 our
energy of attention and use it in a creative and conscious
way in the present. Mantras, through their sound energy, produce a certain
emotional force or force of feeling. Through these energies
we can become conscious of our emotions. Through
mantra we can exercise our emotions. We can learn to play
with and master emotions, which are cosmic forces of
expression. We can learn how to creatively and conscious-
ly experience anger, fear, joy, or grief like an actor. We can
energize them and by degrees merge them into each other,
until our mind returns to its original state of pure feeling. The Healing Power of Mantra 229 A
Mantra and Breath
Prana, the life-force, is the primordial sound vibration
behind the universe. There is a sound behind the breath,
which itself is unmanifest sound. Our words are created by
the outgoing breath. To combine mantra with the breath
is a powerful way of changing the energy of the mind. Our
emotional disturbances are linked up with wrong move-
ments of the life-force. Using mantra and Pranayama
together removes these (note section on Pranayama, par-
ticularly So'ham Pranayama). Mantra and Meditation
Most of us fail at meditation because we have not prop-
erly prepared the mental field. Meditation in the true
sense, giving our attention fully to the object of our atten-
tion, requires that we already have a calm mind and con-
trolled attention. Conditioned as we are in the modem age
to entertainment, sensory indulgence and wishful think-
ing, this is something that we do not have. Mantra is the
way to prepare the mental field for meditation. It removes
the Rajas and Tamas in the mind, so that meditation,
which requires Sattva to proceed properly, can occur. Mantra provides a vehicle to carry us forward in medi-
tation. Otherwise, distracted thought patterns disturb the
mind. Mantra gives energy to meditation. To try to put
the mind directly into a blank or silent state may be no
more than to put our attention into our subconscious,
where its dark tendencies can further inflict their pain
upon us. Mantra serves like a boat to take us across the
ocean of the unconscious. Mantra-prepared meditation is
easier, safer and more powerful than trying to meditate
directly. Once the mantra permeates the subconscious, the Ayurveda and the Mind
subconscious will support meditation, providing it far
greater efficacy. Energetics of Sound
Sounds possess specific physiological and psychological
effects. Just as hot or cold weather affects our body in a cer-
tain way, so do different sounds and how we repeat them. However, the effects of external factors upon our body are
easier to observe than the effects of sound. Furthermore,
just as some people prefer heat while others like cool con-
ditions, so the effects of sound, though objective, are capa-
ble of diverse subjective interpretations. Once we know
the energetics of sounds we can apply them therapeutical-
ly like the use of herbs or foods. Mantras are like Asanas for the mind. They give plas-
ticity and adaptability to the mind. They exercise the
mind's energy and give the mind poise and stability. As
asana controls the body and Pranayama controls the
breath, so mantra controls the mind. Mantra maintains the
strength and integrity of our mental field and sustains the
proper circulation of energies in it. This reduces our vul-
nerability to external conditioning, which, after all, is
based largely on names. Mantra therapy primarily uses what are called "bija
mantras" or seed-syllables. These are prime sounds that
underlie the more diverse sound patterns of ordinary
speech. Though they sound simple and can be easily
repeated, they are reflections of a primordial energy that
cannot be exhausted. Mantra Therapy
Mantras are the most important part of the spiritual
and mental therapy of Ayurveda. Ayurveda uses mantra The Healing Power of Mantra 231 A
therapy to correct psychological and psychic disorders. Such disorders are an imbalance of energy in the mental
field. A mantra of opposite energy is employed to neutral-
ize it. Mantras are effective tools for correcting mental
imbalances. They are easy to use and don't require any
painful or tedious deliberation about our condition. Mantras help balance the biological humors of Vata,
Pitta and Kapha, and their subtle counterparts of Prana,
Tejas and Ojas. They help harmonize consciousness, intel-
ligence and mind. Mantras help clear subtle impurities
from the nerves and subtle channels (nadis). They aid in
concentration and creative thinking. Application of Mantra
Mantras can be used by the healer to energize the heal-
ing process or by the patient to increase their own healing. Mantras can function as channels to infuse the cosmic life-
force into our healing methods. They impart a spirit to the
forms that we provide, allowing for a truly integral heal-
ing process. Mantras help purify the treatment room. The mantra
OM is effective for creating a healing space. HUM is good
for dissolving negative energies that may exist in the treat-
ment room. RAM can be used to bring the Divine light
and cosmic life-force into the healing room. Such mantras
can be chanted mentally by the healer over the client to
help clear them on a psychic level. Mantras like KRIM or
SHRIM can be used to energize the healing power of herbs
or medicines. For mental or nervous disorders, it is important that
the patient or client chant the appropriate mantra. For
example, SHAM relieves pain, tremors and mental unrest,
HUM restores nerve function, counters paralysis, and A232 Ayurveda and the Mind
improves expression, and SOM helps rebuild the cere-
brospinal fluid and nourishes the deeper mind. Mantras must be pronounced properly, which may
require personal instruction. They must be done with care
as a sacred ritual, not as a mere pastime. To be effective, a
mantra should be repeated a minimum of a hundred times
a day for a period of at least one month. The magic of
mantra only arises after we have repeated it for some time. Generally a mantra does not become fully empowered
until it has been repeated at least a hundred thousand
times per syllable of the mantra. 67
Mantras can be repeated not only during meditation
but also during any time of the day when the mind is
unoccupied. It is good to repeat mantras before sleep to
promote right sleep and dreams and after waking up in the
morning to promote wholesome mental activity during
the day. Extended periods of mantra repetition can be done
like a mental fast or a clearing for consciousness. Repeat-
ing a mantra for an extended period gives a mantra bath
for the mind and clears it of any negative thoughts and
impressions. It is the best thing for cleaning the mind,
which is otherwise too dirty with its various self-centered
thoughts to concentrate on anything. A mind not cleansed
through mantra is unlikely to have the clarity for psycho-
logical peace much less spiritual growth. Prime Mantras
OM: the most important of all mantras, it represents
the Divine Word itself. It serves to energize or
empower all things and all processes. Therefore all
mantras begin and end with OM. OM clears the
mind, opens the channels and increases Ojas. It is
the sound of affirmation that allows us to accept The Healing Power of Mantra 233
who we are and open up to the positive forces of the
universe. OM is the sound of Prana and the sound of
the inner light that takes our energy up the spine. It
awakens the positive life-force (Prana) necessary for
healing to occur. It opens up all the potentials of
consciousness. RAM (with an a-sound as in 'father'): an excellent
mantra for drawing down the protective light and
grace of the Divine. It gives strength, calm, rest,
peace and is particularly good for high Vata condi-
tions and mental disorders, including insomnia, bad
dreams, nervousness, anxiety, excessive fear and
fright. It strengthens and fortifies Ojas and the
immune system. HUM: (pronounced with the 'u' sound as in our
word'put'): an excellent mantra forwarding off neg-
ative influences attacking us, whether disease-caus-
ing pathogens, negative emotions, or even black
magic. It is also the best mantra for awakening
Agni, either as the digestive fire or the fire of the
mind. It is good for burning up toxins, whether
physically or psychologically, and for cleansing the
channels. It increases Tejas and the perceptive pow-
ers of the mind (Buddhi) and gives control over our
desire nature. It is sacred to Shiva, the God of trans-
formation, and is the sound of Divine wrath. AIM (pronounced 'aym'): a good mantra for improv-
ing concentration, right thinking, rational powers
and improving speech. It awakens and increases
intelligence (Buddhi), particularly in its creative
and expressive function (Buddhi-Manas coordina-
tion). It is helpful in mental and nervous disorders A234


Q: What is the author's view on the concept of depression?,
A: It is an illusion, and it can be overcome by recognizing that one is never alone and that love will cast out fear<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>These kinds of feelings allow the blackness of the cloud
to engulf them. In bringing light to this picture of bleakness we can choose
to treat others as we would like to be treated. Light and morality go hand in
hand. The moment someone feels a sense of being treated fairly, the black
cloud seems to lift. I recall Mother T eresa’ s characterization of what she did at her mission. “Every day I see Jesus Christ in all of his distressing disguises.” She could
see the perfection in the derelict on the streets, and she would bring a kind
of morality and light to the person. That alone would help to lift the veil of
darkness that shrouded the homeless person. And so it is with each of us. When you can stop and think how you would like to be treated in this same
situation, you are bringing morality, an ingredient of light, to bear on
someone’ s darkness. Even having heard the golden rule all your life, you
know that it is wonderful advice. I ur ge you to give serious consideration to
this way of sending darkness out of your life, and bringing light to those
who feel mistreated. You can also begin to treat yourself in this way whenever you feel an
absence of light in your life. If you feel hurt or betrayed because of the
mistreatment of others and darkness has descended on you, ask yourself
how you would prefer to have been treated. Then see that kind of light and
moral treatment as descending on you from God. For give and for get the
person you are angry toward and know that you are in God’ s moral light
right in this moment. In this way you always have access to the light. Thinking how you want to be treated helps you also to extend the golden
rule to others. My young son and I were standing in line at a water park recently, and
overheard a woman in the adjacent line order three soft drinks, and then
discover that she was short of money to pay for them. She was obviously
upset over not having the few coins that she needed and the clerk was
showing no sympathy for her plight. My immediate response in such
situations is to of fer the coins, which I did. But first I asked myself how I
would like to be treated if I was in that situation. The old golden rule.This works for me also after ar guments with my wife or family members. As I sit alone in my frustration, I ask myself how I want to be treated right
now. Then I proceed to act the way I want to be treated, by breaking the
silence or apologizing. The problem is diminished in the light that the
golden rule has cast on the darkness. 3. Truth. James Russell Lowell once said, “Light is the symbol of truth.”
And I would add that “Darkness is the symbol of deceit.” Y ou can hide the
truth in the dark while in the light there are no mysteries, no hidden things,
everything is revealed. Thus, darkness conceals while light reveals. When
you bring light to darkness as Saint Francis requests in this line from the
prayer, you are bringing an attitude of openness that does not allow truth to
be fearful or hidden. In David Hawkins’ s powerful book Power V ersus
Force he of fers us this wisdom, “In the process of examining our everyday
lives we can find that all our fears have been based on falsehood. The
displacement of the false by the true is the essence of the healing of all
things visible and invisible.”
Many years ago I wrote an article titled “Who Do Y ou Trust?” for a
counseling journal. The central theme of this article was that we tend to
believe the people who are willing to tell us the truth, even though we may
not like that truth. The people who tell us exactly what we want to hear,
while it may be comforting in the moment, are not the people we trust. When you need advice or help from someone, whose opinion do you trust? The one who is only interested in having you feel good, or the one who will
tell you the truth irrespective of how you might react to what they are
telling you? You will truly grow to understand the biblical reminder, “The truth shall set
you free,” as you practice being a bringer of truth to problem situations. From the perspective of truth only, you shine the light of truth on all
problems and they literally fade away under the intense scrutiny of that
light. Nothing is hidden, nothing is concealed. I recall walking with a chronically overweight woman who was never able
to shed those excess pounds despite trying every fad diet that existed. She
swore to me that she didn’ t overeat and that a metabolism problem was thesource of her obesity. I encouraged her to take an honest “truth-only”
approach to her problem and to bring this truth to her daily activities. I told
her to record everything that she ate, or drank, and to keep an honest log of
exercise, twenty-four hours a day for a week. At the end of one week she
was stunned by what the truth revealed about her daily regimen. The one
criterion I insisted upon was truth. She discovered that without realizing it,
she had been deceiving herself. She “for got” the many times throughout the
day when she put food in her mouth, she seldom exercised, she drank
almost no water, but consumed soft drinks and alcohol in much lar ger
amounts than she had admitted to herself. Most of her “cheating” was done
when she was alone, out of sight of others, in the dark, so to speak. It was
the truth that ultimately set her free. As she brought a new light to her
condition she was able to see the problem dissolve. Most addictions are supported and maintained by denial, which is the
monster hiding in the darkness afraid to be seen in the light. Eating
disorders are almost always practiced in the safety of the darkness, behind
closed doors. Denial is a way of life, and the problem continues on its
downward slide until that person finally allows the truth, the light, to shine
in. Severe drug addicts and alcoholics often must face what is called an
intervention before they finally make the decision to become free. An
intervention is a direct confrontation by family and friends in which the
addict is forced to hear the truth. The light shines with no room for escape
into darkness, and ultimately the addicted person goes to a place where no
deception, duplicity or misrepresentation is allowed. The light shines
brightly. The darkness and the problem dissolve if the person decides to
stay in the light. As you seek a spiritual solution to problems, the essence of truth as a vital
component of light becomes obvious. Be a person who is willing to look
honestly at the low ener gies of the darkness in your own life, and make a
commitment to shine a truthful light in those places. Then, bring that
truthful light to any and all darkness that you experience. Y ou will radiate
outward an ener gy that will help to dissolve deception or subtle fraudulence
just by the presence of your light.4. Clarity. When you live in the light and you bring this light to shine on
darkness, you are bringing an unambiguous knowing to the problem. I call
this aspect of light, clarity. It is a knowing within yourself that you are
connected to God free of any doubt. This kind of clarity is the exact
opposite of what occurs in the darkness. In darkness you grope around for
something to hang onto and will grab the first thing that you touch. There is
no clarity, and consequently there is no light. Imagine shining the brightest light you can on a diamond. What you will
see is a sparkling clear brightness. In contrast, look at the same diamond in
a low-lit, semidark place. The clarity is gone. This metaphor illustrates the
value of clarity in the face of problems; yours or those of others. If you are
not perfectly clear about your spiritual connection, you will bring this
muddled doubt to the problem, and the problem will continue and seem to
be an inexplicable riddle. Bringing light to darkness is bringing your own
clear vision of your capacity to nullify the problem with your light. No
fuzziness in the picture, no contaminants, only a bright light that is devoid
of any and all obstructions. While researching and writing about many of the great masters and their
teachings for Wisdom of the Ages; Sixty Days to Enlightenment, I noticed
the one thing that all these ancestral masters shared was a clarity of purpose
about their lives. Michelangelo and DaV inci were clear about their vision
and they brought that bright clear light to everything they created. Thoreau
knew with complete clarity what he had to do, and marched to that
drumbeat regardless of the outcome. Elizabeth Barrett Browning had a clear
vision of her need to leave behind the darkness of a father ’s fears and
intractable nature and flee to a foreign land to fulfill her mission. These and
the others I wrote about had a clarity of purpose that would not be clouded
by any doubt or darkness in their lives. You too have the option to bring this kind of clear vision to your life and the
lives of others. When you let yourself trust the clear


 by  traditional  doctors,  including  acupuncture,
naturopathy, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, reflexology, massage therapy and
Chinese herbal remedies." Sounds like good news,  doesn't  it? Unfortunately,  though, these  time  honored
proven natural methods are going to have to somehow be made to fit the modern
scientific medical model — one which has already been shown to have largely
failed:
"Many scientists are actually excited to see that alternative methods are being
scientifically evaluated,' Groft said. 'It is important to separate those that are
working from those that aren't working for both patients and physicians... The task is to assess the scientific evidence already available, determine whether
more research is worthwhile and give priority to funding." — Gannett News Service
August, 1993
Sound familiar? It's the same old strains of the same old song — we, the  scientific
"experts" will tell you what works for you. But we've already examined where
their 'proof' comes from and just how unreliable it is. Ironically, the agency that is
calling for scientific evaluation of these natural health treatments is The National
Institutes of Health that was itself responsible for the recent tests on the hepatitis
drug that killed nearly all of the research participants. So just how valuable are the
medical community's'scientific' assessments? At this point in time, we need to stop examining and picking apart therapies that
have  hundreds,  and  in  some  cases,  thousands  of  years of  practical  experience
behind them. Rather than wasting their time and our money on the unnecessary
contortions  of  trying  to  "scientifically"  prove  what  hundreds  of  thousands  of
patients have already experienced over many centuries with these simple and safe
natural techniques, the National Institutes of Health and their panel of experts'
efforts would be infinitely better spent on deciding how to formúlate new and
66inexpensive FDA guidelines for approving traditional medical therapies and in
qualifying responsible health care practitioners for both conventional and natural
medicine.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        And  there  has been even  less  interest  in the  interactive  effects  of
environmental agents or of long-term behavioral patterns on health"
The seemingly enormous healing power of new synthetic drugs  appeared to make
common sense natural approaches to medicine obsolete. Now that we had miracle
antibiotics that could apparently cure everything and powerful pain relievers and
new, fantastic surgical techniques, who needed outmoded, unsophisticated natural
medical approaches like urine therapy or nutrition or homeopathy or herbs. As  the  twentieth  century  progressed,  people  didn't  treat  themselves  at  home
anymore with time-honored natural remedies. It you got sick, instead of treating
yourself with more rest, better food and a simple traditional natural medicine, you
went to the doctor or the drug store to buy whatever'miracle' drug  was popular at
the time, or you had an operation. In our century, drug companies, and the medical researchers they hired, took the
job of making and experimenting with medicines away from doctors and the public
and withdrew into their laboratories. In  scientific  seclusion,  far  removed  from  the  world  of  the  doctor-patient
relationship,  researchers  experimented  with  chemical  compounds  and  isolated
medically active ingredients in natural substances such as previously well-known
herbs or urine, and then formulated drugs from these elements. In the case of urine therapy, urine was used in its natural form, or as simple urea in
numerous  clinical  tests  throughout  our  century,  but  these  studies  were  never
36publicized,  because,  for the  most  part,  the  use  of  natural  medicines had  been
discontinued in medical practice in favor of patented drugs and surgery. With  our  new  system  of  modem  medicine,  people  no  longer  felt  that  it  was
necessary or important for them to know how their bodies worked or how to treat
themselves with simple methods at home. Most consumers felt that the knowledge
of the body and how to heal it was best left in the hands of scientists and trained
doctors  and  surgeons  who  knew  so  much  more  than  we  did  about  how  to
manipulate and alter the body and defeat disease. In this scenario, the use of urine therapy wasn't important to the public. No one
talked about it or shared the information with their family and friends as they had
in days gone by. And even though modem researchers were discovering amazing
things  about  urine  therapy,  these  discoveries  were  kept  within  the  walls  of
academic research and were never or rarely shared with the public. But  were  we  right  to  abandon  traditional  and  common  sense  approaches  to
healing. Should natural healing methods like urine therapy have a place in our
lives or should we just continue to completely surrender our personal health-care
needs and concerns to doctors and medical researchers. Are chemical drugs and
surgery really  the answer to all  our health problems. As most of us are aware
today — they're not. No  matter  how  many  incredible  discoveries  medical  science  may  have  made
during the twentieth century, millions of us are sick or even crippledby illness
today. Our doctors don't know what to do. Our scientists continue to tell us that
science, drugs and surgery will cure us, but they don't. As The Betrayal of Health points out, our modern miracle medicine is not the
miracle we thought it was:
"As  the  infectious  diseases  became  less  and  less  prevalent,  and  the  chronic
diseases advanced to the forefront of illness, cracks have begun to appear in the
fortress of allopathic medicine. The methods that had produced the successes of
Jenner, Pasteur, Koch, Fleming and Salk no longer seemed to be working. Further
flaws in, and abuses of, modern  medical techniques have become all too apparent. 37The unqualified successes of earlier decades have come up against the failures of
modern medicine. The epidemic of chronic illness in the United States, particularly  arterial disease
and  cancer,  is the  stellar embarrassment  of  medicine and  its high-technology
weapons. These degenerative illnesses — far from being bull's eye illnesses — are complex
dysfunctions of bodily systems that must be approached systematically. With them, the model of specific cause/specific medical intervention simply isn't
working. What is worse, many interventions, from prescription drugs to expensive
surgery, cause more harm than good when they are overused or abused by doctors
and patients. Ironically, the wonder drugs of the last century may never have worked as well as
we  thought. Medical  historians  report  that  the  dramatic  improvements  in
morbidity and mortality rates in the past hundred years were not exclusively, nor
even mainly, due to doctors' intervention. The great health improvements  of the nineteenth century were not the result of
medical interventions per se, but of basic improvements in  nutritional and living
conditions that coincided with (and often preceded) these interventions. " So even though we believed that drugs and medical science alone were  responsible
for saving us from smallpox and typhoid and other terrible diseases, this was never
true. The truth was that we got fewer infectious diseases in the twentieth century
because  we had better living conditions. For the first time in history, we had
widespread modem sanitation, clean water and more and better food distribution
than  ever  before. In  the  modem  environment  of  civilized  nations,  infectious
diseases disappeared because the breeding grounds for germs, such as open sewers,
contaminated water supplies and malnourished bodies were largely eliminated. But medical science undeservedly took and received the greatest credit and public
acclaim for these tremendous health improvements. And the medical community
today is still trying to convince us that no matter what goes wrong with our bodies,
the solution will always be found within the realm of drugs and surgery. 38It is true that drugs and surgery can be extremely effective  for critical care, health
emergencies,  structural  deformities  or  accident  cases,  but  these  aggressive
therapies should never have developed into everyday medical approaches that we
automatically  resort  to  almost  immediately  for  every  imaginable  illness  we
contract. Western culture made a grave error when it eliminated all natural approaches to
health in favor of drugs and surgery. Natural healing methods that gently stimulate
and support the immune system without dangerous side effects have advantages
that drugs and surgery can't offer. And it wasn't that traditional natural health
therapies, such as urine therapy, hadn't worked in the past – it was simply that
historically they weren't always applied within the context of good nutrition and
sanitation and proper health practices because this knowledge wasn't available in
the centuries preceding ours. And  as  Beasely  points  out,  it  was  extremely  ironic  that  even  though  modem
science has proven the importance and impact of such common sense factors as
diet


 is
rewarding. T o begin with, there are a lot of payof fs to blame. W e get to be
innocent; we get to enjoy self-pity; we get to be the martyr and the victim;
and we get to be the recipients of sympathy. Perhaps the biggest payof f of blame is that we get to be the innocent
victim and the other party is the bad one. W e see this game played out in the
media constantly, such as the endless blame games dramatized in a
multitude of controversies, mudslinging, character assassinations, and
lawsuits. In addition to the emotional payof f, blame has considerable
financial benefits; therefore, it is a tempting package to be the innocent
victim, as it is often financially rewarded. There was a famous example of this in New Y ork City many years ago. A public conveyance accident occurred. People poured out of the front door
of the vehicle, then gathered in a small crowd, furnishing their names and
addresses for future financial benefit. Bystanders quickly caught on to the
game and secretly climbed into the back of the vehicle, so that they could
then emer ge from the front as injured, “innocent victims. ” They hadn’ t even
been in the accident, but they were going to collect a reward. Blame is the world’ s greatest excuse. It enables us to remain limited
and small without feeling guilty. But there is a cost—the loss of our
freedom. Also, the role of victim brings with it a self-perception of
weakness, vulnerability, and helplessness, which are the major components
of apathy and depression. The first step out of blame is to see that we are choosing  to blame. Other people who have had similar circumstances have for given, for gotten,
and handled the same situation in a totally dif ferent way. W e earlier saw the
case of V iktor Frankl, who chose to for give the Nazi prison guards and to
see a hidden gift in his experience at the concentration camps. Because
others, such as Frankl, have chosen not to blame, that option is also open to
us. W e have to be honest and realize that we are blaming because we
choose to blame. This is true, no matter how justified the circumstances
may appear to be. It is not a matter of right or wrong; it is merely a matter
of taking responsibility for our own consciousness. It is a totally dif ferent
situation to see that we choose  to blame rather than to think that we have  to
blame. In this circumstance, the mind often thinks, “W ell, if the other
person or event is not to blame, then I  must be. ” Blaming others or
ourselves is simply not necessary. The attraction of blame arises in early childhood as a daily occurrence
in the classroom, playground, and at home among siblings. Blame is the
central issue in the endless court proceedings and lawsuits that characterize
our society. In truth, blame is just another one of the negative programs that
we have allowed our mind to buy because we never stopped to question it. Why must something always be someone’ s “fault”. Why must the whole
concept of “wrong” be introduced to the situation in the first place. Why
must one of us be wrong, bad, or at fault. What seemed like a good idea at
the time may not have turned out well. That’ s all. Unfortunate events may
have just happened. T o overcome blame, it is necessary to look at the secret satisfaction and
enjoyment we get out of self-pity, resentment, anger, and self-excuses, and
to begin to surrender all of these little payof fs. The purpose of this step is to
move up from being a victim of our feelings to choosing to have them. If
we merely acknowledge and observe them, begin to disassemble them, and
surrender the component parts, then we are consciously exercising choice. In this way, we make a major move out of the morass of helplessness. It is helpful in overcoming resistance and taking responsibility for our
negative programs and feelings to see that they come from the small aspect
of ourselves. It is the very nature of the smallest part of ourselves to think
negatively, so there’ s an unconscious tendency to agree readily to its limited
viewpoint. But that is not the whole of our beingness; for outside and
beyond the smaller self is our greater Self. W e may not be conscious of our
inner greatness. W e may not be experiencing it, but it is there. If we let go
of our resistance to it, we can begin to experience it. Depression and apathy,
therefore, result from the willingness to hang on to the small self and its
belief systems, plus the resistance to our Higher Self, which consists of all
of the opposites of the negative feelings. It is the nature of the universe that everything in it is represented by its
equal and opposite. Thus, the electron’ s equal and opposite is the positron. Every force has an equal and opposite counter -force. Y in is compensated
for by Y ang. There is fear but there is also courage. There is hatred but its
opposite is love. There is timidity but there is also bravery. There is
stinginess but also generosity. In the human psyche, every feeling has its
opposite. The way out of negativity is, therefore, the willingness to
acknowledge and let go of negative feelings and, at the same time, the
willingness to let go of resisting their positive opposite. Depression and
apathy are the result of being at the ef fect of the negative polarity. How
does this work in everyday life. Let’ s look again at the example of someone’ s birthday that is
approaching quickly. Because of things that have happened in the past, we
have resentments and feel unwilling to do anything for the birthday. Somehow, it just seems impossible to get out and shop for a birthday
present. W e resent having to spend the money. The mind conjures up all
kinds of justifications: “I don’ t have time to shop”; “I can’ t for get how
mean she was”; “She should apologize to me first. ” In this case, two things
are operating: clinging to the negative and the smallness in ourselves, andresisting the positive and the greatness in ourselves. The way out of apathy
is to see, first of all, that “I can’ t” is an “I won’ t. ” In looking at the “I
won’ t,” we see that it is there because of negative feelings and, as they
come up, they can be acknowledged and let go. It is also apparent that we
are resisting positive feelings. These feelings of love, generosity, and
for giveness can be looked at one by one. W e can sit down and imagine the quality of generosity and let go
resisting it. Is there something generous within ourselves. In this case, we
may not be willing to apply it to the birthday person in the beginning. What
we can begin to see is the existence of such a quality as generosity within
our consciousness. W e begin to see that, as we let go resisting the feeling of
generosity, there is generosity. W e do, in fact, enjoy giving to others under
certain circumstances. W e begin to remember the positive flood of feeling
that comes upon us when we express gratitude and acknowledge the gifts
that others have given us. W e see that we have really been suppressing a
desire to for give and, as we let go of the resistance to being for giving, there
emer ges the willingness to let go of the grievance. As we do this, we stop
identifying with our small self and become consciously aware that there is
something in us that is greater. It is always there but hidden from view. This process is applicable in all negative situations. It enables us to
change the context by which we perceive our current situation. It enables us
to give it a new and dif ferent meaning. It lifts us up from being the helpless
victim to the conscious chooser. In the example given, it doesn’ t mean that
we have to rush out and buy a birthday gift. But it does mean that we are
now aware that we are in our current position out of choice. W e have total
freedom, with greater latitude of action and choice. This is a much higher
state of consciousness than the helpless victim who is trapped by a past
resentment. One of the laws of consciousness is: W e ar e only subject to a negative
thought or belief if we consciously say that it applies to us. W e are free to
choose not to buy into a negative belief system. How does this work in everyday life. Let’ s take a common example. The newspapers report unemployment is at a record high. The television
news commentator states: “No jobs are available. ” At this point, we are free
to refuse to buy into the negative thought form. W e can say instead,
“Unemployment does not apply to me. ” By refusing to accept the negative
belief, it now has no hold over our own life. Examples from personal experience reveal that, during periods of high
unemployment such as after W orld W ar II, there was no problem getting a
job. As a matter of fact, one could have two or even three jobs at the same
time: dishwasher, waiter, bellhop, cab driver, bartender, factory worker,
greenhouse worker, and window-washer.


 concentrations
cause the urine to taste extremely unpleasant. If
you wish to keep eating meat, the best meat prod
ucts are fish and fowl, free of hormones. Avoid foods containing refined flour products,
white sugar and white rice. These nutrients also
acidify the blood and body. Avoid processed and
radiated foods and foods which contain colourings
or flavourings. A diet can be as personal as you wish. Experi
ment and consider which diet fits in with your life
style and at the same time provides an optimal
amount of energy. Because it is virtually impossible to avoid all poi
sonous substances, we must take extra precaution
ary measures concerning our health. Fresh air and
clean water are vitally important for good health. Unfortunately, it is not easy to come by good, clean
water. Tap water is full of harmful substances, such
as fluoride, chlorine and aluminium. It is advisable,
especially for drinking, to use purified water from
bottles or containers. You can also purchase a good
water filter. It is more difficult to come by fresh air-it is not
for sale in bottles or containers... You can, how
ever, go to a wooded area or the beach for the exer
cise you need. Exercise (in moderation) is important:
it increases the heartbeat, stimulates the circula
tion and strengthens the muscles. It also de-acidi
fies the blood. Most importantly, it should form a
part of your daily routine, and preferably a pleasur
able part. Even if you choose to do something dif
ferent every day, you will benefit from any regular
form of exercise. 60 Going With the Flow As already discussed, urine has a healing and nour
ishing effect on the skin. One can see urine mas
sage as feeding the body through the skin. It als
cleans and regenerates. If you want to smell fres
after rubbing urine into your skin, treat your ski
with a natural body lotion or oil to which a fe
drops of essential oil have been added. However,
avoid all unnatural body lotions, creams, etc., since
your skin is a very large organ through which sub-j
stances are absorbed into your body. i
As already mentioned, I myself almost never use! soap or shampoo, as urine is an excellent cleanser. I:
also use it as an alternative 'aftershave'. You might:
also want to experiment with doing without soap:
and shampoo. This suggestion gives me the opportunity to make:
one concluding comment in this section. Althoughi
this chapter is full of guidelines and advice, it is:
important to be aware of what you do and why.' Take the time to experiment with urine therapy. People learn most of all from their own experiences. Try to feel what a certain method does or means to
you. Consider whether it works for you; perhaps it
does not work for you at all. Stay in touch with
your feelings and your body. It is not only urine
therapy which heals you or makes you feel more
vital; in the end it is you yourself who is doing that. Urine therapy is an extremely effective aid, espe
cially if you apply it consciously, carefully and with
love for yourself. 4. 7 Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions
1) Isn't urine a waste product which the body
excretes because it is poisonous? The idea that urine is a poisonous waste product is
not based upon fact. It has been scientifically proven
that, besides water, urine consists mainly of min
erals, hormones and enzymes which are not harm
ful to the body. The body can re-use many of these
substances. Urine is simply a healthy liquid which is filtered
out of the bloodstream. What at one moment was
part of the blood can be found in urine a split sec
ond later. Certain substances are then filtered by
the kidneys and secreted as raw materials which
can be directly absorbed by the body upon renewed
intake by way of drinking or massaging. The kidneys filter hundreds of litres of blood per
day (approximately 1700 litres). The greatest part
of the filtered urine, the so-called 'pre-urine', is di
rectly re-absorbed into the blood. Excess substances
and the end products of nitrogen and protein me
tabolism together with water form the one to two
litres of excreted urine. The kidneys are not intended to remove poison
ous substances from the body-the liver, intestines,
skin and exhalation take 7are of this. Obviously,
the food you consume finds its way into the blood,
and therefore into the urine, which is why it is im
portant to follow a healthy diet. This in itself has
nothing to do with urine therapy, but is important
if you practise urine therapy. Even if we assume that poisonous substances can
be found in urine, this does not necessarily mean
that they are harmful to the body when ingested. If these bodily waste products are natural (i.e., not
chemical due to the use of medication, etc. ), they
can be used to manufacture antibodies which resto
re balance to the body. In fact, a homoeopathic or
isopathic effect takes place. Urine is a sort of infor
mation card which registers the condition of the
blood. When that information is carried back to the
body, the body can consequently react according
to this feedback and it will normally do this in an
appropriate and precise way. In this respect, the
body is an extremely advanced and intelligent sys
tem. We see how precisely this system works in
animals: animals are not in danger of their own
poison, as they lick their wounds without any pro
blems. They do not do that just to clean their
wounds but also to feed the 'wound inform
ation' back into the body so that it can react appro
priately. Furthermore, the intestines do not absorb all the
substances we consume and they are able to make
a selection. To a certain extent, they select what is
useful to the body and excrete the rest through
defecation. Certain substances are converted by the
bacteria in the intestines into other substances
which the body can use or absorb better in that
form. Such is the case with urea. You might ask if urea will not cause any poison
ing symptoms when taken in again. Although urea
is poisonous when present in very large amounts
in the blood, only relatively small amounts of urea
are ingested when you drink urine. This does not
The Application of Urine Therapy 61 end up directly in the blood, but rather in the intesti
nes, and primarily has a purifying, cleansing effect. The bulk of it does not show up as urea in the blood,
but is converted into the highly useful substance
glutamine. 2) Aren't there harmful and pathogenic bacte-
ria in urine7
It is indisputable that the urine from ninety per
cent of the population is almost entirely free of all
bacteria (sterile). Doctors and pathologists confirm
this. This is simply because urine does not come
into contact with anything until it is excreted, and
furthermore contains substances which kill bacte
ria. In the other ten percent, micro-organisms can
be found, which can be caused by a latent illness or
infection of the kidneys or urinary passages. Drinking urine which contains a certain amount
of micro-organisms can nevertheless be considered
harmless. We constantly eat, drink and inhale bac
teria. A large number of bacteria permanently exist
in our body, and they generally do not make us sick. Some caution is suggested with infections of the
kidneys, bladder or urinary passages. The number
of bacteria can be quite high in these cases and
sometimes even pus can be seen in the urine. Even
then, some urine therapists, such as Armstrong, rec
ommend drinking everything excreted. Externally applied, urine is an excellent antisep
tic remedy. Fresh urine is sterile and therefore ex
cellent for cleaning wounds. Old urine contains
ammonia and other substances which ensure that
the infection and decay are combated. 62 Going With the Flow 3) If urine is so useful and good for the body,
why does the body excrete it7
We can make the comparison here to a dam in a
river. If water rises above a certain level, the sur
plus flows away through the floodgates. However,
this does pot mean that the surplus water is use
less. In the same way, a surplus of water and salts
can leave the body at any moment through the kid
neys. If you drink more water, more urine is pro
duced and if you drink less water, less urine is
produced. Everybody knows this from personal ex
perience. Nature works in cycles, allowing matter to re
turn to its original substance and be re-used for con
struction. Many substances still floating through
•. the blood in compounded form are filtered by the
kidneys and return to their original substances. In
this way they can easily be re-absorbed by the body. Once again, I refer to the example of a tree which
lives off its fallen leaves. Nature possesses an infal
lible capacity for recycling, of which urine therapy
is


qualities of rajas and tamas, you will constantly seek your sense of self-
value, self-worth, and experience of satisfaction in the world outside of you
—in people, places, and situations that are always changing. The charts on
this and the following pages summarize signs that identify each of the three
gunas, along with a list of the sensory experiences that magnify the ef fect of
each. Sattva
Some signs of sattva include the following:
Receptivity
Clarity
Peace
Joy
Healthy detachment
Inner quietude
Clear memory
Calm sleep
Compassion
Selflessness
Healthy relationships
Healthy habitsNonviolence/compassion
Truthfulness
Cleanliness
The following types of sensory input increase sattva:
Smell:  scents that uplift the mood and invoke clarity, such
as the natural scents of rose, jasmine, lavender, and
sandalwood
Taste:  mindful eating and a diet of organic, freshly prepared
vegetarian foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables; nuts,
seeds, grains, and legumes; ethically and freshly produced
milk, ghee, and paneer; and natural sweeteners
Sight:  clean and uncluttered spaces and uplifting sights
such as the sky, sacred spaces, and natural environments
Feeling:  good company, uplifting and peaceful
environments, the ef fects of meditation and pranayama,
gentle and nourishing movement and self-care practices
Hearing:  kirtan  (to call, recite, praise, or glorify some form of
Divinity through song), uplifting conversations, spiritual
discussions, ambient or classical music
Rajas
Some signs of rajas include the following:
Aggression
OvercompetitivenessFrustration
Agitation/impatience
Anxiety/worry
Insomnia/disturbed sleep
Restlessness/klutziness
Overstimulation
Discontent
Turbulence in relationships
Self-criticalness
Judgmentalness
Self-righteousness
Narrow-mindedness
Ambition
Arrogance
Powerful sensory desires
Greediness
Jealousy
The following types of sensory input increase rajas:
Smell:  scents that activate the mind, including rosemary,
peppermint, cof fee, citrus, and cinnamon
Taste:  caffeine, alcohol, overly sour and spicy foods, onion
and garlic, foods with a strong flavor, distracted eating or
multitasking while eatingSight:  competitive sports, action movies, too much activity,
fast movement
Feeling:  overstimulating and busy environments; excessive
movement, working, or talking; exercising too intensely;
competitive or future-oriented company; impulsive behavior
Hearing:  gossip, loud noise, music with a strong beat,
uncontrolled thoughts
Tamas
Some signs of tamas include the following:
Sluggishness and lethargy
Stubbornness
Lack of motivation
Depression
Dull mind; foggy thinking; feeling “blah”
Lack of sensitivity
Deep-seated emotional blockages
Being stuck in the past
Needing excessive sleep
Dishonesty
Lack of intelligence
Lack of self-control
Being easily influencedTaking drugs
Having a negative idea of self
Dirtiness
Dependence
Being identified with body
Addiction
The following types of sensory input increase tamas:
Smell:  putrid, rotten smelling things, scents that activate
trauma and memory
Taste:  processed, packaged, canned, microwaved, leftover,
stale, and fast foods; food that has been produced using
cruelty and that has caused suf fering; overeating
Sight:  sex- and violence-based media; violence; not having
time in nature; not having access to fresh air, sunlight, and
moonlight; too much social media or TV time (or other ways
of visually “numbing” oneself)
Feeling:  sedentary lifestyle, not enough movement, being
indoors too much, darkness, fearful situations, too much
sleep, drugs, passivity
Hearing:  music with violent and degrading lyrics, music that
numbs emotions and makes one depressed, hearing about
violence
During pregnancy especially, you want to lean into a more sattvic lifestyle
and sattvic dietary habits to promote more clarity and inner connection. When you are eating sattvic foods, immersing yourself in sattvic
environments, spending time with sattvic people, listening to more sattvicsounds, and seeing sattvic sensory impressions, your mind will become
lighter, clearer, and more luminous. You will naturally begin to feel an inner
satisfaction that is not swayed by the external circumstances, and you will
make decisions that serve to bring you back into a state of balance. You can choose the sensory impressions that you allow in based on
what leads you to feeling peaceful or agitated, connected or disconnected. While you do not have control over every sight, smell, and sound you
encounter, there are still an infinite number of other choices to be made. Choosing your sensory input wisely is the easiest way to alter your mind
and uplift your consciousness, as well as uplift the mind, body, and
consciousness of your little one. The gunas categorize material nature by revealing how all matter has a
certain frequency and specific ener gy that it exudes. Even sattva, however,
has the potential of binding you into the cycles of material identification;
although it is the preferred guna, sattva is still material ener gy—so it is
often mixed with the ener gies of the other gunas, and therefore generally
brings with it a bit of rajas and tamas. Although the gunas af fect your mind and your body, they can never
color the soul. From a sattvic consciousness, you can choose to enter into
the realm of spirit. Spiritual ener gy transcends matter (the gunas) and
directly reaches the soul. Spiritual discourses, sacred literature, and spiritual
sound vibration in the form of kirtan—the calling or glorifying a form of
Divinity through song—and mantra meditation are powerful ways to
introduce spiritual ener gy to your little one. These are the frequencies that
you want to bathe in the most, as they will directly touch the essence of
your babe and allow them to remember the Truth of who they really are. SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION
Everything in its essence is spiritual, as everything comes from the same
Source, even matter. So how do you begin to see matter as spiritual rather
than material? By seeing it connected to its Source! Everything can beexperienced as spiritual, depending on how it is perceived and how it is
utilized. “Spiritual” or “material,” then, are simply our state of
consciousness. A microphone, if used to amplify your ego, serves to bind you more
deeply into identifying with your false ego (the temporary roles that you
play and the conditions that you have based on your circumstances and past
experiences). That same microphone, however, if used to amplify spiritual
knowledge, or kirtan, becomes spiritual. When you utilize matter to serve
spirit, it becomes spiritual. When you acknowledge that everything is a gift
from the Divine, you can utilize everything in this world in a way that
ultimately serves. With that spiritual awareness, you are no longer bound by the gunas
(which you cycle in and out of and are constantly af fected by) and instead
you enter into the spiritual realm. The following are ways that you can enter
into that consciousness, and thus surround your growing baby with spiritual
vibrations. Feeling this little angel kicking has been one of the most
special things. I’ve always known it was a miracle,
to grow a baby inside of you,
though I’ve never really felt it in the way I do now. The perfect design. A little person,
a little soul,
is growing their body
in my body. I got back to New York in the beginning of April,
and it’ s honestly been magic since then. I generally feel like I have more energy than I’ve ever had in my
life.I feel grateful. Humbled. So blessed. And purpose-filled in a way I’ve never felt. I’m not looking for
or planning my
“next big thing.”
I’m not looking for a purpose outside of this one. Because I know this will be my most meaningful offering to the
world:
raising this little being with love, focus, and intention
…starting now. In the evenings, papa rubs my belly with belly balm and says
the most beautiful, heartfelt prayers. It’s his main time of connecting with little one…
and it’ s oh so sweet. I’m doing yoga about four days per week and walking miles
each day. I’m receiving marma  sessions (A yurvedic pressure points) each
week and doing massages each morning. I don’t notice a huge shift in my hunger and haven’t had any
cravings or aversions. I feel healthy and happy
and like I’m part of a miracle unfolding —
and it’ s so, so special. Little babe listens to the Brahma Samhita each morning and
Bhagavad Gita shlokas  daily. As one of my mentors has said, “She or he will learn the Gita
and become intelligent, as Sanskrit is the most intelligent
language.”At this stage, the baby absorbs their environment and that is
what creates and develops their sense of self. “I am my environment.”
So we are inf


 for away back i n 1877 I had
given up hopes of ever regaining what might be called normal heal th. I was then in Minneapolis in the practice of my profession,
and, after a strenuous time with a patient critically ill, I virtually collapsed. I was at such a low ebb physically and ment ally at the
time that I did not care whether I lived or died, and I  determined that, since my drugs gave me no relief, I would starve myself to
death ere I again would suffer the physical misery that had been mine for months preceding. I accordingly told Dr. Moyer, my
Page 3 of  72 consulting companion, that I would not again eat food until I was dead or recovered in health. " It will be remembered that Dr. Tanner was a fully accredited doctor of medicine. The facts as recorded are these. On the 15th of July, 1877, Dr. Henry S Tanner was called in consultation with Dr. A. Moyer o f
Minn eapolis, Minnesota, to attend a critical case that detained them late into the night. The next day Dr. Tanner felt ill and di d not
leave his room. During the day he drank some milk, as he did on the day following. But this was the last food taken by him un til
August 29th following, a period of forty -two days. Both Dr. Tanner and Dr. Moyer concurred in the opinion that from the
viewpoint of medical diagnostics the symptoms in the case were those of low gastric fever. During "treatment" Dr. Tanner
occupied a room in the home of Dr. Moyer, and he was not at any time confined to his bed. He took during the entire forty -two
days of abstinence nothing but water into his stomach, but of this he drank freely when thirsty. At the end of ten days of fasting the symp toms of his disorder disappeared; he gained in strength, and in every way showed
physical and mental improvement. Dr. Moyer, however, frequently remonstrated with Dr. Tanner for pursuing what he, Dr. Moyer,
believed to be a suicidal course, but Dr. Tanner persisted, and we have in the small volume, Forty Days Without Food, a record of
the full fast from Dr. Moyer's pen. The latter says, after detailing the daily experiences of his "patient" for forty days:

"The case continued until I became alarmed, and I  strenuously urged Dr. Tanner to allay his gastric irritation by taking milk, which
he finally consented to do. The next forenoon --that of the forty -second day of fasting --he ate a cracker and drank some lemonade,
but this his stomach rejected. " In the lig ht of more recent knowledge of the therapeutics of fasting this experience was to be
expected. But later on the same day Dr. Tanner went downtown, and, coming home within half an hour, said to Dr. Moyer, "Well,
Doctor, I think I have finished affairs for g ood. I not only have taken a pint of milk, but have eaten five pears and half a good -sized
watermelon. " No records were kept either by Dr. Tanner or Dr. Moyer of the phenomena of this fast. The only data extant deal with the prom pt
and general relief of  symptoms of distress, all of which vanished by the tenth day of fasting, and there is mention made that Dr. Tanner had no passage from the bowels from the 15th of July until the 31st of August, an interval of 47 days. To carry out a fast
today in this man ner would be deemed a bid for disaster, hence the record made by Dr. Tanner in this, his first essay into
prolonged abstinence from food for health's sake, is thus rendered the more remarkable. The fast in question was commenced with a view of relieving an inflammation of the stomach, and it was continued after the active
symptoms had subsided in order to test the worth of scientific teachings as to the time a human being might live without food. No
plan had been arranged, for, as stated, decision to fast  came suddenly; neither was there any intention of bringing the matter to
public attention. But the outcome of Dr. Tanner's experiment was so surprising and so successful from the therapeutic viewpoint that Dr. Moyer
was unable to remain silent, and he t old a few of his friends, among whom was a reporter of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. This
virtually necessitated a public statement of the facts, which called wide -spread attention to Dr. Tanner, and newspapers throughout
the country were soon publishing art icles and interviews, many of which attempted to throw doubt upon the doctor's veracity. Medical men especially, almost to a man, when questioned upon the subject, stated that such a fast was a physical impossibili ty,
and medical journals published such st atements as scientific facts. These attacks upon Dr. Tanner's probity he believed were likely to affect his professional reputation, and he thereupon deter mined
to speak for himself. This he did through the columns of the Pioneer Press in an article iter ating what has been related, together
with other announcements and arguments that need not here be quoted. For some time after publication of this communication considerable interest was shown, especially in the Middle West, upon th e
subject of fasting, not, however, because of its therapeutic possibilities, but because of the doubt that a human being might emulate
the Christ and perform in the flesh a miracle. For Christ's fast of forty days and nights was then as now by orthodox believe rs
numbered among  miraculous events.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who wrote the book "Fasting for the Cure of Disease"?,
A: Linda Burfield Hazzard
Q: What is the primary focus of the book "Fasting for the Cure of Disease"?,
A: The prevention and relief of disease through fasting and its accessories
Q: Who is Dr. Edward Hooker Dewey?,
A: Dr. Edward Hooker Dewey
Q: What is the primary focus of the fast, according to the author?,
A: The elimination of toxins and the restoration of health
Q: What is the key to the fast, according to the text?,
A: The elimination of toxins and the restoration of health<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Sometimes, too, the facilities for
carrying out a complete fast are not afforded, and here the partial or interrupted fast may be deemed a better policy than it s finished
counterpart. The end is eventually identical, although it is somewhat longer in accomplishment. There are cases in which the poisonous products of digestive ferment are present in quantity such as to tax the eliminative o rgans
beyond their capability. When this is so, when certain serious and extreme symptom s occur after a fast is begun, these signs are in
effect evidences of organic deficiency, and both knowledge and caution are then most necessary in order to carry the case to
successful conclusion. Because of the general belief that every symptom is a sign  of segregated disease, the average mind has been
imbued with the idea that it must regard the symptom to the exclusion of the underlying cause. When, as happens in a fast, a
characteristic sign of disease appears in aggravated form after months or years o f intermittent occurrence, experience leads to the
conclusion that illness is no longer due to simple functional derangement but to actual organic deficiency. Here the partial or
interrupted fast is desirable, not because the protracted fast would not acco mplish results with better prospect of favorable
outcome, but because the patient, no matter how well he may be advised, is apt to fail to appreciate what temporary symptomat ic
aggravation in the fast implies. An organ structurally defective cannot be ex pected to work to full normal capability. Each of the organs of the body will at all
times do its utmost, will labor to the limit of its powers, but, forced beyond this limit, it must fail to respond. In cases of this sort, a
fast is to be approached with care and intelligence, for only thus may be discovered the organic limitations, the organic
deficiencies, of the body in question. During a fast all vital parts are engaged in a supreme process of purlfication --of casting out
the toxic substances that are causing their disease. And, when it is seen through symptoms increased in severity that one or other of
these parts is incapable of full duty, the process of elimination is to be assisted by natural stimulation of organs other th an the one
that is deficien t in functioning ability. Such assistance may only be had by the employment of the hygienic accessories later to be
described in the text. CHAPTER V
ILLUSTRATIVE CASES

FASTING APPLIED TO CASES OF INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM, CHOREA, EPILEPSY, PREGNANCY, E TC. THE CASES dealt with in this chapter are typical but not exhaustive. They are selected from a large number solely because of
their representative character, and as evidence that, since the fast is the most effective of all eliminative agents, it reac hes
indiscriminately but in like manner every phase of functional disability and all organic disease that is not beyond repair. P roperly
administered, the fast with its accessories insures in all such cases full systemic purification, which is the basis of  health. The first case selected is that of the disease symptom known as inflammatory rheumatism. When first seen the patient, a boy
seventeen years of age, was in a precarious state. His condition had been declared by the medical adviser as


cers Association
) distilled
 water was being installed by
Doug Hoover of the Aquamedia Corporation. Nine years later, in June of
1985, the owner of Bill's IGA store reported sales
of Crystal
 Distilled
drinking water was in excess of 2500 gallons per week in addition to over
1,500 pounds
of Crystal

Distilled ice
 cubes. Brooklyn has a population of
1,300. He was excited to add
that the Crystal

Distilled drinking
 water from
the Distillation
 Station produced the highest profit margin of any item in his
store. " Crystal Distilled water and ice is produced by steam vapor
compression distillation which kills all bacteria and cysts, removing
everything from the water, resulting in the purest, healthiest water
available, distilled. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
………………. ….<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who is the author of the book and the founder of the "Distillation Station"?,
A: Douglas Hoover
Q: What is the main purpose of carbon filters, and what are some of its drawbacks?,
A: The main purpose of carbon filters is to produce the cleanest, purest, and healthiest water possible. However, it has several drawbacks, including not removing all chemicals, allowing chemicals to build up in the filter, and creating a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.
Q: What is the author's daily water intake, and what are the health benefits he claims to have experienced?,
A: The author drinks one to one-and-a-half gallons of distilled water daily and claims to have experienced perfect health and freedom from sickness and disease.
Q: What is the main difference between distilled water and other types of water, and why is it the most effective?,
A: The main difference is that distilled water is the only type of water that is 100% pure and clean H2O, whereas other types of water may contain inorganic minerals and chemicals. According to the author, it is the most effective because it is the only water that can be used for the healthiest water possible.
Q: What is the author's opinion on the addition of fluoride to drinking water, and what is his recommendation?,
A: The author opposes the addition of fluoride to drinking water, stating that it is a toxic waste by-product of the fertilizer and aluminum manufacturing industry.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>”

CHAPTER 8
America: Overweight,
Sick & Dying Earlier? Simple Solution
…
H2O
Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of pure, clean distilled water daily is essential for
optimum health, reduces the likelihood of sickness, disease and cancer,
and
assures a longer, sprightly, healthy life. Why drink tasteless, sugar-free water when Americans can pick from
close to
24,000
 other tasty, tempting beverages? Lately the term obesity has
been touted all over the news
,
echoing
 the alarming statistics that more
than one out of
three Americans
 is obese or overweight. So, are you part
of that
35.9 percent
? Maybe you
’
re simply overweight; let
’
s do the math. Obesity is defined
as being
 20% or more above your ideal weight for your
height. In simpler terms, it is having an excessive amount of   body fat. Since 1961 the number of obese children has more than doubled, primarily
as a result
of high
 fat and sugar intake, along with lack of physical
activity. There
 are several factors and physical characteristics that need to beconsidered in determining obesity, such as the percentage of body fat or
the body mass index (BMI), along with the three body types: endomorph,
mesomorph and ectomorph. One way to determine obesity is to assess
 percentage of body fat;
however, it is very difficult to accurately measure body fat. Weighing a
person underwater is the most accepted method for obtaining
accurate
body fat measurements. A major drawback to this type of procedure is
that there are limited facilities with this specialized equipment. Another
method of measuring body fat is the skin-fold test. A special instrument is
used that can choose a fold of skin to precisely measure and determine
the thickness of the subcutaneous layer of fat, or bio-electrical impedance
analysis, which is also performed at a specialized clinic. Regardless of the fact that humans come in many sizes and various
shapes, most people fall into one of the three groups or body typesmentioned above. Following is a more in-depth description.ENDOMORPH

The endomorph
’
s hands and feet are relatively small, and the arms and
thighs are usually larger than the wrists and ankles. The waist is high. They have fine hair and smooth soft skin. The endomorph
’
s head is large
and round. Endomorph summary:



Soft, short body


Not very muscular


Round body shape


Hard to lose weight


Can build muscle easily

The endomorphs have the greatest propensity for becoming obese. MESOMORPH

The mesomorph
’
s muscles are well-defined and the bones are large. The
torso is shaped like an hour-glass with a low, narrow waist. The head
consists of prominent bones and muscles. They have clearly defined facial
features,  such as a square jaw and wide cheek bones with a long, wide
face. Arms and legs, including the hands, are muscular. The mesomorph
has thick skin that tans easily. Mesomorph summary:


Athletic
 “hard body”


Rectangular physique- male


Hourglass physi
que- female


Body is muscular
, good posture, skin is thick


Easily builds muscle, e
asily gains weight. ECTOMORPH

The ectomorph’s
 body is fragile and delicate with light bones
, small
 joints
and slight muscles. The arms and legs are
relatively long
 and the
shoulders slump. The physique is somewhat
linear causing
 them to
appear taller
than
 they really are. Arms and
legs also
 lack muscle mass so
the ectomorph needs to exert
more energy
 in order to get the same
amount of work done. Some ectomorphs
 will have long fingers, toes and
neck. The facial   features are sharp, with a receding, triangular lower jaw. Their skin
 easily sun burns. Ectomorphs
 have
 difficulty adjusting to extreme fluctuations of
temperature due to low body fat and low muscle mass. Their
hair grows
quickly and is fine and difficult to manage. Ectomorph summary:


Fragile body build


Flat chested


Thin and lean


Light muscular frame


Small shoulders


Slow to build muscle

Now you can start to see how weight gain can affect
various
people
differently with regard to body types and
varying metabolisms
.HOW DOES OBESITY AFFECT HEALTH? High blood pressure is directly related to obesity or an
overweight
condition
. In addition, it can adversely affect the balance
of cholesterol
 and
triglycerides, including resistance to insulin. Because of the vast number
of medical conditions
developed through
 obesity, the effects of obesity are
somewhat confusing. Infertility, skin problems, chronic musculoskeletal problems,
and
respiratory
 complications are some additional nonfatal
, debilitating
 health
issues. There are four major areas of
serious life
-threatening problems
resulting from obesity:

1.

cardiovascular disease;
2.

insulin resistance conditions that cause diabetes;
3.

large-bowel and hormonally-related cancers plus additional types
of
cancers; and
4.

serious gallbladder issues. Increasing body fat percentage also
increases the likelihood
of developing
 hypertension and Type 2
diabetes. Diabetes
has primarily
 been associated with older adults, but now this
disease attracts
 even obese prepubescent children. Of the 90 percent
of
overweight
 or obese people suffering with diabetes, 86
percent have
 Type
2, and it is rapidly becoming a word-wide problem. Raised BMI and
increased risk
 of several forms of
cancer
(
including
breast, prostrate, gallbladder, kidney and colon)
show up
 in one out ofevery three adults over 50 years of age. A
major disabling
 disease in
adults is osteoarthritis and can be caused
by obesity
 and being chronically
overweight. Fortunately, obesity and its related diseases are reversible and
are
slowing
 being brought under control. They can eventually
be completely
eradicated by changing one
’
s lifestyle and
eating habits
, drinking plenty of
distilled water daily, and with
periodic fasting
 under professional care. CHAPTER 9
Distilled Water Helps Burn Fat

Distilled water not only helps to metabolize the fat stored in
the body
, it also
will help to suppress your appetite better than
any diet
 pill on the market
today. Pure, clean water not only aids
in weight
 loss, it also helps prevent
your body from gaining weight. When your body is dehydrated and not receiving
ade


 stores
the Qi that precipitates downward from the Lung and the surplus Qifrom the Spleen  and Stomach, transmitted by the Small Intestine. By
sucking in the descending Qi from the Lung and holding on to it, the
Kidney  anchor s the Qi like a root, permitting deep inhalation and
perfusion of oxygen (Air Qi). The Kidney  in the lower body and the
Lung in the upper body act upon the Qi as the moving coil within a
magnetic chamber generates an oscillating electrical eld. The Qi
constantly moves downward and upward between the poles of the
pelvis and chest. If too much uid condenses in the lower body, it stagnates,
producing lower abdominal bloating, swelling of the knees and
ankles, and puness beneath the eyes. Water retention represents
either the inability of the Kidney  to discharge turbid uid or the
excessive accumulation of surplus energy in the form of Moisture. In
either case, the buildup of interstitial uid can interfer e with the
circulation of Qi and Blood, aecting primarily the Lungs  and Heart. Excessive Moisture  in the Lung becomes phlegm and is manifested by
puness of the face and skin between the eyebrows and upper
eyelids. In the Heart Network  excess Moisture  shows as edema within
the chest and upper abdomen and swelling of the hands and tongue. MATE OF THE  KIDNEY. THE BLADDER
As the Kidney  lters pure from turbid uid to produce urine,
vaporizing Moisture  upward and recycling nutrient and lubricating
uids, the Bladder  holds and releases the unneeded uid. Through
its Yang partner, the Bladder, the Kidney  controls the urethral
sphincter, regulating the discharge of urine and semen. Through the
other lower sphincters of the anus and cervix the Kidney  regulates
the retention and release of stool and menstrual blood. BASAL METABOLISM
Just as an ember hiding its dense heat within a dark husk of charred
wood ignites new fuel, so Kidney Yang kindles metabolic process. Whereas the bright ashing Yang of the Heart  shimm ers across the
surface throug h the eyes, the Yang of the Kidney  is buried below thenavel, where warmth is felt but not seen, like the molten core of our
planet. Kidney Yang suppli es the necessary spark that stirs the
organism, warms the body, animates the Spirit, activates the Spleen
and Liver, assists the Lung in mobilizing Qi, instigates reproduction,
regulates water metabolism, and oversees the Bladder  in the storage
and discharge of urine. If Kidney Yang is exceptionally robust, one
has superior resistance to cold, reliable digestive power, and lifelong
sexual potency. When the circulation of uids is not regulated, it is often a
problem of Kidney Yang not controllin g Kidney Yin. Essential heat
must not cease ; if it does, the body cannot remain warm, respiration
falters, and food cannot be digested. With a deciency  of Kidney
Yang, the person feels cold and is cold to the touch, and symptoms
manifest such as diarrhea, frequent or incontinent urine, infertility,
impotence, premature ejaculation, loss of hearing, ringing in the
ears, dizziness  from fatigue, and weakness and pain in the knees,
lower legs, and low back. Kidney Yang  is vulnerable to damage by exposure to physical cold
—cold weather or air conditioning—and by the ingestion of iced or
refrigerated foods and beverages. Kidney Yin  is subje ct to damage by
chemical agents, such as antibiotics, analgesics, tranquilizers, food
additives, air pollutants, and recreational drugs. It may also be
harmed by inadequate intake  of water and too much bitter, salty, or
hot, spicy food. The Kidney  is generally undermined by inadequate
sleep, excessive exercise, sexual activity, or work. THE ORIGINAL  SOURCE
All other Organs  depend on the Kidney  for moistening and
regeneration ( Yin) and for animation and warmth ( Yang). The Kidney
enables the Spleen  to lubricate and nourish tissue and supplies the
Heat essenti al for digestion; the Heart  relies upon Kidney Yang to
exert the force  required for systole; the Lung requires the vaporizing,
moistening, and anchoring power of the Kidney. The Liver needs the
moistening of Kidney Yin  to nourish the Blood  and subdue the Fire of
the Liver, and it requires the mobilizing function of Kidney Yang toregulate and distribute the Blood. A deciency  in another Organ
Network  adversely aects the Kidney  by draining its reserves of
Essence. Together the Yin and Yang of the Kidney  constru ct the substance
and stimulate the function of the soma and psyche. The Kidney  is
like an inland sea: on the surface languid and seren e, fed by
seasonal rains and crystal-p ure underground rivers, with warm
mineral-rich vapors bubbling up from beneath its oor, breathing
renewal into salty waters that teem with primordial marine life. Submerged within us, the Kidney  envelops the hidden, quintessential
treasure house of life’s potentiating power. (see larger image)
Click  to download a PDF of Typical Disease Patterns*Five Phases  is a translation of the Chinese phrase Wu Xing, meaning ve (wu) fundamental
processes, agents, interactive phases, movements, transformations, or powers ( xing). *Although there are ve Organ Networks  and ten viscera, there are twelve channels. Two
functional entities called the Pericardium  and Triple-Burner  have no corresponding visceral
structures yet have acupuncture channels associated with them. The Triple-Burner  is viewed
as an integrating function that ties together and harmonizes the physiologic processes of
the primary Organ Networks. It regulates the metabolism and the distribution of body uids
other than Blood. The Triple-Burner  is represented by the three cavities of the body: the
chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The Pericardium, or Heart Protector, is viewed as the active
mechanism of the Heart, whereas the Heart  itself is accorded the role of harboring  the spirit
and maintaining conscious awareness. In the historical development of Chinese medical theory, the existence of other organs
such as the brain and uterus were dened as “strange organs” outside of Five-Phase  or Yin-
Yang theory. These “strange organs” such as the uterus, brain, Pericardium, and Triple-
Burner  do not t neatly into the Five-Phase  model. For our purposes, the Pericardium  and
Triple-Burner  can be subsumed within the Phases  of Fire and Water  respectively. Although
they are anatomically distinct struct ures, the brain and uterus are not understood as
functionally separate from the Organ Networks  of the Kidney, Heart, Liver, and Spleen, and
neither do they have their own distinct channels. OceanofPDF.comII
TYPES
OceanofPDF.comFive-Phase Theory : Who Am I?CHAPTER SEVEN
WHO AM I: FIVE-PHASE ARCHETYPES
Every life is a point of view directed upon the universe. Strictly
speaking, what one life sees no other can. Every individual,
whether person, nation, or epoch, is an organ, for which there
can be no substitute, constructed for the apprehension of
truth.…  Without the develo pment, the perpetual chang e and
the inexhaustible series of adventures which constitute life, the
universe, or absolutely valid truth, would remain
unknown.…  Reality happens to be, like a landscape, possessed
of an innite number of perspectives, all equally veraciou s and
authentic. The sole false perspective is that which claims to be
the only one there is. José Ortega y Gasset
“The Doctrine of the Point of View,”
The Modern Theme
JUST AS NATIVE FLORA TRANSPLAN TED TO ANOTHER REGION ADAPTS TO the
new environment in order to survive, so theories conform to cultural
settings and historical ages in order to remain relevant. Translating
age-old concepts from one culture to another in itself alters them. But in these next chapters we have gone a step further by exercising
our imaginatio ns and daring ourselves to cut a new trail through the
old territory of Five-Phase  thinking. We are reinventing as well as recapitulating classical concepts in
order to address the concerns of the people who walk through our
clinic doors. On the one hand, they just want their troubles to
disappear, they want to be “xed” so that they can go on with their
lives unimpeded. On the other, they are curious about the origin
and meaning of their diculties and discomforts, suspecting thatgreater insight will enable them to avoid future problems. People
want to know: “How come I have the trouble that I do? Where does
it come  from? How can I understand it? What can I do about it? How can I


and superior to many of th e more expensive varieties. Nuts should be thoroughly masticated. They should be
reduced by the teeth to a perfect emulsion before entering the
stomach, and not more than two ounces eaten at a meal. Two
ounces of pure fat is enough to supply the demands of a
normal body for twenty-four hours. By consulting our table
on nuts, a correct idea can be ga ined as to the quantity of each
variety that should be consumed each day. Almonds, peanuts
and Brazil nuts should be blanched—that is, the inner
covering should be removed before eating. It is amazing to think of the kind of food that alleged
civilized people subsist upon, when nature spreads before
them its vast fields and stores of fruits and nuts that have
waved to and fro in the pure air and sunshine, that have
drawn their substances from old Mother Earth and filtered
them through a hundred feet of pure white wood—life-giving
substances that have responded to the warm embraces of
summer and spring—substances that have fed the swelling
bud, burst it into bloom, and filled it with fragrance and
honey, sweet as Araby's fabled rose—foods born from the
fecund womb of Mother Earth, fed on the fragrance and
wrapped in the many-hued swaddling clothes of odorous
blossoms, and rocked by ever y pure and passing breeze in the
life-giving cradle of summer and spring, and nursed to
maturity at the breast of maternal nature and cooked by the
fires of the eternal sun. FRUITS. IN subsisting upon elementary foods, fruits constitute the
second most important article of diet. They occupy a most
conspicuous place in the needs of the human body. The
succulent class, such as appl es, oranges, grapes, peaches,
plums, pineapples, and all the juicy berries, possess great
germicidal properties, in addition to their value as food. They
seem to be designed by nature to destroy pathogenic bacteria
in other foods while giving to the body their own nutrition. It would astonish the average omnivorous Englishman or
American to know what magnificent specimens of manhood
are built almost entirely from fruits in some of the South Sea
Islands. According to the most authentic history of man, fruits
were undoubtedly his first and primitive diet. Primitive man
was active, nimble and agile. Fr uits left no deposits in his
veins and arteries to, age and stiffen them. Fruits made for
him pure blood, and breathing the open air kept it pure. His
surplus energy demanded activity which kept the pure blood
surging through his veins. Long life, superior power and
endurance were the results. It is a hopeful sign, however, for the future health and
longevity of our race that the demand for and consumption of
fruits are rapidly increasing. Each distinct genera of fruit has a specific effect or office
to perform in the human body. Oranges, while possessing
about the same food value as milk, acts directly upon and
stimulates the activity of the liver, while apples are the best
remedy known for that "dark brown" taste so often
experienced next morning after the course dinner. The best thing to do with an  elegant course dinner late in
the evening is to leave it on the table; but insomuch as the
appetite is generally our comple te master and law giver, we
know this will not be done. Therefore, the next best thing to
do after such a debauch is to make an entire breakfast of tart
apples, thoroughly masticated. The juice of the pineapple, which contains much
hydrochloric acid, is among the best remedies known for
diphtheria. When this disease first makes its appearance, if
the juice of well-ripened pineapples be given freely to the
patient it will not only destroy diphtheria germs, but will
stimulate activity of the excretory organs, which is an action
always desired in such cases. The banana will supply the body with all the elements of
nourishment that is obtained from cereals. Many cases of
chronic stomach disorder have been permanently cured under
the direction of the authors by eliminating wholly all cooked
cereals and breads of every description and substituting
therefor the simple diet of very ripe bananas. It is believed by many people who are very fond of fruits
that bananas do not agree with them. Close observation will
show in every instance that this condition is the result of other
things with which the fruit is mixed in the stomach and the trouble can be overcome by making an entire meal
occasionally on fruits and nuts or fruit alone. The juice of
strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and dewberries is very
delicious and healthful. When it is pressed out and the refuse
discarded there is no better food in the fruit family. But the
large amount of seeds these berries contain, which are very
hard and entirely insoluble, produces in many people violent
irritation of the mucous membranes of the intestinal tract
which manifests itself in many harmful ways. Grape fruit contains many very pronounced and valuable
medicinal properties. It is a natural antidote for biliousness
when taken naturally, but the practice of eating it with sugar
counteracts almost entirely its medicinal value, as the
consumption of cane sugar is one of the causes of torpidity of
the liver. Therefore, in taking sugar with grape fruit you are
working one agency against another. Like nuts, the most
desirable feature about fruits is that they are not an article
commonly considered necessary to be cooked. Of course, the
cook has undertaken in many ways to improve them by the
application of his art, but up to date has been unsuccessful, as
is evidenced by the fact that near ly all fruits are used in their
natural or elementary state. In living upon uncooked foods we must necessarily
depend very largely upon fruits and nuts, but we should
exercise judgment, patience and toleration. We must
remember that we often suffered for our wrong eating, and
accommodating nature may have partially adjusted our bodies
to these incorrect habits. Therefore, when correct methods of
eating are employed, the wrong must be undone and
overcome, and the stomach sometimes rebels against the
change. However, the body will adjust itself much quicker to
the right than the wrong, and when the adjustment is once
made and the natural dietetic law obeyed, perfect health,
strength, endurance and vitality are the inevitable results. CEREALS. THE literary fabric of the ancient world has been woven from
a warp of fiction and a woof of fact. When we turn to it we
find the beautiful, the poetic, th e absurd and the true so mixed
together that scholars of every nation regard their separation
as worthy of their most profound thought. It was from this confusion that the word "cereal" came. Ceres was a goddess worshipped by the ancient Romans. She
occupies a most conspicuous place in the beautiful myths that
adorn the classic literature of those ancient peoples. She was
considered the head of the Agricultural Department. Her
special duty was to sit on fleecy clouds and pour from the
hollow of her mythical hand floods of sunshine and showers
of rain over the grainfields of the Caesars. Therefore, all
grains grouped together were called cereals. These articles were first used only when in a green or
soft state—that is, from the time the grains began to form in a
milky condition until they ripened and become so hard as to
hazard the integrity of the teeth. Later they were soaked in
water to soften them, and then in warm water, •which saved
time and facilitated the work of  preparation. This custom
evolved into the use of hot water, then hotter water, until
boiling or the present method of cooking resulted. In order to facilitate and lighten the labor in the
preparation of cereals, they were pounded, crushed and
broken, which custom very naturally evolved into the modern
grinding and bolting mill. When cereals are in a milky state
before they become hardened, before nature throws around
them an envelope of cellulose for their protection, they are
easy of digestion, and are excellent food. But when they have
become thoroughly ripened and hardened, each molecule of
starch, of which they are so la rgely composed, is enclosed in
another envelope which is almost  impervious to the digestive
fluids. It has been shown by modern research that cooking does
not break up this covering. The modern methods of grinding
and cooking cereals render mastication unnecessary as far as
pulverizing them is concerned. Therefore, they pass the taste-
buds under false pretenses; they deprive them of their rights;
they do not have time to perform their duties, hence they do
not pour into the mouth the amount of saliva necessary to
perform the first step in digestion. Soft, mushy foods are also responsible for the woeful
decay of teeth, which is such a conspicuous mark of civilized
man. Nature will not keep aliv e or produce, generation after
generation, any part of the anatomy that is not used. Her
system of economy is perfect. When cereals are taken in their natural state, or not too
completely pulverized, so that the teeth may be employed in
their final and complete grindi ng, they constitute a valuable
food


religious	minister	does	not	need	to	be	enlightened	personally	at	all	but	is
educated	in	spiritual	truth	at	a	theological	seminary. Then	there	are	the
spiritually	‘realized’	who	are	not	formally	educated	in	theology	or
comparative	religion	and	who	only	give	reference	to	established	teachings
as	a	point	of	information,	orientation,	or	reference	for	interested	students. Of	all	the	spiritual	teachers	in	the	world	who	are	regarded	as	being
‘gurus’,	approximately	fifty-five	percent	are	legitimate. Thus,	in	actual
practice,	the	chances	of	finding	a	true	teacher	amongst	the	many	are	about
fifty-fifty.CHAPTER	17
Dialogues
Q:	What	is	the	best	way	to	raise	one’s	consciousness? A:	By	interest,	intention,	and	study,	one	develops	a	familiarity	with	spiritual
subjects	and	teachings. Because	the	teachings	themselves	calibrate	at	a
high	level,	they	have	a	power	beyond	that	of	ordinary	consciousness,	and
their	inclusion	into	one’s	thoughts	and	reflections	automatically	energizes
a	progression	of	consciousness. The	Buddha	said	that	once	a	person	has	heard	of	enlightenment	and
receives	teachings,	the	end	is	certain,	and	they	will	never	be	satisfied	with
anything	less. He	also	stated	that	this	might	proceed	through	a	number	of
lifetimes	but	that	eventually,	enlightenment	was	certain	as	one’s	destiny. It
is	thus	implied	that	anyone	who	is	interested	in	material	such	as	this	is
likely	to	be	destined	for	enlightenment;	otherwise,	why	would	they	be
here? Why	would	they	have	any	interest	in	the	subject	at	all? Q:	What	can	you	say	about	meditation? A:	It	is	both	a	large	subject	and	yet	a	very	simple	one. The	simplest	practices
are	the	best	and	can	be	continuous	throughout	the	day’s	activities. Formally,	if	we	sit	still,	close	our	eyes,	and	stay	aware	of	the	breathing,	we
can	look	at	the	patterns	that	appear	to	our	vision	behind	closed	eyelids. One	simply	observes	the	procession	of	the	mind’s	activities	without
interference	or	comment. From	there,	one	then	moves	on	and	focuses
attention	to	what	it	is	that	is	watching	this	procession. Identifying	the
watcher	then	leads	into	the	witness,	which	in	turn	leads	to	the	awareness	of
the	experiencer	that	these	are	qualities	of	consciousness. One	is	aware	of
the	witnessing,	experiencing,	and	watching,	and	that	these	are	happening
by	themselves. These	are	impersonal	qualities	of	consciousness. They
happen	automatically. There	is	actually	no	personal	entity	that	is	‘doing’
the	watching,	witnessing,	or	observing. It	is	also	important	to	notice	that
this	impersonal	quality	is	unaffected	by	the	content	of	that	which	is
observed. The	real,	transcendent	‘I’	even	witnesses	sleep. Q:	What	is
satori
? A:	It	is	a	spiritual	state	of	advanced	awareness	most	often	occurring	during	a
course	of	meditation	and	which	may	remain	for	varying	points	of	time. Itmay	appear,	disappear,	change	levels,	and	have	permanent	residuals	or
become	a	permanent	state	of	awareness. Because	it	is	a	revelation,	it
cannot	be	controlled. Even	if	the	state	disappears,	what	was	seen,	realized,
and	understood	remains	permanently. For	instance,	one	may	suddenly	‘transcend	the	opposites’	and	realize
that	the	source	of	all	experiencing	is	a	positionality	within. This	may	then
lead	to	the	awareness	that	there	is	no	‘inner’	or	‘outer’	in	that	they	are	the
same,	and	that	there	is	no	possibility	other	than	subjectivity. Q:	Does	not	spiritual	ambition	lead	to	having	a	spiritual	ego? A:	Yes,	if	it	remains	only	as	ambition. By	surrender	and	humility,	ambition	is
replaced	by	the	motivation	of	love,	inspiration,	and	devotion. What	is	usually	implied	by	the	term	‘spiritual	pride’	is	the	product	of
the	illusion	that	there	is	a	personal	self	that	is	doing	the	spiritual	work. These	tendencies	are	countered	by	humility,	thankfulness,	and	gratitude,
and	it	is	merely	the	spiritual	inspiration	that	emanates	as	a	supportive
energy	from	the	Self. Spiritual	intention	attracts	higher	energy	fields	that
are	experienced	as	grace. Q:	How	can	meditation	persist	in	one’s	daily	existence? A:	By	merely	constantly	posing	the	question	to	oneself	of	‘what’	is	doing	the
acting,	talking,	feeling,	thinking,	or	observing. This	is	a	focus	of	attention,
with	no	languaging. The	spiritual	teacher	Ramana	Maharshi	called	that
process	‘self-inquiry’,	which	he	recommended	as	a	technique	that	was
suitable	at	all	times	in	all	activities. Continuous	meditation	could	be
likened	to	a	mudra,	or	posture	and	attitude,	in	which	every	act	is	sanctified
by	its	surrender	as	an	act	of	service	or	worship. When	one’s	attitude
towards	everything	becomes	a	devotion,	Divinity	reveals	itself. Q:	How	can	we	stop	judging	others? A:	Through	compassion	arises	the	desire	to	understand	rather	than	condemn. With	understanding,	we	see	that	people	cannot	actually	help	being	other
than	they	are	at	any	given	moment. People	are	generally	unaware	that	they
are	run	by	programs	inherent	in	society	and	in	the	specific	energy	field	that
dominates	their	consciousness. The	average	mind	is	unwittingly
brainwashed,	and	the	people	are	dominated	by	a	field	of	consciousness	to
which	they	are	attracted. As	a	typical	example,	although	anyone	who	is	relatively	spiritually
advanced	is	aware	that	the	end	does	not	justify	the	means,	in	our	society,
that	is	turned	around	as	an	operational	dictum	that	the	end	does	justify	themeans. (The	proposition	that	the	end	justifies	the	means	makes	one	go
weak	with	muscle	testing.) Q:	What	is	meant	by	the	Zen	teaching	of	‘no	mind’? A:	Some	spiritual	teachings	from	the	East	use	the	term	‘mind’,	ordinary	mind,
or	ego,	or	in	contrast,	‘Mind’,	which	paradoxically	means	‘no	mind’	or
‘Self’. To	complicate	terminology	further,	some	teachings	use	mind	to
mean	Universal	Mind,	which	is	the	same	as	Self,	Oneness,	or	Allness. The
doctrine	of	‘no	mind’	merely	states	that	the	eternal	truth	is	self-awareness
and	is	to	be	found	in	the	silence	and	the	presence	beyond	ordinary	mind. Awareness	of	Self	as	Mind	is	blocked	by	focusing	on	the	content-filled
mind	of	the	personal	self. Q:	Why	did	Buddha	not	speak	of	God? A:	Because	of	religions,	God	has	had	many	definitions	and	descriptions	so
that	concepts	about	God	would,	paradoxically,	actually	be	blocked	to	the
awareness	of	the	reality	of	God,	and	the	seeker	would	end	up	seeking	for	a
preconceived	concept	rather	than	surrendering	it	so	that	the	reality	could
present	itself. Q:	What	is	the	state	of	‘no	mind’	like? A:	Initially,	the	awakening	into	a	whole	new	realm	is	overwhelming. What	is
left