ing	pesticides. Dry	cleaning	clothing	brings
toxins	into	your	household	and	close	to	your	body;	clothes	that	have	been	dry-
cleaned	should	always	be	aired	out	before	they	are	put	into	a	closet	or	worn. Laundry	detergents	and	fabric	softeners	can	also	be	problematic;	in	fact,	many
people	are	quite	sensitive	to	detergent	residues. Have	you	ever	walked	down	the
detergent	aisle	at	the	grocery	store	and	had	your	eyes,	nose	or	throat	feel
irritated? Toxins	in	those	boxes	are	off-gassing. When	washing	your	clothes,	use
environmentally	friendly	and	unscented	laundry	products	available	in	health
food	stores. Do	not	use	scented	fabric	softeners. These	products	might	make
your	clothes	smell	“fresh	and	clean,”	but	that	smell	is	toxic. Buy	clothes	made	of
natural	materials,	such	as	wool	and	cotton,	and	use	natural	cleaning	products. After	you	have	taken	steps	to	reduce	or	eliminate	products	that	are	toxic,
make
sure	to	also
keep	your	home	or	office	well	ventilated. Modern	homes	and	office
buildings	are	built	a	lot	“tighter”	than	older	construction	to	save	on	energy	costs. While	reducing	energy	waste	is	a	good	thing,	reducing	air	circulation	allows
pollutants	to	accumulate	to	higher	concentrations. For	this	reason,	high-quality
air	filters	(that	will	filter	out	both	particulate	matter	and	gaseous	hydrocarbons)
can	be	helpful. Use	them	in	rooms	where	you	spend	a	great	deal	of	time,	such	as
your	office	or	bedroom. Obvious	as	it	sounds,	the	most	important	thing	you	can	do	to	keep	your	indoor
air	clean	is	to	stop	introducing	pollutants	in	the	first	place. Before	you	purchase
something	new,	consider	if	that	product	might	contribute	to	your	indoor
pollution. As	mentioned	earlier,	after	you	buy	something,	give	it	a	chance	to	off-
gas	before	you	put	it	in	your	living	environment. When	I	purchase	a	new
television	or	computer	monitor,	I	put	it	in	the	garage,	turn	it	on	and	leave	it	there
until	I	can	no	longer	detect	an	odor. Hang	your	dry-cleaning	outdoors	or	in	a
well-ventilated	area	until	you	can	no	longer	detect	an	odor. Do	not	use	products
that	have	powerful	chemical	odors,	such	as	mothballs	or	air	fresheners. Use	heat
or	sunshine	to	help	expedite	the	off-gassing	process,	whenever	possible. Health	and	Beauty	Products	That	Fail
Your	skin	provides	enormous	protection	from	microorganisms,	such	as	germs,but	skin	also	is	designed	to	be	permeable,	allowing	certain	molecules	in	and	out,
which	is	good	news	when	the	skin	allows	antioxidants	in	to	protect	against	the
sun	and	allows	toxins	out	through	the	sweat	and	oil	glands. However,	easy
access	also	allows	environmental	toxins	to	penetrate. Personal	care	products	are	the	largest	source	of	toxic	absorption	through	the
skin	and	mucus	membranes. One	study	found	that	13	percent	of	the	commonly
used	cosmetic	preservative	BHT	(butylated	hydroxytoluene)	is	absorbed	by	your
skin. Chemicals	found	in	everyday	personal	products	such	as	perfume,	cologne,
shaving	cream,	skin	lotions,	aftershave,	toothpaste,	soaps,	shampoos,
deodorants,	nail	polish,	all	types	of	household	cleansers	and	so	forth,	can	be
absorbed	quickly	and	produce	effects	that	are	toxic	or	even	carcinogenic,
especially	when	these	toxic	substances	are	combined. When	I	was	suffering	from	severe	chemical	sensitivities,	I	found,	much	to	my
surprise,	that	the	brands	of	toothpaste,	shampoo,	deodorant	and	skin	lotion	that	I
was	using	were	all	quite	toxic. Products	such	as	lotions,	conditioners	and
makeup,	especially	when	left	on	the	skin	for	long	periods	of	time,	expose	you	to
significant	amounts	of	toxins,	which	can	bioaccumulate,	poison	your	cells	and
cause	disease. Most	common	products	sold	to	preserve	and	protect	the	skin	in
fact	actually	contain	chemicals	capable	of	damaging	the	skin. Virtually	all	commonly	available	cosmetic	and	personal	care	products	contain
ingredients	(such	as	preservatives	and	colors)	that	are	known	to	present
problems. Many	preservatives	contain	or	release	formaldehyde,	a	known	toxin
and	carcinogen. Various	parabens	(a	specific	class	of	preservatives)	have	been
shown	to	damage	deep	layers	of	the	skin	worse	than	severe	sunburn,	which
causes	the	skin	to	age	prematurely	and	even	can	cause	cancer. Artificial	colors
have	been	shown	to	be	carcinogenic,	not	only	when	ingested	but	also	when
applied	to	the	skin. Yet	people	voluntarily	put	these	personal	care	products	on
their	skin	daily,	unaware	that	these	products	contain	toxic	and	potentially
carcinogenic	ingredients. By	using	products	such	as	sunscreen	and	lotion,	people
are	putting	cancer-causing	chemicals	on	their	skin,	then	wondering	why	they
developed	skin	cancer	or	why	their	skin	is	aging	so	fast. Choosing	safe	personal	care	and	cosmetic	products	means	reading	labels
carefully	and	learning	about	the	health	consequences	of	ingredients. Effective
products	are	on	the	market	that	are	high	in	quality	and	safety. The	overwhelming
majority,	however,	contain	a	variety	of	toxins	that	should	be	avoided. Some	of
the	common	toxins	to	look	for	and	avoid	include	artificial	fragrances,	colors	and
flavors,	formaldehyde,	phenol,	trichlorethylene,	BHT/BHA,	EDTA,	cresol,
detergents,	glycols,	parabens,	sodium	lauryl	sulfate	and	nitrates/	nitrosamines.Perfumes	and	other	fragrances	also	cause	problems. Traditionally,	these
products	were	made	from	flowers	and	herbs. But	since	World	War	II,	most
fragrances	and	perfumes	have	been	made	from	synthetic	petrochemicals,	many
of	which	are	officially	designated	as	hazardous	materials. In	fact,	about	95
percent	are	synthetic,	and	more	than	80	percent	of	the	ingredients	used	in
fragrances	have	never	been	tested	for	human	safety. When	they	have	been	tested,
many	are	found	to	be	neuro-toxic	and	even	carcinogenic. (Meanwhile,	because
of	“trade	secrets,”	manufacturers	are	not	required	to	list	any	of	these	toxic
ingredients	on	their	product	labels.) Worse,	these	fragrances	are	not	just	in
perfumes,	but	in	everything	from	kitty	litter	to	shampoos,	soaps,	lotions,	shaving
creams,	household	cleaners,	laundry	detergents	and	numerous	other	products. Fragrances	now	pollute	our	homes,	schools,	workplaces,	stores,	churches	and
other	public	places. People	who	regularly	use	synthetic	perfumes	are	putting	a
heavy	toxic	burden	on	their	bodies. The	solution	is	to	use	essential	oils	made
from	natural	ingredients	such	as	flowers	and	herbs,	if	tolerable,	and	to	avoid
household	and	personal	products	made	with	synthetic	fragrances. I	have	spent	years


. [18] One thousand gallons of water are required to produce one gallon of milk. [19]Five percent of water consumed in the U.S. is by private homes. Fifty-five percent of water con-
sumed in the U.S. is for animal agriculture. [20]
Animal agriculture is responsible for 20 to 33 percent of all fresh water consumption in the
world today. [21]
LandLivestock or livestock feed occupies one-third of the Earth’s ice-free land. [22]Livestock covers 45 percent of the Earth’s total land. [23]223
FruiticultureAnimal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution,
and habitat destruction. [24]
Livestock operations on land have created more than 500 nitrogen flooded dead zones around
the world in our oceans. [25]
We are in the midst of the largest mass extinction in 65 million years. [26]Two to five acres of land are used per cow. [27]Nearly half of the contiguous U.S. is devoted to animal agriculture. [28] One-third of the planet is desertified, with livestock as the leading driver. [29]WasteEvery minute, 7 million pounds of excrement are produced by animals raised for food in the
U.S.[30]
A farm with 2,500 dairy cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people. [31]
One hundred and thirty times more animal waste than human waste is produced in the U.S.—
1.4 billion tons from the meat industry annually. Five tons of animal waste is produced per per -
son in the US. [32]
OceansThree-quarters of the world’s fisheries are exploited or depleted. [33]We could see fishless oceans by 2048. [34]Ninety to one hundred million tons of fish are pulled from our oceans each year. [35]As many as 2.7 trillion animals are pulled from the ocean each year. [36]For every on pound of fish caught, up to five pounds of unintended marine species are caught
and discarded as by-kill. [37]
As many as 40 percent (63 billion pounds) of fish caught globally every year are discarded. [38]Scientists estimate as many as 650,000 whales, dolphins and seals are killed every year by fish-
ing vessels. [39]224
FruiticultureFish catch peaks at 85 million tons. [40]
Forty to fifty million sharks are killed each year in fishing lines and nets. [41]RainforestAnimal agriculture is responsible for up to 91 percent of Amazon destruction. [42]One to two acres of rainforest are cleared every second. [43]The leading causes of rainforest destruction are livestock and feed crops. [44]Up to 137 plant, animal and insect species are lost every day due to rainforest destruction. [45]Twenty-six million rainforest acres (10.8 million hectares) have been cleared for palm oil produc -
tion. [46]One hundred and thirty-six million rainforest acres have been cleared for animal agriculture. [47]One thousand and one hundred land activists have been killed in Brazil in the past 20 years. [48]Ten thousand years ago, 99 percent of biomass (i.e. zoomass) was wild animals. Today, humans
and the animals that we raise as food make up 98 percent of the zoomass. [49]
HumanityWorld Population[50]
 1812: 1 billion
 1912: 1.5 billion
 2012: 7 billion
 2018: 7.6 billion
70 billion farmed animals are reared annually worldwide. More than 6 million animals are killed
for food every hour. [51]
We are currently growing enough food to feed 10 billion people. [52] Worldwide, at least 50 percent of grain is fed to livestock. [53] Eighty-two percent of starving children live in countries where food is fed to animals, and the
animals are eaten by Western countries. [54]
The average American consumes 209 pounds of meat per year. [55]225
FruiticultureThe world’s population grows 228,000+ people every day. [56]
Land Required to Feed One Person for One Year[57]
 Vegan:  one-sixth of an acre
 Vegetarian:  three times as much as a vegan
 Meat Eater:  eighteen times as much as a vegan
One and one-half acres can produce 37,000 pounds of plant-based food. One and one-half
acres can produce 375 pounds of beef. [58]
A person who eats a vegan diet produces the equivalent of 50 percent less carbon dioxide, uses
1/11th oil, 1/13th water, and 1/18th land compared to a meat-eater.59]
Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30
square feet of forested land, 20 pounds CO2 equivalent, and one animal’s life. [60]
References[1] “Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options. ” Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. Rome. 2006
[2] “Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options”. Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. Rome. 2006
Environmental Protection Agency. “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data” [3] Goodland, Robert & Anhang, Jeff. “Livestock and Climate Change: What if the key actors in cli-
mate change are...cows, pigs and chickens?” WorldWatch. Nov/Dec. 2009
Hickman, Martin. “Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases. ” Independent. November 2009
Hyner, Christopher. “A Leading Cause of Everything: One Industry That Is Destroying Our Planet
and Our Ability to Thrive on It”. Georgetown Environmental Law Review. Oct. 23, 2015. [4] Shindell, Drew T, et al. “Improved Attribution of Climate Forcing to Emissions. ” Science. 326,
716. 2009
Vaidyanathan, Sayathri. “How Bad of a Greenhouse Gas is Methane? The global warming poten-
tial of the gaseous fossil fuel may be consistently underestimated. ” Scientific American. Dec., 22, 226
Fruiticulture2015. “IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. 2.10.2 Direct Global Warming Potential. ”
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
[5] Shindell, Drew T, et al. “Improved Attribution of Climate Forcing to Emissions. ” Science. 326,
716. 2009
“IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. 2.10.2. Direct Global Warming
Potentials. ” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
[6] “Livestock’s Long Shadow: environmental issues and options. ” FAO. Rome. 2006“Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States. ” U.S. Energy Information Administration. Mar., 2011
[7] Tilman, David & Clark, Michael. “Global diets link environmental sustainability and human
health. ” Nature. Vol. 515. 27. Nov., 2014
[8] “Carbon Dioxide Emissions to 2040. ” Energy Global. Jan., 2015“World Energy Outlook 2014 Factsheet. ” International Energy Agency“International Energy Outlook 2016. ” U.S. Energy Information. May, 2016[9] “Overview of Greenhouse Gases. ” United States Environmental Protection Agency“Key facts and findings. By the numbers: GHG emissions by livestock. ” Food and Agricultire
Organization of the United States
“Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-2015. ” United States Environmental
Protection Agency
[10] Ross, Phillip. “Cow Farts Have ‘Larger Greenhouse Gas Impact’ Than Previously Thought;
Methane Pushes Climate Change. ” International Business Times. Nov. 26, 2013
Miller, Scot M, et al. “Anthropegnic emissions of methane in the United States. ” Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences. Vol. 110. No. 50. 18 Oct., 2013
[11] “Infographic: How Much it Would Cost for the Entire Planet to Switch to Renewable Energy. ”
Inhabitat. Sep. 24, 2013
Evans-Pritchard, Ambrose. “Paris climate deal to ignite a $90 trillion energy revolution. ” The 227
FruiticultureTelegraph. Oct. 28, 2015
[12] Oppenlander, Richard A. “Food Choice and Sustainability: Why Buying Local, Eating Less
Meat, and Taking Baby Steps Won’t Work. ” Minneapolis, MN : Langdon Street. 2013
[13] “Industry Leaders, including Energy Companies, Forge Partnerships to Advance Climate
Solutions and Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. ” Climate Summit 2014
[14] “Summary of Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2005. ” United States Geological
Service
Pimentel, David, et al. “Water Resources: Agricultural and Environmental Issues. ” BioScience. 2004. 54 (10): 909-918[15] “How Important is Irrigation to U.S


pressions become inherent as an obstruction in the men-
tal field, which gives rise to various wrong perceptions and
actions. We do not automatically absorb sensory influ-
ences. We can discriminate them away through the prop-
er function of intelligence. This requires discerning their
truth and not getting caught in their glamour. There is a whole science of impressions. Just as the food
we eat can be examined through our digestion and elimi-
nation, the effects of impressions can be observed in vari-
ous ways. Many mental disorders arise from the intake of
wrong impressions and can be cured through the intake of
right impressions. As it is easier to change our impressions
than to alter our thoughts and emotions, impressions allow
us perhaps the simplest way to change the entire mental
field. Signs of Proper Intake of Impressions
acuity of sensory functioning
control of the imagination
deep sleep with few or with spiritual dreams
lack of need for entertainment
clear perception, capacity for creative expression
mental lightness, peace and luminosity
Signs of Improper Intake of Impressions
improper functioning of the senses
disturbed imagination
disturbed sleep, frequent or agitated dreams
craving for violent or disturbed entertainment
unclear perception, lack of creativity
mental heaviness, disturbance and darkness The Cycle of Nutrition for the Mind 181 >
Positive and Negative Impressions
The main source of positive impressions is Mother
Nature herself — the impressions gained from the sky,
mountains, forests, gardens, rivers and ocean. Is there any-
one who is not elevated by being in beautiful natural sur-
roundings. A great portion of our modem psychological
unrest is simply due to alienation from Nature that
deprives us of the impressions natural to our mental well-
being. Instead of taking in positive natural impressions,
we fill the mind with artificial sensations from our artifi-
cial world. Just like junk food affects the body, such "junk
impressions" must distort the mind. We can create our own positive impressions. Much of
what is called good art is an attempt to create a higher
level of impressions that reflect our inner being. Religion
aims at this through ritual, mantra or visualization. Any impression apart from nature, genuine art or spir-
ituality must have some negative consequences. The main
source of negative impressions today is through the mass
media, though not all mass media impressions are bad. Impressions gained in artificial environments like roads or
cities are also disturbing. Those gained in personal con-
flicts or other problems with people can also be very neg-
ative. Negative impressions, like junk food, become addict-
ing. As junk food has little real nutritional content or nat-
ural taste, it must be made palatable by adding large
amounts of salt, sugar or spices. As it has no real nutri-
tional content, we are compelled to take more of it, trying
to gain some nourishment from it. The spice for negative
impressions is sex and violence. Because there is no real life
in mass media impressions, we must give them the illusion
of life by portraying the most dramatic events in life. Ayurveda and the Mind
We can take in positive impressions in two ways: first
in terms of the immediate home environment, second in
terms of the general environment, which includes the
workplace, society and the world of nature. To nourish the
mind, we must have beauty and harmony in our home
environment. We must have a place of peace and happi-
ness. To bring this about, it may be necessary to create a
sacred or healing space in the house. There are various
ways to do this. Generally a room should be set aside for
spiritual and creative activity. An altar can be set up with
pictures of deities or gurus, sacred objects like statues,
gems or crystals, or harmonious shapes, colors or geomet-
rical designs. Incense, flowers, fragrances, bells or music
can be used. Some prayer, meditation or relaxation should
be done daily at this place. Ideally our house should be a temple, but at least one
portion of it should be kept as a place of healing and med-
itation where we can go to be renewed. We should resort
to such a healing room whenever our physical or mental
energy is drained. In severe cases, a patient may have to
stay in such a healing room for extended periods. In terms of our external environment, we must reestab-
lish our communion with nature. We should spend a cer-
tain amount of time regularly in communion with nature. We can go hiking, camping or merely work in the garden. We must draw into our lives the energy of the sky, moun-
tains, plains and waters. We must link up with the cosmic
life-force that alone has the power to heal our individual
life-force. Our individual life-force cannot heal itself if it
becomes a closed system, apart from Nature. We must bring higher impressions into our workplace. Perhaps a small portion of it can be made into an altar or
at least a garden. We must bring higher impressions into The Cycle of Nutrition for the Mind
our social interaction. This can be done by going to spiri-
tual places like temples, doing chants, rituals or medita-
tions in a group. Impressions to Reduce the Three Doshas
The following pages provide an outline of impressions
to reduce the Doshas. These are explained in detail in the
appropriate chapters on diet, herbs, aromas, color therapy,
mantra, Yoga and meditation. Vata-reducing Impressions
Nature: sitting or walking quietly and peacefully
by a garden, forest, river, lake or ocean, particularly
where it is warm and bright
Sensory:
1. sound — calming music and chanting, classical
music, chanting, peaceful silence
2. touch — gentle and warming touch or massage,
using warm oils like sesame or almond
3. sight — bright and calming colors like combi-
nations of gold, orange, blue, green, white
4. taste — rich and nourishing food abounding in
sweet, salty and sour tastes, with moderate use of
spices
5. smell — sweet, warm, calming and clearing fra-
grances like jasmine, rose, sandalwood, eucalyptus Ayurveda and the Mind
Activity: gentle exercise, Hatha Yoga (particularly
seated and inverted postures), Tai Chi, swimming,
hot tubs (but do not stay in too long), relaxation,
more sleep
Emotional: cultivating peace, contentment, fear-
lessness and patience; releasing fear and anxiety,
having the support of good friends and family with
regular social interaction
Mental: anti-Vata mantras like Ram, Hrim or Shrim,
concentration exercises, strengthening memory
Spiritual: meditation on strong, benefic, happy or
peaceful deities like Rama and Krishna, or protec-
tive forms of the Divine Mother (like Durga orTara)
or Divine Father, prayers for peace and protection,
developing discrimination and insight
Pitta-reducing impressions
Nature: sitting or walking by flowers, river, lake or
ocean, particularly when it is cool; walking at night,
gazing at the night sky, moon and stars
Sensory:
1. Sound — cooling and soft music like the sound
of flutes, sound of water
2. Touch — cooling, soft and moderate touch and
massage with cooling oils like coconut or sun-
flower The Cycle of Nutrition for the Mind 185
3. Sight — cool colors like white, blue and green
4. Taste — food that is neither too heavy nor too
light, abounding in sweet, bitter and astringent
tastes, with few spices except those that are cool-
ing like coriander, turmeric and fennel
5. Smell— cool and sweet fragrances like rose, san-
dalwood, vetivert, champak, gardenia or jasmine
Activity: moderate exercise, walking, swimming,
cooling Asanas like shoulder stand
Emotional: cultivating friendship, kindness and
courtesy, promoting peace, forgiveness, compassion
and devotion; releasing anger, resentment, conflict
and hatred
Mental: anti-Pitta mantras like Shrim, Sham or Ma,
practicing non-judgment and acceptance, listening
to other people's points of view
Spiritual: meditation on benefic and peaceful
deities like Shiva (in his peaceful form), Vishnu or
benefic forms of the Divine Mother (like Lakshmi);
prayers for universal peace, cultivating surrender
and receptivity
Kapha-reducing impressions
Nature: vigorous hiking or walking in dry or desert
regions, high mountains, or on sunny and windy
days in open areas Ayurveda and the Mind
Sensory:
1. Sound — stimulating music, strong and ener-
gizing sounds, singing
2. Touch — strong, deep body massage with dry
powders or stimulating oils like mustard
3. Sight — bright and stimulating colors like yel-
low, orange, gold and red
4. Taste — light diet emphasizing pungent, bitter
and astringent tastes with liberal use of spices,
occasional fasting
5. Smell — light, warm, stimulating and penetrat-
ing fragrances like musk, cedar, myrrh, camphor
and eucalyptus
Activity: strong aerobic exercise, jogging, sun-


 any physically or emotionally injured areas, of your own body
or to the body of another person. This process of visualization and directing ener gy can be very powerful. You are a system of higher/faster vibrations in which the work of your mind
is the precursor to material reality (as you think, so shall you be). Y ou can
access the harmonious living ener gy of your being through your
visualization ef forts, and feel that ener gy flowing toward and healing the
painful or injured area. Many books have been written on the amazing ability of the mind to
visualize and then transfer the inner image to material reality. Basketball
players learn to shoot free throws through this process of visualization, so
it’s not that great a stretch to see yourself using this technique to bringhealing ener gy to places that are wounded or diseased. I practice this
visualization technique with myself all the time. I have been able to move a
headache right out of my body by directing heart chakra ener gy to that area
of pain. You can do all of this if you become a person who is open to the idea of
being able to use their higher capacities to help restore the natural loving
harmony of the body. Keep beauty always near you and feel the healing power of God’ s natural
soothing, harmonious world. Allow yourself to fully experience and enjoy
flowers, sunsets and sunrises, mountains, beaches, and beautiful spiritual
literature. When in need of healing, I suggest you open yourself to
experience as much beautiful uplifting music as possible. And above all,
keep uppermost in mind the words of Peace Pilgrim, “Healing does not
always mean staying on the side of life. Sometimes God has other plans for
his children—and both sides of life are really one. ”
Let go. Yes, that’ s correct, detach yourself from your thoughts of anger,
bitterness, self-pity, or whatever and just love your body as the temple that
God gave you to house your soul on this journey. The process of letting go
and refusing to harbor thoughts of illness will bring a calm healing ener gy
to you in the moment and this peace will be your reward for letting go. The use of the wor d pardon  by Saint Francis could also be construed to
imply the willingness to extend for giveness to any and all who may have
injur ed you in any way, not just thr ough bodily injury. As you more and
more live on the spiritual plane you will have less to do with the lower
frequencies of anger, prejudice, fear, and revenge. Saint Francis asks God to
help him to be an instrument of for giveness whenever he feels injured by
the conduct of others. The ability to extend for giveness becomes natural
when you don’ t carry hate within you. Whenever you feel that someone has injured you, or sullied your reputation,
or caused you physical harm, the spiritual solution, as dif ficult as it may
appear, is to extend for giveness. T o hold onto the pain and seek to exact
revenge will simply keep you stuck in pain, and the problem will beexacerbated. The old Chinese proverb states this better than I do: “If you’re
going to seek revenge, you’d better dig two graves. ” Practice letting go of
injured feelings with love and pardon and the spiritual solutions to most of
your problems will be activated. Let go, and let God is great advice, as also
is this reminder from a previous chapter: All your conflicts with others ar e
never between you and them; they ar e between you and God. This concludes my thoughts and suggestions for practicing sowing pardon
where there is injury. You can move yourself to a spiritual ener gy space
where you literally become an instrument or a channel for healing. That is,
healing of yourself and all your perceived injuries, as well as aiding all the
injured you encounter in your life. In fact, I will take it one step further. When you become an instrument of pure pardon, you will be aiding in the
healing of everyone on our planet, since we all, individually, share the one
God force. It is, as always, a process of letting go of your ego and
surrendering to grace, which is always available in the form of pardon. As
Ramakrishna put it in his rhetorical question: “Is it an easy thing to receive
the grace of God. One must altogether renounce egotism; one cannot see
God as long as one feels, I am the doer. ”
OceanofPDF. com10
WHERE THERE IS DOUBT,
FAITH
One of the main functions of formalized religion is to protect people against a direct experience
of God. —C. G. JUNG
I often use the mango exercise to illustrate that faith is impossible to have
without a direct experience. When speaking to a lar ge audience I invite
someone who has never tasted a mango to volunteer for a little experiment. Then I ask people who have tasted a mango to tell the volunteer exactly
how a mango tastes. As each person attempts to convey the flavor of a
mango they realize how fruitless their ef forts are. The conclusion is that it is
impossible to convey this information in words. The volunteer always
returns to the audience still not knowing what a mango tastes like. The mango tasting exercise is analogous to your ability to have faith where
there is doubt. Just as you cannot know the taste of a mango unless you
have the experience of eating a mango, you cannot know faith without
having had an experience of God. If you rely on the testimony and
experiences of others as your means of establishing faith, you will always
have some doubt where you want there to be only faith. Y ou are in the same
position as the volunteer who has never tasted a mango. It is impossible tobring faith to the presence of doubt, until you abandon the idea of knowing
God through the words or experiences of others. Y ou must make a
concentrated ef fort to know the highest/fastest frequencies of spiritual
energy through your own means of establishing conscious contact. Once you know  this spiritual consciousness yourself, you will not even
entertain the possibility of doubt. Y ou will strive to live more and more at
the spiritual level, where you have access to this knowing at all times. This
knowing is what I call faith, and it cannot be substantiated or verified by
external sources. And when you know  faith you will have accessed a
spiritual solution to any problem that may present itself. REPLACING DOUBT WITH F AITH
Why would you live with any doubts about your ability to access spirit in
times of trouble or the presence of problems. The answer lies in
understanding the dif ference between what you believe and what you know. Beliefs stem from the experiences and testimony of others who in one way
or another have attempted to persuade you of their truths. All your
institutional religious training, holy books, and theological dogma may be
valid and extremely forthright, nevertheless they are usually presented as
the truth for all, including you. The pressures to believe may have been
almost insurmountable if you were assigned these beliefs at birth, and
raised on them. I am not suggesting that religious training is wrong. However, I do think any method of conditioning people to accept beliefs
about God creates doubt, because the beliefs do not come from any
conscious contact or direct experience of God. T o create a knowing that
supplies you with faith, you must establish a direct experience of God for
yourself. You have faith that you can ride a bicycle not because of the testimony or
experiences of others, but because you have made conscious contact with
bicycle riding. Y our experience has provided you with faith in this
endeavor. It is not because of any evidence that has been presented to you
verifying the existence of balance laws, or because others have persuaded
you that balancing is a possibility for you, or even because everyone elsearound you is dutifully riding their bicycles. It is your knowing because of
your direct experience and nothing more that gives you faith. So it is with all knowing, including your coming to know God. Y ou must
abandon your fears and create the place in your life where you are
independent of outside influences, allow yourself to move up the ener gy
ladder, and come into direct contact with these faster/ higher frequencies
that are being called spiritual consciousness in this book. When you live
there, and breathe in the ener gy of God realization, you will then have that
faith from which you can never be dissuaded. Y ou do this by dispelling
fears that arise from making the decision to have this direct experience,
independent of the opinions of those external forces that have been so
powerful in your life. FEAR AND F AITH
When you let go of your fears you find your God nature, which returns you
to the balanced state of body and mind that is in perfect harmony and
problem-free. Fear and faith cannot live harmoniously in the same space
any more than love and hate, or peace and chaos can survive
simultaneously. You may recall that earlier in this book I suggested that humans have only
one problem, from which all subproblems flow. That one problem is a
belief that we are separate from God. It is from this feeling of being
separate that we create all our fears, which foster doubt. W ould you ever
fear if you knew (without doubt) that God was your real self. W ould you
have fear if you knew God was expressing himself as you and


 to me; it seemed that death would
have  been  a  blessing,  especially  so  that  my  family  could  be  freed  from  the
seemingly neverending burden of my illness and be able to get on with their lives. Sitting alone and discouraged one morning, I glanced up dismally from  a book I
was reading when my husband came in the room. "I've got something else we can
try, honey," he chirped enthusiastically, and proceeded to describe his conversation
with a woman who had cured herself of a serious and reportedly incurable kidney
disorder by using an unusual therapy. "Whaaat", I responded, after he told me what
the therapy was - "I don't think so", I said, and went back to reading my book. But after several more days and many more horrible episodes of pain and drugs,
my husband handed me a small book and said, "You've got to try this". I picked up
the book and began to read. The small, unpretentious-looking book was full of fascinating stories about people
who had been cured of even the worst diseases with a seemingly strange and little-
known natural therapy. The therapy seemed incredibly effective, yet I still felt
reluctant  to  try  it. But  as  I  read  further  on  in  the  book,  the  stories  were  so
compelling and the therapy was so simple that suddenly, it didn't seem strange or
preposterous to me anymore. And at this point in my now nearly futile existence, I
knew I had absolutely nothing to lose by trying it - so I did. 11From the first day I began the therapy, to my immense surprise I got almost
instantaneous relief from my incurable constipation and fluid retention. Within a
week, my severe abdominal and pelvic pain was unbelievably gone. The chronic cystitis and yeast infections (internal and external) son disappeared
and food allergies, exhaustion, and digestive problems all began to heal. After a few more months of the therapy, I noticed that amazingly, my colds, flu,
sore throats and viral symptoms, all of which had resurfaced and become chronic
after the surgeries, now rarely made an appearance. My hair which had fallen out
in  handfuls  after  my  fifth  surgery  became  thick  and  lustrous,  my  weight
normalized, and my energy and strength increased so markedly that I was even
able to work again. Last summer, I hiked four miles into the Grand Canyon. For the first time in many
years I can swim and even comfortably ride horseback or on my mountain bike for
hours at a time – all formerly unimaginable activities. Much to my own and my
family's amazement, I am back at work and after 30 years of almost non-stop
illness, I have a rich, full life again – and all because of an unbelievably simple and
effective natural medicine that almost none of us even knows exists. This natural therapy became, for me, a priceless gift of health, as it has for many
others. It  gave  the  fastest,  most  dramatic  results  of  any  natural  or  man-made
medical treatment I have ever tried and was truly the miraculous happy ending to
my  long  story  of  illness  and  failed  medical  treatments. By  using  this  simple,
natural medicine, along with other natural healing approaches such as homeopathy,
herbs, good nutrition and rest, I have been able to remain consistently disease-free
and I feel better and stronger than I have ever felt in my life since that fateful day
in July so many years ago. And even though this natural medicine seemed so peculiar to me at first, I later
discovered, to my surprise, that medical researchers have been intensively studying
and using this medicinal substance for decades. As a matter of fact, unknown to the vast majority of the public, this incredibly
simple and wonderful natural treatment is a well-proven medical therapy that has
been used extensively and successfully throughout the twentieth century by doctors
12and researchers from many different branches of medicine all over the world and
has been shown to be amazingly effective in treating a huge variety of illnesses. It's time that all of us should know about this therapy and about the medical
research findings on this truly remarkable natural medicine, which is why I have
written this book.. Up until this point, whenever anyone wrote or talked about using this substance for
healing, they've been told that it's just an unproven folk remedy or 'old wives tale'. But as you'll discover in the following pages, this is completely untrue. The truth is
that  doctors  and  medical  researchers  for  years  have  scientifically  proven  the
tremendous effectiveness of this natural medicinethey just haven't told us about it,
for reasons which we'll discuss later on in the book. This simple, natural method may seem less glamorous than comercial drugs and
space-age surgical techniques because it's not glorified by the press or hyped by
sophisticated,  sugar-coated  advertising  themes. But  when  all  the  man-made
medicines in the world can't help, people like myself have been eternally grateful
to find that nature has provided this safe, painless solution to even seemingly
incurable illnesses. In  this  age  of  hi-tech  drugs,  plastic  body  parts  and  mechanized  medicine,  I
sincerely hope that all of us can become more open and accepting of this natural
way of healing the body, and that the information provided in this book will help
all of us to learn more about, (what I can unreservedly say), is the best natural
remedy to disease and illness in existence. CHAPTER  2
13WHAT MODERN SCIENCE KNOWS  ABOUT A MIRACLE MEDICINE
(AND ISN'T TELLING)
Although  the  knowledge  and  research  findings  on  this  extraordinary  natural
medicine have largely remained in the files of medical researchers in our century,
there are people who have inadvertently discovered the incredible healing power of
this substance and  have used it to heal themselves:
"I  was  officially  diagnosed  with  Adenocarcinoma  (cancer)  of  the  chest  with
possible infiltration of the left lung two years ago. Soon after I was diagnosed, I
was hospitalized because my lung had filled with fluid and collapsed. I was in a
desperate struggle to stop the production of the fluid, in addition to which I was
terribly constipated and uncomfortable. Then I came across information on this particular natural therapy. As soon as I
had ingested the [fluid] it was miraculous. My bowels immediately began to move
again. The  relief  was  incredible  and  the  fluid  production  in  my  lung  also
subsequently soon died down to the doctors' amazement. They had no recourse but
to remove my chest tube. They wanted me to consider chemotherapy, radiation or
surgery but I refused and signed myself out of the hospital. Needless to say I am still here after two years even though my parents were
informed I had only four months to live after the diagnosis. I had used a number of
holistic approaches (colonies, herbs, etc.) but to be perfectly honest I know it was
the internal and external use of [this fluid] which has saved my life." — Mr. R.,
New York
"I was diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis at the age of twentyeight. The
pain and swelling in the joints of my hands was unbelievable. I also suffered from
migraine headaches since I was eight years  old and it was very common for me to
take a bottle of Excedrin with me everywhere I went. I never left my house without
that bottle. I had also developed a severe weight problem over the years and had
gotten up to almost 200 pounds. 14Finally, I met someone who told me about this natural miracle therapy, but the
best miracle of all is me. I started taking  [this fluid] and four and a half months
later I weighed 130 pounds. I lost 68 pounds! My arthritis is gone, my headaches
are gone and I feel like I'm 20 years old.”
— Mrs B.
Florida
"I laughed when I first heard about this therapy and didn't take it seriously. My
main concern at the time was about  my full-blown case of  AIDS that had just been
diagnosed  and  the  Kaposi's  sarcoma  lesión  (cancer)  in  my  mouth  that  was
supposed to spread throughout my body. But I decided to try the therapy topically
on my vicious case of */ringworm and not only did the ringworm condition totally
disappear after a few weeks, but the dry, cracked and painful skin all around my
toes and foot had totally changed. New skin had grown in and was as soft as a
baby's. It had a beautiful new color and just did not appear to be my own skin! I  then  tried  the  therapy  internally  each  day  and  over  the  next  7  months  the
Kaposi's lesions became increasingly smaller until they disappeared totally! The
mouth ulcers and genital herpes that used to plague me have not returned even
once. I have NEVER felt better in my life."


. Y ou always
unconsciously knew it was there. When you come upon it, you will
understand what the great sages of history were trying to convey. Y ou will
understand it because T ruth is self-evident and within your own Self. This book is written with you, the reader, constantly in mind. It is easy,
ef fortless, and enjoyable. There is nothing to learn or memorize. Y ou will
become lighter and happier as you read it. The material will automatically
start bringing you the experience of freedom as you read through the pages. Y ou are going to feel the weights being removed. Everything you do will
become more enjoyable. Y ou are in for some happy surprises about your
life! Things are going to get better and better! It’ s okay to be skeptical. W e’ve been taken down the primrose path
before, so be as skeptical as you like. Indeed, it’ s advisable to avoid gushing
enthusiasm. It is a setup for a letdown later. Therefore, rather than
enthusiasm, quiet observation will serve you better. Is there such a thing as something for nothing in the universe? Oh, yes,
most certainly there is. It’ s your own freedom which you have for gotten and
don’ t know how to experience. What is being of fered to you is not
something that has to be acquired. It is not something that is new or outside
of yourself. It is already yours and merely has to be reawakened and
rediscovered. It will emer ge of its own nature. The purpose of sharing this approach is merely to put you in touch with
your own inner feelings and experiences. In addition, there is much helpful
information that your mind will want to know. The process of surrender will
begin automatically, for it is the nature of the mind to seek relief from pain
and suf fering and to experience greater happiness. CHAPTER
2
T H E  M E C H A N I S M  O F  L E T T I N G  G O
What is it? Letting go is like the sudden cessation of an inner pressure or the dropping
of a weight. It is accompanied by a sudden feeling of relief and lightness,
with an increased happiness and freedom. It is an actual mechanism of the
mind, and everyone has experienced it on occasion. A good example is the following. Y ou are in the midst of an intense
ar gument; you are angry and upset, when suddenly the whole thing strikes
you as absurd and ridiculous. Y ou start to laugh. The pressure is relieved. Y ou come up from anger, fear, and feeling attacked to feeling suddenly free
and happy. Think how great it would be if you could do that all of the time, in any
place, and with any event. Y ou could always feel free and happy and never
be cornered by your feelings again. That’ s what this technique is all about:
letting go consciously and frequently at will. Y ou are then in char ge of how
you feel, and you are no longer at the mercy of the world and your reactions
to it. Y ou are no longer the victim. This is employing the basic teaching of
the Buddha, which removes the pressure of involuntary reactivity. W e carry around with us a huge reservoir of accumulated negative
feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. The accumulated pressure makes us
miserable and is the basis of many of our illnesses and problems. W e are
resigned to it and explain it away as the “human condition.” W e seek to
escape from it in myriad ways. The average human life is spent trying to
avoid and run from the inner turmoil of fear and the threat of misery.Everyone’ s self-esteem is constantly threatened both from within and
without. If we take a close look at human life, we see that it is essentially one
long elaborate struggle to escape our inner fears and expectations that have
been projected upon the world. Interspersed are periods of celebration when
we have momentarily escaped the inner fears, but the fears are still there
waiting for us. W e have become afraid of our inner feelings because they
hold such a massive amount of negativity that we fear we would be
overwhelmed by it if we were to take a deeper look. W e have a fear of these
feelings because we have no conscious mechanism by which to handle the
feelings if we let them come up within ourselves. Because we are afraid to
face them, they continue to accumulate and, finally, we secretly begin
looking forward to death to bring all of the pain to an end. It is not thoughts
or facts that are painful but the feelings that accompany them. Thoughts in
and of themselves are painless, but not the feelings that underlie them! It is the accumulated pr essur e of feelings that causes thoughts. One
feeling, for instance, can create literally thousands of thoughts over a period
of time. Think, for instance, of one painful memory from early life, one
terrible regret that has been hidden. Look at all the years and years of
thoughts associated with that single event. If we could surrender the
underlying painful feeling, all of those thoughts would disappear instantly
and we would for get the event. This observation is in accord with scientific research. The Gray-
LaV iolette scientific theory integrates psychology and neurophysiology. Their research demonstrated that feeling tones or ganize thoughts and
memory (Gray-LaV iolette, 1981). Thoughts are filed in the memory bank
according to the various shades of feelings associated with those thoughts. Therefore, when we relinquish or let go of a feeling, we are freeing
ourselves from all of the associated thoughts. The great value of knowing how to surrender is that any and all
feelings can be let go of at any time and any place in an instant, and it can
be done continuously and ef fortlessly. What is the surrendered state? It means to be free of negative feelings
in a given area so that creativity and spontaneity can manifest without
opposition or the interference of inner conflicts. T o be free of inner conflict
and expectations is to give others in our life the greatest freedom. It allows
us to experience the basic nature of the universe, which, it will bediscovered, is to manifest the greatest good possible in a situation. This may
sound philosophical, but, when done, it is experientially true. Feelings and Mental Mechanisms
W e have three major ways of handling feelings: suppression, expression,
and escape. W e will discuss each in turn. 1. Suppr ession and r epr ession. These are the most common ways in which
we push feelings down and put them aside. In repression, this happens
unconsciously; in suppression, it happens consciously. W e don’ t want to be
bothered by feelings and, besides, we don’ t know what else to do with
them. W e sort of suf fer through them and try to keep functioning as best as
we can. The feelings that we select to be suppressed or repressed are in
accord with the conscious and unconscious programs that we carry within
us from social custom and family training. The pressure of suppressed
feelings is later felt as irritability, mood swings, tension in the muscles of
the neck and back, headaches, cramps, menstrual disorders, colitis,
indigestion, insomnia, hypertension, aller gies, and other somatic conditions. When we r epr ess  a feeling, it is because there is so much guilt and fear
over the feeling that it is not even consciously felt at all. It becomes
instantly thrust into the unconscious as soon as it threatens to emer ge. The
repressed feeling is then handled in a variety of ways to ensure that it stays
repressed and out of awareness. Of these mechanisms used by the mind to keep the feeling repressed,
denial and projection are perhaps the best-known methods, as they tend to
go together and reinforce each other. Denial results in major emotional and
maturational blocks. It is usually accompanied by the mechanism of
projection. Because of guilt and fear, we repress the impulse or feeling, and
we deny its presence within us. Instead of feeling it, we project it onto the
world and those around us. W e experience the feeling as if it belonged to
“them.” “They” then become the enemy, and the mind searches for and
finds justification to reinforce the projection. Blame is placed on people,
places, institutions, food, climatic conditions, astrological events, social
conditions, fate, God, luck, the devil, foreigners, ethnic groups, political
rivals, and other things outside of ourselves. Projection is the main
mechanism in use by the world today. It accounts for all wars, strife, and
civil disorder. Hating the enemy is even encouraged in order to become a“good citizen.” W e maintain our own self-esteem at the expense of others
and, eventually, this results in social breakdown. The mechanism of
projection underlies all attack, violence, aggression, and every form of
social destruction. 2. Expr ession. W ith this mechanism, the feeling is vented, verbalized, or
stated in body language, and acted out in endless group demonstrations. The
expression of negative feelings allows just enough of the inner pressure to
be let out so that the remainder can then be suppressed. This is a very
important point to understand, for many people in society today believe that
expressing their feelings frees them from the feelings. The facts are to the


 a Vespasienne. It is actually quite logical that urine was used in
the laundering industry. Chemical research has
demonstrated that when urine (particularly the
ammonia found in urine) is mixed with fat, a
white soap is spontaneously created. This partly
explains why urine is so effective in keeping skin
and hair clean and healthy, without the use of soap
or shampoo. Urine has also been used in the textile industry
in Northern Europe; particularly as detergent. I have
already referred to the collecting of urine by city
laundries in German villages and cities. Another
interesting example can be found in Tilburg, The
Netherlands where a statue by the name of 'The
Bottle-Pisser' is displayed. A short history of the
name 'The Bottle-Pisser' is given on the back side
of a postcard of this statue:
'Til burg formerly had a farming population, which
lived in poverty. In the Middle Age.s; the Tilburg
farmer starteflspinning wool from his own sheep
and wove it on a homemade loom in his living room. He kept part of the wool for his family and sold
the rest. In this wav the wool industrv which made
Til burg great, became a domestic industry. Later,
small factories were established where wage
labourers worked for a few cents per hour. The
material was refined in a particular way, known
as splashing and milling Ammonia, found in urine,
was necessary in order to mill and paint the wool. And so the labourers were paid to bring their own
urine to work. Some labourers received a payment
14 The Water of Life of up to thirty to forty guilders annually for their
urine. It is said that Monday's urine was not
acceptable, due to the high percentage of alcohol it
contained. And so the Tilburg population was
named 'Bottle-Pissers. "' Statue of a so-called 'Bottle-Pisser' from the Dutch city of
Til burg Yet another use for urine can be found in the Celtic
culture of the Druids. The older Druids periodically
went into a trance in order to be able to perform
their rituals. To do so, they made use of so-called
'magic mushrooms', mushrooms which induced a
hallucinatory state. However, these mushrooms
also contained poisonous substances which could
inhibit the hallucinatory process and cause dam
age to the liver. They therefore had young men eat
the mushrooms first so their livers could filter out
the mushrooms' poisonous substances. The hallu
cinatory substances, in themselves not poisonous,
remained in the blood and were urinated out of the
body some time later. The older Druids then drank
the urine, and in this way safely reached an altered
state of consciousness! This tradition was also known by the Finno-Ugric
tribes in Siberia. In the book Plants of the Gods, a
passage on the hallucinogenic mushroom 'amanita
muscaria' (Fly Agaric) includes a reference to drink
ing urine:
/'These Siberian mushroom users had no other
intoxicantS; until the Russians introduced alcohol. They dried the mushrooms in the sun and ingested
them either alone or as an extract in water/ reindeer
milk/ or the juice of several sweet plants. When the
mushroom was swallowed as a solid/ it was first
moistened in the mouth1 or a woman rolled it in
her mouth into a moistened pellet for the men to
swallow. The ceremonial use of the Fly Agaric
developed a ritualistic practice of urine-drinking
since these tribesmen learned that the psychoactive
principles of the mushroom pass through the body unmetabolized or in the form of still active
metabolites -most unusual for hallucinogenic
compounds in plants. An early account/ referring
to the Koryakl reported that 11they pour water on
some of these mushrooms and boil them. They then
drink the liquor1 which intoxicates them; the poorer
sort1 who cannot afford to lay in a store of the
mushrooms/ post themselves on these occasions
round the huts of the rich and watch the opportunity
of the guests coming down to make water and then
hold a wooden bowl to receive the urine/ which they
drink off greedilv as having still some virtue of
the mushroom in it1 and by this wav they also get
drunk.1111
(From: Plants of the Gods; Their Sacred Healing and
Hallucinogenic Powers, Evans Schultes, R. &
Hofmann, A., Healing Arts Press, Rochester
Vermont 1992, p. 83)
George Andrews mentions in his book Drugs and
Magic (1975) that the reindeer hunters of the Mid
dle Anadyr, Siberia, used Fly Agaric mushrooms and
when there was a shortage of the mushrooms they
would drink cupfuls of each other's urine without
inhibition to prolong the effect. The History of Urine Therapy in the West 15 2.2 Medical Use of Urine in the
Last Centuries
Throughout history, urine has played a part in the
alchemist tradition. Nowadays urine still plays a
role in the preparation and use of medicines pro
duced on an alchemical basis. The well-known
Dutch aurologist and alchemist Jelle Veeman has
spoken many times about the significance of urine
in this context. The following fragment illustrates
the use of urine by so-called alchemists:
//Phosphorus was discovered in 1669, by Brandt, a Hamburg chemist who was looking for the
philosophers' stone. He believed that the metal
could be transm-uted into gold by mixing it with
the extract of urine. Uing this method, he obtained
a luminous substance that burned with an intensity
such as had never been seen before. For a long time
phosphorus was obtained by vigorously heating the
residue of evaporating urine in an earth retort the
neck of which was submerged in water. Today it is
extracted from the bones of animals, which contaitt
phosphoric acid and lime. /1
(From: Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel,
Anchor Books Doubleday, New York 1992)
'Manneke Pis', a playful symbol of urine in Europe. ~
16 The Water of Life Since approximately 1700, a number of sources ex
plicitly refer to the healing effect of urine. A den
tist in Paris in the eighteenth century praised urine
as an extremely valuable mouthwash, and French
and German doctors used cow-urine in the eight
eenth century to control and cure jaundice, rheu
matic disorders, gout, dropsy, sciatica and asthma. Johann Heinrich Zedler is·quoted in the Crossen
Vollstiindigen Universallexikon (1747), in which he
offers the folloyving tips concerning the use of urine
as medicine:
"Useful substances can be found in human as well
as animal urine... Human urine has strengthening
and curative characteristics concerning many
deficiencies:
"For example, a mixtuh~ of potato-and sulphur
powder, mixed with heated, old urine helps against
hair loss. One should rub this mixture into the
scalp; this slows down loss of hair (calfs gall can
be added if necessary). "One can best heal injuries to the eyes with honey
dissolved in the lightly boiled urine from a young
man. One should wash the eyes as often as possible
with this fluid. "All kinds of throat inflammation can be helped
by gargling with urine to which a bit of saffron
has been added. "Trembling hands and knees can be helped by
washing and rubbing one's own warm urine into
the skin directly after one has urinated. "In the beginning stages of dropsy, one should drink one's own morning urine on an empty stomach for
a prolonged period of time. This also helps against
jaundice." In his book, Armstrong quotes the English book One
Thousand Notable Things, which was published in
England, Scotland and Ireland at the end of the
eighteenth century. A number of quotations are
given below:
"An universal and excellent remedy for all
distempers inward and outward. Drink your own
water in the morning nine days together and it cures
the scurvy, makes the body lightsome and cheerful. "It is good against the dropsy and jaundice, drunk
as before (stated). "Wash your ears with it warm and it is good
against deafness, noises and most other ailments
in the ears. "Wash your eyes with your own water and it cures
sore eyes and clears and strengthens the sight. "Wash and rub your hands with it and it takes
away numbness, chaps and sores and makes the
joints limber. "Wash any green wound with it and it is an
extraordinary good thing. "Wash any part that itches and it takes it (the
itch) away. "Wash the fundament and it is good against piles
and other sores." (From: The Water of Life, J.W Armstrong, Health
Science Press, London 1971, p. 13.) The History


 book can be applied. Just do your best, mama,
and that will be enough for your babe. According to Vedic philosophy, nothing can occur without the sanction
of God (you may also refer to God as your higher power, your Source, the
Divine, or whatever word or name resonates with your belief system). Everything that happens in your life, to you and around you, is a co-creation
between you and Source. Your life circumstances are created based on your
desires, your will and actions, and the sanction of the Creator. In your
motherhood journey, there may be circumstances that are challenging, and
you may question many aspects of yourself. Just know that these moments,
and all moments, are there for your soul evolution. Vedic philosophy says that in co-creation with the Supreme, a soul
chooses its next lifetime before taking birth. The soul knows who its family
will be, who its mother will be, and it knows what its major karmic lessons
will be in this lifetime. That means your baby chose you as its mother,
knowing exactly who you are and what life you will provide it in this world. The baby’ s soul chose you because it knows that your relationship with it,
and the life you provide for it, is exactly what the baby needs on its own
journey of soul evolution. So, mama, if you find yourself questioning your ability to be an
Ayurveda mama based on your external circumstances, your relationship,
your family, your lifestyle or home, the circumstances under which you
conceived, or any other doubts that come up along your motherhood
journey that make you feel “less than,” please know and remember that if
you picked up this book and are reading this right now, you are already an
Ayurveda mama. You are already setting the intention to mother with
awareness and consciousness. You are already creating a life of love andgood health for your baby, just with your intention and desire to better
yourself for them. You are doing a great job, and you will always be the
perfect mother for your babe. With love,
Krsna Jivani
Ayurvedic postpartum doula,
clinical herbalist, and mama
What if every child knew that they were wanted? What if,
from the onset of conception
your child’ s body was literally built in an environment
enveloped in love, care, and deep, deep nourishment? …their nervous system
built with the knowing  that they held value and worth
based on who they are. What if all of the children of the future never had to question
whether they were a burden? If they knew,
deep down on the cellular level,
that they were prayed for, welcomed, and carried with love. What if all mamas knew
that once the soul enters in,
she wraps that soul in matter
built by the food she consumes
through her eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin? …that this little soul’ s sense of Self
is built by its environment,
cultured by its surroundings,
including the mind and emotionsof the body that sustains it. If parents knew that for the first forty-two days after birth,
their little babe still does not yet know themself as separate. “I am my environment;
the sounds, the temperature, the mood, the emotions
continue to build my nervous system.”
What if their nervous systems were built on a foundation of
love? What if love was their North Star,
their “normal,”
that they always strived to come back to
when life seemed to throw them off course? Our past experiences build our foundation of “normal.”
Our early experiences shape what we seek in future
relationships. Whatever energy our nervous system was built on
creates a standard
that we return to again, and again, and again. Too many nervous systems are built with anxiety,
creating a fundamental experience of fear
that we create,
and re-create,
because it somehow reminds us of home. What if intention invited us,
love grew us,
and attention sustained us? What type of leaders would we raise? What quality of relationships would they experience? What injustice would they never settle for?How would they, then, raise their own little ones? What if we knew that how we speak to them
creates the standard of how they will one day speak to
themselves? What if we knew
that as we heal our past,
we give the opportunity for our little ones
to have a better future? What if we knew
to see the best in them, always? If only we knew
that they see themselves
through our eyes. OceanofPDF.comOceanofPDF.comOceanofPDF.comSIntroduction
Birth and infancy ar e beyond the conscious memory of most people. Yet, as primary experiences, they indir ectly pervade every aspect of
our being. —Anodea Judith, Eastern Body, Western Mind
There is no single effort mor e radical in its potential for saving the
world than a transformation of the way we raise our childr en. —Marianne Williamson
o much of the dysfunction in our world and in our relationships comes
from stories that we have built around our earliest experiences. At a
young age, we unconsciously created ways to cope with pain and trauma
when we did not yet have the skills to adapt. We have taken on shields of
armor that have found their home in our bodies and psyches and that now
govern the way we are in the world. This armor keeps us safe—or so we
think. Actually, this armor keeps us from meeting life authentically. It keeps
us from being able to love deeply and fully, feel deeply and fully, live
deeply and completely, with consciousness and intention. So much of the work of inviting a child into this world consciously is
becoming conscious yourself, healing your past and becoming aware of
what’ s driving you. When you can develop a healthy dialogue with the part
of yourself that feels broken, abandoned, or unworthy of love, you begin to
heal. As you become more conscious, you can invite a child into the world
consciously, and then raise a conscious little being who will not have to
spend their whole life healing the wounds from their past, unlearning what
they have learned from their unconscious parenting. I deeply believe that the glory of our future depends on the ways in
which we care for our children today, from preconception, to birth, andbeyond. While their first years do not necessarily determine a child’ s happiness
for their entire life, their rapidly growing brain during that time builds a
foundation for how they will communicate and interact with the world
based on how the world has responded to them. In a baby’ s first years of
life, cries are common signals for a caregiver ’s nurturing. The cycle
completes when the caregiver responds to the baby’ s crying by feeding
them, changing their diaper, or rocking them to sleep. Foundational beliefs
such as “the world is safe (or unsafe),” “I will be provided for (or there is
not enough to go around),” “I am enough (or I have to prove my worth),” “I
am supported (or I must do it all myself),” or “It is okay to ask for what I
need (or my needs will never be met)” are all created, subconsciously, based
on our environment and how our primary caregivers show up (or do not
show up) for us. Investing early in our children means not only giving them
food and clothes: it means giving them presence, security, attention, and
love. Yoga and Ayurveda teach us that experiences begin to imprint themselves
on the baby’ s mind and body during pregnancy. Based on the emotional,
spiritual, and physical environment within which the child is developing,
these impressions will either serve to uplift the child and create patterns of
harmony, trust, and connection or they will create patterns that will play
themselves out in the future through dysfunctional relationships, addictions,
violence, fear, and anxiety. Some babies are created in the context of challenging circumstances. Perhaps a mama has faced violence while the baby is growing in the womb,
or a baby has been unknowingly conceived and not initially wanted, or a
mama’ s needs have not been met. Left unaddressed, these experiences may
create a foundation for a baby’ s future built on the sense that they are not
safe, valuable, worthy, or deserving of love. Their nervous systems may be
built on a foundation of dis-ease or instability. But if you are reading thisbook, you are taking the necessary step to invite your little one into your
womb on purpose, and with utmost intention; you are demonstrating the
desire to establish a deep, fundamental, core belief within your child that
they are wanted and not a burden. If you cultivate their presence with love
and deep care while they are in your womb, their nervous system will be
soft and at ease. Ideally a mama will be nourished and supported throughout
pregnancy, which helps assure that the baby’ s mind and mood will be
stable. The more safe and secure you can feel in all aspects of your life, the
more your little one will feel that they too are at home. Although the mind may not remember, our bodies remember
everything. All of your past experiences are imprinted onto your nervous
system. Those experiences create fundamental belief systems about you and
your place in the world. If a child does not feel valued, they will be on the
quest to validate their value in their role or position. If they did not feel
worthy of love and attention, they may spend their entire


sex and, 94, 128
in third trimester, 87, 123
oregano oil, 310, 317
Osho, 172
ovaries, 53–54, 208
ovulation, 62–63
oxytocin, 127, 150
P
panchakarma, 54–55
panchamrit, 273–74
parenthood, 11, 12, 14, 46, 47, 53
partnership
celibacy in, 94–95
conscious, 3–4
explorations for, 53
in postpartum period, 185–88, 189
in preconception, 46
separation and, 117–18passionflower, 208, 306, 307
pediatricians, 243, 244, 249, 251, 252
pelvis, 102, 107–8, 181
peppermint, 76, 254
peppermint oil, 101, 123, 308, 311, 313, 314, 316, 317, 319
perineum
during birthing, 149
cleaning, 180
essential oils for, 316
massage, 124–25, 145
softening, 126
pippali, 179, 212, 286
pitta
balancing, 25–26
digestive problems and, 98–99, 106, 107
imbalances, 24–25, 58, 62
during labor, 155–56
of newborns, 248, 256
overview, 23–24
postpartum, 202, 281, 289
sadhaka, 217
placenta
delivery, 150
previa, 95, 147
PMS, 208
poppy seeds, 207
postpartum, 238
asking for help, 182–84, 195
checklist, 177
diet and nourishment for, 277–79, 280–81, 286–87
doshas and, 17
essential oils for, 311–12, 316–18
foods contraindicated for, 281–83
four pillars of care for, 177–82
Frozen Feminine Pads, 318
grocery lists, 284, 285
herbal support for, 179–80, 212–13, 283, 284
imbalances in, common, 203–10
meal train, 89, 197
partners during, guidance for, 185–88
practices to support healing, 210–1 1
preparing for, 195–200
support during, 197–98
vata in, 20, 61–62, 259See also under  meals ; sacred window
Prabhupada, Srila, 34
prakruti, 15, 16, 17
prana (life force), 32, 56, 96, 211
pranayama, 42
during late pregnancy, 128
postpartum, 210–1 1
for sattva, increasing, 75
ujjai, 208, 210, 211
See also  alternate-nostril breathing ; cooling breath
prasadam (spiritual food), 80–81, 138
prayers
to baby in womb, 79–80
in conception ritual, 68
maha mantra, 83–84
for name-giving, 234
for safe delivery, 138
for welcoming baby to world, 220–21
preconception, 20
daily rituals for, 123–24
time for (“season”), 32–33
preeclampsia, 108–9, 127, 314
pregnancy, 33
diet and nourishment for, 85, 86, 87, 126–27, 277–79
doshas and, 17
early loss, 102–3
energy levels during, 121
essential oils, general, 311
essential oils by condition, 312–15
herbs for, 302–5
imbalances common in, 97, 98–102, 103–1 1
kapha in, 27
mother ’s happiness in, importance of, 47, 72, 106
pitta in, 24
sattvic lifestyle during, 77
self-care practices for, 90–92
senses during, 73
support during, 2, 46
three main responsibilities during, 268
vata in, 20
See also under  meals ; and individual trimesters
presence, 3, 12
while breastfeeding, 258–59
while eating, 54in mothering, 224, 231, 239
during pregnancy, 2
progesterone, 106
prolactin, 151
Puranans, 232
R
Radha, 232
raisins, 99, 273, 276, 284, 297
rajas, 73, 74, 76
rakta dhatu, 85
rasa dhatu, 85, 259–60
red raspberry leaf, 126, 199, 304
relationships
commitment in, 51–52
communication in, 51
conflict in, 46–48
real health and, 8
trust in, 48–51
See also  partnership
reproductive system, 32, 199, 303, 304
reproductive tissues, 54, 55, 56–58, 59, 87
Rescue Remedy Back Flower Essence, 177
rice. See basmati rice
Roman chamomile, 252, 312, 314, 316, 318, 319
Romm, Aviva, 120, 134, 210
rose, 75, 188, 194
in baths, 92, 126, 151, 184, 199
description, 304
essential oil, 68, 125, 152, 198, 313, 316, 317
for newborns, 256
postpartum, 181, 182, 200, 205, 207
Sun-Cooked Ayurvedic Rose Petal Jam, 217–18
in teas, 208, 306, 307
rosehips, 99
rosemary, 76, 199
rosemary essential oil, 101, 317
Rosenber g, Marshall, Nonviolent Communication,  51
rosewater, 69, 89, 106, 156, 247–48, 304
rosewood oil, 136, 312
Rothman, Barbara Katz, Bun in the Oven, A, 116S
Sacinandana Swami, Living Name, The, 84
sacred window, 171
author ’s experience, 196
beauty in, 184
end of, 189–90, 220–21
greatest need during, 174
poem for, 175–76
traditional practices, 172, 191–92
saffron, 207, 282
for lactation, 260, 263
for ojas-building, 56, 69, 215–16
for postpartum, 286, 291, 296–97
sage, 181, 199, 254, 283. See also  clary sage oil
samskaras. See sensory impressions ( samskaras )
sandalwood, 75
essential oil, 68, 316, 317, 319
powder, 247–48, 256
sat-chit-ananda,  10
sattva, 213
increasing, 75
mind of, 36–37, 58
in postpartum, 192, 197, 210, 280
during pregnancy, 72, 86
qualities and characteristics, 73, 74
signs of, 75
sattvic ahara, 270
Schott, Lelia, 223
seasons
dosha fluctuation in, 15–16
ritucharya and, 60–61
selflessness, 233
self-realization, 36, 43
senses
consciousness and, 33–34
controlling, 39–41, 45
doshas and, 16, 25
misusing, 13
overstimulating, 21
sensory impressions ( samskaras ), 41, 42, 72, 85
sesame oil, 197, 207
for babies, 154, 246, 250, 255
for basti, 125, 181cooking/eating, 280, 282, 284, 287
infusions, 198, 205
for massage, 22, 29, 124–25, 151, 152, 155, 181, 313
for oil pulling, 65
for stretch marks, 182
for yoni picchu, 126
ses


a lly present within, without, and beyond. Potentiality beco mes actuality when conditions permit or are favorable. The
process is empowered by intention, as well as by the innate impersonal
quality of consciousness itself. In the nonduali ty of awareness, even sequence no longer occurs, and
awareness replaces experiencing. There is no longer the experience of
“moments,” as there is only a continuous Now. Movement appe ars as slow
motion, as though suspended outside of time. Nothing is imperfect. Nothing
actually moves or changes; no events actually take place. Instead of
sequence, there is the observation that everything is in a stage of
unfoldment, and that all form is only a transitional epiphenomenon created
by perception and the observational habits of mental activity. In Reality, all comes into being as an expression of the infinite
potentiality of the universe. Evolving states are the consequences of
conditions but are not caused by them. Conditions account for appearances,
and the phenom enon as change is really the result of an arbitr ary point of
observation. In the Reality of nonduality, there is neither privilege nor gain nor loss
nor rank. Just like a cork in the sea, each spirit rises or falls in the sea of
consciousness to its own level by virtue of its own choices—not by any
external force or favor. Some are attracted by the light and some seek the
darkness, but it all occurs of its own nature by virtue of Divine freedom and
equality. Inasmuch as the entire universe and everything in it is a karmic unity, the
Allness of Reality is the realization of enlightenment. If all is a karmic unity
that originates from the same source, then to see any separation is an
artifact of perception. In Reality, the one and the many are the same. The small self is dissolved by the Self. The healing attitude of the Self to
the self is compassion; it is through forgiveness that one is forgiven. This
willingness to surrender, arising out of the Grace of God, permit s the power
of God expressed as the Holy Spirit to recontextualize understan ding—and,
by this device, to undo the reign of perception and its attendant duality,
which is the source of all suffering. The dissolution of duality is the
ultimate gift of God, for it dissolves the very source and capacity for
suffering. In nonduality, suffering is not possible. On the level of nonduality, there is observing but no observer, as subject
and object are one. You-and-I becomes the One Self experie ncing all as
Divine. Within nonduality, positionality is not possible; thus, dualistic
perceptions stemming from positionalities are the source of the
misunderstandings about God for which, unfortunately, mankind has paid a
great price. To trans cend the linear to the nonlinear is the way of the mystic—the
pathway of nonduality—to realize the inner light of consciousness itself, the
True Immortal Self. Everyone trusts the inner sense of reality or capacity to
“know” that underlies all experiencing and witnessing, no matter what the
content. The content of mind thinks, but only the nonlinear field “knows,”
or how else would it be possible to know what is being thought. Because everyon e actually lives in the experiential at every moment, the
Source of the capacity to know or experience is close at hand and is itself
pristine. All human beings experience that they are continuously
“experiencing,” no matter what the ever -changing content might be. All humans are already mystics  and innately attracted to enlightenment,
whether they are aware of it or not. It is an extension of the qualities of
learning and curiosity, which are innate to the mind. Thus, the pathway of
“Devotional Nonduality” is open to everyone and has no requirements,
other than the capacity for inner honesty and the willingness to align with
verifiable truth and follow it to its Source. The knowingness that arises from within is innate, accessible, and
experiential. Such knowingness is also beyond definition or description as
the primary, confirmable, unive rsal substrate of power and energy—out ofwhich arises the possibility as well as actualization of existence. This
Ultimate Reality  is revealed via the search into the substrate and source of
consciousness itself, which is the ultimate nonlinear context beyond all
definition. Thus, via the pathway of enlightenment, there is no separate
relationship of “you-God” vis-à-vis “me-human. ”
In Devo tional Nonduality, the likelihood of error is bypassed by devotion
to the essential nonlinear qualit ies of Divinity itself, such as compassion,
oneness, love, truth, omniscience, eternal, infinite, omnipresence, and
omnipotence—beyond form, place, time, human instincts, or emotions. While the primary prerequisite  for adherence to religion is faith, the
essential required qualities needed for following the pathway of nonduality
are humility, surrender, and devotional dedication to the pathway. It is readily observable that followers of religions are characterized by the
presumption of “I know” via scriptural authority, ecclesiastical doctrine,
historical prece dent, and so on. In contrast, the spiritual devotee for
nonduality starts from the basic, more truthful position that “I, of myself,
don’t know. ”
To adopt the pathway of Devotional Nonduality recontextualizes the
obligation to the pursuit of Truth rather than worldly involvement and
action. How best to serve the world is concordant with comprehension. Commitment is to the core of Truth itself, and it is free of seduction by
proselytization or secrecies. All that is necessary is a curiosity and
attraction to T ruth—which is complete, total, and self-suf ficient. Even the simplest action, such as peeling a potato, can be accompanied
by resen tment or by devotion to life out of joy, knowing that one is
supporting life through life. In gratitude for the gift of life, one dedicates
that life back as a gift to God through selfless service to His creation as all
of life. With this dedication, one validates the sacredness of all life and
treats it with respect. The universe responds to love by revealing its prevalence. It is hidden to
ordinary perception, but the awareness is finessed by lovingness itself. Awareness is a capacity that is beyond the senses or emotions. If one ceases
anthropomorphic projections and limitations, it is revealed that all that
exists is innately conscious and emanates love as a consequence of the
divinity of Creation. It is important to know that consciousness has no particular space, no
physical area, and no limitatio n. The common fantasy is “I experience
things in my head. ” Actually, we do not experience them in the head. Where
do we experience a thought. We experience a thought nowhere ; there is no
specific location or space in which we experience a thought. The nature of
consciousness is that it has no particular form; it is without form. Its content
is with form, but the field of consciousness itself is like space, having no
particular locality. Ultimate Truth is realized as pure, radical subjectivity. It is self-revealing
and beyond ar gument. The great teachers taught the Truth about Divinity, not religion, which
came centuries later. While the veneration of religion and scriptures is
understandable, it is their truth and God that are meant to be worshipped
and sought. A religion primarily addresses the realm of duality, whereas
enlightenment addresses nonduality. This strict path to enlightenment says
that inasmuch as duality is illusion, there is no point in trying to perfect it. Therefore, the ego is to be transcended and seen for the illusion that it is. “Good personhood” is laudable, but it does not of itself result in
enlightenment. The possibility of reaching enlightenment is based on
advanced understanding of the nature of consciousness itself. To even hear of enlightenment is already the rarest of gifts. Anyone who
has ever heard of enlightenment will never be satisfied with anything else. Humor is an expression of freedom and joyfulness, and laughter is
biologically healing. Faith, love, and joy are the high road; doom and
gloom merely lead to sadness and despondency. Self-hatred blinds
awareness of the Self as a reflection of Divine Creation. That which I am is Allness. To realize that one already is and always has
been All That Is leaves nothing to be added. The “Infinite I” is that subjective reality that underlies the individual “I”
and allows for the experience  of “I-ness” as one’s existenc e. It is the
absolute “I” that enables the statement, “I. ” Consciousness, or the capacity
for awareness, is formless and is the backdrop from which form can be
identified. The source of the highest Spiritual Truth is non-mental. The intellect has
difficulty compr ehending this critical fact because the mind is intrinsically
dualistic and limited, expecting a “this” to come from a “that. ” In the
advanced spiritual Reality, duality dissolves because the “this” is the “that. ”
The seeker and the Sought become One with the transcendence of the
limitation of duality; that is, Realization of the Self, Illumination, and
Enlightenment. When the condi tions—including mindset


 holding and releasing the
Blood, the Liver spreads the Qi. The Liver governs the tendons,
ligaments, small muscles, and nerves, motivating and regulating all
body movement. In Weste rn terms, the Liver’s function bears
resemblance to the sympathetic nervous system insofar as it is the
mechanism of excitation and arousal. This movement of Blood  andQi, of muscles, joints, limbs, and viscera, constitutes the active life
of the body. When movemen t is steady and tissue resilient, it means
the Liver is functioning in accord with its character and
responsibility. Inability to evenly spread the Qi arises from a disturbance of the
Liver’s powe r to store and release Blood. This manifests as erratic
activity in the body and a volatile temperament. For example,
migraines occur when the Liver is not able to properly store,
discharge, and distribute the blood to the eyes, ears, and brain: the
head becomes hot and congested while the hands and feet become
cold. A similar thing happens with painful menstruation: as the
discharge of blood begins, if the Liver cannot release easily and
evenly, the uterus will cramp. This same pattern of poor circulation
also causes spasm in the muscles. Problems of irregularity  as diverse
as disturbed sugar metabolism, sudden outbursts of emotion,
uncoordinated movement, blurry vision, indigest ion, and
constipation, or diculty unwinding after working hard, may all
occur as a result of the Liver’s inability to maintain the smooth ow
of Qi and Blood. MATE TO THE  LIVER. THE GALLBLADDER
The Gallbladder  is the paired Yang organ of the Liver Network, which
executes a part of the Qi-regulating role. Unlike the other Yang
organs, which only transform  and transmit matter but do not store
it, the Gallbladder  stores and secretes the bile, a pure and essential
substance that stimulates peristalsis in the Stomach  and intestines,
aiding assimilation and elimination. The Gallbladder  imparts the power of decision and the Liver the
power of action. The purity of the bile assures pure and proper
judgment, clarity of vision, thought, and decision making. If the
Liver and Gallbladder  are dissonant, action occurs without judgment,
decisions go unactualized, or a Hamlet-like paralysis of decision and
action persists. Metaphorically, the Gallbladder  and bile form a
liquid crystal like the lens of the eye through which we perceive
existent and anticipated, inner and outer, reality. Our prescienceand foresight arise from this faculty. With a deterioration in
function of the Liver Network, a veil obstructs vision and thought. Cataracts, glaucoma, and other deformities of the eye that diminish
vision may arise. STAGNATION OF  QI AND BLOOD
Poor Liver function can lead to stagnation of Qi and eventually
Blood. Stagnation of Qi is experienced  in the body as a feeling of
fullness, disco mfort, or pain in the chest, belly, or head; in the
psyche it manifests as agitation, nervous tension, suppressed
emotion, and frustration. Stagnation of Blood  is experienced as a
localized stabb ing or cutting pain. If this stasis of Blood  persists for
too long, it gives rise to hard lumps, masses, tumors, or chronic
inammation in the chest, abdominal, and pelvic region. A mass or
lump may come and go unpredictably, like an intestinal spasm when
Qi is obstructed, or may become a benign or malignant tumor in the
nal stages when Blood  becomes “congealed.” This situation is often
the case in women who develop uterine broids, uterine
hemorrhage with large clots, irregular, scanty, or suppressed
menstruation, cervical dysplasia, or ovarian cysts or tumors. Stagnant Qi can also obstruct the Spleen, aecting its ability to
generate and distribute Moisture  and Nutritive Essence  in the body. This impairment of Spleen  functio n results in the accumulation of
Dampness  and an attrition of vitality. The uid excess itself then may
become a secondary source of stagnation since it impedes the ow
of Qi. The body often generates Heat to counteract this uid excess
by drying it. This Heat then accumulates and interm ingles with the
Dampness. Damp Heat can settle in the pelvis, where it damages and
obstructs the Blood. Over time this will lead to coagulation and
deciency of Blood. Damp Heat in the Liver also sets the stage for
problems such as genital and perianal herpes, jaundice, and
hepatitis. In men the manifestations of stagnated Liver Qi  with Damp
Heat are prostatitis, epididymitis, urethritis, and painful ejaculation. BLOOD OF THE  LIVERThe Blood  stored by the Liver is responsible for nourishi ng the
tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and eyes. When the Liver cannot
properly store the Blood, symptoms such as muscle spasm, dizziness,
numbness of the limbs, and dry eyes occur. If the ow of Blood  is
poorly regulated, muscles and nerves become easily fatigued, and
metabolic waste products are not eciently eliminated. Stagnation
of Qi and Blood  in the Liver leads to pain and sensitivity in the
muscles, eyes, and glands (such as breasts, thyroid, prostate, testes,
and ovaries) and tiredness, especially fatigue that is worse after rest. JUDICIOUS  GRACE
In short, the job of the Liver Network  is to monitor ow, maintaining
evenness of emotions and clarity of judgment, giving grace and
exibility to the physical and mental body. When the Liver is
healthy, judgm ent and decision making are sound, vision is clear,
and action is resolute. Strengthening the Liver develo ps drive and
adaptability, enhancing our capacity to cope with the vicissitudes of
life. FIRE: THE HEART
The Heart  is considered  the ruler because like a benevolent and
enlightened monarch, it is all-knowing and ever-present, sharing its
wisdom unconditionally for the good of the whole. Our Fire aspect
represents fulllment: the total expression and integration of our
being, the full extent of our expansion, maturation, and
development.Heart-Small Intestine
PROPELS  BLOOD, ENFOLDS  SPIRIT
The Heart  propels the Blood  through the body and enfolds the Spirit,
maintaining awareness. This continuous ow of Blood  through the
vessels both nurtures the body and serves as a vehicle for
communication. The Blood  communes with each and every cell,
pervading all regions of the soma. It also “houses the mind,” serving
as the material matrix of the psyche. Just as the sun provides warmth and light for all of creation, so
the Heart  suuses and permeates the body with consciousness,
sensation, and feeling. The Heart  maintains awareness by integrating
and communicating experience, establishing an interconnectedness
between our inner life and external universe. The Heart  holds and
envelops the Spirit. In Chinese medicine, the Shen, or Spirit, does not
refer to an independent, discarnate entity and is not to be confused
with Western religious ideas  about the soul or immortal aspects of
human identity. Spirit  in Chinese medicine connotes the totality of the person’s life
force at any given moment and represents the complete outward
expression of the Qi through the personality. When the Spirit  is
strong, it means that the soma, psyche, and personalit y are well
blended. This is reected by aliveness of emotional expression,
presence of mind, bright eyes, and a lustrous complexion. The Spirit
is also the realm of the higher moral and spiritual faculties. Conscious identication with nature and humanity and the
compassion that accompanies those sentiments emanate from the
Heart.Heart Network
A sense of individualized being and at the same time a sense of
union with others is the power of the Heart. The Heart  as the
foundation of the mind in Western terms resembles the integrative
function of the cerebral cortex, which gives rise to the capacity for
thought, perception, sensation, speech, communication, and
memory. What the Kidney  receives through the sense  organs, the
Heart  expresses through speech, the resonance of the voice, and the
radiance of the complexion and eyes. MATE TO THE  HEART. THE SMALL INTESTINE
The paired Yang organ of the Heart Network  is the Small Intestine,
which separates out the useful constituents of digested food,
conducting uid waste to the Kidney  and solid waste to the Large
Intestine. This function  permits the Essence  of food to be assimilated
by the Spleen  and extracted into the Blood, which ows to the Liver. The Small Intestine  assists the Heart  in communication by the
purication and transportation of uids and substances that enter
the Blood. By separating the purer from coarser


ritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach, which
excites a false appetite and causes overeating—the origin of a
great many stomach ills. Second, they deprive the taste-buds of their rights, thus
lessening the desire for perfect mastication. One of the first steps in adopting a reform or hygienic
dietary is to eliminate from the bill of fare all condiments, hot
sauces, and such stuff. Remember  their origin was not very
respectable. They seem to have  been created for the purpose
of covering up something which we instinctively regard as
unclean. HOW TO EAT. TO the average individual who eats everything in sight, who
accepts as correct anything that is jumbled together and
dished up by cunning Chinamen, greasy Africans and
uneducated foreigners, knowing as little of the chemistry of
foods and their nutritive value as they do about the
inhabitants of Sirius, this  title will be amusing. They will no doubt regard it as presuming upon their
intelligence. They will expect to see on the next page
instructions as to how to draw th eir breath, though the fact is
that but few people know how to do either. The majority use
about one-third of their lung capacity and eat with less
intelligence than a cornfield goose. There are several thousand taste-buds called "papillae"
on the top and root of the tongue. There are six groups of
salivary glands that work in harmony and in pairs. The two
largest groups are called the parotid glands. They are located
in front of the ears on each side of the mouth. When the mouth receives food that is approved by the
taste-buds each motion of the jaw in mastication pumps out
of these glands small particles of saliva which pour it into the
mouth. The most delicious thing to the taste, therefore, is that
thing which will exercise—put into operation or call into
activity the greatest number of these tasters. Therefore, the
combining or mixing of foods in the mouth becomes not only
of paramount importance, but the principal factor in
digestion, and in the enjoyment of what we eat. One article of food may call into use but one set of
tasters, while two or three articles whose properties
chemically agree, may put into use the entire six groups. Hence the logical place to mix and make combinations of
food is in the mouth. It is the crucible in which everything
that goes into the stomach should be tested and prepared, for
the obvious reason that the taste-buds occupy the very
important position of being the police of the stomach. If they
have not been perverted, and abused, they will stand ever on
guard to see that nothing goes into that strange factory
without protest except that which will make good blood,
muscle, bone and brain. They will perform this service for us perfectly if we train
and treat them decently; but if we abuse and pervert these
delicate organs by heaping upon them and forcing them to
accept stimulating, irritating and unnatural things, they cease
to perform their functions, and sullenly accept almost
anything we choose to load upon them. Luigi Cornaro was a Venetian nobleman and
philosopher. He became a physical wreck at 40. He ceased
philosophizing about ethics and such things and decided to
ascertain why. He very soon solved the problem. It was overeating. He
began by restricting himself to 12 ounces of solid food per day. As he advanced in age he still further reduced his daily
ration, until he partook of only one egg a day, in addition to a
very little wine and water. After adhering to this custom for many years and
enjoying perfect health, he one  day partook of two ounces of
solid food, an experiment which nearly cost him his life. Some of his best works were written between the ages of 86
and 95. He lived to be 103 years old, while the best medicine
men of his day told him at 40 that he could never reach the
age of 50. In subsisting wholly upon uncooked food, the natural
tendency is for all the organs that are employed in converting
food into energy to become normal, and make no demands
except those required by nature. They require more
mastication, which is natu re's greatest guard against
overeating; but until the system adjusts itself to the new
regime, it is best to partake of only about half the quantity
one would eat were the foods cooked, but masticate them
twice or three times as long. If people would masticate their food until it ceased to
taste, removing from the mouth the residue, if any, and
involuntarily swallowing the liquid (soup) therefrom, it
would quadruple the pleasure of eating and eliminate forever
from the catalogue of human ills indigestion, constipation and
overeating. In commencing the use of uncooked foods, one must not
fail to remember that the taste and appetite so long fed on
fired and devitalized foods must be reckoned with. If they
accept the new diet, all is well; but should they rebel, give
them some of the old charcoal and ashes now and then. But
give them plenty of live, vita l foods again, and they will soon
accept them. Then will one begin to live in a new world. Until taste and hunger are sufficiently well trained to
demand such food as the system needs, it is well to employ
our learning to aid them. We should avoid the continuous use
of such things as contain similar nutritive elements, that is to
say, we should not eat too much of any one thing. We should
acquaint ourselves with the composition of the leading
articles of diet, which will enable us to select intelligently our
daily menu until abnormal appetite  is changed to natural
hunger. No greater question can possibly command the thoughts
of people than the study of nature's infallible laws of feeding. When the proper energy and vita lity are given to the body by
correct food a certain amount of motion becomes imperative. We would not need to take lessons in physical culture. We
would be forced to obey the demands of the body, thus
sending to the lungs an extra amount of blood, which would
cause deep breathing, or extra oxidation of waste matter. Therefore, if the great natural law of feeding was obeyed,
we would instinctively carry out the laws of motion and
breathing, which would give us not only perpetual insurance
against disease, but emblazon the way to perfect health. MASTICATION. THE stomach has no teeth. Teeth were the product of
necessity. They were placed in the mouth by nature for the
specific purpose of emulsifying food, so that it could be
absorbed by the body. This process we call digestion. Food that is not thoroughly pulverized by mastication
must be reduced to solution by the stomach and the other
digestive organs. If it be such material as the gastric juice will
not dissolve, then it must be disposed of by disintegration,
which starts with fermentation. This is the genesis of nearly
all indigestion and intestinal disorders. Fermentation changes food from a life- giving to a life-
destroying substance. It generates a poisonous gas which is
absorbed by the system and which preys upon the red
corpuscles of the blood, lowering the vitality of every organ
of the body. This is only one of the many evils that result from
imperfect mastication. A whole book could be written and the
subject not exhausted—in fact, a very admirable work has
been written by Mr. Horace Fletcher called "The A B Z of
Our Own Nutrition," devoted almost entirely to the subject of
mastication. Under the heading of "Some Pertinent
Questions" he suggests that the reader interrogate himself as
follows: "Were I an iron and steel automobile instead of a
flesh and blood automobile, which I really am, could I get a
license for myself as a chauffeur to run myself with safety,
based upon my knowledge of my own mechanism and the
theory and development of my powers?" Nature refuses to create and keep healthful any part of
the anatomy or member of the body which is not used. Allow
the arm to rest in a sling for a few months, and nature will
cease to feed it, and it will become feeble, emaciated and
almost useless. Nature is a perfect economist. If the teeth are not used,
she will refuse to keep them in repair; she will allow them to
decay. She presumes that you do not need them because you
have refused to put them to that use for which they were
created. So long as people subsist upon soft, cooked, mushy
foods, they cannot expect to have good teeth. This is one of
the greatest arguments against the baneful habit of cooking
and in favor of elementary foods. Nature produces no food that should be swallowed
without mastication, when eaten in its elementary state. She
produces no soup trees, gravy vines, mush plants or cook
stoves. Elementary food must be masticated. Thorough
mastication will develop numerous  flavors in foods that are a
revelation in enjoyment to those who live upon them. The majority of people cheat and dull the keenest sense
of taste and defeat the primary purposes of nature by doing as
others do, viz.