iveness for all of us. It was very powerful. She went there and with
the sharpness of a razor blade, she delivered the clear message of truth
and innocence. Examples of forgiveness show us what becomes possible when we
forgive from our hearts. When a friend’ s daughter was murdered, this
friend went into deep prayer. They arrested a man. My friend just kept
praying, “What should I do?” and Jesus said “Go to the prison. Go into
the cell with this man and say that you love him.” This man had
murdered his daughter, and he was to go into the prison, into the cell,
and just be there with the man. When he went to the prison, he loved this
man so thorough ly that this man started writing poetry, doing paintings,
and getting into the teachings of A Course in Miracles. Forgiveness is all
about seeing beyond the error. These are strong examples wher e you can see how your mind might
want to twist into rage and blame. Right away, scenarios like these draw
images of something evil that you would not want to face. But to me,
Lisa, and my other friend, Jesus said, “Take the stranger in.” He instructs
us to go past all of our thoughts and all of our perceptions that something
has been  done wrong and to connect in love. Connecting in love is our
freedom, connec ting in the present. Grievances are always of the past. When we hold a grievance, we remain in prison and so does the whole
world. When we forgive, if we go past the grievance and if we see with
the eyes of Christ and connect in Christ, we free the whole world. An experience of true freedom can only come in the present. It can
only come with forgiveness. Forgiveness is our sole function—our only
gift to the world. We have no life calling other than this. Our life’s
calling is not to “become” something. In fact, it is the opposite. It is to
unwind the false self that we made. And we do that by forgiving it, by
forgiving our belief in it. We are no longer bound by fear, guilt, and
doubt when we have fully looke d at all of our beliefs, down to the core
belief in separation, and release d them. This is the ultimate unlearning
and unwinding of the mind that will lead to a life of blissful freedom and
joy. Forgiveness sweeps away disto rtion and opens the hidden altar to
the truth. For here, and only here, is peace of mind restored, for this isthe dwelling place of God Hims elf. With complete forgiveness,  you will
see that no one can be hurt, and once you get in touch with the deep
presence, all things are equa lly acceptable. In the perception of
forgiveness, of the gentle grace of love that you are, everything is seen as
whole. And it is so relaxing in that holistic view that you can literally be
carried through the day, letting the wind take you like a feather. Like in
the opening scene of Forrest Gump, the feather is not trying to direct the
wind, and likewise Forrest cluelessly goes with the flow.Exercise: Release and Experience T rue Forgiveness
To listen to a recorded version of this exercise, go to
http://www.newharbinger.com/41870. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you now as you get quiet. Allow
your mind to become very silent and still. Take a moment to think
about a person in your life who has been a target of your
judgments and your grievances, someone whom you haven’t yet
forgiven, someone who upsets you or irritates you. This could be
someone near or far, someone related to you, a person that you
engage with frequently, or a person who has passed away. It
could be someone you have had a difficult and unloving
experience with. It is very likely that this person has alread y come
to your mind. This person will be the one you ask Spirit to help
you to see through loving eyes. Part 1. Journaling for Forgiveness
1. Describe a situation involving this person in which a
grievance or unforgiving thought obscures the miracle from
you. 2. Observe your mind to see what conclusions you have
drawn about this person that are all based on the past. How
are you judging this person? List everything in your journal. 3. Observe your mind to see what conclusions you have
drawn about yourself in relation to this person. Are you still
judging yourself this way? List the ways. 4. Imagine meeting this person again and spend a few
minutes with them in your mind. Use your journal to explo re
any additional thoughts, judgments, or emotions about them
and yourself, being very honest to allow subtle and hidde n
thoughts to arise into awareness. Take your time in your
reflections. Get them all down on paper, and when you feelcomplete, offer all your thoughts to the Spirit and move on
to part 2. Part 2. Reflecting on Forgiveness
Reflect on this for a while: The miracle enables you to see your
friend without his or her past. Let no dark cloud out of your past
obscure him or her from you, for truth lies only in the present, and
you will find it there if you seek it there. This person is not your
enemy; rather, they will help you experience the miracle of
forgiveness. In truth, this is always someone you wish to love
peacefully, yet are hindered from doing so by holding onto your
existing judgments, grievances, upsets, and regrets. “Now” has no meaning to the ego. This is why you heal as
you release the investment in past and future. Today, give no
heed to the shadowy figures from the past. Now is the time when
you are absolv ed of all past. Turn to the Holy Spirit to let Him
guide you in this practice. Today forgiveness is your function. Forgive the past and the belief in the future. Today, have a change
of interpretation about time and its function. Open up to the
present moment! Part 3. Meditating to W elcome Forgiveness
Practicing forgiveness has the potential to completely transform
your relationships. For this meditation, begin by allowing your
mind to become very silent and still. Think about the importance
of what you are about to do and the healing and peace that you
are welcoming. Witness your hurts and grieva nces as you bring them to mind
once more. Hold this person again in your mind, as you now
currently see them. Review the difficulties you have had, the pain
and suffering you thought they caused you, any neglect, and all
the little and larger hurts you believe they inflicted. You will regard
this person’s body with its flaws and better points as well, and you
will think of their mistakes or even of their “sins.”Now, begin to open to the possibility that your faulty
perception can be transformed. Practice seeing this person in a
new light, try to find some light in them, and allow this light to grow
in the picture that you see before you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help
you see beyon d the fixed image you hold. As you allow yourself to
open your mind and be guided to see this person differently, you
will begin to see the light from behind the illusion. In doing  so, you
free this person and yourself  of the dark images you have placed
upon them. Take some time to truly allow the light in. In gratitude,
allow yourself to accept this new perception and to see this
person in their true identity, in the light and without any reference
from the past. As you do this, you also see the truth in yourself,
which is light, and it become s evident to you that changing your
perception about the other person sets you free along with them. This person has given you the opportunity to see the power and
the release that comes from transforming your judgments to a
loving, accepti ng witness of the truth that is in you and everyone
else. Take some time to rest in the quiet resolution that you’ve
found. Take all the time you need and bask in the light of the
miracle. And now, meditate on this poem. Read it slowly, you may
read it aloud, copy it in your journal, or post it on your refrigerator. Do anything that brings its message deeply into your mind. Use no relationship to hold you to the past,
but with each one, each day, be born again. A minute, even less, will be enough to free you from the past,
and give your mind in peace to the present moment. When everyone is welcome to you as you would have yourself
be welcome to God and your Self, you will feel no guilt. For you will have forgiven.Forgiveness Is the Love that Calls Forth
Happiness
Wouldn’ t it be wonderful to experience gliding through your life like it’s
a peaceful dream, where you are just delighted and fully accepting of
yourself and others? In this world of dreams, your goal can become the
transformational forgiveness of your perception from a nightm are to a
happy dream. The happy dream in simple terms is a dream of
nonjudgment. Human beings organize the world they see and their lives
on Earth based on many beliefs. Forgiveness, which is what the happy
dream is about, is like a


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es or conflicts
spontaneously resolve due to overall alignment consequent to intention. The overall spiritual process is therefore concordant with a
contemplative lifestyle that incorporates reflection and the development
of discernment. Q: Would the overall consequences of intense inner spiritual focus tend
to result in detachment and noninvolvement in the world. A: As a general trend, that is characteristic. As the ego’s dominance of
perception recedes, so does the appearance of the world and the mind’s
interpretations. Decisions are based on projected perceptions. Thus, the
mind perceives endless illusions, including classifications based on
judgments. Those that are interpreted as ‘good’ options are attractive to
choice and agreement. Thus, all perceptions reflect content. Patterns of conduct result from belief systems consequent to
prevailing social/educational systems that are both explicit and implicit. Thus, ‘duty calls’ in both overt and subtle expressions. To adopt the
pathway of devotional nonduality recontextualizes the obligation to the
pursuit of Truth rather than worldly involvement and action. How best
to serve the world is concordant with comprehension. Q: What is the most serviceable presumptive view of the world for a
spiritual student/devotee/seeker. A: Presume that the world’s actual ‘purpose’ is perfect and fully known
only by God. See it as neutral overall but with the benefit that it
provides optimal opportunity for spiritual growth and the evolution of
consciousness. It is a school for enlightenment and the revelation ofDivinity whereby consciousness/awareness reawakens to its Source. Thus, to pursue enlightenment in and of itself serves the world and God. Q: But what about war. A: This is a favorite question of spiritual students. War is the consequence
of falsity, just as peace is the consequence of Truth. War has prevailed
during ninety-three percent of human history. It is endemic to the ego. To be ‘anti-war’ is also an ego position that presumes omniscience. Therefore, it is more advanced to surrender the world and its wars to
God. To ‘hate war’ is merely another expression of hate, is it not. Better to
love peace and come to nonjudgmental compassion for the world’s wars
and its karmically influenced participants. Would the protester rob
fellow-suffering humans of the opportunity to undo negative karma and
reach salvation. Suffering and death are the consequences of the ego and its
positionalities and perceptions. To best serve the world, seek
Enlightenment and transcend illusions rather than contribute to them. Omniscience is a quality of Divinity, not of human perception. Watch
that the spiritual ego does not become politicized. ‘Do-gooderism’ is a
trap for the naïve and unwary. Be ‘pro’ God’s will and Divine
providence for the world and humanity. How best to ‘serve the highest
good’ is concordant with the prevailing level of consciousness of the
observer. There is no single answer for everyone.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the primary purpose of spiritual writing?,
A: To provide authenticated information that is not only verifiable but also experientially pragmatically useful.
Q: What is the role of the ego in spiritual growth?,
A: The ego is an obstacle to spiritual growth, and it is not possible to transcend it through intellectual understanding alone. It requires surrender and alignment with the Self.
Q: What is the significance of spiritual teaching?,
A: Spiritual teaching is not about intellectual understanding but about experiential realization. It is about aligning with the Self and transcending the ego.
Q: How should one approach worldly events?,
A: One should not get involved in worldly affairs, as they are an illusion. Instead, focus on spiritual growth and self-realization.
Q: What is the role of the Teacher in spiritual development?,
A: The Teacher serves as a guide, providing information and inspiration, but the ultimate authority is the Self within. The student must take responsibility for their own spiritual growth and evolution.
Q: What is the relationship between spiritual growth and worldly events?,
A: Spiritual growth is not about changing the world, but about transcending the ego and realizing the Self.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Among the various religions, it is to be
noted that the highest teachings emanate from the evolved teachers
themselves, often termed ‘mystics’, who have transcended the dualistic
limitations inherent in ecclesiastical traditions. The core of truth is the
pristine, nonlinear essence, which is nondualistic and arises at
consciousness level 600. Very rarely, it may evolve still further to transcend
the dualities that are intrinsic to even very advanced levels of
consciousness. The conscientious devotee accepts as provisional the innate
authority of advanced levels of truth, especially if they are corroborated by
consciousness calibration.Notable is that pure spirituality has no requirements, obligations,
dependencies, attachments, neediness, or other evidence of specialness, nor
the imposition of control, such as signing up members for classes or
‘trainings’. Commitment is to the core of truth itself and is free of seduction
by proselytization or secrecies. All that is necessary are a curiosity and
attraction to truth, which is complete, total, and self-sufficient. The teachers, teachings, or groups that are found to be attractive or
meaningful depend on the stage of evolution of the seeker’s level of
consciousness at any given time. While the calibrated consciousness level
of the typical human advances an average of about five to ten points in a
lifetime, in the spiritual seeker, that rate advances much more rapidly and
may take very sudden and major leaps. Therefore, this potentiality and
likely eventuality should be prepared for in advance. The Evolutionary Journey
For the serious student, spiritual commitment changes the context of
life, which is then viewed from a different perspective. What was once
attractive and exciting may now seem superficial, shallow, irrelevant, or
even annoying; and what was previously considered to be boring is now
attractive and valued as a great opportunity. Preferences and values change,
and one may also be surprised at the strength of spiritual energies that,
when activated, can be experienced as though one has stepped into a current
that is more powerful than one had suspected. Efforts to control and
rationally regulate the process are progressively revealed to be illusory. On
the other hand, some trends that seem simple on the surface may turn out to
be resistant and tenacious. Those that at first glance appear almost
impossible may be resolved with surprisingly relative ease. It will be discovered that all experiences and phenomena have an
intrinsic value to spiritual evolution and discovery. Eventually, it becomes
necessary to simply subordinate the personal will to the process itself,
which tends to become progressively stronger. The unfolding of the life of
the serious spiritual devotee becomes increasingly orchestrated by the Self
rather than the ego/self. Former presumptions become meaningless, and
Divine Intelligence and awareness reinterpret meanings that were once
considered beyond comprehension. Thereby does the world continuously
become ‘newly born’ each instant, as by the radiance of the Self, the clouds
of illusion fade away and Essence replaces appearance.Operational Values and Principles
Along the spiritual pathway blocks and temptations appear, as well as
doubts and fears. Classically, they have been termed the ‘tests’ that arise
from the ego that does not relish relinquishment of dominion. These are
overcome by reaffirmation of goals and commitment, as well as by
reinforcing counterbalancing principles, such as dedication, tenacity,
constancy, courage, conviction, and intention. The greater the challenge, the
greater is the development of inner strength, decision, and determination. By persistence and discipline, it can be seen that temptations are options to
merely refuse rather than call for attack or negation. This is also a
consequence of the subordination of the lesser to the greater, and thus,
priority prevails by an act of the will, assisted by surrendering the personal
will to God. All the above are subsumed under the quality of devotion, which is
empowered by love and not just reason or mental comprehension. Devotion
is of the heart for, at times, it is solely by the power of the heart and Divine
Love that an obstacle can be transcended. A useful practice is to look ahead on the spiritual road and see what will
eventually have to be surrendered, such as attachments to the world and its
values. This awareness facilitates greater ease, willingness, and readiness to
surrender the attachments voluntarily. (If not now, when?) The ‘letting go’
of materialism and worldly gain is facilitated by the realization that
everything belongs to God, and that humans have only temporary custody
or stewardship. Thus, in reality, there is no ‘my’ anything. In fact, nobody
even ‘owns’ their own body, for it belongs to the world and returns to the
world from whence it came. As a paradox, it will be noted that the ego/self
believes that it has ownership of its possessions and properties but, upon
examination, the opposite is true, that is, one is owned by their possessions
and properties, not the reverse. The capabilities that ensue from spiritual devotion and commitment are
often of greater magnitude than originally suspected, and the seemingly
‘impossible’ turns out to be ‘possible’. What seems impossible dissolves as
such if one imagines whether they could let go of an attachment if a loaded
gun were pointed at


 years. Unless  our  earth  can  miraculously  re-
plenish herself,  we  will  be  extinct  in  three  hundred years,  the  fastest  extinction  rate  of  any  species. The
Earth  is  losing  her  powers  of  continuance  due  to  the
ravages  of  technology,  and  to  our  removal  from  cog-
nitive memory. The  food  body  of  the  universe  and  her  species  has
been  on  a  sharp  decline  for  the  past  five  hundred
years. In  its  wake,  the  industrial  and  technological
revolution  has  left  us  with  a  hoard  of  new  and  fatal
diseases. The  diseased  planetary  food  body  is  also  the
diseased  human  food  body — the  planet  and  her  life-
forms  suffer  analogous  afflictions  at  the  same  rate  of
deterioration. The  idea  of  an  inside-outside  division
is  a  myth. Similarly,  if  the  patience  and  endurance  of
all  life-forms  were  measured  and  added  together,  they
would  correspond  directly  to  the  endurance  and  pa-
tience of  this  amazing  planet. Perhaps  the  species  that
has  contributed  least  to  the  vast  evolutionary  score  is
the  human. Without  a  healthy  food  body,  we  cannot  remem-
ber. Without  a  healthy  food  body,  the  planet  too  shall
forget. Acorns  will  embed  themselves  in  the  soil  and
begin  to  sprout  tomatoes,  and  we  humans  will  prob-
ably applaud  this  abhorrent  distortion. Cognitive
16
Jffi!,
COSMIC    ROOTS
memory  is  carried  in  the  impulse  and  throb  of  ev-
erything that  has  existed  through  the  passage  of  bil-
lions of  years,  from  the  beginning  of  time  and  space. Food  is  the  most  vital  link  to  our  entire  history  of
cognition. The  food  body  is  the  most  tangible  form
connecting  us  to  universal  consciousness. Ironically,
it  is  this  very  density  of  form  that  prevents  easy
access  to  the  subtle  and  pervasive  forces  of  aware-
ness. Unless  we  are  able  to  use  our  holy  vision  and
see  the  matter-body  as  densely  packed  energy,  we
will  not  be  able  to  shed  our  delusion  of  body/
consciousness  alienation. We  have  turned  upon  ourselves. Through  time,
our  cultural  heritage  and  family  traditions  have  dis-
sipated and  the  values  intrinsic  to  them  have  col-
lapsed. We  have  gradually  moved  away  from  the  core
of  intelligence  and  are  held  in  the  myopia  of  cosmic
amnesia. The  cords  of  balance  have  become  invisible. Human  food  is  defined  in  the  Vedas  as  that  which  is
rooted  in  the  earth. Yet  animals  are  being  savagely
and  indiscriminately  killed  as  fodder  for  humans. We
are  losing  the  vision  of  the  ancient  shamans  and
seers. They  remembered  the  self-supporting  prin-
ciple of  life. They  knew  the  tree,  water,  sky,  air,  soil,
light,  animal,  and  human  to  bear  the  same  imma-
nence as  the  universe. As  humans  we  have  the  power
of  self-reflection. This  unique  quality  is  felt  through
instinctual  resonance  by  the  whole  cosmos  except  by
the  very  species  that  possesses  it. We  incur  the  forces
of  separation  and  isolation  through  our  vain  egoity
and  false  primacy  over  nature. Food  is  our  most  vital  link  to  cognitive  remem-
berance. When  the  harvest  is  planted,  reaped,  and
used  in  a  salubrious  way,  the  valid  memory  of  all
time  will  come  to  our  aid. Unless  we  can  remember,
we  cannot  even  begin  to  reflect  on,  much  less  con-
tribute to,  the  continuance  of  a  healthy  planet. The
old  pine  that  stood  before  me  for  centuries  remem-
bers when  to  drop  her  cones  and  her  needles. The
oak  knows  when  to  let  go  of  her  leaves  and  when  to
bud  again. Each  tree  knows  its  development  to  be
gradual  and  gentle. It  is  in  no  hurry  to  leap  into  the
sky. It  has  no  separate  awareness  from  the  earth  in
which  it  is  rooted. Every  microorganism  knows  in
stinctively  how  to  protect,  flourish,  or  recede  to  bal- ance the  dignity  of  the  earth. This  instinctual  know-
ing is  the  retention  of  memory  deeply  transmuted
within  the  DNA  of  all  life-forms. Because  of  the  com-
plexities of  the  human  form,  equipped  as  it  is  with
will,  choice,  and  self-reflection,  we  have  greater  bur-
dens to  master. As  a  highly  developed  species  in  the
evolutionary  prime  of  its  extinction  cycle,  we  are
pressed  to  consider  our  excesses  and  lack  of  observa-
tion. As  our  powers  of  observation  and  inquiry  re-
place our  self-absorption  we  can  hope  to  vibrate  with
more  maturity. An  impaired  food  body  indicates  that  the  earth
and  water  elements  are  dysfunctional. These  elements
make  up  the  Kapha  principle,  the  main  structural
support  of  creation. This  Kapha  principle,  which  is
also  in  all  living  entities,  lubricates  the  universe  and
holds  her  together. Diseases  associated  with  the  vitia-
tion of  Kapha  proliferate  at  the  present  time. The
sticky  glutinous  stuff  that  gels  our  cells  together  and
glues  us  to  the  universe  is  beginning  to  erode. The
earth  is  losing  her  magnetism  and  her  ability  to  ab-
sorb. All  degenerative  diseases  occur  as  a  result  of
deterioration  of  this  stuff  that  seals  us  together. The  spell  that  once  compelled  humans  to  observe
nature  is  broken. The  spell,  which  beckoned  us  to
bask  in  the  glow  of  the  moon  to  transform  and  cool
our  energies,  or  to  restore  our  solar  body  through  the
rays  of  the  sun,  is  now  an  inertia  into  which  we  sink
deeper  with  each  day. The  replenishing  walk  through
the  woods  and  the  swim  in  the  open  stream  or  river
are  quickly  becoming  faint  specks  of  yesteryear. Earth
As  we  continue  to  damage  our  external  food  body,
our  earth,  we  witness  an  enormous  in(  rease  in  Kapha
disorders. Life-forms  arc  becoming   more  liquid,
denser,  heavier,  colder,  cloying,  and  cloudy. This  is
reflected   in  lung  congestion  and   its  relative,  grief,
Tonsillitis  and  sinusitis,  and


reek
for  a  few  minutes. Add  millet  flour,  lemon  juice,  wa-
ter, salt,  and  parsley. Mix,  cover,  and  simmer  over  low
heat  for  10  minutes. Remove  mixture  from  skillet  and
allow  to  cool. Knead  into  a  dough  and  with  lightly  oiled  hands,
roll  into  12  small  balls. Steam  as  in  South  Indian
Steamed  Rice  Balls,  page  218. Cool  and  serve  with
dhal  and  vegetables. 21V
^®Jr
BREAKFAST    GRAINS
Cream  of  Wheat  Porridge Soft  Breakfast  Rice
v,  VP,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  1
'A  c  water
'/2  c  certified  raw  cow's  milk
XU  c  cream  of  wheat
2  tbs  raisins
xh  tsp  ghee
xh  tsp  unrefined  brown  sugar
In  a  small  saucepan,  bring  water  and  milk  to  boil. Add
cream  of  wheat,  raisins,  ghee,  and  brown  sugar  and
stir. Simmer  uncovered  over  low  heat  for  10  minutes. Serve  hot. ALL  TYPES
Serves  2
3  c  water
Kh  c  short-grain  brown  rice
72  tsp  ghee
lA  tsp  sea  salt
Gomasio
In  a  medium  saucepan,  bring  water  to  boil. Add  rice,
ghee,  and  salt. Cover  and  allow  to  simmer  over  me-
dium-low heat  for  1 V2  hours. Serve  warm  with
gomasio. 220
jmtr
BREAKFAST   GRAINS
Eggless  French  Toast Millet  Croquettes
v,  VP,  VK,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  2
4  slices  of  fresh  whole  wheat  bread
Batter:
1  tsp  kudzu  (or  arrowroot)
'A  c  cold  water
'A  c  soy,  almond,  or  cow's  milk
'A  tsp  turmeric
2  tbs  maple  syrup  or  unrefined  brown  sugar
'A  tsp  cinnamon
1  tsp  rose  water
'A  tsp  rock  salt
PK:  use  soy  milk. Dilute  kudzu  in  'A  cup  of  cold  water  and  set  aside. Mix  remaining  ingredients  together  in  a  saucepan
and  bring  to  boil  over  medium  heat;  add  kudzu. When
batter  begins  to  gel,  remove  from  heat. Toast  bread  in  well-seasoned  cast-iron  skillet  over
low  heat. Pour  batter  over  toast  and  continue  to  cook
over  medium  heat  about  3  minutes  on  each  side. Serve  warm. Couscous  and  Carrots
v,  VP,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  2
2'/2  c  water
1  c  couscous
'A  c  finely  diced  carrots
Garnish:
Fresh  cilantro  or  roasted  cumin  seeds
Bring  water  to  boil;  add  couscous  and  carrots. Cover
and  simmer  over  medium  heat  for  5  to  8  minutes. Garnish  with  fresh  cilantro  or  roasted  cumin  seeds. Serve  warn. &  V/v K,  KV,  KP
Serves  2
'A  tsp  sunflower  oil
'A  c  diced  carrots
'A  c  diced  onions
lh  c  millet,  cooked  (see  page  170)
Pinch  of  salt
Pinch  of  coarse  black  pepper
Heat  oil  in  a  preheated  skillet  and  saute  carrots  and
onions  over  medium  heat  for  3  minutes. Add  millet,
salt,  and  pepper. Stir  together  and  allow  to  cool. Dampen
hands  and  shape  mixture  into  6  palm-sized  patties. Clean  skillet  and  dry-roast  patties  over  low  heat  to
desired  crispness. Soft  Millet  and  Carrots
P,  PK,  K,  KV,  KP
Serves  2
1  c  millet
4  c  water
'A  c  diced  carrots
'A  tsp  sea  salt
Wash  millet  until  water  runs  dear;  drain. Parch  over
medium  heat  until  dry  in  a  large  >.ast  iron  skillet
Bring  water  to  boil  in  a  saucepan. Add  millet,  ^.u  rots,
and  salt. Cover  and  simmei  over  medium  heat  foi  10
minutes. Add  water  to  soften  further,  it  necessar)
Serve  hot. 221
«. UNIVERSAL    RECIPES    FOR    EACH    BODY   TYPE
Roasted  Breakfast  Grain White  Basmati  and  Millet
S\JN|
B
P,  PK,  K.  KV,  KP
Serves  2
Add  water  to  moisten  any  leftover  grain. Knead  into
a  bulky  dough. Heat  skillet. Using  a  rolling  pin,  roll
out  the  grain  dough  on  a  clean  surface  and  parch  in
skillet  over  medium-low  heat  for  15  minutes  until
crisp. Serve  with  dry  or  wet  chutneys. Crisp  Cooked  Millet ALL  TYPES
Serves  2
'A  c  white  basmati  rice 'A  c  millet
3  c  water
6  curry  leaves,  preferably  fresh
Pinch  of  sea  salt
Wash  grains  until  water  runs  clear. Bring  water  to  boil
in  a  saucepan;  add  grains,  curry  leaves,  and  salt. Cover
and  simmer  for  20  minutes,  until  grains  swell. Re-
move from  heat  and  serve. K,  KV,  KP
Serves  4
2  c  soft  cooked  millet  (see  page  170)
lA  c  minced  onions
'A  tsp  sea  salt
Mix  all  ingredients  together. Heat  a  flat  cast-iron  skil-
let or  a  thin  chapati  skillet. Spread  a  72"  layer  of  millet
mixture  onto  skillet. Allow  to  parch  over  low  heat  for
about  35  minutes. Remove  from  skillet  and  serve  warm
with  chutney  and  vegetables. Cooked  Wheat  Berries
v,  VP,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  2
6  c  water
1  c  wheat  berries
'A  tsp  salt
In  a  medium  saucepan,  bring  water  to  boil. Add  wheat
berries  and  salt. Cover  and  simmer  over  medium-low
heat  for  3  hours. Drain  and  serve  warm. Coconut  Oatmeal  Porridge
v,  VP,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  2
'A  c  shredded  coconut  (fresh  or  dried)
1  c  soy  milk
1  c  water
'A  c  rolled  oats
Pinch  of  cinnamon
Pinch  of  rock  salt
Maple  syrup  to  taste  (optional)
Roast  coconut  in  a  skillet  over  medium  heat  until
edges  brown. In  a  saucepan,  bring  milk  and  water  to
boil;  add  oats  and  roasted  coconut. Simmer  for  5
minutes;  add  cinnamon  and  salt. Sweeten  with  maple
syrup,  if  desired. 222
^
UNIVERSAL
VEGETABLE    DISHES
Spinach  Masala Spicy  Home  Fries
?^»*^fs
V,  VK,  K,  KV
Serves  2
1  large  bunch


 spiritual teachers, alive or historical. Most spiritual teachers have considerable followings of people who are
interested in evolving and growing, maturing spiritually in their levels of
consciousness. And they may stay there with one teacher, or they may go to
a numbe r of teachers. There was a period of time of being a spiritual seeker,
where you went to lots of lectures by all dif ferent kinds of spiritual teachers. Each one has something valuable that you can pick up from them:
techniques or ways of looking at things, or a blind spot that you weren’ t
aware you had until you hear a lecture on it. So, you seek—you become a spiritual seeker. In a way, spirit ual really
means seeking. See, with religion, you found the answer. That’ s this church
and this denomi nation, and that’s the answer. Now you just have to perfect
how you apply it to yourself. The spiritual person who says, “I’m spiritual,
but not religiou s,” usually becomes a seeker. They go to various lectures,
and they attend meetings and retreats. And they listen to all the different
teachers and learn something from each one. Each spiritual teacher has
something. And what they have may be nonverbal—the subtle enthusiasm
they have for certain concepts, et cetera. And the seeker picks up that enthusiasm. So each teacher has something
to share  and something that can be learned. Most of my own audiences
listen to a number of different speakers. Each of these teachers may be
suitable at various periods of your life. There are certain times when going
on spiritual retreats is extremely valuable, and then there are other timeswhen that’ s just a way of avoiding the responsibilities of life. Y ou really had
a lot you should have done at home this weekend and instead, you went on
a retreat to Cam p Baba. When you get home, the lawn still hasn’ t been
mowed. The kids are still crying. You didn’ t help the kids with their
homework. When you’re running away, you’re really doing it for an
advantage. Most  of these spiritu al things serve a purpose at certain periods
of your life. I’ve noticed most people change their pattern as they go
through life, if they’re going to evolve. Other people just develop a perfect
pattern and stay with that; they stay with that for a lifetime. • • •
To just be gratef ul that you’re interested in the spiritual dimension at all
—that’ s already something to be grateful for. I mean, how many people lead
a blind life? They calibrate at 192 when they come onto the planet, and
when they leave, they calibrate  at 192. No change. So they really blew a
whole lifetime, just doing the same self-centered, greedy things all the time. The Buddha said, “Rare it is to be born a human, rarer still it is to have
heard of enlightenment, and rarest of all it is to have heard of enlightenment
and dedicate oneself to its pursuit.” That’ s the rarest of all. So to be
dedicated to the searching for the truth, is the rarest of all possible gifts. As a human, you can undo nega tive karma and gain positive karma. And
if you use these  lifetimes on earth wisely, you can reach enligh tenment. So
be grateful that one is a human and that one has heard of the truth. • • •
Be intro spective; you can’t walk around naively oblivious of who you are
and how you come across to people. So you need a certain degree of self-
awareness and the capacity for self-criticalness—to be able to see your
upside, your downside, and your limitations; accept the reality of your
personality where it is; and be introspective and reflective. Somebody else
will suggest something, and you say, “Well, I have to reflect on that.” It
means you’re going to hold it in mind and various facets begin to reveal
themselves. You forget all about it and then you have a peanut butter
sandwich, and in the middle of the sandwich you realize other significances
of it—how it affects your relationships with others, how it reflects thefulfillment of things you’ve held in mind, the implicit limitati ons of what
you feel you would not be able to do, et cetera. So significance and fulfillment, all these things become consequences of
reflection. What ’s the saying? “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
We need to be conscious and aware. And many people are extremely
oblivious to how they come across to others—unaware of major blind spots
and repetitious behavior. They make the same mistake for decades. And you
wonder, Why haven’t they gotten any feedback from the world, or reflected
on that? I think this has to do with the capacity to constantly learn to have
an open mind, to be able to ask, and to do so with perspicacity. The capacity
to disce rn and observe. And of course, one of the things about being a
physician is you need perspicacity. And over the years, I could always tell who was outside my office. I
would hear the next patient coming across the floor to the office door, and I
could already tell whether they were better or worse than last time. Somehow, the rate, the gait, the rhythm, their stance as they walked into the
room already said a great deal about the person. So with perspicacity, you
have to be able to witness the slightest alteration of things. Ther e are people
who are completely oblivious. They walk around in a dream state or
something. The interest in the evolution of one’s own consciousness—how it’s
evolved over time, how it expressed itself in ancient times—is still present
in today’ s world. There are peop le who are still mystics in this world, who
speak from the Self. Curiosity leads to learning. That’ s how the little
amoeba stays alive. It has to constantly search around and find something to
eat or it’s not going to be here. People do get addicted to the accumulation
of knowledge for its own sake. And that’s probably just a phase  that people
go through, and sooner or later, one begins to realize that it has to be put
into actual practice and then just be intellectually conversant. That’ s just
part of the evolution of one’ s spiritual awareness. First you accumulate the inform ation, then, you pursue the infor mation to
experience for yourself the truth of it. People often start out with intellectual
curiosity, and they’ll buy just about any and every book they can on
spirituality. I went through that phase myself. I had a whole wall of books
on everything you can think about: pseudo spirituality, true spiritualty,
psychic reading s, people on the other side, channelings, and God knows
what else. And then discernmen t arose over the years. So, there’ s a curiosity—sort of a wide-eyed amazement that there are realms that you weren’ t
even aware of. You can go through formal schooling and never be aware
that there’ s anything other than the logical, linear under the concrete. And
suddenly you become aware that there are whole dimensions. SURRENDERING THE SMALL SELF
The personal will is trying to accomplish something as a very specific
goal. It usually has to do with gain or dominance or control in some way. The spiritual world is more in the field of surrender. Now the personal will
is only as strong  as one’s level of consciousness. So sometimes  people will
want to accomp lish something  by personal will, and that would require
much more power than the personal will. Let’s say you live at
consciousness level 190, and now through personal will, you’re going to try
to overcome a certain thing, but you don’t have enough  power at
consciousness level 190. When you get up to consciousness level 500 or so,
now you would have the power to overcome it, but you haven’ t got enough
horsepower in the engine to do it at that level. Therefore, align ing yourself
with a more powerful field is what people do. For exam ple, let’s look at addict ion. While the addiction may take you all
the way down to consciousness 90, to surrender to God’ s will is something
that you don’t have the strength to do yourself. A person takes you to an
AA meeting, which calibrates at 540. At the consciousness level of 540, the
person says, “Well, you could let go of the addiction if you wanted to.” And
suddenly it dawns on you, that’s true. It isn’t could you, it’s would you. When people have trouble making spiritual decisions, here’ s another
example I give them. Somebo dy says, “I can’t possibly forgive my ex-
brother -in-law for what he did to me.” And I’ll say, “Now, if I have a.45
loaded next to your temple, and if you don’t forgive him, I’m going to blow
your brains out. Could you for give him?”
“Oh yes, I could.” So, I say, “Well, that clearly differentiates the could
from would.” And mostly what people think is could, is just that they
wouldn’ t. They’re unwilling to do it. If you’re willing to forgive anybody,
you can


 symptoms. It is one of the chronic digestive diseases, which, according to the
National Center for Health Statistics, are the number one cause of hospitalization and
rank second as the cause of disability due to illness. The cost of these ailments is
estimated at $10 billion annually, making them the leading cause of economic loss from chronic human illness. About 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Ulcerative colitis is a pre-cancerous state, and it was at this point the doctor granted
me two choices--namely, that if nothing was done I would die, or a drastic operation
could be tried, a total colectomy (complete removal of the five or six feet of large
intestine and rectum), with a bag being attached to the abdomen for the collection and
elimination of waste matter (ileostomy), which would have made me a permanent
physiologic cripple, and of course could not guarantee my survival. So how does one react when there isn't much hope? I reacted with a calmness, with a feeling bordering
on apathy. I almost didn't care. I thought pe rhaps it was for the better because soon it
would be all over. Soon it would end. No more suffering. Eternal peace. But I didn't
realize that I was destined to make a deci sion that was to change the course of my
entire life, the lives of my wife and children, and the lives of thousands of people with whom I would cross paths. I was going to hang on to precious life. I was going to defy
all the doctors. I was not aware of it at the time, but I was, in a sense, going to be reborn. I had a mission in life! We have to go back to 1958. I was 28 years old, separated from the army for four
years after serving in Korea during the Korean war, had been in private practice only
three and one-half years and was trying to make a new start with my wife of two
years. It was at this time that it all began--an occurrence which was to become a
nightmare and make my life a living hell for the next six years. My wife, Corinne, and I were relaxing one evening after supper, when suddenly and
without warning came a feeling of pressure and discomfort in my lower abdomen,
accompanied by strong urge to have a B.M. (bowel movement; the letters "B.M." will
be used throughout this story). It happened so fast, there was no time to reach the
lavatory and I found myself sitting in a small pool of blood, the sight of which worried and frightened me. After the initial shock wore off, I decided to do nothing for the present. After all, I
didn't seem to have any other particular h ealth problems; my diet was the normal run
of-the-mill American type that lacks nutrition (doesn't everyone enjoy a package of
cookies and a quart of milk as a meal, with a candy bar or two for dessert? ); and of
course I was a worrier, a pessimist, and a pe rfectionist with an emotional inability to
cope with stressful situations--but then don 't we all have these "normal" hang-ups? Normal? I wonder now, as I'm writing this and looking back. Anyway, I waited three weeks before I worked up enough nerve to see a doctor. During that time, diarrhea developed, accompanied by bleeding and intestinal spasm. This frightened me enough to seek out a doctor who came highly recommended (his
real name will not be used for personal reasons, as will not the other doctors who
"cared" for me, with the exception of the doctor who finally led me out of the
darkness, Dr. Robert Gross). The initial examination consisted of the usual history taking, blood and urine tests,
and physical examination. These things being concluded, I was ushered into a room
and told to "hop up" on the table, drop my trousers, and bend over. Dr. Leopold
informed me he was going to insert a stainl ess steel tube up my rectum to visually
examine part of the colon (large intestine). I took one look at that instrument, which
looked to me like a short stainless steel broomhandle, and asked how he was going to get that thing into me. He said, "Just relax and bear down." But I had built up such a
fear and anticipation that it was impossible to relax, and when that cold steel tube
(why are doctors' instruments always cold?) touched my sensitive parts and I
tightened up every muscle in my body, I knew there was no way he was going to pass
that tube into me. He pushed and I sweated. The more he pushed, the more I tightened
until finally he gave up and referred me to Dr. Price, an expert in conducting this type
of examination. Did he get that instrument into me? You can bet on it! It was probably one of the most enervating experiences I had had to date, and it was to be the
first of dozens of this kind of examination over the next six years. However, Dr. Price
taught me how to relax during this procedure, which is called a proctosigmoidoscopy,
and soon I became an old pro at it, which was to make it easier on me in the years to come. The diagnosis had been made--ulcerative colitis. A horrible name for a horrible
disease. In fact, one of the most debilitating afflictions of man. Treatment began. If only I knew then what I know now, the agony of the next six
years could have been prevented--the agony of a physical, emotional, and spiritual deterioration. Part of the treatment was to find a cause, so blood samples were drawn,
urine samples were taken, and I was given a dozen or so small boxes in which to
deposit stool samples each week for analysis. Everyone was looking for a germ of
some type which was assumed to be causing the disease. None were found, for rarely,
if ever, will they be isolated at the beginning of disease because contrary to popular belief--and this may stun you a little--germs are not generally a primary cause of
disease. They are ubiquitous and ever present and we cannot rule them out, but their
role is secondary. They will grow and thrive in a medium conducive to their
propagation, and that medium is an unhealthy body, an enervated body, which mine
eventually became. Germs generally won't grow in a vitally healthy body, a body properly nourished and having the highest degree of resistance and immunity, a body
that is functioning as it should. After all, what is health? It is merely a state where the
body's 25 or 30 quadrillion cells (give or take a few) are all doing their job. I'll go into
this later. Much of the treatment was based on the destruction of germs whether they were
present or not. Another aspect of treatment is the assumption that those with
ulcerative colitis are supposed to have varying degrees of emotional problems. This is
far from always being true. In fact, it is a sick body that usually causes depression and
emotional problems as a secondary manifestation. At this point I was started on drugs, and for the next six years I was to take some
forty different types, sometimes gulping down combinations of half a dozen varieties,
which when mixed together in my bloodstream caused reactions and crises that made the ulcerative colitis look like child's play. The drugs first prescribed were Azulfidine,
for some type of effect on the intestinal tissues; Theragran, a multiple vitamin to
replace those lost from diarrhea and the body's inability to absorb the nutrients from
food; Pro-Banthine, to dry up secretions such  as the fluidity from diarrhea; Trasentine,
to relax spasm in the intestinal musculature; Metamucil, to absorb water from the
intestines and create a form of soft bulk; and Erythromycin, an antibiotic for an
infection that hadn't yet occurred. Diet was of course regimented. A lo w-residue type was instituted that avoids
roughage, which irritates the large intestine. No raw fruits, vegetables, or nuts. Instead, I used mostly cooked, canned, and pureed foods along with certain meats. This is what I call a diet of foodless foods. Later on you will learn why this type of
diet cannot maintain health, much less help recover health. You will also come to
understand why drugs do not cause one to get well and that if one recovers health
while taking medication, he usually gets well in spite of, not because of, the
medicines. After a number of months my condition grew steadily worse, not so much bleeding
now but more diarrhea, intestinal spasm and pain, dehydration, and some weight loss. It was at this point Dr. Leopold decided to hospitalize me. I was there for two weeks,
during which time I was given the low-residue and high-protein diet. There were
some new drugs administered: Robanul, to hope-fully reduce fluid content of B.M.s;
Lomotil, to reduce intestinal motility; Sulfathalidine, for further extermination of the non-existent germs; Belladenal, to sort of calm everything down; penicillin, for what
was called infection; and Amphojel, to combat the stomach upset and indigestion
caused by the other drugs. I was also started on one of the most


 over me. The phase of hellish torment lasted a long time because every morning
his broken bones and flayed skin grew back. “Where is Mara?” Gautama
asked. “I need to see the worst that he can do too.” But for some reason
Mara hung back and never appeared. Gautama wondered if this was a trap,but after a while the torments became routine, and his mind grew bored. One morning the demons failed to appear, and then the scenes of hell
disappeared, giving way to dark, motionless silence. Gautama waited. He knew he had defeated every form of suf fering he
could imagine. His body no longer felt pain; his mind gave rise to not a
single desire. And yet no sign came that he had reached his goal. Like an
endless, calm night, the silence bathed him. Gautama decided to open his
eyes. At first there was only a dim sensation of being wrapped in a blanket,
which after a time he realized was his body. He looked down. It was
midday, but someone had positioned him under the jungle canopy where no
sunlight ever penetrated. Surveying himself, Gautama saw two crossed
sticks. Legs. T wo dried monkey paws. Hands. He noticed a pile of rotting
fruit beside him, covered with ants and wasps. Suddenly he realized that he
was thirsty. He reached for his water gourd, but the last inch of liquid inside
was green and filled with mosquito larvae. He could feel, as he grew used to being in his body again, that it could
endure no more. Y et all he could think about was finding the five monks to
tell them that he was enlightened. Gautama tried to uncross his stick legs
and get up, but when he moved them an inch, the wasted muscles screamed
with pain. He stared at them with a slight frown of disapproval, like a new
father who feels helpless when the baby cries. Gautama felt no sympathy for his body, but it would have to be dealt
with. He willed his limbs to move, and slowly he began to crawl along the
forest floor. It felt damp and hot; there were vermin that slid under his skin,
and fungi and rocks. He could hear running water nearby. He sensed his
body’ s desperate thirst. Maybe he would get to water in time, maybe not. He kept crawling, but the forest floor barely crept beneath him now. He
could practically count each beetle that his weight crushed. A small snake,
colored brilliant red, slithered away at the level of his face. The air became
very still, and moving any farther, even at a crawl, became impossible. Lying there, he never expected that enlightenment would be the last
thing to happen before he died.OceanofPDF.comPART THREE
BUDDHA
OceanofPDF.com16
While he lay motionless on the ground, Gautama became dimly aware
that a shadow had fallen over him. When it moved, he assumed it must be
the outline of a lar ge animal, a predator drawn by his smell. The animal
would most likely be hungry, yet it made no dif ference to Gautama how his
time on earth ended. “Please don’ t die.”
The girl’ s voice caused his eyes to look up, almost against his will. She
was startled and moved back shyly. She must have been all of sixteen, and
alone. Gautama closed his eyes and waited for her timidity to send her
away. Instead, he felt soft warm hands on either side of his face. The girl
raised his head slightly and wiped the grime away from his cheeks with a
corner of her sari. It was faded blue and threadbare, a poor girl’ s sari. “Here.”
She pressed something to his mouth. A bowl, and its edge hurt his
cracked dry lips. Gautama shook his head, and a croaked word came out of
his throat. “No.”
The girl said, “Are you a god?”
Gautama felt a wave of delirium; her words sounded meaningless. The
girl said, “I’ve come to the river to be blessed by the god who lives there. It’s my wedding day in a month.”A god? Gautama couldn’ t even smile. He shook his head slightly and let
his face fall back to touch the warm jungle floor. But from wasting away he
had become weaker than the girl, so he couldn’ t resist when she turned him
over and held him upright in her arms. She did this ef fortlessly. “You must.” She held the bowl to his mouth again. “Don’ t be stubborn. If my of fering is good enough for a god, you’re not better than him, are
you?”
Now a smile rose inside Gautama. “Go find your god,” he mumbled. He
clenched his jaw so that she couldn’ t pour the contents of the bowl into him. There was no purpose in her being there. “I won’ t leave you here,” she said. “I can’ t have people saying that
Sujata did something like that.”
In the midst of his torpor, Gautama’ s mind suddenly became alert. What
she said didn’ t seem possible. “T ell me your name again.”
“Sujata. What’ s wrong?”
The girl saw tears streaming down the dying man’ s cheeks. His
emaciated body began to tremble in her arms. She felt terribly sorry for
him. W eakly he opened his mouth, and Sujata poured a little food into it. She had cooked sweet rice in milk for the river deity. The dying man
accepted more. His stubbornness had vanished, though the girl had no idea
why. In a stricken voice he mumbled, “What have I done?”
“I don’ t know,” said the girl, confused. But she was no longer shy or
frightened by him. “W e have to get you home. Can you walk at all?”
“In a little while.” Gautama ate the rest of the sweet rice with painful
slowness. Then Sujata left him for a moment and returned with some water. He drank it greedily, his cracked lips bleeding slightly as he opened his
mouth.“I’ll carry you as far as I can, and then I’ll get my brother,” Sujata said. Gently she lifted Gautama to his feet. His brittle legs looked like they might
snap. He couldn’ t walk, but he was light enough so that the girl could prop
him against her shoulder. Together they hobbled their way up the narrow
trail she had taken to the river. They arrived at a road, and Sujata placed
him under a tree, propped up against the trunk like a limp doll. “Wait here. Don’ t let anyone move you.”
Tears started rolling down his cheeks again. Sujata found it hard to
watch; she hurried away and soon disappeared around the bend. Gautama
wished she hadn’ t gone. He suddenly felt alone and desolate. Sujata. He
hadn’ t heard that name in fifteen years. But he had not for gotten her. This
was the cause of his weeping, because five years of austerity hadn’ t wiped
out his memories. It all came back in a flood: his first sight of Sujata on his
eighteenth birthday when his robes were gaudy enough for an elephant. Winding his red turban. The excitement he suppressed when he felt stirrings
of desire for her. As soon as he recalled these things, it was as if a dead
flower in the desert received the spring rains. His mind unfolded in layers,
bringing back image after image from the past, and with them the emotions
he had wanted to extinguish. He was badly dehydrated, and soon his tear
ducts had nothing more to of fer. Gautama rolled his head back and stared at the jungle. It gave back
nothing. It was neither a friendly haven nor a dangerous wilderness. The
flowers weren’ t smiling, the air was not luxuriously moist and enveloping. The blank face of Nature was all he saw, and a sur ge of horror ran through
Gautama. He wanted to vomit, but with all his will he forced the sweet rice
and water to stay down. W eak as he was, he could dimly hear his thoughts,
and they told him he had to survive. Karma hadn’ t died, and neither had he. The light began to fade. Gautama knew it was close to noon, so he must
be fainting. His head grew light; a cold sweat beaded his chest. It was a
relief to lose consciousness, so he allowed himself to sink into the sensation
of falling and falling. Scarlet parrots scolded loudly overhead; he lay so still
that a couple of curious monkeys began to advance down the tree trunk with
caution. Gautama wasn’ t aware of this. His mind was captured by the faceof Ganaka, which he saw clearly. It wore an expression he couldn’ t read. Grief? Contempt? Compassion? Blackness swallowed up whatever it was. SUJATA’S HUT W AS FLIMSY, its mud walls cracked. There was almost no
protection from the weather, which meant that spring could enter as it
pleased. Gautama lay in bed, weak and feverish, for some weeks before he
noticed this. One morning a white sal blossom floated down from the trees,


 d o m i n a n c e  o f  f e a r - b a s e d  t h o u g h t s  h a s  p o i s o n e d  o u r
p s y c h e s,  c r e a t i n g  a  t o x i c  m e l t - d o w n  w i t h i n  o u r  m i n d s. W e
s e e k  i n  w a y s  b o t h  h e a l t h y  a n d  u n h e a l t h y  t o  e s c a p e  i n t o  t h e
s a n c t u a r y  o f  a  d e e p e r  t r u t h. Y e t  i t  i s  n o t  e n o u g h  t o  j u s t  s e e k
t h e  t r u t h  o r  e v e n  t o  k n o w  t h e  t r u t h. W e  m u s t  g i v e  o u r s e l v e sp e r m i s s i o n  n o w  t o  l i v e  t h e  t r u t h  a s  w e  u n d e r s t a n d  i t,  w i t h
a l l  i t s  m y r i a d  i m p l i c a t i o n s  f o r  o u r  l i v e s. T h e  m i r a c l e  w o r k e r ’ s  t a s k  i s  t h i s :  t o  c o n s i d e r  t h e
p o s s i b i l i t y  t h e r e  m i g h t  b e  a n o t h e r  w a y. *  T h e r e  i s. A n d  H e
w i l l  s h o w  i t  t o  u s. Y o u  m i g h t  b e  t h i n k i n g  j u d g m e n t a l  t h o u g h t s  a b o u t
s o m e o n e,  a n d  i n  t h i s  m o m e n t  y o u  c o u l d  t a k e  a  d e e p  b r e a t h
a n d  p r a y  f o r  G o d  t o  h e l p  y o u  f o r g i v e  t h e m. Y o u  m i g h t  b e
t h i n k i n g  a b o u t  s o m e t h i n g  y o u  p e r c e i v e  t o  b e  l a c k i n g  i n  y o u r
l i f e,  a n d  y o u  c o u l d  c h o o s e  t o  r e t h i n k  t h a t,  c o n c e n t r a t i n g
i n s t e a d  o n  h o w  m u c h  y o u  d o  h a v e. Y o u  m i g h t  b e  w o r r i e d
a b o u t  y o u r  a b i l i t y  t o  p e r f o r m  a  j o b  a n d  t h e n  r e m e m b e r  t h a t
G o d  l i v e s  w i t h i n  y o u  a n d  t h e r e ’ s  n o t h i n g  H e  c a n n o t  d o. I n
a n y  g i v e n  m o m e n t,  t h e  g r e a t e r  l i f e  i s  a v a i l a b l e. W h e n  w e  b e g i n  t o  l i v e  t h e  g r e a t e r  l i f e — n o t  “ s e e k ”  i t,  s o
m u c h  a s  s i m p l y  c h o o s e  t o  p a r t i c i p a t e  i n  i t — t h e n  a n d  o n l y
t h e n  d o  w e  f i n d  t h a t  i t ’ s  a l l  a r o u n d  u s,  a l l  t h e  t i m e. G o d  i s  i n
o u r  m i n d. W h e r e v e r  w e  g o,  H e ’ s  t h e r e. S O M E T I M E S  T H E R E  A R E  I S S U E S  t h a t  w e  p u s h  t o  t h e  b a c k  o f  a  d r a w e r,  a s  i t
w e r e. W e  k n o w  t h e y  b e l o n g  t o  u s  a n d  t h a t  w e ’ l l  h a v e  t o
d e a l  w i t h  t h e m  s o m e d a y. B u t  w e  k e e p  p u t t i n g  t h e m  o f f  a n d
p u t t i n g  t h e m  o f f,  a n d  f i n a l l y  s o m e t h i n g  h a p p e n s  t o  b r i n g
o n e  o f  t h e m  t o  t h e  f o r e. T h e  u n i v e r s e  m a k e s  i t  e x c e e d i n g l y
c l e a r :  h e r e,  n o w,  w e ’ r e  g o n n a  d e a l  w i t h  t h i s  o n e. W h a t e v e r
p a r t  o f  o u r  p e r s o n a l i t y  r e m a i n s  u n h e a l e d,  i t  i s  t i m e  t o  h e a l  i t
n o w. I t  m i g h t  b e  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  i s s u e,  a n  a d d i c t i o n  i s s u e,  af i n a n c i a l  i s s u e,  s o m e t h i n g  w i t h  o u r  k i d s,  o r  w h a t e v e r. T h e
f o r m  o f  t h e  w e a k n e s s  i s  n o t  w h a t  m a t t e r s :  W h a t  m a t t e r s  i s
t h a t  u n t i l  w e  d e a l  w i t h  i t,  w e  a r e  l i m i t i n g  o u r  a v a i l a b i l i t y  f o r
u s e  i n  G o d ’ s  p l a n. T h i s  i s  a n  a l l - h a n d s - o n - d e c k  k i n d  o f  m o m e n t  o n  e a r t h. I t ’ s  n o t  o k a y  t o  b e  s t u c k  i n  t h e  s m a l l n e s s  o f  o u r  n a r c i s s i s m
w h e n  o u r  g r e a t n e s s  i s  s o  n e e d e d. I t  i s  t


 s u r r e n d e r i n g  i t  t o
G o d,  a n d  a s k i n g  H i m  t o  r e m o v e  i t — t h a t ’ s  t h e  m i r a c l e  o f
p e r s o n a l  t r a n s f o r m a t i o n. I t  w o n ’ t  g o  a w a y  i n  a  m o m e n t,n e c e s s a r i l y,  b u t  i t s  d a y s  a r e  n u m b e r e d. T h e  m e d i c i n e  i s  i n
y o u r  p s y c h i c  b l o o d s t r e a m. S o m e t i m e s,  t h e r e f o r e,  t h e  h e a l i n g  p r o c e s s  i n v o l v e s  o u r
h a v i n g  t o  t a k e  a  g o o d  l o o k  i n  t h e  m i r r o r  b e f o r e  w e  c a n  d o
a n y t h i n g  e l s e. Y o u  m i g h t  p r a y  f o r  a  b e t t e r  j o b  s i t u a t i o n,  a n d
t h e  n e x t  t h i n g  y o u  k n o w,  y o u  e x p e r i e n c e  y o u r  b i g g e s t
p r o f e s s i o n a l  d i s a s  t e r  y e t. I t  m i g h t  s e e m  t h a t  w h e n  y o u
p r a y e d  t h i n g s  o n l y  g o t  w o r s e. B u t  w h a t  a c t u a l l y  h a p p e n e d
i s  t h a t  y o u  w e r e  m o v e d  s u b c o n s c i o u s l y  t o  c r e a t e  a  s i t u a t i o n
i n  w h i c h  y o u r  o w n  w e a k n e s s  w a s  o n  d i s p l a y,  m a g n i f i e d
e n o u g h  f o r  y o u  t o  g e t  a  v e r y  g o o d  l o o k  a t  i t. T h i n g s  i n  f a c t
d i d  n o t  g e t  w o r s e ;  y o u  w e r e  s i m p l y  n o  l o n g e r  a n e s t h e t i z e d
t o  y o u r  o w n  e x p e r i e n c e  a n d  t h e  p a r t  y o u  p l a y e d  i n  c r e a t i n g
i t. *
L e t ’ s  s a y  y o u  f i n a l l y  g o t  t h e  d r e a m  j o b  y o u  h a d  b e e n
p r a y i n g  f o r,  y e t  w i t h i n  a  c o u p l e  o f  w e e k s  o f  s t a r t i n g  i t,  y o u
b e g a n  t o  d i s p l a y  t h e  s a m e  s e l f - s a b o t a g i n g  b e h a v i o r  t h a t  h a d
h e l d  y o u  b a c k  b e f o r e. A t  f i r s t  y o u  t h i n k,  “ O h  n o,  t h i s  i s n ’ t  a
m i r a c l e! I t ’ s  t e r r i b l e! ”  B u t  t h e n  y o u  r e a l i z e,  “ O h,  w o w,  I  g e t
i t. T h e  m i r a c l e  i s  t h a t  I  h a v e  a  c h a n c e,  r i g h t  h e r e  a n d  n o w,
t o  c h o o s e  a g a i n,  t o  s t a n d  i n  t h e  s a m e  s p o t  w h e r e  I  h a v e
b l o w n  i t  b e f o r e,  a n d  d o  t h i n g s  a n o t h e r  w a y. I  c a n  p r a y  f o r
h e l p  i n  b e c o m i n g  t h e  p e r s o n  w h o  h a n d l e s  t h i s  s i t u a t i o n  w i t h
e a s e  a n d  g r a c e. ”  G o d  d o e s n ’ t  h e l p  u s  a v o i d  o u r  i s s u e s ;  H e
t r a n s f o r m s  o u r  i s s u e s. I n  t h a t  s e n s e,  w h e n  w e ’ r e  i n  t h e  m i d s t  o f  a  s p i r i t u a l
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n  t h i n g s  o f t e n  s e e m  t o  g e t  w o r s e  b e f o r e  t h e y
g e t  b e t t e r. W e  u s u a l l y  h a v e  t o  l o o k  a t  w h a t  w e  h a t e  a b o u to u r s e l v e s  b e f o r e  w e  c a n  s e e  h o w  m u c h  t h e r e  i s  t o  l o v e. T h e r e  i s  a  “ r i n g  o f  f e a r ”  a r o u n d  t h e  l i g h t  w i t h i n  u s,  t h r o u g h
w h i c h  t h e  e g o  s e e k s  t o  b l o c k  o u r  e n t r a n c e  i n t o  t h e  h e a v e n
w i t h i n. *
A n d  t h a t ’ s  w h y  w e  p u s h e d  s o  m a n y  i s s u e s  t o  t h e  b a c k  o f
t h e  d r a w e r  t o  b e g i n  w i t h :  s o  w e  w o u l d n ’ t  h a v e  t o  e n d u r e  t h e
p a i n  o f  g e n u i n e  s e l f - e x a m i n a t i o n. W e ’ r e  a f r a i d  o f  a n
u g l i n e s s  w e  f e e l  i s  l u r k i n g  i n s i d e  u s,  b u t  i n  f a c t  w h a t  w e
f e a r  i s  a n  i l l u s i o n a


 I  h a d  t r u s t e d  t h e s e  p e o p l e ;  I
h a d  e x p e c t e d  t h e m  t o  b e h a v e  d e c e n t l y. W a s  t h e  l e s s o n  t o  b e
l e a r n e d  t h a t  I  w a s  n o t  t o  t r u s t? T h e n  I  r e a l i z e d  t h a t  I  n e e d e d  t o  b e  m o r e  t r u s t w o r t h y
t o w a r d  m y s e l f. N o  o n e  c o u l d  h a v e  s t o l e n  s o  m u c h  m o n e y  i f
I  h a d  k e p t  b e t t e r  t r a c k  o f  i t  m y s e l f,  a n d  I  s h o u l d  n o t  h a v e
s t i l l  b e e n  d e a l i n g  w i t h  p e o p l e  w h o  m a n y  t i m e s  b e f o r e  h a d
d e m o n s t r a t e d  t h e i r  l a c k  o f  e t h i c a l  s t a n d a r d s. I n  b o t h  t h o s e
s i t u a t i o n s,  t h e r e  w e r e  w a y s  i n  w h i c h  I  s h o u l d  h a v e  k n o w n
b e t t e r. I  w a s  b l i n d e d  t o  w h a t  I  k n e w  t o  b e  t r u e  b e c a u s e  o f
w h a t  I  w a n t e d  t o  b e  t r u e. I  w a s n ’ t  l i s t e n i n g  d e e p l y  t o  m y
o w n  i n n e r  k n o w i n g,  a n d  e v e n  w h e n  i t s  v o i c e  b r o k e  t h r o u g h,
I  d i d n ’ t  h e e d  i t  w h e n  I  d i d n ’ t  w a n t  t o. T h u s  I  s u f f e r e d,  b u t  I
a l s o  l e a r n e d. I n  a  w a y,  I  c a m e  o u t  o f  t h o s e  s i t u a t i o n s  n o t  t r u s t i n g
p e o p l e  l e s s  s o  m u c h  a s  t r u s t i n g  m y s e l f  m o r e. I  t h i n k  t h o s e
c i r c u m s t a n c e s  w e r e  i m p o r t a n t  l e s s o n s  f o r  m e — i n  c h o o s i n g
a s s o c i a t e s  m o r ew i s e l y,  i n  b e i n g  m o r e  r e s p o n s i b l e  t o w a r d  m y s e l f,  a n d  o f
c o u r s e  i n  d i s c e r n i n g  b e t w e e n  t h e  p e r f e c t i o n  o f  t h e  s o u l  a n d
t h e  p e r n i c i o u s  p o t e n t i a l  i n  e v e r y  p e r s o n a l i t y. I  h a v e  n o w
e x p e r i e n c e d  o t h e r  p e o p l e ’ s  v i c i o u s n e s s,  a s  m a n y  o f  u s  h a v e. B u t  u n t i l  I  h a v e  r e m o v e d  e v e r y  b i t  o f  i t  f r o m  m y s e l f,  I  a m
n o t  a  v i c t i m. I  a m  s i m p l y  s t a n d i n g  i n  f r o n t  o f  a  v e r y  b i g
m i r r o r  a n d  s e e i n g  m y s e l f  a s  I  g r o w  t h r o u g h  m y  s t u f f. A l l
t h a t  i s  n o t  l o v e  i s  a  c a l l  f o r  l o v e,  a n d  e v e r y  s i t u a t i o n  i s  a n
o p p o r t u n i t y  t o  g r o w. R e l a t i o n s h i p s  A r e  L a b o r a t o r i e s

R e l a t i o n s h i p s  a r e  l a b o r a t o r i e s  o f  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t,  b u t  t h e y
c a n  a l s o  b e  p l a y g r o u n d s  f o r  t h e  e g o. T h e y  c a n  b e  h e a v e n,  o r
t h e y  c a n  b e  h e l l. T h e y  a r e  i n f u s e d  w i t h  l o v e  o r  i n f u s e d  w i t h
f e a r. M o s t  o f  t h e  t i m e,  t h e y  a r e  a  l i t t l e  o f  b o t h. T h e  e g o  s p e a k s  f i r s t  a n d  t h e  e g o  s p e a k s  l o u d e s t,  a n d  i t
w i l l  a l w a y s  m a k e  a  c a s e  f o r  s e p a r a t i o n :  t h e  o t h e r  p e r o n  d i d
t h i s  o r  t h a t  a n d  t h e r e f o r e  d o e s  n o t  d e s e r v e  o u r  l o v e. *  A n d  i n
w h a t e v e r  m o m e n t  w e  c h o o s e  t o  l i s t e n  t o  t h e  e g o — d e n y i n g
l o v e  t o  s o m e o n e  e l s e —  t h e n  t o  t h a t  e x t e n t  w e  w i l l  b e
d e n i e d. K n o w i n g  t h a t  t h e  m i n d  w o r k s  t h a t  w a y,  w e  c a n  c a l l
f o r  h e l p. W e  c a n  p r a y  f o r  a  p o w e r  g r e a t e r  t h a n  o u r  o w n  t o
p u s h  b a c k  t


 d  t h a t  l a y
b e y o n d. M a n y  w o m e n,  a n d  m e n  a s  w e l l,  w o u l d  b e  s o  m u c h
l e s s  w o u n d e d  h a d  s o m e o n e  d o n e  t h a t  f o r  u s. I  t o l d  h e r  I  w o u l d  g i v e  h e r  t h e  f u n  a n d  f a n c y  p a r t y,  b u t
o n l y  i f  s h e  d i d  t h e  r e a l  w o r k. N o n e  o f  t h i s  m e m o r i z i n g  af e w  l i n e s  o f  H e b r e w  a n d  p r e t e n d i n g  t h a t ’ s  t h e  r e a l  d e a l. O n e  d a y  s h e  a s k e d  m e  w h a t  I  t h o u g h t  t h e  t h e m e  s h o u l d
b e  f o r  h e r  b a t  m i t z v a h. I  s a i d,  “ W h a t  d o  y o u  m e a n,  t h e m e? ”
“ O h,  k i d s  h a v e  a  t h e m e, ”  s h e  s a i d. “ L i k e,  f o r  t h e  p a r t y. S o m e  p e o p l e  h a v e  a  D e t r o i t  P i s t o n s  t h e m e  o r  a  B r i t n e y
S p e a r s  t h e m e …. ” I  t h o u g h t  I  w o u l d  f a i n t. I  s a i d  v e r y  c l e a r l y
a n d  d i s t i n c t l y,  “ T h e  t h e m e  o f  y o u r  b a t  m i t z v a h  i s  t h a t  y o u
a r e  b e c o m i n g  a  w o m a n  i n  t h e  e y e s  o f  G o d. P e r i o d. ”
M u c h  t o  h e r  c r e d i t,  m y  d a u g h t e r  u n d e r s t o o d. S h e  s t u d i e d
a s s i d u o u s l y  f o r  m o n t h s  w i t h  a  g r e a t  c a n t o r  w h o  t a u g h t  h e r
w e l l,  a n d  a s  t h e  b a t  m i t z v a h  a p p r o a c h e d,  w e  h a d  m a r v e l o u s
c o n v e r s a t i o n s  a b o u t  w h a t  t h i s  t r a n s i t i o n  w o u l d  m e a n  f o r
b o t h  o f  u s. F o r  h e r,  i t  m e a n t  s h e  w o u l d  n o  l o n g e r  b e  a  c h i l d. S h e  w o u l d n ’ t  b e  a  w o m a n  e i t h e r  b u t  w o u l d  r a t h e r  b e
e n t e r i n g  a  p h a s e  o f  h e r  l i f e  u n d e r v a l u e d  b y  c o n t e m p o r a r y
c u l t u r e :  b e c o m i n g  w h a t  t h o s e  b e f o r e  u s  c a l l e d  a  m a i d e n  ( o r
f o r  b o y s,  a  m a s t e r ). W i t h o u t  c o n s c i o u s l y  h o n o r i n g  t h i s
p e r i o d,  y o u n g  p e o p l e  o f t e n  p l a y  i t  o u t  l i k e  a  p s y c h i c  c i r c u s,
w i t h  b e l l y  b u t t o n  r i n g s  r e p l a c i n g  p r a y e r  b e a d s  a n d  c a s u a l
s e x  r e p l a c i n g  a  c o n n e c t i o n  t o  t h e  d i v i n e. I  w a n t e d  E m m a  t o
h a v e  a  s a c r e d  c o n t e x t  f o r  t h e s e  e x t r a o r d i n a r y  y e a r s. I
w a n t e d  h e r  t o  a p p r o p r i a t e l y  s e p a r a t e  f r o m  h e r  c h i l d h o o d
b o n d  t o  m e,  a n d  f o r  b o t h  o f  u s  t o  m o v e  g r a c e f u l l y  i n t o  n e w
d i m e n s i o n s  o f  o u r s e l v e s  a n d  o f  o u r  r e l a t i o n s h i p  t o  e a c h
o t h e r. D u r i n g  t h e  b a t  m i t z v a h,  I  c e r e m o n i a l l y  g a v e  m y
d a u g h t e r  u p  t o  G o d  a n d  t o  t h e  w o r l d. A f t e r  s a y i n g  p r a y e r s
o n  t h e  b i m a  w i t h  h e r,  I  t h e n,  l i k e  m i l l i o n s  o f  J e w i s h  w o m e nb e f o r e  m e,  t o o k  m y  p l a c e  i n  t h e  c o n g r e g a t i o n  a n d  w a t c h e d
m y  c h i l d  l e a d  t h e  r e s t  o f  t h e  s e r v i c e  b y  h e r s e l f. A s  s h e  r e a d
f r o m  t h e  T o r a h  i n  H e b r e w,  t h e  p r e s e n c e  o f  G o d  w a s  l i k e  a
g l o w  t h a t  f i l l e d  t h e  r o o m. A n d  a f t e r  s h e  c a r r i e d  t h e  T o r a h
o n  h e r  s h o u l d e r s  a n d  p l a c e d  i t  b a c k  i n  t h e  a r k,  t h e  c a n t o r  l e d
h e r  t o  m e  a n d  s a i


 mastery, and in the
without that which we realize within. In
minimum of need. (Such simplicity
Therefore, the personality of the genius
simplest definition, one could say that
recent times, as an example, Mikhail
seems a common characteristic of true
sometimes seems to incorporate polar
genius is the capacity for an
Gorbachev has been the subject of
success in general.) The basis of this non-
extremes. Geniuses understand the need
extraordinary degree of mastery in one's
enormous world-wide attention, but the
materiality, this seeming naïveté, is a
for creating a space for ideas to calling. A formula followed by all
world does not really acknowledge hisradical understanding of the nature of the
crystallize. The stage is often set by
geniuses, prominent or not, is: Do what
genius. Single-handed, in only a few
universe itself that which supports life is
complete distraction. Creativity occurs
you like to do best, and do it to the very
short years, he completely revolutionized
supported by life; survival is thus
under appropriate inner, not outer best of your ability. one of the greatest empires on earth, his
ef fortless, and giving and receiving are
circumstances. W e all know stories of
only sources of power his inspiration and
one and the same thing. people who have gotten the answers to
16. SUR VIVING SUCCESS
vision. (Had the communist regime been
Genius is notoriously interpreted as
complex problems while sitting in traf fic
THE TRAGIC CAREERS of many
based on power, nothing could haveunconventionality or eccentricity. It is
on the freeway. individuals of genius subsequent to being
overturned it; because it was based on
true that persons of genius, because of
A primary reason so many people fail to
discovered and celebrated by the public
force it was destined to come to an end
their alignment with high ener gy
recognize and therefore empower their
illustrate that there is success, and then
under the hand of a charismatic leader
attractors, have a dif ferent perspective on
own genius is because in the popular
there is Success. The farmer frequently
aligned with power.) life; therefore, things have a dif ferent
mind genius is confused with high IQ. jeopardizes life, while the latter enhances
Genius is one of the greatest untapped
significance for them. The genius is
This is a grass misunderstanding. Itit. T rue Success enlivens and supports
resources of our society. It is no more
frequently inspired to intense activity by
would be more helpful to see genius as
the spirit; it has not to do with isolated
specific than it is personal. People of
insights beyond our understanding. simply an extraordinarily high degree of
attainments, but being successful as a
great gifts not infrequently have multiple
Genius is not stardom. Those of genius
savvy in a given area of human activity. total person, attaining a successful
talents. A genius may be a genius in
who attain prominence are a very small
The misconception about IQ has arisen
lifestyle that benefits not only yourself
dif ferent realms and might have answers
minority. There remains a legion of
from the fact that many celebrated
but everyone around you. Successful
to a diversity of problems. Societygeniuses who achieve no such status;
geniuses in the fields of mathematics and
people's lives are empowered throughout
suf fers a great loss because it does not
many appear in no way noteworthy and
physics indeed have high IQs; however,
by the context of their accomplishments. know how to nurture its geniuses. They
may, in fact, have never had formal
in those fields the IQ necessary to
In contradistinction, that which the
don't cost much to maintain-the source of
higher education. What characterizes this
comprehend the work is a prerequisite. tabloid world calls success often erodes
genius is impersonal and true genius is
type is the capacity to utilize
There are droves of non-cerebral artistic
the "successful" person's health and
seldom interested in money or fame. But
exhaustively what experience they have
geniuses, musical geniuses, designers andrelationships; spiritual collapse is
society, in fact, is often either indif ferent
and to capitalize on it by the dedication
inventors, geniuses in many fields whose
commonplace in the lives of the rich and
or hostile to genius. necessary to reach a high degree of
talent is that of innovative creativity
famous. But what the world calls success
The lifestyle of those whom we term
mastery. Mary productive geniuses are
within a certain limited area. is merely celebrity, and the capacity of
genius is typically simple. Genius is
not recognized until years after they are
Let us remember that IQ is merely a
celebrity to destroy is documented daily. characterized by an appreciation for
dead. In fact, the gift-or curse-of genius
measure of academic capacity for Famous people constantly succumb to
resources and the economy of ingenuity
often brings about unfortunatelogically comprehending symbols and
failed marriages, addiction, alcoholism
because the genius values life (167)and
consequences during an individual's
words. The values that one lives by are
and suicide or other untimely death. If
sees the intrinsic worth of all its lifetime. more definitive of genius than IQ. From
(170) we listed the names of all the
81
82
One of the problems in attempting to
expressions. Inasmuch as time and
One characteristic of genius is the
our studies it appears that the alignment
understand genius is that it takes near -
resources are precious, doing more than
capacity for great intensity, often of one's goals and values with high
genius to recognize it. The world necessary is viewed as a waste;
therefore expressed in cyclic form. When inspired,
ener gy attractors is more closely
frequently fails to identify genius people of genius often lead very quiet
the person of genius may work twentyassociated with genius than anything
altogether; society often gives acclaim
lives and reluctantly sally forth only
hours a day to realize a solution while it
else. Genius can be more accurately
toy the work of genius without noting the
when there is a cause that must be
is still fresh in mind. These periods of
identified by perseverance, courage,
intrinsic genius of its creation itself. Until
supported. There is no need to "get"
intense activity are interspersed with
concentration, enormous drive and
one acknowledges the genius within
when you already "have." Genius,
periods of apparent stasis which (168) are
absolute integrity. T alent alone is not
oneself, one will have great dif ficulty
because it is in touch with an endless
in actuality intervals of fermentation, a
enough. Dedication of an unusual degree
recognizing it in others we can only seesource of supply, experiences only a
necessary part of the creative process. is required to achieve mastery, and in the
without that which we realize within. In
minimum of need. (Such simplicity
Therefore, the personality of the genius
simplest definition, one could say that
recent times, as an example, Mikhail
seems a common characteristic of true
sometimes seems to incorporate polar
genius is the capacity for an
Gorbachev has been the subject of
success in general.) The basis of this non-
extremes. Geniuses understand the need
extraordinary degree of mastery in one's
enormous world-wide attention, but the
materiality, this seeming naïveté, is a
for creating a space for ideas to calling. A formula followed by all
world does not really acknowledge his
radical understanding of the nature of the
crystallize. The stage is often set by
geniuses, prominent or not, is: Do whatgenius. Single-handed, in only a few
universe itself that which supports life is
complete distraction. Creativity occurs
you like to do best, and do it to the very
short years, he completely revolutionized
supported by life; survival is thus
under appropriate inner, not outer best of your ability. one of the greatest empires on earth, his
ef fortless, and giving and receiving are
circumstances. W e all know stories of
only sources of power his inspiration and
one and the same thing. people who have gotten the answers to
16. SUR VIVING SUCCESS
vision. (Had the communist regime been
Genius is notoriously interpreted as
complex problems while sitting in traf fic
THE TRAGIC CAREERS of many
based on power, nothing could have
unconventionality or eccentricity. It is
on the freeway. individuals of genius subsequent to beingoverturned it; because it was based on
true that persons of genius, because of
A primary reason so many people fail to
discovered and celebrated by the public
force it was destined to come to an end
their alignment with high ener gy
recognize and therefore empower their
illustrate that there is success, and then
under the hand of a charismatic leader
attractors, have a dif ferent perspective on
own genius is because in the popular
there is Success. The farmer frequently
aligned with power.) life; therefore, things have a dif ferent


 deeper is the penchant of the Chinese for record
ing anything and everything they believed worthwh ile during the
past five thousand years, from philosophical speculation to poetic
eroticism, from events in the heavens to the coital thrusts of em
perors in bed. They studied, wrote, and published so many books,
essays, and chronicles that, by the estin1ate of European scholars
in the eighteenth century, Chinese written records exceeded in
volume the written records of all other languages put together. Perhaps that is not so surprising: after all, the Chinese invented
paper and printing. For thousands of years, among the educated
elite and illiterate peasants alike, the respect for scholarship has
bordered on mania. And one of the subjects of that scholarship
was sexuality. From all that has been written about it by the Chi
nese, we have unexpected vistas of a sensual landscape. 1
The Culture That Nurtu res
The Ques t /or Sexu ality
ONE HALLMARK OF CIVILIZATION, it is said, is cuisine. Indeed, the
human race has come a long way from wolfing down bloody raw
meat to savoring the subtle taste, aroma, and texture of a variety
of foods. Another hallmark of civilization is sexuality. Humans
have progressed from merely satisfying their carnal animal instincts
to sharing loving intimacy, with all its passion and tenderness, its
sensuality and playfulness. A healthy refinement of cuisine and
sexuality is often the natural consequence of a stable, mature, so
phisticated civilization. The way in which a people refine their
skills in fulfilling their basic needs of food and sex, and distill
them into art forms may be measurernents as significant as all the
conquests made, monuments erected, and wealth amassed. In this respect let us note a contrast. French cuisine, to name
one, is a favorite for many around the world, and the reputation of
French lovers legendary. While Chinese cuisine has become pop
ular among Westerners -but this only after World War 11 -Chinese
sexo logy and sexuality arc sti11 virtually unheard of in the Wes t. This gap has its reasons; it is easier to monitor the kitchen than the
bedroo m. And in the eyes of the world, China is a puritanical
culture. Syrnptonutic of thi� idea is the pn:vailing myth among West
crners that the: Chine�e do not kiss mouth to mouth. This myth
was perpctuated by Western missionaries in ( :hina who knew 4 T H E s E N S ll A I I A N D S C A P l;
nothing of the sex lives of their flocks, and by such respected
Western sexologists as Theodore Van de Vclde. In his 1 �2X best
seller Ideal Marriage, the otherwise very perceptive gynecologist
writes: "Japanese, Chinese, Annamese (Indochinese! do not kiss
as we understand the term." In fact, lip kissing is described and
praised in Chinese sexology classics and in Chinese fiction and
poetry. Deep kissing has delighted lovers all these centuries in
China and elsewhere in the Orient. The only sources of research
used by Van de Velde and the missionaries appear to have been
Confucian classics. But if we look behind this formidable Confucian fa�ade, we
find something quite different. The Chinese culture is the only
major one that for thousands of years has been seriously, relent
lessly-but discreetly-pursuing erotic techniques and sexual po
tency as a means to health, youthfulness, and longer life. India's
Tantrism, which advocates ritualistic sexual union, has some su
perficial similarities with the Chinese approach. But it aims at
religious salvation, while the Chinese pursuit is pragmatic and
earth-bound, aiming at health and longevity. And, yet, as will be
discussed later, some historians believe that Indian Tantrism was
inspired by Chinese sexual practices. THE ART OF THE BEDCHAMBER
For thousands of years, the ancient Chinese were intensely inter
ested in the links among sex, health, and longevity. Their spirited
research into sexuality is embodied in what loosely has been called
the Art of the Bedchamber. This body of knowledge was de
veloped by the ancient Chinese Taoist philosophers and proto
scientists who seriously pursued bodily immortality, first through
magic, then through alchemy, and finally through sexual prac
tices. They experimented with means for greater sexual energy,
which they believed was inseparable from better health and longer
life. The techniques they developed, incidentally, enabled a po
lygamous husband to satisfy as n1any as ten spouses in a single
night and still not self-destruct. The mystical, at times sophisticated experimentation in all as
pects of sexuality was practiced eagerly by people in China for
more than a thousand years. But it was shielded very well from the outside world. About ten ct·nturies ago. tnuch of the ancient
Chinese core sexual knowledge bt·gan to disappear. As a result. during the ensuing centuries, when prudery ruled supren1e. the
Chinese forgot, or never learned. quite a few ancient sexual prac
tices taught by their ancestors. They thus becan1e known as a prud
ish people who lusted only after Confucianisn1 or con1n1unisn1. But their interest in sexual nutrients and sexual exercises contin
ued in subdued or disguise d fonns. and fortunately for posterity. the Art of the Bedchan1ber was not lost cotnplc tely. Evidence of
it was discovered early in this century. and we can now recon
struct it in n1ore detail. For centuries. n1any Chinese have practiced the Art of the
Bedchan1ber n1ore or less openly or secretly, consciously or un
consciously. They have eaten specific foods and herbs, and exer
cised their sexualtnuscles and sexual nerves to enhance bedroom
prowess and nurture sexual vigor. They have invented ingenious
toys to intensify coital pleasure or console lonely wotnen, and de
vised a sexual physiognomy to predict an individual's sexual pro
clivities by simply looking at facial (and other bodily) features. They have tnade insightful use of love-play to forestall problems
of potency and build stamina in sexual union. They have discov
ered erotic acupressure points and refined erotic massage to liven
up love-play. The Chinese were the first to develop systematically a spec
trum of therapeutic sexual positions. aimed at health, concep
tion, and pleasure-though not necessarily in that order. They
contrived various secret techniques for both men and women in
the bedchamber: orgasm control to prolong sexual union, titillat
ing patterns of coital thrusts, other tactics to heighten ecstasy. They spent countless hours in meditativ e breathing to enhance
their life-force and enrich their sexual energy. The Chinese art of lovemaking was developed by the intel
lectual elite: Taoist immortal ity-seekers, physicians, scholars,
mandarins (high government officials chosen from among top
scholars), poets, painters, and master chefs who felt that lasting
longer in bed was as desirable as living longer in life. Not sur
prisingly, the Art of the Bedchamber, with its theory of Yin and
Yang, erotic techniques, and promise of long life, perhaps even
immortality, was extremely popular with the royalty. The aristo
crats were therefore the most enthusiastic patrons of this Art. Tlrf Culture That Nurtr4rcs THE SEN SUAL LAND SCAPE
For five thousand years China had an absolute monarchy. Its
rulers by tradition maintained forbidden palaces, essentially har
ems, with thousands of palace ladies guarded by eunuchs. When a
man was surrounded by countless beautiful and available women,
his most ardent scientific research would involve coping with one
bedmate after another, delighting and vanquishing, doing it again
and again. To many sexually exhausted male aristocrats, happi
ness was the delicious bedroom art that could repeatedly bring a
woman to ecstasy, or an elixir that could raise a "dead" phallus. A HISTOR ICAL QU EST
Sex was an important feature in the dynastic history of ancient
China, as was the search for immortality. In the earliest time and
for many centuries thereafter, Chinese monarchs firmly believed
in the Taoist pursuit of immortality. In the third century B.C.,
the First Emperor of Chin sent three thousand yo ung men and
women, all virgins, to search for the legendary herb of immor
tality in the eastern seas, where the sun rises. The young peo
ple and their leader, the Taoist Hsu Fu, were never heard from
again. They n1ay have been shipwrecked or, as is generally be
lieved, may have landed and settled in Japan. During the Han
dynasty (c. 206 B.C.-A.D. 220), when the Art of the Bedchamber
began to be practiced widely, one emperor had a giant dish built
atop a 270-foot tower to collect dew, which, he believed, would
increase his sex1Jal stamina