 sufficient. It may be repeated more often to
ease specific ailments. This mudra can be performed at any
time, though it is more effective when performed after the
hatha yoga practice of shankha prakhalana.*
Benefits: The esophageal walls and the digestive secretory
glands are rejuvenated. The whole stomach is toned, stag
nant gases are eliminated, and gastric disorders improve.
When air is retained in the stomach, the student can float in
the water for any length of time without sinking.
(5) Ashvini mudra (Horse mudra)
Stage 1: Sit in a meditation asana, relax the whole body,
close the eyes, and breathe normally. Contract the sphincter
muscles of the anus for a few seconds, then relax them for a
few seconds. Repeat this process as many times as possible.
* A gentle, systematic method for complete washing of the entire alimentary
canal from the mouth to the anus. 100
Stage 2: Sit as in Stage 1, contracting the anus during in
halation. Retain the breath and hold the contraction, then ex
hale, releasing the contraction. Repeat this process as many
times as possible.
Duration: For as long as is comfortable without strain. May
be practiced at any time of the day and at any stage during
yoga practice.
Concentration: On the muladhara chakra.
Benefits: Control is gained over the sphincter muscles of
the anus (as a horse has). When this mudra is properly per
formed, the escape of prana from the body is prevented, and
this energy can therefore be conserved and directed upwards
for higher purposes. It is very useful for those who suffer
from piles or prolapse of the rectum or uterus, though in
these cases this mudra is most effective if done in conjunc
tion with an inverted pose. Intestinal peristalsis is also
stimulated and constipation is eased. This is an excellent
preparatory exercise for mula bandha.
(6) Kaki mudra (Crow beak)
Sit in a meditational pose and make a narrow tube by purs
ing the lips. Concentrate the eyes on the tip of the nose. In
hale slowly and deeply through the mouth and then slowly
exhale through the nose. Again inhale through the mouth
and repeat the process. 101
Duration: For as long as possible.
Benefits: The influx of air touches the walls of the mouth
and stimulates the digestive secretions. This mudra is effec
tive in awakening the muladhara chakra and for cooling the
whole body.
(7) Khechari mudra (Tongue lock)
Close the mouth and roll the tongue backwards so that the
underside of the tongue touches the back of the palate. Take
the tongue-tip as far back as possible without strain (in this
position ujjayi pranayama may be performed) and hold it
there for as long as possible. If beginners feel discomfort
after a short time, they should relax the tongue for a few
seconds, and then resume the position. (With practice, the
tongue can be stretched enough to be rolled backwards to
stimulate the larynx and pharynx. This stimulation is then
conveyed to the various nerve centers in the brain.)
Breathing: Beginners may breathe normally during the
practice, but over a period of months they should gradually
try to reduce the rate of respiration until after two months or
more it is only five to eight breaths per minute (normal
breathing being about sixteen per minute). With careful prac
tice, preferably under expert guidance, the respiration rate
can be reduced even further.
Duration: For as long as possible or desired, preferably at
peaceful, relaxed times. Khechari mudra can be performed
in conjunction with other yoga practices.
Precautions: If this mudra is performed during physical ex
ercise and a bitter taste is felt in the throat, stop the practice
to avoid any harmful effects.
Benefits: This mudra has a subtle influence on the human
body. There are various pressure points and glands in the
cavity behind the palate which have extensive control over
the activities of the body, and the secretions from these are
stimulated by the folded tongue. Saliva is also produced,
which removes feelings of thirst and hunger. Yogis who are
buried underground for long periods of time perform 102
khechari mudra for the duration. This allows them to retain
the breath for as long as they wish without any harm. The
mudra helps to awaken the kundalini shakti, and also to
preserve the vital energy of the body.
The form of kechari mudra described here is, properly
speaking, a practice of raja yoga. In the full hatha yoga form,
the tendon beneath the tongue is gradually stretched over a
period of several months until the rear passages can be com
pletely blocked with the folded tongue. When perfected, this
practice can cause detachment of the astral body from the
physical. The consciousness thereby dwells in akasha, the
"space" between the astral and physical dimensions. This
mudra is regarded as very important in the ancient yoga
texts.
(8) Prana mudra
Starting
Position
Stage 2 103
Sit in a meditation pose with the spine erect. Close the eyes
and place the hands on the lap.
Stage 1: Exhale as deeply as possible, contracting the ab
dominal muscles to expel the maximum amount of air from
the lungs. Perform mula bandha while retaining the breath
and concentrating on the muladhara chakra. Retain the
breath for as long as is comfortable.
Stage 2: Release mula bandha and slowly begin a deep in
halation, expanding the abdomen to its fullest extent and
drawing as much air as possible into the lungs. Simul
taneously raise the hands in front of the navel. The hands
should be open with the fingers pointing at each other but
not touching, and with the palms facing the trunk.
During this stage, try to feel the prana being drawn from
the muladhara to the manipura chakra as you inhale.
The movement of the hands should be coordinated with
the abdominal inhalation.
Stage 3: Continue the inhalation by expanding the chest
and simultaneously continue the upward movement of the
hands. At the end of this expansion the hands should be
directly in front of the heart. During this stage, try to feel
prana being drawn from the manipura to the anahata chakra.
Stage 4. 104
Try to draw even more air into the lungs by raising the
shoulders. During this action, try to feel the prana being
drawn up to the vishuddhi chakra and then spreading like a
wave to the ajna chakra and eventually to the sahasrara.
Coordinate the hand movements with the breath by raising
the hands in front of the throat.
Stage 5.
Stage 5: Retain the breath inside while moving the hands
out to the sides. In the final position, the hands should be at
the same height as the ears, the arms outstretched but not
straight. Concentrate on the sahasrara chakra. Try to
visualize an aura of pure light emanating from the head. Feel
your whole being radiating vibrations of peace to all beings.
Maintain this position for as long as possible without strain
ing the lungs. Then return to the starting position while ex
haling, repeating Stages 1 to 5, but in reverse order. During
the exhalation, feel the prana coming down from the
sahasrara to the muladhara via each chakra. Relax the body
for a short time, breathing deeply and slowly.
Concentration: The awareness should move with the
breath and hand movement from the muladhara to the 105
sahasrara and vice versa. When this mudra is perfected, the
student can see the breath extrasensorily as a stream of white
light ascending and descending in the sushumna nadi. Prana
mudra should be performed before meditation.
Precautions: Do not strain the lungs. Slowly increase the
duration of inhalation, retention, and exhalation with
regular practice.
Benefits: This is a compact mudra, combining pranayama
with the symbolic gesture of a mudra. It is an excellent prac
tice for awakening the dormant vital energy (prana shakti). It
distributes this energy throughout the whole body, thereby
increasing strength, personal magnetism, and health.
(9) Navamukhi Mudra (The mudra of nine gates - yoni
Mudra)
Sit in a meditational asana, relax the whole body, and in
hale slowly and deeply. Simultaneously concentrate on each
chakra in turn for a few seconds, feeling the slow ascent of
the breath (prana) and consciousness from the muladhara to
the sahasrara. Retain the breath inside and raise both hands
to the face. Close the ears with the thumbs, the eyes with the
index fingers, the nostr


coming	Addictions
Raid	on	the	Inarticulate
The	Path	to	Love
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	for	Parents
The	Love	Poems	of	Rumi
(edited	by	Deepak	Chopra;	translated	by	Deepak	Chopra	and	Fereydoun	Kia)
Healing	the	Heart
Everyday	Immortality
The	Lords	of	the	Light
On	the	Shores	of	EternityHow	to	Know	God
The	Soul	in	Love
The	Chopra	Center	Herbal	Handbook
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Grow	Younger,	Live	Longer
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
The	Deeper	Wound
The	Chopra	Center	Cookbook
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Leanne	Backer)
The	Angel	Is	Near
The	Daughters	of	Joy
Golf	for	Enlightenment
Soulmate
SynchroDestiny
The	Book	of	Secrets
Fire	in	the	Heart
The	Seven	Spiritual	Laws	of	Yoga
(with	coauthor	David	Simon)
Magical	Beginnings,	Enchanted	Lives
(coauthored	by	David	Simon	and	Vicki	Abrams)Praise	for

L
IFE
	A
FTER
	D
EATH
“Deepak	Chopra	has	written	a	masterpiece	that	is	long	overdue	in	our
spiritual	culture.
Life	After	Death:	The	Book	of	Answers
	is	a	bold	and
comforting	guide	into	the	afterlife.	Eternity	is	the	true	home	of	the	soul,	yet
we	fear	to	explore	experience	of	death	and	our	place	beyond	now.	Deepak	has
brilliantly	accomplished	this	journey	on	our	behalf.”
—
C
AROLINE
	M
YSS
,	author	of
Anatomy	of	the	Spirit
	and
Sacred	Contracts
“Here	is	the	paradox:	life’s	greatest	mystery—death—seems	to	be	its	opposite
and	its	very	denial.	However,	anyone	who	reads	Deepak	Chopra’s	penetrating
and	insightful	investigation	into	this	great	mystery	with	an	open	mind	will
come	to	realize	that	the	opposite	of	death	is	birth,	not	life.	Life,	which	in
essence	is	consciousness,	is	eternal	and	has	no	opposite.	There	is	no	death,
only	the	metamorphosis	of	life-forms,	consciousness	appearing	as	this	or	that.
This	is	the	liberating	truth	the	book	continuously	points	to.”
—
E
CKHART
	T
OLLE
,	author	of
The	Power	of	Now
“Wide-ranging	and	thought-provoking,	this	book	puts	the	question	of	life
after	death	in	a	vast	perspective.	It	is	an	excellent	antidote	to	any	self-imposed
limitations	we	may	have	on	our	thinking	about	the	nature	of	life,	death	and
consciousness.”
—
R
UPERT
	S
HELDRAKE
,	Ph.D.,	biologist	and	author	of
The	Presence	of	the	Past
“Who	is	not	curious	about	what	happens	after	death?	And	even	when	there
are	many	answers	available,	both	ancient	and	modern,	even	some	based	on
new	science,	the	question	‘What	does	Deepak	Chopra	have	to	say	about	this?’
is	an	important	one	for	our	age.	Well,	finally,	Deepak’s	answer	is	here,	and	it
is	very	affirming	on	meaningful	questions.	I	like	that.	Need	I	say	more?	This
is	a	great	book	for	your	easy	reading.”
—
A
MIT
	G
OSWAMI
,	Ph.D.,	author	of
The	Self-Aware	Universe,	Physics	of	the
Soul
,	and
The	Quantum	Doctor
“This	fascinating,	provocative	and	profound	book	is	written	with	exquisite
ease	and	with	a	very	personal	warmth	that	makes	its	invitations	to	expansion
of	consciousness	all	the	more	delicious	and	powerful.”
—
A
NDREW
	H
ARVEY
,	author	of
The	Direct	Path
	and
Sun	at	Midnight
“What	if	life	and	death	are	like	two	locked	boxes,	each	containing	the	key	tothe	other?	In	this	book	Dr.	Chopra	looks	at	life	after	death	from	this	intriguing
perspective	and	proposes	that	death	may	not	constitute	the	extinction	of	life,
as	usually	imagined,	but	rather	its	extension	by	other	means.	He	draws	upon	a
dazzling	array	of	sources,	from	ancient	myths	to	the	findings	of	modern
science,	to	produce	a	work	of	compelling	novelty	on	an	eternal	mystery.”
—
A
RVIND
	S
HARMA
,	Birks	Professor	of	Comparative	Religion,	McGill
University
“Deepak	Chopra	has	been	my	friend	and	mentor	for	nearly	twenty	years.
Now,	when	we	baby-boomers	are	finally	admitting	our	own	mortality,	he	has
tackled	the	ultimate	subject	which	fascinates	us	all:	life	after	death.	Drawing
from	many	cultures,	and	emphasizing	the	idea	of	Karma	from	his	own,
Deepak	interweaves	mythical	lore	with	first-hand	spellbinding	anecdotes	to
somehow	make	the	subject	of	death	very	useful	and	relevant	to	making	the
most	time	on	the	Earth	here	and	now.	A	must-read	for	everyone	who	will
die.”
—
C
ANDACE
	B.	P
ERT
,	P
H
.D
.,	author	of
Everything	You	Need	to	Know	to	Feel
Good
“In	this	remarkable	book,	Deepak	Chopra	turns	to	the	anomalies	in	science
that	modern	physicists	are	trying	to	explain,	and	considers	how	the	rishis,	the
ancient	sages	of	Vedanta,	dealt	with	the	very	same	questions.	According	to
the	‘observer	effect’	in	physics,	for	example,	the	very	act	of	looking	at	an
electron	forces	it	to	leave	the	quantum	soup	of	pure	potential	and	take	specific
form.	Vedic	rishis	believed	that	seeing	is	the	ultimate	act	of	creation—that
through	consciousness	each	of	us	shapes	the	universe	we	experience.	By
marrying	science	and	wisdom	in
Life	After	Death
,	Chopra	builds	his	case	for
an	afterlife	in	which	our	most	essential	self,	the	seer	that	observes	our
experiences	in	this	temporary	home	that	we	call	the	self,	uses	the	end	of	this
lifetime	to	pass	over	into	the	next.	This	is	an	intellectual	and	spiritual	tour	de
force.”
—
P
ROFESSOR
	R
OBERT
	T
HURMAN
,	Columbia	University,	author	of
Infinite	Life
and
The	Tibetan	Book	of	the	Dead
“In	this	book,	Deepak	brilliantly	creates	a	remarkable	tapestry	for	opening	our
hearts,	minds	and	consciousness	to	explore	for	ourselves	the	mysteries	of	life,
death	and	the	mind.	He	cleverly	interlaces	mystical	stories,	childhood
memories,	thoughts	on	creation,	scientific	data	about	many	areas,	and
questions	that	will	allow	the	reader	to	reexamine	and	to	question	old	beliefs
about	our	own	identity.	With	an	open-minded	approach,	this	book	stretches
our	mind	and	our	imagination	to	explore	a	reality	of	truth	that	is	far	beyondour	physical	reality.”
—
G
ERALD
	G.	J
AMPOLSKY
,	M.D.,	author	of
Love	Is	Letting	Go	of	Fear
	and
founder	of	the	International	Center	for	Attitudinal	Healing	(Sausalito,
California)
“If	I	had	any	doubts	about	the	afterlife,	I	don’t	have	them	anymore.	Deepak
Chopra	has	cast	his	inimitable	light


1970s the late Vernon Riley, at Seattle’ s Pacific Northwest Research
Foundation, completed a thorough series of experiments with a strain of
mice bred to be susceptible to breast cancer. By raising some in sheltered,
stress-free environments and others in stressful surroundings, he was able to
vary the rate of cancer from 7 to 92 percent.
A 1981 experiment by a team of three psychologists proved the point
with an even better simulation of the human experience. Madelon
Visintainer and two co-workers injected three groups of rats with live tumor
cells. One day later they subjected two of the groups to electric shock. The
stress was administered so that one group could not evade it, while the other
rats were warned by a signal so they could escape by jumping over abarrier. Of the helpless rats, 73 percent came down with the cancer, while
only 37 percent of the other group developed it. They did slightly better
than the control group, which received no shocks at all!
The level of stress is determined partly by society. Cultures that place
the highest value on a combination of individualism and competition are the
most stressful. Those that seem to produce the least stress and have the
lowest rates of cancer are close-knit communities in which supportive,
loving relationships are the norm, and the elderly retain an active role.
Religious faith and a fairly open, accepting attitude toward sexuality are
two other common characteristics of low-cancer societies.
These are some of the same circumstances that favor longevity. Soviet
Geor gia, the Hunza valley, Mormon communities in America, and the
villages of the Abujmarhia tribe of central India are excellent examples. The
Abujmarhia enjoy a pollution-free environment, a wholesome natural diet,
abundantly loving sexual relationships beginning premaritally in early
adolescence, relaxed but occasionally strenuous work in the fields by day,
dancing and storytelling by evening, and plenty of rest. Cancer is absolutely
unknown among them.
It must be noted that these societies don’ t invest time and ef fort to help
malformed infants survive, so physical factors determined by natural
selection also influence disease rates. Still, externals are not the whole
story. Environmental purity and death from genetic defects still prevail in
other undeveloped areas, but cancer is more common among tribes who
regularly engage in warfare than among those who live at peace.
The security of routine also seems to help limit serious disease. Closed
structured societies in which all members know what is expected of them,
even when deviation from the norm is not tolerated—Mormons, Seventh
Day Adventists, and Mennonites in the United States, for example—have
lower rates of disease than the surrounding, more open society. When
individuals leave the cluster for a life with more unknowns, their incidence
of disease reaches that in the culture they enter.
In a society like ours, the response to stress is left to the individual, who
must learn to disconnect psychologically from external pressures. Dr.
Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School has shown that the ability to
maintain a healthy cholesterol level is directly related to the ability to
handle stress through relaxation. With meditation and exercise, we can
teach hard-driving, success-oriented (T ype A) persons to avoid heart attackswhile keeping their Type A behavior. Studies of people who meditate
regularly have shown that their physiological age is much lower than their
chronological age. These techniques do people no good without the
motivation to use them. The first requirement is to get people to love
themselves enough to care for their bodies and minds.
Stress can be measured. One of the yardsticks for it, developed by Drs.
Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe, uses a list of forty-three stressful
changes to assess a person’ s likelihood of becoming ill. The evaluation
begins with a history of the persons’ s recent emotional life, then assigns a
certain number of “points” to each life crisis, such as changing or losing a
job, children leaving for college, marriage or divorce, moving to a new
house, and so on.
The highest value, 100 points, is attached to the most grievous loss, the
death of one’ s spouse. This most traumatic of events is often followed by
cancer or other catastrophic illness in one or two years. Recent studies have
confirmed that grieving spouses have depressed immune systems for over a
year. Additional work has shown that within one day  any uncontrollable
stress lowers the ef ficiency of the body’ s disease-fighting killer cells.
New evidence suggests that divorce may be even more devastating to
many people, since it’ s harder to accept that the relationship is really over.
Indeed, divorced people have higher rates of cancer, heart disease,
pneumonia, high blood pressure, and accidental death than married, single,
or widowed persons. Married men also have one-third the lung-can cer
incidence of single men and can smoke three times as much with the same
cancer incidence as single men.
Career reversals also commonly lead to malignancy. The defeats of
Napoleon Bonaparte, Ulysses S. Grant, William Howard Taft, and Hubert
Humphrey have often been implicated in their fatal cancers.
One of the ar guments of those who discount mental factors in cancer
has been the notion that the latency period is too long for the mind to play a
role in childhood cancer, but there is now evidence to the contrary. A study
at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx found that children
with cancer had had twice as many recent crises as other children matched
to be similar except for their disease. Another study showed that 31 of 33
children with leukemia had experienced a traumatic loss or move within the
two years before their diagnosis. Psychologists are now learning that infants
are far more perceptive than heretofore imagined, and I wouldn’ t besurprised if cancer in early childhood was linked to messages of parental
conflict or disapproval perceived even in the womb. I don’ t say this to
create guilt but to give us more insight into our participation in the healing
process.
In dealing with the problems presented by cancer, therefore, we must
not for get the ef fects this crisis may have on family and friends, particularly
if the patient dies. The doctor must help the others deal with their fears and
grief openly, in an ef fort to prevent further disease. When stress is
confronted and love is shared, everyone—the family as well as the patient
—benefits.
QUIET  DESPERA TION
Not everyone who suf fers a tragic loss or stressful change in lifestyle
develops an illness. The deciding factor seems to be how one copes with the
problem. Those who can give vent to their feelings yet continue with their
lives generally stay well.
The husband of a patient once called me up and asked, “What did you
tell my wife?” He said she came home and yelled at him for hours about
their twenty years of marriage —and he thought they had been pretty good.
I told him, “I didn’ t say anything to your wife, but she has learned that she
has cancer, and she’ s sharing the resentment that she has built up over the
years.” Anger is a normal emotion if it is expressed when it is felt. If it isn’ t
it develops into resentment or even hatred, which can be very destructive. A
woman who says, “I’ll make this marriage work if it kills me” may find it
will.
If a person deals with anger or despair when they first appear, illness
need not occur. When we don’ t deal with our emotional needs, we set
ourselves up for physical illness. Yet what are most of us more comfortable
with—telling the neighbors we have to see a psychiatrist or that we need an
operation? We’re uncomfortable saying we’re being driven crazy but not
that we’re being driven to illness.
The simple truth is, happy people generally don’ t get sick. One’ s
attitude toward oneself is the single most important factor in healing or
staying well. Those who are at peace with themselves and their immediate
surroundings have far fewer serious illnesses than those who are not.In one of the most thorough studies of this “contentment factor,”
psychiatrist Geor ge Vaillant followed two hundred Harvard graduates for
thirty years, correlating health surveys with psychological tests each year.
Comparing the happiest versus the unhappiest group, he reported: “Of 59
men with the best mental health assessed from the age of 21 to 46 years,
only two became chronically ill or died by the age of 53. Of the 48 men
with the worst mental health from the age of 21 to 46, 18 became
chronically ill or died.” Those who were extremely satisfied with their lives
had one-tenth  the rate of serious illness and death suf fered by their
thoroughly dissatisfied peers. The findings remained valid when the ef fects
of alcohol, tobacco, obesity, and ancestral longevity were statistically
eliminated—even though unhappiness obviously can contribute to all but
the last variable. Mental health, Vaillant found, retards mid-life
deterioration in physical health.
The common denominator in all depression is a lack of love or a loss of
meaning in life, at least as perceived from the depressed person’ s point of
view. Illness then often functions as an escape from a routine that has
become meaningless. In this sense it might even be called a Western form
of meditation


for digestion and gastritis.
Half glass of buttermilk, added with a pinch of asa foetida, turmeric,
half tea-spoon of fenugreek drunk at night, is good for eﬀective
treatment of gastritis.
Crush cumin seeds into ne powder. Add half tea-spoon of cumin
seeds to one litre of water. boil the water for two minutes and lter.
Drink this water, in place of normal water. But new water needs to be
made everyday. is is a natural remedy for gastritis.
ings which are included in gastritis diet aid in gastritis cure.
Ginger – 5 grams.
Milk – 100 ml
water – 100 ml.
Boil this till there is only 80–100 ml remaining. (Meaning water is emptied)
Filter and drink. is is a good gastritis remedy.
In the same way, garlic – drink is also a good home remedy for gastritis.1.
2.162. 3 Ayurvedic Home
Remedies for Toothache:
Garlic Paste, Mustard Oil
By Dr. M.S. Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), Ph.D.
Y
If the cause of tooth pain is local inammation, then the below Ayurvedic
home remedies will help you in getting rid of pain and inammation.
Medicated Traditional Oil for Tooth Ache
5 Grams each of baking soda, table salt and pepper powder are taken
and ne powder is made.
is is added to 25 ml of mustard oil and heated for 2–3 minutes.
When the froth appears it is taken out of the re, ltered and stored.
When there is toothache, 1–2 ml of this oil is applied to the cotton
and kept beneath over the gum for 5–10 minutes. Good comfort is
observed by this, immediately.
Tooth Ache Powder
Pepper seeds – 20,
Seeds of chilly – 10,
clove – 5 and3.Mustard seeds 1 spoon are taken together and ne powder is made and
mixed well.
When there is tooth pain, this powder is mixed with a little salt
water and paste is made. is paste is retained on the paining area.
Cotton or thin cloth also can be used to retain it for long.
Caution: Avoid using it in children. Avoid swallowing it.
Garlic Paste Recipe
1–2 seeds of garlic is taken and fried with sesame oil.
To this 1–2 pepper or long pepper and a clove are added and
pounded well.
en this is squeezed. is yields an oily exudate (semi solid
product).
is is applied to the cotton and retained near the aﬀected teeth.
(Some add tobacco also; as it is injurious to the health it is not
recommended)1.163. 3 Ayurvedic Remedies
for Excessive Thirst Using
Honey, Coriander
By Dr. M.S. Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), Ph.D.
Y
irst is a natural urge everybody possesses. But if it is felt very often, it can be
considered as a symptom of an underlying cause, such as diabetes. Dryness of
mouth is also seen as side eﬀect of medications such as anti-depressants.
Ayurvedic textbooks explain excess continuous thirst as a disorder, called
Trishna vyadhi (irst disorder).
Today excessive thirst followed with excess urination is denoted as a main
symptom of Diabetes. Here are a few simple remedies to control excessive
thirst/dryness of mouth.
Cold Water and Honey
ose who get repeated thirst or in need of large amount of water for
their satisfaction are advised to follow this.
One cup of water is taken and to this one teaspoon of honey is
added. is is stirred well and kept for 5 minutes. Again another
teaspoon of honey is added to it and stirred well, kept for 5 minutes.
is process is continued for 2–3 times.
Person with excess mouth dryness is asked to sip this water
frequently.2.
3.is signicantly decreases the thirst and also frequent urination.
Tender Leaf Recipe
Tender leaves of jamun tree (blueberry), mango and pomegranate are
collected. Fine paste is prepared by pounding. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of this
paste is mixed with a cup of buttermilk.
It is consumed once or twice a day, after food, for 1–2 w eek time.
is remedy can be prepared with tender leaves of the listed trees as
per availability.
Coriander Seed Cold Infusion
5 Grams of coriander seeds are taken and pounded to obtain the
powder.
is is added to a cup of water and kept overnight. Next day
morning this is macerated well and ltered.
is is taken along with a pinch of sugar or jaggery.
is is appreciated in classical Ayurvedic literatures also as Dhanyaka
hima.
is is very eﬀective even in burning sensation as well as blockage of
the channels.164. 3 Easy Home
Remedies for Bleeding
Gums
By Dr. M.S. Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), Ph.D.
Y
Bleeding gums is a common feature in Pitta Dosha dominant people. It is also
seen in deciency of Vitamin C. Here are a few simple remedies for bleeding
gums.
Guava Leaf Buds
Tender leaf buds of Guava, tamarind and mango are taken ( 5 grams each) and
ne paste is made.
If pus discharge is an associated symptom, then a pinch of turmeric and curry
leaf powder can be added. is paste is retained in mouth for 5–8 m inutes
12–14 days regular treatment gives signicant benets.
Mango Leaves
10 mature mango leaves
10 mid rib vein of jack fruit leaf
5–10 Grams of coir or bres of coconut and
1 gram (5–8 seeds) of cardamom are taken together in an earthen pan.
is mix is burnt by heating till it is charred.A black coloured mass is obtained.
To this a pinch of salt is added and ne powder is made. If necessary it can
be sieved.
Daily morning and night, above powder is applied to the gums and then
mouth is gargled with plain water. is yields good benet in bleeding gum
and gingivitis.
Medicated Powder
10 dried gooseberries (Amla)
1 teaspoon of tea powder,
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
ey are taken together and pounded well to obtain ne powder. Daily
night before going to bed 1 teaspoon of this is retained in the mouth and
gradually it is chewed.
Or else mouth gargling can be carried 10–15 days regular practice gives very
good relief in case of bleeding gum, gingivitis, bad breath and sore throat.1.
2.165. 4 Ayurvedic Herbal
Home Remedies for Heavy
Periods
By Dr. M.S. Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), Ph.D.
Y
Among the various health issues related to the menstruation, excess ow or
heavy periods is the most common problem. Intake of styptics or hormonal
tablets may be harmful and expensive. Also long term intake of such
medicaments may cause few of the side eﬀects over the cycle and the
reproductive organs even.
Here are few simple and safe home remedies for excess menstrual ow –
Touch Me Not – Mimosa Pudica –
Whole plant is taken a stful and cut into small pieces. It is added with
200 ml ( 1 big cup) of water. It is boiled till only 50 ml remains.
Filtered. is herbal tea is taken 2 times a day, 10 minutes before food.
Within 2–3 doses heavy ow is arrested. In case of prolonged ow also
this is useful.
Vetiver Root, owers of hibiscus (preferably white coloured one) –
both one tablespoon each are taken.  ey are added with 200 m l (1 big
cup) water, boiled and reduced to 50 ml and ltered. It is added with a
teaspoon of jaggery or sugar candy and taken 2–3 times a day 10
minutes before food till bleeding stops.3.
4.Red Sandalwood is rubbed well along with rose water or rice washed
water to obtain the ne paste. To this little honey is added and
administered to the patient.
Nutmeg and Saﬀron are made into ne powder (half pinch each). To
this little sugar candy is added. is is taken 2–3 t imes in a day.1.166. 4 Home Remedies for
Burning Sensation in Head
By Dr. M.S. Krishnamurthy MD (Ayu), Ph.D.
Y
Burning sensation in the scalp is


 the presence of excessive uric 29 59
acid in the system.
SCLEROSIS:
A hardening of any tissue of the body. (See also 61 62 32 30
Multiple Sclerosis.)
SCROFULA:
The formation of pus in the glands due to the 61 2 15 40
presence of inorganic matter in the food eaten. 30
SCURVY:
The result of an improperly balanced diet with 61 15 2 30
insufficient organic nourishment. 30
SEXUAL DISEASES:
Sometimes due to overindulgence leading to 61 30 2 15
inflammation, and weakened organs due to lack of 40 29 28
sufficient organic nourishment, resulting in disturbed
functions, and the presence of morbid matter inviting
the propagation of germs and infection.
SINUSTROUBLE:
Usually due to excessive mucus resulting from 61 11 30 1
excessive use of milk and frequently also of starches
and sugars.
SLEEPLESSNESS:
The result of excessive nervous tension and the 61 22 37 30
improper elimination of waste from the body.
SMALLPOX:
Excessive volumes of putrid waste matter in the 61 30 1 2
body resulting in the propagation therein of the virulent 37 40 53 55
germs responsible for this disease, which after the first
burst of propagation leave the body by way of the pores
of the skin. A body which is clean inside and out, and
properly nourished with live organic food and fresh
raw juices in abundance and variety, does not propagate
this germ and is therefore immune to this disease.
STERILITY:
A condition occasionally due to functional 61 30 1 2
disorganization of the organism. As a general rule it is 29 40 48
due to the lack of live, organic atoms in the food for
112 years past, and the consequent accumulation of
waste in the system.
SYPHILIS:
The name given to the presence in the body of 61 30 66 62
the Spirochaeta Pallida germ, when this germ finds 51 46
the right kind of waste matter in the system on which
it can thrive and propagate.This waste matter usually
results from such foods as starch and meat products,
and pasteurized milk.
THROMBOSIS:
The result of the coagulation of a clot of blood 62 2 6130
obstructing a blood vessel because of the presence
in the blood stream of starch molecules from breads,
cereals, and other starches which are not soluble in
water.
TONSILLITIS:
The result of the overworking of the tonsils 61 30 1 2
causing them to become inflamed. The tonsils are
the first line of defense and their function is to
control the entrance into the body of too large an
army of germs when the waste matter in the body
accumulates too rapidly. The removal of tonsils is
analogous to castration. It also affects the personality
often transforming the child or adult into an impotent
individual, and females into slovenly, frigid
characters. A rapid degeneration of the body
structure has often been observed. (Reports by Drs.
I. & G. Calderoli of Bergamo, Italy; "II Sottosesso
nei popoli senza tonsille," after having collected
more than 30,000 of their case histories resulting
from their work in the Universities of Berlin and of
Vienna. (I have conferred personally with Doctor
Calderoli and can vouch for the accuracy of their
reports. Their collaborators were among others.
Doctors: Passow, Killian, Halle, Jansen, Albrecht,
Gutzman, Hofer, Piehler, Marschik.)
TOXEMIA:
Poisoning either as a result of undue retention of 61 30 37 15
body waste or of the end-products of metabolism or 40
digestion, creating an overacid condition.
113 TUBERCULOSIS:
The result of excessive mucus in the system 61 45 1 30
causing the propagation of the tubercular germ, 2 11 37 40
which by its presence and mode of existence is 41
destructive to the tissues in its proximity. Cow's milk,
both the raw and the pasteurized, is probably the
most mucus-forming food used by man, and such
mucus is the natural breeding food for such germs.
Probably more tuberculosis results from using
pasteurized milk than from any other cause.
TUMORS: in Brain 62 61 30 40
in Bones
in Liver
in Uterus
Growths sometimes due to a lack of sufficient
organic elements and caused by the excessive use
of concentrated inorganic foods, mostly flour
products. Contributing factors are such destructive
negative states of mind as lifelong resentments,
anger, frustration, etc.
TYPHOID:
A condition due to the lack of certain organic 61 30 28 1
elements in the body, allowing the propagation 37 6
therein of germs causing, by their presence, a
mesenteric fever.
ULCERS (chiefly gastric):
A deficiency disease caused by unhealthy tissue 61 1 30 5
as a result of eating incompatible combinations of 37 6
food leaving fermentation and putrefaction as their
end-product. Can also be attributed to excessive
worry and the other negative contributing factors
listed under the headings of CANCER and
TUMORS.
UNDULANTFEVER:
One of the several means Nature adopts to burn 61 30 20 22
up or incinerate waste matter in the system. In this 23
case the germ, active in breaking down the waste,
acts as a stoker — figuratively speaking — raising
the temperature of the body at intervals, and
sometimes continuously. No waste — no fever!
Undulant fever germs thrive on pasteurized milk.
114 UREMIA:
The presence of urea and other urinary excretions
in the blood. 30 61 29 40
59
URTICARIA (Hives):
An excessively acid condition of the body trying 61 2 30 15
to become normal by means of excretion through I
the skin. (See Allergy.)
VARICOSEVEINS:
The result of diets rich in concentrated starches 61 2 30 62
and sugars causing calcareous deposits to form in 15
the wall structure of the veins.
115 INDEX
Acetic Acid - 65
Acidity (Stomach) - 49, 86
Addison Disease - 46, 87
Adrenals - 28, 46, 48
Alfalfa -17
Anemia - 26, 39, 55, 61, 87
Appendix - 88
Arteries -18, 22
Arthritis - 34, 55, 77
Artichokes (Jerusalem) - 42
Asparagus - 20
Asthma - 37, 39, 89
Beets-21, 22
Bile - 40
Blenders -14, 15
Blood Clots - 48
Blood Coagulation - 66
Blood Corpuscles - 22, 45
Blood Pressure, Low - 37, 55, 61,
91
High - 37, 55, 91
Bones - 38, 59, 73
Brain - 45, 50
Bronchials - 36, 40, 50
Brussels Sprouts - 25
Cabbage - 25
Cancer - 27, 28, 30, 31
Canned Food - 32
Carotene - 27
Carrot Juice - 9, 22, 26
Celery Juice - 33, 35
Centrifugal Juicers - 10, 15, 79
Change-over Diet - 8, 9
Childbirth - 38, 69
Child Feeding - 67, 70-71
Chlorophyll -18, 46
Cleansers of Body - 8
Coconut - 22
Colds - 61
Colic - 51
Colon Chart - 30
Colon Irrigations - 29, 33, 39, 47,
55, 59
Conjunctivitis - 28, 49
Constipation - 54 Convulsions - 55
Cooked Food - 8
Cortes (Adrenal) - 46
Cream - 29
Cucumbers - 22, 37
Dandelions - 37
Detoxication - 75-76
Diabetes - 20, 25
Diuretics - 40, 42, 46
Dropsey - 42, 48
Dulse - 43-44
Dysentery - 40, 41
EAT Vegetables - 6-7
Emphysema - 50,


 for cellul ar, and for the normal membrane
protein, which occurs in a-helix form (more precisely: whose neutral position is the helical form),
and which is now thought to be an extrac ellular superoxide dismutase, which protects cells from
oxygen radicals produced extrace llula rly (outside the cells). Prusiner gave this membrane protein
the name "PrP" (prion prot ein), and he called the resulting infectious agent "prion." "Sc" stands
for Scrapie: the membrane protein which is found as an aggregate in Scrapie sheep, the primary
structure (amino acid sequence) of which is identical to that of normal membrane proteins (to
"c"), but which has a different secondary struc ture (pleated sheet instead of helix) and could
accumulate for this reason.
According to Prusiner's conception, the aggregate of "Sc" first forces the normal helix-shaped c
into the pleated sheet form. But anyone who knows a bit about proteins knows that a native
protein does not have an absolutely stable structure, but rather fluctuates between various states:
with the membrane protein in question, there's a constant fluctuation between c and Sc. Whether
an aggregate actually forces the normal c-proteins to transform into Sc and then to clump
together with the aggregate (in other words, whether it functions like a catalyst that initiates a
proces s), is a hypothesis-or better, pure speculation.
165 Chapter 5
But with a little critical analysis, we see the deep rift between truth and illusions.
The food industry has conveyed to the public an incredibly distorted picture of food
production since the 19'h century, through advertisements and public relations.
Truth matters little in this spin doctoring, and is massively impeded by the attempts
of all sorts of cliques and interest groups to get maxi mum profit.
"I think that primarily to blame [in the BSE disaster] are the agricultural ministers,
who have a sort of symbiotic relationship to agro-busine ss: to the large corporations,
not just the meat feed manufacturers, but the chemical groups as well," says Kronig.
"Through this, research was contaminated from the onset: this means the experts
were directed too much by their interests. The research was not carried out openly.
This has to change, for only when there is absolute clarity over the reasons, can
something sensible really be undertak en."15
How tightly research and big business are interwoven can also be seen in the
example of Nobel Prize-winner Prusiner, who has developed his own BSE quick test
and promoted it far and wide through an article published in the scientific journal
Spektrum der Wissenscha ft in early 2005. Prusiner did not hesitate to emphasize that
the test could possibly also be suitable for testing human blood for SSE-something
that, if it became reality, would mean that the test manufacturers had the equivalent
of a money tree in their hands. One can only agree with Prusiner when he himself
writes in his article: "One may suspect that I propagate the thorough CDI test
[Prusiner's quick test] in my own interests. "16
The Infection Hypothesis Is Founded
on Dubious Experimen ts
So the theory goes that prions have spread across the borders of species (for
example from sheep to cow). And researchers concluded that if prions can manage
the jump from sheep to cow, then humans could also become infected from beef
products.
But there are numerous flaws in the experiments upon which these hypotheses
are based. Extracts from the brains of animals with neural diseases were directly
injected into the brains of test animals. When, after a year, they detected the
existence of the nerve-damaging accumulations (plaques) and holes in the brains, it
was taken as proof that a prion had caused an infection, which in turn had caused
the development of the plaque.
But the alterations in the brain could also have another cause. They could be
consequences of an immune reaction, for instance, with which the body defends.
itself against foreign proteins (in this case the foreign prion proteins). However,
166 BSE: The Epidemic That Never Was
researchers didn't consider this at all, even though a 1998 study by immunologist
Alan Ebringer of King's College, London pointed out the possibility that many
experiments involving injecting brain material from animals suffering from
encephalopathies into the brains of healthy animals didn't necessarily cause the
transmission of Scrapie or BSE (as is held to be the case); even if these animals did
later develop neurological symptoms and plaques were found in their brains.17 18
We must also remember that laboratory experiments in which cerebral matter is
directly transmitted from one brain to another proves nothing in terms of infection,
since this is supposed to occur via the mouth (orally). When was the last time your
brain came into contact with someone else's brain mass?
Ebringer: "The Prion-research workers do something that is not allowed. They
inject brain tissue homogenates into experimental animals, and when neurological
symptoms appear they say they have transmitted BSE. However, they have done
nothing of the sort, because what they are doing is producing experimental allergic
encephalomyelitis (EAE). I think all prion �xperirnents involve production of EAE
and not transmission of BSE. "19
An additional mind-boggier is that the prion experiments involved no proper
control experiments (involvi ng a comparative group of animals that are injected
with something that can be compared to what the original test subjects receive).
In 2004, a paper was published in Science claiming to have produced a sort of
irrefutable proof for the prion infection = brain-sof tening theory. In the experiment,
brain extracts from infected animals were not injected directly into the brains of the
test mice. Instead, a deformed prion with a �-pleated structure was artificially
produced, and it was assumed that this structure would give the prion an infectious
property. Then this prion protein with the �-pleated structur e was in jected into
mouse brains. After one to two years, the mice developed neurological disorders. 2o
But, once again, the experiments have no scientif ic value. Not only because
neurophysiolog y and immunology differ between mice and humans, so results can
be fundamentally misleading. 21 Also, as with many experiments conducted by the
guild of prion researchers, there were no control experiments involving an extract
that can be compared to the originally administered fluid. The salt solution alone,
which was injected into the brains of the control animals, is not a true control. The
researchers should have taken at least one other solution containing a protein and
have introduced it into the brains of the test mice. Or, even better, a genetically
engineered prion protein that did not have the �-pleated structure, but rather the
"healthy/normal" a-helix form.22
Defendants of the "prions in meat and bone meal hypothesis" also refer to tests
in which raw brain material is fed to laboratory animals. But raw brain that comes
from brain-diseased animals cannot be equated with animal feed meal, since these
167 Chapter 5
substances have completely different contents. Here as well, the test results cannot
be carried over to reality. Furthermore, adequate control groups are missing from
these experiments as well (groups of animals that are fed healthy cow brain).
For this reason, it cannot be asserted that a certain constituent in the brain
material fed to the mice (a deformed prion, for exampl e), had produced alterations
in their brains after a year or more-or if the brain material itself had not been
responsible.23 For this reason, the observed symptoms can also be interpreted as
portraying the results of an immune reaction. 24
Of course, experimental games and speculation are perfectly suitable for
impressing gullible research colleagues, politicians, journalists and the public. But,
they are scientifically worthless. "For no controlled feeding experiments in the field
exist studies that anyone with a healthy dose of common sense would require, and
which everyone believes have long been carried out by inventors of the meat and
bone meal hypothe sis," criticizes Roland Scholz.
This means, a large herd should have been separated into two halves: one group
receives meat and bone meal and the other doesn't receive this feed. Since this has
been neglecte d, however, the conclusion is evident: it has not yet been shown that
cattle become infected with BSE by being fed meat and bone meal. That an infectious
protein in meat and bone meal triggers BSE is still an unproven conjecture.
Incidental ly, it would have been even more informative, if a controlled experiment
had been carried out with specifically manufactured meat and bone meals (consisting
of material from Scrapie sheep or BSE cattle), something that, incidentally, could
still be done. Then one could figure out whether the meat and bone meal is a trigger
at all-and if so, what kind of infectious agent it was-or if a change in the animal
meal's manufacturing process could possibly have been the cause.25
BSE: A Gene tic Defect Due To Inbreeding
Due to the lack of proof for the thesis that prions in meat and bone meal can


 garlic and continue cooking on medium heat until soft.
If necessary, add bits of water or vegetable broth to keep from sticking. Add
spinach, cover, and cook until spinach wilts, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the lentils to the onions, mushrooms, and spinach, stir, and add the
diced tomatoes, sage, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, marjoram, and cilantro. Stir
again.
Finally, add the oatmeal and stir well.
Spread barbeque sauce or ketchup on the bottom of two small loaf pans
or one 8-inch-by-8-inch pan, then add the lentil/vegetable mix and top with
more barbeque sauce or ketchup. Be generous.Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until the loaf has your desired crispiness.
Let sit for10 minutes before serving. (It is much easier to cut the next day.)
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burrito
This is an Austin, Texas, favorite for lunch or dinner especially when grilled
in a panini maker for the crowning touch.
Serves 6
2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped (about 4 cups), peeling optional
1 onion
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup vegetable broth
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1½ tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4– 6 lar ge wraps (Ezekiel work well)
½ cup salsa or more, to taste
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup green onions, chopped
Fresh spinach
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Boil the sweet potatoes in water until soft,
about 10 minutes. Stir -fry the onions on medium heat in a small sauce pan
until translucent. It should not be necessary to add liquid. Add the black
beans, broth, garlic, chili powder, mustard, cumin, and black pepper, and
simmer uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes. Drain water from
sweet potatoes and mash.
Spread out the wraps, and on each one put a line of sweet potatoes
topped with a line of black beans, and 2 tablespoons of salsa. Follow with a
sprinkle of cilantro and chopped green onion, and, finally, a handful of
spinach. Roll wrap into sausage shape and bake for 10 minutes, until crispy.
Lime Custard Berry Pie
This is a cinch to make, heaven to eat, and has a stunning presentation.
Serves 6Crust ingr edients:
1 ¼ cups Grape-Nuts or Kashi 7 Whole Grain Nuggets
3 tablespoons apple or orange juice concentrate
Filling ingr edients:
2 (12-ounce) packages Mori-Nu Silken Lite Firm or Extra-Firm tofu
2/3 cups maple syrup or sweetener of choice
Lime zest
6 tablespoons lime juice
2 kiwis
6 to 8 strawberries, or 1 mango
1 cup blueberries or raspberries (or fruit of choice)
1 banana
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a pie plate and then wipe it
with paper towel. Put the Kashi nuggets and the apple or orange juice
concentrate in a small bowl and stir with a fork until the nuggets are moist.
Place the nuggets in the pie plate and spread them thinly over the bottom
and up the sides as far as possible. Put the crust the oven and bake for 14
minutes. Check often so it browns without burning. Remove and let cool.
Place the crust in the freezer or refrigerator until you add the berry filling.
Drain the tofu, then cover with paper towels, squeeze out extra liquid,
and place in a food processor or blender. If you’re in a hurry, skip the
squeezing and just drain. Place the tofu, maple syrup, lime juice, and zest in
a mixer and blend until very smooth. Keep scraping down the sides of the
processor to blend completely and avoid any lumps. Refrigerate or freeze
until ready to use.
When ready to serve the pie, peel and slice the kiwis and strawberries.
Remove the crust from the freezer and arrange on it a layer of sliced
bananas or other fruit of your choice. Fill the crust with half the lime tofu,
cover with 1 cup or more of berries, then with the rest of the tofu.
Finally, arrange the kiwis and strawberries on top. The more fruit, the
better.
It is especially dif ficult to get the first piece out of the dish. Don’ t worry
about this. The dessert actually tastes better when served in little messyheaps!
Isabel's Cranberry Br ead
Ricky Wang, a fellow Austin firefighter and my best childhood friend
growing up, gave me this recipe. It’ s from his mother, Isabel, who died a
few years ago after a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer. Ricky modified
the recipe to make it plant-powered.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup barley flour
1 cup raw sugar or brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
½ cup applesauce
1 cup walnuts (optional)
2 cups cranberries
Zest of 1–2 oranges
1 cup orange juice from 1–3 whole oranges
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and
baking soda in a lar ge bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine the ground flax
seeds, applesauce, walnuts, and cranberries. Zest the oranges, then squeeze
enough juice to make 1 cup. Mix the liquids into the dry ingredients until
well-absorbed (this will take some real stirring). Place in a 9-inch-by-4-inch
pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Easy Chocolate Cake with Walnut Fr osting
This cake is so good it was my Dad’ s request this year for his birthday cake.
Serves 8
1 cup hazelnut milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup barley flour or whole wheat pastry flour1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Walnut frosting (below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use one 9-inch round cake pan or two
muffin pans with cupcake liners. Whisk together the hazelnut milk and
vinegar in a medium bowl. Add the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla to the
hazelnut milk/vinegar mixture and beat until foamy.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda,
and baking powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
and beat until no lar ge lumps remain. Pour the batter into the 9-inch cake
pan or the two muf fin pans (fill each liner three quarters of the way). Bake
25 minutes for cake or about 18–20 minutes for cupcakes, or until a
toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You may need to add an
extra 5 minutes.
Frost with the walnut frosting as soon as the cake has cooled.
Walnut Frosting
If you don’ t want the chocolate cake naked, whip up this delightful nutty
frosting.
1 cup hazelnut milk or other milk substitute
½ brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup walnuts, well chopped and toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir ½ cup hazelnut milk with sugar.
Cook until mixture starts to boil. Watch carefully. Turn heat down and
simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl whisk the rest of the hazelnut milk with the cornstarch
and add to the hot hazelnut milk/sugar mixture.
Bring back to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer, stirring constantly
until mixture thickens. Continue cooking for another 6 minutes in order to
allow cornstarch to cook completely.Remove the mixture from heat and stir in chopped walnuts and vanilla.
Cool to room temperature before frosting cake.
Variation:
Use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder instead of the walnuts.
OceanofPDF.comACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to thank all the firefighters from
Austin who helped me embark on this wonderful journey over five years
ago by teaming up to create delicious and nutritious plant-awesome
wagons, including James Rae, Josh Miller, Jeff Dean, Scott Hembree, Scott
Walters, Derick Zwerneman, Steve Martinez, Matt Moore, Ali Allazzawi,
James Garee, and Craig Walker.
Next, a hearty thank-you to the people in the media who felt that a bunch
of firemen eating a plant-powered diet were newsworthy, including Claire
Osborne from the Austin American-Statesman, the people from National
Public Radio, and Debra Blumenthal from The New Y ork T imes.
I’d also like to thank the sixty-two Engine 2 Pilot Study participants who
agreed to eat an all-plant-strong diet for six weeks—their dedication to
improving their health was impressive, and the results were reflective of
their commitment. I am also grateful to the twelve firefighters and three
civilians who participated in the second twenty-eight-day Pilot Study; I still
feel joy from knowing how much their cholesterol levels plummeted and
their weight dropped.
I want to thank some very special friends who have been especially
supportive: Paul Carrozza from Run Tex, for his sage advice, undying
optimism, quickness to act, and


.  Dilute 100% vegetable glycerin  with an
equal amount of water. This is useful as an after shave lotion.
Vitamin C  liquid.  Mix ¼ tsp. vitamin C powder in one pint
water (crushed tablets will do). This is useful as an after shave
lotion  and general skin treatment.
Apricot Kernel Oil.  This is a very light oil, useful as an after
shave lotion and general skin treatment.
Cornstarch  (see Sources ). Use on rashes, fungus, moist or
irritated areas and to prevent chafe.
Combining several of these makes them more effective.THE CURE FOR ALL DISEASES
536Dry skin has several causes: too much water contact, too
much soap contact (switch to borax), low body temperature, not
enough fat in the diet, or parasites.
Massage Oil
Use olive oil. It comes in very light to heavy textures. Pick
the right one for your purpose. Alginate mixtures can be used
instead of, or added to, oil. Starch solutions are good, too.
Sunscreen Lotion
Purchase PABA  (see Sources ) in 500 mg tablet form. Dis-
solve 1 tablet in grain alcohol or vodka. Grind the tablet first by
putting it in a plastic bag and rolling over it with a glass jar. It
will not completely dissolve even if you use a tablespoon of the
alcohol. Pour the whole mixture into a 4 ounce bottle of home-
made skin softener. Be careful not to get the lotion  into your eyes
when applying it. A better solution is to wear a hat or stay out of
the sun. Remember to take PABA as a supplement, too (500 mg,
one a day).
Nose Salve
(When the inside of the nose  is dry, cracked and bleeding.)
Pour ½ tsp. pure vegetable glycerin  into a bottle cap. Add ½
tsp. of water.
Applicator: use a plastic coffee  stirrer or straw; cut a slit in
the end to catch some cotton wool salvaged from a vitamin bot tle
and twist (cotton swabs, cotton balls and wooden toothpicks are
sterilized with mercury which in turn is polluted with thal lium).
Dip it into the glycerin  mixture and apply inside the nose  with a
rotating motion. Do each nostril with a new applicator.RECIPES
537Quick Corn Starch Skin Softener
4 tsp. corn  starch  (see Sources )
1 cup water
Boil starch  and water until clear, about one minute.
Cornstarch Skin Softener
1 tsp. lysine  powder or 8 tablets, 500 mg each
1 tsp. Vitamin C  powder (ascorbic acid ); or 8 tablets, 500 mg each
3 tsp. cornstarch  (see Sources )
Vitamin E, 1 capsule 400 mg
¼ tsp. apricot kernel oil  (optional)
1 cup water
Boil starch  and water until clear, about one minute. Add
other ingredients and stir until dissolved. Cool. Pour into dis-
penser bottle. Keep refrigerated when not in use. Apply after
washing dishes and after showering.
After Shaves
Vitamin C. ¼ tsp. vitamin C powder, dissolved in 1 pint
water.
Apricot kernel oil.
Vegetable glycerin. Equal parts glycerin and water or to suit
your need.
Personal Lubricants
Heat these together: 1 level tsp. sodium  alginate  and 1 cup
water in a covered non-metal pan until completely dissolved.
Use very low heat and stir with a wooden spoon handle. It takes
a fairly long time to get it perfectly smooth. After cooling, pour
into a small dispenser bottle. Keep the remainder refrigerated.
Or, mix and heat 4 tsp. cornstarch and 1 cup water until
completely dissolved in a covered saucepan. Use non-metalTHE CURE FOR ALL DISEASES
538dishes and a non-metal stirring spoon. Cool. Pour some into
dispenser bottle. Refrigerate remainder. This is many person's
favorite recipe.
Baby Wipes
Cut paper towels in quarters and stack in a closable plastic
box. Run tap water over them, drain the excess. Add 1 tsp. grain
alcohol and/or borax liquid on top. Close. Put a dab of the Quick
Cornstarch Softener recipe on top of each wipe as you use it.
People Wipes
¼ tsp. powdered lysine  (you may crush tablets)
¼ tsp. Vitamin C  powder (you may crush tablets)
¼ cup vegetable glycerin
1 cup water
Prepare wipes by cutting paper towels in quarters. Use
white, unfragranced towels that are strong enough to hold up for
this use. Fold each piece in quarters again and stack in a plastic
zippered baggy. Pour the fluid mixture over the stack and zip.
Store a bag full in the freezer to take on car trips. If you want to
keep them a month or more, add 1 tbs. grain alcohol or vodka to
the recipe.
For bathroom use, dampen a roll of paper towels under the
cold tap first. Then pour about ¼ cup of the mixture over the
towel roll around the middle. Store in plastic shopping bag or
stand in plastic waste basket.RECIPES
539Recipes For Natural Cosmetics
Eye liner and Eyebrow Pencil
Get a pure charcoal pencil (black only) at an art supply store.
Try several on yourself (bring a small mirror) in the store to see
what hardness suits you. You may need to wet it with water or a
vitamin E  perle first. Don't put any chemicals on your eyelids,
since this penetrates into your eye. To check this out for yourself,
close your eye tightly and then dab lemon juice on your eyelid. It
will soon burn! Everything that is put on skin penetrates.
Otherwise the nicotine  patch and estrogen  patch wouldn't work.
Not even soap belongs on your eyelids! Char coal pencils are
cheap. Get yourself half a dozen different kinds so you can do
different things.
You could also use a capsule of activated charcoal. Empty it
into a saucer. Mix glycerin  and water, half and half, and add it to
the charcoal powder until you get the consistency you like. Use a
brush for eyelashes; use a finger  for eyebrows.
Lipstick
Beet root powder (see Sources )
100% vegetable glycerin
Combine 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin  and 1 tsp. beet root  pow-
der in a saucer. Stir until perfectly  smooth. Then add ½ tsp. of
vitamin E  oil. Snip open vitamin E capsules or buy vitamin E oil
(see Sources ). Very thick olive oil can be substituted. Apply
liberally with your finger  or a lipstick  brush. Do not  purse  or rub
your lips together after application. To make the lipstick stay on
longer, apply 1 layer of lipstick, then dab some corn  starch  over
the lips, then apply another layer of lipstick. Store in a small
glass or plastic container in the refrigerator, tightly cov ered in a
plastic bag.THE CURE FOR ALL DISEASES
540Face Powder
Use cornstarch  from the original box. You may also try ar row
root starch  or potato starch. Use your fingers or a tissue to apply
because applicators can carry bacteria.
Blush (face  powder  in a cake form)
Add 50% glycerin  to cornstarch  in a saucer to make a paste.
Slowly add beet root  powder to the desired color. Use part of a
charcoal capsule to darken it, if desired. A drop of food grade
alcohol will also darken it. To make 50% glycerin, add equal
parts of glycerin and water. Try to make the consistency the same
as your brand name product, and you can even put it back in your
brand name container.
Recipes For Household Products
Floor Cleaner
Use washing soda  from the grocery store. You may add bo rax
and boric acid  (to deter insects except ants). Use white dis tilled
vinegar  in your rinse water for a natural shine and ant repellent.
Do not add bleach  to this. For the bathroom floor use plain
bleach water—follow the label. Never use chlorine  bleach if
anybody in the home is ill or suffers from depression. Use grain
alcohol (1 pint to 3 quarts water) for germ killing action instead
of chlorine.
Furniture Duster and Window Cleaner
Mix equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. Put it in a
spray bottle.RECIPES
541Furniture Polish
A few drops of olive oil on a dampened cloth. Use filtered
water to dampen.
Insect Killer
Boric acid powder (not borax). Throw liberal amounts be-
hind stove, refrigerator, under carpets and in carpets. Since bo ric
acid is white, you must be careful not to mistake it for sugar
accidentally. Keep it far away from food and out of children's
reach. Buy it at a farm supply or garden store (or  see Sources ). It
will not kill ants.
Ant Repellent
Spray 50% white distilled vinegar  on counter tops, window
sills and shelves and wipe, leaving residue. Start early in spring
before


 that?”
“You’re speaking in paradoxes,” Connor said abruptly. “Most people
would say that a dying person reminds us of our own fear of death.”
“That’ s one interpretation. But the sight of someone dying isn’t just
painful or cruel. It’ s real. And in the real must be a spark of spirit.”
“I think dying might be too real,” Connor said with conviction.
“By which you mean too overw helming,” I replied. “In my experience,
the antic ipation of death is always unreal. What do we typically imagine
death to be—extinction? falling  down an endless hole? going unconscious
forever? But these are all projections. Can you imagine the day you won’ t
exist? Can you imagine the day before you existed? Both are essentially the
same, aren’t they? Therefore couldn’ t both just be stages of life that we
aren’ t in contact with?”
“I suppose someone with a great deal of faith could believe that,” Connor
said.
“It’s not a matte r of faith. If you enter into the process of accepting the
real, which means stripping away what is unreal, you could be free from
death, here and now. Our worldview assumes that death is an ending when
in fact dying is a transition.”
“A transition to what?” Connor asked.
“Why not find out now instead of waiting?” I asked. “No amount of
anticipation gives us a preview  of death. Fear, anger, and denial are all
mental ways of pushing away and rejecting. Why don’t we go into the fear,
the anger, the denial, and find out what lies underneath? Because we have
conditioned ourselves to believe  that clinging to life is the only way to face
death. Actually it is the worst  way. It is a response rooted in fear and
ignorance, and only when we stop clinging can we hope to find the reality
beneath the illusion—presumably what you find out when you die. Reality
is always on the move, shifting the known out from under us and bringing
the unknown into view. Dying to the known brings knowledge that cannot
be acquired any other way. The scriptures have called this ‘dying unto
death.’”
It is a commonly held tenet of psychology that death is our model of loss,
so that any loss— losing money in the stock market, having your house burn
down, being fired from your job—creates a deep unconscious terror akin to
the terro r of death. But in spiritual terms loss isn’t reality, it’s a conceptcreated in the mind. When the mind applies judgment to change, what gets
created is loss. The sun coming up in the morning is the loss of the night.
Buying a new car is the loss of money. Falling in love is the loss of solitude.
We don’t call these things losses because we don’t judge against them. The
mind has to choose to “make wrong” before the concept of loss can take on
meaning.
The law of karma assures us that every debt is accounted for, therefore
nothing can ever be lost. When you perceive that something has gone out of
sight, you assum e it is lost. But in karmic terms this can’t be true—all that
happens when anything is lost is that its energy has been rearranged. The
falling apple disintegrates to provide fertilizer for the new growth of the
apple tree. The gazelle killed by the lion returns to life in the cells of its
predator. The cycle of life and death, the rhythm of the seasons, the coming
and going of species is happ ening on a karmic scale, shuffling the
ingredients of life from one place to another without disturbing the
exquisite balance of the whole.
“Do you still have Mary Patrick with you?” I asked Connor.
“Yes, but not the way you might be thinking,” he replied. “I know it’s
very common for the bereaved to feel that the one they’ve lost is still in the
room, watching them, offering reassurance. Mary Patrick isn’t there like
that for me. She simply isn’ t gone. Does that make any sense? Am I crazy?”
“No. What you are perceiving is true,” I said. “Does this percept ion come
and go?” Connor shook his head. “Do you see your wife’ s face or hear her
voice?”
“That’ s just it, I don’t. Whatever I’m sensing,” Connor replied, a look of
bafflement on his face, “it’ s not the woman I married but something else.”
I said, “The woman you marrie d is not here, but what you loved in her
has no here or there. It just is. Its reality is part of something whole. I think
your marriage fostered the kind of love that has this endurance, because you
found a way to love beyond personality—that is a very rare achievement.”
Connor nodded  slowly, taking my words in with recognition and
appreciation. “I was taught by the priests in Cork that when we die, our
souls go to heaven. Perhaps that is how it is, I don’t know. But Mary Patrick
hasn’ t gone, that I do know. I’ll spend a long time trying to figure it out. If
that’s what you mean by ‘dying unto death,’ then that’ s what it will take.”OceanofPDF.com6
WHY WE NEED PASSION
UP TO THIS point I have spoken of the cosmic dimension of your self as a
Self that lives beyond three-dim ensional reality. But we have not yet fully
addressed the cosmic dimension of your relationship. What is your marriage
in terms of Self and Self, two spirits being joined? Since you lack for
nothing in your higher Self, it might seem at first blush that there is no need
for your Self and that of your beloved to relate. But in truth the very fact
that you can love each other in flesh and blood has its origins in spirit.
Your marriage is a play of the divine. T wo spirits pr etend to be separate for the sheer joy of
coming together in love.
The difference between a cosmic love affair and an earthly one is the
difference betwe en play and need. Some amount of need enter s into every
relationship in the material world—survival is too pressing an issue for us
to feel that our life is pure play. But in spirit you only play. Your purpose is
not to survive but to express every grain of passion that love arouses in you.
In Vedic terms only one marriage has ever taken place. It is the union of
God as male with God as female. When these two poles meet passion flies
between them. But this passion must be playful, since God knows in reality
that male and female are One. There was only one divine purpose in
dividing into two sexes, and that was the joy of sexual union.
Sexual union imitates divine cr eation. What you expr ess thr ough your passion is God’ s love for
God.
What we need to explore next, then, is how a marriage can deepen in
spirit to justify its cosmic purpose. If we could remember what it felt like tofall in love, we wouldn’ t ask why we need passion. The immediacy of
romantic love doesn’ t raise questions—the experience is all-enveloping.
Passion puts two lovers in a world of their own, as Whitman exalted in
one of his most erotically char ged poems, “From Pent-up Aching Rivers”:
O you and I! what is it to us what the rest do or think?
What is all else to us? only that we enjoy each other and exhaust each other if it must be so....
From sex, from the warp and from the woof,...
From the soft sliding of hands over me and thrusting of fingers through my hair and beard,
From the long sustained kiss upon the mouth or bosom,
From the close pressure that makes me or any man drunk, fainting with excess.
This poem brings the immediacy of sexual connection as close as words
can. However thrilling words may be, passion itself cannot be captured
outside the moment. In this it is like happiness. Anyone who is happy has
no reason to doubt what happin ess is. But once it has slipped away, even
ever so slightly, asking questions about happiness won’ t bring it back. The
mechanism of desire is even more delicate. As soon as erotic passion gets
eclipsed by niggling doubts or fears, spontaneity vanishes.
In our culture, because we define passion so exclusively in sexual terms,
people find themselves bewildered when sexual interest fades in their
relationships. Sometimes a more mellow love ensues, akin to the love
between friends, or we may be left with just indifference. Rekindling
passion in nonsexual terms isn’t something our culture knows much about.
Therefore the secret in many marriages, once a decade or more has passed,
is that both partn ers are struggling with ennui. The fading of passion has led
to boredom, and neither person knows what to do about it besides dwell in
nostalgia. As hard as it is to admit, relationships that begin in passion’ s
raging fire often end in the coldest ashes. Yet relationship should be about
uniting yourself with your beloved in a passion for life, not just for sex.
Real, lasting passion must come from a deeper level.
The intensity of human sexual desire is a pale reflection of the pent-up
longing that sends each of us on the quest for our ultimate lover, the


 deal with the most intractable
chronic pain. Next, she told each patient to close his eyes and to
imagine that he was creating  a supply of endorphins inside his head
but without releasing it. The painkilling dose had to be built up to
the appropriate  level. For the next few minutes she kept her patients
in suspense as they felt the dose becoming bigger and bigger, until
nally she gave a signal, and each person mentally injected a ood
of endorphins into his bloodstream.
At this point, almost everyone felt a surge of pain relief sweep
over them, as if morphine were being fed into them through an IV
needle. Chronic pain that had resisted all previous treatments
improved dramatically or disappeared entirely. When the patients
were sent home to use the “brain drug” technique on their own,
many were able to wean themselves completely o prescribed
painkillers. Remarkably, Silvers made the further observation that if
a patie nt with chronic pain was also a drug addict, using the
technique seemed to sweep away all drug cravings along with the
pain. This occurred even among patients who had been abusing
drugs for twenty years, and there seemed to be no withdrawal
symptoms. By 1986 Silver s was condent enough to test her
methods on a group of hard-core addicts.
She selected twenty adults who had spent from ve to forty years
hooked on cocaine, alcohol, Valium, or heroin, either alone or in
combination. They were desperate people, almost all of whom had
gone far beyond getting any satisfaction from their xes. They
continued on drugs basically  to escape their deep feelin gs of guilt
and to alleviate the constant  physical pain that their abused bodies
were aicted with. Most had completely ruined their family life and
career.
Silvers taught the group her standard technique, but after telling
them that the brain produces  its own painkillers, she went on to say
that it produce s the exact equivalent of any drug sold on the street.
Besides giving an addict a lifetime supply of pure drugs with no side
eects, the brain’s pharmacy  would make it unnecessary for him to
feel guilty. Silvers told the group: “You have been using drugs for a
very good reason. The drugs that get abused are precisely  those thatmimic the natural substance s which the brain uses to make people
feel normal. When we say that we feel a certain way, our mood is
always produced by one brain chemical or other—there is no state
of mind without a biochemical foundation.
“In the brains of an addicted  person, the internal drugs for feeling
normal—happy, calm, balanced, and in control—are in short supply,
either because of a hereditary or spontaneous shortage, or because
taking outside drugs lowers the brain’s ability to produce its own
supply.
“Your addictive cravings have been telling you that your brain
was having a problem, and your habit was a way of solving it.
Although drug abuse has dangerous consequences, it is nothing to
be ashamed of in itself. You were just medicating yourself, like a
diabetic taking insulin.”
Here Silvers was mixing astute therapy, the power of suggestion,
and rather tenuous science. Neuroscientists have not yet proved that
the brain produces the equiv alent of some addictive drugs (alcohol,
nicotine, and cocaine, for example), much less that such substances
can be deliver ed on command. But there is no doubt that our cells
are outtted to latch on to street drugs. That undeniable fact implies
that addictive substances must fulll some purpose that is closely
matched by a chemical we make inside ourselves; otherwise, we
would have to assume that nature gave us a receptivity  for street
drugs millions  of years before they arrived on the scene, which
seems highly improbable.
After Silvers delivered her talk, the members of the group closed
their eyes, mentally built up a massive dose of their favored drug,
and released it when she gave the signal. What followed was
astonishing. The eyes of the subjects glazed over; each person was
lost on a dierent trip, according to the kind of drug he was
addicted to. The cocaine addicts felt a rush that left them
speechless. They laughed quietly and later said that they had relived
childhood memories. The Valium addicts became so tranquilized
that they stuttered at the beginning of words. The alcoholics
sprawled in dreamy relaxatio n and lost their inhibitions; they talkedcalmly about threatening subjects that had arouse d massive
defensiveness before.
In every instance the drug x was so strong that Silvers had to
wait twenty minutes before  the group was coherent enough to
describe their experiences. All were elated and convinced by what
had happened, although they had approached the session quite
skeptically. “For years the drug has been in control of you,” Silvers
assured them, “now it will be the other way around.”
I nd this a superb example of how awareness can heal. When
Silvers told addicts that their guilt was unfounded, she set the stage
for an outlook  most of them  had not entertained but were eager to
accept. Once a plausible tool was oered, the mind allow ed itself to
break out of an old bounda ry. My explanation assumes that the
brain acted as a neutral agent here; having no will of its own, the
brain would have been capable of continuing the addiction or
abandoning it. The brain cannot free itself; it needs instructions
from the mind.
Silvers follows the current trend to seek explanations within the
brain’s chemistry, but she admits that the exact brain mechanism
she has been tapping is unknown. She places great weight on the
notion that feeling like a normal person depends upon a proper
balance of many interconnected neurochemicals. This seems
undeniable, but it bypasses the mystery of how a single  technique
could tap into brain chemicals that are not even know n to exist.
Besides, could  an addict’s brain, so grossly impaired by outside
substances, really cure itself through chemical means? As I see it,
the wound of addiction was cured instead by a new ingredient in
awareness.
The brilliance of her whole method was that it gave the mind-
body connection credit for doing anything it wanted to, even in the
face of people ’s enormous conditioning. As support for the view
underlying Silvers’ method, consider the power of the placebo
eect. If you give a dummy drug to a group of cancer patients,
telling them that they are receiving a potent form of chem otherapy,
a large  percentage will exhibit the typical side eects of
chemotherapy. They will feel intensely nauseous after taking thedrug; their hair will begin to fall out and sometimes  falls out
completely.
Clearly we were not born with a xed brain mechanism for losing
our hair at will; nor do chemotherapy drugs mimic natural
substances in the brain. In order for the placebo to work, the mind
created someth ing new—it was not dependent on the brain’s known
abilities. Rather, the brain was the mind’s innitely resourceful
servant, able to carry out what it was told to do. When Silvers
oered these addicts a drugle ss x, they discovered on the spot that
addiction was not a prison but an illusion. Years of pain, frustration,
and demolishe d self-esteem were suddenly irrelevant. “Curving back
upon myself,” Lord Krishna expounds to Arjuna, “I create again and
again.” This is not only a transcendent god speaking, but the creator
inside each person.
OceanofPDF.com11
The Field of Power
In India, if a person appears to be living in a state of grace,
people will admiringly say, “Let him walk where he likes, owers
will grow under his feet.” I’m sure Sidney has never heard this
poetic saying, but it could easily apply to him, now that he has
stepped into a wonder world.
“I was the last person who should have started performing
miracles,” he began, talking in a soft, musing voice. “In my circle,
you know, religion means next to nothing. I abhor ‘the gradual
descent into woolly mysticism,’ as Stephen Hawking so aptly put it,
and I agree with Freud that people who pray to an all-lov ing Father
in heaven are probably compensating for the father that did not love
them enough on earth.
“I was sitting in a café last year telling a student, ‘If you are
completely honest with yourself, you will never claim to know that
you have a soul.’ Medieval physicians used to weigh their dying
patients to test if the body became lighter as the soul departed. They
never found anything, of course. But metaphysics is the hardest
superstition to kill. Newton himself believed that the aairs of the
universe take place inside God’s mind—he never produced evidence
for that contention, either.
“Think of all the spiritual titillation we would be forced to
abandon if the ‘other world ’ and its ‘higher beings’ had to prove
their existence instead of being taken on faith! By the time I turned
twenty-one, I had dropped the whole archaic vocabulary of God,soul, sin, atonement, redemption, and immortality as so much
excess baggage.”
“But now you do possess a soul


 a problem in medical drugs. Artiﬁcial sweeteners and especially aspartame
have been linked to a high rate of brain tumors, serious metabolic and neurological complication in diabetics, epilepsy, toxic thyroid
and emotional disorders. For further details see www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/. While most of these chemicals are added only for
convenience, the food industry could easily use vitamins C and E as well as lecithin and other biological chemicals as antioxidants,
preservatives, emulsiﬁers and so forth.
Excitotoxins are taste or ﬂavor enha ncers that release glutamic acid or glutamate. Also aspartic acid and cysteine are brain-active
amino acids. The best known example of an excitotoxin is MSG or mono-sodium glutamate, a salt of glutamic acid. High blood levels
can cross the normally protective blood-brain barrier. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that is present in the extra-cellular ﬂuid only in
very low concentration. If levels are inappropriately raised then neurons ﬁre abnormally, and at higher levels brain cells begin to die.
Oxygen deﬁciency and lack of fuel (hypoglycemia) both interfere with the energy production of brain cells to make them susceptible
to damage by these excitotoxins. This may be an important factor in the development of neurological diseases.
Excitory amino acids cause problems mainly when they are used either in high concentrations or in free form while bound as in most
natural foods they are slowly releas ed and therefore harmless. Most processed foods contain excitotoxins, especially if any kind of
commercial taste or ﬂavor enhancers has been added, such as hydrolyz ed vegetable protein, soy protein extract, yeast extract, beef
stock and caseinate; commercial soups, sauces and gravies are usually most affected. On the label any of these products may just
be called 'natural ﬂavoring'. Aged proteins, processed meat, cheeses and tomato puree have higher levels of free glutamate as well
but fresh tomatoes are ﬁne. All of these should be avoided by sensitive individuals and minimized by others.
Chlorination
Chlorination of our drinking water is yet another instance of a substance added that is detrimental to our health. Besides
microorganisms in the water all other organic matter present will be chlorinated. This produces a wide range of chlorinated chemicals
with carcinogenic and other disease-causing properties.
Reluctantly, even health authoritie s now admit that there is a health problem, but they play it down by focusing only on
Trihalomethanes (THMs). These are very small compounds, consisting of one carbon atom with several attached chlorine or bromine
atoms. The most prevalent of these is chloroform (trichloromethane), a THM that is carcinogenic to rats and mice. You cannot protect
yourself against THMs, as they are absorbed through the skin if you swim in a chlorinated swimming pool, or have a hot bath or
shower. A hot shower may raise the level of THMs in the blood ten times higher than drinking a quart of chlorinated water.10/30/24, 2:38 PM Health-Science-Spirit - Chemicals & Other Foor Problems
https://health-science-spirit.com/Healing_Foods/Chemicals-and-Other-Food-Problems.html 2/7While a large number of studies found an association between chlorinated water and secondary chlorination products with an
increased risk of cancer, especially cancer of the bladder, I regard this only as the tip of the iceberg. The association of THMs with
bladder cancer shows that they are relatively harmless, because they are being excreted. I contend that the main health damage is
caused by long-chain chlorination products that remain in the body.
The level of chlorine in treated water is about one hundred times higher than the level of THMs. There is no doubt that chlorine reacts
with all organic matter, but especially with sensitive biochemicals, such as unsaturated oils, cholesterol and vitamins. This reaction
occurs when food is washed or cooked, when bread is baked, when commercial fruit juices or soymilk are made, and it occurs within
your body if you drink chlorinated water. These chlorination products have long carbon chains and remain stored in the body, just like
chlorinated insecticides (e.g. DDT) to which they are closely related. In the same way that health authorities did not believe that
ingesting pesticides would cause health problems, so they now believ e that these long-chain chlorination products do not cause
problems. I regard this as being complacent and incompetent in protecting the health of the public.
All or most chlorinated organic comp ounds that have been tested have been found to damage our health. It is also a fact that our liver
is not equipped to detoxify chlorin ated chemicals. Putting all of these facts together leads to the inescapable conclusion that
chlorinated water damages our health to a considerable, although unknown, degree. In the next chapter I provide more information
on the connection between chlorinated water and cardiovascular disease.
Focusing only on THMs, health authorities maintain that the anti-microbi al beneﬁts of water chlorination outweigh its health dangers,
and that there is no reasonable alternative to keep water supplies safe. I strongly disagree. I do not regard water as being safe that
causes cancer and very likely contributes to most other chronic and age-related diseases. There are thousands of water treatment
plants in Europe that provide safe water without chlorine, using ozon e, ultraviolet light, membrane ﬁlters, and slow sand ﬁlters
instead. While this may be initially somewhat more expensive than using chlorine, in terms of preventing chronic diseases it will be
immeasurably cheaper for individuals as well as the public purse.
In the meantime, you need to protect yourself from the dangers of chlorinated water. If you live in the country you may have access to
rainwater or bore water; otherwise use ﬁlters or reverse osmosis to purify water used for drinking and cooking, and install a shower
ﬁlter. Distilled water needs an additional carbon ﬁlter to remove chlorine and THMs. For temporary use, when these are not available,
you can remove most of the chlorine and THMs by shortly boiling the water and use it after it has cooled again. Also a bath may be
ﬁlled with hot water and the room ventilated before getting into the bath. Skin contact with chlorinated water not only allows the
absorption of THMs, it also ages the skin. You can counteract this by rubbing the skin afterwards with reduced ionized water or with a
diluted vitamin C solution.
Fluoridation
Equally shortsighted is the ofﬁcial campaign to ﬂuoridate our water supply. Modern dentistry tries to retard the growth of plaque
bacteria that causes caries by mech anical means and by poisoning the bacteria with ﬂuoride. Fluoride is a strong enzyme poison.
When present in sufﬁcient concentration during development of the teeth, it is incorporated into these, mainly as insoluble calcium
ﬂuoride. The lactic acid produced by plaque bacteria after the ingestion of sweet food dissolves traces of calcium ﬂuoride from the
teeth and this poisons their enzyme systems, retarding the development of caries.
However, the ﬂuoridation of our wate r supply and the liberal use of ﬂuoride toothpaste introduce dangerously high concentrations of
ﬂuoride in a very active and toxic form. This endangers our enzyme systems and greatly contributes to a weakened metabolism in
many people, and thus to the development of allergies, arthritis, cance r and hypoglycemia. Excessive ﬂuoride exposure has also
been linked to hip fractures, hypothy roidism, Alzheimers disease, and reduced IQ. The bulk of scientiﬁc research shows that added
ﬂuoride does not protect the teeth of adults or children.
In natural ground water, such as bore or spring water, ﬂuoride sufﬁcient for tooth protection (up to 1 ppm) occurs mainly in the form of
calcium ﬂuoride. While this is insoluble in high concentrations, it is sufﬁciently soluble in the minute amounts required for tooth
protection. In this form, and also when the blood level of calcium is high, ﬂuoride is less toxic. Fluoride causes most damage in
calcium-deﬁcient bodies, usually children and hypoglycemics or fast oxidizers.
Seafood and especially kelp are high in a safe form of ﬂuoride. However, using these in addition to ﬂuoridated water and toothpaste
might exceed safe ﬂuoride intake levels. Caries, and the health problem s due to artiﬁcial ﬂuoridation, can be avoided by using kelp
and restricting the use of sweet foods.
The United States is one of very few counties that still promote water ﬂuoridation. Most of Western Europe has outlawed it; even
most of U.S. communities, when allowed to vote, have rejected ﬂuorida tion; this happened in over 50 communities since 1999. For
further information on the health dangers of ﬂuoride and a good bibliography of the scientiﬁc literature on ﬂuoride see
www.ﬂuoride


 all religions.
WHA T IS SPIRITUALITY?
The concept of spirituality obviously means different things to differen t people. In this book it means deliberately manifesting or
aspiring to manifest a higher and purer consciousness. We do this by consciously developing the attributes of true spirituality such as
compassion, discernment, faith, high ideals, harmony, joy, inner knowledge, intuition, kindness, openness, patience, self-
responsibility, serenity, tolerance, wisdom and a gentle love for All That Is.
Being spiritual is not the same as being religious, which involves following the creed of a proclaimed religion. Someone may be
spiritual without being religious and vice versa. Those who are religious become spiritual by following the highest ideals of their
religion, while those without a religion follow their own highest ideals and their higher guidance. On the higher levels of
consciousness true religion and spirituality merge.
In Christian terms, for instance, we are advised to'seek ﬁrst the kingdom of heaven' and all else will be given onto us. In spiritual
terms this means to seek ﬁrst and follow our higher guidance to manifest the signs of true spirituality. Then we can expect health and
happiness to result as a natural by-product.
Spiritual development should not be confused with psychic development. Psychic abilities are no measure of spirituality. However,
psychic abilities will develop on their own and in a natural way during spiritual awakening according to the need for their use. While
neither good nor bad in themselves, psychic abilities without spirituality are like nuclear power without morality; both can lead to
disaster.
Home About Diseases Healing the Body Healing Foods Healing the Mind Healing the Emotions Energies Science & Spirituality Spirituality Contact10/30/24, 3:06 PM Health-Science-Spirit - The Spiritual Dimension
https://health-science-spirit.com/Spirituality/The-Spiritual-Dimension.html 1/7Neither is spiritual development a quest for altered states of consciousn ess, though these may occur as natural by-products of deep
relaxation and meditation. They can be useful and may provide us with insights as well as beautiful and uplifting inner experiences.
However, our main task is at the level of our normal consciousness, and such inner experiences at elevated levels need to be
transformed into improved daily living habits.
We become more spiritual by living according to our highest ideals, and by consciously improving our attitudes and feelings. Every
moment in our day-to-day interactions provides an opportunity to become more spiritual. We are aided in this endeavor by asking for
help from the highest guiding part of our consciousness, which we may call the Higher Self or in Christian terms the Holy Spirit.
THE STRUCTURE OF MANIFEST ATION
In the following I like to show an outline of the theoretical basis of our spirituality as I see it. Starting at the most fundamental level, I
regard consciousness as the basic ingredient of everything in existence. We may compare consciousness to air, which may be
compressed to varying degrees of density in containers of different shapes and sizes. In a similar way, consciousness becomes
compressed and may then aggregate to form more complex structures.
Different densities accumulate at separate levels to form an additional dimension based on density of consciousness. I call this the
dimension of  space-density . A certain density produces atomic and subatomic particles, while lesser and lesser degrees of
density manifest as etheric energy, bio-energy or prana, as feelings and emotional energy, as mental energy and thought forms and
ﬁnally as spiritual awareness. All of these represent different space-densities that may interpenetrate each other to occupy the same
three-dimensional space.
Therefore, there is no fundamental difference between the consciousness of an atom and that of a human it is only a difference in
complexity and range of densities. With this, the universe is basically a structure of consciousness acting on itself. Less dense ﬁelds
of consciousness build, change, discard and rebuild forms from denser ﬁelds of consciousness in order to experience and express
themselves. The main activity of consciousness is creativity; its highest manifestation on our planet is unconditional love.
We may assume two streams of consciousness. The'stream of creation' leads towards greater density and less complexity to form
atomic particles and the physical universe, while the'stream of evolution' ﬂows from dense towards less dense structures with greater
complexity towards the spiritual universe.
As part of the stream of evolution, consciousness uses the various life forms like water is using a riverbed to ﬂow to the ocean. A life
form, be it a species or an individua l form is useful only as long as it allows the consciousness to ﬂow through freely and expand. If
rigidity develops and consciousness becomes stagnant, then the form has reached old age and will soon disintegrate.
Physics cannot adequately and logically answer the question how all the energy and mass of our universe could have been
concentrated in a single point at the start of the 'Big Bang' and what was before. A spiritual theory of creation would say that originally
there was no energy at the physical level, that it emerged instead from the etheric level, not so much as an explosion but rather like
the crystallization of a super-saturated liquid starting from a seed point. Likewise, it answers also the question of the origin of
consciousness that biology cannot answer.
According to this model, our physical universe is a condensation of a less dense etheric universe. Atomic particles are the centers of
etheric vortexes, comparable to atmospheric high and low pressure areas. For a more detailed explanation see: The Science of
Spirituality.
PLANET ARY EVOLUTION
I see the evolution of consciousness on our planet as a multi-dimensional cooperative venture. Consciousness in the form of the
growth force is most active in the plant kingdom and works to transform the mineral kingdom.
In the animal kingdom consciousness becomes dominant at the level of feelings and emotions,  it is at this level where most of the
experimentation and creativity is present. The emotional level channels the growth force into more individualized forms than those in
the plant kingdom. A price for this individualization is a more solidiﬁed growth force with less regenerative capacity.
Insects are close to plants with only rudimentary feelings, while primates  and possibly dolphins are closest to the humans with highly
evolved complex feelings. Similar to the evolution in the plant kingdom, which leads to the beginning of feelings in the highest plant
species, so the higher animal species acquire a rudimentary capacity for thinking.
By having their emotional energies guided with the help of the emerging mental level, the animal kingdom culminates with the
primates channeling their life-force into a nearly perfect form for our planetary conditions. With this, the planetary evolution of the
growth force has been further completed and humanity works now on the perfection of the emotional level with the help of the mental
level. W e use beliefs to experiment with our emotions.
The animal kingdom required a rudimentary mental level in order for the growth force to be channeled into a perfect form by the
emotional level. In a similar way, we humans need a level of consciousness beyond the mental level to perfect our emotions. We call
this next higher level'spiritual consciousness'. It evolves through the programming of our higher mentality by the incarnated soul. We
may regard our dif ferent and evolving group belief systems as the human equivalent of dif ferent animal species.
THE NA TURE OF GOD
The concept of God can be deﬁned in two ways. We may equate God with consciousness and say God is everything. The
consciousness manifested in the various universes, the physical, etheric and so forth up to the spiritual universe are the energy
bodies of God, while the non-manifested part might be called the mind of God.10/30/24, 3:06 PM Health-Science-Spirit - The Spiritual Dimension
https://health-science-spirit.com/Spirituality/The-Spiritual-Dimension.html 2/7Alternatively, we may only regard the non-manifested universal consciousness as God and this may or may not be focused into what
we may regard as a personiﬁed being at certain levels of consciousness. For the evolution of our own consciousness the details of
what we believe is God do not matter very much at this stage. As part of a spiritual philosophy we may simply assume that the more
consciousness becomes condensed, the less it is aware, especially of being a part of God or All That Is.
I see the Oversoul as the creator of our soul and as our personal God or God Self, our individualized representative of the universal
aspect of God. Any communication from this more or less divine level can reach our normal human consciousness only by
penetrating our mental and emotional levels. These, however, act as ﬁlters that will distort and interpret any messages according to
our beliefs and emotions.
Therefore, a devout Catholic will receive messages clothed in Catholic  symbols, while a Hindu will experience divine revelations
according to his religious beliefs. The less strong and structured our beliefs are the less will any higher communication be distorted.
The more we expand our consciousness, the closer we are to this higher guidance and the easier it will be to communicate. Disbelief,
on the other hand, will block any communication.
A SPIRITUAL  PHILOSOPHY
A spiritual philosophy is our basic belief system about the nature of our existence, about its purpose and goal. From this we try to
understand our role in society as well as our relationship with any higher or guiding forces,  and it gives us the inner strength to follow
the spiritual path. Everyone has a philosophy of life, even if they are not consciously aware of it. For some this is just the notion to get