 That is my fundamental teaching. OceanofPDF.comLiving by Melting
into Harmony
The beginning of this verse reiterates what Lao-tzu has been saying
throughout the previous 41 sections of the Tao Te Ching—that is, the Tao is
the hidden force that brings all of the creatures and substances that
comprise the 10,000 things into being, as well as being  the intangible that
we think of as oneness or wholeness. All carry and embrace the opposites
of yin and yang, or the feminine  and masculine principles. This verse
reinforces the idea that blending  these seemingly opposing forces is the way
to achieve harmony. Lao-tzu reminds you of the things that you probably think cause  suffering
and suggests that being orphaned, going hungry, or feelin g worth less are
high on the list. But then he says that achieving harmony in terms of the T ao
involves gaining by losing. Does he mean that if you lose your home, your
mom and dad, your belongings, or your sense of self-esteem, you’ll gain all
that you need? What? How is that possible? Your infinite self that originated in, and is animated by, the Tao needs
nothing to sustain itself. Parents, possessions, and self-worth are only
necessary to the existence of your mortal self. Lao-tzu wants you to
recognize this difference within the oneness that you are. He teaches that
you gain awareness of your Tao nature through the loss of emphasis on the
physical conditions of your life. In your oneness, you’re likely to lose the
Tao sensibility in proportion to the emphasis you place on worldly desires. At the same time, Lao-tzu emphasizes that death of the mortal self is
influenced by the way you live. You will die as you live is the fundamental
teaching for the mortal self. This is the balancing act that’s required to truly
melt into harmony with the T ao. The last several  lines of this verse insistently drew my attenti on when I
was researching, writing, and meditating on this 42nd passage. I studied
many translation s of it, and I spent countless hours communing with Lao-
tzu, gazing at his likeness in my writing space. I discov ered that this
particular verse was always interpreted with the same kind of dramaticemphasis. All said something similar to the following: “I take this to be the
father of teachings”; “Know this to be the foundation of my teachings”;
“This will be the essence of my teaching”; “Whoever says this is my
beloved teacher”; and the one I used here, “That is my fundamental
teaching.” My conclusion is that when you’re violent in any way—
including in your thoughts, behavior, prono uncements, and allegiances—
then you’re choosing to die in the same way. Of course, you’ll draw your
own conclusions about the significance of this particularly dramatic
instruction of the T ao Te Ching. The insistence with which this teaching presented itself to me leads me to
believe that Lao-tzu wants me to emphasize that its opposite is also true. That is, a person who embraces the Tao and eschews violence and hatred
will live and die naturally... which is in harmony with the perfection of
the Tao. So I invite you to change the way you perceive what keeps you
from harmonizing with your Source. The birthing agent of all is also your
ultimate place of return when you leave your body in that moment called
“death.” You must be willing to give up your attachment to all forms of
violence in your life if you want to melt into harmony. Here are Lao-tzu’ s suggestions, written through me, for embracing this
fundamental teaching of the T ao Te Ching:
Remember that violence violates the harmony of life and death. Make a decision to live harmoniously with the Tao by removing all
associations that you have with violence. Stop supporting entertainment that
promotes any type of it, for instance. Monitor your vocabulary to remind
yourself to remove words that direct hatred 42nd Verse or killing toward
any living creature. Explore avenues for resolving disputes peacefully, and
get involved with organizations that discourage violence. Remem ber that
the one fundam ental principle of the Tao Te Ching is that if you take up
savagery in any way, then you’re signing up for a savage end on this planet. And this includes your mental activity as well as behavior, so seek kind and
forgiving though ts in place of revenge and hatred. Change the way you look
at life to seeing a picture that’s free of violence and melts into harmony as
you live and die.Examine your attachments with the idea that you gain by losing and
lose by gaining. Your attachmen ts to objects, status, your culture, and even other people
prevent you from being free in the Great Way of the Tao. The more stuff
that accumulates, the more you have to watch it, insure it, worry about it,
protect it, polish it, distribute it, and identify with it. In other words, you
lose harmony while seeking to gain. Practice giving your possessions away
and loosening your need for who and what you have. Imagine strings
attached to everyone and everything that you feel you own; then
symbolically cut those strings and be an observer rather than an owner. This
is how you melt into harmony with the T ao. The poet Hafiz advises:
Start seeing everything as God
But keep it a secr et. Do the T ao Now
Think of one person who may have wronged you at some time in your
life: someone who abandoned or mistreated you, someone who stole from
or cheated you, someone who abused you or spread ugly rumors about you. Spend one day putting all thoughts of revenge aside, and instead feel
forgiveness and love for that individual. Notice the difference in your body
when you don’t have violent thoughts... this is the essential teaching of
the T ao. OceanofPDF.com43rd Verse
The softest of all things
overrides the har dest of all things. That without substance enters wher e ther e is no space. Hence I know the value of nonaction. Teaching without wor ds,
performing without actions—
few in the world can grasp it—
that is the master ’s way. Rare indeed ar e those
who obtain the bounty of this world. OceanofPDF.comLiving Softly
The T ao Te Ching is full of parallels to nature, and in fact the pure essence
of the teachings  seems to be to help us become Tao-inspired sages through
oneness with the environment. The opening lines of this 43rd verse remind
me of the way of water, of its softness and ability to enter everywhere, even
where there’ s seemingly no space to do so. Water is used symbolically in
many reference s to Taoism, such as in the title of the outstanding
contemporary work by Alan Watts, Tao: The Watercourse Way. To live
softly is to live the watercourse way. In this verse, Lao-tzu invites you to change the way you view hardness. To you, the concept is probably equated with strength. You may work out
because the firmer your muscles, the tougher you think you are. Do you
consider diamon ds more valuable than a soft mineral, like volcanic ash,
which crumbles in your hand? Perhaps you subscribe to the idea that doing
a difficult task makes you a better person. Now imagine emulating water,
this basic element that is the embodiment of nature (after all, it does
comprise 75 percent of both the world’ s surface and our physical makeup). Think about the way water courses, flowing to the lowest place, and how in
order to experien ce it, you can’t just grab a handful. You must instead relax,
lightly placing your fingers inside of it. Reflect upon how the gentle water compares to the solid stone and marble
it’s capable of carving through. The soft water overrides hardness—deep
valleys surround ed by mountains of granite have been carved away over the
centuries by the patient, quiet, moving liquid. Imagine being able to enter
where no space appears to be available, and to move slowl y, speaking
seldom and allowing yourself to be harmoniously intact as you seek a
lower, less noisy and noticeable place... a place where all others desire to
come to you. This is the watercourse way. There’ s value in the nonaction of being able to flow like water, naturally
and ef fortlessly. I can’ t help but think of this when I enter the ocean to swim
for an hour or so. I want to go with the current rather than swim against it,
so my first choice involves seeing which way the water is coursing. As I
move through the sea, emulating its naturalness, I trust my instinct andswim without trying to direct my arms and legs in their strokes. I think of it
as doing, but not interfering—th at is, I’m allowing my body to propel  itself
through the water without my mind telling it how to move. As I’ve changed
my thoughts about “hard” and “soft,” I don’t have to do anything but be in
the water. I’ve chosen to make my daily swim a soft, silent experience that
requires very little action on my part. And my swimming world has
changed, becom ing easy, joyful, and almost effortless. I’ve learned “the
value of non


	cherish	a	story	about	two	old	men	sitting	together	in	a	room	waiting	for	a
meal. One	was	considered	very	wise	and	had	gained	fame	in	many	countries;
the	other	was	a	visitor	who	had	come	to	find	out	what	this	wisdom	was	all
about. But	the	famous	wise	man	didn’t	say	anything	particularly	wise	all	day,
and	finally	the	visitor	got	frustrated. “Forgive	me,”	he	said. “But	I	don’t	see	how	you	and	I	are	any	different. You
have	shown	me	hospitality,	but	let’s	be	honest. Aren’t	we	just	two	old	men
sitting	at	a	table	waiting	for	our	supper?”
“You	are	wrong,”	the	wise	man	said. “You	have	spent	your	whole	life
guarding	your	own	private	world. It	is	made	up	of	past	memories	and	your
many	likes	and	dislikes. It	is	populated	with	a	few	people	you	love	and	is	shut
tight	to	anyone	else. My	inner	world	isn’t	like	that. It	is	open	to	everyone. All
may	enter	and	are	welcomed. When	I	look	inside,	love	is	all	I	see,	so	I	have
nothing	to	hide	and	nothing	to	guard.”I’ve	returned	to	this	little	story	many	times	over	the	years	because	it	tells	me
that	the	place	where	love	never	fades	is	real. I	believe	this	is	the	only	vision
worth	living	for.Day	Four
:
How	Can	I	Change	the	World?Chasing	Rainbows
T
he	next	morning	I	didn’t	have	to	search	for	Baba	anywhere. When	I	went
down	to	the	kitchen	for	breakfast	I	caught	a	glimpse	of	wispy	white	hair	just
peeking	up	over	the	windowsill. I	ran	out	to	greet	him. He	was	sitting	beside
the	back	door	looking	at	the	sky	as	if	waiting	for	something	to	happen. “Baba,	come	inside	and	eat	a	bowl	of	rice,”	I	said. “Would	I	become	more	real	if	your	parents	saw	me?”	he	asked. “I	know	you’re	real. I	don’t	need	any	proof,”	I	protested. “Then	you’re	assuming	too	much,”	he	said. “Most	people	think	they’re	real
but	have	never	proved	it	to	themselves.”	These	may	sound	like	weary	words,
but	Baba	looked	as	fresh	as	ever. If	I	had	imagined	him	from	stories	about
wizards,	he	wasn’t	one	of	the	dour,	glum	ones. He	said,	“I’ve	thought	of	an	excellent	project	for	us	today. We’re	going	to
chase	a	rainbow.”
This	sounded	like	something	you’d	say	to	a	five-year-old,	but	I	knew	he	had
something	else	in	mind,	so	I	rushed	back	inside,	stuffed	some	food	in	my
pockets,	and	was	back	out	the	door	in	two	minutes. Baba	was	still	peering	at
the	sky. “It	doesn’t	look	like	rain,”	he	said. “Not	much	chance	for	a	rainbow,	then,”	I	said. Baba	had	already	started	to
stride	away	quickly	in	his	usual	fashion. “We	don’t	have	to	rely	on	chance,”	he	said	over	his	shoulder. “Not	that	much
happens	by	chance.”
Not	when	I’m	with	you,
	I	thought. We	walked	down	the	road	and	then	cut
across	a	broad	field,	where	it	was	cooler	and	more	lush. “What	do	you	think	a
rainbow	is?”	he	asked. “It’s	sunlight	that	has	been	bent	by	the	raindrops. Each	one	acts	like	a	tiny
prism.”	I	knew	this	from	grade-school	science.“Or	it’s	a	little	hint,”	said	Baba. “A	hint	about	what?”
“How	the	universe	was	made,”	he	said. “In	a	rainbow	you	can	see	the	whole
universe. What	is	the	universe? Light	and	space. Some	of	that	light	has
become	matter,	and	some	of	that	matter	is	water. So	everything	the	universe	is
made	of	shines	through	a	rainbow. Every	particle	in	creation	contains	the
whole.”
We	were	still	climbing	the	hill,	going	higher	than	we	had	anytime	before. It
was	getting	hard	to	hike	and	talk	at
	the	same	time. “Then,	we’re	actually
chasing	the	universe?”	I	asked. “In	a	way. But	I	think	the	hint	that	we’re	following	is	even	bigger,”	said	Baba,
who	gave	no	sign	that	he	noticed	how	tired	I	was	getting. “What’s	bigger	than	the	universe?”	I	asked. With	every	foot	we	climbed	I	saw
that	Baba	was	working	himself	into	a	better	mood,	and	now	he	was	wearing
his	I	know	a	secret	smile. “Someone	who	can	change	the	universe,”	Baba	said. “And	who	can	do	that?”
“You,”	he	said. “Nobody	else	but	you.”
W
HAT
	I	L
EARNED
A	lot	of	the	time	spirituality	is	about	the	impossible,	and	this	fourth	day	was
no	exception. I’m	sure	you’ve	heard	it	said	that	youth	is	the	most	idealistic
time	of	life. Kids	want	to	change	the	world,	and	by	the	time	they	grow	up,
they	realize	that	they	can’t. The	world	is	just	going	to	be	the	way	it	is,	and
there’s	nothing	one	person	can	do	about	it. Baba	didn’t	subscribe	to	that
belief. Yet	he	was	very	far	from	being	a	starry-eyed	idealist. To	him,	changing
the	world	is	the	most	natural	thing	anyone	can	do. In	fact,	it’s	impossible
not
to	change	the	world. So	he	went	a	step	further	and	told	me	I	could	change	the
universe. The	secret	is	invisible,	as	always. Look	at	a	distant	galaxy	whose	light	takes
millions	of	years	to	get	to	Earth. Do	you	feel	far	away	from	that	galaxy? Youreyes	say	that	you	are,	but	beneath	the	surface	there	is	no	distance	at	all. Physics	tells	us	that	a	single	electron	cannot	vibrate	without	making	the	whole
universe	shake. Every	particle	is	part	of	a	single	field	that	stretches	to	infinity
in	all	directions;	this	field	feels	and	senses	every	single	event	instantly,	no
matter	where	it	happens. As	one	witty	physicist	said,	“If	you	tickle	the
universe	over	here,	it	laughs	over	there.”
Imagine	a	small	compass	with	its	needle	pointing	north. It	has	no	idea	that	a
huge	magnetic	field	is	causing	this,	because	the	field	is	invisible. But	if	you
move	the	compass,	the	field	will	pull	the	needle	back	in	line	without	a	pause. There’s	no	need	to	send	a	signal	to	the	magnetic	North	Pole	and	then	receive
one	back. The	field	has	sensed	the	compass	and	changed	it;	and	in	return	the
compass	has	changed	the	field,	because	no	tiny	part	can	shift	without	shifting
the	whole. You	are	part	of	the	cosmic	field. Your	body	flows	with	magnetism,	just	like	a
compass,	along	with	chemical	and	electrical	energy. So	your	every	thought	is
taking	place	not	just	in	your	head,	but	in	the	field. Your	mind	is
eavesdropping	on	the	universe. Spirituality	is	a	step	ahead	of	science	in	one	small	way:	It	believes	that	the
field	is	alive	and	intelligent. The	whole	universe
thinks
. There	are	some	hints
at	this. Several	years	ago	a	colorful	experiment


 The objective of the study was to find out the clinical usefulness of mannitol as a treatment for a mis -
sile injury simulating a gunshot wound to the head and to compare this osmolyte to untreated controls. In addition, because DMSO had already been shown to be effective in nonhuman primate brain trauma, and in focal ischemic brain injury, the effects of mannitol were also compared to animals treated with DMSO. Seven rhesus monkeys were included in the study. After anesthesia, monkeys were
monitored for ICP, cerebral blood flow, CPP, cerebrovascular resistance, blood pressure, and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption, along with blood gases and hema -
tocrit. 230 A BB pellet missile was fired at a velocity of 90 m/s through a burr hole made
in the right cerebral hemisphere. Animals received either mannitol (0.05 g/kg, 25% solu -
tion) or DMSO (0.05 g/kg in a 50% solution) as an intravenous bolus 1 h following injury, and these doses were repeated when ICP rose above 20 mm Hg pressure. All parameters were measured 1 h after treatment was initiated. Animals were killed 6½ h after the last measurements were made. The results are summarized in Figures 8.7 through 8.10.174 Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in Trauma and Disease
The ICP rose in all animals 1 min after injury and fell significantly 1 h following
DMSO, reaching pre-injury levels after 6 h.230
In untreated animals, mean arterial pressure briefly rose after injury and decreased
progressively for the next 6 h until death. DMSO dramatically reversed the hypoten -
sive process 1 h following injury230 (Figure 8.7). DMSO was able to stabilize mean arterial pressure, cerebral blood flow, CPP, and
metabolic rate of oxygen consumption 1 h following treatment. ICP was also reduced
to preinjury levels by DMSO.230100
50
0
11 03 0* p<0.05mm Hg
MinutesUntreate d
DMSO
Hours12 46**
*
FIGURE 8.7  Mean arterial pressure plunged 1 h after injury in untreated controls (dark
circles) but remained stable following DMSO (triangles) treatment beginning 1 h after treat -
ment. (Adapted from Brown, F.D. et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 411, 245, 1983.) 40
3020mL/100 g tissue/min10
11 03 0
Minutes*p<0.05Untreate d
DMSO
Hours12 46
FIGURE 8.8  Cerebral blood flow dropped to more than 50% after injury and rose after 1 h
following DMSO (triangles) as compared to untreated controls (dark circles). (Adapted from
Brown, F.D. et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 411, 245, 1983. )175 DMSO in Basic Neuroprotection
Cerebral blood flow rose markedly after DMSO ( Figure 8.8), and this rise par -
alleled those seen for the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen ( Figure 8.9) and CPP
(Figure 8.10) as compared to significant decreases in untreated animals.230
CPP is the difference between the mean arterial pressure and the ICP and repre -
sents the vascular pressure gradient across the cerebral beds.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        140
CONCUSSIONS
Concussions are a type of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) that occurs when the brain is jarred or shaken and are most commonly seen in sports-related brain injury. Sports-related concussion has been described as an epidemic  by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Visits to the emergency department for concussions have increased 62% between 2001 and 2009, and it is estimated that up to 250,000 concussions occur each year from high school sports alone. 141 Given the millions of
young persons involved in high school, collegiate, and older professional players par -
ticipating in contact sports that involve repetitive brain trauma, as well as military personnel exposed to repeated brain trauma from combat-related injuries, concus -
sions have become an important public health concern requiring public education and immediate clinical attention to find an effective treatment. Concussions are the result of biomechanical forces that result in rapid accelera -
tion and decelerations of the brain often involving helmet-to-helmet contact, leading to functional impairments even in the absence of overt structural damage. 142 Football
is not the only sport that produces concussions; every contact sport such as hockey, 155 DMSO in Basic Neuroprotection
soccer, boxing, and rugby also contributes to this epidemic. 143 Concussions can also
result from the head striking a hard object, as it often occurs in falls, creating a more
severe acceleration–deceleration of the brain than those seen after football helmet-to-helmet contact ( Figure 8. 4). Concussions have been defined as a temporary impairment of neurological func -
tion that heals by itself over time, and unlike severe, closed head injury, neuroimaging normally shows no gross structural changes to the brain as a result of the trauma. 144
Loss of consciousness is a clinical hallmark of concussion but is not required
to make the diagnosis. Symptoms include confusion, disorientation, unsteadiness, dizziness, headache, and visual disturbances. 145 These postconcussive deficits occur
with minimal detectable anatomic pathology and often resolve completely over time, suggesting that they are based on temporary neuronal dysfunction rather than cell death as seen in severe head injury. 146 Neuronal dysfunction can occur due to cere -
bral hypoperfusion, ionic shifts, altered metabolism, impaired synaptic connectivity, or changes in neurotransmission, such as diffuse axonal injury. 147
Repeated concussions, even mild blows to the head from contact sports, can cause
cumulative pathology on the brain. Successive concussions can have devastating consequences, including progressive decline of memory and cognition, depression, suicidal behavior, poor impulse control, aggressiveness, and, eventually, dementia. 148
The metabolic cascade following this type of injury has been studied extensively
in animal models as well as humans. 149,150 This metabolic cascade immediately after
biomechanical injury to the brain consists of a sudden release of neurotransmitters involving excitatory transmitters, such as glutamate binding to the NMDA recep -
tor, which leads to further neuronal depolarization with the efflux of potassium and
influx of calcium into brain cells. 149 These ionic shifts lead to acute and subacute
changes in cellular physiology, diminished cerebral perfusion, and brain cell energy
crisis, making the brain less able to respond adequately to a second injury and poten -
tially leading to longer-lasting deficits. 151The head strikes a
hard obje ct cr eating
a concussion -type
injury
FIGURE 8. 4  Rapid acceleration–deceleration of the brain created by the head striking a
moving or fixed object. 156 Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in Trauma and Disease
Unfortunately, studies targeting the metabolic cascade have failed to produce a
viable treatment option given the rapid onset and the shortness of time in reach -
ing a concussed patient in time to stop this cascade from progressing. One option,
however, is to keep a rapidly acting, safe, and effective agent such as DMSO near the sports facility where games are played and have someone present when players come in contact with each other that can administer DMSO intravenously if it is determined that intervention must be applied. Some studies have shown that cerebral blood flow decreases immediately follow -
ing a concussion, and the amount of time cerebral perfusion remains lowered and seems to depend on the severity of the injury. 152,153
Due to their lack of structural damage, concussion is also referred to as MTBI. More commonly, athletes present with a brief alteration of consciousness, headache, and amnesia and require careful examination and observation before returning to competition. The diagnosis of MTBI is based on subjective findings and subtle changes in mental status. The diagnosis of concussion is largely based on the clinical examination, yet
certain imaging studies can be considered, such as computed tomography or mag -
netic resonance imaging (MRI), especially if an intracranial bleed is suspected. MTBI requiring urgent neurosurgical attention should be ruled out. 154 Computerized
tomography and MRI are usually without significant findings in MTBI. Functional magnetic resonance images and positron emission tomographic scans have been used in concussion research but serve no role in the clinical management of concussion. 155
Neuropsychological testing is also very sensitive in the evaluation of brain injuries
in athletes and may become more clinically useful in the future. Neuropsychological testing may demonstrate areas of deficiencies; however, results may be difficult to interpret because of confounding factors. 156
Complications following MTBI such as second impact syndrome have been
known to occur, and when this happens, a rapid and effective treatment to counteract the pathologic cascade that follows may be life-saving. The search for an effective and safe concussion treatment when prevention does
not work is higher now than ever before. A better understanding of the detrimental molecular and cellular effects caused by a concussion is the key to finding a safe, rapid, and effective treatment. Treatment strategies focused


only way. I am not pleased by suffering, and whoever
says I am does not know Me. Suffering is an unnecessary aspect of the
human experience. It is not only
unnecessary, it is unwise, uncomfortable,
and hazardous to your health. Then why is there so much suffering? Why
don’t You, if You are God, put an end to it if
You dislike it so much? I have put an end to it. You simply refuse to
use the tools I have given you with  which to
realize that. You see, suffering has nothing to do with
events, but with one’s reaction to them. What’s happening is merely what’s
happening. How you feel about it is another
matter. I have given you the tools with which to
respond and react to events in a way which
reduces —in fact, eliminates —pain, but you
have not used them. Excuse me, but why not eliminate the
events? A very good suggestion. Unfortunately, I
have no control over them. You have no contro l over events? Of course not. Events are occurrences in
time and space which you produce out of
choice —and I will never interfere with choices. To do so would be to obviate the
very reason I created you. But I’ve
explained all this before. Some events you
produce  wilfully, and some events you draw
to you —more or less unconsciously. Some
events —major natural disasters are among
those you toss into this category —are
written off to “fate.” Yet even “fate” can be
an acronym for “from all thoughts
everywhere.” I n other words, the
consciousness of the planet. The “collective consciousness.”
Precisely. Exactly. There are those who say the world is going
to hell in a handbasket. Our ecology is
dying. Our planet is in for a major
geophysical disaster. Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Maybe even a tilting of the Earth on its axis. And there are others who
say collective consciousness can change
all that; that we can save the Earth with our
thoughts. Thoughts put into action. If enough people
everywhere believe something must be
done to help the environment, you will save
the Earth. But you must work fast. So  much
damage has already been done, for so
long. This will take a major attitudinal  shift. You mean if we don’t, we will see the
Earth —and its inhabitants —destroyed? I have m ade the laws of the physical
universe clear enough for anyone to
understand. There are laws of cause and
effect which have been sufficiently  outlined
to your scientists, physicists, and, through them, to your world leaders. These laws
don’t need to be outl ined once more here. Getting back to suffering —where did we
ever get the idea that suffering was good? That the saintly “suffer in silence”? The saintly do “suffer in silence,” but that
does not mean suffering is good. The
students in the school of Mastery  suffer in
silence because they understand that
suffering is not the way of God, but rather a
sure sign that there is still something to
learn of the way of God, still something to
remember. The true Master does not suffer in silence
at all, but only appea rs to be suffering
without complaint. The reason that the true
Master does not complain is that the true
Master is not suffering, but simply experiencing a set of circumstances that
you would call insufferable. A practicing Master does not speak of
sufferi ng simply because a Master
practicing  clearly understands the power of
the Word —and so chooses to simply not
say a  word about it. We make real that to which we pay
attention. The Master knows this. The
Master  places himself at choice with regard
to that wh ich she chooses to make real. You have all done this from time to time. There is not a one among you who has not
made a headache disappear, or a visit to
the dentist less painful, through your
decision about it. A Master simply makes the same decision
abou t larger things. But why have suffering at all? Why have
even the possibility of suffering? You cannot know, and become, that which
you are, in the absence of that which you
are not, as I have already explained to you. I still don’t understand how we ever got the
idea that suffering was good. You are wise to be insistent in questioning
that. The original wisdom surrounding
suffering in silence has become so
perverted that now many believe (and
several  religions actually teach) that
suffering is good, a nd joy is bad. Therefore,
you have  decided that if someone has
cancer, but keeps it to himself, he is a saint,
whereas if  someone has (to pick a
dynamite topic) robust sexuality, and
celebrates it openly,  she is a sinner. Boy, You did pick a dynamite topic. And
You cleverly changed the pronoun, too,
from male to female. Was that to make a
point? It was to show you your prejudices. You
don’t like to think of women having robust
sexuality, much less celebrating it openly. You would rather see a man dying with out
a whimper on the battlefield than a woman
making love with a whimper in the street. Wouldn’t You? I have no judgment one way or the other. But you have all sorts of them —and I
suggest that it is your judgments which
keep you from joy, and your expectat ions
which make you unhappy. All of this put together is what causes you
disease, and therein begins your  suffering. How do I know that what You are saying is
true? How do I know this is even God
speaking, and not my overactive
imagination? You’ve asked th at before. My answer is the
same. What difference does it make? Even
if everything I’ve said is “wrong,” can you
think of a better way to live? No. Then “wrong” is right, and “right” is wrong! Yet I’ll tell you this, to help you out of your
dilemma: believ e nothing I say. Simply  live
it. Experience it. Then live whatever other
paradigm you want to construct. Afterward,
look to your experience to find your truth. One day, if you have a great deal of
courage, you will experience a world where  making love is c onsidered better than
making war. On that day will you rejoice. Chapter 7
Life is so scary. And so confusing. I wish
things could be more clear. There is nothing scary about life, if you are
not attached to results. You mean if you don’t want anything. That’s right. Choose, but don’t want. That’s easy for people who don’t have
anybody depending on them. What if you
have a wife  and children? The path of the householder has always
been a most challenging path. Perhaps the
most challenging. As you  point out, it is
easy to “want nothing” when you are only
dealing with yourself. It is natural, when you
have others you love, to want only the  best
for them. It hurts when you can’t give them all that
you want them to have. A nice home, some
decent  cloth es, enough food.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Why do you think it’s crazy for you to be
able to have a dialogue with God. Do you
not believe in prayer. Yes, but that’s different. Prayer for me has
always been one  way. I ask, and God
remains  immutable. God has never answered a prayer. Oh yes, but never verbally, you see. Oh,
I’ve had all kinds of things happen in my life
that I  was convinced were an answer —a
very direct answer —to prayer. But God has
never  spoken to me. I see. So this God in which you believe —
this God can do anything —It jus t cannot
speak. Of course God can speak, if God wants to. It just doesn’t seem probable that God
would  want to speak to me. This is the root of every problem you
experience in your life —for you do not
consider  yourself worthy enough to be
spoken to by God. Good heavens, how can
you ever  expect to hear My voice if you
don’t imagine yourself to be deserving
enough to  even be spoken to. I tell you this: I am performing a miracle
right now. For not only am I speaking to
you, but to every person who has picked u p
this book and is reading these words. To each of them am I now speaking. I know
who every one of them is. I know now  who
will find their way to these words —and I
know that (just as with all My other
communications) some will be able to
hear—and some will  be able to only listen,
but will hear nothing. Well, that brings up another thing. I am
already thinking of publishing this material
even now,  as it’s being written. Yes.


, fr om  V aster Than Sky, Greater Than Space
When a human being lives from the place of knowing they’re Infinite
A wareness, then  the experience of living in the material world becomes
breathtaking. Because their m ind has dropped to the back ground and
A wareness is in the foreground,  they are no longer subject to the turmoil of the
mind, so they are lighthearted, happy all the time, and laugh a lot. They’re
existing in pure happiness and b liss and living their lives from that place every
day. Problems are virtually nonexistent, everything dreamed of comes to them,
and because they’re consciousl y living as A wareness, they’re fully aware of
their immortality. They know they are everything, and yet the y know they’re
not af fected by anything. Life on earth doesn’ t get any better than this. “Every little thing you do or see—every little, ordinary thin g—carries this
tingly se nse of being. It is hard not to cry sometimes at the most unspectacular
things. The lines of the walls in relation to the flat of the floor. I ts horizontality. The nap of the rug. The sound of the car going by. The smell of the skin on
your arm. All is miraculous. ”
Jan Frazier, fr om  Opening the Door
But you have to experience it for yourself. Hearing it from someone else is a
guide, p ointing you in the righ t direction. It’ s like a travel agent describing
Mount E verest. Y ou can’ t know what Mount Everest is like until you get there
and experience it for yourself—only then will you know. “It is actually impossible not to remain as this open space of consciousness. However, to be it knowingly is a dif ferent matter. ”
Francis Lucille, fr om  The Perfume of Silence
“Y ou cannot be out of awareness—it is missed simply through the habit of
placing the attention in the thinking. ”
Peter Lawry
W e can put our a ttention either on the thoughts in our head or on  the A wareness
that we  are. It’ s a simple sh ift of your attention. Put your attention on
A wareness as often as you can r ather than giving your attention to thinking, and
you will be on your way to absolute freedom and bliss. The A war eness Practice—Thr e e Steps
to Bliss
The A wareness Practice is what I use and continue to practice to consciously
stay as A wareness. This practice is not to become  A waren ess, bec ause you’rethat alre ady. It’ s  so you can live your life consciously as the A wareness that you
are. It’ s just three simple steps to a life of total freedom and lasting, blissful
happiness. Step 1. Ask yourself, “Am I aware. ”
Step 2. Notice A wareness. Step 3. Stay as A wareness.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: According to the text, what is the reason why people can't experience the enlightened state?,
A: Because they are trying to use their mind to quiet the mind, instead of allowing thoughts to come and go without giving them any attention.
Q: What is the key to breaking the habit of incessant thinking?,
A: Staying as awareness, which is effortless and cannot be contained within the body.
Q: What is the main obstacle to achieving a state of permanent happiness?,
A: The habit of identifying with the mind, which is mechanical and repetitive.
Q: What is the teacher's advice on how to stop negative thoughts?,
A: Don't believe them, and instead, observe them without giving them any attention.
Q: What is the main cause of negative feelings and stress in one's life?,
A: Believing one's own thoughts as facts, which creates a false reality and perpetuates suffering.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>They are the expression of joy and take us
back to joy, which is our true nature. Just enjoy them; be one with them.”
Francis Lucille, fr om  The Perfume of SilencePositive and good feelings are a result of saying “Y es” to what is  happening in
life. Positive feelings come from “Y es, I want that,” “Y es, that would be nice,”
“Y es, that’ s good,” “Y es, I love this,” or “Y es, that sounds great.”
There’ s not a p roblem with positive or good feelings. Happin ess and good
feelings, after all, come from A wareness. Bask in good feeling s, milk them,
and fall in love with them. Negative Feelings
Negative feelin gs are a result of you thinking or saying “No!” about
something that’ s happening. Negative feelings come from “No, I don’ t want
this!” It could be something hurtful a person said or did; someon e disagreeing
with you ; or a circumstance, big  or small, that didn’ t go the wa y you wanted,
such as having an ar gument; running late; a health issue; a relationship
breakup; mount ing debt; losing your phone; heavy traf fic; late deliveries;
items o ut of stock; the weat her too hot or too cold; issues with the
government; lat e or canceled fl ights; no parking spaces; or lon g lines at the
supermarket, bank, or airport. When you think or say, “No! I don’ t want this,” it immediately causes
resistance in you, and it’ s the resistance that produces the bad feelings. And
then, as if it isn’ t enough that w e resist a situation, we go ahead an d resist  the
bad feel ings as well. W e find ourselves feeling even worse, trapped in a web
of b ad feelings caused not act ually by anything happening in the outside
world, but by ou r own reactions. Our resistance to what is happening and our
negative feelings not only hold the situation we don’ t want firmly to us, but
also drain our body of ener gy and even impact our immune system! “Feeling sad about anything is h olding on to it. Say, ‘This is som ething I have
to let go of,’ and immediately you will feel better.”
Lester Levenson, fr om  Happiness Is Free, volumes 1–5
Positive feelings  are completely ef fortless because they’re the true nature of
A wareness. W e are made of positive feelings; we are made of j oy, happiness,
and love. Negati ve feelings require a huge amount of ener gy to maintain, and
it’ s the reason w hy we’re exhausted if we lose it during the day. A bout of
negative emotion such as when we lose our temper will wipe u s out, because
it has taken so much ef fort and ener gy to build it up and sustain it. It takes
ef fort be cause it’ s not who we are; when we feel any negative fe elings, in that
moment we are fighting against who we are. “‘Me’ maintenance takes a lot of ener gy.”
Peter Lawry
“It takes a lot of ener gy to be a person. It takes no ener gy to be yourself.”
Mooji
“After you let go of enough ego, you naturally feel the peace an d joy of your
Self.”
Lester Levenson, fr om  Happiness Is Free, volumes 1–5Positive, good feelings occur n aturally in the absence of neg ative feelings. Y ou don’ t have to make any ef fort to have positive feelings. All you have to
do i s let go of bad feelings, an d then you’ll naturally feel hap py and really
good. “Love is ef fortless, and hate requires much ef fort.”
Lester Levenson, fr om  Happiness Is Free, volumes 1–5
Buried Feelings
“Much o f the emotional burden  you now carry began life as a  pushed-away
feeling.”
Jan Frazier, fr om  The Freedom of Being
From the time w e were young children, we have unconsciously suppressed
countless bad feelings, which a re now stored in our subconscio us mind. The
bad feelings remain buried in th e subconscious mind, diminishi ng our ener gy
and our life. All of that ener gy  is trapped in the body, and it’ s this trapped
ener gy that plays havoc on the body’ s health and on the circumstances of our
life. Bad feel ings or negative feeling s are the only feelings we suppress and bury,
and so suppressed feelings and negative feelings are actually th e same thing. The anger that y ou feel when yo u get angry is the very same suppressed anger
coming from deep inside you. In addition, suppressed negative feelings have many negative thoughts
attached to them, which are th e thoughts that made us feel bad in the first
place as well as all the thoughts we’ve had ever since tha t are connected to the
negative feeling. The thoughts that are attached to the suppre ssed negative
feeling keep us trapped in the  mind by continually recycling themselves,
detrimentally af fecting our life and preventing us from realizing our true self. Babies and children under abou t three years of age don’ t suppress emotions
because they’re naturally living in their true nature of A ware ness, so they
automatically le t go of emotio ns. It’ s the reason why you see babies


 bake in low oven at 300°  F (149 ° C) for 2 hours. Eggplant  Fan
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 2
1 large onion, sliced
1 large eggplant, sliced
1 large firm, ripe tomato, sliced
thyme and marjoram
1 small clove garlic, chopped
Slice the onion into rings and cook gently in a thick-bottomed saucepan  while preparing the
other ingredients. Cut eggplant  into 4 or 5 lengthwise slices, stopping 3/4 in ch from either end. Slice the tomato into twice as many slices as there are cuts in the eggplant. Arrange the eggplant
on top of the onions in a fan shape, and fill the cuts with the tomato slices. Sprinkle with herbs
and chopped garlic. Cover and cook gently, on top of the stove,  or bake gently in a low oven at
300° F (149° C) until the eggplant  is soft. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 255Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comEggplant  Salad
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 2
1 eggplant
1 small onion, chopped
parsley, chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced
1-1/2 tbsp. vinegar
little flaxseed oil
Bake the eggplant  for about an hour at 350 ° F (180° C). Chop the onion and parsley and slice
the tomatoes. Combine with the cooked eggplant. Add the vinegar and flaxseed oil. Eggplant,  Stewed
1 eggplant, cut into cubes
2 onions, chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Combine all ingredients in a stew pot. Stew approximately 30 minutes (until tender). Do not add
water. Fancy Garlic Potatoes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours
potatoes, sliced
flaxseed oil
garlic, crushed
Cut the potatoes into slices, almost through to the base, but not quite. Put into a casserole dish
with only enough water to cover the bottom. Cook in the top of oven at 325 ° F (170° C) for 1-
1/2 to 2 hours  or at 350° F ( 180° C) for 1 hour. Mix together the flaxseed oil and crushed garlic. Put the potatoes onto a serving dish and, when slightly cooled, pour on the dressing. Serve
immediately. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 256Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comFennel Treat
1 fennel bulb
1 large tomato, cut into 1/4-inch  slices
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
Cut off stalks and leaves from fennel. Slice bulb in half lengthwise to give two flat halves. Rinse
them under running water to remove sand and put them in a baking dish with cut side up. Cover
halves with tomato slices and place garlic slices on top of tomatoes. Cover dish and bake at
250° F (121 ° C) for 1 to 2 hours. Serve with a baked potato and a salad of grated carrots on a
bed of pretty greens. Festive Broccoli (or Festive Green Beans)
1 large head broccoli (or 3-1/2 cups sliced green beans)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium sweet red (or yellow) bell pepper, cut in strips
2 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
1/4 tsp. dried (or 1 tsp. fresh) dill weed
Select dark green head of broccoli with no yellowing. Cut into spears, peeling tougher stalks at
base. Place onion and garlic in pot. Cover and stew on low flame for 45 minutes or until tender. Add pepper strips for the last 20 to 25 minutes of cooking. Add lemon juice just before serving
(lemon will discolor broccoli if added during cooking). Sprinkle vegetables with dill and serve. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 257Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comFrench Bean (Green Bean) Salad
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 2
French beans (green beans)
small onion, chopped
flaxseed oil
apple cider vinegar  (or lemon juice)
parsley
chives
Cook the beans gently until just tender. Drain and add the chopped onion. Put into a serving
dish and toss in the flaxseed oil and apple cider vinegar  (or lemon juice). Add herbs and serve. Fruited Red Cabbage
Preparation time: 10 minutes (does not include soaking)
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 2
4 oz. raisins
4 oz. dried apricots
1 small red cabbage, shredded
2 dessert apples, cored and chopped
apple cider vinegar
a little sugar
Soak the raisins and apricots overnight. Shred the red cabbage and sweat in a little water until
slightly softened. Add raisins, chopped apricots and cored, chopped dessert apples. Toss in apple
cider vinegar, to which a little water and sugar ha ve been added. Pile into a bowl and serve with
a baked potato. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 258Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comGerson® Gardener’s Pie*
*A bit like Shepherd’ s Pie but with vegetables instead of meat
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2-1/2 hours
Serves 2-3
Topping:
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
12 oz. celery root (or sweet potato or onion), peeled and cut into chunks
Peel the potato and other vegetable and cut into small chunks. Add water but only about 1/2 to
2/3 the height of the vegetables. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook slowly until all
the water is gone and the vegetables are soft, and mash. If there is a little water left in the pan,
beat it into the mash mixture. Filling:
1 small onion (or a few shallots)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 oz. carrots, sliced, or chipped or diced (but not diced too thickly)
8 oz. zucchini, cut into half slices, not too thin
8 oz. leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1-2 tbsp. chopped parsley
herbs to taste
2 oz. bread  crumbs
Prepare vegetables and put them into a saucepan in the order listed above. Cook the vegetables
very gently. You may need to use a simmer plate. This could take 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Prepare
topping and bread crumbs. When vegetables are cooked, stir in bread crumbs and pour the
mixture into a pie plate. Top with mashed potatoes. Drag a fork over the top to decorate and
bake for about 45 to 60 minutes at 350° F (180° C). Place pie plate on baking sheet in case of
leakage. Serve with green vegetables and salad. Variations:  Change the contents of the pie by adding green beans, peas and/or corn when
in season. Jerusalem artichokes would be also good. You could leave the leeks out of the pie and
purée them to add to the topping instead of the sweet potato, onion or celery root. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 259Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comGerson® Roast Potatoes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
1 baking potato
Cut a baking potato in half (or, if very large, into quarters). Score across the cut surface with a
knife. Put into a casserole dish with a little water to just cover the bottom. Put lid on and bake
in a hot oven at 400-425°  F (204-218° C)  for 1 hour. Before serving, remove the lid and leave to
slightly brown. Glazed Beets
Serves 6 to 8
Scrub 9 large beets and boil in 2 to 3 inches of water until tender for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Add more
water if needed. Peel in cold water. Slice or cut into bite-sized pieces. Glaze:
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
1


 we actually mean their
physical and mental state, and not their age. A
suggestion to use the expression “functional age”
when discussing an individual ’s state, rather
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frthan their date of birth, is based on this confu-
sion as well. It is true that the date of birth tells us nothing
about the state of a given organism or about the
extent of its mental development. These factors
are only indirectly connected to age and are not
its important components. A 70 -year-old can be
young according to their physical and mental
state, and a 40 -year-old can be old, languid and
depressed. And yet the first person is already 70,
while the second is only 40. Knowing this, we
can ignore the widespread assertion, that ‘we’re
trying to turn back time’. The age -related
changes happening in the organism that are
called ageing, aren’t so much linked to the pass-
ing of time, as to the factors, absolutely unrelated
to time per se. Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frIf there were a causal link to ageing, then a per-
son at 70 should have all the indications of old
age, inherent in this period of life, and a person
at 40 – all the indications of youth, found at this
age. The fact that the case is often the opposit e
makes us doubt the assumption that the state of
the body is irreversibly linked with the number
of years lived. We shouldn’t find it difficult to
understand that although age is expressed in
time, time isn’t the cause of the ageing process. For example, let’s take a stone being washed by
water. It changes over time, but it’s not time that
polishes it, it’s water. The ageing process re-
quires time, but time isn’t the cause of polishing. Two stones, polished by water in the to the
same extent, abrade at different speeds, depend-
ing on their hardness and density. Due to the
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frsame reason, two people under the influence of
identical destructive factors age at a different
speed, depending on their individual resistance
to the destructive factors. A stone abrades faster or slower depending on
the amount of water flowing around it: if it’s
small, the stone abrades slowly, if there’s a lot of
water, the abrasion happens faster. A person also
ages fast or slowly depending on the number of
destructive influences this person is affected by. Let’s expand our example somewhat: let’s im-
agine a self -restoring rock. At first it was being
polished by water, then the water stopped wash-
ing it. The rock begins ‘repairing’ itself and re-
storing the larger part of the lost matter. In the
human body, a natural process will take place
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.fr(because the organism is self -repairing), when
the causes of ageing are eliminated. The body is capable of destroying some of the
damaged structures, replacing them with fresh
ones, and renewing the cells  by dumping the
‘loads’ accumulated in them and ‘repairing’ their
damaged parts. Figuratively speaking, the hu-
man body can actively handle its business on its
own in a constructive manner. Humans can live longer and better than they do
now. They should liv e much longer than now,
and enjoy absolute health and energy. They
shouldn’t waste away at 60 or earlier. But in fact,
excluding deaths from accidents and homicides,
people die from diseases. If we lived in a way that
prevented the development of diseases,  not only
could we live longer than what’s considered
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frnormal now, but we could also preserve our
physical and mental powers. Aging is defined as an ‘accumulation of
changes in the organism, increasing the proba-
bility of death of a given individual over th e
course of time.’ This simply means that aging is
a slow accumulation of pathological (unhealthy)
changes in the organs and tissues, injuries in the
structures of the body and a slow deterioration
of its vital functions. Old age is just another
chronic disease. And this is the reason why we
can age sooner or later, and some people at sev-
enty look younger than some 40 -year-olds. Aging happens over time, but time is not its
cause. Consequently, it doesn’t matter, what
method we should use to precisely determ ine
human physiological age, what matters is that we
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frfound and figured out the causes that lead to ag-
ing. Eliminate the cause of aging, and let the
physiological age take care of itself. Nobody
knows for sure what the changes of the organism
leading to agi ng are, or what sort of changes they
are exactly. Let’s examine the experiments of a
well- known French scientist Dr. Alexis Carrel16,
author of the book Man, The Unknown. Keeping
separate fragments of a chicken heart alive over
the course of many years, he  found out that they
aged, unless they got rid of the waste accumu-
lated in their cells. In other words, they aged

16Alexis Carrel  (1873 – 1944) was a French surgeon and biologist
who was awarded the  Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine  in
1912 for pioneering vascular   suturing  techniques. He wrote the
book Man, The Unknown. New York and London: Harper and
Brothers, 1939. Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frbecause of the accumulation of waste produced
by their own metabolism in the culture medium
where they were placed. If this waste was regu-
larly removed, preventing the cells from getting
poisoned by it, the chicken heart didn’t age. This
is very important proof that aging is the result of
chronic saturation with toxic substances. Unfor-
tunately, the important discovery attracted too
little attent ion, perhaps, because a way to use it
was not discovered. Carrel’s experiments and many other similar
ones helped scientists conclude that cells are po-
tentially immortal. In their normal state, they
keep dividing over and over again, but they
don't’ die. Death turns out to be an abnormal
phenomenon. Nevertheless, under the regular
life conditions we observe that cells actually age
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frand die in great numbers. In order to extend life
indefinitely, all the conditions have to be favora-
ble. If cells are potential ly immortal, as scientists
currently think, and the body as a system gets
older, then it’s obvious that one of two things is
true. Either the functional specialization of cell
groups / body organs is mismatched, or there’s
no coordination of cell groups in  the organism. Perhaps, both of these factors are true. If one or
both of these assumptions are true, this poses a
question:  is the discrepancy of specialization or
the discrepancy of coordination a primary (ini-
tial) condition of life or is it (the mismat ch) a re-
sult of established and resolvable causes? If it’s a
primary condition, then we cannot hope to pre-
vent the aging process for more than a short
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frperiod of time, as it usually begins quite early. But if it’s induced by causes that can be avoided
or el iminated, which seems likely enough, then
we’re capable of doing a lot to prevent aging. At least countless experiments on many lower
forms of life have demonstrated that it’s not only
possible to delay the aging process for an infi-
nitely long time, but also to reverse it, restoring
youth. For more than 15 years, professor C. M. Child17
from the University of Chicago researched ani-
mal ageing. His results revealed that periodical
fasting usually promotes bodily rejuvenation. 17 Charles Manning Child  (1869 – 1954) was an American zoologist
noted for his work on regeneration (especially
on Coelenterates  and flatworm s) at the  University of Chicago. Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani


. In	a	blender,	combine	ingredients	and	purée	until	the	mixture	develops	the
desired	consistency. 2. Serve	immediately,	poured	into	tall	glasses	and	garnished	with	cherries.Detox	Vegetable	Juice
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	4)

Ingredients

1. 6	carrots

1. 3	large	tomatoes

1. 2	green	bell	peppers

1. 2	cloves	garlic

1. 4	stalks	celery

1. 1	cup	watercress

1. 1	cup	loosely	packed	spinach

Directions

1. Blend	all	ingredients	until	smooth. 2. Drink	immediately.Exotic	Mango	Breakfast
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1/2	mango,	pitted	and	peeled

1. 3	sprigs	mint

1. 1	cup	pomegranate	seeds

1. 1/4	papaya,	seeded	and	peeled

1. 1/2	cup	almond	milk
Directions

1. Blend	all	five	ingredients	together. 2. Pour	into	two	glasses	and	sprinkle	chopped	almonds	on	top	(optional).Vitamin	Berry	Lemon	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1	cup	cherries,	pitted

1. 1	cup	blueberries

1. 1	cup	raspberries

1. 1/2	lemon,	peeled

Directions

1. In	a	blender,	process	berries	and	lemon	until	the	mixture	is	nice	and
smooth. 2. Pour	into	the	glasses	and	enjoy.Fizzy	Cherry,	Apple	and	Mint
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1	apple,	cored	and	quartered

1. 1	cup	sour	cherries,	pitted

1. 2	sprigs	mint

1. 2	ounces	seltzer	water

Directions

1. Blend	the	apple,	cherries,	and	mint. 2. Add	the	seltzer	water	to	the	blender,	and	pulse	once	or	twice. 3. Pour	into	the	glasses	and	serve.Avocado	Gazpacho	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	15	minutes	|	Servings	4)

Ingredients

1. 1/2	cup	water

1. 2	cloves	garlic,	peeled

1. 1	cucumber,	quartered

1. 1	avocado,	pitted	and	peeled

1. 1	green	bell	pepper,	seeded

1. 1	medium	zucchini,	quartered

1. 2	scallions

1. Salt	to	taste

Directions

1. Add	the	water,	garlic,	cucumber,	and	avocado

to	the	blender. 2. Pulse	a	few	times	and	then	add	the	pepper,	zucchini,	scallions	and	salt. 3. Blend	until	the	mixture	is	smooth	and	thick. Pour	into	4	glasses	and	serve.Carrot	Orange	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	1)

Ingredients

1. 4	medium	carrots

1. 1	medium	orange,	peeled

1. 1	cup	kale

1. 1/2	medium	avocado

Directions

1. Toss	all	ingredients	into	the	blender. Cover	and	blend	till	nice	and	smooth. 2. Pour	into	a	glass	and	drink.Asparagus	Vitality	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	10	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 4	stalks	asparagus	tips,	tender	halves	only

1. 1	apple,	cored	and	quartered

1. 1/2	cup	water

1. 2	cups	romaine	lettuce,	chopped

1. 1	cup	grapes

Directions

1. Add	the	asparagus,	apple,	and	water	to	the	blender,	and	process	until	the
ingredients	are	broken	into	small	chunks. 2. Then	add	remaining	ingredients	and	purée	until	the	mixture	becomes
smooth	and	thick. 3. Pour	into	two	glasses	and	enjoy.Pre-workout	Snack	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1	cup	green	grapes

1. 2	kiwis,	peeled

1. 1	banana,	peeled

Directions

1. In	a	blender,	process	all	ingredients	until	a	smooth	consistency	develops. 2. Pour	into	two	chilled	glasses	and	drink. If	you	feel	it’s	needed,	you	can	add
a	water.Tropical	Breakfast	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	5	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1/4	medium	pineapple,	peeled

1. 1/4	cantaloupe,	peeled	and	seeded

1. 1	cup	spinach

1. 1	orange,	peeled

1. 1	cup	pomegranate	seeds

Directions

1. Combine	all	five	ingredients	in	your	blender. 2. Cover	and	blend	till	the	smoothie	reaches	your	desired	consistency. 3. Pour	into	two	chilled	glasses	and	enjoy	this	smoothie	which	is	an	excellent
breakfast	for	your	brain.Carrot	Coconut	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	10	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1	yellow	beet

1. 1	carrot	with	greens

1. 1	orange,	peeled

1. 1/2	cup	coconut	water

Directions

1. In	your	blender,	process	the	beet	and	the	carrot. 2. Then	add	the	orange	and	coconut	water	and	pulse	a	few	times	until	the
mixture	reaches	the	desired	consistency. 3. Pour	into	glasses	and	sprinkle	coconut	flakes	on	top	(optional). 4. Enjoy	this	excellent	smoothie	as	a	source	of	beta-carotene	and	anti-
oxidants.Potato	Pineapple	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	10	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 1	red	potato,	cooked

1. 1/4	inch	ginger	slice

1. 1/4	pineapple,	peeled	and	chopped

1. 2	kiwis,	peeled

1. A	dash	of	grated	nutmeg

Directions

1. Process	the	potato	and	ginger	in	a	blender. 2. Then	add	the	pineapple	and	kiwi	and	pulse	a	few	times	until	the	mixture	is
thick	and	smooth. 3. Pour	into	glasses. This	super	healthy	drink	is	good	for	your	digestion.Cranberry	Lemonade	Smoothie
(Ready	in	about	10	minutes	|	Servings	4)

Ingredients

1. 1	cup	cranberries

1. 2	lemons,	peeled

1. 3	cups	water

Directions

1. In	a	blender	container,	combine	ingredients	and	purée	until	the	smoothie
develops	the	desired	consistency. 2. Pour	into	four	glasses. 3. This	smoothie	is	a	high-quality	drink	for	your	kidneys.Banana	Coffee	Shake
(Ready	in	about	10	minutes	|	Servings	2)

Ingredients

1. 2	frozen	bananas,	peeled

1. 1	½	cups	skim	milk

1. 1	cup	low-fat	coffee	yogurt

1. 1/4	teaspoon	ground	cinnamon

1. 1/8	teaspoon	ground	cloves

1. 1/8	teaspoon	ground	nutmeg

1. Fresh	mint	leaves	for	garnish

Directions

1. In	your	blender,	combine	frozen	bananas,	milk,	yogurt,	cinnamon,	cloves
and	nutmeg. 2. Cover	and	blend	until	nice	and	smooth. Garnish	with	fresh	mint	leaves	and
serve	in	chilled	glasses.Banana	Vanilla	Shake


 o t  r e p r o d u c i n g,
s c a n n i n g,  o r  d i s t r i b u t i n g  a n y  p a r t  o f  i t  i n  a n y  f o r m  w i t h o u t  p e r m i s s i o n. Y o u  a r e  s u p p o r t i n g  w r i t e r s  a n d  a l l o w i n g  P e n g u i n  t o
c o n t i n u e  t o  p u b l i s h  b o o k s  f o r  e v e r y  r e a d e r. R i v e r h e a d  a n d  t h e  R  c o l o p h o n  a r e  r e g i s t e r e d  t r a d e m a r k s  o f  P e n g u i n  R a n d o m  H o u s e  L L C. L i b r a r y  o f  C o n g r e s s  C a t a l o g i n g - i n - P u b l i c a t i o n  D a t a
N a m e s :  N e s t o r,  J a m e s,  a u t h o r. T i t l e :  B r e a t h  :  t h e  n e w  s c i e n c e  o f  a  l o s t  a r t  /  J a m e s  N e s t o r. D e s c r i p t i o n :  N e w  Y o r k  :  R i v e r h e a d  B o o k s,  2 0 2 0. |  I n c l u d e s  b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l  r e f e r e n c e s  a n d  i n d e x. I d e n t i f i e r s :  L C C N  2 0 1 9 0 5 0 8 6 3  ( p r i n t )  |  L C C N  2 0 1 9 0 5 0 8 6 4  ( e b o o k )  |  I S B N  9 7 8 0 7 3 5 2 1 3 6 1 6  ( h a r d c o v e r )  |  I S B N  9 7 8 0 7 3 5 2 1 3 6 3 0
( e b o o k )
S u b j e c t s :  L C S H :  B r e a t h i n g  e x e r c i s e s. |  R e s p i r a t i o n. C l a s s i f i c a t i o n :  L C C  R A 7 8 2. N 4 7  2 0 2 0  ( p r i n t )  |  L C C  R A 7 8 2  ( e b o o k )  |  D D C  6 1 3 /. 1 9 2 — d c 2 3
L C  r e c o r d  a v a i l a b l e  a t  h t t p s : / / l c c n. l o c. g o v / 2 0 1 9 0 5 0 8 6 3
L C  e b o o k  r e c o r d  a v a i l a b l e  a t  h t t p s : / / l c c n.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who is the author of the book "Breathe"?,
A: James Nestor
Q: What is the main focus of the book "Breathe"?,
A: The book explores the lost art and science of breathing, discussing its importance in our daily lives and its potential to affect our overall health and well-being.
Q: What is the main goal of the experiment in the book?,
A: The goal of the experiment is to test the effects of mouthbreathing on the body, as well as the benefits of nasal breathing.
Q: Who is Dr. Jayakar Nayak, and what is his profession?,
A: Dr. Jayakar Nayak is a rhinologist, and he is the chief of rhinology research at Stanford.
Q: What is the main argument of the book "Breathe"?,
A: The book argues that the way we breathe has a profound impact on our health and well-being, and that the current mouthbreathing habits of modern humans are detrimental to our overall health.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Luckily, those consequences were
spelled out by a Norwegian-American orthodontist and researcher chasing
very dif ferent ends. Egil P. Harvold’ s hideous experiments in the 1970s and 80s would not
go over well with PET A or with anyone who has ever really cared for
animals. W orking from a lab in San Francisco, he gathered a troop of rhesus
monkeys and stuf fed silicone deep into the nasal cavities of half of them,
leaving the other half as they were. The obstructed animals couldn’ t remove
the plugs, and they couldn’ t breathe at all through their noses. They were
forced to adapt to constant mouthbreathing. Over the next six months, Harvold measured the animals’ dental arches,
the angles of their chins, the length of their faces, and more. The plugged-
up monkeys developed the same downward growth pattern, the same
narrowing of the dental arch, crooked teeth, and gaping mouth. Harvold
repeated these experiments, keeping animals obstructed for two years. They
fared even worse. Along the way, he took a lot of pictures. The photographs are heart-wrenching, not only for the sake of the poor
monkeys, but because they also of fer such a clear reflection of what
happens to our own species: after just a few months, faces grew long, slack-
jawed, and glazed over. Mouthbreathing, it turns out, changes the physical body and transforms
airways, all for the worse. Inhaling air through the mouth decreases
pressure, which causes the soft tissues in the back of the mouth to become
loose and flex inward, creating less overall space and making breathing
more dif ficult. Mouthbreathing begets more mouthbreathing. Inhaling from the nose has the opposite ef fect. It forces air against all
those flabby tissues at the back of the throat, making the airways wider and
breathing easier. After a while, these tissues and muscles get “toned” to stayin this opened and wide position. Nasal breathing begets more nasal
breathing. “Whatever happens to the nose af fects what’ s happening in the mouth,
the airways, the lungs,” said Patrick McKeown during a phone interview. He’ s a bestselling Irish author and one of the world’ s leading experts on
nasal breathing. “These aren’ t separate things that operate autonomously—
it’ s one united airway,” he told me. None of this should come as a surprise. When seasonal aller gies hit,
incidences of sleep apnea and breathing dif ficulties shoot up. The nose gets
stuf fed, we start mouthbreathing, and the airways collapse. “It’ s simple
physics,” McKeown told me. Sleeping with an open mouth exacerbates these problems. Whenever we
put our heads on a pillow, gravity pulls the soft tissues in the throat and
tongue down, closing of f the airway even more. After a while, our airways
get conditioned to this position; snoring and sleep apnea become the new
normal. •       •       •
It’ s the last night of the nasal obstruction phase of the experiment, and I am,
again, sitting up in bed and staring out the window. When a Pacific breeze blows in, which it does most nights, the shadows
of the trees and plants on the backyard wall across from my bedroom start
to move and groove in a chromatic kaleidoscope. One moment they
reor ganize into a cadre of Edward Gorey gentlemen in waistcoats, the next
into crooked Escher staircases. Another gust of wind, and these scenes
disintegrate and reform into recognizable stuf f: ferns, bamboo leaves,
bougainvillea. This is a long way of saying: I can’ t sleep. My head’ s been propped up
on pillows and I’ve been taking notes on this creepy tableau for 15, 20,
maybe 40 minutes. I unconsciously try to snif f and clear my nose, but
instead get a jolt


ent substances are cold. There a re three types of post- digestive ef fects derived from the natural
qualities of the food and the strength of the digestive process: sweet tends toexpand the tissues, enhances Kapha, and builds up the body; sour increases Pitta
and may  burn away the tissue s; and pungent augments V ata and dries out the
tissues. I n gener al, sweet and sa lty substances lead to a sweet post-digestive ef fect,
while sour substances lead to a sour one, and bitter, pungent and astringent
substances result in a pungent post-digestive ef fect (see illustration 11). Certain foods, medicines, and poisons possess specialized attributes or
powers (prabhav a). When a sub stance possessing a special power is consumed, it
may produce unusual ef fects i n the body and mind, ef fects  which cannot be
predicted by the classificatory knowledge of taste, potency or post-digestive ef fect. Charaka, in summarizing the id eal attributes of a medicinal sub stance, says:
“A medicine is one which enter s the body, balances the Dosha s, does not disturb
the h ealthy tissue, does not adhere to them and gets eliminated through the urine,
sweat and feces. It cures the dis ease, gives longevity to the bodi ly cells and has no
side ef fects." 4
T h e  D o s h a s  i n  t h e  B o d y
T h e  Thr ee D oshas pervade the entire body but concentrate only in /  those tissues
in w hich they ar e particularly required. Thus V ata accumulates b elow the navel to
help cou nteract the force of gra vity by pumping blood, lymph and wastes from
the lower parts of the body back into the torso; whereas Kapha accumulates above
the diaphragm to keep V ata from moving upward too strongly, and to ensure
lubrication for those or gans whi ch require it most (the heart, lungs and alimentary
canal); and Pitta, the mediator and fulcrum between V ata and Kapha, occupies the
region between the diaphragm and the navel, near the body’ s center of gravity. Certain body or gans generally store higher concentrations of each of the
Doshas:
V A T A —brain and nervous system, heart, lar ge intestine, bones,
lungs, bladder, pelvis, thighs, ears and skin. PITT A —brain, liver, spleen, gallbladder, small intestine, endocrine
glands, skin, eyes, blood and sweat. KAPHA —brain, joints, mouth, head and neck, stomach, lymph,
chest (especially lungs, heart and esophagus), kidneys and fat. V ata, Pitta and Kapha each has five particularized aspects. The f ive Kaphas
manifest in specialized body l ubricants such as stomach mucus, pleural and
pericardial fluid, saliva, synovi al fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid. The five Pittas
appear in transformative subs tances including digestive jui ces, hemoglobin,
melanin, rhodop sin, and various neurotransmitters. The five V ata s divide the body
into spheres of influence as follows:
The fiel d of activity of Forwa rd-Moving (prana) V ata extends from the
diaphragm to the throat; it is in char ge of taking in of things like food, water and
air, i nto the syst em. All five V atas are derived from Prana, but since this V ata is
particularly involved with the intake of the life force itself, it has been ascribed
this name. The field of Upward-Moving (udana) V ata extends from the t hroat to the
top of the head, and it controls self-expression: speech, endeavor, enthusiasm,
memory, vitality, complexion (o ne of the body’ s means of expressing its innate
state) and the like.The Dow nward-Moving (apana) V ata, operates from the navel to the anus. It expels things from the body: urine, feces, gas, semen, menstr ual blood, and the
fetus. The Pervasive (vyana) V ata pervades the entire body from its seat in the
heart, distributing nourishment by causing blood and other fluids to circulate and
producing locomotion, extension and contraction, perspiration, and other similar
actions. The fiel d of Equalizing (samana) V ata extends from the diaph ragm to the
navel. I t directs the processes of digestion and assimilation, and helps keep
Forward-Moving and Downward-Moving V atas balanced. V ata, Pitta and Kapha act through the body’ s tissues and waste products. Actually it is th e Doshas which really make the body function, since the tissues
are arranged and nourished and the wastes sequestered and excreted by the
Doshas. A human being is a fac tory in which raw materials are operated upon by
the Doshas to pr oduce products and byproducts. While the build ing, the machines
and the  raw materials are all essential ingredients for prod uction of goods;
without the workers (the Doshas) there is no production! The products of
digestion are the seven tissues w hich anchor mind and spirit firm ly to the physical
body. T hey are Sap (rasa), Bl ood (rakta), Flesh (mamsa), Fat (medas), Bone
(asthi), Marrow (majja) and Reproductive T issue (shukra) (see illustration 12). Sap (ras a), the foundation of the body, is the first “juice” absorb ed from the
digested food; it includes but is not limited to chyle. Sushruta emphasized Sap’ s
importance thus : “Knowing that humans are the product of Rasa, one must be
specially carefu l about the pre servation of Rasa.” Each tissue acts as the raw
material for the next; that is, B lood is formed from Sap, Flesh from Blood, Fat
from Flesh, and so on. At eac h stage of transformation the next tissue in the
sequence is produced along with a waste and a secondary tissue. Reproductive T i ssue includes all the body’ s reproductive fluids, male and
female; it produces no waste, and its secondary tissue is the fetus it creates. The
action o f a very subtle form of  Fire on Reproductive T issue g enerates Essence
(ojas), t he glandular secretion which cements body, mind and spirit together. Although semen  is produced in the testicles, the ener gy which that semen carries
comes f rom Bone and Marrow. Since Reproductive T issue is the raw material
from which Essence is produced, excessive loss of Reproductive T issue depletes
Essence, weaken ing immunity and digestive capacity. When E ssence is firm the
mind is firm; ex cessive sex robs the mind of its firmness bec ause Essence and
Reproductive T issue are continually lost. It takes time for ingested food toproceed through the tissues to nourish Reproductive T issue, though milk, honey,
onions a nd alche mically prepare d mercury are some of the substances reported to
replenish the body’ s Reproductive T issue almost instantly. Essence is both the cause and the ef fect of good digestion, and
its  conservation is essential to good health because it controls the immune system
and gen erates th e body’ s aura, the halo of lustre which is the  essence of one’ s
being. Lustre which is “expansive, glossy and broad” is auspicious, while a “dry,
soiled or contracted” lustre betokens inauspicious-ness and disease.5
C h a n n e l s  o f  F l o w
W hen balanced the Doshas support the body by irrigating the tis-Vv sues
with Sap  (rasa) as water irrigat es a field. Like crops in a field  the tissues
require channels through which  the nutrient juices can flow to reach them. The bod y posse sses many Channels (srotamsi), lar ge and small, through
which n utrients and wastes move. Many of these channels, such as the
digestive tract, look like pipes even to the naked eye, while others are less
tube-like. The digestive tract is the most important of all the bodily
channels, since it takes in the E lements necessary to replenish body tissues
and maintain the system’ s continuity. Though innumerable, fourteen of these channels are primary. Three
of them deal wi th nutrition from outside: the Prana Channel, composed of
the respiratory system and the  heart; the W ater Channel, wh ich extends
from the palate to the pancreas; and the Food Channel, extending from the
esophagus to the lar ge intestine. Seven channels deal with tissue nutrition:
the Sap Channel consists of the heart and its great vessels, the Blood
Channel is based in the liver an d spleen, the Flesh Channel consists of the
muscles and skin, the Fat Chan nel includes the kidneys and omentum, the
Bone Ch annel c onsists of the fat  and the hips,


-neck varieties are easy to peel and more pungent, but the cloves are
usually smaller. Hard-neck garlic does not store as well as soft-neck garlic. Spanish Roja (left) and German Red (right) are Rocambole varieties.Romanian Red (above) is a Porcelain variety. It has lar ger and fewer cloves per bulb. Chesnok Red (above) is a Purple Stripe variety with red or purple markings. Soft-Neck Garlic
The soft-neck garlic is milder in flavour and tends to be lar ger, has more
cloves a nd keeps longer. It is likely to be the type that is available fresh in
the new  year, up until about la te February. After that, depending on your
location, the only fresh garlic a vailable will be imported. Some Soft-Neck
Garlic sub-varieties are Inchelium Red, California Early and Late,
Chet’ s Italian Red  and Susanville  (Artichoke variety); and Mild Fr ench,
Silver White  and Nootka Rose  (Silverskin variety). Pur chasing/Storing
1 lb (500 g) yields about 2 cups (500 mL) chopped garlic. Choose firm, plump bulbs that  are heavy for their size. Skins should be
clean, d ry and unbroken. A void  bulbs that are sprouting. Store  garlic in a
ventilated conta iner in a cool, dry place, not in the refrigerator. If stored
properly, soft-ne ck garlic should keep for up to 6 months, but garlic should
be preserved as soon as possible after harvesting. Good W ithHerbs such as basil, oregano, marjoram, summer savory, bay,
thyme, rosemary. Roasted garlic with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg. Other Alliums, such as onions, leeks, shallots. Other vegetables, such as asparagus, fresh and dried beans,
artichokes, tomatoes, eggplant, to name a few. Pr eparation
For pres erving r aw garlic, peel a nd blanch whole cloves in boili ng water for
1 minut e. Immerse in cold wat er for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry. Leave
whole for canning in syrup, or slice or chop for freezing. Essential:  Ga rlic’ s close contact with so il may expose it to dangerou s
bacteria. Garlic preserved in oil has been a popular item but cannot safely
be made with home canning methods because temperature s in home
pressure canners cannot achieve  the high temperatures suf ficient to kill the
toxic sp ores tha t may be on the raw garlic. Oil is the perfect in cubator for
those spores. T o  R o a s t  G a r l i c :
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut a 1/4-inch (5 mm) slice
of f the tops of the cloves in a whole head of garlic. Place,
root end  down, on a lar ge squar e of foil or in a baking pan. Drizzle 2 tsp (1 0 mL) olive oil  over the top of the cloves.Fold the  foil into a package around the garlic head or cover
the p an with foi l. Bake in prehe ated oven for 1 hour or until
cloves a re soft. Let cool. Squeeze caramelized cloves out of
their skin. Canning Garlic
For cent uries, he rbalists have made what was known as a “rob” from plant
juice and sugar—essentially infused syrup. The sugar in the syrup acted as a
preservative and  carrier for the medicinal components of garlic and other
herbs. In the Middle Ages, garlic and elderberries were common medicinal
preparations tha t were used to treat a wide range of health problems,
especially throat and chest ailments. 1. Pr epar e Equipment:  W ash and heat 1-cup (250 mL)  or pint (2-cup/500
mL) jars, and sc ald the lids, funnel, ladle and tongs ( Boiling W ater Method,
Step by Step ). 2. Make a Medium Syrup:  In a lar ge saucepan, combine 2 cups (500 mL)
granulated suga r with 4 cups (1 L) water; stir until dissolved. Bring to a
rolling b oil over high heat. Mak es 5 cups (1.25 L) syrup, enough for 6 cups
(1.5 L) whole peeled garlic. 3. Pack peeled whole garlic into jars hot. Make a Hot Pack:  Add  6 cups
(1.5 L) whole peeled garlic to boiling syrup. Return to a boil and boil for 3
minutes. Remov e pan from the heat and fill hot jars with hot garlic one at a
time, sh aking the jar to pack tightly. Add hot syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch (1
cm) hea dspace. Run a thin non- metallic utensil around the inside of the jarto al low air to escape. Add more hot syrup, if necessary, to leav e a 1/2-inch
(1 cm) headspace. W ipe sealing edge of jars with a clean, damp, lint-free
cloth. Position flat lids over the tops of jars and hand-tighten screw bands. 4. Pr ocess garlic in a canner:  Use a Boiling W ater Canner according to the
chart below. OR
Process garlic in a Pressure Canner following manufacturer ’ s directions for
steam pressure and time at your altitude. 5. Cool, Label and Stor e:  L ift jars from c anner and place on a clean towel
or rack. Do not re-tighten screw bands. Let the jars cool to room
temperature. This may take from 12 to 24 hours. Remove and store screw
bands. Check lid seals ( Boiling W ater Method, Step by  Step ). W ipe and
label sealed jars. Store in a cool, dark place. g a r l i c,  o n i o n  a n d  c h e r r y  c h u t n e y
If you ar e looking for a very differ ent pr eserve, this is it. U sing dried
cherries in chutney is unusual, and if you have fr esh, you can use them in
this r ecipe as long as you r educe the amount of water. Look for the smallest
pickling onions you can find. F ollow the dir ections for peeling onions, for
both the onions and garlic. MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS (2 L)3 cups (750 mL) garlic cloves
3 cups (750 mL) r ed or white pearl or pickling onions juice of 2 large
lemons
2 cups (500 mL) dried cherries
3 pears, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) dice, divided
1–1/4 cups (300 mL) r ed wine vinegar
1–1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) pickling salt
2 tbsp (25 mL) Classic Pickling Spice Blend  (stor e-bought), tied in a
cheesecloth bag
1–1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1. In a M aslin p an or canning kettle, combine garlic, pearl on ions, lemon
juice, cherries, half of the pears, vinegar, sugar, salt, spice bag and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-
low and  simmer  for about 45 minutes or until most of the liquid has been
absorbed and the onions and garlic are tender. 2. Meanwhile, heat four 1-pint (2-cup/500 mL) jars in boiling  water, and
scald the lids, lifter, funnel and tongs ( Boiling W ater Method, Step by Step ). 3. Stir in remaining pears. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes,
just until pears are slightly soft but still holding their shape. 4. S kim of f and discard any foam. Fill hot jars, leaving a 1/2- inch (1 cm)
headspace. Run a thin non-metallic utensil around the inside of the jar to
allow air to escape. Add chutne y, if necessary, to leave a 1/2-inch (1 cm)
headspace. W ipe rims, top with flat lids and screw on metal rings. Return
jars to the hot water bath, topping up with hot water if necessary. Bring to a
full rolling boil and process ja rs for 15 minutes ( Boiling W ater Method,
Step by Step ). 5. Remo ve cann er lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars t o a towel or
rack to cool com pletely. Check seals, label and store in a cool place for up
to 1 year.Use: Th e tartness of the cher ries makes this chutney ideal for serving
with rich  foods such as pâté, pork sausages and duck. I also s erve it with
roast turkey as a change from cranberry sauce. r o a s t e d  g a r l i c  a n d  a r t i c h o k e  s p r e a d
I c all this r obust  Mediterranean  combo a


 getting up and walking out is a good
way to manipulate a partner into or out of certain behavior. • The “You don’t love me” or “You don’t understand me” contriv-
ance for getting one’s way and maintaining the dependency in the
relationship. • The suicide scheme. “If you don’t do what I want, then I’ll kill
myself” or “If you leave me, I’ll end it all. ”202 / Your Erroneous ZonesAll of the above strategies are methods that keep the other person
in the desired role in marriage. They are used when they work. If
one partner refuses to be manipulated by them, the other will not
continue to use them. It is only when one mate is responsive to these
ploys that the other gets in the habit of using them. If you give the
proper submissive reactions, you are teaching the other what you
will tolerate. If you get pushed around, you’ve been sending push-me-around
signals. You can learn to teach others to treat you the way you want
to be treated. It will take time and effort because it has taken a lot
of time to teach others how you wanted to be treated until now. But
you can make the change whether it be on the job, in the family, at
a restaurant, on the bus, any place at all that you receive shabby
treatment which you dislike. Rather than saying, “Why don’t you
treat me better. ” begin to say, “What am I doing to teach others to
treat me this way. ” Put the focus on you, and begin changing those
reactions. Some Common Dependency and Dependency-Fostering Behavior
• Feeling unable to leave the nest or leaving it with bad feelings
on both sides. • Feeling required or obliged to visit, telephone, entertain,
chauffeur and the like. • Asking permission of a spouse for anything, including spending
money, authority to speak, or use of the car. • Invasions of privacy, such as looking through drawers and
private records of children. • Sentences like, “I could never tell him how I feel, he wouldn’t
like it. ”
• Falling into depression and immobilization after the death of a
loved one. DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE  / 203• Feeling committed to a particular job and never venturing out
on your own. • Having expectations for how a spouse, parent, or child has to
be. • Being embarrassed by a child’s, spouse’s, or parent’s behavior,
as if what they are is a part of what you are. • Being in training  all of your life for a job or position. Never
leaving the training phase for self-reliance. • Being hurt by what others say, feel, think, or do. • Only feeling happy or successful if your mate is feeling that
way. • Taking orders from someone. • Allowing someone else to make decisions for you, or always
asking advice before deciding. • “You owe me, look what I did for you. ” The obligations that go
with being dependent. • Not doing something in front of a parent or dominant person
because they wouldn’t approve. Not smoking, drinking, swearing,
eating a hot fudge sundae, or whatever, because of your submissive
role. • Giving up on your own life when a loved one dies, or becomes
seriously ill. • Using careful language around a dominant person, so that he
won’t be upset with you. • Persistently lying about your own behavior, and having to distort
the truth so that “they” won’t be upset with you. The Psychological Compensation of Dependency
The reasons for hanging on to this self-thwarting behavior are not
very complicated. You may know the payoffs for being a dependent,
but do you know how destructive they are. Dependency may appear
harmless, but it is the enemy of all happiness and fulfillment. Here
are the more common dividends for keeping yourself in a dependent
state:204 / Your Erroneous Zones• Being dependent can keep you in the protective custody of
others, and give you the little child benefits of not being responsible
for your own behavior. • By staying dependent, you can blame your shortcomings on
others. • If you are dependent on others, you don’t have to undertake
the hard work and risk of change. You are secure in your reliance
on others who will take responsibility for you. • You can feel good about yourself because you are pleasing oth-
ers. You learned that the way to be good is to please Mommy, and
now many symbolic Mommies manipulate you. • You can avoid guilt which you choose when you behave assert-
ively. It is easier to behave than to learn to eliminate guilt. • You needn’t make choices or decisions for yourself. You model
yourself on the parent, spouse, or individual on whom you depend. So long as you think what they think or feel what they feel, there’s
no need for the hard work of determining what you think or feel. • When everything else is boiled away, it is just plain easier to be
a follower than a leader. You can do what you’re told and avoid
trouble, even though you may not like the way you feel as a follower. It’s still simpler than taking all those risks that go with being your
own person. Dependency is distasteful because it makes you into
less than a whole, independently functioning person. But it is easier,
that’s for sure. A Prospectus for Ridding Yourself of Dependency
• Write your own Declaration of Independence in which you spell
out for yourself how you want to function in all relationships, not
eliminating compromise, but wiping out any manipulation without
representation. “I, the person, in order to have a more perfect union,
etc. ”
• Talk with each person that you feel you are psychologically
dependent upon. Declare your aims of functioning indepen-DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE  / 205dently, explain how you feel when you do things out of a sense of
obligation. This is an excellent strategy for getting started, because
the other may not even be aware of how you feel as a dependent. • Give yourself five-minute goals for how you’re going to deal
with dominant people in your life. Try a one-shot “No, I don’t want
to,” and test the reaction of your reaction in the other person’s. • Arrange a planning session with your dominant partner at a
time when you are feeling unthreatened. During this session, explain
that you sometimes feel manipulated and submissive and that you
would like to arrange a nonverbal signal to let the other person know
how you are feeling when it crops up, but that you don’t want to
discuss it at that time. A simple tugging of the ear or a thumb in the
mouth to signal you’re feeling submissive at a particular time. • At the moment you are feeling shoved-around psychologically,
state how you feel to the person, and then act out the way you’d like
to behave. • Remind yourself that parents, spouses, friends, bosses, children
and others will often disapprove of your behavior, and that has
nothing to do with who or what you are. It is a given fact in any re-
lationship that you will incur some disapproval. If you expect it,
then you won’t be thrown by it. In this way you can break many of
the dependency-ties that enslave you emotionally. • Even if you are deliberately avoiding dominant people (parent,
spouse, boss, child), you are still being controlled by them in their
absence if you are experiencing emotional immobilization because
of them. • If you are feeling obligated to visit certain people, ask yourself
if you would want others to visit you simply because they felt re-
quired to do so. If not, extend a similar courtesy to those you are
treating in this manner, and talk it out with them. That is, reverse
the logic and see how undignified a relationship of obligation really
is. 206 / Your Erroneous Zones• Make a decision to get out of your dependency role by doing
volunteer work, reading, getting a baby-sitter (even if you can’t af-
ford it), getting a job that doesn’t necessarily even pay well. Why. Simply because the remuneration of your own high self-esteem is
worth whatever the price it costs in money or time. • Insist on financial independence with no strings, and no account-
ing to anyone. You are a slave if you must ask for money. If that is
impossible, arrange to make your own money in any creative way
that you can devise. • Let them go. Let yourself go. Stop giving orders. Stop taking
orders. • Recognize your desire for privacy and not having to share
everything you feel and experience with someone. You are unique
and private. If you feel you must share everything then you are
without choice, and of course, a dependent. • Let a child’s room be his. Give him an area that he can control,
and, as long as it’s not unhealthy, allow him to make decisions about
how it will be organized. A made bed is not any more psychologic-
ally sound than an unmade bed, even though you may have learned
the opposite. • At a party, congregate with people away from your partner. Don’t feel responsible to be with that person at all times. Split up
and then join forces when it is over. You’ll double your learning and
experience. • If you want to go to a movie and your partner wants to play
tennis, do it that way. Allow yourself