 can t hink of God as the ocean and yourself as a
container, you may find it helpful in moments of doubt, or when you feel
lost or alone, to remember that you are a container of God. W hen you dip
your gla ss into the ocean, what y ou have is a glass of God. It’ s not as big or
as strong, but it’ s still God. As long as you refuse to believe oth erwise, you
won’ t feel separate from God. Think of a drop of water from the ocean of abundance that’ s separated
from it’ s source. Separated from it’ s source, that droplet of water will ultimately evaporate
and retu rn to it’ s source. The  point is that while it’ s in liquid form,
disconnected fro m it’ s source, it loses the power of it’ s source. This is the
essence of the secret of always treasuring your divinity. While you’re separated in your mind from your source, you lose your
divine p ower, the power of your  source. Just like the drop of wa ter, you too
will change form and ultimately return to your source. As long as you feel
disconnected fro m God, you lo se the power of your source, which is the
unlimited power  to create, to be miraculous, and to experienc e the joy of
being alive. The drop of wat er, disconnected from it’ s divine source,
symbolizes your ego. What Is Y our Ego? Y our eg o is nothing more than  an idea that you carry around with you
everywhere you  go. This idea tells you that you are the sum total of what
you hav e, what you do, and who  you are. Ego insists that you ar e a separatebeing, that your personality and your body are your essence, and that you
are in competition with every other ego to get your share of the pie, which
is limited and finite. Therefore, ego asserts, you must be wary of others who
also wan t all that they feel they ’re entitled to. Consequently, ego leads you
to believ e that there are enemie s to be wary of at all times. Since you’re
separate from them, you must disdain cooperating with them for fear of
being cheated. The result is that you have to distrust everyone! Y our ego also tells you that you’re separate from everything that’ s
missing in your life, and so you  must spend a great deal of ener gy chasing
after what’ s missing. Moreover, because who you are accordin g to ego is
your body and y our personality, you’re separate from God. Go d is outside
of you, a force to fear just like  all of those external forces attempting to
control you. So you beg this e xternal force to provide you w ith special
powers to overcome all of those other egos who are trying so hard to snare
what is rightfully yours. Y our ego keeps you in a constan t state of fear, worry, anxiety, and stress. It implores you to be better than everyone around you. It besee ches you to
push ha rder, an d to get God on your side. In short, it maintains your
separate status from God and allows you to be terrified of your own
divinity. Embracing Y our Divinity
Ther e is  no place that God is n ot. Remind  yourse lf of this every day. It
has been said that God sleeps in the minerals, rests in the veget ables, walks
in th e animals, and thinks in us. Think of God as a presence r ather than a
person—a prese nce that allows a seed to sprout, that moves the  stars across
the sky, and sim ultaneously moves a thought across your mind. A presence
that grow s the grass and grows  your fingernails all at the same time. This
presence is everywhere; therefore, it must also be in you! And if it’ s
everywhere, it must be in all that you perceive to be missing fro m your life. In so me inexplicable way, you’r e already connected to all that you’d like toattract in to your life by the presence of this universal, all-pow erful Spirit
called God. Y ou may  have read about some of the great saints in India. The y seem to
possess the magical powers of instant manifestation, their presence appears
to he al t he sick, and they communicate a sense of divine bliss a nd peace to
all th ose they encounter. One saint was asked by a reporter fro m the W est,
“Are you God?” The saint responded without hesitation, “Y es, I am,” to
which everyone in attendance seemed stunned. Then after a brief pause, he
continued, “And  so are you. The only dif ference between you  and I,” he
said, “is that I know it and you doubt it.”
Y ou are a piece of God. Y ou ar e a divine creation—a being of light who
showed up here as a human bei ng at the exact moment you were supposed
to. Y our body will depart at precisely the right moment as well. But you’re
not that  body you behold, no r are you it’ s personality or any of it’ s
possessions and accomplishments. Y ou are the beloved. A miracle. A part
of th e eternal p erfection. A piece of the divine intelligence th at supports
everything and everyone on th is planet. In a world in which this divine
intelligence creates everything, there can be no accidents. Eve ry time you
experience fear,  self-rejection, anxiety, guilt, or hate, you’re denying your
divinity and succumbing to the influences of that insidious ego mind that
has convinced you of your disconnection to God. Author U. S. A nderson wrote an inspiring book many years a go called
Thr ee Magic W or ds. Mr. Anderson writes about th e ability to become a
miracle worker and to live up to the ideal of the promise made by Jesus
Christ: “Even the least among you can do all that I have done, and even
greater things.” The author doesn’ t reveal what the three magic words are
until the end of the book, when the reader discovers that the words are Y ou
ar e God. N ot God in the sense of “above all others and better than everyo ne
else,” bu t in the sense of being eternally connected to your sourc e, the ever -
present p ower of love that never abandons you and never runs d ry. Y ou can
rely on this source if you remind yourself that it includes you at all times.T h e  T e n t h  S e c r e t
Believe that life is worth living, and
your belief will help cr eate that fact. — W illiam James
Nothing is, unless our
thinking makes it so. — W illiam Shakespeare
W i s d o m  i s
A v o i d i n g  A l l
T h o u g h t s  T h a t
W e a k e n  Y o n1 0
T h e  T e n t h  S e c r e t
W isdom Is
A voiding All Thoughts
That W eaken Y ou
Every single thought you have  can be assessed in terms of whether it
strengthens or weakens you. In f act, there’ s a simple muscle test you can do
to try out any thought that you’re having in the present moment. It works
like this : Hold your arm out to y our side, and have someone els e attempt to
push your arm down while you resist. Think of telling a lie, and notice how
much weaker you are than if you think of a truth. This can be done for any
thought that elicits an emotional reaction. In a book titled Power vs. For ce, Da vid Hawkins, M.D., elabora tes on this
method and provides a map of consciousness to show you how every
thought computes to either weaken or strengthen you. Authentic wisdom is
the ability to mo nitor yourself at all times to determine your relative state of
weakness or strength, and to shift out of those thoughts that weaken you. In
this way, you keep yourself in a n upbeat, higher state of conscio usness, and
you prevent your thoughts from weakening every single or gan of your body. When y ou use your mind to em power you, you’re appealing to that which
uplifts and raises your spirits. Power ur ges you to live and perform at your own highest level, and it is
compassionate. F orce, on the other hand, involves movement. This is unlike
power, w hich is a standing field that never moves against anything. Because
force is in mot ion, it always creates a counter -force. That co unter -force
constantly cons umes, and must be fed, ener gy. Rather than being
compassionate, force is associated with judgment, competition, and
controlling others. For example, in an athletic event, your thou ghts are on
overpowering your opponent, b eing better than another, and playing and
winning at any c ost. The entire muscular structure of your body is actually
weakened, because thoughts of force weaken you.On t he o ther han d, if in the midst


 are well executed
and the body functions at optimal levels. If all of your cells are healthy, you cannot
be sick. If, for any reason, a cell starts to malfunction, it is less able to perform its
assigned tasks, which is where problems can begin. When such malfunction occurs
in a large enough number of cells to impair the body’s ability to self-repair and self-
regulate, disease occurs. The scientific term for a cell that is malfunctioning is
cytopathy
(
cyto
referring to
cell, and
pathy
to sickness or disease). As fantastically complex as we humans are,
the fundamental concept of disease is simple. Disease is the result of a large number
of malfunctioning cells (widespread cytopathy). This definition is not fancy or
eloquent; it may even seem absurdly simple. However, it is a profound, precise and
irrefutable definition of disease. This definition is so simple that no one—scientist,
physician or layperson—can deny it. This definition provides the unifying theory of
health and disease that the modern medical establishment lacks, which is the reasonthat modern medicine is unable to address the current epidemic of chronic disease. Perhaps you are thinking, “But wait! Disease is much more complex than that! What about genetic predisposition? What about bacterial and viral infection? What
about cancer? What about AIDS? What about...?” True, many factors may
conspire in contributing to the malfunction of our cells and the many different ways
in which they can malfunction. In the end, though, cellular malfunction creates the
measurable abnormalities that we call disease. Therefore, no matter which cells
malfunction, or why they malfunction,
the malfunction is the one disease. A person cannot be sick unless a large number of cells are malfunctioning. The
first steps on the path to disease are taken when, for whatever reason, a single cell
begins to malfunction, and then another cell and another. When the number grows
large enough, we may begin to notice. We may “feel sick” along the way, perhaps
experiencing a pain here, a discomfort there or a lack of energy. By the time your
health has deteriorated into a diagnosable chronic disease, no cell may be left in
your body that is still functioning optimally. I am astounded when people describe
their health problems and then claim that, “other than this,” they are in excellent
health! Unfortunately, modern medicine finds itself mired in complexity, confronted with
numerous diseases, diagnoses and treatments. Lost in the midst of thousands of
different diseases (each supposedly with its own unique causes), physicians are
unable to effectively diminish disease in our society. A simpler and more effective
solution is to focus on the process—the one disease—and to ask what causes it. When you understand disease as a process, rather than a “thing” to be cut out or
suppressed, then you see why surgery and drugs, virtually the only tools of the
physician, are limited in what they can do. The Two Causes of Disease
Cellular malfunction is the essence of disease. But why does it happen? Cells can
malfunction in a multitude of ways, and the biochemistry of these malfunctions can
be exceedingly complex. All malfunctions can be reduced to two causes:
deficiency
and
toxicity. Deficiency
means that cells are lacking something that they need in
order to function the way they are designed to function. Toxicity
means that cells are
poisoned by something that inhibits proper function. Either one of these factors—
and usually a combination of both—can and will cause disease. One of the great scientific minds of the twentieth century, biochemist Dr. Roger
Williams, wrote, “Body cells in general die for two reasons: First, because they do
not get everything they need; second, because they get poisoned by something they
decidedly do not need.” Humans can live long and healthy lives if we do two things
right: provide our cells with all of the nutrients they need and protect our cells from
toxins. To the extent that we can accomplish these tasks well, we can significantlyextend the length and the quality of our lives. In the real world, these two tasks are
never accomplished perfectly. As a result, cells suffer, we age, the quality of life is
diminished and we die. The variable in this sequence is how fast we allow this to
happen. What about other causes of disease, such as genetic inheritance and infections by
microorganisms? Yes, genes and germs trigger cellular malfunction, but they do so
by causing deficiencies or toxicities, which are always the common denominators of
disease. Eliminate these factors and you eliminate disease. For example, consider
diseases with a genetic basis, such as ALD (adrenoleukodystrophy), the genetic
disease featured in the movie
Lorenzo’s Oil. People with ALD develop abnormally
high levels of very long-chain fatty acids, which are molecules that are natural to the
body. These fatty acids can build up to levels that are toxic to cells. This
toxicity
is
the result of a genetically caused
deficiency
of special protein molecules that keep
these fatty acid levels within normal limits. Lorenzo’s parents compensated for the
genetic deficiency by supplementing their son’s diet with a combination of oils that
helped to lower the level of the offending fatty acids, thereby reducing the toxic
effect on his body. What caused Lorenzo’s disease? Was it genetics? Yes, but for his
disease to manifest, his cells had to be deficient and toxic. Deficiency and toxicity
are always the common denominators of all disease. The same is true of infections
from microorganisms. Anthrax, for example, makes us sick and kills by producing
toxins. Without deficiency and toxicity causing cells to malfunction, there is no
disease. What about stress? Hasn’t that been proven to cause disease? True, stress is a
major factor that contributes to disease. Chronic stress results in an excessive
buildup of natural chemicals in the body, which at higher levels become toxic. In
addition, stress depletes the body of certain nutrients, resulting in deficiency. Stress
is a contributor to disease, but only by expressing itself through the common
denominators of all disease: deficiency and toxicity. Deficiency and toxicity, regardless of their cause, increasingly compromise the
functioning of cells, making a person steadily more vulnerable to developing a
diagnosable disease. By the time you contract a diagnosable disease (whether we’re
talking about the common cold, allergies, cancer or heart disease), you have
probably been “sick” for a long time. You have suffered enough cellular damage
from deficiency and toxicity that cells throughout your body are malfunctioning. You
are
sick long before you
get
sick. By the time symptoms are produced, cellular
malfunction has become widespread, cell-to-cell communications have been
disrupted and the systemic manifestations are the symptoms. Remember that disease
does not just randomly happen, like a meteorite falling out of the sky. Health, not
disease, is the natural state of human existence, but forgetting this point is easy
when we see all the disease around us.Symptoms Versus the One Disease
Our society’s current understanding of disease is based on the concept of
symptomology. Symptomology
is about focusing on, identifying and categorizing
symptoms—in other words, the effects produced by disease. In this manner, doctors
supposedly can differentiate one disease from another. Because the entirety of
modern medicine and everything we have ever learned about disease is based on
symptomology, the concept of only one disease may seem unacceptably simplistic. Actually the symptomology concept is the flawed one. Symptomology is based on a fundamental misconception, one held by virtually all
medical establishments in Western society. The misconception is that thousands of
different diseases exist, each with different symptoms, causes and treatments. This
misconception stems from the many different ways that cells can malfunction, and
therefore the thousands of different symptoms that can be produced. The modern
medical treatment of almost all disease focuses on the management of these
symptoms (the effects of disease), rather than eliminating the causes, which are
deficiency and toxicity. People are told to take insulin to manage their blood sugar
rather than eliminating their diabetes, or to take diuretics to treat their hypertension
rather than normalizing their blood pressure. They are told to have a bypass
operation rather than reversing their heart disease or to undergo chemotherapy rather
than healing their cancer. Diagnosis by symptoms is the process by which modern medicine gives each
collection of symptoms a particular name. Medicine views symptoms as enemies,
and physicians are trained to eliminate them, even if that means aggressively
assaulting the body with dangerous toxins, radiation or invasive surgery. Symptomology leads the medical profession to look at symptoms individually,
organize them into thousands of categories, label them as different diseases and then
prescribe a currently accepted protocol to suppress those symptoms. This approach
adds needless complexity, creates massive confusion and results in an inability to
deal with disease in a meaningful way. In truth, each collection of symptoms—each specific “disease”—is just a different
expression of malfunctioning cells. However, with all of our different types of cells,
and all of the different ways in which each cell can malfunction, the number of
possible combinations of symptoms becomes vast. In other words, when cells
malfunction, we may feel sick in many different ways. Cells that are malfunctioning because of a


 interaction.Diculties and fears arise to the exact degree that you still project on
others your own problems  in relating and still render others
responsible for anything that goes against your liking. This can take
many subtle forms. You may constantly concentrate on the faults of
others, because at rst glance such concentration appears justied
to you. You may subtly overe mphasize one side of an interaction, or
exclude another. Such distortions indicate projection and denial of
self-responsibility for the diculties in relating. This denial fosters
dependency on the perfection of the other party, which in turn creates
fear and hostility for feelin g let down when the other does not
measure up to the perfect standard. My dear friends, no matter what wrong the other person  does, if
you are disturbed, there must be something in you that you
overlook. When I say disturbed, I mean this in a particular sense. I
do not speak of clear-cut anger that expresses itself guiltlessly and
does not leave  a trace of inner confusion and pain. I mean the kind
of disturbance that comes out of conict and breeds furth er conict. A favor ite tendency among people is to say, “You are doing it to
me.” The game of making others guilty is so pervasive  that you
hardly even notice it. One human being blames the other, one
country blame s the other, one group blames the other. This is a
constant process at humanit y’s present level of development. It is
indeed one of the most harmful and illusory processes imaginable. People derive pleasure from doing this, although the pain that
ensues and the insoluble conicts that follow are innitely
disproportionate to the puny, momentary pleasure. Those who play
this game truly harm themselves and others, and I strongly
recommend that you begin to be aware of your blind involvement in
this guilt-shifting game. But how about the “victim”? How is that person to cope? As a
victim, your rst problem is that you are not even aware of what is
happening. Most of the time, the victimization happens in a subtle,
emotional, and unarticulated fashion. The silent, covert blame is
being launched  without a spoken word. It is expressed indirectly in
many ways. Now, obviously, the rst necessity is concise, articulate
awareness, for otherwise you will unconsciously respond in equallydestructive, falsely self-defensive ways. Then neither person really
knows the intricate levels of action, reaction, and interaction until
the threads become so enmeshed that it seems impossible to
disentangle them. Many a relationship has faltered due to such
unconscious interaction. The launching of blame spreads poison, fear, and at least as much
guilt as one tries to project. The recipients of this blame and guilt
may react in many dierent ways, according to their own problems
and unresolved conicts. As long as the reaction is blind and the
projection of guilt unconscious, the counter-reaction must also be
neurotic and destructive. Only conscious perception can prohibit
this. Only then will you be able to refuse a burden that is being
placed on you. Only then can you articulate and pinpoint it. How to Reach for Fulllment and Pleasure
In a relationship that is about to blossom, one must be on the
lookout for this pitfall, which is all the more dicult to detect
because guilt projection is so widespread. Also, the recipients should
look for it in themselves as well as in the other. And I do not mean
here a straightforward confrontation about something the other
person did wrong. I mean the subtle blame for personal
unhappiness. This is what must be challenged. The only way you can avoid becoming a victim of blame and guilt
projection is to avoid doing it yourself. To the degree you indulge
yourself in this subtly negat ive attitude—and you may do it in a
dierent way than the one who does it to you—you will be unaware
of it being done to you and will therefore become victim ized by it. The mere awareness will make all the dierence—whether or not
you verbally express your perception and confront the other person. Only to the degree that you undefensively explore and accept your
own problematic reactions and distortions, negativities and
destructiveness, can you defuse someone else’s guilt projection. Only
then will you not be drawn into a maze of falseness and confusion in
which uncertainty, defensiveness, and weakness may make youeither retreat or become overaggressive. Only then will you no
longer confuse self-assertion with hostility, or exible compromise
with unhealthy submission. These are the aspects that determine the ability to cope with
relationships. The more profoundly understood and lived these new
attitudes are, the more intimate, fullling, and beautiful human
interaction will become. How can you assert your rights and reach into the universe for
fulllment and pleasure? How can you love without fear unless you
approach relating to others the way I have outlined above? Unless
by learning to do this you purify yourself, there must always be a
threat when it comes to intimacy: that one or both will resort to
using the whip  of loading guilt upon the other. Loving, sharing, and
profound and satisfying closeness to others could be a purely
positive power  without any threat if these snares were looked at,
discovered, and dissolved. It is of utmost importance that you look
for them in yourselves, my friends. The most challenging, beautiful, spiritually important, and
growth-producing kind of relationship is the one between man and
woman. The power that brings two people together in love and
attraction and the pleasure involved are a small aspect of cosmic
reality. It is as though each created entity knew unconsciously about
the bliss of this state and sought to realize it in the most potent way
open to humanity: in love and sexuality between man and woman. The power that draws them together is the purest spiritual energy,
leading to an inkling of the purest spiritual state. However, when a man and a woman stay together in a more
enduring and committed relationship, maintaining and even
increasing bliss depends entirely on how the two relate to each
other. Are they aware of the direct relationship between enduring
pleasure and inner growth? Do they use the inevitable diculties in
the relationship as yardsticks for their own inner diculties? Do
they communicate in the deepest, most truthful, self-revealing way,
sharing their inner problems, helping each other? The answers to
these questions will determine whether the relationship falters,
dissolves, stagnates—or blossoms.When you look at the world around you, you will undoubtedly see
that very few human beings grow and reveal themselves in such an
open way. Equally few realize that growing together and through each
other determines the solidity of feelings, of pleasure, of enduring
love and respect. It is therefore not surprising that long-lasting
relationships are almost invariably more or less dead in feelings. Diculties that arise in a relationship are always signals for
something unattended to. They are a loud message for those who
can hear it. The sooner it is heeded, the more spiritual energy will
be released, so that the state of bliss can expand along with the
inner being of both partners. There is a mechanism in a relationship
between a man and a woman that can be likened to a very nely
calibrated instrument that shows the nest and most subtle aspects
of the relationship and the individual state of the two people
involved. This is not suciently recognized by even the most aware
and sophisticated people who are otherwise familiar with spiritual
and psychological truth. Every day and every hour one’s inner state
and feelings are a testimony to one’s state of growth, lb the degree
they are heeded, the interaction, the feelings, the freedom of ow
within and toward each other will blossom. The perfectly mature and spiritually valid relationship must
always be deeply connected with personal growth. The moment a
relationship is experienced as irrelevant to inner growth, left on its
own, as it were, it will falter. Only when both grow to their
ultimate, inherent potential can the relationship become more and
more dynamic and alive. This work has to be done individually and
mutually. When relationship is approached in that way, it will be
built on rock, not sand. No fear will ever nd room under such
circumstances. Feelings will expand, and security about the self and
each other will grow. At any given moment, each partner  will serve
as a mirror to the inner state of the other and therefore to the
relationship. Whenever there is friction or deadness, it is an indicat ion that
something must be stuck. Some interaction between the two people
remains unclear and it needs to be looked at. If it is understood and
brought out into the open, growth will proceed at maximum speed,and, in the dimension of feeling, happiness, bliss, profound
experience, and ecstasy will become forever deeper and more
beautiful, and life will acquire more meaning. Conversely, fear of intimacy implies rigidity and the denial of
one’s own share in the relationship’s diculties. Anyone who
ignores these principles, or who pays only lip service to them, is
emotionally not ready to assume the responsibility for his or


 is merely  for the sake of literary expedience  and to slow that they
have proved amenable  to the general treatment. JOHN  W. ARMSTRONG. 1944. "Many people believe that fifty thousand  doctors, vast  hospitals,  armies
of nurses, dentists, chemists,  clinics, and about three  hundred thousand
mentally deranged,  are signs  of progressive  medicine and  civilisation,
but actually they  demonstrate  complete  failure of our medical system,
and  wrong guidance of the public in nutrition  and  other ways of living. Thousands  of operations  carried out weekly  with brilliant technique,
give additional  proof that the prior  treatments  had r.ot achieved
successful  cure." “Health  and not disease is the true inheritance  of life. Human creatures
fair to realise facts which  stare  them in the face. We are made of what 5
 we eat, so if any organ becomes diseased,  it generally means the food
was wrong.”
MAJOR  C. FRASER MACKENZIE,  C.I.E. (Health  Through  Homeopathy,  June, July, 1944). “Disease . . . . becomes a vested interest, and consciously  or
unconsciously,  the doctors foster it as such. It is quite a common
observation  that doctors produce disase. Moreover,  the whole system
and philosophy  of our dealing with disease is mistaken.”
DR. W. H. WHITE, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Hippocrates,  the great priest  of medicine,  advised  the physicians  to
accept the help of the laity in the treatment  of disease,  but his advice
has seldom  been followed. Like the kingdom  of heaven, the kingdom of health has to be taken by
storm. J.W.A. 6
 CHAPTER  I. INTRODUCTION

Owing to the increasing  part played by vested interests in many
branches of human endeavour,  not least in the very lucrative providing
of remedies  for disease,  intelligent  members  of the public are growing
more  and more  distrustful  of orthodox medical  methods. Many people
must  have asked themselves  the following  questions  How comes it that
for over fifty years the orthodox cancer researchers  have been
occupying  themselves  with  the cause and  cure  of malignancy,  yet still
can suggest nothing better than the knife, radium or X‐rays? How comes it that after letters from  many doctors had appeared  in the
British Medical‐ Journal testifying  to the highly unsatisfactory  results  of
radium treatment,  it is none the less  still boosted in this country  and
elsewhere? How comes it that when effective treatments  for cancer have been
discovered  either by a qualified doctor or by practitioners  of
unorthodox  schools, they  have not been recognised  by the Cancer
Research Ring, which  still asks  the public to donate large  sums  towards
the discovery  of a cure? To these questions  (with which  I shall deal in my Afterword)  no
satisfactory  answers are forthcoming,  and  we are forced to the
conclusion  that, although there  are many selfless  and  noble‐minded
doctors to be found in most  countries,  in modern Medicine  itself  many
things  prevail which are much to be deplored. (1) The torture of 7
 animals  for experimentation  and  for the preparation  of sera  and
vaccines; (2) the fostering of fear in the public mind by means of
advertising;  (3) commercialism  and vested interests which  ought to play
no part in healing the sick and  (4) a narrow spirited element of trade
unionism which  suggests  that the patients exist for the doctors  instead
of vice  versa: all these things many doctors  themselves  have at one
time or another  commented  upon and regretted  in forcible terms. And yet, as after a war, Nature  or " the Higher Powers " seem to step  in
to adjust the balance of things  by insuring that a greater proportion  of
male children should he born, so when Medicine  becomes over‐
tinctured with material considerations  do they  seem to inspire some
method of healing as a corrective  to these tendencies,  and as a help to
those who are large‐minded enough to take advantage  of it. Such a
method may  be precluded  by other  methods  which  prepare  the way for
its acceptance  ; for one must admit  that naturopathy  has been
instrumental  in curing many diseases where tho orthodox system has
signally failed. Nevertheless,  as we shall see anon, naturopathy  as it is
usually practised  does not go far enough, for although it can cleanse
the body of its toxins, it cannot replace  wasted  tissues incidental  to
such grievous ills as consumption  or other  diseases of equal gravity. This can only be accomplished  by an elaboration  of an ancient therapy,
the details  of which I propose to put forward in this book, and which  I
have practised  ort myself and  some thousands  of others with signal
success, although many of them were said to be suffering from
incurable  diseases. It is true that at one time I had resolved not to write
my book until I had had  the chance of curing even leprosy; but as I am
unlikely to come across a case  of this dread disease unless enabled  to 8
 visit those countries  where it is prevalent,  I have decided  to give the
details  of my experiences  to the public without  further  delay. My
contention  is‐and  I do not stand alone in putting it forward‐that within
Man  himself  is to be found


 in order  to transform the
sexual  energy, you must direct  it up ward to a higher  ener gy center. Doing  this requir es channelin g the flow of this ener gy. We have
stressed  the need  and importance  of opening  the chann els of the
Microcosmic Orbit,  the main route  through  which the energ y begins
to travel. In ancient  times, the  ways to develop  Chi flo w were regarde d as
top secret,  especially  the way to channel  sexual  healing  energy. Sexual ener gy is extremely  pow erful as a me ans to attain
rejuvenatio n and a higher  spiritual  energy. There are textbooks,
such as the  Plain Lady book,  a sexology  book  written thousan ds of
years ago in ancient  China  by an unkno wn autho r, demonstrating
various  tradition al positions  for having  sex and  promoting  healing. But these  books  do not show  how to channel  the energ y. At the
time this book  became available,  the Taoist system of  channelin g
energy  was not available  to the gene ral public,  but remained  a
secret  taught  only verball y to the Emperor  and a few others  who
were not permitted  to put  it into  writing. We feel toda y that the time is right  to teach  people  how to benefit
from this transfo rmed ener gy, or Healing  Love,  becaus e many
people  misuse their sexual ener gy, hurting  them selves  and others. - 205  -Dual Cultivation
Our purpose  in writing this book  is to  help  people  benefit  from  the
channeling  of this energ y. 2. Sexual Organs are the Roots of  Life. The Taoist s ystem rega rds the sexual  organs  as the  roots  of
life, connecte d to all other  glands  and organs. Once  you begin  to
practice  the methods  taught  in this book,  you will begin  to feel the
close relatio nship  of the  glands  and orga ns, especiall y the pineal
and pituitary  glands,  kidney s, liver, lungs,  and heart. 3. Energizing  all the Organs and Glands
   The ovaries  have  a close  connection  with the sexual  organs,
and by prope rly channeli ng their energy  using  certain  love making
and hand  positions,  we can learn  to use sexual  healing  energy  to
vitalize our  entire  systems. There  are hundre ds of love making
positions  and hand  gestures. The purpose  of a position  is to
stimulate, accordin g to reflexes,  and to energize  all the  internal
organs. These  positions  help  only if the  energ y channel  throu gh
which you move the  energ y upw ard is open;  other wise, the
lovemaking  positions  and hand  gestures  will not have  much
meaning. The exercises  describe d in this book  are part of the
Healing  Love  practice:  however to a certain  extent,  they  can also
stand  alone  as guidelines  to your own sexual practice. In particular
the Anus Chi Muscl e exercise  and the Breast  Mass age will help
you get in  touch  with your organs’  and glands’  energ y. 4. Exchanging  Energy  with  your Partner
   Man y couples  have  used  the techniq ues describ ed here;  they
are no longer  mysterio us and they are no longer  only in the province
of Taoist M asters. These techniq ues can increase  the possibility
that you will experienc e Beyond Orgasm (Valle y Orgas m) whenever
you have  the desire. This is one  of the  goals  of this book. Synchronizing  your breathi ng with your partner’s  and then
harmonizing  your breathing  seems to  come quite  naturall y to ma ny
people. Lying with noses  in proxim ity, you begin  to feel  the two
breaths  be com e one. Breathing  in and  out together  is the  principal
way to begin  to build  up Chi in  both  you and your partner:  This
buildup  of Chi can  be a relaxing  time, or it can  be arousing,  dependi ng
upon  your intention. - 206  -Chapter  VIII
No doubt  you and your partner  are both  eager  to enjoy  your sexual
pleasures  together. Use this  book  as a  tool in learning  how  to practice
and use the Orgasmic Draw  in order  to mu ltiply your orgasms and
bring  you both  to the point  of Valley  Orgasm. As yo u practice  the
Orgas mic Dra w, your partne r practices  the Big Dra w as taught  in
the companion  book  Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual
Energy. These practices  will give  you both  a great  deal  of ener gy to
share. This energ y can be transfe rred back  and forth  between you
and your partne r throug h your tongu es or genitals- -each  organ  acting
as a switch to transfe r energ y between the two channels  that
complete  each  one’s  Microcosmic Orbit. In fact, w ith practice  you
will be able  to exchange  energy  in a variet y of ways, including  over
physical distance. Som e people  will actuall y feel the energ y circulate
in their  own Microcosmic Orbit  and will feel that energy  transfe r
into their partner. Some couples  have  describe d the feeling  of the
energy  as a cocoon  surroun ding them, and  som e feel  the energ y
betw een them or above  them. 5. Valley Orgasm an d Hhw to get there. Difficult to  explain  in words, a person  must reach  a certain  level
in lovem aking  to understa nd what is me ant by Valle y Orgasm
(Beyond Orgasm). The ma jor sensation  is the atmosphere  between
you and your lover. lf yo u are both  in a low mood, or  one of you is
in a low energy  cycle, it beco mes difficult to reach  this point. Medit ating  to mo ve the  energ y in the  Micr ocosmic Orbit  will help
bring  each  of you to the same energ y level and  is mo st im portant
to the  initiation  of sexual  pleasure. The m ore y ou and your partn er
can meditate and  practice  the Orgas mic and  Big Dra w togethe r
the more both  of you will harmonically  tune  in to each  other. Practicing  such  techniques  as Tongue  Kung Fu,  as described
in the  book  Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy,
will greatl y contribute  to foreplay  and sexual  arousal. When yo u
feel you are read y to engag e in love making,  and have  built  up sexual
arousal  substanti ally you can begin  to use  the Orgasm ic Draw,
while your partn er uses  the Big Dra w. After each  Orgasmic or  Big
Draw, the energ y starts  to mo ve betw een you, fusing  you into an
energetic  or meditative state  that can make you both  feel connected
and simultaneo usly experienc e a cosmic tranquility. You can
understa nd how  difficult  it is to describe  this state;  it is si milar to
- 207  -Dual Cultivation
describing  what meditation  feels like. You must experienc e it
yourself. In order  for you and your partn er to experienc e the energ y,
you must begin  with the basic training  describe d in this chapter
initially  using  som e external  help  (i.e.,  breathin g techniqu es, muscle
locks, placing  of hands,  etc.) to guide  you into the internal  practice
(mind control). We will elaborat e on a few love making  and hand
positions  to help  you and your partner  open  the channels  faster  so
that the exchange  of Valley  Orgasms wi ll be easier. 6. Sexual Organs’  Exercise  Positi ons
    There  are a few basic positions  that we use in lovem aking,  and
from these  basic  few com e hund reds of others. Man y simply alter
the positions  of the  legs:  one leg up and one leg do wn, or both  legs
up, etc. This slight  differential  accounts  for many positions,  but as
we have  emphasized,  although  certain  positions  help  you to


 to wilt them so they will
bend. Cut the broccoli, cauliflower, squash and corn into small pieces
and put them in a pan with a little water to simmer. When cooked,
drain the water off. Make a sauce in the blender with the tomatoes and
garlic, and pour this sauce on top of the vegetables and uncooked rice. Place some of the vegetables/rice mixture in the center of each leaf and
roll them up. Put these in a baking dish with a lid and bake in the oven
at 250° F (121° C) for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Green Peppers
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 2-3
2-4 green peppers, sliced
2-4 onions, sliced
Stew in tightly covered pot for approximately 30 minutes. Do not add
water. $PPLCPPL5IF(FSTPO8BZ
Grilled Eggplant
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutesServes 1
1 eggplant
garlicparsley, choppedlemon (or lime) juice
Slice the eggplant lengthwise. Heat a griddle pan (preferably a “ridged”
pan). When the pan is hot, turn down the heat, place the slices of egg-plant on the griddle and allow them to cook slowly. Turn over the slicesand repeat. Before serving, squeeze garlic over the slices, sprinkle withchopped parsley and drizzle lemon (or lime) juice over them. This is agood main course for lunch served with new potatoes. Variations:  You can do the same thing with large slices of peppers,
halves of onions or zucchini halved lengthwise. Leek and Potato Bake
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 40 minutesServes 2
1 lb. potatoes
1 small leekfine oats (put some regular rolled oats in the blender)
Parboil the potatoes in their skins until they are hot through and just
beginning to soften. Very thinly slice the leek (using the white sectiononly). Peel the potatoes and coarsely grate them. Mix in the leek. Putinto a shallow baking dish (sprinkled at the bottom with fine oats to pre-vent sticking). Cook on the top shelf of the oven at 350° F (180° C) untilbeginning to show signs of browning. (Don’t leave it for too long or itRecipes
will dry out. ) Serve with either cooked vegetables or a green salad and
tomatoes. Leeks (or Zucchini) à la Grecque
Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 30 minutesServes 2
1 lb. leeks (or zucchini)
3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)juice of 1 lemonbay leafthymecoriander seeds
Slice the leeks (or zucchini) into 1-inch pieces. Cook gently with
chopped tomatoes (if used), lemon juice, bay leaf, thyme and corianderseeds. Serve hot or cold. Lima Beans and Zucchini
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 20 minutesServes 1-2
1 large onion
1 clove garlic 1/2 cup soup stock 1 cup fresh lima beans 3 cups zucchini 4 medium tomatoes 1/2 tsp. cornstarch 4 sprigs fresh parsley dash of thyme (or sage, or a pinch of dried parsley)
$PPLCPPL5IF(FSTPO8BZ
7Mix together all ingredients except herbs. Simmer about 15 minutes
(until tender). Thicken with cornstarch mixed with a little water. Justbefore serving, add herbs. Lyonnaise Potatoes
Preparation time: 5 minutesCooking Time: 1 to 1-1/2 hoursServes 2
1 lb. potatoes
1 large onion2 tbsp. of water flaxseed oilgarlic, crushed
Thickly slice the potatoes and onion. Arrange the potato slices in an
oven-proof dish with a slice of onion between each potato slice. Pour onthe water. Bake in oven at 300-350° F (149-177° C) until well done andbeginning to brown. Allow to cool slightly, then pour on the flaxseed oiland crushed garlic. Serve immediately. Mashed Carrot and Potato Bake
Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 1 hour
carrots
potatoes
Cook the carrots and potatoes gently until just tender. Mash them and
pile into an oven-proof dish. Decorate with diagonal fork marks and putinto a hot oven at 400-425° F (204-218° C) to brown. Mashed Potatoes
Preparation time: 20 minutesRecipes
7Cooking time: 40 minutes
potatoes
1 small onionyogurt
Peel and cube potatoes. Place in pan with one small onion and enough
water to bring to a boil. Simmer until done (when there is no water left). Mash with enough yogurt to make smooth. Mashed Potatoes and Chard
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 25 minutesServes 4
1 bunch green (or red) chard
4-5 tbsp. water (or soup stock) 3 large (or 4 medium) potatoes6-8 oz. yogurt
Shred the chard and put in pan. Add water (or soup stock) and start to
boil. When boiling, turn down to simmer. Meanwhile, peel potatoes,cube and place on top of the chard. Let simmer until potatoes are softand done. Remove any remaining water and add yogurt. Mash alltogether. Add a little more yogurt if the mixture is too dry. Variation: The same recipe can be used with kale. When using kale,
strip out central stems before shredding into pan. Mashed Potatoes Gerson Style
Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 35 minutes
potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
onion, peeled and chopped small$PPLCPPL5IF(FSTPO8BZ
7Place potatoes and onions in a pot. Add just enough water to reach the
vegetables half-way up. Cover, bring to boil and simmer until potatoesare cooked. (Most of the cooking water will probably be gone. ) Mashpotatoes and onions using some (or all) of the cooking water. If notenough moisture, add some soup stock. Variations: Add any herb of your choice, finely chopped. Parsley is
very good; mint and dill will also work. Oven-Browned Potatoes
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
potatoesCut the potatoes like French fries (or in small cubes, or in thin slices)
and brown on an oven tray in the oven. They will brown at a surpris-ingly low heat (300° F or 149° C), if left in long enough. Depending onthe variety of potato, they can brown very quickly and puff up at highheat (425° F or 218° C). They can also be browned under the broiler, butwatch them to avoid burning. This is meant to be an occasional treat. Parsley Potatoes
potatoesparsley, choppedflaxseed oil
Boil several potatoes in their skins until done. Remove the peel and roll
in some chopped parsley after slightly brushing with flaxseed oil. Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes
Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 40 minutesServes 2-4
1 lb. parsnipsRecipes
71 lb. sweet potatoes
sprig of fresh rosemary
Cut the parsnips and sweet potatoes into wedges, leaving the skins
intact. Put into a baking dish with a little water to cover the bottom. Add a sprig of rosemary. Cover and bake in a medium oven at 325° F(170° C) until just cooked. Serve with a baked potato. Patate alla Francesca
Preparation time: 5 minutesCooking time: 40 minutes
new potatoes
tomatoesfresh rosemary sprigsgarlic
Bake new potatoes in a covered dish at 300-350° F (149-177° C) with
chopped or sliced tomatoes, fresh rosemary sprigs and plenty of garlic. Serve with lemon wedges and a green salad. Piemontese Peppers
Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 1 hourServes 2
2 tomatoes
2 red bell peppers2 cloves garlic, slicedherbs
Skin the tomatoes. Halve the peppers and remove the seeds (but not the
stalks). Place the peppers skin-side down in a baking dish. Place slices ofgarlic inside each pepper half and top each with half a skinned tomato. $PPLCPPL5IF(FSTPO8BZ
Bake covered at 350° F (180° C) until tender and sweet (about 1 hour). Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with herbs. Potato and Celery Root Lyonnaise
Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking Time: 1-1/2 to 2 hoursServes 2
1 small to medium onion
1 small to medium celery root, scrubbed (and, if necessary, peeled)1 medium potato, scrubbed
Slice all the ingredients thinly. Arrange in layers (onion, celery root and


 aging extends as
far back as recorded history and even prehistory. Animals and plants grow
old, fulfilling a universal law of Nature. It is hard to imagine that aging is
the result of learned behavior, for biology cannot be denied. Yet the core belief that aging is a fixed, mechanical process—something
that just happens to us—is only a belief. As such, it blinds us to all kinds of
facts that don’t fit the belief system we cling to. How many of the following
statements do you believe are facts? a)  Aging is natural—all or ganisms grow old and die. b)  Aging is inevitable—it can’ t be prevented. c)  Aging is normal—it af fects everyone about the same.d)  Agin g is genetic—I’ll proba bly live about as long as my parents
and grandparents did. e)  Aging is painful—it causes physical and mental suf fering. f)  Aging is universal—the law of entropy makes all orderly systems
run down and decay. g)  Aging is fatal—we’re all growing old and dying. If you take any or all of these to be statements of fact, you are under the
influence of beliefs that do not match reality. Each statement contains a
little objective truth, but each can be refuted, too. a)  Agin g is natural, but there are organisms that never age, such as
one-celled amoe bas, algae, and protozoa. Parts of you also do not
age—your emotions, ego, personality type, I.Q., and other mental
characteristics, for example, as well as vast portions of your
DNA. Physically, it makes no sense to say that the water and
minerals in your body are aging, for what is “old water” or “old
salt”? These components alone make up 70 percent of your body. b)  Aging is inevitable, but the honeybee at certain times of the year
can shift its hormones and completely reverse its age. In the
human body, shifts in hormones  may not be as dramatic, but there
is enough latitude so that on any given day your hormonal profile
may be younger than the day, month, or year before. c)  Aging is normal; however, there is no normal curve of aging that
applies to everyone. Some people entirely escape certain aging
symptoms, while others are afflicted with them long before old
age sets in. d)  Aging has a genetic component that affects everyone, but not to
the degree usually supposed. Having two parents who survived
into their eighties adds only about three years to a child’ s life
expectancy; less than 5 percent of the population has such good or
bad genes that their life span will turn out to be significantly
longer or shorter. By comparison, by adopting a healthy lifestyle,
you can delay symptoms of aging by as much as thirty years. e)  Aging is often painful, both physically and mentally, but this is the
result not of aging itself but of the many diseases that afflict theelderly; much of that disease can be prevented. f)  Agin g seems  to be universal, because all orderly systems break
down over time, but our bodies  resist this decay extremely well. Without negative influences from within and without, our tissues
and organs could easily last 115 to 130 years before sheer age
caused them to stop functioning. g)  Finally, aging is fatal, becaus e everyone has to die, but in the vast
majority of cases, perhaps as much as 99 percent, the cause of
death is not old age but cancer, heart attack, stroke, pneumonia,
and other illnesses. It is extremely difficult to ascertain what it would be like to watch the
body age per se. Two cars left out in the rain will rust at about the same
rate; the process of oxidation attacks them equally, turning their iron and
steel into ferrous oxide according to one easily explained law of chemistry. The aging process obeys no such simple laws. For some of us, aging is
steady, uniform, and slow, like a tortoise crawling toward its destination. For others, aging  is like approac hing an unseen cliff—there is a long, secure
plateau of health, followed by a sharp decline in the last year or two of life. And for still others, most of the body will remain healthy except for a weak
link, such as the heart, which fails much faster than do the other organs. You would have  to follow a person for most of his adult life before you
figured out how he was aging, and by then it would be too late. The fact that aging is so personal has proved very frustrating for
medicine, which  finds it extrem ely difficult to predict and treat many of the
major conditions associated with old age. Two young women can ingest the
same amount of calcium, display equally healthy hormone levels, and yet
one will develop crippling osteoporosis after menopause while the other
won’ t. Twin brothers with identical genes will go through life with
remarkably similar medical histories, yet only one will develop Alzheimer ’s
or arthritis or cancer. Two of the most common conditions in old age, rising
blood pressure and elevated cholesterol, are just as unpredictable. The aging
body refuses to behave according to mechanical laws and rules. After decades of intense inves tigation, there is no adequate theory of
human aging. Even our attempts to explain how animals age have resultedin more than three hundred separate theories, many of them contradictory. Our notions of aging have been drastically modified over the last two
decades. In the early 1970s, doctors began to notice patients in their sixties
and seventies whose bodies still functioned with the vigor and health of
middle age. These people ate sensibly and looked after their bodies. Most
did not smoke, having given up the habit sometime after the Surgeon
General’ s origin al warnings about lung cancer in the early 1960s. They had
never suffered heart attacks. Although they exhibited some of the accepted
signs of old age—higher blood pressure and cholesterol, and tendencies to
put on body fat, to become farsighted, and to lose the top range of their
hearing—there was nothing elderly about these people. The “new old age,”
as it came to be called, was born. The “old old age” had been marked by irreversible declines on all fronts
—physical, mental, and social. For untold centuries people expected to
reach old age—if they reached it at all—feeble, senile, socially useless,
sick, and poor. To reinforce this grim expectation there were grim facts:
Only one out of ten people lived to the age of 65 before this century. For centuries in the past, the human body was exposed to the killing
influence of a harsh environment: Inadequate nutrition, a lifetime spent in
physical labor, and uncontrollable epidemics of disease created conditions
that accelerated aging. Leaf through the accounts of immigrants passing
through Ellis Island at the turn of the century; some of the photographs will
horrify you. The faces of 40-year -old women look haggard and drawn,
literally as if they were 70—and an old 70 at that. Adolescent boys look like
battered middle-aged men. Under the surgeon’ s scalpel their hearts, lungs,
kidneys, and livers would have looked identical to those of a modern person
twice their age. Aging is the body’s response to conditions imposed upon it,
both inner and outer. The sands of age shift under our feet, adap ting to how
we live and who we are. The new old age arrived on the scene after more than half a century of
improved living conditions and intensive medical progress. The average
American life span of 49 years in 1900 jumped to 75 in 1990. To put this
huge increase in perspective, the years of life we have gained in less than a
century are equal to the total life span that individuals enjoyed for more
than four thousand years; from prehistoric times to the dawn of theIndustrial Revol ution, the average life span remained below 45. Only 10
percent of the general population used to make it to 65, but today 80 percent
of the population lives at least that long. The Mystery of Aging
Despite this evidence that aging is a shifting, fluid phenomen on, we still
find ourselves operating under  the belief that aging can be understood
strictly as a biological process. When you look at your body and notice how
much it has changed physically since you were young, aging seems an
obvious phenomenon. In fact, it is anything but. Twenty years ago I was a young resident working in a vast and dreary
veterans hospita l outside Boston. In a typical day I ran physical s on dozens
of patie nts, mostly old soldiers who had served in two world wars. The
passing years had taken a toll that was all too obvious. Even when I had my
eyes closed, the sound and touch of their bodies were unmistakable. Their
hands trembled while I took their pulse, and their lungs wheeze d under the
stethoscope. The pounding lub-dub of young hearts had given way to
feebler, threadier rhythms. I knew that unseen destruction was taking place beneath the thin veil of
their dry, wrinkled skin. Blood vessels were hardening and blood pressure
was rising. If I could reach in to touch the three coronary arteries, one or
more would almost certainly be engor


:'Homeopathicremediesare
placebos'
Thismythcanberephrasedtoread'Youneedto
believeinitforittowork. 'Thisispatentlyridiculousto
anyonewhohasexperiencedorprescribedasuccess-
fulhomeopathiccurefor,say,aheadinjuryora
middle-earinfection. Aplaceboisanunmedicated pillwhichthepatient
believescontainssomethingthatwillcurehimorher. Double-blind trialsalwaysinvolvetheinclusionofa
controlgrouptakingaplaceboinsteadofthemedicine
beingtestedinordertoruleouttheindividual's
'suggestibility'. Itisbecausehomeopathicremediesdonotalways
workthattheyaresometimesbelievedtobeineffec-
tive,and,becauseroutineprescriptionssuchasRhus
toxicodendronforrheumatismandChamomillaforteeth-
ingbabiesarefreelyavailablefromhigh-streetchem-
ists,peoplearewronglypersuadedintothinkingthat
theyneednotconsultahomeopath(oranadequate
first-aidbook). Iftheremediesdonotworkitis
assumedthathomeopathydoesnotwork;iftheydo
workitisattributedtoaplaceboeffect-somedouble
blind. Homeopathicmedicinesworkeffectivelyonbabies
andanimals,neitherofwhomareopentobeing
affectedbyplacebos. Itisalwaysessentialtoindividualisetheremedyto
fitthepatientandnotthedisease,toensurethatthe
MYTHSANDMISAPPREHENSIONS 'Homeopathy ismysteriousandunscientific' •19
underlyingprinciplesareobservedsothattheelement
ofchanceisdecreasedandhomeopathycanbeseento
work. Ofcourse,therearemanypeoplewhowillrecog-
nisetheexperienceofconsultingapractitionerwho
inspiresbeliefandhope,wholeftthemfeeling
buoyantandencouraged. Butifthisinitialrapportis
notbackedupwithgoodsolidprescribing,thenno
amountofthatpositive'transference' willcurethe
patient. Myth:'Homeopathy ismysteriousand
unscientific'
Thefactthathomeopathicmedicinesarepreparedina
pharmacyoralaboratoryandthattheirpreparation
involvesaparticulartechniquesubjecttopreciseand
clearlystatedcontrols(itdoesnotinvolvemysteriousandsecretprocesseswhichputitintotherealmof
whitemagicoralchemy)isenoughtoconvincemany
peopleofitsvalidity. Homeopathshavetraditionallyjustifiedtheirprac-
ticebytheirresults,withoutfeelinganeedtoexplain
howtheirmethodswork. Thehomeopathicphilos-
ophyordoctrineisasetofrulesforpractice-onethat
hasn'tchangedsinceitwasformulated180yearsago. Theserulesandprinciplesconstituteaunifiedhypoth-
esiswhosevalidityistestedoutempirically-with
curedpatientsconfirmingthehypothesis. HarrisCoulter,inhisbookHomoeopathicScienceand
ModernMedicine(ThePhysicsofHealingwithMicrodoses),
discussesthisissueatgreatlengthandalsodescribes
manyofthetrialsthathavebeenconductedoverthe
pastfiftyyearsorsousingplants,animalsand
humansascontrolstoprovetheeffectivenessof
homeopathicmedicines. •4-
TAKING
THE
CASE
Itiswellworththeefforttoapproachfirst-aidprescrib-
ingseriouslybyteachingyourselfhowtotakeacase
andhowtoworkouttherightremedy. Thatisthe
majorconcernofthisbook:tohelpyoutoprescribein
thesamewaythataprofessionalhomeopathwould. Therearemanybooksonthemarketthattakethe
'symptomaticapproach',directingyoutoaremedyon
thestrengthofonesymptomorcomplaint. Inmy
opinionthisisnotthoroughenoughandtheresults
cannotbeguaranteed. Inthisbook,therefore, Ihave
takenamoreclassicalapproach,whichinvolveslook-
ingatthewholepersoninamoredetailedway. ThroughoutthebookIhaveassumedthatyouare
prescribingforsomeoneelse. Ifyoufallillandwishto
prescribeforyourselfthenthesameprinciplesapply,
butitisimportanttorememberthatitisdifficulttobe
objectiveaboutyourownsymptoms,andyoumay
befooledintoprescribingthewrongremedy. For
example,youmayfeelquitenormalandcalmin
yourselfwhileeveryonearoundyouhasexperienceda
sharpincreaseinyourlevelsofirritabilityandtouchi-
ness;and/oryoumayalreadyhaveforgottenthe
drenchingyougotthedaybeforeyoufellill. Itcanbe
mostusefultotalkthroughyourcasebeforeyou
self-prescribe. Somepeoplearehighlycompetentat
knowingexactlywhattheir'symptompicture'isand
areclearaboutthestressesthatleduptotheirillness;
othersneedmorehelp. Dogetthathelpifyouneedit. Beforeyoubegintotakethecase,checkthatthe
complaint iswithinthescopeofthisbook. Don't
attempttoprescribeforachronicdisease;thesealways
needprofessionalattention. Seealsopages203-26
fordiseasesyoucantreatusingthisbook. TheSymptomPicture
Ihaveusedthewordcomplaintthroughoutthebook
tomeanthediseaseitself,orratheritslabel;forexample'sorethroat'or'cough'. Thesymptomsare
thevisiblesignsofthecomplaint. Sayyourchildis
complainingofabarkingcoughthatisworseatnight
andbetterforsittingup. Thecomplaintisthecough,
andthesymptomsarebarking,worseatnightand
betterforsittingup. Sothecomplaintexpressesitself
throughthesymptoms. Thesymptompictureisadetailedaccountofwhatis
wrongwithyouasawholewhenyoufallill. Your
symptoms-thesignsorindicationsofyourbeingill-
areaformofexpressionandacallforhelpfromyour
body. Ahomeopathicprescriberisasymptomsleuth. Inorderforaremedytoworkwellyouneedtomatch,
asaccuratelyaspossible,thepatient'ssymptompic-
turewiththatofaremedypicture-thecollectionof
symptomsproducedbytheremedyinitsproving,as
setoutintheMateriaMedica. Itdoesn'thavetobe
identical,merelysimilar. Yourobservationsarethereforeveryimportant. Youarenotsimplylookingforachesandpains;you
needtogetapictureofthedifferencesinthepatient
fromhernormalstateofhealth. Gatheringinfor-
mationisnotalwayseasy. Lookforclear,strongly
markedsymptoms;vague,'well. sometimes'
symptomsdon'tcountunlesstheypresenta'change-
able'symptompictureinthemselves. Certainsymptomsarealwayspresentinanygiven
diseaseandareindicatedinitsname. Forexample,
painduringurinationisusuallycalledcystitis;certain
typesofskinrashesarecalledeczema;inflamed,blood-
shoteyesareoftencalledconjunctivitis. Homeopathy
doesnottreatthelabelleddiseasealone-thecystitis,
theeczema,theconjunctivitis; ittreatstheindividual
whoissick. Notwocasesofcystitisareexactlythe
same. Everylabelleddisease(orcomplaint) isalsoac-
companiedbysymptomspeculiartotheindividual
whohasit,anddiffersfromanothercaseofthesame
'disease'. Itistheseindividualcharacteristics inthe
patientthatguideustotherighthomeopathicremedy. TAKINGTHECASE TheSymptomPicture•21
Simplytowriteheadache'orcough'isnotenough. IfyoulookeitherofthesesymptomsupintheReper-
toryyouwillfindmanyremedieslisted. Itisthe
particularsymptomsofthepatient'sheadacheor
coughthatenableyoutobegintonarrowdownthe
choiceofremedies,toindividualisethecase. One
personwithaheadache,forexample,willhavea
throbbingforeheadthatfeelsbetterforfreshair,while
anotherwillhavesharppainsinthetemplesthatare
betterforwarmthandlyingdown. Theycallfordiffer-
entremedies. Forhomeopathicpurposes,symptomsaredivided
intothreecategories:general,mental/emotional and
physicalcomplaints. Seepages227-8fordefinitions
andcheckliststousewhilenote-taking. Note-taking
Itisessentialthatyouwritedownyourpatient's
symptoms,andalsothatyourecordtheremedyyou
giveaswellasitsresult. Evenifyouwriteonlyafew
wordsplusthedate,thenameandthepotencyofthe
remedy,


antidotes,4,24,28,247
Antimoniumtartaricum,203
anxiety,16
Apis,235,249
Arabstates,10
Argentina,9
Argentumnitricum,229
Arnica,24,207,229,231,232,249
Arsenicum,241,249
arthritis,14,219-20
Asia,9
aspirin,216
asthma,15,204
Athens,10
athlete'sfoot,205
Australia,9
babies,18,24;nappyrash,220;
symptomchecklist,228;takingremedies,25,26;teething,224,
237-41
backinjuries,205
backache,205
Bangladesh,9
bedwetting,205
beestings,205
Belladonna,12,203,235,249
Birmingham,252
bites,205-6
bleeding,203
blisters,206
blocks,miasmic,6,15,247
bloodblisters,206
blood-letting,8
bloodpoisoning,206
BoardofHealth(Britain),8
boils,206
bones,broken,207,232
Brazil,9
breastfeedingproblems,206-7;
abscesses,206-7;cracked
nipples,207;engorged,207;
lumps,207
breath,smells,21
breathing:laboured,203;rapid,
203
Bristol,10,252
Britain,8-9,10
BritishHomoeopathic
Association,247
BritishHomoeopathic Society,8
brokenbones,207,232
bruises,207,231
Bryonia,22,23,235,249
Bryoniaalba,6
bunions,211-12
burns,207-8
bushmastersnake,7Calcareacarbonica,232
Calcareaphosphorica,232
Calendula,28,224,249
Calomel,8
Camphor,6,8,28
cancer,14,15,204
cannabis,28
Cantharis,249
case-taking,21-2,227-9,247
catarrh,213
centesimalscale,diluting
substances,13,247
Chamomilla,17,18,25,221,249
chestpain,203
chickenpox,14,206,209
chilblains,208
children,24;bedwetting,205;
illnesses,14,208-10;safety,25;
symptomchecklist,228;taking
remedies,25;teething,224,
237-41
cholera,6,8
ChronicDiseasesandTheir
HomeopathicCure
(Hahnemann),6
chronicillness,14-15,20,203,
226,247
Cinchona,4,5
cloves,oilof,28
coffee,28
coldsores,23,206,210
colds,14,27,211,232-5
colic,17,210-11
combinationremedies,9,12
commonsymptoms,247
confusion,mental,204
Conium,12
conjunctivitis,20
constipation,204,211
INDEX•251
constitution,13-14,247
contraception,16
convalescence,14
convulsions,203,211,216
corns,211-12
coughs,14,20,21,212,232-5
Coulter,Harris,19
CouncilforComplementaryand
AlternativeMedicine,252
cow'smilk,24-5
crackednipples,207
cramp,212
CrimeanWar,8
croup,212
Cullen,DrWilliam,4
Cuprummetallicum,6
cure,definition,247
Cure,Lawsof,7,15,247
curedsymptoms,12
curries,28
cuts,219,231
cystitis,20,212-13,
cysts,204
Darwinism,8
deadlynightshade,11-12
deafness,213
decimalscales,diluting
substances,13
defencemechanisms,14
degenerativediseases,204
dehydration,216
delirium,203
Denmark,9
dentists,28
dermatitis,204
diarrhoea,27,213,217,241
differentiation, 22,247
dilutionofremedies,5,12-13
disease,definition,247
dizziness,213
doctorhomeopaths,24/
DoctrineofSignatures,4
doses:howmanyandhowoften,
26,27;minimum,5,12-13,248;
shaking,5;sizeof,25-6;see
alsoremedies
drugs,9,28
Dudgeon,Robert,8
earache,26,27,213-14
EasternEurope,9
eczema,15,20,204,206
elbow,tennis,224-5
electromagnetism, 13
emergencies,24emotionalhealth,15-16
emotionalproblems,214,247
energy,14,15,18
engorgedbreasts,207
Enlightenment, 4
environmental pollution,14
epidemics,6,8,13
Ernst,DukeofSaxe-Coburg,9
eucalyptus,28
Eupatoriumperfoliatum,249
Europe,9
examnerves,232
exhaustion,214
eyes:eyestrain,215;
inflammation,214-15;injuries,
215;styes,224
FacultyofHomeopathy,8
faintness,215
fasting,216
feet:athlete'sfoot,205;bunions,
211-12;chilblains,208;corns,
211-12
fever,203,215-16
first-aidkits,25,249
first-aidprescribing,13,20,26
flatulence,216-17
flu,14,23,26,28,216,235-7
flushes,hot,218
folk-medicine,3,6
foodpoisoning,14,217,241
fractures,207,232
France,9
FrederickAugustus I,Kingof
Saxony,7
Gelsemium,28,249
generalsymptoms,247
genetics,13
genitalthrush,225
germtheoryofdisease,3,6,9,
13,16,201
Germanmeasles,209
Germany,3-4,9
glandularfever,215
Glasgow,10,252
globules,25
gonorrhoea,15
Greece,10
gums:abscesses,205;bleeding,
217
Hahnemann,MarieMelanied',
6
Hahnemann,Samuel,3-7,8-9,
10,11,14-15HahnemannMedicalCollege,
Philadelphia,7
hairloss,217
hallucinations,216
hayfever,204,217
headinjuries,26,27,218,231
headaches,21,203,217
'healingcrisis',27
health,15-16
heartdisease,14,15,204
heartburn,218,219
hemlock,11-12
Heparsulphuricum,249
hepatitis,204
herbalism,18
Hering,Constantine, 7,8,12,15
herpes,206
high-potencyprescribing, 7,8,9,
13,28
Hippocrates, 3,5,215
history,3-9
hives,218
homeopaths,professional,252
homeostasis,14
hospitals,homeopathic, 10,252
hotflushes,218
HouseofLords,8
Hughes,Richard,8-9
Hungary,6
hygiene,6
Hypercal9
,224
Hypericum,24,231,249
Iceland,9
Ignatia,241
immunesystem,14,18,208,211,
214
immunity,247
impetigo,206
incubationperiod,14
India,9
indigestion,219
inheritedtendenciestodisease,
6,13-14
injuries,219,222,231
insectbitesandstings,205-6
insomnia,219,237
iron-deficiencyanaemia,205
isopathy,7
Israel,10
joints:pain,219-20;strains,
223-4
keloids,220
Kent,JamesTyler,7,8,10,17
252•INDEX
Kentians,7
Kothen,6
labourpains,220
Lachesis,7,12,22
laughter,202
LawofSimilars,11
LawsofCure,7,15,247
Ledum,249
Leipzig,5,8


ina, p. 263) has high levels of vitamin C, and carrot (Daucus carota, p. 201) is rich in beta-
carotene (pro-vitamin A), but many are less well recognized. Watercress ( Nasturtium
officinale, p. 239), for
example, contains
appreciable levels of
vitamins B
1, B2, C, and E as well
as beta-carotene, while sea
buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides, p. 220) can be regarded as a vitamin and mineral supplement in its
own right.Glucosilinates
Found exclusively in species of  the mustard and cabbage family, glucosilinates have an irritant effect  on the skin, causing inflammation and blistering. Applied as poultices to painful or aching joints, they increase blood flow to the affected area, helping to remove the buildup of waste products (a contributory factor in many joint problems). On eating, glucosilinates are broken down and produce a strong, pungent taste. Radish (Raphanus sativus, p. 261)  and watercress (Nasturtium officinale,  p. 239) are typical glucosilinate-containing plants. Bitters
Bitters are a varied group of constituents linked only by their pronounced bitter taste. The bitterness itself stimulates secretions
by the salivary glands and digestive organs. Such secretions can dramatically improve the appetite and strengthen the overall function
of the digestive system. With the improved digestion and absorption of nutrients that follow, the body is nourished and strengthened. Many  herbs have bitter constituents, notably wormwood (Artemisia absinthium, p. 66),
chiretta (Swertia chirata, p. 273), and hops (Humulus lupulus, p. 104). Minerals
Like vegetable foods, many medicinal plants provide high levels of minerals. Plants, especially organically grown
ones, draw minerals from the soil and convert them into a form that is more easily absorbed and used by the body. Whether plants are eaten as a vegetable, like cabbage (Brassica oleracea, p. 180), or taken as a medicine, like bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus,  p. 213), in many cases the mineral content is a key factor in the plant’s therapeutic activity within the body. Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale, p. 141) is a potent diuretic, balanced by its high potassium  content, while the high silica content of horsetail (Equisetum arvense, p. 205) supports the repair
of connective tissue, making it useful in arthritis. Slippery Elm
(Ulmus rubra)
Deadly Nightshade
(Atropa belladonna)
Dog Rose
(Rosa canina)
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale)Radish
(Raphanus sativus)
Wormwood(Artemisia absinthium)
US_014-017_Active_Constituents.indd   16 26/02/16   4:42 pm17 quality control
CalendulaWhat should you look for when buying herbal medicines? It is usually most convenient to buy capsules, tablets,
essential oils, pessaries, and perhaps tinctures, and to
make up your own infusions, decoctions, and syrups
(see p. 291 and p. 293). • Buy from a reputable herb store, staffed by
people knowledgeable about herbal medicines. • Only buy herbs online from established
herbal suppliers. • Buy organic herbs and products where available. Buying Dried Herbs
Dried herbs are generally available from herbal suppliers. Buying
from shops is preferable to buying online because the herbs can be
examined before purchasing. However, it is possible some online
companies may supply fresher herbs due to higher turnover. To gain the
best medicinal effect, good-quality produce is essential. Shop around
and bear in mind the following points before buying:
• Herbs should not be stored in clear glass jars or in direct sunlight,
as this causes oxidation, which affects their efficacy.• Good-quality aromatic herbs should have a distinct scent and taste. • Check for signs of infestation due to poor drying techniques, or
adulteration. This can sometimes be recognized by the presence of
dried grass or other non-medicinal material in the jar. • Herbs lose their color as they age. Look for bright material that has
been well dried and stored, and that is not too old. Calendula flowers
(Calendula officinalis, p. 73) that are a vivid yellow/orange color are likely
to make good medicine. If they have been sitting on a shelf for
18 months, they will probably look drab and pale. Buying Herbal Products
When buying products such as capsules, tablets, essential oils,
pessaries, and tinctures, always check the label on the jar or packet. If it does not do the following, do not buy it:
■ Name all constituents of the product
■ State the recommended daily dosage
■ State the weight of each capsule or tablet, or volume of bottle
■ List the weight of each constituent of a capsule, tablet, etc. ■ List the ratio of herb in the product (for example, 1:3, meaning
1 part herb to 3 parts liquid).Quality is vital for herbal medicine. Without a guarantee that
the correct herb of the right quality is being used, it is hard to
be confident that the medicine will prove effective. In fact, one
reason why the medical profession has generally preferred
conventional medicines to herbal ones is the difficulty of
guaranteeing quality in herbal remedies. Many herbal products
on the market are of high quality but some can be very poor. A 2006 U.S. study of black cohosh ( Cimicifuga racemosa, p. 79)
found that only 7 out of 11 over-the-counter products tested
contained what was stated on the label. Four contained a
cheaper Chinese species instead. The adulteration of herbal
products, particularly in Chinese and Indian herbs sold in
the West is, regrettably, not unusual. Herb quality may be affected not only by deliberate
adulteration, but by the use of wrongly identified or poor-quality
material. The herb may have been poorly harvested, dried, or
stored, or it may be old or decayed. It may even be that the
wrong herb was used. In each case, the lack of attention to
quality results in a product with reduced medicinal value—
or even none at all. To try to ensure that only good-quality products are made,
manufacturers of genuine herbal medicines use strict quality-control procedures. Usually this involves comparing the dried
herb material with listings in an herbal or national pharmacopeia
(a standard reference work that gives the characteristics one
would expect to find when analyzing a specific herb). Quality
control involves making routine checks to establish that the
herbal material is what it claims to be and that it meets a number
of minimum requirements. The material is inspected with the
naked eye, and assessed microscopically, to see if its botanical
profile matches the standard. Other checks are made to see
whether it contains appropriate levels of active constituents
and to ensure that the material is free from contamination. More sensitive quality-control methods, however, recognize
that the quality of an herb does not depend simply on the
presence of one or two key active constituents. Increasingly,
people in the world of herbal medicine are focusing on the
“fingerprint” of an herb—the unique chemical profile that
represents the complex pattern of constituents found when
good-quality dried herb material is analyzed by sensitive
scientific machinery. By monitoring the sample and comparing
it with this unique fingerprint, it is possible to make a much
broader assessment of quality than when using only one or
two constituents as a standard.Quality control
Making the most of herbal medicine means ensuring that herbs and herbal products
used are of good quality—properly grown, well dried, correctly processed, and within
their sell-by date. Using poor-quality herbal produce is all too often a waste of money
since there is the strong possibility that you will receive little benefit from it. When it
comes to herbal medicine, quality is everything. Buying Herbal Medicines
US_014-017_Active_Constituents.indd   17 26/02/16   4:42 pm
18
The developmen T of herbal medicineEarly Origins to the 19th Century
In an age of medical specialization in which an expert in neurology will know little about
the latest developments in medicine for the ear, nose, and throat, it is difficult to imagine the
practices of an earlier time, when healing was holistic in nature and heavily reliant on magic, mysticism, and age-old oral traditions. From the earliest times, medicinal plants have been crucial in
sustaining the health and the well-being of mankind. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum, p. 109), for example, provided its
harvesters with a nutritious food oil, fuel, a cosmetic balm
for the skin, and fiber to make fabric. At the same time it
was used to treat conditions such as bronchitis, respiratory congestion, boils, and a number of digestive problems. Given  the life-enhancing benefits that this and so many other plants conferred, it is hardly surprising that most cultures believed them to have magical as well as medicinal abilities


 The root is harvested in
late summer, and the seeds are gathered in late
summer or early autumn.Desmodium adscendens  (Fabaceae)
Desmodium
Description  Perennial, much-branched herb,
growing to 20 in (50 cm). Desmodium has light
purple flowers, and the leaves each have three
small oval leaflets. Habitat & Cultivation  A native of West
Africa, including Sierra Leone, northern Liberia and
Ghana. The aerial parts are harvested as required
or after flowering. Parts Used  Leaves and stems. Constituents  Contains indole alkaloids. History & Folklore  Desmodium has long
been used in West African herbal medicine as a
treatment for asthma, and also for jaundice.Dianthus superbus
(Caryophyllacaea)
Fringed Pink,
Qu Mai (Chinese)
Description  Upright perennial herb growing to
32 in (80 cm) or more. Has narrow, lance-shaped
leaves and large, delicate, fragrant pink or lilac flowers. Habitat & Cultivation  Fringed pink is native
to Europe and northern Asia (including China
and Japan) growing at altitudes of up to 7,900 ft
(2,400 m). It grows in clumps on hillsides and
crevices, and is cultivated from seed in eastern
China. It is only harvested when in flower. Parts Used  Aerial parts. Constituents  Fringed pink contains saponins,
dianthins, tannins and flavonoids. History & Folklore  Fringed pink is first
mentioned in the Chinese herbal known as the
Divine Husbandman’s Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing),
which was written in the 1st century ce. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Although fringed
pink is common in Europe, there is little indication
that people there have used it as anything other
than a vegetable (the young leaves are best boiled
or steamed). In Mongolia, it is used to promote
contractions and childbirth, and is considered a
diuretic, hemostatic, and anti-inflammatory. In
Chinese medicine it is widely used for “damp-heat”
conditions, and prescribed for kidney stones and
urinary tract infections. Research  Research, mostly conducted in
Korea and China, indicates that fringed pink has
marked anti-inflammatory activity and possible
cancer-fighting properties. Related Species  The gillyflower ( D. caryophyllus ),
of Mediterranean origin, has similar constituents
and is traditionally prescribed in European herbal
medicine for coronary and nervous disorders. US_180-201_Brassica_dictamnus.indd   201 26/02/16   12:47 pm
202
OTHER MEDICINAL p LANT sDictamnus albus
Dictamnus albus (Rutaceae)
Dittany,
Burning Bush
Description  Strongly aromatic, bushy, and hairy
perennial growing to 32 in (80 cm). Has compound
leaves and spikes of 5-petaled white or pink flowers streaked with purple. Habitat & Cultivation This herb grows in
southern and central Europe and northern Asia, preferring warm, wooded areas. The flowering tops are gathered in late summer, the root generally in autumn. Parts Used  Root, flowering tops.rapidly strengthens the heartbeat, but is excreted very slowly. Digoxin is therefore preferred as a long-term medication. History & Folklore In medical history, foxglove
is best known as the discovery of William Withering, an 18th-century English country doctor. Curious about the formula of a local herbalist, he explored the plant’s potential medical uses. His work led to the production of a life-saving medicine. Medicinal Actions & Uses Foxglove has a
profound tonic effect on a diseased heart. Heart disease worsens when the heart’s ability to maintain normal circulation decreases. Foxglove’s cardiac glycosides enable the heart to beat more strongly, slowly, and regularly, without requiring more oxygen. At the same time, it stimulates urine production, which lowers the volume of blood, and thus lessens the load on the heart. Related Species Woolly foxglove (D. lanata)
is today the main source of cardiac glycosides. RQ Cautions
Potentially fatal in  overdose. Use only  under professional
supervision. This
plant is subject to
legal restrictions. Common foxglove
enables the heart
to beat more
evenly and is an
invaluable remedy
for heart disease.Digitalis lutea (Scrophulariaceae)
Y ellow Foxglove
Description Erect perennial growing to 3 ft
(1 m). Has narrow, lance-shaped leaves, and long spikes of yellow, bell-shaped flowers. Habitat & Cultivation Native to western
and central Europe, this herb grows in woodland areas, on roadsides, and in mountainous regions. It is cultivated for medicinal use in Russia. The leaves are harvested in the second summer of growth. Parts Used Leaves. Constituents Y ellow foxglove contains
cardiac glycosides (including the cardenolides  alpha-acetyldigitoxin, acetyldigitoxin, and
lanatoside). All act to strengthen the beating  of a weakened heart. History & Folklore Unlike the closely
related common foxglove (D. purpurea,  following entry), yellow foxglove does not  appear to have played a significant role in  European herbal medicine. Medicinal Actions & Uses Y ellow foxglove
is little employed in herbal medicine, but in fact
it is a less toxic alternative to purple foxglove and woolly foxglove (D. lanata). It has similar medicinal actions but its alkaloids are more readily metabolized and flushed out by the body. Like other foxgloves, this plant supports a weakened or failing heart, increasing the strength of contraction, slowing  and steadying the heart rate, and lowering blood pressure by strongly stimulating the production  of urine, which reduces overall blood volume. Related Species Common foxglove
(following entry). RQ Cautions Excessive doses of yellow
foxglove can prove fatal. Use only under professional supervision. This plant is subject
to legal restrictions in some countries.Dittany flowers were formerly used to make a preparation
that was sniffed up the nose as a treatment for head colds. Constituents  Dittany’s potent volatile oil
contains estragol and anethole, and a toxic
alkaloid, dictamnin. History & Folklore  Dittany exudes such large
amounts of volatile oil that in hot, dry conditions, a match held close will cause the whole plant to burst into flames. The plant has been used to flavor liqueurs and has been brewed as a tea in parts  of Siberia. In European folk medicine, dittany was considered an antidote to poison, pestilence, and  the bites of all types of venomous animals. Medicinal Actions & Uses  Very rarely used
by herbalists today, dittany has an action similar
to that of rue (Ruta graveolens, p. 265), in that
it strongly stimulates the muscles of the uterus, inducing menstruation and sometimes causing abortion. By contrast, its effect on the gastrointestinal tract is antispasmodic. Dittany relaxes the gut and acts as a mild tonic for the stomach. The plant has also been used as a treatment for nervous conditions. RQ Cautions  This herb is toxic. T ake only
under professional supervision. Do not take  during pregnancy.Digitalis purpurea
(Scrophulariaceae)
Common Foxglove,
Purple Foxglove
Description  Perennial growing to 5 ft (1.5 m). Has a single erect stem, broad lance-shaped leaves,
and bell-shaped, purple-pink or white flowers in long spikes. Habitat & Cultivation This herb is native to
western Europe. Though it is also cultivated, the wild plant is considered superior. The leaves are picked in summer. Parts Used Leaves. Constituents Foxglove contains cardiac glycosides
(including digoxin, digitoxin, and lanatosides), anthraquinones, flavonoids, and saponins. Digitoxin
US_202-223_Digitalis_lutea_Iris_versicolor.indd   202 26/02/16   12:47 pm203 OTHER MEDICINAL p LANT sEchium vulgar E
Dipsacus fullonum  (Dipsacaceae)
Teasel
Description Perennial with a spiny ridged stem
growing to 61⁄2 ft (2 m), lance-shaped leaves, and
lilac-colored flowers blooming from hooked heads. Habitat & Cultivation Common throughout
Europe and western Asia, teasel thrives on open
areas, roadsides, and banks. It is cultivated only on a
small scale. The root is unearthed in late summer. Part Used Root. Constituents Teasel contains inulin, bitter
substances, and a scabioside. History & Folklore Traditionally, the root
was used to treat conditions such as warts, fistulas
(abnormal passages opening through the skin), and
cancerous sores. The water that collects in the leaf
was called “Venus’s bath” by early herbalists, and was
thought to be very beneficial for the eyes. Medicinal Actions & Uses Teasel root is
little used medic


 agnus-castus  13, 33, 151
Vitis vinifera  15, 81, 283
volatile oils 14
vomiting  see nausea & vomiting
vulnerary herbs, action of 12, 13
W
wahoo bark 208
wallflower 187
walnut 224
Wang Lu 27
“warming” herbs 27, 38
warts  304
washes 297
water figwort 268
water hyssop 175
watercress 16, 239
watermelon 190
watermint 114
wax gourd 177
weeping forsythia 212
weeping skin  300, 303
wheezing & shortness of breath  301
white beet 178
white bryony 180
white deadnettle 226
white elm 145
white horehound 233
white lotus 240–41
white mulberry 237–38
white peony 42, 117
white pond lily 240
white water lily 240–41
white willow 13, 14, 26, 129, 140
wild cherry 15, 257–58
wild chrysanthemum 78
wild cinnamon 182
wild herbs, harvesting 288
wild horehound 208
wild hydrangea 221
wild indigo 176–77
wild iris 223
wild lettuce 225–26
wild marjoram 242–43
wild onion 164
wild sarsaparilla 170
wild strawberry 212–13
wild th yme 143, 276–77
wild yam 9, 15, 49, 186
winter cherry 247
winter savory 267
wintergreen 14, 215
witch hazel 13, 50, 102
withania 38, 152
Withania somnifera  38, 152
Withering, William 26, 202
wood anemone 168
wood apple 210
woolly foxglove 202
World Health Organization 29, 45
wormseed 188
wormwood 13, 16, 66, 67, 172wound-healing herbs 12, 13
wounds, minor  304
see also  cuts & grazes
wu jia pi 94
wu mei 257
wu wei zi  133
wu zhu yu  209
X
xian he cao  162
xuan fu hua  107
Y
yan hu suo  (corydalis) 86
yang (Chinese concept) 40–42, 43
tonics 81
yarrow 33,  56, 291
ye hu hua  78
yellow balsam 196
yellow dock 65, 264–65
Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine
(Chinese text) 19–20, 40
yellow foxglove 202
yellow jasmine 13, 216
yellow loosestrife 231
yellow pheasant’s eye 160
yellow pimpernel 231
yellow water crowsfoot 261
yerba dulce 229
yerba santa 205
yew 275
yi zhi ren  61
yin (Chinese concept) 40–42, 43
tonics 83, 95, 125
yin chen hao  172
ylang-ylang 182
yohimbe 245
yu mi shu  154
yuan zhi  252
Z
Zanthoxylum, Z. americanum  48, 153
Z. bungeanum  153
Z. capense  153
Z. clava-herculis  153
Z. zanthoxyloides  153
Zea mays  13, 23, 48, 71, 154, 161, 162
zedoary 198
zhe bei mu  43
zhi mu  168
zhi zi  215
Zingiber officinale  13, 22, 38, 39, 61, 81,
116, 155, 287, 298
Ziziphus, Z. jujuba  283
Z. spinosa 43, 283
US_323-331_Index_General.indd   331 26/02/16   4:43 pm
332
index of herbs by ailmentIndex of Herbs
by Ailment
This index includes a wide range of ailments, listing key herbs used to
treat each one. Page numbers in bold denote a self-help use. A
Abdominal pain see Stomach spasm
Acidity see IndigestionAcne & boils
burdock (Arctium lappa) 65, 305
calendula (Calendula officinalis) 73, 304clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) 97, 305comfrey (Symphytum officinale) 138, 305dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) 141, 305
echinacea (Echinacea spp.) 92, 305garlic (Allium sativum) 59, 305lemon (Citrus limon) 82, 305myrrh (Commiphora molmol) 85, 305slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) 145, 305tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) 112, 305
Aging & debility
ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 152,
319
codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula) 83, 319fo ti (Polygonum mutiflorum) 124garlic (Allium sativum) 59, 319ginseng (Panax ginseng) 118, 319goji berry (Lycium chinense) 111oats (Avena sativa) 175, 319thyme (Thymus vulgaris) 143, 319see also Blood pressure, high; Circulatory
problems; Digestive problems; Joint pain & stiffness; Liver function; Memory & concentration failure
Alcoholic poisoning, milk thistle (Silybum
marianum) 137
Allergic rhinitis & hay fever
Baical skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)
134, 300
boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) 208, 300
common plantain (Plantago major) 251,
300
echinacea (Echinacea spp.) 92, 300elder (Sambucus nigra) 132, 300eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) 209, 300goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) 271, 300marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) 165, 300
nettle (Urtica dioica) 146, 300thyme (Thymus vulgaris) 143, 300
Anemia
chiretta (Swertia chirata) 273, 301
gentian (Gentiana lutea) 99, 301nettle (Urtica dioca) 146, 301wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) 66, 301
Angina
arjun (Terminalia arjuna) 142cattail (Typha angustifolia) 279dan shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) 130hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) 87notoginseng (Panax notoginseng) 243visnaga (Ammi visnaga) 62
Anorexia see Appetite lossAnxiety & tension
codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula) 83, 308damiana (Turnera difusa) 144, 308lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) 113, 308passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) 119St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
106, 308Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus
senticosus) 94, 308
skullcap (Scutelleria lateriflora) 135, 308
valerian (Valeriana officinalis) 148, 308see also Stress
Appetite loss
bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) 226–27bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) 235calumba (Jateorhiza palmata) 225cinchona (Cinchona spp.) 80codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula) 83, 306
condurango (Marsdenia condurango) 233gentian (Gentiana lutea) 99, 301licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) 101, 306lovage (Levisticum officinale) 228nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) 115radish (Raphanus sativus) 261sweet flag (Acorus calamus) 57
Arthritis & gout
avocado (


 body get rid of
this excess Kapha, we need to switch up our diet. Eating foods that are
lighter, drier and pungent (as discussed more in the tastes section of this
chapter) will allow us to move all that winter -derived Kapha  out of ourbody. A s soon as they are available, eat the first bounty of the season:
sprouts, berries, dandelions and other spring greens, which naturally
support this time of cleansing. A voiding processed food, sugars and caf feine
is a great way to help our body naturally detoxify. Eating less fat and animal
products, heavy and sweet foods is also recommended. P I T T A  S E A S O N
Pitta season is f rom mid-June to mid-September—the summer months. W e
need to stay cool during these months. Summer ’ s bounty of fers plenty of
ways to keep c ool: cucumbers, mint, summer squash, zucchi ni, melons,
sweet, juicy fruits, berries, coconut water and mangoes. Our digestion slows
down in the su mmer to compensate for the external heat. T o keep our
digestion strong, it is best not to overindulge in ice cold bevera ges and ice-
cream, as they reduce the ef ficiency of our digestive system (more about
that in our chapter on digestion). While a little of these foods can help us
stay coo l, too much can dampe n our digestive power, making the system
work ha rder and, in turn, create more heat. Staying cool and ligh t is the way
to maintain balance in this season. E L E M E N T S  I N  T H E  T I M E S  O F  D A Y  A N D
N I G H T
Just as dif ferent elements predominate in dif ferent seasons, dif ferent
elements are predominant at dif ferent times of the day and night. V A T A  T I M E
Air and Ether are predominant in the environment during V ata T ime and it
occurs from 2:00-6:00 a.m. and 2:00-6:00 p.m. The morning hours
represent an auspicious time to meditate and pray and to connect with our
spirit or  our guides. The V ata e ner gy is creative ener gy, making the mid-
afternoon hours a perfect time for creative work such as writing and other
projects. K A P H A  T I M EThe elements W ater and Earth are predominant during Kapha time and it
occurs between 6:00-10:00 a.m. and 6:00-10:00 p.m. Kapha ener gy is heavy
and stable, so e xercising during the morning Kapha time is  a valuable
antidote for the heaviness of that time of day. But going with the flow of
this ener gy in the evening hours of Kapha time helps us slow down,
unwind, and relax our nervous system so we can get ready for sleep. Eating
a lighter meal in the evening is recommended, as that’ s when our digestion
and metabolism  are slower. Heavy meals consumed in the eve ning Kapha
time can create more toxicity in the body. P I T T A  T I M E
Fire and W ater are predominant in the environment during Pitta T ime,
between 10:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Pitta ener gy is
sharp, intense and hot. It’ s best t o eat our lar gest meal during the day at this
time, be cause o ur digestive power is intense and at its peak. During the
overnight Pitta hours, our digestive Fire turns inward “cleaning” the GI
track, and allowing us to sleep deeply so we may wake up refreshed and
rechar ged. It is r ecommended that we retire for bed before 10:00  p.m. so we
don’ t risk the re turn of our hung er and the midnight snack attack that might
result. Falling asleep before Pit ta time allows our digestion to turn inward
and do all the p rocessing it needs to do to help us awaken refreshed and
renewed the next day. Understanding the cycles of day and night can help us create a simple daily
routine which is very balancing for V ata. The routine can incorporate
waking up just a little before 6:00 a.m. and being in bed just a little before
10:00 p.m. Exercising in the morning and slowing down in the evening
allows us to har ness the Kapha ener gy appropriately and ef ficiently. Eating
a light, warm, cooked breakfast, with a big meal during the mid-day Pitta
time, an d a lighter meal in the evening, will help us harmonize  with these
elements in the environment and create balance for ourselves. E L E M E N T S  I N  T H E  C Y C L E S  O F  O U R  L I F E
From bi rth to puberty, we are in Kapha time (the spring of our lives) of our
lives. Fr om pub erty to 60 is Pitta time (the summer of our lives) and after60 is V ata time (the winter of our lives). When we are young, we need lots
of food and protein to build our body. In the middle of our lives, we need to
eat to sustain our ener gy and vitality. And, in our older years, we can do
with lig hter foods, generally speaking. There are always exceptions and
other factors that determine how  we eat, such as our ability to  digest, our
body weight, our constitution, and our imbalances. E L E M E N T S  I N  T H E  T A S T E S
Our food choices are greatly influenced by the tastes we like. Although this
is a  good indi cator of which tastes to include in our di et, without
understanding th e ef fects of those tastes on our body, we can overdo it on
some ta stes, and  not have enou gh of others. This creates an imbalance in
our physiology and results in cra vings which can help us tune into the tastes
that may be mis sing in our meals. The solution, however, ma y not be as
simple a s just adding those taste s to our meals. For example, when we feel
down or  tired, we may crave the Sweet taste. As much as that taste can
provide a quick pick-me-up, o verdoing it can also lead to more fatigue. Moreover, the source of the Sweet taste matters: cookies or dates? The best
solution is to fig ure out what’ s causing our fatigue and to include the taste
we need in our meals—preferably via fresh foods, rather than treats. Similarly, a craving for cof fee may indicate that the Bitter taste is missing in
our mea ls. Bitter taste makes us feel light and ener getic. The so lution is to
add Bitt er taste via bitter greens  in our diet, rather than going overboard on
cof fee. A d eeper understanding of th e tastes is needed. Dif ferent tastes have
dif ferent digestive and post-dig estive ef fects on our bodies. A balanced
meal includes six dif ferent tastes altogether: Sweet, Salty, Sour, Pungent,
Astringent and Bitter. Dif ferent tastes stimulate the secretion of dif ferent
enzymes for digestion, so our system can work optimally and ultimately
satisfy our body’ s need for all the tastes. This curbs cravings! Our sens e of taste can give us a  guide map to proper nutrition, provided we
understand a little more about the dif ferent tastes and their ef fect on our
body an d our emotions. There is intelligence behind each taste, and our
cravings can give us deep insig ht into what’ s going on with our body andwhat’ s taking place emotionally. Our taste buds identify tastes, of course,
but they also un lock the nutritive value of food and provide an initial spark
for the digestive process. Each of  the six dif ferent taste s communicates intelligence to our body,
providing coded  information to our nervous systems that relates  to a meal’ s
nutritional conte nt. If we eat foods that correspond to each of these tastes
throughout the day, our meals w ill provide diverse nourishment that leaves
us f eeling satiated. If we do not have all six tastes in our die t, our brain
receives signals calling for more  food, because our body’ s nutri tional needs
have not been satisfied. So, we keep eating, and we take in  too many
calories, even though we remain undernourished. In a perfect world, all six tastes  are accounted for at every meal. But let’ s
examine one taste at a time to see how we can improve our hea lth through
the food we eat. S W E E T  T A S T E
Sweet ta ste is composed of the elements Earth and W ater. The qualities of
this taste are he avy, moist, consolidating, soothing and cooling, and these
are the qualities that are imparted