istic and physicalistic constraints on human nature are simply
incorrect and seriously limit those who hold them. This book is a page-
turner.”
— A LLAN L ESLIE C OMBS, P H. D.,  Professor of Consciousness
Studies, California Institute of Integral Studies
“Deepak Chopra’s Metahuman  is a deep dive into educating or familiarizing
its readers with a fundamental understanding of self, consciousness,
enlightenment, and metareality,  i n the sam e way Stephen Hawkins’s A Brief
History of Time  a ttem pted to teach  the layman about the mysteries of the
origins of the physical quantum universe. A must-read.”
— D R. K ENNETH P. G REEN, D. M. D., B. S.,  Commander, US
Navy (retired); Senior Vice President, Brain Mapping
Foundation; Vice President, Strategic Initiatives for
Government and Nonprofit Partnerships; and Member of the
Board of Directors, Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics
“In Metahuman,  Deepak Chopra provides us with a step-by-step guide for how
we can once again r eimagine the reality of the world we live in, a reality not
bound by  the beliefs and understandings we have about the material and
physical world, but by the boundlessness of our purpose and energy.”
— R OBERT L O C ASCIO,  founder and CEO, LivePerson
“What sets Deepak Chopra’s new book apart and makes it particularly valuable
and impo rtant is that it takes modern life and secular culture as its point ofdeparture, rather than being situated in the context of the spiritual wisdom
tradition o f some ancient and distant culture. Metahuman  does not shy away
from what  those approaches offer but, importantly, is also not bound by their
perspectives and approaches. This boo k, Dr. Chopra’s gentle and insightful
guidance, is a great blessing for its readers.”
— E DWIN L. T URNER, Professor, Department of Astrophysical
Sciences, Princeton University
“This book is another masterpiece from  the renowned endocrinologist Deepak
Chopra. It is an invitation to self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-
improvement. A must-read for those who seek to be better humans, live much
more fulfilling lives, and impact others.”
— B ABAK K ATEB, M. D.,  Chairman of the Board and CEO, Society
for Brain Mapping and TherapeuticsCopyright © 2019 by Deepak Chopra
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Harmony Books, an
imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin
Random House LLC, New York. harmonybooks.com
Harmony Books is a registered trademark, and the
Circle colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random
House LLC. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Chopra, Deepak, author. Title: Metahuman: unleashing your infinite potential /
by Deepak Chopra. Description: New York: Harmony, [2019] | Includes
bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2019004165 (print) |
LCCN 2019006154 (ebook) | ISBN 9781524762988 (e-
book) | ISBN 9780307338334 (hardcover: alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Mind and body. | Spiritual life. | Self-
realization. Classification: LCC BF161 (ebook) | LCC BF161.C458
2019 (print) | DDC 204/.4—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/
2019004165
ISBN 9780307338334
Ebook ISBN 9781524762988
International Edition ISBN 9780593136096
Cover design by Pete Garceau
v5.4
epC O N T E N T S
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
A Personal Preface: Going Beyond
Overview: Metahuman Is the Choice of a Lifetime
PART ONE
THE SECRETS OF METAREALITY
1: We Are Entangled in an Illusion
2: “I” Is the Creator of Illusion
3: Human Potential Is Infinite
4: Metareality Offers Absolute Freedom
5: Mind, Body, Brain, and Universe Are Modified
Consciousness
6: Existence and Consciousness Are the Same
PART TWO
WAKING UP
7: Putting Experience First
8: Going Beyond All Stories
9: The Direct Path
PART THREE
BEING METAHUMAN
10: Freeing Your Body
11: Recovering the Whole Mind
12: Choiceless Awareness
13: One LifeA MONTH OF AWAKENING:
31 METAHUMAN LESSONS
A Final Word
Acknowledgments
About the AuthorTA PERSONAL PREF ACE

G O I N G  B E Y O N D
his book is an invitation to find out who you really are,
beginning with  two simple questions. In moments when you feel
very happy, do you also wat ch yourself being happy? When you
happen to get angry, is some  part of you totally free of anger? If
you ans wer “yes” to both qu estions, you can stop reading. You
have ar rived. You have gone beyond everyday awareness, and this
going b eyond is what it take s to know who you really are. Self-
knowledge wil l unfold for you every day. In time—or pe rhaps at
this ver y moment—you will see yourself living in the light. Like the
great Bengali poet Rabindran ath Tagore, you can say, “Tha t I exist
is a perpetual surprise.”
It would  be fascinating to me et you, because your existence no
doubt is quite unusual—you might even assume that you are
unique. You look around and  see that the vast majority of people
are simply happy when they are happy, and angry when they are
angry. But not you. You see beyond. When I began writing books thirty years ago, there was no
question that being happy and getting angry were normal, without
the add ed element of watching yourself. A word like mindfulness
wasn’t in the a ir; meditation was still considered dubiou s by the
average person, and the whole question of higher consciousnesswas vie wed with hard-eyed skepticism. I was a young Boston
doctor with a growing family, and my days were consumed with
work, s ervicing a large patient roster and traveling every day
between two or more hospitals. When I  was happy about a patient with a thyroid condition
getting well, did I watch myself being happy? Absolutely n ot. If the
wrong prescrip tion was filled by a careless pharmacist, was a part
of me not at all upset, standing by like a silent witness? No. In
common with everyone else I knew, I was happy or angry without
any mystery about it. But coming from India, I could reach back
into m y childhood for clues about a different state of being. According to an ancient Upa nishad, the human mind is like two
birds si tting on  a branch. One of the birds is eating the fruit of the
tree while the other lovingly looks on. Since I went for some years to a school run by an order of
Catholic brothers, there were other clues from a different source,
such as Jesus telling his disciples to be “in the world but not of it.”
If you Google that phrase, you’ll find a wealth of confusion about
what it actually  means, but th e kernel of the teaching is that there
is a  difference between buyi ng into worldly life and not  buying
into it. When you don’t b uy into it, Jesus teaches, you are
somehow with God. I wish I could say that these clues about higher consciousness
transfixed me and shaped my life. They didn’t. I stored them in the
back of my min d, never calling upon them in my busy, stre ss-filled
life. The re was no budding awareness of the Truth with a c apital T,
which is that I, and everyo ne else in the world, embody the
mystery of existence. This is  the reason, ultimately, why Tagore
found h imself perpetually su rprised. Once you wake up to  reality,
you face the m ystery of existence intimately and personal ly: there
could be no mystery without you. In a sentence  or two I’ve taken some giant leaps, I k now. There’s a yawning gulf between the things a person must do in a
day—beginning with waking up, getting dressed, going to work,
and so on—an d the mystery of existence. A society based on
reason and science looks with skepticism on any such notion as
being in  the world but not of it, or Truth with a capital T. We live
together in a reality that obeys the rule of “What you see is whatyou get.” The physical world confronts us; we come to grips with
its m any challenges; and, as  the rational mind probes t he dark
unknown, wha t emerges are new facts and data, not a sense of
wonder that we even exist. What first coaxed me into fa cing the mystery of life—and the
mystery of myself as a hum an being—was medicine. I practiced
endocrinology, a specialty th at fascinated me because hormones
are uniq ue chemicals. They


 fair sh are, we fear p ossible loss. It is a bad deal to rely on
what is unreliable. You would n’t take a job from an employer who
says that he w ill toss a coin every day to determine if you  stay or
get fired. But we cling to vir tual reality with no guarantees that
things w ill work out. This is a form of bondage—the wor st form,
since the widely held belief is that there’s no alternative. Real freedom isn’t something  you struggle to achieve, hope for,
and fee l unlike ly to win. Free dom is our natural state if we don’t
imprison ourselves. On waking up, you no longer feel bound to
virtual reality. Mental constructs lose their grip and eventually
fade away entirely. Being her e now is the same as total freedom,
because the now is gone before anything can lay claim to y ou. You
exist and you are aware—that’s enough to set you free. For Today
All of us have our own version of what it feels like to be fre e and
its opp osite, what it feels like to be trapped, hemmed in, and
suffocated. Yet  these concepts disguise the reality, which is that
our sense of freedom is al ways bound up with its o pposite. Retirement frees us from the demands of work; having the
children go off to college frees us from having them under our
roof. But our freedom is constrained by having a job and becoming
a parent in the first place. True fre edom isn’t bound up with its opposite. To prove this to
yourself, think  for a moment and describe what you were doing at
7:37 last Tuesday evening. What thoughts were in you r head. What words did you say. Even if something memorable sticks
with you from last Tuesday, it takes an effort to recall it. You are
free fr om 7:37 last Tuesday evening because there  is no
attachment to it. A moment of now has fled and gone. The
moment when you started to read this lesson has fled and gone. Your re lationship to the now is to experience it, extract what it has
to give, and move on. This is the state of nondoing and
nonclinging, which dawns as your natural state when you wake up. YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 29

Knowing ourselves as timeless beings, we can live
consciously. We can be what we really are—a species of
consciousness creating the human universe. “I,” the ego-personality, grapples with the stuff of creation
every day, turning new idea s into reality. We call this progress,
and it is—of a sort. The ideas we turn into reality have an agenda
and a past. The y crop up in a context that accepts or rejec ts them. The con ditioned mind has no choice but to respond to all kinds of
external limita tions. Once a wish, hope, or dream manages to turn
into rea lity, we cling to wh at we have created. We ignore the
inevitable ruin  of all things—one day the things we’ve built will be
relics like the Parthenon or the Egyptian pyramids. Creation that is lasting must be built upon the timeless. That’s
not possible with physical things, and since physical objects
represent ideas, even ideas cannot truly last in the face of the
ravages of time. In the timeless, what lasts isn’t an idea or a thing
but creativity itself. The “stuff” of creation is our own awareness
and its infinite  capacity to cre ate. By waking up, you creat e on the
basis of  being a creator, not o n the ideas and things that surround
you. Yo u are beyond things and ideas, a conscious being of
timeless dimension. For Today
Timeless  i s a concept that feels very fa r removed from daily life,
but it comes c loser when you realize what time is. Time is the
process of creation and destruction. Therefore, if you don’t
identify with creation and de struction, you stand in the timeless. You have a cho ice to shift you r allegiance to the timeless w heneveryou wan t. Stop  for a moment  to look around the room. When you
return to reading this page, everything you looked at is in the
process of decaying, dissolving, and fading away. But did time take
away th e present moment. No—it only took away the things you
noticed in the present moment. The present moment constantly
renews itself. It stands for the timeless that persists in the activity
of time. When you are awake, the timeless takes precedence over
everything else. This shift allo ws you to celebrate creation without
feeling anxiety over things passing away. YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 30

Knowing that we are free, the future of humanity can go
beyond birth, death, and all the stories in between. If you could land anywhere in history, you could seek out
people who are awake. The y would always be a minor ity, and
perhaps a tiny sliver of a minority. But counting noses is n’t how
waking up works. If you want to know if human beings ca n swim,
you on ly need to find one example. Likewise, one aw akened
person tells you that waking  up is possible, and, even more, that
everyone is part of the process. Waking up isn’t learned; it is not
acquired behavior. It is a state that all of us already exist in. The
only thing that happens when you wake up is that you realize who
you rea lly are. Humanity is a lready free—we wouldn’t be here as
conscious bein gs if that weren’t true. Only the stories we tell
ourselves block our view of our true nature. This interference pattern, like a fuzzy television picture, doesn’t
affect re ality. The broadcaste r is still sending a clear picture, even
if our receiver  isn’t picking i t up. When you wake up, the signal
and the receiver are both c lear and in tune with each other. Thoughts and feelings come and go without creating interference. This is what it means to be in the world but not of it. For Today
You can  be in poverty for two reasons—either you are act ually
poor or  you are rich but don ’t know it. In relation to the infinite
potential that is our true nat ure, we feel limited in everyday life. So whic h is it. Are we actuall y limited, or do we not know that we
are unli mited. The answer isn’t given by looking at conditions on
the ground. The richest, smartest, most gifted, and happiestperson can wind up leading a very limited life. The answer is only
available in your own awareness. Sit for a moment and try to  think of a forbidden thoug ht. It
could be something you have  refused to consider for any  kind of
reason—it is too shameful, outrageous, antisocial, demeaning, or
anything else forbidden. The instant such a thought occur s to you,
it is no longer forbidden. In fact, no thought has ever be en truly
forbidden. You cannot limit thought, and since thoughts spring up
from silent awareness, you c annot limit the possibility that any
thought will be born. Because your entire life—and the life of
humanity—is based on consciousness, you too are unlimited. You
can sto p buying into all t he stories about birth, death, and
everything in between. Knowing that you are unlimited means
that no story can limit your possibilities. YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 31

You can enjoy the movie while knowing at the same time
that you created the movie. That is the awakened state. The everyday world operates  by opposites. There is a positive
and a negative  pole to every experience. To navigate thro ugh life,
people try to g rasp the positive pole, but this effort never frees
them fr om the  specter that th e negative will also have its day. The
ultimate polarity is attachme nt and detachment. Spiritual  seekers
learn that detachment is positive, because being attached (i.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: According to the text, what is the only constant in every snapshot of reality?,
A: The presence of being and awareness.
Q: What is the main point of the text?,
A: To show that the reader can wake up and experience the world in a new way, free from the conditioning of the mind.
Q: What is the author's view on the concept of time?,
A: The author believes that time is an illusion created by the mind to make sense of the world, and that true freedom is not bound by time.
Q: What is the author's opinion on the concept of suffering?,
A: The author believes that suffering is an illusion created by the mind, and that it is possible to transcend it by waking up and recognizing the true nature of reality.
Q: What is the ultimate goal of the text?,
A: The ultimate goal is to wake up and experience the world in a new way, free from the conditioning of the mind, and to recognize the true nature of reality.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>At Harmony Books, I enjoy a trusting relationship with my
perceptive editor, Gary Jansen, who is untiring in offering
suggestions to improve the manuscript. I can’t count how often
Gary ha s guided my writing in the right direction—an author can
hardly ask for more. In ad dition, I


	pour	over	damp	hair,	being	careful	not	to	get	the	rinse	into	your	eyes	or
on	your	face. Massage	for	a	few	moments	and	rinse	out. Top	Ingredients	for	Hair	Care
To	pinpoint	the	best	possible	ingredients	in	shampoos	and	conditioners	to	help
nourish	your	hair,	it’s	important	to	look	beyond	the	slogans	and	pretty
packaging	devised	by	marketing	companies. Of	course,	the	products	you	choose
must	match	your	individual	hair	type,	but	there	are	some	ingredients	that	are
known	to	work	universally	well	for	different	types	of	hair. Products	includingthese	ingredients	can	be	sourced	at	health	stores,	but	they	also	are	increasingly
common	and	easy	to	find	at	your	local	grocery	store	or	pharmacy. SHEA	BUTTER
This	is	a	great	natural	emollient. It	coats	the	surface	of	your	hair	strands	with
oil,	reducing	the	amount	of	water	that	is	lost	so	that	your	hair	stays
hydrated
and	luscious. COCONUT	OIL
This	is	a	perfect	fatty	emollient	to	seal	moisture	into	your	hair. Coconut	oil
helps	make	your	hair	shiny	and	healthier. PURE
ALOE	VERA	GEL
Great	for	soothing	your	scalp	and	hair	follicles,	aloe	vera	is	said	to	also	contain
an	enzyme	that	stimulates	hair	follicles,	helping	to	promote	healthy	hair
growth. VEGETABLE	GLYCERIN
This	acts	as	a	natural	humectant,	meaning	it	attracts	water	and	acts	as	a
protective	moisture	layer,	which	will	help	your	hair	stay	moisturized	while
avoiding	frizziness. JOJOBA
This	is	a	great	natural	hair	oil,	which	can	soothe	damaged	ends	and	make	your
hair	look	shiny	but	not	greasy	by	balancing	your	hair’s	oil	production. CASTOR	OIL
This	is	a	humectant	and	an	antifungal	that	helps	prepare	the	hair	for	better
growth. CERAMIDES
Ceramides	mend	damaged	and	broken	hair	fibers	by	“gluing”	them	back
together	and	reinforcing	your	hair’s	structure. They	also	help	to	smooth	out
frizzy	or	unmanageable	hair. ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants	work	great	inside	your	body	and	also	help	to	nourish	your	hairfrom	the	outside. Applied	topically,	antioxidants	can	help	protect	your	hair
from	free	radicals	and	even	protect	the	integrity	of	your	hair’s	vital	color. HYALURONIC	ACID
Popularly	used	in	skin	care	(see
this	page
),	hyaluronic	acid	is	also	useful	for
beautiful	hair,	as	it	helps	to	lock
hydration	into	your	hair	strands. ACIDIC
INGREDIENTS
In	this	case,	acidity	can	be	a	good	thing. Just	as	applying	apple	cider	vinegar	can
cleanse	your	hair	follicles	of	debris	and	balance	your	hair’s	natural	pH,	other
natural	acids	in	shampoo,	such	as	sodium	citrate	or	citric	acid,	perform	the
same	functions	on	a	milder,	more	regular	basis. PANTHENOL
Panthenol	is	a	form	of	vitamin	B	that	treats	and	prevents	damage	to	your	hair
from	pollution,	free	radicals,	and	sun	exposure. It’s	water	soluble,	penetrating
the	hair	and	acting	as	a	great	moisturizer	that	locks	moisture	into	your	hair
after	cleansing. ZINC
You	can	ingest	the	essential	trace	element	zinc	from	eating	nuts	and	seeds,	such
as	pumpkin	seeds. In	shampoo,	zinc	can	soothe	the	scalp,	fight	chronic
dandruff,	and	regulate	excess	sebum,	thereby	preventing	excessively	oily	hair
and	even	hair	loss	that	results	from	clogged	hair	follicles. RADICAL	BEAUTY	TIP:	KEEP	YOUR	TRESSES	SHINY
Everyone	loves	hot	showers. That’s	all	good,	but	be	sure	to	end	your	shower	with	a
cool	rinse. (See
this	page
	to	read	why	alternating	temperatures	in	the	shower	is	a
great	beauty	practice	in	general. ) The	cool	water	will	tighten	up	your	hair	follicles
and	cuticle,	keeping	your	hair	shinier. Plus,	you	will	feel	refreshed. Hair	Ingredients	to	Avoid
Your	hair	follicles	are	very	vacuolated,	meaning	they	are	rich	in	blood	vessels
that	are	close	to	the	surface	of	your	scalp. Therefore,	whatever	is	in	your
hair
products	is	quickly	absorbed	into	your	bloodstream	and	into	your	system. Being	aware	of	the	toxic	additives	in	many	common	hair	products	and	avoiding
them	goes	hand	in	hand	with	eating	organic	foods. It’s	important	to	avoidtoxins	from	entering	and	circulating	around	your	precious	body	from	any
source	so	they	do	not	in	any	way,	shape,	or	form	detract	from	your	natural
beauty. Unfortunately,	there	are	thousands	of	chemicals	used	in	different	hair-
care	products,	so	it’s	up	to	you	to	scan	ingredient	labels	and	be	on	the	lookout. Here	are	some	of	the	most	common	harmful	ingredients	that	are	important	to
avoid. SULFATES
Ugh. These	nasty,	cheaply	produced	chemicals,	which	include	sodium	lauryl
sulfate	(SLS),	sodium	laureth	sulfate	(SLES),	and	other	forms	of	sulfate,	are	used
in	shampoos	(as	well	as	floor	cleaners,	engine	degreasers,	and	kitchen	degreasers
like	dishwasher	soaps)	to	create	foam. It’s	easy	to	love	a	foamy	shampoo	and
feel	like	you’re	really	cleaning	your	hair,	right. But	sulfates	can	be	considered	a
toxin	that	creates	irritation	and	itching,	as	well	as	more	serious	issues. A	report
from	the
Journal	of	the	American	College	of	Toxicology
	notes	that	this	ingredient
has	a	“degenerative	effect	on	the	cell	membranes	because	of	its	protein
denaturing	properties,”
1
	and	that	“high	levels	of	skin	penetration	may	occur	at
even	low	use	concentration. ”
2
	Some	studies	have	noted	that	sulfates	can	enter
and	maintain	residual	levels	in	the	heart,	liver,	lungs,	and	brain	from	skin
contact,	and	by	depositing	on	the	skin	surface	and	in	the	hair	follicles,	they	can
cause	damage	to	the	hair	follicle. 3
,
4
	Other	research	has	shown	that	sulfates	can
create	irritation	to	and	impair	your
immune	system. 5
ETHYL	AND
ISOPROPYL	ALCOHOLS
These	petroleum-based	alcohols	can	be	very	dehydrating	to	your	hair,	leaving	it
dry	and	eventually	leading	to	breakage. Certain	nonvolatile	or	fatty	alcohols,
however,	such	as	cetyl	alcohol,	are	okay,	as	they	have	a	higher	carbon	count	so
they	are	oily	and	actually	condition	hair. Be	sure	to	check	labels	for	specific
names. FORMALDEHYDE
Commonly	used	as	a	preservative	(you	might	recall	the	lab	rat	you	dissected	in
high	school	biology	was	embalmed	in	this),	it	irritates	the	skin	and	can	cause
inflammation,	joint	pain,	allergies,	chronic	fatigue,	and	dizziness. 6
	It	is	also
considered	a	potential	carcinogen. Stay	away. (Be	sure	to


 well? Without a
reference to the whole, a sense of the oneness of it all, we can only act like
a dis-eased cell. And what is a dis-eased cell but one that lacks internal
harmony, serenity, or as Teilhard called it, love? The way to oneness seems
to be through the path of inner harmony. The way to inner harmony is
through thought. And what kind of thought? The thoughts of oneness and
unity. The thoughts that all of us are connected. Though the bonds may not
be visible to the naked eye, they are still there, just as they are within each
individual cell in your own body. Whenever you fail to see yourself as a part of this entire whole, related to
all of us in this being that we call Human Being, then you lack inner
harmony and become dis-eased. That dis-ease will manifest itself in
aggressive, nonloving, and uncooperative behavior toward your
neighboring cells. Thus, the problems of a lack of oneness in our world can
really be traced to the individual cells that compose this body we call
humanity. As we work at eliminating cancer in our bodies by teaching a
sense of oneness and harmony and positive visualization, we also can help
to eliminate the carcinogens in our society the same way. Each of us as a
single cell has the opportunity to affect the entire being in either a
harmonious and loving way, or in a disorderly and dis-eased way. Up until now, the history of the Human Being has been one of far too
many cancerous cells, and too few cells filled with harmony and ease. The
body is wavering, and each of us must do what he or she can to make the
shift toward higher consciousne ss and harmony reign supreme and make
the onesong harmonize. This is not a job for others, it is for each of us to be
involved and help the entire body heal and stay well. The Human Being has
too long been divided, and it is our ultimate challenge to get a reference tothe whole, to see ourselves as one, and stay a single cell within a larger cell
that is working harmoniously. It becom es clear, then, with this new perspective, that anyone who is
acting in a destructive or aggressive way toward anyone else is actually a
person who lacks inner harmony. We should examine all of our aggressive
hateful behavior  toward others as a problem not with our neighbors, but
with what we are sending out to those neighbors. Within this context, it is
constructive to take a look at how we treat those cells adjacent to us who
look a little different from us, or who speak a different language, or worship
uniquely. We have created a large cell that is composed of many diseased
cells, and we all know that the whole cannot long survive when it is made
up of cells which are dis-eased. This was Einstein’ s warning to all of us
when he reacted to the splitting of the atom by telling us that we were now
on an unparalleled course toward ultimate disaster unless we could learn a
new way of thinking, an alternative to solving our disputes through
aggression and war. A VER Y BRIEF LOOK AT THE HIST ORY OF THE HUMAN
BEING

Ours is largely a story of divisio n rather than unity. Study any book which
chronicles the history of the Human Being, and we see one long story about
how divided we are as a species. The most startling thing about our history
is that we have always been at war with one another. We can measure our
advancement in the sophistication of the devices we have created over the
centuries for the purpose of killing off our brothers. We have evolved from
simple weapons of destruction such as crudely fashioned knives and
tomahawks to guns which can get the job done from a distance, to
automatic mach ines which can kill many of our brothers at once. Now we
have the twentieth-century term “megadeaths” to describe the lethal
capacity of our weaponry. Reconsider the analogy of our own body and the billions of cells which
constitute its physical totality. If we project that this one body was able to
live for fifty thousand years, we would see that that entire period of time
was devoted to creating micro bes and bacteria within the body for the
purpose of destroying the body quicker and more economically. We would
see that we had now killed off the pancreas, the liver, the arteries, removeda few limbs, and were ready to have all of the component parts fighting
each other in such a way as to complete the destruction of the entire body. And we have now created the ultimate cancer, a means of destruction
which, if ever used, will destroy the entire whole once and for all. The history of this being is also one of emphasizing our differences and
divisions. Look at our history books, and see how we as a total being have
behaved. The East against the West. The dark against the light. The old
against the young. The German s against the French. The civilized against
the savage. Endless chronicles of dichotomies, of peoples figuring out ways
to conqu er one another, to outdo one another, to defeat one another. It is
analogous to all of the life forms in your body choosing up sides based
upon physical appearances. The liver cells against the whites of your eyes. The larger cells of your skin against the tiny cells within your blood. The
liquid cells against those in the heel of the foot. The longer cells in the
intestines versu s the shorter cells in the eardrums. Division, division,
division, until at last one group wins and kills off the entire body. You know
how absurd it would be for you to try to live with this disharmo ny going on
within you. You know without even having to think about it that all of the
component parts  that constitute you must work in cooperation  and with a
reference to the whole that is you if you are to survive for ninety or so
years. Well, the being that is our Human Being simply has a longer life span
because it is so much bigger (a question of perspective), and consequently
you must take a look at how the individual beings within this Human Being
have been behaving, and then ask how it is possible for the being to survive
with all of this division. The answer is that we either help to change the
behavior and attitude of the beings that make up the Human Being, or it will
destroy itself. Listen to Paramahansa Yogananda writing in The Divine
Romance:
I believ e there will always be wars, until perchance we all
become so spiritual that by the evolution of our individual natur es
we will make war unnecessary. No matter what their difference s,
if great minds such as Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, Mohammed, sat
together, they would never use the engines of science to try to
destroy each other. Why must people feel it necessary to fight?The power of guns evokes no wisdom, nor has it ever
accomplished lasting peace. Our history is replete with references to how we have divided ourselves
and brought the entire human race to the brink of destruction as a result of
our emphasis on enemies rather than allies in this miracle of life. Some of
the great est mind s who have been among us know that oneness is more than
idle thoughts of philosophers and metaphysicians, that it is the very essence
of our reality. In the oneness that is human ity we have practiced division to the
detriment of the entire whole. Yes, we have had some shining lights who
have attempted to help us see the folly of our ways, but essentia lly we have
not been able to transcend our physical forms and see that our humanity is
in our thinking, and that the totality of our thinking has always been that of
divisiveness and separateness. There is much for you, as both one single
cell in this body  called humanity and as a functioning whole composed of a
multitude of individual cells, in the application of this principle of oneness
to your own personal world. One of the best places for you to begin to put
this principle to work is in how you function in relationship to all of the
other humans within the onesong. You can be either an instrument of
cohesion and leadership, or one of the beings that unconscio usly brings
your unit down. CUL TIVATING A REFERENCE TO THE WHOLE

Not long ago as I was running through the neighborhood, I noticed a tree-
trimming servic e at work on a neighbor ’s lawn. Since I had a large
overgrown tree in front of my house, I stopped to ask the worker if he could
give me some information so that I might use the trimming service. His
response gave me a great deal of information about how he sees himself,
both within his company and within his world: “Look, mister, I can’t stand
here and talk, my job is to get the trees trimmed. I don’t know a damn thing
about the front- office end of this business.” He proceeded to turn up the
volume on his chain saw and dismiss me entirely. He was so preoccupied
with his own little compartmented responsibilities that he failed  to see how
his actions affected the whole business, and that if he displayed that attitude
on a regular basis, he would be alienating himself from the whole andcontributing to its downfall, and therefore his


 The index finger represents the individual soul (jivatma) and the thumb represents the Supreme Consciousness (paramatma), symbolizing the union of the two.
Q: What is the purpose of the Shambhavi mudra practice?,
A: The purpose of this practice is to awaken the ajna chakra and to transcend the mind, intellect, and ego.
Q: What is the benefit of practicing Agnisar Kriya?,
A: The practice of Agnisar Kriya can awaken the svadhishthana chakra, which can help with the stimulation of the digestive organs and relieve abdominal ailments.
Q: What is the purpose of the Prana Mudra?,
A: The purpose of this practice is to awaken the ajna chakra and to stimulate the flow of prana and apana in the body.
Q: What is the importance of the Ajapa-Japa practice?,
A: This practice is not described in detail, but it is mentioned as a method for awakening the ajna chakra and for awakening the kundalini shakti.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>It is said that all nadis originate at the kan-
dasthana, a spherical region centered around the navel. From
there, the other nadis follow paths on all sides of the sushum
na - right and left, front and back. Some terminate in the eyes
or ears, others in the genital or perineal area, still others in
the mouth or tongue. These ideas are at odds with Western
medical knowledge, which considers the brain and the
spinal column to be the nervous system. From the point of view of embryology, as well, it is clear
that the navel and the formation of the nervous system are
not related. The navel and its surrounding organs develop
from the endoderm and mesoderm. For example, the con
nective tissues of the following anatomical structures
develop from the mesoderm: kidneys, adrenal glands, sexual
glands, uterine tubes, womb, vagina, notocord, supporting
structures (bone, cartilage, and connective tissue in the
broad sense), dentine, heart, blood vessels, lymphatic
vessels, lymph nodes, hemolymph nodes, spleen, striated
muscles, smooth muscles, etc. On the other hand, the central
nevous system develops from the ectoderm. Thus, even at the
embryonic stage, the navel and the nervous system are not
closely related. This evidence leads me to believe that the 139
nadis are not identical with the nervous system. Statistical Diagram of Susceptibility to Disease
A Model of Umbilical Cord. Amnion
Cavity, etc. (Broman) - taken from Human Genetics by
Dr. Takamichi Tsuzaki -
Some researchers attempt to resolve these contradictions
by positing two types of nadis, gross and subtle. The former
are said to correspond to the nervous and vascular systems
of the physical body, while the latter are composed of subtle
matter and belong to the astral body. I find this a plausible
view. However, another possibility is to posit a close cor
respondence between the nadis and the meridians of Chinese
medicine. In the next section we will investigate this
hypothesis, comparing the traditional description of the
nadis with those of the acupuncture meridians. As noted above, the Upanishads agree that the nadis
originate in the navel. For example, in the Shri Jabala Darshana
Upanishad it is said that the kandasthana lies nine fingers
(18-20 cm.) above the muladhara chakra, with the navel at
its center. From here, the nadis spread out in all directions
(see Table 1). The Yoga-shikka Upanishad confirms this,
stating "there (at the navel) start the nadis, some flowing ver
tically and others horizonally. It is called the 'navel wheel'
(manipura chakra) and is shaped like an egg." 140
In fact, Chinese meridian theory is in perfect agreement
with this conception. The meridian network is said to originate
at the chukan (chung-wan, CV12) point, which lies midway
between the navel and the bottom of the sternum. The word
"kan" means "stomach," and there are actually three "kan"
points in acupuncture: upper, middle, and lower. These are
the jokan (shang-wan, CV13, 3-4 cm. below the bottom of the
sternum on the midsternal line); chukan, mentioned above,
and gekan (hsia-wan CV10, 3-4 cm. above the navel). Of these
three, chukan and gekan are within the circumference of the
manipura chakra and the kandasthana. Like the nadis, acupuncture meridians are also deemed to
be channels for the circulation of vital energy. Elec
trophysiological experiments have been conducted to ver
ify the existence of the meridians, and to establish the direc
tionality of the energy flow. The results of these experiments
suggest that the meridians are energy channels quite
dissimilar to the nervous system; that they form a network
which spreads throughout the connective tissue of the body;
and that they are filled with body fluid. In this last respect,
also, the meridians seem to correspond to the nadis de
scribed in the Upanishads. For instance, the Chandogya
Upanishad states that the gross nadis (those of the physical
body) are filled with a body fluid which is responsible to the
suns rays. The number of nadis and meridians may be similar. Although there are twelve ordinary and eight extraordinary
meridians, vast numbers of minor meridians also are said to
exist. It is quite possible that if all these were counted, the
total number of meridians might reach 72,000, the figure
usually associated with the nadis. The nadis and meridians are also similar in that they func
tion both physiologically and psychologically. In common
Japanese usage, the word ki, used to indicate the energy
which flows through the meridians, can also refer to other
types of both physical and emotional or mental energy. Further
more, ki energy may be directed mentally within one's own 141
body, as well as physically by needle stimulation. Expert
acupuncturists are said to perceive intuitively the movement
of ki when they are in a state of mental concentration. Similarly, the prana which flows through the nadis may be
directed mentally by various meditation techniques, as well
as exercises such as asanas and pranayama which directly
stimulate the physiological system. The distinction often
made between gross and subtle nadis also bears witness to
the dual physiological and psychological nature of this
energy flow. We shall now attempt to correlate, by comparative study,
the main nadis with the principal meridians. We shall first
examine the relationship between the three "great
nadis" - the sushumna, ida, and pingala - and certain major
meridians. The Sushumna Nadi
As shown in Table I, the sushumna, or Brahman nadi, is a
canal which follows the spine. Descriptions of its starting
point are not entirely consistent. Shandilya Upanishad states
that it starts at the muladhara chakra, whereas Shat-chakra-
nirupana says it originates in the kandasthana. According to
the Chhandogya Upanishad, the sushumna nadi begins at the
heart. However, most yoga scriptures and other Upanishads
seem to agree that the muladhara is its starting point. The
terminal point is always described as the Brahman Gate at
the top of the head, through which prana and kundalini
shakti are said to enter and exit. In Chinese medical theory, there is a major "ex
traordinary" meridian, known as the governor vessel meri
dian, which seems to correspond closely to the sushumna. Its function is said to be the overall governance of the six
yang meridians. It starts at the tip of the coccyx (the approx
imate location of the muladhara chakra), courses up the
center of the back to the top of the head, and terminates in 142
Governor Vessel Meridian (GV)
the upper lip. It is said that ki energy is stored in this meri
dian like water in a lake: the flows of ki through the twelve
ordinary meridians are likened to rivers, which distribute
vital energy to the various organs and tissues. In the event of
an energy imbalance or insufficient ki in a particular organ
or part of the body (due to disease or other malfunction), the
energy stored in the governor vessel meridian is mobilized to
supplement the flow in the related ordinary meridians. In
such cases, the stored energy usually flows downward. Likewise, the normal energy flow in the sushumna is said to
be in a downward direction. These are some of the aspects of
these two main energy


 myself cured. But due
to unsuitable food the. ailment arose again. Then in November 1972. I took treatment of urine therapy and got cured in ten days. Today
also I follow urine treatment and keep myself fit. No doubt we
shou.ld take only simple and natural food. My diet consists of milk,
curds, boiled vegetables, dairy cream, fruit and green vegetables
(also raw). I avoid sugar but occasionally take jaggery and honey. Now my age iis 67 years. In 1973 I went to America. While returning in an aeroplane in
·July 1973, I suddenly developed acute pain in the stomach. I went to
the toilet and drank about 6 oz, of my urine. And within ten minutes
the pain disappear~. After 15 days I felt acurepainin the inner side
of my right foot. I thotJght I would not be able to walk freely for ·
. some days. I put urine-pack\On the same night and overnight I got
about 50 % benefit, so that I.could attend the courts. During second
night urine-packs cured my f6ot completely. An agriculture officer of the Bihar Government was syffering from
nephrites. He was treated at the Billaur Mission Hospital twice but
could not be cured. At last the doctors there declared their failure. SOME VIEWS : 243
The Jisidih Nature Cure Ashram's. Dr. Pdddar also deci'ined to treat
as the case was deemed beyond even Nature Cure. Then ti;leofficer
stayed outside the Ashram in some house. At my suggest)Oil and
u,nder,my supervision hefollowed urine therapy and regained a·new
nre..
.'Bh.agat Karamchand is a private steno~typist of 62 years. His heaq
was fast becoming bald. On my advice h~ adopted wine therapy
and he regained all his earlier hirsute growth. Shri Dharam ·.prakash, B. A., is a military.contractor of 55 years
age. WJth the urir.e treatment he remove.d his di,sease of the prostate
gland,within three weel<s..ShrJ Mahendr;:t Pal, B. Com., is a young man of 26 years, His father
is a rich factory owner. He was having serious. stomachache. He
stayed at Gorakhpur and Bareili Nature Cure Homes for several
mbnths but had no benefit. Then I made him undergo urine. treatrhent for two months. Besides lrinking and massage, I made him ·
undertake fasts,_'/i'th urine also. Now he is completely cured and is
happy. 3. Shri ~aligtam Gosai's Experiences : Sh:rr Saligram, dosai, Jr.
Publicc..tion Officer,'F.C.L Ltd., Sindri Unit, Sindri (Dhaubad). He is
also a press correspondent. He has a keen interest in nat~re ~ure: He
was so much impresssed by his talk on urine therapy With b1s fnend
Shri Gupta whom he visited, that on return to: Sindri h~ too~ up the
practice. In his letter of 31-1.0-1973 to Shri Gupta he 'Y~ites i
"Last June 4 to 61 had some pain in my chest. On june.7 morning
1 took urine, and the pain vanished. Since thenwithout hesitation I
drink once or, several time. daily the invaluable drink; Shivambu
Water of life. My experiences in this field in brief are:
· 1. My complains of displaced rectal membranes has been cured
so %. Now they can contract L.:tJ to 50 % of their earlier capacity. There seems no need for any major operation. 2. my piles subsided within a month. 244 : A.UTO-URINE THERAPY
3. I can work for 1 6 hours a day without fatigue. 4. Once at a 10 -day conference I used to rel'l'lain awake tilll-30
a.m. or even later and yet was well. 3. My paunch is decreasing and hipe are thil'lning and becoming
more flexible. For the last four and half months I have no trouble in
my stomach and my tummy is flat. 6. You say urine therapy creates rejuvenation. Yes. I find my grey
hair getting black. Only the tips are now looking. grey. 1 am 55 years
old. 7. By cleani! 'lg teach with toothpowder and urine my loose teeth
h~ve become firm and there is no bleeding since then. 8. From Septiimber, I began washing my eyes with my urine. My
yesight has become keener and they do not tire now. 9. From 1st september I massage the whole body with one-week
-old urine. It is invigorating. Then after about two hours of gardening
I bathe. In the morning first I put fresh urine in the ears. Then I put
drops of a week-old strained urine in the eyes which cools the eyes. 10. When squatting or in long jpurney·my rectal portion used to
project outside. Now it comes out only when I am evacuating. 11. From Ahmedabad about ten people have demanded the
copies of the book on auto-urine and have started practising it. :
4. Shri Chandulal Dave's Experiences: Shri Chandulal Kashiram
Dave (25 Brahman Mitra Mandai Society, Ahmedabad-6) is a retired
head master taking k~en interest in spiritual matters and dietretics. He is 84. For physicai\Mdmental health, he feels, proper food and
spiritual exercises are necessar~J His well-known book Sasti Poshak
Vanagio ("Cheap and wholeso~e recipes") has been printed for five
times. He is always active to incorporate in his life the practices of
yoga, nature cure and auto-urine therapy. Writing in Bhauf1liputar
·an 26-6-1975 he states: SOME VIEWS : 245
"For years I have noted that to stop bleeding from injury and to
heal the wound auto-urine is one of the most effective remedies and
immu.nizers. I have tried it when I was bitten by a pet dog of one of
my ;elatives and found that it stopped bleeding. To describe a most
uno!Jiigirig person we say in Indian languages, ''He wouldn't even
pass urine on an injured finger. This saying speaks volumes for the
knowledge gained from age-old exeprience. Sev~raf years age. I had read in Ayurvedic books that human
urine is a medicine. One leader Shri Morarjibhai Desai has
benefited from this as he has been practising auto-urine therapy for
sever.al years. When I had occasion to see him some months before,
he confirmed the Ayurvedic description of urine. Taking impiration
from the great mah I have also started drinking urine early in the
morning. I experience as though some new energy is coursing
through my blood vessels I have now clear and ample motions. By
putting a few drops in both the nostrils my complaint of congestion
also has vanished." 5. Shri Morarji Desai's Experiences : Since the late shri
Raojibhai told me that Shri Morarjibhai Desai also practises
auto-urine therapy I was keen to know his views on this. About five
years age. I had met his with Shri paragjibhai Desai in Delhi. He had
theh told that with auto-urine his constipation has been cured and
auto-urine has proved for him to be elixir. Even in his 80th year·he could trek the Siddhachal. On October 2, 1977 while narrating his own observation on
auto-urine, he said that once he had been operated upon for
cataract. But the operation was not successful. B.ut he could remove
his eye-trouble by drinking auto-urine. He could cure himself of
·deafness also by drinking urine. Incidentally, he said auto-urine can
cure all diseases. In his letter to Shri pannalal Jhaveri of 13-9-77 he writes that a
gentleman of Rajkot had under gone oper•tion for five times to
remove cancerous growth, but without any success. Doctors, had 246 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
given up all hope. But With auto-urine treatment he was· cdmpl~tely
ru~; ~. -EohoR
·-' )-
. 6. Sllri K. G. Pandit1s Experiences : Shri K,. G, Pandit w~~' afil. Engineer at.the Bhillai steel Plant. Now.from his own experience he:
has begun to propagate for spreading.. the ma~sage of auto"urine;
therapy. He is now manager of Auto~urine Research Centre and
Clinic, Raipur, (Mad


	seem	as	if	each	separate	atom	has
vanished—that	is	to	say,	died. I	can’t	emphasize	enough	that	if	science	cannotexplain	the	emergence	of	wetness	from	dryness,	it	cannot	explain	the
emergence	of	consciousness	in	the	brain. True	creative	leaps	are	always
inexplicable	and	therefore	miraculous. The	Source	of	Everything
What	science	should	do	is	hold	the	miracle	under	a	microscope	to	get	closer
to	where	creation	occurs. There	are	faint	physical	traces	to	be	followed	down
to	a	very	subtle	level. It	has	long	been	known	that	the	brain,	and	the	body	as	a
whole,	is	surrounded	by	a	very	weak	electromagnetic	field. With	the	proper
photographic	emulsion,	this	field	can	be	seen	to	glow;	the	minuscule	electric
charge	given	off	by
neurons
	as	they	fire	is	also	measurable. If	being	conscious
creates	an	energy	field,	can	an	energy	field	display	consciousness? You	would
think	that	since	the	brain	depends	on	electrical	signals,	it	would	be	affected	by
the	murky	soup	of	radio,	television,	microwave,	and	many	other
electromagnetic	emissions	that	surround	us. Apparently	this	isn’t	true. Parapsychology	researchers	have	gone	so	far	as	to	isolate	subjects	with
psychic	abilities	in	Faraday	cages	that	block	all	electromagnetic	energy
without	altering	their	abilities	to	see	at	a	distance	or	exhibit	other	psychic
phenomena. The	case	of	“remote	viewing”	is	especially	intriguing	because	so
much	credible	work	has	been	done	in	this	field. Many	experiments	have	been	conducted	in	remote	viewing,	commonly
called	clairvoyance,	but	one	of	the	most	notable	took	place	at	Stanford
University,	where	scientists	built	a	machine	called	a	SQUID,	or
superconducting	quantum	interference	device. It’s	enough	for	us	to	know	that
this	device,	which	measures	the	activity	of	subatomic	particles,	specifically
quarks,	is	very	well	shielded	from	all	outside	magnetic	forces. This	shielding
begins	with	layers	of	copper	and	aluminum,	but	to	fully	ensure	that	no	outside
force	can	affect	the	mechanism,	exotic	metals	wrap	the	inner	core. In	1972	a	SQUID	was	installed	in	the	basement	of	a	laboratory	at
Stanford,	apparently	doing	nothing	except	tracing	out	the	same	hill-and-valley
S-curve	on	a	length	of	graph	paper. This	curve	represented	the	constant
magnetic	field	of	the	Earth;	if	a	quark	passed	through	the	field	the	machine
would	register	it	with	changes	in	the	pattern	being	drawn. A	young	laser
physicist	named	Hal	Puthoff	(later	to	become	a	noted	quantum	theorist)
decided	that	aside	from	its	main	use,	the	SQUID	would	make	a	perfect	test	of
psychic	powers. Very	few	people,	including	the	scientists	at	Sanford,	knew
the	inner	workings	of	the	machine. A	letter	Puthoff	wrote	in	search	of	a	psychic	who	would	take	up	the
challenge	drew	a	response	from	Ingo	Swann,	a	New	York	artist
with
	psychic
abilities. Swann	was	flown	to	California	without	being	told	in	advance	about
either	the	test	or	the	SQUID. When	he	first	saw	it,	he	seemed	a	bit	put	off. Buthe	agreed	to	“look”	inside	the	machine,	and	as	he	did,	the	S-curve	on	the
graph	paper	changed	pattern—something	it	almost	never	did—only	to	go
back	to	its	normal	functioning	as	soon	as	Swann	stopped	paying	attention	to
it. A	startled	Puthoff	asked	him	to	repeat	this,	so	for	forty-five	seconds
Swann	concentrated	upon	seeing	the	inside	of	the	machine,	and	for	exactly
that	interval	the	recording	device	drew	a	new	pattern,	a	long	plateau	on	the
paper	instead	of	hills	and	valleys. Swann	then	drew	a	sketch	of	what	he	saw
as	the	inner	workings	of	the	SQUID,	and	when	these	were	checked	with	an
expert,	they	perfectly	matched	the	actual	construction. Swann	was	vague
about	how	he	had	changed	the	magnetic	input	that	the	machine	was	built	to
measure. It	turned	out	that	if	he	merely	thought	about	the	SQUID,	not	trying
to	change	it	at	all,	the	recording	device	showed	alterations	in	the	surrounding
magnetic	field. P
EOPLE	WHO	ARE
	skeptical	of	psychic	abilities	ignore	countless	studies
demonstrating	that	ordinary	thought	can	actually	affect	the	world. This	is
particularly	important	if	mind	is	a	field. I	once	participated	in	a	controlled
experiment	in	which	a	subject	sitting	in	an	isolated	room	(the	sender)	would
intermittently	look	at	a	visual	image,	while	I	(the	receiver)	would	press	a
button	every	time	I	sensed	that	this	was	happening. My	accuracy,	like	most
people’s,	was	far	above	average. (The	British	biologist	Rupert	Sheldrake,	who
more	than	anyone	has	tried	to	explain	how	mind	extends	beyond	the	body,	has
done	similar	experiments. He	has	tested,	for	example,	whether	we	can
actually	sense	when	someone	is	staring	at	us	behind	our	backs. Those
experiments	have	shown	a	greater	than	random	outcome	as	well.) In	a	long	series	of	experiments	in	the	Sixties,	an	FBI	expert	named	Cleve
Backster	hooked	plants	up	to	polygraphs,	knowing	that	lie	detectors	work	by
measuring	changes	of	moisture	on	the	skin	surface. In	his	own	words,	here’s
what	happened	next. Then	at	thirteen	minutes,	fifty-five	seconds	chart	time,	the
imagery	entered	my	mind	of	burning	the	leaf	I	was	testing. I
didn’t	verbalize,	I	didn’t	touch	the	plant,	I	didn’t	touch	the
equipment. The	only	new	thing	that	could	have	been	a	stimulus
for	the	plant	was	the	mental	image. Yet	the	plant	went	wild. The	pen	jumped	right	off	the	top	of	the	chart. This	first	startling	observation	in	February	1966	led	to	a	host	of	follow-
ups	as	Backster	measured	responses	to	cigarette	smoke,	negative	thoughts,
and	strong	emotions;	it	turned	out	that	houseplants	register	how	people	feel
around	them. The	most	remarkable	finding,	perhaps,	was	that	if	Backsterhooked	up	a	pair	of	plants	and	injured	one	plant	in	a	separate	room,	the	other
plant	registered	the	same	disturbance	in	electrical	activity	as	if	it	had	been
injured	itself. The	polygraph	needle	jumped	even	though	the	two	plants	had
no	physical	connection,	and	it	kept	jumping	even	when	the	plants	were
separated	by	a	greater	distance. One	can’t	help	but	be	reminded	of	the	various
studies	in	which	identical	twins	sense	what	is	happening	to	each	other	at	a
distance,	to	the	point	that	one	particular	twin	knew	the	instant	his	brother	was
electrocuted	climbing	a	telephone	pole	and	testified	to	actually	feeling	the
pain	himself. Are	human	twins	paired	through	the	same	complementarity	that
bonds	electrons	in	deep	space? To	say	that	consciousness	is	a	field	creates	only	the	outline	of	a	proof. Nobody	has	accounted	for	the	gap,	and	without	that,	consciousness	remains
totally	mysterious;	in	fact,	so	do	fields. The	gap	is	the	empty	space	between
events;	it	contains	nothing	b


 be okay, and she could go if she was ready. He shared that with
her the next morning, and then turned to get her breakfast tray. When he
turned back, she had died. Josie’ s son called me to tell me she had died, and that there had been a
debate about whether to have the funeral Friday or Sunday. I said, “Y our
mother wants it at noon on Friday. ” He said, “I don’ t know how you know,
but that’ s what we decided. ”
After I’d learned of Josie’ s death, I went to meditate in the hospital
chapel, a small closet-like room with no windows. A plaque on the wall
suddenly began to shake for no discernible reason. I looked at it and read
the message: “In the midst of life I am with you. ” I knew it was a message
from Josie. On Friday, as I was nearing the end of my eulogy, the
loudspeaker in the funeral home suddenly went of f. I felt that was another
message from Josie, saying, “Enough already. ”
Paula, one of our ECaP  group members, told me of a similar experience
after her daughter was murdered in a brutal assault at her college. At the
murderer ’s trial, a bird appeared in the window, making an awful racket anddisturbing the proceedings. Paula said she knew it was her daughter,
because she always demanded a lot of attention. Later at the wedding of
Paula’ s other daughter, another bird appeared, cackling raucously,
interrupting the outdoor ceremony. Then, after Paula finished telling this
story in the group, a bird began squawking at the window, and everyone
turned to Paula and said, “I guess that’ s your daughter again. ”
Recently I was out jogging on a cold, dark December morning. A bird
followed me for half an hour, chirping and sharing with me. When I came
home, I said to Bobbie, “Someone died and just said good-bye. ” Wednesday
I got a phone call and learned that a patient I’d been very close to, who was
in another state, had died at that time. Perhaps my most dramatic experience of after -death communication
concerns Bill, the physician I mentioned in Chapter 2, who knew he had
cancer after one instance of dif ficulty in swallowing. He joined ECaP  but
always remained somewhat distant—quiet and observant. His wife had told
others, “He never bought the package. ”
Three months after Bill had died of his cancer, a young college student
came to my of fice to interview me. She said she’d been in a healing circle
the night before, and since they knew she was going to see me the next day,
the medium who was directing the circle had asked if there was any
message for me. She handed me a card:
To Bernie
From Bill
With love and peace
If I had known it was
this easy, I’d have bought
the package a long time ago
and wouldn’ t have
resisted so much. When I called his wife, she said, “That’ s what he always told me after
the meetings. He would attend, but he said he couldn’ t buy the package. ”
When he was quite sick, I asked him if he was ready to die. He said,
“Considering the alternative, no. ” The people in the healing circle knew
nothing about who Bill was, yet there was the same phrase he and his wife
used. “Love and peace” is the closing I use for all my letters. Who elsecould this note be from. How can I help but believe and share this belief
with others. As Elisabeth Kübler -Ross says, “One day all my critics will
agree with me. ”
But, whatever explanation you prefer for these experiences, there’ s no
denying that learning to love conquers the fear of death, and can liberate
incredible healing ener gy. The closing lines of Emmet Foxes’  sermon are
the key. “If only you could love enough, you would be the happiest and
most powerful being in the world…” You become invulnerable. This, I feel,
is the real future of medicine. Scientists often say you must see in order to
believe, but I know you must believe in order to see. When I was in college
and took philosophy and religion, one day the teacher was discussing St. Augustine, who said you must love in order to see. I raised my hand and
said, “I thought love was blind. ” I never got a satisfactory answer from the
teacher. Now I see that you must love and believe, that is, be open, so that
true sharing can occur, and you will see what is in front of you. In medicine
and science, we are generally told, “Seeing is believing,” and then we are
told what to see, and to ignore everything else. However, the spiritual
message heeded by the true explorer or artist is to open our eyes and see
beyond what we have been told exists. It is my fervent hope that, by showing adults how the mind and spirit
can heal the body and make life worthwhile, I can help us, as parents, raise
a generation of children programmed to be loving and healthy. Too many
children get everything they want and nothing they need. The message to
whisper in your child’ s ear is simply, “I love you unconditionally (not if you
get an A, or become a doctor). Life is full of hurdles, but whatever happens,
you’ll overcome. ” Then give them some discipline, not punishment. In
Soviet Geor gia, peo ple drink a toast “T o your three-hundredth birthday. ”
We should adopt the same custom. The whole world must confront the same issues, for nuclear weapons
threaten the world as cancer threatens the individual. If we decide to love,
we have a much greater chance of surviving. If we love, we will control the
few who are comfortable being killers. As Gandhi said, “W e must not kill
our enemies, but kill their desire to kill. ”
In India the story is told of a holy man who stayed in his monastery
when an army was advancing through the area and killing all the holy men. When a general said, “Don’ t you know I can thrust my sword into your
stomach. ” he replied, “Don’ t you know I can place my stomach aroundyour sword. ” If we love enough, we become invulnerable, and we can
place our stomachs around the sword and save the world. In India there is
also this traditional saying: “When you were born, you cried and the world
rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries
and you rejoice. ” If we can live in accordance with that simple teaching, we
will survive as individuals, and the world will survive as well. As Geor ge
Ritchie wrote at the conclusion of his book Return fr om T omorr ow, “God is
busy building a race of men who know how to love. I believe that the fate
of the earth itself depends on the progress we make—and that the time now
is very short. ”
Gandhi’ s teacher Muktananda remarked that Sanskrit has no word for
exclusion. When we can kill our own desire to kill, and learn to exclude no
one, the world will change, and we will return from whence we came—
from the ener gy that chose to love out of its own intelligence. I often tell my patients there are two ways to be immortal. One is to go
to medical school (Doctors don’ t get sick and don’ t die). And the other is to
love someone. As Thornton Wilder expressed it at the end of The Bridge of San Luis
Rey:

And we ourselves shall be loved for a while and for gotten. But the love
will have been enough; all those impulses of love return to the love that
made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. There is a land of the
living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love, the only survival, the
only meaning. God has given us free will to make love and life meaningful. This
creates a critical risk because we now have the ability to destroy our
universe if we choose not to love. However, it is only in this critical time that the archetype of the miracle
can appear. When one believes in love and miracles divine intervention can
occur. We have an infinite number of choices ahead, but a finite number of
endings. They are destruction and death or love and healing. If we choose
the path of love we save ourselves and our universe. Let us choose love and life. OceanofPDF. comAppendix
RELAXA TION
The following method, given in the Simontons’  book Getting W ell
Again, was adapted by Dr. Edmond Jacobson from a yoga technique. Instructions can also be found in Larry LeShan’ s How to Meditate  and
Herbert Benson’ s The Relaxation Response. As with the examples of
imaging later on, you are encouraged to have a friend speak these
instructions to you, or record them yourself on tape. A tape is always
available to you in times of stress. The tape is also useful if you fall asleep,
because you are still hearing the message. I don’ t recommend that you use it
to fall asleep, however


ersion blenders
The immersion or stick blender consists of a slim motor that ﬁts
into the handle of a tool that can be gripped with one hand; the
mixing and cutting blades are attached to the end of the wand. The name comes from the fact that you can immerse the blade
into a bowl of ingredients. Equipped with different speeds, the
immersion blender is designed for light-duty blending of light
batters, sauces, and dips. Here are the advantages of immersion blenders for making
smoothies:
 They’re very small and slim — they can ﬁt in a drawer. They’re somewhat portable. Here are the disadvantages of immersion blenders for making
smoothies:
 They can’t crush ice. They can’t blend harder fruits and vegetables. Bottom line: An immersion blender may come in handy if
you’re making mashed potatoes, sauces, or dips, but when
it comes to making smoothies, an immersion blender isn’t
up for the job. V itamix
Vitamix (www.vitamix.com ) is a brand of blender, All models
come with a four-pointed “wet” blade that’s used for liquidizing
fruits and vegetables, chopping ice, blending frozen mixtures,
mixing batter, chopping dry ingredients, and making creamed
soups. You can purchase a container with a “dry” blade (two ﬂat
and two pointed edges) designed for grinding grains and coffee
and kneading bread dough. The power and speed of the blades is controlled by two
switches, which allow the blades to spin from four times slower
to four times faster than a traditional blender. This variable-
speed control gives you greater control over the degree to
which the machine blends foods. At a low speed, you can add
cooked chicken and other ingredients to a soup without
puréeing it; at the high speed, you can turn raw vegetables into
a steaming soup simply from the friction of the fast-moving
blades.The powerful motor is either 120 or 220/240 volts, and each is
equipped with overload protection, which means that the
motor will shut off to protect the motor from overheating. Here are the advantages of Vitamix blenders for making
smoothies:
 The powerful motor can handle hard fruits and vegetables,
as well as grains and nuts. The size of the container means that you can make more
than a few servings at one time. The only disadvantage of Vitamix blenders: They’re expensive. Bottom line: If you can afford it, this is the machine to
get for making not only smoothies, but soups and other
healthy foods. F e a t u r e s  t o  l o o k  f o r  i n  a  b l e n d e r
Blenders are so ubiquitous that we sometimes forget that there
are different features that make each make and model unique. If
you plan to make smoothies daily, you’ll want to keep the
blender on top of the counter, so height, size, and appearance
will be a consideration in addition to the features outlined in
this section. Container material and size
Blender containers are made from
 Plastic: The least expensive blender containers are made
from plastic. The advantages of plastic are that it’s
lightweight and chip-proof. Glass: Glass is durable and won’t discolor or absorb odors
from herbs or vegetables the way plastic can. Stainless steel: Stainless steel is the most expensive and
the most durable. It keeps frozen mixtures cold longer. On
the downside, you can’t see the mixture inside until you
take the lid off. Containers range in capacity from 8 ounces for the personal or
mini blender container to 10 to 64 ounces for the average
traditional blender to 80 ounces for a Vitamix. Only you can
determine what size is appropriate for your needs. Motor size
As with juicers, the power of the motor is important for
blending hard and ﬁbrous vegetables. The average blender
boasts between 300 and 600 watts of power, with the Vitamix
weighing in at a whopping 1,300 watts. Opt for the most powerful motor you can afford when
choosing a blender —the higher the wattage, the more
versatile your machine will be. A lower-wattage machine
won’t be able to handle thick, frozen cocktails; sorbets; and
granitas. Pulsing button
If you plan to make iced drinks, sorbets, or granitas, a pulsing
button will make that function easier. The ice falls into the
blades when paused and is ground up again when the blades
begin to spin. Without the pulsing button on your blender, you
have to stop and mix up the ice before starting the motor again. V ariable speedsBeing able to start the blender at a slow speed and gradually
increasing it to high so that the food is gradually broken up and
there is less stress placed on the motor is an advantage. The
ability to reduce from a high speed to a very low speed allows
you to add ingredients at the end of blending that you don’t
want to be liquidized or puréed into the rest of the mixture. Ice crusher
This function is similar to the pulsing button. It automatically
stops and restarts the blades so that ice can be easily chopped
and integrated evenly into a blended mixture. Cleaning Y our Juicer or Blender
 Always, always, always clean your juicer or blender
immediately after you use it — as soon as the drink has
been poured into glasses and before you sit down to enjoy
it. The natural sugars in fruits and vegetables can make
cleaning the equipment a nightmare if you wait — they’re
sticky and cause the smaller particles of liquid and other
ingredients to adhere (like glue) to the lid, the container,
the blades, and any utensil or surface that the mixture has
been spilled on or otherwise touched. C l e a n i n g  a  j u i c e r
To clean a juicer, follow these steps:
1. Fill the sink with hot, soapy water. You can do this before you even start juicing, after you’ve
washed and scrubbed the produce.2. After you’ve processed the food and poured the juice into
a glass, unplug the juicer and disassemble the machine,
immersing the parts into the hot, soapy water. 3. Using a brush, clean each part and rinse it under hot
water. 4. Wipe down the motor base and the countertop where
you’ve been working with a hot, soapy cloth. 5. Let the parts dry while you enjoy your juice. 6. After the parts are dry, reassemble the juicer so the
machine is ready for your next healthy drink. C l e a n i n g  a  b l e n d e r
To clean a blender, follow these steps:
1. After you’ve processed the food and poured the smoothie
into a glass, rinse out the container. 2. Add a few drops of liquid soap to the container, and ﬁll it
one-quarter to one-half full of hot water. 3. Place the lid on the container and blend, starting at low
and moving to high speed, and then back down to low. 4. Turn off the machine, unplug it, and pour the soapy water
over the inside of the lid and into the sink. 5. Rinse the container and the lid with hot water. 6. Wipe down the motor base and the countertop where
you’ve been working with a hot, soapy cloth.Chapter 4
Shopping for and Prepar ing Fresh
Produce
In This Chapter
 Stocking your pantry for juicing and smoothies
 Choosing organic
 Deciding on the best produce
 Keeping produce at its peak
Planning saves you money, as well as time, and it keeps you
organized so that making juices and smoothies can be a
seamless part of your daily routine. Planning what to shop for
keeps you focused on the juices and smoothies you’ll make and
helps you to organize the ingredients you have on hand and
those you need to purchase. Planning when and where you’ll
shop lets you work market days into a routine that suits your
work and leisure activities. In general, you should use fresh fruits and vegetables within
two or three days of purchase. That’s why you’ll want to plan
how, when, where, and what to buy — one big grocery outing
every week just won’t work. This chapter is all about buying and handling fresh fruits and
vegetables, what to look for when shopping, how to treat them
so that their nutrients are retained and making sure that you get
the beneﬁt of optimum nutrition when you use them in juices or
smoothies.Your excursion into healthy drinks starts with the recipes and a
list of what you need for a few days’ refreshment. After you get
into the habit of list making and planning a few days’ drink
recipes, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without these
valuable habits — and you may ﬁnd it helpful to transfer those
habits to meal planning and shopping, too. Shopping Like a Pr o
A peach is a peach is a peach, right? Not exactly. The quality of
the nutrients in the peach you place into your grocery cart
depends on many things, including what variety of peach it is,
where and in what kind of soil it was grown, at what stage in its
maturity it was picked


ventilation as much as possible of the feet. Sandals
are being used more and more in appreciation of
their beneficial effect, not only for the feet, but for
the entire anatomy. Rainy weather, and frequently
snow, have been found less harmful when wearing
sandals than when wearing shoes and rubbers. 89 BACKACHE:
This may result from innumerable causes. The 61 30 I 2
safest thing to do is to see a good osteopath or
chiropractor who understands Natural methods as
well as mechanical adjustments of the spine. He
should be able to determine whether it results from
lumbago, from constipation, or from spinal or cranial
maladjustments. BED-WETTING:
This habit in children should disappear during the 30
first or second year. When persistent, omit fluids
after, say 4:00 p.m., but give plenty during the day. Watch approximately the time wetting takes place,
wake up the child on following nights about 10 to
20 minutes before that time, and continue practice
until child functions voluntarily. Cooked spinach and
rhubarb are probably the best foods to prolong bed-
wetting as the inorganic oxalic acid crystals may
irritate the kidneys and these become overactive. BILIOUSNESS:
The result of incomplete digestion of fats and 61 30 40
excessive fermentation in the system, causing
improper secretion and flow of bile from the liver. Alcoholic liquors, including beer, degenerating the
liver, have the tendency to chronically disorganize
the digestive functions. Fried and fatty food are the
most frequent cause of biliousness. BLADDERTROUBLE:
Irritations in this organ are usually the result of 30 61
excessive acidity accumulating as a result of eating
foods leaving acid end-products insufficiently
digested or dissolved—uric acid crystals, for
example, from eating meat, and oxalic acid crystals
from using cooked spinach or rhubarb. Allowing
these crystals to accumulate, and persisting in eating
such foods, may cause growths to form. The removal
of these growths by burning, cutting. X-ray, radium
and drugs does not remove the cause. On the
contrary, the eventual return of even more serious
conditions is likely to follow. Excessive use of
concentrated starches is also a contributory cause. 90 Inflammation of the bladder may interfere with the
normal flow of urine, causing damage to the walls
of the bladder. Cystitis is the name given to this
condition. Bladder stones may either form within the
bladder or may have been passed from the kidneys. See Kidney Stones. Much bladder trouble in men is
due also to trouble with the prostate gland. BLINDNESS:
See Cataracts. Read also section on Endive Juice. BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH:
The result of impurities in the blood vessels. The 61 2 30 15
only way impurities can get into the blood stream is
(1) by hypodermic injections and drugs, whether
taken as medicine or otherwise; (2) by deposits in
the blood stream of inorganic atoms accumulating
from cooked and processed foods, particularly the
concentrated starches and sugars; and (3) by
retention of waste in the eliminative organs and
channels. The recurrence of high blood pressure within
families is not due to heredity, as erroneously
supposed by some, unless we consider the
degenerated condition of the mother's blood stream
(due to eating inorganic foods) as her hereditary gift
to her child. The only hereditary trait is the kind
and quality of the food the family as a whole
habitually indulges in; if this contains an excessive
proportion of cooked foods and concentrated
carbohydrates, it is only natural that a nutritional
deficiency should manifest in most, if not in all its
members. BLOOD PRESSURE, LOW:
Primarily due to nutritional deficiency as a result 61 2 30 1
of eating all or mostly cooked and processed foods, 29 15
and in any case as a rule because of the absence
from the diet of fresh raw vegetable juices which
can be quickly and efficiently used in the
regeneration of the blood corpuscles. One very
serious contributing cause is the lack of proper and
sufficient rest. Each hour's sleep before 10:00 p.m.
is worth more than two hours' sleep in the morning. 91 Smoking and alcoholic drinks are paramount
reasons for high and low blood pressures. BOILS:
Purulent or pus-filled tumors caused by 61 30 55
impurities in the blood stream resulting in bacterial
infection through the sweat glands or the follicles
of the hair. The use of sulfa and other drugs may
have dangerous repercussions. A boil is not an infection of the skin, but simply
waste matter which the body has been unable to
throw off through other eliminative channels, either
because these are impacted with the accumulation
of waste, or because they have degenerated into
inactivity through lack of proper nourishment and
attention. When the body fails to eliminate waste
matter through the main eliminative organs, then
the greatest eliminative system of the body is called
upon to help. This system is the skin and its pores. BOTULISM:
Food poisoning resulting from the deadly poison 15 66
of the gas given off by the botulinus germ while it is
being slowly lulled by heat, much in the same
manner that a skunk ejects a well-known fluid when
irritably disturbed. It is a deadly poison frequently
present in canned foods when insufficient heat has
not completely destroyed them. It is also likely to
be present in sausages, meat, and fish pastes. When
afflicted, call your doctor and notify the undertaker. Fresh raw vegetable juices are live foods intended
for live people. BRAINTUMORS:
The result of impurities in the blood stream 62 61 30 40
coagulating in the blood vessels of the brain. They
cause pressure inside the skull, resulting usually in
disfunction of speech and thought, or of body
movement, according to the location of the tumor. Surgery causes the death of about 50% of its victims
while colonic irrigations or enemas and other
cleansing processes are overlooked. *)2 BRONCHITIS:
Inflammation of the bronchial tubes due to 61 45 II 30
excessive mucus in the system. It is one of Nature's I 37 60 41
means to warn us of this excessive accumulation of
waste in the body, and when the warning is ignored
Nature may raise the body temperature to fever heat
to burn up this debris. If we continue to disregard
this warning and fail to cleanse our insides pretty
thoroughly. Nature will furnish us with germs and
bacteria to do the scavenging which may result in
further discomforts such as colds, influenza, or
pneumonia. It has been of absorbingly interest to
watch the victims of such conditions recover so
quickly after taking sufficient colonic irrigations,
and enemas. BURSITIS:
The result of the drying up of the Synovial 86 30 61
lubricating fluid in the joints.The daily consumption
of avocado has been helpful in bringing about the
eventual restoration of normalcy. CANCERS:
Groups or nests of epithelial cells half-starved 1 61
from lack of proper organic nourishments, thriving
on concentrated starches and meats. Read the chapter
on Carrot Juice where a description of cancer is
outlined. One of the contributing factors in the
development of cancer has been found to be
prolonged RESENTMENTS. CARBUNCLES: See Boils
CATALEPSY:
Muscular rigidity resulting from improperly 61 2 40 30
nourished nerves. CATARACTS:
Opaque films floating over the crystalline lens 61 50 1 40
of the eye due to lack of proper nourishment to the 30
optic nerves and muscles. While surgery has been
of temporary benefit in some cases, there is no
question that Nature can work greater and more
permanent benefits than even the most skillful of
93 men, provided that the one affected cooperates
wholeheartedly. Read the chapter on Endive Juice. CATARRH:
Abundant secretions from the mucous membrane 61 11 30 41
due to the inability of the body to properly assimilate 60
milk and concentrated starches. CHICKEN POX:
The chicken pox virus propagates in a medium 61 30 1 2
of mucus, particularly that which results from the
waste of the digestion of milk and concentrated
starches and sugars. In the absence of such medium,
naturally the virus cannot exist; but if the child is
brought up on cow's milk, cereals, breads, and
puddings, it is only to be expected that this
microscopic virus—which must eat if it is to live—
will propagate in such fertile soil. A virus is a living
pathogenic microorganism. No living thing can
continue to live without food. If the chicken pox
virus does


at 3 a.m., if you can look down and see that your pants are on, this might
just give you the edge you need to do your job that much more ef ficiently. At other times, of course, just having a great breakfast is all you need to get
going. These breakfasts are intended to serve two, but they can easily
accommodate one: Simply cut the amounts of every ingredient in half and
enjoy. French Toast
French toast takes me back to slow Saturday mornings sitting around the
Esselstyn family table and the feel of powdered sugar on the roof of my
mouth. Serve this deliciously healthy version of French toast with pure
maple syrup and fresh fruit.Serves 2
1 banana, mashed
½ cup milk substitute of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4–6 slices whole grain bread or baguette slices
Combine the banana, milk substitute, vanilla, and cinnamon in a shallow
bowl. Dip the bread slices in the mixture and cook in a nonstick skillet on
medium heat for 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Variations:
Serve with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar for that roof-of-the-
mouth taste, or with a side of E2-approved vegetarian breakfast sausage. Migas Especiales
I’ve never met a Texan who doesn’ t like migas. The word is derived from
the Spanish word for crumbs, and the dish is traditionally made using eggs,
cheese, sausage, tortillas, and salsa. Part of the Tex-Mex food culture, it’ s a
dish that creates a very satisfying melody of tastes. Served with a side of
healthy refried beans, corn tortillas, salsa, and fresh fruit, with this dish
mornings just don’ t get much better. Serves 2
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 pound firm tofu, drained, pressed with a cloth, and mashed
1 teaspoon turmeric
7 corn tortillas, 3 cut into 1-inch squares and 4 to make little tacos (or enjoy
the way you would toast)
Salsa (see page 240)
1 can fat-free vegetarian refried beans, warmed in nonstick skillet
1 cup fresh fruitSauté the onion in a nonstick skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes or
until translucent. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 7 minutes or
until most of their juices have been cooked away. Add the tofu, turmeric,
and tortilla squares. Cook for a few minutes, or until the mixture is warmed
through. Place a generous spoonful of migas on a plate and top with salsa. Serve with a side of beans, tortillas, and fresh fruit. Breakfast Tacos
I don’ t know if it’ s just a Texas thing, but breakfast tacos are very popular
in the Lone Star State. They’re fast, easy, and really good. We warm up corn
tortillas on the gas burner, throw in the filling of the day, and top them of f
with salsa. No breakfast taco would be complete without salsa. Serves 2
½ tube vegetarian breakfast sausage (we like Gimme Lean)
8 ounces frozen, fat-free hash brown potatoes
6 corn tortillas
Salsa (see page 240)
Sauté the sausage in a nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes
until browned and crisping. Set aside. Sauté the hash brown potatoes in a
sprayed skillet on high heat for 7–10 minutes, or until golden brown. Spoon
ingredients into warm tortillas. Top with salsa. Variations:
Try black beans with avocados, or scrambled tofu or hash browns with
refried beans. Make your own r efried beans and hash br owns by mashing
and cooking extra beans and potatoes fr om dinner. E2 Omelet
I know that many people find it hard to leave eggs behind—but each egg is
67 percent fat and has over 212 milligrams of cholesterol. This is not goodif you’re looking to lose weight and clean out your arteries. That’ s why I’ve
included this healthy and tasty recipe. Topped with salsa, it’ s a real winner. Serves 2
Omelet Filling
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 cup baby spinach leaves
Omelet
12 ounces Silken Lite Firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons Ener -G egg replacer
2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Salsa to taste (see page 240)
Fresh fruit
For Omelet Filling:
Sauté the mushrooms and onion in a lar ge, sprayed skillet over high heat
for 5–7 minutes or until the mushroom liquid is mostly gone. Remove to a
bowl and return the skillet to the heat. Toss the bell pepper strips in the
skillet for 3 minutes until they begin to brown slightly. Remove from heat
and set aside. For Omelet:
Blend together all ingredients until smooth.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        For example, Wild Oats makes a Wheat Cracker. The first ingredient is
enriched wheat flour. That means this is not a whole grain cracker at all, but
a processed, refined one. On the other hand, R yvita makes a R ye and Oat
Bran Cracker. The first ingredient is whole grain rye flour. Excellent. So keep your eye out for the word “whole” to ensure that what you’re
getting is truly a whole grain product. Natural or  Healthy
Too often, when you see the word “natural,” it means someone is trying
a little too hard to get your attention. Just because something is labeled as
natural doesn’ t mean it’ s healthy. For instance, Earth Balance makes a product they call a “natural buttery
spread. ” They also claim it is “non-GMO,” contains “100 percent expeller
pressed oils,” is “nonhydrogenated,” and “100 percent vegan/non dairy. ”
I’ll have you know that 1 tablespoon contains 120 calories. James Rae, 38
Firefighter
I was always a big ol’  redneck. Ate a lot of steak, foods like that. I
was basically a train wreck. My cholesterol level was 344 and I had a
family history of heart issues—every male in my family except my
dad died before the age of fifty-two, and my dad, at fifty-four, had a
quadruple bypass. And still I ate whatever I felt like. Then Rip and Josh and I decided to see who could lower their
cholesterol the most, and we did it by eating nothing but plant-based
foods. Mine went down to 196. That convinced me this was the way
to go. But it’ s not just that my cholesterol level is lower, it’s also thatI feel cleaner. I truly believe that if someone like me can do it, anyone
can. And guess what. All 120 calories come from fat. You can put lipstick on
a pig, but it’ s still a pig. You can dress up a buttery spread to look healthy,
but if it’ s 100 percent fat, it’ s all fat. As you can see, I was able to uncover the hype about numerous foods by
following Rule 1: Never, ever believe the claims on the outside of a
package or box. If you’re like me—someone who seldom has the patience to read
instructions—I want you to take a deep breath and relax. Label checking
can be a lot of fun, and within two to three trips to the grocery store, you’ll
find it will be a breeze. WHEN READING THE “NUTRITIONAL  FACTS” LABEL  on a product, focus on four
items, as stated in Rule 2:
The Number  of Servings Per  Container
Does this product contain one, two, three, four, or seven hundred
servings. You must first know this number to be able to estimate how many
total calories, fat calories, grams of sodium, grams of fiber, and so on you
are eating. For example, a can of Amy’ s Black Bean Chili has two servings per can,
which is realistic given its size. On the other hand, a king-size Snickers bar
has three servings per bar. Who eats one-third of a Snickers bar. With 170
calories per serving, that totals 510 calories per bar. The same holds for a 20-ounce bottle of soda that claims to have only
100 calories per serving, but contains 2. 5 servings per container, and thus
actually has 250 calories. Remember our “fat-free” container of Pam, with
702 servings per container. Same principle. Fat Content
When it comes to fat, food companies go even farther out of their way to
make nutritional labels misleading. They use three dif ferent units (calories,
grams, and percentages) on their labels, but never tell you exactly what
percentage of the calories in that product come from fat. The only way for you to know the amount of calories from fat per
serving is to divide the listed number of calories from fat by the total
number of calories per serving. Instead, most people look at the percentage
of total fat highlighted in the “Percent of Daily Value” section of the
nutritional label, thinking


love. For this story isn’t about Mrs. Dalal. A Westerner would be skeptical
that she had achieved anything of value by dying for her husban d, assuming
that was what  had happened. The point of the story lies in my
grandmother ’s deepest beliefs:
A man and a woman can r eflect divine love in their love for each other. Loving your beloved is the way you love God. Human love survives death. If you could hold the same beliefs, your love would contain a profound
power and meaning. Actually, I shouldn’ t deprive Mrs. Dalal of her own
meaning. The neighbors whispe red that she was murmuring “Rama” when
she died. Anyon e who can say God’ s name at such a moment might well be
wooing her lover. Looking back, I now realize that for her, death itself was
a healing. How many modern people in the W est can say the same? Despite the fact that love is important to everyone, few of us could deny
that love is in a crisis—no deeper crisis exists. Either love isn’t a powerful
enough force to save us from our darker nature or something has happened
to turn us away from love. Perhaps love was never the answ er we were
looking for. Any of these possibilities could be true. If they are, however, to be
human is truly tragic. In his last major work, Civilization and Its
Discontents,  Sigmund Freud painted a picture of human nature that is
grimly unloving. Humans, he asserted, are motivated by an instinct for
sexual gratification that society can barely keep in check. They  are born to
take sadistic satisfaction in the plight of enemies; they will use ruthlessviolence to obtain money, powe r, and sex; and only the threat of retribution
from someone more powerful keeps this violence in check. According to
Freud, Christ’ s injunction to love thy neighbor as thyself is a psychological
impossibility. Every adult has seen enough of life to agree at least partially with this
devastating assessment, and modern psychology, by and large, is based on
it. The famous Milgram pain experiments from Yale in the 1950s
demonstrated that when ordere d to give electric shocks to strangers in a
laboratory settin g, average people would follow such orders willingly, even
when the subjects screamed in agony and begged them to quit. Where is
love in all of this? The dir ect experience of spirit is the only lasting foundation for love. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, in some profound way we were
created for love to the very depths of the human soul. This spiritual vision
of huma n nature  has prevailed against all odds. Its roots go back in India
more than two thousand years to the Vedic scriptures. Veda is Sans krit for
“truth” or “know ledge.” The hymns of the Rig Veda are considered to be
humanity’ s oldest devotional expression, but as it expanded into thousands
and thousands of scriptures, Veda continued to emphasize the same point:
the human being is a mirror of God. Our being and God’ s Being are one. In the Vedic view we are not passive observers of reality but creators, as
God is. The mask of matter disguises our true nature, which is pure
awareness, pure creativity, pure spirit. Like light streaming from a bonfire,
reality streams from us, and our choice is to emanate love or non-love. Contrary to Freud’ s dark view, the Vedas say that it is much more natural
for us to create from love than non-love. They declare that humans “are
born in bliss, sustained in bliss, and return to bliss again after death.” This is
a drastic shift in perception from modern psychology, and yet to be truly in
love always brings a new perception—everyone can validate the sudden
ecstasy and bliss that makes romance so sweet. But to have a complete
vision of love means being willing to under go a much more total shift of
perception. When you per ceive yourself as spirit, you will not simply feel love—you will be love.In spiritu al terms, to be love is only natural. It is our departure from love
that is unnatural. The ancient scriptures recognized man’ s violence and saw
it clearly : one of the most important teachings of Veda is the Bhagavad-
Gita, which is set on a battlefield before a murderous war. Yet in the Vedic
tradition an unbroken successio n of saints, seers, masters, and sages have
seen beyond violence and expressed themselves as follows:
Life is love and love is life. What keeps the body together but love? What is desir e but
love of the self?... And what is knowledge but love of truth? The means and forms may be wrong, but the motive behind is always love—love of the me
and the mine. The me and the mine may be small, or may explode and embrace the
Universe, but love remains. The voice is that of a South Indian master, Nisar gadatta Maharaj,
speaking to followers in the late 1970s. The expression “life is love and
love is life” has such ancient roots that no idea is more venerable. Yet this is
a love we have lost contact with in our own age, distracted as we are by
sexual attraction, unstable emot ions, and religious dogma. Love based on
the experience of spirit gives rise to the possibility that we can return to our
true nature, throwing aside our unloving behavior as a bad and very long
dream. A love based on “higher” values espoused by the world’ s religions
seems, as Freud pointed out, impossibly ideal. The scriptural injunctions to
love the Lord with all thy heart, all thy soul, and all thy might  are legion. Yet there is sober truth in Emily Dickinson’ s mournful little poem:
Sometimes with the Heart
Seldom with the Soul
Scarce once with the Might
Few—love at all. If all our attempts to find a spiritual foundation for love have shown
themselves to be so wanting, where can we turn? Spirit can only be called on when it is real, and it can only be real if it is
real for you. In other words it has to be you. This is exactly what the Vedas
teach. Rather than “soul,” they equate spirit with “Self,” not the everyday
self with its thoughts, wishes, needs, and drives but a higher Self that is
silent and eternal. The difference is explained in a classic Vedic metaphor:every person is like a piece of gold. If you were a gold ring, a gold watch, a
gold chain, you could say “I am a ring, a watch, a chain,” but these are
temporary shapes. In truth you are just gold—that is your essence, no
matter how the shape changes. In the same way, we each have  a self, defined in modern psychology as
an image developed over time. It is a mysterious fusion of ego, personality,
and memory that everyone amasses between infancy and early childhood. Being complete ly personal, your self is also completely isolated and
separate from every other self. Yet, if you saw yourself truly, you would no
longer identify with this haphazard, ramshackle thing, your self. In truth
you are the Self, created from the same spirit that in infinite form is called
God. You are one grain of gold, compared to which God is all the gold that
exists, and yet you can rightfully say, “I am gold.”
We all draw upon the higher Self for identity, life, awar eness, will, and love. The Self that Lord Krishna teaches about in the Bhagavad-Gita  is an
eternal aspect of human nature that transcends all individuality, all change
in time and space. Speaking of the immortal “dweller in the body,” Krishna
declares,
Weapons cannot cut him,
Fire cannot burn him,
Water cannot wet him,
Wind cannot blow him away.... He is eternal and pervading everything,
Subtle, immovable, and ever the same. What is important here is that the Self is a real experience. It is not an
ideal, far removed from ordinary reality—which is how most of us think of
the soul—but as close to you as breath. The Self is love’ s source, and
therefore it is more real than the things that block love—anger, fear,
egotism, insecurity, and mistrust. Those qualities, however widespread they
may be in socie ty, are temporary; they grow up over time and have to be
learned. The Self, by contrast, is secure in peace and safety; it knows only
love because its experience is only of love. When you interact with another person, you are free to feel anything,
from the deepest hatred to the deepest love. You may be repelled orattracted; you can convey rejection or acceptance. But at the level of the
Self, you always meet another person in love. The person you love r eflects your shar e of universal love. If you learn to look deep enough, you
will see that your r eality is only love. In a famous passage the V edas declare,
As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm,
As is the atom, so is the universe. As is the human body, so is the cosmic body,
As is the human mind, so is the cosmic