 “Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)
in Musculoskeletal Disorders,”
JAMA
 192:309–313, 1965. Rosenbaum, E.E., and Jacob, S.W., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in the Treatment
of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Inflammations, II. The Treatment of Rheumatoid
Arthritis, Degenerative Arthritis, and Gouty Arthritis, a Preliminary Report,”
Northwest Medicine
 63:227–229, 1964. Rosenbaum, E.E., and Jacob, S.W., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in the
Treatment
of Acute Musculoskeletal Injuries and Inflammations, I. Dimethyl Sulfoxide in
Acute Subdeltoid Bursitis,”
Northwest Medicine
 63:167–168, 1964. Rosenbaum, E.E., and Jacob, S.W., “The Use of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) for
the Treatment of Intractable Pain in Surgical Patients,”
Surgery
 58:258–266, 1965. Sabah, D., “Tratamiento Combinado con Gamma-Cetofenibutazona,
Dexametasona y DMSO en Artritis Reumatoidea y Otras Colagenopatias,” Boletin
Soc. Chilena de Reumatologia, Vol. VII, No. 12, Septbre. 1970, Stgo., Chile. Solano-Aguilar, E., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide con Triamcinolona en Varias
Dermatosis,”
Rev. Med. Costa Rica
, 33, 231, 1966. Steimberg, A., “Clinical Applications of Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Collagenous and
Musculoskeletal Diseases,”
DMSO Symposium
, Vienna, 1966, Laudahn, G. (ed. ),
Saladruck, Berlin, 1966, p. 20. Steimberg, A., “The Employment of Dimethyl Sulfoxide as an Anti-Inflammatory
Agent and Steroid-Transporter in Diversified Clinical Diseases,”
Annals New
York Academy of Sciences
, 141, 532, 1967.Stein, D.G., and Brink, J.J., “Prevention of Retrograde Amnesia by Injection of
Magnesium Pemoline,”
Dimethylsulfoxide-Psychopharmacology
, 14, 240, 1969. Stelzer, J.M., Colaizzi, J.L., and Wurdack, P.J., “Influence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide
(DMSO) on Percutaneous Absorption of Salicylate Acid and Sodium Salcylate
From Ointments,”
J. Pharm. Sci., 57, 1732, 1968. Stewart, B.H., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in the Treatment of Troublesome
Genitourinary Disorders: A Preliminary Report,”
Cleveland Clinic Quarterly
, 33,
81, 1966. Stewart, B.H., Versky, L., and Kiser, W.S., “Use of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)
in Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis,”
J. Urol. 98, 671, 1967. Stewart, G., and Jacob, S.W., “Use of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in the
Treatment of Post Amputation Pain,”
American Surgeon
 31:460–462, 1965. Stoughton, R.B., and Fritsh, W., “Influence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) on
Human Percutaneous Absorption,”
Arch. Dermatol., 90, 512, 1964. Stringer, H., and Engel, G.B., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide for Nail Infection,”
Lancet
,
7441, 825, 1966. Tellex, A., “Experiencia Terapeutica con Ipran en Psiquiatria de la Edad
Avanzada,”
Rev. Hospital Psiquiatrico
, Vol 1. No. 2, Junio 1970, Santiago, Chile. Torre de la, J.C., Rowed, D.W., Kawanaga, H.M., and Mullan, S., “Dimethyl
Sulfoxide in the Treatment of Experimental Brain Compression,”
Journal of
Neurosurgery
, Volume 38, March 1973. Tucker, E.J., and Carrizo, A., “Hematoxylon Dissolved in Dimethylsulfoxide Used
in Recurrent Neoplasms,”
Intern. Surg., 49, 516, 1968. Venerando, A., “On Therapeutic Action of Dimethyl Sulphoxide (RE 421) in Sport
Trauma and in Osteoarticular Atlas Diseases,”
Gaz. Intern. Med. Chir., 70, 1605,
1965, in Italian. Vishwakarma, S.K., “Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Tympanoplasty. A PreliminaryReport,”
Plastic Reconstructive Surgery
, 42, 15, 1968. Weitgasser, H., “Dermatological Investigations with Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO),”
Z.
Haut-Geschlechts Krankh., 21, 749, 1967. Weitgasser, H., “Die Lokalbehandlung von Chronischen Paronychien mit Einer
Kombination von Triamcinolon-Acetonid und Dimetilsulfoxide,” Z.
Haut-
Geschlechts Krankh., 44, 27, 1969. Wodniansky, P., “Dupuytrem und Sklerodermie,”
DMSO Symposium
, Vienna,
1966, Laudahn, G. (ed. ), Saladruck, Berlin, 1966, p. 158. Yeats, R.O., Preliminary Test Using DMSO as a Vehicle for Drugs in Leprosy,”
Annals New York Academy of Sciences
, 141, 668, 1967. Ziv-Silberman, G., “DMSO in the Treatment of Chronic Mastitis,”
Veterinary
Record
, 81, 527, 1967. Zuckner, J., and Uddin, J., “Local Applications of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)
and DMSO Combined With Trincinolone Acetonide in Rheumatoid Arthritis,”
Nature
, 1389, 55, 1965.Index
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find
the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the
“search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable. Adenocarcinoma, 177, 180, 182. See also
 Cancer, DMSO and. AIDS, DMSO and, 221
Aloe vera, for DMSO–treated skin, 46
American College of Advancement in Medicine, 34, 40, 68
American Home Products, 128
American Pharmaceutical Enterprises, 20
American Podiatry Association, 128
Annals of Rheumatic Diseases
, 221
Anthracycline, extravasation of, 4–5
Armour Pharmaceutical Company, 128
Arthritis, DMSO and, 106–124
amyloidosis, 42, 122, 123
anti-arthritis diet, 115–121
orthodox treatment of, 107, 108
role of sugar in, 115, 117–118
spondylitis, 83–84, 111
wrapping technique, 114–115, 131–132
See also
 Osteoarthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Foundation and DMSO, 108–110
Aspillaga, Manuel, M.D., 168
Asthma, DMSO and, 69–70
Atherosclerosis, DMSO and, 46
Athlete’s foot. See
 Foot and leg problems, DMSO and. Avendano, Isabel, M.D., 168
Avery, Lorae, PhD, 2, 3
Back pain, DMSO and, 84–85
Barrios, Luis Varela, M.D., 174, 175
Baylor, Elgin, 94Belitnikoff, Fred, 99, 100
Bell, Sam, 125, 126, 127
Bennett, Charles C., 108–109
Bennett, Norman, M.D., 71
Bernadow, Maria E.M., M.D., 169
Bernath, Zoltain, M.D., 71
Bevil, Jack, M.D., 185
Bone cancer, 194. See also
 Cancer, DMSO and. Bonker, Congressman Don, 162
Breast cancer, 61. See also
 Cancer, DMSO and. British Journal of Dermatology
, 63
Brobyn, Richard D., M.D., 80–81
Bronchiolitis, DMSO and


 their head. One can also witness the extremes to which
humans have gone over time and in other cultures in the service of
devotion, including major deprivation, hardship, and voluntary sacrifice.Although these options may not appear during spiritual practice, their
psychological equivalents may well appear to be ‘sacrifices’. It is helpful to remember that value and attraction are in the eye of the
beholder and are not qualities of the world itself. What is imagined to be
‘out there’ stems from ‘in here’. The same applies to cherished
positionalities and seductive presumptions. There are no temptations ‘out
there’, and their attraction diminishes by simple refusal and renunciation. Religion vs. ‘Religionism’
Devotion often starts with dedication to the religion of one’s upbringing
and is therefore experienced as complete and satisfying. Faith plus worship,
prayer, and religious observances serve the needs of the majority of truly
religious people. Their faith is often augmented by selfless service or
support of humanitarian activities. The traditional pathway of religion is self-fulfilling and leads to
advanced states of consciousness and selfless saintliness that may eventuate
as dedication to the goal of Enlightenment itself, which is frequently
associated with a change of lifestyle. The downside trap of religion could best be termed ‘religionism’, by
which overzealousness is expressed as extremism or by the alternative of
worshipping the religion instead of God. This is characterized by an almost
obsessive-compulsive preoccupation with the written word and
ecclesiastical doctrine. This aberration is typified as ‘confusing the map
with the territory’, a phrase taken from Our Language and Our World
(Hayakawa, 1971) and also expressed as ‘missing the forest for the trees’. This signifies limitation by the intellect to content and ignorance of context,
meaning, and significance, which reflect conversion of language/symbols to
subjective realization and contemplation. This error results in religionists’ using concrete quotations of religious
doctrine to justify behaviors that are the exact opposite of the true, abstract,
nonlinear meaning of the cited scriptures. (The Inquisition; burning heretics
at the stake; Islamic terrorism; religious wars; and hatreds, including
prosecution and genocide, are some examples.) Thus, religionism in the
extreme becomes fanaticism and a pathological, destructive aberration that
often seeks secular totalitarian power and political extremism. As is well known, it is a simple matter to find a quotation that justifies
any position when it is taken out of context (e.g., confusing the ‘sword of
Truth’ with the ‘sword of steel’). Thus, there is a very wide disparitybetween dedication and zealotry, and by their fruits, the distinction becomes
obvious. That pathological states may cloak themselves in religiosity does
not preclude the more serious fact that they are intrinsically pathological
despite the efforts of apologists to ignore the distinction. As would be expected, religious zealotry calibrates extremely low, and,
in contrast, true religious devotion calibrates very high. Religious
extremism also contributes to the social appeal of secularism and even
militant antireligionism, as was seen in the wake of communism (Tibet,
China, etc.). True religious devotion is not coercive nor does it impair the
lives of others or imperil their survival. Thus, balance counters extremism
and is a component of spiritual wisdom and maturation that offsets the
substitution of rituals for religious observances. The value of scripture is in
its meaning and capacity to facilitate subjective transformation that is often
consequent to interpretation of meaning rather than literal translation. Renunciation As A Process
The primary renunciation is to refuse and refute the value and attraction
of that inner theater processor of the ego called the ‘experiencer’, which is
desirous of attention as a focus of energy. The ‘experiencer’ is a quality of
attention processing that greedily and endlessly searches for a subject of
focus, interest, and excitement. This aspect of consciousness is like a
compulsively exploratory probing fueled by curiosity. It is greedy for linear
data, sensation, and form, as well as the payoff of emotionality itself. It
feeds on ‘change’ and something ‘happening’ and is attracted by the allure
of excitement. (Witness the pile-up of slow cars as they pass even a minor
accident on any highway.) Its characteristics are also displayed by nature
films of the creatures that live at the bottom of or in the sea. The ‘experiencer’ consumes energy, and as a result, the human being
requires sleep for renewal of energy and the capacity to function. It is this
focus of the experiencer that is to be transcended by meditation and
contemplation. The experiencer is hungry for novelty and ‘interesting’ data about
which the ego is eager to react in order to keep the emotional circus
activated. The experiencer’s circuit is seductive to involvement and
participation in the kaleidoscopic melodrama of life. It is important to appreciate that the reactive, eager ‘experiencer’ aspect
of the ego seeks to be on center stage and performs as the inner ‘celebrity’
of the self. It is the hero/heroine of the ongoing story that is entitled ‘me’,‘I’, and ‘myself’ and is thereby considered to be of great value and
supposed worth. It is the focus of the self’s narcissistic involvement and is
thereby highly invested with psychological energy and prioritization. The
‘experiencer’ is the central actor/actress that is credited as the doer of deeds,
the thinker of thoughts, and the secret causal agency of actions and
decisions. It is the victor and the victim. Most important of all, it is believed
to be the core, source, essence, and cause of one’s life and therefore central
and crucial to existence itself. Its demise is thus inwardly feared as death
and therefore heavily defended. It is this experiencer/personhood that is the
substitute identity for the Realty that is the true Self. Pitfalls and Distractions: Mind and the World
The limitations of the karmically inherited ego/mind result in an innate
proclivity to error and are a consequence of both innocence and naïveté. Unaided, it is not able to transcend its innate limitations nor does it even
realize the extent of its impairments. Like a computer whose hardware will
automatically accept any software input, the human mind is unprotected and
vulnerable to almost any conceivable programming to the degree of even
the most bizarre and extreme falsity of which the classic ‘Luciferic
inversion’ is a striking and currently displayed example (i.e., to misidentify
opposites by which good becomes classified as evil, and vice versa). The unprotected mind is impressionable, and even the most basic
protection of reason can be overruled by emotionality or social
programming. The whole world’s population has commonly held
completely false beliefs for many centuries and still does to this day. Therefore, to depend on popular belief systems is to be prone to error (e.g.,
Mackay’s Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds,
[1841], 2003). All such assumptions should be viewed as provisional at best
in view of the inherent limitations of the mind itself. Other than the irreducible, irrefutable fact that one is, all else is
presumptive at best. This does not mean, however, that skepticism (cal. 160) is a substitute for wisdom for it also is based on an illusion. Other than
the Self and/or an advanced Teacher, the mind has not had, until recently, a
verifiable source of assessment of truth. Due to the evolution of consciousness, a means is now available for not
only discerning truth from falsehood but also of calibrating the degree of
truth as compared to the Absolute. Therefore, the pragmatic Map ofConsciousness is an extremely useful tool for it can throw light where there
is darkness to reveal that which is hidden or obscure. The key to transcending the inherent limitations of the ego/mind is
humility, without which the mind is hopelessly trapped in its illusory house
of mirrors. The evolution of the intellect as reason, logic, and science
eventuated as the upside of modern civilization with its great benefits to
humanity. It is a confirmable observation that the higher the calibration of a
thought system, the greater has been the benefit to humanity and the relief
of its suffering inherent to ignorance. The overall positive effect of the
evolution of consciousness/mind is obvious within the linear dimension, but
it becomes even more so as consciousness advances past the linear domain
at calibration level 499, when the nonlinear spiritual energy becomes
dominant. The educated spiritual student of today has fortunate advantages that
were not available in the past. Sophistication about the nature of the
ego/mind and its evolutionary foundations is a distinct advantage for it
facilitates self-honesty and awareness that historically was made difficult or
even impossible due to programming with guilt and shame that resulted in
denial and repression of the awareness of inner hidden proclivities. Pitfalls and Distractions
An area of limitation that is often overlooked by spiritual students is
that of the social programming of belief systems, which is the consequence
of memes (presumptive stereotypes via brief slogans and repetitious ideas),
as well as more vociferous propaganda and political distortion of the
implications of facts. These promulgate via their cleverly concealed
seduction to intellectual vanity


 then  CO]  responding  tins
nation  and  inertia,  are  on  the  increase. Extreme  con
ditions,  such  as  obesity,  anorexia,  ami  bulimia,  pie
dominate  as  never  before,  with  their  matching  emo
tions  ol  attachment  and  greed. The  stickiness  of  the   universe   helps   heal   oui
wounds. It  fills  the  open  spaces  oi  earth  with  abun
17
^mtr
THE    PRINCIPLES    OF    AYURVEDA
dant  foliage,  flowers,  fruits,  and  herbs. It  supports
memory  retention. Kapha  directs  moisture  and  im-
munity to  the  nucleus  of  the  universe,  to  buffer  the
natural  forces  of  entropy  that  accompany  her  long
existence. Kapha  alone  lubricates  the  circulatory  and
nervous  systems  of  Earth  and  her  life-forms,  and  so
helps  maintain  a  constant  immunity. When  we  inflict  damage  to  the  food  body,  we  are
breaking  down  a  system  that  has  been  stoic  and  al-
most impenetrable. We  are  undermining  Kapha's  dig-
nity. As  Earth's  magnetism  loosens  and  her  electrical
impulses  weaken,  we  drift  farther  away  from  the  core
of  remembering. Kapha's  patience  is  extensive  and
her  forgiving  expansive;  she  is  the  Mother  Nature
whom  we  applaud. She  is  the  maternal  protector  and
spirit  of  the  universe. If  we  observe  her  even  now,  in
the  dismal  hours,  she  will  respond  with  vital  reso-
nance. For  it  is  her  nature  that  is  deeply  embedded  in
our  Kapha  nature. Water
The  waters  of  the  earth  are  the  primal  birthing  ele-
ment of  all  life. All  elements  are  fathered  by  space  and
resolve  into  water. The  greatest  factor  in  memory  is
taste,  and  only  the  water  element  of  Kapha  can  pro-
vide us  with  this  faculty. Plants,  and  thus  all  food  for
humans,  are  totally  dependent  on  water. The  conch
shell  bears  the  memory  of  billions  of  years  of  ocean
life,  and  through  its  form  and  sound  we  experience
the  primal  circadian  rhythm  of  timeless  existence. The  conch  has  kept  its  spatial  memory  intact  because
the  sea  has  sheltered  it. The  cosmic  sea  and  river
shelter  all  life. They  swallow  the  negative  energies  of
the  living  and  cleanse  us. The  Ganges  has  remained  a
holy  and  healing  source  of  water  despite  the  human
waste,  decay,  and  debris  she  has  carried  for  hundreds
of  years. The  Hudson  River  and  the  rocks  of  New  York
City  also  imbibe  the  pain  of  the  human  spirit  and  yet
miraculously  manage  to  hold  all  together. The  Water  element  is  sweet  and  cool. She  anoints
and  lubricates  the  smooth  functioning  of  the  body. She  contains  the  cosmic  memory  of  all  taste. When
we  taste  wholesome  foods,  we  remember  all  time. Smell  is  created  by  the  Earth. When  we  smell  the
Earth's  natural  fragrance,  we  remember  all  time. The Earth  element  is  the  magnetic  energy  that  is  perceived
in  the  form  of  molecular  configurations  by  the  nose. Because  Water  and  Earth,  the  electrical  and  magnetic
forces  of  the  universe,  are  inseparable,  they  are  sym-
bolized by  the  twin  deities  Ap  and  Prithivi  in  the
Hindu  scriptures. The  Prana  Body:
Air  and  Space  (Vata)
Pranamaya,  the  second  layer  of  material  self,  is  sus-
tained by  the  breath. Wind  and  air  are  to  the  universe
what  the  prana  body  is  to  humans,  and  all  life-forms. The  prana  body  is  more  subtle  than  the  food  body. This  vital  air  is  responsible  for  all  bodily  functions
and  urges. The  ahamkara,  which  stores  memory,  is
fed  by  prana. All  remembrances  expressed  in  human
urges  are  activated  by  breath. All  of  our  past  and  future  is  held  in  the  space  of
ahamkara. Our  urges,  such  as  the  urge  to  write,  paint,
create  music,  sing,  dance,  use  computers,  procreate,
have  a  relationship,  love,  hate,  eat,  or  evacuate  are
rooted  in  the  ahamkara. Through  it,  we  are  uncon-
sciously predisposed  to  certain  likes  and  dislikes,  im-
ages of  ourselves,  quirks,  compensatory  behaviors,
resistances,  insecurities,  emotional  soft  spots,  and
physiological  and  psychological  tendencies  of  all  kinds. When  we  are  able  to  properly  access  the  memory  files
through  specific  sadhanas,  we  no  longer  need  to  be
victim  to  these  tendencies;  we  are  guided  from  mo-
ment to  moment  in  our  action  and  service  to  the
cognitive  self. The  universe  gave  us  sadhanas  as  a
natural  means  of  remembering. Hypnosis,  regression
therapy,  and  other  similar  forced  techniques  are  un-
natural ways  of  remembering  cognitive  details,  the
effects  of  which  may  be  more  harmful  than  helpful  to
our  vital  harmonic  system. Each  layer  of  consciousness  is  interlaced  with  other
layers. The  prana  dosha  of  the  planet  is  the  Vata  dosha
in  the  human. When  the  food  body  of  the  planet  and
its  inhabitants  is  violated  and  plundered,  the  whole
balance  of  prana  is  disrupted,  both  internally  and
externally. Outside,  the  inevitable  harsh  storms  and
killing  winds  begin,  bringing  with  them  the  swift
karmas  of  Vata  diseases  within  our  bodies. The  natu-
18
jqx. COSMIC    ROOTS
ral  shifting  and  decline  of  an  aging  planet  does  not
fully  account  for  the  distortion  of  our  seasons  or  other
unnatural  occurrences  and  diseases. These  are  pro-
pelled by  humankind  tampering  with  its  own  nature. Once  the  food  body  is  diseased,  the  prana  body  suf-
fers. * Memory  function  is  the  first  to  be  vitiated. Forgetfulness,  which  is  rampant  in  our  world,  is  the
direct  symptom  of  prank  impairment. As  a  result,  the
cognitive  self  becomes  less  accessible. Prana  is  the
breath  of  the  universe. When  the  life  force  is  im-
pinged, hunger,  thirst,  and  deprivation  caused  by  in-
dulgence prevail. Evidence  of  this  abounds:
Today  a  greater  percentage  of  the  human  race
is  overweight  than  [at]  any  other  time  in  his-


 spinach
2  tsp  sunflower  oil
1  tbs  split  urad  dhal,  without  skins
72  tsp  minced  ginger
1  minced  fresh  red  chili  pepper
Pinch  of  turmeric
Pinch  of  asafoetida
Pinch  of  sea  salt
Clean  spinach  thoroughly  and  cut  into  small  pieces. In  a  large  skillet,  heat  oil  and  brown  urad  dhal,
ginger,  and  chili  pepper. Stir  in  turmeric,  asafoetida,
and  salt  and  lightly  roast  for  a  few  minutes. Add
spinach  and  a  few  drops  of  water. Cover  and  simmer
over  low  heat  for  5  minutes. Serve  with  appropriate
grain. V,  VP,  P,  PV,  PK
Serves  2
2  large  sweet  potatoes
1  tbs  sunflower  oil
1  tbs  ghee
'A  c  diced  onion
{h  tsp  fine  black  pepper
{/i  tsp  sea  salt
V  types:  add  '/:  teaspoon  of  mimed  fresh  green  chili
pepper. Scrub  potatoes  and  cut  into  '/ "  cubes. Heat  the  oil
and  ghee  in  a  cast  -iron .skillet. Add  potatoes,  onion,
black  pepper,  and  salt  (V  types  add  chili  peppei  here). Cover  and  fry  over  medium  heat  for  15  minutes. Stu
occasionally  to  prevenl  sticking. 223
«
UNIVERSAL    RECIPES    FOR    EACH    BODY   TYPE
Dill  and  Parsley  Potatoes
V,  VK,  K.  KV
Serves  4
4  medium  white  potatoes
1  tsp  sunflower  oil
2  tsp  cumin  seeds
1  minced  green  chili  pepper
'A  c  diced  onion
'A  tsp  cayenne
72  c  water
1  tbs  minced  fresh  dill
3  tbs  minced  fresh  parsley
Scrub  potatoes  and  cut  into  1"  pieces. In  a  large  skillet,  heat  oil  and  brown  the  cumin
seeds,  chili  peppers,  and  onion  for  4  minutes. Add
cayenne  and  potatoes. Stir,  cover,  and  simmer  for  a
few  minutes. Add  water,  lower  heat,  and  simmer  10
minutes  more. Add  a  few  drops  of  water  and  stir
occasionally  to  loosen  potatoes  from  pan. Cook  for
30  minutes. Sprinkle  with  fresh  parsley  and  dill. Spinach  and  Tofu  Curry
ALL  TYPES
Serves  2
Pinch  of  salt
'A  tsp  fine  black  pepper
V2  tsp  coriander  powder
'/2  lb  firm  tofu,  cubed
1  tsp  ghee
1  large  bunch  spinach
xli  c  water
'A  tsp  turmeric
'/4  cup  minced  fresh  cilantro
2  tbs  garam  masala
P  and  K  types:  use  1  cup  of  green  peas  instead  of
spinach. Put  salt,  black  pepper,  and  coriander  in  a  small  paper
bag;  add  cubed  tofu  and  shake. In  a  large  skillet,  heat
ghee  and  seasoned  tofu  mixture;  pan  fry,  turning  tofu
to  cook  on  each  side. Wash  spinach  thoroughly  and  cut  into  small  pieces. Add  to  tofu  along  with  water  and  turmeric. Cover
and  simmer  over  medium  heat  for  10  minutes. Add
fresh  cilantro  and  garam  masala  and  stir. Cover  and
simmer  for  additional  10  minutes  over  very  low  heat. Serve  with  appropriate  dhal  and  grain. Eggplant  and  Potato  Curry
K,  KV,  KP
Serves  2
2  medium  white  potatoes
1  medium  eggplant
2  tsp  sunflower  oil
1  tsp  cumin  seeds
72  tsp  dried  fenugreek  leaves
2  minced  green  chili  peppers
1  minced  garlic  clove
74  c  diced  onion
72  tsp  cayenne
1  tbs  curry  powder
74  tsp  lemon  juice
3  organic  dried  tomatoes,  sliced
1  c  water
Scrub  potatoes  and  eggplant  and  cut  into  7:"  cubes. In  a  large  skillet,  heat  oil  and  roast  cumin  seeds
and  fenugreek  for  a  few  minutes. Add  chili  peppers,
garlic,  and  onion,  and  saute  for  3  minutes. Add  cay-
enne, curry,  and  lemon  juice. Add  potatoes,  eggplant,
and  tomatoes  and  stir  until  well  coated  with  spices. Add  72  cup  water. Cover  and  simmer  for  15  minutes. Add  remaining  water  and  cook  over  medium-low  heat
for  25  minutes. Serve  over  millet. 224
^Cr
UNIVERSAL    VEGETABLE    DISHES
Dried  Masala  Okra
ALL  TYPES
Serves  2
1  lb  okra  pods
1  tbs  sunflower  oil
'A  c  diced  onion
'A  tsp  black  mustard  seeds
'A  tsp  turmeric
'A  tsp  garam  masala
Pinch  of  sea  salt
'A  c  water
Garnish:
1  tbs  minced  fresh  cilantro
P  types:  omit  black  mustard  seeds. K  types:  use  {h  teaspoon  oil. Wash  okra  pods,  cut  off  ends,  and  slice  into  thin
rounds. In  a  large  skillet,  heat  oil  and  saute  onion  and
mustard  seeds  for  a  few  minutes. Add  turmeric,  garam
masala,  and  salt  and  lightly  brown. Add  okra  and  'A
cup  of  water. Cover  and  simmer  over  low  heat  for  2  to
5  minutes. Uncover  and  continue  to  cook  over  very
low  heat  for  15  minutes;  stir  occasionally. Cook  until
okra  pods  are  crisp  but  not  burned. Garnish  with
cilantro  and  serve  with  appropriate  dhal  and  grain. Cauliflower  and  Potato  Souffle
fe»*ifr
P,  PV,  PK,  K,  KV,  KP
Serves  2
3  large  white  potatoes
2'A  c  water
1  head  of  cauliflower
1  tbs  coarse  black  pepper
1  tbs  ghee
Pinch  of  salt
K  type:  use  only  1  teaspoon  ghee. Scrub  potatoes  and  cut  into  large  chunks;  boil  in
water  for  15  minutes. Cut  cauliflower  into  chunks
and  add  to  potatoes;  boil  for  an  additional  10  min-
utes. Preheat  oven  to  450  degrees  F.  Peel  skin  from
potato  pieces  and  discard. Using  a  potato  masher,
puree  potato  with  cauliflower. Saute  pepper  in  ghee  for  a  minute  and  mix  into
souffle  with  salt. Place  souffle  in  baking  dish  and  bake
for  7  minutes  to  brown  the  top. Serve  hot. Cauliflower  and  Potato  Masala
W^n^f^'TOT*
P,  PV,  PK,  K,  KV,  KP
Serves  4
1  medium  cauliflower
2  medium  potatoes
2  tsp  sunflower  oil
1  tsp  fennel  seeds
1


 forgive anybody for anything. It’s the will. So surrendering the will
to God is important; you see, divine will calibrates extremely high, at about
850. Your personal will, near 190, is something different. When you
surrender your will to God, now you can accomplish the miraculous. It isn’tyou that accomplishes it—you’ve surrendered the small self to the large
Self. The large Self counts on the will of God to accomplish its goals, and
therefore is capable of performi ng the miraculous. And when you get to a
certain level of consciousness, the miraculous becomes continuous. What
people think is miraculous is really just our innocence. When you get to a certain level—around 570 or 580—the miraculous
becomes ordina ry. You hold the thing in mind and it manifests, and you
don’t go: “Oh, isn’t that amazing?” That’ s the way it all happens. It all
unfolds based on how it’s being held in mind. And it’s because the Self,
with the capital S, can accomplish what the small self cannot do, even
though its life depends on it. People try and they actually die in the attempt. They do not have the power. Because force results in counter force, and
surrender pulls you in a powerfu l context. When you say, “God,  I of myself,
am unable to do a certain thing, and I ask you if it is your will, that it be
accomplished,” and then you surrender it, at that point, you really surrender
it. You don’ t keep insisting that God do it or not do it. At that point, you relinquish  the personal will. And that which you
thought was going to be impossible, now comes about in the most
miraculous and unbelievable way. And if you put a string of miraculous
experiences together, a skeptic would have a hard time trying to figure out
how best to explain such a number of phenomena. And when the phase of
the siddhis appears, the miracu lous is numberless and almost continuous. One would wonder how to explain this from the viewpoint of pedestrian
logic, and the simplicity of scientific thinking. How is it that in the entire
parking paradox  of New York City, the only parking space suddenly opens
up just as you drive up? Well, that’s the way it was for years. What’ s the probability of that? Practically nothi ng. That was followed by something else. We followed one
phenomenon after another in which its statistical probability is nil. And
when we put them together—the nil plus nil plus nil, plus nil—we wonder
how to explain this phenomena. You might not know where you’re going and start driving to a strange
town, and pull up right exactly to the place you wanted to go— because all
you did is hold it in mind. I used to do that all the time: just held in mind
Florida, all around lakes that I didn’ t know, one lake from another. I
automatically drove exactly where I wanted to go, with no map and no
knowledge of the territory.So that’s just one example, but those things are continuous. There’ s a
phase where it goes on for years, the unfolding of everything is continuous. You need a pair of pliers, so you look out the window of the truck and not
only is there a pair of pliers laying there by the road, but they’re a brand-
new pair of pliers. Laying there within an arm’s reach—they’re brand new. And you don’t even say “wow” anymore, because this is the way life has
become. You’re hungry, and around the next turn there’ s a hambur ger joint. There you are. Life becomes one hambur ger joint after another. BECOMING THE WITNESS
It’s very easy to see that everything is happening spontaneo usly, that
even your thinkingness is happening all on its own. You think that you’re
deciding what you’re going to think, but you’re not, so you get detached
from your own thinkingness, the same as the world. You see that the world
around you is moving without your help. All these people are managing to
survive without you helping them to be here, and move, and talk. And so
what you do is you get detached and you begin to become the witness. To
become the witness is not a difficult step; it’s only a matter of letting go of
the narcissistic self-indulgence of thinking that there’ s an I causing things. Nothing is causing anything. There are no causes in the world. There are only consequences. And so what you do is you let go of
identifying with the linear, and you realize that your reality is nonlinear. You see that which is witnessing, and then behind that which is witnessing,
that which is aware that you’re witnessing—and already you’ve removed
yourself from out there and from the individual, personal I, and from the
guilt and anxiety  of being the cause of all that happens. You’ve moved into
the condition of humility. With profound humility, you’ll see that you’re not
the cause of anything, which is welcome news because that means you’re
also not guilty of anything. Something happens, and you say, “I don’t know,
the mind did it. The mind did it. I can’ t help it, the mind did it!”
So, to become the witness then, you become aware of the spon taneity of
evolution, and you begin to witness. All phenomena are the evolution of
creation. Creatio n has a source, but no cause; it has no beginning, and it has
no end. You witness the unfoldment of creation. There is no problem with
creation because  it’s what you’re  witnessing. The fact that it’s all happeningspontaneously is not difficult to see. This observation escapes about 99
percent of mankind. At least 99 perce nt of humanity is completely unaware of this. And we’re
not coun ting on widespread acceptance that you are the context rather than
the content. You are that from which awareness radiates and out of which
consciousness arises. The source is consciousness itself. The light of God is
consciousness. The light of God is your own consciousness. And as you let
go of misidentif ying with that which you are not, it becomes stunningly
apparent. THE SOUND OF GOD IS SILENCE
Silence calibrates at 1,000. The sound of God is silence. To have sound,
you have to have linearity; you have to have that which is sound and that
which is not sound, and then you have to give a configuration to the sound. Therefore, mant ras and other things like saying “om” will take you to a
certain level. And beyond that, you become aware of the silence behind  the
sound. And so, the purpose of the sound is to take you to the silence. That’ s
why repeating a mantra can sometimes really just lead to an altered state of
consciousness and the high feeling that you get disappears when you stop
the mantra. Mantras have limited usages. They can assist at certain points, but you
can’t live your whole life as a mantra. You can, however, live your whole
life as a praye r, because a prayer is a verbalization of a nonlinear
intentionality, a prayer to make your life a prayer to become that—and that
which you are speaks louder than what you say. Essence speaks louder than
perception. The levels of consciousness don’t say that you’re better than
others. It’s not a matter of better, but because of our status-oriented society,
we say it’s better. It’s not better—it’ s different. And very often, to be in a
different state of consciousness that is not appropriate to where you are can
be a hindrance. To be blissed-out when you’re driving is not so great. You have to pull
over. So, you have to sort of be in what’ s appropriate to the situation. That
begins to adjust  itself automatically. It is true that if you sudde nly advance
to a higher state, you may be quite incapacitated, so it’s good to have
spiritual friends,  and hang out with spiritual people and let them know that
you’re seriously on a spiritual path.LIFTING THE CONSCIOUSNESS LEVEL OF MANKIND
People think it’s what you do or what you say or how you behave that
matters. No, it’s the consequence  of that which you are. So that which you
are, if you sit alone in a cave,  is influencing the consciousness level of
mankind. Even if you sit alone in a cave, it radiates out as an energy. So
each one’s contribution raises the level of the sea. People will ask me,
“What can I do to help the world?” The best thing you can do is become the
fulfillment of your own potentia l, because each inch that the sea rises lifts
all the ships afloat. Now, nobody has enough strength in and of himself to
lift a ship, but everybody is contributing. So when  everyone aligns themselves with spiritual integrity, to be as
unconditionally loving as possible, then we all lift the level of the sea. And
by lifting the level of the sea, we lift everyone on it. So we do what we can
to lift the level of consciousnes


 dangerous. of all
drugs--prednisone (part of the cortisone fam ily). This is a great masker and suppressor
of symptoms while the disease, almost unknown to the patient, worsens. (I'll discuss in more detail later, as I take more and more of these steroid drugs,why they are so
dangerous to life.) But what did me the most good was the bed rest. This was my first experience in being hospitalized and it left a rather bad impression
on me after the following occurrence. My hospital roommate was operated on for
gallstones. He was quite seriously ill due to cirrhosis of the liver, and the surgery was
quite involved. Soon his drain was pulled out, but it was too soon, so he drained
internally until he was taken back to the operating room for more surgery. He returned to the room unconscious and with an intrav enous feeding tube attached to his arm
while a nurse adjusted the flow from the bottle to what was supposed to be the proper
drip. But it was much too fast for safety so  I rang for the nurse, since he was sedated. When she didn't show, I got out of bed and adjusted it for him. When the bottle was
empty, a new one was attached and a new needle inserted into his vein. But it was, by
mistake, inserted into his arm muscle. I noticed, as time went by, his arm was almost
as big as a football. I rang for the nurse. She didn't come. So I got out of bed, pulled the needle out,
applied a tourniquet and inserted the needle into the vein where it belonged. No one ever knew. While I was hospitalized, I underwent the usual blood and urine tests, stool
analyses, and proctosigmoidoscope exams. But now I was to undergo another diagnostic procedure known in the trade as the upper and lower GI (gastro-intestinal)
series. This test is done on two separate days. One day is devoted to the upper, where
a glass or two of barium meal is swallowed while standing behind a fluoroscope
screen as the radiologist watches the substance passing through the upper digestive
system outlining the stomach and upper intestines and showing any discrepancies in
the anatomy. No abnormalities appeared during this phase of the examination. The
next day I was given the second half of th e series called the lower GI or barium
enema. This is preceded, as was the upper GI, by taking castor oil and taking an enema the night before. Do you have any idea what happens when, in suffering from
intestinal spasm and diarrhea, you swallow castor oil and take an enema? Let's for the sake of brevity, call it an intestinal explosion. The lower GI phase now takes place,
which is the infusion of barium by enema, enough to fill all six feet of the large
intestine. I was instructed to "hold it all in" while being turned in various positions for
fluoroscopy and x-ray studies. If I were to make a short list of the most difficult things
I have had to cope with in life, trying to hold in that barium while the diseased intestine was going into spasmodic contraction to force it out would rank high on that
list. The physical, mental, and emotional battle that went on during this examination
left me totally weakened and exhausted for two days, which further aggravated my
condition. The results of the lower GI examination showed conclusively the presence of
ulcerative colitis. The colon exhibited the.ty pical stovepipe appearance, the loss of
haustrations (saculations), and resembled a narrow, straight tube. Ulcerations of the
intestinal lining were apparent, as were  a few polyps (small outgrowths that can
become cancerous) which were fortunately able to be snipped out through a subsequent sigmoidoscope procedure. After the two weeks in the hospital, there was some improvement, but we must
remember that when one is young enough and the disease is in its early stages, there is
periodic improvement coupled with periodic flare-ups, until eventually there are more
flare-ups than improvements and the disease becomes chronic and crippling. This is why colitis or ulcerative colitis is termed a disease of remissions and exacerbations,
and medical treatment is symptomatic treatment. The body is poisoned with drugs. Causes are not removed and the body is ne ver left alone, never given the proper
environment to heal itself. Remember that healing is not an art but a biological
process that takes place from within the body and nothing from the outside will heal. The body, through its innate power, constantly strives at all costs to maintain
homeostasis (balance of all body functions in  spite of anything that tends to disturb
these functions). Therefore, the more interference with bodily function, the quicker is
the approach of the chronic debilitating and crippling diseases of man. Now came a period of apparent improvement. There were ups and downs through
the balance of 1958 and into 1959 and 1960, and in my mind I thought soon the
disease would abate. How wrong I was! It was a pseudo improvement--the calm before the storm. I was seeing Dr. Leopold regularly every few weeks. Minor dietary changes were
made at intervals, but I was still in the realm of "baby food." The doses of the many
drugs were adjusted from time to time--sometimes lowered, sometimes increased--but I continued to take them to maintain a constant level of these drugs in my blood. There was, so far, a modicum of normalcy in my family, professional, and social
life. The disease had not created that debility  as yet. I still exercised a fairly decent
control and probably was "running" anywhere  from two to six times per day. Of
course, when I had the "urge" it had to be heeded and this began to bother me a little
psychologically. I didn't know it at this point, but the disease was to become a
veritable curse. I recall an incident one night in the winter of 1960. I awoke suddenly. A wave of
fear came over me. My heart was skipping beats and pounding erratically. It felt as though it would come through my chest. I became light-headed and found myself
gasping for breath. I fought hard to avoid unconsciousness. Could this be the end? Is
this the way it feels? There was no pain. It was about 3:00 a.m. and I seemed to
remember stories of people I had known who had heart attacks. They always
experienced them about 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. As my fear increased, I decided to call my doctor. I apologized for waking him and told him what was happening. He
instructed me to call a cab and get right over to the hospital. "Don't even take time to get dressed," he ordered. "I'll call the hospital and tell them you're on your way and they'll have everything
ready, so don't worry," he added. "Don't worry?" I laughed to myself. Ho w does one not worry about something like
this? The cab driver was at the door. I told him I'd be right out. I said goodbye to my
wife. She couldn't go with me since things had happened so fast and there was no way
to have someone stay with our infant son. Corinne was calm. She had an intuition
(and her intuitions turned out to be right over the years) that I was not having a heart
attack, and that, at least, made it a little easier for me as I walked out the door. It was a bitter cold night and snow was falling. A hell of a night to go out in
pajamas and bathrobe, I thought, as the cab started up. We were speeding, but time
dragged and it seemed we would never get to the hospital. Once there, I was led to a reception area where after some fifteen minut es wait (this seems typical in emergency
situations) I insisted on someone doing some thing. No sooner said than done. I was
ushered into another room resembling a business office where I came face to face, across a desk, with an efficient looking woman dressed in white. She coldly inquired
as to my type of medical insurance. I got the vibrations that a lengthy interview was
forthcoming and I wanted no part of it at that particular time, so I asked to be taken to
see a doctor. The lady in white stated she had to have certain information and then I
would be able to see the doctor, so she proceeded to obtain my address, profession, phone number, mother's maiden name, religion, and answers to a dozen or so more
questions. I almost thought she would ask me why I was there. More precious minutes
ticked away and finally the two giant swinging doors opened exposing an orderly who
guided me into an examining room and onto a table. At last, I thought, the doctor will
see me. Sure enough, about fifteen tension-filled minutes later a very young-looking intern strolled in and asked a battery of questions. He proceeded to examine me and
decided to give me an EKG ( electrocardiogram ) ; but guess what? That's right! There was no EKG unit in the room. So out he went to locate one. More nervous
minutes passed until he returned with the apparatus. He proceeded to put the jelly on
the various parts of my body where the electrodes would be hooked up. After connecting me, he was ready to


. V aguely Gautama thought it would be nice to be the moon. And then he was. It didn’ t happen immediately. He sat, and the waning moon turned into
a sliver, then a hairline of luminescence in the sky, before it waxed again. He caught a glimpse of it only once a night; otherwise he had his eyes
closed. Nothing was changing inside him. Only by the moon did Gautama
realize when seven weeks had passed. “I’m here. Y ou can open your eyes now.”
Gautama was past having delusions, so the voice must be real. He
opened his eyes. A yogi with long locks and a beard had found him and was
sitting with crossed legs under the tree. The moonlight was bright enough to
reveal the face of the doomed monk Ganaka. “You don’ t have to disguise yourself,” said Gautama. “I was expecting
to see you, Mara.”
“Really?” The form of Ganaka smiled. “I didn’ t want to shock you. I
am, as you know, basically kind.”“Kind enough to show me an image of grief? I am past grieving,”
Gautama said. “Then take this image as a greeting from Ganaka instead. I know him
well,” said Mara. “He is in my care now.”
“Then he must be in a place of torment. But I am beyond horror too. So
tell me quickly why you’ve come, with as few lies as you can.”
“I’m here to teach you. Remember, that was my of fer when you were
young,” Mara said. “But you misjudged me, as everyone does. Now you
must be wiser.”
“You think it’ s wiser to have a demon for a teacher?” As they bantered,
Gautama felt nothing toward Mara, neither fear nor dislike. Even
wondering why the demon had sought him was a faint impulse on the edge
of his mind. “You still misjudge me,” Mara said in a cajoling voice. “I know the
secrets of the universe. No knowledge can be kept from me since my role is
to see into the crevices of every soul. I will share all that I know with you.”
“No.”
“I didn’ t hear that. Y ou’ve craved knowledge ever since I met you. I
saw it in your eyes. Why turn your back on me now? I’m greater than these
yogis you’ve wasted your time with,” the demon said. “The one who wanted to know everything no longer exists,” said
Gautama. “I have nothing left to ask.”
“Stubbornness doesn’ t become you, my friend. I’m disappointed.”
Mara’ s tone of voice was smooth and assured, but he was sitting close
enough that Gautama felt the demon’ s body tremble with suppressed rage. Mara said, “I thought you were above other souls. But if you insist on being
common, let me satisfy what you really want.”These words were greeted with peals of laughter. Through the trees
came three beautiful women carrying oil lamps; incense swirled around
them. As Gautama watched, a pool of water appeared in the forest. The
women began to disrobe, casting glances at him and giggling softly. “My three daughters,” said Mara. “They never fail to charm, so why
pretend? Y ou want them.”
The women had silky pale skin and full breasts. Gautama looked on
while they bathed themselves, using every suggestive gesture they could
find; their hands were delicate, and the way they touched themselves only
faintly hinted at lewdness. “I told them you weren’ t coarse, but as you can see, they will adapt
themselves to your every desire,” said Mara. “Yes, I see that,” said Gautama. “The man who once had a wife no
longer exists. I can accept your daughters as new wives. T ell them to
approach.”
Mara smiled with satisfaction. The three women emer ged from the
bathing pool and draped themselves with gossamer saris that showed their
naked bodies in the moonlight. Mara made a gesture, and the first daughter
knelt submissively before Gautama. “What is your name, beautiful one?” Gautama asked. “I am T anha.”
“Your name means ‘desire.’ I will take you for a wife, but unfortunately
I have no desire for you. If you marry me, you will never feel desire or be
desired ever again. Is that acceptable?”
Before his eyes the lovely face of T anha turned into the face of a long-
toothed demon, and with a howl she vanished from sight. “Let me see your second daughter,” said Gautama. Mara, looking
displeased, waved his hand abruptly, and the second young woman kneltbefore them. “What is your name, beautiful one?” asked Gautama. “Raga.”
“Your name means ‘lust.’ I was born a male, and therefore your appeal
is well known to me. I will take you for a wife, but if we marry, you must
respect my vows. Y our heart of fire will be turned to ice, and you will never
lust or be lusted after again. Is that acceptable?”
In an instant Raga was transformed into a ball of fire, which rushed at
Gautama to sear his flesh. Instead, the fire passed through him and
vanished. “Show me your last daughter,” Gautama said. “The first two won’ t have
me.”
Mara jumped to his feet in a rage. “Y ou treat my gentle girls badly. They only want to serve you, and in return you cruelly abuse them.”
“But your third daughter is so beautiful, I can’ t possibly mistreat her. Bring her to me. I’m sure we will be married,” Gautama said gently. Mara
regarded him with dark suspicion but made a small gesture. The third
daughter knelt before them. “Don’ t ask me my name,” she said. “I am free of all desire and lust. I
am as indif ferent to you as you are to me. W e are perfectly matched.”
“You’re very subtle,” said Gautama. “But I already know your name. It’s Arati, or ‘aversion.’ Y ou want nothing because you hate everything. I
will make you my wife, but only on the condition that you open yourself to
love. Is that acceptable?”
Arati’ s face assumed a look of unspeakable disgust. In alarm Mara
reached his arms out to hold on to her, but he was too late. In an instant she
vanished like the others. The demon gave a howl that grew louder andfiercer until it filled the whole forest. He swelled in size, and the form of
Ganaka dropped away. Mara began to grow his four horrible faces. “I’m going to see you as you really are. Good,” said Gautama. “Arrogance!” Mara screamed. “Y ou shall see me, all right, and the
moment you do, you will die.”
He began to make mysterious signs in the air that Gautama didn’ t
understand, and like magic, the kingdom of the demons descended to earth. The forest floor crawled with poisonous snakelike demons, slithering over
Gautama’ s lap, while batlike demons tried to bite his face. A phalanx of
elephants crashed through the trees, trampling other demons of damned
souls whose bodies were crushed underfoot. Because the demon world
consists of the most disgusting and terrifying forms that the human mind
can conceive of, there was no end to the waves of Mara’ s subjects that
emer ged in the moonlight. Mara himself rode a massive bull elephant that held writhing souls
between its jaws. At first he remained aloof, waiting for his army to
annihilate Gautama by sucking it into a maelstrom of torment. But when he
saw the calmness of Gautama’ s gaze, Mara became agitated. “Resist me all you like. I will never depart from you, and neither will
my subjects. This spectacle is what you will see for the rest of your life.”
“I am not resisting. Y ou are all welcome to stay,” said Gautama. “Y ou
cannot attack what isn’ t here, and I am not here.”
“Not here?” said Mara. “Y ou’re insane.”
“Or perhaps I just lack a soul. Doesn’ t it take a soul to be damned?”
The calmness of Gautama’ s speech not only infuriated the demon king
but caused his subjects to begin to fade away like shadow puppets on a
screen or summer lightning inside a cloud.“Prove it to yourself,” said Gautama. “If you can find my soul, it’ s
yours. I have stopped caring, myself.”
Mara leaped from the elephant and crouched on the ground in front of
Gautama. “Done!” he hissed. He had never experienced any creature,
mortal or divine, without a soul, and now this fool had freely surrendered
his. “Y ou’re mine, and I will claim you when it pleases me.” Every other
spectre had disappeared by now. Mara’ s four malignant faces lingered for a
few more seconds before he too vanished. Gautama doubted he would ever see him again. The existence of his
soul


 i m e  f o r  e a c h  o f  u s  t o
f a c e  o n c e  a n d  f o r  a l l  w h a t e v e r  d e m o n s  h a v e  k e p t  u s  c h a i n e d
t o  o u r  n e u r o s e s  a n d  p a i n ;  t o  s t a n d  u p  f o r  o u r  b e t t e r  s e l v e s  a s
a  w a y  o f  s t a n d i n g  u p  f o r  G o d ;  a n d  t o  t a k e  o u r  p l a c e s  i n
G o d ’ s  p l a n  f o r  t h e  s a l v a t i o n  o f  t h e  w o r l d. T h i s  i s  a n  e x c i t i n g  t i m e  a n d  a  c r i t i c a l  o n e. I t ’ s  n o t  a  t i m e
t o  b e  a  l o n e  r a n g e r. I t  i s  a  t i m e,  d e s p i t e  w h a t e v e r  o u r  p a i n  o r
h e a r t b r e a k,  t o  r e a c h  d e e p  i n t o  o u r s e l v e s  a n d  h u m b l y  t o w a r d
e a c h  o t h e r. F o r  t h e r e  w e  w i l l  f i n d  G o d,  a n d  i n  G o d  t h e r e  i s
e v e r y  a n s w e r  w e  a r e  l o o k i n g  f o r,  e v e r y  s o l u t i o n  w e  s o
d e s p e r a t e l y  s e e k,  a n d  e v e r y  j o y  w e  m i g h t  h a v e  c o m e  t o
t h i n k  w a s  g o n e  a n d  g o n e  f o r e v e r. T h i s  i s  t h e  t i m e,  a n d  w e
a r e  t h e  o n e s. A n d  w h y  a r e  w e  n o t  a l r e a d y  f u n c t i o n i n g  a t  a  h i g h e r  l e v e l
o f  s p i r i t u a l  m a s t e r y? W h a t  h o l d s  m a n y  o f  u s  b a c k  i s  n o t
s p i r i t u a l  i g n o r a n c e  b u t  r a t h e r  s p i r i t u a l  l a z i n e s s. W e  k n o w
m a n y  o f  t h e  p r i n c i p l e s  o f  h i g h e r  c o n s c i o u s n e s s ;  w e ’ r e  j u s t
t o o  m e n t a l l y  a n d  e m o t i o n a l l y  u n d i s c i p l i n e d  t o  a p p l y  t h e m
u n i v e r s a l l y. W e  a p p l y  f o r g i v e n e s s  w h e r e  i t ’ s  e a s y,  f a i t h
w h e r e  i t  s e e m s  t o  m a k e  r a t i o n a l  s e n s e,  a n d  l o v e  w h e r e  i t ’ s
c o n v e n i e n t. W e ’ r e  s e r i o u s,  b u t  n o t  r e a l l y …. N o w  c o n t r a s t  t h a t  w i t h  t h e  a d v o c a t e s  o f  h a t e.D o  t e r r o r i s t s  h a t e  u s  j u s t  s o m e  o f  t h e  t i m e? D o  t h e y  h a v e
a  c a s u a l  c o m m i t m e n t  t o  t h e i r  c a u s e? D o  t h e y  t a k e  l e s s  t h a n
s e r i o u s l y  t h e  g o a l  o f  f u l l  m a n i f e s t a t i o n  o f  t h e i r  w o r l d v i e w? T h e  o n l y  w a y  w e  w i l l  t r i u m p h  o v e r  h a t e  i s  t o  b e c o m e  a s
d e e p l y  c o m m i t t e d  t o  l o v e  a s  s o m e  p e o p l e  a r e  c o m m i t t e d  t o
h a t e,  a s  d e e p l y  d e v o t e d  t o  e x p r e s s i n g  o u r  l o v e  a s  s o m e
p e o p l e  a r e  d e v o t e d  t o  e x p r e s s i n g  t h e i r  h a t e,  a n d  a s  f i r m  i n
o u r  c o n v i c t i o n  t h a t  l o v e  i s  o u r  m i s s i o n  a s  s o m e  a r e  t h a t  h a t e
i s  t h e i r s. A  l o t  o f  u s  a r e  a l r e a d y  s p i r i t u a l  s t u d e n t s ;  t h e  p r o b l e m  i s,
w e ’ r e  “ C ”  s t u d e n t s. A n d  t h a t ’ s  w h a t  n e e d s  t o  c h a n g e. L i v i n g  i n  t h e  L i g h t

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


 r y  s e l f. T h i s  i l l u s i o n  e x u d e s  a  c o n t i n u o u s
t o x i c i t y  i f  i t  r e m a i n s  i n  t h e  d a r k,  y e t  d i s a p p e a r s  t h e  m o m e n t
i t ’ s  e x p o s e d  t o  l i g h t. T h e  e g o  i s  d i s p e r s e d  i n t o  n o t h i n g n e s s
w h e n  r e l e a s e d  i n t o  t h e  h a n d s  o f  G o d. T h e  e g o  i s  n o t  w h e r e  w e ’ r e  b a d  b u t  w h e r e  w e ’ r e
w o u n d e d. Y e t  o f t e n  w e  d o n ’ t  w a n t  t o  t a k e  a  g o o d  l o o k  a t
o u r  w o u n d s — m u c h  l e s s  l e t  G o d  l o o k  w i t h  u s — b e c a u s e
w e ’ r e  a s h a m e d. N o  o n e  e x p e c t s  a  w o u n d  o n  t h e  b o d y  t o  b e
p r e t t y — w e ’ r e  n o t  a s h a m e d  o f  t h e  b l o o d  a n d  g o r e
a c c o m p a n y i n g  a  p h y s i c a l  w o u n d — y e t  w e ’ r e  e m b a r r a s s e d
t h a t  w e  h a v e  e m o t i o n a l  w o u n d s. O u r  e m o t i o n a l  a n d
p s y c h o l o g i c a l  w o u n d s  o f t e n  a p p e a r  n o t  a s  p l a c e s  w h e r e  w e
a r e  h u r t  b u t  r a t h e r  a s  p l a c e s  w h e r e  w e  a r e  g u i l t y. O u r
s p i r i t u a l  w o u n d s  t a k e  t h e  f o r m  o f  c h a r a c t e r  d e f e c t s. W h i l e  i t  m i g h t  h a v e  b e e n  a  w o u n d e d  c h i l d h o o d  t h a t
c a u s e d  a  n e g a t i v e  p a t t e r n  t o  b e g i n  w i t h,  t h a t  f a c t  i s n ’ t
n e c e s s a r i l y  o b v i o u s  t o  o t h e r s. O n l y  t o  t h e  m i r a c l e - m i n d e d
d o e s  y o u r  b e h a v i o r  r e a d,  “ I  w a s  h u r t  a s  a  c h i l d. H a v e
c o m p a s s i o n. ”  W e ’ r e  a l l  i n v o l v e d  i n  t h e  s a m e  m a t r i x  o f  e g o
d e l u s i o n — f o c u s i n g  n o t  o n  e a c h  o t h e r ’ s  w o u n d s,  b e c a u s et h e y  d o n ’ t  a p p e a r  o n  t h e  s u r f a c e,  b u t  o n  e a c h  o t h e r ’ s  f a u l t s,
b e c a u s e  t h e y  d o. S o  w e  o f t e n  t r y  t o  h i d e  w h o  w e  a r e  r a t h e r  t h a n  h e a l  w h o
w e  a r e. W e ’ r e  a f r a i d  t h a t  i f  w e  s h o w  o u r  t r u e  s e l v e s,
s o m e t h i n g  u g l y  w i l l  a p p e a r. O n l y  w h e n  w e  r e a l i z e  W h o
l i v e s  w i t h i n  u s  d o  w e  s e e  t h a t  o n l y  b e a u t y  w i l l  a p p e a r. I n
t h e  m e a n t i m e,  o u r  w o u n d s  f e s t e r,  u n t e n d e d,  u n t i l
s u r r e n d e r e d  f o r  d i v i n e  h e a l i n g. O u r  d e n i a l,  o r  u n w i l l i n g n e s s
t o  l o o k  d e e p l y  a t  o u r  o w n  i s s u e s,  r e f l e c t s  a  n a i v e  h o p e  t h a t
i f  w e  d o n ’ t  l o o k  a t  o u r  w o u n d s,  t h e y ’ l l  g o  a w a y  b y
t h e m s e l v e s. I t  t a k e s  e m o t i o n a l  c o u r a g e  t o  l o o k  d e e p l y  i n t o
o u r s e l v e s  a n d  f a c e  w h a t ’ s  t h e r e. U n t i l  w e  d o,  h o w e v e r,
G o d ’ s  m e d i c i n e  c a n ’ t  h e a l  u s. U n t i l  y o u  u n d e r s t a n d  t h a t  G o d  i s  y o u r  h e a l e r  a n d  n o t
y o u r  j u d g e,  i t ’ s  u n l i k e l y  y o u  w i l l  g o  t o  H i m  w i t h  y o u r  p a i n. I t ’ s  u n d e r s t o o d  w e  t a k e  o u r  c l o t h e s  o f f  i f  t h e  d o c t o r  n e e d s  t o
c h e c k  u s,  b u t  w e ’ r e  a f r a i d  t o  p r e s e n t  o u r s e l v e s  n a k e d  b e f o r e
G o d. U n t i l  w e  m a k e  t h e  s w i t c h  f r o m  t h e  n o t i o n  o f  a n  a n g r y,
j u d g m e n t a l  G o d  t o  a n  a l l - m e r c i f u l  a n d  f o r g i v i n g  o n e,  w e


 h e  s t o r m  o f  n e u r o t i c  t h i n k i n g.T o  t h e  e g o,  t h e  p u r p o s e  o f  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  i s  t o  s e r v e  o u r
n e e d s  a s  w e  d e f i n e  t h e m. I  w a n t  t o  g e t  t h i s  j o b ;  I  w a n t  h i m
o r  h e r  t o  m a r r y  m e ;  I  w a n t  t h i s  p e r s o n  t o  s e e  t h i n g s  t h e  w a y
I  d o. T o  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t,  t h e  p u r p o s e  o f  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  i s  t o
s e r v e  G o d. E v e r y  r e l a t i o n s h i p  i s  p a r t  o f  a  d i v i n e  c u r r i c u l u m
d e s i g n e d  b y  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t. I t  i s  t h e r e  f o r  a  r e a s o n,  b u t  t h e
r e a s o n  m i g h t  n o t  b e  t h e  o n e  w e  a s c r i b e  t o  i t. T h e  e g o  a n d
G o d  h a v e  d i a m e t r i c a l l y  o p p o s e d  i n t e n t i o n s. T h e  o n l y  w a y  t o  m a k e  s u r e  w e ’ r e  n o t  p l a y i n g  s i c k  a n d
d e s t r u c t i v e  m i n d  g a m e s  i n  a  s i t u a t i o n — p a r t i c u l a r l y  i n
r e l a t i o n s h i p s  w h e r e  t h e  e g o  h a s  s o  m u c h  i n v e s t e d — i s  t o
i n v i t e  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  t o  e n t e r  t h e r e  a n d  p r e v a i l. A t  t h e
e a r l i e s t  m o m e n t  y o u  t h i n k  t o  d o  i t,  p l a c e  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  o n
t h e  a l t a r  t o  G o d  w i t h i n  y o u r  m i n d. D e a r  G o d,
I  p l a c e  m y  r e l a t i o n s h i p  w i t h …
I n  Y o u r  h a n d s. M a y  m y  p r e s e n c e  b e  a  b l e s s i n g  i n  h i s  l i f e. M a y  m y  t h o u g h t s  t o w a r d  h i m  b e  t h o s e  o f
i n n o c e n c e  a n d  l o v e,
A n d  m a y  h i s  t h o u g h t s  t o w a r d  m e  b e  t h o s e  o f
i n n o c e n c e  a n d  l o v e. M a y  a l l  e l s e  b e  c a s t  o u t. M a y  o u r  r e l a t i o n s h i p  b e  l i f t e d
T o  d i v i n e  r i g h t  o r d e r,
A n d  t a k e  t h e  f o r mT h a t  b e s t  s e r v e s  Y o u r  p u r p o s e s. M a y  a l l  u n f o l d,
I n  t h i s  a n d  a l l  t h i n g s,
A c c o r d i n g  t o  Y o u r  w i l l. A m e n. F r o m  W o u n d e d n e s s  t o  H e a l i n g

S o m e t i m e s  w e  t r y  t o  t a k e  t h e  p a i n t b r u s h  o u t  o f  G o d ’ s
h a n d s,  u n d e r  t h e  e r r o n e o u s  a s s u m p t i o n  w e  c a n  p a i n t  a  b e t t e r
p i c t u r e  t h a n  H e  c a n. T h e  e g o  w i l l  t r y  t o  g e t  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  t o
f i t  i n t o  o u r  i d e a  o f  h o w  i t  s h o u l d  b e  r a t h e r  t h a n  a l l o w i n g  i t
t o  o r g a n i c a l l y  r e v e a l  i t s e l f. W e  h a v e  p i c t u r e s  a n d
i d e a l i z a t i o n s  w e  t r y  t o  f o i s t  o n  o t h e r s,  t h i n k i n g,  “ I t  s h o u l d
f e e l  l i k e  t h i s, ”  o r  “ T h e y  s h o u l d  a c t  l i k e  t h a t. ” Y e t  a t  t h e
d e e p e s t  l e v e l,  w e  a r e  s i m p l y  s o u l s  e n c o u n t e r i n g  o t h e r  s o u l s,
a n d  r e l a t i o n s h i p s  s h o u l d  b e  p l a c e s  w h e r e  w e  f r e e  e a c h
o t h e r,  n o t  i m p r i s o n  e a c h  o t h e r. W h e n  o u r  c o n s c i o u s n e s s  i s
s i m p l y  t h a t  o f  o n e  c h i l d  o f  G o d  h o n o r i n g  a n o t h e r —
r e g a r d l e s s  o f  h o w  t h i n g s  l o o k  i n  t h e  o u t e r  w o r l d — w e  e x u d e
a  p e a c e  a n d  a c c e p t a n c e  t h a t  c a l l s  p e o p l e  t o  t h e i r  h i g h e s t. W h e n  w e ’ r e  c a l m,  p e o p l e  a r o u n d  u s  w i l l  b e  c a l m e r ;  w h e n
w e ’ r e  k i n d,


 d,  “ Y o u  b r o u g h t  h e r  h e r e  a  c h i l d. I  r e t u r n
h e r  t o  y o u  a  w o m a n. ”
I  n e v e r  f e l t  m o r e  p o w e r,  o r  m o r e  l o v e,  i n  m y  l i f e. T o r c h e s  P a s s

S o m e t i m e s  w e  p e r f o r m  r i t u a l  w i t h o u t  e v e n  k n o w i n g  t h a t
w e ’ r e  d o i n g  s o. W h e n  I  w a s  a n  e i g h t e e n - y e a r - o l d  c o l l e g e
s t u d e n t,  I  w e n t  t o  h e a r  a  l e c t u r e  b y  t h e  l a t e  a u t h o r  N o r m a n
O. B r o w n,  w h o s e  b o o k  L o v e ’ s  B o d y  h a d  i n s p i r e d  m e
g r e a t l y. A f t e r  h i s  t a l k,  I  s t o o d  i n  l i n e  t o  a s k  h i m  v e r y
e a r n e s t l y  i f  h e  h a d  a n y  a d v i c e  f o r  m e. H e  t o l d  m e  t h e
T a l m u d i c  p r i n c i p l e  t h a t  i n  t h e  m i d s t  o f  t h e  d a r k e s t  n i g h t,  w e
s h o u l d  a c t  a s  i f  t h e  m o r n i n g  h a s  a l r e a d y  c o m e. A n d  t h e n  h e
k i s s e d  m y  f o r e h e a d. A  f e e l i n g  o f  c o m p l e t e  b l i s s  c a m e  o v e r
m e  t h a t  l a s t e d  f o r  h o u r s. A  k i s s  o n  t h e  f o r e h e a d  i s  a  p o w e r - f i l l e d  g e s t u r e :
s o m e o n e  k i s s e s  ( g i v e s  l o v e  t o )  y o u r  f o r e h e a d  ( y o u r  t h i r d
e y e,  o r  s e a t  o f  t h e  s o u l ). W h a t  m o r e  p r o f o u n d  r i t u a l  c o u l d
t h e r e  b e  f o r  s e n d i n g  s o m e o n e  o f f  w i t h  y o u r  b l e s s i n g?D u r i n g  t h a t  s a m e  p e r i o d  I  r e c e i v e d  a n o t h e r,  e q u a l l y
w o n d e r f u l,  b l a s t  o f  e n e r g y. I  w a s  w a l k i n g  w i t h  o n e  o f  m y
p r o f e s s o r s — n o w  j a z z  c r i t i c  S t a n l e y  C r o u c h — t o  a t t e n d  a
l e c t u r e  b y  J a n e  F o n d a. T h i s  w a s  1 9 7 0  o r  ’ 7 1,  a n d  F o n d a
w a s  v i s i t i n g  c o l l e g e  c a m p u s e s  t o  d i s c u s s  h e r  a n t i w a r
a c t i v i s m. S h e  w a s  g o r g e o u s,  v e r y  t h i n  i n  j e a n s  a n d  w o r k
s h i r t,  w e a r i n g  t h e  l a y e r e d  h a i r c u t  s h e  m a d e  f a m o u s  i n  t h e
m o v i e  K l u t e. A n d  s h e  l o o k e d  l i k e  s h e  w a s  l i t  f r o m  w i t h i n. T h e  c o m b i n a t i o n  o f  h e r  s t u n n i n g  p h y s i c a l  b e a u t y  a n d  h e r
a l m o s t  s p i r i t u a l  r a d i a n c e  b l e w  m e  a w a y  t h e n  a n d  s t i l l  d o e s
w h e n  I  t h i n k  a b o u t  i t. A n d  w h i l e  s h e  w a s  w a l k i n g  t o  t h e
l e c t u r e,  s h e  d i d  s o m e t h i n g  t h a t  c h a n g e d  m y  l i f e. C r o u c h,  w h o  i s  A f r i c a n  A m e r i c a n,  a n d  I  w e r e  w a l k i n g
d o w n  a  s i d e w a l k  p e r p e n d i c u l a r  t o  t h e  o n e  s h e  w a s  s t r o l l i n g
o n. A s  s h e  c r o s s e d  o u r  s i d e w a l k,  s h e  t u r n e d  h e r  h e a d  a n d
g l a n c e d  a t  u s. I  d o n ’ t  k n o w  w h a t  m a d e  h e r  f a c e  l i g h t  u p —
y o u n g  w h i t e  f e m a l e  w a l k i n g  w i t h  b l a c k  p r o f e s s o r? ( r e m e m b e r,  t h i s  w a s  1 9 7 0 ) — b u t  s h e  t h e n  s h o t  a  s m i l e  i n  m y
d i r e c t i o n  t h a t  r i v a l e d  i n  p o w e r  t h e  t r a n s m i s s i o n s  o f  e n e r g y  I
r e c e i v e d  y e a r s  l a t e r  f r o m  a  s p i r i t u a l  m a s t e r. S h e  s e e m e d  t o
p r o j e c t  s o m e  w o n d e r f u l n e s s  o n t o  S t a n l e y ’ s  a n d  m y  m e r e l y
w a l k i n g


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. It
it. T rue Success enlivens and supports
resources of our society. It is no more
frequently inspired to intense activity bywould 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. Society
geniuses who achieve no such status;
geniuses in the fields of mathematics and
people's lives are empowered throughoutsuf 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 and
relationships; spiritual collapse is
society, in fact, is often either indif ferent
and to capitalize on it by the dedicationinventors, 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 unfortunate
logically comprehending symbols and
failed marriages, addiction, alcoholism
because the genius values life (167)andconsequences 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
celebrities whose careers were blighted
winners and members of legendary
"does," rather than has. At this level on
wisdom? According to our research, it is
by such tragedies, it would fill a score of
American families, it is striking to see
the ladder, one's position and activities
the result of alignment with high power
pages-the movie stars (Judy Garland,
how many are open, warm, sincere and
bring significant social status. But theattractor patterns. Although in the
Marilyn Monroe, James Dean); the pop
view success as a responsibility, noblesse
attraction of social roles loses glamour as
average life we find a mixture of ener gy
stars (Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Jimi
oblige. These are truly successful people,
one achieves mastery and matures; it is
fields, the pattern with the highest power
Hendrix); the writers (Poe, London,
notably courteous and considerate to all,
what one has accomplished that is
dominates. W e have now explored
Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald)-the list
(171)
whether visiting potentates or
important. Finally, one is concerned only
suf ficient material to be able to introduce
goes on and on. In addition to such
servants, treating everyone as an equal. with what one has become as a result of
a basic dictum of nonlinear dynamics andnotorious examples of the price of
The truly successful have no inclination
life's experiences. Such people have a
attractor research: attractors create
celebrity are the uncounted thousands of
to act arrogantly because they consider
charismatic "presence" that is the outer
context. In essence, this means that one's
less famous "successful" lives ruined by
themselves not better but more fortunate
manifestation of the (172) grace of their
motive, which arises from the principles
drug problems or the twisting of than others. They see their position as a
inner power. In their company we feel
to which one is committed, determines
personality whereby formerly decent folk
stewardship, a responsibility to exercise
the ef fect of the powerful attractor ener gy
one's capacity to understand and, thereby,
become vain, cruel, self-centered and
their influence for the greatest benefit of
patterns with which they are aligned andgive significance to one's actions. inordinately self-indulgent. all. which they reflect. Success comes as the
The ef fect of alignment with principle is
It is not just that such people have gotten
What allows the truly successful to be so
automatic consequence of aligning one's
nowhere more striking than in its
too much wealth, too much fame, or too
gracious, open and giving can be
life with high power ener gy patterns. physiological consequences. Alignment
much attention, but that these influences
explained through our formula of
Why is true success so relatively with high ener gy attractor patterns
results distorted their egos and reinforced what
causality:
ef fortless? It might be likened to the
in health; with weak ones, in disease. might be called the small self instead of
magnetic field created by an electricThis syndrome is specific and
the big Self. The small self is the part of
current running through a wire. The
predictable. That high ener gy patterns
us that is vulnerable to flattery; the Self is
higher the power of the current, the
can be proven to strengthen and low
an aspect of our more evolved nature
greater the magnetic field that it ener gy patterns to weaken through a
which is humble and grateful for success. generates. And the magnetic field itself
demonstration meet- (174) ing the scientific
The self aligns with weak attractor
The truly successful identify with the
then influences everything in its criterion of one-hundred-percent
patterns; the Self is aligned with high
A>B>C. They realize that they are a
presence. There are very few at the top. replicability is a fact with which the
power ener gy fields. channel acted through to create success
The world of the mediocre, however, isreader is by now thoroughly familiar. in the outer world. Inasmuch as they
Whether it uplifts or destroys us depends
one of intense competition, and the
The human central nervous system
identify with the source of success, they
not upon success itself, but how it is
bottom of the pyramid is crowded. clearly has an exquisitely sensitive
have no anxiety about losing it. But a
integrated into our personalities. Whether
Charismatic winners are sought out;
capacity to dif ferentiate between life-
person who views his success in the
we are proud or humble, whether we are
losers have to strive to be accepted. supportive and life-destructive patterns. realm of A-B-C will always be insecure
egotistic or grateful, whether we deem
People who are loving, kind and High power attractor ener gy patterns
because its source is "out there." Solid
ourselves better than others because ofthoughtful of others have more friends
which make the body go strong release
confidence comes from the knowledge
our talents or consider them a gift for
than they can count; success in every
brain endorphins and have a tonic ef fect
that the source of success is "in here." By
which we are thankful-these are the
area of life is a reflex to those who are
on all the or gans, whereas adverse
believing that the source of power lies
determining factors. W e all know people
aligned with successful patterns. And the
stimuli, which release adrenaline,
outside oneself, one becomes powerless
for whom even a bit of success is
capacity to be able to discern the
suppress immune response and
and vulnerable and, therefore, defensive
corrupting, who become arrogant,
dif ference between the strong patterns of
instantaneously cause both weakness andand possessive. T rue success originates
of ficious and controlling when given a
success and the weak patterns leading to
enervation of specific or gans, depending
within, independent of external
little authority. And we all know people


. Many emperors were known to seek
the so-called elixir of in1mortality. They eagerly consumed this
sexually oriented concoction prepared by experirnental alchenl
ists-and sometin1es n1ct with disastrous results. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, during the Yuan
dynasty, the Mongolians who conquered and ruled China nude
Lan1aisn1 the state religion and spent two-thirds of their irnperial
budget on it. Lan1aisn1 was inspired in part by Indian Tantrisn1,
which in turn rnay have been inspired by China's Art of the Bed
chanlber. The Chinese drove out the Mongolians and established the
Ming dynasty in the second lulf of the fourteenth century. The
new en1perors returned to the Taoist Art of the Bedcharnber, al
though son1e vestiges of the Lanuist sex practices renuined. By then much of Taoist sexology had degenerated into a mumbo
jumbo n1ixture of n1ysticism and alchen1y. Charlatan Taoists
formed sex cults among the common people, and n1ade spurious
elixirs which were taken thirstily by several Ming emperors hop
ing for increased sexual potency and long life. Emperors Shih
Tsung (ruled I 522-I 567) and Kuan Tsung (ruled I62o-I62I)
both died fron1 consuming such elixirs. The death of Kuan Tsung
was one of the great Ming scandals, involving accusations,
counteraccu sations, investigations, and impeachments of high
court officials. A less tragic and more amusing case involved Em
peror Mu Tsung (ruled I 567-1 573). After taking an aphrodisiac,
he got an erection that refused to go away. He was forced to cancel
his regular audiences for a few days until his priapisn1 subsided. From the seventeenth through the early twentieth centuries,
the Manchurian emperors of the Ching dynasty reverted to some
Lamaist practices but avoided excess. In their palace was a Lamaist
temple filled with ''joyous Buddhas," Tantric idols in sexual em
brace, some with movable genitalia. These were used as three
dimensional sex manuals by the Lamaist priests who customarily
coached royal princes who had reached a marriageable age. APH RODISIAC HEALTH ToN ics
These later rulers of China were much more cautious in their
quest for sexual vitality. They turned to safer aphrodisiac health
tonics, which to this day are still taken earnestly by the Chinese. The Empress Dowager, for instance, meticulously ingested pul
verized pearls and many other delux e substances such as ginseng,
bird's nest, and silvery tree ears (a tree fungus) to enhance her
looks and health. Her skin was said to resemble a baby's. Her hus
band, Emperor Yen Feng (ruled 1851-1 862), kept two hundred
plum blossom deer in a royal garden so that every day he could
drink de er blood, a health and sexual tonic. In the summer of
1 M6o, during one of the several invasions of foreign troops after
the Second Opiu m War, British and French troops occupied the
imperial capital of Beijing and burned several palaces. The em
peror fled to Jehol, a province north of the Great Wall, and as a
result of his hasty fligh t he had to do witho ut his daily tonic. Eventually, after moa ning in vain on his deathbed t(lr the precious
deer bloo d, he died fron1 debility. Tile Cultr4r e Tlzat Nurtures THE SENSUAL LANDSCAPE
During that same invasion in 1 86o, European troops bu rned
Yuan Ming Yuan, a palace northwest of the Forbidden City. Some
years earlier, a high government official named Ting Wcn-cheng
had gone for a private audience with the emperor in the palace. Early for his appointment, Ting was told to wait for the monarch
in a sn1all reception room. There he saw a bowl containing a
dozen innocent-looking purple grapes. He sam pled one and soon
felt a growing heat below his navel, followed by a monster erec
tion. Since his thin muslin sun1mer gown could hardly hide his
condition, Ting had to pretend to be violently ill; he doubled over
and put his hand on his abdomen, and cried out in pain. He was
led from the palace through a side door by courtiers who later told
the emperor of Ting's "sudden sickness." Clearly, someone in the
palace, perhaps the emperor, was using potent aphrodisiacs. However, most royal tonics were of the aphrodisiac health type. A LoNG- LAST ING PuR SUIT
The Chinese desire for heightened sexuality was, and is, due
partly to the Confucian obsession for siring heirs, partly to a Tao
ist concern for health and longevity, but mostly to the delightful
nature of their pursuit. This pursuit went on openly at first, and
sometimes unwisely. Then it became more cautious, modest, al
most covert. But even when it was carried on secretly, this quest
went on, as it had before, for centuries. Whatever our level of sophistication and depth of knowledge
today, we can learn from the ancient Chinese in n1atters sexual:
how they used food and herbs to benefit their sexual vitality, how
they exercised to train their sexual tnuscles and nerves, what
erotic techniques they devised to enhance sexual union. They fer
vently believed in and enthusiastically practiced activities they felt
would nurture their health in general and their sexual vitality in
particular. Chinese culture has been called nuny things by n1any
people: as far as sexuality is concerned, it nuy be called a culture
that nurtures. 2
The Mating of
Yin and Yang
Sexual Cosmology, Taoism,
and Confucianism
YIN AND YANG, AND BEY OND
Ancient China had a distinctive, deceptively simple cosmolog y
a sexual cosmology. In the primeval void was Tai Chi, the Grand
Ultimate, imn1aterial, formless, and impalpable. It moved and
produced Yang, or male energy. Having moved to the utmost, it
rested, and then produced Yin, female energy. The dual elements
of Yin and Yang, opposite but complementary, mated and pro
duced Tao, the Way that cannot be charted, the Name that cannot
be described, the Truth that is unknowable. Tao encompasses
heaven, earth, and humankind, all things material and spiritual. When Yin and Yang are in harmony, whether in nature, the
world, or the human body, crops thrive, nations are at peace, indi
viduals enjoy health. When that harmony is upset, natural calan1i
ties, wars, diseases emerge. The basic dualis1n of Yin and Yang is
conveyed in the symbol of Tai Chi. This common mo tif in Chi
nese art consists of a circle divided into two equal curvy halves,
each resembling a plun1p tadpole with a single eye. These two
halves represent Yin and Yang n1ating into a harn1onious whole,
9 10 Tai Chi symbol
-
,�=,�
1:1 :u
'�==·
--
The eight trigr,mls t�f
I Ching and thus the essence of Chinese cosmology. Although the theory
was later reconstructed and elaborated by various n1etaphysicians
and philosophers, this cosmolog y goes back to the distant begin
nings of Chinese culture, more than five thousand years ago. The idea of cosmic sexuality, the mating of Yin and Yang,
would color the attitude toward sex in ancient China. It was con
sidered a natural and guiltless human activity, and enhancing sex
ual vigor and sexual pleasure was a legitimate pursuit in a healthy
life. The sexual cosmology is also the foundation of Taoism,
China's oldest indigenous philosoph y, which later branched out
into religion and proto-science. Many basic concepts in this cosmic outlook are found in I
Chi11g} or The Book £�{Changes} one of the oldest, most revered,
and least understood Chinese classics. This unique book was
compiled by various authors between the sixth and the fourth
centuries B. c. It centers around sixty-four hexagrams, each con
sisting of two trigrams, or a total of six whole (Yang) or broken
(Yin) sticks arranged in various combinations, to denote various
modes of coupling between Yin and Yang. Attached to each hexa
gram are two brief texts, "Judgment" and "Image," which have
been used as oracles for divination since antiquity. Subsequent
commentaries by anonymous cosmologists and metaphysicians
expanded these commentaries and made this abstruse text the
basis of philosophical speculation for many Chinese thinkers. I Chit�g is thus a book of both divination and, more impor
tant, philosophy.


 these unbelievable experiences coming
from? Someh ow, deeply touching experiences kept
coming from the most unexpected places. It was really
starting to blow me away. As days  turned into weeks, the house began to take
shape. Once the outside sidin g was up, you could really
begin to feel the inside space. Bobby Altman then posed
a q uesti on I had never though t of—which of us was going
to do the electrical wiring? Though I had never done
such a thing, I volunteered. Bobby handed me a small
book on electrical wiring from  one of his courses and left
me on my own. His confidence in my ability to do the
entire electrical system for the house rather astounded
me. Bu t if he t hought I could do it, then I could—and I
did. A great spiritual teacher once said, “Every day bite
off more than you can chew, and chew it.” Life was
teaching me some very important lessons. We laid  pinewood floors throughout the house, put
cedar d ecks in both the fro nt and back, and hired a
plumber to install exposed, c ast-iron plumbing pipes for
the bath room area. By then, the house had taken on a life
of it s own. We had put our he arts and souls into buildingthat house, and we were ve ry proud of what we had
accomplished. To me, it had started out as a project to
build a quick, s imple meditation hut, and it turned into a
one-of-a-kind life experience. But it wasn’t the one I
longed for. All I really wanted was to go into solitude and
work on  my heart’s only desir e—absolute peace, stillness,
and freedom. With the house finished, the time for that
work had finally arrived.November 1971: All I wanted was a ti ny meditation hut—just look
at what life gave us to build!House finished—time for solitude.1 1. G e t  T h e e  t o  a  M o n a s t e r y
I  moved  into my new house in November 1971. I
remember it was November because just before I moved
in, my sister, Kerry, and he r husband came up from
Miami to visit me for Thanksgiving. This was very brave
of them, considering they were regular folk. Harvey was
a successful accountant, and he and Kerry were used to a
nice ho use and comfortable living conditions. When they
showed up, I was busy finishi ng the final checklist before
moving out of my van and int o the house. Harvey helped
me inst all the last two windows and then insisted on
having Thanks giving dinner with me. That meant they
joined m e sitting outside on rocks and cooking what we
could o n an open fire. Person ally, I think they had come
up to check on me to see if I w as still halfway sane. I had
been w ithout a phone number for a long time, and I’m
sure my family must have been concerned about me. Once Kerry and Harvey left, I was glad to be alone
again with my beautiful new house. All I had wanted was
a simple place to fully focus on my meditations. What I
got was a gift from the invisible hand that had taken over
my life. That’s  what I called  it back then—the invisible
hand. From the beginning of my awakening, I had
inwardly begge d for help in knowing who I was, the one
who wa s watching the voice o f the mind. From that point
forward, it was as though something had reached down
and grabbed me by the ponyt ail and begun to pull me up. My who le outer life had been ripped away from me in the
blink of an eye. In its place I had been shown the beauty
and peace of an inner state that was beyond anything I
had eve r imagined. That touch of the beyond had lit myheart aflame. I had a fire bur ning in the pit of my being
that never left me alone—eve n for a moment. It was like
a b ecko ning, a calling to come home. At that stage of my
awakening, the only way I knew how to get back was to
willfully push my way through myself with the intense
discipline of Zen meditation. As I sat at the threshold of
the door that o pened into the beautiful place that life had
given m e to do this work, I reverently bowed my head. This wa s my temple, my monastery, and I vowed to use it
well. I wa s ve ry surp rised to find t hat the monastic lifestyle
came q uite naturally to me. I awoke every morning at
3:00 a.m. and sat for a few h ours of meditation. I would
then do contemplative walkin g out on the fields. In those
early days, I w as still holding on to the concept that it
was all about concentration a nd focus. When I walked, I
would become  acutely aware of every step I took and
every movement of my body. This helped to prolong the
peace I  felt from my morning meditations. I would then
do y oga postures outside un til it was time for my noon
meditation. I held the rope of self-discipline very tightly,
every day. It was an extremely strict lifestyle, very
different from anything I had ever experienced. But just
as a n athlete is  willing to give everything, every day and
night, t o train for the Olympics, so I was willing to give
everything, eve ry moment, to drop the part of me that
was holding me back from wh ere I so desperately wanted
to go. It d idn’t take long before I noticed that food had a
major effect on my practices. The less I ate, the easier it
was to fall into a meditative s tate. So I tested the limits of
how far I could go without eating. The balance I reached
was to eat a small dinner salad every other day and fast
in between. My intention was to give up everything
possible that pulled my attention outward. This would
allow me to more fully focus on the deeper inner states.My nighttime routine began  at sunset. Somehow the
setting sun strongly affected the force that pulled me into
meditation. I was always on my meditation pillow before
the sun started setting. After a few hours of meditation, I
would m ake my way upstairs to go to sleep. I had no
alarm clock; I awoke naturally at 3:00 a.m. every
morning to start the regimen again. I d on’t know where I got the i dea that if I held the rope
tight enough, my lower self w ould go away and leave me
alone. But that is how I lived for about a year and a half. The par t of me that had dominated my entire previous
way of life had no place in my new life. There were no
perks fo r him, and every day he fought back less and less. The noisy, demanding personal part of me didn’t go away
—he just began to resign himself to the intense
discipline. I thought it was working, but I would soon
come to see that I was very wrong.1 2. W h e n  t h e  D i s c i p l e  I s  R e a d y,  t h e  M a s t e r
A p p e a r s
O ther than for schoolwork, r eading books had never
played a  major role in my life. But just as Three Pillars of
Zen  had shown u p exactly when I was ready for it, so
another book had found its  way to me just before I
moved into my house. It was given to me by Bob Merrill,
a friend  of mine who, like me, was very much into yoga
and meditation. One day while I was still living in my van, Bob gave me
the book called Autobiography of a Yog i  by
Paramahansa Yogananda, a holy man from India. I
remember tryi ng to start this book the evening Bob had
given it  to me, but after a few  pages I had to put it down. Not because I didn’t like it, but because each word I read
kept drawing me into such a deep meditative state that I
couldn’t continue reading. I tried again the next night. The same thing happened. I didn’t understand what was
going on, but I was certainly intrigued by the experience. I de cided to pack the book away until I moved into my
new house. Now that I had moved into the house and
started my intense meditative lifestyle, it was time to
read this mysterious book. Chapter after chapter transported me into a world that
should have been very foreign to me. But because of the
transformative events that had been happening to me, I
could at least relate to the Indian saint’s life story. It
became very clear to me—I h ad merely stuck my toe into
the ocea n Yoga nanda was swimming in. He was a master
of t he entire f ield of knowledge and experience I wasseeking. I could feel it to  the core of my being. Yogananda had gone far beyond my beyond and had
never fully come back. He h ad learned to exist in that
state, yet