 they were simply acting out our
unconscious guilt—everything that we have repressed and denied. They
were doing a great job of it too; Academy Awards go to your mom and
dad for those performances! But the fact is, we weren’ t reme mbering
them as they truly are; we were just remembering the past grievances
that we’ve kept in our mind and they acted them out. We are never actually upset by behavior. We are upset by our
interpretation of behavior, and we are always responding emotionally to
our interpretations. We just perceive what we still have unresolved
within our own consciousness or what we still have a grievance on. So,
people in our lives are actually doing us a favor. The ones we think are
the biggest jerks and the most insensitive people are helping us go past
our repression and denial mechanisms. They’re acting it out right in front
of us so we can allow all of our emotions into awareness. Once  they are
up in awareness, we can give them over to the Holy Spirit—an d have a
miraculous experience. Even just thinking  of your mom or dad, or whoever it is that you
have a grievan ce with, activates the memories and the emotions. Working this through is part of the clearing, even if they’re not
physically in your life. When we dream of them and when we think of
them, we can process what they bring up for us. It’ s part of the healing. We may not always be aware that whenever we hold a grieva nce,
we are actually holding it against our self. This is because projection
makes us see outside what we don’t want to see within our own minds
and hearts because we’re afraid that what we’re projecting is actually
true about ourselves. This is why, when we forgive, we are really
releasing our own soul, our own self. It takes a lot of energy to hold on to a grievance, energy that could
be used for loving instead. If we devote our lives to loving, then the fear
and misperceptions of the ego don’t have a chance to grow. If we keepour garden weed ed, clear, and clean, then we have space for the fruits—
and there are plenty of fruits. Give Beliefs Over to the Holy Spirit
Forgiveness is about really seein g what is in our mind and then releasing
it. This is our inner work. You can’t actually say to the Holy Spirit, “I
have a crazy life. Would You please fix it?” Instead you bring everything
that you believe  about your life and this world, about time and space
back to the Holy Spirit. And when you really do this complet ely, your
issues will disappear. So, in true for giveness, you go into it with the Holy
Spirit, to shine the darkness away, and you are brought back to the
experience of this present mom ent. Bring that darkness to the light. Bring all of your crazy beliefs to the light, and you will see they were
just in your imagination. They were just dark dragons, crazy little ideas,
you buried and kept hidden. It was just another trick of the ego. It was
never real! Forgiveness is a moment of choosing to be happy instead of being
right. Forgiveness is an opportunity to decide for reality anew;  it is the
moment when you decide for your true Self rather than for an image of
yourself. Forgiveness is to go inward beneath attack thoughts and come into
the innocence of who you are, to your divinity. Forgiveness quietly does
nothing. It waits and watches, and it doesn’ t judge. It’s just a serene,
profound, still state of mind. When forgiveness is our function, we are
inherently happy. Forgiveness is our key to happiness! Imagine you’re growing up with your parents, and they say, “What
are you going to be when you grow up?” And against all expectations
you say, “Happy, happy… I want to be happy!” This isn’t temporary
happiness associated with specific outcomes. It’s not, “I’m happy
because I got a raise, found my soulmate, or won the lottery.” It’s not a
temporary kind of happiness. So, the forgiveness practice leads to a very
joyful experienc e because there is no agenda with anything. We can
describe the unhappy dream as the misperception, and then the happy,
forgiven dream is the touchston e, the closest thing to Heaven on Earth.It’s a transformation in mind and in consciousness. It’s so close to
Heaven that your feet no longer touch the ground, so to speak. You’re
just carried and lifted! Forgive and See the World as a Dream
Some people believe that when you start to see the world as a dream or
an illusion, you become disinterested or have no sense of love or
compassion flowing through you. But it’s actually the oppo site. The
Holy Spirit pours through even more from that state since you don’ t have
an investment in the form being  a certain way or looking a certain way. You experience a call for love rather than an attack, and you give what is
asked for; you give the love. You do not fall for perception; you do not
fall for behavior. As you give love away, you strengthen it, and then you
know that you are it, that you are an unlimited extension of divine love. I was visiting a friend one time when I experienced how the power
of forgiveness could transform aggression and rage. This friend and I
would watch metaphysical movies and meditate together for hours. She
had not mention ed to me that she had gone through a divorce about two
years earlier and that her ex-hu sband was insanely jealous if anyone of
the male gender would come near her. One day when we were watching
a movie, all of a sudden, a face appeared in the window. It was like a
Jack Nicholson movie. His eyes were bulging, and it looked like he was
ready to come in with a chainsa w. Then the door blasted open. He was
super raging angry, with saliv a coming out of his mouth. I had an
experience of being in a movie. I didn’ t even move. I didn’ t even get up. I just watched this movie as he came over. He was scream ing and
shouting and grabbed my shirt. I was just observing and noticing. I was
experiencing the lesson, “In my defenselessness, my safety lies.”
Later, I was walking along a road toward a nearby pine fores t to
meditate. A car drove up, and it was this man again. He jumped out of
the car and came over. He threw  my body down on the ground, and my
head hit a metal signpost and was bleeding, but I was not feeling any
discomfort what soever. Then, a car stopped and they said, “Wha t’s going
on here?”The man attacking me said, “No! There’ s no problem.” Then he
took me back to the house. He started to fumble through the medicine
chest, spilling pills all over the place. He was so scared. He was trying to
put gauz e on my head and give me pills. Then he cracked open and
started sharing with me about the pain that he felt about losing his family
and all the hurt, and the whole thing turned into a beautiful healing
experience. Because I had forgiveness in my heart, used in the deepest
way, I could be in true compassion. Forgiveness can feel profound, very deep, and very mystical. My
friend Lisa had a sister who was raped and murdered. After some time,
they found and arrested the murderer. He was in jail for many years. Lisa’ s family and the prosecutor were trying to have him electrocuted for
the crime. Even though years earlier, she had come through  a deep
grieving proces s around the loss of her beloved sister, Lisa had no
grievance agains t the man. Lisa is joined in the teachings of Jesus Christ
on forgiveness and got called to testify in support of the man who
murdered her sister. She wasn’ t condoning any of his actions. Through
the years that this man had been in prison, he had been praying  and had
become very devout. He had been working on his own forgiveness
process. At the courthouse, where her mother, her sister, and the rest of her
family were trying to make sure this man was electrocuted, Lisa was
there to represe nt forgiveness. While she was waiting in the hall, she
prayed with Jesus. She was looking at the wall, and sudden ly Jesus
appeared on the wall for her, in the marble. It was a very mystical
experience. Then when the time came to testify, she stepped into the
elevator, and guess who is in the elevator? The man accused of
murdering her sister. Lisa just gazed at him with love, and the man gazed back. There
was a deep sense of recognition and love. Then she gave an amazing
testimony. She testified for God, for Christ, and did not hold back one
thing. She was not concerned about the outcome of whether they would
keep him on death row or whether they would electrocute him. She was
there to testify for forgiveness and innocence. She was living the state of
forgiveness, she did not mind when she was cross-examined, and she did
not mind what happened in the courtroom. She was testifying forforg


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) where an aspect of the
Buddha speaks as an advocate. From another culture in a different time,
Krishna also taught that those who worship and love God by whatever
name are “Mine and dear to Me. ” This is the same teaching presented in
the Ninety-first Psalm. The primary spiritual gift of human existence is the opportunity that
by the option of one’s own free will, Divinity may be chosen or rejected
by whatever name God is known. Thus, human life and the permission
to incarnate as a human are great gifts in themselves, as was pointed out
by the Buddha. Affairs of the world are perceived and interpreted in accordance with
one’s level of consciousness. Therefore, the world may appear to be
tragic, sad, miserable, or fearful, or it may, on the contrary, seem
tempting, exciting, and challenging. In the high 500s, it is viewed with
compassion and seen as beauty. In the 600s, it is seen as peaceful, and
then, in the 700s, as Ramana Maharshi said, “The world you ‘see’ (i. e.,
perception) does not even exist; therefore, surrender it to God. ”
   Human life is a major spiritual opportunity for consciousness to
evolve and even reach Enlightenment. It is an expression of the gift of
life, through which one can eventually realize the Self. Worldly
temporal life is transitory and brief, but its consequences are very long
term. It is therefore best to treasure the opportunity with gratitude. Spiritual endeavor is, in and of itself, an expression of appreciation for
that gift of life. Q: But what about the vicissitudes of life. A: Each has a hidden gift. Sometimes it is an opportunity to undo past
suffering brought to others. Sometimes the suffering is due to resistance
and is a consequence of the ego’s personal will and therefore needful of
surrender. An overall attitude of humility is very helpful, and by
surrender, the hidden gift is revealed. How a specific situation ishandled depends on how it is conceptualized and contextualized, and
therefore, what it seems to ‘mean’. Q: Is a given event an opportunity, or is it a temptation. A: From the view of consciousness itself, one might say that the world is
really amorphous, and that all meaning is a derivation of projected
value, perceptual interpretation, and mentation. If the predominant
lesson that is arising at a certain level of consciousness is nonattachment
to success, desire, or pleasure, the temptations of the world could be
refused. Also, a surrender of positionalities might result in deciding to
actually surrender the world to God. A person in a similar situation
might see a worldly event as a call for selfless service. Another might
view it as a call for taking an integrous stand or, on the contrary,
refusing to take any position and may be seeing it as a reflection of
perception and any decision as a vanity of egoism. There is no point to jumping in to ‘save the world’ when the perceived
world is merely an illusion of projected values, presumptions, and
interpretations. The integrous student chooses what appears to be the
highest, and to evolve spiritually is actually the greatest gift one can
give the world. This is done by virtue of what one is and not just by
what one does. The truly great have come and gone, and what they left
behind was the consequence of what they were and had become. Q: Thus, renunciation is an internal, not an external, event. A: Noninvolvement means to act without volitional gain. Actions are
spontaneous and represent potentiality’s expressing as actuality. The
spiritual devotee has dedicated personal life to spiritual evolution and
has aligned with Truth as a map for guidance. A common question to
ask is, “Which option or direction would serve the highest good. ”
Those serve who also stand and wait. Sometimes the mind cannot tell
the forest from the trees. In decision-making, it is best to be aligned with context and the field
instead of content. It is difficult at times to differentiate sacrifice from
service. Consciousness at the level of awareness/witness/ observer is
free of involvement. If perfected, however, at a later time it may allow
reparticipation because of noninvolvement consequent to surrender of
attachments, attractions, or aversions. Actions may also representkarmic propensities, and the same course of action may actually have
very different meanings and consequences in different individuals at
different times and circumstances. Therefore, there is no supposed
‘spiritual’ way to be or attitudes to have about worldly events, as there
are actually multiple options. It takes inner discipline and surrender of
attitudes to not fall into the temptation of identifying with a position
about world events. The events of the world trigger responses based on perceptions. It is a
great theater that invites expressions of perceptions, illusions, and
projections of positionalities. One can either turn off the television and
avoid it or see it as a major teaching tool. The panoramic events of the
entire world unfold, representing the multitudinous expressions of the
human ego; thus, the television is its ultimate game board. Perception
may see this reflection of human-ego life as absurd, tragic, or comic. It
can be seen as sad, pathetic, exiting, heartwarming, challenging, or
alternately, as ridiculous. As the television news program says, “You
decide. ”
   The real question is, Who is the real ‘you’ that decides. That is the
question to be answered by the spiritual student. The ‘you’ has multiple
options and can choose any of them. Therefore, the world is
kaleidoscopic-tragic-comic-nurturing-absurd-cruel-lovable-ugly-
despicable-deplorable, none of the above, or just a transitory illusion. It
is allegorical. The spiritual advantage of modern life is that life experiences are
speeded up via the media. In a very short time, one can witness what
would have taken multiple lifetimes in previous eras where, for
example, a whole lifetime could be limited to just the experience of a
small space and limited role, such as that of a sheepherder or a village
blacksmith. Now multiple lives, perspectives, circumstances, and
conditions are presented in succession, from grotesque crimes to
coronations, domestic family situations, major wars, and world
catastrophes. Whether to take advantage of the television display of the human ego
or to ignore it and go within are equally serviceable for it is one’s
intention that decides the outcome. Either way requires compassion for
self and others. A certain quantity of suffering is impersonal and
consequent to the physicality of being born a human. Thus, the Buddhaexhorted followers to transcend the ego to avoid rebirth, sickness,
poverty, old age, and death. The world and everything in it is transitory;
therefore, to cling to it brings suffering. As a result, he stressed
detachment. Q: What about the popular exhortations to ‘get involved’ and ‘make a
difference’. A: Compassionate attention, in and of itself, has an unseen influence. The
results of volitional action are consequent to intention and the level of
consciousness. Sometimes the world would benefit more from benign
noninvolvement. Great wars and massive human disasters that go on for
centuries are the result of the ego’s grandiose plans to be involved and
make a difference, from Genghis Khan to Karl Marx, from Adolf Hitler
to current terrorists. Q: How to best serve the world. A: Each individual’s evolution of spiritual consciousness contributes to the
progress of the consciousness level of all mankind. By uplifting the sea,
all ships afloat are lifted. The effect of actions that emerge from
compassion are the result of intention. Human consciousness evolves through learning, which is often
primarily experiential. It is usually presumptuous to assume the
‘purpose’ of witnessed human events. What is deemed appropriate is a
consequence of perception and contextualization. Thus, whether action
is appropriate or not is an option that reflects a prevailing level of
consciousness rather than discernment of the Reality of essence. Everyone is accountable and culpable in accordance with their own
level of consciousness. Whether to ‘get involved’ or not reflects vanity
or compassion is consequent to the overall field of both content and
context. Action or nonaction is the spontaneous response of what has
‘become’ or ‘is’. There is no prevailing rule of appropriate behavior
because effects are consequent to intention. Q: Choices are therefore based on presumption and appearance. A: These are also aligned with stages of spiritual development and their
overall intention. There are periods devoted to learning detachment and
then periods devoted to transcending avoidance. Each has itstemptations and attractions. The specifics of the dualities of each level
of consciousness were discussed in Transcending the Levels of
Consciousness. Q: In addition to what appear to be worldly choices, are there also
karmic influences and propensities. A: Those factors contribute to the problems of choice for they influence
understandings of meaning, significance, and implications of
importance. Evolution leads to discovery that, in turn, reveals nuances,
significances, and inferences for further exploration. That is the nature
of transcendence by which many seeming paradox


 a  big  bang. These
simple  guides  barely  leave  an  impression,  and  yet  the
conviction  of  the  choices  we  make  as  a  result  of  this
remembering  is  unshakable. Sadhanas  are  essential  to
dissolve  our  excess  of  invalid  memories  and  to  main-
tain a  healthy  and  honest  cognition. They  are  the  gift
the  universe  gave  humans  to  cleanse  themselves  and
to  live  gently  upon  the  earth. We  experience  creation  through  the  two-pronged
ahamkara:  the  experiential  (individual)  self  and  the
cognitive  (collective)  memory. Every  being  has  an  inher-
ent memory  refined  from  the  beginning  of  time. When
the  fawn  wobbles  on  its  lanky  legs  minutes  after  birth,
the  memory  of  its  species,  from  the  very  first  fallow
deer,  is  sustained. According  to  the  Vedas,  memory  of
all  lives  is  remembered  by  the  human  embryo  at  the
exact  moment  it  leaves  its  watery  domain  and  begins
to  emerge  into  the  open  world. After  this  passage,  we
gradually  lose  cognition  of  our  magnificent  inherit-
ance and  begin  to  function  experientially. Lymph,  blood,  muscle,  fat,  bone,  marrow  and
nerves,  and  sperm  and  ovum — the  seven  vital  tissues
or  dhatus  of  Ayurveda — carry  the  memories  that  shape
the  body  and  mind  of  each  organism. Through  these
memories  each  life-form  is  able  to  adapt  to  the  de-
mands of  its  present  environment  and  to  function
through  all  rebirths. The  memory  of  each  individual
life,  as  well  as  the  collective  existence  of  the  universe,
is  forever  braided  into  the  fabric  of  our  being. These
braided  karmic  imprints,  which  give  us  our  singular
identity,  are  referred  to  in  Sanskrit  as  samskaras.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

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NOTE   ON  THE   COVER
The  Puranas,  a  compilation  of  ancient  stories  of  the  Hindu  tradition,  are  rich  with
descriptions  of  the  struggle  between  good  and  evil. In  one  such  story  the  contest
between  these  two  forces  was  so  great  that  even  the  ocean  was  churned  up  into  a  raging
sea. In  the  role  of  peacemaker,  Lord  Shiva  offered  the  ocean's  bounty  equally  to  both. In
gratitude,  the  ocean  gave  Shiva  a  pearl-white  elephant  boasting  four  trunks,  which
emanated  the  seven  colors  of  the  rainbow,  named  Airavata. He  was  claimed  as  the  mount
for  Indra,  Lord  of  the  firmament. The  elephant,  the  oldest  surviving  mammal,  is  a  symbol  for  both  earth  and  space. The  young,  vital  Airavata  represents  the  foundation  of  the  living  universe. He  is  the
symbol  of  the  first  subtle  energy  center,  located  at  the  base  of  the  spine,  known  as  the
muladhara  chakra. The  four  trunks  are  symbols  of  the  human  virtues  of  material  wealth,
continuous  allurement,  reverence  for  the  laws  of  nature,  and  the  pursuit  of  ultimate
freedom  of  the  spirit. The  seven  colors  of  the  rainbow,  along  with  the  body  of  Airavata,
symbolize  the  octave  of  creation,  comprising  earth,  water,  fire,  air,  space,  mind,  intelli-
gence, and  ego. When  the  elements,  the  sense  mechanism,  and  egoity  are  tamed  into  recognition  of
the  One  spirit,  the  four  trunks  of  Airavata  resolve  into  the  single  trunk  of  Gaja. Lord  of
the  herbivores,  Gaja  represents  the  fifth  chakra,  known  as  Vishuddha,  and  thus  the
element  of  space. He  bears  knowledge  of  all  the  earth,  herbs,  and  plants. The  elephant,  as  preserver  of  our  sustenance,  holds  the  memory  of  our  beginning  in
space  and  our  existence  on  earth. Space  is  the  principle  of  vacuity,  the  resonance  of
sound. It  is  only  because  of  space  that  we  are  able  to  vibrate  in  harmony  with  the  earth. If  these  precious  mammals  become  extinct,  we  will  no  longer  be  able  to  maintain  the
vital  memory  for  sustenance  of  spirit  or  food  on  the  planet. As  it  is,  we  are  barely  holding
on  to  the  frazzled  threads  of  memory. I  chose  the  image  of  Airavata  for  the  cover  and  took  the  liberty  of  placing  on  his  back
a  lotus  bowl  of  effervescent  jade  laden  with  fruits,  vegetables,  grains,  and  herbs. It  is  my
fervent  hope  that  we  protect  this  species,  which  maintains  our  bountiful  sustenance  and
vibratory  link  to  the  earth. May  the  joyous  Airavata  transform  our  lives  with  health  and  gladness,  and  may  the
wise  Gaja  bless  the  earth  with  purity  and  firmness. THE  COMPLETE  GUIDE  TO
AYURVEDIC  NUTRITION  AND  BODY  TYPES
WITH  RECIPES
MAYA      TIWARI
4  1  I  ■  p
H. S* Healing  Arts  Press
Rochester,  Vermont
1  [ealing  Arts  Press
One  Park  Street
Rochester,  Vermont  05767
www. InnerTraditions. com
I  [ealing  Arts  Press  is  a  division  of  Inner  Traditions  International
Text  and  illustration  copyright  ©  1995  by  Maya  Tiwari
All  rights  reserved. No  part  of  this  book  may  be  reproduced  or  utilized  in  any  form  or  by  any  means,
electronic  or  mechanical,  including  photocopying,  recording,  or  by  any  information  storage  and  retrieval
system,  without  permission  in  writing  from  the  publisher. Note  to  the  reader:  This  book  is  intended  as  an  informational  guide. The  remedies,  approaches,  and
techniques  described  herein  are  meant  to  supplement,  and  not  to  be  a  substitute  for,  professional  medical
care  or  treatment. They  should  not  be  used  to  treat  a  serious  ailment  without  prior  consultation
with  a  qualified  healthcare  professional. Library  of  Congress  Cataloging-in-Publication  Data
Tiwari,


  oil  on  top  of  each  patty. Fold  the  sides  of
each  patty  inward  to  form  square  envelopes. Cover
with  a  damp  cotton  towel  and  allow  dough  to  sit  for
15  minutes. Roll  each  piece  into  a  'A"  thick  square,  approximately
8"  by  8",  and  dust  with  flour. Lightly  oil  a  preheated
griddle  and  cook  on  each  side  for  30  seconds. After
turning  patty  once,  apply  a  light  coat  of  oil  to  each
side,  using  a  muslin  cloth;  roti  will  bubble. Remove
from  griddle  and,  with  a  clean  towel  in  your  hands,
slap  roti  back  and  forth. This  will  keep  the  roti  soft. Potato  Roti
V,  VP,  VK,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  4
Follow  instructions  for  preparing  Oil  Roti,  but  add
the  following  potato  filling  instead  of  oil  before  fold-
ing into  envelopes. Do  not  slap  the  roti  between  your
hands  after  cooking. Potato  Filling:
1  large  potato
'A  c  minced  onion
'A  tsp  ghee
Pinch  of  sea  salt Scrub,  wash,  and  cut  potato  into  quarters. Boil  until
soft,  then  remove  skin. Saute  onion  in  ghee  for  4
minutes. Combine  with  boiled  potatoes  and  lightly
mash  until  lumpy  (not  smooth). Add  salt  and  place  3
tablespoons  of  filling  in  each  roti. Cumin  and  Basmati  Rice
ALL  TYPES  (K  TYPES,  SPARINGLY)
Serves  4
1  tbs  cumin  seeds
2  c  white  basmati  rice
3  c  boiling  water
Pinch  of  sea  salt
1  tsp  ghee
Dry-roast  cumin  seeds  in  small  cast-iron  pan  until
golden. Wash  rice  until  water  runs  clear;  drain. Add
boiling  water,  roasted  seeds,  and  salt  to  rice. Cover
and  simmer  over  medium-low  heat  for  20  to  25  min-
utes until  rice  fluffs. Remove  from  heat  and  stir  in
ghee. Serve  hot. J Rye  and  Corn %>W^i
K,  KV,  KP
Serves  2
1  c  rye  berries 3'A  c  water
'A  c  fresh  corn  kernels
1  tbs  freshly  ground  chili  powder
Pinch  of  salt
Wash  rye  berries  until  water  runs  clear. Soak  in  3  cups
of  cold  water  for  1  hour. Drain,  rinse,  and  boil  in
water  for  35  minutes. Add  corn,  chili  powder,  and
salt. Cover  and  simmer  over  medium  heat  for  an
additional  25  minutes. Serve  hot. 208 J@jfr
TRADITIONAL    GROUND    DHALS    AND    GRAINS
Millet  and  Cauliflowek/
P,  PV,  PK,  K,  KV,  KP
Serves  4
1  c  cauliflower  florets
lh  c  diced  onion
2  c  hulled  millet
4V2  c  water
Pinch  of  turmeric
Pinch  of  sea  salt
Place  cauliflower  florets  and  onion  in  a  pot. Wash  the
millet  thoroughly  and  place  on  top  of  vegetables. Add
water,  turmeric,  and  salt  and  bring  to  a  boil. Reduce
heat  to  low,  cover,  and  simmer  for  25  minutes. Serve
hot. This  dish  may  be  lightly  mashed  and  served  to
children. Bulgur  and  Peas
&m
V,  VP,  VK,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  4
3  c  water
2  c  bulgur
1  lli  c  fresh  peas
Pinch  of  salt
2  tbs  orange  juice
2  sprigs  minced  cilantro
V  and  VP:  substitute  Vh  cups  diced  carrots  for  peas. In  a  medium  pan,  bring  water  to  a  boil. Add  bulgur,
peas,  and  salt. Cover  and  simmer  over  low  heat  for  20
minutes. In  a  small  pan  or  large  spoon,  heat  orange
juice  and  minced  cilantro  for  30  seconds. Stir  into
bulgur. Serve  hot. Millet  and  Corn
P,  PV,  PK,  K,  KV,  KP
V  types  may  use  occasionally  because  this  dish  is
moist  and  sweet. Serves  4
2  c  hulled  millet
4  c  boiling  water
1  c  fresh  corn  kernels
Pinch  each  of  salt,  turmeric,  black  pepper
Wash  millet  thoroughly. Add  to  boiling  water. Cover
and  simmer  for  15  minutes  over  low  heat. Add  corn
and  spices;  cook  over  low  heat  for  an  additional  10
minutes. Serve  warm. Saffron  Rice  and  Corn
(PC)
V,  VP,  VK
P,  PV,  PK  OCCASIONALLY
Serves  4
2  c  short-grain  brown  rice
4  c  boiling  water
Pinch  of  salt
1  c  fresh  corn  kernels
8  strands  saffron
Wash  rice  until  water  runs  clear. Drain  and  add  to
boiling  water  in  a  pressure  cooker. Add  salt. Lock,
cover,  and  bring  to  pressure  ovei  high  heat. Cook
gently  ovei  medium  low  heal  foi  15  minutes  Allow
pressure  to  fall  naturally,  about  1  r>  minutes  1  FOi  con
ventional  cooking,  add  rice  to  5  cups  boiling  watei
Cover  and  cook  ovei  medium  heat  foi  1  i  minutes
Mix  torn  and  saffron   into  the  lue. (  ovei    without
locking  and  continue  to  simmer  an  additional  1  i
minutes. Remove  liom  heat  and  serve
209
>m
UNIVERSAL    RECIPES    FOR    EACH    BODY   TYPE
Soft  Rice
V,  VP,  VK
P,  PV,  PK  OCCASIONALLY
Serves  2
1"  square  of  kombu  seaweed
1  c  short-grain  brown  rice
5  c  water
Gomasio
Place  kombu  in  a  small  bowl  of  water  and  rub  gently
to  remove  salt. Wash  rice  until  water  runs  clear;  drain. Combine  rice,  water,  and  washed  kombu  in  a  me-
dium saucepan  and  bring  to  a  boil. Cover  and  simmer
over  low  heat  for  1  hour. The  rice  should  be  creamy,
with  a  few  whole  kernels. Serve  warm  with  gomasio. Fried  Rice ^%,
V,  VP,  VK
Serves    6
1  tbs  sesame  oil
1  c  thinly  sliced  carrots
1  c  small  broccoli  florets  and  peeled  stem  pieces
1  c  finely  chopped  onion
3  c  short-grain  brown  rice,  cooked
lh  tsp  tamari
lh  tsp  ginger  juice  (see  page  194)
'A  c  water
K  and  KV:  use  millet  instead  of


 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


. What is
sometimes overlooked is the fact that the body is one unit. One cannot isolate a part
and say this is the sick portion. When a part is diseased or ails in some way, the body is sick and suffers as a unit, even though it is always trying to maintain a balance. The liver gave me quite a problem. There was always much tenderness in that area. After all, this organ was being taxed beyond its call of duty. One of its many functions
is to detoxify poisons in the body. I was loaded with poisons and there was a constant
level of these drugs in the blood over the six years of medical treatment. I feel damn
lucky I didn't develop cirrhosis of the liver just as an alcoholic might. Just to make
sure, Dr. Kale sent me to the hospital for liver function and gall bladder tests. That meant more castor oil, enemas, and drugs--an additional burden to an already
enervated, depleted body. After a number of months, Dr. Kale became quite concerned of potentially
dangerous changes occurring and decided to gradually, but very gradually, reduce my
steroid dosage. When one has been on steroids as long as I had, and at my dose level,
it becomes critically important that this reduction in dose be accomplished over a fairly long period of time. Why? So that the possibility of my dying from shock can
be prevented. After all, I've come so far, why expire now! I feel it important to briefly explain the rationale of this most delicate phase of
steroid reduction. One of the secretions of the pituitary gland in the brain is ACTH
(adrenocorticotropic hormone). This mobilizes cortisone from the adrenal cortex (a
gland lying on each kidney) which is important in carbohydrate and protein
metabolism and also in inhibiting ACTH, where each acts as a check and balance system. Another important function of the cortisone is in stress or emergency
situations, as I mentioned above. The adre nal cortex also secretes sex hormones. Now, when this steroid is taken into the body from an outside source over a period
of time, the adrenal cortex does not have to produce it, so it becomes smaller and we have what is known as adrenal cortex atrophy. Obliteration of this adrenal cortex can
result in death. If at this point of atrophy the exogenous source of the steroid is abruptly stopped, then a most critical situation exists. If a stress or emergency
situation should arise--surgery is considered  a stress situation--then death can occur
from the resultant shock and low blood pressure unless the body receives the hormone
from an outside source, giving the body what it cannot obtain from the adrenal cortex. This was not meant to be a treatise on the subject, but just an awakening for you; to
make you aware of the tremendous importanc e of gradual reduction of steroid dosage
so that the gland will "come back" and again begin to produce on its own until it can function normally again when the exogenous source is completely stopped. You see,
there are thousands of people like myself who have been in this situation and it
behooves us to understand what happens to our precious bodies. I'll tie this in, later
on, with an incident that happened to me while I had adrenal cortex atrophy. My daily intake of prednisolone had reached a peak of 40 milligrams--eight five-
milligram tablets--which is quite high. The tapering down was something like one-
half tablet every five days to a week. It was a very slow process, but my grotesque size and weight were gradually returning to normal. But as the drug dosage was
reduced to several tablets a day, the intestinal spasms increased as did the diarrhea. I was "running" up to twenty times a day. The other drugs I was taking were not
doing much good regardless of how the dosages were manipulated. Dr. Kale did not
want to increase the steroid dosage, so he added another drug to my collection called hydeltrasol--a liquid steroid that I was to dilute in water, suck up into a bulb syringe,
and administer by rectum. In this way only the colon area was exposed to the steroid,
and we would not have to worry too much about systemic effects. Anyway, I couldn't
hold it in long enough to do much good or bad. With so much back-end involvement,
some of my friends began calling me the "rear admiral." Not much was funny to me at that time, though. This method did seem to help to a degree, but it was only symptomatic treatment
which was not lasting. The double vision from the other drugs was getting worse,
making it extremely difficult for me to perf orm foot surgery and other intricacies of
my profession of podiatry. In fact, it was becoming more difficult to participate in the
normal activities of day-to-day living. My life now was completely revolving around
my problems almost to the exclusion of anything else. Whenever my wife and I would go anywhere, my first objective was to locate the lavatory and stay within close range. I was living in constant fear and under heavy stress because of never knowing when
or where or how fast the "urge" would strike. I didn't live from week to week, day to
day, hour to hour or even minute to minute. I lived from second to second. Chapter 3 -- The Agony
   The months slipped away into late 1962 and early 1963, but I was no better. My
weight came down to about 150 pounds. Here I was, 33 years old in February of 1963
and never had I felt so weak and debilitated. The point had been reached now where
the diarrhea would go as high as 30 times a day, accompanied by much colon spasm
and continual but varying degrees of bleeding--a classic example of ulcerative colitis. There were days when I could not go in to work. There were days when I was in my
office and did not have the strength to stay more than a few hours before I found it
necessary to go home and drop into bed. There were also days where I awoke in the morning and could not get out of bed. But some of the most taxing problems occurred
in my office, in the car, and at public functions. These problems would have driven
any weak-willed or average-willed person to the brink of insanity, and when I look
back I wonder how close I did come to joining the "club." Yet as pathetic and mind-blowing as were these incidents, they did have an almost morbidly humorous side. These things didn't just come and go, but were regular and continual happenings in
my life for many months. For example, in my office, I would walk into the treatment room and greet my patient. I would no sooner sit down when the "urge" would strike
and I would have to give some excuse for leaving. I'd return, begin to work on the
patient and then I'd have to "go" again. So  I'd render another excuse and fly out. This
would happen with almost every patient. I' ve always wondered what some of them
thought as they saw me dashing about like a wild man. I don't believe many knew just how ill I was. It was this type of episode which caused me the most frustration and
depression, since some of the times, when I had to exit speedily from the room, I didn't make it to where I was headed. I'll leave that to your imagination. I developed a fear and apprehension about driving my car because there were many
times when "nature called" and the usual gas station couldn't be found or the spasm and "urge" came on so fast that it all happened right on the spot. I may be the only
person in the world who ever had a B.M. while driving a car at 70 miles an hour. I can laugh at it now, but it was sheer hell then. It was tough enough to have my podiatry practice and professional life suffer, but it
was even tougher to watch what was happening to my family and social life. I was
short on temper and patience. I was extremely irritable and depressed. There were
many arguments and misunderstandings, all ill-founded, with my wife and three-year-old son. I had changed; changed because my physical debility wa s finally affecting
my emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. But the pathetic part was that I almost didn't care. I remember one hospital administrator, a friend of mine, who observed me at staff
meetings over the years. He remarked to me one day, "Jack, you look like death
warmed over." Needless to say that remark didn't do much good for my psyche. I wonder how many people with whom I came in contact had similar thoughts? The simple act of going out to a movie or  dinner became an ordeal because, first of
all, I didn't want to go. When I finally consen ted, the strategy had to be planned, such
as in what area in the theatre or restaurant would I sit where I'd be close to the
lavatory. I wasn't anxious to socialize with  friends. In fact, I tried to avoid social
situations. But when my wife and I did go to the homes of friends, I searched out the
location of all lavatories so as to have a place to escape when the need arose. I was becoming a recluse. This affected my wife, who needed a social outlet and
was also pregnant with our second child who would be born in two or


 on his face, refusing to see his saf fron robes. His features began
swimming before her, but she wasn’ t fainting—no black curtain descending
over her eyes, no cold sweat and chill moving up toward her head. Instead,
Yashodhara felt warm, and the warmth began in her heart. It radiated
outward. What was happening to her? The world disappeared from sight,
not in blackness but in the glow of a white light that had no source. She
caught one last glimpse of the sun, but it was pale compared to the light that
now filled up her whole being. Now she was certain that the light came
from this man who used to be her husband. “This is your time, Y ashodhara. Surrender and be free.”
OceanofPDF.com1 9
Buddha didn’ t spend the night in Kapilavastu but took the five monks and
headed for the battlefield. It was near sunset when they arrived at a hilltop
overlooking the fighting. In the waning light neither side was leading a
charge. Elephants and horses had been pulled back from the front. All that
remained of the din of war was the clash of swords. Foot soldiers fought in
bands with the enemy, raising dust around them. Buddha sat down on the ridge. From above, every soldier was like a
frantic puppet flailing away. Some puppets ran around, bumping into other
puppets. They bounced of f each other, then one would fall and not get up
again. Many puppets littered the field, some writhing a little, others very
still. “Are we going down there?” Kondana asked nervously. “What place is
it for monks?”
“We have no other choice,” said Buddha. “W ar is no dif ferent from
what happens every day. It’s another way that men have found to suf fer.”
“But life isn’ t always a war,” Kondana pointed out. “Not openly,” said Buddha. “But if men weren’ t so afraid of dying, they
would fight every day, and in their hearts their dearest wish would be to see
every enemy destroyed.” By now the light had faded, ending the skirmishes
on the field. The last thing one could see were the scavengers who crept
onto the scene to loot dead bodies. The wind carried sweet birdcalls up the
hill, mixed with moans of wounded soldiers.“Master, what you’re saying is very dark. It makes the situation
hopeless,” said Kondana. “Hope never ended a war.”
That was Buddha’ s last word for the night. He folded his robes around
him and lay on the ground. The five monks had learned that he had no
concern for where he slept or who was nearby. But they had gotten into the
habit of seeing after his comforts to the small extent he would allow. They
fetched a gourd of water to place by his side and some food brought from
the capital. They built a fire and together lay down apart from him out of
respect. Buddha usually ur ged them to sleep nearby, but they might have been
worried to see that he needed no sleep anymore. He rested his body, but his
mind remained awake all the time. Now he sent a blessing to Y ashodhara
and visited his six-year -old son, Rahula, who could hardly stay in bed with
the excitement of once more having a father. The boy had been raised to
believe secretly that Siddhartha was still alive, so he wasn’ t as wonder -
struck as the courtiers who set eyes on Buddha. Buddha repeatedly told
them that he hadn’ t come home to assume the throne, but many kept hoping
he would do so. When the sun rose and all the monks were awake, Buddha pointed to
the scene down below, where clusters of soldiers stirred around their
campfires. Some ate hurriedly, but most were tending to their horses,
sharpening their swords, and repairing ripped leather armor. “How many will die?” asked Assaji soberly. “All of them, if not today then one day,” said Buddha curtly. The monks
had never heard a heartless remark from their master, and this astonished
them. His voice softened. “I told you that the first fact of the world is
suffering. W e can end suf fering, but not by speaking of God.” Buddha’ s arm
swept across the entire battlefield. “Which of these fighters doesn’ t believe
that God is on his side?”
“But God relieves suf fering too,” said Assaji.“Never promise such a thing,” said Buddha, shaking his head. “All this
religious talk has nothing to do with us. I will tell you how to consider any
person you meet. Look on them as being like a man whose house has
caught on fire. W ould such a man cry, ‘I’m not leaving until someone tells
me why God made this happen’? No. He runs out of a burning house as fast
as he can. The same is true of suf fering. W e must show people how to run
away from it as fast as they can. It’ s no use spending years discussing
whether someone is cursed or loved by the gods.”
The closest fighting was no more than a quarter mile away, and they
reached it in a few minutes. One horseman had chased another away from
the center of battle. He had gotten close enough to thrust a spear into his
enemy’ s mount, which had stumbled and thrown its rider. Now both
soldiers were on their feet fighting hand-to-hand; they both were
experienced enough to use a dagger in one hand and a sword in the other. As they walked closer, the monks attracted no attention—the two
soldiers were blind to everything but their struggle. Even so, the five monks
were shaken at the sight of violence. Buddha stopped for a moment to let
them regain their nerve. “When I was a warrior,” he said, “I learned that victory could never be
achieved without weapons. W e have no weapons, but we will prevail
anyway.”
Without a word he walked directly up to the two fighters and without
hesitation strode into the space between them. “Get away, stranger,” one soldier shouted. “If you don’ t move, you’ll be
hurt.”
“Is that possible?” said Buddha. “T ry.”
The two enemies stared at him in disbelief. “Y ou must be insane,” said
one. “Run away, monk. If I have to, I’ll slice you through with my blade.”
“That would be interesting to see,” Buddha said. His calmness was so
unnerving that the two soldiers lowered their weapons, losing the edge oftheir fighting rage. From the sidelines Assaji shouted, “If you touch him,
you are hurting a holy man. That’ s a sin.”
Buddha turned and gave him a sharp look. “None of that,” he rebuked. He shifted his attention back to the two soldiers. “Y ou both do your duty to
the gods, but that hasn’ t saved you from a lifetime of killing and fear. Why
stop now? If you are so reckless with fate that you risk meeting your dead
enemies in hell, I won’ t stop you. I invite you to run me through with your
blade. I will even for give you in advance.”
By the time he spoke the last word, the two fighters were hanging their
heads. Buddha reached out and lightly touched the daggers and swords,
which dropped to the ground. “Shame has made you lose your taste for
killing,” he said. “Go home and find a better way to live.”
“I can’ t,” said one fighter. “If I run away from battle, the king will take
away my house; there will be no food for my family.”
“I promise you that won’ t happen,” said Buddha. “Y our king is going to
disband his whole army today.”
The two soldiers were amazed and wanted to ask more questions, but
Buddha signaled to the five monks and walked on. When they looked over
their shoulders, the fighters were gone. “I’ve shown you the first way peace can prevail,” said Buddha. “Some
people can be reached by speaking to their conscience. Those are the ones
who already know that they want to find an end to suf fering. Through
conscience, guilt, and shame, they will recognize their wrong when it is told
to them.”
“How many people are like that?” asked Assaji. “Not enough.”
Next Buddha led them to where the fighting was more concentrated:
clusters of soldiers clashed in a whirling chaos of steel, horses, and shouts. For a moment Buddha stood apart. “What do you see?” he asked.“Bloodshed and carnage. Something I wouldn’ t look upon willingly,”
said Assaji. “Look a little deeper,” said Buddha. “These are people who cannot
listen to conscience, not because they are bad but because they are too
caught up in action. Y ou cannot preach to someone who is fighting for life
and breath, not just in war but in the ordinary struggle of existence.”
Buddha approached the fray, and a wildly flailing sword missed his
head by inches. The monks cried out, but Buddha reached out and caught
the blade in midair. He seized it from the swordsman, who turned his head
with eyes that began to bulge out. Buddha was holding the sharp


  f a c t o r  i n  d e t e r m i n i n g  w h a t
w i l l  h a p p e n  i n  o u r  w o r l d  i s  w h a t  y o u  d e c i d e  t o  l e t  h a p p e n
w i t h i n  y o u. E v e r y  c i r c u m s t a n c e — n o  m a t t e r  h o w  p a i n f u l —
i s  a  g a u n t l e t  t h r o w n  d o w n  b y  t h e  u n i v e r s e,  c h a l l e n g i n g  u s  t o
b e c o m e  w h o  w e  a r e  c a p a b l e  o f  b e i n g. O u r  t a s k,  f o r  o u r  o w n
s a k e s  a n d  f o r  t h e  s a k e  o f  t h e  e n t i r e  w o r l d,  i s  t o  d o  s o. Y e t  f o r  u s  t o  b e c o m e  w h o  w e  m o s t  d e e p l y  w a n t  t o  b e,  w e
m u s t  l o o k  a t  w h o  w e  a r e  n o w — e v e n  w h e n  w h a t  w e  s e e
d o e s n ’ t  p l e a s e  u s. T h i s  m o m e n t  i s  d r i v i n g  u s  t o  f a c e  e v e r y
i s s u e  w e ’ v e  e v e r  a v o i d e d  f a c i n g,  c o m p e l l i n g  u s  t o  g e t  t o
s o m e  r o c k - b o t t o m,  e s s e n t i a l  t r u t h  a b o u t  o u r s e l v e s  w h e t h e r
w e  l i k e  w h a t  w e  s e e  t h e r e  o r  n o t. A n d  u n t i l  w e  m a k e  t h a t  b r e a k t h r o u g h  i n  o u r s e l v e s,  t h e r e
w i l l  b e  n o  f u n d a m e n t a l  b r e a k t h r o u g h  i n  t h e  w o r l d. T h e
w o r l d  w e  s e e  r e f l e c t s  t h e  p e o p l e  w e ’ v e  b e c o m e,  a n d  i f  w e
d o  n o t  l i k e  w h a t  w e  s e e  i n  t h e  w o r l d,  w e  m u s t  f a c e  w h a t  w e
d o n ’ t  l i k e  w i t h i n  o u r s e l v e s. H a v i n g  d o n e  s o,  w e  w i l l  m o v e
t h r o u g h  o u r  p e r s o n a l  d a r k n e s s  t o  t h e  l i g h t  t h a t  l i e s  b e y o n d. W e  w i l l  e m b r a c e  t h e  l i g h t  a n d  e x t e n d  t h e  l i g h t. A n d  a s  w e  c h a n g e,  t h e  w o r l d  w i l l  c h a n g e  w i t h  u s. F r o m  F e a r  t o  L o v e

W e  s p e n d  s o  m u c h  t i m e  o n  u n i m p o r t a n t  t h i n g s — t h i n g s  w i t h
n o  u l t i m a t e  m e a n i n g — y e t  f o r  r e a s o n s  n o  o n e  s e e m s  t o  f u l l yu n d e r s t a n d,  s u c h  n o n e s s e n t i a l s  s t a n d  a t  t h e  c e n t e r  o f  o u r
w o r l d l y  e x i s t e n c e. T h e y  h a v e  n o  c o n n e c t i o n  t o  o u r  s o u l s
w h a t s o e v e r,  y e t  t h e y  h a v e  a t t a c h e d  t h e m s e l v e s  t o  o u r
m a t e r i a l  f u n c t i o n i n g. L i k e  s p i r i t u a l  p a r a s i t e s,  t h e y  e a t  a w a y
o u r  l i f e  f o r c e  a n d  d e n y  u s  o u r  j o y. T h e  o n l y  w a y  t o  r i d
o u r s e l v e s  o f  t h e i r  p e r n i c i o u s  e f f e c t s  i s  t o  w a l k  a w a y …  n o t
f r o m  t h i n g s  t h a t  n e e d  t o  g e t  d o n e,  b u t  f r o m  t h o u g h t s  t h a t
n e e d  t o  d i e. C r o s s i n g  t h e  b r i d g e  t o  a  b e t t e r  w o r l d  b e g i n s  w i t h
c r o s s i n g  a  b r i d g e  i n s i d e  o u r  m i n d s,  f r o m  t h e  a d d i c t i v e
m e n t a l  p a t t e r n s  o f  f e a r  a n d  s e p a r a t i o n,  t o  e n l i g h t e n e d
p e r c e p t i o n s  o f  u n i t y  a n d  l o v e. W e ’ r e  i n  t h e  h a b i t  o f  t h i n k i n g
f e a r f u l l y,  a n d  i t  t a k e s  s p i r i t u a l  d i s c i p l i n e  t o  t u r n  t h a t  a r o u n d
i n  a  w o r l d  w h e r e  l o v e  i s  m o r e  s u s p e c t  t h a n  f e a r. T o  a c h i e v e  a  m i r a c u l o u s  e x p e r i e n c e  o f  l i f e,  w e  m u s t
e m b r a c e  a  m o r e  s p i r i t u a l  p e r s p e c t i v e. O t h e r w i s e,  w e  w i l l
d i e  o


 h i n g  t h a t  h a p p e n s  i n  t h e  m a t e r i a l  w o r l d,  b u t  f r o m
l o v e. C e r t a i n l y  t h e r e  a r e  s o m e  w o n d e r f u l  e x p e r i e n c e s  t o  b e
h a d  o n  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e,  a n d  t h e r e  i s  n o t h i n g  w r o n g  w i t h
e n j o y i n g  t h e m  t o  t h e  f u l l e s t. T h e  w o r l d  i t s e l f  i s  n e u t r a l ;
w h e t h e r  o r  n o t  s o m e t h i n g  o f  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e  c a n  b e
c o n s i d e r e d  h o l y  i s  d e t e r m i n e d  b y  t h e  p u r p o s e s  o u r  m i n d
a s c r i b e s  t o  i t. *  T h a t  w h i c h  i s  u s e d  b y  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  f o r
p u r p o s e s  o f  g e n u i n e  h e a l i n g  i s  h o l y ;  t h a t  w h i c h  i s  u s e d  b y
t h e  e g o  f o r  p u r p o s e s  o f  s e p a r a t i o n  i s  n o t. T h e  b o d y  i t s e l f
c a n  b e  a  “ b e a u t i f u l  l e s s o n  i n  c o m m u n i o n  u n t i l  c o m m u n i o n
i s. ” *  W h e r e v e r  t h e r e  i s  l o v e,  t h e r e  i s  G o d. B u t  w e  c a n n o t  e n j o y  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e  i f  w e  a r e  o v e r l y
a t t a c h e d  t o  i t ;  t h e  s e c r e t  o f  h a p p i n e s s  l i e s  i n  k n o w i n g  t h a t
w e  a r e  i n  t h e  w o r l d  b u t  n o t  o f  i t. T h a t  u n d e r s t a n d i n g —
k e e p i n g  o u r  t h o u g h t s  o n  l o v e  w h i l e  h a v i n g  o u r  f e e t  p l a n t e d
s q u a r e l y  o n  e a r t h — i s  t h e  i n t e r s e c t i o n  b e t w e e n  h e a v e n  a n d
e a r t h. A n d  t h a t  i n t e r s e c t i n g  p o i n t  i s  w h a t  w e  a r e. I t  i s  o u r
m i s s i o n  t o  l i v e  o n  t h e  e a r t h  w h i l e  t h i n k i n g  o n l y  t h e  t h o u g h t s
o f  h e a v e n,  a n d  w h e n  w e  d o,  t h e  p o w e r  o f  t h e  i n t e r s e c t i n g
p o i n t  b e t w e e n  m a n  a n d  G o d  ( s y m b o l i z e d  v i s u a l l y  i n  b o t h
t h e  c r o s s  a n d  t h e  S t a r  o f  D a v i d )  o v e r c o m e s  a l l  n e g a t i v e
f o r c e. T h a t  i s  t h e  o v e r c o m i n g  t o  w h i c h  J e s u s  r e f e r r e d  a n d
t h a t  h e  h i m s e l f  e m b o d i e d. I n  t h e  B i b l e  i t  i s  s a i d  t h a t  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  w i l l  g i v e  u s  a
n e w  m i n d. A n d  w h o  a m o n g  u s  c o u l d  n o t  u s e  t h a t? I t
b e c o m e s  f r u i t l e s s  t o  a s k  G o d  t o  c h a n g e  o u r  w o r l d  o n c e  w er e c o g n i z e  t h e  w o r l d  i s  m e r e l y  t h e  r e f l e c t i o n  o f  o u r  t h o u g h t s. W h a t  w e  p r a y  f o r  i s  t h e  h e a l i n g  o f  o u r  m i n d s. I t ’ s  i m p o s s i b l e  t o  m a k e  y o u r  l i f e  n e w  w h e n  y o u r  m i n d  i s
r u n n i n g  o l d  t a p e s. T i m e  a n d  t i m e  a g a i n,  w e ’ v e  b l o w n  i t  a t
e x a c t l y  t h e  s a m e  p l a c e  i n  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  o r  s a b o t a g e d  a
p r o f e s s i o n a l  e n d e a v o r  i n  e x a c t l y  t h e  s a m e  w a y. Y e t  w e  f e e l
p o w e r l e s s  t o  s t o p  o u r  s e l f  d e f e a t i n g  b e h a v i o r. W h a t ’ s  t h e
p o i n t  o f  a t t r a c t i n g  a n  o p p o r t u n i t y  i f  w e ’ r e  o n l y  g o i n g  t o  r u i n
i t  a n y w a y? W e  p a y  a  h i g h  p r i c e  f o r  r e f u s i n g  t o  a c c e p t  t h e  p a r t  w e
p l a y  i n  c a u s i n g  o u r  p r o b l e m s ;  i f  I  d o n ’ t  s e e  I  c a u s e d  i t,  t h e n
I  c a n ’ t  s e e  I  c a n  c h a n g e  i t! *  B u t  o n c e  I


 a  i n t o  o u r  h e a r t s. A n d
w i t h  o u r  h e a r t s  r e s t o r e d,  o u r  m i n d s  b e g a n  w o r k i n g  b e t t e r  a s
w e l l. W e  w e r e  o n e  n a t i o n,  a  t r u e  c o m m u n i t y,  s o m e  o f  u s
e x p e r i e n c i n g  i t  f o r  t h e  f i r s t  t i m e  i n  o u r  l i v e s. A n d  t h e  v e r y
i n t e l l i g e n t  q u e s t i o n  o n  m a n y  p e o p l e ’ s  l i p s  w a s,  “ W h y  d o
t h o s e  p e o p l e  h a t e  u s  s o  m u c h. ”  O v e r  d i n n e r  t a b l e s  a n d
a r o u n d  o f f i c e  w a t e r  c o o l e r s,  w e  a s k e d  q u e s t i o n s  w e  h a d  n o t
b e e n  a s k i n g  o f t e n  e n o u g h  o v e r  t h e  l a s t  f e w  d e c a d e s :  W h a t
h a s  A m e r i c a  b e e n  d o i n g  a r o u n d  t h e  w o r l d,  a n d  h o w  a r e  w e
p e r c e i v e d  b y  o t h e r s. E v e n  m a i n s t r e a m  A m e r i c a n  t e l e v i s i o n,
n o t  a l w a y s  k n o w n  f o r  i t s  i n t e l l e c t u a l  d e p t h,  h o s t e d  b r i l l i a n t
p o l i t i c a l  t h i n k e r s  a n d  p h i l o s o p h e r s  t o  e d u c a t e  t h e  A m e r i c a n
p e o p l e  o n  i s s u e s  w e  n o w  p a i n f u l l y  r e c o g n i z e d  w e r e  r e l e v a n t
t o  o u r  l i v e s. Y e t  s e v e r a l  d a y s  l a t e r  i t  w a s  l i k e  s o m e o n e  h a d  p u l l e d  t h e
p l u g. N o  m o r e  i n t e r e s t i n g  t h i n k e r s  o n  T V,  j u s t  c h e e r l e a d e r s
f o r  r e v e n g e. W e  w e r e  t o  m o v e  i n t o  w a r  m o d e,  a n d  q u i c k l y ;
t h a t  m o d e  c o u l d  n o t  t o l e r a t e  t h e  s u g g e s t i o n  t h a t  A m e r i c a
h a d  p l a y e d  e v e n  t h e  t i n i e s t  p a r t  i n  a t t r a c t i n g  o u r  m i s f o r t u n e. A n y o n e  w h o  e v e n  h i n t e d  s u c h  a  t h i n g  w a s  d e s c r i b e d  a s“ b l a m i n g  A m e r i c a. ”  C l i c h é s  w e r e  s u b s t i t u t e d  f o r
m e a n i n g f u l  c o n v e r s a t i o n ;  i n t e l l e c t u a l  e x c e l l e n c e,  h e a l t h y
s k e p t i c i s m,  a n d  a n y  d i s c u s s i o n  o f  s p i r i t u a l i t y  o r  c o m p a s s i o n
a s  t h e y  r e l a t e d  t o  t h e  t h r e a t  o f  t e r r o r i s m  w e r e  d e e m e d  t h e
u n d e r m i n i n g  m a c h i n a t i o n s  o f  u n p a t r i o t i c  A m e r i c a n s. Y e t  I ’ v e  n o t i c e d  t h a t  i t ’ s  t h e  p e o p l e  w h o  s u f f e r e d  t h e
m o s t  o n  9 / 1 1  w h o  h a v e  o f t e n  d i s p l a y e d  t h e  c a p a c i t y  f o r  t h e
h i g h e s t  v i s i o n  o f  w h a t  o c c u r r e d  t h a t  d a y. F r o m  p u s h i n g  f o r
a  9 / 1 1  c o m m i s s i o n  w h e n  t h e  p r e s i d e n t  h i m s e l f  w a s  r e s i s t i n g
i t,  t o  f o r m i n g  g r o u p s  l i k e  S e p t e m b e r  E l e v e n t h  F a m i l i e s  f o r
P e a c e f u l  T o m o r r o w s  w h i c h  s t a n d  f o r  c o m p a s s i o n  a n d
f o r g i v e n e s s  i n  t h e  m i d s t  o f  t h i s  h a u n t i n g  d a r k n e s s,  t h o s e
w h o  s u f f e r e d  t h e  m o s t  h a v e  t a k e n  t h e  s t r o n g e s t  s t a n d  f o r  t h e
p o w e r  o f  t r u t h. O n e  d a y  I  w a s  w a t c h i n g  a  T V  r o u n d t a b l e  d i s c u s s i o n  w i t h
t h r e e  v i c t i m s  o f  9 / 1 1. O n e  w o m a n  h a d  l o s t  h e r  h u s b a n d  a t
t h e  W o r l d  T r a d e  C e n t e r ;  o n e  m a n  h a d  l o s t  h i s  y o u n g  s o n,
w h o  w a s  w o r k i n g  a t  t h e  P e n t a g o n  w h e n  i t  w a s  b o m b e d. A


 I  g u e s s  I
f o r g o t  t h a t  p a r t. I  w e n t  w i t h  t h e  v o i c e s  o f  t h e  w o r l d  i n s t e a d
o f  t h e  v o i c e s  o f  m y  h e a r t.I n  t h e  g r e a t e r  s c h e m e  o f  t h i n g s,  w h e t h e r  o r  n o t  y o u
p u r c h a s e  a  h o u s e  i s  n o t  w h a t  m a t t e r s. B u t  i t  m a t t e r s  i n d e e d
w h e n  t h e  v o i c e  i n  y o u r  h e a r t  l o s e s  v o l u m e  i n  y o u r  h e a d. W h y  w a s  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  d i r e c t i n g  m e  t o  r e d e c o r a t e  m y
c o n d o? B e c a u s e  I  n e e d e d  t i m e  t o  a d j u s t  t o  t h e  n e w  t u r n  m y
l i f e  h a d  t a k e n. I  n e e d e d  t i m e  t o  g r o w  i n t o  m y  n e w
c i r c u m s t a n c e s,  t o  i n h a b i t  e m o t i o n a l l y  t h e  s p a c e  I  w a s
a l r e a d y  i n h a b i t i n g  m a t e r i a l l y. I  n e e d e d  t i m e  t o  t h i n k  a b o u t
w h a t  t h i n g s  m e a n t  a n d  h o w  t o  d e a l  w i t h  n e w  s i t u a t i o n s  i n
t h e  m o s t  m a t u r e  w a y. S o m e t i m e s  c h a n g e  l i f t s  y o u  u p  l i k e  a
t o r n a d o  a n d  p u t s  y o u  d o w n  s o m e p l a c e  y o u ’ v e  n e v e r  b e e n
b e f o r e. T o r n a d o e s  a r e  f a s t,  a n d  t h e y  a r e  a l s o  d e s t r u c t i v e. S p e e d  c a n  b e  t h e  e n e m y  o f  c o n s t r u c t i v e  c h a n g e. A n o t h e r  r e a s o n  I  w a s  b e i n g  i n w a r d l y  d i r e c t e d  t o  r e m a i n
i n  m y  c o n d o,  I  t h i n k,  w a s  i n  o r d e r  t o  s a y  g o o d - b y e. I  n e e d e d
t o  s a y  g o o d - b y e  t o  p a r t s  o f  m y s e l f  t h a t  w e r e  b e i n g  c a l l e d  t o
t r a n s f o r m  i n t o  s o m e t h i n g  n e w,  a n d  I  n e e d e d  t o  s a y  h e l l o  t o
p a r t s  o f  m y s e l f  t h a t  w e r e  b e i n g  b o r n. T h e  b i g g e s t  m i s t a k e s  I
h a v e  m a d e  i n  m y  l i f e  I  w o u l d  n o t  h a v e  m a d e  h a d  I  t a k e n
m o r e  t i m e. T i m e  t o  t h i n k. A n d  m e d i t a t e. A n d  p r a y. P e r h a p s  y o u  w e r e  o n e  t h i n g  a n d  n o w  y o u ’ r e  a n o t h e r :
p e r h a p s  y o u  w e r e  i n  h i g h  s c h o o l  a n d  n o w  y o u ’ r e  e n t e r i n g
c o l l e g e ;  p e r h a p s  y o u  w e r e  s i n g l e  a n d  n o w  y o u ’ r e  g e t t i n g
m a r r i e d ;  m a y b e  y o u  w e r e  m a r r i e d  a n d  n o w  y o u ’ r e  s i n g l e ;
p e r h a p s  y o u  w e r e  c h i l d l e s s  a n d  n o w  y o u ’ r e  a  p a r e n t ;
p e r h a p s  y o u  h a d  a  c h i l d  a t  h o m e  a n d  n o w  y o u  n o  l o n g e r  d o. W h a t e v e r  d o o r  y o u ’ v e  w a l k e d  t h r o u g h,  y o u r  l i f e  w o n ’ t  b eq u i t e  t h e  s a m e  a s  i t  w a s  b e f o r e. T h e  r o o m  y o u  w e r e  i n  i s
b e h i n d  y o u  n o w. T h e  e m o t i o n a l  g r o u n d  u n d e r n e a t h  y o u r  f e e t  i s  d i f f e r e n t,
a n d  y o u  n e e d  t i m e  t o  r e o r i e n t  y o u r s e l f. R u s h i n g  t h r o u g h
c h a n g e  i s  a n  u n c o n s c i o u s  m o v e,  a n d  i t ’ s  a  s e t u p  f o r
m i s t a k e s. N a v i g a t i n g  C h a n g e

W h e n  o n e  s t a g e  o f  l i f e  g i v e s  w a y  t o  a n o t h e r,  i t ’ s  t h e  e n d  o f
a n  e r a  a n d  t h e  b e g i n n i n g  o f  a  n e w  o n e. H o w  w e  n a v i g a t e
s u c h  t r a n s i t i o n s  s p i r i t u a l l y  w i l l  d e t e r m i n e  t h e  j o y  o r  d e s p a i r
t h a t  c o m e s  n e x t. I n  n a v i g a t i n g


they could not describe. commitment to goals aligned with true
the sake of excellence, goes powerfully
distinct from the thrill of success; it is a
The movie achieves an accurate
power.4 Alignment with these high power
strong, and we cannot push down his arm
depiction of the world's greatest deep-sea
attractor patterns is not limited to thewith even the greatest ef fort. 69
70
(145) Thus the competitor motivated by
to abandon the power of ethical principle
move from personal pride to an esteem
awareness of that principle in all people. pride or greed, or interested primarily in
and descend to the grossest level of force. which is an expression of unconditional
These heroes and their spokesmen have a
defeating an opponent, will go weak at
There could hardly be a more telling
love, and which honors one's opponents,
potentially powerful influence on all of
the moment of the starting gun and be
example of how submission to a negative
as well, for their dedication to the same
mankind, literally the power to lift the
unable to achieve the maximum attractor field can produce a rapid
lofty principles. world on their shoulders. The nurturingcontinued ef fort necessary for great
collapse of an otherwise promising
The media tend to evoke the downside of
of excellence and recognition of its value
achievement. At times we see an athlete
athletic career. sports and undermine the athlete, because
is the responsibility of all men, because
start badly for such reasons, but, as the
Where higher motivations toward
celebrity status either consciously or
the quest for excellence in any area of
contest progresses and selfish goals are
excellence give access to the realm of
unconsciously elicits this egotism. Great
human endeavor inspires us all toward
for gotten, improve his performance. W e
grace and power, self centered
athletes need to gird themselves against
the actualization of every form of man's
also see the opposite happen when an
motivations of (146) personal gain draw onethis source of contamination. Humility
yet unrealized greatness. athlete starts well because he is almost magnetically into the realm of
and gratitude seem to be the only
competing for the honor of his country,
13. SOCIAL POWER AND THE
force. The reaping of recognition-even in
ef fective shield against the onslaughts of
his team, or of the sport itself, and then
HUMAN SPIRIT
the symbolic form of a medal, let alone
media exploitation. Athletes in the
falters as he nears the goal and the
the financial reward that may accompany
traditional martial arts employ specific
WHEN WE CHEER THE SPIRIT of the
anticipation of personal glory or triumph
it has little to do with true athletic
exercises to overcome any tendency
true athlete, what we applaud is a
over a rival makes him lose strength and
greatness, which proceeds from antowards egotism. The dedication of one's
demonstration of all the significances the
form. attainment of stature of the spirit; it is
skill, performance or career to a higher
word "spirit" entails for us: courage,
One unfortunate sequence of this that we laud in the champion. Even if
principle provides the only absolute
tenacity, commitment, alignment with
consciousness occurs when an athlete
the competitor does not surrender to the
protection. principle, demonstration of excellence,
sets a new record during qualifying trials,
lust for wealth and fame so prominent in
(147) T rue athletic power is characterized
honor, respect and humility.1 T o inspire
arousing new personal ambitions, and
the case just cited, the drive to attain
by grace, sensitivity, inner quiet and,
implies filling with spirit; dispirited
then during the final competition goes todominance in one's sport, rather than to
paradoxically, gentleness in the non-
means dejected, hopeless, defeated. But
pieces to the puzzlement of the audience. simply manifest all the excellence of
competitive lives of even fierce what exactly does the term "spirit"
If top performers are imbued with the
which one is capable, has its own
competitors. W e celebrate the champion
signify? The collective totality of human
belief that their excellence is not a
corrupting egocentric ef fect, entrainment
because we recognize that he has experience can be comprehended by
personal accomplishment but a gift by the negative forces associated
with the overcome personal ambition through spirit in phrases such as
"team spirit" or belonging to all of mankind as a
level of Pride. sacrifice and dedication to higher when we exhort people to "get into the
demonstration of man's potential, they
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with
principles. The great become legendary
spirit." That spirit is a highly pragmatic
will go strong and remain so through anysome manifestations of pride. W e all may
when they teach by example. It is not
factor which can determine the dif ference
event. well be proud when we take the
what they have, nor what they do, but
between victory and defeat is well known
The scale of consciousness may be seen
America's Cup or our Olympians win
what they have become that inspires all
by military commanders, coaches and
in one aspect as a scale of ego, with the
medals, but that is a dif ferent kind of
of mankind, and it is that which we honor
CEOs. An employee or other group
level of 200 being the fulcrum at which
pride. It is an honoring of human
in them. W e should seek to protect their
member who doesn't enter into the spirit
selfishness begins to turn to selflessness. achievement that transcends personal
humility from the forces of exploitationof the group enterprise soon finds himself
At the rarefied plane of Olympic pride. W e honor the endeavor, not the
that accompany acclaim in the everyday
without a job or group. competition, the disastrous
personal accomplishment, which is only
world. W e need to educate the public that
(150) From all the above it is clear that the
consequences, both in private and in
the occasion and expression of something
the abilities of these athletes and their
term "spirit" refers to an unseen essence,
public life, of motivations emanating
greater, universal and innate in the
great performances are gifts to mankind
and that although its expression varies
from levels below 200 are all too clearly
human heart. The Olympics, one of the
to be respected and defended from the
from one situation to another, the essence
illustrated by the recent debacle of figure
greatest dramas of human striving, andabuse of the media and corporate itself never changes. 2 This essence is
skater T onya Harding. This athlete's
one which captures everyone's
commerce. vital; when we lose our spirit, we die-we
excessive zeal to capture an Olympic
imagination, provides a context which
The Olympic spirit resides within the
expire from lack of that which inspires. medal and defeat her rival Nancy should counteract personal pride. The
heart of every man and woman. Great
Clinically speaking, then, we can say that
Kerrigan by any means available led her
whole setting inspires the competitor to
athletes can, by example, awaken Spirit equates with Life; the ener gy of
71
72
(145) Thus the competitor motivated by
to abandon the power of ethical principle
move from personal pride to an esteem
awareness of that principle in all people. pride or greed, or interested primarily in
and descend to the grossest level of force.which is an expression of unconditional
These heroes and their spokesmen have a
defeating an opponent, will go weak at
There could hardly be a more telling
love, and which honors one's opponents,
potentially powerful influence on all of
the moment of the starting gun and be
example of how submission to a negative
as well, for their dedication to the same
mankind, literally the power to lift the
unable to achieve the maximum attractor field can produce a rapid
lofty principles. world on their shoulders. The nurturing
continued ef fort necessary for great
collapse of an otherwise promising
The media tend to evoke the downside of
of excellence and recognition of its value
achievement. At times we see an athlete
athletic career. sports and undermine the athlete, because
is the responsibility of all men, because
start badly for such reasons, but, as theWhere higher motivations toward
celebrity status either consciously or
the quest for excellence in any area of
contest progresses and selfish goals are
excellence give access to the realm of
unconsciously elicits this egotism. Great
human endeavor inspires us all toward
for gotten, improve his performance. W e
grace and power, self centered
athletes need to gird themselves against
the actualization of every form of man's
also see the opposite happen when an
motivations of (146) personal gain draw one
this source of contamination. Humility
yet unrealized greatness. athlete starts well because he is almost magnetically into the realm of
and gratitude seem to be the only
competing for the honor of his country,
13. SOCIAL POWER AND THE
force. The reaping of recognition-even in
ef fective shield against the onslaughts of
his team, or of the sport itself, and thenHUMAN SPIRIT
the symbolic form of a medal, let alone


. There is more natural magic in a glass full of water than any medication you are
brainwashed to use for the treatment of the conditions I have explained in this book. And I do not sell water! From:  William E. Gray (Bill)
411 Ayrh ill Avenue
Vienna, VA 2 2180 11-2-94
703-938-6330
To: Dr. Batmanghelidj
2146 Kings Ga rden Way
Falls Church, VA 2 2043
It has been one year since I first read your book, which was g iven to me as a present by Ma rcel Thevoz. Since then
my health has improved significantly. lam now 52 and in excellent health. This wa s not the case before your book
and Marcel's kin dness inspired me to make water an integral part of my life. To most people J was su ccessful and in excellent health - normal weight, unusual strength and endurance, above
average at sports, with an excellent diet (a lot of fresh vegetables and whole grains and very little mea t, animal
products o r processed food). Yet my list of complaints stre tches over the last fifty ye ars and includes: duodenal
ulcer (age 19), indigestion, colon and elimination problems (age 19 to 51), food allergies (age 12 to 17), chronic
sinus infection (age 5 to 51), chronic and acute back problems (age 13 through age 51), emotional illness and
mental confusion (age 6 to age 51). These problems were even more bewildering and confusing because lam intelligent, educated and motivated to find
solutions to problems. I have been searching for answe rs to these problems for 35 years. I have looked for answers
in: diet, diet supplementation, exercise, yoga, med itation, Traditional Religion, spiritual practices, Acup uncture,
traditional medicine, Chiropractic, Massage, Raki,  Polarity Ba lancing, 12 Step programs, and self impr ovement
books and courses, such as Est and the Hoffman Quadrinity Process. I had of course read many times about the importance of drinking plenty of water. I even investe d in reverse
osmosis water filter 6 years ago hoping that the improved taste of the water would motivate me to drink more water.In spite of this I never gave water therapy a fair chance. Until I read your book, other beverages always looked
better to me, particularly tea and coffee. At the time I read your book I had a chronic nerve injury in my upper back that intermittently prevented me from
playing golf or racket ball for a period of two years. M y arm strength was 1/3 of what it had been only 2 years
previously. I was at a low point in my life physically and men tally. I have never been drunk in my life or smoked more than 5 cigarettes in a day. At the time I was not smoking or
drinking alcohol. Yet I found myself obsessed with thoughts of caffeine, smoking and drinking. Although I have been
a frequent visitor at Chiropractic, Oste opathic and Massage therapists, I had not needed to visit medical doctor for
years. In my desperation I went to an MD who prescribed an anti-stress m edication, a pain reliever, and a muscle
relaxant. I took the prescrib ed doses and fell into a semi coma for 16 hours, and discontinued the med ication. A few
weeks later Marcel came to my home for dinner and gave me your book. Within one week of adding 2-3 quarts of water to my diet noticed I that:
• The pain from the nerve i njury went away  and I was able to beg in exercisin g.
•I had m uch less indiges tion and gas. •My urges  and compulsive beh avior lessened  substanti ally or vanishe d. I no longe r had t o fight the ur ge to smoke,
drink, stuff myself or use excessive caffeine. • My energy levels improved. • My thinking and work improved. Please feel free to use me as a reference. I am happy to talk to anyone about water at any time. William E. Gray
Ordinary tap water, unless there is proof of its being contaminated with chemicals and heavy m etals such as lead, is
a good source of sup ply. Ta p water has the protection of chl orine as a bacteria-killing agent. The "bottled water" in
supermarkets is said to be sterilized by the addition of ozone at the time of bottling. Ozo ne, or "super oxygen,"
seems to have a bacteria-killing property. If used in time, bottled water can serve as an alternative source of supply. If you are not sure of your wat er source not being contaminated or containing impurities not safe to drink, save
yourself from this anxiety by installing a small filtration unit on your kitchen faucet. There are very effective carbon or
ceramic filter units that can save you from the hassle of buying water from the stores and having to carry its
containers day in and day out. Eventually, the "point of use" filtration of water will become standard practice in advanced societies that have a
tendency to pollute their drinking water. With the present decline in the fortunes of the municipalities, delivering
quality drinking water in their pipe systems will at one point become too expensive and impossible. It wou ld not be
practical to deliver high quality water to also use for washing and gardening. However, when one develops a taste for other than tap water, if one runs out of supply in the house, the body will be
forced to go without water just because of the difference in taste—a self-imposed preference. Usu ally, the "bad
taste" is a ttributed to dissolved chlorine in the water. Most sales agents who wish to sell water purifiers make issue
of the fact that tap water contains ch lorine. They also point to calcium dissolved in the water, often called "hard
water." If we fill an open-top jug with water and let it stand in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter, the chlorine that is
dissolved in the water will evaporate and the smell of it will go too. The water will become "sweet" and very easily
palatable. This is h ow all restaurants serve water—out of a well-iced jug that was filled some time before its use. As
for the calcium in the water, unless the water is truly and heavily calcium-l aden, its use  is perf ectly safe. Not only is i t
safe, it is a cheap source for calcium needs of the body. The calcium is already dissolved in the water and one does
not need to go to the pharmacy to buy calcium tablets to take as a preventive measure against the osteoporosis we
see in the elderly. How and when do you think osteoporosis begins? Actually, many years before it is recognized. When hydroelectric
energy stores become depleted on and off, energy stored in the bondage of calcium to calcium in the cells and
eventually in the bones is used. When one molecule of calcium becomes sep arated from another molecule of
calcium, one unit of ATP is also released. ATP i s one unit of excha ngeable energy. Th e loose calcium is now
available to be shed. When water and calcium are taken in their natural forms, the emergency need for the release
of energy sto red in calcium bondage is decreased. This is why b ones are a great source of reserved energy. The
body is able to tap into this reservoir of energy. In any case, even heavily dissolved calcium in the water will most probably be without adverse effects. I t seems the
body possesses a most delicate need-regulated mechanism of absorption of elements from the gastrointestinal
tract. Most probably, not all the calcium dissolved in even very hard water enters the system. A recent study (in
another country and in a region with only very hard water available for consumption) has shown the calcium-laden
water consumed did not produce any adverse effects on the people who did not avoid drinking the water. In this approach to disease prevention, one will not need to stick to a strict diet manipulation to control this or that
clinical condition as long as water intake precedes food intake. Howev er, one word of advice is to limit fatty and fried
foods. Fats get converted to fatty acids and circulate in the blood. Fatty acids will  replace tryptophan that is attached
to the albumin to be stored and protected while being circulated around in the blood. The liver will attack and destroy
freed tryptophan if its free form in circu lation is more than 20 percent of its total content. In due time, excess fattyfood will deplete the tryptophan reserves of the body. This is o ne of the most important reasons why fatty foods are
not good for health. At the same time, not all fatty acids are bad for the body. In fact there are at least two essential fatty acids that the
body needs all the time and cannot manufactu re. They are: Alphalinoleic Acid, LNA, known as Om ega 3 oil, and
Linoleic Acid, LA, known as Om ega 6 oil. These fatty acids are needed for the manufactu re of cell membranes',
hormones and nerve coverings in the body. Although other fats that enter the body are used for their energy
content, O-3 and O-6 are saved and only used for the manufacture of hormones and in the structure of all of the
mem