 energy and was able to continue working as a church artist. He did construction and
decoration work, designed stained glass windows, and mounted an art exhibition in San Diego.
In 1983 W.S. wrote: “I am looking back on 33 years, eight children, twelve grandchildren and a
wonderful productive life.” In 2006, aged 88, he appeared in “Dying to Have Known,” Stephen
Kroschel’s Gerson documentary film, still functioning well and working in his artist’s studio with
several of his children.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 197Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comEndometriosis Turning into Cervical Cancer
The endometrium is the mucous membrane lining the uterus. During the fertile years of a
woman this lining is shed every month, if the secreted ovum is not fertilized and implanted in the
tissue.
When the organism or the hormone system is malfunctioning, the endometrium can spread to
various sites throughout the pelvic area, including the abdominal wall. As the condition worsens
and the menstrual cycle does not get regulated, endometrial tissue may spread throughout the
body, becoming a malignancy “resembling metastatic pelvic carcinoma,” according to Taber’ s
Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.
The case of S.T. illustrates this progression perfectly. This patient had gynaecological
problems at the very start of her menstrual periods. Thirty-five years later she was diagnosed
with endometriosis and had a number of D & C’s ( scraping of the uterus)  to remove endometrial
plaque. In the end she had a partial hysterectomy, yet her problems continue, and finally, in 1979,
a Pap smear showed cancer of the cervix, with atypical ( irregular, not conforming to the normal)
cells in her blood. She also noticed lumps in her breast, but these were not further investigated. A
hysterectomy was arranged for her, but she declined the operation and changed her diet.
She began to investigate alternative treatments, changed her diet and fasted. Then she
remembered a lecture she had heard many years before by Charlotte Gerson and decided to go
on the Gerson Therapy. Having done so, she was surprised to experience severe healing reactions
with nausea and vomiting, but then recalled being told that she had a great deal of scar tissue in
her abdominal area, probably caused by earlier ulcers.
S.T. stayed on the Therapy for two years and declares, “Never once did a bite of food enter
my mouth that I should not have eaten.”
She remains well (last report November of 2006), and is busy taking care of her aged parents
and in-laws who are in their nineties, and occasionally also of her grandchildren.
Breast Cancer
In 1988 K.B., aged 70, noticed redness and swelling in the nipple area of her breast. Her doctor
at Modesto, CA, took a biopsy that proved that she had a malignant tumor; he also confirmed that
he “hadn’t got it all,” and urged the patient to have a mastectomy. She refused. A second opinion
by a physician at Stanford confirmed the original diagnosis, and K.B. was advised to undergo
surgery, followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation. Again she refused.
Rejecting any conventional treatment, K.B. embarked on the Gerson Therapy at home, at
first eating only raw foods and having six enemas a day, for eight months. Then she added some
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 198Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comorganic vegetarian cooked foods. After 1 1⁄2 years the cancer was gone, but she still had some
scar tissue which she chose to have removed. A biopsy showed that the tissue was clear of any
malignancy.
The Tumor Board noted in her medical records that the patient was “Cured by Diet.” K.B.,
now in her late eighties, shows up every year at a Los Angeles Health Convention! She still drinks
juices but eats “a little meat.”
This case is all the more remarkable because the patient pursued the Gerson Therapy on her
own, at home, without staying at the Gerson Hospital or having a Gerson doctor to consult.
Breast Cancer with Liver Metastases
E.B.,  aged 43, reported to her doctor with a lump in her breast in January 2002, was biopsied
and told that she had breast cancer. She took no action. In January 2004 she reported to Loma
Linda University Medical Center and was diagnosed as suffering from Stage 4 breast cancer with
liver metastases. According to the medical report, her liver was ‘covered with tumors and was
shutting down; her skin and the whites of her eyes were yellow.’
E.B. was offered chemotherapy and, not knowing otherwise, she accepted one treatment. Her
oncologist stated that in view of her advanced condition he was not sure she could survive for two
months, but he hoped that chemotherapy would give her a year of life. That was when the patient
began to look for other options and found out about the Gerson Therapy. From her research she
knew that with conventional medical treatment cases of breast cancer with liver metastases had
less than a 1% two-year survival rate, so her only hope was to try an alternative protocol.
After completing two years on the Gerson Therapy, E.B. was well enough to go skiing in
Tulluride, CO, one of the steepest mountains in the US. Now, after three years, judging by her
PET/CT scan of August 2006, she has a fully functioning liver and no malignancy or metastases
anywhere in her body.
E.B. enjoys skiing in winter and water skiing in the summer, rock climbing, playing golf, and
riding her motorcycle. She also travels frequently.
Breast Cancer Recurrence After Chemo and Radiation
A.F. discovered a lump in her breast in September of 1985. She had a biopsy and a
lumpectomy, followed by radiation and chemotherapy at the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle.
By 1989 the cancer had spread to her throat. She had more surgery, followed again by radiation.
Five months later more recurrences occurred ‘all over,’ and more radiation was offered. Due to
the extreme suffering caused by the earlier radiation, she refused the treatment and went instead
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 199Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comto the Gerson Therapy hospital in Mexico. Before long she was getting better, and after about a
year was told that she didn’t have cancer any more.
Seven years later, the radiation damage causing A.F. severe dryness in her throat cleared at
last and her health was truly excellent. When she returned to her original doctor and told him
that she was on the Gerson Therapy, he simply walked out of the office. A.F. continues in good
health.
Melanoma
M.H. Aged 40, she was diagnosed with melanoma in her vaginal wall. This was confirmed
by biopsy and subsequent surgery, followed by 25 radiation treatments and a four-month course
of Interferon. During this treatment the cancer spread to her liver. The oncologists treating her
thought that with chemotherapy the patient might live up to nine months. Although M.H. was
extremely weak and in serious pain, she refused that option and in November of 1996 embarked
on the Gerson treatment, in spite of her oncologist’s warning against it. In September of 1997, a
scan showed that M.H. was clear of melanoma. Ten years on she remains fit and well.
W.E., born in 1943, is a registered nurse. In 1996 she discovered a large mole growing on
her arm. The surgeon who removed it remarked that he had had to go very deep in order to obtain
clear margins. The diagnosis was Stage 4 melanoma.
The patient’s condition deteriorated and some months later, in 1997, at UCLA spots were
found on her hip as well as a large tumor in her liver; both were biopsied and confirmed to be
melanoma. Her doctor advised her to get her affairs in order, since she didn’t have long to live.
W.E. started the Gerson treatment in July of 1997, made a full recovery and remains alive and
well (last report 2006).
Recurrent Melanoma
N.P. had a 5 mm mole on his back, which began to bleed in October of 1990. He consulted
skin cancer specialist Dr. Richard Ferderspiel, who was sure that the lesion was not melanoma.
But the biopsy proved him wrong, and on October 30, at the Berrien General Hospital in Michigan
a large area of skin was removed from the patient’s back.
Six months later, in April of 1991, an enlarged lymph node was discovered in N.P’s right
axilla. It


several
years
of
applying
enemas
and
urine
therapy,
came
to
the
conclusion
that
cleansing
and
healing
enemas
with
urine
(own
fresh,
quarter
urine,
children's,
pregnancy,
activated
by
cold,
etc.)
are
the
best
healing
method
ever
invented
by
mankind.
With
a
method
that
repels
99
percent
of
diseases,
it
exceptionally
strengthens
the
body's
defenses,
adjusts
the
activity
of
our
glands
with
clockwork
precision,
and
in
a
natural
way,
without
the
use
of
dangerous
hormonal
drugs
with
many
side
effects,
keeps
our
hormonal
system
in
ideal
condition.
If
you
add
other
urinotherapy
practices,
such
as
applying
compresses
with
urine
(preferably
clay
ones),
fasting
on
water
and
urine,
using
urine
as
a
homeopathic
remedy
or
in
a
bath,
you
get
an
ideal
remedy
that
is
free
and
always
within
reach,
absolutely
reliable
and
harmless,
because
urine,
as
you
will
see,
comes
from
your
blood
and
has
almost
the
same
composition
as
blood
plasma.
If
you
combine
urine
therapy
with
the
program
of
seven
cleansing
steps
that
I
describe
in
my
book
"Doctor
Yourself",
then
you
have
a
chance
to
cure
even
such
severe
and
chronic
diseases
as
psoriasis,
eczema,
diabetes,
atherosclerosis,
high
blood
pressure
and
even
cancer.
I
recently
relocated
for
work
to
Sana'a,
the
capital
of
Yemen:
late
medieval,
minimal
sanitary
conditions,
2,600
meters
above
sea
level,
lack
of
oxygen
by
about
one
quarter
(you
boil
potatoes
here
for
an
hour
and
scratches
take
a
month
to
heal),
strong
sunlight,
stray
ions,
large
mental
strain
and
I
don't
know
what
else.
If
I
don't
count
the
ban
on
alcohol
consumption,
the
great
popularity
of
chewing
khat
(a
weaker
variety
of
marijuana)
and
eternally
veiled
and
unavailable
women.
Because
I
try
to
get
to
know
as
much
as
possible,
I
don't
separate
myself
from
local
people
at
all
(including
women),
I
eat
and
drink
from
the
street
if
I
feel
like
it,
I
don't
refuse
invitations
to
sit
next
to
the
executioners,
and
I
use
the
sun
as
much
as
I
can.
I
have
tamed
the
stray
ions
so
that
one
of
them
lies
at
my
feet
as
I
write.
I
call
him
Abdul.
Otherwise,
every
morning
a
large
Russian
cockroach
greets
me
in
the
kitchen,
whom
I
call
Serjožo
familiarly,
it
reminds
me
of
my
stay
in
Russia.
Fortunately,
there
is
no
Glafýra
bug,
which
often
woke
me
up
in
Moscow.
I
just
want
to
say,
completely
without
jokes,
that
by
regularly
using
urine
in
an
enema,
internally,
to
wash
the
nose
and
eyes,
in
the
bath
and
after
shaving,
I
definitely
broke
the
superstitions
about
the
difficult
transition
of
a
European
to
tropical
or
other
hostile
countries.
Although
I
have
to
admit
that
the
attack
of
various
viruses
and
microbes,
unknown
to
us
andall
the
more
dangerous,
was
really
hard
during
the
first
months
of
our
stay.
But
thanks
to
urinotherapy
and
local
medicines
(habbasoda
-
black
seed
and
karkade
-
hibiscus)
I
overcame
a
very
unpleasant
food
poisoning
in
two
days
(I
got
poisoned
in
the
best
local
hotel)
and
in
a
similar
way
I
cured
the
ugly
shingles
all
over
my
face
until
I
went
to
sleep
severe
headaches.
I
didn't
take
a
single
pill
with
me
and
I
haven't
recognized
doctors
for
several
years.
My
favorite
writer
Mr.
Hrabal
somewhere
mentions
a
teacher
who
hid
rodents
from
his
students
only
because
his
salary
was
not
increased.
I
think
it
would
be
a
great
pity
if
various
taboos,
stupidity
and
prejudices
pushed
out
such
an
excellent
medicine,
which
was
already
called
the
drink
of
the
gods
by
the
Indians
five
thousand
years
ago.
Urine
therapy
is
discussed
in
many
spiritual
and
medical
books.
It
is
already
said
in
the
Bible:
"You
have
left
the
fountain
of
living
waters
to
dig
leaky
cisterns
that
hold
no
water."
Saint
John
says
in
the
New
Testament:
"Whoever
believes
in
me,
as
the
scripture
says,
rivers
of
living
water
will
flow
from
his
belly."
Urine
is
also
mentioned
as
an
important
medicine
by
the
famous
Persian-T ajik
physician
and
philosopher
Avicenna
in
his
Canon
of
Medical
Science
in
II.
century
AD.
However,
we
are
most
interested
in
the
oldest
and
most
extensive
book
on
urinotherapy
-
Shivambukalpa,
whose
name
translates
as
The
Practice
of
Using
Urine
for
Body
Renewal.
This
book
consists
of
107
verses
and
is
part
of
the
exquisite
Damar
Tantra.
It
talks
about
the
fact
that
only
urine
purifies
a
person
and
is
heavenly
nectar
for
him.
It
gives
him
strength,
cures
diseases
and
banishes
old
age.
Urine,
shivambu
in
Hindi,
is
the
basis
of
all
medicines.
To
this
day,
Buddhist
monks
are
only
allowed
to
use
their
own
urine
as
the
only
medicine.
It
is
also
a
medicine
for
the
brave.
In
addition,
a
person
who
wants
to
achieve
success
in
the
application
of
urinotherapy
must
renounce
salty,
bitter
and
spicy
food,
eat
easily
digestible
food
in
small
quantities,
must
not
exert
too
much
physical
effort,
must
control
his
emotions
and
sleep
on
the
bare
ground.
Purification
of
the
body
and
the
correct
technique
of
using
urine
leads
to
the
cure
of
congenital
diseases
within
one
month
and
completely
cleanses
the
insides.
After
two
months,
the
senses
become
significantly
clearer.
After
three,
all
diseases
subside.
After
seven
one


	ready	to
disassemble	your	worldview.	You	are	ready	to	stop	having	a	stake	in	the
world	limited	to	the	narrow	confines	of	I,	me,	and	mine.	The	ego-defended
worldview	you	want	to	dismantle	is	organized	in	three	layers:
1
.
Energy
2
.
Beliefs
3
.
Structure
These	three	layers	apply	both	to	the	whole	and	to	its	parts.	They	are
inescapably	intertwined	because	the	field	itself	contains	all	three.	This	means
that	a	tree	or	a	cloud	is	nothing	but	energy,	information,	and	structure.	Your
personality	is	composed	of	the	same	three	elements,	and	so	is	every
experience	in	your	worldview.
Energy:
	When	an	experience	gets	stuck	in	your	head,	you	are	holding	on	to
its	energy.	Every	experience	has	its	own	energy	pattern,	which	is	reflected	inthe	brain	as	memory,	emotion,	sensation,	etc.	When	you	decide	to	recall
something	from	your	childhood,	what	comes	to	mind?	Visual	images,	names
and	faces,	all	kinds	of	emotions,	physical	details,	associations,	various
sensations.	All	of	these	exist	at	the	level	of	energy.	Without	the
electromagnetic	field	vibrating	in	a	certain	way,	specific	experiences	couldn’t
exist.
This	stuck	energy	is	cleared	in	many	ways:	through	dreams,	insight,
imagination,	emotional	release,	deep	recollection,	confession,	prayer,
atonement,	meditation,	love,	etc.
Beliefs:
	Beliefs	take	us	to	a	subtler	level	of	the	mind.	Beliefs	allow	one
experience	but	forbid	another	to	enter.	They	are	like	judges	deciding	whether
an	experience	is	positive	or	negative,	right	or	wrong,	desirable	or	undesirable.
The	universe	is	doing	a	continuous	dance	with	your	beliefs.	What	you	believe
is	reinforced	by	what	you	experience,	but	what	you	experience	also	alters
what	you	believe.	Anyone	who	has	wrestled	with	the	question	“Does	he	(or
she)	love	me?”	knows	what	it	feels	like	to	have	tiny	things	like	a	glance	or	a
casual	word	or	an	unreturned	phone	call	confirm	or	destroy	your	belief	in
being	loved.
Beliefs	are	cleared	by	being	aware	of	the	sticky	quality	they	possess.
Beliefs	aren’t	static;	they	result	in	behavior.	So	when	you	watch	your	own
behavior,	you	are	seeing	your	beliefs	at	play.	If	a	poor	black	homeless	person
asks	you	for	a	handout	at	night	and	your	response	is	to	say	nothing	and	walk
away,	consider	all	the	beliefs	that	could	be	at	work:	“Black	is	dangerous,	the
night	is	fearful,	strangers	can’t	be	trusted,	any	response	will	get	me	entangled,
poor	people	are	lazy	or	crazy	or	weak,	to	associate	with	them	means	I	will	be
one	of	them	one	day.”	When	you	stop	defending	the	behavior	of	your	beliefs,
they	become	less	sticky.	You	regain	freedom	to	think	and	believe	in	a	new
way.
Structure:
	Structure	is	the	foundation	of	the	personality.	It	includes	your
vision	of	life,	your	purpose	for	being	here,	your	deepest	goals,	your	view	of
physical	existence,	and	your	attitude	toward	pleasure	and	pain.	These
profound	things	are	overlooked	because	people	are	too	overwhelmed—and
too	convinced—by	their	beliefs	and	energies.	Only	after	you	start	clearing
energy	and	beliefs	can	you	look	at	the	“Why?”	that	is	at	the	bottom	of	your
participation	in	Maya,	or	external	appearance.	Why	are	you	alive?	What	is
your	overall	purpose?	To	what	higher	values	have	you	offered	your
allegiance?	These	are	structural	questions,	and	when	you	can	see	them	clearly,
they	bring	their	own	answers.
Structure	isn’t	cleared	the	way	stuck	energy	is,	and	it	can’t	be	challenged
the	way	beliefs	can	be.	Structure	is	your	vehicle	for	this	lifetime.	It’s	the	boatyou	use	to	sail	across	the	ocean	of	space	and	time.	Without	it	you	would	have
no	identity	at	all;	you	would	be	a	cloud	of	energy	without	a	center.	All	you
can	do	with	your	structure	is	to	“witness”	it.	In	that	moment	of	witnessing,
you	reduce	the	“I”	to	its	first	principles.	In	other	words,	you	stand	at	the
threshold	where	the	person	meets	the	soul.	This	is	an	enormously	liberating
moment	of	recognition.
When	you	build	any	new	structure	in	your	mind—for	example,	deciding
to	see	your	life	in	spiritual	terms	or	learning	parenting	skills	after	a	baby	is
born	or	replacing	the	perspective	of	a	victim	with	the	perspective	of	someone
who’s	in	control—you	are	choosing	to	evolve.	You	are	taking	advantage	of
certain	subtle	qualities	that	pertain	to	mental	structures	as	revealed	by	the
rishis:
Structures	in	the	mind	organize	energy	so	that	it	serves	the	highest
purpose.
They	interface	this	lifetime	with	universal	experience.
They	open	you	to	the	higher	self	and	its	transmissions.
They	expose	you	to	the	force	of	evolution.
To	the	extent	that	you	are	working	on	the	three	levels	of	energy,	beliefs,
and	structure,	you	are	connecting	yourself	to	the	field	directly	and
consciously,	which	is	how	an	open	mind	is	achieved.	How	can	you	tell	that
your	work	has	paid	off	and	you	have	gained	an	open	mind?	You	know
yourself	as	wholeness	once	and	for	all.15
T
HE
	M
ECHANICS	OF
	C
REATION
AS	MUCH	AS
	we	try	to	explain	it,	what	happens	when	we	die	remains	a	miracle.
We	move	from	one	world	to	another,	we	shed	our	old	identity	to	experience	“I
am,”	the	identity	of	the	soul,	and	we	assemble	the	ingredients	of	a	completely
unique	life	in	our	next	body.	Science	supports	the	claim	that	the	field	is
capable	of	creative	leaps	and	endless	transformation.	An	oxygen	atom,	if	it
could	tell	its	own	story,	would	feel	that	a	miracle	has	occurred	when	it	bonds
with	hydrogen	to	form	water.	Its	old	identity	was	gaseous,	its	new	one	is
liquid.	Its	old	world	was	in	the	atmosphere,	its	new	one	is	in	oceans,	rivers,
and	clouds.	And	what	if	this	water	molecule	happens	to	become	part	of	the
human	brain?	Would	oxygen	suddenly	experience	being	conscious?
This	question	is	the	final,	most	mysterious	leap	we	have	to	explain.
Oxygen,	like	every	other	atom	in	the	brain,	participates	in	consciousness	as	it
courses	through	every	neuron.	Yet	to	say	that	oxygen	itself	is	conscious	goes
too	far.	So	how	did	consciousness	creep	in	somewhere	between	oxygen	atoms
and	the	cerebral	cortex?	This	is	crucial	in	determining	whether	or	not
consciousness	survives	death.	As	I’ve	already	argued,	the	answer	doesn’t	lie
in	the	brain.	The	brain	is	an	inert	object	formed	of	organic	chemicals.	Those
chemicals	can	be	broken	down	into
more
	basic	molecules	and	atoms.	Those
atoms	can	be	broken	down	into	subatomic	particles,	which	can	in	turn	be


 or to distract yourself from pain. Even though your
emotional self isn’t your true self, it should mirror your true self, which is
silently sending you impulses of bliss and total self-acceptance.
The niyamas  are also defined by what you shouldn’ t do if your aim is
right living. Being aware of what not to do is just as productive as knowing
the practices for self-acceptance. Emotional intelligence contains both. The
opposite of self-acceptance is low self-esteem, so this is the area to focus
on.WAYS YOU LOWER YOUR SELF-ESTEEM
Comparing yourself unfavorably to other people.
Reminding yourself of your shortcomings.
Condemning all your mistakes, however trivial.
Setting up an ideal of perfection that you will never attain.
Being unreasonable in the demands you place on yourself.
Holding on to old experiences of guilt and shame.
Pretending to be better than you actually think you are.
Deprecating yourself in moments of false modesty.
I’ve offered many specifics in these two lists, yet emotional intelligence
isn’t difficult to come by, nor is self-acceptance. Just keep in mind that your
emotional life isn’t the be-all and end-all of existence. By their nature,
emotions rise and fall. If you accept this basic fact—that your feelings are
transient and can be mercurial, even on your best days—half the job of self-
acceptance is done. You have achieved a measure of detachment, which
allows you not to be so consumed by your feelings, especially the negative
ones; they are events in your mental activity, not aspects of your essential
true self.
You are never going to have a blissful emotional life by struggling with
your emotions or trying to escape them, either. This is one area where
allowing life to unfold naturally, without interference, is very ef fective.
Exercise
The single most important practice for contentment is not to resist the
flow of life. In other words, take things as they come. The opposite of this
is to offer resistance. Pause to reflect on the people you tend to resist in
various ways. Often, they are the people who are closest to you, whether
family member s, colleagues, or even friends. Consider the kinds of
resistance that are casually practiced. They include:
Bickering and argumentsUnresolved disagreements
Rejection
Ridicule
Resentment
Feeling either superior or inferior
Pushing people away
Expressing a lack of respect
Nagging
Indulging in petty criticisms
Emotional intelligence teaches that resisting others contributes to your
own lack of contentment and self-acceptance. One way of increasing
contentment in your life is to back down from unnecessary habitual
resistance. Try using the princip le of opposites. For instance, if you realize
that you can be highly critical, begin practicing criticism’ s oppo site: praise.
Instead of pointing out someone ’s flaws or complaining, take a breath and
offer a word of admiration or encouragement. Using this simple tactic
becomes your way of contributing to the flow of life.
WEDNESDAY
The Fire of Transformation
Begin by silently repeating today’ s theme:
I allow the light to create transformation.
I allow the light to create transformation.
The third niyama  is abou t transforming your old emotional habits.
Habits block the light by forcing you to react automatically without
consciously being in control. In classic Yoga, the lasting impressions that
rob us of choice are like seeds that must be burned away. The burning is
done by awareness itself, using the light’ s ability to purify the mind. It isalso taught that the fire of trans formation burns away ignorance. The point
here is that the obstacles that keep us from living in the light are frozen bits
of consciousness. Therefore, only consciousness can melt them away.
Old form s must  be destroyed to make room for the new. This makes
perfect sense emotionally. If you are consumed with resentment about a
failed relationship, a bad boss, or an unfair monetary loss, you can’t move
on until the emotion you are stuck in is dissipated.
There is considerable misunderstanding about how the process works,
however, and words like fire, destr oy, and burn  can mislead someone into
thinking that some kind of violence is involved. In many religious traditions
the ritual of mortifying the flesh had the intention of purifying the spirit,
using the body’ s pain as the fire. Fortunately, such rituals are irrelevant to
modern life. Simply by focusing your awareness, you can begin to burn
away the vrittis  that block your true self. It takes dedication to achieve
transformation. Focus is a necessity.
We are all familiar with how focus works whenever we become
absorbed in a game or hobby. Focusing for hours at a time without feeling
any strain is entirely natural. Royal Yoga teaches that experiences like these
are gateways to the true self. Becoming absorbed in the mom ent comes
naturally, so the only change is that you focus inwardly. Then you can allow
your awareness to do what it already wants to do, which is to find the light.
The practices of the third niyama  expand upon this basic insight.
THE PRACTICES OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION
Have an interest in ﬁnding your true self.
Enjoy going inside.
Value every experience of being in the light.
Don’t look for fulﬁllment in the outside world.
Make conscious choices, instead of following unconscious
habit and routine.
Welcome change, instead of resisting it.
See every experience as a mirror of yourself.Regularly meditate.
Take the opportunity for “in time” and “down time” every day.
These are all gentle practices, but the profoundest transformation is
gentle. Unlike our struggle to improve ourselves, the essence of
transformation is to allow the light to do all the work. This is the law of
least effort. Wha t you are aiming for is a series of revelations, insights, and
“Aha!” moment s. They signal that change is at hand. Only the light can
deliver these transformative experiences. Your ego and a burni ng desire to
get rid of the things you dislike about yourself cannot do the job. You will
be surprised at how steadily revelation comes once you get out of the way
and allow the focus of awareness to develop of its own accord.
Exercise
The key to transformation is getting out of the way, which happens to
be the opposite  of what most people do when they desire change. They
struggle, push themselves, and fight against frustration. (A good example of
how futile those tactics are is revealed in the dismal fact that only 2 percent
of dieters, in their struggle to lose weight, succeed in keeping off 5 pounds
for two years.)
You can turn this pattern around  in two ways. First, look honestly at an
area of your life where you have struggled and resolve not to keep doing
what never worked in the first place. Second, find enjoyable ways to meet
yourself “in here.” As alluded to earlier, seek some “in time” and “quiet
time” every day. Stillness conc entrates the light, while chaos scatters it.
Become accusto med to the comfort of being in communion with yourself.
Once this becomes your new habit, you are getting out of the way, setting
the stage for the process of transformation as it is really designed to work.
THURSDAY
Tracking Your True SelfBegin by silently repeating today’ s theme:
I reﬂect on my true self to bring it closer.
I reﬂect on my true self to bring it closer.
The fourth niyama  calls for clearly  understanding that your true self is
real, tangible, and powerful. The word self is one of the most important in
Yoga, and most people will have no trouble seeing that they have a social
self and an emotional self. Much more foreign is the notion that everyone
has a true self, hidden like a jewel in the stormy activity of the mind.
Various interpretations speak of this niyama  as self-reflection, but it
matters deeply whether you are reflecting on a self you can trust and have
faith in. Without a doubt, we don’t fully trust our emotions. We feel them,
sometimes strongly, but they are temporary, changeable, and fickle. It is
baffling why this niyama  would ask you to reflect upon the swirling
whirlpool of your emotions.
The key is that self-reflection enables you to stand aside and not
become so involved in your emotions. Think about a moviegoer who sits
entranced by an adventure film or a romantic comedy on the screen, and yet
who doesn’t know that he’s watching a movie or, worse, that movies even
exist.
We are all that moviegoer to some degree or other. Entranced by the
movie we are living, we don’t realize the illusory nature of what we are
watching, and, worse still, we don’t realize that everything we observe is
the play of consciousness. Self-reflection clears up this confusion and
therefore points us toward our true self.
THE PRACTICES OF SELF-REFLECTION
Keep in mind that you are here to evolve.
Don’t get stuck in emotional habits.
Place a high value on experiences that reﬂect your true self
(e.g., love, compassion, beauty, insight, creativity, andmental clarity).
Don’t add to the drama around you.
Resist buying into other people’s drama.
Avoid immersing yourself in news stories about catastrophes


The lessons in this section are set up to be as flexib le as
possible. First there’s an axiom or insight for the day. It is followed
by a brief expl anation, and then an exercise. Read the axiom and
explanation at least once, although several times throughout the
day is better, so that your att ention is drawn back to the theme of
the day. The exercise should be done as often as it takes fo r you to
feel tha t it really sank in—one  to three times separated throughout
your day should do it. Finally, space has been left for you to
journal about your experien ce. Even better would be to keep a
separate journal devoted to waking up.
Is a  month en ough time to completely wake up? I sinc erely
doubt it, but some people have been known to open their e yes one
morning, look around, and know with certainty that they haveawakened. Others gradually change inside and slip into higher
consciousness almost without noticing that the change has taken
place—it becam e second nature over the years. In all likelihood
you will get th e most out of repeating these lessons, goi ng back
when you feel the desire to reengage with the learning process.
There a re degr ees of being a wake, just as there are skill levels in
learning a new language, French cooking, or rock climbing.
Reinforcing your awakened state is part of the process.
The lessons get longer as the  month goes on, not because  they
are hard er but because there is more to see. Every lesson is  equally
easy.
Be open, fluid, and flexible a bout getting there. The beauty of
the direct path is that each lesson along the way has its own
achievements, its own “aha” moments, and its own pleasures. In
that spirit, let the waking up begin.To download, go to http://prhlink.com/9781524762988a001
DAY 1

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

 DAY 2

The range of human perception is a narrow bandwidth of
raw sensations.
The five senses are our window on reality, but the opening is a
slit, no t a picture window. “Seeing is believing” usually only
applies to a small fraction of the raw data bombarding the eye
every second. The same is t rue for the other four senses. They
conspire to deliver a narrow bandwidth of reality. To expand the
bandwidth to increase our perception, is one reason for waking
up.
For Today
Get in touch with how narrow your sense of reality actually is.
Cup your hands over your ea rs and notice how muffled th e world
is. Put on sung lasses and notice how dim the world becomes. Turn
off the lights at night and cautiously, with small steps, try to
navigate a room in your hou se you are very familiar with. When
you take your hands away from your ears, remove your sunglasses,
and tur n on the lights, your awareness of everything aro und you
expands. Waking up expands reality even more.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 3

All biological organisms have their own unique
bandwidth of sensory experience.
Experience defines us all, and since we are tuned in to only one
bandwidth of reality—call it the Me Channel—our identit y is also
narrow. Other living things are tuned in to different bandwidths,
giving them an existence we can barely imagine. But humans can
change the channel at will. Reality is only as narrow as our
awareness. Wh en you wake up, you are tuned in to the entire
bandwidth. Then reality is unlimited.
For Today
Take a mome nt to listen to  the birds singing. Each bird is
telling its story. Birdsong communicates information from parent
to c hick, announces the limit s of territory, attracts a mate, signals
danger, and identifies which  species the bird belongs to. Notice
that you do not understand a single thing on Bird Channel. If it is
winter o r you hear no birds, consider a dog sniffing the air. A dog’s
nose can tell i t who has wa lked by, what was on that person’s
shoes, and when the incident occurred. Notice that your nose
gathers none of the information that comes across Dog Channel.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 4

Our physical body is also a perceptual experience.
The Me  Chann el tells you th at you have a body. The body you
see and feel, th e sensations that come through the nervous system,
the locations of pleasure and pain—these signals are constantly
broadcast on the Me Chann el. The body is not a thing; it is a
confederation of perceptions. Your mind unites these frag mented
perceptions int o a coherent im age in time and space. If your mind
didn’t do that, the Me Channel would just be transmitting noise.
For Today
Take a momen t to perceive y our body directly. Close your eyes
and sit  quietly. Let your attention roam from sensation to
sensation. Lift your arm and feel its weight. Rub your fingers
together and feel their softne ss and the texture of the skin. Hear
your breath and your heartbeat. It doesn’t matter how many
signals you pick up, or wheth er your body feels nice to you or not
nice. You have contacted the real body you have. The experience of
the body is  the body. Everything else is mental interference. When
you wak e up, you will accept and enjoy the experience of t he body
for itself, which is blissful.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 5

By itself each perceptual experience is a unique,
evanescent, ungraspable, momentary sensation. Our
senses take snapshots of reality.
Life gives us a constant flow of perceptions that we live by. The
five sen ses are the pipeline through which everything flows. But
it’s not like a continuous flow of water from a faucet. Sensations
are muc h more like rain, whi ch falls one drop at a time. W e make
sense of life using fleeting t houghts and sensations. We ignore
how ev anescent every perception really is—each sensation starts
to fa de as soon  as it is noticed. Every thought has already v anished
by the time it registers. By w aking up, we stop ignoring what is
actually happe ning all the time. The need to turn fleeting
sensations into a running movie or story fades away.
For Today
Put a grain of s alt or sugar on  your tongue. Notice how the  taste
starts to diminish after the first strong taste sensation. Pay
attention to how your saliva ry glands quickly reacted and how
your throat wanted to swallow. This puts you in touch with how
brief and temporary experien ce is. But here’s the real point. Try to
taste what was on your tongue before  you  pla ced the  salt or sugar
on i t. You can’ t. That taste, which you probably didn’t ma ke note
of w hen it occu rred, has fled forever. Fleeting perceptions  are the
texture of life.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 6

The only constant in every snapshot of perception is the
presence of being and awareness.
Snapshots don’t take themselves—there has to be a
photographer behind the camera. No matter how many thousands
of photos a professional photographer takes, he is the constant
behind the lens. His job is to  look, arrange the setting, p lace the
lights, focus, and decide if the image satisfies him. You do the
same with reality. Your senses deliver snapshots of raw data,
which change in endless ways. The only constant is you, seeing,
arranging, turn ing random bursts of perception into so mething
you can relate to. Most of this happens automatically, but when
you wake up, you see what you’re doing. Then you hav e much
more freedom to create.
For Today
Get bac k in touch with the b asic units of experience. Sit for a
moment and be with your simplest experience of light, warmth,
the sme lls wafting your way, the taste in your mouth. Relax into
the experience. Notice each sensation spontaneously, w herever
your att ention wanders. The more you are able to relax, the more
effortless wakin g up will be. Waking


three	thousand	calories	per	week	in	their	exercise	program	are	46	percent	less
likely	to	experience	a	stroke	than	men	who	burn	less	than	one	thousand.
An	Exercise	Plan	That	Really	WorksThree	basic	parts	of	a	healthy	exercise	routine	for	everyone	should	include:
•
Aerobic
exercise.	It	gets	the	body	warmed	up,	the	heart	pumping	and	the
blood	circulating.	Aerobics	include	jogging,	speed	walking,	bicycling	and
fitness	classes.	Aerobic	exercise	burns	fat	and	calories,	maintains	fitness	in
the	heart	and	lungs,	helps	circulate	the	lymph	(thus	getting	rid	of	toxins)
and	helps	increase	the	oxygen	supplied	to	bodily	tissues	(cancer	thrives	in
low-oxygen,	unexercised	tissues).	Because	it	helps	prevent	both	cancer	and
heart	disease,	the	two	biggest	killers	in	America,	aerobic	exercise	is
probably	the	most	important	type	of	exercise.
•
Weight-bearing
exercise.	Once	the	body	is	warmed	up	(and	you’ve	taken
time	to	stretch	out	and	drink	fluid),	weight	or	resistance	training
(weightlifting	or	yoga,	for	instance)	is	useful	to	increase	muscle	strength
and	endurance,	as	well	as	to	promote	healthy	bones,	joints	and	connective
tissues.	Such	exercise	is	important	in	preventing	osteoporosis	and	arthritis.
Because	of	the	added	forces	involved	in	weight-bearing	exercise,	use	of
proper	technique	is	essential.	Poor	technique,	along	with	excessive	weight
or	repetition,	can	cause	physical	damage.	Smooth,	controlled	movements
are	necessary,	as	is	steady	breathing	(which	helps	with	strength	and
control).	The	basic	weightlifting	guideline:	three	sets	of	weightlifting
exercises	per	muscle	group,	resting	briefly	between	sets,	and	lifting	ten	to
twenty	times	per	set.	Be	careful	not	to	“jerk”	or	force	exercises,	especially
if	you	are	tired;	otherwise	you	benefit	little	and	are	at	greater	risk	for	injury.
•
Stretching	and	flexibility.
Before,	during	and	particularly	after	exercise,
stretching	is	important.	Rigid,	tight	tissues	tend	be	more	susceptible	to
injury,	and	such	tightness	also	interferes	with	smooth	and	efficient	joint
movements.	For	these	reasons,	stretching	can	help	make	other	aspects	of	a
workout	easier	and	more	comfortable.	If	part	of	your	exercise	routine	seems
unusually	challenging	or	painful,	try	a	brief	stretch,	which	may	help	you	to
move	with	more	freedom	and	comfort.	Stretching	(again,	using	steady
movements	and	controlled	breathing)	makes	tissues	stronger,	healthier	and
more	mobile.	This	critical	aspect	of	every	workout	should	not	be	rushed	or
overlooked.
Determine	the	specifics	of	your	exercise	plan	by	tailoring	it	to	your	own	body,
and	do	what	you	enjoy.	Even	if	you	get	no	other	exercise,	at	least	go	for	a	walk
each	day.	Going	for	a	walk	(or	a	hike)	can	be	very	pleasurable,	and	it	is	good	for
you.	Walking	can	even	provide	a	good	aerobic	workout,	just	by	walking	faster.
The	average	person	strolls	along	at	about	three	miles	per	hour.	Increasing	your
walking	speed	to	a	brisk	stride	(about	four	miles	per	hour)	does	a	good	jobworking	your	heart	and	lungs.	Better	still,	speed	walking	(about	five	miles	per
hour)	warms	up	the	body,	exercises	major	muscle	groups	and	actually	burns
more	calories	than	a	slow	run	of	the	same	speed.	For	a	more	complete	body
workout,	consider	yoga.	Certain	types	of	yoga	combine	aerobic,	weight-bearing
and	stretching	exercises	into	one	complete	workout.	Many	excellent	books	on
yoga	are	available,	and	there	may	be	instructional	classes	available	in	your	local
area.
Remember	that	exercise	is	supposed	to	make	the	body	feel	better,	not	worse.
The	goal	is	to	promote	the	health	of	your	cells,	not	to	place	undue	stress	on	your
body.
The	intensity	of	all	types	of	exercise	must	be	moderated.	In	warmup	and
aerobics,	an	extended	workout	of	moderate	intensity	is	preferable	to	a	brief,
heart-pounding,	sweat-pouring	one.	Just	as	a	frying	pan	needs	to	be	warm	to
cook	food,	your	body	needs	to	be	warm	for	good	performance—warm	enough	to
do	the	job,	without	“burning.”	During	weight-bearing	exercise,	build	strength
and	endurance	without	excessive	resistance	or	repetition.	Try	holding	a	weight-
bearing	pose	until	the	muscles	begin	to	fatigue,	then	perform	the	weight-lifting
repetitions.	Holding	prior	to	repetitions	maximizes	strength	and	endurance	while
minimizing	wear	and	tear.
Your	exercise	routine	should	be	challenging,	but	reasonable	for	individual
limits.	Avoid	approaches	such	as,	“I	had	better	make	this	a	good	workout,	since	I
haven’t	been	exercising	lately,”	or	“the	more	strenuously	I	exercise,	the	better	it
will	be.”	During	your	workout,	moderate	your	intensity	by	keeping	in	mind	how
you	will	feel	afterward.	You	want	to	feel	like	you	accomplished	a	good	workout
but	did	not	beat	yourself	up.	Consistency,	rather	than	extreme	intensity,	produces
the	benefits	of	exercise.	Challenge	yourself,	but	be	realistic.
Even	for	people	who	hate	exercise	or	think	they	don’t	have	time	to	exercise,	a
simple	solution,	which	I	use,	is	rebounding.	Bouncing	up	and	down	on	a
minitrampoline	has	almost	magical	effects.	The	activity	is	simple,	surprisingly
easy	to	do,	a	lot	of	fun,	safe	and	can	be	done	by	almost	anyone	regardless	of	age
or	physical	condition.	Rebounding	sounds	like	a	panacea,	which	is	what	it	is!
Rebounding	tones,	conditions,	strengthens	and	heals	the	entire	body,	in	as	little
as	fifteen	minutes	per	day.
Rebounding	is	so	good	for	you	because	it	exercises	and	moves	every	cell	in
your	entire	body.	We	have	always	known	that	exercise	is	good	for	health	but
have	never	understood	why	until	now:	Research	presented	in	2000	at	the	annual
meeting	of	the	American	Thoracic	Society	found	that	physically	stretching	cells
has	a	profound	impact	on	their	biochemistry	and	behavior.	Moving	andstretching	a	cell—as	rebounding	does—helps	to	supply	essential	nutrients	and	to
eliminate	toxic	waste	products.	When	you	bounce	on	a	rebounder,	your	entire
body	(internal	organs,	bones,	connective	tissue	and	skin)	becomes	stronger,
more	flexible	and	healthier.	Both	blood	circulation	and	lymphatic	drainage	are
vastly	improved.
James	White,	M.D.,	of	the	University	of	California,	San	Diego,	says	that
rebounding	exercise	is	“the	closest	thing	to	the	Fountain	of	Youth	that	science
has	discovered.”
Visualize	a	balloon	filled	with	water.	Hold	the	balloon	by	its	stem	and	observe
how	gravity	pulls	on	the	water,	slightly	stretching	the	balloon.	Now,	move	your
hand	rapidly	up	and	down	and	observe	how	the	extra	gravitational	force	causes
the	balloon	to	stretch	and	distort.


, we saw in many places mountain-like dunes rolling
slowly across the country, frequently so completely blocking former traffic routes that long detours
were necessary. When we were flying over eastern Australia in search of groups of primitive
aborigines, we saw great forests gradually being engulfed with these marching billows of sand so
that most of the trees were covered to their tips.
    Few people will realize that it is estimated that only about 45 per cent of the land surface of the
United States is now available for agricultural purposes and grazing. This includes vast areas that
are rapidly approaching the limit of utility.
    In one of my trips to the Western States I visited a large ranch of some fifty thousand acres. I
asked the rancher whether he was conscious of a depletion in the soil of the ranch in its ability to
carry pasture cattle. He said that it was very greatly depleted, that whereas formerly the cows on
the ranch were able to produce from ninety-three to ninety-five healthy calves per hundred cows
annually, nearly all of sufficiently high physical quality to be available for reproductive purposes,
now he was getting only forty to forty-four calves per hundred cows annually and usually only ten
or eleven of these were physically fit for reproductive purposes. He stated also that he was able to
raise as many calves for restocking the ranch on the plant food produced on the fifty acres to
which he was applying a high fertilization program as on the rest of the fifty-thousand-acre ranch.
Of late most of the calves for the ranch had to be imported from other states.
    In a city in the vicinity I inquired of the director of public health what the death rate was among
their children up to one year of age. He stated that the figures were progressively increasing in spite
of the fact that they were giving free hospitalization and free prenatal and postnatal care for all
mothers who could not afford to pay for the service. This death rate had more than doubled in fifty
years. I asked how he interpreted the increasing mortality rate among the infants and mothers. His
comment was in effect that they could not explain the cause, but that they knew that the mothers of
this last generation were far less fit physically for reproduction than their mothers or grandmothers
had been.
    To many uninformed people the answer will seem simple. Those who are responsible for these
programs, recognize the difficulty in replenishing the exhausted minerals and food elements in
adequate quantity. I have been informed by the director of the department of agriculture of the
state of Ohio that it would cost fifty dollars per acre to restore the phosphorus alone that has been
exhausted during the last fifty to one hundred years. He stated that the problem is still further
complicated by the fact that the farmer cannot go to a bank and borrow money to buy this
fertilizer. If, however, he buys adjoining acreage to double his own, he can then borrow twice as
much money as he can on his own farm. But this is not all of the difficulty. Recent data indicate that
if sufficient phosphorus in a form easily available for plant use were supplied to the land at once, it
would kill the plant life; it must be provided in a form in which by a process of weathering it is
made slowly available for plant utilization. Phosphorus is only one of the minerals that is readily
taken from the soil. Other minerals also are difficult to provide. I have been able practically to
double the weight and size of beets in five weeks by the addition of a tablespoonful of ferric
ammonium citrate to each square foot of garden soil.
    An important commentary on soil depletion is provided by the large number of farms that have
been abandoned in many districts throughout the United States. The severe industrial depression
which has thrown large numbers of shop and mill workers out of employment, has induced a
considerable number of these to return to the land for subsistence. As one drives through farming
districts that once were very fertile many farms are seen apparently abandoned insofar as tillage is
concerned.
    In my studies on the relation of the physiognomy of the people of various districts to the soil, I
have found a difference in the facial type of the last generation of young adults when compared
with that of their parents. The new generation has inherited depleted soil. In many communities
three generations of adults are available for study. The yardstick for these comparisons has been
developed in the preceding chapters. It will be of interest for the readers to apply this yardstick to7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 235/250their own brothers and sisters in comparison with the parents and particularly their grandparents.
The most serious problem confronting the coming generations is this nearly unsurmountable
handicap of depletion of the quality of the foods because of the depletion of the minerals of the
soil.
REFERENCES
1. PRICE, W. A. New light on the control of dental caries and the degenerative diseases. J.
Am. Dent. Assn., 18:1889, 1931.
2. ORR, J. B. The composition of the pasture. London, H. M. Stationery Office. E.M.B., 18,
1929.
3. THEILER, A. and GREEN, H. Aphosphoris in ruminants. Nutrition Absts. and Rev.,
1:359, 1932.
4. TISDALL, BROWN and KELLEY. The age, sex, and seasonal incidence in children. Am.
J. Dis. Child., 39:163, 1930.
5. SEARS, P. B. Deserts on the March. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1935.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 21
PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF PRIMITIVE WISDOM
IF THE observations and deductions presented in the foregoing chapters are exerting as
controlling an influence on individual and national character as seems to be indicated, the problem
of the outlook for our modern civilization is changed in many important aspects. One of the most
urgent changes in our viewpoint should be to look upon the assortment of physical, mental and
moral distortions as due, in considerable part, to nutritional disturbances in one or both parents
which modify the development of the child, rather than to accepted factors in the inheritance. The
evidence indicates that these parental disturbances of nutritional origin may affect the germ plasm,
thus modifying the architecture, or may prevent the mother from building a complete fetal structure,
including the brain. In other words, these data indicate that instead of dealing entirely with
hereditary factors, we are dealing in part with distortions due to inhibitions of normal hereditary
processes. This changes the prospects for the offspring of succeeding generations. Atavism will still
have plenty to her credit even if she must give up her claim to distortions of individual
characteristics.
    Jacobson (1) has summarized the determining factors in individuality and personality when he
says "The Jekyll-Hydes of our common life are ethnic hybrids." Most current interpretations are
fatalistic and leave practically no escape from our succession of modern physical, mental and moral
cripples. Jacobson says of our modern young people:
    Very much of the strange behavior of our young people to-day is simply due to their lack of
ethnical anchorage; they are bewildered hybrids, unable to believe sincerely in anything, and
disowned by their own ancestral manes. To turn these neurotic hybrids loose in the world by
the million, with no background, no heritage, no code, is as bad as imposing illegitimacy; their
behavior, instead of expressing easily, naturally and spontaneously a long-used credo, will be
determined by fears and senseless taboos. How can character be built upon such foundations?
There is a ludicrous as well as a pathetic side to the situation presented by a Greek puzzled by
his predominantly German children, or by the German woman unable to understand her
predominantly Spanish progeny. It is a foolish case over again of hen hatching ducklings, of
wolf fostering foundlings.7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 236/250   If our modern degeneration were largely the result of incompatible racial stocks as indicated by
these premises, the outlook would be gloomy in the extreme. Those who find themselves
depressed by this current interpretation of controlling forces would do well to recall the
experiments on pigs referred to in Chapters 17 and 18, in which a large colony all born blind and
maimed because of maternal nutritional deficiency--from deficient vitamin A--were able to beget
offspring with normal eyes and normal bodies when they themselves had normal nutrition.
    Much emphasis has been placed on the incompatibility of certain racial bloods. According to
Jacobson, (1)
   Aside from the effects of environment, it may safely be assumed that when two strains of
blood will not mix well a kind of "molecular insult" occurs which the biologists may some day be
able to detect beforehand, just as blood is now tested and matched for transfusion.
    It is fortunate that there is a new explanation for the distressing old doctrine which holds that
geniuses cannot be born unless there is an abundant crop of defectives. In this connection
Jacobson says,
   The genius tends to be a product of mixed ethnic and nervously peculiar stock--stock so
peculiar that it exhibits an unusual amount of badness. The human family pays dearly for its
geniuses. Just as nature in general is prodigal in wasting individuals


 ). Gently drop both
knees to the ground and slowly slide the body down at an angle as you
bring the chest and chin to the ground. All eight limbs—both the toes,
knees, chest, hands, and chin—touch the floor. Hold this very briefly
and then continue to move into the next pose.
Cobra position ( Bhujangasana ). On the inhalation, lift and expand
the chest forward and up as you press down with the hands. Keep the
elbows close to the body and continue to extend the spine upward.
Open and widen the chest and move the shoulders down and away
from the ears to free the neck and head. Let the upper back widen and
lengthen. Do not initiate this movement with the head or lift the body
with the neck.Figure 5. Mountain position.
Figure 6. Eight limbs position.Figure 7. Cobra position.
Mountain position ( Adhomukha Svanasana  ). Repeat position 5. On
the exhalation, raise the buttocks and hips, press down with the hands,
and allow the spine to release upward and back. Stretch the heels down
toward the floor and lengthen through the backs of the legs. Relax and
free the head and neck.
Equestrian position ( Ashwa Sanchalanasana  ). Repeat position 4.
Inhale and swing the right leg forward between the hands. The left leg
stays extended back, knee to the ground.Figure 8. Mountain position.
The front knee should be bent with the foot flat on the floor. Extend
the spine, lifting the chest forward and up. Allow the head and neck to
lengthen upward.
Hand to foot position ( Uttanasana ). Repeat position 3. As you
exhale, step forward with the left leg and continue to bend the body
forward and down, lengthening the entire spine. The arms and head
follow in line with the spine. Both hands remain on the floor. Let the
knees soften or bend freely. Avoid collapsing the chest or overrounding
the upper back. Keep the elbows and shoulders relaxed.Figure 9. Equestrian position.
Raised arm position ( Tadasana ). Repeat position 2. On the inhalation
lift the arms from the upper back as you open the chest forward and
up. Do not lift the body from the head or neck. Continue to lift and
expand the chest as you come up, extending the arms over the head.
Keep the breathing smooth, deep, and continuous.
Salutation position ( Samasthiti ). Repeat position 1. Exhale as you
lower the arms and bring the palms of your hands together in front of
your chest. You are standing tall with the feet in a parallel position at
hip distance. Lift the chest and expand the ribs as you look straight
ahead. Vertically lengthen the spine and neck.Figure 10. Hand to foot position.
This completes one cycle of the Sun Salute.
Hold the Salutation position while continuing to breathe for a few
breaths. Then begin the secon d cycle. This standing Salutation position
becomes positio n 1 of the second set. On the next inhalation, continue into
position 2—the raised arm position—and repeat the movements in a fluid
sequence.Figure 11. Raised arm position.Figure 12. Salutation position.
On subsequent sets of the Sun Salute, you will alternate which foot is
extended back and which swings forward in positions 4 and 9—the
Equestrian posit ion. In the first cycle, the left foot extends back in positions
4 and 9, with the right foot forward. Alternate which leg extends back on
the next set and continue to alternate sides with each new cycle.
After you have completed the sequence of Sun Salutes, lie on your back,
lengthen the spine, and let the body completely relax. Close your eyes and
rest for a minute or two. Allow your breath to be free and easy.
YOGA  POSITIONSTime: 10 to 15 minutes, moving slowly
Repetitions: 1 set in the morning and 1 set in the afternoon
The following easy poses, which take about 15 minutes to perform, are
considered the basic Ayurvedic exercise. A set can be practiced before
morning and afternoon meditati on, with or without the Sun Salute. These
positions are taught as part of the neuromuscular integration program at our
Center and are comfortable for anyone in good health, regardless of age or
previous physical training.
What follows is a specific seque nce that begins with toning and warming
up the body. The set continues with seated and forward bends, standing
postures, inverted poses, backbending postures, twists, a restin g pose, and
ends with a short breathing exercise. Each of the postures in this sequence
has a specific therapeutic effect on the physiology. We will mention a few
of the well-known benefits of each pose, as given in the ancient texts.
In general, the toning and warm-up exercises increase circulation and
improve blood flow to the entire body. Seated poses help to create stability,
proper spinal alignment, and good posture, while the forw ard bends
stimulate digesti on, increase the spine’ s flexibility, and calm the physiology.
Backbends create mobility and suppleness in the spine—especially in the
upper back—and at the same time are invigorating. Inverted poses stimulate
the endo crine system and allow for increased circulation, while twists aid
digestion, elimin ation, and tone the spinal column. All of these postures are
succeeded by the resting pose and breathing exercises, which bring
increased awareness, orderliness, and balance.
A sequence of postures is important because it first prepares the body in
order to warm it up and remove stiffness. It progresses to invigorate,
strengthen, and stretch the entire body. This is why it is valuable  to practice
in an orderly sequence, as each pose is a preparation for the following
posture or a counterbalance for the preceding one.
Here are a few guidelines to follow befor e practicing:Perform the postures slowly, making sure you inhale and exhale, without
holding the breath or controlling it in any way. Breathing should be easy,
fluid, and continuous.
No pain, most gain. If you can’ t touch your toes without excruciating
effort, do not push. Let the knees soften or bend freely. Never  strain
or push the body in these exer cises. Hold the postures for a few
seconds and then release easily. Movements should be performed
slowly and comfortably. Never move in or out of the postures abruptly
or bounce in a pose. Use the breath to facilitate the movement.
How far should you reach? In each pose, go to the point where you
feel the stretch. Just move as far as you easily can without ef fort.
Allow your awareness to naturally go to the area of the body that is
being stretched. Don’ t overextend, force, or overstretch. Sometimes it
helps to release or back of f completely from the stretch, then easily
stretch it again. Do not  forget to br eathe!
Over the months you’ll notice increased strength, flexibility, and
suppleness. So it is not necessary to push the body to reach a desired
goal. In fact, these postures are not designed to impose a specific
structure on your body, and there is no “ideal” pose. Rather, your
progress comes from the integrated functioning of awareness,
movement, and breath.
All Ayurvedic exercise involves the mind as well as the body. In each
exercise, a particular area is stretched. Allow your awareness to
naturally go to that area. The softening of the accumulated stress is
said to come from letting the attention be on the area of stretch.
For that reason, allow the exercises to have your full attention. Don’ t play
the radio or TV in the background. Just let your mind be easily aware of
your body.
Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Use a flat, nonslippery surface, but
avoid performing these exercises on a bare floor. Rather, use a folded
wool blanket, rug, exercise mat, or other semisoft surface.Note: It is important to mention that all postures should be adapted to
meet the needs of the individual. In certain situations, such as acute
illness, pregnancy, menstruation, and specific structural problems, the
posture may be adjusted or changed in order to be more ef fective and
to serve one’ s particular requirement. In any of these special cases,
please check with a qualified yoga instructor.
I. TONING-UP  EXERCISES (1 to 2 minutes)
We begin with a few exercises that invigorate and tone the body. The first
exercise consist s of progressively massaging the body with the hands and
fingers, moving in the direction of the heart.
First come to a comfortable sitting position. Using the palms and
fingers of both hands, press the top of your head and gradually
continue to press and release with the hands moving forward over the
face and down the neck and chest. Again start at the top of the head
and press the head with the palms and fingers moving down and over
the back of the neck, coming around to the chest.
Figure 1. Toning-up exer cise, head.
To tone the hands and arms, begin by massaging the right side first.
Grasp the fingers of the right hand with your left hand and continue to
press and release upward


this	page
)	and	an	oxygen-
magnesium	supplement	(such	as	Detoxy	+),	which	is	a	nonlaxative,	non-
habit-forming,	and	nonirritating	internal	cleanser	that	is	free	of
gluten,
animal	products,	and	corn.
Here	are	a	few	good	skin-care	ingredients	to	target	acne:
TEA	TREE	OIL
This	has	antibacterial	and	soothing	properties	and	is	a	great	alternative	to
benzoyl	peroxide,	which	can	be	drying	and	irritating.CLAY
This	is	great,	especially	in	face	masks,	as	it	helps	to	calm	the	skin	and	balance
sebum	production	(see
this	page
	for	more	details).
RADICALLY	CLEAR	SKIN	MASK
The	bentonite	clay	in	this	mask	will	help	draw	out	impurities	in	your	skin	and	balance	oils,	while	raw
honey	has	both	antibacterial	and	antiseptic	properties.
1	tablespoon	water
1	teaspoon	raw,	organic	honey
1½	teaspoons	bentonite	clay
Mix	the	water	with	the	honey	first,	then	stir	in	the	clay	and	mix	well	to	form	a	paste.	Apply	to	your
entire	face,	being	careful	to	avoid	contact	with	your	eyes.	Leave	on	for	about	20	minutes,	then	rinse
well.	Try	using	this	mask	once	or	twice	a	week	for	problematic	skin.
ALPHA	HYDROXY	ACIDS	(AHAS)
These	help	to	exfoliate	dead	skin	cells,	prevent	clogged	pores,	and	leave	your
skin	smoother	(see
this	page
	for	more	details).
ACNE-PREVENTING	TONIC
Used	externally,	cranberries	and	oregano	both	have	some	astringent	properties,	which	helps	cleanse
the	skin	and	balance	its	oils.
2	to	3	tablespoons	filtered	water	plus	a	bit	more	as
needed
1	tablespoon	dried	oregano
½	cup	cranberries	(dried	is	okay)
Boil	the	water	and	stir	in	the	oregano.	Turn	off	the	heat,	cover,	and	allow	the	oregano	to	steep	for	15
minutes.	Strain	and	set	aside.	Next,	puree	the	cranberries	in	a	food	processor	or	blender	(adding	a	few
tablespoons	of	filtered	water	as	needed	for	dried	cranberries).	Strain	through	a	cheesecloth.	Combine
the	cranberry	puree	with	the	oregano	liquid.	Soak	a	washcloth	in	the	liquid,	place	it	on	your	face,	and
relax	for	15	minutes.	(Listen	to	some	calming	music	so	you	aren’t	tempted	to	move	around!)	Rinse
with	warm	water.
Bags	Under	the
Eyes
Poor	drainage	of	fluids	can	contribute	to	puffy,
baggy	under-eye	circles.	It’s
important	to	keep	your	circulation	working	optimally	and	prevent	a	buildup	offluids,	which	can	be	done	by	eating	foods	with	balanced	electrolytes	(essential
minerals	that	affect	your	body-fluid	balance,	among	other	critical	processes)
and	avoiding	too	much	sodium.	Bags	under	the	eyes	can	also	mean	you	have	a
buildup	of	impurities	from	sluggish	digestion	or	overtaxed	adrenals,	so	be	sure
to	incorporate	lots	of	lemons	and	lemon	water	to	flush	out	your	system	and	to
supply	your	body	with	vitamin	C.	Before	we	talk	about	some	of	the	remedies
for	the	skin	around	your	eyes,	here	are	some	more	tips	to	avoid	or	improve	the
existence	of	bags	under	your	eyes:
•
Increase	your	rest	and	sleep,	especially	if	you’re	a	woman	on	your	moon,	or
menstrual,	cycle;	a	lack	of	sleep	can	exacerbate	the	visibility	of	under-eye
issues.
•
Avoid	(or	at	least	cut	down	as	much	as	possible)	on
caffeine	and
alcohol,
which	can	leach	minerals	from	your	system	and	tax	your	adrenals,
contributing	to	under-eye	bags	and	circles.
•
Avoid	smoked,	grilled,	or	barbecued	foods,	which	tend	to	be	excessively	high
in	sodium	(as	well	as	nitrosamines,	which	are	considered	carcinogenic).
•
Incorporate	coconut	water,	which	helps	balance	electrolytes	such	as
potassium	and	sodium.
•
Hydrate	more	in	general,	as	some	research	out	of
Oxford	University	has
shown	the	appearance	of	the	skin	under	the	eyes	is	linked	to	kidney	health,
2
and	your	kidneys	function	best	in	the	presence	of	abundant
hydration.
•
Make	sure	to	incorporate	banana	into	your
Glowing	Green	Smoothie	(see
this	page
	for	recipe),	which	is	high	in	B	vitamins	and	potassium;	these	are
great	for	helping	to	keep	your	skin	smooth	and	puffiness	at	bay.
•
Cut	out	refined	sugars	and	use	only	stevia	or	raw	coconut	nectar	as	your	go-
to	sweeteners.	Unlike	refined	white	or	artificial	sugars,	stevia	and	raw
coconut	nectar	won’t	tax	your	adrenals	and	cause	inflammation,	a	by-
product	of	which	can	be	under-eye	bags	and	puffiness.
•
Avoid	consuming	other	foods	with	high	sodium,	such	as	soy	sauce,	close	to
bedtime.	This	can	contribute	to	greater
dehydration	throughout	the	night
and	can	cause	you	to	wake	up	sporting	prominently	pronounced	under-eye
bags.
Here	are	a	few	good	skin-care	ingredients	to	target	under-eye	bags:
PeptidesLook	for	this	on	ingredient	lists.	They	are	great	for	supporting	healthy	collagen
and	elastin	in	the	structure	of	your	skin,	which	will	help	it	stay	taut	and	less
prone	to	bagginess.
Topical
Coenzyme	Q10
This	can	support	the	amount	of	adenosine	triphosphate	(ATP),	which
transports	chemical	energy	between	skin	cells	for	improved	overall	function
and	enhanced	skin	repair	and	regeneration.
BAG-BANISHING	SKIN	TREATMENT
Almond	milk	is	full	of	vitamin	E	and	is	believed	to	be	anti-inflammatory,
3
	while	rose	water	also
possesses	anti-inflammatory	properties	and	is	soothing	to	the	skin,	helping	to	make	it	soft	and
smooth.
1	tablespoon	rose	water
1	tablespoon	cold	almond	milk
Mix	the	two	ingredients	together.	Dip	a	washcloth	into	the	mixture	and	place	over	your	eyes	for	10
minutes	in	the	evening	while	you	lie	down	and	relax.
Cellulite
Beyond	just	a	simple	accumulation	of	fat,	cellulite	can	involve	the	breakdown
of	collagen	and	the	buildup	of	heavy	metals	and	toxins	in	fat	cells.	Many	of	us
believe	that	cellulite	is	something	they	just	have	to	live	with,	and	it’s	true	that
it’s	a	natural	phenomenon	in	at	least	70	percent	of	people,	but	there	are	things
you	can	do	to	cut	down	on	the	appearance	of	it.	Here	are	some	of	the	most
effective	methods:
•
Infrared	sauna	sessions	help	penetrate	tissues	and	fat	cells	and	encourage
your
body	to	let	go	of	heavy	metals	that	can	expand	fat	cells.
•
Perform	dry	brushing	(see
this	page
)	on	a	regular	basis	over	the	cellulite-
infected	areas	to	move	stagnant	lymph.
•
Cook	only	with	coconut	oil	and	avoid	cooking	with	vegetable	oils	that
become	rancid	at	higher	temperatures.	Rancid	oils	can	be	very	diff


    Case 3. A young married woman of twenty -four who, since maturity, had suffered fro m severe intestinal troubles and from acute
bilious attacks. Four years before her death she had been medically treated for alleged appendicitis, and at this time an ope ration
was advised to which she refused to submit. In this connection it is interesting  to note that the autopsy on this body disclosed an
appendix in normal condition with no signs of previous disease.

    Eight months before death the patient had undergone a fast of twenty -eight days and had convalesced into the most satisfactory
physica l condition she had known since childhood. During this fast she cared for her young baby and continued to do so until acute
hepatic hyperemia or congestion of the liver, with symptoms that denoted disease organic in nature, occurred. A fast was at o nce
Page 64 of  72 entered and continued for sixty days when the patient died. It was discovered then that the woman had been pregnant, and to this
condition may be attributed some of the complications that arose. From the beginning of the fast copious foul discharges, bla ck in
color, were evacuated, and there was a slight daily rise in temperature, which, however, was invariably reduced to normal aft er the
administration of the internal bath.

    Post mortem examination discovered the liver in an advanced condition of degeneration; the stomach exhibited an extreme
hour-glass contraction, and its pyloric opening would not permit the insertion of a probe the size of a lead pencil, while the wal ls
of its lumen were cirrhosed or hardened; the small intestines and the colon throughout their lengths displayed a series of
cartilaginous contractions. These structural defects were undoubtedly developed after arrival at maturity, since the unaffect ed
portions of the organs were normal in size and in condition. The fetus was removed from the uterus at the autopsy, and was found
to be in excellent state, exhibiting the normal development of an unborn child at four months.

    Case 4. This was a married wom an of thirty -five years, and the case is similar in many respects to the one preceding. The patient
fasted fifty -nine days from the beginning of illness until death. The entire adult life of this woman had been made wretched by
digestive impairment, biliou s attacks, and menstrual difficulties. Drugs, including patent medicines, had done their worst until
about two years before death, when, in hopeless apathy, the patient consented to undergo a fast, and completed one of thirty days
with such success that sh e experienced full relief from menstrual pain thereafter, and there was but little digestive distress unless
there had been carelessness in diet.

    The compelling cause that led to the second fast lay in the organic condition, later discovered, that ha d progressed to the point
that the digestive function became inoperative. Morbid degeneration of the liver must have existed for some time previous to the
beginning of abstinence, for from the first day of the fast black bilious discharge in quantity disco lored the fluid of the enemas.
The condition gradually became so aggravated that the thought of food tended to produce nausea, while its odor and even the
perfume of flowers could not be borne. Organic defect had without doubt been present when the first f ast took place, for its
symptoms were noted at that time, but the organs affected, recuperated to a degree by their enforced rest and assisted by gen eral
systemic purification, were enabled to continue partial functioning for some months longer.

    In the second fast pulse and temperature rose above normal register several points each day, but fell to average standard after t he
internal bath, which in this case was administered twice daily.

    As in the previous case pregnancy of some months complicat ed conditions. On the fifty -first day of abstinence it was discovered
that contractions of the uterus were occurring, and in a short while, with some manual assistance, a dead, misshapen fetus wa s
delivered with little or no distress or pain. General relie f was immediate, and it was so pronounced as to inspire the family with
hope of ultimate recovery; but the improvement was succeeded by a decline in vitality that ended in the death of the patient.

    During the latter days of this fast hiccoughs in sev ere form were present, and there was some vomiting of blackish bile. It was
useless to attempt feeding at any stage of the fast, for, from the first, the stomach refused even water, and the only manner  in which
the fluids of the body were renewed was throu gh absorption from the baths, both external and internal.

    Post mortem findings follow. The liver was so degenerated that but little functioning could have occurred for many days; the
gall sac was at least four times its normal in size and contained f oul, black, bilious fluid; the kidneys were hypertrophied or
enlarged, and pocketed with pus; the pancreas was so hardened in texture as to resist the knife; the spleen was degenerated t o the
degree that the organ was held together merely by its surroundin g membrane; the small intestines were normal in size, condition,
and position, as was the colon, excepting that the transverse portion of the latter organ had suffered malposition and in por tions
was no larger in diameter than the adult thumb; the right ov ary contained a cyst filled with fluid, while the right fallopian tube was
bent twice upon itself; the left ovary was in an atrophic or wasted state and was no larger than a lima bean in size; the hea rt and the
lungs were normal.

    Case 5 is that of a young man of twenty -five who had been syphilitically infected five years before death, and who had had his
symptoms treated by medical practitioners and by advertising quacks. At the time of consultation syphilitic sores still remai ned,
and other evidences  of the blood taint were present. There was a loss of mental control that necessitated constant attendance of a
nurse. About six months before death a fast of twenty -eight days was undertaken and successfully finished. At its completion the
syphilitic sore s had entirely disappeared, and relief in general was such that the patient was enabled to dispense with his attendant
and to care for himself. But several months later signs of serious organic breakdown, including loss of mental control, again  were
appare nt. One of the symptoms noted was that of copious discharge of watery mucus from the nasal passages and throat, together
with constant, profuse exudation of sweat about the face and head. The latter symptom was present in such degree that the hai r of
the p atient dripped moisture continuously and his pillow needed change every hour. Considerable solid feces and catarrhal mucus
appeared in the enemas, and for a month before death speech was impossible and no function could be performed without
assistance. No food was given during the last nineteen days of life.

Page 65 of  72     Post mortem findings showed a brain, the right hemisphere of which was much degenerated and pus laden; the left hemisphere
was structurally normal; the right jugular vein was occluded with a whiti sh deposit, not analyzed; the heart was normal; the right
lung was in a state of embolism, and was virtually a mass of clotted blood, useless for its purposes; the left lung was norma l; the
liver was partially degenerated. In this case no abnormality exist ed throughout the length of the alimentary canal, and the kidneys,
pancreas, and spleen were in condition that presumed ability to function.

    Case 6, that of a man forty -six years of age, presents a history of constant disease with intermittent acute crises. As the result of
an accident in childhood, by which the subject was injured internally, both youth and early manhood were punctuated with a
succession of severe illnesses, which were treated in orthodox: without permanent relief. About fifteen year s before death the
patient abandoned medicine and turned to natural therapeutics, with the result that the first lengthy relief from physical di stress
was obtained. Three years before he died, acute disease again appeared, and, because of uncongenial but u navoidable environment,
medical treatment was resorted to for a short time, again without benefit. Reverted to in finality, the fast and its accompan iments
succeeded in relieving conditions to the extent that the patient was enabled to resume his wonted wo rk. Although he suffered at
intervals from this time on, there was no return of acute distress until the month preceding death, when, after somewhat stre nuous
exercise followed by a heavy meal, severe intestinal pains developed. For thirty days no food was  given, the stomach rejecting
even water, and at the end of the period named, virtually in constant pain the while, the patient died.

    Post mortem examination showed an organic condition that was most abnormal. The lungs were adherent to the walls of the
pleural cavity and to the diaphragm; the heart was slightly enl arged but functionally capable; the stomach was dilated and
prolapsed; the gall sac was divided into three distinct pouches, two of which were filled with a total of one hundred and twe nty-six
stones, ranging in size from that of a pea to one four inches in circumference; the small intestines were collapsed and midwa y in
their lower


 became time for the evening meditation
session where Baba walked around tapping people. I
found m yself b eing pulled back into that very quiet place
within m y heart. While I was meditating, I felt Baba walk
up b ehind me. The power emanating from him was very
strong. Even though my eyes were closed and I was
facing forward, I could feel the energy of his hand
reaching out toward my head. The moment the palm of
his hand reached above the c rown of my head, what felt
like ten thousand volts of electricity jumped from the
base of my spine to meet his hand. It happened as fast as
a bolt of lightning. In an ins tant, I was no longer in my
body. Me, the one who lives in here, the one who looks
out thr ough the eyes and hears through the ears, the
center of conscious awareness that notices the thoughts
and emotions—I was no longer sitting inside doing those
things. I was in  a state of absolute panic trying to hold on
with all  my might to my connection with the body. The
upward rush of that much energy had dislodged me from
where I normally sat within myself. I was experiencing
tornado force winds trying to blow me out of my body,
and I was struggling to hold on for dear life.
No matter how hard I tried, I could not pull myself
back into the body. It was one of those survival moments
when pure fear opens you up  to superhuman strength. Itdidn’t m atter—I could not even begin to pull against that
force. I have n o idea how long the experience lasted, but
when Baba felt I’d had enough, he simply rubbed his
hand across my back. The moment his hand physically
touched my midback—everything stopped. I immediately
fell back into my body an d began to get somewhat
oriented. The first thing I noticed was my heart—it
wasn’t beating; it was fluttering like the wings of a
hummingbird. My first thought was, This is not good.
Hearts don’t last very long like this.  T he moment that
thought formed in my mind, Baba reached in front of me
and rub bed his hand over my heart. Instantly, my heart
began beating normally.
I w as stunned by the experience and the power of this
man. W ho was he? How could he possibly have such
control over my energy and my metabolic functions? I
felt so humbled  to be in his p resence. I have never felt so
completely unburdened in my life. What had I been
doing—fasting, meditating, and struggling with myself
for so many ye ars? With a single touch, this man could
bring a bout such transformation. At that moment I
understood wh at was meant by a Siddha  master. Baba
did not  belong in this world; he was from somewhere
else altogether.2 3.
G a i n e s v i l l e  H o s t s  a  G u r u
W e were invited to accompany Baba’s group back to
where they were staying in A tlanta. As I drove from the
retreat, I contemplated what had happened the previous
day. On e of Baba’s people told me that the experience
was called shaktipat,  a spec ial ble ssing by a Siddha
master in which a very powerful spiritual energy is
awakened within. When we arrived at the mansion in
Atlanta where Baba was staying, his staff just assumed
that I would now see Baba as  my teacher. They told me it
was com mon that one would be drawn to a living master.
What did I know? All this was way out of my league.
I w ent outside to be alone.  There was no question
about what had happened the previous day or about the
flow of  events that had brought it all together. I
remembered my commitment to surrender to life’s flow,
even if I didn’t understand what was happening. I walked
down t he hill to the garage area where there were no
people. I was very confused, but I prepared to thank
Yogananda for his guidance. I closed my eyes to go into
the quiet place within where I always felt a connection to
him. I inwardl y looked upward as if to say thank you,
and suddenly the whole space  above me opened up into a
limitless expan se. It felt as if a veil had been lifted from
between my consciousness a nd that which was beyond
me. I immediately felt onene ss with all that I had been
looking for. It was the most powerful and revealing
experience I ever had. It only lasted a few moments, but I
came back with an echo in my being saying, Just exactly
who do you think you are saying good-bye to?  I felt
Yogananda’s p resence all around me and permeating mefrom within. From that moment forward, I never
questioned my connection to him.
When I rejoined Donna and  my friends at the main
house, they were making preparations to return home.
As we headed back to Gaine sville, we were all inspired
about hosting Baba in just a  few days. When he finally
arrived, I couldn’t believe how much attention he drew.
Every p lace we went it was standing room only. And
though Baba was not a young man when he came
through Gainesville, every day and night he would give
lectures wherever people would invite him. I was doing
my prison work at the time, and his staff told me that
Baba would definitely want to  go to the prison. We got it
set u p, and one  afternoon we accompanied Baba into the
maximum-security facility. The inmates loved him, and
when Baba left, he instructed his staff to continue
visiting prisons. To this day, they trace all their
worldwide prison work back to Baba’s visit to Union
Correctional Institution outside of Gainesville.
The weekend retreat ended up being the largest retreat
up to that poin t on Baba’s w orld tour. I drove down to
the cam p a few days early to see if Baba’s staff needed
anything. While I was there I noticed a dormitory
building that had a VIP sign on the front door.
Apparently, the se were private rooms assigned to special
guests. One of the names po sted on a door caught my
attention: R. Friedland. Shelly’s maiden name was
Friedland, and her brother’s name was Ronnie. My mind
said, No way,  and I just kept walking.
I was stunned to see Ronnie a t the retreat. We had not
seen each other for years. It didn’t matter—we were like
brothers. How could we possibly have gone our separate
ways and ended up at the same place? We were so
different. I was living the sim ple life in Gainesville, and
he was a big-tim e attorney in Chicago. I prided myself on
having no belongings, and he had a Ferrari, a Harley-
Davidson motorcycle, and a private plane. Ronnie livedin a top-floor  penthouse at Chicago’s famous Twin
Towers Marina, and he decorated the circular walls of his
living ro om with pictures of Napoleon. What in the world
was he doing here at this spiritual retreat hanging out
with a holy man from India?
Shelly had introduced Ronnie to Baba, and apparently
it w as lo ve at first sight. I spent a lot of time with Ronnie
at th e retreat, a nd he even invited me to accompany him
when he took Baba and a few of his staff to Disney
World. It was obvious that Ronnie had something very
special going with Baba. I f ound out just how special
when a few mo nths later I received my first mailing from
the new organization Baba formed in America. It was
signed by the foundation’s first president, Ron Friedland.
My thou ghts d rifted back to that first awakening I’d had
while si tting on  that couch w ith Ronnie years earlier. My
life had completely changed—apparently so had his.2 4.
T h e  T e m p l e  I s  B u i l t
I  w ish I could say that things went back to normal after
Baba left, but they didn’t. In fact, it wasn’t until after he
left that I began to see the r eal effect that meeting him
had on my life. Baba was like  a wind that blew into town
and permanently changed the direction of my life from
one of solitude to one of service. And that was a good
thing because Gainesville’s spiritual community had
been invigorated. Forty to fifty people were coming out
to m y place for Sunday servi ces, half of whom had to sit
outside on my decks. Plus, more and more people were
sitting i n on my classes at Santa Fe, especially once my
second book, Three Essays on Universal Law,  was
published. My answering ma chine was getting calls from
all o ver the state praising th e retreat and asking when
the nex t one would be. This was a timely question since
at the retreat I was approached by a university professor
who wa nted us to host a retreat for his teacher, Ma
Yogashakti, a lady saint from India known as Mataji.
The nu mber of tasks life w as giving me was out


.
Theplantwasknownasthe'Vomitingnut'andwas
thoughttohavelimitedmedicinalvalueonaccountof
theseeds'poisonousnature,althoughinGermany it
wasusedasanantidotetotheplague,totreatworms,
mania,rabies,hysteria,rheumatismandgout.
Asapoison,smalldosespromotetheappetite,aid
digestionandincreasethefrequencyofurination.
Largerdosescauselossofappetite,anincreasedsen-
sitivitygenerally,depression,anxiety,disordered
muscularsystemwithtrembling,rigidityorstiffness
ofthelimbsandstaggeringwhenwalking.Stilllarger
dosescauseconvulsionsanddeathfromasphyxia
(suffocation).
Theseedsarepowderedfinelyinaheatedmortar
andtrituratedwithsugarofmilk.
GENERALSYMPTOMS
Catchescoldseasily.Complaintsfrom:getting
chilled;cold,drywind.Likesspicyfood.Pains
cramping.Senseofsmellacute.Sweat:hot;
one-sided;smellySymptomsright-sided.Taste:
mouthtastesbitter;sourinthemorning.
Betterforheat;forlyingdown;forsittingdown;for
hotdrinks.
Worseafterdrinkingalcohol/coffee; aftereatingcold
food;fortobacco;forcold;cold,dryweather;cold
wind;freshair;forlossofsleep;duringthemorning;
inthewinter;touch;forbeinguncovered;forwalking.
Theseareextremelychillyindividualswhohatethe
coldinanyshapeorform;theycatchcoldeasily,
especially ifexposedtodraughtsorafterbecoming
chilled,andtheyhatedry,windyweather.Theyare
alwaysbetterforwarmthandifsickwillnotwantany
partoftheirbodiestobeuncovered;theybecomeso
sensitivetocoldthattheslightestdraughtunderthe
bedclotheswillupsetthem.Alltheywanttodowhen
sickistositorliedownandkeepwarm-thisiswhat
helps.
Nuxvomicaisusefulforallsortsofdisturbancesthat
followover-indulgence infood,alcohol,coffeeor
tobacco.Oncesick,anyfurtherindulgenceswillmake
themworse,buttheyfindithardtostopandwilloften
carryondrinkingandsmokinginspiteoffeeling
ghastly.
Morningsaretheirworsttimeofday,especially
afteradisturbednight,whichisnotunusual.They
willbeirritableandfeelgenerallyattheirworstthen.Losingsleepalwaysaffectsthem.TheNuxvomica
motherwithanewbabyhasanawfultime.
EMOTIONAL/MENTALSYMPTOMS
Angry:violently;whenhastoanswer.Complaints
fromanger;angerwithanxiety.Concentrationpoor.
Excitable.Impatient.Impulsive.Irritable.
Quarrelsome.Sensitive:generally;torudeness;to
light;tomusic;tonoise.Spiteful.Stubborn.Tidy.
Nuxvomicatypesareself-indulgentworkaholics!They
overdoeverything:theyworktoohard,stayouttoo
late,takenoexercise,eattoomuchrichfood,drinktoo
muchalcohol,becometoowounduptosleepandthen
consumevastquantitiesofcoffeeinordertogetgoing
thenextday.Thentheyfinditdifficulttoconcentrate
andloseinterestintheirwork.Theybecomeabagof
nerves.Inthisstatetheyareextremelysensitiveto
bothlightandnoise;evensmallnoiseswillirritate
them.
Theseareextremelyimpulsive,quarrelsome,
stroppyindividualswhoknowwhattheywantand
who'wantitnow'!Theyareextremelyimpatientand
donotliketobekeptwaiting.Theyarecritical,fussy
andexacting,easilyfrustratedbyanylimitations.
Theycanbetidybutnotfanaticallyso(likeArsenicum).
Theyhatetobecontradicted,areirritableifques-
tionedandthenenragediftheyareobligedtoreply
whentheydonotwantto.Theirirritabilitymusthave
anoutletanditusuallydoes-theytendnottokeep
theirangerinandwillalwaysfeelbetterforagood
row.Iftheydosuppresstheirangertheyfeelawful
andoftengetsick.
Nuxvomicachildrenaremischievousandfullof
contradictions.Theycanbespiteful,stubbornand
irritableontheonehand,andextremelysensitiveand
veryeasilyoffendedontheother.Astheygrowup
theybecomedifficultandeasilymoroseifthingsare
notgoingtheirway.
SomehomeopathsbelievethatNuxvomicaworks
moreeffectivelyonmeateatersthanonvegetarians,
whohavebeenobservedtobelessaggressive.Inter-
estingly,theoldhomeopathsthoughtofNuxvomica
mainlyasaremedyformen.Anxiouswivesputitin
thesoupofthosehusbandswhoweregettingoutof
handwithworkingallhours,drinkingandsmoking
toomuchandbecominggenerallyabusive.Sincethe
adventofwomenassertingthemselvesmoreand
more,thisdivisionisnolongertrue-Nuxvomicais
nowneededasoftenforwomenasitisformen.
PHYSICALCOMPLAINTS
Backache
SymptomsPains:inlowerback;aching;pressing;
sore,bruised.
INTERNALMATERIAMEDICA Nuxvomica(Nux-v.) •125
Worseinbed;duringthemorning;formovement.
Causesgettingcold.
Thepersonhastositupinordertoturnoverinbed.
Thepaincomesonafterbeingchilled,andisoften
accompaniedbyadesiretopassastool.
Colic
SymptomsPains:cramping;griping;pressing;sore,
bruised.
Betterforpassingastool;forhotdrinks;forwarmthof
bed;forpassingwind.
Worseaftereating;forcoughing;duringthemorning;
duringafever;forwearingtightclothing.
Thesepainscomeonafterover-indulging.Theymay
accompanythenauseaortheindigestion(seebelow)
butthebasicpatternisverysimilar.Childrenwho
havestomach-ache afterapartywheretheyhaveeaten
alotofjunkfoodmaywelldevelopthissortofcolic.
Thepersonfeelsfullandbloatedaftereating,andthe
pressureoftightclothesaroundthewaistis
excruciating.
Commoncold
SymptomsEyeswatering.Nasalcatarrh:burning;
watery.Nose:runsduringtheday,blockedatnight.
WithHeadache(seebelow);frequentsneezing;sore
throat(seebelow).
Betterforfreshair.
Worseaftereating;aftergettingup:duringthe
morning.
Causesdraughts.
Thecoldmaystartwithanirritatedspothighupatthe
backofthenose/nostril.Breastfeedingbabieswhose
nosesblockupatnightandwhothenfinditdifficultto
feedwillbenefitfromNuxvomica,particularly ifthey
arealsoverysensitivetowhattheirmotherseat.
Constipation
SymptomsAlternateswithdiarrhoea.Desireto
passstoolineffectual;constant.Stools:hard;large.
Withunfinishedfeeling.
Causesalcohol;over-eating;pregnancy;sedentary
habits.
Wantstopassastoolbutcannot,orjustpassessmall
amountseachtime.
Cough
SymptomsBreathingdifficult.Cough:distressing;
dry;racking;suffocative; tickling;inviolentfits.
Larynxraw.Mucustastessour.Withvomitingwhen
hawkingupmucus.
Betterforhotdrinks.
Worseforgettingcold;forcoldair;duringtheearlv
morning;onwakingup;forslightestmovementof
chest;aftereating;duringafever.Thepersonhasdifficultybreathingbecauseofthe
cough.Thecoughisdryduringthefever;itisalsodry,
andworse,aftermidnightuntildaybreak.Theperson
maycoughupsour-tastingmucus.Ticklinginthe
larynxexcitesthecough.
Cystitis
SymptomsDesiretourinate:frequent;ineffectual;
urgent.Painsburning;pressing.Urination: fre-
quent;ineffectual.Urine:burning;scanty.
Worseduringurination.
Thereisaconstanturgetourinate,andslightin-
continence;thepatientwantstopeebutcan't.
Earache
SymptomsPainsstitching.Withitching.
Worseforswallowing.
TheEustachiantubesitchandforcethepatientto
swallowtorelievethis,eventhoughitmaymakethe
painworse.Hearingisveryacute.
Exhaustion
SymptomsExhaustionnervous.