third eye chakra, or the
mind chakra, located between the eyebrows, is the other. Imagine a
channel that exists in your body between the base chakra and your
third eye. You are going to clear this imaginary passageway between
these two chakras and feel yourself open the third eye so that you
can imaginatively project your manifesting energy out of the new
opening. /
The base chakra is the center of procreation. The third eye chakra is
the chakra for the purpose of manifestation. Think of your third eye,
which is invisible to the naked eye, as the part of you that makes
extended contact with the physical world. This third eye chakra can vol-
untarily register or see the vibrations of dimensions beyond the physical
plane, but only when you can convince yourself of this truth and can
119
WAYNE W. DYER
unclog this opening. You are attempting to open this third eye through
the language of your siddhi consciousness, using your rational left brain,
which maintains that this is nonsense, and impossible as well. Now remembering that the sound of aaah is the sound of joy as
well as the God sound (“and the Word was God in the beginning”),
think about the sound that accompanies the process of procreation. The sound of aaah is the most common sound heard in the very act
of procreation, and more often than not, God’s name is repeated as a
soul arrives from the world of the unseen into the world of material-
ized form: “Oh God!” “Oh my God!” “Aaah!”
Initially this may seem amusing, yet it is valid and incontrovertible
that these are universal clues to the process of manifestation. The
energy released through the root or base chakra brings about procre-
ation. And what has taken place? A release of energy from the base
chakra received by another base chakra, and a soul connects to form
from the unseen to the manifested, all accompanied by the sound of
aaah. There is no doubt about this one. The energy released through
the third eye chakra is called re-creation, or manifestation. Learning this technique of sound manifesting involves really noth-
ing more than opening up the channel that exists between these two
chakras in your body. By repeating the sound aaah in the manner |
have described at the end of this seventh principle, and feeling that
energy moving up from the procreation center of your being to the
third eye, and then ultimately opening that third eye with your own
etheric energy by using this sound, you put out into the world an
unconditionally loving energy that will bring about the creation of
your heart’s desire. With manifesting, you send out a release of
energy from the “mind chakra,” or third eye, and connect it to that
which you desire. As Muktananda repeatedly reminded his followers, “Catching a
glimpse of the beauty of reality is a gift made possible through
120
Manifest Your Destiny
Shaktipat (divine energy that is transferred directly) and through the
power of repeating God’s name, whether through chanting, prayer,
or mantra repetition.” And with steadfast practice, as the great
teachers tell us, we will be free of everything that keeps us from living
constantly in the awareness that “all this is God, all this is God.”
(Darshan Magazine, September 1994, p. 3.)


 compared the effects of ginger
and sumatripan (a painkiller) in
relieving migraine, and reported
that the two treatments were
similarly effective. Traditional
& Current Uses
■ Digestive problems  Ginger
is thought to be helpful for almost
all digestive complaints. It is an
excellent remedy for symptoms
such as indigestion, nausea, gas,
bloating, and cramps—whether
taken as an infusion, juice, tincture,
or powder, or with food. Its
antiseptic activity makes it valuable
in all gastrointestinal infections, Ginger
A perennial growing
to 2 ft (60 cm), with
lance-shaped leaves
and spikes of white
or yellow flowers. including food poisoning. ■ Circulatory stimulant  Ginger
stimulates circulation, and helps
blood to flow to the surface, making
it an important remedy for chilblains
and poor circulation to the hands
and feet. Juice squeezed from fresh
ginger root can be applied to
chilblains (and cold sores), bringing
quick relief. ■ Respiratory conditions  Ginger
has antiviral activity and is a first-rate
remedy for coughs, colds, flu, and
other respiratory problems. Despite
its warming properties, ginger Ginger,  widely used as a spice, is also an
important digestive remedy.Parts Used
Key Preparations & Their UsesRhizome contains high levels of a volatile
oil that is warming and stimulating. Sliced
dried rhizome
stimulates sweating and helps to
cool and control fevers. Self-help Uses
■ Chilblains, p. 302. ■ Colds, flu, & fevers, p. 311. ■ Cold sores, p. 304. ■ Constipation, p. 307. ■ Digestive upsets,
 gas, & colic, p. 318. ■ High blood pressure &
 arteriosclerosis, p. 301. ■ Morning sickness, p. 317. ■ Nausea & motion sickness,
p. 306.Fresh rhizome
 QCautions  Do not take ginger in medicinal doses if suffering from peptic ulcers. Do not take the essential oil internally except under professional supervision. Maximum recommended dose in pregnancy and if taking anticoagulants is 2 g dried
(4 g fresh) root a day.Familiar as a spice and flavoring, ginger is also one of
the world’s best medicines. It has been revered in Asia
since the earliest times, and in medieval Europe it was
thought to have derived from the Garden of Eden. Ginger’s
warming and anti-inflammatory properties can bring relief
to problems as varied as headache and migraine, joint
pain, indigestion, motion sickness, and morning sickness. Fresh ginger has a pungent, slightly lemony taste. Tincture  (to make, p. 292). To improve digestion, take 30 drops with water
twice a day.Capsules  (to make, p. 292). For morning sickness, take a 75 mg capsule every hour. US_154-155_Zea_Zingiber.indd   155 17/03/16   4:01 pm
US_156-157_Other_Medicinal_Plants.indd   156 26/02/16   4:43 pmThe index of Other Medicinal Plants features in Latin name order over 450 plants that have
played a significant role in herbal medicine worldwide. They include familiar plants such as
oats ( Avena sativa, p.175) and exotic herbs like ylang-ylang ( Cananga odorata, p. 182). Some
are well researched, while others are known only within their native region. A number of
medicinal plants included have fallen out of favor but remain historically significant. In
addition, the index features plants such as eucommia bark ( Eucommia ulmoides, p. 207)
that research shows have the potential for a more prominent medicinal role in the future. Other Medicinal
Plants
Plant names
The Latin name given is the one by which the plant is most
generally known in medical herbalism. Latin synonyms are
also provided. The first part of the Latin name designates
the plant’s genus (sub-family). The second part specifies the
species name. In brackets after the Latin name(s) comes
the plant’s family name, the broader class to which the genus
belongs. The plant’s common name(s) are beneath the family
name. If more than one common name is in popular use,
they are listed in order of importance. Where appropriate,
the origins of common names are given in brackets. DescriPtion
Lists significant botanical information, including whether
the plant is evergreen or deciduous and whether it is
annual, biennial, or perennial. Gives identifying
characteristics of the plant. Habitat &  cultivation
Includes the plant’s origins, its distribution, preferred
growing conditions, and the seasons when it is propagated
and harvested. Parts useD
Lists those parts of the plant that are used medicinally in
order of importance. constituents
Gives the key active constituents of the plant in order of
significance. Sometimes includes details of a constituent’s
specific medicinal action on the body. Note:  To find out
more about constituents and their actions, see How
Medicinal Plants Work, pp. 10–16. History & Folklore
Provides information such as the derivation of the herb’s
name, traditional lore, and quotations from old herbals
showing how the plant was regarded in the past, and
how it was used medicinally. Also includes details of the
plant’s other uses.meDicinal actions & uses
Encompasses both the confirmed and presumed actions of
the whole plant (as opposed to isolated active constituents). Discusses the symptoms and illnesses that the plant is
used to treat and the varying ways that the herb is used
medicinally in different herbal traditions. researcH
Gives details of scientific research into the plant, its
constituents, and its extracts, including the results of any
clinical trials. relateD sPecies
Provides information on related species that have a
medicinal use. Gives a cross-reference to those species
that have an entry in the Encyclopedia. cautions
Gives cautions about using the herb medicinally and about
the plant in general. States if the plant, its constituents, or
its extracts are legally restricted. QConsidered safe as a medicine but potentially harmful
if used inappropriately. Particular safety issues are listed. Where a plant is listed as “Take only under professional
supervision,” it is not suitable for home use. RKnown to be toxic or unsafe as a medicine. Do not self-
medicate with these plants. Some plants with this symbol
may be safely prescribed by experienced healthcare
practitioners within a very narrow dosage range. At a
higher dose, such plants will be poisonous. selF-Hel P uses
Cross-refers to the self-help treatments in Remedies
for Common Ailments. Note:  Always read the cautions about
the herb and the information on pp. 290 & 298–299 before
attempting a self-help use. US_156-157_Other_Medicinal_Plants.indd   157 26/02/16   4:43 pm
158
other medicinal PlantsAbies bA lsAmeA
Abies balsamea (Pinaceae)
Balsam Fir
Description  Conical evergreen tree growing
to 90 ft (27 m). Has aromatic needle-like leaves
and purple fir cones. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to North
America, balsam fir is commercially grown for  its timber. The resin is tapped from 60- to 80- year-old trees in spring. Parts Used  Oleoresin, leaves. Constituents  Balsam fir leaves contain a
liquid oleoresin. History & Folklore  Balsam fir resin, often
known as Canada balsam, was used for many illnesses by both Native Americans and settlers. The Penobscot smeared the resin on burns, cuts, and sores, while others applied it to the chest and back for colds and chest problems. The Pillagers used the aromatic needles in their sweat lodges, inhaling smoke from the burning leaves. Dr. Wooster Beech (1794–1868), founder of the Eclectic healing movement, regarded balsam fir as stimulating and axative when taken internally, and emollient and cooling when used externally. Balsam fir leaves, cones, and resin are commonly added to potpourri. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Balsam fir is
antiseptic and stimulant, and has been used in North America and Europe for congestion, chest infections such as bronchitis, and urinary tract conditions such as cystitis and frequent urination. Externally, balsam fir was rubbed on the chest or applied as a plaster for respiratory infections. It is not used much in herbal medicine today.infected gums. The seeds are laxative and “useful  in killing threadworms, if the rectum of the affected child be exposed to the smoke of the powdered seeds” (Herbs that Heal, H. K. Bakhru, 1992). The plant has an antiseptic effect within the urinary tract. Related Species  A. trisulcatum, native to
Central America, is used to treat asthma in  children, and is applied as a poultice for treating cancerous sores


 Ensure you do not exceed the daily internal dose
of an herb. To make  Make an infusion ( see p. 291) but allow it
to stand for 15–20 minutes in order to increase its astringency. Strain, then gargle, or rinse the mouth
with a cupful. Alternatively, use a decoction (p. 291)
or dilute about 1 tsp (5 ml) of tincture in 1/3 cup
(100 ml) of hot water and use in the same way. Repeat as often as required unless specified. Pessaries & Suppositories
Pessaries and suppositories are waxy pellets
containing essential oil or fine powder. They are
used when oral medicine is likely to be broken
down during digestion before reaching its intended
site. Pessaries are inserted into the vagina and
suppositories into the anus, where they melt at
body temperature. The herb is quickly absorbed
into the bloodstream, providing fast relief. It is best
to buy ready-made suppositories. To make pessaries  Use a pessary mold or make 24
molds from cooking foil shaped around a
thimble. Mix 10 g of soft soap, 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp
(50 ml) of glycerine and 2 tbsp (40 ml) of
methylated spirits and pour into the molds. Leave
for a few minutes to coat the molds, then pour out
the excess and leave to harden. Melt 20 g of cocoa
butter, remove from the heat, and add 30 drops of
essential oil or 5 g of powder. Pour into the shells
and leave to set for 3 hours, before removing the
pessaries. Store in a cool place in a pot lined with
greaseproof paper for up to 3 months. Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used in massage to soothe minor
aches and pains. Before use, they should be diluted
with a carrier oil as they can irritate the skin. Essential
oils deteriorate rapidly after dilution, so it is best to
mix small quantities as you need them. For massage  Mix 5–10 drops of essential oil with
1 tbsp of carrier oil, such as wheatgerm
or almond oil, and massage gently into
the skin. Oil burner  Use 5–10 drops of neat
essential oil mixed with water. Burn
for 30 minutes.Baths & Skin Washes
Herbal baths and skin washes can relieve many
conditions, including aching limbs and stuffy
sinuses. They are made from diluted essential oils
or infusions. Eyebaths soothe sore, inflamed, or
irritated eyes. To make an herbal bath  Add 2 cups (500 ml) of
strained infusion (see p. 291) or 5–10 drops of
essential oil to a running bath. To make a skin wash  Make an infusion, strain it,
and bathe the affected area. To make an eyebath  Make a small quantity of an
infusion or use an herbal teabag. Strain the liquid
carefully into a sterilized eyebath. Alternatively, add
2 –3 drops of a tincture to an eyebath filled with
water that has just boiled. Allow to cool and place
the eyebath firmly over the eye. Tip the head back
and bathe the eye by continuously blinking. Repeat
up to 3 times a day. General cautions Eyebaths should be very weak, so as
not to sting the eyes. Always use boiled, cooled water in a
sterilized container. Do not bathe eyes over a period of
more than 2–3 weeks at a time. If bathing eyes frequently,
add a tiny pinch of salt to each eyebath to counter
leaching of salts and minerals from the eye. Cold Macerations
Heat destroys the active constituents of some
herbs, and a cold maceration is more appropriate
than a decoction. To make  Pour 2 cups (500 ml) of cold water over
25 g of herb and leave to stand overnight. Strain
and use as you would a decoction
Juices
The juices extracted from many herbs can be taken
internally or applied externally. To make  Pulp the plant, preferably using a
mechanical juicer. Otherwise use a food processor. Squeeze the pulp through a jelly bag to collect the
juice. Some herbs need to be cooked in order to
extract their juice.The eyebath is applied  to the affected eye and the head is
tilted well back. Infusions  made with
antiseptic herbs make
useful gargles and
mouthwashes for sore
throats and mouth ulcers.Essential oils  are
used in baths and
oil burners, and in
massage to relieve
tension and stress. US_296-297_Creams.indd   297 26/02/16   4:43 pm
298
herbal remedies for home useWhat Can Go Wrong? Following a few simple rules will normally ensure
that the worst that happens when taking an herbal medicine is that there is no improvement in your condition. Nevertheless, there are situations in which herbal remedies can cause damage, and several medicinal herbs have been shown to interact with conventional medicines. In very rare circumstances people have become seriously ill or have died from taking herbal medicines, though in almost every case the problem has resulted from one of the following safety factors being ignored. If at any time you think that you are reacting badly to an herbal medicine, stop taking it immediately, and contact a qualified herbalist or naturopath, or your doctor. How Problems Can Occur
The wrong herb is used due to mistaken identification. Usually, when herbs are bought over the counter you have no need to worry, as the necessary checks have been made to ensure it
has been correctly identified. If you are harvesting Using Herbal Remedies Safely
One reason that herbal remedies are so popular is that plant medicines are
safer and cause fewer side effects than conventional ones. However, herbal remedies are not always safe, and—like medicines of every kind—they need  to be used with care. Ragwort is a toxic plant and,
with its yellow flowers, easily mistaken for St. John’s wort.Dong quai has been shown
to thin the blood and is
known to interact with
conventional anticoagulants
such as warfarin. herbs from the wild, you must be certain
what herb it is that you are collecting. For
example, ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), which  is very toxic to the liver, can easily be mistaken for St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum, p. 106): both grow in open areas and produce clusters of bright yellow flowers in the summer. In rare cases, the physical act of picking certain highly toxic herbs could be dangerous,
because absorption takes place across the skin. Hemlock (Conium maculatum, p. 194), for example, is so toxic that serious side effects can result from simply handling the plant. The wrong part of an herb is used. It is important
to use the correct part of the herb. Sometimes one part of a plant is safe, while all other parts
are poisonous. For example, while the potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum, p. 271) makes good, nutritious food, all other parts of the plant are highly toxic. Poor-quality material is used or the herb has
been poorly prepared. If you are making up your own remedy, follow the recommended methods for storage and preparation (see Harvesting &
Processing, pp. 288–289). If buying over the counter, check the section on Quality Control (see p. 17) for advice on purchasing good-quality products. The wrong herbal remedy is being used. Y ou can
avoid this problem if you stick to using well-known herbs and take them to treat the conditions for which they are usually recommended. Ginger (Zingiber officinale, p. 155) and sweet flag (Acorus
calamus, p. 57) both help to relieve nausea and indigestion, but ginger is an altogether safer medicine—it is better known, is a common treatment for motion and morning sickness, and, unlike sweet flag, has no known side effects. The herbal remedy interacts with other
medicines. Herbal remedies are medicines, so
it should come as no surprise that conventional medicines can interact with them. Several herbs are known to interact with conventional medicines. St. John’s wort, for example, speeds up the rate
at which the liver breaks down a range of drugs, including certain antibiotics, antiepileptics, and immune-suppressants. This reduces their effectiveness within the body, and in extreme situations could threaten life. It is also inadvisable  to take St. John’s wort at the same time as other antidepressants. A number of herbs, notably
dong quai (Angelica sinensis, p. 63), interact with anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin and clopidogrel. These drugs are prescribed to prevent blood clotting. Herbal products containing these herbs will interact with anticoagulants and increase the risk of internal or external bleeding. Always tell health-care professionals what medicines you are using—both herbal and conventional. If you are taking medicines prescribed by your doctor, it is always sensible to seek advice before starting to take herbal remedies. The herbal remedy causes an allergic reaction. By and large, allergic reactions to herbs result from touching the herb (contact dermatitis) and from breathing in pollen or powdered herb (air


 not indulge in
much c onversation while eating. W e simply ate! Imagine that! That
naturally made us mindful of eating and experiencing what it was like to
feel full and satisfied. W e developed an internal reference as to how much
to ea t. Chapati w as made fresh at each meal and served hot of f  the grill as
soon as it was ready. When we were full, we simply did not take any more
food. W e were never told to finish what was on our plate, as not all of the
meal was served to us at once. It is interesting how the “clean  plate club”
and the idea of “overeating” in our society are concepts that d eveloped as
our eating, cooking and lifestyl es changed. W ith so much stru ggle around
overeating in our society, genera lly, I wonder if cooking food fresh for each
meal might be the ideal solution for us all. I had never heard of processed food while I was growing up. I left India in
my teen years t o study in T oro nto. While going to school in T oronto, it
never occurred to me to look at the list of ingredients in the foo d I bought. The idea that there would be something else in my food other  than food was
foreign to me. S o, I happily ate those Kraft cheese singles thinking that they
were made only of cheese. I am  cer tain my  story speaks to  many of us. T oday, some 35 y ears on, we
have a plethora  of food plans, diets, guilt-free and zero-calorie foods,
calorie-logging programs and apps, and an epidemic of illnesses never
heard of before. Coincidence? I think not! Moreover, the information
overflow and limitless choices w e face around food keep us wondering and
worrying whethe r we’ve got it all, whether we really know everything there
is to know. Reg ardless of how h ard we try to wrap our heads around food,
we keep missing the mark.How did we get  here? On one hand, we are fortunate to have an  abundance
and vari ety of foods, yet, on the other hand we are anxious and worried and
we struggle to eat healthily. Is it the information overflow? Is  it the ease
with which we can obtain so m uch food? Is it our sedentary, stressful and
push-button lifestyle? In a world of quick and easy recipes, power foods and shakes, groceries
delivered to our doorsteps and meals prepared and dropped of f for us, we
are saving a lo t of time, yet the biggest dilemma of our ti mes is our
perceived lack of time. W ith  the most nutrient-dense foods possible
available to us, the worry about nutritional deficiencies remains. Hand-in-
hand with that is fear, anxiety and confusion. I have often w ondered if
having t oo man y options isn’ t part of the problem. Those who love the
“options” world —and don’ t get me wrong, I do too—may frown upon this
idea. I am certai n this is a problem, although I’m not sure what the solution
is. But it makes me want to say, “W ait a minute!” When a so-called solution
(endless informa tion) comes with another set of problems (co nfusion and
anxiety), then perhaps we are b etter of f with the original problem. Either
way, going back to the basics may be the way to solve it. Knowing less and applying wha t we already know may be what’ s needed,
instead of figuring our way out of this mess with another m iracle food,
more re cipes, or  another diet p lan. From the beginning of tim e, food was
meant to sustain, to nourish, to heal, to connect and to ce lebrate life. Perhaps much of the food-relate d illnesses we are suf fering as a society are
the r esult of not just the “bad f ood” but rather from the lack of emotional
and psychological nourishment we receive. Is there something we are
bypassing when  we don’ t chop, cut, stir and prepare our own meals? Our
body is made up of a complex set of processes that occur step b y step. Can
we real ly outs mart our bodies and skip steps just for the sake of
convenience and time? The pro cess of chopping, cuttin g, mixing and stirring is an understated yet
important part of our digestive system. It inspires the senses and starts the
digestive proces s. As we smell the food, we begin to salivate, w hich wakes
up o ur digestion in anticipation of a delicious meal. Moreover, the aromas,dif ferent texture s, and colors wa ke up our subtle senses and make our entire
body receptive of the nourishment it is about to receive. The sub tle part of our being is the most powerful part that drives the
intelligent funct ioning of our internal or gans and systems. The digestive
process allows us to not just enjoy the foods we are eating, but also to be
nourished by what we eat. When food goes straight from the  box to the
mouth, we have to ask if our body is truly ready to digest, to process, and to
make use of this food as fuel for our soul, our psyche and our physical
body? I wonder  if we don’ t take a hit on more than just the ph ysical level
every time we end up in front of the window of a fast food re staurant, or
grab that frozen meal. In o ur busy lives, we have begun to value convenience, but I w onder if we
have forsaken joy and happiness for the sake of convenience. Quality and
fullness of life are a result of the experiences we have. I t might be
constructive to ask what adds value to our lives and what diminishes it. Nothing gets more in the way of  our aspirations, our goals and our ability to
live a purposeful life than ill hea lth, and nothing can stop us from living our
rich and meaningful life when we are healthy from the inside out. Food and
nutrition represent one of the big ways that we can all create real health. Food is a metaphor for life; if we can heal our relationship with food, we
can heal our life. If we continue t o search for the  “perfect” food or diet out there, we have
bought i nto the belief that someo ne else has the power to change our health. It is this belief that we need to shift. W e must take the reins of our health
into our own hands. What’ s out ther e is information, b ut to transfo rm our health what we
need is wisdom. That sour ce of wisdom is w ithin each one of us. All
that’ s needed is our willingness to try to access it! I am convinced  that the solution to our food-related probl ems lies in
returning to basics, in simplify ing nutrition, and in building a healthier
relationship with  our food and food sources. Most importantly, it lies in our
willingness to use our common sense and ask the bigger questions when itcomes to  our struggles with foo d. I am certain that when we v iew food as
our ally in creating long-lasting  health and healing, we may be taking the
single most important step in healing our relationship with food, regardless
of w hat background, beliefs and associations we may have. I believe that
food can  be the source of health  and healing. And, when viewe d as such, it
can be our most valuable resource in dealing with stress. Food is life-giving and it is a celebration of life. May we cook t ogether, eat
together, laugh, rejoice and sha re stories over good food. May  no one go
hungry! May this simple need and pleasure be bestowed upon  all human
beings! May there be enough in  our pantry, our fridge and our kitchen and
may the  kettle be always on. M ay our doors and, most impo rtantly, our
hearts, always be open to share this blessing with all!H O W  T H I S  B O O K  I S  O R G A N I Z E D
This boo k is or ganized into four sections. Each new concept or thought is a
new ch apter. Where appropriate, the chapters end with a reflective
statement or an action step to help you process the material a  little more
profoundly. Client and personal stories are included for teaching purposes
and they are italicized. The client names are changed to maintain
confidentiality and only what is needed for teaching purposes is shared. Here is a little tour of each section:
S E C T I O N  I  -  O U R  C H A L L E N G E S
These a re the top five challenges that I have encountered in m y practice. Understanding the source of these challenges and how they af fect our
relationship with food have allowed me to address the problems  that I see in
people’ s lives. Everyone’ s chal lenges are unique and yours may not fit
perfectly into any one category that I have listed. Reading through what I
have pre sented may provoke thought, however, and help clarify for you
where your dif ficulties lie. There are five c hapters in Section I. The first chapter talks about guilt and


 persons still closer to our present history, such as Nelson
Mandela, who lived in captivity for nearly thirty years and emerged from jail to forgive his
jailors —and to ask a country to do so as well. What kind of man is this. A man who has listened to his soul, not just to his mind, and
who has thus recontextualized his experience  by adopting a perspective that opened him to
a perception that produced a belief that impacted his behavior in a way that p roduced
events that created data for the mind of man that resulted in a truth from which emerged
thoughts that generated emotions that stirred an entire world, creating an experience that
elevated humanity’s reality forever. And let me make it clear that s uch modern saints are not limited to persons who lead
movements or nations. Your own mother may have been such a saint, or your father. Or
both. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things have often sacrificed in order to serve the
sacred and holy agenda o f others. We cannot guess what that agenda may be, but we can see that it takes modern saints to carry it out. Ronald Cotton is such a person. He simply led
an ordinary life —much of it behind bars. You see, Ronald was found guilty of raping Jennifer Thomps on one night in 1984 in
Burlington, North Carolina. I heard about Ronald and Jennifer in a story broadcast by CBS
News on 60 minutes. The story recounted how Jennifer identified Ronald as her rapist, and
how he spent eleven years in prison for the offense. There was only one problem. He didn’t
do it. He said he didn’t do it, but nobody believed him. After all, as 60 Minutes  showed,
Jennifer Thompson had identified him, and she was certain when she did so that she had
found the right man. But in 1995 new DNA  evidence revealed that another man was the rapist. After eleven
years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Ronald Cotton was set free. The story made
all the news and was highlighted in March 2009 on 60 Minutes. Today Ronald Cotton and
Jennifer Thomps on are friends. In fact, they have written a book together with writer Erin
Torneo, Picking Cotton, in which they share their story. Most fascinatingly, they have
become good friends. They speak regularly on the phone, and they travel together to bring
to light the many problems with eyewitness evidence. As dramatically recounted on 60 Minutes, the first time Ron Cotton saw Jennifer
Thompson after being released from prison, she told him with tears streaming down her
face, “If I spent every second of every minute of every hour for the rest of my life telling you
how sorry I am, it wouldn’t come close to how my heart feels. I am so sorry. ” She said he
just reached out, took her hand, and said, “I forgive you. ”
Cotton said that when he spoke quietly with the w oman in a church where she asked
him to meet with her, he told her, “I don’t want you to look over your shoulder. I just want
us to be happy and move on in life. ”
What kind of a man looks into the face of a person who falsely accused him of a crime
that se nt him to prison for over a decade and forgives in an instant. Well, human beings, it turns out, are capable of such extraordinary responses to life
when they expand their viewpoint beyond the limits of the mind to the perspective of the
soul. They may not  even know, consciously, that they are doing this (or they may not call it
that), but they are making a choice about life and how they are doing to live it, and I suggest
that this choice comes from a place deep within, far past the reaches of the mind. When we use the System of the Soul (our higher knowing) with  the Mechanics of the
Mind, we have combined the two most powerful tools with which human beings are
endowed. Knowing that everything that has ever happened to you has happened in some
way for your own higher good and fastest evolution is very, very empowering. For it means
that everything that is going  to happen to you in the future is, likewise, for your own good. This radically alters your idea about future change. You no longer have to fear it. And by
not fearing it you take control of it, because you now feel free to take the actions and
decisions that are most desirous, rather than always opting for those that a re most
cautious. It is desire that ignites the engine of creation, not caution. Never, never caution. Always,
always desire. Look to see what you most desire in your life, then ride that feeling all the way to
creation. If you do this you are using what h as been called the Law of Attraction. In simple
terms: thought in action. At a very high metaphysical level: the process of synergistic
energy exchange. Everything is energy. In this field of energy, like attracts like. What you think, you create. Yet what  you believe is what you think, and what you perceive is what you believe —and all
of your perceptions depend on your perspective. AND. It is your current reality that creates your next perspective. It is a circle. I know you have already heard al l of this. but I want you to really “get it. ”
If you step out of a Distorted Reality you could carry that distortion into your next
perspective, skipping right over the place of Pure Being from which the soul’s perspective
emerges. This will affect yo ur next perception, which will affect your next belief, which will
affect your next behavior, which will affect your next event, and so on around the clock of
your life. to the creation of your Next -Moment -Reality. This is not good. Life is not going to go well if your Distorted Reality is so strong and
feels so “real” that its energy affects your next perspective. That’s why you are urged to get
in touch with your soul, which rests between your last reality and your next perspective (at
“twelve o’cloc k high” on life’s Time Clock). What the soul brings to this process that the
mind cannot is that enlarged perspective  I keep talking about. Once you have gained that new perspective, once you have made that New  Data part of
your mind’s Past  Data, you can t hink a new thought about tomorrow, and how you want it
to be. You do not have to come from worry or anxiety or negativity or any less than joyful
vision of your future —no matter how  “bad” you think today has been. Knowing that all
things turn out for the b est, that all outcomes are perfect for your evolution, gives you
extraordinary confidence in tomorrow. And that’s where your power lies. Okay, enough for a while. I’m going to invite you now to just
Put the book down for a bit
Give yourself a chance to tak e all of that in. Read the notes you’ve placed in the margin. (You have  been taking notes, haven’t you. ) Maybe do a little writing in your journal. (You are keeping a journal, yes. ) Then. when you feel refreshed, please go on to. YOU R NEW IDEA ABOUT TOMORROW
What I’m saying here is that life is an energy that feeds on itself. Life produces more life
through the process of life, and life’s energy duplicates itself. What I’m saying here is that
thinking in a positive way about a present  event not only changes our present experience of
that event, but sets into motion energies that create future events. What I’m saying here is that an extraordinary life emerges from a change in your idea about future change —#7 on
our list. What you projec t, you produce. What you conclude, you create. And all that stuff. “All that stuff” is what spiritual teachers of every stripe and color, of every persuasion
and belief, have been sharing with humankind since time began. All spiritual teachers say
the same  thing. Don’t you think that’s a bit unusual. All religions teach the same doctrine. Don’t you find that interesting. On this particular subject, on the question of how life works
and what makes the world go ’round, every dogma agrees: As you believe, so w ill it be done
unto you. James Allen wrote an extraordinary little tract on this subject, titled As a Man Thinketh. I
read this more than thirty years ago and it changed my life. The James Allen website [self -improvement -ebooks. com] says that this mystical  author
(1864 -1912) wrote in his own powerful words what the Buddha taught: All that we are is
the result of what we have thought. Allen’s text has it this way: “As a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he. ”
Allen’s message “is one of hope even in the midst o f confusion. Yes, he says, humanity
surges with uncontrolled passion, is tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by
anxiety and doubt. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified,
makes the winds and the storms of the sou l obey him,” the website says. This is, of course, exactly what I have been telling you here. Again I notice, it is what all
spiritual teachers and writers have said forever and ever. In a striking affirmation of the
very book you are now reading,


 unfair. You can be smart, gifted in all kinds ofways, ambitious, and celebrated for your achievements, yet there’s
no guarantee that you won’t suffer the fate of Mozart. In the late sum mer of 1791 Mozart went to Prague, where one
of his operas was the centerpiece of festivities for the A ustrian
emperor. He began to feel ill but returned to Vienna and te nded to
the prem iere o f The Magic Flute, o ne of his gre atest masterpi eces,
on September 30. By t hen his hea lth had taken an alarming turn—he experie nced
swelling, vomi ting, and severe pain. His wife and doctor d id their
best to nurse him back to health as Mozart’s mind tu rned to
writing a new commission for a requiem, which he never finished. Occupying him self with his musical genius was in vain, and an
hour after midnight on December 5, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
the most precious of musical minds, died of still-unknown causes
at the age of t hirty-five. There were heartrending scenes toward
the end of his life of him sitting up in bed to sing ditties from The
Magic Flute  with friends. Few who love classical music consider
Mozart’s death anything but a great loss. I don’t  bring up this sad story, which reached m any
nondevotees of classical music through the 1984 movie Amadeus,
to mou rn a death or to speculate about what modern medicine
could h ave done to save Mo zart’s life. (Nearly twenty causes of
death have been conjectured, including rheumatic fever, kidney
failure, and blood poisoning. Most of them are infections curable
today with antibiotics. ) I merely want to point out that the greatest
among us is still controlled by unseen causes. The drama we cling
to sim ply does what it does, on its own terms. The
spell/dream/illusion mysteriously generates unpredictable events
that cannot be fathomed. How do  we get beyond the sense that we are helpless b efore
random chance or invisible Fate. Without a doubt there are
moments when hidden links are revealed. The notion of
synchronicity h as become popular for describing a special kind of
coincidence. You think of a person’s name, and a few minutes later
that person calls. You want to read a certain book, and, without
being told, a friend brings you the book. Synchronicity  is defined
as a meaningful coincidence, setting it apart from randomcoincidences that have no meaning, like seeing the same make of
car as yours show up beside you at a stoplight. Metareality ha s a way of sending us messages now and  then
that co ntradict our fixed views. Synchronicity is one kind of
message. It says, “Your world is disorganized, but reality isn’t. ” In
a fle eting glimpse, we see th at a higher intelligence can o rganize
events so that meaning pops up unexpectedly. Moreover, a
synchronous e xperience defi es our limited conception of cause
and effe ct. Inst ead of A causi ng B, the two are invisibly meshed. If
you think of a word and the n ext minute someone on TV says that
word, you didn’t create the coincidence. But something  did. You can feel yo ur physical body and listen to your thought s, but
the som ething that organizes all events cannot be sensed. Yet it is
here and now. The following exercise will show you what I mean. E x e r c i s e :  I ’ m  S t i l l  H e r e
Wherever you  are now, look around the room and tak e an
inventory of what it contains. Notice the furniture, knickknacks,
books, even the windows and the view outside. Now cl ose your eyes and s ee the room mentally. Begin to
remove its contents. (You can open your eyes to refresh your
memory if you need to. ) See the furniture go poof. And n o longer
exist. Strip the room of the  knickknacks and books, then the
windows and the view outside. You will be left standing in an
empty b ox. If you have a me ntal image of your body stan ding in
the room, send it away, too. In one final str oke, remove the ceiling, walls, and floor. You will
be standing in a space with no objects. It’s hard to have a n image
of noth ing, so you probably see white light or blackness. Notice,
after removing everything, that you are still here. Now re verse the process. Bring back the floor, walls, and
ceiling. Reinstate the furnitu re, knickknacks, and books. Replace
the win dow and the view outside. Notice that you are still here. Nothing about the room, whether full or empty, changed you. To p rove that you are still h ere, try to get rid of yourself. See
yourself stand ing in the roo m when it is full or the sp ace left
behind when the room has d isappeared. In either state, can you
remove yourse lf. No. “I’m still here” is untouchable, because you
are the one thing. This ex ercise helps remind you of your true status. If you find
yourself in a busy place, full of distractions or stress, take an
inventory of everything you see. Close your eyes and empty the
place until there are no objects, people, or room. As you arrive at
nothing but emptiness, you a re still here. This gives you a feeling
of blissful self-sufficiency. To know that you are imperishable,
right this moment, is the ultimate validation that you are here
now. You have discovered your bei ng. After that, everything you say,
do, or think is a passing shadow. Simply by being, you have
mastered the art of not-doing. The next stage is to let one thing
show you what it is capable of. P r a c t i c a l  I m m o r t a l i t y
When you see yourself as th e unmoving point around which
everything mo ves, you are in  a special state of awareness. We can
call this the state of practical immortality. Countless people
already live such a life if they  are part of a religion that believes in
a personal God. Believing that God is watching and judging them,
devout believers are basing their lives on an immortal being. The
ultimate rewar d from such a  being is going to Heaven, where the
believer gets to join in immortality. In societies dominated by traditional religion, rules of morality
tend to be rigid and narrow. Dogmatic religions nail a set of rules
to the wall saying, “If you want to know what God wants, obey
these ru les. ” The rules can be as basic as the Ten Comman dments
and the Golden Rule or as  complex as the hundreds of daily
instructions th at pertain to the life of an orthodox Bra hmin in
Hinduism. But living by the r ules depends on believing that therewas a line of communication between God and whoever delivers
the rul es here on Earth. R eligions tend to agree about what
constitutes a devout life (i. e., trying to please God and obey the
rules), but they disagree on which messenger to trust. The direct path doesn’t propose that kind of practical
immortality. There are zero rules or even injunctions. Instead,
there is  a path that arrives at waking up. Once you are on the path,
you mu st comm unicate with immortality yourself, as best you can. Moses, Jesus, and Buddha aren’t going to help you (a lthough,
because there are no rules, if you want to follow a religion, the
choice i s yours ). To begin to  communicate with immorta lity, the
first step is to believe that you can, which isn’t easy. For our entire lives, all of us have been taught how to live i n the
state of practical mortality. Everything is gauged according to how
it fits in betwe en birth and death. People who squeeze the most
pleasure out of life, master many skills, work hard and play hard,
travel to  many places, amass money and possessions—they  are the
winners in the scheme of pr actical mortality. At its most basic,
however, every one lives in th e shadow of mortality. You see this in
our wo rship of youth, our o bsession with fending off aging, our
fear that our bodies might ge t injured. Protecting the body lies at
the heart of getting rich— money offers a surrogate form of
invulnerability. The rich and powerful come close to being
invulnerable to  life’s hardships. (Yet nothing is more untr ue than
the saying, “It’s better to die rich than poor. ” Finality is finality, no
matter how much money you amass and throw around. ) In t his context, how can you believe that you can commun icate
with immortality, much less turn it into a way of life. All you
actually need is the insight that you are doing it already. Wholeness—the one thing we ’ve been talking about


atural	foods
and	preparing	simpler	food	will	help	you	become	more	sensitive	to	the	taste	of
salt. It’s	also	a	good	idea	to	add	sea	salt	to	your	food	right	before	you	eat	it,	so	it
tastes	more	salty	without	using	more	actual	salt. PILLAR	2:
External	Nourishment
Now	that	you	know	how	to	lay	the	foundation	for	your	beauty	with	your	diet,
we	are	going	to	talk	about	the	best	forms	for	the	outer	care	of	your	skin. This
includes	the	safest	and	most	effective	skin-care	products	and	ingredients	as	well
as	self-care	practices	that	will	help	you	grow	strong	nails;	healthy,	shiny	hair;
and	clear,	glowing	skin. Incorporating	superior	inner	and	outer	care	will
nourish	your	whole	body	from	the	outside	in	and	let	your	natural	beauty	shine
through	to	the	highest	degree	possible. In	this	pillar	we’ll	cover	the	best—as	well
as	the	worst—ingredients	and	practices	so	you	can	allow	your	most	beautiful	self
to	be	authentically	reflected. SHIFT	6:
Incorporate
Natural	Skin-Care
Ingredients
Your	Amazing	Skin
Our	largest	organ,	the	skin,	is	a	fascinating	one. It	is	an	elimination	organ,
meaning	it	helps	dispel	wastes	from	your	body	through	sweat. Your	skin
receives	roughly	a	third	of	all	the	blood	that	is	circulated	throughout	the	body. It	makes	sense	that	if	the	blood	is	congested,	this	is	reflected	in	your	skin. Your
skin	is	the	last	organ	to	receive	nutrition	in	the	body,	yet	is	among	the	first
organs	to	show	signs	of	an	imbalance	or	deficiency. But	skin	does	also	work	in	the	opposite	way,	absorbing	what	is	applied	to	it
on	the	outside. It	is	therefore	critical	to	be	strategic	about	putting	the	best
ingredients	on	the	surface	of	your	skin	to	help	repair	and	support	its	health
from	the	outside	in. This	seems	obvious,	but	there	is	a	great	deal	of	marketing
hype	to	weed	through	to	determine	what	works	and	what	is	merely	an	empty
claim. It’s	also	critical	to	avoid	the	numerous	toxic	ingredients	that	can	be
absorbed	and	not	only	tax	your	skin	but	also	enter	your	bloodstream	and
burden	your
liver. Your	skin	is	also	influenced	by	your	emotions	and	mental	state. Research
shows	that	stress	can	cause	visible	aging	at	the	cellular	level,	including	a	study
published	in	the
Proceedings	of	the	National	Academy	of	Sciences. 1

Elissa	Epel,	one
of	the	researchers	for	this	study,	states,	“This	is	the	first	time	that	psychological
stress	has	been	linked	to	a	cellular	indicator	of	aging	in	healthy	people. ”
2
Luckily,	many	of	the	techniques	in	this	pillar	will	help	relax	your	mind	and
body	while	nurturing	your	skin	from	the	outside	in. Healthy,	smooth,	and	radiant	skin	is	considered	the	holy	grail	of	beauty. If
you	survey	any	woman	(and	most	men,	even	though	they	might	not	discuss	it	as
openly. ),	you	will	find	that	beautiful	skin	is	at	the	very	top	of	her	beauty	wish
list. Well,	the	time	has	come	for	you	to	get	your	wish. By	working	with	yourskin	and	incorporating	ingredients	into	your	routine	that	will	help	nourish
your	skin,	you’ll	create	an	optimal	environment	for	your	skin	to	grow,	repair,
and	heal	itself. The	result	will	be	skin	that	glows,	reflecting	your	highest	beauty. Natural	vs. Chemical	Ingredients
Some	may	think	that	the	expensive,	scientifically	created,	cutting-edge	products
on	the	market	are	automatically	the	most	effective	choices	out	there,	but	this	is
not	necessarily	the	case. The	antioxidants	found	in	natural	plant	ingredients	are
still	widely	considered	to	be	among	the	most	powerful	skin-care	ingredients,
and	this	is	consistently	proven	in	research. As
Richard	Baxter,	MD,	of	the	University	of	Washington
School	of
Medicine,	states,	“There	is	enough	published	work	to	convince	me	that	the
antioxidant	botanicals	will	be	the	next	big	thing	in	skin	care. ”
3
	They	may	be	the
“next	big	thing,”	but	they	have	also	been	around	for	thousands	of	years—much
like	ancient	practices	like	yoga	and	meditation	are	tagged	as	“new	age. ”	(Ironic
and	illogical,	right. ) Synthetic	ingredients	may	have	properties	to	help	boost
your	skin,	but	some	may	tax	your	skin	and	even	be	toxic. 4
	That	toxicity	can	be
absorbed	right	from	your	skin	into	your	system. 5
As	with	your	diet,	the	best	approach	to	skin	care	is	to	understand	the	power
of	nature. Nature’s	beauty	is	unparalleled,	and	if	you	live	closer	to	nature	in	all
aspects	of	your	lifestyle,	your	natural	beauty	will	increase. Choose	nontoxic
products	that	contain	natural,	plant-based	ingredients. As	long	as	they	aren’t
toxic,	scientifically	created	ingredients,	like	concentrated,	isolated	peptides,	that
are	aimed	at	a	specific	purpose	such	as	minimizing	the	appearance	of	fine	lines
and	wrinkles	can	work	together	with	natural	ingredients	to	create	powerful
combinations. Nature	and	science	can	most	certainly	work	together	in	a
balanced	way. Organic	ingredients	are,	by	definition,	pesticide-	and	GMO-free. But	keep	in
mind	that	products	may	contain	some	organic	ingredients	but	may	not	be
100
percent
	organic	if	other	ingredients	are	processed	in	some	way	to	make	them
usable	or	if	they	are	actually	lab	created. Natural	minerals	such	as	mica	are	not
considered	organic	because	they	are	not	plant	based. Also,	water	and	salts	are
excluded	when	determining	a	product’s	percentage	of	organic	ingredients. This
means	that	some
great	products	may	be	an	effective	blend	of	nontoxic
ingredients	derived	from	nature	and	science,	but	may	not	be	necessarily	labeled
100	percent	organic. There	are	literally	tens	of	thousands	of	beauty	products	on	the	market,	all
virtually	screaming	at	you	from	store	aisles	with	their	bold,	brightly	coloredpackages. If	you	glance	at	magazines,	you’ll	see	the	latest,	hottest	new	skin-care
ingredients	pop	up	every	month. It	can	be	very	confusing	to	determine	the
best
(and	worse)	choices	for	your	skin. HOW	TO	READ	SKIN-CARE	PRODUCT	LABELS	(IT’S	NOT	WHAT	YOU’VE	HEARD)
The	FDA	requires	that	ingredients	be	listed	in
INCI	(International	Nomenclature	of
Cosmetic	Ingredients)	language. These	labels	often	are	not	easily	read	and	usually
contain	long	words	and	names. An	overly	simplified	and	false	statement	you	hear	a
lot	is	that	if	you	can’t	pronounce	it,	you	should	not	eat	it	or	use	it	on	your	skin. But	if
you	look	at	the	INCI	language	required	for	a	natural	ingredient	like	shea	butter,	you
would	see
Butyrospermum	parkii
,	and	for	avocado	you	would	see
Persea
gratissima. These	hard-to-pronounce	words	(which	are	the	binomial	plant	names)
would	scare	anyone	who	tried	to	follow	this	rule. If	you	are	unsure	of	an	ingredient
or	INCI	language	name,	you	can	search	the	INCI


 Like and Dislike, Prince,
All creatures live bewildered, save some few
Who, quit of sins, holy in act, informed,
Freed from the “opposites” and fixed in faith
Cleave unto Me. ”
And bewildered you will continue to be until you can get very comfortable
with opposites like the following. You are simultaneously in form, with all
of the rules and laws that apply to form, and in nonform, with a completely
opposite set of rules and laws. You are both shy and aggressive within the
same body. You are lazy and hardworking. You get the most approval whenyou care the least about it. The tighter you squeeze the water, the less you
have. The things that upset us in others are the lessons we have to learn
ourselves. You cannot exclusively examine the north pole of a magnet. No
matter how thin you slice it, there is always a south pole to consider. The
dualism is always there. Rather than dismissing this concept with your left-
brain linear side, remember that you have, at the same time, a right-brain
intuitive side that can allow opposites to live comfortably with each other. I
delight in Ram Dass’ s description of paradox in Be Her e Now:
The most exquisite paradox…as soon as you give it all up, you
can have it all…. As long as you want power, you can’t have it. The minute you don’t want power, you’ll have more than you
ever dreamed possible. Until you are blissfully comfortable with this concept, and until you
come to grips with your own predicament of being in form and formless
simultaneously, you will be struggling with this paradox. After listening to my tapes on transformation, a woman wrote to me,
“Wow, this stuff really works when you truly let it in. ” I couldn’ t say it any
better than that. But William James, writing back in 1926, put it this way:
The further limits of our being plunge, it seems to me, into an
altogether other dimension of existence from the visible world. Name it the mystical region, or the supernatural region,
whichever you choose…we belong to it in a more visible world. When we commune with it, work is actually done upon our finite
personality, for we are turned into new men. One thing I know for certain: by communing with all of these universal
principles, by writing about them, by living them every day, I have been
transformed into a new man, a happier, more purposeful, more fully alive
man than I ever dreamed possible for myself. Now I hope that my efforts
and energy are visible in this book and will help to make a positive, loving
difference in your life as well. In love and light,
Wayne W. Dyer1989

OceanofPDF. comTRANSFORMA TION

Transformation is the ability and willingness to live beyond your
form. I feel as if I have  gone through a gate which will not allow me to go back
to the place where I used to live. To me, going through the gate symbolizes
transformation. But what do I mean by that. Start with the word “form,” the center of transformation. It is a term that
describes the physical you. It includes all of the physiological properties
that you have come to associate with the human being that is you. Form
includes the total weight of your bones, arteries, blood vessels, skin,
eyeballs, toenails, heart, lungs,  kidneys, and anything else that you can
name in your physiology. Yet certainly you are much more than a pile of
bones, skin, and component parts. Everything that you would see in that
pile of form you will also find in a pig or a horse. The real you, the unique
you, is 99 percent invisible, untouchable, unsmellable, and impervious to
the physical senses, which know  only form. The largest chunk of who you
really are is something beyond form. It has been called your mind, or your
feelings, or your thoughts, or your higher consciousness, but whatever it is,
it certain ly is not form. All of your thought and your spiritual awareness are
in this other formless dimension. Now consider the prefix “trans,” which means “beyond,” “above,” or in
literal terms, “over. ” When we place that prefix in front of “form,” we get
“transform. ” We now add the suffix “ation,” which means “action” or
“result,” and we have the word  “transformation. ” To me this word means
the result or action of going beyond one’s form. And it is literally the
challenge of this book: to help you to see yourself as someone much more
advanced and divine than a mere form. Your form must follow the rules of form. It will change many times
during your lifetime. In fact, every single cell of your entire form will
change every seven years or so, and yet you will still exist. You were
already in a tiny little baby body, a preadolescent, a teenager body, and
depending on the current age of your form, in other bodies as well. The
form has completely changed many times, and yet the real you hasremained consta nt. Once you understand this concept you will be on your
way to going through the gate. Every man-mad e creation starts with a thought, an idea, a vision, a
mental image. The thought is then applied in some way to form a new
product. At this moment I am taking my thoughts, applying them to a
typewriter, and creating a new product called a book. We all go through this
process thousands of times every day. The ultimate in becoming a
transformed person is seeing ourselves as unlimited by our form. When you live exclusively in form, you live in a world of limitations. Think about all of the limits that are placed on your form. Limits are
boundaries that dictate things. You can only lift so much weight. You can
only run so fast. You can only work so hard. But limits are all in the
dimension of form. Now consider the part of you without physical limits, the dimension of
thought. There are no limits to your ability to think. You can imagine
yourself doing anything. You can have a perfect relationship with your mate
in pure thought. You can be anything, go anywhere, experience  all that you
want, in this dimension of thought, exclusive of form. I am suggesting that you can experience a major portion of your life in
this dimension of transcending your form, that is, in transforma tion. At the
same time you will be able to maintain your form and honor its
requirements and lovingly understand its signals, while still knowing it is
serving you, the real you. The emphasis in our culture is on the value of the
external, the physical appearan ce. I am suggesting that the emphasis be
shifted to a concern for the formless self, being ever mindful that the form
houses the real you. With enough practice in this dimension, you will
eliminate virtual ly all limitations in your life. You will get past your form,
and do as Paul suggests in Romans 12:2:
And be not conformed to this world: But be ye transformed  by
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. This is the place of transformatio n. This is the place where you can not only
live a miracle, but create miracles as well. You can make higher and higher levels of living a regular part of your
daily regimen without going to a guru or mastering courses in metaphysics. How. By believing you are a soul with a body rather than a body with a
soul. You will create for yourself a life that is literally without  limitations. You will begin to see miracles occurring simply because you believe in
them and expect them to mater ialize for you. In fact, you will become a
miracle worker yourself. You will begin to see the phenomenal miracle that you are when  it comes
to healing your own body. You will begin to change self-defeating habits
such as overeat ing and avoiding exercise, without having to set goals or
work at self-discipline. Your new habits will automatically follow your new
sense of appreciation for all that you are, even though you cannot define it
in physical terminology. Your belief in your body’ s ability to heal itself will
begin to reflect how you take care of the precious temple that houses you. Fear of death will dissolve as you come closer to an awareness that thought,
thinking, your essential self, never dies. Thought cannot die. It is the energy
that composes the very existence of the universe, and once you believe this
within your being, you will never need to fear death again. A beautiful woman by the name of Peace Pilgrim walked across this
country a few years back, spreading her message of peace and love and
personal transformation. She described the characteristics of personal
transformation in this short list. SOME SIGNS AND SYMPT OMS OF  INNER  PEACE

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears
based on past experiences

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

A loss of interest in judging other people

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others

A loss of interest in conflict

A loss of the ability to worry

Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation
 Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature

Frequent attacks