Investing the time and attentio n to create
physical, emotional, and spiritu al intimacy can often result in the most
fulfilling sexual experiences of a person’ s life. T o improve your sexual experiences, you need to divest yourself of your
expectations. Expectations are usually in three areas: (1) performance, as
exemplified by  the question “How am I doing?”; (2) emotions, as
exemplified by the question “ How am I feeling?”; and (3) security , as
exemplified by the question “Do you really love me?” These are
understandable concerns when exploring intimacy with your partner . They
also pro vide a unique opportunity to express your vulnerabilities and create
more intimacy . Intimacy derives  from the willingness to be vulnerable. Ask
for what  you need and give to y our lover what he or she needs. Openness,
vulnerability , the willingness to give, and the readiness to receive are all
qualities of spirit. Relinquish your expectations. When you relinquish your expectations,
you are able to release your resistance. Y our resistance keeps you from
enjoying what is happening. In sex, as in all areas of life, resistance is born
of fear . All resistance is mental a nd derives from a judgment against what is
being felt. Practice releasing your judgments and releasing your
expectations and you will experience the passion and surrender that sex
of fers. The concentrated passio n of sexual lovemaking then permeates all
other aspects of your life. If you find that sex is mixed with hidden emotions such as sha me, guilt,
or a nger , commit to releasing these toxic and inhibiting feelings. Sexual
intimacy is one road to the experience of true freedom, becau se it is one
area of life in which you can become completely uninhibited and free. Sexual fulfillment occurs when the experience comes from playfulness
instead of need. When sex is u sed to fulfill needs, it leads to addiction. When sex comes from playfulness, the result is ecstasy . Despite what you may have been conditioned to believe,
sexual desir e is sacr ed and virtuous. FOR PLA Y
Sex is most enjoyable and creates the greatest amount of love and intimacy
when it is viewed as a process rather than as a goal. W ester n society is
dominated by a goal-oriented worldview . Both men and women are
conditioned to achieve whatever goal is established, as directly , quickly , and
ef ficiently as possible. This at titude plays itself out in our lovemaking
where w e’ve lea rned to prize s exual climax as the sole tar get of physical
intimacy . Althou gh every lover relishes the pleasure of or gasm, the ancient
wisdom traditions of India and China suggest that playing with sexual
ener gy a nd extending the process of lovemaking expands the heart, mind,
and spirit, while intensely enric hing physical delight. Known as T antra in
India and the T ao of Sex in traditional Chinese culture, the basic principles
for conscious lovemaking include ritual, communication, and finesse. RITUAL
If yo u view sex as a sacred act, you will understand the value of  ritual. T ake
the t ime to prepare yourself for lovemaking as if you were jou rneying to a
realm of celestial pleasure. Bath e yourself and prepare your bod y and mind
for t he s haring o f your most pe rsonal gifts. Set the lovemaking scene with
attention to all t he senses. Read inspiring love poems to your p artner . Play
beautiful music  that arouses your passions and opens your heart. (See
appendix for our recommendations.) W ear sensual clothing, employ subtle
lighting with candles, and dif fuse pleasing aromas in the room . Look into
your lover ’ s eyes and silently o r aloud acknowledge the gift of engaging
intimately with your partner . When y ou consider sexuality as simply another physiologica l need, it
only ser ves that  purpose. Recognizing that unlike your animal ancestors,you hav e the ability to channel creative sexual ener gy to expand your heart
and raise your consciousness, you can use rituals to focus your attention and
intention. T ransforming an exc hange between two people from an act of
pure biology to one of body , mind, and spirit generates passion, vitality , and
ecstasy . COMMUNICA TION
Communicate your feelings and  needs to your partner , before, during, and
after sex . Expres s what brings you pleasure and what you need to feel safe,
adored, and aroused. Reorient y our intention from simply releasing sexual
pressure to celebrating the process. Prolonging the act of lovemaking has
ener gy-enhancing ef fects on mind and body . Inform your partner when you
are a bout to clim ax and slow d own the tempo to expand and prolong the
pleasure. Lovem aking is a danc e of body , mind, and soul that c an continue
twenty-four hours a day in physical, emotional, and spiritual domains. Sexual ecstasy is nourished through your willingness to be vulnerable. Asking for what you need to fulfill your deepest desires and fantasies
requires your willingness to be  vulnerable. Through this vulnerability the
boundaries betw een “I” and “thou” and between body and s oul become
blurred. This is the essence of a spiritual experience and the promise of
conscious lovemaking. FINESSE
Like me ditation, lovemaking is  a domain where force, ef fort, and control
fail to result in s uccess and fulfillment. Subtlety , timing, and finesse are the
essence of rapturous lovemakin g. The blossoming of sexual bliss requires
total atte ntion in  the present mo ment and openness to creativity . Sex can be
a too l fo r person al transformatio n when you listen to the signals from your
body an d the body of your lover  and use them to surrender and release yourresistance and fear . Lovemaking  provides access to personal, collective, and
universal domai ns of awareness. Every loving couple is reenacting the
perennial myths of love; every loving couple is reenacting the  reunion of
souls. In  T raditional Chinese Medicine, lovemaking is an opportunity for
the p rimordial inward moving ( yin) and outward moving (yang) forces to
balance. In A yurveda and T antra, sexual union is the personalized
expression of the eternal dance between the impulses of pure potentiality
(Shiva) and creative expression (Shakti). T rue intimacy is union between flesh and flesh, between heart and heart,
between soul and soul. Sexual ener gy is the creative ener gy of the universe. Sexual ener gy is sacred ener gy . When we have restored the sexual
experience to the realm of the s acred, our world becomes divine, holy , and
healed. Thr ough the vulnerability of sexual intimacy ,
the boundaries between “I” and “thou” and
between body and soul become blurr ed. Ojas—the Essence of Love
Y ou hav e been using the mantr a ojas in your daily ritual to pe rceive your
body as a field of ener gy , transformation, and intelligence. This subtle
substance is nourishing to your physical, emotional, and spiritu al bodies. It
provides the integrating essence that unifies all aspects of your being. According to A yurveda, we are born with a small reserve of ojas that can
be augmented or depleted as a result of nourishing or toxic e xperiences. Healthy food, loving emotions, nurturing sensory impressions, r ejuvenating
herbs, and creative use of sexu al ener gy all contribute to more abundant
ojas. Ojas reminds every cell in the body of its primary directiv e to support
the wholeness of the mind/body  network. It also strengthens y our naturalimmunity . When  ojas is deplete d you become susceptible to d egenerative
disorders includ ing cancer . Therefore, protecting and incre asing your
supply of ojas is key to reversing the aging process. Ojas can  be depleted by excessive release of reproductive flui d. This is
important in men and forms the  basis of the idea that as you age, reducing
the frequency of ejaculation ca n improve your vitality . This su ggestion is
not base d upon morality; rather , it is an expression of the con servation of
ener gy . As a general principle, i f you are male, see if you can increase the
ratio of sexual experiences to ejaculation. If you are accustomed to
releasing sexual  tension every time you have sex, see if you c an go to an
every ot her time  pattern. Then try going to every third time. Although at
first you  may feel some sense of frustration, you will most lik ely quickly
begin to appreciate the enhanced ener gy and passion that you feel
throughout the day . If you are a woman, play with your partner to keep his
sexual ener gy aroused without immediately releasing it. When lovers
consciously direct their powerful sexual ener gy , they become more
attractive to each other . All aspects of lovemaking, in and outside of its
sexual expression, become more ecstatic. Nutrition for Ojas
According to A yurveda there are special foods and herbs  that have
distinctive ojas-enhancing ef fects. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
nuts (particularly almonds), honey , and dairy derived from well-cared-for
cows are all enh ancing to ojas. Substances depleting ojas include alcohol,
tobacco, canned foods, highly processed foods, fried foods, and those
containing artificial sweeteners. Make your healthier choices without being
overly compulsive or rigid. Compulsivity and rigidity deplete ojas. Simply
be m ore conscious of your choices so that to the extent po ssible, you
increase the ojas in your life. HERBS AND OJASThere are many classical rejuvenative herbs from healing systems around
the world that can be considered ojas-enhancing. Ginseng from the Chinese
and Korean systems is the most popular herb in the world and has been
classically used to augment sexual potency . Scientific studies have
suggested that ginseng can enhance sexual appetite and erectile function in
both animals and men. It can enhance your general sense of well-being and
vitality . Ginseng is available in many forms including capsules, teas, and
even chewing gum. A yurveda has an entire branch o f medicine dedicated to maintaining and
regaining optimal reproductive tissue. Known as V ajikarana,  these herbs are
sometimes refer red to as aphrod isiacs. Although you most likely think of an
aphrodisiac as something that arouses sexual desires, according to
A yurveda, these aphrodisiac herbs also improve your reproductive essence. In other words, t hey enhance ojas. The three most commonly recommended
ojas-enhancing substances in A yurveda are ashwagandha, shatavari, and
amalaki. Ashwagandha (W ithania somnifera)
Sometimes know n as winter cherry , this potently fragrant herb has long
been kn own as the primary masculine rejuvenating substance. Its Sanskrit
name means “smelling like a stallion,” implying that it infuses the user with
the pow er of a horse. Although its long-standing reputation is as a sexual
potency herb, most research has  focused on its stress-reducing a nd immune-
enhancing properties. A recent experiment with animals found that
ashwagandha influences the pituitary chemicals that regulate sex hormones. A yurveda recommends taking a  teaspoon of ashwagandha in warm milk
sweetened with  honey or brown sugar before bedtime. This is highly
encouraged on days when the man has ejaculated, with the intention of
helping to replenish lost ojas. It is equally valuable for women to enliven
their passion and sexual ardor . Ashwagandha is now readily available from
a number of herbal distributors in the W est.Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
This wild form of asparagus is considered to be the feminine e quivalent
of ashw agandha in that it supports the nurturing, receptive, creative
feminine ener gy that both men and women possess. Not known for
understatement, A yurveda gives this nourishing plant the Sanskrit name
shatavari, which can be translated as “capable of supporting one hundred
husbands.” It is a classical tonic with several indications includ ing relief of
premenstrual sy mptoms, enha ncement of milk flow in breastfeeding
mothers, and the smoothing of the transition through menopause. Scientific
studies on shatavari have been  limited to date, primarily look ing into its
traditional role in relieving stomach upset and improving lactation. Considering its long-standing history of value in strengthening  a woman’ s
physiology , shatavari is worthy of further scientific exploration. Although most commonly recommended for women, shatavari is also
considered a valuable tonic for men. Like ashwagandha, it is usually taken
in h ot milk sw eetened with honey or raw sugar . The com bination of
shatavari and ashwagandha (one  teaspoon of each) in a cup of hot milk with
a pinch of saf fron and a little honey or brown sugar makes a n excellent
tonic for both men and women and is a traditional ojas restorer . Amalaki (Emblica officinalis)
The powerful little fruit is one  of nature’ s most abundant s ources of
antioxidants. Ounce per ounce, amalaki juice carries twenty times the
vitamin C content of orange juice. Amalaki is considered the most powerful
general A yurvedic tonic, benef icial for both men and women . It is most
readily available  in the W est in the form of an herbal jam that combines
amalaki with a number of other tonic herbs and spices. The mythology around this ancient rejuvenating substance describes an
elderly sage, Chavan, who wa s asked by a king to marry h is daughter . Chavan was concerned that he would not be able to satisfy the needs of his
young b ride, but in meditation cognized the herbal formula that wouldrestore his youthful vitality . This subsequently became know as
Chavanprash or the jam of Chavan. Scientific resear ch on amalaki has shown it to have measurab le health-
enhancing properties, including the detoxification of c arcinogens,
protection of DNA, lowering of cholesterol levels and relief of heartburn. Amalaki-based herbal jams are becoming increasingly available in the
W est. W e recommend a teaspoon or two each day as a natural, general ojas-
enhancing tonic. Sources of ashwagandha, shatavari, and amalaki jam are
listed in the appendix. When we have r estor ed the sexual experience 
to the r ealm of the sacr ed,
our world becomes divine, holy , and healed. The Soul of Love
Love ser ves the soul. W e learn our life lessons and awaken our memory of
wholeness through love. Our soul is the weaving of our memories and
desires, providi ng the template for all our aspirations, ch oices, and
experiences in life. W e can look at the soul as a confluence of contexts and
meaning. Conte xt entails a set of relationships and meaning is the way we
interpret the relationships. Ou r lives are a river of relationships and
meaning. Each of us is con tinuously reena cting one of the perennial them es of love
—trust a nd betra yal, unrequited  love and forbidden lust, uncond itional love
and calc ulating neediness. From Adam and Eve to Judas and  Jesus, the
most po werful s tories we tell e ach other across time and cultu re are love
stories. Love is the primal force on earth and beyond all the obvious and
stated re asons, behind every action is love. Striving for good grades in
school, doing well in a job, c reating a great work of art, composing abeautiful symph ony , writing a great novel, winning the Nobel P rize—if you
dig deep ly enough you will se e that all these stories are love stories in
disguise. In actuality , the only reason we do anything is for more love,
although we may go to co nsiderable lengths to concea l our true
motivations. Our disc ussion of love leads to  a simple conclusion: For the benefit of
your ph ysical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, generate m ore love in
your life . Each morning when you awaken, ask yourself, “How can I create
more love today? How can I ex press more love today? How can I be open
to recei ving more love today?” In every interaction ensure that some
exchange of love takes place. Whether it is chatting with your landscaper ,
paying f or your groceries, talkin g with your children or being intimate with
your bel oved, co me from an in ner dialogue of love. When you  make love
the m ost important thing in your life, your mind and body resonate with the
timeless. Every day in every way ,
I am incr easing my mental and physical capacity . My Biostat is set at a healthy ____ years of age. I look and feel a healthy ____ years old. I am r eversing my biological age:
By changing my per ception of my body , its aging and time;
Thr ough two kinds of deep r est—r estful awar eness and  r estful sleep;
By nurturing my body thr ough healthy foods;
By using nutritional complements wisely;
By enhancing mind/body integration;
Thr ough exer cise;By eliminating toxins fr om my life;
By cultivating flexibility and cr eativity in consciousness; and
Thr ough love. 1 1
Y ou Can Reverse Y our
Biological Age by Maintaining
a Y outhful Mind
 
ACTION STEP # 10
I am r eversing my biological age by maintaining a youthful  mind. I put this into practice by:
Enriching my sensory experience, within and without. Devoting myself to lifelong learning and personal gr owth. Enjoying play , lightheartedness, and laughter . The body is a field of molecules. The mind is a field of ideas. Wher ever a thought goes a molecule goes. Fr esh and youthful thoughts
cr eate fr esh and youthful molecules. Psychological age influences biological age. The tent h step to grow younger and live longer is to maintain  a youthful
mind. The mind is not a thing, as the body is. The body is a field of
molecules. Y ou can touch it. It  is solid. Even though it is con stantly and
ever in change and transformati on, it has the appearance of a f ixed object,
like a sculpture . W e can examine the body , and measure its biological
markers in a fairly precise, objec tive way . These biomarkers were discussed
in Chapter 1. The mind on the other hand is not a field of molecules; it is a field of
ideas. Ideas cannot be put in a t est tube or observed through a microscope. They ca nnot be examined in the traditional objective sense. Ideas can only
be e xperienced subjectively . Ac cording to A yurveda, the body is a field of
information and  ener gy that we experience objectively , and the mind is the
same fie ld of information and en er gy that we experience subjectively . There
is a correlation between subjec tivity and objectivity . Wherever a thought
goes, a molecule goes. Spiritual traditions say that the word was made into flesh. In reality , the
word an d the flesh are the same thing, much as physics tells us that particles
and wav es are the same thing. The body is a collection of pa rticles. The
mind is  a collection of wave s. They are the same thing experienceddif ferently , dep ending on your method of observation—o bjective or
subjective. Many studies have confirmed that biological age correlates better with
psychological ag e than chronological age. If you are young at heart, your
biological marke rs are likely to reflect a young heart, literally . When your
heart is being attacked through hostility or lack of love, you m ight indeed
suf fer a heart attack. It th erefore becomes important to understand what creates a  youthful
mind, be cause a  youthful mind is likely to translate into a you thful body . All the factors we have discussed in the preceding chapters are, of course,
very imp ortant. However , if your mind is old, your body will re flect it even
if you practice everything that we have suggested so far in th is book. A
youthful mind is a mind that is constantly growing. As a popular saying
goes, “People don’ t grow old. When they stop growing, they become old.”
Neuroscientists are learning that the brain is an extraordinarily dynamic
or gan th at is continuously reshap ing itself. The cortex of the brain, which is
less than  one-qu arter of an inch  thick and covers only 350 square inches,
contains over 20 billion neurons. Each of these brain cells has over 10,000
connections with other nerve cells throughout the brain. These connections
are under going constant transformation. The electrical, ma gnetic, and
chemical fields of your brain are in perpetual flux, reflecting your moment-
to-moment changing experiences. Even the anatomy of your brain  is being resculpted. Microscopic tendrils
connecting one neuron with ano ther are extending and retracting. The cells
themselves are coming and go ing. The long-standing belief that adults
never ge nerate new brain cells h as been overturned. Recently , researchers at
Princeton University have foun d evidence that thousands of fresh brain
cells are born every day . Y our experience s are ever changing. All experiences take place in the
mind, w hich is notoriously nonstationary . The brain reflects this pliability .Attend to keeping your mind fresh and youthful, and you will keep your
brain and your body fresh and youthful. The body is a field of information and ener gy 
that we experience objectively; 
the mind is the same field of information and ener gy 
that we experience subjectively . A Y outhful Mind
A youth ful mind is dynamic, vib rant, and curious. This is what we all desire
—an ale rt vibra nt mind along w ith strong physical vitality . As a result of
your com mitment to the other s teps in this program, you have set the stage
for this ideal st ate. Y ou have c hanged your perceptions and expectations
about aging. Y ou are taking time on a daily basis to quiet your mind through
meditation. Y ou are lovingly nurturing your body with healthy food,
nutritional complements, mind/body integration techniques, and balanced
exercise. Y ou are eliminating toxins from your body , mind, an d soul. Y ou
are culti vating flexibility and creativity in your consciousness, and you are
making love the most important thing in your life. W ith all thes e other key
components in place, it is essential that you keep your mind active and
expanding so you can enjoy the  fruits of the life-af firming choices you’ve
made and the life wisdom you have accumulated. A y outhful mind has many vital qualities. It is enthusias tic, it is
spontaneous, it is fluid, and it is  adaptable. Observe a child at ease and you
will see all the qualities of a youthful mind in action. Y ou have a youthful
mind within you now . Y ou simply need to allow its expression. ENTHUSIASMA yo uthful mind is an enthusiastic mind. The word enthusiasm comes from
the Greek word entheos, meaning “filled with the divine.” A mind that is
infused with the creative intellig ence of the cosmos is a youthful mind. It is
overflowing wit h ener gy . The universe is born anew every moment, and a
mind th at resonates with this ener gy sees the world with the wide-eyed
enthusiasm of a child. Follow the advice of Lord Shiva who enc ourages you
to “s tep out of the river of memory and conditioning and see the  world as if
for the first time.”
A youth ful mind is a beginner ’ s mind. It is enthusiastic about e verything
—a butterfly , a rainbow , the stars at night, a cottontail rabbit, a new book, a
fragrant rose, a fresh strawberr y . Stay alert to the amazing display that is
taking p lace around you. Pay a ttention to the remarkable dance of nature
that is ever fresh and new . Ene r gized alertness is the basis of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm reverses aging. SPONT ANEITY
A youth ful mind is spontaneous. It is unpredictable. It has not been
conditioned. A youthful mind is awake to all possibilities and is not
inhibited by established norms. A youthful mind relinquishes the need to
narrowly define itself. A youthful mind tolerates ambiguity , which gives
rise to spontaneity . Y ou hav e sponta neous impulses  inside of you right now . Close your eyes
and feel  the exuberance of spontaneity that wants to manifest. Right now , as
you are reading this book, do something spontaneous. Find the impulse
within you and nourish it with your attention. Here are some suggestions:
Kiss your spouse
Start dancing
Call your motherStart singing
T ake of f your clothes
Read a poem
Draw a picture
Be s pontaneous. It is not possib le to “practice” spontaneity , but you can
be a lert to nurtur ing the spontaneous impulses that are bubbling up inside of
you. Spontaneity is a quality of a youthful mind. FLUIDITY AND ADAPT ABILITY
A youth ful mind  is fluid and adaptable. It does not allow itself to be trapped
by b oundaries that overshadow the unity of all things. It natura lly sees the
interrelatedness of life, and therefore is able to flow with changing
situations and circumstances wi thout resistance. A youthful mind does not
get stuck in fine distinctions. Be a daptable. Don’ t allow you rself to get trapped into viewi ng things
from a narrow , limited perspective. Practice seeing the big picture. A void
letting boundari es overshadow your unity . Look for the interrelatedness of
all things in life. YOUR QUANTUM MIND
At th e le vel of quantum reality ,  the universe is not made up of things. It is
comprised of oscillating fields of ener gy . The quantum domain is
spontaneous. It is inherently unpredictable, resisting all ef forts to define it
precisely . In the quantum domain, everything is interrelated. Any
perturbation in the field influences everything else in the field.The quantum realm has unlimited ener gy , unlimited unpredictability , and
unlimited interconnectedness. Another way of saying this is that the
quantum realm is enthusiastic , spontaneous, and fluid. These are the
qualities of the cosmic mind that every moment gives rise  to a fresh
universe. These are the qualities of a youthful mind that every moment
gives rise to a new body . Heightening Y our Level of Sensory A wareness
A youthful mind is alert to the rich inner and outer sensations  of life. An
aged mind is dull and oblivious to the sensory delights that are available
internally and externally . Y ou can create a youthful, exubera nt mind by
heightening you r state of sensory awareness. A waken to the rich  sensations
inside and outside of you. Enliven your imagination. A youthful mind is
tuned in to the multidimensional, multisensory universe we inhabit. NOURISHING YOUR BODY/MIND THROUGH THE FIVE
SENSES
Pay attention to your environment. Feed your senses delectable, interesting,
awe-inspiring impulses. A youthful mind is nourished through the
exploration of new domains. See your environment with fresh eyes. Don’ t
take your world for granted. Listen to beautiful, interesting, dif ferent music from around the world. Listen to the sounds of nature—birds singing, the wind blowing
through the leaves, rain beating on your roof, ocean waves crashing
against the shore. Feel the texture of things. Dig your hands into the earth. Stroke your
pet. Caress your loved ones. Feel a sculpture. Rub your hands along a
tree’ s bark.Look at your world with fresh eyes. Notice things you don’ t usually
pay attention to. Look at the many shades of green that nature paints. W atch the clouds manifest and dissolve. Go to your local art museum
and walk through the galleries. Really look at the faces of the people in
your life. T aste things as if for the first time. Bite into a tart apple. Savor the
flavor of freshly baked cherry pie. Pop a clove bud in your mouth. T aste your lover with a passionate kiss. Drink a freshly squeezed glass
of orange juice. Delight your taste buds. Notice the aromas in your environment. Breathe in the fragrances of
your garden. Snif f the smells of dinner . Inhale the scents of your loved
one. Go outside after a rain and smell the earth. Notice how closely
smells are linked with your memories and emotions. EXP AND YOUR IMAGINA TION
The ener gy and information of the world is translated into subtle sensory
impulses that are experienced on the screen of your consciousness. These
inner impulses are known in A yurveda as T anmatras. W e can think of them
as mental quanta, the subjective equivalent to the subtlest units of matter in
the physical world. A wakening the T anmatras through active imagination
creates a youthful mind. Read th e following visualizatio ns, then close your eyes and invoke a
vivid impression in your mind. Sound
Imagine the sound of:
A church bell tolling on Sunday morningA cricket, chirping outside your window at night
A marching band performing at a high school football game
A grandfather clock sounding six o’clock
A coyote howling at the moon
T ouch
Imagine the sensations of:
W alking on a sandy beach
T aking a hot shower
T ouching a rose petal
Stroking the soft cheek of an infant child
Caressing satin sheets
V ision
Imagine the sight of:
The sun setting over the Pacific Ocean
A flock of geese flying in formation overhead
Cumulus clouds on a warm summer day
A children’ s ballet performance
An Olympic diver jumping of f the platformT aste
Imagine the taste of:
A fresh, ripe peach
A spoonful of chocolate-chip ice cream
Gar gling with mint-flavored mouthwash
A pungent jalapeño pepper
A bitter leaf of endive lettuce
Smell
Imagine the smell of:
Bread baking in the oven
A new bar of sandalwood soap
A cinnamon stick
A freshly cut lemon
A fragrant rose
MUL TISENSOR Y IMAGINA TION
Y ou can develop your subtle sen ses by imagining multisensory experiences. Start with the fo llowing exercises and then create your own vi sualizations
to exercise your imagination.Imagine:
Y ou are walking along the beach on a tropical island. Y ou feel the warm
sun on your body . Y ou hear the ocean waves lapping at the sh ore and the
call of seagulls. Y ou smell the faint waft of your coconut suntan lotion. Imagine:
Y ou are in a late-fifties diner . The sounds of an Elvis Presley song fill the
room from the jukebox in the corner . The young men in the re staurant are
wearing white T -shirts with their sleeves rolled up. Y ou tak e your first
swallow of the chocolate milk shake served in a lar ge frosty fountain glass. Imagine:
Y ou are lying o n a lounge chair on a warm summer night. Fir eflies are
glowing on and of f as you gaze  into the dark sky . Crickets are chirping in
unison. The fragrance of night- blooming jasmine perfuses the air . As you
take a bite out of a fresh peach, a shooting star flashes through the sky . Nurture the enthusiasm that comes with heightened awareness of the
sounds, sensatio ns, sights, tastes, and smells in your outer and in ner worlds. Pay attention to the gifts your senses bring you. Learning and Gr owing
A yo uthful mind is a growing m ind. It is dedicated to continua l expansion
and lea rning. A youthful mind thrives on new experiences and new
knowledge. Experience combined with knowledge leads to wisdom. Make a commit ment to learn th roughout your life. Here are j ust a few
suggestions to keep your mind growing:Read—the classics, novels, Shakespeare, science fiction, fantasies. T ry
genres you do not usually choose. Read poetry—Rumi, T agore, Hafiz, Blake, Longfellow , Frost,
Ginsber g, and the modern poets
Read spiritual literature—the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita, the
Upanishads, the Dhammapada
T ake classes at your local college
Learn a foreign language
T ake piano lessons
Learn to dance
T ake art classes
Learn to cook
T ake writing classes
Join a choir
T ake pottery classes
Learn a new computer program
T ake a poetry-writing class
Go to workshops—on love, on human potential, on success, on
spirituality , on health
T ake horseback-riding lessons
T ake a photography classV isit new places
T ravel to foreign lands
Go to museums and art galleries
W atch foreign films
Go to concerts
Relinquish rigid ideas about who you are, and challenge yourself with
new experiences and new perspectives. Expand your vocabulary . Keep
abreast of trends in art, science,  technology , medicine, politics,  music, and
fashion. Don’ t be afraid to question prevailing beliefs, including your own. Learn something new every day . As you continue stimulating your mind to
grow , your brain will continue c reating new connections among  its billions
of cells. Experience combined with knowledge leads to wisdom. Playfulness, Lightheartedness, and Laughter
A yo uthful mind is playful and lighthearted. It laughs easily , gen uinely , and
with abandon. Y ou can probab ly recall times from your child hood when
you giggled so hard you could barely stand or walk. Playfulness  and joy are
qualities of Spirit, which is i nherently lighthearted. Knowing itself as
eternal and unbounded, Spirit d oes not surrender its magic and  enthusiasm
for trivial concerns. Play and recreation go hand in hand. Play is literally an opportunity for
re -cr eation— an opportunity to re-create yourself. When you play with
abandon, you enter into the present moment. Y ou let go of t he past and
for get about the future. When you are playing, you lose track of time. The
timeless domain of play is the realm of Spirit. Spirit is innately playful.The ego, on the other hand, is serious. It is solely concerned wi th power ,
control, and approval. The ego is easily of fended. Whatever arrogance or
self-importance people may project, if they are dominated by their ego,
their un derlying experience is one of fear—fear of losing control, fear of
losing p ower , fe ar of losing app roval. This fear leads to seriousn ess and the
tendency to be easily of fended. When yo u shift your internal reference from ego to spirit, you r elinquish
your need to co ntrol, cajole, withhold, seduce, and manipulate  and simply
allow the universe and life to u nfold. This creates a natural state of ease,
which predisposes you to lightheartedness and laughter . Laughter is the best medicine for body and mind. Scientific studies have
shown that laughter can enliven  the immune system, raise pain  thresholds
and ease depression. W e encourage you to have the intention to lighten up
and be open to the wonder an d delight of living a human life. Remind
yourself, remind  your friends, and remind your loved ones not to allow
terminal seriousness to consume the life force. Suggestions for Playfulness and Laughter
Spend time with children
Go to toy stores
Play with your animals
Go to an improvisational theater show
W atch funny movies
Go to a comedy store
Rent old Candid Camera episodes
W atch Marx Brothers moviesGo to the beach
T ake a ski trip
W atch I Love Lucy reruns
Ride your bicycle
Go bowling
Rent Rollerblades
Go to a baseball game
Start a pillow fight
T ell jokes
Play board games
T ickle someone
Have a staring contest
Throw a costume party
Go to an animal-free circus
Dance
Have a tea party
Go to an ice cream shop
Bake cookies
Blow bubbles
Play miniature golfGo to the batting cages
W atch people at shopping malls
Go to an amusement park
Paint with watercolors
Rent a sailboat
Go on a picnic
Make up lists of fun and playful things to do
The timeless domain of play is the r ealm of Spirit. Spirit is innately playful. According to V edic science, the purpose of life is the expansion of
happiness. Crea tion is a marve lous divine play that assigns e ach of us a
dif ferent role. The Sanskrit wor d for this play is leela. Y ou can  take your
role very  serious ly and miss life’ s magic, or you can recognize that you are
eternal Spirit disguising yourse lf as an actor and celebrate the leela. Not
taking life or yo urself too seriously does not mean being irres ponsible. In
actuality , if you recognize the c osmic play you become more responsible,
for y ou see ever y thought, word, and action as an expression of the divine
playwright. Relish the magic and the mystery in every moment. Laughter is a s ymptom of spirituality . Laughter is the flow  of love,
coursing throug h your body . L aughter is the nectar of pres ent-moment
awareness. Invite mor e enthusiasm into your life. Invite mor e playfulness. Invite mor e lightheartedness. Invite mor e laughter . One of our fav orite playful and lighthearted cosmic revelers is the
fourteenth-century mystic Hafiz, whose poems have been  translated
recently by Daniel Ladinsky . H afiz invites us all to join in the cosmic
dance. What is laughter? What is this pr ecious love and laughter 
Budding in our hearts? It is the glorious sound
Of a soul waking up! Play and enjoy . It will keep you young in body , mind, and soul. Every day in every way ,
I am incr easing my mental and physical capacity . My Biostat is set at a healthy ____ years of age. I look and feel a healthy ____ years old. I am r eversing my biological age:
By changing my per ception of my body , its aging and time;
Thr ough two kinds of deep r est—r estful awar eness and  r estful sleep;
By nurturing my body thr ough healthy foods;
By using nutritional complements wisely;
By enhancing mind/body integration;
Thr ough exer cise;By eliminating toxins fr om my life;
By cultivating flexibility and cr eativity in consciousness;
Thr ough love; and
By maintaining a youthful mind. E p i l o g u e
In James Hilton’ s classic 1933 work Lost Horizon , th e c entral character , Hugh Conway , unex pectedly
finds hims elf in a remote T ibetan land called Shangri-La. He soon discovers that the inhabitants of
this domain  are playing by a dif ferent set of rules, for sickness, aging, and death are rare phenomena. The high lama of the monastery , for example, informs Conway that as a result of secret antiaging
practices, he has been alive for more than two hundred and fifty years! Soon after arriving, Conway finds himsel f attracted to Lo-T sen, an enchanting nine teen-year -old
Chinese girl who plays music each evening for the resident monks. He eventually learns that the girl
longs to escape from Shangri-La. Despite  her comfortable existence in paradise, she yearns for the
experience of contrast that Shangri-La, with its absence of suf fering, aging, and  death, cannot
provide. Conway , his younger associate, and Lo-T s en leave Shangri-La on a treacherous journey back to
civilization. W e do not learn their fate unt il the epilogue, when it is revealed that Conway has been
brought to a mission hospital in China by an old, frail woman, who immediately succumbs to a
feverish illness. Leaving Shangri-La has unmasked the woman’ s real age, which is over a hundred
years old. W e are left only to imagine the ultimate destiny of Hugh Conway . As long as human be ings have existed, w e have dreamt of lands like Shangri-La. W e envision
these domains as exo tic places with lush valleys, beautiful natural scenery , and pur e mountain air . And yet Shangri-La is not a place. It is a state of consciousness in which one lives in a timeless
reality , where all m aterial things are e xperienced as endless transformations of ener gy and
intelligence, where suf fering, aging, entropy , and even death do not exist. While such  a place may at first seem desirable, the story of Shangri-La reminds us t hat as human
beings we require contrast, meaning, and purpose for our lives to be worth living. Osh o tells the story
of a man who dreams  that immediately upon his arrival at a celestial plane, an attendant informs him
that a nything he de sires will instantly manifest. The man asks for a meal an d the attendant
instantaneously creates a sumptuous feast for him. The man asks for entertainment and the attendant
immediately conjures up a band of actors and musicians to amuse him. He expresses sensual
yearning an d beautiful women are instantly  manifested to indulge his sexual fantasies. Although he is
initially fascinated with his experience, after a few days the man becomes bored and asks the
attendant if  he can pr ovide some work for him to do. The attendant politely informs him that he can
give the man anything he wants except purposeful activity . The man replies, “I cannot spend all my
time witho ut something useful to do. I m ight as well be in Hell!” to which the at tendant replies,
“Where do you think you are?”
According to A yurveda, human life span depends upon our collective consciousness. In V edic
mythology , human consciousness goes through four cycles, known in Sanskrit as yugas. In each
yuga, the life span of human beings chan ges. In the first cycle, known as Sat  Y uga, 75 percent of
people are living enlightened lives, and therefore most people live a very long tim e. If we are tobelieve the Old T estament, people, as exemplified by Methuselah, can live to a thousand years of age
in Sat Y uga. The s econd yuga is called Dwarpa Y uga. In thi s age about 50 percent of people are in a higher
state o f con sciousness. In Dwarpa Y uga the  average life span is purported to be about 500 years. The
third cycle of time is called T r eta Y uga. In this age 25 percent of people are in higher states of
consciousness and the average life span is supposed to be 250 years. Finally , we  come to the fourth cycle, known as Kala Y uga, in which only a handful of people are
experiencing higher states of consciousnes s. According to A yurveda, this is our curre nt age. But even
in Ka la Y uga, the average life span is supposed to be a hundred years, so most huma n beings are not
even reaching their full potential in Kala Y uga. This stage is sometimes referred t o as the age of
darkness because people are experiencing  such a small fraction of their vast mental and physical
potential. Critics may  dismiss these theories as part o f mythology , but as Joseph Campbell, the distinguished
explorer o f mythology , once said, “Mythology contains more truth than history .” Mythology
expresses the greatest aspirations, desires, and ambitions of the collective imagination. The time may
be coming when we can fulfill these aspira tions. The theory of collective consciousness states that if
just 1  percent of people were experiencing higher states of consciousness, there would be a
completely dif ferent expression of society . Everything would change: the crime rate w ould plummet,
hospital admissions would fall, and people would live healthier and longer lives. After billions of years of evolution, life is beginning to divulge its innermost secrets. Biological
intelligence carried in the genetic code has created a human being that is now capable  of exploring its
own origins. Modern scientists, unraveling  the human genome, are deciphering the alphabet of life. W e all hope that with this new technology we will better understand and intervene in illness and
aging. T echnology itself is neutral—it is neither inherently good nor bad. How we use technology is a
reflection of our collective consciousness. As the science of genetics evolves, we may be able to substantially extend life and ensure that
more and more people are able to live out t heir full potential. It is critical that we raise our awareness
so we can collectively make choices that are most evolutionary for individuals, the  human species,
and the global ecology . Jonas Salk, the great biologist and developer of the first polio vaccine,
expressed the brilliant insight that if we are to survive as a species, we must m ove beyond the
Darwinian concept of “survival of the fittest” to a new paradigm: “survival of the wisest.” The
principles and practices of fered in this book are dedicated to such a high purpose. The cycle of life is one of continuous transformation. Adaptation leads to stability , which eventually
results in stagnation, entropy , disintegration, dissolution, and incubation (commonly perceived of as
death). In the right season, incubation gi ves rise to a quantum leap in creativity , experienced as
rebirth, res urrection, and renewal. W ithout this unending cycle we would be doomed to eternal
senility . Our c ollective beliefs, expectations, and choices have been such that the forces of decay and
entropy ha ve dominated our experience of  life. It is time to turn our attention to the creative forces
within us. While the cycle will continue, we believe that as the next few decades unfold, we will see
a new era in which human aging will have a completely new expression. As you have learned by now
from this book, it is possible to have increased vitality , creativity , and mental and physical capacity asthe years unroll. Many have lamented th at youth is wasted on the young, but now we have the
opportunity to experience the exquisite combination of mature wisdom along with y outhful biology . Through our interpretation and choices we can increase both the quality and quantity of human life,
adding bot h years to our life and life to o ur years. This should be our intention fo r the world and
ourselves. W e h ave access to Shangri-La in our o wn awareness. Modern physicists tell u s that quantum
mathematics predicts parallel coexisting realities. In the quantum world there are no fixed objects,
only superpositions of probability—oscillating fields of possibility . Shangri-La is one such possibility
—a projection of consciousness that is beyond the limitations of time and space . The world of
disease, decay , entropy , and premature death is another projection of consciousness that is currently
our p ervasive one. When reality shifts, both the observer and the observed change. The observer in
one reality is quite dif ferent from the observer in another; if the observer does not change, neither
does the observed. Here the observed is the body while the observer is your state of consciousness. Although focusing
on the body through diet, exercise, and herbs can be helpful, the real shift has to be in  consciousness. When you, the observ er , shifts, your body also shifts, and your interpretation of your  life transforms. One consequence of this transformation is the recognition that aging is a choice. According to A yurveda, every human being is a weaving together of the environment, body , mind,
and sp irit. The environment has the shortest shelf life, for it is changing every momen t. The body has
a slightly longer shel f life. It takes about a year to replace almost all the atoms and molecules that
comprise it. The mind, which includes the intellect and ego, has a still longer shelf life. Y our
aspirations, beliefs, dreams, memories, and desires may last an entire lifetime. Y our soul is eternal
and not subject to the  entropy and decay that govern the environment, body , and min d. Live your life
from the level of your soul and you will be timeless. This awareness will not do away with the essential fact of your physical mortality . The soul must
have the opportunity to evolve and take quantum leaps in creativity . T o live in the sam e body forever
would be like getting stuck with the same  automobile for eternity . At some point, the old must give
rise to the new . The cycle must go on as beautifully expressed in the Alfred, Lord T ennyson poem:
The old or der changeth, yielding place to new;
And God fulfills himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world. W e have given you the tools in this bo ok to become a co-creator with God to harness the
evolutionary forces of imagination, inspiration, innovation, and creativity . There is immense power in
these tools. W e hope you will use them wisely and, by example, lead the way in hel ping to create a
world of joy , wisdom, and vitality .G r o w  Y o u n g e r ,  L i v e  L o n g e r  R e c i p e s
The follow ing are seven vegetarian menus  of worldwide regional cuisine. (All the following recipes
will serve four people.) THAI CUISINE
Clear Br oth Soup with Coconut, T ofu, and Gr eens
Y ellow Thai Curry with Carr ots and Gr eens
Fr esh Cucumber with Basil and Mint
Basmati Rice with Mangoes
Banana Coconut Stew
 
Clear Broth Soup with Coconut, T ofu, and Greens
1 teaspoon ghee
1 cup (¼ block) tofu, fresh, low-fat, cut into cubes
2–3 teaspoons Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
¼ cup leeks, chopped
1 teaspoon gingerroot, fresh, minced
½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
 
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup carrots, thinly sliced
½ cup broccoli, cut into small flowerets
2–3 teaspoons miso, mild flavor
¾ cup coconut milk, low-fat
1 tightly packed cup spinach greens (baby spinach greens
work well)
3 green onions, chopped
 In a soup pot, heat the ghee and add the tofu cubes. Brown slightly and add 1 to 2 teaspoons
Braggs or tamari sauc e. Remove tofu from pot and set aside. Return pot to heat, and  add leeks, then
add gingerroot and sauté 2 minutes. Add Chinese five spice. Add vegetable stock to the saucepan and
bring to a b oil. Add sliced carrots and boil  for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broccoli, and continue to boil for
another 2 minutes. Re duce heat. Using a wire whisk or fork, gently stir in the miso, the remaining 1
teaspoon Braggs, and coconut milk. Check for flavor and add more miso if needed. Divide the
spinach gre ens and the tofu into 4 small bowls. Ladle the broth mixture over the greens and tofu. Garnish with the chopped green onions. Y ellow Thai Curry (mild)
Make the curry paste ahead of time and stor e in an airtight glass container
for up to one month. The secr et to a curry paste is dry-r oastingthe spices. 4 stalks lemongrass, fresh (can be found in specialty or 
Asian markets)
2 tablespoons cumin, whole seeds
2 tablespoons coriander , whole seeds
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
½ cup leeks or onions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger , fresh and finely chopped
1 tablespoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
1 teaspoon miso, mild flavor
 
Begin by trimming the lemongrass stalks. Cut away the grassy tops, leaving about 3 inches of the
stalk. Split the root ends and pull away the hard outer sections. The inside root should  be smooth and
flat. U sing a sharp paring knife, cut crosswise into very thin strips. Next, chop into  a fine mixture. This process will tak e a few minutes but will be worth the work. Place the lemon grass in a small
bowl. In a dry he ated sauté pan, gently roast the  cumin and coriander seeds until just gold en brown and
the smell is released. Be sure to keep the seeds moving so they don’ t burn. Add the red chili flakes
and ro ast together for  another minute. Place the sautéed chili flakes, cumin, and coriander seeds into
a mortar with a pestle or into a spice grinder . Crush or grind into a fine powder . Place into a small
mixing bow l and set aside. Add the dry spices to the heated sauté pan and dry-roast for 1 or 2
minutes or until sligh tly browned. Be sure  to move the spices around in the pan to  avoid burning. Combine with the roasted spices into the small mixing bowl.In the  heat ed sauté pan, sauté the leeks and ginger for 3 minutes. Add the Braggs or  tamari sauce
when the mixture begins to dry out. Add the lemongrass and continue to sauté very briefly , 1 or 2
minutes. Add the leek s and ginger to the b owl of roasted spices. Mix together well. W ith a teaspoon,
begin to work the miso into the mixture. Keep mixing. The curry will break down the more you mix
it. Pu tting some pres sure on the spoon will help to pound the spices and leeks together . Add ½
teaspoon more miso if needed. If the mixture is too dry and is not combining we ll, add up to 1
tablespoon vegetable  stock. When the mixture is well combined and the consistency of a smooth
paste, place into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator . Note: Y ou can use a small  (mini) food
processor to make the paste. Y ellow Thai Curry with Carrots and Greens
Follow the r ecipe for Y ellow Thai Curry . Make a batch, stor e in a jar with a
tight-fitting lid. 1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup leeks, chopped fine
2 cups carrots, whole, sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons vegetable stock
4 tablespoons Y ellow Thai Curry paste
4 cups bok choy sliced into long, ¼-inch-wide strips
4 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
½ cup cilantro, fresh and chopped
1 tablespoon coconut flakes, toasted
2 limes, juiced
 
In a lar ge s auté pan, heat up the ghee and sesame oil. Add the leeks and sauté for 2 minutes. Add
the carrots and veggie stock and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Add Thai Curry Paste and
simmer for 2 minute s. Add bok choy and napa cabbage. T oss the greens in the curry paste until
wilted. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and coconut; sprinkle with fresh lime
juice. Fresh Cucumber with Basil and Mint
3 cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, and sliced very thinly
¼ cup, packed, basil, fresh, thinly sliced into strips¼ cup, packed, mint, fresh, thinly sliced into strips
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped
½ teaspoon coriander
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce, 
or ½ teaspoon salt
 
T oss a ll ing redients to gether and let rest for up to one hour before serving. Stir a few  times while
resting to distribute the flavor . Serve as a condiment or side salad. Basmati Rice with Mangoes
2 cups or ganic basmati rice, rinsed and strained
3¾ cups water or vegetable stock
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup coconut milk
1 cup mango, fresh, ripe, cubed (use defrosted frozen mangoes)
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cardamom
 
In a 3-quar t saucepan , add the rice and the cinnamon stick to the water or stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and re duce heat. Allow the rice to simmer at the lowest possible
heat f or 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid from the pot. Remove from heat after 20 minutes. Fluf f
rice with a fork and  add the coconut milk and mango pieces and spices. Fluf f with a fork until
combined; remove the cinnamon stick before serving. Keep covered until you are ready to serve. Banana Coconut Stew
1 teaspoon ghee
4 bananas, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup apple juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup low-fat coconut milk 
In a sauté pan, heat t he ghee and add the sliced bananas and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the
cloves and  the apple juice. Sauté very briefly , 1 or 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and the coconut
milk. The liquid should just cover the bananas. Add more apple juice to cover the bananas if
necessary . Allow the mixture to simmer fo r 10 minutes. Serve in individual dessert b owls. If desired,
garnish with toasted almonds and coconut flakes. CHINESE CUISINE
V egetable Hot and Sour Soup
Buddha’ s Feast
Marinated Sesame T ofu Strips
Simple Steamed Rice
Almond Cookies
 
V egetable Hot and Sour Soup
1 cup (¼ pound) fresh tofu, low-fat, firm or extra firm, cut
into thin slices
3 teaspoons Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 cup eggplant, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
¼ cup cold water
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 cup sunflower sprouts or bean sprouts
 
Place the tofu into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of Braggs. T oss with a fork and set aside. In a soup
pot heat the ghee and  sesame oil. Add chili flakes. Add eggplant and carrots and sauté 3 to 4 minutes
or unt il carrots are almost soft. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the tofu, vinegar , and 2
teaspoons Braggs. Simmer 5 minutes. In a small bowl, dissolve the arrowroot in the cold water andcombine with a fork. Add to the soup, stirring constantly . The soup will begin to thicken. This only
takes a minute. T urn of f the heat. Ladle th e soup into bowls and garnish with the green onions and
sprouts. Buddha’ s Feast
Basic Sauce for Chinese Stir -Fry
Y ield: 2 cups
3 cloves garlic (optional), pressed, or 1 teaspoon powder
1 teaspoon ginger , fresh grated or powder
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1½ cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon mustard, dry
2 tablespoons arrowroot dissolved in 2 tablespoons 
water
 
In a small saucepan, lightly sauté the garl ic, ginger , and chili flakes in sesame oil. Add all other
remaining ingredients  except arrowroot and bring just to the boiling point. Reduce the heat and pour
in dissolved arrowroot. Stirring continuously , simmer until thickened. Buddha’ s Favorite V egetables
Y ou will need appr oximately 2 cups of mixed vegetables per person, 8 cups
total for 4 servings. Choose any of the following vegetablesfor a stir -fry . The or der given should be the or der in  which the vegetables will cook. 1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cups carrots, diagonally cut thinly
2 cups cauliflower , bite-size pieces
2 cups broccoli, bite-size pieces, peel stalk and slice
2 cups celery , diagonally cut2 cups asparagus, 2-inch pieces
2 cups bok choy , sliced diagonally
2 cups cabbage, white or napa, shredded
1 cup red pepper or green pepper , thinly sliced
1 cup green beans, keep whole
2 cups mung bean sprouts
2 cups spinach, shredded
1 cup snow peas, whole
 
Begin stir -fry by heating 1 teaspoon ghee and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Reduce this amount if you
are m aking veggies f or one or two people. Adding vegetables one batch at a time according to the
order , stir -fry until the carrots are tender . Pour sauce over vegetables after they are  cooked. Serve
over rice or udon noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Marinade Sesame T ofu Strips
12 ounces fresh tofu, low-fat, firm, or extra firm, cut into
cubes or slices
¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted
 
Marinade
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon ginger , ground
1 teaspoon sesame oil
 
Combine the marinade ingredients. Cut tofu into desired shape and soak in marinade for 6 hours or
overnight. Remove the tofu from the marinade. Place sesame seeds in a small bowl and coat each
piece of tofu with ses ame seeds. Place tofu  on a sheet pan sprayed with oil. Bake in the oven until the
tofu is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Add to the stir -fry or use in any dish that calls for tofu cubes.Simple Steamed Rice
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water or vegetable stock
Bring rice and water to a boil. Reduce he at to lowest possible setting and allow the  rice to cook
undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes. Fluf f with a fork and serve with stir -fry . Almond Cookies
1 cup almonds (you can use any type of nut)
1 cup rolled oats, or ganic
 
Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Add the oats and con tinue to pulse
into a coarse meal. Place mixture into a mixing bowl. 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or rice flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup canola oil or ghee
¼ cup mango puree or applesauce or mashed banana
12–15 almonds, whole
 
Place the flour , almon d/oat mixture, cinnamon, and salt into the mixing bowl. Mix together with a
wire whisk. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil, and mango (or fruit puree) together and
mix with a wire whisk . Combine the wet and the dry ingredients with your hands (use  plastic bags on
your hands). Mix into a smooth consistency . Using a small 1-ounce scoop or a tablespoon, scoop
mixture onto a sprayed baking sheet. Make a small dip with your thumb and place a whole almond
into the center of the cookie. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. IT ALIAN CUISINE
White Bean and V egetable Soup
Spinach and Eggplant Layer ed Pasta with PestoRoasted T omato Sauce
Garbanzo and Gr een Bean Stew
Roasted Carr ots with Fr esh Rosemary
Raspberry T ofu Sorbet
 
White Bean and V egetable Soup
1 cup white beans, soak in water overnight, strain and rinse in the morning
Place the beans in a soup pot. Fill the pot  with water to a level that is 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil. Allow the beans to cook u ntil soft, but not mushy . Replenish the wa ter as needed to
maintain a rolling boil. Strain the beans and reserve. Discard the liquid. 1 teaspoon ghee or olive oil
1 cup leeks, chopped
 
Sauté together 2 minutes, and then add, in order:
1 cup celery
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid
1 cup carrots, ¼-inch slices
1 cup cauliflower , cut into flowerets
 
Sauté together 5 minutes, stirring frequently . Next add:
1 cup zucchini
2 cups white beans, cooked
5–6 cups vegetable stock (enough to cover , plus one inch)
2 bay leaves
 Simmer together until the vegetables are tender , approximately 20 minutes. 1 cup, packed, mixed cooking greens or spinach
2 tablespoons or ganic tomato paste
1 tablespoon basil, fresh, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon parsley , fresh, chopped
 
Add the mixed greens, tomato paste, and fresh herbs toward the end. Stir until the p aste begins to
thicken. Serve in lar ge soup bowls. Spinach and Eggplant Layered Pasta with Pesto
Pesto
2 cups, packed, fresh basil, stems removed
1 cup broccoli, coarsely chopped and lightly sautéed 
in 1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup pine nuts (dry-roasted in a sauté pan until 
golden brown)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or salt
 
In a food processor , place the basil and sautéed broccoli and pulse for 1 minute. Add the pine nuts,
lemon juice, oil, and Braggs. Puree until a smooth consistency is achieved. Pasta
9 fresh or dried 2 × 9-inch strips pasta
Use fresh pasta sheets if available or dry lasagna noodles. Cut fresh sheet into 2-inch strips. Use
the dry lasagna sheets as they are. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a lar ge pot. Dip the noodles in
the boiling  water and cook until tender . B oil the fresh pasta 2 to 3 minutes, the dry pasta 6 to 7
minutes. R emove from  cooking water and set aside in fresh cool water until ready to  use. Drain just
before you assemble the casserole. Filling1 tablespoon Italian herb
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid
1 lar ge or 2 medium eggplant, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
(approx. 18 slices), discard ends
2 pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and torn into pieces, blanched
for 2 minutes in boiling water , rinsed in cool water and set
aside, or two 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted
1 teaspoon dill, dried
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup bread crumbs
 
Combine the Italian herb, 1 teaspoon pepper , oil, and Braggs. Place eggplant into a lar ge bowl and
drizzle the olive oil mixture on top. T oss the eggplant until well coated. On a sheet pan, lay out the
eggplant and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is almost tender . Remove from the
oven and cool. Place the spinach in a bowl  and add the dill, allspice, and remaining teaspoon of black
pepper . In a separate bowl, mix the paprika and bread crumbs together with your hands (use plastic
bags on your hands for cleanliness) and set aside. T o Assemble:
Spray an 8 × 8-inch-square casserole pan with olive oil or coat lightly with ghee. On the bottom of
the pan lay down three strips of pasta. Layer half of the eggplant on top of the pasta. Spread half the
pesto on top of the e ggplant. Layer half o f the spinach on top of the pesto; if des ired, add grated
cheese. Place another 3 strips of pasta on t op and press into the pan with your fingers. Layer the rest
of the  eggplant, pesto, and spinach in the same way . Place the remaining pasta on top of the spinach,
pressing it together with your fingertips. Brush olive oil or ghee lightly on top of the casserole,
sprinkle with paprika and bread crumbs. Cover with parchment paper and foil. Place in the oven at
350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with Roasted T omato Sauce. Roasted T omato Sauce
Makes one quart
12 small tomatoes, washed and with a small “X” cut into the
top of each; cut of f the ends
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 sprigs rosemary , fresh, removed from stem1 tablespoon basil, dried
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
 
T o ro ast to matoes: In  a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the other ingredients, then place  in a shallow
roasting pan. Bake at  350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are sof t and the skin is
easily removed. Allow to cool, then remove and discard skin. By hand, break up the tomatoes and
discard the seeds. Place the tomatoes into a strainer set inside a bowl to collect the juice. Set aside,
allowing the tomatoes to drain. 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups leeks or shallots, chopped
 
Place ghee  and spices into a heated 4-quart saucepan; add leeks and sauté until they are soft. Add
tomatoes and simmer at least 30 minutes or up to an hour on a very low heat. Add the following
except the parley and basil, during simmering. ½ cup roasted red pepper , fresh or canned, drained and
chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup parsley , fresh, chopped
½ cup basil, fresh, thinly sliced
 
Remove from heat, add parsley and basil and puree with a hand blender . Garbanzo and Green Bean Stew
1 cup garbanzo beans or chickpeas, covered with water and soaked overnight
Place the beans in a soup pot. Fill the pot  with water to a level that is 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil. Allow the beans to cook until soft but not mushy . Replenish the water as needed to
maintain a rolling boil. Strain the beans and set aside. Discard the liquid. 1 teaspoon ghee or olive oil
1 cup leeks, chopped1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino Acid or tamari sauce
2 cups, packed, fresh green beans, stems removed, cut into 
1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon basil, dried
1 teaspoon dill, dried
1 teaspoon oregano
½ cup vegetable stock
1½ cups fresh tomatoes, diced or or ganic diced canned 
tomatoes
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
 
In a sauté pan, heat the ghee or olive oil and add the leeks. Add the pepper and the Braggs. Simmer
for 2 minu tes. Next, add the green beans and spices.
Grow_Younger_Live_Longer_by_Deepak_Chopra.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Investing the time and attentio n to create
physical, emotional, and spiritu al intimacy can often result in the most
fulfilling sexual experiences of a person’ s life. T o improve your sexual experiences, you need to divest yourself of your
expectations. Expectations are usually in three areas: (1) performance, as
exemplified by  the question “How am I doing. ”; (2) emotions, as
exemplified by the question “ How am I feeling. ”; and (3) security, as
exemplified by the question “Do you really love me. ” These are
understandable concerns when exploring intimacy with your partner. They
also pro vide a unique opportunity to express your vulnerabilities and create
more intimacy. Intimacy derives  from the willingness to be vulnerable. Ask
for what  you need and give to y our lover what he or she needs. Openness,
vulnerability, the willingness to give, and the readiness to receive are all
qualities of spirit. Relinquish your expectations. When you relinquish your expectations,
you are able to release your resistance. Y our resistance keeps you from
enjoying what is happening. In sex, as in all areas of life, resistance is born
of fear. All resistance is mental a nd derives from a judgment against what is
being felt. Practice releasing your judgments and releasing your
expectations and you will experience the passion and surrender that sex
of fers. The concentrated passio n of sexual lovemaking then permeates all
other aspects of your life. If you find that sex is mixed with hidden emotions such as sha me, guilt,
or a nger, commit to releasing these toxic and inhibiting feelings. Sexual
intimacy is one road to the experience of true freedom, becau se it is one
area of life in which you can become completely uninhibited and free. Sexual fulfillment occurs when the experience comes from playfulness
instead of need. When sex is u sed to fulfill needs, it leads to addiction. When sex comes from playfulness, the result is ecstasy. Despite what you may have been conditioned to believe,
sexual desir e is sacr ed and virtuous. FOR PLA Y
Sex is most enjoyable and creates the greatest amount of love and intimacy
when it is viewed as a process rather than as a goal. W ester n society is
dominated by a goal-oriented worldview. Both men and women are
conditioned to achieve whatever goal is established, as directly, quickly, and
ef ficiently as possible. This at titude plays itself out in our lovemaking
where w e’ve lea rned to prize s exual climax as the sole tar get of physical
intimacy. Althou gh every lover relishes the pleasure of or gasm, the ancient
wisdom traditions of India and China suggest that playing with sexual
ener gy a nd extending the process of lovemaking expands the heart, mind,
and spirit, while intensely enric hing physical delight. Known as T antra in
India and the T ao of Sex in traditional Chinese culture, the basic principles
for conscious lovemaking include ritual, communication, and finesse. RITUAL
If yo u view sex as a sacred act, you will understand the value of  ritual. T ake
the t ime to prepare yourself for lovemaking as if you were jou rneying to a
realm of celestial pleasure. Bath e yourself and prepare your bod y and mind
for t he s haring o f your most pe rsonal gifts. Set the lovemaking scene with
attention to all t he senses. Read inspiring love poems to your p artner. Play
beautiful music  that arouses your passions and opens your heart. (See
appendix for our recommendations. ) W ear sensual clothing, employ subtle
lighting with candles, and dif fuse pleasing aromas in the room. Look into
your lover ’ s eyes and silently o r aloud acknowledge the gift of engaging
intimately with your partner. When y ou consider sexuality as simply another physiologica l need, it
only ser ves that  purpose. Recognizing that unlike your animal ancestors,you hav e the ability to channel creative sexual ener gy to expand your heart
and raise your consciousness, you can use rituals to focus your attention and
intention. T ransforming an exc hange between two people from an act of
pure biology to one of body, mind, and spirit generates passion, vitality, and
ecstasy. COMMUNICA TION
Communicate your feelings and  needs to your partner, before, during, and
after sex. Expres s what brings you pleasure and what you need to feel safe,
adored, and aroused. Reorient y our intention from simply releasing sexual
pressure to celebrating the process. Prolonging the act of lovemaking has
ener gy-enhancing ef fects on mind and body. Inform your partner when you
are a bout to clim ax and slow d own the tempo to expand and prolong the
pleasure. Lovem aking is a danc e of body, mind, and soul that c an continue
twenty-four hours a day in physical, emotional, and spiritual domains. Sexual ecstasy is nourished through your willingness to be vulnerable. Asking for what you need to fulfill your deepest desires and fantasies
requires your willingness to be  vulnerable. Through this vulnerability the
boundaries betw een “I” and “thou” and between body and s oul become
blurred. This is the essence of a spiritual experience and the promise of
conscious lovemaking. FINESSE
Like me ditation, lovemaking is  a domain where force, ef fort, and control
fail to result in s uccess and fulfillment. Subtlety, timing, and finesse are the
essence of rapturous lovemakin g. The blossoming of sexual bliss requires
total atte ntion in  the present mo ment and openness to creativity. Sex can be
a too l fo r person al transformatio n when you listen to the signals from your
body an d the body of your lover  and use them to surrender and release yourresistance and fear. Lovemaking  provides access to personal, collective, and
universal domai ns of awareness. Every loving couple is reenacting the
perennial myths of love; every loving couple is reenacting the  reunion of
souls. In  T raditional Chinese Medicine, lovemaking is an opportunity for
the p rimordial inward moving ( yin) and outward moving (yang) forces to
balance. In A yurveda and T antra, sexual union is the personalized
expression of the eternal dance between the impulses of pure potentiality
(Shiva) and creative expression (Shakti). T rue intimacy is union between flesh and flesh, between heart and heart,
between soul and soul. Sexual ener gy is the creative ener gy of the universe. Sexual ener gy is sacred ener gy. When we have restored the sexual
experience to the realm of the s acred, our world becomes divine, holy, and
healed. Thr ough the vulnerability of sexual intimacy,
the boundaries between “I” and “thou” and
between body and soul become blurr ed. Ojas—the Essence of Love
Y ou hav e been using the mantr a ojas in your daily ritual to pe rceive your
body as a field of ener gy, transformation, and intelligence. This subtle
substance is nourishing to your physical, emotional, and spiritu al bodies. It
provides the integrating essence that unifies all aspects of your being. According to A yurveda, we are born with a small reserve of ojas that can
be augmented or depleted as a result of nourishing or toxic e xperiences. Healthy food, loving emotions, nurturing sensory impressions, r ejuvenating
herbs, and creative use of sexu al ener gy all contribute to more abundant
ojas. Ojas reminds every cell in the body of its primary directiv e to support
the wholeness of the mind/body  network. It also strengthens y our naturalimmunity. When  ojas is deplete d you become susceptible to d egenerative
disorders includ ing cancer. Therefore, protecting and incre asing your
supply of ojas is key to reversing the aging process. Ojas can  be depleted by excessive release of reproductive flui d. This is
important in men and forms the  basis of the idea that as you age, reducing
the frequency of ejaculation ca n improve your vitality. This su ggestion is
not base d upon morality; rather, it is an expression of the con servation of
ener gy. As a general principle, i f you are male, see if you can increase the
ratio of sexual experiences to ejaculation. If you are accustomed to
releasing sexual  tension every time you have sex, see if you c an go to an
every ot her time  pattern. Then try going to every third time. Although at
first you  may feel some sense of frustration, you will most lik ely quickly
begin to appreciate the enhanced ener gy and passion that you feel
throughout the day. If you are a woman, play with your partner to keep his
sexual ener gy aroused without immediately releasing it. When lovers
consciously direct their powerful sexual ener gy, they become more
attractive to each other. All aspects of lovemaking, in and outside of its
sexual expression, become more ecstatic. Nutrition for Ojas
According to A yurveda there are special foods and herbs  that have
distinctive ojas-enhancing ef fects. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains,
nuts (particularly almonds), honey, and dairy derived from well-cared-for
cows are all enh ancing to ojas. Substances depleting ojas include alcohol,
tobacco, canned foods, highly processed foods, fried foods, and those
containing artificial sweeteners. Make your healthier choices without being
overly compulsive or rigid. Compulsivity and rigidity deplete ojas. Simply
be m ore conscious of your choices so that to the extent po ssible, you
increase the ojas in your life. HERBS AND OJASThere are many classical rejuvenative herbs from healing systems around
the world that can be considered ojas-enhancing. Ginseng from the Chinese
and Korean systems is the most popular herb in the world and has been
classically used to augment sexual potency. Scientific studies have
suggested that ginseng can enhance sexual appetite and erectile function in
both animals and men. It can enhance your general sense of well-being and
vitality. Ginseng is available in many forms including capsules, teas, and
even chewing gum. A yurveda has an entire branch o f medicine dedicated to maintaining and
regaining optimal reproductive tissue. Known as V ajikarana,  these herbs are
sometimes refer red to as aphrod isiacs. Although you most likely think of an
aphrodisiac as something that arouses sexual desires, according to
A yurveda, these aphrodisiac herbs also improve your reproductive essence. In other words, t hey enhance ojas. The three most commonly recommended
ojas-enhancing substances in A yurveda are ashwagandha, shatavari, and
amalaki. Ashwagandha (W ithania somnifera)
Sometimes know n as winter cherry, this potently fragrant herb has long
been kn own as the primary masculine rejuvenating substance. Its Sanskrit
name means “smelling like a stallion,” implying that it infuses the user with
the pow er of a horse. Although its long-standing reputation is as a sexual
potency herb, most research has  focused on its stress-reducing a nd immune-
enhancing properties. A recent experiment with animals found that
ashwagandha influences the pituitary chemicals that regulate sex hormones. A yurveda recommends taking a  teaspoon of ashwagandha in warm milk
sweetened with  honey or brown sugar before bedtime. This is highly
encouraged on days when the man has ejaculated, with the intention of
helping to replenish lost ojas. It is equally valuable for women to enliven
their passion and sexual ardor. Ashwagandha is now readily available from
a number of herbal distributors in the W est. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
This wild form of asparagus is considered to be the feminine e quivalent
of ashw agandha in that it supports the nurturing, receptive, creative
feminine ener gy that both men and women possess. Not known for
understatement, A yurveda gives this nourishing plant the Sanskrit name
shatavari, which can be translated as “capable of supporting one hundred
husbands. ” It is a classical tonic with several indications includ ing relief of
premenstrual sy mptoms, enha ncement of milk flow in breastfeeding
mothers, and the smoothing of the transition through menopause. Scientific
studies on shatavari have been  limited to date, primarily look ing into its
traditional role in relieving stomach upset and improving lactation. Considering its long-standing history of value in strengthening  a woman’ s
physiology, shatavari is worthy of further scientific exploration. Although most commonly recommended for women, shatavari is also
considered a valuable tonic for men. Like ashwagandha, it is usually taken
in h ot milk sw eetened with honey or raw sugar. The com bination of
shatavari and ashwagandha (one  teaspoon of each) in a cup of hot milk with
a pinch of saf fron and a little honey or brown sugar makes a n excellent
tonic for both men and women and is a traditional ojas restorer. Amalaki (Emblica officinalis)
The powerful little fruit is one  of nature’ s most abundant s ources of
antioxidants. Ounce per ounce, amalaki juice carries twenty times the
vitamin C content of orange juice. Amalaki is considered the most powerful
general A yurvedic tonic, benef icial for both men and women. It is most
readily available  in the W est in the form of an herbal jam that combines
amalaki with a number of other tonic herbs and spices. The mythology around this ancient rejuvenating substance describes an
elderly sage, Chavan, who wa s asked by a king to marry h is daughter. Chavan was concerned that he would not be able to satisfy the needs of his
young b ride, but in meditation cognized the herbal formula that wouldrestore his youthful vitality. This subsequently became know as
Chavanprash or the jam of Chavan. Scientific resear ch on amalaki has shown it to have measurab le health-
enhancing properties, including the detoxification of c arcinogens,
protection of DNA, lowering of cholesterol levels and relief of heartburn. Amalaki-based herbal jams are becoming increasingly available in the
W est. W e recommend a teaspoon or two each day as a natural, general ojas-
enhancing tonic. Sources of ashwagandha, shatavari, and amalaki jam are
listed in the appendix. When we have r estor ed the sexual experience 
to the r ealm of the sacr ed,
our world becomes divine, holy, and healed. The Soul of Love
Love ser ves the soul. W e learn our life lessons and awaken our memory of
wholeness through love. Our soul is the weaving of our memories and
desires, providi ng the template for all our aspirations, ch oices, and
experiences in life. W e can look at the soul as a confluence of contexts and
meaning. Conte xt entails a set of relationships and meaning is the way we
interpret the relationships. Ou r lives are a river of relationships and
meaning. Each of us is con tinuously reena cting one of the perennial them es of love
—trust a nd betra yal, unrequited  love and forbidden lust, uncond itional love
and calc ulating neediness. From Adam and Eve to Judas and  Jesus, the
most po werful s tories we tell e ach other across time and cultu re are love
stories. Love is the primal force on earth and beyond all the obvious and
stated re asons, behind every action is love. Striving for good grades in
school, doing well in a job, c reating a great work of art, composing abeautiful symph ony, writing a great novel, winning the Nobel P rize—if you
dig deep ly enough you will se e that all these stories are love stories in
disguise. In actuality, the only reason we do anything is for more love,
although we may go to co nsiderable lengths to concea l our true
motivations. Our disc ussion of love leads to  a simple conclusion: For the benefit of
your ph ysical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, generate m ore love in
your life. Each morning when you awaken, ask yourself, “How can I create
more love today. How can I ex press more love today. How can I be open
to recei ving more love today. ” In every interaction ensure that some
exchange of love takes place. Whether it is chatting with your landscaper,
paying f or your groceries, talkin g with your children or being intimate with
your bel oved, co me from an in ner dialogue of love. When you  make love
the m ost important thing in your life, your mind and body resonate with the
timeless. Every day in every way,
I am incr easing my mental and physical capacity. My Biostat is set at a healthy ____ years of age. I look and feel a healthy ____ years old. I am r eversing my biological age:
By changing my per ception of my body, its aging and time;
Thr ough two kinds of deep r est—r estful awar eness and  r estful sleep;
By nurturing my body thr ough healthy foods;
By using nutritional complements wisely;
By enhancing mind/body integration;
Thr ough exer cise;By eliminating toxins fr om my life;
By cultivating flexibility and cr eativity in consciousness; and
Thr ough love. 1 1
Y ou Can Reverse Y our
Biological Age by Maintaining
a Y outhful Mind
 
ACTION STEP # 10
I am r eversing my biological age by maintaining a youthful  mind. I put this into practice by:
Enriching my sensory experience, within and without. Devoting myself to lifelong learning and personal gr owth. Enjoying play, lightheartedness, and laughter. The body is a field of molecules. The mind is a field of ideas. Wher ever a thought goes a molecule goes. Fr esh and youthful thoughts
cr eate fr esh and youthful molecules. Psychological age influences biological age. The tent h step to grow younger and live longer is to maintain  a youthful
mind. The mind is not a thing, as the body is. The body is a field of
molecules. Y ou can touch it. It  is solid. Even though it is con stantly and
ever in change and transformati on, it has the appearance of a f ixed object,
like a sculpture. W e can examine the body, and measure its biological
markers in a fairly precise, objec tive way. These biomarkers were discussed
in Chapter 1. The mind on the other hand is not a field of molecules; it is a field of
ideas. Ideas cannot be put in a t est tube or observed through a microscope. They ca nnot be examined in the traditional objective sense. Ideas can only
be e xperienced subjectively. Ac cording to A yurveda, the body is a field of
information and  ener gy that we experience objectively, and the mind is the
same fie ld of information and en er gy that we experience subjectively. There
is a correlation between subjec tivity and objectivity. Wherever a thought
goes, a molecule goes. Spiritual traditions say that the word was made into flesh. In reality, the
word an d the flesh are the same thing, much as physics tells us that particles
and wav es are the same thing. The body is a collection of pa rticles. The
mind is  a collection of wave s. They are the same thing experienceddif ferently, dep ending on your method of observation—o bjective or
subjective. Many studies have confirmed that biological age correlates better with
psychological ag e than chronological age. If you are young at heart, your
biological marke rs are likely to reflect a young heart, literally. When your
heart is being attacked through hostility or lack of love, you m ight indeed
suf fer a heart attack. It th erefore becomes important to understand what creates a  youthful
mind, be cause a  youthful mind is likely to translate into a you thful body. All the factors we have discussed in the preceding chapters are, of course,
very imp ortant. However, if your mind is old, your body will re flect it even
if you practice everything that we have suggested so far in th is book. A
youthful mind is a mind that is constantly growing. As a popular saying
goes, “People don’ t grow old. When they stop growing, they become old. ”
Neuroscientists are learning that the brain is an extraordinarily dynamic
or gan th at is continuously reshap ing itself. The cortex of the brain, which is
less than  one-qu arter of an inch  thick and covers only 350 square inches,
contains over 20 billion neurons. Each of these brain cells has over 10,000
connections with other nerve cells throughout the brain. These connections
are under going constant transformation. The electrical, ma gnetic, and
chemical fields of your brain are in perpetual flux, reflecting your moment-
to-moment changing experiences. Even the anatomy of your brain  is being resculpted. Microscopic tendrils
connecting one neuron with ano ther are extending and retracting. The cells
themselves are coming and go ing. The long-standing belief that adults
never ge nerate new brain cells h as been overturned. Recently, researchers at
Princeton University have foun d evidence that thousands of fresh brain
cells are born every day. Y our experience s are ever changing. All experiences take place in the
mind, w hich is notoriously nonstationary. The brain reflects this pliability. Attend to keeping your mind fresh and youthful, and you will keep your
brain and your body fresh and youthful. The body is a field of information and ener gy 
that we experience objectively; 
the mind is the same field of information and ener gy 
that we experience subjectively. A Y outhful Mind
A youth ful mind is dynamic, vib rant, and curious. This is what we all desire
—an ale rt vibra nt mind along w ith strong physical vitality. As a result of
your com mitment to the other s teps in this program, you have set the stage
for this ideal st ate. Y ou have c hanged your perceptions and expectations
about aging. Y ou are taking time on a daily basis to quiet your mind through
meditation. Y ou are lovingly nurturing your body with healthy food,
nutritional complements, mind/body integration techniques, and balanced
exercise. Y ou are eliminating toxins from your body, mind, an d soul. Y ou
are culti vating flexibility and creativity in your consciousness, and you are
making love the most important thing in your life. W ith all thes e other key
components in place, it is essential that you keep your mind active and
expanding so you can enjoy the  fruits of the life-af firming choices you’ve
made and the life wisdom you have accumulated. A y outhful mind has many vital qualities. It is enthusias tic, it is
spontaneous, it is fluid, and it is  adaptable. Observe a child at ease and you
will see all the qualities of a youthful mind in action. Y ou have a youthful
mind within you now. Y ou simply need to allow its expression. ENTHUSIASMA yo uthful mind is an enthusiastic mind. The word enthusiasm comes from
the Greek word entheos, meaning “filled with the divine. ” A mind that is
infused with the creative intellig ence of the cosmos is a youthful mind. It is
overflowing wit h ener gy. The universe is born anew every moment, and a
mind th at resonates with this ener gy sees the world with the wide-eyed
enthusiasm of a child. Follow the advice of Lord Shiva who enc ourages you
to “s tep out of the river of memory and conditioning and see the  world as if
for the first time. ”
A youth ful mind is a beginner ’ s mind. It is enthusiastic about e verything
—a butterfly, a rainbow, the stars at night, a cottontail rabbit, a new book, a
fragrant rose, a fresh strawberr y. Stay alert to the amazing display that is
taking p lace around you. Pay a ttention to the remarkable dance of nature
that is ever fresh and new. Ene r gized alertness is the basis of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm reverses aging. SPONT ANEITY
A youth ful mind is spontaneous. It is unpredictable. It has not been
conditioned. A youthful mind is awake to all possibilities and is not
inhibited by established norms. A youthful mind relinquishes the need to
narrowly define itself. A youthful mind tolerates ambiguity, which gives
rise to spontaneity. Y ou hav e sponta neous impulses  inside of you right now. Close your eyes
and feel  the exuberance of spontaneity that wants to manifest. Right now, as
you are reading this book, do something spontaneous. Find the impulse
within you and nourish it with your attention. Here are some suggestions:
Kiss your spouse
Start dancing
Call your motherStart singing
T ake of f your clothes
Read a poem
Draw a picture
Be s pontaneous. It is not possib le to “practice” spontaneity, but you can
be a lert to nurtur ing the spontaneous impulses that are bubbling up inside of
you. Spontaneity is a quality of a youthful mind. FLUIDITY AND ADAPT ABILITY
A youth ful mind  is fluid and adaptable. It does not allow itself to be trapped
by b oundaries that overshadow the unity of all things. It natura lly sees the
interrelatedness of life, and therefore is able to flow with changing
situations and circumstances wi thout resistance. A youthful mind does not
get stuck in fine distinctions. Be a daptable. Don’ t allow you rself to get trapped into viewi ng things
from a narrow, limited perspective. Practice seeing the big picture. A void
letting boundari es overshadow your unity. Look for the interrelatedness of
all things in life. YOUR QUANTUM MIND
At th e le vel of quantum reality,  the universe is not made up of things. It is
comprised of oscillating fields of ener gy. The quantum domain is
spontaneous. It is inherently unpredictable, resisting all ef forts to define it
precisely. In the quantum domain, everything is interrelated. Any
perturbation in the field influences everything else in the field. The quantum realm has unlimited ener gy, unlimited unpredictability, and
unlimited interconnectedness. Another way of saying this is that the
quantum realm is enthusiastic, spontaneous, and fluid. These are the
qualities of the cosmic mind that every moment gives rise  to a fresh
universe. These are the qualities of a youthful mind that every moment
gives rise to a new body. Heightening Y our Level of Sensory A wareness
A youthful mind is alert to the rich inner and outer sensations  of life. An
aged mind is dull and oblivious to the sensory delights that are available
internally and externally. Y ou can create a youthful, exubera nt mind by
heightening you r state of sensory awareness. A waken to the rich  sensations
inside and outside of you. Enliven your imagination. A youthful mind is
tuned in to the multidimensional, multisensory universe we inhabit. NOURISHING YOUR BODY/MIND THROUGH THE FIVE
SENSES
Pay attention to your environment. Feed your senses delectable, interesting,
awe-inspiring impulses. A youthful mind is nourished through the
exploration of new domains. See your environment with fresh eyes. Don’ t
take your world for granted. Listen to beautiful, interesting, dif ferent music from around the world. Listen to the sounds of nature—birds singing, the wind blowing
through the leaves, rain beating on your roof, ocean waves crashing
against the shore. Feel the texture of things. Dig your hands into the earth. Stroke your
pet. Caress your loved ones. Feel a sculpture. Rub your hands along a
tree’ s bark. Look at your world with fresh eyes. Notice things you don’ t usually
pay attention to. Look at the many shades of green that nature paints. W atch the clouds manifest and dissolve. Go to your local art museum
and walk through the galleries. Really look at the faces of the people in
your life. T aste things as if for the first time. Bite into a tart apple. Savor the
flavor of freshly baked cherry pie. Pop a clove bud in your mouth. T aste your lover with a passionate kiss. Drink a freshly squeezed glass
of orange juice. Delight your taste buds. Notice the aromas in your environment. Breathe in the fragrances of
your garden. Snif f the smells of dinner. Inhale the scents of your loved
one. Go outside after a rain and smell the earth. Notice how closely
smells are linked with your memories and emotions. EXP AND YOUR IMAGINA TION
The ener gy and information of the world is translated into subtle sensory
impulses that are experienced on the screen of your consciousness. These
inner impulses are known in A yurveda as T anmatras. W e can think of them
as mental quanta, the subjective equivalent to the subtlest units of matter in
the physical world. A wakening the T anmatras through active imagination
creates a youthful mind. Read th e following visualizatio ns, then close your eyes and invoke a
vivid impression in your mind. Sound
Imagine the sound of:
A church bell tolling on Sunday morningA cricket, chirping outside your window at night
A marching band performing at a high school football game
A grandfather clock sounding six o’clock
A coyote howling at the moon
T ouch
Imagine the sensations of:
W alking on a sandy beach
T aking a hot shower
T ouching a rose petal
Stroking the soft cheek of an infant child
Caressing satin sheets
V ision
Imagine the sight of:
The sun setting over the Pacific Ocean
A flock of geese flying in formation overhead
Cumulus clouds on a warm summer day
A children’ s ballet performance
An Olympic diver jumping of f the platformT aste
Imagine the taste of:
A fresh, ripe peach
A spoonful of chocolate-chip ice cream
Gar gling with mint-flavored mouthwash
A pungent jalapeño pepper
A bitter leaf of endive lettuce
Smell
Imagine the smell of:
Bread baking in the oven
A new bar of sandalwood soap
A cinnamon stick
A freshly cut lemon
A fragrant rose
MUL TISENSOR Y IMAGINA TION
Y ou can develop your subtle sen ses by imagining multisensory experiences. Start with the fo llowing exercises and then create your own vi sualizations
to exercise your imagination. Imagine:
Y ou are walking along the beach on a tropical island. Y ou feel the warm
sun on your body. Y ou hear the ocean waves lapping at the sh ore and the
call of seagulls. Y ou smell the faint waft of your coconut suntan lotion. Imagine:
Y ou are in a late-fifties diner. The sounds of an Elvis Presley song fill the
room from the jukebox in the corner. The young men in the re staurant are
wearing white T -shirts with their sleeves rolled up. Y ou tak e your first
swallow of the chocolate milk shake served in a lar ge frosty fountain glass. Imagine:
Y ou are lying o n a lounge chair on a warm summer night. Fir eflies are
glowing on and of f as you gaze  into the dark sky. Crickets are chirping in
unison. The fragrance of night- blooming jasmine perfuses the air. As you
take a bite out of a fresh peach, a shooting star flashes through the sky. Nurture the enthusiasm that comes with heightened awareness of the
sounds, sensatio ns, sights, tastes, and smells in your outer and in ner worlds. Pay attention to the gifts your senses bring you. Learning and Gr owing
A yo uthful mind is a growing m ind. It is dedicated to continua l expansion
and lea rning. A youthful mind thrives on new experiences and new
knowledge. Experience combined with knowledge leads to wisdom. Make a commit ment to learn th roughout your life. Here are j ust a few
suggestions to keep your mind growing:Read—the classics, novels, Shakespeare, science fiction, fantasies. T ry
genres you do not usually choose. Read poetry—Rumi, T agore, Hafiz, Blake, Longfellow, Frost,
Ginsber g, and the modern poets
Read spiritual literature—the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita, the
Upanishads, the Dhammapada
T ake classes at your local college
Learn a foreign language
T ake piano lessons
Learn to dance
T ake art classes
Learn to cook
T ake writing classes
Join a choir
T ake pottery classes
Learn a new computer program
T ake a poetry-writing class
Go to workshops—on love, on human potential, on success, on
spirituality, on health
T ake horseback-riding lessons
T ake a photography classV isit new places
T ravel to foreign lands
Go to museums and art galleries
W atch foreign films
Go to concerts
Relinquish rigid ideas about who you are, and challenge yourself with
new experiences and new perspectives. Expand your vocabulary. Keep
abreast of trends in art, science,  technology, medicine, politics,  music, and
fashion. Don’ t be afraid to question prevailing beliefs, including your own. Learn something new every day. As you continue stimulating your mind to
grow, your brain will continue c reating new connections among  its billions
of cells.
Investing time and attention in creating physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy.
What is the key to experiencing the most fulfilling sexual experiences?
Performance, emotions, and security
What are the three areas where expectations often reside in relationships?
Vulnerability is essential for creating intimacy and connection, as it allows for the release of resistance and the experience of true freedom.
What is the significance of vulnerability in lovemaking?
The herbs and spices are meant to enhance ojas, which is a vital energy that unifies the body, mind, and soul.
According to Ayurveda, what is the purpose of the herbs and spices mentioned in the text?
The quantum realm is focused on the expansion of consciousness, creativity, and playfulness, which is the essence of a youthful mind.
What is the primary focus of the quantum realm, according to the text?