 1800s, and
someho w, in the 21st century, there is no kno wle dge of it. There is another pharmaceutical company calle d Parke Da vis. Back in 1901, Parke Da vis
publishe d a similar compendium of a v ailable me dical ther apies and their uses, and y ou
se e turpentine liste d in the Parke Da vis compendium of me dical ther ap y. I am not a w are
that Parke Da vis is still in the publishing business in terms of a comprehensiv e me dical
manual. Nonetheless, these are the areas where turpentine and sugar, as a treatment, has a
definite
tr ack re cord. So, w e ha v e quite a few publications with publishe d
information in the 1800s by the
pharmaceutical companies
themselv es, indicating that turpentine has be en use d to
benefit
in v arious afflictions. N o w, what other inf ormation is a v ai l able about tur pentine. Well, it se ems that turpentine w as in great use in the
v eterinary field, espe cially in the area
of horses. If y ou ga v e a
horse turpentine—and it w as gener ally turpentine and sugar—
then
the horse w ould be faster and w ould ha v e a shinier coat. If
y ou ha v e a sho w horse, for
e x ample, turpentine w ould be of
great adv antage to it—but again, I am not familiar with
turpentine dosing in horses. Section summary:

(Note: Please summarize this passage without including unnecessary words like "so" etc., provide concise answers)

Please note:
-   Keep your answer under 250 characters. ```text

```
Summary should cover key points from original content; however,
please refrain using phrases mentioned earlier ("So",. ). Instead focus summarizing main ideas within strict character limit provided. Here's rewritten version based upon understanding:

Turpentines' medicinal history dates back centuries through various medical sources & records confirming its effectiveness against numerous ailments listed until late 19th-century editions but now only recognized poisonings due massive dosage differences between past/future usages - Dr. Jennifer Daniel mentions personal experiences observing patients safely treated over years while emphasizing low doses being crucially differentiating factor. Let-me know if you'd want changes.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: Who wrote the passage?,
A: Dr. Jennifer Daniels
Q: What is the name of the pharmaceutical company that produces the Merck Manual?,
A: Merck
Q: What is the Merck Manual used for?,
A: It discusses all diseases and various types of therapies that are appropriate and accepted for them.
Q: What is the author's experience with turpentine?,
A: The author has been using turpentine for 20 years and has not seen any negative effects, neither has anyone they know who has used it.
Q: What was turpentine used for in the veterinary field?,
A: It was used to make horses faster and give them a shinier coat, typically mixed with sugar.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Some of the Constituents Found in our Urine
Albumin  Renin
Colony Stimulating Factor  S. Factor
Growth Hormone  Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor
Gondatropin  Interferon
Kallikrien  Collagen
Pro Renin  Acid Phosphatase
Urokinase  Gamma Substances
Thrombopoietin  Insulin
Interleuken Group  Pepsinogen
Antineoplastic Agents (five)  Pro-Urokinase
Erythropoietin  Red Blood Cell Growth Factor
Gamma Globulin  White Blood Cell Growth Factor
Hyaluronidase  Endorphins
Lipase
Albumin!!! Found in URINE, the main protein produced in the liver, has numerous functions in the
body, the most important of which is maintaining intravascular colloid osmotic pressure (COP). COP
helps fluid stay within the vasculature instead of leaking into tissue. Granulocyte -macrophage " colony -stimulating factor ", also known as GM -CSF and CSF2, is a cytokine
that controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. GM -
CSF can be used as a medication to stimulate the production of white blood cells following
chem otherapy. FOUND IN URINE
Growth hormone, also known as somatotropin, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell
reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in human
development. FOUND IN URINE
Gonadotropins  : Luteinizing and Follicle Stimulating Hormones. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle -
stimulating hormone (FSH) are called gonadotropins because stimulate the gonads - in males, the
testes, and in females, the ovaries. They are not necessary for life, but  are essential for reproduction. FOUND IN URINE
Kallikreins  are responsible for the coordination of various physiological functions including blood
pressure, semen liquefaction and skin desquamation. FOUND IN URINE
Clinical applications. An over -active ren in-angiotension system leads to vasoconstriction and
retention of sodium and water. These effects lead to hypertension. Therefore, renin inhibitors can
be used for the treatment of hypertension. PRO RENIN  FOUND IN URINE
Urokinase  is a man -made product deve loped using a protein that occurs naturally in the kidneys. Urokinase is a thrombolytic agent that works by dissolving blood clots. Urokinase is used to treat
blood clots in the lungs. Urokinase may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medica tion
guide. FOUND IN URINE  Thrombopoietin  is a glycoprotein hormone produced by the liver and kidney which regulates the
production of platelets. It stimulates the production and differentiation of megakaryocytes, the bone
marrow cells that bud off large n umbers of platelets. FOUND IN URINE

Interleukins  are a group of cytokines that were first seen to be expressed by white blood cells
(leukocytes). The function of the immune system depends in a large part on interleukins, and rare
deficiencies of a number of them have been described, all featuring autoim mune diseases or
immune deficiency. ALSO FOUND IN URINE
An alkylating antineoplastic agent  is an alkylating agent used in cancer treatment that attaches an
alkyl group (CnH2n+1) to DNA. The alkyl group is attached to the guanine base of DNA, at the
number 7 nitrogen atom of the purine ring.... Alkylating agents are used to treat several cancers. FOUND IN URINE
Erythropoietin, also known as hematopoietin or hemopoietin, is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted by
the kidney in response to cellular hypoxia; it st imulates red blood cell production in the bone
marrow. FOUND IN URINE
"Gamma globulin " injections are usually given in an attempt to temporarily boost a patient's
immunity against disease. Being a product derived from bone marrow and lymph gland cells, gam ma
globulin injections, along with blood transfusions and intravenous drug use, can pass along hepatitis
C to their recipients. FOUND IN URINE
Hyaluronidase  is an injectable enzyme solution that speeds the natural breakdown of hyaluronic
acid. It is used t o counteract the effects of hyaluronic acid -based fillers. FOUND IN URINE
" lipase " is any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of fats. Lipases are a subclass of the esterases. Lipases perform essential roles in the digestion, transport and processing of dietary lipids in most, if
not all, living organisms. FOUND IN URINE
Ulinastatin, as an urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), is a glycoprotein that is isolated from healthy human
urine or synthetically produced and has molecular weight of 25 - 25kDa. Highly pu rified ulinastatin
has been clinically used for the treatment of acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, Stevens –
Johnson syndrome, burns, septic shock, and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) FOUND IN URINE
"Interferon " This medication is used to treat vari ous cancers (e.g., leukemia, melanoma, AIDS -
related Kaposi's sarcoma). It is also used to treat virus infections (e.g., chronic hepatitis B, chronic
hepatitis C, condylomata acuminata). This medication is the same as a protein that your body
naturally prod uces (interferon). FOUND IN URINE
"Collagen " the main structural protein found in skin and other connective tissues, widely used in
purified form for cosmetic surgical treatments. URINE
"Acid phosphatase " is a phosphatase, a type of enzyme, used to free at tached phosphoryl groups
from other molecules during digestion. It can be further classified as a phosphomonoesterase
FOUND IN URINE  "


 class when  he was in town, and he gave me the
assignment of drawing the Buddha,” she told me. Louise hadn’t done
anything like that before. “Drawing the Buddha took great preci sion. It was
like taking a class in mathematics. I had to erase a lot of lines,” she said
with a big smile.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        In the end, I tried to be an invisible
child in order to make myself safe. ” Whatever act we choose, it causes us to
feel estranged from our basic goodness. The basic fear I am not loveable
morphs into a belief that I must deserve love. When we identify with this
erroneous belief, love ceases to feel natural and unconditional. Instead, we
fear that love is a prize that must be earned, deserved, and achieved
somehow, but only if we are worthy. We take our childhood acts into adulthood with us. These acts turn into
roles we play out in relationships. Without our basic goodness, we are lost. We search outsi de of ourselves for love. We look for a prince or princess
who can save us from our basic fear of being unloveable. We are trapped in
a dungeon of unworthiness, hoping someone will rescue us. In the movie Shrek the Third, Sleepin g Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel,
Cinderella, Doris the Ugly Stepsister, and Princess Fiona and her mother,
Queen Lillian, are imprisoned in a tower by Prince Charming. Fiona wants
the ladie s to plot their own escape. “Ladies, assume the position. ” says
Snow White. Instantly, Sleeping  Beauty falls asleep, Snow White lies down
in a coffin pose, and Cinderella gazes dreamily into space. “What are you
doing. ” shouts Princess Fiona. Sleeping Beauty snaps awake and says,
“Waiting to be rescued,” and then falls back asleep again. “You have got to
be kidding me. ” says Princess Fiona. In Pretty Woman, a modern-day fairy tale, Julia Roberts plays Vivian
Ward, a Hollywood prostitute hired by a wealthy businessman, Edward
Lewis, played by Richard Gere, to be his escort for some social
engagements. Business soon turns to love. Lewis thinks he is rescuing
Ward, but Ward has other ideas. In the final scene, Prince Edwa rd arrives in
a white limo calling out to Princess Vivian. He climbs the fire escape to hertop-floor apartment. When he finally reaches her, he asks, “So what
happened after he climbed up the tower and rescued her. ” Vivian replies,
“She rescues him right back. ”
The victim and the rescuer are both playing a role in an effort to win
love. The point is, there can be no happily-ever -after in any of these stories
—or in any of our relationship s—until we claim our basic goodness for
ourselves. Everyone can help us with our quest. Indeed, we will need help
along the way. Ultimately, however, it must be our decision to reclaim our
basic goodness. This decision is a journey in itself. It is a journey of
forgiveness, a journey that takes us back to love again. “Loving the inner child is about forgiving ourselves for our loss of
innocence and loss of goodness,” says Louise. “The truth is, we all did the
best we could with what we knew at every stage of our childhood. And yet,
we may still be judging ourselves and punishing ourselves for not having
done it better, for making mistakes, for abandoning ourselves, for upsetting
others, and for not being a good enough boy or girl. Until we forgive
ourselves, we will be trapped in a prison of righteous resentment. Forgiveness is the only way out of this prison. For giveness sets us free. ”
Louise and I close our conversation about forgiveness and loving the
inner child with a meditation in front of the mirror. This meditation
happened spontaneously, but I’ve reconstructed it here. You might like to
follow it for your own inner -child meditation. “Encourage everyone to do
this meditation in front of the mirror,” Louise tells me. I assure her I will
put it in writing. We recommend that you do this meditation sitting in front of a mirror. Place your hand s over your heart. Take a deep breath. See yourself through
the eyes of love. And speak to yourself with love. I am loveable and life loves me. I forgive myself for all the times I’ve been
afraid I am not loveable.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the purpose of the Forgiveness Scale exercise?,
A: To help you cultivate the willingness to forgive and release the past, allowing you to heal and move forward.
Q: What is the importance of gratitude, according to Louise Hay?,
A: It helps you to stay present, appreciate what you have, and see the good in your life, which in turn helps you to heal and move forward.
Q: What is the main message of the Buddha, according to Louise Hay?,
A: We are born blessed, and we have been given everything; we just need to receive and acknowledge it.
Q: What is the significance of the present moment, as emphasized by Eckhart Tolle?,
A: It is the only real time, and by focusing on it, you can transform your life and find happiness.
Q: What is the goal of the gratitude exercise in the Daily Gratitude practice?,
A: To help you appreciate and focus on the present moment, which can lead to a new perspective and a more positive outlook on life.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>“It was my teacher ’s idea that I draw the Buddha, and I
couldn’ t have done it without his gentle encouragement.”
Louise finished drawing the Buddha after many sessions and then set
about painting the figure. “I started to paint it by myself, but I wasn’ t happy
with it,” she said, so she set the drawing aside. It sat on an easel in her
painting room for a couple of years. “One day I remember thinking, When
the student is ready, the teacher appears,” Louise recalled. “Shortly after
that I met my next teacher, Linda Bounds.” Louise formed a close
friendship with Linda, a local artist. “Linda brought out artistic abilities inme that I didn’ t know I possessed,” Louise told me. “We took a journey
together that I will treasure forever.”
Linda taught Louise to paint by brushing layer upon layer of color onto
the canvas. Painting Blessing Buddha  took about two years. It was during
this time that the painting became a meditation for Louise. She began to
tune in to the life of the Budd ha. She was struck by what she called “a
universal benevolence” that moved through him, and this gave her the idea
to name her painting Blessing Buddha. “I began to have a conversation with the Buddha,” Louise told me. “What did you talk about?” I asked. “Everything,” she said with a smile. “Be specific,” I said. “I asked the Buddha to help me with my painting,” she said. “Wise move.”
“I told the Buddha I was afraid I couldn’ t do the painting,” she added. “What did the Buddha say?”
“He said, ‘Remember that the Universe loves you and wants you to
succeed at everything you do.’”
Each time Louise worked on the painting, she tuned in more to the
Buddha’ s experience of enlight enment. “First I asked the Buddha to help
me paint the Buddha. He was very helpful with that, and so I started to ask
for help with other things. I asked for support with loving myself more,
forgiving others, being grateful, and being open to guidance. I didn’t ask the
Buddha for material things; I asked for help with my mind. I see the
Buddha as very compassionate and as a universal friend who is here to help
us all.”
When I asked Louise to sum up her experience of painting  Blessing
Buddha, she said, “Blessing Buddha  taught me to be very patient with
myself and also very kind. To paint this picture I had to find the little-girl
me—the girl I call Lulu—who paints without any fear or self-criticism or
self-doubt. Above all, I had to be more open and more willing to receive. This painting was done through  me, not by me. That’ s why the full name
for my painting is Blessing Buddha: Ask and Y ou Shall Receive.”
The Alr eady Principle“I remember when I first discov ered I was truly prosperous,” Louise tells
me. “When was that?” I ask. “It was when I realized I could afford to buy any book I wanted,” she
says. “How old were you?”
“I was in my mid-40s or so,” she says. “Why books?”
“I had very little money. I didn’ t even own a watch. Books felt like a
luxury, but they were af fordable,” she tells me. “What were you reading?”
“Florence Scovel Shinn’ s book The Game of Life and How to Play It was
a big inspiration. I liked her practical, no-nonsense approach,” says Louise. “You and Florence could easily be soul sisters,” I tell her. “I’ve always felt a strong kinship with her,” Louise says, smiling.


 closer.” He
didn’ t wait for a reply. “What if Devadatta is king? Do we trust him?”
“Is that really necessary?” Canki said coolly. After Sujata’ s
disappearance Devadatta had fallen under a cloud, yet he might be a
necessary tool, and for that reason the king hadn’ t banished him. “Explain yourself,” Suddhodana demanded. “The boy came here as a prisoner. He turned into a schemer. You have
no idea if he really loves you or simply fears you. For myself, I don’ t think
anyone could find out the truth. But it doesn’ t matter. What matters isambition. If you promise Devadatta the throne, two purposes will be served. You will put out the fire of his hatred. And you will give your kingdom to
someone as vicious as you are.”
Heaven had to be close indeed for anyone, let alone a Brahmin, to risk
those last words. Suddhodana looked at Canki, who had lost much of his
imposing bulk. His haughtiness seemed to have shrunk with his body. “You call it vicious, I call it being strong,” Suddhodana said. Canki and the king bent their heads together, rethinking every aspect of
the new plan, mulling over every possible point where it might go wrong. Conspiracy was their only bond, and now that new blood flowed into it, the
king felt alive as he hadn’ t for a long time. SUDDHODANA WOULD NEVER KNOW  if a demon or a god had sent him his
prophetic dream. But a demon wanted Devadatta to be king. Of that there
was no doubt. For almost ten years Mara had been bored by mortal af fairs. He had watched Devadatta and Siddhartha like twin horses trying to break
the yoke that bound them. He hated the way humans clung to indecision. Devadatta had grown more violent over the years. His night excursions
into the poor parts of the city ended as often in murder now as in rape. Since he was protected by caste, no one dared assassinate him for fear that
they would be damned in the afterlife. So the common people set up watch,
and when Devadatta’ s horse was spied, or if he showed his face in a tavern,
word spread quickly and doors were locked. He found himself lurking
deserted streets, and in time his great problem wasn’ t his obsessive ur ge to
hurt—it was loneliness. His only escape these days was to go out riding, either to hunt deer or
race his mount mile after mile until both rider and horse were totally spent. This reckless sport injured and crippled several fine horses, but it was the
only way Devadatta had found to for get himself. One day soon after
Siddhartha left to become a sannyasi—a decision Devadatta considered
criminal for a prince of the blood but one that he rejoiced in as well, fornow he had an opening, an opportunity to seize control of the kingdom—
Devadatta had left the main road in order to force his horse to gallop where
the trees were thick, adding to the thrill of his excursion. Suddenly he smelled smoke in the air. He stopped and rose in the
stirrups, casting his eyes over the trees until he saw the thin wisp of a
campfire. Normally he wouldn’ t have cared. Fires were set by woodcutters
and other workers, never women. But Devadatta heard a faint whisper in his
ear, and on impulse he rode toward the fire. Sitting by the fire with his back turned to him was Siddhartha, and he
hadn’ t become a monk at all. He was still wearing his princely robe and
embroidered skirt. His cousin had simply run of f for some secret reason. In
the next instant, however, Devadatta’ s horse stepped on a twig with a loud
crack. The man by the fire turned his head, and Devadatta saw that he was
mistaken. The man smiled nervously, and his cracked teeth and stubbled
beard betrayed that he was a beggar. Devadatta could see that he was
roasting a dead parrot he must have scavenged on the forest floor. “Friend, can I help you?” The man stood up, smiling anxiously. “Don’ t call me friend,” said Devadatta coldly. “Where did you steal
those clothes? Did you kill someone for them, or are you with the dacoits?”
“Kill?” The man looked alarmed now as Devadatta slowly rode toward
him. “I couldn’ t be no killer, or no dacoit, sir. As Y our W orship can see, I’m
all alone.”
It was true that forest thieves always traveled in packs. “What if I
believe you? Y ou still have on royal clothes, anyone can see, filthy as
they’ve gotten,” said Devadatta, making his voice as menacing as he could. The man started to strip Siddhartha’ s robes of f. “Y ou can have ’em, sir. I
never been to court. I knew they was fine clothes, but I never suspected
them of being royal. Not for a minute, I swear.”
The poor man was too frightened to run and had no chance of escape if
he did. Devadatta had already seen what must have happened in his mind’ seye. A wretched beggar lying in a ditch. His fool of a cousin taking pity—
hadn’ t he already wasted years ministering to the poor? No doubt he lifted
the beggar up and gave him the clothes of f his back. Devadatta shook his
head. “Stop trembling,” he said. “And put your clothes back on. Y ou think I’d
touch them?”
“Thank you, sir.” The beggar mumbled his gratitude and with one eye
glanced over at the fire, where he had dropped the parrot. His meal had
roasted to a crisp, and he looked pained. “It’s ruined,” said Devadatta, nodding toward the fire. “For get it. I’ll
make sure you don’ t need to beg anymore.”
The beggar ’s smile would have turned to a look of puzzlement, but he
had no time for that. It took a matter of seconds for Devadatta to draw his
sword and even less, given his years of practice with the weapon, to chop
off the beggar ’s head with one swipe. That evening Suddhodana heard women wailing outside his rooms. Something in their cries was heartrending. This wasn’ t another funeral
formality for an aged courtier. He opened the door to see every lady at court
kneeling along the entire length of the main corridor. “Out of my way!”
He strode through the mass of female bodies, bent as low as hummocks
in a meadow, with little care that he was stepping on them. In the main
courtyard of the palace the court men formed a dense crowd, some
murmuring in low, grim tones, others shouting oaths and imprecations. The
crowd was a thick, angry mass like a single creature. By now Suddhodana’ s
blood was cold. It could only be one thing. The crowd parted when he was
spotted, and all but the most senior advisers and generals prostrated
themselves on the cobblestones, which were still hot as cooking stones so
soon after sunset. “Where is he? Where is my son?”Suddhodana followed the eyes of the men around him. Their gaze
formed a path, and at the end stood Devadatta. He had dismounted. Over
his tall horse, whose sides were panting from a hard ride, a body was
draped. It took a second before the king recognized his son’ s clothes
hanging of f the corpse. The head had been cut of f, leaving a grisly stem. Suddhodana recoiled in revulsion. He had no desire to come closer or to
take a second look. He turned and put one foot ahead of the other until he
had reached the security of his darkened rooms. The heat of the
cobblestones seeped through his sandals. The old king felt it, and somehow
his hot shoes stuck in his mind, the way trivial things often do, as the first
thing he remembered on the long road of suf fering that stretched ahead
forever. OceanofPDF.com1 3
The moment Gautama stepped into the small clearing, he knew that he’d
found what he was looking for. A crude thatched lean-to faced him from
under the shade of an old tree. The shadows were deep, but he could see a
hermit sitting in lotus position. There was no trail of footprints or telltale
smoke in the air to lead Gautama to this place. He had been away from
home for three months now, and he was an adept forest dweller himself. No
longer did he wake up with a start in the middle of the night fearing danger
from the snap of a twig. He could let his footsteps wander where they
wanted to, and now here he was. He crossed the small clearing and stood over the hermit, who could
have been Asita—slender, wiry build, nut brown skin, thinning hair with a


 to the passage, coconut oil can be used as a dairy-free replacement for butter.
Q: What is one way to use coconut oil as a beauty product?,
A: The passage suggests using coconut oil as an eye makeup remover.
Q: Can coconut oil be used to improve skin health?,
A: Yes, the passage mentions that coconut oil can be used to help skin heal after injury, soothe psoriasis or eczema, reduce itch from bug bites, and reduce wrinkles.
Q: Where can you find more information on coconut oil and wellness?,
A: The passage provides links to various social media platforms, including Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube, where you can find more information and inspiration on wellness and coconut oil.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>T h e  G i f t  o f
C H A N G E

Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

For my mother

 C o n t e n t s

  E P I G R A P H
    I N T R O D U C T I O N
The Challenge to Grow
    C H A P T E R  O N E
Crossing the Bridge
    C H A P T E R  T W O
From For getting Who W e Ar e
to Remembering Who W e Ar e

C H A P T E R  T H R E E
From Negative Thinking
to Positive Love

C H A P T E R  F O U R
From Anxiety
to Atonement

C H A P T E R  F I V E
From Asking God to Change the W orld
to Praying That He Change Us
    C H A P T E R  S I X
From Living in the Past and Futur e
to Living in the Pr esent

C H A P T E R  S E V E N
From Focus on Guilt
to Focus on Innocence

C H A P T E R  E I G H T
From Separation
to Relationship

C H A P T E R  N I N E
From Spiritual Death
to Rebirth

C H A P T E R  T E N
From Y our Plan
to God’ s Plan

C H A P T E R  E L E V E N
From Who W e W er e
to Who W e Ar e Becoming
    G O I N G  F R O M  H E R E

 Acknowledgments
  About the Author
  Cr edits
  Cover
  Copyright
  About the Publisher

Behold, I tell you a mystery: W e shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For
the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed. —I Corinthians 15:51-52, N K J V

 INTRODUCTION
T h e  C h a l l e n g e  t o  G r o w
T h e  t i m e s  i n  w h i c h  w e  l i v e  a r e  d i f f i c u l t,  m o r e
d i f f i c u l t  t h a n  a  l o t  o f  p e o p l e  s e e m  w i l l i n g  t o  a d m i t. T h e r e  i s
a n  a b i d i n g  s e n s e  o f  c o l l e c t i v e  a n x i e t y,  u n d e r s t a n d a b l e  b u t
n o t  a l w a y s  e a s y  t o  t a l k  a b o u t. W h e n  t h i n g s  a r e n ’ t  g o i n g  w e l l  f o r  y o u  i n  y o u r  p e r s o n a l
l i f e,  p e r h a p s  y o u  c a l l  a  f r i e n d  o r  f a m i l y  m e m b e r  o r  g o  t o  a
t h e r a p i s t  o r  s u p p o r t  g r o u p  t o  p r o c e s s  y o u r  p a i n. Y e t  w h e n
y o u r  f e e l i n g s  o f  u p s e t  a r e  b a s e d  o n  l a r g e r  s o c i a l  r e a l i t i e s,
i t ’ s  h a r d  t o  k n o w  h o w  t o  t a l k  a b o u t  t h e m  a n d  t o  w h o m. W h e n  y o u ’ r e  a f r a i d  b e c a u s e  y o u  d o n ’ t  k n o w  w h e r e  y o u r
n e x t  p a y c h e c k  i s  g o i n g  t o  c o m e  f r o m,  i t ’ s  e a s y  t o  a r t i c u l a t e ;
w h e n  y o u ’ r e  w o r r i e d  a b o u t  w h e t h e r  t h e  h u m a n  r a c e  i s  g o i n g
t o  s u r v i v e  t h e  n e x t  c e n t u r y,  i t  f e e l s  o d d  t o  m e n t i o n  i t  a t
l u n c h. A n d  s o,  I  t h i n k,  t h e r e  i s  a  c o l l e c t i v e  d e p r e s s i o n  a m o n g
u s,  n o t  s o  m u c h  d e a l t  w i t h  a s  g l o s s e d  o v e r  a n d  s u p p r e s s e d. E a c h  o f  u s,  a s  i n d i v i d u a l  a c t o r s  i n  a  l a r g e r  d r a m a,  c a r r i e s  a n
i m p r i n t  o f  a  l a r g e r  d e s p a i r. W e  a r e  c o p i n g  w i t h  i n t e n s e
a m o u n t s  o f  c h a o s  a n d  f e a r,  b o t h  p e r s o n a l l y  a n d  t o g e t h e r. W e
a r e  a l l  b e i n g  c h a l l e n g e d,  i n  o n e  f o r m  o r  a n o t h e r,  t o  r e c r e a t e
o u r  l i v e s.O n  t h e  l e v e l  o f  e v e r y d a y  c o n v e r s a t i o n,  w e  c o n s p i r e  w i t h
e a c h  o t h e r  t o  p r e t e n d  t h a t  t h i n g s  a r e  b a s i c a l l y  o k a y,  n o t
b e c a u s e  w e  t h i n k  t h e y  a r e  b u t  b e c a u s e  w e  h a v e  n o  w a y  o f
t a l k i n g  t o g e t h e r  a b o u t  t h e s e  d e e p e r  l a y e r s  o f  e x p e r i e n c e. I f  I
t e l l  y o u  w h a t  h a p p e n e d  i n  m y  p e r s o n a l  l i


 h i n g  t h a t  h a p p e n s  i n  t h e  m a t e r i a l  w o r l d,  b u t  f r o m
l o v e. C e r t a i n l y  t h e r e  a r e  s o m e  w o n d e r f u l  e x p e r i e n c e s  t o  b e
h a d  o n  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e,  a n d  t h e r e  i s  n o t h i n g  w r o n g  w i t h
e n j o y i n g  t h e m  t o  t h e  f u l l e s t. T h e  w o r l d  i t s e l f  i s  n e u t r a l ;
w h e t h e r  o r  n o t  s o m e t h i n g  o f  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e  c a n  b e
c o n s i d e r e d  h o l y  i s  d e t e r m i n e d  b y  t h e  p u r p o s e s  o u r  m i n d
a s c r i b e s  t o  i t. *  T h a t  w h i c h  i s  u s e d  b y  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  f o r
p u r p o s e s  o f  g e n u i n e  h e a l i n g  i s  h o l y ;  t h a t  w h i c h  i s  u s e d  b y
t h e  e g o  f o r  p u r p o s e s  o f  s e p a r a t i o n  i s  n o t. T h e  b o d y  i t s e l f
c a n  b e  a  “ b e a u t i f u l  l e s s o n  i n  c o m m u n i o n  u n t i l  c o m m u n i o n
i s. ” *  W h e r e v e r  t h e r e  i s  l o v e,  t h e r e  i s  G o d. B u t  w e  c a n n o t  e n j o y  t h e  m a t e r i a l  p l a n e  i f  w e  a r e  o v e r l y
a t t a c h e d  t o  i t ;  t h e  s e c r e t  o f  h a p p i n e s s  l i e s  i n  k n o w i n g  t h a t
w e  a r e  i n  t h e  w o r l d  b u t  n o t  o f  i t. T h a t  u n d e r s t a n d i n g —
k e e p i n g  o u r  t h o u g h t s  o n  l o v e  w h i l e  h a v i n g  o u r  f e e t  p l a n t e d
s q u a r e l y  o n  e a r t h — i s  t h e  i n t e r s e c t i o n  b e t w e e n  h e a v e n  a n d
e a r t h. A n d  t h a t  i n t e r s e c t i n g  p o i n t  i s  w h a t  w e  a r e. I t  i s  o u r
m i s s i o n  t o  l i v e  o n  t h e  e a r t h  w h i l e  t h i n k i n g  o n l y  t h e  t h o u g h t s
o f  h e a v e n,  a n d  w h e n  w e  d o,  t h e  p o w e r  o f  t h e  i n t e r s e c t i n g
p o i n t  b e t w e e n  m a n  a n d  G o d  ( s y m b o l i z e d  v i s u a l l y  i n  b o t h
t h e  c r o s s  a n d  t h e  S t a r  o f  D a v i d )  o v e r c o m e s  a l l  n e g a t i v e
f o r c e. T h a t  i s  t h e  o v e r c o m i n g  t o  w h i c h  J e s u s  r e f e r r e d  a n d
t h a t  h e  h i m s e l f  e m b o d i e d. I n  t h e  B i b l e  i t  i s  s a i d  t h a t  t h e  H o l y  S p i r i t  w i l l  g i v e  u s  a
n e w  m i n d. A n d  w h o  a m o n g  u s  c o u l d  n o t  u s e  t h a t? I t
b e c o m e s  f r u i t l e s s  t o  a s k  G o d  t o  c h a n g e  o u r  w o r l d  o n c e  w er e c o g n i z e  t h e  w o r l d  i s  m e r e l y  t h e  r e f l e c t i o n  o f  o u r  t h o u g h t s. W h a t  w e  p r a y  f o r  i s  t h e  h e a l i n g  o f  o u r  m i n d s. I t ’ s  i m p o s s i b l e  t o  m a k e  y o u r  l i f e  n e w  w h e n  y o u r  m i n d  i s
r u n n i n g  o l d  t a p e s. T i m e  a n d  t i m e  a g a i n,  w e ’ v e  b l o w n  i t  a t
e x a c t l y  t h e  s a m e  p l a c e  i n  a  r e l a t i o n s h i p  o r  s a b o t a g e d  a
p r o f e s s i o n a l  e n d e a v o r  i n  e x a c t l y  t h e  s a m e  w a y. Y e t  w e  f e e l
p o w e r l e s s  t o  s t o p  o u r  s e l f  d e f e a t i n g  b e h a v i o r. W h a t ’ s  t h e
p o i n t  o f  a t t r a c t i n g  a n  o p p o r t u n i t y  i f  w e ’ r e  o n l y  g o i n g  t o  r u i n
i t  a n y w a y? W e  p a y  a  h i g h  p r i c e  f o r  r e f u s i n g  t o  a c c e p t  t h e  p a r t  w e
p l a y  i n  c a u s i n g  o u r  p r o b l e m s ;  i f  I  d o n ’ t  s e e  I  c a u s e d  i t,  t h e n
I  c a n ’ t  s e e  I  c a n  c h a n g e  i t! *  B u t  o n c e  I


 e p r e s e n t i n g  T o n y. A z i m  t o l d  P l e s  h e  f e l t  n o  a n i m o s i t y
t o w a r d  T o n y  o r  h i s  f a m i l y,  a n d  h e  r e a l i z e d  t h a t  b o t h
f a m i l i e s  h a d  b e e n  t r a u m a t i z e d  b y  t h i s  t r a g i c  i n c i d e n t. H e
w a s  c o n c e r n e d  a b o u t  T o n y  a n d  a l l  t h e  o t h e r  c h i l d r e n  w h o
a r e  t r y i n g  t o  c o p e  w i t h  s u c h  a  v i o l e n t  w o r l d,  i n  w h i c h  t h e
a v e r a g e  A m e r i c a n  c h i l d  h a s  s e e n  1 0 0, 0 0 0  i m a g e s  o f
v i o l e n c e  o n  T V,  m o v i e s,  a n d  v i d e o  g a m e s  b e f o r e  e n t e r i n g
t h e  f i r s t  g r a d e. A z i m  t o l d  P l e s  h e  h a d  s t a r t e d  a  f o u n d a t i o n  i n  t h e
m e m o r y  o f  h i s  s o n,  t o  h e l p  s t o p  c h i l d r e n  f r o m  k i l l i n gc h i l d r e n. P l e s  s a i d  h e  w o u l d  d o  w h a t e v e r  h e  c o u l d  t o  h e l p. A s  h e  e x t e n d e d  h i s  c o n d o l e n c e s,  P l e s  t o l d  A z i m  t h a t  e v e r
s i n c e  t h e  d a y  o f  t h e  m u r d e r,  t h e  K h a m i s a  f a m i l y  h a d  b e e n  i n
h i s  d a i l y  p r a y e r s  a n d  m e d i t a t i o n s. A z i m  i n v i t e d  P l e s  t o  t h e  s e c o n d  m e e t i n g  o f  t h e
f o u n d a t i o n  a  c o u p l e  o f  w e e k s  l a t e r,  w h e r e  P l e s  m e t  t h e
e n t i r e  K h a m i s a  f a m i l y. P l e s  s p o k e  p a s s i o n a t e l y  a b o u t  h i s
o w n  e x p e r i e n c e,  s a y i n g  t h e  f o u n d a t i o n  w a s  a n  a n s w e r  t o  h i s
p r a y e r s. A  S a n  D i e g o  t e l e v i s i o n  s t a t i o n  f i l m e d  T a r i q ’ s
g r a n d f a t h e r  s h a k i n g  h a n d s  w i t h  T o n y ’ s  g r a n d f a t h e r :
“ C l e a r l y, ”  t h e y  r e p o r t e d,  “ t h i s  i s  a  d i f f e r e n t  k i n d  o f
h a n d s h a k e. ”
T o d a y,  A z i m  i s  c h a i r m a n  o f  t h e  T a r i q  K h a m i s a
F o u n d a t i o n ’ s  b o a r d  o f  d i r e c t o r s,  a n d  P l e s  i s  t h e  v i c e
c h a i r m a n. T h e  m e n  h a v e  g r o w n  c l o s e,  a n d  A z i m  s a y s  t h a t  i f
h e  w e r e  t o  c h o o s e  t e n  p e o p l e  w h o  a r e  c l o s e s t  t o  h i m  i n  h i s
l i f e,  P l e s  w o u l d  b e  o n e. T h e  f o u n d a t i o n  h a s  b e c o m e  a
p e r s o n a l  m i n i s t r y  f o r  b o t h  m e n,  a n d  t h e r e  i s  a  j o b  t h e r e
w a i t i n g  f o r  T o n y  o n  t h e  d a y  h e  i s  r e l e a s e d  f r o m  p r i s o n. T h e  O n e  T h a t ’ s  H a r d  f o r  A l l  o f  U s

I t ’ s  v e r y  d i f f i c u l t  t o  t a l k  o r  e v e n  t h i n k  a b o u t  f o r g i v e n e s s
w h e n  c o n f r o n t e d  w i t h  t h e  r e a l i t y  o f  S e p t e m b e r  1 1,  2 0 0 1. O n l y  s i l e n c e — n o t  w o r d s — c a n  e x p r e s s  t h e  h o r r o r  o f  t h a t
d a y. Y e t  a t  t h e  s a m e  t i m e,  a  d e e p e r  c o n v e r s a t i o n  i s  a v a i l a b l e
t o  u s  t h a n  t h e  o n e  n o w  d o m i n a t i n g  o u r  p u b l i c  d i a l o g u e. I f
w e  j u s t  h o l d  t o  t h e  s i m p l i s t i c  l i n e  t h a t  “ T h e y ’ r e  b a d ;  w e ’ r e
g o o d ;  l e t ’ s  k i l l  ’ e m, ”  t h e n  w e ’ r e  d a n g e r o u s l y  o f f  b a s e  b o t h
s p i r i t u a l l y  a n d  p o l i t i c a l l y. W h e n  t h e  T w i n  T o w e r s  w e r e  f i r s t  d e s t r o y e d,  t h e  s e v e r i t y
o f  t h e  e m o t i o n a l  b l o w  t h r e w  A m e r i c


 e r y t h i n g  w e
n e e d  t o  s e e. T h e  W h o l e  ( H o l y )  M i n d  ( S p i r i t )  o f  G o d
i m p r e s s e s  i t s e l f  u p o n  u s  w h e n  w e  p r a y  a n d  m e d i t a t e  a n d
s e e k  t o  f o l l o w  s p i r i t u a l  p r i n c i p l e s. A s  w e  o p e n  o u r s e l v e s  t o
r e c e i v e  H i s  g u i d a n c e,  o u r  t h o u g h t s  a n d  f e e l i n g s  f a l l  i n t o
p a t t e r n s  t h a t  l e a d  a l l  t h i n g s  w i t h i n  a n d  a r o u n d  u s  t o  r e a l m s
o f  d i v i n e  r i g h t  o r d e r. M i n i s t r y  I s  N o t  J u s t  f o r  M i n i s t e r s

W h e n  I  w a s  a  y o u n g  w o m a n,  I  r e m e m b e r  b e i n g
o v e r w h e l m e d  w i t h  t h e  t h o u g h t  t h a t  I  d i d n ’ t  k n o w  w h a t  I
s h o u l d  d o  w i t h  m y  l i f e. I  h a d  n o  i n k l i n g  t h a t  t h e r e  m i g h t
a l r e a d y  b e  a  d i v i n e l y  o r d a i n e d  p l a n,  s o m e  t r a c k  I  s i m p l y
h a d  t o  r i d e  m y  t r a i n  a l o n g. I  t h o u g h t  I  w a s  r e s p o n s i b l e  f o r
t h e  t r a i n  a n d  t h e  t r a c k. N o  w o n d e r  t h e y  w e r e  b o t h  s o  p o o r l y
b u i l t  a t  t i m e s. F o l l o w i n g  G o d ’ s  w a y  i s  n o t  s o  d i f f i c u l t  a s  i t  i s  d i f f e r e n t. *
W h a t ’ s  d i f f i c u l t  i s  r e t r a i n i n g  o u r  m i n d s,  g e t t i n g  o v e r  o u rr e s i s t a n c e  t o  t h i n k i n g  i n  s u c h  a  d i f f e r e n t  w a y  t h a n  w e ’ v e
b e e n  t a u g h t. I f  i n  f a c t  o u r  o n l y  f u n c t i o n  i s  l o v e  a n d
f o r g i v e n e s s,  t h e n  t h e  e n t i r e  w o r l d  a s  w e  k n o w  i t  i s  w r o n g. A n d  i t  i s. T h e  t h i n k i n g  o f  t h e  w o r l d  i s  1 8 0  d e g r e e s  a w a y
f r o m  t h e  t h i n k i n g  o f  G o d. *
I t  t a k e s  a  c e r t a i n  h u m i l i t y  t o  p r e s e n t  o u r s e l v e s  t r u l y
e m p t y  a n d  a v a i l a b l e  t o  G o d. B u t  w h e n  w e  d o,  w e  b e c o m e
f i l l e d  w i t h  i n f o r m a t i o n  w e  d o n ’ t  o t h e r w i s e  p o s s e s s. L i k e
w h a t  t o  d o  w i t h  o u r  l i v e s — w h i c h  i s  s i g n i f i c a n t  i n f o r m a t i o n
t o  b e  l a c k i n g. W e ’ r e  a l w a y s  w o n d e r i n g  w h e t h e r  w e  s h o u l d  d o  t h i s  o r
t h a t  w h e n  f r o m  a  s p i r i t u a l  p e r s p e c t i v e  w h a t ’ s  m o s t
i m p o r t a n t  i s  n o t  w h a t  w e  d o  s o  m u c h  a s  w h o  w e  b e c o m e. S o m e  t h i n g s  G o d  i n d e e d  w o u l d  h a v e  u s  d o,  b u t  f i r s t  w e
m u s t  b e c o m e  d i f f e r e n t  p e o p l e  i n  o r d e r  t o  k n o w  h o w  t o  o r  t o
b e  a b l e  t o. G o d  c a n ’ t  w o r k  f o r  u s  u n t i l  H e  c a n  w o r k  t h r o u g h
u s. O n c e  I  w a s  t a k i n g  a  v a c a t i o n  a n d  h a d  b e e n  w o r k i n g  w i t h
a  t r a v e l  a g e n t  n a m e d  C o n n i e. A t  t h e  l a s t  m i n u t e,  b e c a u s e  o f
a  w o r k  c o m m i t m e n t,  I  n e e d e d  t o  c h a n g e  m y  d a t e  o f
d e p a r t u r e. W h e n  C o n n i e  l o o k e d  i n t o  i t,  h o w e v e r,  s h e  f o u n d
t h a t  s h e  h a d  s o l d  m e  a  c o m p l e t e l y  n o n r e f u n d a b l e  a n d
u n c h a n g e a b l e  t i c k e t. I  w a s  u p s e t  b e c a u s e  I  w o u l d  n o t  h a v e  b o u g h t  t h e  t i c k e t
h a d  I  k n o w n  t h a t. B u t  I  a l s o  k n e w  t h a t  t h i s  w a s  a  g r e a t
o p p o r t u n i


been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. there are always endless ar guments about
inherent in the nature of man himself
military machine the world had ever
(128) Many political systems and social
whether force is "justified" or not. because they are inherent in his creation. seen. On the simple level of force, his
movements begin with true power, but as
It is clear that power is associated with
3
military was unbeatable; yet he could nottime goes on become co-opted by self
that which supports life, and force is
V iolence is force; because Gandhi was
defeat a tiny island across the English
seekers and end up relying increasingly
associated with that which exploits life
aligned with power, rather than force, he
Channel because of the power expressed
on force until they finally fall in disgrace. for the gain of an individual or an
forbade all use of violence in his cause. 4
by W inston Churchill, who unified the
The history of civilization demonstrates
or ganization. Force is (129) divisive and,
And because he expressed universal
will of his people through principles of
this repeatedly. It is easy to for get that
through that divisiveness, weakens,
principles (which calibrate at 700) he was
freedom and selfless sacrifice. Churchill
the initial appeal of communism was
whereas power unifies. Force polarizes. able to unite the will of the people. When
stood for power, Hitler for force. 7 When
idealistic humanitarianism, as was that of
The jingoism that has such obvious
the will of the people is so united by and
the two meet, power always eventually
the union, movement in the United States
internal appeal to a militaristic nation just
aligned with universal principle, it is
succeeds; in the long run, if it is deeply
until it became a refuge of petty
as obviously alienates the rest of the
virtually unconquerable. Colonialism founded in the will of the people,
power politicians. 9
world. (calibrated at 175) is founded in the self
is immune to force. T o fully comprehend the dichotomy we
Power attracts, whereas force repels. interest of the ruling country. Gandhi
Force is seductive because it emanates a
are discussing, it is necessary to considerBecause power unifies, it has no true
demonstrated, for the world to witness,
certain glamour, whether that glamour is
the dif ference between a politician and a
enemies, though its manifestations may
the power of selflessness versus the force
manifested in the guise of false
statesman. The politician, operating out
be opposed by opportunists whose ends it
of self-interest. 5 The same principle has
patriotism, prestige or dominance, while
of expediency, rules by force after
does not serve. Power serves others,
now been demonstrated quite true power very often is quite
gaining his position through the force of
whereas force is self-serving. The true
dramatically in South Africa by Nelson
unglamorous. What could be more
persuasion-he often calibrates at a level
statesman serves the people;'° the
Mandela. 6
glamorous than the Luftwaf fe andless than 260. Statesmen represent true
politician exploits people to serve his
Power accomplishes with ease that which
W af fen SS of Nazi Germany during the
power, ruling by inspiration, teaching by
own ambitions. The statesman sacrifices
force is unable to accomplish even with
Second W orld W ar. These elite branches
example and standing for self-evident
himself to serve others; the politician
extreme ef fort; thus, in our own time we
embodied romance, privilege and style
principle. The statesman invokes the
sacrifices others to serve himself. Power
have seen the almost ef fortless toppling
and certainly had at their disposal
nobility which resides within all men and
appeals to our higher nature, force to our
of communism as a governmental form,
enormous force-the most advanced
unifies them through what can best be
lower nature. Force is limited, whereasafter half a century of the most ominous-
weapons of the day and an esprit de corps
termed the heart. Though the intellect is
power is unlimited. and ultimately inef fectual-military that cemented their might. Such is the
easily fooled, the heart recognizes truth. Through its insistence that the end
confrontation of history. The political
glamour of the formidable. Where the intellect is limited, the heart is
justifies the means, force sells out
naiveté of the Russian people, long used
The weak are attracted to and will even
unlimited; where the intellect is intrigued
freedom for expediency. Force of fers
to the tyrannical rule of czars, did not
die for the glamour of force. How else
by the temporary, the heart is only
quick, easy solutions. In power, the
allow them the civic wisdom to could something so outrageous as war
concerned with the permanent. means and end are the same, but endsunderstand that in the name of even occur. Force often seizes the upper
Force often relies upon rhetoric, require greater maturity, discipline and
communism a totalitarian dictatorship
hand temporarily, and the weak are
propaganda and specious ar gument to
patience to be brought to fruition. Great
was being established. Similarly, the
attracted by those who seem to have
garner support and disguise underlying
leaders inspire us to have faith and
German people were deceived by Hitler,
overcome weakness. How else could
motivations. One characteristic of truth,
confidence because of the power of their
who rose to power in the name of
dictatorship be possible. though, is that it needs no defense; it is
absolute integrity and alignment with
61
62
simply standing for a principle: the
national socialism only to establish a
One characteristic of force is arrogance;self-evident.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is one characteristic of power, according to the text?,
A: Power is characterized by humility.
Q: Who is an example of a leader who did not use violence to achieve his goals?,
A: Gandhi
Q: What is one of the consequences of using force?,
A: Force is divisive and weakens freedom and selfless sacrifice.
Q: What is the relationship between power and the use of force?,
A: Power unifies, whereas force polarizes.
Q: Who is an example of a leader who used violence to achieve his goals?,
A: Hitler<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>W e have made calibrations of various
exceptional physical performance, such
potentially great in all areas of human
High states of consciousness, also, arekinds of rewards of athletic achievement,
as that of the world-famous Sufi dancers
achievement is pride. Pride, calibrated at
frequently experienced by athletes. It is
including movies. Of all of the movies
known as whirling dervishes, who, 175, not only makes the performer go
well documented that long-distance about sport studied, the French film
The through discipline and exhausting weak, but cannot provide the
runners frequently attain sublime states
Big Blue produced the highest
practice, become able to move motivational power of love, honor or
of peace and joy. This very elevation of
calibration. 1 This is the story of the
ef fortlessly through space over long
dedication to a higher principle (or even
consciousness, in fact, often inspires the
world's deep-sea (143) diving champion,
periods of time with dazzling precision. to excellence itself). If we ask a powerful
prolonged transcendence of pain and
Jacques Mayol, the Frenchman who for
The most highly developed martial arts
athlete to hold in mind the hope ofexhaustion necessary to achieve higher
many years, until very recently, held the
clearly demonstrate haw motive and
defeating his opponent, or becoming a
levels of performance. This phenomenon
world retard. The movie calibrates at the
principle are of ultimate importance in
star, or making a lot of money, we will
is commonly described in terms of
extraordinary ener gy level of 700
extraordinary athletic achievement.2 The
see that he goes weak and we can put
pushing oneself to the point where one
(universal truth). The movie itself has the
mast frequently heard (144) admonition to
down his trained, muscular arm with
suddenly breaks through a performance
capacity to put viewers into a high state
trainees is "stop trying to use force. "3
minimal ef fort. The same athlete holding
barrier and the activity becomes of consciousness; the manager of one
Schools devoted to these arts producein mind the honor of his country or his
ef fortless; the body then seems to move
movie-house which showed it described
masters whose overriding concern is
sport, or the dedication of his
with grate and ease of its own accord, as
audiences wandering out of the theater
victory of the higher self over the lower
performance to someone he loves, or
though animated by some invisible force. last in silence or crying with a joy which
self through control, training and even the sheer joy of maximum ef fort
for The accompanying state of joy is quite


 the effect that AIDS is not
a viral disease was not enough. Scie ntific re asons which point in another direction should have accompanied the
negation of HIV as the cause of the disease. I wrote to Dr. Manfred Eigen, a most eminent DNA research scientist from Max-Pl anck Institute in Germany, o n 25
September 1989, and in defense of Duesberg sent him two of my articles presenting most of the views that wer e
published in the Foundation's Special AIDS Issue. Dr. Eigen had published an account of discussions between
AIDS v irus advocates and Duesberg in Natur Weiss enschafen. It seems Dr. Eigen was not convinced by Professor
Duesberg's views and had taken the side of the opposition. A few months later, Dr. Eigen sent me a letter that
showed he now re alized another plausible scientific view on the cause of AIDS d oes exist. Now, all of a sudden in 1992, a new surge of activity with an alternative view of AIDS had gathered momentum with
both Professors Montagnier and Duesberg as leaders in the field. In 1989,1 had sent these researchers a copy of our Special AIDS Issue of Science In Medicine Simplified (SMS)
from the Foundation for the Simple in Med icine (references 74 and 75), in the same way the Foundation freely
shares its views with most top researchers (a copy of the letter to Manfred Eigen was also sent to Professor
Duesberg). This special AIDS v olume was also sent to many medical libraries at universities engaged in AIDS
research. The detailed articles presented scientific explanations from which a synopsis has been given in the
preceding paragraphs. In my article on the neurotransmitter histamine, first presented briefly at the 3rd Interscience World Conference on
Inflammation in 1989, and later published in 1990,1 also explained the immune suppressive actions of many of the
chemical agents that are generated as a result of stress in the human body. In this extensively distributed article, I
discussed some aspects o f AIDS a s a severe stress-induced "system disturbance," opposing the current view that it
is caused by a single particle, a virus. This issue of SMS was also extensively distributed. Copies of the 1989 Special AIDS I ssue and 1990 issue of SMS
were also sent to Professor Philippe Lazar, the Director General of IINSERM  in France. INSERM  is the French
equivalent of the NIH in America. He was aske d to make the information contained in these issues of SMS available
to other interested scientists a t INSERM. My research was progressing at the same time as new information on the critical roles of cysteine in the
manufacture of some DNA m aterials became available and published. It became completely clear and obvious to
me that AIDS w as a metabolic disorder, and the DNA/ RNA f ragments cla ssified as the different viruses o f AIDS
were themselves a product of cysteine shortage in the body. With infinitely more detail than has been presented in this section, my m ost recent article, "AIDS:  The Dead-End of
Virus Etiology" was p ublished in the 1991 issue of SMS and distributed to many other scie ntists e ngaged in this field
of research. It is a moral obligation of any dedicated scientist to share his or her new in formation with others engaged in the
research of a common topic, even before the subject is presented in scientific jou rnals. It is also a moral obligation
of those who receive the information to give credit to the person who  has generated and shared the information. A news headline in Le Mo nde of 9 August 1991 re flected a hea ted fight between  Bruno Durie ux, the Min ister of
Health of France and Professor Albert German, President of the National Aca demy of Pharmacy of France. The
minister had demanded the dismissal of the professor. The professor had, in an address, given the opinion that
AIDS is caused as a result of a particular life style. The professor's opinion had become a hot issue among the
different social groups. Thus the wrath of the minister and the demand for his dismissal. No occasion lends itself
better to the introduction of an explosive opinion than adding it as fuel to an already established quarrel. The letter
printed in the next page was sent to M. Br uno Durieux, Minister of He alth of France, with a copy to Professor
German. A MEDICAL RESEARCH I NSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 3 267
FALLS CHURCH VA 2 2043 U.S.A.
Exc. M. Bruno Durieux
Minister of Health 1 Place de Fontenoy 75350 Paris 07-S.R
6 Septembe r 1991
Excel lence,
I have been exposed to the topic of your discussion about the views of Professor Albert German on AIDS, r eflected
in Le Monde, 9 August 1991. I thought it my responsibility to bring to your attention the final result of our very
extensive research into the etiology of AIDS. Our research seems to produce physiologic / metabolic explanations
that support the views o f professor German. I have pleasure in enclosing a copy of our recent article, "AIDS: T he
Dead-End of Virus Et iology." The article explains details that have been ignored by those who wish to force asolution to the problem through viral research - a total waste of public funds. Yo u are welcome to have the article
photocopied and reviewed by any numbe r of your scientists who do not demonstrate a blind bias toward viral
research. If more information is needed, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely,
R Batmanghelidj, M.D. Enclosure: Article, AIDS: T he Dead-End of Virus Etiology. Copy, Professor Albert German. I sincerely hope that the free sharing of my researched views on AIDS h as in some way been instrumental in getting
others to think about the relationship of this disease condition to an abnormal physiology that becomes ultimately
established as a result of "stresses associa ted with a particular life style," or "severe malnutrition in less fortunate
societies." The children in Romania that were the subject of many te levision programs m ost probably did not get
AIDS from blood contamination; they more than likely developed AIDS a s a result of malnutrition. Another point that needs to be discussed is the value of the AIDS test as an indicator of a disease in the process of
development. Although everyone is led to believe this, it is in my opinion an erroneous representation of a different
truth. All this test sh ows is that the body has com e across this antigenic particle and has registered its str ucture. It
also means the body has kept the existence of this particle/virus in its memory-bank to manufacture a defense
mechanism against the "foreign particle," not necessar ily a particle from outside, but a particle that the body itself
should not make—a form of quality con trol at the "DNA a ssembly line." Thi s test is ultimately an indicator of a body's
amino acid metabolism disturbance, and not an indicator of a loose killer virus in the body. The number of test
positive cases who become HIV negative are too many to be ignored. It has been shown in laboratory experiments that if cysteine is added to a culture medium that is growing cells for
virus production, these cells will not manufacture the "virus." In a medium with sufficient cysteine, it will not be
possible to harvest the virus. This test presents the most clear conclusion that the AIDS test is only an indicator of
an on-going amino acid imbalance in the body. It is important to remember that if the level of one amino acid in the
body is not enough, then a drastic imbalance in the percentage composition of the other amino acids also will exist. These new ideas on AIDS a re presented to the readers of this book to indicate that a metabolic approach to dealing
with this social problem will produce more satisfactory and quicker results.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        By the time of her wed ding in Octo ber 1994, she had lost over
40 pounds. This science-based way o f weight loss w ill be permanent, whereas with only food limitation, even if some weight is
lost, it is regained in a short period of time. Worse still, one is constantly hounded by the fallacy of needing to limit
this or that food, particularly on the subject of cho lesterol content of food, a temporary present-day vogue. Do not be
shocked. Contrary to present trends for exclusion of eggs from daily diet, I eat as many eggs as I feel like eating—
no limitation wha tsoever; eggs have a well-balanced protein content. I also happen to understand how excess
cholesterol formation in the body is associated with prolonged dehydration. Priscilla Preston's letter on the next page further explains the relationship of dehydration, not only to weight gain, but
to the more devastating problem of asthma, the subject of the next chapter. In taking steps to prevent asthma, she
managed to lose 35 pounds. An other important point in her letter is the role of sal t in disease prevention. Salt is
important to the body. Salt sensors on the tongue, whe n strongly stimulated, remove the body's anxiety and stop it
from panicking for water. When salt is available, the body is


 nothing in between anymore. My “normal” way of
being was gone. In one fell sw oop, who I had been—was
no more. More and more I chose med itation. It was not just a
way of escaping the pain; meditation gave meaning to my
life. I was committed to going beyond—permanently—
and the  change s in my life were helping me get rid of an
entire part of my being that was holding me back. The
personality exp ressing itself through that mental voice
was no longer so sure of him self. In fact, he no longer
knew which way was up. These outer changes had
humbled him. He had thought he had it all figured out—
well, he  was wrong. It was definitely easier to let go of
him when he was in pieces. During that stage of my growth, I watched very closely
as the self-concept attempted to redefine itself. In place
of a married man with a defined career path, my
thoughts started to envision myself as a meditator who
was see king a deeper truth. But even in those early days I
didn’t want to regain strength based on another mental
concept of myself. Wheneve r I noticed thoughts being
stitched together to create a new “me,” I knocked the
chair out from under them. It  was very painful, but I was
willing to let it all go if it freed me to explore beyond. My friend came back to his house, so I moved out. I
didn’t care where I lived; I just needed to be alone. My
life was pretty simple. I was meditating, doing some
yoga, and periodically I wo uld go to class. I had nopossessions ex cept my schoolbooks, some clothes, and
my VW van. I used to take lo ng drives in the countryside
surrounding Gainesville. I had once found a beautiful
spot in the wo ods near a neighboring town where there
was a small, ab andoned lime  pit. The pit was filled with
crystal-clear, b lue water and was surrounded by nothing
but a vast area of scrub oaks and pines. I drove out there,
and that is where I lived. I w as becoming more and more of a hermit. It was not
so m uch that I was running away from something—I was
running into myself. My inte ntion was very clear at all
times: I wanted to go bac k deep inside myself. My
problem was that I had no  idea what to do with my
personal self—a.k.a. “Mickey.” His very existence was
holding me back from where I yearned to go. If I didn’t
work at it, the focus of my attention would keep getting
drawn into his personal melodrama. That was clearly the
opposite direction from where I wanted to go. “Mickey”
was down and out; I  wanted to go in and up. In those
days I was cert ain of one thing: he was the problem, and
he had to go. I had become dead serious about getting rid
of him. But I had no idea how.6. S o u t h  o f  t h e  B o r d e r
T he sum mer of 1971 was approaching, and I would soon
be free from classes. I was in my second year of graduate
school, and though my attendance had not been that
regular, I still managed to maintain my high grades. I
was stu dying just enough to do really well on my final
exams and written papers. There was no question about
what I was going to do with my summer—more
meditation and yoga. The only question was, where
would I do it? That w as probably the first time in my life that I
consciously began to notice a distinct, recurring theme in
the events unfolding outside of me. It began when, out of
the blue, a classmate asked me if I had ever been down to
Mexico. He said it was an interesting place to spend
some time. Shortly thereafte r, I was in a bookstore and
practically tripped over a book about touring Mexico that
someone had left on the floor. This started me thinking
that ma ybe I should get aw ay for a while, and maybe
Mexico would be a good idea. The final straw was when I
went to  a gas station to fill up, and someone had left a
map of  Mexico on top of the pump I was using. Those
were enough signs for me. I decided to go off to Mexico. I d idn’t  know where I was g oing—Mexico is a pretty
big plac e. But in my state of mind, it really made no
difference. I would just go an d let it unfold. My friends
and family were not all that e xcited about me going off to
Mexico alone with no agend a. I got a lot of warnings
about b anditos and cautions about avoiding strangers. I
spoke some classroom Spanish, just enough to get introuble. With little more th an that, I headed off to
Mexico. My trip  took me along the Gulf Coast states and down
through Texas. While driving, I would focus on my
breath and utter Mu  in my belly. The last thing in the
world I wanted to do was listen to that voice in my head
chatter all day. Each night I  would find a place to pull
over in  the woods, meditate, and go to sleep. At that
pace, it took a few days to drive down to north-central
Mexico, which was where I ended up. One eve ning, deep in rural Mexico, I couldn’t find any
woods to pull i nto for the night. I didn’t feel comfortable
just pul ling ove r on the side of the road, so I didn’t know
what to do. I ended up driving off-road and climbing one
of the more gr adual foothills until I reached a glorious
vista on the crest of a grassy pasture. There were no
fences or houses in sight, so  that is where I spent the
night. The next morning was brea thtaking. A mist floated
above the fields, and I could see all the colors of the
sunrise. It was so beautifu l that I did my morning
meditation and yoga postures outside. I went very deep,
and an echo o f the peace I was seeking overcame my
being. I stayed on that grassy hill for many weeks
without ever leaving. Each day I increased my periods of
meditation and yoga. My mind was quieting down, and
my heart was starting to breathe again. One morning I was startled by a tapping on the side
door of my van. I became very scared. Had the banditos
finally found me, or was the owner of the land going to
throw me off at gunpoint? Upon opening the door, I
found a young boy about eigh t years old standing outside
with a container in his hands. “Esta leche es de mi mama para el Americano
en la colina.”I str uggled to translate, “This milk is from my mother
for the American on the hill.” I was so moved, and I
thanked him so much. Here I had thought the worst, as
usual, a nd it turned out to b e an act of kindness in the
middle of nowhere in Mexico. I wa s gradually learning that  life was not as fragile as
that voice in m y head would have me believe. There were
experiences to be had, but only if you were willing to
have th em. Most important, that was the first time I can
remember crediting life for the flow of events that had
unfolded. After all, I hadn’t arranged for the perfect place
to pull over an d spend a few  weeks in meditation and
solitude, not to mention to h ave that kind visit from the
boy. Life had provided those things to me; I had just
followed the flow. I was beginning to see all these
experiences as a gift from life.7. D i s c o n n e c t i n g  t h e  P a n i c  B u t t o n
M exico had been good for me, but it was now time to
start my journey home. I head ed back to the north and at
day’s end found a small lake off a dirt road where I could
spend the night. It was so p eaceful that I stayed there
after my morning practices enjoying the water. Time
came for my afternoon meditation session, so I hiked up
a hill and found a secluded spot to start my yoga
postures. About halfway through my routine, I began to hear
some voices in the distance. I started to get
uncomfortable, but I was not about to give in to that
scared p erson inside. I just r elaxed more deeply into my
yoga posture, and the anxiety subsided. The next sound that startled me was that of a snorting
horse a  lot closer than th e voices had been. I was
convinced that these were the banditos. I soon heard
both the voices and the horses a stone’s throw from me. Relaxed was not exactly the word that came to mind. Scared, vulnerable, and terribly self-conscious was a
much more accurate description of my state.


	the
problem. We	talk	with	our	friends	and	family	and	think	about	the	problem. Our	decision-making	process	becomes	clouded	by	the	intensity	of	worry,	fear
and	anxiety. The	more	we	think	about	the	problem,	the	larger	it	grows	within
our	heads	and	the	less	likely	the	possibility	becomes	of	finding	an	outcome. Upon	identifying	the	problem,	connect	with	the	problem	instead	of	running
away	from	it. See	it	as	something	that	needs	to	be	attended	to. I’m	not	saying
avoid	the	problem	or	ignore	it	and	hope	that	it	sorts	itself	out. What	I	am
saying	is	make	an	attempt	to	solve	the	problem	but	without	the	mental
commentary. See	it	head	on	for	what	it	really	is:	something	to	be	addressed. Think	about	finding	a	solution	for	a	few	minutes,	then	drop	the	problem	and
enter	stillness	for	a	period	until	your	mind	settles. Alternate	between	thinking	and	stillness. When	the	time	is	right,	a	creative
solution	will	enter	your	mind. You	will	know	it	to	be	right. You	will	have	a
good	feeling	about	it. A	creative	solution	does	not	arise	from	constant
thought. It	arises	from	a	gap	in	thought,	from	a	cessation	of	thinking. Drop	the
belief	that	constant	thinking	will	solve	your	problem,	as	it	won’t! If	you	don’t	have	a	solution	to	your	problem,	put	a	request	out	there	and	feel
that	a	solution	is	coming. Have	faith	that	it	will	be	sorted	out	at	the	right	time.But	whatever	you	do,	don’t	keep	running	the	problem	through	your	head. Feel
your	inner	body. Reduce	your	breathing! Do	you	have	the	patience	to	wait	till	the	mud	settles	and	the
water	is	clear? Can	you	remain	unmoving	till	the	right	action	arises? by	itself? Lao-Tzu,	Tao-te-ChingThe	bullying	child
C
ian	returned	home	from	school. Some	child	was	calling	him	names	and	he
was	upset	and	not	at	all	happy. His	mother	instinctively	tried	to	find	out	what
happened,	listened	to	him	and	then	told	him	not	to	worry	about	it,	that
everything	was	okay	and,	if	necessary,	she	would	chat	with	his	teacher. Cian
went	outside	to	play	and	soon	forgot	about	the	whole	incidence. What	if	this	situation	ended	differently? What	if	Cian’s	mother	was	to
repeatedly	ask	him,	“What	did	he	call	you? When	did	he	call	you	this? Why
did	he	call	you	this? Where	did	he	call	you	this? What	did	the	other	children
do? Were	they	laughing	at	you? Did	you	like	getting	called	names? How	did
you	feel	when	he	was	calling	you	names?”

Imagine	if	she	asked	Cian	the	same	questions	half	an	hour	later	and	again
before	dinner,	again	before	he	went	to	bed	and	first	thing	in	the	morning	when
he	awoke? Instinctively,	Cian’s	mother	would	not	do	this. She	knew	that	constant
rehashing	the	situation	would	only	turn	the	problem	into	a	drama. If	she	asked
Cian	to	repeatedly	run	the	same	situation	through	his	head,	he	probably	would
have	been	unwilling	to	return	to	school	the	next	morning. Do	you	repeat	the	same	stuff	over	and	over	in	your	own	mind? Feel	the	inner	body. Reduce	your	breathing! Your	enemies
S
omebody	did	something	to	you	once. This	is	bad	enough,	yet	you	choose	to
repeat	the	same	problem	over	and	over	by	running	it	through	your	mind,
sometimes	for	weeks,	months	or	years. It	might	have	been	a	negative	event,
or	person	or	situation. How	long	did	it	actually	happen? The	event	usually	happens	in	a	minute	but	you	run	it	through	your	head	over
and	over	again. Drama	is	added	through	layers	of	thought. When	somebody
says	negative	things	to	you,	learn	from	it	if	possible	but	then	drop	the	mental
baggage. As	you	live	in	presence,	you	will	become	more	conscious	of	the	thoughts	thattake	place	in	your	mind. You	will	become	aware	of	the	effect	of	this	and	will
automatically	drop	the	repetitive	thoughts	a	lot	earlier. For	past	thoughts	that	you	are	repeating,	wouldn’t	your	enemy	be	delighted	to
know	that	you	have	kept	your	problems	alive? Feel	the	inner	body. Reduce
your	breathing. A	reporter	once	asked	the	Dalai	Lama	whether
he	held	anger	towards	China. He	replied
“They	have	taken	everything	from	us,	should	I
let	them	take	my	mind	as	well?”Positive	thinking	is	limited	at	best
T
houghts	create	emotions	and	emotions	create	thoughts. One	feeds	off	and
contributes	to	the	other. You	are	feeling	down	and	emotionally	drained. There
is	a	dark	cloud	over	you	and	the	emotional	charge	has	taken	over. You	feel
like	crying. The	more	you	think,	the	greater	the	emotion. In	turn,	this	feeds	your	thinking
processes. You	don’t	like	feeling	this	way	and	make	an	attempt	to	do
something	about	it. You	attempt	to	replace	your	negative	thoughts	with
positive	thoughts. This	will	not	work. You	have	too	much	of	an	emotional	build	up;	therefore,	no	matter	how	hard
you	try	to	think	positively,	it	will	not	happen	and	you	will	be	even	more
unhappy. It	wasn’t	enough	that	you	felt	unhappy	in	the	first	place,	you	now
feel	unhappy	because	you	are	unhappy. If	you	are	feeling	down,	don’t	make	an	effort	to	think	positively. Instead,	wait
for	the	emotional	build-up	to	dissolve. Accept	that,	at	this	time,	you	are
moody,	feeling	down,	unhappy	and	emotional. Feeling	this	way	is	okay. Everybody	has	a	day	or	two	when	things	are	just	not
right. If	you	have	being	feeling	down	for	years,	then	make	a	conscious
intention	to	bring	as	much	attention	to	your	inner	body	as	often	as	you	can
throughout	the	day. Go	for	a	walk,	feel	your	inner	body	and	reduce	your
breathing. Do
Many	Small	Breath	Holds
throughout	the	day	when	you	are
sitting. Take	attention	out	of	your	mind	and	aim	to	increase	your	Control
Pause	over	time. When	you	accept	that	this	is	how	it	is,	pressure	has	lifted	from	you. Of
course,	it	will	take	some	time	for	the	emotional	charge	to	dissolve,	but	the
more	you	stay	in	the	now	and	follow	your	breath	or	feel	your	inner	body,	the
quicker	this	will	pass. Happiness	cannot	be	bought
W
ithout	a	peaceful	mind,	your	life	is	nothing. If	it	is	agitated	with
thousands	of	thoughts	and	incessant	worry,	then	it	does	not	matter	what	cars,
partner,	money,	house,	job	or	title	you	have. You	fear	for	your	financial	future. You	worry	about	it. Will	I	get	by? Will	I
survive? You	decide	to	do	something,	so	you	spend	thirty	years	of	your	life	in
stress	to	reach	financial	security. Finally,	you	have	arrived. Yet,	your	mind
continues. You	continue	to	worry. You	worry	about	your	health. You	worry
about	the	neighbours	and	what	they	think. You	worry


	findings	constitute	absolute	scientific	proof? Of
course	not. Does	it	provide	enough	information	to	inform	some	practical
decision-making? Absolutely. An	impressive	and	informative	web	of	information	was	emerging	from
this	study. But	does	every	potential	strand	(or	association)	in	this	mammoth
study	fit	perfectly	into	this	web	of	information? No. Although	most
statistically	significant	strands	readily	fit	into	the	web,	there	were	a	few
surprises. Most,	but	not	all,	have	since	been	explained. Some	associations	observed	in	the	China	Study,	at	first	glance,	were	at
odds	with	what	might	have	been	expected	from	Western	experience. I’ve	had
to	use	care	in	separating	unusual	findings	that	could	be	due	to	chance	and
experimental	insufficiency	from	those	that	truly	offered	new	insights	into	our
old	ways	of	thinking. As	I	mentioned	earlier,	the	range	of	blood	cholesterol
levels	in	rural	China	was	a	surprise. At	the	time	when	the	China	Study	was
begun,	a	blood	cholesterol	range	of	200-300	milligrams	per	deciliter	(mg/dL)
was	considered	normal,	and	lower	levels	were	suspect. In	fact,	some	in	the
scientific	and	medical	communities	considered	cholesterol	levels	lower	than
150	mg/dL	to	be	dangerous. In	fact,	my	own	cholesterol	was	260	mg/dL	in
the	late	1970s,	not	unlike	other	members	of	my	immediate	family. The	doctor
told	me	it	was	“fine,	just	average.”
But	when	we	measured	the	blood	cholesterol	levels	in	China,	we	were
shocked. They	ranged	from	70-170	mg/dL! Their	high	was	our	low,	and	their
low	was	off	the	chart	you	might	find	in	your	doctor’s	office! It	became
obvious	that	our	idea	of	“normal”	values	(or	ranges)	only	applies	to	Western
subjects	consuming	the	Western	diet. It	so	happens,	for	example,	that	our
“normal”	cholesterol	levels	present	a
significant	risk	for	heart	disease. Sadly,
it’s	also	“normal”	to	have	heart	disease	in	America. Over	the	years,	standards
have	been	established	that	are	consistent	with	what	we	see	in	the	West. We
too	often	have	come	to	the	view	that	U.S.	values	are	“normal”	because	we
have	a	tendency	to	believe	that	the	Western	experience	is	likely	to	be	right. At	the	end	of	the	day,	the	strength	and	consistency	of	the	majority	of	the
evidence	is	enough	to	draw	valid	conclusions. Namely,	whole,	plant-based
foods	are	beneficial,	and	animal-based	foods	are	not. Few	other	dietary
choices,	if	any,	can	offer	the	incredible	benefits	of	looking	good,	growing	tall
and	avoiding	the	vast	majority	or	premature	diseases	in	our	culture. The	China	Study	was	an	important	milestone	in	my	thinking. Standing
alone,	it	does	not
prove
	that	diet
causes
	disease. Absolute	proof	in	science	is
nearly	unattainable. Instead,	a	theory	is	proposed	and	debated	until	the	weight
of	the	evidence	is	so	overwhelming	that	everyone	commonly	accepts	that	the
theory	is	most	likely	true. In	the	case	of	diet	and	disease,	the	China	Studyadds	a	lot	of	weight	to	the	evidence. Its	experimental	features	(multiple	diet,
disease	and	lifestyle	characteristics,	and	unusual	range	of	dietary	experience,
a	good	means	of	measuring	data	quality)	provided	an	unparalleled
opportunity	to	expand	our	thinking	about	diet	and	disease	in	ways	that
previously	were	not	available. It	was	a	study	that	was	like	a	flashlight	that
illuminated	a	path	that	I	had	never	fully	seen	before. The	results	of	this	study,	in	addition	to	a	mountain	of	supporting	research,
some	of	it	my	own	and	some	of	it	from	other	scientists,	convinced	me	to	turn
my	dietary	lifestyle	around. I	stopped	eating	meat	fifteen	years	ago,	and	I
stopped	eating	almost	all	animal-based	foods,	including	dairy,	within	the	past
six	to	eight	years,	except	on	very	rare	occasions. My	cholesterol	has	dropped,
even	as	I’ve	aged;	I	am	more	physically	fit	now	than	when	I	was	twenty-five;
and	I	am	forty-five	pounds	lighter	now	than	I	was	when	I	was	thirty	years	old. I	am	now	at	an	ideal	weight	for	my	height. My	family	has	also	adopted	this
way	of	eating,	thanks	in	large	part	to	my	wife	Karen,	who	has	managed	to
create	an	entire	new	dietary	lifestyle	that	is	attractive,	tasty	and	healthy. This
has	all	been	done	for	health	reasons,	the	result	of	my	research	findings	telling
me	to	wake	up. From	a	boyhood	of	drinking	at	least	two	quarts	of	milk	a	day
to	an	early	professional	career	of	scoffing	at	vegetarians,	I	have	taken	an
unusual	turn	in	my	life. However,	it	has	been	more	than	my	own	research	that	has	changed	my
life. Over	the	years,	I	have	gone	well	beyond	our	own	research
findings	to	see
what	other	researchers	have	found	regarding	diet	and	health. As	our	research
findings	expanded	from	the	specific	to	the	general,	the	picture	has	continued
to	enlarge. We	now	can	look	at	the	work	of	other	scientists	to	put	my	findings
into	a	larger	context. As	you	shall	see,	it	is	nothing	short	of	astonishing.Part	II
DISEASES	OF	AFFLUENCE
H
ERE	IN
	A
MERICA
,	we	are	affluent,	and	we	die	certain	deaths	because	of	it. We
eat	like	feasting	kings	and	queens	every	day	of	the	week,	and	it	kills	us. You
probably	know	people	who	suffer	from	heart	disease,	cancer,	stroke,
Alzheimer’s,	obesity	or	diabetes. There’s	a	good	chance	that	you	yourself
suffer	from	one	of	these	problems,	or	that	one	of	these	diseases	runs	in	your
family. As	we	have	seen,	these	diseases	are	relatively	unknown	in	traditional
cultures	that	subsist	mostly	on	whole	plant	foods,	as	in	rural	China. But	these
ailments	arrive	when	a	traditional	culture	starts	accumulating	wealth	and
starts	eating	more	and	more	meat,	dairy	and	refined	plant	products	(like
crackers,	cookies	and	soda). In	public	lectures,	I	start	my	presentation	by	telling	the	audience	my
personal	story,	just	as	I	have	done	in	this	book. Invariably,	I	get	a	question	at
the	end	of	the	lecture	from	someone	who	wants	to	know	more	about	diet	and
a	specific	disease	of	affluence. Chances	are	that	you	yourself	also	have	a
question	about	a	specific	disease. Chances	are,	too,	that	this	specific	disease	is
a	disease	of	affluence,	because	that’s	what	we	die	of	here	in	America. You	might	be	surprised	to	know	that	the	disease	that	interests	you	has
much	in	common	with	other	diseases	of	affluence,	especially	when	it	comes
to	nutrition. There	is	no	such	thing	as	a	special	diet	for	cancer	and	a	different,
equally	special	diet	for	heart	disease. The	evidence	now	amassed	from
researchers	around	the	world	shows	that	the	same	diet	that	is	g


are	publishing	more	articles	about	vegetarianism	and	writing	more	about	the
health	potential	of	a	plant-based	diet. 16
	Now,	over	150	years	after	my	great-
great	uncle	George	Macilwain	wrote	books	about	diet	and	disease,	I	am
writing	a	book	about	diet	and	disease	with	the	help	of	my	youngest	son	Tom. Tom’s	middle	name	is	McIlwain	(the	family	changed	the	spelling	over	the
past	couple	of	generations),	which	means	that	not	only	am	I	writing	about
many	of	the	same	ideas	Macilwain	wrote	about,	but	a	relative	bearing	his
name	is	the	co-author. History	can	repeat	itself. This	time,	however,	instead	of
the	message	being	forgotten	and	confined	to	library	stacks,	I	believe	that	the
world	is	finally	ready	to	accept	it. More	than	that,	I	believe	the	world	is
finally	ready	to	change. We	have	reached	a	point	in	our	history	where	our	bad
habits	can	no	longer	be	tolerated. We,	as	a	society,	are	on	the	edge	of	a	great
precipice:	we	can	fall	to	sickness,	poverty	and	degradation,	or	we	can
embrace	health,	longevity	and	bounty. And	all	it	takes	is	the	courage	to
change. How	will	our	grandchildren	find	themselves	in	100	years? Only	time
will	tell,	but	I	hope	that	the	history	we	are	witnessing	and	the	future	that	lies
ahead	will	be	to	the	benefit	of	us	all.APPENDIX	A
Q&A:	Protein	Effect	in	Experimental	Rat	Studies
COULD	THE	DIETARY	PROTEIN	EFFECT	BE
DUE	TO	OTHER	NUTRIENTS	IN	THE	RAT
DIET? Decreasing	dietary	protein	from	20%	to	5%	means	finding	something	to
replace	the	missing	15%. We	used	a	carbohydrate	to	replace	the	casein
because	it	had	the	same	energy	content. As	dietary	protein	decreased,	a	1:1
mixture	of	starch	and	glucose	increased	by	the	same	amount. The	extra	starch
and	glucose	in	the	low-protein	diets	could	not	have	been	responsible	for	the
lower	development	of	foci	because	these	carbohydrates,	when	tested	alone,
actually	increase	foci	development. 1
	If	anything,	a	little	extra	carbohydrate	in
the	low-protein	diet	would	only	increase	cancer	incidence	and	offset	the	low-
protein	effect. This	makes	prevention	of	cancer	by	low-protein	diets	even
more	impressive.MIGHT	THE	PROTEIN	EFFECT	BE	DUE	TO
THE	RATS	ON	A	LOW-PROTEIN	DIET	EATING
LESS	FOOD	(I.E.,	LESS	CALORIES)? Many	studies	done	in	the	1930s,	1940s	and	1950s
2
	had	shown	that	decreasing
total	food	intake,	or	total	calories,	decreased	tumor	development. A	review	of
our	many	experiments,	however,	showed	that	animals	led	the	low-protein
diets	did	not	consume	less	calories	but,	on
average,	actually	consumed	more
calories. 3,	4
	Again,	this	only	reinforced	the	tumor-promoting	effect	observed
for	casein.WHAT	WAS	THE	OVERALL	HEALTH	OF	THE
RATS	ON	A	LOW-PROTEIN	DIET? Many	researchers	have	long	assumed	that	animals	fed	diets	this	low	in	protein
would	not	be	healthy. However,	the	low-protein	animals	were	healthier	by
every	indication. They	lived	longer,	were	more	physically	active,	were
slimmer	and	had	healthy	hair	coats	at	100	weeks	while	the	high-protein
counterpart	rats	were	all	dead. Also,	animals	consuming	less	dietary	casein
not	only	ate	more	calories,	but	they	also	burned	off	more	calories. Low-
protein	animals	consumed	more	oxygen,	which	is	required	for	the	burning	of
these	calories,	and	had	higher	levels	of	a	special	tissue	called	brown	adipose
tissue,
5,	6
	which	is	especially	effective	in	burning	off	calories. This	occurs
through	a	process	of	“thermogenesis,”	i.e.,	the	expenditure	of	calories	as	body
heat. This	phenomenon	had	already	been	demonstrated	many	years	before. 7–
11

Low-protein	diets	enhance	the	burning	off	of	calories,	thus	leaving	less
calories	for	body	weight	gain	and	perhaps	also	less	for	tumor	growth	as	well
.WAS	PHYSICAL	ACTIVITY	RELATED	TO	THE
CONSUMPTION	OF	THE	LOW-PROTEIN	DIET? To	measure	the	physical	activity	of	each	group	of	rats,	we	compared	how
much	they	voluntarily	operated	an	exercise	wheel	attached	to	their	cages. A
monitor	recorded	the	number	of	times	the	animals	turned	the	exercise	wheel. The	low-casein	animals
12
	exercised	about	twice	as	much,	when	measured
over	a	two-week	period! This	observation	seems	to	be	very	similar	to	how
one	feels	after	eating	a	high-protein	meal:	sluggish	and	sleepy. I	have	heard
that	a	side	effect	of	the	protein-drenched	Atkins	Diet	is	fatigue. Have	you	ever
noticed	this	feeling	in	yourself	after	a	high-protein	meal?APPENDIX	B
Experimental	Design	of	the	China	Study
S
IXTY-FIVE	COUNTIES
	in	twenty-four	different	provinces	(out	of	twenty-seven)
were	selected	for	the	survey. They	represented	the	full	range	of	mortality	rates
for	seven	of	the	more	common	cancers. They	also	provided	broad	geographic
coverage	and	were	within	four	hours’	travel	time	of	a	central	laboratory. The
survey	counties	represented:
semitropical	coastal	areas	of	southeast	China;
frigid	wintry	areas	in	northeast	China,	near	Siberia;
areas	near	the	Great	Gobi	desert	and	the	northern	steppes;
and	areas	near	or	in	the	Himalaya	Mountains	ranging	from	the	far
northwest	to	the	far	southwest	part	of	the	country
Except	for	suburban	areas	near	Shanghai,	most	counties	were	located	in
rural	China	where	people	lived	in	the	same	place	their	entire	lives	and
consumed	locally	produced	food. Population	densities	varied	widely,	from
20,000	nomadic	residents	for	the	most	remote	county	near	the	Great	Gobi
desert,	to	1.3	million	people	for	the	county	on	the	outskirts	of	Shanghai. This	survey	is	referred	to	as	an	ecological	or	correlation	study	design,
meaning	that	we	are	comparing	diet,	lifestyle	and	disease	characteristics	of	a
number	of	sample	populations,	in	this	case	the	sixy-five	counties. We
determine	how	these	characteristics,	as	county	averages,	correlate
or	associate
with	each	other. For	example,	how	does	dietary	fat	relate	to	breast	cancer
rates? Or	how	does	blood	cholesterol	relate	to	coronary	heart	disease? How
does	a	certain	kind	of	fatty	acid	in	red	blood	cells	relate	to	rice	consumption? We	could	also	compare	blood	testosterone	levels	or	estrogen	levels	with
breast	cancer	risk. We	did	thousands	of	different	comparisons	of	this	type. In	a	study	of	this	kind,	it	is	important	to	note	that	only	the	average	values
for	county	populations	are	being	compared. Individuals	are	not	being
compared	with	individuals	(in	reality,	neither	does	any	other	epidemiological


 not have the capacity
to know truth from falsehood about either the world or the personal self. It is best to speak to the inner conscience and commit it to bec oming a
useful ally and teacher rather  than a sadistic self-perpetrator. It is
important to decisively bind its purpose to be educative. One must make
a decision that a  mature conscience is a useful tool and a help ful guide
with which one is in accord by the choice of one’ s own will. By exercise
of the will, the conscience can then be prohibited from becoming just
another self-indulgent, wallowing-in-guilt, paradoxically egoistic
perpetrator. It is good to be aware that wearing sackcloth and ashes may be
melodramatic, but it is useless to the world or spiritual integrity and is
actually a sly self-indulgence. Guilt can be replaced with just a decent
regret as  an inherited human limitation, in contrast to which perfection is
an equa lly unrealistic idealization. Guilt is alleviated by acceptance oflimitation that, in turn, is a positive consequence of humility. Thereby,
guilt can be rejected as merely another form of self-indulgence. Self-honesty requires courage, humility, patience, and compassion for
the i mmature aspects of the con science, which, after all, arose o riginally
as a  product of childhood. Therefore, it has a tendency toward
exaggeration, or alternately, to being dismissed if it stands in the way of
impulsiveness. The task is to honestly acknowledge inner defects or
faults of character without trigg ering guilt attacks of self-hatred, anger,
or resentment of self or others. The ego /mind is a learned set of behaviors, and the ultimate g oal is to
transcend its programming and functioning by virtue of the power of the
Radiance of the Self, which recontextualizes life benignly. The Presence
of the Self is experienced as  compassion for all of life in all its
expressions, including its evolution as one’ s personal sel f. As a
consequence, for giveness replaces condemnation, which is a si gn that it
is no w safe to proceed deeper into serious inner inventory witho ut undue
stress. The above process represents th e collective wisdom of the total ity of the
very suc cessful twelve-step sel f-help groups, as well as others. It also
represents the basic premise that  is followed in in-depth analysis, such as
psychoanalysis, where the basic rule is to always approach the
exploration of intrapsychic conflicts first from the side of the superego. It
is al so h elpful to  remember that the world benefits from wisdom and not
from hatred, blame, or guilt. On the road of inner discovery, one comes
across memories and events that are deserving of regret and simply result
in the decision to do better. Another very useful tool in spiritual and therapeutic work is a sense of
humor to  of fset the downside of the worldly theater of the absur d and its
outrageous slings and arrows. Humor is the consequence of seeing
through the illusions of paradox. While th e great teachers taught that the basic human defect is ignorance,
it is  even more  helpful to see  human limitation as naïveté, which is
primarily a shortcoming. W ith adequate preparation, inner work and
rigorous self-honesty can be taken on safely without falling into shame,
despair, hopelessness, self-condemnation, depression, or loss of self-esteem. As the crook remarked when caught red-handed, “W ell,
nobody’ s perfect, are they?”
While w orld religions have formal periods of penance and self-
examination, these tend to become compartmentalized and also viewed
as unpleasantly somber. Mature spiritual work results in rewarding
growth and education that lead  to greater happiness and joy. Penance
tends to be episodic; spiritual growth is permanent. Theology and Guilt. Humankind is a progressively evolutionary species whose origins were
very primitive and ignorant of r eality. The theological beliefs of ancient
civilizations were therefore birthed out of the myths of uneducated
imagination that  included a preponderance of negativity in accord with
the prev ailing low levels of con sciousness. The allegory of ‘Adam and
Eve’ cal ibrates at 70, and the idea that man was ‘born in sin’ calibrates at
a level of truth of only 30. Divinity was perceived as oppressive and
frightening. An alternate view that stems from consciousness research is that humans
emer ged as basically innocent but ignorant, which calibrates at 200. In
contrast, there is the view of man as expressed by Socrates tha t all men
are intri nsically innocent becaus e they can only choose to do what they
perceive as the good, but they a re unable to discern the true good from
the f alse illusions of the world. (Socrates’ statement calibrates  at 540.) Extensive resear ch, as well as clinical and spiritual experience, history,
and investigation, corroborate the truth of Socrates. Because man lacked the capac ity to discern truth from falseh ood, the
system of good and bad was instituted, which was pragmati c and of
social value for children and for the lar ge segment of the populous that
calibrates below  200. Because the nonevolved or immature lack a sense
of spiritual/ethic al/moral standards, they are guided by ‘rules’ of ‘good
and bad’. Below consciousness level 200, there is no concern for others,
and the refore, ‘good and bad’ dictums substitute for the lack of
awareness. Wha t is tempting to the nonintegrous would not even be
thinkable as an option to people who are more evolved (e.g., t o murder
someone for their money, etc.). Crime is related directly to the personal
level of consciousness (inmates  in prison calibrate at an average of 50).Thus, guilt serves as a valu able function collectively wh ere it is
appropriate as a social counte rbalance to the acting out of primitive
instincts. There is  a similar value to good/bad guilt in children who also lack a
sense of reality (e.g., it is ‘bad’ to squeeze a newborn kitten ). In this
case, gu ilt has its positive asp ect as an inhibiting counterbalance to
unrestrained, pri mitive instinctual drives of the nonevolved ‘unc ivilized’
ego. In more mature persons, instinctual primitive drives may unexpectedly
break through defenses in the f orm of impulsivity that is later regretted
or se en as a foolish mistake and therefore a helpful warning to be more
aware of a trend that results in mistakes in judgment. Maturation is a life-
long pro cess, and, as the old saying goes, “The gray hairs of age have
been earned.” Some degree of remorse and regret over past errors is
inevitable, contr ibuting to the development of compassion for self and
others. T o make allowance for human error is indicative of a more
benign, realistic conscience. The Dualities of Guilt and Hate. Because the consequences to self and others can be extensive, guilt and
hatred, whether directed within or projected onto others, necessitate
serious attention. In return, the rewards from experiencing increased
degrees of happiness are gratif ying and experientially well worth the
ef fort. The relinquishment of guilt and hatred is a major benefit at all
levels of life as  these ego pos itions are corrosive to self an d others. Resistance stems from the secret pleasure the ego derives from
negativity.CHAPTER 3. Apathy. (Calibration Level 50). Intr oduction. The leve l of Apathy is characterized by neglect, indif ference, poverty,
and in more sev ere degrees, by despair and hopelessness. The world and
the future look bleak, and pathos is the theme of life. It is a  state of
helplessness, and  its victims, needy in every way, lack not only resources
but also the ener gy to take advantage of what may be available. Unless
external ener gy is supplied by c aregivers, death through passive suicide
can result. W ithout the will to live, the hopeless stare blankly,
unresponsive to stimuli. The eyes stop tracking, and there is insuf ficient
ener gy left to even swallow prof fered food. This is the level of the homeless  and the derelicts of society. It is also the
fate of many of the aged and ot hers who become isolated by chronic or
progressive dise ases. The apathetic are dependent; they are ‘he avy’ and
feel like  a burden to those around them. They represent the human
expression of the tamas of the classic Hindu gunas (qualities) of the
trilogy of tamas (inertia, resistance), rajas (high ener gy), and sattva
(peace) that are innate to the world. Society often lacks suf ficient motivation to be of any real help to cultures
or in dividuals at this level and sees them as drains of resource s. This is
the level of the streets of Calcutta, where only the saintly, such as Mother
T eresa and her followers