 order to feel blessed, secure, ecstatic or
content. Manifesting is not about making demands of God and the uni-
verse. Manifesting is a cooperative venture in which your intention is
aligned with divine intelligence. That intelligence is in all things and
in you simultaneously. You are not separate from that which you
would like to manifest. It is you, you are it. There is only one power
in the universe, and you are connected to that power. Demanding
that God send your desire according to your timetable and design
reinforces the incorrect idea of God as a separate energy. Imagining an intelligence in the universe that is devoid of individ-
ual personality is a way of beginning to understand this eighth princi-
ple. This unusual and perhaps difficult concept will help to make the
eighth principle more manageable. INTELLIGENCE APART FROM INDIVIDUALITY
Most of us believe that the recognition of any other individual
affirms a point at which our own individuality ceases and the other’s
begins. This belief is part of our conditioning, and it imposes a great
deal of limitation on us. Early on we learned that “I am not that
other because I am myself.”
If this pattern were ascribed to the universal mind it would
describe a God that at some point ceased and something else began. The description of universal would not apply because the God energy
would not include all things. To be universal and to recognize any-
thing as being outside itself would be to deny its very being. So, the
nature of universal intelligence is an absence of individual personality. The all-pervading spirit is an impersonal life force that gives rise
131
WAYNE W. DYER
to all that is manifested. The universal spirit permeates all space and
all that is manifested and we all are a part of that. You are in an
impersonal and intensely intelligent ocean of life that is all around,
under and in everything, including you. Though you have been con-
ditioned to believe that you are individual, you are actually a part of
the grand universal nature that is infinite in its possibilities. This undifferentiated intelligence responds to you when you rec-
ognize it. If you believe that the world runs by chance, or by your
personal demands, then universal mind will present you with a
hodgepodge of reactions without any recognizable order. However,
when you cease believing that you are a separate personality with
individual intelligence, you begin to have a new clarity. From the perspective of an intelligence that is universal and undif-
ferentiated, ask yourself what the relationship of this universal mind
is to you. It cannot have “favorites” if it is the root and support for
everything and everyone. Lacking individuality, it cannot be in con-
flict with your desires. Being universal, it cannot be simply shut off
from you. ;
All these statements characterize this all-producing mind as
responsive to you when you understand your relationship to it. This
universal, all-pervading principle has nature in common with you. When you solve this riddle of the ego, you have a new wisdom
regarding your ability to apply this eighth principle of manifestation. You cannot exhaust the infinite, so your possession of it means
that you have the ability to differentiate it as you desire. Your task is
to bring the universal within your grasp by raising yourself to the level
of that which is universal rather than bringing the universal down to a
level of misperceived individuality that is separate from the universal. You need only to recognize it to attract it to yourself rather than ask-
ing it to recognize you and bring you to it. Having learned a different
set of principles, all of this may sound a bit confusing. Yet it is cru-
132
Manifest Your Destiny
cially important for you to know this before moving along on the
path of manifesting. Recognize the universal as a part of all that you’ are, and that all
that you are is undifferentiated from all that is. Keep repeating this
new awareness. Then know that if you fail to recognize the universal
as undifferentiated, it will present itself to you in exactly that fashion,
as a mishmash of energy that you cannot grasp, as chaos rather than a
cosmos, and as a system in which you are separated from all that you
desire. So, remove any and all demands from your desires, and shift to
the inner, knowing that you are bringing the universal intelligence
into your life, and that you will leave the how and when up to that
intelligence, without judging, demanding or insisting upon your own
personality’s prerequisites. Your knowing is enough. Then, cultivate
the power of patient detachment from the outcome. THE POWER OF INFINITE PATIENCE
This provocative line is from A Course in Miracles: “Those who are
certain of the outcome can afford to wait, and without anxiety.” This
is the mainstay of infinite patience. The notion of certainty and
patience go together. When you trust and know that you are con-
nected to that universal, all-providing intelligence, then you simply
allow yourself the virtue of patience. You place no time constraints
on your manifestation and you go about the affairs of your life with
an inner awareness that says, “I’ve got all the time that I need, and I
am certain of the outcome, so I will allow it to show up as it will, in
due time.”
The secret to being patient is in the certainty of the outcome. When that certainty is manifested in you in the form of trust and a
knowing, you can then turn your thoughts away from the desired
outcome. Without anger or anxiety, you are able to turn your atten-
133
WAYNE W. DYER
tion to whatever it is that occupies your daily life schedule. Your knowing and your infinite patience put you at ease. You have
practiced all of the principles of spiritual manifestation, and then you
have allowed the universe to handle the details. Your inner sense is
that what you want to manifest is already here, and your inner atten-
tion is on the feeling of well-being that you are already blessed with
what it is you seek. Consequently, there is no pressure for you to
make it show up immediately. This inner bliss is a function of the power of your infinite patience. Later on in A Course in Miracles we are reminded that “Patience is nat-
ural to the teacher of God. All he sees is certain outcome, at a time
perhaps unknown to him as yet, but not in doubt.” I love this idea of
having a certainty about the outcome and being unconcerned about
the details. When we become impatient, we literally devalue ourselves and
our connection to the divine Holy Spirit. Impatience is a failure to
trust in the universal intelligence, and it implies that we are separate
from the all-providing spirit. Impatience implies that our ego is the
boss of desire. This form of self-importance needs to be addressed. When you are certain about the outcome, and unconcerned with
the how and when, you have cultivated the power of infinite
patience, and simultaneously you have detached yourself from the
outcome. When this detachment takes place, you are able to go
about your daily business of raising your children, doing your work
or training, meditating and communing with God and just patiently
observing. Patience is natural when you trust in the oneness of the
universal intelligence. One of the ways to develop patience is to contemplate how patient
God has been with you. When you were in times of denial, or self-
abuse, or self-absorption, or hatred, God was infinitely patient. God
does not scold or punish you when you are off the sacred path, nor
134
Manifest Your Destiny
does God desert you. This is the same kind of patience that you want
to develop. Infinite patience is a sign of trust, and it calls upon infinite love to
produce results in your life. When you let go of impatience, you are
aligned with the God force, and all of the anxiety that tells you what
is lacking and missing in your life is gone. Anxiety produces fear and
self-pity and attaches you to time. When fear-based impatience takes
over, you lose your infinite self and become once again subject to the
ego, which has no patience with anything about infinitude. The ego wants what it wants, and it wants it now. If it is not satis-
fied, it will convince you of what a rotten place this is and how you
cannot trust anything but your differentiated self, even though that
self has produced the feelings of lack all along. If you do satisfy the
ego, a new list of demands will appear the next day. The anxiety level
will increase as you complete these new demands. This continues as
long as the ego is in charge of your life. But when you recognize the connection between your infinite self
and the God force, you will know that God has been patient with you
no matter how long it took you to come around, regardless of how
far you may have wandered and no matter how much you may have
refused to listen. Infinite patience produces almost immediate results in your life. You become free when you relax your insistence to have it now, and
you increase your awareness that you actually do have it now, already,
even though it may not have shown up as you would like it in your
immediate surroundings. As an infinitely patient person you know
that you are already where you want


  Diarrhea, p. 307.Medicinal Actions & Uses  The acrid
Korean mint is considered a warming herb in
Oriental herbal medicine ( see pp. 40–43) and is
used to treat “dampness” within the digestive
system. In Korea, as its name suggests, the leaves
are eaten as a condiment to aid digestion. The
herb stimulates and warms the digestive tract,
relieving symptoms such as abdominal bloating,
indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. It is commonly
used to relieve vomiting and morning sickness. Korean mint is used to treat the early stages of viral
infections that feature symptoms such as
stomachache and nausea. A lotion containing
Korean mint may be applied to fungal conditions
such as ringworm. Research  Laboratory experiments indicate
that Korean mint has marked activity against
fungal infections. Related Species  In southern China and
T aiwan, Pogostemon cablin  is used interchangeably
with Korean mint. P. cablin  is a close relative of
the Indian plant P. patchouli, from which patchouli
oil is produced. Korean mint is used to
treat fungal infections
such as ringworm.agave americana (Agavaceae)
Agave,
Century Plant
Description  Succulent perennial with large
rosette of 30–60 fleshy, sharply toothed leaves
that reach a height of 61⁄2 ft (2 m). After 10 years
or more, clusters of yellow flowers, growing to
23⁄4 in (7 cm) across, bloom on a pole-like stem
26–30 ft (8–9 m) tall. Habitat & Cultivation  Agave is native to
deserts of Central America. It is now grown as an
ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas
around the world. Part Used  Sap. Constituents  Agave sap contains estrogen-like
isoflavonoids, alkaloids, coumarins, and vitamins
pro-A, B1, B2, C, D, and K.
History & Folklore  Unlike Europeans at
the time of the Spanish conquest of America,
the Aztec and Maya people were skilled in
wound healing. They used agave sap (often
with egg white) to bind powders and gums in
pastes or poultices to be applied to wounds. The Badianus Manuscript (1552 ce ), which was
the first herbal text to list the plants of the New
World, describes an Aztec treatment for diarrhea
and dysentery, in which agave juice, combined
with freshly ground maize ( Zea mays, p. 154) and
extract of bladderwort ( Utricularia  species), is
given as an enema, using a syringe made from the
bladder of a small animal and a hollow bone or
reed. Both tequila and mescal, popular Mexican
alcoholic drinks, are distilled from the fermented
sap or juice of agaves. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Demulcent,
laxative, and antiseptic, agave sap is a soothing and
restorative remedy for many digestive ailments. It is used to treat ulcers and inflammatory
conditions affecting the stomach and intestines,
protecting these parts from infection and
irritation and encouraging healing. Agave has
also been employed to treat many
other conditions, including
constipation, jaundice, liver
disease, and tuberculosis. Related Species  Agave is a
fairly close relative of aloe ( Aloe vera,
p. 60). The two plants have similar medicinal uses. The sisal agave ( A. sisalana ) is cultivated in sub-
tropical America and in Kenya as a source of
hecogenin, the substance that is the starting
point in the production of corticosteroids
(steroid hormones). Cautions  Do not use during pregnancy. Do
not exceed the dose as this may cause digestive
irritation and eventual liver damage. External use
may cause skin irritation.agastache rugosa (Lamiaceae)
Korean Mint,
Huo Xiang (Chinese)
Description  Aromatic perennial or biennial
herb growing to 4 ft (1.2 m). Has a square stem,
triangular leaves, and purple flowers growing in
dense spikes. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to China
and also found in Japan, Korea, Laos, and Russia,
Korean mint grows wild on slopes and roadsides. It is cultivated throughout China and
gathered in summer. Parts Used Aerial parts. Constituents  Korean mint contains a volatile
oil, including methylchavicol, anethole, anisaldehyde,
and limonene. History & Folklore  Korean mint was first
mentioned in a Chinese medicinal text—T ao
Hongjing’s revision of the Divine Husbandman’s
Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing), which he wrote in
about 500 ce. US_158-179_Abies_balsa_Boswe_serratta.indd   161 26/02/16   12:47 pm
162
other medicinal Plantsagrimonia eupatoria
agrimonia eupatoria (Rosaceae)
Agrimony
Description  Erect, downy, and slightly
aromatic perennial growing to 3 ft (1 m). Has
paired leaves, green above and silvery-green beneath, and small 5-petaled yellow flowers growing on terminal spikes. Habitat & Cultivation Agrimony is a native
European herb commonly found in marshes, wet meadows, and open areas. It is harvested when in flower in summer. Parts Used Aerial parts. Constituents Agrimony contains tannins,
coumarins, flavonoids (including luteolin, a volatile oil), and polysaccharides. History & Folklore The species name
Eupatoria has regal associations. Mithridates Eupator (d. 63 bce), King of Pontus in northern Turkey, was said to have had a profound knowledge of plant lore and antidotes to poisons. Medicinal Actions & Uses Agrimony has
long been used by herbalists to heal wounds because it staunches bleeding and encourages
clot formation. An astringent and mild bitter,
it is also a helpful remedy for diarrhea and
a gentle tonic for digestion as a whole. Combined with other herbs such as cornsilk
(Zea mays, p. 154), it is a valuable remedy for cystitis and urinary incontinence, and has also been used for kidney stones, sore throats, hoarseness, rheumatism, and osteoarthritis. Research Agrimony’s blood-staunching and
anti-inflammatory properties have been established by experiments in China. Related Species Xian he cao (A. pilosa)
is used in China for comparable conditions. Self-help Uses Diarrhea,  p. 307;
Diarrhea in children, p. 318.
agropyron repens syn. elymus repens (Graminaceae)
Couch Grass
Description Vigorous perennial growing to
32 in (80 cm). Has a long, creeping rhizome,
slender leaves, and erect spikes bearing green flowers aligned in two rows. Habitat & Cultivation Found in Europe,
the Americas, northern Asia, and Australia, couch grass is an invasive weed. It is harvested throughout the year. Parts Used Rhizome, seeds, root. Constituents Couch grass contains
polysaccharides (such as triticin), a volatile oil (mainly agropyrene), mucilage, and nutrients. Agropyrene has antibiotic properties. History & Folklore In classical times, both
Dioscorides (40–90 ce) and Pliny (23–79 ce) recommended couch grass root for poor urine flow and kidney stones. In 1597, the herbalist  John Gerard wrote that “Couch-grasse be an unwelcome guest to fields and gardens, yet his physicke virtues do recompense those hurts; for  it openeth the stoppings of the liver and reins [ureters] without heat.” In times of famine, the  root has been roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee and flour. Medicinal Actions & Uses A gentle, effective
diuretic and demulcent, couch grass is most commonly used for urinary tract infections such as cystitis and urethritis. It both protects the urinary tubules against infection and irritants, and increases the volume of urine, thereby diluting it. It can be taken, usually with other herbs, to help treat kidney stones, reducing the irritation and laceration they cause. Couch grass is also thought to dissolve kidney stones (insofar as this is possible), and in any case will help to prevent their further enlargement. Both an enlarged prostate and prostatitis (infection of the prostate gland) will benefit from a couch grass decoction taken over the course of several months. In German herbal medicine, heated couch grass seeds are used in a hot and moist pack that is applied to the abdomen for peptic ulcers. Juice from the roots of couch grass has been advocated for treating jaundice and other liver complaints.ailanthus altissima syn. a. glandulosa (Simaroubaceae)
Tree of Heaven,
Chun Pi
Description Deciduous tree growing to 65 ft
(20 m). Has large leaves with up to 12 lance-
shaped leaflets, and small greenish-yellow flowers. It has an unpleasant odor. Habitat & Cultivation Native to China and
India, tree of


2–3
months at a time. Herb Ginger ( Zingiber officinale, p. 155)
Remedy Grate 1 tsp of fresh ginger into your
food each day. Before taking any herbal remedies, see pages 290 & 298–299Circulatory Problems
To maintain good health, the body’s ten trillion cells need
to be bathed in fluid that brings them vital nutrients and
removes waste products. When this process is undermined
by poor circulation, the body may react with conditions such
as raised blood pressure, which places a long-term strain
on the heart. A high-vegetable, low-sugar diet and regular
aerobic exercise help to keep the heart active and the arteries clear of fatty
deposits that can clog up their linings. A number of herbs act preventively to
sustain good circulation—few more so than garlic ( Allium sativum, p. 59).Witch Hazel
(Hamamelis virginiana) QSeek immediate professional
advice for:
■ Severe chest pain
■ Palpitations lasting several minutes
■ Hot, swollen, or ulcerated tender veins, or
dark red discoloration of the skin or veins
■ Fainting or dizziness with weakness,
numbness, or tingling in any part of the body
US_300-307_Allergies.indd   301 26/02/16   4:43 pm
302
herbal remedies for home usePalpitations & Panic Attacks
Cold Extremities & Chilblains
Varicose Veins & HemorrhoidsPalpitations occur when the heart suddenly
beats faster or irregularly. They can result from stress, anxiety, and nervous tension; however, they may also be caused simply by drinking too much caffeine (in tea, coffee, and cola drinks). In rare cases, palpitations indicate a heart problem. They are a key symptom of panic attacks, which are characterized by sudden, acute feelings of fear and anxiety. Linden flowers and valerian root are especially relaxing and calming for the nervous system, specifically helping to reduce underlying anxiety. QGeneral caution Seek immediate professional
advice if palpitations last for several minutes. Poor circulation can cause discomfort and painful
chilblains (sores caused by poor local blood flow) on the fingers and toes. By stimulating
the circulation and getting more “warmth” into the system with herbs and exercise, the blood flow to the hands and feet is improved. Hot, acrid herbs, such as cayenne or ginger, stimulate the flow of blood through the arteries, helping to prevent the development of chilblains. Exercise
Aerobic exercise is often the key to improving
this condition. QGeneral caution Seek professional advice if fingers
and toes frequently become cold and numb. Varicose veins result from a weakness, or
increased pressure, in the veins. This causes the thin supporting walls of the veins to bulge out, resulting in distended veins and the pooling of blood. Hemorrhoids are usually caused by constipation. Many herbs can be of use in relieving these conditions. Distilled witch hazel is an excellent astringent, and yarrow has healing, astringent, and anti-inflammatory properties. Self-help
Home treatment should aim to relieve pressure on the veins. Varicose vein sufferers should  avoid tight clothing around the waist or legs. To ease hemorrhoids, try to maintain regular bowel movements (see Constipation & Diarrhea, p. 307). General caution Do not massage or rub
varicose veins.Palpitations
Herb Linden (Tilia spp., p. 277)
Remedy Make an infusion with up to 20 g of linden to 3 cups (750 ml) of water. Divide into 3–4 doses and drink throughout the day. Herb Dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza, p. 130)
Remedy Make a decoction and take
3–4 doses during the day for up to 1 week. Alternatively, take half the daily dose for up  to 2 –3 weeks. Cautions Do not take dan shen with anticoagulant or
antiplatelet drugs, or during pregnancy. Poor Circulation to the Hands & Feet
Herb Cayenne (Capsicum frutescens, p. 74)
Remedy T ake cayenne tablets in winter. Option Add a pinch of cayenne powder or cayenne sauce to every main meal. Caution Do not take tablets during pregnancy. Herbs Cramp bark (Viburnum opulus, p. 150), northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum,  p. 153)Remedy 1 Make a decoction using 15 g of cramp bark to 3 cups (750 ml) of water and take 3 doses each day.Remedy 2 Mix 5 g of prickly ash and 10 g of cramp bark and make a decoction using 3 cups (750 ml) of water. T ake 3 doses each day. Varicose Veins
Herbs Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana,
p. 102), calendula (Calendula officinalis, p. 73)
Remedy Gently apply distilled witch hazel or witch hazel cream or ointment to the affected area 1–2 times a day, or combine equal parts of the creams of both herbs and apply 1–2 times a day. NOtE  This remedy is particularly effective on
painful varicose veins. Herb Y arrow (Achillea millefolium, p. 56)
Remedy (External) Wash varicose veins  in a cool infusion, or apply the ointment  1–2 times a day.Remedy (Internal) Make an infusion and leave  for 10 minutes. T ake 3/4–11/4 cups (150–300 ml)  a day for up to 10 weeks. Caution Do not take yarrow during pregnancy.Panic Attacks
Herbs Linden (Tilia spp., p. 277), valerian (Valeriana officinalis, p. 148)Remedy Make an infusion using 1 tsp of linden and
1⁄2 tsp of powdered valerian to 3/4 cup
(150 ml) of water. Drink 21/3 cups (600 ml) a day. Herbs Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca, p. 227),
linden (Tilia spp., p. 277)
Remedy Make an infusion of motherwort or make an infusion using
1⁄2 tsp of each herb to
1 cup (150 ml) of water. Drink up to 4 cups (600 ml) of either remedy a day. Caution Do not take motherwort during pregnancy. Caution Do not take prickly ash during pregnancy. Chilblains
Herbs Ginger (Zingiber officinale, p. 155),
lemon (Citrus limon, p. 82), echinacea (Echinacea spp., p. 92)Remedy (Internal) Grate 1 tsp of fresh ginger into your food each day. Alternatively, drink 1/4 cup (70 ml) of ginger wine each day.Remedy (External) Apply either fresh ginger, undiluted lemon juice, or neat echinacea tincture to unopened chilblains twice a day. Note The external remedy helps to prevent blistering
and weeping. Once the blister opens you can continue to apply, but it will sting upon contact. Hemorrhoids
Herbs Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana,
p. 102), lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria,  p. 260), common oak (Quercus robur, p. 260), calendula (Calendula officinalis, p. 73)Remedy 1 Apply either distilled witch hazel or witch hazel ointment, or lesser celandine ointment, 1–2 times a day.Remedy 2 Mix 1 tsp of common oak bark powder with 2
1⁄2 tbsp of calendula ointment and
apply 1–2 times a day. Difficult Passage of the Stool
& Painful Hemorrhoids
Herb Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra, p. 145)
Remedy T ake either slippery elm “food”  (see Acidity & Indigestion, p. 307) or tablets. Herb Psyllium (Plantago spp., p. 123)
Remedy T ake 1–2 tsp of seeds soaked in 3/4 cup
(150 ml) of water overnight, twice a day. US_300-307_Allergies.indd   302 26/02/16   4:43 pm303 herbal remedies for home use Skin Problems
The largest organ of the body, the skin protects against heat, cold,
infection, and trauma from the outside world. Although
continuously shedding its surface, the skin needs regular cleansing
and nourishing to remain healthy. Its ability to resist injury and
recover from damage largely depends on the health of the body as
a whole. While many minor skin problems respond promptly to
simple external remedies, severe or chronic skin conditions need internal
treatment and usually require professional advice. See also Eczema, p. 300. Minor Bites, Stings, & Swellings
Skin Rashes, Minor Burns, & SunburnCalendula
(Calendula officinalis)
Inflamed, swollen areas


 play a game of
“hide an d seek” with food. What once was a pleasurable and satisfying
experience becomes this phan tom that we either run to or run from:
controlling and logging every morsel that goes into our mou th or eating
with rec kless abandon, ignoring  the physical symptoms of being full, yet
remaining unsatisfied. How do we find that middle ground? G U I L T  A B O U T  W O R L D  H U N G E R
Many of us fe el guilty when we see world hunger or other forms of
suf fering in the world. Our problems may begin to seem very small and
irrelevant by comparison. The m ind thinks, “It could have been  me, I have
no r ight to have  what I have when there is so much suf fering in the world.”
The heart immediately connects us to others and feels their pain. Guilt may
show that we care, but it does not take care of the problem we care about. One of the hardest things I had  to learn in my clinical practice was that
there are no vict ims. The truth is, we are all here on our solo journeys, with
dif ferent lessons to learn. The experiences we go through are what our soul
must experience. This is one of the mysteries of life and we ca n’ t do much
but surrender to it. W e realize how little we know.This does not mean we don’ t show compassion and extend a helping hand. But we can’ t do  that by feeling  guilty about the blessings we have in our
life. W e can be grateful for all that we have, and perhaps spare a prayer for
those less fortunate than we are. W e have the opportunity to replace guilt
with hum ility, gr atitude, prayer and compassion. Now we may b e able to be
of assistance. W A S T E  N O T,  W A N T  N O T? “Finish the food on your plate, you can’ t waste it, especially w hen there is
so much hunger in the world,” m ight be words you have heard in the past. For many of us, they bring out guilt, which only results in ove reating. The
fact is that when we overeat, or feel we must clean our plat e, we don’ t
resolve world hunger, we simpl y overeat. This not only results in physical
illness, but it a lso negatively af fects our mental health, as we either
consume guilt with our food or s imply overuse or rationalize our overeating
by c halking it up to the guilt we feel about world hunger. However, we
might possibly help resolve world hunger by buying and cooking smaller
quantities of food, and putting less food on our plates. W e can  donate the
money w e save  to or ganizations that work to lessen world hunger, or we
can don ate meals to families in need; there are countless ways to make a
dif ference. W e don’ t make the world a better place by dimming our own
light. Nor can we help  others by harm ing ourselves; we can only help them if we
help ourselves first. When we e xperience our own blessings and allow joy
into our lives, w e uplift those around us and that helps in its own small way
to lessen  world suf fering. Instead of perpetuating suf fering, we become a
source of inspiration. In order for compassion and love to flow ef fortlessly
to o thers, our o wn hearts must be filled with it. Anything less than that
keeps us emotionally hungry. Let’ s explore that in the next chapter. Is ther e a trace of guilt and shame in your struggle with food? Can you think of any examples of how that shows up for you?C H A P T E R  2E m o t i o n a l  H u n g e r
Emotions are at the center of every aspect of our life; they can either propel
us towards a particular outcome or take us away from it. When we love
what we  do, we do more of it, but when our hearts are not into something,
we drag our feet and eventually stop doing it. Whatever it is we do, we do it
because we get emotional satisfaction from it. Eating is no exception. Emotions and food are directly linked. Our physical
satisfaction or nourishment is no t separate from our emotional satisfaction. Most of us look  forward to eatin g and we enjoy food. W e can’ t think on an
empty stomach. A cup of chai  on a cold winter day is such  a comfort. Cof fee in the morning makes ma ny people happy. Food is at the very center
of o ur existence, our lives. The kitchen is where the family gathers. Food is
a celebration of life, our connectedness, and a way to share love. Our first  experience of love was  when we were fed by our mot hers. Eating
imparted the feelings of satisfaction, love, happiness, warmth, nourishment
and com fort. I often hear clients who need to make some seriou s nutritional
changes say, “This is how my partner loves me, by cooking for me.”
“Perhaps they can love you a little less,” I have laughingly responded. It is no surprise that when love is missing in our lives, we turn to food. How we relate t o food is how we relate to ourselves. When we eat well and
healthily, we feel good and confident about ourselves and in our ability to
take care of ours elves in a positi ve way; similarly, when we overeat, eat too
little or eat unhealthily, we feel bad about ourselves. In that sens e, all eating
is e motional, however food ca n’ t be the only source of our emotional
fulfillment. The problem arises when we turn to food to stuf f down our
painful emotions, or use food to make up for what we lack in other areas of
our lives. It is  important to note that w hile most emotional eating is linked to
unpleasant feeli ngs, it can also be triggered by positive emotions, such asrewarding onese lf for achieving a goal or celebrating a holiday, or a special
event. Using food from time to time as a pick-me-up, or to celebrate, is not
a ba d th ing. W e have all experienced emotional eating at least once in our
lives, if not mor e often. It is only a problem when it becomes a  pattern that
we can’ t break. H E R E  I S  W H A T  E M O T I O N A L  H U N G E R
M I G H T  L O O K  L I K E :
Making room for desert, even when we are already full
Diving into a pint of ice-cream when we feel down
Opening the refrigerator when we feel upset, angry, lonely, st ressed,
exhausted or just bored
Rewarding ourselves with food or punishing ourselves by not eating at
all! (binging or starving)
Feeling powerless or out of control around food
Eating out of nervousness
Constantly thinking about food and eating
T urning to food when painful emotions surface
Everyone’ s story  is dif ferent and unique to them. Nonetheless, our internal
struggles show up in our eating habits. Regardless of our reasons, food only
provides a temporary solution. Eating for reasons other than hunger not
only cau ses heal th problems, but it also does not take our chall enges away. It actually stuf fs the emotions deeper into our subconscious, making them
even stronger and leading to more emotional eating; this keeps us stuck in
the pattern. Emotional hung er can be just as powerful as physical hunger and it’ s easily
mistaken as such until we pay at tention. It is important to figure  out ways to
dif ferentiate the two. Here are the top five clues that I have summarized
from Harvard Medical School Special Health Report.1
1. Emotional hung er comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and
feels ov erwhelming and ur gent. Physical hunger, on the other  hand,comes on more gradually. The  ur ge to eat doesn’ t feel as dire or
demand instant satisfaction (unl ess you haven’ t eaten for a very long
time). 2. Emotional hunger craves specific comfort foods. When you’re
physically hungry, almost anything sounds good—including healthy
stuf f. But emotional hunger cra ves fatty foods or sugary snac ks that
provide an instant rush. Y ou feel like you need chocolate or piz za, and
nothing else will do. 3. Emotional hung er often leads to mindless eating. Before you k now it,
you’ve eaten a whole bag of chips or an entire pint of ice cream
without really paying attention to the food or fully enjoying it. Once
you start, you ca n’ t stop; you must finish the whole bag of cook ies. In
that sens e, it looks like an addiction. Often my clients will say,  “I did
not even  remember eating the whole bag.” When you’re eating in
response to physical hunger, y ou’re typically more aware of what
you’re doing. 4. Emotional hunger isn’ t satisfied once you’re full. Y ou keep wanting
more and more, often eating until you’re uncomfortably stuf fed


 before. You will know  more about grass than you
ever knew before, at a deeper level. You will never experience it in the same way again. You
will realize that you have been ignoring the grass  your whole life.”
Then, my master teacher said, do the same thing with a  flower. “Consider it. Look at it
closely. Regard it intently (that is, with intention ). Consider every aspect of it. What does it
look like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size, compared t o you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?”
Then, she said, “Experience the flower in its Completeness. Bring it to your nose and smell
it once more. Think of nothing else but your nose. Focus your attention on your nose and
consider imme nsely exactly what you are experiencing there. Tell your mind to experience
nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming data except the data coming
from your nose. Close your eyes, if this helps. “Now focus on your sense of touch, and tou ch the flower carefully. Touch the flower at
the same time as you smell the flower. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about
the flower coming from your fingertips and your nose. Now, open your eyes and look
closely at the flower. See if you ca n still smell the flower, now that it is far enough away for
you to look at it and touch it. See if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you
will experience the flower as you may never have experienced it before. You will know
more about t he flower than you ever knew before, at a deeper level. You will never
experience it in the same way again. You will realize that you have been ignoring the
flowers  your whole life.”
Then, she said, do the same thing with a tree. Walk over to a tree and co nsider it. “Look
at it closely. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are
its specific characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size,
compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?”
And she said, “Experience the tree in its Completeness. Place you hands upon it and feel it
totally. Think of nothing else but your hands. Focus your attention on your hands and
consider immensely exactly what you are experiencing there. Tell your mind to experience
nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming data except the data coming
from your hands. Close your eyes, if this helps. “Now focus on your sense of smell, and smell the tree. Continue touching the tree  at the
same time as you smell the tree. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about the tree coming from your fingertips and your nose. Now, open your eyes and look closely at
the tree. Look up at it, and see if you can climb in consciousness to its top. See if you can
still smell the tree, now that it is far enough away for you to look at it. Keep touching it. See
if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you will experience the tree as you
may never have experienced it before. You  will know  more about the tree than you ever
knew before, at a deeper level. You will never experience it in the same way again. You will
realize that you have been ignoring the trees  your whole life. “Now, step away from the tree and lose all physical con tact with it. See if you can bring
to your mind the experience of the tree as you stand and look at it from farther away. Experience it completely. Do not be surprised if you can smell the tree, even from a
distance. Do not be surprised if you can, in a se nse, even ‘feel’ the tree from where you are. What has happened is that you have opened yourself  to the vibration of the tree. You are
‘catching the vibe.’ See how far back you can step from the tree and still retain ‘contact.’
When you lose touch with the  experience of the tree, move closer in, move back to it. See if
this helps you regain contact. “These exercises,” she said, “will help you develop your ability to focus your attention  on
whatever you want to experience at a heightened level. “Now, walk. W alk wherever you live. In the country, in the city, it does not matter. Walk
slowly, but deliberately. And look around you. Let your eyes fall where they may. As your
eyes find something, focus the fullness of your attention upon it. It can be anything. A
garbage truck. A stop sign. A crack in the sidewalk, a pebble by the road. Look at it closely,
from right where you are. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look
like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like,  from where you are? What
is its fragrance? Can you sense that from where you are? What is its size, compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life? “Continue your walk. Pick out three things on your walk to consider in this way. Thi s
walk should take you at least a half hour. You cannot consider three things fully in less
time, at first. Later, you will be able to consider something fully in just a moment, in a
nanosecond. But now, you are just practicing. “This is Walking Meditation, and what you are doing is training your mind to stop
ignoring  everything you are experiencing. You are training your mind to focus  on a
particular aspect of your experience, so that you may experience it completely.”
Practice Walking Meditation in this w ay for three weeks, my master teacher told me, and
“you will never experience life the same way again.” Then, take the final step in Walking
Meditation. Walk outside —or inside, for that matter. You can actually walk anywhere. From the bedroom to the kitche n will do. There is plenty to see, plenty to touch, plenty to
experience. You can spend three hours with the carpet alone —and this time, she said, “do
not pick out any particular part of what you are seeing or encountering. Try to encounter
all of it. Seek  to embrace all of it. Attempt to focus on all of it at the same time. “Take in the Big Picture. Close your eyes at first, if this helps. Smell what you are
smelling, hear what you are hearing, feel whatever you are ‘feeling’ of the space around
you. Then open your eyes and add sight. See everything you are seeing, and nothing in particular. See All Of It. Smell All Of It. Feel All Of It. If this begins to overwhelm you, refocus
on a Part Of It, so that you do not lose your psychic balance. “With enough pra ctice, you will soon be able to walk into any space or place and begin to
experience All Of It at some level. You will realize then that you have been literally walking
home. You have heightened your Awareness. You have raised your consciousness. You have
expanded your ability to be Present, fully, in the moment. “Now, do this with your eyes closed and while you are sitting down, and you have Silent
Meditation. Boom. It is as simple as that.”
With that my master teacher smiled at me. “Then try this with sex,” she said. “Once you
experience sex in this way, you will never want to experience it any other way again. You
will realize that, all your life, you have been ignoring what is really going on.”
And she laughed. Next I will tell you about Stopping Meditat ion. For now, just walk well. I never thought it
was polite to say this, but it is! I am going to tell you now to
Take a walk
And only when you’re ready, continue at... STOPPING MEDITATION
There are many ways to meditate, and it was a wonderful discovery when I learned this. One of the most powerful forms of meditation for me is what I have called Stopping
Meditation. The reason this is so powerful for me is that it can be done anywhere, and it
takes very little time. Therefore, it is perfect for  busy people “on the go.”
Stopping Meditation means just that. It means we stop whatever we are doing for just a
moment and pay attention to something about it. We dissect it in that moment and then
look closely at one of its individual pieces. This is a little bit different from Walking Meditation in that it does not take a half hour or
more, as Walking Meditation can take. In Walking Meditation we deliberately take a walk
for the deliberate purpose of deliberately focusing on a deliberate exper ience. In Stopping
Meditation we do not use nearly as much time, but we can accomplish the same thing:
focus. Stopping Meditation can be used in the midst of a very busy day. Combined  with Sitting
Meditation and Walking Meditation it can create a powerful Trio of Tools that can
dramatically alter your reality and raise your consciousness within a very short period of
time. Yet even if used as the only form of meditation, it can be transformative. Here is how Stopping Meditation works: decide that six times today


 using
the term  the way others use supreme enlightenment  (known in
Sanskrit as Paramatma ). If  metahuman is the awakened state,
think of it as crossing a threshold. There is a vast new ter ritory to
explore beyond. C o s m i c  C o n s c i o u s n e s sCosmic consci ousness doesn’t give a little bit of itself to an
amoeba, more  to bees, still more to octopuses, and fin ally the
grand p rize to Homo sapiens. In a hologram, a fragment of a laser
image c an be used to projec t the whole image—with only Mona
Lisa ’s smile, the entire painting can be projected. Hologram
technology can  even simulate a statue or a living person in 3-D
from a laser im age in two dimensions. Cosmic consciousn ess does
this on a huge scale—the entire universe—using merely the
possibility  of a cosmos. Therefore, it’s not quite true that
something is created out of nothing. The physical universe sprang
from a conception in cosmic consciousness that unfolded in
material form. Pure consciousness is not nothing. This capacity has been inhe rited by human beings. If I  say,
“Imagine the Eiffel Tower” or “See the Statue of Liberty  in your
mind’s eye,” it only takes the name of those monuments for you to
see them in to tality. A name doesn’t have three dimensions; in
fact, it has no dimensions, being just a verbal tag for a concept. The Statue of Liberty is the concept of freedom transformed into a
work of art. But liberty  can  also prod uce completely different
manifestations, such as r evolutionary wars or an antiwar
movement. Con cepts are constantly shaping and reshaping events,
civilizations, and the human world in general. You are  living in a world that  consists of ideas blown into three
dimensions. As usual, the great minds got there before us. More
than two thousand years ago  Plato argued that everything in the
world originated in abstract universal ideas, which he called
“forms. ” Leap ahead two millennia, and here is Werner
Heisenberg: “I  think that mod ern physics has definitely decided in
favor of  Plato. In fact the sma llest units of matter are not physical
objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be
expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language. ”
If th e elementary building blocks of matter and energy are
conceptual, then the universe itself is bubbling up from a set of
ideas or forms, too. This par ticular set of ideas that became our
home u niverse could have other variations, some of which would
be inconceiva ble to the human mind. One feature of the
multiverse, if it actually exists, is that billions of other universes
may be operating on totally d ifferent laws of Nature from ours. Alaw of Nature is simply a mathematical model, and math ematical
models are concepts. Let me interject a personal no te here. When I first encoun tered
the quantum, which led to a book, Quantum Healing, I was
thrilled that physics was in accord with profound insigh ts from
India. Maya, the Sanskrit word usually translated as “illusion,”
refers to virtual reality, and the doctrine of Maya holds that the
illusion is merely a concep t. The parallels went even deeper. Heisenberg held that Nature exhibits a phenomenon according to
the que stions we ask of it—i n other words, the qualities of time,
space, matter, and energy are extracted from the quantum field by
the observer. In ancient India, Maya originates through the
participation of humans seeking confirmation of our inner beliefs. In both cases Nature is showing us what we want to see. I was thrilled by the prosp ect that the inward path o f the
ancients and the outward pa th of modern science had ar rived at
the sam e reality. So it came as a shock to discover that
contemporary physics has largely turned its back on the inspired
quantum pion eers. As a professor at Cal Tech told m e, “My
graduate students know more about physics than Einstein ever
did. ” This advance in technical knowledge has been tremendous,
but does it justify throwing out what the quantum pioneers
understood about reality. Einstein at least recognized t he danger when he remarked, “So
many people today—and even professional scientists—seem to me
like someone who has seen thousands of trees but has never seen a
forest. ” To correct this short-sightedness, Einstein advocated that
scientists acquire a broad outlook from philosophy, which he
considered the mark of “a real seeker after truth. ” In the twenty-
first cen tury, a las, fewer forests are being seen today than ever as
every science becomes more specialized and fragmented. You can
spend a n entire career in physics focusing on a single concept like
eternal inflatio n or a single elementary particle, like the Higgs
boson. Cosmic consciousness sounds like something very far away
from how we use our minds in day-to-day life. In reality, however,
each person’s mind is projecting cosmic consciousness all the
time. Yo ur min d is a fragmen t of cosmic consciousness, yet, as in ahologram, a fragment is e nough to project the whole. The
following exercise will help bring this insight home. E x e r c i s e :  S u r f i n g  t h e  U n i v e r s e
Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing on a beach,
watching the surf roll in. When you have this image firmly in your
mind’s eye, start transformi ng the waves in various ways. See
them become bigger, swelling  into the monster waves that world-
class surfers ride. See them s hrink to small chop. Make the waves
turn different colors—red or purple or neon orange. Place yourself
on t op of the waves, balancin g without a surfboard as you  ride to
shore. If you wish, you can  invent your own transformations. Perhaps a mermaid emerges  from the waves, singing her siren
song. You get the idea. When y ou made these creative changes to the surf, reflect on
what was happening. You didn’t thumb through a ca talog of
possibilities. You were free instead to let your imagination roam. Two pe ople doing this exercise would come up with d ifferent
creative choices. The possibilities are unlimited and not bound by
any rules. Nothing stops you from turning the Pacific Ocean into
pink Jell-O. It makes no sense to claim that these creative
possibilities ar e stored in the atoms and molecules of yo ur brain
cells. You made conscious choices without precedent, building a
unique chain of creative thoughts. But even if all seven billion people on the planet performed this
exercise, they would be doing only one thing—transforming
possibility into reality. This one thing is occurring all the time, and
it is  enough to  create the un iverse. In the spring of 1940, one of
the most far-seeing physicists in modern times, John Wheeler,
telephoned another far-seeing physicist, Richard Feynman. “Feynman,” Wheeler exclaimed, “I know why all electrons have
the same charge and the same mass. ”
“Why. ”
“Because, they are all the same electron. ”This startling notion, which became known as the One-Electron
Universe, sank into Feynm an’s imagination, although, as he
recalls, he didn’t take it seriously enough at first. When we look at
the physical world, a huge number of electrons exist—trillions
send electrical charges through your household current every
second. Each electron traces a path in time and space, kno wn as a
“world line. ”
Wheeler propo sed that a single electron could zigzag all over
the pla ce, creating a tangle of world lines. It’s a fascinating
alternative to many electrons creating many world lines. N ow let’s
translate this into human terms. Instead of many electrons,
substitute man y observers, each with his own eyes. On  planet
Earth there would be over sev en billion observers. However, those
billions of observers express the ability to observe, which is one
thing. So it’s e ntirely plausi ble that we inhabit a “one-o bserver
universe. ” It’s like saying “All humans draw breath” without
having to count how many humans are breathing. Suc h is the
perspective of cosmic consciousness. I didn’t choose the i mage of
waves p ounding the shore by accident. The ancient Indian seers
pointed to the sea and said, “Each wave is an outcropping of the
ocean without being different  from the ocean. Do not be fooled by
your individual ego. You are an outcropping of cosmic
consciousness without being different from it. ”
Homo sapiens  is the only creature that can choose which
perspective to take. We can be separate waves of one oce an. The
only difference between a one-electron universe and a many-
electron univer se is our perspective. Both are as real as we decide
they are. Or, to put it more strongly, both are only  as real as we
decide they are. Standing at the pivot of


	before	they	are
placed	on	shelves. The	FDA	conducts	premarket	reviews	only	of	certain
cosmetics’	color	additives	and	active	ingredients	that	are	classified	as	over-the-
counter	drugs. 12
,
13
	It	also	has	no	authority	to	require	recalls	of	harmful
cosmetics,	and	manufacturers	are	not	required	to	report	cosmetics-related
injuries	to	the	agency. The	FDA	relies	on	companies	to	report	injuries
voluntarily
14
	(yes,	you	read	that	right—
voluntarily. ). Cosmetics	in	the
European	Union	are	far	more	strictly	regulated. There,	over
1,000	ingredients	have	been	banned	from	use. In	contrast,	the	FDA	has	only
prohibited	a	fraction	of	those	ingredients,	including	some	color	additives	and
other	prohibited	substances. 15
	Another	scary	fact	is	that	federal	law	allows
companies	to	leave	some	chemical	ingredients	off	their	product	labels,
including	those	considered	to	be	trade	secrets	and	some	components	of
fragrance	and	nanomaterials. 16
Since	the	FDA	does	not	play	a	big	role	in	regulating	the	safety	of	ingredients,
it	has	authorized	the	cosmetics	industry	to	police	itself	with	the	Cosmetic
Ingredient	Review	panel. To	date,	in	its	thirty-plus-year	history,	the	industry
panel	has	declared	only	eleven	ingredients	or	chemical	groups	to	be	unsafe,
17
and	its	recommendations	on	restricting	ingredients	are	not	binding	on
companies. 18
	So	it	doesn’t	sound	like	much	real	“policing”	is	going	on. Where
does	that	leave	us,	as	consumers. Ingredients	from	cosmetics	not	only	are	absorbed	through	the	skin	but	are
also	often	swallowed	and	inhaled	from	sprays	and	powders. Many	of	them	are
hormone	disruptors	that	can	create	developmental	and	reproductive	damage
and	allergic	reactions,	act	as	carcinogens,	and	create	other	kinds	of	damage	in
the	body. 19
,
20
	It’s	ultra-important	to	understand	labels	and	ingredients,	as	the
FDA	says	that	descriptions	such	as	“hypoallergenic”	or	“natural”	can	“meananything	or	nothing	at	all. ”
21
	Don’t	assume	that	companies	or	any	prevailing
organizations—governmental	or	otherwise—are	necessarily	looking	out	for	your
best	interests. It’s	important	to	scan	labels	and	look	into	the	ethos	of	brands
that	you	choose	to	use	in	and	on	your	body. Ultimately,	we	have	to	look	out	for
our	families	and	ourselves	and	not	leave	our	safety	in	the	hands	of	anyone	else. Toxic
Skin-Care	Ingredients	to	Avoid
There	are	countless	toxins	and	additives	in	commercial	skin-care,	makeup,
body-care,	and	other	personal-care	products. It	would	fill	this	entire	book	(and
more)	to	list	and	describe	them	all. But	there	are	some	common	offenders	that
are	worse	than	others. For	more	information,	the
Campaign	for	Safe	Cosmetics
(
safecosmetics. org/
)	and	the	Environmental	Working	Group	Skin	Deep
Cosmetics	Database	(
ewg. org/
skindeep/
)	are	two	great	resources	to	consult
about	the	toxicity	of	specific	products	and	ingredients. These	organizations,	as
well	as	certain	reports,	believe	that	toxic	ingredients	can	create	DNA	damage;
act	as	carcinogens;	create	brain,	liver,	kidney,	and	other	organ	abnormalities;
produce	allergic	or	other	reactions;	and	cause	eye	damage,	nervous	system
damage,	reproductive	damage,	and	birth	defects. 22
	The	list	of	these	possible
dangers	continues	to	grow	as	more	chemicals	are	introduced	and	studied. Here	are	some	of	the	most	glaringly
toxic	ingredients	to	avoid. Again,	this	is
like	a	drop	in	the	ocean,
not
	an	exhaustive	list:
•
Benzoyl	peroxide
•
Synthetic	(or	artificial)	FD&C	colors	and	dyes
•
Propylene	glycol	(PG)	and	butylene	glycol
•
Diethanolamine	(DEA),
monoethanolamine	(MEA),	and
triethanolamine
(TEA)
•
Methyl-,	butyl-,	ethyl-,	and	propylparabens
•
Sodium	lauryl	sulfate	(SLS)	and	sodium	laureth	sulfate	(SLES)
•
Dioxin
•
Polyethylene	glycol	(PEG)
•
Avobenzone
•
Phthalates
•
Triclosan•
DMDM	hydantoin	and
imidazolidinyl	urea
RADICALLY	TIMELESS	BEAUTY	MASK
This	nourishing	mask	will	leave	your	skin	feeling	moisturized,	smooth,	and	radiant. Used	regularly,	it
can	help	ward	off	wrinkles	and	puffiness. These	ingredients	are	rich	in	nourishing	enzymes,	vitamin
E,	and	beauty	fats	and	oils. 1	tablespoon	raw,	organic	honey
1	teaspoon	almond	oil
1	teaspoon	rose	water
Combine	the	ingredients	in	a	small	bowl. Apply	to	your	face	and	neck	for	about	15	to	20	minutes. Rinse	well. Sunscreen	Ingredients:	Wading	Through	the
Toxic	and	the	Safe
It’s	well	established	that	sunscreen	can	help	protect	against	skin
cancers	and	sun
damage. The	risk	isn’t	entirely	related	to	how	much	sun	hits	your	unprotected
skin,	since	exposure	when	you	were	a	child	can	lead	to	a	higher	risk	of	skin
cancer	as	an	adult,	and	the	exposure	doesn’t	need	to	be	drastic. The	best	rule,
however,	is	to	protect	yourself	from	the	sun’s	ultraviolet	(UV)	radiation	as
much	as	you	can. Best	medical	advice	also	holds	that	you	use	a	higher	sunblock
number. Simple	measures	like	wearing	a	sun	hat	with	a	wide	brim	help	remove
the	burden	from	sunblocks,	along	with	sitting	in	the	shade	and	wearing
sunglasses	that	are	UV	resistant. Also	be	aware	that	there	are	a	multitude	of	toxic	ingredients	in	most
sunscreens. When	choosing	a	sunscreen,	look	for	products	with	the	active
ingredient
zinc	oxide	or	titanium	dioxide. These	are	physical	protectants,	which
reflect	UV	rays	off	your	skin,	rather	than	chemical	products. Here	are	some	toxic	skin-care	ingredients	to	look	out	for	and	avoid. OXYBENZONE	(AKA	BENZOPHENONE-3)
While	the
American	Academy	of	Dermatology	says	oxybenzone	is	safe,	the
Environmental	Working	Group	(EWG)	and	other	toxicology	experts	believe
that	oxybenzone	is	linked	to	hormone	disruption	and	potentially	to	cell
damage	that	may	lead	to	skin
cancer. 23
	Some	studies	have	linked	oxybenzone
use	in	pregnant	women	to	low	birth	weight,
24
	which	can	lead	to	serious	health
problems	later	in	life;	it	also	may	impact	the	adrenal	system
25
	and	may	alsoreduce	testosterone	levels	in	men. 26
NANOPARTICLES
These	are	extremely	tiny	particles	added	to	sunscreen	that	are	easily	absorbed	by
the	skin. About	100,000	times	smaller	than	the	width	of	a	human	hair,	these
tiny	particles	can	penetrate	the	blood-brain	barrier,	leading	to	damage	or
genetic	changes	in	the	brain	cells. 27
	Be	sure	that	the	ingredients	on	your
sunscreen	are	in	a	non-nano	form. This	even	goes	for	safer	sunscreen
ingredients	such	as	zinc	oxide	and	titanium	dioxide,	as	micronized	titanium
d


 my old
linear days. My diminished motivation to achieve and acquire is particularly
noticeable when it comes to competition. Earlier in my life I was always
having to beat the other guy in order to prove myself. In recent years my
inclination is away from comp etition. I still play tennis, but I send my
opponent good wishes right in the middle of a tough match, and somehow,
paradoxically, I raise my own level of play. I feel this is a natural result of
radiating out from my Self the feelings and thoughts of uncond itional love
and nonjudgment. Cooperation has replaced competition in all facets of my life, and the
results are amaz ing for myself and all the others whom I touch  in one way
or another. I feel strongly attracted to the message in the statement “In a
world of individuals, compariso n makes no sense at all. ” External events
are irrelevant to me except to the extent they produce order or disorder in
the world. I assess whatever I do. If an act produces some kind of harmony
for myse lf and others, it is a positive act. If it creates turbulence  or disorder,
I will work to reverse the impact. I see my mission  as helping others to shift their consciousness, so that all
of their waking thoughts and actions are in the direction of order and
harmony. It means living as if the intelligence behind all form really
matters, and not doing anything that destroys or harms life. Tapping into the
inner energy that is our Self with an accepting attitude contributes to a
personal sense of balance and harmony. As more and more of us evolve to
this personally balanced level, we will create the outer form in our world. In
this way, we will all participate in the transformation of our universe. I revel
in the love of life and learning of my six beautiful children. I teach only
love and I see them treating one another and people outside the family in
the same way. My wife and I have grown to love and respect ourselves and our own
uniqueness, so that we are able to radiate that inner glow outw ard toward
each other. We have a wonderful absence of judgment and negativity
toward each other, because we have both learned to be that way within
ourselves. Disagreements, yes. Disagreeableness, never. I want to emphasize that this new me is still assertive and firm about my
own life. I am not making the case for gushing sugar and honey at the evils
of the world, in the hope that they will disappear. On the contrary, what Iam expe riencing is a much deeper involvement with life, wherein I know
precisely what I am about, and I cannot be deterred from that path. I am
able to stay on my path, doing what I love and loving what I do, precisely
because I have transformed myself from a person who had absolute
judgments which required fixed and rigid responses to a perso n who sees
and knows that any human experience is an opportunity to reflect on where
I am or am not. It comes down to surrendering some old, deeply entrenched
patterns. It means catching myself right in the middle of acting in a
nonharmonious way, and seeing  that this is where I am and also where I am
not right now. Then it means using my mind to be where I want to be inside
of myself, and slowly but surely moving more in the direction of that inner
harmony. Recently I had an experience that illustrates how this works. My wife
told me that one of the children  had done something wonderful in her first-
grade class, and she concluded by saying, “I am so glad that I worked with
her on this project and taught her how to perform in front of the class
without any anxiety or self-dou bt. ” At an earlier time in my life I would
have said, “Wait a minute. I am the one who taught her that behavior, and
you want to take all of the credit. You do that all the time. ” My reaction
now is: “Great. I am so happy that she is gaining confidence, and you are a
great help to her in this regard. ” Inside, I feel I also contributed to her
success, and I can appreciate  my internal feeling without demanding
external acknowledgment. I know that our daughter ’s confid ence is the
result of numerous inputs from both of us, from her own inner self, and
from many others as well. My happiness is for her; it is not based on
needing some credit, or on taking some credit away from  my wife. Competition and turbulence inside me have been replaced by inner peace
and harmony. It is unconditional love, beginning with Self. When you retreat to your peace ful inner solitude, you enter that fourth
dimension that opens up an entirely new world. But, before you can get
there, you may need to examine your resistance to this powerful new idea
of self-transformation. WHY  YOU MA Y BE RESISTING THIS PRINCIPLE

Why would anyone choose to resist this state of being. Possibl y to remain
in the illusion of safety. As long as you are convinced that you are only yourform, you needn’ t consider your own greatness and the risks that go with
transformation. Think about it for a moment. All of the impediments to your success and
happiness can be neatly explained away as simply the boundaries of your
physical existen ce. In this fram e of mind you can decide that other people
are just plain lucky or they were born with advantages you did not get, or
they got all the breaks. These are the thoughts of someone who remains
stuck in form. To experience transformation requires opening up to the
possibility of an entirely new idea. Most of us reject new ideas for the
safety of those to which we have become so comfortably accustomed. It is also quite comfortable and natural to take the opposite position from
that in the title of this book. That is, “I’ll believe it when I see it. And not a
moment before. ” Most people do not like to go beyond their comfort zones. You may know in your heart that life resists purely physical explanations
and that science cannot conclusively answer questions such as “What is
life. Where does it go when it dies. How do I think. ” Despite this
awareness you may prefer to stay with that which you can see— that is, with
form and form alone. Perhaps believing in formlessness is just too spooky
and weird for you at this time. Yet you know in your heart that you have to
be much more than just that body you live in. It is risky in the beginning to toss out all of the old comforts and take the
step that will allow you to interact with your inner beingness. That is where
you live, in that inner place. That is where you feel everything. That is
where all of your thoughts reside. And you may not be quite ready to
explore this place where you have complete responsibility for all that you
are experiencing. You might also resist transforma tion because you are afraid of change, or
of examining something that you do not understand. I call this the head-in-
the-sand approac h to your own spirituality. “Let someone in a pulpit preach
about what I am supposed to do in the spiritual realm. Me. I’ll take care of
paying off my mortgage. All of this mystical stuff is for deep  thinkers or
dedicated religio us believers. ” We have been conditioned to believe that
matters pertaining to higher consciousness are the concern primarily of
organized religi ous leaders. Yet if you consider the teachings of highly
spiritual masters, they all say the same thing in different ways. “The
kingdom of heaven is within. ” “Do not ask God to do it for you, but in factrecognize your own great divinity and magnificence. ” “Look within, not
without. ”
You may feel that an attempt to achieve personal transformation conflicts
with your specific religious training. But nothing that I am writing about
conflicts with the teachings of the spiritual masters. Nothing. Transformation is about love, peace, personal fulfillment, treating others
with respect, and achieving harmony on this planet as one family of man. Nothing I write about is in any way an attempt to criticize or ridicule
anyone’ s religious beliefs. While I find some of the acts that are perpetrated
against human beings in the name of God or organized religion anathema, I
do not find fault with the essential beliefs of the religion. A transformed
being is incapable of behaving in nonspiritual ways toward others. Finally, you may resist this process of transformation because you feel
that you really do not have the capacity to transcend the life that you have
created for yourself. You may feel that you have in fact reached  the limit of
how far you can go, and you do not want the stress and anxiety that goes
with soaring above the life to which you have accustomed yourself. You
may not want to im agine what you can be, because you are not ready to
make that shift,  you want to stay with the familiar and within your own
zone of comfort. Most of your resistance to accepting the possibility of transformation
comes from being willing to carry on pretty much as you always have. Yet,
I know that you would not be reading these pages this moment if you were
not at least curious about the possibility of soaring beyond that which you
have known as your accustome d life-style up until now. And I can assure
you that


 practice. The thumb should be placed by the right nostril
and the ring finger by the left nostril. Close the right nostril with the thumb. Inhale then exhale
through the left nostril, five times at normal speed. Release the pressure of the thumb on the right nostril and
then, pressing the side of the left nostril with the ring finger,
breathe in and out at normal speed five times. This should be
repeated for 25 cycles, one cycle consisting of five full
breaths through each nostril. The student should not breathe
heavily and there should be no sound as the air moves in and
out of the nostrils. After 15 days, move from Stage 1 to Stage 2. Stage 2: Alternate nostril breathing. Close the right nostril with the thumb and inhale through
the left nostril. After completing the inhalation, close the left
nostril with the ring finger and release the pressure of the 81
thumb on the right nostril, breathing out through it. Then in
hale through the right nostril and close it at the end of the in
halation. Open the left nostril and exhale. This is one cycle. The length of the inhalation and exhalation should be equal
(for example, a count of five in and five out, or whatever rate
you find comfortable). There should be no strain under any
circumstances. After a few days, the periods of inhalation and exhalation
should be lengthened, but should not differ from each other
(a 1:1 ratio). Care must be taken not to speed up the counting
during exhalation to compensate for shortage of breath. At the slightest sign of discomfort, reduce the time of each
inhalation and exhalation. After 15 days or more, leave this
stage and practice Stage 3. Stage 3: Antaranga kumbhaka. Close the right nostril and inhale through the left. At the
end of the inhalation, close both nostrils, using thumb and
ring finger, and retain the breath. Exhale through the right
nostril and then inhale through it, keeping the left nostril
closed. Again retain the breath with both nostrils closed as
before. Open the left nostril and exhale, keeping the right
nostril closed. Each action - inhalation, retention, and ex
halation - should be performed to a count of five. This is one
cycle: practice 25 cycles. After several days of practice, alter the periods of inhala
tion, retention, and exhalation to the ratio 1:2:2. In other
words, for an in-breath to a count of five, hold the breath in
side for a count of ten and breathe out to a count of ten. After a few days, increase the inhalation count by one (i.e. from 5 to 6), and the retention and exhalation counts by two. When these longer periods have been mastered to the point
that there is not the slightest discomfort, again increase the
length of each cycle, keeping the ratio the same. After some weeks or months of practice, increase the ratio
to 1:4:2. When this is mastered, change the ratio to 1:6:4; and
upon mastery of this, to 1:8:6. This is the final ratio. 82
When the final ratio can be done for 25 cycles with com
plete relaxation and without the need for a rest, then proceed
to the final stage, Stage 4. Stage 4: Antaranga and bahiranga kumbhaka
(Internal and external retention)
Inhale through the left nostril and retain the breath. Exhale
through the right nostril and hold the breath out. Breathe in
through the right nostril and retain the breath. Exhale
through the left nostril and hold the breath out. This is one
cycle: repeat for 15 cycles. The ratio for this should start at
1:4:2:2 (inhalation: internal retention: exhalation: external
retention). You should slowly increase the respective durations, keep
ing the same ratio. Advanced practitioners can perform
jalandhara or mula bandha (see the section on bandha) dur
ing the internal and external retentions of Stage 4. Precautions: Nadi shodhan should be practiced between
asanas and meditation The breath should not be retained to
the point of discomfort, Each new stage should be attempted
only when perfection is achieved in the preceeding stage. Practice in a well-ventilated room, with great care and only
under expert guidance. Benefits: Because it induces calmness and tranquility of
mind, Nadi shodhan is an indispensable prelude to advanced
meditational practices. All the nadls are cleared of
blockages, the flow of prana in the ida and pingala nadis is
equalized, and the blood system is cleansed of toxins. The
whole body is nourished by the extra supply of oxygen that is
absorbed, and carbon dioxide is efficiently expelled. Stale air
in the lungs is removed. The brain cells are purified, en
couraging the centers of the brain to work nearer their op
timum capacities. (2) Bhastrika pranayama (bellows pranayama)
Sit in padmasana or siddhasana with the head and spine
erect and the eyes closed. Relax the whole body. 83
Stage 1: Place the left hand on the left knee and rest the in
dex and middle fingers of the right hand between the
eyebrows, with the thumb beside the right nostril and the
ring finger beside the left nostril. Close the right nostril with
the thumb. Breathe rapidly and rhythmically through the left
nostril 20 times, expanding and contracting the abdomen. Then, close both nostrils with the thumb and ring finger, and
do jalandhara or mula bandha (See Chapter III pp. 89 -92). Retain the breath for a comfortable period of time, then
release the bandha and exhale. Close the left nostril and
breathe 20 times, again with quick but rhythmical expan
sions and contractions of the abdominal muscles. Then in
hale deeply, close both nostrils, and perform jalandhara or
mula bandha. Hold for some time and slowly exhale. This is
one cycle; perform three cycles. 84
Stage 2: Sit in the same position placing both hands on the
knees. Breathe rapidly 20 times through both nostrils
simultaneously. Then inhale deeply, retain the breath, and
perform jalandhara or mula bandha. After a comfortable
period, release the banaha and breathe out. This is one cycle;
three should be performed. The complete practice of bhastrika includes both stages. Duration: Beginners should perform about 20 repetitions of
rapid breathing. Advanced practitioners may increase grad
ually to 50, and the cycles can be increased from three to
five. Note: In this technique, the lungs are used like a
blacksmith's bellows. Precautions: A feeling of faintness or perspiration in
dicates that the practice is being done incorrectly. Avoid
violent respiration, facial contortions, or excessive body
shaking. If any of these symptoms are experienced despite
correct performance of the method, the advice of a teacher
should be sought. Relax throughout the whole process and rest after each cy
cle. For the first few weeks, bhastrika should be done slowly. The speed of respiration should gradually be increased only
as the lungs grow stronger. Limitations: People with high blood pressure, vertigo, or
any heart ailment, as well as beginners, should not do
bhastrika without expert guidance. Benefits: Harmful substances and germs in the lungs are
expelled. Asthma, tuberculosis, pleurisy, as well as any in
flammation of the throat involving phlegm should show im
provement. Digestion and appetite are stimulated. This
pranayama induces tranquility of mind and is very helpful in
awakening kundalini. (3) Ujjayi pranayama (Psychic breathing)
Ujjayi pranayama is performed by contracting the glottis
in the throat and forming khechari mudra (in which the
tongue is folded backwards so that the underside is pressed 85
against either the back of the hard palate or, preferably, the
soft palate). Breathe deeply and softly, like the gentle snoring
of a sleeping baby. There should be no sensation of breathing
through the nostrils, only through the throat. Ujjayi pranayama may be practiced in almost any
pose - for example, in many of the mudras and with medita-
tional techniques such as ajapa japa (See Chapter IV,p. 123). Duration: It can be performed for several hours. Benefits: This pranayama is very simple to do, but has sub
tle influences on the whole body. It produces a calming
effect on the nervous system, and a serene and pliable state
of mind results. Insomnia sufferers should practice ujjayi pranayama in
sh


 it to his wife the whole night. She came to her senses in the morning and her life was saved." Swamiji n_ar:ated another incident : "Ahmedabad Municipality
had started killmg stray dogs by poisoning. Unfortunately my dog
al~ got involved in that by chance. My dog took his share of
pmsoned swe:ts from other dogs by force. Consequently he too was
affected by po1son. ~she came to me staggering, 1 at once suspected
th~t ~e had been po1soned. So I made him drink a glassful of urine. W1th1n a short time the effect of poison disappeared." Apart from the above incidents, Swamiji quoted a number of
other illustrations about his successful experiments with urine. ·
CHAPTER XXIII
TOOTHACHE
~anu~hai too C~nverted: An interesting episode took place one
even1ng 1n our soc1ety regarding urine. Some young workers of
Ahmedabad Congress_ take a good deal of interest in criticizing urine
therapy. They have n1cknamed auto-urine as "Kaka-Cola" in fun. So
whenever somebody complained of any minor trouble, they at once
recommended "Kaka-Cola"! I enjoyed their remarks. One night
a~ut 9 p.m., _all these friends were sitting in a house in my
ne1ghbourhood 1n Panchsheel Society where 1 lived and these were
gossiping heartily. Shri Manubhai Patel, organizer of Gujarat
~r~desh Sevadal and once a Deputy Minister of the State, was also
s1ttmg along with them. He was suffering from toothache for the past
one month an_d as the gums started bleeding, he consulted a dentist. The doctor suspected pyorrho~a, which meant extracting the full set TOOTHACHE : 169
of teeth. Shri Manubhai was narrating this story when I reached
there. 1 suggested to him urine treatment. He interrupted me an~ said
· that he had no faith in it and a hearty joke followed. Accord1ng to
him it would be advisable to channelize all municipal urinals
towards urine therapy centre and there to bottle urine on a mass
scale label it 'Kaka-Cola' and to put it in the market and make an
additlonal source of income to the Ahmedabad Municipality! All his
friends sitting there had a very hearty laugh at th_is big joke at_ my
cost! Even then 1 insiSted upon an urine-pack on h1s gums that mght. My request did not appeal to him and so he kept silent. B~t ~e
got at 5 a.m. and per force applied a urine-pack due to acute pa1n In
the tooth and.then slept again. When he got up at 5 a.m., he
experienced a magical effect. There was great relief and the entire. pain had vanished. Consequently, the amagol'lism that Shri Manubhai was
harbouring against urine therapy evaporated by this experience. He
related this experience to his friends with great eAtnusiasm. Shri MaAUbhai then continued the treatment. He pressed out foul
blood and mucus from the gums and went on taking mouth-washes
with urine. He also drank it a little and by the fourth day he was al1
rtght. Later on a friend of Shri Man!Jbhai·'·s company told me joking :
nvou have conva:ted Shri M.allubhai as well,!" NTtiMA:t:H Of 0\S.ES
1. SAri wam ~mPws $kwi ~asidas BrahmacOO:ri who too i.s.a
prapagandlst of uri-ne tilel'apr. SM. banarasidas had toothache in
1 966 aAlJ of a sucidef'l. Me ~aA ~ ~et~ amd me f.oon-d gr.eat
rel-ief in oRLy 20 minwtes. lfl thooe d~s be COJ\l'W!etel¥ curs;! his
toothadre by oR-iy gatgrmg of U!!tne. 2. Shri H:aribhai Desai (Asbacteep, Br:allmapttri, Baroda) tnforll'ted
i·n h-is letter dated 15-2-62 that hrs homoeopath friend uses urine
therapy for himself and wiNing pat~ents to cure their diseases. He
could cure pyorrhoea of one patient by this treatment. I
'I
I
,-
,,~ 170 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
3. Shri Hans very enthusiasticall the inmates of the Brahm v·d y nar~ates that he found many of
urine therapy for self-curea T~ ya hMandrr, Pavanar (Wardha) using
therapy. · ey ave shown great interest in this
. 4. Shri Balkobaji, younger brother f h.. evrnced great interest in urine thera o S rr ~rnob_a Bhave, has
of Naturopathy He ad.. py and considers rt as a branch
that they have f~ith in it~rses people to use this therapy if he funds
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
When I started writing the cha ters f. that enough material would be o ~hrs book, I did not expect
conclusions. But by God'.. h avarlable to draw suitable
h d. s grace, I ave got th d. a~e elrberately avoided in this book e esrred material. I
whrch appeared dubious Wh t.. the accounts and statements
scrutinized. Nevertheless. 'to :r/sisst~~ed h~rein. has been thoroughly
any error made inadvertently.. mna' so I ask for pardon for
Sincere Research Needed T
medical science so this bo k h: ·do me urine is not a subject of
' 0 a not bee · · propound a new branch of medicin. n_ wrrtten wrth a view to
restoration of health and ~ h de. Urrn: rs a perfect tonic for the or t e estructron of 1 d.
even an aged person the vitali d. ma a res. It gives
an anti-poison In fact. ty an vrgour of a youth. It acts also as · urrne rs a nat 1. provided not only to man b ura equrpment of the body
b'rth · ut to every living b · f''. Urrne can never fa"rl 'f t erng rom the very
D'reatment is t k r. Armstrong of England evolved a a en sy:tematically. Late
l?ng experience for years together and ~~~hod of thrs :reatment after
srngle case. so there. 1 not meet farlure even in a
h I.. was not a srngle cha f.... ea rng flurd as defective 0. ft. nee o crrtrcrsrng the.. r rne 1ectrve we t h 11 h a srmrlar method and expert. · 00 s a ave to evolve s rn anatomy and pathology will have to CONCLUSION : 171
make a thorough research. But such a research will neither require
much time nor create any complexity unlike other therapies. What
is required here is the concentration and honest and intelligent
labour on one fluid only. In allopathy, it is quite possible that years
may pass in the study of diseases and experiment with thousands of
medicines even on a single disease. Still two allopaths may disagree
in choosing a particular medicine for particular disease! Urine
therapy is far from all the~ defects. Here a single liquid is a s1,1re
cure of. all diseases. The only thing required is the proper
understanding of the condition of the ailing person. As a matter of
face even diagnosis in unnecessary. But it is essential that the
vitality of the patient, local climate, the quantity of urine to be used,
the method of application, the diet before, during and after the
treatment etc., should be fully considered beforehand. The follower
of this treatment should be careful in his general behaviour also
because mental attitude also plays an important role in the physical
health. A Treatment with Self-restraint: The accounts of the most of the
cases which I have received have one common purpose and that is
people want to survive somehow by whatever means it may be
possible. Moreover it has been our habit not to do anything
methodically or rationally. But this would not be allowed in this
treatment. otherwise it would bring discredit to this therapy. one
should not take up this treatment if one lacks inself-restraint,
moderation in food and lacks patience. I have to put a question to such half-hearted patients who have
been benefited in sptie of their being unrestrained. But what woul~
they have said if the results were unfavourable? Would they have
boldly admitted that it was only due to their own faults that harrn
had been done to them? I ·do not think such would have been their·
reaction if the result was not


	randomly	selected	times,	to	think	about	walking	their
dogs	five	minutes	before	going	to	get	them. In	the	meantime,	the	dog	was
being	videotaped	in	its	isolated	location. Sheldrake	found	that	when	their
owners	started	thinking	about	taking	them	for	a	walk,	more	than	half	the	dogs
ran	to	the	door	wagging	their	tails,	circling	restlessly,	and	keeping	up	this
behavior	until	their	owners	appeared. No	dog	showed	anticipatory	behavior,however,	when	their	owners	were	not	thinking	about	taking	them	for	a	walk. This	suggests	something	intriguing,	that	the	bond	between	a	pet	and	its
owner	creates	a	subtle	connection	at	the	level	of	thought. Polls	show	that
about	60%	of	Americans	believe	they	have	had	a	telepathic	experience,	so
this	result	is	not	completely	startling. The	next	leap	is	quite	startling,	however. After	writing	up	his	results	with	telepathic	pets,	Sheldrake	received	an	e-mail
from	a	woman	in	New	York	City	who	said	that	her	African	gray	parrot	not
only	read	her	thoughts	but	responded	to	them	with	speech. The	woman	and
her	husband	might	be	sitting	in	another	room,	out	of	sight	from	the	bird,
whose	name	is	N’kisi,	and	if	they	were	feeling	hungry,	N’kisi	would	suddenly
say,	“You	want	some	yummy.”	If	the	owner	and	her	husband	were	thinking
about	going	out,	N’kisi	might	say,	“You	gotta	go	out,	see	ya	later.”
Greatly	intrigued,	Sheldrake	contacted	the	owner,	an	artist	named
Aimee
Morgana. The	situation	he	found	was	remarkable. African	gray	parrots	are
among	the	most	linguistically	talented	of	all	birds,	and	N’kisi	had	a	huge
vocabulary	of	over	700	words. More	remarkable	still,	he	used	them	like
human	speech,	not	“parroting”	a	word	mindlessly	but	applying	it	where
appropriate;	if	he	saw	something	that	was	red,	he	said	“red,”	and	if	the	object
was	another	color,	he	said	that	color. But	Aimee	had	even	more	astonishing
stories	for	Sheldrake. When	she	was	watching	a	Jackie	Chan	movie	on
television,	during	one	scene	with	Chan	perilously	perched	on	a	girder,	N’kisi
said,	“Don’t	fall	down,”	even	though	his	cage	was	behind	the	television	with
no	line	of	sight	to	the	picture. When	an	automobile	commercial	came	on	next,
N’kisi	said,	“That’s	my	car.”	Another	time	Aimee	was	reading	the	lines,	“The
blacker	the	berry,	the	sweeter	the	juice,”	in	a	book	when	simultaneously	from
another	room	the	bird	said,	“The	color	is	black.”
Sheldrake	wanted	to	confirm	this	for	himself. On	his	first	visit,	Aimee
gave	him	a	taste	of	N’kisi’s	telepathy:	she	looked	at	a	picture	of	a	girl	in	a
magazine,	and	with	remarkable	clarity	from	the	adjoining	room	the	parrot
said,	“That’s	a	girl.”	The	next	step	was	to	conduct	a	formal	experiment. If
N’kisi	could	understand	words	and	also	had	telepathic	abilities,	could	the	two
be	tested	together? Sheldrake	proposed	that	Aimee	would	look	at	pictures	that
corresponded	to	words	her	parrot	already	knew. She	would	sit	in	one	room
while	N’kisi	remained	isolated	in	another. The	bird	would	have	two	minutes
to	utter	a	“key	word”	that	matched	the	picture. If	he	said	the	word	within	that
time,	it	would	count	as	a	hit. If	he	didn’t	say	the	word,	or	if	he	said	it	after	the
two	minutes	were	up,	it	counted	as	a	miss. To	ensure	neutrality,	someone	besides	Aimee	chose	both	the	pictures	and
the	key	words	that	matched	each	one. (This	proved	somewhat	unfair	to	the
bird,	since	the	neutral	chooser	picked	some	words	like	“TV”	that	N’kisi	had
only	said	once	or	twice	before;	the	bird	didn’t	utter	these	words	at	the	right
time	during	the	experiment,	nor
did
	he	say	them	at	all.) After	all	the	trialswere	over,	the	tapes	of	what	N’kisi	had	said	were	played	for	three	judges,
who	wrote	down	what	they	heard;	unless	N’kisi	distinctly	said	the	right	word,
as	transcribed	by	all	three	judges,	a	hit	wouldn’t	count. The	results	were
beyond	ordinary	comprehension. For	example,	when	Aimee	looked	at	a
picture	showing	scantily	clad	bathers	on	a	beach,	N’kisi	mumbled	for	a	bit,
then	all	three	judges	heard	him	say,	“Look	at	my	pretty,	naked	body.”	He
didn’t	say	other,	irrelevant	key	words	in	between	saying	the	right	words,	the
bird	only	whistled	and	made	tones. When	Aimee	looked	at	a	picture	of
someone	talking	on	the	telephone,	N’kisi	said,	“What’cha	doin’	on	the
phone?”	Perhaps	his	most	intriguing	response	came	when	Aimee	concentrated
on	a	picture	of	flowers. Instead	of	simply	uttering	the	key	word	“flower,”
Ni’kisi	said,	“That’s	a	pic	of	flowers.”
How	did	he	do	overall? Out	of	71	trials,	N’kisi	got	23	hits,	as	compared
with	7.4	hits	that	would	have	been	expected	if	the	results	had	been	random. Sheldrake	points	out	that	this	is	quite	a	significant	outcome,	all	the	more
because	N’kisi	wasn’t	aware	that	he	was	being	tested	and	often	said	the	right
key	word	after	the	allotted	time	was	up. In	a	small	Manhattan	apartment	this	bit	of	proof	was	added	to	mounting
evidence	that	the	mind	isn’t	solely	human	property,	and	in	fact	might	exist
outside	the	brain. Communication	between	the	animal	kingdom	and	humans
may	seem	odd,	but	pets	can’t	cheat	and	they	have	no	ulterior	motive	for
proving	they	have	special	abilities. The	Vedic	rishis	long	ago	asserted	that	the
entire	universe	is	intelligent,	because	it	is	permeated	by	consciousness. Let’s
see	how	precisely	we	can	put	this	in	modern	terms. Into	the	Mind	Field
Mind	has	remained	a	metaphysical	riddle	for	centuries	because	it	inhabits	the
physical	world	like	a	ghost. But	that’s	a	Western	perspective	based	on	our	bias
for	solid,	tangible	things. We	insist	that
the
	brain	must	be	the	source	of	mind
because	the	brain	is	a	visible	object,	which	is	like	saying	that	a	radio	must	be
the	source	of	music	because	it	is	a	visible	object	from	which	music	emerges. The	Vedic	rishis	adopted	the	opposite	perspective,	insisting	that	visible
objects	couldn’t	be	the	source	of	mind	since	the	physical	plane	is	the	least
conscious	of	worlds. It	may	seem	significant	that	the	brain	is	active	during
thought,	but	a	radio	is	active	during	a	broadcast,	and	there	is	no	doubt	that
N’kisi	(not	to	mention	human	telepaths)	picked	up	a	thought	that	was


despair that many people nurture. Many people have a lifetime of
unresolved angers circulating through their minds and causing new stress
with each recall. Confronting them and letting go of them involves honestly
facing your own part in the problem, and for giving yourself as well as the
others you’ve resented and feared. If you do not for give, you become like
your enemy. The children with whom Jerry Jampolsky works have expressed the
lesson of transcendence superbly in the conclusion of a book they wrote
together, called There Is a Rainbow Behind Every Dark Cloud:

In summary, we think that your mind can do anything. You can learn to
control your mind and decide to be happy “inside” with a smiling heart, in
spite of what happens to you on the “outside.”
Whether you are sick or well, when you give help and love to others, it
makes you feel warm and peaceful inside. We learned that, when you give
love, you receive it at the same time. And letting go of the past and for giving everyone and everything sure
helps you not be afraid. Remember that you are love. So let your love expand, and love yourself
and everyone. When you love and really feel joined with everyone,
everything, and with God, you can feel happy and safe inside.And don’ t forget, when you have total Faith that we are always
connected to each other in love, you will surely find a rainbow on the other
side of any dark cloud. The phenomenal ener gy that can be liberated by surrendering our
negative emotions was described to me in a letter from Denise, a breast-
cancer patient who visited the congregation of a faith healer in Worcester,
Massachusetts. She wrote:

After his sermon, he said that each one would know in their heart if they
were the one to be called. He turned around to his audience of over 1500
people and said, “I have a strong experience with someone concerning a
rose. She has a disease in her chest area.” I felt my insides move as I
recalled the night before while I was at dinner, when I took a fresh rose out
of the vase on our table, and smelled it. Someone had told me I had to take
time to smell the flowers of life. However, I didn’ t stand up. I thought it
couldn’ t be me. The healer then approached a woman who had stood up. Her name was
Rose, and she had breast cancer. He blessed her but said, “Y ou are not the
one I am experiencing.”
He said, “She also has breast cancer, and is wearing a beige top.” That
morning I had put on a pair of black slacks and a long-sleeved black blouse. Then I decided to put on my short-sleeved beige blouse as an overlay, felt
too fat, and took it of f, and then decided to put it back on again. At this point I stood up, and he called me down to the front of the
audience. He asked me about my illness, and as I stood there full of tears
and emotions, I shall never for get how his face looked. He didn’ t have any
eyes, just dark pools of infinity. As he anointed my forehead, he said, “ You
have to let go of your anguish.” And with this, I experienced a bolt of
energy that passed through my body. I felt a scream come from my mouth,
and I fell toward the floor into the arms of the ushers behind me. This experience was a turning point for Denise. She began to be able to
set priorities for herself and make choices based on her own needs. She
used psychotherapy and chemotherapy, ended a relationship she felt to bedamaging to her, and sold her business, which had been a major source of
stress. Finally allowing herself to express a lifetime of pent-up anger,
frustration, and sadness, she cried for days, and found that for the first time
she was able to accept the child within her. At the end of her letter, she
wrote, “This was the first time I had ever given myself the privilege and
dignity to mourn my own pains and agonies. Now that all the debris has
moved from my soul, my [inner] child and I are one. I feel total integration,
self love, and for giveness. I need never judge others, for I no longer need to
judge myself.”
Spirituality, unconditional love, and the ability to see that pain and
problems are opportunities for growth and redirection—these things allow
us to make the best of the time we have. Then we realize that the present
moment is all we have, but it is infinite. We see that there is no real past or
future, and that as soon as we start thinking in terms of past and future—
regretting and wishing—we lose ourselves in judgemental thinking. In one
of the countries where people regularly live to be a hundred, people have a
saying: “Y esterday is gone, tomorrow isn’ t here yet, so what is there to
worry about?”
Many people are able to let go of their fears and resentments only when
they are nearly dead. Several years ago Dr. Ellerbroek described one such
case in the following terms:

Her pelvis, bladder and rectum had been removed—until she seemed to
be nothing more than a bag of flesh draped over a skeleton that of fered
shelter not for internal or gans but for spreading tumors. She asked to be
allowed to die on the shore of a local lake. In those peaceful surroundings,
something happened; she jettisoned her anger and depression, her spirit,
like a balloon freed of useless weight, soared—and her tumors started to
shrink. She was cured. Later Ellerbroek reflected on this and similar cases with these words:

It is my primary belief that we were sold a big bill of goods when we
were little. We were taught that under certain circumstances it is appropriate
to be angry, and that under all circumstances it is appropriate to be
depressed. I’m here to say that in my own personal, solitary opinion—and
totally contrary to the beliefs of almost all the psychiatrists I know—Ibelieve that anger and depression are pathological emotions, that they are
immediately responsible for the vast majority of human ills, including
cancer. I have collected 57 extremely well documented so-called cancer
miracles. A cancer miracle is when a person didn’ t die when they
absolutely, positively were supposed to. At a certain particular moment in
time they decided that the anger and the depression were probably not the
best way to go, since they had such a little bit of time left, and so they went
from that to being loving, caring, no longer angry, no longer depressed, and
able to talk to the people they loved. These 57 people had the same pattern. They gave up, totally, their anger, and they gave up, totally, their
depression, by specifically a decision to do so. And at that point the tumors
started to shrink. (I use the word “resentment” instead of “anger,” because I think anger is
a normal emotion if it is expressed when felt. Then it is over with. If one
keeps a lid on it, it develops into resentment or hate. Sooner or later,
resentment and hate explode, destroying others, or they are held in,
destroying oneself.) The transcendence described by Ellerbroek is precisely the essence of
the religious experience as it was described by Jung in Psychology and
Religion:

They came to themselves, they could accept themselves, they were able
to become reconciled to themselves and by this they were also reconciled to
adverse circumstances and events. This is much like what was formerly
expressed by saying: He has made his peace with God, he has sacrificed his
own will, he has submitted himself to the will of God. To those rationalists who ar gue that any such experience is a self-
delusion, Jung adds an especially apt reply:

Is there any better truth about ultimate things than the one that helps
you to live? This is the reason why I take carefully into account the symbols
produced by the unconscious mind. They are the only things able to
convince the critical mind of modern people. They are convincing for very
old-fashioned reasons. They are simply overwhelming, which is an Englishrendering of the Latin word “convincere.” The thing that cures a neurosis
must be as convincing as the neurosis; and since the latter is only too real,
the helpful experience must be of equal reality. It must be a very real
illusion, if you want to put it pessimistically. But what is the dif ference
between a real illusion and a healing religious experience? It is merely a
difference in words. You can say, for instance, that life is a disease with a
very bad prognosis, it lingers on for years to end with death; or that
normality is a generally prevailing constitutional defect; or that man is an
animal with a fatally over grown brain. This kind of thinking is the
prerogative of habitual grumblers with bad digestions. Nobody can know
what the ultimate things are. We must, therefore, take them as we
experience them. And if such experience helps to make your life healthier,
more beautiful, more complete and more satisfactory to yourself and to
those you love, you may safely say: “This was the grace of God.”

Ellerbroek has