  mogra  in Hindi, is a key component of the
Madurai body polish. India’ s sweetest -scented flower, jasmine is frequently usedas an of fering, a hair ornament and in the production of garlands as well. Ila, a skincare company that specialises in 100 percent natural products, carries
an energi zing and detoxifying polish made from pure Himalayan salt crystals,
scented with geranium, rose and wild juniper berry oils. Argan oil is another
ingredient: it has a natural SPF  and antioxidant, anti-aging properties. Dawn sees morning bathing on the ghats of holy lakes, rivers and tanks all over
India. Traditionally, to cleanse in holy water is to wash away sin, greed, envy and
evil in order to emerge physically and metaphorically pure. Devotees subm erge
themselves in the water, give offerings of water to their ancestors and pay homage
to the new day. It’s a ritual followed by everybody — rich and poor. water therapies
Bathing traditi ons are widespread and deep-seated in Ind ian
culture. For Hindus, ritua l bathing is seen as a holy
purification rit e: Whether it is the washing of hands befo re ameal or a trip to a holy rive r, a dip in water is necessa rily
imbued with significance. Pilgrimages always involve
absolution by water in one w ay or another as well. Musli ms,
too, use water rituals for both healing and purification, and
are requested to perform ablutions before entering a
mosque. Situated on anorth-south axis, Mohenjo daro’ s Great Bath has two large staircases
leading down to the bath itself. In the ancient Indus River Valley civilization, it was
almost certainly used for rituals as well as cleansing. It is known that Indians prized both physical and mental cleanliness,
and were bathing regularly fa r before most people in W estern
countries took up the practice. O ne of the most intriguing struct ures
at the ruins of M ohenjodaro, on e of the lar gest metropolises of the
Indus V alley Civilization, is the 2-meter (6-foot) deep brick
structure called the Great Bath. W aterproofed with tightly packed
bricks and a lay er of bitumen, it was surrounded by cloister - like
rooms that are now believed to have served some religious purpose. Whether bathing  at Mohenjodaro was spiritual or physical or a
combination of both is not kno wn, but the elaborate water su pplysystem and drainage network indicate that the Great Bath was a
very important part of the city. This is backed up by reference to
bathing in ancient A yurvedic texts. These advocate that bathing be a
daily rit ual cond ucted to stimulate the body, remove fatigue, sw eat
and dirt and enhance  ojas  (subtle spiritual ener gy). The V edic texts
indicate that dif ferent  doshas  require dif ferent temperatures of
water. Elsewhere in India, there are numerous extant tracts on mental
and phy sical h ygiene. A 12th-century encyclopedic text f rom
Karnataka called  Manasollasa  gives d etails of scientific
approaches to bathing, whilst the 17th-century handbook wri tten
primarily for royalty  Sivatatvaratnakara  provides similar details
about bathing. The tongue-twisting  Kanthiravanarasarajavijaya
written by Govinda V aidya in 1648 gives a very picturesque
description of a bathing  ghat  (public bath on a river -bank) and
describes the importance of water supplies for bathing. This milk and neem  leaf bath is a purify ing experience: even though the scent isn’t
particularly beautiful (think more vegetal than floral), it is deeply cleansing. Many of India’ s luxury spas offer cleansing, soothing rituals that involve a deep
soak in a tub usual ly situated in a gorgeous spa suite. Clockwise from top left: A
rose petal  and milk bath immortalized by Rajput royalty offered at Udaivilas, a soft-
scented floral bath at Quan spa and a deeply cleansing, leafy-scented neem leaf
bath at Rajvilas. Soap was not traditionally used in Indian bathing. Paradoxically,
the c ombination of soap and wa ter — although cleansing — is  de-
moisturizing an d accelerates aging. Indians preferred to use
cleansing scrubs  made from grains of gram flour, wheat husk  or
oatmeal to exfoliate and followed this with applications of oil after
drying. Because  many baths were public or semi-public, it was (and
is) normal to keep the  sari  or  dhoti  on whilst bathing. In 21st-century India, a variety of therapeutic, beautifying and
cleansing baths are available at spas and clinics. Oil-infused or
flower -filled ba ths often form the fitting finale to a relaxing,
pampering sequence of treatm ents at a spa. They take their
historical cue from royal bathing practices, and leave you scented,
refreshed or invigorated depending on the bath’ s ingredients. Some
bathing options are very simple,  while others take longer to prepare:
it’ s i nteresting to see how, in on e way or another, they hearken back
to ancient purification rites. Floral Baths
Oberoi Spas by Banyan T ree of fer a number of specialty ba ths,
including their visually arresting marigold bath. In everyday life,
garlands of marigolds are often given to welcome visitors and the
blossoms are used to adorn a home altar or are placed on little leaf
boats with an o il lamp at eve ning  aartis  (prayer rituals). Even
though t hey do not have any religious significance as such, their
golden hues are extremely attra ctive, and when used in a bath the
blooms have astringent qualities. After half an hour ’ s relaxatio n in
this gold-and-vermilion dream water, the skin feels firm and fresh. Another floral bath with a dif ference is Quan Spa’ s
interpretation of the milk bath based on an ancient Indian recipe. Milk has naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acids that hydrate,
exfoliate and improve skin ela sticity, while  ahswagandha  root,
also known as Indian ginseng, is used in a number of A yurv edic
remedies. It is o ne of the best herbs for the mind, clearing anx iety
and inducing clarity. Rose petals, of course, provide a wonderful
scent. H arnessing the power of water that flows around Ind ia’ s
busiest city, their rose, milk and  ashwagandha  bath can be had as
a s ingle or coup le’ s treatment or combined in a spa package ba sed
on the five elements of fire, water, air, earth and space. Medicinal BathsHydrotherapy, of course, immediately comes to mind when one
considers the bath in a spa s etting. One of the famous Indian
inventions is the hip bath: devised by naturopath Sri Laksh man
Sharma in order to concentrate w ater between the ribs and thigh s, it
helps stimulate circulation in that region, so it’ s good for the
urinary, digestive and excretory systems. The innovative arm and
foot bath is a most important application in the case of bronc hial
asthma, as the reflex areas on the palms and soles are related to  the
lungs. It is also helpful for migraine suf ferers. The rose petal and milk bath traces its roots to Rajput queens who would soak in
stepwells after treating their bodies to a body scrub of turmeric, sandalw ood,
green gram flour and yogurt. Exfoliated skin would then be better prepared to
absorb the moisturizing properties of the milk and the scent of royal roses. In A yurv eda, medicinal baths are not overly used, though steam
baths come under the category  of some preparatory oleation and
fomentation the rapies. Described as a sudation process, medic inal
steam is  used to induce sweating and improve peripheral circula tion
to r educe high blood pressur e and help in the absorption  of
medicinal partic les present in he rbal oils. The steam also augm ents
the elimination of impurities in the excretory system and through
other ou tlets such as sweat glan ds, kidneys and liver. Sometimes, a
steam will also be prescribed for skin or muscle ailments, pain and
swelling. At K alari Kovilakom, where A y urvedic texts are followed to the
book, st eam box es are part and  parcel of the initial stages of the
panchakarma  regime. But the Palace to A yurv eda is also home to
a pin t-sized rosewood bath that often comes into its own at the  end
of a clie nt’ s trea tment. “After the  panchakarma  treatment, patients
often break out in pimples as th eir toxins are released,” explains Dr
Jayan, “so this medicinal bath helps to


 improvement in overall  energy. The exercise  should  start  to take  effect  within three  days after
its co mmence ment. The ovaries  feel warm and may itch, or  feel
- 123  -Cultivating  Ovarian Power
somew hat tingly  an indication  that the  ovaries  are receiving  unusuall y
high amounts  of vital force. These signs  occur  only if the  exercise
is done  prope rly. A mo nth or two of exercise  will produc e substantial
increases  in strength  and well-being. 3. Sum mary of Ovarian  and Va ginal Compression
     a. Choose  your prefer red position. b.  Breathe  in very  slowly throu gh the nose,  concentrati ng on the
throat. Com press  the air in the  throat  until  you can inhale  no further:
     c. S wallow strongl y to the  solar  plexus  and hold  the air there  as
if it we re a ball. d.  Press the  ball of air  dow n to the  navel  region. e.  From the  navel  press  the ball of air  dow n to the  pelvic  region. f. Press  the ball strongl y and continuousl y into the ovaries  until
you can hold  your breat h no longer:  At the end  of your breath
capacity  swallow the saliva strongly
     g.  Rest b y taking  quick, shallo w breaths  throug h the nose. h.  Relax b y rotating  the waist several  times. i. Start with 5 rep etitions and  increase  slowly  to 36 at a sit ting. j. Keep th e ton gue up on th e palate. C. Venting  Exercises for High Blood Pressure
    After  practicing  Ovarian  Compression  for two to six we eks, som e
wome n with high  blood  pressure  notice  a large  flow of Chi  energy
to the  head. They feel tension  in the  head  because  the blood  has
follow ed the upw ard flow of the  vital po wer. This is not  unlike  a mild
symptom  of the “Kundalini  Syndrome,”  in which freed  energ y races
about  the body out of control. lf y ou suffer  from  high  blood  pressure  and have  not practiced
meditation  to open  the Microcosmic Om it, wh ich distribut es the
energy  evenly  througho ut the circuits  of the  body, you can meditate
on two points  to vent  excess  pressure. These are the Min g-Men,  or
Door  of Life,  on the spine  directly  opposite  the navel  (between lumbar
2 and  3), and the Yuang Chuan  (K-1 point),  the kidney  point,  on the
soles of  your feet. To locate  the Ming -Men, place  a string  around  the waist like a
belt. Make  it perfectly  horizont al and place  it across  the navel. The
Ming- Men lies w here the string  meets the spine. When you bend
over backw ard from the waist, the point  feels like a hole  in the
spine. (Fig. 5.30)
- 124  -Chapter  V
Ming-Men
Navel
  The Ming-Men is located o pposite the navel
between the sec ond and thir d lumbar vertebrae. Fig. 5.30  Ming- Men Point
   Excess energ y dow n to the  Ming -Men. This dra ws the Chi and
blood  there. The hand  can help  to induce  the Chi now. The right
hand,  like a pitcher  sends  out energ y; the left hand,  like a  catcher
receives  the energ y. In this  way the energy  can be  broug ht down
more easil y. - 125  -Cultivating  Ovarian Power
Yung-Chuan
Fig. 5.31  Yuang Chuan (K-1) Point
    The Y uang Chuan  Point: The Yuang Chuan  point  is the  Yin-
energy  entry  point. The Taoists regar d the soles  of the  feet as the
roots  of the  body, and the root  is important  as the  foundati on for the
work of the spirit bod y. Once y ou have  found  the points  on both
feet, tape  onto  them  spin y little balls  such  as prickl y chestnuts  or
plain  tree seed  pods. Place both soles on  the ground  and press
firmly on the  spin y ball w hile concentrati ng on the  kidne y-1 point
(also  know n as the  bubbling  spring”). You can help  guide  the ener gy
down to the  soles  by placing  your left palm on  the sacru m, and  the
right palm on  the top of  the head  guide  the energ y from  the crown
to the  Ming -Men, down to the sacru m, do wn to the backs  of the
knees,  and finall y to the  soles  through  the backs of  the legs. After  a short  time of practice  you will feel the  power flow to the
Ming- Men. Direct  it dow n through  the spine  and backs of the  legs
to the  Yuang Chuan. Press do wn on the balls of  the feet so that  you
feel the soles  very distinctly. In severe  cases  it may  take  a mo nth
or two to get  the power into the Ming -Men and bring  it down to the
Yuang Chuan. If blood  flows too strongly  to the head  during  or after  compression,
vent the po wer by practicing  the Ming- Men and Yuang Chuan
exercises  right  after  com pression. Imbalanced  force  will flow down
the body  through  these  two points. After practicing  the exercises,
many students  open  the Microcosmic Orbit  so that their energy
- 126  -Chapter  V
flows in a continuous  circuit,  and there  will be no need  to bring  the
energy  down throu gh the back  to the soles. Y ou can also bring  it
down the front of the  body throug h the heart  and navel,  dow n to the
perineum, and  down to the backs of  the knees  to the  soles. This
alone  has often  ended  high  blood  pressur e.
    Ma ny benefits  of Ovarian  Breathing  are magnified when
performed  in conjunction  with the Ovarian  Com pression  exercise. If the  ovaries  are too cold,  there  will be a reductio n in desire  for sex. Ovarian  Com pression,  by warming  the ovaries,  will warm your heart
as well. It helps  you calm  down when sexually  over- excited  by
teaching  you to consciously  direct  energ y into and out of the  pelvic
region. It builds  your sexual  pow er dynamicall y by using  the vital
Chi taken  from  the air and packing  its charg e into your Ching  Chi. Refer  to Chapter  6 for more safet y tips in performing  the
exercises  in this  chapter. Fig. 5.32 Healing  Love  Connection
- 127  -Orgasmic Upward Draw
Chapter 6
Orgasmic Upward  Draw
A. Sexual  Energy  and Women
In ancient  times the Taoists saw men and  women  as worthy
partners  and adversa ries. Their  sexual  union  reflected  the union  of
Yin and Yang on the cosm ic level. Their differen t appro aches  to life
and problem-solving  broug ht harmony  to the earth. Taoists regar d man as fire and woman  as w ater: Fire, when
started,  burns  very  fast and  does  not last long. As we mentioned
earlier  it takes  time for water to reach  its boiling  point,  just as it
takes  time to bring  a woman  to her boiling  point. Once  she reaches
that point,  she will maintain  it for  a long  time. Taoists have  describe d women  as sexuall y superior  to me n, yet
we see today  that many women  are sexuall y unhap py. Because
the response  times of me n and  women  are different,  the sexual
embrace  occurs,  many times, w ithout the full arous al of the w oman. The vaginal  spasm s which occur  at this  arousal  level are  mistaken
as the  total  orgasm. How ever since  the w oman  has reached  only
half of


 on your blockages inside. All that personal talk has
nothing to do with the problem at hand. It has to do with the fact that this
situation hit your blockages, and now you’re reacting to your issues instead
of your child’ s issue. If you allow that to happen, you’re going to make
every decision based on what makes you feel better, which is likely not what
is best for the situation at hand. If you take things personally, you will try to protect yourself by
avoiding disturbing experiences. But difficult situations present an
opportunity to change that dynamic. The way to do that is to let go of your
entire personal reaction to the situation. You just let it go. You don’t let go
of the situation—you let go of your reaction to the situation. Go to the
principal’ s office, but not to protect yourself. Go because your son needs
help. Go because the principal needs help with the situation. Go because
you’re the parent, and your son is your responsibility. Do your best to raise
the energy in a constructive manner. You can’t do this if you’re focusing on
your embarrassment, fears, and other personal reactions. Bottom line, you let go of the personal so you can interact properly
with what’ s in front of you. It’s the same thing in business. You’re in a
meeting, and they’re discussing a project. You have a bright idea that youwant to contribute. So you put it out there, but it gets shot down. That hurts. Of course it does. You have an ego in there, and it’s going to get bothered. Now for the rest of the meeting, either you don’t contribu te anything
because you’re sulking, or you keep bringing up proof that what you said
wasn’ t so dumb. You no longer  belong in that meeting. Your presence has
become about you, not about the project. You can’t work like that. Your
underlying motive can’t ever be about you. It has to be about serving what’ s
happening in front of you. To the absolute best of your ability, you always
serve life as it unfolds before you. The process of letting go becomes how you work on yourself. Your
only decision is: Are you going to let go or not. It’s your choice. Either
you’re working on yourself on a regular basis or you’re not. The blockages
inside you that generate personal thoughts and emotions are nothing but
leftover samskar as. They are based on past issues you couldn’ t handle, and
they will tend to lead you in the wrong direction. Learn to express your
higher Self. Express the deeper part of your being that’s in harmony with
life. Keep letting go. The entire spiritual path is letting go of yourself. What
will happen if you do this. That’ s what we’ll explore next. We’re going to
deal with what life is meant to be like for every single person. Regardless of
what has ever happened to you or what you’ve ever done—it really doesn’ t
matter. If you let go of the samskaras inside of you, they will no longer
affect your life. You can truly be free of your past. This is what living
untether ed means. It means to let go of yourself, to transcend your persona l
self as Buddha taught, to die to be reborn as Christ taught. It is the essence
of all spiritual teachings, and it is the truth. Everyone is capab le of freeing
themselves, if they are willing to do the inner work. PART VIII:
Living a Life of AcceptanceChapter 35. Dealing with Blocked Energies
One thing is for certain, we are all conscious inside. The question is: What
are we conscious of. Pretty much everyone is aware that there are
constantly changing energies within that can be overwhelming at times. Even if they don’t understand the energies, to stay upright in life, people
either push the energies away or try to release them through outer
expression. Though both these efforts cause their own sets of problems, they
are better than drowning inside. When people are actually drow ning in water, what do they do. They
try to grab some thing solid, like a board floating by, so they don’t sink. That
is how most people live their lives. They are grabbing onto whatever they
can so they don’t drown. Generally, what they’re grabbing onto is
something outside themselves. They think that if others respected them
more and treated them better, it wouldn’ t be so caustic inside. If someone
would just truly  love them and be loyal to them, then they’d be okay. The
problem is, if they manage to get what they want, they will grab ahold for
dear life and never let go, whic h creates its own issues. Even worse, if the
outside world ever stops givin g them what they want, they will start to
drown again. If you want to see how much you cling to the outside world in order to
avoid drowning inside, just see what happens when the world doesn’ t unfold
the way you expect. What happens when someone very close to you
behaves in a way that doesn’ t align with your model. Your mind and heart
catch fire. This happens even if the person hasn’ t actually done anything. All that is needed is for your mind to think, “What if my husband leaves
me. Sally’s husband left her. If Sam ever left me, I would just die. ” That’ s
all it takes, and you feel pain and disturbance. All the energies become
unsettled inside. Why does this happen. It happens because you’ve beentrying to build a place of solidity within your mind that you can hold on to. As long as everything reasonably reinforces that, you feel safe and relatively
okay. But you have distanced yourself from the core of your being by
clinging to something outside. That’ s what we do, and it doesn’t work. If
you want to grow spiritually, if you want to have a beautiful life instead of a
midlife crisis, you need to do the inner work. A midlif e crisis happens when you’ve been building and clinging and
fighting for half your life in order to be okay, and you’re not. You’re simply
not free and at peace inside, even though you have the kids, the marriage,
the job. As it turns out, midlife crises are perfectly reasonable. It’s
surprising more people don’t have them. Halfway through your life, you
realize it hasn’ t worked—you’re still not okay. Sure, you’re okay as long the
spouse behaves, the kids do well in school, and you get respect at your job. As long as all this happens, and your finances hold up, you’re conditionally
okay. But inside you know it can change on a dime, so you must keep
struggling to stay ahead. That’ s why life is a struggle. The alternative is to clean up the mess inside. Someday you will realize
you are not drowning. You’re simply sitting on a planet spinning around the
middle of absolutely nowhere. That’ s the truth of the matter. The Cassini
spacecraft took a picture of the Earth from two million miles out. The Earth
is just a small dot in the middl e of dark, empty space. How can you drop
down onto the nicest planet there is and not be okay. We’ve looked far and
wide with our space telescopes, and we haven’ t found anything, anywhere,
even close to the majesty of the Earth. Basically, you won the lottery. You
dropped down onto this phenomenal planet that’s always exciting,
challenging, and growthful. It has all sorts of colors, shapes, and sounds—
it’s unbelievably  amazing. Yet, what do you do. You suffer. Why. It’s not
the planet causing you to suf fer—it’ s the stuf f you have stored inside. The logical questions become: Why are you storing all this stuff inside
you. And if you’re going to store stuff inside, why not make it nice stuff. People collect all sorts of things as hobbies. Some collect spoons, teacups,
stamps, or coins from all over the world. But you had a brilliant idea for a
hobby—let’ s collect bad experiences. That’ s what you did: “I’m going to
collect every bad experience I ever had and keep it inside me so it can
bother me for the rest of my life. ” How can that work out well. If you keep
doing it, you’re going to collect more and more bad experiences, and your
life will get heavier and heavier. Are you really going to continue making your life so difficult. In
essence,  you are causing  yourself to be unhappy, then you’re going outside
and demanding that the world somehow make you happy. The world cannot
make you happy while you’re inside making yourself unhappy. It’s that
simple. You have to work on letting go of the root cause of suffering. The
spiritual path is always about letting go of yourself, and that means dealing
with the blocked ener gies. The blocked energies inside are going to build up and need release if
you don’t deal with them. These  energies may release in the form of anger,
verbal or physical fighting, and other bursts of uncontrolled behavior. When
you allow the energies to release unconsciously like this, you’re not in
charge. The energies will tend


 God
The Essential Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire
The Essential Ageless Body, Timeless Mind
The Third Jesus
Jesus
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
Why Is God Laughing? The Ultimate Happiness Prescription
OceanofPDF.comOceanofPDF.comCopyright © 1993, 1998, 2010 by Deepak Chopra, M.D. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a
division of Random House, Inc., New Y ork. www.crownpublishing.com
Three Rivers Press and the T ugboat design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown
Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New Y ork, in 1993 and in paperback in the
United States by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a Division of
Random House, Inc., in 1994. A paperback edition with a new introduction was published in the
United States by Three Rivers Press in 1998. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Chopra, Deepak. Ageless body, timeless mind : the quantum alternative to growing old
Deepak Chopra. —2d pbk. ed. Originally published: New Y ork, Harmony Books, 1993. 1. Longevity. 2. Mind and body. 3. V itality. 4. Aging. 5. Holistic medicine. I. T itle
RA776.75.C48 1994
612.6′8—dc20       94-19236
ISBN 9780517882122
eBook ISBN 9780307510754
v4.1_r2
a
OceanofPDF.comCONTENTS
Cover
Also by Deepak Chopra
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgments
New Introduction
Introduction from the 1998 edition
PART ONE
The Land Wher e No One Is Old
IN PRACTICE : How to Reinterpr et Your Body
PART TWO
Aging and A wareness
IN PRACTICE : Using the Power of A wareness
PART THREE
Defeating Entr opy
IN PRACTICE : The W isdom of Uncertainty
PART FOUR
The Science of Longevity
IN PRACTICE : Breath of LifePART FIVE
Breaking the Spell of Mortality
IN PRACTICE : The T imeless W ay
About the Author
OceanofPDF.comACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book was made possible by the loving support and encouragement
of the following people:
The friends who form my staff at Quantum Publications—Ro ger, Gita,
Carol, Mara, Steve, Bob, Joe, Sherryl, and Jimmy. Your genuine caring
inspires my work everyday. My wife and children, whose love is manifested in so many ways but
particularly in their unstinting patience and understanding. My agent, Muriel Nellis, whose  sage guidance has shaped every step in
my career as a writer. My editor, Peter Guzzardi—this book was his vision to begin with, and
only he knows what ingenuity and patience it took before these pages lived
up to his high ideal. Wayne Dyer, who offered me his devoted friendship and challenged me
to new heights. Geor ge Harrison, for his extraordinary love and friendship, and for his
generous contribution to the audio version of this book. And my loving parents, the best examples of graceful aging I have ever
known. Thank you all. I hope this book  reflects your best hopes for me and the
future of mankind. OceanofPDF.comNEW INTRODUCTION
The fascinating thing about aging is that no one has ever proved it was
necessary. That startling fact was true almost twenty years ago when this
book first appea red. It’s even more true today. Everyone ages. I knew that
going in. But I had been inspired by a saying from the ancient Indian
philosopher Adi Shankara, who declared that “people grow old and die
because they see other people grow old and die.”
An entire book emer ged simply by asking myself how this could possibly
be true. Modern medicine had provided some hints. First of all, the “new old age”
had emerged. Doctors were beginning to see older patients who were
younger in body and mind. Clearly there was no set pattern for aging,
certainly not the biblical three score and ten. (When asked recently when
old age begins, the average answer given to pollsters was that it begins at
eighty-five. An amazing number if you pause to think about it.) Second, the
brain has been redefined. When I went to medical school, and long
afterward, the conventional wisdom insisted that the brain lost neurons as a
person aged; it couldn’ t heal itself from traumas; it had no ability to grow
new brain cells. Now we know that all three assumptions were wrong. The
brain can renew and heal itself, and it can grow new connections throughout
a person’ s life. As a dramatic instance of this, many older people are now playi ng a host
of video games whose purpose is to keep their brains resilient and young. These “brain gyms” work on the principle that the brain grows new
pathways when ever it is faced  with new tasks. “Use it or lose it” was
already in the air when this book was written, but that slogan fell too far
short. Thanks to a new field known as neural plasticity—the study of the
brain’ s ability to change—researchers have come to believe that our brain’ s
resilience may be limitless.The last big discovery over the past twenty years is genetic. Most people
read the headlines about mappin g the human genome. It was a tremendous
accomplishment, and at last all three billion bits of human DNA could be
deciphered. What most people don’t know is that far from making DNA
easier to understand, this new map deepened the mystery. It turned out that
we had far fewe r genes than was supposed, about 20,000 to 30,000. Some
lower animals actually have more. We share basic life proce sses at the
genetic level with things as unalike as a banana and a gorilla. How those
basic processes evolved into a supreme creation like the human brain is
totally mysterious. Even more mysterious is the fact that it takes a fluid
combination of many genes to produce a single trait. This was a crushing
setback for anyone who wanted  to find a single cancer gene, fat gene, gay
gene, and so on. While it’s true that a single gene gives you blue eyes or
blond hair, a simple thing like how tall you are depends on up to twenty
genes. And even if you could analyze all twenty, you couldn’ t tell a mother
how tall her newborn baby will grow up to be; at most you would know
about two-thirds of the story. If you put these new discoveries together, an astonishing picture emer ges. If the brain and DNA aren’ t fixed, they must be changeable, and if they can
change, who is in charge? The brain doesn’ t change itself. DNA doesn’ t
dictate the experiences that you decide to have, or which befall you outside
your control. Modern Japanese children have the same genes as their
forebears, but instead of being a race of short people, the Japanese are now
the fourth tallest nation on earth. The ancient argument between nurture and
nature has been wiped off the slate. Nature sets the stage by giving you a
body, but mind is responsible for nurture, and whatever the mind wants to
do, nature will follow. For example, recent findings in the prevention of
heart disease show that if you adopt positive lifestyle change s—a better
diet, more exerc ise, positive stress management, and meditation —up to five
hundred genes will change their expression. That is, you will turn on the
good genes and turn off the bad ones. Lifestyle changes don’t come from
the brain, they come from intention, determination, judgment, and
understanding—all traits of the mind. Looking back, I am pleased and fulfilled that Ageless Body, Timeless
Mind  foretol d these developments. But I deserve no credit for beingprescient. Adi Shankara told me in advance what I needed to know: We
grow old and die because we see others grow old and die. The simplicity of
this idea is as revolutionary as its boldness. How did someon e, however
wise, have such an insight? Because in ancient India the most basic
teaching was that consciousness comes first. Out of absolute consciousness,
or pure Being, the entire creation emer ged. There are three levels of
creation: the world of visible objects, the world of subtle objects, and the
world of invisible objects. Visible objects are easy: rocks, trees, clouds,
stars. Our five senses are set up to navigate this first world. Subtle things
are not difficult,  either: emotions, thoughts, wishes, dreams, and fears. Our
minds are set up to navigate this second world. But the real specialty of the
ancient Vedic seers was the invisible world, where only consciousness
exists and only consciousness can know itself. In this world the seeds of creation are planted. Love, truth, beauty,
wisdom, and the peace that passes understanding dwell here. Even though it
is invisible, the third world


ymptomsanysubstanceproduced
whengiventoahealthyperson,Hahnemanncould
discoverthehealingpropertiesofthatsubstance. Physicianshadlonggrappledwiththisproblemand
theDoctrineofSignatures,whichstatesthataplant
willactonthatpartofthebodywhichitmostre-
semblesinappearance,wasanattempttounderstand
thehealingpowersofnaturalremedies.Hahnemann
haddiscoveredanexperimentalbasisthatwouldsys-
tematicallyyieldvastlymoreaccurateandspecific
informationabouttheindividualsubstancestested. Theprocedurewascalled'proving'(i.e.testing)a
remedy. Likecureslike:thefirstlawofhomeopathy
discovered
Thestandardmedicalassumptionhadalwaysbeen
thatifthebodyproducedasymptomtheappropriate
treatmentwouldbeanantidote,anoppositeor'con-
trary'medicinetothatsymptom.Forexample,con-
stipationwouldbetreatedwithlaxatives,which
producediarrhoea.Hahnemann'sexperiencewith
THEHISTORYOFHOMEOPATHY TheFounder •5
Cinchonaindicatedthatadifferentprincipleoftreat-
mentmightapply.Hahnemannwouldhavebeen
familiarwithHippocrates'writingsoncuringwith
'similars',andsoitmusthavebeenwithgreatexcite-
mentthatheembarkedonfurtherexperimentsthat
confirmedthisprinciple. Hecalledthissimiliasimilitruscurentur,or'letlikeshe
curedwithlike',andthisprincipleofcuringwith
similarsbecamethefirstlawofasystemofhealinghe
called'homeopathy',fromtheGreekhomoias(similar)
andpathos(sufferingordisease),inordertodiffer-
entiateitfromorthodoxmedicine,whichhecalled
'allopathy',meaning'oppositesuffering'. ///mistakenot,practicalmedicineliasdevisedthreeways
ofapplyingremediesforthereliefofdisordersofthe
humanbody.Thefirstmethod,thatofremovingor
destroyingthecausesofthemalady,thatispreventive
treatment....Thesecondandmostcommon,contraria
contraris,thatishealingbyopposites,suchasthe
palliativetreatmentofconstipationbylaxatives...the
third...similiasimilibus,thatis,inordertocure
disease,wemustseekmedicinesthatcanexcitesimilar
symptomsinthehealthybody. Hahnemannwrotethisin1796.Duringthenextsix
yearsheconductedmanyprovingsonhisfamilyand
friends,andalsostudiedaccountsofthesymptoms
shownbyvictimsofaccidentalpoisonings. Finallyhesetupinmedicalpracticeagain,butwith
adifferentbasisforhisprescriptions.Heusedthe
materialhehadgatheredfromtheprovingsandinhis
patientslookedforthesimilimum-theremedywhose
'symptompicture'(basedontheprovings)most
matchedthatofhispatient.Hismethodsweremet
withdisbeliefandhewasridiculedbycolleagues,but
thepatientsflowedinandtheastonishingresults
Hahnemannachievedverifiedhistheory. Healsodifferedfromconventionalpractitioners in
givingonlyoneremedyatatime,whichwasunheard
ofinanagewhenapothecariesmadefortunesbv
mixingnumeroussubstances,manyofwhichwere
highlynoxious.Thisearnedhimenemiesamongthe
pharmacists. Theminimumdose
Hahnemanndidnotstopthere.Dissatisfiedwiththe
sideeffectsofhisdilutedmedicines,heexperimented
withsmallerandsmallerdosesofthesesinglerem-
ediesinordertominimisethesideeffects.Hefound,
however,thatwhenhedilutedamedicinesufficiently
toeradicatethesideeffects,itnolongereffecteda
cure.Hethereforedevelopedanewmethodofdilu-
tion:insteadofsimplystirringthesubstanceaftereach
dilutionheshookitvigorously.Thisshakinghecalled'succussion'andtheresultantremedya'potentised
remedy'. Hefoundthatnotonlydidhenowobtainaremedy
thathadnosideeffectsbutthatthemorehediluted
usingsuccussion,themoreeffectivelyhisremedy
cured.Hebelievedthattheshakingreleasedthe
strengthorenergyofthesubstance(involvingsome
sortofimprintingonthewater/alcohol solvent),with
noneofitstoxiceffectsremaining. Hahnemannnumberedthepotentisedremedies
accordingtothenumberoftimestheyhadbeendi-
luted:aremedydilutedsixtimes(takingoutone-
hundredthoftheliquideachtimeandadding"/100
alcohol)wascalleda6C(seepage13).Initiallyhe
prescribedremediesthathadbeendiluteduptothe
sixthpotency;thenheexperimentedwiththehigher
dilutions,findingthemmoreeffectivestill.Inhis
lifetimeheprescribeduptothethirtiethpotency.His
followerstookdilutionevenfurther. Thisprocessofdilutionincurredyetmorewrath
andderisionfromthemedicalestablishment,who
couldnotexplain,andthereforecouldnotaccept,how
anythingsodilutecouldhaveanyeffect.Yetdespite
opposition,homeopathysurvivedandspreadremark-
ablyquickly-because itwasremarkablyeffective. TheOrganonandotherpublications
Hahnemann's literaryoutputduringhislifewaspro-
digious.Heprovedaboutonehundredremedies,
wroteoverseventyoriginalworksandtranslated
abouttwenty-fourEnglish,French,ItalianandLatin
textsonawiderangeofsubjects.Healsocorre-
spondedwithhomeopaths,colleaguesandfriends
throughouttheworld,allinadditiontohisvastdaily
practice. In1810Hahnemannpublishedthefirsteditionof
TheOrganonofRationalMedicine(laterTheOrganonof
theHealingArt),whichrantosixeditions,eachone
modifiedandexpanded.Inithesetoutclearlythe
homeopathicphilosophyorsystemofbelief.In
thesameyear,whenLeipzigwasattackedinthe
Napoleoniccampaignsand80,000menwereslaugh-
tered,Hahnemann'streatmentsofthesurvivorsand
alsoofvictimsofthegreattyphusepidemicthatfol-
lowedthesiegewerehighlysuccessfulandfurther
increasedhisreputation. HelecturedatLeipzigUniversity,wherehistheor-
eticallectures,whichoftendeterioratedintoviolent
tiradesagainstthemedicalpracticesofdoctorsand
apothecaries,earnedhimthenickname'RagingHurri-
cane'.However,afewmedicalpractitionerswere
preparedtogoagainstthemainstreamofopinionand
anumbertrainedunderhimandtookhisteachings
outintotheworld.Bytheearly1820shehadalsobuilt
upathrivingpractice. 6•TheFounder THEHISTORYOFHOMEOPATHY
Between1811and1821Hahnemannpublishedhis
MateriaMedicaPurainsixvolumes;thisrepresented
theresultsoftheprovingssofarundertaken-
thousandsofsymptomsforsixty-sixremedies.The
provingsweremeticulousandpainstaking,butitis
worthremembering thatinHahnemann's experi-
mentsnothingwasdonetoeliminatethepowerof
suggestion:proversknewwhatsubstancetheywere
taking.Remediesweregiveninweakdilutionsand
notinpotentiseddoses.Coffee,tea,wine,brandyand
spicyorsaltyfoodwereallbannedfromtheprovers'
diets,althoughalittlebeerwasallowed.Gamesand
workactivitywererestricted,butmoderateexercise
wasencouraged. In1828Hahnemann's ChronicDiseasesandTheir
HomeopathicCureappeared (iteventuallyrantofive
volumes).InitheelaboratedonthephilosophyofThe
Organon,addingmoreremediesasaresultofhis
experiencesinsuccessfullytreatingchronicpatients. Hediscussedtheuseofhigherpotencies-uptothe
30thpotency-andintroducedtheconceptof'miasms'
toaccountforthefailureofsomepatientstorespond
totreatmentwithremedieswhichclearlvmatched
theirsymptoms.Amongsuchpeoplehefoundahis-
toryofcertaindiseasesanddiscoveredthathewas
abletolinkthetendencytoparticulartypesofcon-
ditiontoalegacyinthepatient'sinheritedhealth.He
developedawayoftreatingtheseblockstohealth
homeopathically. Successwithcholera
In1831cholerasweptthroughCentralEurope. Hahnemannpublishedpapersonthehomeopathic
treatmentofthedisease,advocatingtheadministra


aketheirlivesintheirhandsby
treatingseriousillnessesathome.Nevertreatserious
injuriesorcomplaintsyourself.Ifinanydoubtseek
expertadvice.Causeforconcernbelowlistsgeneral
alarmsymptoms,andspecificalarmsymptomsto
watchoutforareindicatedintheindividualcom-
plaintsthatfollow.CauseforConcern
Thefollowingsymptomsmayindicateserious
problemsandsosignaltheneedforimmediatepro-
fessionalhelp.Someofthemalsoappearinthe
remedypictures,forexamplethelabouredbreathing
ofAntimoniumtartaricumandthedeliriumofa
Belladonnafever.Ifyouareveryworriedaboutthe
generalstateofyourpatientIsuggestyoucallforhelp
andthengivetheindicatedhomeopathicremedy.In
someinstances,wherethepictureisveryclearand/or
youknowfrompastexperiencethatyourpatientisnot
seriously ill,youwillbeabletogivetheremedyand
waitforimprovement. Ifheorshedoesnotshowsigns
ofimprovingquicklyyoucanthencallforhelp. Seeoverleaffordiseaseconditionsnotcoveredby
thisbook. SEEKHELPIFTHEREIS:
Bleeding,unexplained,fromanypartofthebody,
includingtheskin
Breathing,rapid-overfiftybreathsperminuteatrest
inchildrenundertwo-overfortybreathsper
minuteinchildrenagedtwototen-overthirty
breathsperminuteinanyoneoverthirty
Breathing,shalloworlaboured(difficult)
Chestpain,severe
Convulsions
Delirium
Feverabove105°F,40°C
Fever,high,withaslowpulse(normaladultpulseis
about90beatsaminuteand120inachild)
Fever,persistent-lastingforlongerthan24hoursin
aninfant
Headache,severe-especially ifaccompaniedbyone
ormoreoftheothersymptomsinthissection
204 DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK
Mentalconfusion,uncharacteristic
Neckstiff
Stools,pale-greyoralmostwhite
Urinationprofuse,accompaniedbyagreatthirst
Urinedarkandscanty/bloody (certainfoodswhen
eateninquantitycanchangethecolourofurine;
beetrootforexample,canturnurinered.Thisis
nothingtoworryabout)
Vomiting,unexpected,repeated-comesonsome
timeaftertheonsetofaviralinfection(i.e.achild-
hoodillness)
Weakness,extreme
Wheezing,severe
Yellowingoftheskinorwhitesoftheeyes
IFSOMEONESEEMSVERYILL,EVENIFTHEYDO
NOTHAVEANYEASILYIDENTIFIABLESYMP-
TOMS,ALWAYSTRUSTYOURINSTINCTSAND
GETHELP. ALWAYSSEEKPROFESSIONALHELPIFYOUR
SYMPTOMSRECURORDONOTIMPROVE. diseasesandconditionsnot
Coveredbythisbook
Withtheexceptionoftreatingtheacutepainofarthri-
tisandrheumatism, thisbookdoesnotcoverchrome
diseases;thesearecomplexconditionsandneedcareful
diagnosisandtreatmentatallstages.The
homeopathictreatmentofchronicdiseaseoften
requiresalong-termcommitmentsothatthehomeo-
pathcantreattheseunderlyingweaknessesinthe
constitution. Thefollowingsymptomsarenotdealtwithinthis
bookforthereasonsgivenineachcase:
Seriousdegenerativediseasessuchascancer,hepati-
tis,heartdisease,AIDS,andsoon,arenotwithin
thescopeofthefirst-aidprescriber.Thesecon-
ditionsrequiretimeandskilltotreatandshouldnot
beregardedlightly. Frequentlyrecurringsymptomsfromflu,headaches,
diarrhoeaandcoughs,todepressions, etc.Symp-
tomsoccurringasoftenaseveryweek,whichcanbe
sobadthatworkhastobecancelled.Theyarenot
symptomsthatoccurtwoorthreerimesayearand
thathaveobviouscauses,forexampleheadaches
afterthestressofexams. Skinsymptomsincludingeczema,psoriasis,dermati-
tis,etc.,shouldneverbeattemptedbythefirst-aid
prescriber.ReadtheLawsofCure(page15)to
understandthedangersofsuppressingaskindis-Asthmaisadeep-seatedchronicdiseaseandneeds
carefulmanagement tocureit.Theacuteattacksof
asthmacanbealleviated,buttheseshouldalways
beprescribedbyahomeopathwhoisinchargeof
thewholecaseandwhoisprescribingconstitutional
remediesbetweenattackssothattheirseverityand
frequencyislessened. Hayfeverforthesamereasonsasasthma.Itis,how-
ever,possibletoalleviatesymptoms,andforthis
reasonafew.remediesareincludedinthisbook. However, Istronglyadvisethatvoutakeupconsti-
tutionaltreatmentforthemonthswhenyouarefree
ofhayfeverinordertohelpclearthediseasefrom
thesystem.Itcantakeseveralyearsforthisto
happen,withthesymptomslesseninginseverity
eachyear. Persistentconstipationcanmaskamoreserious,
underlyingcomplaintthatneedsprofessional treat-
ment,butitmaysimplybearesultofpoordiet(lots
oflow-fibrejunkfood),inwhichcasethefirststepis
tomakethenecessarydietarychanges.Remedies
areincludedforoccasionalconstipationcausedbya
changeinenvironment(althoughtheoccasional
doseofalaxativewilldonoharm). Persistentabdominalpainshouldalwaysbechecked
byaprofessional.Neverself-prescribe,exceptinthe
fewinstancesoutlinedinthisbook.Alwaysseeyour
GPtomakesurethereisnoneedforurgentsurgery
(suchasappendicitis). Ulcers,oftheskin,stomach,etc.Theseareevidence
ofadeep-seatedchronicconditionthatneedsexpert
attention.Youmaytreatoccasionalmouthulcers
yourself.Iftheyrecur,especiallyfrequently,then
theyneeddeeper,constitutionaltreatment. Lumpsandbumps-cysts,growths,warts,etc.any-
whereonorinthebody(exceptforstyes,bruises
andwarts,asoutlinedinthebook)mustalwaysbe
takentoaprofessionalhomeopathsothatheorshe
canprescribeontheunderlyingweaknessandpre-
venttheirrecurrence. COMPLAINTSYOUCANTREAT
Abscesses
Youcantreatasimpletooth(gum)abscessyourself
whilewaitingforyourdentalappointment. Ifthepain
isgreatlyrelievedasaresultand/ortheabscessdis-
chargesitspusthenwaitalittlewhilebeforestarting
onantibioticsastheymaynotbenecessary. Ifthepain
returns,ordoesn'tclearcompletelyandquickly,take
themedicinesprescribedbyyourdentist,orvisit
aprofessionalhomeopathwhocantreatthese
abscesses. DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK Bites/stings •205
DO
•restandeatwelltobuildupyourdefences. •applyhotcompressestotheabscess. Anaemia
Theanaemiacoveredbythisbookisiron-deficiency
anaemia,whichiscausedbyinfection,poordiet,
duringpregnancywhentheironcountdrops,andby
lossofbloodafteranaccident,toothextraction,heavy
period,nosebleedorchildbirth. Othertypesofanaemianeedtobetreatedbya
professionalhomeopath. DO
•eathealthy,iron-richfoodssuchasliver,greens
(notspinachastheacidinitmakestheiron
difficulttoabsorb),cabbageanddriedapricots. •rest. •drinkplentyoffluidsbutcutouttea(which
preventstheabsorptionofiron). •takeaherbalirontonicifitsuitsyou. DON'T
•takeironpillsavailablefromhighstreetchemists
astheyoftencauseconstipationandcanmakethe
conditionworsebyblockingtheabsorptionofiron. ArthritisseeJointpain
Athlete'sfoot
Thisisbesttreatedwithinternalremedies. Ifitis
apersistent(chronic)problem, itwillrequirepro-
fessionalhomeopathictreatment. DO
•keepyourfeetcleananddrymeticulouslyafter
bathing. •useCalendulatalcumpowder(availablefromsome
homeopathicpharmacies)orusethecreamifthe
skiniscrackedandpainful. •gobarefootasmuchaspossible,andwearsandals
inthesummer. DON'T
•wearrunningshoes,whichcanexacerbatethe
problem. •useanri-perspirantsonyourfeet.Thisformof
suppressioncanleadtomoreseriouscomplaints. SEEKHELPIF
•thereisswellingorpain,especially


 you know the joy that comes from this partner-
ship. And what you are aligning with is pure, unconditional love and
acceptance of all that is. You abandon your fear of anything. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AS AN ABSENCE OF FEAR
All fears stem from the idea that we are alone and separated from
the one divine source that we give many names to, including God or
Holy Spirit. When you adopt a stance of unconditional love, you
104
Manifest Your Destiny
automatically abandon fear. In the absence of fear and in the pres-
ence of unconditional love you find the solution to the mystery of
manifestation. Once you truly know that you are ‘not separate or
alone, fear is replaced by unconditional love and you have gained
access to the Holy Spirit. The ego is where fears originate, with constant messages that you
are incomplete and need more, that you need to win to be better in
comparison to others. With its unceasing pressure, the ego keeps you
in a constant state of turmoil and anxiety. Here is where all fears are
birthed and nurtured within you. To accept unconditional love as your premise for living, you will
have to tell the ego that there is no need to prove anything and that
all you want or hope for is already here. The ego, moreover, needs to
be taught that you are connected to a creative source that is far more
powerful than the ego. You are able to detach from how it has to show up, and you can
send out the energy of unconditional love with your thoughts wher-
ever you go, trusting that it is all in order. No demands, no pressure. A simple knowing accompanied by an unconditionally loving atti-
tude. With this kind of declaration, fear is removed from your life
and is replaced with love. Remember the biblical quote, “Perfect love
casteth out all fear. ”
Fear and love are unable to reside simultaneously within you. If
you are afraid, you have cast out love. If you are experiencing perfect
love, which is within your free will, then you have cast out fear. This principle of unconditional love as a prerequisite to manifest-
ing your own destiny is a tough one to put into practice full-time. Yet
you can begin this process by working on it one step at a time, begin-
ning right now. Below are some suggestions for living and radiating
unconditional love. 105
WAYNE W. DYER
SOME WAYS OF PUTTING UNCONDITIONAL LOVE INTO
PRACTICE go
Keep uppermost in mind that love transforms. Every single act of
love releases blocked energy in your body. Unconditional love heals
the body and the mind. Keep reminding yourself of this truth until
it becomes your reality. Love is a frequency that you can choose to
tune into, just as you tune into a frequency on the radio. The polarity of love is fear. Fear is a current of energy that literally
runs through your body and is produced when you feel cut off from
the source of unconditional love. Every time you experience fear,
ask yourself, “What is going on that I have substituted fear for love
in this moment. ” This kind of self-talk will bring you back to an
awareness that fear is running through you because you have lost
your alignment with love. In this moment of insight, send the fear energy out of your body
by embracing unconditional love. In those moments of fear, your
anxiety about failing, not receiving approval, your appearance, your
grades or whatever can be traced to the absence of unconditional
love. Go to your source when you are experiencing fear and you will
find fears dissipating almost instantly,
Remember that love is experienced in your thoughts and in your
acts of oneness. The more you consider yourself connected to the
divine source, the more you will act in loving ways to all others. Acquire a private, nonpublicized and regular habit of meditating. With every breath you take, feel yourself taking in unconditional
love. With every exhalation, expel thoughts of fear. This personal
exercise can be your lifeline to unconditional love and to the world
of manifesting. 106
Manifest Your Destiny
When you go outside for a walk, use your breath to bring in the
essence of love and feel it flowing throughout your body. Simply use
your breath as a means of inhaling love from the divine source, and
exhaling fear in the next breath. You will feel yourself relaxing and
knowing more joy and freedom. Pick one day to practice this exercise with a partner of your choice. Make a decision to think, act and radiate nothing but unconditional
love for the entire twenty-four-hour period, including your dreams. Every moment of this mutually agreed upon day will be infused
with only love. This means that the moment a moralizing or judgmental thought
enters, you immediately shift it out of your inner field and replace it
with one of unconditional love. If this works for you for one day, see
if you can extend it for another day or two. The longer you can stay
with this exercise, the more dramatic the changes. You will begin to notice synchronistic events showing up and you
will feel as if God is taking special care of you. You will notice an
increase in energy; an interesting shift in your dreams as they
become more intense and spiritual; you will observe yourself
attracting things that previously seemed to stay away; you will most
assuredly note an increase in joy, bliss and a growth in your relation-
ships as well. Make a decision to turn over your most difficult challenges in the
area of unconditional love to God. Simply turn them over with a
request such as, “I have been unable to bring love into my life in
these areas, and I am asking for your divine guidance in accomplish-
ing this. I still think angry and hateful thoughts toward these peo-
ple, and I am asking you to show me the way to unconditional
love. ”
By acknowledging that you feel powerless, you admit that your
107
WAYNE W. DYER
conditioning and life experiences have not given you the tools to
radiate love in these places. But you are also acknowledging that you
know there is a higher energy and you ask that higher force to guide
you. By turning it over, you place your complete trust in the God
force and admit that you cannot break the ego’s stronghold. In your silent moments of prayer do not be afraid to ask for help. If
you want to remove fear and hatred in the spirit of wanting peace,
help will be forthcoming. Place no restrictions on how that help is
to show up in your life. Simply ask honestly, and when it does show
up, give thanks. Know the connection between manifesting your heart’s desire and
unconditional love. Unconditional love is the energy of the uni-
verse, it is what God is, and, therefore, what you are as well. Without your connection to this love, you lose your connection to
the creative processes. You cannot attract to yourself that which you are already con-
nected to if you have short-circuited the connection. The presence
of unconditional love is in all things that you wish to attract as well
as in you. Keep it honestly, and you keep your ability to “know that
ye are a god. ” Lose it, and you lose your godliness. It is that simple. Remind yourself of this when you ask why your desires aren’t
showing up in your life. The answer will invariably have something
to do with an absence of unconditional love someplace in your
inner world. You do not need to fool yourself with unconditional love. If you do
not love the personality of another, be open and honest about it, but
you can still love the essence, the truth of everyone on this planet
and beyond. See the unfolding in everyone, even if their behavior
108
Manifest Your Destiny
conflicts with what you know to be divine and holy. Know that their
egos have gotten a stranglehold on them and twisted their divine
essence right out of their behavior, but still send love to the essence
that is behind that action. The more you are able to see past the personality and the indi-
vidual behavior, the more you will be a beacon of light for the entire
planet. It is through a change in consciousness that our world is
going to be transformed, and that new consciousness is one in
which love is going to triumph over the passions of the ego. Send
love out past the appearance with which you are in disagreement
and it may shift right before your eyes. Make your word law. Keep this harmony within yourself and you
will experience love in virtually ail settings. If you say it, live up to it
lovingly. This gives you a sense of inner balance that is missing in
those who live with self-repudiation and guilt. The more you prac-
tice “My word is law. I must keep it,” the more balanced your life
becomes. The universe runs on balance, and the energy that keeps it in bal-
ance is love. By declaring yourself as a person who keeps his word,
you align yourself with the loving essence of the world. I have witnessed unconditional love in action in the story of Kaye
O’Bara, who has been caring for her comatose daughter for twenty-
seven years. On an hourly basis—I (along with my wife Marcelene) told
her story in a short inspirational book titled A Promise Is a Promise and I
urge you to familiarize


an antibiotic) and alliin, flavonoids,
phenolic acids, and sterols. History & Folklore  Authorities throughout
the ancient world recommended onion for a variety of health problems. Bunches were hung  on doors to ward off the plague in medieval Europe. Wild onion (A. sibiricum) was also used extensively by Native North Americans to treat stings and help relieve colds. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Onion boasts a
long list of medicinal actions—diuretic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, expectorant, and antirheumatic. It is also beneficial to the circulation. Onions are taken the world over for colds, flu, and coughs, much like garlic (A. sativum, p. 59). Onion offsets tendencies to angina, arteriosclerosis, and heart attack. It is also useful in preventing oral infection and tooth decay. The warmed juice can
be dropped into the ear for earache, and baked onion is used as a poultice to drain pus from sores. Onion has a longstanding reputation as an aphrodisiac, and it is also used cosmetically  to stimulate hair growth.Related Species  In Chinese herbal medicine, the
scallion (A. fistulosum) is given to encourage sweating, to unblock the nose, and to relieve bloating. It is also used to help drain boils and abscesses. Self-help Use  Mild fever, p. 311. Allium ursinum (Liliaceae)
Ramsons
Description  Bulbous perennial smelling strongly
of garlic, growing to 11 in (28 cm). Has a triangular stem and broad elliptical leaves. Clusters of white, star-like flowers grow from a common stem. Habitat & Cultivation  Ramsons are native
to Europe and Asia. They carpet shady sites in damp woods and by streams. The plants are gathered in early summer. Parts Used  Bulb, aerial parts. Constituents  Ramsons contain volatile oil,
aldehydes, vinyl sulfide, and vitamin C.
History & Folklore  Ramsons (and many other
onion-like plants) have been highly regarded as preventative medicines, as an old English rhyme attests: “Eat leeks in Lide and ramsons in May/And all the year after physicians may play!” More prosaically, Gerard (1597) wrote that the leaves “maye very well be eaten in April and Maie with butter [by those of] a strong constitution.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Used mainly as
a folk remedy and as a food, ramsons are similar
to garlic (A. sativum, p. 59) but weaker in
action. They lower high blood pressure and
help to prevent arteriosclerosis. As ramsons
ease stomach pain and are tonic to the
digestion, they have been used for diarrhea, colic,
gas, indigestion, and loss of appetite. The whole herb is used in an infusion against threadworms, either ingested or given as an enema. Ramsons are also thought to be beneficial for asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. The juice is used as an aid to weight loss. Onion juice is mixed
with honey as a
remedy for colds.Allium cepa (Liliaceae)
Onion
Description  Bulbous perennial growing to 3 ft
(1 m). Has hollow stems and leaves, and white or purple flowers. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to the
northern hemisphere, onion has been cultivated  in the Middle East for millennia. It is now grown worldwide as a vegetable.Alnus glutinosa
syn. A. rotundifolia (Betulaceae)
Alder
Description  Small tree with fissured bark,
growing to 65 ft (20 m). Has notched oval leaves
and male and female catkins. Habitat & Cultivation  Alder is native to
Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It thrives in damp places and along riverbanks. The bark and leaves are gathered in spring. Parts Used  Bark, leaves. Constituents  Alder contains lignans, tannin
(10–20%), emodin (an anthraquinone), and glycosides. US_158-179_Abies_balsa_Boswe_serratta.indd   164 07/04/16   4:37 pm165 other medicinal PlantsAm A r A nthus hypochondri Acus
History & Folklore  Water-resistant, alder
was used in the construction of Venice. Wooster
Beech (1794–1868), founder of the Eclectic
healing movement, used a decoction of the bark to
“purify the blood.”
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Alder is most
often used as a mouthwash and gargle for tooth,
gum, and throat problems. The drying action of
a decoction of the bark helps to contract the
mucous membranes and reduce inflammation. A decoction may also be used to staunch internal
or external bleeding, and to heal wounds. It is also
used as a wash for scabies. In Spain, alder leaves
are smoothed and placed on the soles of the feet
to relieve aching. Leaves are used to help reduce
breast engorgement in nursing mothers. Alstonia spp. (Apocynaceae)
Fever Bark
Description  Evergreen trees growing to 49 ft
(15 m). Have glossy oblong leaves and creamy-
white, star-shaped flowers. Habitat & Cultivation  A. constricta  is native
to Australia, and A. scholaris  to Australia and
Southeast Asia. Both are now found in tropical
regions around the world. Parts Used  Stem bark, root bark. Constituents  The bark of both species contains
indole alkaloids. A. constricta  contains reserpine,
a powerful hypotensive. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Fever bark has
been taken to treat malarial fever (and has been
called Australian quinine), but its efficacy against
malaria remains unclear. The bark is antispasmodic
and lowers blood pressure, and is now used mainly
to reduce high blood pressure. Strongly bitter, the
bark is also taken to treat diarrhea. QCautions  T ake only under professional
supervision. Fever bark is toxic in large doses. The herb is subject to legal restrictions in
some countries.Constituents  Marshmallow root contains about
37% starch, 11% mucilage, 11% pectin, flavonoids,
phenolic acids, sucrose, and asparagine. History & Folklore  The philosopher
Theophrastus ( c. 372–286 bce) reported that
marshmallow root was taken in sweet wine for
coughs. Marshmallow was once a key ingredient
in the sweets of the same name. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Useful
whenever a soothing effect is needed,
marshmallow protects and soothes the mucous
membranes. The root counters excess stomach
acid, peptic ulceration, and gastritis. Marshmallow
is also mildly laxative and beneficial for many
intestinal problems, including regional ileitis,
colitis, diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. The leaves treat cystitis and frequent urination. Marshmallow’s demulcent qualities bring relief
to dry coughs, bronchial asthma, chronic
bronchitis, and pleurisy. The flowers are applied
to help soothe inflamed skin. The root is used
in an ointment for boils and abscesses, and in
a mouthwash for inflammation. The peeled root
may be given as a chewstick to teething babies. Other Species  Hollyhock ( A. rosea ) and
common mallow ( Malva sylvestris, p. 232) are
used in a similar fashion. Self-help Uses Allergic rhinitis with mucus,
p. 300; Earache due to chronic mucus, p. 312;
Urinary infections, p. 314.Amaranthus hypochondriacus
(Amaranthaceae)
Amaranth
Description  Sturdy, upright annual growing
to about 3 ft (1 m). Has deeply veined, lance-
shaped, purple-green leaves that grow to 6 in
(15 cm) and tufts of small, deep crimson flowers
on long spikes. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to India,
amaranth grows wild in many countries, including
the U.S. A common garden plant, it is harvested
when in flower in late summer and early autumn. Parts Used  Aerial parts. Constituents  Amaranth contains tannins,
including a red pigment used to dye foods
and medicines. History & Folklore  Amaranth comes from
the Greek word meaning “unwithering.” The
amaranth was sacred to the goddess Artemis,
worshipped at Ephesus, and was thought to have
special healing powers. As a symbol of immortality,
it was used to decorate tombs and images of
the gods. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Amaranth is an
astringent herb that is used primarily to reduce
blood loss and to treat diarrhea. A decoction of
amaranth is taken as a remedy in cases of heavy
menstrual bleeding, excessive vaginal discharge,
diarrhea, and dysentery. It is also used as a gargle to
soothe inflammation of the pharynx and to hast


150 ml) of water, or use the tincture neat or diluted in water. Apply either preparation to the wound. Note Calendula tincture will sting strongly, but it has a
greater antiseptic action. Herb Aloe vera (Aloe vera, p. 60)Remedy Cleanse the wound with the gel  and cover with a dressing soaked in gel. Change frequently. Herb Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana, p. 102)
Remedy Apply distilled witch hazel (available over
the counter) to the affected area 2–3 times a day. Cold Sores, Chicken Pox, & Shingles
Herbs Echinacea (Echinacea spp., p. 92), St. John’s
wort (Hypericum perforatum, p. 106)Remedies T ake
1⁄2 tsp of tincture of either
herb with water 2–3 times a day. Alternatively,  take echinacea tablets or capsules, or make
an infusion of St. John’s wort and drink up to
3/4 cup (150 ml) a day. Herbs Garlic (Allium sativum, p. 59), ginger
(Zingiber officinale, p. 155), lemon (Citrus
limon, p. 82)
Remedy (Internal) Eat 1–2 cloves of garlic and 1–2 slices (1 g) of fresh ginger a day.Remedy (External) Apply either fresh ginger, half a clove of garlic, or lemon juice to unopened cold sores, shingles, or pockmarks up to 6 times a day. General Remedies
Herb Comfrey (Symphytum officinale, p. 138)
Remedy Make a poultice and firmly apply to the affected area for 1–2 hours each day. Caution Do not use comfrey on broken skin. Herbs Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia, p. 112), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata, p. 97), calendula (Calendula officinalis, p. 73), thyme (Thymus vulgaris, p. 143)Remedy Mix 5 drops of tea tree, clove, or
thyme essential oil with 1 tsp of calendula ointment. Apply 1–2 times a day. Caution Do not use thyme oil during pregnancy.Healing Wounds
Herbs Comfrey (Symphytum officinale, p. 138),
aloe vera (Aloe vera, p. 60)
Remedy Apply comfrey ointment at the edges of the wound or, once a scab has formed, use a comfrey poultice. Use aloe vera gel to cleanse the wound (see left). Caution Do not use comfrey on an open wound. Bruises
Herbs Arnica (Arnica montana, p. 172), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana, p. 102)Remedy Apply arnica ointment to bruises and swellings 2–3 times a day, or use distilled witch hazel, as above. Caution Do not use arnica on broken skin. Herb Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, p. 113)
Remedy (Internal) Make an infusion and drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day.Remedy (External) Make a lotion by infusing 1
1⁄2 tbsp of fresh or 3 tsp of dried leaves in
3/4 cup (150 ml) of water for 10 minutes. Strain and dab onto spots 3–5 times a day. Warts
Herb Aloe vera (Aloe vera, p. 60)Remedy Apply the gel directly to the wart 2–3 times a day for up to 3 months. Herb Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis, p. 276)
Remedy Apply neat tincture to the wart 1–2 times a day for up to 3 months. Herb Garlic (Allium sativum, p. 59)
Remedy Rub on
1⁄2 clove 2–3 times a day. Athlete’s Foot
Herbs Turmeric (Curcuma longa, p. 90), calendula (Calendula officinalis, p. 73)Remedy Mix
1⁄2 tsp of turmeric powder with
3 tsp (15 ml) of calendula ointment. Rub in between and under the toes each day. US_300-307_Allergies.indd   304 26/02/16   4:43 pm305 herbal remedies for home useAcne & Boils
StomachacheAcne and boils are the result of local infection,
hormonal imbalance, or internal toxicity, which
cause inflammation of the hair follicles and, with
acne, sebaceous glands. They should be treated
on the surface of the skin and internally. Acne  generally occurs during the teenage years
and results in whiteheads, pustules, and cysts,
usually on the face and back. Boils  are large, pus-filled areas of skin. They either
disperse or burst in a week. As boils are often
the body’s way of expelling toxins, recurrent
boils may indicate a weakened immune system. They can also suggest diabetes or a deep-seated
bacterial infection. Herbs  such as tea tree and garlic are antiseptic
and antibiotic. Calendula and comfrey promote
healing, and comfrey helps to mend scarring. Self-help
Increase intake of vitamin C and garlic. QGeneral cautions Do not squeeze or burst boils
or acne pimples as the infection may spread. Seek
professional advice for recurrent boils. Cramping pain is a sign that the stomach and
intestines are sore and irritated. This is normally
due to poor digestion, excessive nervous tension,
food poisoning, or infection. Stomachache may
occur on its own or lead to vomiting and
diarrhea (in which case, use the remedies on
p. 306). Garlic and calendula are antiviral and will
help clear digestive infections. Relaxing herbs,
such as German chamomile and cramp bark,
relieve stomach spasm. For maximum benefit,
they are mixed with carminative herbs to help
relieve gas. QGeneral cautions Seek professional advice if
stomach pain is severe or recurrent. All species of mint
(Mentha  spp.) are unsuitable for children under 5.External Remedies
Herbs Tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia, p. 112),
clove ( Eugenia caryophyllata, p. 97), garlic ( Allium
sativum, p. 59)
Remedy Dab 1 drop of neat tea tree or clove
essential oil onto the pus-filled head of a boil or
pimple twice a day. Alternatively, cut a clove of
garlic in half and rub over the area twice a day. Herb Calendula ( Calendula officinalis, p. 73)
Remedy Apply ointment or cream, or dab
undiluted tincture onto the pus-filled area
twice a day.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        1Place the herbs in a saucepan. Cover with
cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for
about 20–30 minutes, until the liquid is
reduced by about one-third. 1Place the herb in the
strainer of the teacup and
place a strainer in the cup. Fill
the cup with freshly boiled
water. US_290-291_Making_Herbal_Remedies. indd   291 26/02/16   4:43 pm
292
herbal remedies for home useTinctures are strong preparations, and it is essential
to check the recommended dosage. Never use industrial alcohol, methylated spirits (methyl alcohol) or rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) in tinctures. Alcohol-reduced Tinctures
Alcoholic tinctures should sometimes be avoided,
for example during pregnancy or a gastric inflammation. Adding 1 tsp (5 ml) of tincture to a small glass of almost boiling water and leaving it for 5 minutes allows the alcohol to evaporate. To make nonalcoholic tinctures, replace the alcohol with vinegar or glycerol. Tincture Ratios
Tinctures are made in different strengths,
expressed as ratios. In this book, a 1:5 ratio
(1 part herb to 5 parts alcohol) is used, unless otherwise stated. Reputable herbal suppliers are the best place
to buy powdered herbs and, in general, the
finer the powder the better the grade and quality. Gelatin or vegetarian capsule cases
are also available from specialist outlets. Powdered slippery elm (Ulmus rubra, p. 145) makes a useful base for poultices (see p. 295), and astringents such as witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana, p. 102) may be applied to weeping skin or mixed into ointments (see p. 295) for hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Tinctures
Tinctures are made by soaking an herb in alcohol. This encourages the active
plant constituents to dissolve, giving tinctures a


: pain, anger, frustration or whatever they may be. Imagine
that the whole s cenario or the experience that generated those emotions is
happening right now. Let this experience fill your entire body from head to
toe. Stay  with this and keep inviting the feelings in; allow them to fill your
entire being. How intense are th ese emotions? Can you name them? Where
in y our body ar e you feeling t hem the most? Are they in one particular
place or are yo u feeling them all over? Or perhaps you can’ t quite tell? Keep fe eling the m with a gentle  attention on your breath. Perh aps you are
beginning to cry? It is okay. Con tinue and simply feel what you feel. Notice
if there is any change in how you are feeling. Are you still feeling as intense
as when you sta rted? If so, don ’ t rush to change how you feel. Allow it to
be as it is! Just be as you are. Has anything changed? Does it feel okay for
you to open your eyes? If not, continue to sit, allow yourself to feel what
you feel and open your eyes when it feels okay to open them. By a llowing the painful emotions, you worked through them a nd here you
are! Stil l okay! Y ou may no longer be gripped by those emotions once you
are not afraid of feeling them. Y ou may feel a sense of surrender, a gentle
letting go, and perhaps some sadness. What typically happ ens in this
meditation is that the emotions transform from fear to sadness and it is the
sadness that we were so afraid  to feel. The allowance is what makes our
sorrows sweet, causes the tea rs to flow and opens our heart to love. Ultimately, love is all we wanted in the first place, and now it i s here, right
in our hearts. In a culture that is fixated on controlling everything, allowing may be a
foreign concept. I have come to  realize that there is very little that we can
actually control and the only response is to simply allow events to unfold.Feelings can’ t be purposefully “fixed,” they can only be allow ed and felt. Allowing “fixes” them. Life can certainly be downright hard at times, but we make matters worse
for o urselves when we believe life should be anything other than what it is! As painful as it is to feel deeply, controlling how we “should” feel would
make it far worse. W e must surrender to life in all its glory in order to come
alive ful ly. This is how we show up for our life and for ourselves. Like one
of my teachers from long ago sa id, “I never promised you a rose garden,” to
which m y answer used to be, “W ell, someone should!” And that someone
turned o ut to be only me. Darn! And there is no rose garden, only the rose
colored glasses—my perception. 4. T A K E  T I M E  T O  E A T
T reat ea ting as an activity like any other activity that you make time for. Sit
down an d eat in a settled and peaceful environment. Chew you r food well
and take  time to savor your foo d. And don’ t rush away right after eating. Of fer gr atitude f or the food you are to consume and all that took  place for it
to be on your plate. Eating is a sacred act that not only nourishes us on a
physical level, but also on a psychological level. It’ s important to give
yourself permiss ion to eat what  you enjoy at mealtimes. I have never told
my clients to ea t something because it is good for them unless they like it
because happin ess is the most important ingredient in improving your
digestion. W e are a culture that is big on snacking, yet snacking ca n result in
overeating: it doesn’ t allow you to feel completely satisfied like  you would
be if  you sat down and had a meal. W e remain physically and emotionally
hungry. When we don’t take the time to eat, we end up eating all the
time. Ski pping meals is another big trend in our society, as if it is a  badge
of im portance or busyness. Anytime we skip a meal, we end u p more than
making up for it at the next meal. The truth is that when we sit down and
eat cons ciously, we feel satisfied and have no desire for food u ntil the next
meal, when we naturally begin to feel hungry. Snacking bef ore we are
completely hungry gets in the way of our body fully metabolizing theearlier m eal. An unmetabolized meal is one of the causes of tox icity in our
body. There are a lot of myths circulating about eating frequent, smaller meals
throughout the day. This may be  needed for those with blood sugar issues or
certain o ther hea lth conditions. But in general, eating meals at regular times
will go a long way towards improving our health and maintaining our focus. It is useful to have even a vague idea of what your meal will be, instead of
randomly eating  whatever is aro und. That leads to mindless eating and does
not p rovide the satisfaction that we desire on every level. When it comes to
our health, short-term thinking results in short-term health; for long-term
health we must think about the long term ef fects of our habits
5. P A U S E  B E F O R E  G I V I N G  I N  T O  C R A V I N G S
As ment ioned earlier, emotiona l eating tends to be automatic and virtually
mindless. Before you even realize what you’re doing, you’ve re ached for a
tub of ice cream and polished of f half of it. But if you can take a moment to
pause and reflect when you are  hit with a craving, you give yourself the
opportunity to make a dif ferent decision. All you have to do is put of f eating for five minutes, or if f ive minutes
seems unmanag eable, start with one minute. Don’ t tell yourself you can’ t
give in to the cr aving; remember, the forbidden is extremely tempting. Just
tell y ourself to w ait.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        This wonderful work by Ms. Meena Puri is filled with practical tools and
pr ofound wisdom that will allow you to cut thr ough all the confusion of fad
diets and change how you view food and your life for ever. Ms. Puri’ s vision
for a healthier tomorr ow is clearly heartfelt and will inspir e us all to take
an active r ole in cr eating healthier communities. What’ s mor e, her book is a
powerful r eminder to all health practitioners to open our minds to that
which is most important: the patients who trust us to guide them to healing. Food is medicine, and Ms. Puri includes delicious r ecipes in this beautiful
book that will allow you to fill your kitchen with healing foods designed to
turn you into your own Health Her o. I have a pr ofound r espect for Eastern Medicine, especially when it’ s
combined with the marvels of modern W estern Medicine, and this book,
filled with compelling stories, shows how Eastern concepts of going to the
r oot of the disease can enhance the futur e of W estern medical practice. The
principles elucidated in this work will help pave the way for a healing
journey that will allow you to derive ever mor e enjoyment than ever befor e
fr om your life. It’ s truly a powerful addition to your bookshelf. Dr. Partha Nandi
Creator and host of The Dr. Nandi Show
W e usually think of food as nourishing us with vitamins and minerals and
pr oviding ener gy to us. Meena Puri goes under that science to the essential
Consciousness that is available thr ough our right r elationship with food. She blends this delicious depth with very practical tips on what and how to
eat for healthful living. Her book will nourish your body and your soul. Rhonda Egidio, Ph. D. Professor of Education Michigan State University, A yurveda Practitioner. Meena Puri’ s conscious appr oach to food and r elationship with food
pr ovides an outline for a systematic appr oach to various silent, intricate
featur es of health and wellness. This book offers not only cooking r ecipes,but also pr ovides vast knowledge of A yurvedic appr oach to food and
nutrition. As I teach and conduct various A yurvedic Food and Nutrition
Consultant certification trainings, Meena Puri’ s book will be a valuable
r esour ce in helping students and practitioners understand various concepts
of A yurvedic nutrition. Her book is also highly beneficial and r ecommended
for r egister ed dieticians and anyone seeking to understand A yurvedic
nutrition.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who wrote the book being reviewed?,
A: Meena Puri
Q: What is the main message of the book?,
A: The book promotes a conscious approach


People who have read this material as an unpublished manuscript and others who have
participated in workshops and spiritual renewal retreats where I have presented it
verbally, have made a number of comments and  asked several questions that have
motivated me to clarify a few points in the “model” I am presenting here. I hope these
Addendum Considerations will help “close the gap” for you, too, if you are querying these
same things. One question I have been asked is, “In the Line of Causality, what is the difference
between ‘belief’ and ‘truth’?” That is a very good question. My answer is that there is no
difference in structure, only in source. Both one’s “belief” and one’s “truth” are concepts. Yet
in the model I  have been given to share, “belief” is understood to be a concept arising out of
one’s perception, while “truth” is understood to be a concept arising out of one’s data. Data is information pulled only from a person’s past. It is information held in the mi nd. Perception is information pulled from a person’s total view of life, which, in turn, arises out
of that’s person’s perspective. If the person takes the soul’s perspective —which includes
information about the past, present, and future —rather than the mi nd’s perspective, then
Perception will always offer a broader view than simple Past Data. I have also been asked how it can be said that “behavior” leads to “events” in every case
in the life of people, as shown on my Line of Causality. “What about an elde rly couple that I
know,” one lady challenged me at a workshop in Denver, “who was robbed at gunpoint in
their own home and beaten badly by the men who broke in. How did this couple’s behavior
produce that event in their life?”
This has led me to further ex plore the Line of Causality and then explain it in deeper
terms. As I have come to understand it, the Line of Causality has two wild cards in it. These are
Behavior and Event. I call these wild cards because their content can be placed in the Line
of Causa lity in the singular sense (that is, by one person) or in the plural sense  (that is, by
the collective known as humanity). Everything having to do with Perspective, Perception, and Belief is stuff that we,
ourselves, as individuals, adopt for reasons singu lar to us. Then come Behavior and Event,
which flow to each of us from our own  Perspective, Perception, and Belief, as well as those
of others. Here in the Line of Causality there is a “seep through” or a “bleed through” from the life
encounter of everyone  in our environment. This bleed through plays a collective effect on
the Behaviors and Events that we each individually encounter in life. This does not mean,
however, that we do not control or create our experience and our reality. We still most
certainly  do, for after an Event occurs, the mechanism of the mind becomes a singularly
influenced device once again, reverting to an individual’s own Data, Truth, Thought,
Emotion, and Experience, so to produce an individual’s own Reality. Thus it could be said th at nothing in the Behavior of, say, Ronald Cotton (mentioned
earlier in this book as the man mistakenly identified as a rapist) produced the Event of his
having been incarcerated for eleven years. It was something in the collective Behavior of
others that produced this Event. Yet after the Event occurred, he returned to his own very
singular Line of Causality to produce his own Reality, in which he forgave his accuser and
became friends with her, writing a book together about their experience. I venture to say
that his Reality was influenced heavily by the perspective that begins his Line of Causality,
and which produces his own perception or view of the world. Having said that, I acknowledge that the model here is a work in progress. It is ever
changing —which, of course, is not only incredibly appropriate for this book, but the very
point of it. And it is not only the people in my Changing Everything workshops who offer me
new insights and take me to new areas of inquiry. You, too, can do this —and I hope tha t
you will. Online at www.ChangingChange.net, you can call up this book paragraph by paragraph,
line by line, click on any word or phrase, and post a question or an observation about it. Others who have selected the same portion of the text may have already posted there, or
may do so in the future, making for a lively online discussion. The idea is for this book to be living literature, not some stuck -in-concrete thesis that is
presented and then goes unquestioned and unchallenged. I am excited about the
Interactive Book concept, and hope that you are, too. Now, I have been asked by many people, “How can I make the changes you have been
suggesting here?” They want to know, “Where do I start?” They earnestly ask, “What should
I be doing right now?” They hear the message, they see the destination to w hich it seeks to
take them, but they don’t know how to “get there from here.”
To help you get going and keep moving on all this, we have developed the Changing
Change Program. This is an extraordinary resource that will walk you through, step by step,
the transformation of your own life. The very first section of this program —Getting Started —is powerful enough to make
real change visible in your life very quickly. The program includes Here Is What You Can Do Now section; life -prodding questions;
practical s uggestions; mental, spiritual, and emotional tools; sure -footed guidance; and
even personal coaching  if you wish. PLUS... a way for you to turn what you’ve learned into
learning for others. That is, a way for you to pass it on. Now let me be clear about  something. You do not need the Changing Change Program in
order to implement the insights found in this text. This book gives you all the information
you require to get started, explaining the Mechanics of the Mind and the System of the Soul
and offering you an opportunity to experiment with them to see if they make sense and
work for you. The Changing Change Program is a supplemental resource for those who
really want to delve deeply into the kind of life this book describes, who really see all this —
as my  wife Em said at the outset —as a practice. With or without the Changing Change Program, there are five things that I believe a
person must do to successfully and powerfully implement the Nine Changes That Can
Change Everything:  1. Desire Absolutely
2. Unde rstand Thoroughly
3. Embrace Completely
4. Enact Consistently
5. Share Widely
1. You have to desire to change your life, and the way you experience  your life, more than
anything else in the world. Every creation of God begins with desire. The more powerful
the desire, the more likely the outcome. Desire is an emotion —and emotion is the creative
force of the universe. That it why it is so sad that so many people think that emotions are
things over which they have no control. Deeply desire. That is the first step. 2. What is given to you here is a complete technology for altering your reality and
changing the way you experience change —which means, of course, changing your life,
because life is change and change is life. Study this book thoroughly. If there is any part of it
you do not understand, go to www.ChangingChange.net  and use the resources that have
been placed there to help  you understand it. The Changing Change Process discussed in this
book is not the o nly way to dramatically and wonderfully change your life, but it is a way. Don’t throw this way away. 3. This is not about partial involvement here. I am reminded of the story of the chicken
and the pig. They were walking down the road one day and they cam e upon a billboard that
read: Ham and Eggs —America’s Favorite Breakfast! The chicken turned to the pig and
exclaimed, “Look at that! Doesn’t that make you proud?” To which the pig replied, “Well,
that’s easy for you to say. For you it’s partial involvement. For me, it’s total commitment.”
This is about total commitment. This is not about embracing a few of these concepts; this
is about embracing all of it. The thing is, there is a linkage here. One thing leads to another
and depends on it for the whole to m ake sense. You can’t cafeteria -line your own
transformation, taking a concept here and grabbing an idea there. This is the real meal deal. 4. Changing your life means changing your life; it does not mean deciding to change your
life; it does not mean talki ng about changing your life or reading about changing your life. The Changing Change Process requires not only total embracing of the concepts here, but
consistent and continual application of them, day in and day out, moment to moment. Now
this could soun d like an arduous undertaking, but it need not be. It can be (and, indeed,
always winds up being) a pure joy. Yet you must know what it involves. One day


 into the context of each culture. If you don’t
happen to belong to the culture, however, and you’re viewing
these settings from the outside, ashrams and monasteries look
alien and exotic. Yet there’s no proof that a special setting is
mandatory. Af ter all, the process of waking up is abo ut self-
awareness. No  one can teach you to be self-aware. No one needs
to. Con sciousness already includes self-awareness. I’ve been
arguing in this book that existence is  consciousness. In other
words, you were born with the tools to become more self-aware. It’s just a matter of applying them. In the process of waking up, n o special lifestyle is required. You
live as you’re living now, by being aware of the world “ou t there”
and the  world “in here. ” The  only thing new is that you relate to
both wo rlds using new assumptions. You assume that the “real”
reality isn’t the same as virt ual reality. You assume that you are
whole at the le vel of the true self. You assume that the true self
offers a better way to live, a more conscious way but also more
creative, open, relaxed, accepting, and free. Assumptions a ren’t the same as truth or facts. They need to be
tested, which is the purpose of this section. You are asked toexperiment on yourself, spen ding time every day for a month to
find out if the direct path works. It’s a fortunate time to seek
higher consciousness. Stripped of religious trappings and the fog
of m ystery, consciousness h as entered a new phase as  a full-
fledged researc h topic, studied by psychologists, psychoth erapists,
biologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and even physicists. This explosion  of interest makes for a better setting, in  fact,
than traditional ashrams and monasteries. You can be fully
engaged in everyday life while placing your deeper attention on
waking up. It’s a little odd th at someone must learn to w ake up,
but that’s the result of living  so long with the conditione d mind. Convinced that the spell/d ream/illusion is real, our  minds
conform to it. Waking up happens by dismantling the conditioning
that kee ps us trapped in mental constructs. When those co nstructs
begin to fade away, waking up is the state we arrive at. Arriving there is unpredictable and totally personal. It’s best to
set out with an open mind and no expectations. Just adopt the
attitude that waking up is real; other people have done it f or many
centuries, and the only requirement is self-awareness. A  D a i l y  P l a n
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. Section summary:

(The author discusses spirituality)
    * Emphasizers incorrect notions regarding realism. **Contrast** "Illusion" vs   Realities

* Insights & Intuitive Guidance
     • Insight provides guidance whe. ```

Here's a concise summarization of the provided excerpt:

Summary:

Author emphasizes avoiding specifics due to overwhelming complexity;
instead recommends introspection ("inner silencE") towards spiritual awakening ('direct'/'true') realization. Key aspects include understanding false realities (illusions);

• Inner Silence facilitates transformative action;

	+ Reject misconceptions/false truths/rules/belongings;

Insights/intuitivite Guides => 'True Source';

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Please note that accuracy demands repetition avoidance measures. Feel free to request assistance modifying/reorganizing summaries accordingly. Thankfully, AI-generated texts rarely require manual intervention – unlike poorly written articles :). Kind regards. =====

P. S., Would appreciate suggestions/criticisms enhancing comprehension/synthesis. Source code snippet for SQL query extraction:

References :

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Note:** `TABLE_NAME` represents actual table/column names corresponding to relevant excerpts/text fragments associated with specified topics/articles/book chapters/content etc. `. Text fields contain user-inputted values/terms/phrases related to subjects/topics. `
Final adjustments welcome.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the author's stance on the idea of trying to be happy?,
A: The author believes that trying to be happy is misguided and that it is a part of the illusion.
Q: What is the author's view on the concept of "choiceless awareness"?,
A: The author does not believe that choiceless awareness is about making a choice, but rather about allowing the mystery of existence to unfold.
Q: What is the author's opinion on the idea of "allowing"?,
A: The author believes that allowing is a crucial aspect of the direct path, but it's essential to understand that it's not about forcing or controlling, but rather about letting go and allowing the universe to unfold.
Q: What is the author's view on the concept of "cosmic consciousness"?,
A: The author believes that cosmic consciousness is real and that it's the source of creation, and that it's not something that can be achieved through human effort, but rather by becoming aware of it.
Q: What is the author's stance on the idea of "not-doing"?,
A: The author believes that not-doing is not about stopping or controlling, but rather about allowing the universe to unfold and not interfering with the natural flow of events.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>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 a