 is going to break
something.” We fear it is going to lead to horrible outcomes because that
may have been what we experienced as children. We fear that our children
will carry the burden of our disagreements, because we took responsibility
for our own parents’  separation. We feel that it is not safe to ar gue, because
we never felt safe when our parents ar gued. Begin to create guidelines. Build safety around conflict so that your
children will know that disagreement does not need to be feared. Learn how
to communicate your needs, boundaries, and desires ef fectively so that your
children will learn the same. Raise children who know that with any
disagreement there is an end, a solution, and a deepening of love.BUILDING TRUST
Building trust is the necessary groundwork for a relationship to thrive. Trust
is the fertile soil that allows for the seed of commitment to grow deep roots. With every new layer of established trust, you enable a deeper level of
commitment. The foundation of trust is built on the knowing that your partner
respects you and genuinely wants what is best for you. Perhaps it is easy for
you to trust, or maybe you have a hard time trusting because of past
relationship scars, childhood trauma, or in the ongoing experience of a
relationship where your partner says something and then does something
different. To build or rebuild trust is a process. Whether trust is at a low point or high point in your relationship, if both
of you believe that the character of the other is intrinsically good, trust can
be built. You show you are committed to building trust by following
through with what you promise to yourself and in your relationship. If you
tell your partner that you will be home by a certain time, show up on time. If you promise quality time, make sure you show up with your full
presence. If you tell your partner that you will not talk to your ex, then do
not talk to your ex. Follow through on your words. Trust is practical. Reliability may start with small things, but over time
you give ener gy and life to your relationship with each commitment that
you follow through with. More and more trust builds upon the foundation of
your previous commitments. When you see someone consistently following
through with their commitments, it speaks for itself. If you have somehow broken the trust in your relationship, you need to
be patient. You cannot build anything of value unless there is integrity in the
foundation. Would you enter into a building if you did not trust the
foundation holding it up? Know that trust is built gradually over time, and
the pain caused by breaking it can be devastating. Whether your breach of trust was something small or something severe,
these next steps will help assure, if your partner is willing to for give you,that you are doing the work necessary in order to reestablish a stable
foundation for your relationship. First, accept responsibility. Oftentimes when we have broken trust, we give excuses, reverse blame,
or even lie about it, which further breaks down trust. Accept responsibility
for what you did by stating what your agreement was and how you broke
the agreement. “I told you I would be home by 6 p.m. and I am forty-five minutes late.”
Next, acknowledge. What you did may have caused pain to the person you love. Get into a
space of reflecting on how they might feel, whether you agree with them or
not. Acknowledge how you can see why your actions may have hurt them. “I can imagine it being so frustrating waiting for me, especially because
you had dinner ready, the table set, and you were looking forward to a
really nice evening together.”
Then, account. While still fully accepting responsibility, honestly share what happened. If the breach of trust was that you showed up late, maybe your boss
demanded you finish the report before leaving the of fice, or traf fic was
horrible and caused you to be late. Maybe something unforeseen came up
that you could not avoid, or perhaps you just lost track of time. Accounting
is not making excuses, but is simply sharing what happened. “I was on a call at the of fice and totally lost track of time.”
Now, apologize. Genuinely apologize for your actions, recognizing how they caused a
breakdown in trust. “I am sorry for coming home late and not acting in alignment with our
agreement. I acknowledge how that has the potential to break down your
trust in my word.”
Finally, amend. Let them know how you plan to act in the future when something like
this comes up, and ask them what they would need to see from you in orderto rebuild trust. Do everything in your power to follow through with
whatever shared agreements you come to. “In the future, when we have a date planned, I will be more conscious
of the time. Is there anything else that you need from me in order to reinstill
that trust?”
When you follow through with shared agreements, you build and
rebuild trust in your relationship. Over time, the challenging moments are
looked at in hindsight as catalysts for growth and deeper connection, built
off shared love and trust. What if the other person has been responsible for breaking your trust? Broken trust can be crippling for a relationship; it is one of the main reasons
relationships come to an end. When you have had your trust broken, you
first need to search your heart and take guidance from reliable friends to
determine whether you feel confident that you can rebuild trust with this
person. If the answer is yes, then move forward with the following steps. If they have genuinely taken responsibility for their actions and
understand their damaging ef fects, you take the first step toward
reestablishing trust. If you are confident that they are sincerely sorry for
what they have done, you build confidence in their moral compass: that
they know what serves your relationship and what damages it. The next step is often the most challenging and may take some time, so
do not rush it. If you want to move forward, you must be willing to
genuinely and fully for give them and to let go of the past. This often takes a
power greater than yours, a higher power that can heal your heart so that it
can open again. If they are not willing to be patient and give you the time that you need
to fully for give them, this can be a warning sign that they may not
understand the magnitude of their actions and might break your trust in the
future. If they are patient with you, while they work on themselves, and you
are able to genuinely for give them, you can continue the relationship with
simple shared agreements and commitments. When they see these
commitments as opportunities to gain your trust and you see them following
through with them, the process has begun.Gradually, if you see steady follow-through with commitments, you will
be able to trust them with bigger agreements and more vulnerable aspects of
yourself. As you trust their character and commitment more and more, you
might then be able to envision a long-term committed relationship with
them. However, it is not always possible to reestablish trust with someone. Depending on their character and the pain that has been caused, it may not
even be healthy to push for it. Rebuilding trust takes sincerity on their end,
and the ability to for give on yours. WORKING ON CONSCIOUS
COMMUNICATION
When you get triggered, how do you process and communicate it so that
there is growth? Communication is a skill. It is not something that we are
all raised knowing how to do, but it is something that we can learn. Creating a conscious relationship requires communicating consciously
—that is, in a way that invites both parties to take responsibility for their
emotions and their actions and allows for both people to feel understood. When you feel understood, you can let down your armor, meet the other
person where they are, and grow together. In the same way, when you
reflect back to the other person what they have expressed to assure that
you’ve genuinely understood their perspective and then respond in a way
that serves to uplift your relationship, it allows your connection to deepen. To learn skills and techniques for building trust and communicating
consciously, I highly recommend reading Relationships That W ork: The
Power of Conscious Living  by David B. Wolf and Nonviolent
Communication  by Marshall Rosenber g, listed in the references section at
the back of this book. DEEPENING COMMITMENT
What are you committed to? Knowing what you and your partner are
committed to together will create a solid ground for you both to come backto as the inevitable waves wash in. A lasting relationship must be built atop
a foundation that lasts. What assures you that the commitment of your relationship will last,
beyond the temporary experience of “I love them because of how they
make me feel”? Anyone in a long-term relationship knows that their
commitment to each other is not simply based on a feeling. Feelings
change. The nature of the mind is that sometimes you like each other and
sometimes you don’ t. Sometimes you are happy, sometimes you are not. Today you might “love” them, and tomorrow you might feel dif ferent, yet
you stay. Real love lives deeper than the circumstantial feelings. When
everything is always changing, what can you depend on? Where is there
stability? Commitment invites both you and your partner to connect to the
parts of yourselves that are steady even as feelings change. Ayurveda recognizes that your spiritual connection is the one thing that
is steady, as everything else in your life and in the world inevitably shifts,
and the Ayurvedic approach emphasizes


, 56, 96, 211
pranayama, 42
during late pregnancy, 128
postpartum, 210–1 1
for sattva, increasing, 75
ujjai, 208, 210, 211
See also  alternate-nostril breathing ; cooling breath
prasadam (spiritual food), 80–81, 138
prayers
to baby in womb, 79–80
in conception ritual, 68
maha mantra, 83–84
for name-giving, 234
for safe delivery, 138
for welcoming baby to world, 220–21
preconception, 20
daily rituals for, 123–24
time for (“season”), 32–33
preeclampsia, 108–9, 127, 314
pregnancy, 33
diet and nourishment for, 85, 86, 87, 126–27, 277–79
doshas and, 17
early loss, 102–3
energy levels during, 121
essential oils, general, 311
essential oils by condition, 312–15
herbs for, 302–5
imbalances common in, 97, 98–102, 103–1 1
kapha in, 27
mother ’s happiness in, importance of, 47, 72, 106
pitta in, 24
sattvic lifestyle during, 77
self-care practices for, 90–92
senses during, 73
support during, 2, 46
three main responsibilities during, 268
vata in, 20
See also under  meals ; and individual trimesters
presence, 3, 12
while breastfeeding, 258–59
while eating, 54in mothering, 224, 231, 239
during pregnancy, 2
progesterone, 106
prolactin, 151
Puranans, 232
R
Radha, 232
raisins, 99, 273, 276, 284, 297
rajas, 73, 74, 76
rakta dhatu, 85
rasa dhatu, 85, 259–60
red raspberry leaf, 126, 199, 304
relationships
commitment in, 51–52
communication in, 51
conflict in, 46–48
real health and, 8
trust in, 48–51
See also  partnership
reproductive system, 32, 199, 303, 304
reproductive tissues, 54, 55, 56–58, 59, 87
Rescue Remedy Back Flower Essence, 177
rice. See basmati rice
Roman chamomile, 252, 312, 314, 316, 318, 319
Romm, Aviva, 120, 134, 210
rose, 75, 188, 194
in baths, 92, 126, 151, 184, 199
description, 304
essential oil, 68, 125, 152, 198, 313, 316, 317
for newborns, 256
postpartum, 181, 182, 200, 205, 207
Sun-Cooked Ayurvedic Rose Petal Jam, 217–18
in teas, 208, 306, 307
rosehips, 99
rosemary, 76, 199
rosemary essential oil, 101, 317
Rosenber g, Marshall, Nonviolent Communication,  51
rosewater, 69, 89, 106, 156, 247–48, 304
rosewood oil, 136, 312
Rothman, Barbara Katz, Bun in the Oven, A, 116S
Sacinandana Swami, Living Name, The, 84
sacred window, 171
author ’s experience, 196
beauty in, 184
end of, 189–90, 220–21
greatest need during, 174
poem for, 175–76
traditional practices, 172, 191–92
saffron, 207, 282
for lactation, 260, 263
for ojas-building, 56, 69, 215–16
for postpartum, 286, 291, 296–97
sage, 181, 199, 254, 283. See also  clary sage oil
samskaras. See sensory impressions ( samskaras )
sandalwood, 75
essential oil, 68, 316, 317, 319
powder, 247–48, 256
sat-chit-ananda,  10
sattva, 213
increasing, 75
mind of, 36–37, 58
in postpartum, 192, 197, 210, 280
during pregnancy, 72, 86
qualities and characteristics, 73, 74
signs of, 75
sattvic ahara, 270
Schott, Lelia, 223
seasons
dosha fluctuation in, 15–16
ritucharya and, 60–61
selflessness, 233
self-realization, 36, 43
senses
consciousness and, 33–34
controlling, 39–41, 45
doshas and, 16, 25
misusing, 13
overstimulating, 21
sensory impressions ( samskaras ), 41, 42, 72, 85
sesame oil, 197, 207
for babies, 154, 246, 250, 255
for basti, 125, 181cooking/eating, 280, 282, 284, 287
infusions, 198, 205
for massage, 22, 29, 124–25, 151, 152, 155, 181, 313
for oil pulling, 65
for stretch marks, 182
for yoni picchu, 126
sesame seeds, 56, 128, 260
Dry-Fruit Laddus, 276
Herbal Chewing Mix, 213, 289–90
See also  tahini
sexual desire, regulating, 41
sexual intercourse
apana vata and, 102
Ayurvedic guidelines for, 68–69
ojas and, 94, 128
preconception, 55
during pregnancy, 93–95
shatavari
for acid reflux, 99
contraindications, 58, 305
descriptions, 213, 304
in ghee, 87, 207
for lactation, 260, 263
powder, 215–16, 297–98, 307
preconception, 58
shilajit, 58
showers, 29, 43
shukra dhatu, 87
sitali. See cooling breath
sitz baths, 87, 126, 318
skin
healthy fats for, 110
herbal baths for, 91
itchy, essential oils for, 314
of newborns, 244, 245, 254–56
pitta imbalance and, 24
skin-to-skin contact, 150
sleep
co-sleeping with baby, 306
difficulties in, 109–10
essential oils for, 314, 318
excess, from kapha imbalance, 27
herbs for, 303
of newborns, 240, 243newborn’ s and mother ’s, 251–52
pitta and, 66
postpartum, 207–8
during pregnancy, positions for, 93
sleep apnea, 110
snacking, 21, 65
soul, 42, 81
ahimsa and, 37
conception and, 32
maha gunas and, 78
of newborns, 233
nourishing, 4, 80
presence of, 9–10
study of, 8
sounds
for baby in womb, 78, 80
maha gunas and, 75, 76, 77
spiritual vibrations, 83–84
sperm, 32, 54, 57, 63
spikenard oil, 319
spiritual people, associating with, 82
spiritual traditions, 38, 42
spirituality, 8, 32, 35, 52, 78–80, 233
spring, 27, 28, 60
sprouts, 274, 282, 285
Śrīla Gopāla Bha ṭṭ a Gosvāmī, Sat Kriya Sara Dipika,  138
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto, 59
stillbirth, 216–18
stress hormones, 33, 57, 151
stretch marks, 110–1 1, 182, 315
suc


, intention, and dedica tion—are
favorable, a decision may arise to drop everything in the world. One might
then throw oneself totally into an all-out, “go for it,” continuous, laser-like,
focused surrendering of the perceiver/experiencer aspect of the ego. This
process takes one quite rapidly beyond the mind to the very “processing
edge” of the experiencer. This “processor” edge is the actual locus of the ordinary sense of “I-
ness,” and it creates a 1/10,000th-of-a-second delay between reality (the
world as it is; Descartes’ s res extensa ) and the world as it is perceived orexperienced (Descartes’ s res cogitans ). This separatio n is the crux and locus
of the self’s illusion of duality, which obscures comprehension of the
intrinsic Reality  of Nonduality (Self). With transcendence of the illusion of
a separa te, individual, personal self, there emer ges the Radiance and
Oneness of the Self—by which  all life, whether denoted as subjective or
objective, is recontextualized into Oneness. Enlightenment is merely the emer gence of Truth when the obstru ctions to
the realization of that Truth have been removed. By analogy, the shining of
the sun is not conditional upon the removal of the clouds ; it merely
becomes apparent. The way to sudd en enlightenment is through strict adherence to spiritual
awareness and specifics of consciousness so that the personality (ego) is
transcended rather than perfected. The term “enlightenment” is semantically correct. It is the recognition
and realization that one’s reality is the light of the Self—and that it stems
from within as an awareness and profound, self-evident Reality. In Reali ty, time is merely an illusion and an appearance. No “time” is
really wasted once one has chosen the spiritual goal. Actually, it makes no
difference in the end whether enlightenment takes a thousand lifetimes or
one. In the end, it is all the same. A “goo d person” is one thing; enlightenment is another. One is
responsible for the effort and not the result, which is up to God and the
universe. The essence of man includes the potentiality for enlightenment. Readiness implies that one has evolved through the lower levels of
consciousness, so spiritual inspiration now becomes the spark that ignites
the quest. To understand the nature of consciousness makes enlightenment possible. This essentially entails the realiz ation of the difference between duality and
nonduality, as well as how to transcend the realm of duality. The straightest way to enlighten ment is by transcending the limitation of
the ego/mind by dedication to verified Truth itself. This proces s is suitable
for modern humankind and devoid of conflict with science and religion. When one stops identifying with either the body or the mind, the
functions continue autonomously, but merely without an identification as
“myself. ” The sense of authorship disappears. Ongoing survival is
autonomous, and continuance is an expression of conscious ness in its
alliance with the Holy Spirit. From the viewpoint of conscious ness and enlightenment, the reign of fear
does not cease until the desire for existence itself is surrendered  to God. In
the silen ce that ensues comes a great realization that one’s existence has
always been due to the Presence of the Self, which has attracted from the
Universe whatever is necessary for survival. Salvation requir es purification of the ego; enlightenment requires its total
dissolution. The goal of enlightenment is more demanding and radical. The seeking of enlightenment is a very major commitment—and is, in
fact, the most difficult of all human pursuits. Enlightenment as the primary
goal of one’ s life occurs in only one in ten million people. Clarify that it is not a personal “you” who is seeking enlightenment but
an impersonal quality of consciousness that is the motivator. There is no separation in the Allness of Creation, so it is impossible for
the created to be separate from the Creator. Enlightenment is therefore the
revelation of the Self when the illusion of the reality of a separate self is
removed. The road to enlightenment is not for bleating sheep. To be offended
signifies that one is defended, which, in itself, signifies the clinging to
untruth. Truth needs no defense  and therefore is not defensive ; Truth has
nothing to prove and is not vulnerable to being questioned for an answer. The oneness of Self-identity is the substrate of the phenomenon known as
Revelation or Realization. Enlightenment is the finalized state that ensues—
and it is unconditional, total, and complete. The personal “I” is “content,” whereas the “I” of Reality is context. By
analogy, the cloud is subject to change and dissolution. Weather  comes and
goes, but the sky itself remains unchanged. Enlightenment is merely the
shift of identity from the cloud to the sky. Enlightened awareness is best described as a state or a condition, a realm
or a dimension. It is self-revealing and all prevailing. It eclipses and
displaces mentation, which beco mes unnecessary and would, in fact, be an
interference and intrusion. Revelation is subtle, powerful, soft, gentle,
exquisite, and all embracing. The senses are bypassed, and all perception of
“this” or “that” disappears. It is also apparent that the entire content of
revelation has been there all along and simply not experienced or observed. The vision of what “Is” in its totality is entirely “Known” by virtue of the
Self already being All That Is. Identity confers absolute authority of
knowledge. The observer, that which is observed, and the process of
observation are all identical. To be enlightened merely means that consciousness has realized its most
inner, innate quality as nonlinear subjectivity and its capacity for awareness. Be resol ute on the level of absolutely no reservation. Avoid the lure of
the astra l realm s. Beware of the wolves in sheep’ s clothing, for they are
attracted to the devotee who is making significant progress. Do not accept
anyone into your life who does not pass the calibratable level of Truth. Keep your spiritual goal ever in awareness, no matter what the activity. Dedicate all endeavors to God. Remember the true nature of God and avoid
any teachings that state otherwise. The desire to search for God or enlightenment is already evidence of
having been spiritually inspired. As the ego vacates, the Radiance of the
Self uplifts and inspires. Hence forth, it is not possible to be alone. At the
critical moment, spiritual commitment and dedication bring forth the
unseen help of the Great Beings who are no longer in physical bodies—yet
their energy stands at the great doorway of the final moment when one is
sustained by the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of the teachers of T ruth. The straightest way to enlightenment is through devoted introspection,
meditation, and contemplation of the inner workings of the ego so as to
understand consciousness. The process is energized by intention,
dedication, and devotion; and the total effort is supported by spiritual
inspiration. The dedication is focused on the process itself as a surrender to
God. The focus needs to be intense, and it is energized by fixity and
deliberateness of intention. The process is one of discovery and becomes
progressively self-revealing. To follow the strict pathway to enlightenment is a specific disci pline and
commitment. It is not the same as practicing a religion. While there are
many tenets of religion that support the search for enlightenme nt, there are
also many that do not and actually constitute a hindrance. T o be pious is one
thing; to be enlightened is quite another. It is important to realize that the destiny of those who choose
enlightenment is enlightenment—who else would be on such a quest. To
merely seek spiritual purification and awareness is already a gift. Enlightenment means that the former personal identity and all that had
been believed about it have been erased, removed, transcended, dissolved,
and displaced. The particular has been replaced by the universal, qualities
have been replaced by the nonlinear, and the discrete has been replaced by
the unlimited. When enlightenment occurs, the ensuing state also completely
reconstructs the appearance of the world. Everything is seen to happen of its
own. There is no longer a “me” or a personal “I. ” The orientation to the
world is completely altered, and functioning may be impossible or very
difficult. In the state of enlightenment, all is self-revealing of its essence as its
existence. Everything already is what it “means. ”
Because no languaging of the state of enlightenment is actually possible,
a Zen master may just suddenly shout “Ha. ” and hit you with a stick. What
is hoped for is a sudden flash, during which the inexplicable Reality stands
revealed. Enlightenment is the ultimate aesthetic awareness, for it allows the
beauty of creation to shine forth with stunning clarity. Another simple analogy is that a shadow does not become a sunbeam, but
is replaced by it. The ego is the shade; enlightenment is the consequence of
the light of the Self that replaces it. Enlightenment is merely the full, conscious recognition that innate Truth
is the core of one’s own existence—and that God as Self is the illumination
whereby that realization is made  possible. The Infinite Power of God is the
manifestation


 e, emotional and behavioral expression; upon specic
attributes of the tongue, pulse, and complexion; and nally upon the
areas and quality of pain or discomfort, restriction or freedom of
movement, overall vigor and weakness. Like the Feng Shui adept who divines the currents of Wind  and
Water  that circulate  through the environment to place people in a
proper and benecial alignment to them, the doctor turns himself
into a divining  rod that reads the movements of Qi, Moisture, and
Blood, assessing whether the Five Organ Networks  are working
harmoniously. The patient reports on current physical, mental, and emotional
complaints, states, and attitudes. Patterns of sleepin g, eating,
eliminating, working, and relaxing, as well as responses to stress,needs, desires, and goals, are useful information. The doctor wants
to know not only the nature  of the problem, but the nature of the
patient. Patient and doctor work together, recapturing and re-creating
relevant history, noting tendencies, patterns, and cycles that might
be inuencing the present condition. Together, family health,
emotional, physical, and sexual development, childhood illness and
treatment, injury, trauma and its resolution or lack thereof, and
times of crisis and change all reveal the evolutionary stages leading
to the present state. Just as every cell in the human body contains in its DNA a
template of the entire organism, so in Chinese medicine any part of
the body (puls e, tongue, eye, ear) broadcasts information  about the
whole. Just as the genes contain all the information about the
potential form and develop ment of the person, any aspect of a
human being can become a window or lens for revealing the state of
the person. This applies not only to the physical body, but to the
thinking and feeling body as well. METHODS OF  DIAGNOSIS
To observe: complexion, eyes, tongue, nails, hair, gait,
stature, aect, quality of excretions, secretions
To listen and smell: sound of voice and breath; odor of
breath, skin, excretions, secretions
To question: current complaints, health history, family health
history, pattern s of sleep, appetite, weight, elimination, menses,
stress
To touch: texture, humidity, temperature, elasticity of skin;
strength and tone of muscles; exibility, range of motion of
joints; sensitivity of diagnostic points; radial pulse evaluationMAY I PLEASE  SEE YOUR TONGUE. Of all the possi ble methods of examination, two are considered most
useful and reliable: inspection of the body and coating of the
tongue, and palpation of the pulse at both wrists. The tongue is
characterized by its color, texture, moisture, size, and shape. A
healthy tongue  ts comfortably in the mouth and is smooth, moist,
bright, pink, and rm, with a thin white fur that covers the upper
surface. Changes in the body of the tongue generally reect long-term
dysfunction of the viscera, whereas changes in the fur reect short-
term disturbances of digestion, uid balance, and heat regulation. In acute conditions such as a cold or u, the tongue may be red at
the tip with a yellow or white fur that is thicker than normal. The
red tip indicates Heat and possibly fever, and the thickened fur
indicates an Adverse Climate  such as Cold or Dampness. An enlarged, pale, and abby  tongue with greasy or cheesy white
fur is associate d with deciency and Dampness  or excess Moisture. This is charact eristic of illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, colitis,
nephritis, or a weak and enlarged heart. The thick, wet quality of
the fur is a sign of excess Moisture  manifested as phlegm in
bronchitis, loose, watery stool in colitis, and edema of the feet and
hands in heart disease or nephritis. The tongue fur primarily mirrors the Qi of the Stomach. Quite
Yang, this Qi is referred to as the “digestive Fire,” the “smoke of the
Stomach. “ If the fur is yellow, there is an excess of Heat in the
Stomach, associated with stomach pain or acidity, constipation, and
a sore, dry mouth or throat. If the fur is thick and white like cottage
cheese, this reects an extreme accumulation of Cold and Dampness
usually associated with marked deciency of digestive Fire,
manifesting in nausea, bloating, lack of appetite, and loose bowels. The color and shape of the tongue body also reect the intrinsic
strength and functional capacity of the individual. If the tongue is
very red overall or in one area, this indicates the presence of fever
or inammatio n that is attacking the Organ Networks. The Heart,
Lung, and Liver are most vulnerable to damage by Heat, which showsup as redness on the tip and edges of the tongue. In prolonged
febrile or chronic inammatory illness, the entire tongue may
become deep red. In additio n, if the tongue looks dry or parched,
this indicates serious deplet ion of Moisture, manifested by scanty
urine, constipa tion, thirst, and dryness of the skin and mucous
membranes. In these situations the tongue may appear to be
shrunken and shriveled. Tongue Zones
Kidney  zone: organs and functions below the navel including
kidneys, adrenals, large intestine, small intestine, bladder, uterus,
ovaries, and testicles; reproduction, elimination, regeneration,
locomotion, vegetative metabolism. Spleen  zone: organs and functions between diaphragm and navel and
between right and left sides including stomach, spleen, pancreas,
transverse colon, lower portion of esophagus, duodenum;  digestion,
assimilation, anabolic metabolism. Liver zone: organs and functions in lateral areas of the body between
diaphragm and navel including diaphragm, liver, gallbladder,
spleen, hepatic and splenic exures of large intestine; digestion,
elimination, detoxication, catabolic metabolism, coordination. Lung and Heart  zones: organs and function s above the diaphragm
including, lungs, heart, diaphragm, esophagus, trachea, bronchi,
mouth, nasoph arynx, nose, ears, eyes, brain; respiration, circulation,
digestion, mentation, perception, communication. Pallor of the tongue usually  indicates chronic deciency of Qi,
Blood, and Moisture. When  this is severe, the tongue may take on a
purplish hue, indicating that deciency has led to stagna tion of the
Blood. This color appears in cases where there is Coldness  of the
body and limbs, tiredness, shortness of breath, and pain in the chest,
abdomen, or joints. The progress of illness is also disclosed by the tongue. As illness
improves, the quality of the fur and color of the tongue become
more normal. If the illness worsens, so will the tongu e and fur. Realistically it is common for individuals to have a complex tongue
picture showin g conicting conditions of Heat and Cold, excess and
deciency. For example, the tongue of a person with a chronic
peptic ulcer and acute inuenza might appear abby and pale,
reddened at the tip, with yellow fur in the center. This indicates the
intermingling of chronic interior deciency with acute exterior
excess. Each part of the tongue corresponds to the condition or state of an
Organ Network. To see the condition of the Heart Network  one looks
at the extreme tip of the tongue, whereas to gauge the state of the
Lung one looks near the tip. So a very red tipped tongue indicatesnot only the general presenc e of Heat, but Heat aecting these two
Networks. A tongue that is purplish indicates poor circulation,
particularly associated with the stagnation of Qi or Blood  in the
Liver. And greasy yellow fur in the center of the tongue reports
Damp Heat  in the Spleen  and Stomach. Many external factors can also aect the appearance of the
tongue, such as smoking, coee, alcohol, and the use of
pharmaceutical drugs. Under these conditions, the tongue may
reect the eect of these agents rather than give a true picture of
the underlying state. This is why the practitioner never relies on
only one method of diagnosis. MAY I PLEASE  FEEL YOUR PULSE. Pulse diagnosis is based on the principle that Qi and Blood  circulate
as a single entity. By feeling the movement of blood in the vessels,
the activity of Qi, Moisture, and Blood  is inferred. The pulse is
produced by the movement of blood in the arteries, but movement
is initiated by the force of Qi. The Chinese saying “Where  Qi goes,
Blood  ows” communicates this synergy of Qi and Blood. When Qi
and Blood  are disturbed, Moisture  may become abnormal as well. Palpating the Pulse
The practition er feels three positions on each wrist along the
radial artery


 is always preferable. EVAPORATED FRUITS. The process of evaporating the water from! fruits, so they
can be kept from season to season, is of great importance. It
has added one of the greatest luxuries known to the uncooked
bill of fare. In the selection of peaches care should be taken to
secure the largest, best ripened and unpeeled variety. Never
select peaches from which the peeling has been removed,
because the fruit must be taken in  an unripe condition, so that
it is firm enough to peel and handle easily without crushing. The same rule should apply to the selection of apricots. Prunes are one of the best evaporated fruits in the
American market. The largest varieties, running from 20 to
30 to the pound, should be. selected for the uncooked table. OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL. Olives have become as standard on the American table as
pickles, but we do not recommend their liberal use. The ripe
olive has something to reco mmend it; mainly because it was
allowed to get ripe. Pure oliv e oil occupies a conspicuous and
necessary place on the uncooked bill of fare. For those who
cannot thoroughly masticate nuts—because of defective
teeth—olive oil, or even good peanut oil, affords one of the
most necessary articles of diet. An ordinary body requires
each twenty-four hours from two to two and a half ounces of
pure fat (fuel). The required quantity of nuts may be eaten,
but unless mastication is perfect, they do not contribute to the
body all the fats they contain, while olive oil overcomes
completely this difficulty. MILK AND HONEY. Milk and honey seem to be the only two things in
existence that were made primarily for no purpose except
food. All other articles upon wh ich people subsist were
created for some other purpose. All cereals, legumes, fruits,
nuts and vegetables in the great scheme of nature, grow
wholly to reproduce themselves; but the primary purpose of
milk and honey, when they are created, is for food. They
seem to have no other purpose to fulfill. In order to be sure of securing pure honey it is best to
purchase it in the comb. Pure milk as it comes from the cow should contain
twelve to fourteen per cent solids and from three and a half to
four and five eighths per cent. cream. Pure milk is one of the
best proportioned foods known to science. Great care should
be exercised, therefore, in its selection. The best results are
obtainable when it is taken unskimmed, as nature has
proportioned its nutritive elements in accordance with the
requirements of the body. The custom of salting butter is
altogether wrong, and inexcusable from a hygienic
standpoint. It had its origin, no doubt, in the fact that it
became commercially necessary in order to preserve it for the
purpose of shipping, transporting and marketing. During the
last few years fresh or sweet butter has come into general use
in all the large cities and well-appointed hotels and cafes. In
Paris, where the culinary art is studied and kept at a higher
standard than at any other city in the world, it is considered
an offense to serve salted butter. It is taken for granted that
the article is aged and would have spoiled had it not been
preserved with salt. FOOD COMBINATIONS. NEARLY  every article of food known, as bad as some of
them are, will agree with the stomach if eaten alone or with a
few other articles, in normal quantities, whose chemical
properties harmonize. When we say that certain things do not
agree with us, the fact is that these things do not agree with
themselves. The truth is, we have eaten a combination of
things that do not agree one with the other; and the stomach,
being the receptacle of this chemical disturbance, is made the
sufferer. The question of combinations is extremely important
in cooked foods, because the tendency of modern cookery is
to mix, to jumble together an innumerable number of things
and pour over them condiments, sauces and dressings that are
composed of dozens of other ingredients, until it becomes
utterly impossible to ascertain by any method of calculation
how many different articles compose one whole. While it is
always well to observe correct combinations, it is in reality of
secondary importance, for in subsisting on uncooked foods
the natural tendency is towards simplicity. This is one of the
greatest virtues following their adoption. In the beginning
many are likely to desire each meal to be composed of a large
number of articles. They like to see it spread around; they
want to see the table covered; they want to see it groaning
beneath a load, simply because th ey were raised that way. They have no standard to measure from, except a cooked
standard; but this optical appetite soon wears off, and the
taste and delicious flavors that are developed by combining
two or three things, lead the elementary student to ignore
numerical display and make a meal upon three or four things. A very delicious taste will be developed by eating fruits
and nuts together, care being taken to masticate the nuts
thoroughly before the fruits are put into the mouth. If this rule
is observed in eating vegetables and nuts, the same delightful
taste will be experienced. The following combinations have been found by
experience to be chemically harmonious, healthful and very
nutritious:
Flaked wheat, with nuts, dates and cream. Flaked wheat, nuts, honey, milk and cream. Combination cereal with grated nuts and cream. Egg-nog, protoid nuts, dates, lettuce salad with olive oil
and cream. Cold slaw with olive oil, protoid nuts, unfired bread,
sweet apple with thick cream. The following articles compose three ideal meals for a
perfectly normal person:

Breakfast. One red apple with combination nut butter. One ounce protoid nuts. Five or six black dates. One glass Milk. Luncheon. Sauce dish Combination Cereal. One ounce Pecan Meats. Two Turkish pulled Figs. One ounce protoid nuts. Cold Slaw with Olive Oil. Two cakes of Unfired Bread. Four prunes with thick cream. Sweet Butter. Glass of Egg-nog. Dinner. Two ounces Nut Meats. Vegetable Salad with Hygeia Dressing. Two or three cakes Unfired Bread. Combination nut butter. Very ripe Banana with thick cream. Pint of Whole Milk. There is a popular opinion among the majority of people
that appetite, that is, a desire for food, is an evidence of good
health. This is one of the serious mistakes into which people
have gradually evolved. Irrita tion of the mucous membranes
of the stomach is one of the most serious and unhealthy
conditions with which this much -abused organ is afflicted;
and while in this condition, it ca lls with ferocity for food, the
satisfying of which has killed suddenly hundreds of
thousands of people whose death is attributed nearly always
by the learned doctors to heart failure. And we agree with
them completely. We have ne ver known any other method of
demise, except for the heart to fail. It is unquestionably the
customary way to die, and it matters but little whether the
"heart failed" on account of being shot, beheaded by a Cuban
machete, or on account of an overloaded stomach,—the
doctor's "heart-failure" theory is safely correct. There are five different classes of food; there are five
different digestive organs and fi ve different kinds of digestive
fluids. The five classes of foods are, water, proteids,
carbohydrates, fat and mineral salts. The five organs of
digestion are, the mouth, stomach, liver, pancreas and
intestinal glands. The five different digestive fluids are, saliva, gastric
juice, pancreatic juice, bile and intestinal juices. All the different kinds of food contain more or less water. All of the different digestive fluids are composed largely of
water. Foods classed under the head of proteids are composed
largely of nitrogen, and embrace albumen in animal foods,
the gluten and gelatine in cereals, cellulose in vegetables, and
the casein in milk and cheese. The foods classed under the head of carbohydrates
contain mostly starch and sugar. All the cereals, vegetables,
fruits and nuts are composed, more or less, of carbohydrates. Many of these also contain nitrogen to a sufficient degree to
class them under the head of protein. Mineral salts are found in a ll vegetables and fruits in
sufficient quantities to supply the needs of the body if it is fed
upon these articles. The salts of sodium, potassium, chlorides,
calcium, magnesium, phosphates and iron are the principal mineral or organic salts and are the most important elements
in forming the bony structure of the human body. These salts are found in abundance in all fruits, nuts and
vegetables, and when taken into the body in their natural or
organic state they contribute to  the body all of their value as
building material, but in cooked foods these elements are
rendered inorganic and become so changed and dissipated as
to be in many cases totally worthless. For instance, iron is one
of the principal properties of ca bbage. Eaten naturally it is an
excellent food, easy of digestion and assimilation; but
cooked


perientially. One	might	say	that	macular,	or	central
vision,	is	‘Yang’	as	compared	to	peripheral	vision,	which	is	‘Yin’. The
intellect	is	Yang;	the	Self	is	more	comparable	to	Yin. (Although	it	includes
the	Yang,	it	does	so	in	a	Yin	manner!) The	moment	of	enlightenment	or	realization	is	like	the	very	ultimate
Yin-and-Yang	‘experience’. It	is	a	given	that	is	received. The	ultimate
surrender	opens	the	door	for	Revelation,	which	stands	forth	to	be	received. This	is	the	ultimate	power	of	Yin. The	Presence	stands	forth	with	such
enormous	power	that	it	seems	like	the	ultimate	Yang	presence. Enlightenment	is	the	product	of	that	union;	thus,	it	is	absolutely	complete
and	final. The	occurrence	is	like	the	birth	of	a	new	nebula,	the	birth	of	a
star. This	may	sound	exaggerated	unless	it	is	realized	that	it	is	not	the
local,	limited	‘you’	that	becomes	enlightened. On	the	contrary,	the	Self	is
the	All	of	the	Entire	Universe;	therefore,	others	who	have	arrived	at	that
state	have	described	it	as	‘cosmic	consciousness’	because	of	the	enormity
of	the	‘event’. It	should	not	be	forgotten	that	this	occurrence	impacts	the
total	consciousness	of	all	mankind	and	does	so	for	many	thousands	of
years,	and	on	into	time	without	end. Without	the	consciousness	of	the	avatar	appearing	on	this	planet,
mankind	would	have	self-destructed	millennia	ago. Thus,	when	the
Buddha	extols	the	virtues	and	magnificence	of	his	‘teachings’,	he	is
merely	being	humble	and	factual. It	has	nothing	to	do	with	being	self-
laudatory. The	realization	of	that	which	sustains	all	life	is	hardly	a	small
discovery. Every	sage	knows	the	same	thing	but	expresses	it	differently	or
perhaps	in	other	styles	of	language. Q:	Why	is	the	intellect,	which	is	so	useful	in	dealing	with	material
problems,	so	useless	and,	in	fact,	a	hindrance	when	it	comes	to
reaching	enlightenment? A:	The	ego/mind	is	limited	to	perceptually	created,	linear	sequential	logic,
abstractions,	and	the	use	of	words,	concepts,	and	symbols. The	matrix	of
the	comprehension	afforded	by	intellection	is	actually	an	epistemological
position	that	relies	primarily	on	definitions. Thus,	it	is	definition	itself	that
is	the	very	crux	of	the	impediment. Definition	is	an	artifice,	an	agreed-
upon	symbolism	displayed	as	verbal	or	auditory	syntax	so	that	it	will	have
a	communicable,	specific,	and	limited	meaning. Language	is	as	useful	as	it
is	precise. To	define,	we	have	to	deal	in	abstract	categories	of	thought. We	specify
class,	genus,	and	species. Thus,	verbalization	and	languaging	result	in
careful,	progressive	limitation	from	class	to	genus	to	species	to	particularindividual. The	perfection	of	this	level	of	consciousness	calibrates	in	the	400s,	at
which	499	is	the	level	of	intellectual	genius. This	level	is	very	powerful. It
creates	and	sustains	all	modern	science,	industry,	and	the	economy	as	well
as	space	exploration	and	biological	research. The	400s	are	certainly	a	long,
long	way	beyond	the	mentality	of	Neanderthal	Man. Modern	society	lives
in	the	400s—the	age	of	the	university,	the	Internet,	the	newspaper,	and
electronic	communication—but	self-realization	is	a	state	of	a	different
dimension. It	is	unlimited,	beyond	form,	and	all	inclusive. Language	and	concepts	consist	of	very	limited,	distinct	forms. Although	this	generality	is	easy	to	see,	it	is	more	far-reaching	and	subtle	in
its	effect	than	can	be	easily	described. At	the	very	basis	of	the	limitation	of
thinking/mind/logic	is	the	fact,	as	pointed	out	by	Korzypski,	that	a	symbol
or	a	word	is	not	the	same	thing	as	that	which	it	denotes	(e.g.,	the	map	is
not	the	territory). In	Reality,	everything	is	totally	and	completely	self-identical	and	self-
existent. It	is	exactly	and	only	what	it	is	in	a	very	radical	self-identity	that
excludes	all	adjectives,	adverbs,	verbs,	pronouns,	or	actually	even	nouns. From	the	viewpoint	of	radical	truth,	a	thing	can	be	said	only	to	be	itself. All	language	is	thus	based	on	perceptual	bias	and	limitation. For	instance,
if	it	is	said	that	it	is	a	great	day	outside,	the	radical	fact	is	quite	to	the
contrary. A	day	is,	after	all,	a	specified	duration	of	time. It	cannot	have	any
color. There	is	no	such	thing,	actually,	as	‘a	great	day’. With	examination,
it	will	be	found	that	all	definitions	and	statements	are	false,	without
exception,	and	thus	are	restricted	severely	and	radically	to	self-identity
only. An	individual	is
not
	a	class,	or	even	a	genus	or	a	species. These	are	all
categories	of	thought. In	Reality,	each	thing	is	perfect	as	a	definition	and
expression	of	itself	by	the	authority	and	self-effulgence	of	its	own
existence. All	labels	are	therefore	fallacious. A	thing	is	not	a	word	or	a
concept. At	a	deep	level	of	understanding,	all	language	and	symbols	are
fallacious. For	instance,	people	are	not	caused	to	be	frozen	to	death	by	a
thermometer	that	is	reading	twenty	degrees	below	zero	Fahrenheit. They
freeze	to	death	because	of	the	absence	of	heat,	which	we	(fallaciously)
term	‘coldness’. Even	if	we	say	someone	‘froze	to	death’,	that	is	also
fallacious. The	person	actually	died	because	their	heart	stopped	beating. Even	that	is	not	true. The	person	died	because	if	the	heart	stopped,	the
brain	lacked	oxygen	and	stopped	breathing. Even	that	is	fallacious	because
with	no	oxygen,	the	energy	production	from	chemical	reactions	of	the
body	has	stopped	(cyclic	amp,	etc.). Even	that	is	fallacious	because	whenthe	enzymes	stop,	the	chemical	processes	they	catalyze	stop. Even	that	is
fallacious,	and	so	on. Eventually	we	find	that	the	person’s	body	died
because	the	etheric/life/energy/spirit	body	that	had	inhabited	the	body	had
left. No	thing	or	person	can	actually	be	an	adjective. It	cannot	actually	even
be	a	noun. As	a	matter	of	fact,	it	cannot	even	do	anything. The	limitation
of	radical	reality	is	that	it	can	only	‘be’. Not	only	that,	it	can	only
specifically	be	precisely	that	which	it	is,	with	no	descriptive	terms	applied
at	all. Abstractions	have	no	existence	or	reality. They	do	not	have	the	capacity
to	‘be’. All	qualifiers	are	a	perceptual	artifice;	none	actually	exist. Reality
becomes	self-evident	when	the	obstruction	of	perception	and	mentation
are	removed,	including	all	belief	systems. Q:	Are	beliefs	also	obstacles? A:	Yes	and	no. A	belief	is	an	operational	substitute	for	the	knowledge	that	can
be	gained	only	by	experience. For	instance,	a	traveler	believes	that	a
country	called	China	exists,	based	on	faith	and	information. The	belief
gives	sufficient	basis	for	action. The	traveler	first	hears	about	China,	and
then	reads	information. At	that	point,	the	person	‘knows	about


aging cheater. When the
mask of our human persona gets too tight, when ther e is no
more room to gr ow or br eathe, it blows itself up, so that it
can r e-create itself anew. Ther e are literally millions of
examples thr oughout time that clearly demonstrate the
phenomenon of the Shadow Eﬀect. Y et when these little or
massive indiscr etions of others ar e brought to light, we ar e
left shaking our heads, perple xed at their behavior. We call
it a fall fr om grace, but is it r eally a fall fr om grace? Is grace
no mor e than a well-constructed act we show the world,
while our secr et life is hidden fr om those we love? UNCO VERING OUR SHADOW
When we ﬁnd ourselves obsessed with aspects of other
people’s shadows, it is only because they have touched one
of our own. W e are used to thinking that we cannot see
ourselves unless we ar e looking in a mir ror—but this is true
only on one level. The fact is we can see ourselves in living
color by taking note of what we observe in other people. W e
are designed to pr oject onto others the qualities we can’t
see in ourselves. It’s not a bad thing. W e all do it all the
time. P rojection is an involuntary defense mechanism of the
ego; instead of acknowledging the qualities in us that we
dislik e, we pr oject them onto someone else. W e project
them onto our mothers, our kids, our friends, or, even
better, some famous public ﬁgur e we have never even met. Whatever we judge or condemn in another is ultimately a
disowned or r ejected part of ourselves. When we ar e in the
midst of pr ojection, it appears as though we ar e seeing the
other person, but in r eality we ar e seeing a hidden aspect ofourselves. Those we pr oject on hold pieces of our unclaimed
darkness as well as pieces of our unclaimed light. Simultaneously afraid of our own unworthiness as well as
our own gr eatness, we unconsciously transfer these
qualities onto another rather than own them ourselves. You have alr eady e xperienced the power of pr ojection
thousands of times in your life. Y ou walk into a r oom and
feel suddenly enamor ed with someone. Y ou begin a
conversation, and then she starts telling you about her lik es
or dislik es that don’t mesh with your own. Suddenly that
person looks diﬀer ent to you—the trance of pr ojection has
been br oken and you see her in a completely diﬀer ent light. If a moment later she happens to mention that she can get
you courtside tick ets to a game you’ve been dying to see or
that she knows someone who can help you get your latest
project oﬀ the gr ound, you may again see her in a favorable
light and she may seem mor e inter esting. F inally, the
conversation is back on track, but in the very ne xt breath
she starts dr opping names, and when she suddenly r eminds
you of your bragging father -in-law, you feel r epulsed. In
reality, nothing about this person has changed e xcept your
perception of her. This is the power of pr ojection. If you
understand this phenomenon, you will understand why you
can love someone one minute and in the very ne xt moment
ﬁnd that person unbearably annoying. Our unclaimed darkness continually shows itself on the
screen of those ar ound us. W e might see our
submissiveness in our mother, our gr eed in our father, our
laziness in our husband, or our righteous ness in politicians. Projection sounds lik e this: “She’s so self -center ed.” “ He is
so full of himself.” “What an idiot. He is such a loser.”
Projection e xplains why ﬁve siblings can gr ow up in the
same home, and each of them will r ecount a diﬀer ent story
about their par ents, assign them a diﬀer ent set of str engths
and weaknesses, and r emember them as possessing
diﬀer ent characteristics.It’s of ten har d to r ecognize our own bad behavior,
because we ar e continually pr ojecting it on others. The mor e
convinced we ar e of other people’s wr ongdoings, the mor e
likely it is that we ourselves ar e guilty of the same
indiscr etions. A.J., who tends bar at a popular r estaurant,
was headed home af ter a long day’s work and looking
forwar d to spending a quiet evening with his wife and family. A few short minutes into his drive, he suddenly hear d the
noise behind him that we all dr ead—the squeal of a sir en. As
he pulled over, he sear ched his memory to see what he
could have done, but nothing came to mind. He r olled down
his window, and the oﬃcer ask ed to see his license. After he handed over his ID, the oﬃcer leaned in and
asked him, “Y oung man, have you been drinking?”
A.J. replied, “No, sir, I was at work.”
“Young man, I believe you have been drinking, and it
would serve your best inter est to tell the truth. Maybe
you’ve been somewher e besides work?” the oﬃcer ask ed
sarcastically. A.J., feeling agitated and slightly defensive, said, “No, sir, I
haven’t been drinking. A ctually, I was at the sports bar
serving you drinks all af ternoon.”
The oﬃcer, obviously stunned, handed A.J. his license
back, got into his patr ol car, and dr ove away. This is a
perfect e xample of pr ojection. When the oﬃcer, a little
buzzed and maybe feeling a bit guilty about having a few
drinks while on duty, went back to work af ter his “br eak,” he
unconsciously began looking for himself. The parts of ourselves we try to avoid may be hidden fr om
our view, but they e xist as part of our ener gy ﬁeld
regardless. The behaviors and feelings we ar e not at peace
with will always ﬁnd a scr een to pr oject themselves on, and
we can be sur e this is happening when we feel an emotional
charge in the pr esence of someone else. Imagine having a
hundr ed diﬀer ent electrical outlets on your chest. Each
outlet r epresents a diﬀer ent quality. The qualities youacknowledge and embrace have cover plates over them. They ar e safe—no electricity runs thr ough them. But the
qualities you’r e not ok ay with, the ones you have not yet
owned, do have a char ge. So when others come along and
reﬂect back to you an image of a self you don’t want to be,
you become r eactive. Here’s an e xample. I once dated a man I consider ed to be
a bit chubby and out of shape. A fter a few months of dating,
I noticed that, no matter wher e we went, he would point out
the guy who was overweight, who had a pot belly, or whose
pants hung too low. One day, as we wer e walking thr ough
the airport on our way out of town for a r omantic getaway,
he pointed his ﬁnger at another man he didn’t even know
and would never see again and said, “What a slob. Why do
you think that guy doesn’t tak e car e of himself?”
I ﬁnally couldn’t k eep my mouth shut any longer, and I
muster ed up the courage to tell him that he was just
projecting his own weight concer ns on various poor
overweight men he didn’t even know. I suggested that
instead of pointing his ﬁnger at them, he should just look
down. I thought he was going to trip getting oﬀ the
escalator as he spotted, as if for the ﬁrst time, his own
bulging belly. His face dr opped as he r ealized that he too
was car rying an e xtra twenty -ﬁve pounds of unwanted
weight. Embar rassed, he sheepishly ask ed me if he r eally
looked lik e the other men. Scar ed that I would ruin my fun
week end away, I lied and told him that maybe he wasn’t as
bad as the others, but that ther e wer e many other places
his eye could be going when we wer e out in public, so it
must mean that, at some level, he really wanted to tak e on
his own body and alter the way he appear ed in the world or
he wouldn’t be so plugged in. There wer e literally hundr eds of other traits he could have
focused on—somebody’s hair, smile, beautiful eyes, or big
n


bleeding	or
hemorrhagic	disease. If	a	hemorrhage	occurs	in	the	brain,	it	may	cause	destruction	of
brain	tissue,	paralysis,	or	death. The	severity	of	the	bleeding	may	be	determined	by	such
variable	triggers	as	hypertension	and	alcohol	abuse. Platelet	counts	also	drop	when	the
production	of	new	cells	does	not	keep	pace	with	the	destruction	of	damaged	or	worn-out
cells;	this	occurs	when	gallstones	cut	off	the	blood	supply	to	the	liver	cells. Vitamin	K	is	another	element	essential	for	the	synthesis	of	major	clotting	factors. It	is	a
fat-soluble	vitamin	stored	in	the	liver. To	absorb	fats	in	the	intestines,	the	body	requires
bile	salts	that	are	made	available	through	bile	secretions. Gallstones	in	the	liver	and
gallbladder	obstruct	bile	flow,	which	leads	to	inadequate	fat	absorption	and	subsequent
vitamin	K	deficiency. As	discussed	earlier,	gallstones	in	the	liver	can	lead	to	disorders	of	the	vascular	system. When	the	blood	undergoes	changes	and	becomes	too	thick,	blood	vessels	begin	to	harden
and	become	damaged. If	a	blood	clot	forms	in	an	injured	artery,	a	piece	of	that	blood	clot
(
embolus
)	may	lodge	in	a	small	artery	distant	from	the	injury	and	obstruct	the	blood	flow,
causing
ischemia
	and
infarction. If	the	infarction	occurs	in	a	brain	artery,	it	is	called	a
stroke. All	circulatory	disturbances	affect	the	brain	and	the	rest	of	the	nervous	system. The
disruption	of	liver	functions	particularly	affects
atrocytes
—cells	that	form	the	mainsupporting	tissue	of	the	central	nervous	system. This	condition	is	characterized	by	apathy,
disorientation,	brain	fog,	delirium,	muscular	rigidity,	and	coma. Nitrogenous	bacterial
waste	absorbed	from	the	colon,	unless	detoxified	by	the	liver,	may	reach	the	brain	cells	via
the	blood. Other	metabolic	waste	products,	such	as	ammonia,	may	reach	toxic
concentrations	and	change	the	permeability	of	the	blood	vessels	in	the	brain,	thus	reducing
the	effectiveness	of	the	blood-brain	barrier. This	may	permit	various	noxious	substances	to
enter	the	brain	and	cause	further	damage. If	a	large	number	of	neurons	of	the	brain	no
longer	receive	enough	nourishment,	there	is	atrophy	of	neural	tissue,	which	leads	to
dementia
	or
Alzheimer’s	disease. When	a	certain	class	of	neurons	that	are	responsible	for
producing	the	brain	hormone	and	neurotransmitter
dopamine
	suffer	malnourishment,
Parkinson’s	disease
	results. Repeated	exposure	to	certain	environmental	or	internally
produced	toxins	can	also	be	responsible. Multiple	sclerosis	(MS)
	occurs	when	the	cells	that	produce
myelin
	(a	sheath	of	fatty
material	that	surrounds	most	axons	of	nerve	cells)	suffer	malnutrition	and	insufficient
lymph	drainage. The	myelin	sheath	diminishes,	and	axons	become	injured. MS	patients
always	suffer	from	progressive	congestion	in	the	large	intestine;	this	prevents	proper
nutrient	absorption. Cleansing	the	eliminative	organs	and	improving	nutrition	are	among
the	most	powerful	ways	to	halt	and	possibly	reverse	MS. The	liver	controls	the	digestion,	absorption,	and	metabolism	of	fatty	substances
throughout	the	body. Gallstones	interfere	with	fat	metabolism	and	affect	cholesterol	levels
in	the	blood. Cholesterol	is	an	essential	building	block	of	all	our	body	cells	and	is	needed
for	every	metabolic	process. Our	brains	consist	of	more	than	10	percent	pure	cholesterol
(all	water	removed). Cholesterol	is	important	for	brain	development	and	brain	function. It
protects	the	nerves	against	damage	or	injury. An	imbalance	of	blood	fats	can	profoundly
affect	the	nervous	system	and,	thereby,	cause	almost	any	type	of	illness	in	the	body. Removing	gallstones	from	the	liver	and	gallbladder	increases	nutrient	supplies	to	all	the
cells,	thus	rejuvenating	the	nervous	system	and	improving	all	functions	in	the	body. Disorders	of	the	Bone

Although	bone	is	the	hardest	tissue	in	the	body,	it	is,	nevertheless,	very	much	alive. Human	bone	consists	of	20	percent	water;	30-40	percent	organic	material,	such	as	living
cells;	and	40-50	percent	inorganic	material,	such	as	calcium. Bone	tissue	contains	many
blood	and	lymph	vessels	and	nerves. The	cells	responsible	for	balanced	bone	growth	are
osteoblasts
	and
osteoclasts
. Osteoblasts	are	the	bone-forming	cells,	whereas	osteoclasts
are	responsible	for	resorption	of	bone	to	maintain	optimum	shape. A	third	group	of	cells,
known	as
chondrocytes,
	are	in	charge	of	forming	cartilage. The	less	dense	parts	of	the
bone,	called
cancellous	bone,
	contain	red	bone	marrow,	which	produces	red	and	white
blood	cells. Most	bone	diseases	occur	when	bone	cells	no	longer	receive	enough	nourishment. Gallstones	in	the	liver	usually	lead	to	lymph	congestion	in	the	intestinal	tract	and,
consequently,	in	other	parts	of	the	body	(see
Disorders	of	the	Circulatory	System
). Good
bone	health	results	from	the	sustained	balance	between	the	functions	of	osteoblast	and
osteoclast	cells. This	delicate	balance	becomes	disturbed	when	nutrient	supply	is	deficient
and	thereby	slows	the	production	of	new	bone	tissue	by	osteoblasts. Osteoporosis
	results
when	the	amount	of	bone	tissue	is	reduced	because	the	growth	of	new	bone	does	not	keep
pace	with	the	destruction	of	old	bone. Cancellous
	bone	is	usually	affected	before
compact
bone
	is. Compact	bone	makes	up	the	outer	layer	of	the	bone. In	generalized	osteoporosis,	excessive	calcium	is	reabsorbed	from	bone,	thereby	raising
the	calcium	levels	of	blood	and	urine. This	may	predispose	a	person	to	form	stones	in	the
kidneys	and,	possibly,	suffer	renal	failure. Gallstones	in	the	liver	substantially	reduce	bile
production. Bile	is	essential	for	the	absorption	of	calcium	from	the	small	intestines. Even
if	the	body	received	more	than	enough	calcium	foods	or	food	supplements,	a	shortage	of
bile	would	render	much	of	the	ingested	calcium	useless	for	bone	building	and	other
important	metabolic	processes. In	addition,	the	presence	of	gallstones	in	the	liver	raises
the	level	of	harmful	acids	in	the	blood,	some	of	which	are	neutralized	by	calcium	leached
from	the	bones	and	teeth. (Something	similar	happens	when	a	person	drinks	cow’s	milk. To	neutralize	the	high	phosphorus	concentration	of	ingested	milk,	the	body	uses	not	only
the	milk’s	calcium	but	also	calcium	from	the	bones	and	teeth.) Eventually,	the	body’s	calcium	reserves	become	depleted,	diminishing	bone	density	or
bone	mass. This	may	lead	to	bone	and	hip	fractures	and	even	death. With	more	than	half
of	all	women	over	age	50	already	affected	by	osteoporosis	(albeit	only	in	industrialized
nations),	it	is	obvious	that	the	current	approach	of	t


 them is betrayal. Betrayal is a wor d that we
don’t r eally understand until it’s happened to us. Ther e’s an
unparalleled pain when a friend is the one who’s holding the
knife. In the Course, Jesus says that although, accor ding to the
thinking of the world, he was betrayed, he didn’t choose
that per ception for himself. In other wor ds, he knew that he
couldn’t r eally be betrayed, because what isn’t love isn’t
real. So when we ar e attack ed, when the medicine is so
bitter that it tak es all our power not to crumble as we tak e
it, what do we do then? Wher e is our solace? Someone once told me that the way peacock feathers
are made is fr om peacocks eating thor ns. What a beautiful
image, that the harsh things we have to digest can
contribute to our beauty. But not always. Only when we
open up enough to r eally tak e in the hor ror, oddly enough. Resistance and defense only mak e the er ror mor e real, and
increase our pain. If Jesus had yelled fr om the cr oss, “I hate all you guys,” it
would have been a completely diﬀer ent story. Ther e would
have been no r esurrection. What cr eated the space for his
triumph was his defenselessness, his holding to love despite
what others wer e doing to him. The body can be destr oyed,
but truth cannot be. T ruth will always r eassert itself, given a
symbolic thr ee days. Thr ee days r epresents the time it tak es
between the cruciﬁxion and the r esurrection, between an
open-hearted r esponse to hurt and the e xperience of r ebirth
that will always follow. How of ten I’ve said to myself and others, “This is just the
three days. Hold on. Hold on.” When our friends have tur ned
against us, or we have been cheated or lied about, thetemptation is so str ong to defend, attack back. But the
Course says that “in our defenselessness, our safety lies.” It
is one mor e place wher e our power comes fr om saying, “I
will step back and let Him lead the way.” The Christ within
us can handle any assault because it is not aﬀected by
lovelessness. Only our belief that we ar e aﬀected by fear
can mak e it aﬀect us. Defense is a way of agr eeing with the
attack er in the power of his attack, and so making it r eal in
our e xperience. It tak es gr eat courage and personal str ength to hold on
to our center during times of gr eat hurt. It tak es wisdom to
understand that our r eactiveness only fans the ﬂames of
false drama. L ove cr eates a mystical shield ar ound us,
protecting us fr om chaos. When we ar e in the midst of loss,
or betrayal, or crisis of any kind, ther e is power in the wor ds,
“Be still and know I am.” T ruth can never be destr oyed. There is no loss e xcept in time, says the Course, and time
does not e xist. 18. MARRIAGE
“You undertook, together, to invite the Holy
Spirit into your r elationship.”
Marriage, lik e everything else, can be used by either the ego
or the Holy Spirit. Its content is never pr edeter mined. It is a
living or ganism that r eﬂects the continuous choices of the
individuals involved. Very little is sacr ed anymor e in this world, but one thing
must be tr eated with r everence or else the moral fabric of
the world disintegrates: an agr eement between two people. An enlightened mar riage is a commitment to participate inthe pr ocess of mutual gr owth and for giveness, sharing a
common goal of service to God. A man once told me that his r elationship with his e x-wife
work ed beautifully for the ﬁrst year they wer e together. At
that time they wer e both actively involved in an
organization dedicated to personal gr owth. Once they lef t
the or ganization, however, the mar riage fell apart. This
doesn’t indicate that the mar riage had nothing going for it
anyway. Rather, it r eveals the importance of a conte xt
bigger than the personal concer ns of one or even both
parties. Why is mar riage a mor e profound commitment than
other for ms of r elationship, such as a couple who ar e living
together? Because it is an agr eement that, while a whole lot
of shaking and scr eaming might go on, no one’s going to
leave the r oom. W e are both safe to go thr ough whatever
emotion is called forth fr om deep within us—and whenever
we ar e truthful, ther e are times when we ar e upset—but it is
safe to do that her e. No one is leaving. The commitment of mar riage is publicly declar ed. When
guests ar e present at a wedding and the cer emony is a
religious one, a ritual is perfor med in which collective
prayers for m a cir cle of light and pr otection ar ound the
relationship. A mar riage is God’s gif t to a man and woman. It is a gif t
that should then be given back to Him. A man’s wife is
literally God’s gif t to Him. A woman’s husband is God’s gif t
to her. But God only gives gif ts that ar e meant for everyone. So it is that a mar riage is meant to be a blessing on the
world, because it is a conte xt in which two people might
become mor e than they would have been alone. The entir e
world is blessed by the pr esence of healed people. One ofthe Course’s W orkbook e xercises r eads, “When I am healed,
I am not healed alone.”
A partner’s support and for giveness enable us to stand
forth mor e magniﬁcently in the world. A Course in Miracles
tells us that love is not meant to be e xclusive, but inclusive. Several years ago ther e was a popular song that included
the refrain, “Y ou and me against the world.” If any man
every said that to me, I’d tell him I was switching sides. W e
don’t get mar ried to escape the world; we get mar ried to
heal it together. Under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, a mar ried couple
commit to the cr eation of a conte xt in which their individual
resour ces—material, emotional and spiritual—ar e placed in
each other’s service. As we give, so shall we r eceive. Service does not mean self -sacriﬁce. It means giving the
needs of another person the same priority as our own. The
ego claims that one person wins at the e xpense of another. The Holy Spirit enters into any sit uation bringing a win for
everyone involved. In mar riage we have a wonderful
opportunity to see thr ough the illusion of separate needs. The mar ried couple is not to think only in ter ms of what’s
good for him or her, but rather what is good for them. This is
one of the many ways in which mar riage can be part of the
healing of the Son of God. As with anything else, the k ey to a successful mar riage is
the conscious awar eness of God. The mar riage is
surrender ed to Him to be used for His purposes. The saying
that the family that prays together stays together, is true. The enlightened mar riage includes the pr esence of a
mystical thir d. The Holy Spirit is ask ed to guide per ceptions,
thoughts, feelings and actions in or der that in this, as in all
things, God’s will might be done on earth as it is in Heaven.19. FORGIVING OUR PARENTS, OUR FRIENDS,
OURSEL VES
“The holiest of all spots on earth is wher e an
ancient hatr ed has become a pr esent love.”
There is no coming to consciousness without for giving our
parents. Whether we lik e it or not, our mother is our primary
image of an adult woman, and our father is our primary
image of an adult man. If we hold grievances against our
mother, then if we ar e a man, we will not be able to escape
the pr ojection of guilt onto other adult women who come
into our lives; and if we ar e a woman, we will not be able to
escape self -condemnation as we gr ow into our womanhood. If we hold grievances against our father, then if we ar e a
woman, we will not be able to escape pr ojection of guilt
onto other adult men who come into our lives; and if we ar e
a man, we will not be able to escape self -condemnation as
we gr ow into our manhood. That’s it. A t a certain point,


 creating time, psychological time — the stuf f out of
which drama is made. Whenever you are not honoring the present
moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama. Most pe ople are  in love with their particular life drama. Their  story is
their ide ntity. The ego runs their life. They have their whole sen se of self
invested in it. Even their — usually unsuccessful — search for an
answer, a solution, or for healing becomes part of it. What they fear and
resist most is the end of their drama. As long as they ar e  their mind, what
they fear and resist most is their own awakening. When you live in complete acceptance of what is, tha t is the end  of all
drama in  your life. Nobody can even have an ar gument with you, no
matter h ow hard he or she tries. Y ou cannot have an ar gument with a
fully conscious person. An ar gument implies identification with your
mind and a mental position, as well as resistance and reaction to the
other pe rson’ s position. The result is that the polar opposites become
mutually ener gized. These are the mechanics of unconsciousness. Y ou
can still make yo ur point clearly and firmly, but there will be no reactive
force be hind it, no defense or at tack. So it won’ t turn into drama. When
you are fully conscious, you ce ase to be in conflict. “No one w ho is at
one with himself can even co nceive of conflict,” states A Course in
Miracles. T his refers no t only to confl ict with other people but more
fundamentally to conflict withi n you, which ceases when there is no
longer any clash between the d emands and expectations of your mind
and what is. IMPERMANENCE AND THE CYCLES OF LIFE
However, as long as you are in the physical dimension and linked to the
collective huma n psyche, physical pain — although rare — is still
possible. This is not to be confused with suf fering, with  mental-
emotional pain. All suf fering is ego-created and is due to re sistance. Also, as long as you are in thi s dimension, you are still subj ect to its
cyclical nature and to the law of impermanence of all things, but you no
longer perceive this as “bad” — it just is.Through allowing the “isness ” of all things, a deeper dimension
underneath the play of opposites reveals itself to you as an abiding
presence, an unchanging deep stillness, an uncaused joy beyo nd good
and bad. This is the joy of Being, the peace of God. On the level of form, there is birth and death, creation and destruction,
growth and dissolution, of seem ingly separate forms. This is reflected
everywhere: in the life cycle of a star or a planet, a physical body, a tree,
a flower; in the  rise and fall of nations, political systems, civilizations;
and in the inevitable cycles of gain and loss in the life of an individual. There ar e cycle s of success, w hen things come to you and thrive, and
cycles o f failure, when they wi ther or disintegrate and you ha ve to let
them go in order to make room for new things to arise, or for
transformation to happen. If you cling and resist at that point, it means
you are refusing to go with the flow of life, and you will suf fer. It is not true that the up cycle is good and the down cycle bad, except in
the mind’ s judgment. Growth is usually considered positive, but nothing
can grow forever. If growth, of whatever kind, were to go on a nd on, it
would eventually become mon strous and destructive. Disso lution is
needed for new growth to happen. One cannot exist without the other. The down cycle is absolutely essential for spiritual realization. Y ou must
have failed deeply on some level or experienced some deep loss or pain
to b e drawn to the spiritual dimension. Or perhaps your very  success
became empty and meaningless and so turned out to be failure. Failure
lies con cealed in every success, and success in every failure. In this
world, w hich is to say on the le vel of form, everybody “fails” sooner or
later, of course, and every achie vement eventually comes to naught. All
forms are impermanent. Y ou can  still be active and enjoy  manifesting and creating new f orms and
circumstances, b ut you won’ t be identified with them. Y ou do not need
them to give you a sense of self. They are not your life — only your life
situation. Y our physical ener gy is also subject to cycles. It cannot always be at a
peak. Th ere wil l be times of low as well as high ener gy. There will be
periods when you are highly active and creative, but there may also be
times w hen everything seems stagnant, when it seems that you are notgetting anywhere, not achieving anything. A cycle can last for anything
from a few hour s to a few years. There are lar ge cycles and sma ll cycles
within these lar ge ones. Many  illnesses are created through fighting
against the cycles of low ener g y, which are vital for regeneration. The
compulsion to do, and the tend ency to derive your sense of s elf-worth
and identity from external facto rs such as achievement, is an inevitable
illusion as long as you are identified with the mind. This makes it hard or
impossible for you to accept the low cycles and allow them to be. Thus,
the intelligence of the or ganism may take over as a self-protective
measure and create an illness in  order to force you to stop, so  that the
necessary regeneration can take place. The cyclical nature of the universe is closely linked with the
impermanence o f all things and situations. The Buddha made this a
central part of his teaching. All conditions are highly u nstable and in
constant flux, or, as he put it, impermanence is a characteristic of every
condition, every situation you will ever encounter in your life. It will
change, disappea r, or no longer satisfy you. Impermanence is als o central
to Jesus ’ s teaching: “Do not la y up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal....”
As l ong as a condition is judged as “good” by your mind, whether it be a
relationship, a possession, a social role, a place, or your physical body,
the mind  attaches itself to it and identifies with it. It makes yo u happy,
makes you feel g ood about yourself, and it may become part of who you
are o r th ink you are. But nothing lasts in this dimension where moth and
rust consume. Either it ends or it changes, or it may under go a  polarity
shift: The same condition that was good yesterday or last year has
suddenly or gradually turned into bad. The same condition that made you
happy th en makes you unhappy. The prosperity of today becomes the
empty consumerism of tomorrow. The happy wedding and honeymoon
become the unhappy divorce or the unhappy coexistence. Or a condition
disappears, so its absence makes you unhappy. When a condition or
situation that the mind has attac hed itself to and identified with changes
or d isappears, the mind cannot accept it. It will cling to the disappearing
condition and resist the change. It is almost as if a limb were b eing torn
of f your body. W e som etimes h ear of people w ho have lost all their money or whose
reputations have  been ruined committing suicide. Those are the extremecases. O thers, w henever a major loss of one kind or another oc curs, just
become deeply unhappy or make themselves ill. They cannot distinguish
between their life and the ir life situation. I recently read about a famous
actress who died in her eighties. As her beauty started to fade and
became ravaged  by old age, she grew desperately unhappy and became a
recluse. She, too, had identified with a condition: her external
appearance. Firs t, the condition gave her a happy sense of self, then an
unhappy one. If she had been able to connect with the form less and
timeless life within, she could h ave watched and allowed the fading of
her exte rnal form from a place of serenity and peace. Moreover, her
external form would have become increasingly transparent to the light
shining through  from her ageless true nature, so her beauty would not
really have faded but simply be come transformed into spiritual beauty. However, nobody told her that this is possible. The most essential kind
of knowledge is not yet widely accessible. The Buddha taught that even your happiness is dukkha  — a Pali word
meaning “suf fering” or “unsatisfactoriness.” It is inseparable from its
opposite. This means that your happiness and unhappiness are in fact
one. Only the illusion of time separates them. This is not being negative. It is simply recognizing the nature of things,
so th at you don’ t pursue an illusion for the rest of your life. Nor is it
saying that you should no long


 unsalted cottage cheese, 1 cup yogurt (or churned
buttermilk), ¼ cup vinegar or lemon juice, 2 tsp honey, 1 clove garliccrushed, ¼ tsp tarragon, marjoram, or dill, ¼ cup chives or green onions
chopped, and 2 tbsp linseed oil (optional). Blend the first 5 ingredients in blender until smooth. Add herbs and chives. To thin mixture, add more yogurt. Chill before serving. Summer Cole Slaw*
1 stalk celery finely chopped, ¼ cup minced red onion, 1½ cups shredded
cabbage, ¼ cup shredded carro t, pinch of fresh dill, and 2 cups nonfat
yogurt. Combine all ingredients in bowl and toss well. Serve chilled. Artichoke Salad
1 purple onion, 1 tomato, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 artichoke, 1 green
bell pepper, 2 carrots, and 3 tbsp flaxseed oil. Wash the artichokes well and boil in covered pot for 45 minutes to 1
hour. When ready, peel them until you can see the center. Remove the “chokes” with a spoon and discard. Cut the artichoke heart and other vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Combine and toss with vinegar and oil. Bessarabian Nightmar eSD
2 tomatoes sliced, 1 small onion sliced, 1 red or green pepper (or both)
sliced, 2-3 cloves of garlic crushed, and permitted herbs to taste. Layer each ingredient in a glass Pyrex® baking dish. Bake at 350° until tender. Cool and add flaxseed oil to taste when cool enough.Celery Root (Knob) Salad
Remove loose roots from 2 celery knobs and scrub clean. Boil knobs in jacket about 1 hour; peel and slice. Add: 1 medium chopped raw onion, scallions (green onion). Toss with Herb or Garlic and Onion Dressing. Cold Br occoli SaladYN *
2 lbs broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces. Stew over a low flame in a heavy pan with a tight-fitting cover until
barely tender, about 25–30 minutes. Chill. Add: 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup shallots or green onions, 1 cup
buttermilk dressing, 2-3 tsp chives, and 2-3 tsp parsley. Combine broccoli, tomatoes, and shallots in bowl. Mix in dressing. Serve on bed of endive and garnish with chives and parsley. Eggplant SaladSD
1 eggplant baked for one hour at 350° F (180°Celsius). Let eggplant cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Combine with: 1 small onion chopped, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, chopped
parsley, 2 sliced tomatoes, and flax oil. Fruity W inter Salad  GSG DAIR Y
½ white cabbage, 2 medium carrots, 2 red apples, 1 oz raisins, 1 oz dried
figs, 1 oz dried apricots, 10 tbsp nonfat yogurt, 1½ lemon, and chopped
parsley. Soak dried figs and apricots in bowl of water overnight. The next day, empty water and add finely shredded cabbage, coarsely
grated carrots and apples, and raisins. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and parsley. Combine contents of each bowl and toss together until well mixed.Serve chilled. Italian Salad
Cauliflower, broccoli, celery, tomatoes. Wash and cut up all vegetables,  then toss with Herb or Garlic and Onion
Dressing. Peach SaladSD
Mix together the following: 1 tomato chopped, 1 red pepper chopped, 1
green pepper chopped, 1 peach  chopped, ½ cup green and red seedless
grapes, and a few mint leaves. Dress with lemon and garlic dressing: equal parts lemon juice and water. Add a little brown sugar (Sucanat) and crushed garlic. Potato Salad, Basic (#1)
Boil potatoes in jackets until soft (1 hour); peel and slice. Add: onions, scallions, celery, green peppers, Herb or Garlic and Onion
Dressing. Potato Salad, Fancy (#2)
4 potatoes, 1 white onion, ¼ cup celery, 3 grated carrots, flaxseed oil, 2
bay leaves, 1 purple onion, parsley, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 green
bell pepper. Boil the potatoes, in their jackets, with the bay leaves on slow heat. Cut the vegetables and saute with the apple cider vinegar (can use wok). Use no oil! Once the potatoes are cooked, peel and cut them into small cubes and add
the cooked vegetables. Add the flaxseed oil after the mixture is cooled.Rice SaladSD
Mix cooked, organic, brown rice (with bay leaf and a little rosemary)
with plenty of chopped vegetables including tomatoes, celery, zucchini,
radishes, fresh garden herbs, and lemon and garlic dressing (see under
Peach Salad). Rose, borage, or marigold petals look beautiful sprinkled over the salad. Add apricots that have been soaked in water and chopped (if desired). Raw Grated Carr ots and Apples
Grate by putting through food grinder or Norwalk juicer: 2 or 3 carrots, 1
apple peeled. Add ¼ cup raisins, juice of ½ orange or lemon. Red and Gr een SaladYN
Combine the following ingredients and serve with spinach dressing:
1 head romaine lettuce, 2 cups shredded savoy or green cabbage, 3 green
onions, 1 cup sunflower greens,  2 kohlrabi cut in shoestring strips or peeled
broccoli stems, 1 thinly sliced yellow crookneck squash, and 1 pint cherry
tomatoes or 1 lar ge sweet red pepper cut in strips. Sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichoke) Salad
Combine: 2 cups sunchokes (cooked or raw), ½ cup celery sliced
diagonally, ¼ cup green peppers, and ½ cup salad dressing. Tomato and Pepper SaladSD
1 green pepper cut into thin rings, 2 tomatoes firm but ripe and sliced or
chopped. Dress with lemon juice and crushed garlic, fresh herbs, and chopped
celery leaves. Add flax oil to taste.Beet Salad
Boil beets in water for 1 hour. Peel and cut tips of f; slice thin. Add chopped onions and either Herb or Garlic and Onion Dressing. COOKED  VEGET ABLE  DISHES
Preparation of V egetables
All vege tables must be cooked slowly, over low flame, with little or no
added water. In order to preserve the natural flavor of the vegetables and
keep them easily  digestible, the slow cooking process is very important. All
vegetables shoul d be “done” or tender. Valuable components are lost in fast
cooking by excessive heat. Because the components’ cells burst, the
minerals go out of their colloidal composition and become more difficult to
be absorbed. A stainless steel “flame tamer” may be used to prevent
burning. And a little of the Special Soup (see above) may also be used, or
tomatoes, apple slices, or chopp ed onion may be placed at the bottom of the
pan to produce more fluid. In some cases this addition also improves the
flavor. Only spinach water is too bitter, contains too much oxalic acid, and
must be discarded. Tomatoes, leeks, zucchini, and onions should be stewed in their own
juices, as they contain an abundance of fluid by themselves. Red beets
should be cooked like potatoes, in their peel, in water. All vegetables must
be caref ully washed and cleaned. Peeling or scraping is forbidden, because
important mineral salts and vitamins are deposited directly under the skin. The pot (not aluminum) must close tightly, to prevent escape of steam. Don’ t use a pressure cooker. Lids must be heavy and fit well into the pots. Cooked foods (soup and fruit) may be kept in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Baked vegetables should be slow cooked in a “low” oven (180–190° F; use
oven thermometer) for 2 to 2½ hours, in a covered casserole with a tightly
fitting lid. This method of baking is virtually waterless. Use onions or
tomatoes, or sprinkle vegetab les with lemon to add moisture when
necessary.Stewed vegetabl es are cooked in a heavy pot with a tightly fitting lid on
top of the stove over a low flame, slowly with little or no added liquid. Simmered veget ables are cooked on the top of the stove over a low flame
in a tightly cove red pan with a small amount of liquid. The temperature is
kept just at the boiling point. Boiled vegetables (like corn and artichokes) are cooked on the top of the
stove in a heavy pot with a tightly fitting lid. Place 1” of cold water in the
bottom of the pot, add the washed vegetables (do not peel or scrape), and
cover. Cook over medium heat, slowly bringing the liquid to a boil (bubbles
breaking on the surface and steam given off). Lower the flame as much as
possible, keeping the liquid boiling. Note: Bring liquids to a boil only if the recipe specifically calls for it. Tightly Fitting Lids
Saucepans must be tightly covered to prevent steam from escaping. Covers must


’s hurting you. Do you prefer that you be right or
happy? * (T -617). Most important, by holding grievances, we’re keeping the universe from
healing whateve r situation we were upset by to begin with. We’re giving allthe power to one we feel hurt by, when the power of God would be ready to
fix the situation if only we would get out of the way. The universe is always
ready to begin again, to create  the next great thing. God can solve any
problem the moment the problem occurs. But by carrying grievances from
the past into the present, we’re preventing Him from doing so. We have to
choose to let the miracle in. Our grievances keep us tied to the past,
programming the future to be just like it. Only in the Holy Instant, in the
space of love that transcends our focus on the past, do our grievances give
way to miracles. Many years ago I had a lunch date with a famous writer whose husband
was the editor of a very powerfu l magazine. There had been an article in the
magazine that I felt was demeaning to me, and I felt hurt. I cringe to even
think of it now, but I had so little self-discipline that I mentioned my
grievance to the woman at lunch. I saw her face fall and, in that moment, I knew what I had done. I didn’ t
even know yet how badly I had blown it, in fact. I learned afterw ard that her
husband had a very serious cancer; she had read my book, and she had
asked to have lunch with me to seek wisdom and counsel. Having not been
taken seriously, a situation arose in which I would have been taken
seriously indeed. Yet I was the one who deflected that. I show ed up as a
hurt, petty person dragging the past into the present, and in doing so I
blocked the miracle. According to A Course in Miracles, we can have a grievance or a
miracle, but we cannot have both. “Holding grievances is an attack on
God’ s plan for salvation”* (WB-124). Some of the things we need to forgive at times are far, far worse than
someone saying  something that hurt our feelings. Betrayal, theft, violence
—life can be hard, and people can be cruel. Forgiveness can be a process
that takes time and doesn’ t come quickly or easily. But it’s a merciful act
not only to the other person but to you. The more we hold on to our
grievance, the longer it will take for the universe to correct the error and
heal our wound. Forgiving a person doesn’ t mean we’re condoning what they did. And
we don’t have to worry that by our forgiving them they’re going to get
away with something either. Divine justice is inviolable; the universe keeps
a perfect set of books. The saying “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord”
means the problem is God’ s to handle, not yours. Our punishing attitudes donothing to serve the process by which someone is held accountable; revenge
will only boomerang on us. Many times when we’re most angry at what someone did to us, the hate
we don’t want to look at is really toward ourselves: a realization  of what we
ourselves had done, or not done, to contribute to the situation that hurt us. In what ways had we made it easy for someone to do what they did? In
what ways did we not show up for ourselves? We can’t always control what
has happened in our lives, but we can always control who we choose to be
once it happens. The crucifixion might not have been our choice, but the
resurrection always is. Love is the solution no matter the problem. It doesn’ t matter whether
our conflict is with someone we’re only thinking about, or someone we’ve
been married to for decades. The principle is the same. In separating
ourselves from someone else, we’re separating ourselves from God. And in
separating ourse lves from God, we’re blocking a miracle and sabotaging
ourselves. If there is someone you are having a hard time forgiving, this will help
you... Get comfortable and close your eyes... Now with your inner eye, on the left side of your vision, see the other person as they
normally appear to you. See their body, their clothes, their behavior as you know it. Focus on that image for a moment, then see a little ball of golden light begin to form  in the
area of their heart. Now slowly see the light expand until it covers every cell of their body. Again, going slowly, allow yourself to see the light expand beyond the confines of their body,
shining so brightly that the physical body itself fades into shadow. See the light as it extends
outwar d, beyond their skin and all ar ound them. Again, very slowly, move your inner eye to the right side of your vision and see yourself. Look at yourself, your body, your clothes, how you express yourself behaviorally. Now see in the
middle of your heart that little ball of golden light. Watch it cover every cell and organ of your
body. Watch your body fade into shadow. Again, very slowly, watch the light expand beyond the
confines of your body, making the physical body itself move into shadow. Watch as the light
extends outwar d, beyond your body and in every dir ection. Now... Very slowly, look to the center wher e the light extending from the other person merges with
the light extending from you. There, in that golden light, beyond the body, is the temple of your
holy r elationship. Simply stay ther e. Do not move your inner eye. Bear witness. Be still and know. Allow yourself to recognize that point of oneness which is the reality of spirit, beyond the
body, beyond separation, and thus beyond guilt. You ar e at home now, in each other and in God. Dear God,
I place in Y our hands my r elationship with ________.Lift us above the walls that would divide us. May a gr eat wave of for giveness come upon us both,
washing away the thoughts of guilt
that would destr oy our love. May our eyes be opened to the innocence
in ourselves and in each other. May our r elationship be lifted to divine right or der,
a blessing upon us both,
in whatever form Y ou would appoint. Amen
OceanofPDF.comRelationship to the World
When one of the kindest, most sensitive women I’ve ever known died in
one of the airplanes on September 11, I realized that all of us, no matter
who we are or where we are, are affected by international affairs. None of
us can completely seal ourselves off from the world. We’re all increasingly
vulnerable to global dysfunction, whether climate change or nuclear risks or
economic uncert ainty. The only way to take responsibility for our lives now
is to take responsibility for the world. When I was in the seventh grade, I came home one day and told my
parents we had to fight in Vietnam or we would be fighting on the shores of
Hawaii. I had learned about the “domino theory” that day in school, and I
began to instruc t my parents about what it meant. I saw the muscles on my
father ’s face begin to tighten. I saw my mother put her hand over her
eyebrow, like, Uh oh, her e we go. After listening for several minu tes, my father stood up from the dinner
table. “That’ s it, sweetheart!” he said to my mother. “We’re going to
Vietnam.”
That was 1965; you could still visit Saigon as long as you stayed within
five miles of the city. But there  was a fear, a tension in the air, a sense of
doom that was palpable. I remember my father showing us bullet holes on
the side of a building and talking to us about how they got there. He sat us down  on a bench next to him and said, “Hear me and never
forget this, kids. These are real people. If anyone ever tries to convince you
that these people don’t matter, that we can go to war against anyone when it
isn’t necessary, promise me you will remember this trip. Some of the people
you have met here might not survive what is about to happen.”
He was right, of course. I did and I do remember. There’ s a certain
invulnerability to propaganda that I and my brother and sister carried withus. It’s been a shield against the official malarkey so often used to enroll us
in agreeing to do what we should not do. Jesus loves the world, and we should love it too. The ego loves to say
that loving one another “has nothing to do with politics,” but of course it
would say that. It lies. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Is not politics a
part of dharma too?” If God’ s love applies to our relationship to everything,
then that means it applies to our relationship to the world at large. And our
relationship to the world at lar ge can’ t be separated from politics. When I was growing up there  was a huge atlas that we kept in our
family’ s den. My father used to show us the geographic map of the world
and point out, “Look, kids, God didn’ t