 3 (2014): 364–73,
http://www.neuroquantology.com/ index.php/ journal/
article/ view/ 747/ 667. 11. Kafatos, Menas C., Gaetan Chevalier, Deepak Chopra,
John J. Hubacher, Subhash Kak, and Neil D. Theise. “Current Physics Perspe ctives.” Global Advances in
Health and Medicine,  forthcoming. OceanofPDF.comBESTSELLERS B Y DEEP AK CHOPRA
Ageless Body, Timeless Mind
The Book of Secrets
Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment
The Future of God
Grow Y ounger, Live Longer  (with coauthor David Simon)
How to Know God
Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment
Life A fter Death
Muhammad: A Story of the Last Prophet
The P ath to Love
Peace Is the W ay
Perfect Health
Quantum Healing
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
The Return of Merlin
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
The Shadow Eﬀect  (with coauthors Debbie F ord and
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Spiritual Solutions
Super Brain  (with coauthor Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.) The Third Jesus
War of the W orldviews  (with coauthor Leonard Mlodinow)
The W ay of the W izard
What Are Y ou Hungry F or? ALSO B Y DEEP AK CHOPRAThe Angel Is Near
Ask Deepak About Death and Dying
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Ask Deepak About Success
Ask the Kabala  (with coauthor Michael Zapolin)
Boundless Energy
Brain, Mind, Cosmos: The Nature of Our Existence and the
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Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny, and the American Dream
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The Chopra Center Cookbook  (with coauthors David Simon
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The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook  (with coauthor David
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Consciousness and the Universe  (with coauthors Stuart
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Creating Aﬄuence
Creating Health
The Daughters of Joy
The Deeper W ound
The Essential Ageless Body, Timeless Mind
The Essential How to Know God
The Essential Spontaneous Fulﬁllment of Desire
Everyday Immortality
Fire in the Heart
God: A Story of Revelation
Golf for EnlightenmentHealing the Heart
Journey into Healing
Kama Sutra
Lords of Light
The Love P oems of Rumi  (edited by Deepak Chopra;
translated by Deepak Chopra and F ereydoun Kia)
Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives  (with coauthors
David Simon and V icki Abrams)
Manifesting Good Luck
On the Shores of Eternity
Overcoming Addictions
Perfect Digestion
Perfect W eight
Power, Freedom, and Grace
Raid on the Inarticulate
Restful Sleep
Return of the Rishi
The Seven Spiritual Laws for P arents
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A P ocketbook Guide
to Fulﬁlling Y our Dreams
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes  (with coauthor
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The Seven Spiritual Laws of Y oga (with coauthor David
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The Soul in Love
The Soul of Leadership
Soulmate
The Spontaneous Fulﬁllment of Desire
Teens Ask Deepak
The Ultimate Happiness Prescription
Unconditional LifeWalking W isdom  (contributor; authored by Gotham Chopra)
Why Is God Laughing? FOR CHILDREN
On My W ay to a Happy Life  (with coauthor Kristina Tracy;
illustrated by Rosemary W oods)
You with the Stars in Y our Eyes  (illustrated by Dave
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DEEP AK CHOPRA IMPRINT
Inﬁnite P otential,  by Lothar Schäfer
Science Set Free,  by Rupert Sheldrake
Supernormal: Science, Y oga, and the Evidence for
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The Generosity Network,  by Jennifer McCrea, Jeﬀrey
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OceanofPDF.comAs a global leader and pioneer in the ﬁeld of mind-body
medicine, DEEPAK CHOPRA  has been transforming the way
the world views physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and
social wellness. Known as a proliﬁc author of more than
eighty books with twenty-two New York Times bestsellers
in both ﬁction and nonﬁction, his works have been
published in more than forty-three languages. With medic al training  in internal medicin e and
endocrinology, he is a Fellow of the American College of
Physicians and a member of the American Association of
Clinical Endocrinologists. He serves as the Founder of the
Chopra Foundation; co-founder and chairman of the Board
of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing; founder of The Chopra
Well on YouTube; adjunct professor of Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University; adjunct professor
at Columbia Business School, Columbia University;
assistant clinical professor in the Family and Preventive
Medicine Department at UC San Diego Health Sciences;
faculty at Walt Disney Imagineering; and senior scientist
with The Gallup Organization. GlobeIn acknowledges
Chopra as “one of the top ten most inﬂuential spiritual
leaders around the world.” Time  magazine has described
Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the
century and credits him as “the poet-prophet of alternative
medicine.” The World Post and The Huﬀington Post global
Internet survey ranked Dr. Chopra #40 inﬂuential thinker
in the world and #1 in medicine.deepakchopra.com
OceanofPDF.comOceanofPDF.comWat’s next on
your reading list? Discover your next
great read! Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author. Sign up now. OceanofPDF.com<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        However, very early on he realized that as diﬀerent as
each person was, their experiences fell onto a continuum. There wasn’t  a single enlightened state but rather  a sliding
scale. To ﬁnd neutral ground, and to ﬁt the accepted model
of what doctoral research must look like, he adopted the
cumbersome tag Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience. “There is a shift in what it feels like to be you,” Martin
notes. “You move away from an individual sense of sense,
which is considered normal, to something else. ”
Deﬁning what “something else” is wasn’t easy, because
these people came from diﬀerent backgrounds and were
inﬂuenced by cultural factors. However, Martin was able to
identify four areas of change. If you found yourself shifting into Location 1, it would be
typical to report that you have fewer thoughts than before. “You might say something to me like ‘All of my thoughts are
gone,’ and the kinds of thoughts that go away are ones that
refer to the individual self,” says Martin. Which isn’t
surprising if you are experiencing a loss of “I” as a separate
isolated being. Putting ourselves in their shoes, these people don’t keep
a runn ing story in their heads about what’s happening to
“me. ” When they think about themselves, it fades away as
soon as they notice it. The same is true for their emotions,
which are fewer and more spontaneous. When anger arises,
it fades almost immediately. Emotions were still positive
and negative but rarely if ever extreme. The person could
be irritated when stuck in traﬀic, yet they didn’t carry the
residue of stress around with them afterward, and it would
never build into road rage. They felt a sense of inner peace
that could be interrupted, but quite soon it would return. Such a person is operating in a bigger “self space,”
rather than being cramped inside the narrow conﬁnes of
the ego. They feel freer and more expanded. This applies to
their bodies as well; they often report that the body has no
ﬁxed boundaries but extends in all directions. Once they
arrived in Location 1, people usually kept progres sing—the
highest state Martin calls Location 4—and they rarely
slipped back  or jumped ahead. Everything happened
internally, and for many the shift wasn’t spiritual. It was
just the way they experienced themselves. “If you sat in a roomful of people and a small percentage
belong to this altered sense of self,” says Martin, “you
wouldn’t be able to spot them. To all outer appearances
they are just like you and me. ”
At the outset, before Martin’s research began to expand
to many other universities and countries, his typical subject
was a white male from the United States or Europe,
because women, for unknown reasons, were not eager to


 lar ge eggplant, diced
2 lar ge zucchinis, cubed
3 lar ge bell peppers, green and red, cubed
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1½ cups vegetable stock
½ cup basil, sliced thinly

In a lar ge soup pot, h eat the olive oil and then add the leeks, pepper, garlic, Braggs, and Italian
spices. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. A dd the tomatoes
and continue to simmer. Add the vegetable stock when the mixture begins to dry out. The stew
should simmer for 20 to 30 minutes at a low heat. Add the fresh basil just before serving. Maple Filo W alnut T riangles
1 teaspoon ghee
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups walnuts, chopped coarsely
¼ cup coconut flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 sheets whole wheat pastry filo
¼ cup ghee or vegetable spray
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat the ghee and maple syrup in a sauté p an. Add the walnuts and sauté until well coated. Stir in
the coconut flakes and cinnamon. Continue to combine until well coated. Cut a whole filo past ry sheet into ¼-inch strips. V ery lightly spread the ghee on the sheets with a
pastry brush. (Y ou can also use some vegetable spray instead of ghee. Lightly spray the sheets with
oil.) S tack four strips on top of each other. Place some of the chopped walnut mixture into the corner
of the filo pastry. Fold into a triangle starting at the corner and keep folding unti l the triangle iscomplete. Place on a sprayed sheet pan and  lightly brush some ghee on top and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.A p p e n d i x
For information on ongoing Gr ow Y ounger, Live Longer programs, log on
to www.chopra.com. Primordial Sound Meditation T eachers
T o l ocate a certified Primordial Sound Meditation (PSM) teacher near
you, log on to www.chopra.com, and go to: Find an Instructor in Y our Area. Recommended Relaxing and Inspiring Music
Becvar, B., and B. Becvar. The Magic of He aling Music. San Rafael, Calif.:
Shining Star Productions, 1997. Oldman, C. Floating on Evening. New Haven, Vt.: Coyote Old man Music,
1998. Coxon, R. H. The Silent Path. Quebec, Canada: R.H.C. Productions, 1995. Evenson, D. Ocean Dr eams. T ucson, Ariz.: Soundings of the Planet, 1989. Raye, M. Liquid Silk. Penrose, Colo.: Native Heart Music, 1999. Chopra, D. A Gift of Love. New Y ork, N.Y. : T ommy Boy Music, 1998. Sources of ProductsThe nutritional supplements described in this book are readily available
from a wide ran ge of sources, including health food stores and pharmacies. The Chopra Center Essentials  line of nutrients has been designed to
conform with the recommendations outlined in Gr ow Y ounger, Live  Longer. V isit www.chopra.com  to access high-quality nutritional complements,
herbs, and teas, including The C hopra Center Essentials, featuring amalaki
jam (Chavanprash) available as Biochavan. Our daily Gr ow Y ounger, Live Longer nutritional
complement recommendations are:

A high-potency multivitamin (Chopra Center Daily Nutrients)

Calcium/magnesium/vitamin D tablets (Chopra Center Essentials—
Bone Health Formula)

Menopause Formula or Men’ s Support Formula

One teaspoon of Biochavan or Biochavan wafer

W e are pleased  to announce T he Grow Y ounger, Live Longer Fitness
Program, a collaboration between The Chopra Center for W ell Being and 24Hour Fitness W orldwide. This program, exclusively available through 24
Hour Fitness, is specifically designed to maximize the age-reversing
benefits of a balanced exercise program. 24 H our Fitness, the world’ s l ar gest fitness chain, has more than 430
centers in eleven countries. Their professional fitness staf f is trained to
create personali zed fitness programs for people regardless of age, fitness
level, or ability. T o learn mor e about The Grow Y ounger, L ive Longer
Fitness P rogram at a 24 Hour Fitness Center in your area and re ceive a free
guest pass to a facility near you, log on to: www.24HourFitness.com.R e f e r e n c e s
Chapter 1
Escaping the Prison of Conditioning

Langer, Ellen. Mindfulness. Reading, Mass. : Perseus Books, 1989. Leaf, Alexander. Y outh in Old Age. New Y ork: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Chapter 2
Changing Y our Perceptions

Grey, Alex. Sacr ed Mirr ors: The V isionary Art of Alex Gr ey. Rochester, Vt.: Inner T raditions
International, 1990. Murchie, Guy. The Seven Mysteries of Life. Boston: Houghton Mif flin, 1978, pp. 321–22. Chapter 3
Restful A wareness and Restful Sleep

STRESS
Cannon, W alter. V oodoo death. American Anthr opologist 44(1943): 168–81. Selye, Hans. The Str ess of Life. New Y ork: McGraw-Hill, 1978.MEDIT A TION
Elson, B. D.; P. Hauri; and D. Cunis. Physiological changes in yoga meditation. Psychophysiology
14(1977):52–57. Ghista, D. N.; D. Nandagopal; et al. Phys iological characterization of the “meditative state” during
intuitional practice (the Ananda Mar ga system of meditation) and its therapeutic value. Medical and
Biological Engineering 14(1976):209–13. Glaser, J. L.; J. L. Brind; et al. Elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in practitioners
of the T ranscendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs. Journal of  Behaviora l Medicine
15(1992): 327–41. W allace, R. K. Physiological ef fects of tran scendental meditation. Science 167, no. 92 6 (1970):1751–
54. W allace, R. K.; M. Dillbeck; et al. The  ef fects of the transcendental meditation  and TM-Sidhi
program on the aging process. International  Journal of Neur oscience 16(1982):53–58. SLEEP
Chopra, D. Restful Sleep. New Y ork: Harmony Books, 1994. Czeisler, C. A.; and E. B. Klerman. Circ adian and sleep-dependent hormone release in humans. Recent Pr ogr ess in Hormone Resear ch  54(1999):97–130; discussion 130–32. Irwin, M.; A. Mascovich; et al. Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in humans. Psychosomatic Medicine 56(1994): 493–98. Shochat, T. ; J. Umphress; et al. Insomnia in primary care patients. Sleep  22, Suppl. 2 (1999):S359–
65. Chapter 4
Nurturing Y our Body Through Healthy Food

Key, Tj; G. K. Davey ; and P. N. Appleby. Health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Pr oceedings of the
Nutrition Society 58(1999):271–75. Segasothy, M., and P. A. Phillips. V egetarian diet: panacea for modern lifestyle dise ases? Quarterly
Journal of Medicine 92(1992):531–44.W alter, P. Ef fects of vegetarian diets on aging and longevity. Nutrition Reviews 55, no. 1 Pt 2
(1997):S61–S65; discussion S65–S68. Chapter 5
Using Nutritional Complements W isely

For readers interested in the scientific basis of our nutritional complement recommendations, a
detailed reference list is provided below. Bauliey, E. ; G. Thomas; et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfa te, and aging:
contribution of the DH EAge Study to a sociobiomedical issue. Pr oceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences  97(2000):4279–84. Bell, K. M.; S. G. Potkin; et al. S-adenosylmethionine blood levels in major depressio n: changes with
drug treatment. Acta Neur ologica  Scandinavica Supplementum 154(1994):15–18. Bressa, G. M. S-adenosyl-1-methanonine (SAMe) as antidepressant: meta-analysis of clinical studies. Acta Neur olog


 that many people are not even aware of
any pain, past or present. They busily push it out of sight. Their
problems do not appear as “pain. ” For them, the very rst step is to
become aware that this pain is present and that it hurts innitely
more as long as they have not become aware of it. Many people are
afraid of this pain and like to believe that by ignoring it they can
make it disappear. They chose such a means of relief only because
their conicts have become too great for them. How much more
wonderful it is for a person to choose this path with the wisdom and
conviction that a hidden conict, in the long run, does as much
damage as a manifest one. They will not fear to uncover the realemotion and will feel even in the temporary experienc e of acute
pain, that in that moment it turns into a healthy growing pain, free
of bitterness, tension, anxiety, and frustration. There are also those who tolerate the pain, but in a negat ive way,
always expecting it to be remedied from the outside. Such people
are in a way nearer to the solution because for them it will be quite
easy to see how the childish process still operates. The outside is the
oending parent, or both parents, projected onto other human
beings. They have only to redirect the approach to their pains. They
do not have to nd it. How to Stop Recreating. Only after experiencing all these emotions, and synchronizing the
“now” and the “then,” will you become aware of how you tried to
correct the situation. You will further see the folly of the
unconscious desire to recreate the childhood hurt, the frustrating
uselessness of it. You will survey all your actions and reactions with
this new understanding and insight, whereupon you will release
your parents. You will leave your childhood truly behind and start a
new, inner behavior pattern that will be innitely more constructive
and rewarding for you and for others. You will no longer seek to
master the situation you could not master as a child. You will go on
from where you are, forgetting and forgiving truly inside of you,
without even thinking that you have done so. You will no longer
need to be loved as you needed to be loved when you were a child. First you become aware that this is what you still wish, and then
you no longer seek this kind of love. Since you are no longer a child,
you will seek love in a dierent way, by giving it instead of
expecting it. It must always be emphasized, however, that many
people are not aware that they do expect it. Since the childish,
unconscious expectation was so often disappointed, they made
themselves give up all expectations and all desire for love. Needless
to say, this is neither genuine nor healthy, for it is a wrong extreme. To work on this inner conict is of great importance for all of
you, so that you gain a new outlook and further clarication in your
self-search. At rst these words may give you perhaps only an
occasional glimpse, a temporary ickering emotion in you, but they
should be of help and open a door toward knowing yourself better,
toward evaluating your life with a more realistic and more mature
outlook. Now, are there any questions in connection with this lecture. QUESTION : It is very dicult for me to understand that one continually
chooses a love object who has exactly the same negative trends that one
or the other parent had. Is it reality that this particular person has these
trends. Or is it projection and response. ANSWER : It can be both and it can be either. In fact, most of the
time it is a combination. Certain aspects are unconsciou sly looked
for and found and they are actually similar. But the existing
similarities are enhanced by the person who is doing the recreation. They are not only projected qualities that are not really there, but
are latent in some degree without being manifested. These are
encouraged and strongly brought to the fore by the attitude of the
person with the unrecogniz ed inner problem. He or she fosters
something in the other person by provoking the reaction that is
similar to the parent’s. The provocation, which of course  is entirely
unconscious, is a very strong factor here. The sum total of a human personality consists of many aspects. Out of these, a few may be actually similar to some traits in the
recreator’s parent. The most outstanding would be a similar kind of
immaturity and incapacity to love. That alone is sucient and
potent enough in essence to reproduce the same situation. The same person would not react to others as he or she reacts to
you because it is you who constantly do the provokin g, thereby
reproducing conditions similar to your childhood for you to correct. Your fear, your self-punishment, your frustration, your anger, your
hostility, your withdrawal from giving out love and aection, allthese trends of the child in you constantly provoke the other person
and enhance a response coming from that part which is weak and
immature. However, a more mature person will aect others
dierently and will bring out that in them which is mature and
whole, for there is no person who does not have some mature
aspects. QUESTION : How can I make the distinction as to whether the other
person provoked me or I the other person. ANSWER : It is not necessary to nd who started it, for this is a
chain reaction, a vicious circle. It is useful to start by nding your
own provocation, perhaps in response to an open or hidden
provocation of the other person. Thus you will realize that because
you were provoked, you provoke the other person. And because you
do so, the other again responds in kind. But as you examine your
real reason, not the supercial one, the reason why you were hurt in
the rst place and therefore provoked, according to tonight’s lecture
you will no longer regard this hurt as disastrous. You will have a
dierent reacti on to the hurt, and, as a consequence, the hurt will
diminish autom atically. Therefore, you will no longer feel the need
to provoke the other person. Also, as the need to reproduce the
childhood situation decreases, you will become less withdrawn and
you will hurt others less and less, so that they will not have to
provoke you. If they do, you will now also understand that they
reacted out of the same childish blind needs as you did. Now you
can see how you ascribe dierent motivations to the other person’s
provocation than to your own, even if and when you actually realize
that you initiated the provocation. As you gain a diere nt view on
your own hurt, understandin g its real origin, you will gain the same
detachment from the reaction of the other person. You will nd
exactly the same reactions in yourself and in the other. As long as
the child’s conict remains unresolved in you, the dierence seems
enormous, but when you perceive reality, you begin to break the
repetitive, vicious circle. As you truly perceive such a mutual interplay, it will relieve the
feeling of isolation and guilt you all are burdened with. You are
constantly uctuating between your guilt and your accusation of
injustice you direct at those around you. The child in you feels itself
entirely diere nt from others, in a world of its own. It lives in such
a damaging illusion. As you solve this conict, your awareness of
other people will increase. As yet, you are so unaware of the reality
of other people. On the one hand you accuse them and are
inordinately hurt by them because you do not understand yourself
and therefore do not understand the other person. On the other
hand, and at the same time, you refuse to become aware when you
are hurt. This seems paradoxical, yet is not. As you experience for
yourself the interactions set forth tonight, you will nd this to be
true. While sometimes you may exaggerate a hurt, at other times
you do not allow yourself to know that it happened at all, because it
may not t the picture you have of the situation. It may spoil your
self-constructed idea, or it may not correspond to your desire at the
time. If the situation seems otherwise favorable and ts into your
preconceived idea, you leave out all that jars you, allowing it to
fester underne ath and create unconscious hostility. This entire
reaction inhibi ts your intuitive faculties, at least in this particular
respect. The constant provocation that goes on among human beings,
while it is hidden from your awareness now, is a reality you will
come to perceive very clearly. This will have a very liberating eect
on you and your surroundings. Go your way, my dearest ones, and may the blessings we bring to
all of you envelop and penetrate your body, soul, and spirit, so that
you open up your soul and become your real self, your own real self. Be blessed, my friends, be in peace, be in God.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the main governing force of motivation for


 vital force
through regulated breathing processes. Regular  pranayama  practitioners report that they are calm and
balanced, their minds are focus ed and they have increased vita lity
and longevity. According to Patanjali,  pranayama  awakens the
brain and the cerebrospinal nerve centers enabling them to reach
their highest potential. Be this true or not, research suggests that it is
beneficial in treating a range of stress-related disorders and it
relieves symptoms of asthma. All the exercises follow a sequence of inhalation (puraka ),
holding (kumbhaka ) and  ex halation (rechaka ). The main focus is
on c orrecting bad breathing habits and concentrating on the here
and now. Inhalations should be deep, complete and focused, filling
the l ungs completely, while exhalations are slow, deep and uniform. Ideally, the latter should take twice as long as the former, and at the
end of a  rechaka  the lungs should be emptied to the maximum
extent, t heir tiss ues contracting as much as possible. In the case ofkumbhaka, the re is no question of speed o r movement: it is simply
stopping all breath by holding al l the respiratory apparatus tight and
still. There are a number of  pranayama  exercises and all should be
practiced in a si tting posture. Choose from the half a dozen sit ting
postures laid down by Patanjali:  the simplest, least strenuous on e is
swastikasana, bu t more advanced yoga prac titioners may prefer
the lotus  positio n or  padmasana, t he traditional recommendation
for  pranayama. Sessions usually start with a prayer or a simple  om. Practitioners are encouraged to sit in a relaxed posture, with spine
straight and shoulders relaxed. After a couple of such introduc tory
exhalations, the hands are rubbed together to stimulate the
circulation, and a gentle self-ma ssage is given to the face and b ack
of the neck. Before the breathing session begins in earnest, it is
recommended th at the process known as  kapala bhati  takes place. Kapal  is a Sanskrit word for “forehead”, while  bhati  means
“lighting” or “glowing”. It is a  kirya  or cleansing process that is
practiced in a m editative posture with spine and neck erect, and
eyes closed. A session of rapid breathing, with active and forceful
exhalation follow ed by passive inhalation, it has no  kumbhaka  or
holding of breath stage. All the nerves reverberate during this
exercise, you may even sweat  profusely and, on the exhalat ion,
most people experience a flapping movement in the abdomen.Shreyas Retreat runs regular  pranayama  sessions in conjunction with yoga. They
always start with the practice of palming. During this, hands are rubbed together to
stimulate circulation  and a gentle self-massage is given to the face and back of
the neck. Nadhi sodhana  or “alternate nostril breating”, a very particular  pranayama
practice, calms the mind, balances the mental state and stimulates both sides ofthe brain as both nostrils flow freely. As  kapala bhati  is an  ext remely dynamic experie nce, it should
only be done for about a minute, as this is enough time to give a
massaging ef fec t to the inner or gans as well as balance and
strengthen the nervous system. It also helps set up the lungs and
entire respiratory tract for the breathing exercises to follow. Vhastrika  is often the firs t exercise: T ranslating as “bellows
breath”, it is a breathing techni que used by yogis to build ene r gy,
tone the respiratory muscles and induce a feeling of alertness and
mental c larity. As suggested by the name, the breath imitates the
action of a bellows. Essentially a method of controlled hyper -
ventilation, it comprises a seri es of inhalation/holding/exhalation
sequences that focus on the thoracic and chest region. Ac tive
inhalation with chest out and shoulders rising slightly is follo wed
by holding, then active exhalation to bring the chest back in. These
sequences help promote proper diaphragmatic breathing, oxygenate
the blood and pur ge the lungs of residual carbon dioxide.Vhastrika  which translates as “bellows breath” follows a sequence of
inhalation/holding/ exhalation that is effectively a controlled form of hyper-
ventilation. As such, it should not be repeated too many times. Alternate nostr il breathing or  nadhi sodhana  is another
technique. Nadhi  is th e word for “psychic pass age”, a specific
pathway through which  prana  flows, and  sodhana  is
“purification”, so this sequence is designed to facilitate smooth f low
of  prana. It sho uld not  be practiced if the nasal passages are
blocked; in fact, in any  pranayama  series, if the breath feels
forced, stop immediately. In  nadhi sodhana, th e flow of breath is controlled by either the
thumb or the rin g finger of the right hand in what is known as  the
nasika mudra  (see photo of hand position on page 1 15). First of
all, the right nostril is blocked with the thumb, and air is slowly
exhaled through  the left nostri l. When the lungs are comple tely
empty, the practitioner inhales slowly through the left nostril, then
closes the nostril with the ring finger. He or she then exhales
completely out of the right nost ril, inhales through the right nos tril,
and blocks again with the thumb. It is a good idea to mentally count
five seconds for each inhalation and six seconds for everyexhalation. The whole process should be repeated a few times for
maximum benefit. Another technique is  uddiyana bandha  (uddiyana  means a
“jump upward”,  bandha  is a “lock”). Basically, it means the
contraction of particular muscle s in the body that are locked or held
tightly in a certain position. There are four main  bandhas
associated with  pranayama ;  the other three are  jalandhara
bandha  (bending the neck forward and setting the chin below the
throat),  mula bandha  (contraction of the anal sphinct ers and the
pelvic floor) and  jilva bandha  (holding the tongue on the roof of
the mouth). In  uddiyana bandha, the thoracic diaphragm is moved to an
extreme upward position, held, then released. Practitioners sit in the
lotus position with hands in the  chin  mudra (index finger touching
the thumb and o ther three fingers relaxed), and focus on the lo wer
abdominal sectio n of the body. The sequence is as follows: Breathe
out completely, contract the lowest  chakra  at the bottom of the
spine, su ck in the abdomen, lock  in the chin with the chest, and hold
the breath. Keep steady for as long as is comfortable, then release
from the chin and abdomen, and exhale. Uddiyana bandha  can
take qui te a time to master and novices should never exceed t heir
individual capacity. In general,  pranayama  modifies normal breathing processes
considerably, th ereby creating substantial internal pressures and
stretches. Added  to this, is the n eed to keep the whole body focused
from top to bott om, thereby releasing any held tension and str ess. Pranayama  classes are of fered at many venues throughout India
and elsewhere and many find it a wonderful exercise before a
meditation session.Shavasana  or “corpse  posture” is traditionally the final posture in a hatha yoga
session. Designed to engender deep relaxation, it is a good finale for  pranayama
too.meditation
Rooted in many of the world’ s great religions, meditation
has been used as a healing th erapy for centuries. T oday, it is
experiencing a  renaissance in popularity with many doc tors
prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure,
improve performance, relieve insomnia and promote
relaxation. It is safe and si mple; it needs no complicated
machinery or drugs; and i t can balance on a physi cal,
emotional, mental and spiritual level at the same time. Meditation and Hinduism
Meditation originated in India with yoga, one of the six schools of
Hindu philosophy. First mentioned in the  Puranas, the  Vedas  and
the  Upanishads  (Hindu holy scriptures), it was later outlined by
Patanjali (see page 100). Its aim  is to still the mind, body and soul,
alleviate suf ferin g and promote healing. How this is done varies:
Japa  yoga advocates the repetition of a mantra, hatha yoga is aimed
at raising spiritual ener gy, raja yoga works with breath,  surat
sh


 and  com pass and in later  practice  has the abilit y to
reflect  light. When it is fully  develope d, it can  see the true light  of
creation  and will guide  the spirit  back  to the  place  of its origin. (Fig. 6.8)
(B) Pituitary  Gland Chi
   From the pineal  gland  the sensation  descends  into the next  gland
along  the hormonal  path way the pituitary  gland,  situated  at the  hind
part of the  third  eye energ y center. This gland  has a  wide range  of
effects  upon  growth, metabolis m and  other  functions  of the  body. Taoists believe  the pituitar y gland  governs  intelligence,  thoug ht and
memory. The pituitary  is the  master gland  from  which all other
glands  are activated. (C) Thyroid  and Parathyroid Gland s’ Chi
    As the  energy  continues  to descend  the hormonal  path way the
thyroid and parat hyroid glands  become activated. The thy roid gland
is situated  on either  side  of the trache a, or windpipe, close to  the
larynx and arising  from the  sam e tissue,  and almost from  the sam e
spot,  as the  anterior  of the pituitar y gland. Opposite  the C-7 point,
the thyroid gland  corres ponds to the C- 7 energ y center. It is the
gland  that is vitally  important  to gro wth. Heavier  in the  female than
in the  male, this gland  beco mes enlarged  during  sexual excite ment,
menstruation,  and pregna ncy. The Taoists  consider  this an energy
gland,  regulati ng the me tabolism  of the  cells in the  body, and one
of the  most im portant  centers  because  it controls  the growth and
development  of the  body  and mind. It is also consider ed the great
link bet ween the brain  and the reprod uctive  organs. (D) Thymus Gland Chi
   Next in  the descen ding order  of the  hormonal  path way is the
thymus  gland,  or gland  of rejuvenation,  located  at the gland  of
- 148  -Chapter  VI
When fully develope d, the
Pineal Gland beco mes the
compass gui ding the sp irit to
the pr imeval Tao. Fig. 6.8 Activating the Pineal Gland
- 149  -Orgasmic Upward Draw
 heart  ener gy center  and descending  from, covering  and overlap ping
the upper  portio n of the heart. This is a l ymphoid  organ  (related  to
the lymphatic  glands  which reaches  its greatest  size at the  beginni ng
of puber ty and gradu ally diminishes  in side  and activity  as time
goes  on. The Taoists consider  this to  be a  gland  that,  when prope rly
activated  and harmonized  with the energ y from the  pituitar y gland
energy  center  and the genera tive force  of the  sexual  organs,  can
reverse  the aging  process. (E) Pancreas  Gland Chi
   The energ y then  descends  to the  pancre as, located  betw een
the lower part of the  stomach betw een the liver  and spleen. The
pancreas  is a gland  that maintains control  over  digestion,  body
temperatur e and blood  sugar  levels. (F) Adrenal Glands Chi
    Next, in  descendin g order  are the adrenal  glands  situated  atop
the kidney s at the  adrenal  glands’  energ y center  or T-11. The adrenal
glands’,  or energ y glands’,  function  is to  support  the kidney s, but
they are also the  major producers  of adre nalin  in the  body. Adrenalin
is a hormone  which stim ulates  the heart,  thymus gland,  liver spleen
and pancreas. In addition,  the adren al glands  suppo rt the functions
of the  kidne ys, spine  and nervous  system, brain,  bones  and bone
marrow. Stimulation  of the adre nal glands  adds  strength  and
alertness  to both  physical and mental activity. (G) Sex Gland s Chi
   Stimulation  of the  kidney s occurs  when the kidney  meridian
running  through  the breasts  is ma ssaged. In turn,  all the other  glands
beco me stimulated  until  finall y the sexual orga ns, last in descendin g
order  of the  hormone  path way, beco me energized. Horm one
secretions  from the  sex glands  are responsi ble for sexual  respons e,
sexual  energy  and reproducti on. The sex glands  include  the vagina,
uterus  and breasts,  but it is the  Ovarian  Palace  which houses  the
woma n’s sexual  energ y center. All other  ener gy now is aw akened. Balancing  and raising  the energy  level  of the  glands  in the  body
is an important  part of the  Taoist w ay of developi ng, healing  and
strengthe ning the physical body. This is crucial to the  higher  levels
of practice  in which all the  glands  provide  nourishment to  the
formation  of a spiritual  body. - 150  -Chapter  VI
(2) Organ  Chi Arousal
  With the glands  activated,  a respons e can be felt in  the organs. This response  will have  physical and mental manifestations
described  as follo ws:
(A) Lung and Large Intestine  Chi (Fig. 6.9)
   The first  Chi that  can be felt  is the  Chi of the  lungs  and their
associated  organ,  the large  intestine. The prope rties of the  lungs
are dryness and coolness:  their  virtue  energies  are courag e and
righteous ness. The feeling  of righteousn ess can be as differe nt as
each  person. It might feel  straight  or tall, or like a bright  white color
pure,  fresh  and uplifting. Feel  this ener gy gener ate from the  lungs. The negative  emotions  of the  lungs  are sadness  and grief. The
feelings  can be experience d as flat, or  like a collapsed  ball:  they
can be gra y, musty, cold  and low, with no force:  dow ntrodden. Since
you do not  like to  feel this w ay, cultivate  good  virtue  and connect
yourself with the good  feelings  of the lungs  mentioned  above:  pure,
fresh,  uplifting. Bring  these  good  feelings  to the breasts. The lungs’  Chi readin ess is ma nifested  physicall y by faster
breathin g and copious  saliva, w hich you feel mu st be  swallowed
quickly. These  signs  indicate  that the Chi of the  lungs  is read y to
come forth. (B) Heart and S mall Intestine  Chi (Fig. 6.10 )
   Second  is heart  Chi: the  heart’s  associated  organ  is the  small
intestine. The heart  contains  hot energ y. Its virtues  are hono r;
respect,  joy and happiness. These virtues  are man ifested  in feeling
straight  and open:  they  are bright  red, warm, full, comfortable,
secure  and satisf ying. The negative  manifestations  of heart  and
small intestine  Chi are  impatience,  hastiness  and cruelty. This can
feel spiny  or sharp,  muddy,  burnt,  noisy, irregul ar and irritating,  all
feelings  that you do not like  to have  in your system. The ph ysical manifestations  of heart  energy  are revealed  by
observing  the tongue  becoming mobile, saliva seeming to  overflo w,
and a gro wling sound  emanating  from the  throat. These  are signs
that the Chi of the  heart  is prepare d.
- 151  -Orgasmic Upward Draw
Lungs
Large Intestin es
Ovaries
Fig. 6.9 Lung s and Large Intestine  Chi
- 152  -Chapter  VI
Heart
Small Intestines
Ovaries
Fig. 6.10  Heart and Small  Intestine Chi
- 153  -Orgasmic Upward Draw
Stomach
   Spleen
Pancre as
Ovaries
Fig. 6.11  Spleen,  stom


Special Notes ................................................................................................
Bread .........................................................................................................
Yogurt .......................................................................................................
Sweeteners ................................................................................................
Washing Fruits and Vegetables.............................................................
Baking .......................................................................................................
Cooking Time/Serving Size ...................................................................
Special Soup or Hippocrates Soup........................................................
Recipes...........................................................................................................
Dips ...........................................................................................................
Appetizers.................................................................................................
Dressings ..................................................................................................
Salads.........................................................................................................
Soups ......................................................................................................... 3
Vegetables and Potatoes.........................................................................
Desserts..................................................................................................... 9
Preparing Food and Juices—
The Basic Rules
A first-rate soup is more
creative than a second-rate painting. —Abraham Maslow
ssuming that your kitchen is now fully equipped for your healing
Gerson routine, and that you have banished from your home all
forbidden foods and substances, the moment has come to find out aboutthe all-important task of food preparation. The rules are simple, butthey must be observed faithfully to secure the best results. All food must be organic and as fresh as possible. Ideally, we should
be able to gather fresh, living food from our own organic gardens;unfortunately, this is not an ideal world and we must compromise. Thenext best thing is to shop frequently for salad and leaf vegetables insmallish amounts so there is no need to keep them for any length oftime. Apples, pears, oranges and root vegetables can be stored for awhile without significant loss of quality. The two most important basic rules of food preparation are the
following:
• All foods must be prepared with great care in order to pre-
serve nutrients as much as possible. Cooking must be slow,using low heat; high temperatures alter nutrients in vegetablesand cause them to be less easily absorbed. Vegetables shouldA
$PPLCPPL5 he Gerson Way
not be peeled—valuable nutrients are contained in or immedi-
ately underneath their skins—and only washed or well
scrubbed. Except for potatoes, corn and whole beets, which
have to be boiled in sufficient water, vegetables are cooked
with the minimum of water or soup stock (see “Special Soup
or Hippocrates Soup,”) or on a bed of sliced onions and
tomatoes, which release enough moisture to keep the vegeta-
bles from burning. Remember that oxidation, with loss of
nutrients, sets in as soon as you cut into a vegetable or fruit;
only start chopping when you are ready to cook. •Food must be tasty, varied and enjoyable to make up for being
very different from the so-called normal Western diet. Varietyhelps to stimulate appetite. It also supplies a wide range ofminerals and trace elements needed by the body to heal.Remember the importance of eye appeal! Salads in particularcan be made truly tempting by mixing green leaves withchopped tomatoes and multicolored peppers, adding radishes
and a smattering of chives. A small vase of flowers on the dining table can work wonders in mak-
ing the meal taste even better. The Gerson diet strikes a fine balance between raw and cooked foods. The ample main meals may suggest to some patients that much of their
food is cooked, but this is not the case. Meals begin with huge helpings
of raw salad and end with raw fruit, and the daily ration of 13 glasses of
freshly made juice is as raw as can be. Cooked foods are necessary. Dr.
Gerson’s experience showed that patients do not digest well if given
only raw foods along with the juices. In fact, cooked foods provide addi-
tional variety and enable patients to eat more than they would on an
exclusively raw diet. They also supply soft bulk, which promotes thedigestion of the raw foods and juices. The most popular item on the list of cooked foods is the “Special
Soup or Hippocrates Soup” that helps to detoxify the kiEOFZT
and is highly comforting, especially in cold weather.  All cookedPreparing Food and Juices—The Basic Rules
foods serve as a kind of “blotting paper” in the stomach, helping to deal
with the constant intake of large amounts of juice. Even so, cookedfoods only account for some 3 to 4 pounds of the patient’s daily con-sumption, while raw foods, mostly made into juices, represent some 17pounds! THE ALL-IMPORTANT JUICES
Only four kinds of juice are used in the treatment of all categories ofpatients, except for a few minor exceptions. The basic juices are:
• Apple/carrot juice• Carrot-only juice• Green juice• Orange juiceOccasionally, for special cases, a different juice may have to be substi-
tuted. For example, diabetics receive grapefruit juice instead of orangejuice, since grapefruit contains less sugar; sometimes a fruit juice, suchas apple juice, is given to patients with collagen diseases who should notdrink citrus juice. Apple/Carrot Juice
Use approximately 8 ounces each of carrots and apples. Wash and brush(do not peel), grind to a pulp and place in a cloth supplied with thepress-type juicer to press. Serve and drink immediately. Carrot-Only Juice
Use approximately 10-12 ounces of carrots. Wash and brush (do notpeel), grind to a pulp and place in a cloth supplied with the press-typejuicer to press. Serve and drink immediately. $PPLCPPL5IF  Gerson Way
Green Juice
Use romaine, red leaf lettuce, endive, escarole, two to three leaves of red
cabbage, young inner beet tops, Swiss chard, a quarter of a small greenpepper and watercress. Add one medium apple when grinding. Procureas many of these materials as possible. If some of the above items are notavailable, do not  use substitutes, such as spinach or celery. Grind the
material to a pulp and place in a cloth for pressing. This juice must bedrunk immediately since its enzymes die quickly. Orange (or Grapefruit) Juice
Use only a reamer-type juicer, electric or hand operated. Do not squeezethe peel of the fruit. The aromatic oils contained in the skin are harmfuland would interfere with the treatment.Recipes
ast, but far from least, this chapter contains a treasury of recipes
that add variety, pleasure and super-healthy nutrition to Gerson-
style meals. However, there are some important points to remember:
•Study and learn by heart the basic rules for food preparation
described in, “Preparing Food and Juices—The  Basic
Rules”. • If you are a Gerson patient, newly embarked on the full inten-
sive therapy, you need to limit your food intake to the basic
recipes for the first three months  and eat no dairy products
for the first six to 10 weeks. • After three months, you may introduce some variety by using
different salads, dressings and vegetable courses. •The “Special Soup or Hippocrates Soup” and the  baked
potato are essential parts of the healing diet and must  not be
omitted. If you are not ill but wish to improve your health and well-being by
switching to the Gerson lifestyle, you may of course enjoy the recipes
freely. Please use the slow, low heat, waterless or minimum-water cook-
ing method, in order to preserve precious  nutrients. L$PPLCPPL5IF(FSTPO8BZ
SPECIAL NOTES
Bread
You will find no recipes for bread or other flour-based baked goods in
this chapter. The only acceptable bread—unsalted, organic 100% ryebread—is available at good health food stores, so there is no point inbaking bread at home. Patients are allowed two small slices of bread aday, but only after eating the complete Gerson meals consisting of salad,soup and potato with vegetables and fruit. Bread must not take the placeof any of these items. Yogurt
Yogurt, when permitted, must be certified organic and fat free (orextremely low fat). A few recipes refer to “yogurt.” To make this, hangsome regular yogurt, placed in several layers of cheesecloth, over thesink or in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl, and allow it to drainovernight
Sweeteners
The only permitted sweeteners are:
• Organic raw brown sugar, which is available in various shades
ranging from light beige to dark brown
• Organic clear honey• Organic maple syrup• Unsulph


 with pain when he gets up out of his armchair. My first instinct  will be to look for a physical difference between them,
but I might or might not find anything. Cardiologists expect anginal pain to
appear when at least one of the three coronary arteries is 50 percent
blocked. This blockage is almo st always in the form of an atheroma, a
lesion on the inside of the arterial wall built up by dead cells, blood clots,
and fatty plaque. The 50 percent blockage is only a rule of thumb, however. Some angina patients are disabled by pain when they have only a single
small lesion barely obstructin g blood flow in one artery, while other
patients suffering from massive, multiple blockages of up to 85 percent
have been known to run mara thons. (Angina is not always caused by
physical blockag e, I should add. Arteries are lined with a layer of muscle
cells that can go into spasm and squeeze the vessel closed, but this is a
highly individual reaction.) In mind-body terms, my two patients are expressing their different
interpretations of pain. Every patient stamps his condition with a unique
perspective, and pain (or any other symptom) emer ges into awareness only
after it interacts with all the past influences at work in the mind-body
system. There is no single response for all people or even for the sameperson at two different times. Pain signals are raw data that can be turned to
many purposes. High-exertion athletics, such as long-distance running,
subject an athlete to pain that he interprets as a sign of accomplishment (“no
pain, no gain”); but the same pain, inflicted under other circumstances,
would be completely unwelco me. Track runners admire a coach who
pushes them to their limits; they might hate the same treatment in boot
camp. Medicine is just beginning to use the mind-body connection for healing
—defeating pain is a good example. By giving a placebo, or dummy, drug,
30 percent of patients will experience the same pain relief as if a real
painkiller had been administere d. But the mind-body effect is much more
holistic. The same dummy pill can be used to kill pain, to stop excessive
gastric secretions in ulcer patients, to lower blood pressure, or to fight
tumors. (All the side effects of chemotherapy, including hair loss and
nausea, can be induced by giving cancer patients a sugar pill while assuring
them that it is a powerful anticancer drug, and there have been instances
where injections  of sterile saline solution have actually led to remissions of
advanced malignancy.) Since the same inert pill can lead to such totally different responses, we
must conclude that the body is capable of producing any biochemical
response once the mind has been given the appropriate suggestion. The pill
itself is meanin gless; the power that activates the placebo effect is the
power of suggestion alone. This suggestion is then converted into the
body’ s intention  to cure itself. Therefore, why not bypass the deception of
the sugar pill and go directly to the intention? If we could effectively trigger
the intention not to age, the body would carry it out automatically. We have extremely exciting evidence to prove that such a possibility
exists. One of the most dreaded diseases of old age is Parkinson’ s, a
neurological disorder that produces uncontrollable muscle movements and a
drastic slowing  down of bodily motions such as walking, eventually
resulting in a body so stiff that the patient cannot move at all. Parkinson’ s
has been traced to an unexplained depletion of a critical brain chemical
called dopamine, but there is also a simulated Parkinson’ s cause d when the
dopamine-producing cells of the brain have been destroyed chemically by
certain drugs. Imagine a patient afflicted with this type of Parkinson’ s in anadvanced stage of frozen motion. Trying to walk, he can only take a step or
two before halting in place, as stif f as a statue. However, if you draw a line on the floor and say, “Step over that,” the
person will miraculously be able to walk right over it. Despite the fact that
the production of dopamine is completely involuntary and its stores are
seemingly exhau sted (as shown by the fact that his brain canno t signal his
leg muscles to take another step), merely by having the intention to walk,
the brain is awakened. The person may freeze again after only a few
seconds, but again you can ask him to step over an imaginary line, and his
brain will respond. By extension, the infirmity and inactivity exhibited by
many old people is often just dormancy. By renewing their intention to live
active, purposeful lives, many elderly people can dramatically improve their
motor abilities, strength, agility, and mental responses. Intention is the active partner of attention; it is the way we convert
automatic processes into conscious ones. Using simple mind-body
exercises, almost any patient can learn in a few sessions to conv ert a racing
heartbeat, asthm atic wheezing, or free-floating anxiety into a more normal
response. What seems out of control can be brought back into control with
the proper technique. The implic ations for aging are enormous. By inserting
an intention into your thought processes, such as, “I want to improve in
energy and vigor every day,” you can begin to assert control over those
brain centers that determine how much energy will be expressed in activity. The decline of vigor in old age is largely the result of people expecting  to
decline; they have unwittingly implanted a self-defeating intention in the
form of a strong  belief, and the mind-body connection automatically carries
out this intention. Our past intentions create obsolete programming that seems  to have
control over us. In truth, the power of intention can be reawakened at any
time. Long before you get old, you can prevent such losses by consciously
programming your mind to remain youthful, using the power of your
intention. 4. The biochemistry of the body is a pr oduct of awar eness.One of the greatest limitations of the old paradigm was the assumption
that a person’ s awareness doesn’ t play a role in explaini ng what is
happening in his body. Yet healing cannot be understood unless the person’ s
beliefs, assump tions, expectati ons, and self-image are also understood. Although the image of the body as a mindless machine continues to
dominate mains tream Western medicine, there is unquestionab le evidence
to the contrary. Death rates from cancer and heart disease are provably
higher among people in psychological distress, and lower among people
who have a strong sense of purpose and well-being. One of the most publicized medical studies in recent years was conducted
by Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel, who set out to prove that the mental
state of patients did not influence whether they survived cancer. He felt, as
many clinicians  do, that assigning importance to a patient’ s beliefs and
attitudes would do more harm than good, because the thought “I caused my
cancer” would cause feelings of guilt and self-recrimination. Spiegel took
eighty-six wome n with advanced breast cancer (their disease was basically
beyond help with conventional  treatment) and gave half of them weekly
psychotherapy combined with lessons in self-hypnosis. By any measure this
represents minimal intervention—what could a woman do in an hour’s
therapy per week, time she must share with several other patients, to
combat a disease that is inevitably fatal in advanced stages? The answer
seemed obvious. However, after following his subjects for ten years, Spiegel was stunned
to find that the group receiving  therapy survived on average twice as long
as the group that received none. It was doubly telling that only three women
were alive by this late date, all of them from the therapy group. This study
is startling because the research er expected no effect at all. But a decade of
similar findings  came in from other researchers. A meticulous 1987 study
from Yale, repor ted by M. R. Jensen, found that breast cancer spread fastest
among women who had repres sed personalities, felt hopeless, and were
unable to express anger, fear, and other negative emotions. Similar findings
have emer ged for rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, intractable pain, and other
disorders. Dominated by the old paradigm, doctors hold a prejudice against such
results. As Larry Dossey points out in his insightful book Medicine andMeaning,  “The dominant message, incessantly preached from the editorial
pages of medica l journals and the podiums of medical schools, is that the
‘inherent biology of the disease’ is overwhelmingly important and that
feelings, emotions, and attitude s are simply along for the ride.” What the
new paradigm teaches us is that emotions are not fleeting event s isolated in
mental space; they are expressions of awareness, the fundamental stuff of
life. In all religious traditions the breath of life is spirit. To raise or lower
someone’ s spirits means something fundamental that the body must reflect. Awareness make s a huge difference in aging, for although every species
of higher life-form ages, only humans know what is happening to them, and
we translate this knowledge into aging itself. To despair of growing old
makes you grow old faster, while to accept it with grace keeps many
miseries, both physical and mental, from your door. The commonsense
notion “You


bodybutalsothemental
and/oremotional'bodies'.Thehomeopathlooks
beyondthe'presentingcomplaint',beyondthelabel
ofthedisease(forexample'tonsillitis'or'migraines'or'foodpoisoning')tothe'totalityofsymptoms'a
personexperiences. Ialwaysaskmyself,'Howisthispersondifferent
fromanotherwiththisparticularcomplaint? 'The
homeopathindividualises theprescriptiontofitthe
patient-ratherlikeatailoredsuit.Imaginethat
thewholepersonislikeajigsaw.Prescribingonone
symptomaloneislikeseeingonlyasmallpartofthe
jigsaw;itdoesnotgiveyouenoughinformationto
workoutwhatthewholepictureis. Asfarasfirst-aidprescribing isconcerned, itis
possibletoprescribeonasinglesymptom-like,for
example,chilblainsormouthulcers.Butitisalways
preferabletofindaremedythatmatchesthetotalityof
symptoms,takingintoaccountasmanypiecesofthe
jigsawaspossible.Ifyouareabletolocateatleastmost
ofthepiecesandfitthemtogether(see'TheSymptom
Picture'and'WorkingOuttheRemedy',pages20and
22),thenyouwillbeabletomakesenseofthewhole
pictureandmatchittoasingleremedy. Constitutionand
Susceptibility
Ioftenhearpeoplesayenviouslyaboutafriend,'He
smokeslikeachimney,drinkslikeafish,workslikea
maniacandhasneverhadaday'sillnessinhislife.It's
notfair.Istruggleconstantlytostayhealthyandneed
ninehours'sleepanight,otherwise Igetsick.Why?' Well,theanswerliesintheconstitution.Theperson
whoworksallhoursandsmokesanddrinksasifthere
werenotomorrowhasastrongconstitution-andmay
wellbewastinghis'inheritance',becausetherewill
comeatimewhenitwillrunout,whenevenhewillget
sick. GeorgeVithoulkas,inTheScienceofHomeopathy,
definestheconstitutionas'thegeneticinheritance
temperedormodifiedbyourenvironment', thatis,a
person'sfundamentalstructure-theirstateofhealth
andtheirtemperament. Basically,astrongconstitution
isonethatcanwithstandconsiderablepressurewith-
outfallingill.Aweakconstitution isonethathasan
increasedsusceptibility toillness. Susceptibility issimplythedegreetowhichaperson
isvulnerabletoanoutsideinfluence.Inanepidemic
noteveryonewillbeaffected(thegermtheoryof
diseasefailstotakethisintoaccount).Wecallthose
whoareaffected'susceptible'.Theirpredisposition is
duetoanunderlyingconstitutionalweaknessthatis
eitherinheritedorduetopastand/orcurrentstress
(mental,emotionalorphysical),andwhichmakesthe
personopentocertaindiseaseconditions. Ifyourgrandparents alldiedofoldageandyour
parentshavebeenbasicallyhealthyalltheirlives;if
14•VitalForce PRINCIPLESANDCONCEPTS
yourbirthwasplannedandyourmotherwashealthy
throughoutherpregnancy(didn'tsmoke,drink,etc. );
ifyourparents'marriageishappyandyourbirthwas
uneventful,thenyourconstitutionshouldbeofthe
strongestvariety. If,ontheotherhand,allyourgrandparentsdiedat
earlyagesofcancerorheartdiseaseandoneofyour
parentshadtuberculosisasachildandtheother
sufferedfromasthmaandeczema,thenyourchances
ofinheritingaweakconstitutionaregreater.Youcan
stillescapetheworstofapoorinheritance ifyour
parents'marriageisahappyoneandtheyhavetaken
goodcareoftheirownhealth. Itmayhelpyoutothinkofyourconstitutionasa
hugeenergybank.Atbirthsomepeoplehavevast
reserves,bothondepositandintheircurrentaccount. Othershaveonlyanominalamountinthecurrent
accountandneedtobepayingintothataccountcon-
stantlythroughouttheirlivesinorderto'stayinthe
black'-inordertostayhealthy. Andthatiswherealternativemedicinecomesin. Manypeoplecometoahomeopathfor'constitutional
treatment'-inotherwordstoimprovetheirgeneral
healthratherthanwaituntiltheyfallill.Thevalueof
constitutionaltreatment isthatitbooststheweak
constitutionanddecreasesitssusceptibility todisease. VitalForce
Homeopathsbelievethereisabalancingmechanism
thatkeepsusinhealth,providedthatthestresseson
ourconstitutionsareneithertooprolongednortoo
great.ThisbalancingmechanismHahnemanncalled
the'vitalforce'andhebelieved ittobethatenergetic
substance,independentofphysicalandchemical
forces,thatliterallygivesuslifeandisabsentatour
death. Thehumanorganism,indeedanylivingthing,hasa
uniquerelationshipwithitsenvironment. Biologists
callit'homeostasis',bywhichtheymeanthata
healthylivingbeingisself-regulating,withaninnate
(protective)tendencytomaintainequilibriumand
compensatefordisruptivechanges.Homeopathsbe-
lievethatthevitalforceproducessymptomstocoun-
teractthevariousstressesweexperience,andthatit
makesadjustmentsmomentbymomentthroughout
ourlivestokeepushealthyandbalanced.These
symptoms,then,aresimplythebody'swayoftelling
ushowitiscopingwithstress.Obviousexamplesare
shiveringwhencold,perspiringwhenoverheatedand
eatingordrinkingwhenhungryorthirsty.Allthese
reactionshelptoensuretheregulationofaconstant,
life-preservingenvironmentwithinthebody. Familiarexpressionssuchas'defencemechanism',
and'immunesystem'areanotherwayofreferringtothevitalforce.Homeopathsbelievethatdisease
'attacks'onlywhenthisvitalforceisweakened. Homeopathicmedicinesactasacatalyst,theenergy
oftheremedystimulatingthebody'sownvitalforce
(itsimmunesystemordefencemechanism)toheal
itself.Theydonotweakenthedefencemechanismby
suppressing itasdomanyorthodoxmedicines.The
correcthomeopathictreatmentnotonlyalleviatesthe
symptomsbutenablesthepatienttofeelthatlifeis
onceagainflowingharmoniously. Patientsoften
remarkthattheyhaven'tfeltsowellinalongtime. ACUTEANDCHRONICDISEASES
Acutediseaseisself-limiting; inotherwords,itisnot
deep-seatedand,giventime,willusuallyclearofits
ownaccord.Someacuteillnesses,suchaspneumonia,
meningitisornephritisforexample,areextremely
seriousandcan,rarely,befatal.Thesearenotwithin
thescopeofthehomeprescriberandalwaysneed
expertadvice. Anacutediseasehasthreedefinitestages:theincu-
bationperiod,whentheremaybenosymptomsof
disease:theacutephase,whentherecognisablesymp-
tomssurface;theconvalescentstage,whenaperson
usuallyimproves. Coughs,colds,flus,foodpoisoningandchildren's
illnessessuchaschickenpoxareallexamplesofacute
illnesses.Well-chosenhomeopathicremedieswill
speeduprecovery,alleviatepainandensurethat
therearenocomplications. Seepages203-26fortheacuteillnessesyoucan
andcannottreatusingthisbook. Chronicdiseaseismoredeep-seatedthanacute
disease.Itdevelopsslowly,continuesforalongtime
andisoftenaccompaniedbyageneraldeteriorationin
health.Thedevelopmentofthediseasedoesnottakea
predictablecourse;neitherisitpossibletosayforhow
longitwilllast. (Anacuteillnessthatisfollowedby
complicationscandevelopintoachronic,long-term
illness.) Arthritis,heartdisease,cancerandmentalillness
areallexamplesofchronicillness.Homeopathsbe-
lievethattheincreaseinincidenceoftheseconditions
wearenowseeingisinpartduetothechemical
stressestheindividualhastoputupwith,including
theover-useoforthodoxmedicinesandenvironmen-
talpollution. MIASMS
IntheearlyyearsofhispracticeHahnemannwas
puzzledtofindthatsomepatientsfailedtorespondto
PRINCIPLESANDCONCEPTS Health•15
theirconstitutionalremediesandsomepatientswho
didimproverelapsedafteronlyashorttime.He
collectedthese'difficult'casestogetherandaftermuch
painstakingstudyfoundacommon


: The author recommends drinking plenty of fluids, resting, and taking the appropriate homeopathic remedy to alleviate symptoms.
Q: What should you do if you have a headache?,
A: The author suggests resting, eating well, and taking the appropriate homeopathic remedy to alleviate symptoms.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Jointpain
Althoughchronicrheumatismorarthritisneedspro-
fessionalcare,Ihaveincludedsomeremediesthatwill
providerelieffrompainaswellasfromthoseacute
painswhichcomeonafterinjuryorafteranacute
illnesssuchasGermanmeasles.SeeSprainsand
Strainsforgeneraladviceforsorejoints. DO
•keepyourweightdowntoavoidstressinghipand
legjoints. 220•Keloids DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK
DON'T
•over-useapainfuljointmorethanisabsolutely
necessary. Keloids
Thesearescarsthatbecomehardandlumpyafter
healing.Homeopathic self-prescribing canbeeffec-
tive,butdoseekhelpassoonaspossibleifithasno
effectafterfourweeks,aspromptprofessional treat-
mentwillbeneeded. Labourpains
Homeopathicremediesdonotreducelabourpains
themselvesbutthevcanspeedupalabourthatis
losingmomentumandhelpwithbasicproblemssuch
asexhaustionorbackacheduringlabour.Theyalso
helpawomantocopebetteremotionallv,andare
wonderfulforhealingafterchildbirth. Ih?veincluded
afewbasicremediesforlabourandafterbutwould
advisethatvouseekthehelpofaprofessional
homeopathwhileyouarepregnant,whowillalso
supportvouduringvourbirthandforthetimeafter-
wards.Manyhomeopaths willattendabirthorbe
availablebvphonetogiveadvice(havingprepareda
selectionofremediesforvoutohavetohand). LaryngitisseeSorethroat
Lumbago
Ihaveincludedafewremediesforthetreatmentof
acutelowerbackpain,whichissometimescalled
lumbago.Followtheguidelinesgivenunder
Backache.DO
•changenappiesfrequently. •leaveyourbabywithnothingonforaslongas
possible. •washandrinsethoroughly,preferablywithwater. •drytheareathoroughly;ahairdryeronaverygentle
heatisidealforthisasnofurthermoisturewill
remainontheskin,buttesttheheatonyourown
skinfirst,andrememberthatababy'sskinismuch
moredelicatethananadult's.Smearacoatingof
raweggwhiteafterwashinganddryingasthis
makesaneffectivewaterproofskin. •cutoutallfruitjuiceandgiveplainwaterinstead. •usealmondoroliveoilasapreventive, i.e.to
protecttheskin. •useexternalointments(seeExternalMateria
Medica)ifarashstarts. DON'T
•usezincandcastoroilcreamorpetroleum-based
products-thevareabsorbedthroughtheskinand
cancauseminorproblems. Nausea
SeealsoVomiting,Gastricflu,Travelsicknessand
Indigestion ifappropriate.Homeopathicremediesare
especiallyusefulfornauseaduringpregnancy,when
thevarebothhighlyeffectiveandperfectlysafe. DO
•eatlittleandoften. •takefrequentsipsofwaterorahotdrinkifthatis
better. •getasmuchrestandsleepasyouneed. •avoidemotionalstress. SEEKHELPIF
•nauseaissevereandisaccompaniedbyvomiting. MastitisseeBreastfeedingproblems
MeaslesseeChildhoodillnesses
Mouthulcers
Youcantreatoccasionalmouthulcersyourselfwith
internalandexternalremedies,especially iftheyoccur
afterdentaltreatmentorduringtemporarystress,but
doseekhelpiftheyarearecurringproblem. MumpsseeChildhoodillnesses
Nappyrash
Ihaveincludedsomeexternalremediesforthisbutifit
ispersistentaprofessionalhomeopathwillbeneeded. NettlerashseeHives
Nosebleeds
Nosebleedscanoccurfornoapparentreasonorcan
accompanyacold,violentnose-blowingorsneezing,
orinjurytothenoseorhead;theycanalsofollowa
changeinpressureoroccurasaresultofhighblood
pressure. DO
•sitwiththeheadtiltedslightlyforward. •pinchthelower,softpartofthenosebetween
fingerandthumb. •applyacoldcompresstothebridgeofthenose. SEEKHELPIF
•thereisalsobleedingfromotherpartsofthebody. •thebleedingdoesn'tstopwithinafewminutes. DISEASESYOUCANTREATUSINGTHISBOOK Periodproblems •221
Pain
Itisusefultorememberthatpainhasaverypositive
functionasawarningofdiseaseorinjury.People
unabletofeelpaincandothemselvesrealharm.Weall
haveverydifferentpainthresholds-limitsbeyond
whichwefindpainunbearable-andpainitselfis
experienced inmanydifferentforms.Homeopathy
usesthesevariationstodifferentiateandfindthe
appropriateremedy:Chamomilla,forexample, isa
remedyforthoseextremelysensitivetopain,and
Opiumforthosewhofeelnothingwhentheyshould. Painactslikearedtrafficlightatabusyjunction,
warningustostoporriskacrash.Wecanstopand
listentothepainandtrytounderstandwhatitis
tellingus,whatweneedtodotoheal.Orwecan
ignorethepain-atourperil-andcrash! Palpitations
Thepalpitationsincludedinthisbookaretheminor,
occasionalonesthatresultfromanxietyandstress,so
takecaretorestandrecharge(seeStresspage201). DO
•sitquietlyandpractiserelaxationexercisesand
deepbreathing. SEEKHELPIF
•thepalpitationspersistoverseveralhours. •theyareaccompaniedbychestpain. Periodproblems
Inallcasesofpersistentperiodproblemsyouwillneed
toseekprofessionaladvice,butIhaveincludedafew
remediesforoccasionalminorcomplaints. Absenceofperiods(Amenorrhea)
Theobviouscausesofthisarepregnancyandmeno-
pause,butperiodscanalsostopasaresultofshockor
anxiety,achangeinlifestyle(forexamplewhenteen-
agegirlsgoawaytocollege),asaconsequenceof
anorexia,anaemia,orasaresultoftakingthePill. DO
•haveapregnancytestifyoucouldpossiblybe
pregnant. •checkforanaemia. •seekcounsellinghelpifanorexiaisthecause. •stoptakingthePillifitdoesn'tsuityouandseek
adviceonotherformsofcontraception. SEEKHELPIF
•periodsstopwithoutanyapparentexplanation. •youareoversixteenandhavestillnotbegunto
menstruate.Excessive,prolongedorirregularperiods
Manywomenexperienceirregularperiodsorperiods
thatvaryintheamountofflowbutthisisrarely
indicativeofanymajorhealthproblem.Itisespecially
commonduringthemenopause,butfibroidsorIUDs
canalsocauseexcessivebleedingandanaemia. SEEKHELPIF
•periodsbecomeheavierthanusualandthis
persistsformorethantwoperiods. Painfulperiods
Ihaveincludedsomeremediesforthetreatmentof
periodpains,butyoushouldseekprofessionalhelpif
thesedon'twork. DO
•seeifusingtowelsinsteadoftamponshelps. •useahotwaterbottleoraheatingpadtosoothe
thepains. •helptopreventpainbyexercisingregularly,
especiallyexercisethatfocusesonthepelvis/lower
back. •restoralternativelytakesomevigorousexercise-
thisoftenhelps. •sexmasturbationmayhelpeasethepainswhen
thevareacute. SEEKHELPIF
•painisespeciallysevereandaccompaniedbyother
symptoms,suchasfainting. •intercoursebetweenperiodsispainful. •youhaveanycausetosuspectapelvicinfection;
thisisusuallyaccompaniedbyavaginaldischarge
(IUDsorcoilsincreasetheriskofinfection). PMT(Premenstrual tension)
Manywomenexperiencearangeofsymptomssuchas
irritability,bloating,depression,weepinessandpain-
fulbreastsbeforeaperiod.Thesecanbeeasedby
self-prescribing, butiftheyaresevereorprolonged
youshouldseekprofessionalhelpasconstitutional
treatmentcantackletheproblematadeeperlevel. DO
•watchyourdietpremenstrually -cutdownonsalt,
tea,coffeeandalcoholandeatmorefreshfruitand
vegetablesasthesehavean


 complain, don’t explain.” Catch
yourself as you are about to find fault with someone or some condi-
tion. Then, instead, find something to say that reflects a willingness
to be a love finder: “They probably haven’t been taught how to per-
form that task properly” rather than “No one can do anything right
anymore. I don’t know what the world is coming to.”
The more you practice not criticizing and not complaining, the
more that vacuum within you will fill with love and appreciation. Give yourself a specific period of time to practice avoiding com-
plaining and faultfinding, perhaps thirty days. You will experience
155
WAYNE W. DYER
the emptying of rancor and complaints from your inner self and the
opening to love, appreciation and gratitude. The presence of
unconditional love will lead you to the ground of yourself, where
manifesting your desires becomes possible. Begin and end each day with an expression of gratitude and thanks-
giving. Every morning when you awake you have been given the gift
of a sunrise and twenty-four hours to live. This is a precious gift. You have the wonderful opportunity to take this day and live joy-
ously, with appreciation for everything that you encounter. Take in a deep breath and be grateful for this exhilarating experi-
ence of breathing in life and love. Similarly, end your day with an
expression of love, and a repetition of the word for peace, Shalom. That word combines the sounds of manifestation and that which
has manifested for you. Be aware of the need to be grateful for the suffering and struggles
that are part of the fabric of your life. Sometimes it is easy to simply
be angry at.your suffering rather than to know that it is the catalyst
for your searching and awakening. Your ability to know the power of kindness and love most likely
grew out of some darkness and pain in your past. Without those
experiences you would still be stuck. Addictions teach the elixir of
purity. Anger teaches the ecstasy of love. Ingratitude teaches the
need for gratitude. Hoarding teaches the pleasure of giving. Your
own pain taught you how to be more present and loving with
others. Your chicken pox taught you how to avoid it later in life, by
giving you the opportunity to build up antibodies in your immune
system. Life gives exams! Be grateful for those exams rather than
critical of them. 156
Manifest Your Destiny
Remember, it is the nature of thought to increase. The more your
thoughts are centered on what is missing, the more deficient you
feel and the more complaints you will utter. Similarly, the more you
practice gratitude, the more you are thankful and appreciative of all
that life provides and the more you feed your experience of abun-
dance and love. The more you practice it, even in small ways, the
more abundant you will feel, and, ultimately, the more you will
attract to yourself as well. One of the things I have been doing for years is giving an expression
of thanks to God whenever I find a coin, regardless of its denomina-
tion. The coin is a symbol to me of the prosperity that has been put
right in my path. I have found that I receive coins almost every single
day of my life. A dime here, a penny there, a nickel on the pavement. They show up regularly, almost as a reminder to me of all that has
manifested in my life. I simply pick up the coin and say, “Thank you,
God. I know you are working in my life and I am grateful for this sym-
bol.” Each time I receive a coin in this manner, I am reminded to
extend the favor in some form of generosity to others. It is in generos-
ity and service to others that our gratitude will ultimately extend itself. GENEROSITY AND SERVICE: THE FINAL STEP IN
MANIFESTATION
The natural extension of being grateful is the development of a
generous heart. Perfect generosity is a willingness to give of yourself
and all that you have manifested without any expectation of a return. You may find it paradoxical that the final phase of manifesting your
heart’s desire is to generously share what you receive and to move
your attention away from what you have asked to manifest. However,
if you review all of the previous principles of spiritual manifestation,
you will see that this is consistent. 157
WAYNE W. DYER
Manifesting is about connecting to the universal spirit, which is
infinite and abundant in supply. It is not about seeing neediness in
yourself, but is rather about feeling complete with that radiant abun-
dance. It is not about craving and demanding. It is concerned with
unconditional love and attracting that abundant love to your individ-
ual life. As long as you are in your physical body, you will have
desires. There is nothing to be ashamed of or feel nonspiritual about. Your body and the physical needs of your material self can and will be
met with abundant gifts providing that you follow these nine princi-
ples and do not let your ego take back being in charge of your life. When you feel the presence of that abundance, your feeling of
gratitude will push you in the direction of generosity. It is in the
expression of your generosity that you will feel most connected to
the unconditional love of the universal spirit. The more you feel a
desire to share what you receive unconditionally, the more you will
experience it flowing into your life. GENEROSITY AND SELF-LIBERATION
Generosity is helpful for your own liberation in that it teaches you
about the inner quality of letting go. Letting go and releasing your
attachments are the most freeing things you can do to liberate your-
self from the ego. A need to hang onto the things and money that you
receive arises out of an inner sense of incompleteness. Practicing
generosity aligns you with your sense of completeness and love. Generosity for the sake of liberating yourself from your ego
extends to more than simply sharing your material possessions. Generosity includes offering kindness, care, love and nurturing
where it is needed. Furthermore, the spirit of generosity can and
does ultimately relate to how we treat ourselves. If you have a gener-
ous heart that has no qualms about giving, you will treat yourself lov-
ingly and will nurture yourself without feeling any sense of guilt. 158
Manifest Your Destiny
When you can give freely, as an unconditional act of love, with no
expectations, you experience what I call total freedom. You relin-
quish the hold of your self-absorbed ego, which encourages you to
believe in limitation and competition. This ability to give without
conditions is also an acknowledgment that whatever has manifested
into your life has come from an infinite supply and that you can
never experience a scarcity consciousness because you know that you
are a part of the infinite supply. GIVING AND RECEIVING: THE WAY THE UNIVERSE WORKS
Every single time that you take in a breath and then exhale, you
are engaged in a process of giving and receiving that is vital to the
material and spiritual world. With each inhalation you take in the
oxygen and nitrogen that you must have in order to exist, and with
each exhalation you send back the carbon dioxide that supplies the
entire plant world. The cycle of generous giving and receiving is
exactly the same as the very act of breathing. Look around you and notice how everything in our universe is a
result of giving and receiving. The entire food chain represents a giv-
ing of life and a taking of life, and then a giving back in an endless
cycle of material manifestation. The worms that the bird eats, and
the droppings from the bird, and the eating of the bird, and the recy-
cling of the meat of the bird, and on and on it goes. There is no place for any of it to go other than here in this uni-
verse. It does not leave and then reenter. It is all simply a process of
giving and receiving different forms of energy. The iron in your
bloodstream is a part of the finite supply of iron that will return in
another form after your departure from the physical world, perhaps
in the wings of a bat. You give of your iron supply and you take from
the same supply. Giving and receiving are a natural function of life. The natural flow of giving and receiving can be stopped by
159
WAYNE W. DYER
stinginess and hoarding. The process works in the same way on the
spiritual level. You send out love and kindness and it returns to you
tenfold. The old saying, “What goes around, comes around,” is
much more than a pithy homily. It is a fact of the universe at all lev-
els of awareness. In fact, it is what this whole business of manifest-
ing is all about. |
You put out loving energy to connect to that which you desire and
it returns to you. It is a giving and receiving action. You can, however,
interfere with this natural progression of give and take by selfishly
hanging onto that which manifests in your material world, and stop-
ping the flow of energy that brings abundance. This scarcity con-
sciousness is the work of the ego, which always feels incomplete
because it is convinced that it is separate from God. CULTIVATING AN ATTITUDE OF GENEROSITY
Here are a few suggestions for putting


al), resin, and mannitol. History & Folklore  Canella has for a long
time been used as a flavoring for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum, p. 240). Medicinal Actions & Uses  Canella is cytotoxic
(kills cells), antifungal, and repels insects. It is also aromatic, stimulant, and antiseptic. Canella is often used in the West Indies and Latin America as a substitute for cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.,  p. 81). The infusion is drunk for its pleasant flavor and tonic effect (the bark is considered a sexual stimulant). Canella is also used for stomach problems and indigestion.Cannabis sativa (Cannabinaceae)
Marijuana,
Huo Ma Ren (Chinese)
Description  Erect, branching annual growing to
13 ft (4 m). Has fine, serrated, segmented leaves. Both male and female plants flower; the female plant produces seeds. Habitat & Cultivation  Native to the Caucasus,
China, Iran, and northern India, marijuana is culti-vated the world over, both legally (for the fiber and seeds) and illegally (for use as a recreational drug). Parts Used  Flowering tops of female plants, seeds. Constituents  Marijuana contains
over 60 different types of cannabinoids,
including THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol). It also contains flavonoids, volatile oil, and alkaloids. It is the only plant to contain THC, one of the main psychoactive constituents. The seed oil contains approximately 55% linoleic acid, 20% alpha-linolenic acid and 1.5% gamma-linolenic acid. History & Folklore
In ancient Egypt, marijuana was used to treat
inflammations of the eye and “to cool the uterus.” First records of marijuana’s use in India date back
to about 800 bce, where it is recommended
for congestion. Famously, Queen Victoria took marijuana as an analgesic—in the 19th century
the plant was a standard painkiller for menstrual pain and cramps. From 1840 to 1900, over 100 papers were published recommending marijuana as a medicine. Medicinal Actions & Uses  In view of its
long history as a medicinal treatment, it is hardly surprising that marijuana has, at one time or another, been recommended for almost every illness. As an analgesic, it appears to relieve pain with minimal side effects, being particularly helpful for cancer and AIDS patients undergoing chemotherapy. For those suffering from multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other muscular illnesses, marijuana can reduce neurological overactivity and muscle spasm. The plant provides effective treatment for glaucoma,
in which pressure within the eye is abnormally
high, and is hypotensive, lowering blood pressure. Marijuana relieves asthma, menstrual pains, the pain of childbirth, and of arthritis and rheumatism, and may have value as an antidepressant. It encourages and induces sleep. The seeds are used in Chinese medicine as a strong but well-tolerated laxative, especially for constipation in the elderly; and as a dietary supplement to provide a balanced and healthy supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Research  Modern research shows marijuana to
be a sedative, an anti-inflammatory agent, and an analgesic as effective as codeine. Research has focused on the constituent THC, but it is clear that the complex of constituents within marijuana has a significantly wider range of applications. Clinical studies from 1975 onwards have shown that the cannabinoids are powerfully antiemetic, especially in those having chemotherapy. To varying degrees, clinical trials indicate that marijuana or its cannabinoids relieves symptoms in multiple sclerosis (such as tremor, muscle spasm, and poor coordination), in spinal cord injuries, epilepsy, glaucoma, chronic pain, and loss of appetite. Now
that medical marijuana is legally available in a number of U.S. states, there is
accumulating evidence of just how
effective the herb, and extracts of it, are in relieving pain. A 2015 article in the Journal of
the American Medical Association found “30%
or greater improvement in pain with
cannabinoid compared to placebo,”
i.e., marijuana extracts on average
produced a 30% or more improvement
when compared to an inert substance. It also
found that availability of medical-grade marijuana was associated “with a 15–35% decrease in substance abuse admissions.” Not only is medical marijuana a valuable analgesic, it also helps to prevent addiction to other painkillers, in particular opioids, such as codeine and morphine. Caution  Marijuana is a controlled substance in
North America. Research your local laws. Marijuana leaf
Capparis spinosa (Capparaceae)
Caper
Description  Shrub growing to 3 ft (1 m), with
spiny trailing stems, fleshy oval leaves, green buds,
large white flowers, and red berries in autumn. Habitat & Cultivation Native to the
Mediterranean region, caper thrives in open areas, often growing on stony terrain. The buds are harvested before the flowers open and are pickled for culinary use. Parts Used  Root bark, bark, flower buds. Constituents  Contains phenolic compounds. History & Folklore  Though much favored as a
piquant food by the ancient Greeks, capers were said to disagree with the stomach. They remain a popular condiment to this day. Medicinal Actions & Uses  The unopened
flower buds are laxative and, if prepared correctly with vinegar, are thought to ease stomach pain. The bark is bitter and diuretic and can be taken immediately before meals to increase the appetite. US_180-201_Brassica_dictamnus.indd   182 26/02/16   12:47 pm183Cari Ca papayaother medicinal plants
The root bark is purifying and stops internal
bleeding. It is used to treat skin conditions,
capillary weakness, and easy bruising, and is also
used in cosmetic preparations. A decoction of the
plant is used to treat yeast and vaginal infections
such as candidiasis. Related Species  A decoction of the North
American C. cynophallophora  is taken to encourage
the onset of menstruation, and is used as a gargle
for throat infections. Capsella bursa-pastoris syn. Thlaspi
bursa-pastoris  (Brassicaceae)
Shepherd’s Purse
Description  Annual or biennial with an erect
stem, rosette of basal leaves, 4-petaled white
flowers, and heart-shaped seed pods. Habitat & Cultivation  Thought to be native
to Europe and Asia, shepherd’s purse is now found
throughout most temperate regions, and grows
profusely as a weed. It is harvested throughout
the year. Parts Used  Aerial parts. Constituents  Contains flavonoids, polypeptides,
choline, acetylcholine, histamine, and tyramine. History & Folklore  This herb’s name derives
from the appearance of the seed pods, which
resemble heart-shaped purses. During the First
World War, when the standard herbal medicines for staunching blood—goldenseal ( Hydrastis
canadensis, p. 105) and ergot ( Claviceps
purpurea )—were unobtainable in Britain,
shepherd’s purse was used as an alternative. Medicinal Actions & Uses  One of the best
remedies for preventing or arresting hemorrhage,
shepherd’s purse has long been a specific treatment
for heavy uterine bleeding. While weaker-acting in
this respect than ergot, shepherd’s purse has none
of ergot’s toxicity and is better tolerated by the body. It may be used for bleeding of all kinds—from
nosebleeds to blood in the urine. An astringent herb,
it disinfects the urinary tract in cases of cystitis, and
is taken for diarrhea. It is used in Chinese medicine
to treat dysentery and eye problems. Research  Reports suggest that the plant is
anti-inflammatory and reduces fever. Caution  Do not take during pregnancy. Self-help Use  Heavy menstrual bleeding, p. 315. Cardiospermum spp. (Sapindaceae)
Balloon Vine
Description  Deciduous perennial climbers
growing to 10 ft (3 m), with compound leaves,
small white flowers, and black seeds. Habitat & Cultivation  Balloon vine is found
growing in tropical regions around the world. Parts Used  Root, leaves, seeds.Constituents  Most Cardiospermum  species
contain cyanogenic glycosides. History & Folklore  Native Amazonians string
balloon vine seeds into armbands that are worn to
ward off snakes. Medicinal Actions & Uses  In Indian herbal
medicine, balloon vine root is used to bring on
delayed menstruation and to relieve backache and
arthritis. The leaves stimulate local circulation
and are applied to painful joints to help speed
the clearing of toxins. The seeds are also thought
to help in the treatment of arthritis. The plant as
a whole has sedative properties. Caution  Do not take during pregnancy. Carica papaya  (Caricaceae)
Papaya
Description  Herbaceous tree growing very
rapidly to 26 ft (8 m). Has segmented leaves,
yellow flowers, and large, black-seeded yellow
to orange fruits weighing up to 11 lb (5 kg). Habitat & Cultivation  Native to tropical
America, papaya is now cultivated in tropical regions


 cotton ball, and plug into the ear. Teething
Herbs German chamomile (Chamomilla recutita, p. 77), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra, p. 145)Remedy Give German chamomile infusion  (see Digestive Upsets) or make a paste from slippery elm powder and the infusion, and rub on the gums. Difficulty in Sleeping
Herbs German chamomile (Chamomilla recutita, p. 77), linden (Tilia spp., p. 277)Remedy Make an infusion using either herb and
give 3/4–11/4 cups (150–300 ml) before bedtime. QSeek immediate professional
advice for:
■ Severe diarrhea or vomiting; a temperature
of 102°F (39°C); fever with convulsions;
breathing difficulties; unusual drowsiness;
high-pitched crying
 QCautions Do not give babies under 6 months any
medicine without professional advice. Do not give
honey to children under 1 year as in rare cases it can cause food poisoning. US_318-319_Infants_and_Children.indd   318 26/02/16   4:43 pm319Older Adults
Traditionally, as we age, the “fire” or qi within us glows less
brightly and our vitality slowly weakens. Many herbal medicines
are ideally suited to treating the health problems that begin when
people reach their late fifties, such as circulatory problems, weak
digestion, and poor memory. The herbs recommended here can
help to maintain good health, preventing or reducing the severity
of symptoms that are often accepted as an inevitable consequence
of aging. Self-treatment for other problems often experienced later in life, such
as arthritis, is suggested in earlier sections. Maintaining Vitality
General ConditionsGinseng
(Panax ginseng)
Many herbs help to maintain vitality. Thyme  is a much underrated herb. Recent
research has discovered that it has antiaging
and tonic properties that maintain vitality and
reduce the chance of catching colds, flu, and
other respiratory infections. Ashwagandha  is a tonic, calming herb that
may slow the aging process. It is particularly
suited to aid recovery from long-term illness. Ginseng  is well known as a remedy that
supports vitality and resistance to stress and
infection in older people. Rhodiola  has similar tonic, restorative
properties to ashwagandha and ginseng, but
enhances mental performance and has a mild
antidepressant activity. Conditions that arise through aging need patient,
long-term treatment. Ginkgo  is the oldest tree on the planet. Its
leaves maintain good circulation to the head and
brain, improving memory, concentration, and
energy levels. Evidence suggests it may reduce
the risk of a stroke. Gotu kola  has significant anti-inflammatory
activity, for example in arthritis, but is also a tonic
that helps to protect the nervous system and to
maintain memory and cognition. Garlic  has great value as a long-term dietary
supplement, helping to maintain healthy
circulation, balance blood-sugar levels, reduce
high blood pressure and fat levels in the blood,
and improve resistance to infection, especially
bronchitis. Rehmannia,  a Chinese tonic herb with
strengthening and mildly stimulant properties,
appears to lower blood pressure and blood fat
levels. It is suitable for people who have a weak
liver and metabolism. Gentian,  a bitter herb, helps the absorption
of food by maintaining digestive secretions,
which diminish with age.General Remedy
Herb Thyme ( Thymus vulgaris, p. 143)
Remedy Make a standard infusion. T ake 11/4–12/3 cups (300–450 ml) a day. Stress or Convalescence
Herb Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera, p. 152)
Remedy T ake 1 g of the root 2–3 times a day,
either by chewing it or chopping it and mixing with
a little water. Herb Ginseng ( Panax ginseng, p. 118)
Remedy T ake 1 g 1–2 times a day for up to
3 months. Chew the fresh or dried root, cook
it in a soup, or take in tablet form. Caution  Do not take caffeine while taking ginseng. Failing Memory & Concentration
Herb Ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba, p. 100)
Remedy T ake ginkgo tablets. These need to be
taken regularly for at least 3 months. Herb Gotu kola ( Centella asiatica, p. 76)
Remedy T ake tablets or ½ tsp tincture twice
a day. Poor Circulation & High Blood Pressure
Herb Garlic ( Allium sativum, p. 59)
Remedy T ake 1–2 raw cloves a day with food,
or take garlic tablets or capsules on a regular basis. Herb Buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum,
p. 210)
Remedy Make a standard infusion and drink up
to 11/4 cup (300 ml) a day. Chronic Infections
Herbs Garlic ( Allium sativum, p. 59), echinacea
(Echinacea  spp., p. 92)
Remedy T ake 1–2 raw cloves of garlic each day
with food, or take either herb in tablet or capsule
form on a regular basis.Option If ginseng is too stimulating, take 3 g of
codonopsis ( Codonopsis pilosula, p. 83) a day in
the same way as ginseng. This has a milder, but
nonetheless tonic and strengthening, effect. Nervous Exhaustion & Stress
Herb Oats ( Avena sativa, p. 175)
Remedy Eat 25 g of oats each day (for example,
as a hot cereal). Alternatively, take 1⁄2 tsp of the
tincture twice a day. Herb Rhodiola ( Rhodiola rosea, p. 127)
Remedy T ake ½ tsp (2.5 ml) of tincture 2–3
times a day or as recommended by supplier. Weakened Liver & Metabolism
Herb Rehmannia ( Rehmannia glutinosa,
p. 125)
Remedy Chew 5 g of root 1–3 times a day, or
make a decoction with 5 g of root to 1 cup
(250 ml) of water and take 1–3 times a day. Weakened Digestion
Herb Gentian ( Gentiana lutea, p. 99)
Remedy T ake 5–10 drops of tincture with
water about 30 minutes before eating,
3 times a day. Caution  Do not take gentian if you suffer from
acid indigestion or a peptic ulcer. Arthritic Pain & Rheumatism
See Joint Pain & Stiffness, Including Arthritis
& Gout, p. 313. Note  T ake one of the remedies for a maximum of
2–3 weeks. If there is no improvement, consult an
herbal practitioner.Important Note
■ If taking conventional medication, tell your
doctor if you intend to take an herbal remedy. This is especially important for the elderly. ■ All remedies on this page need to be taken
continuously for up to 3 months. ■ If you are over 70 years of age, take 3⁄4 of
the stated dose for remedies given on other
pages in this book. Before taking any herbal remedies, see pages 290 & 298–299herbal remedies for home use
US_318-319_Infants_and_Children.indd   319 26/02/16   4:43 pm
320
Consulting an herbal Pra Ctitioner
or measuring hemoglobin levels from a drop
of blood. The herbalist will then recommend
appropriate treatment, usually involving an herbal prescription, dietary advice, and a suggested
exercise regimen. If you are already undergoing conventional treatment, the herbalist will advise you on its compatibility with herbal medicine and,
if necessary, devise a program to discontinue pharmaceutical medicines gradually. Subsequent consultations generally last about  30 minutes and are likely to take place every 4 to  6 weeks for a period of 3 months. This, of course, may vary, depending on the nature of the treatment. Safety of Herbs
Although herbal medicine is extremely safe, the
fact that it is natural does not necessarily mean it  is harmless. The best guarantee against poor treatment is to consult a well-trained practitioner who belongs to a recognized professional association and prescribes high-quality herbal medicines. Professional Training
Traditionally, herbalists learned their craft by apprenticeship. Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654),
for example, was apprenticed to an apothecary for 10 years. Today, herbal practitioners are generally trained at a college or university, acquiring their clinical skills in herbal and, in some cases, hospital clinics. The curriculum typically includes an in-depth study of medical sciences, such as physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and botany, as well as what can be called the herbal sciences, materia medica, nutrition, and therapeutics. Modern training attempts to honor and retain the best of traditional herbal medicine, while incorporating the insights of contemporary medical