  eighteen  to  thirty,  I  was  diagnosed  with  pelvic
inflammatory  disease,  ulcerative  colitis,  Chron's  disease  or  ileitis  (a  chronic,
painful inflammation of the colon), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Hashimoto's
disease (a disorder of the thyroid gland) and mononucleosis. I had severe chronic kidney infections, two miscarriages, chronic cystitis, severe
candida and external yeast infections along with marked adrenal insufficiency and
serious chronic ear and sinus infections for which I was prescribed antibiotics on
an ongoing basis for several years. Food and chemical allergies also became a big
problem. And  even  though I ate  almost  nothing because  of my extreme  food
allergies, I actually kept gaining weight, which only added to the discomfort of all
the other health disorders I was dealing with. The bottles of drugs I had taken during this time could have filled a small landfill,
but none of my illnesses or disorders had been resolved, and in fact, were more
debilitating than ever - it seemed as though I had become nothing more than a
walking encyclopedia of disease and the worst part about the entire situation was
that no matter how many failed drug therapies I tried, any visit to the doctor's
office only resulted in another discouraging failure. Another  big  problem  was  the  drug  side  effects  -I  felt  like  a  ping-pong  ball,
bouncing  from  one  drug  to  another  as  my  doctors  kept  prescribing  more  and
different drugs to counteract the side effects of the ones I was already taking. By the time I turned 30, the natural health movement was really picking up speed,
and, desperate for any solution, I tried out the Adelle Davis nutrition regimen,
7mega-vitamin therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care and every herbal preparation
and drug-free natural health therapy that I could find. Within  two  years,  my  chronic  cystitis  cleared  up  and  the  menstrual  pain  and
bleeding markedly decreased. The ulcerative colitis also responded and the sinus
infections disappeared. I felt that I was slowly and surely regaining strength and
health and even beginning to experience a portion of the energy and vigor that
'normal' healthy people enjoy - and all without drugs. When I conceived my son at
34 and made it through the first trimester without miscarrying I felt as though I'd
conquered the final health frontier. Unfortunately,  in  my  burst  of  enthusiasm,  I  underestimated  the  impact  of
pregnancy on my understandably frail health, and the birth that I had so carefully
prepared for was a near fatal disaster requiring emergency surgery. And as it turned out, even despite all the illness and pain I'd gone through in the
years before the birth, all of it seemed like child's-play after I ran head on into the
serious complications of a difficult childbirth. For months after the birth, I hounded my gynecologist, complaining of unremitting
and severe abdominal cramps, cystitis and horribly painful menstrual periods. My
natural  health  treatments would  give  temporary  relief,  but  mystifyingly,  didn't
seem to have the same beneficial and lasting effects that they'd had before my
pregnancy. I underwent every conceivable medical test, all of which came back negative, but
the problems just didn't go away My doctor flinched every time I walked in the
door and then sent me back out again with increasingly severe assurances that the
pain was "unwarranted" and probably all in my head. After alienating every doctor in town with my complaints, I finally gave up and
decided to'suffer in silence' until one hot summer day almost twenty-four months
after the birth, I suddenly fell, screaming with pain, on my living room floor in
front of my terrified two year old. I literally had to crawl to the phone to call my
husband. When he carried me, screeching, into my OB's office, the doctor clicked
his tongue disapprovingly. "Now it can't be that bad, dear, we just checked you out
a few months ago", he cajoled. 8He gave me Codeine and sent me home - 48 hours later I was in  the operating
room having emergency surgery for multiple ruptured ovarian tumors. A couple of days after the procedure, my doctor sauntered into my hospital room
with a conciliatory grin on his face. "Gee", he drawled apologetically, "We had no
idea anything like this was going to happen. Your ovary looked horrible - engorged
to the size of a grapefruit. No wonder you were hurting. Sorry you had to go so
long without help but, you know, the tests just never turned up anything. And oh,
by the way, the pathologist found a little endometriosis in your right ovary. " Endometriosis is an incurable women's disease in which uterine tissue for some
unknown reason detaches itself from the uterus, moves to other locations in the
body, and attaches itself to other organs or body tissue. This misplaced uterine
tissue  spontaneously  bleeds  in response  to  hormonal  changes,  causing  internal
bleeding, scarring and often excruciating pain that can destroy the woman's ability
to live and function normally. This disease is not uncommon among women, but it
is incurable, at least by conventional medical standards. My "little" endometriosis turned into the monster that ate Tokyo - three months
after my doctor had "successfully" operated, I was sitting in the ultrasound room at
the hospital again, watching as several new endometrial tumors appeared on the
monitor  screen,  accompanied  by  the  usual  excruciating  pelvic  pain,  internal
bleeding, constipation, hemorrhagic cystitis and acute exhaustion. After the ultrasound, I decided to contact a doctor who was recommended to me as
an expert on endometriosis. He told me that he felt that my health problems had
originally stemmed from undiagnosed severe endometriosis and an underactive
thyroid which had probably been present since adolescence. He recommended an
immediate  hysterectomy,  which  I  underwent. The  day  after  the  operation,  the
doctor visited  me  arid  compassionately  whispered  that I would  "never  have a
problem with endometriosis again". But he was wrong. Twenty months later, I had more tumors and another operation. Three months after
that, the pain, tumors and internal bleeding reappeared again and I was scheduled
for what would by now have been my sixth surgical procedure in five years, which
I refused to undergo. 9Desperate and seriously debilitated, I flew to Mexico where I spent $15,000 on an
intensive course of intravenous mega-vitamin and livecell therapy at one of the
alternative cancer clinics which had offered some hope for my case. For weeks,
doctors poured nutrients and natural medicines into my veins and mouth. I watched
as many of the cancer patients around me seemed to get better and better with the
treatments. And I did too - for about two months. I spent my fortieth birthday hopelessly sick and in bed which was where I stayed
that entire year. The drugs, operations and Mexican treatments had completely
failed,  and  my  usual  herbs  and  homeopathic  remedies,  although  they  gave
temporary relief, seemed almost useless against the disease. And by now, even
though I had health insurance, my husband and I had spent over $100,000 of our
own money, and still, I couldn't even get out of bed. I had one last surgery which removed another large bleeding tumor. When I got
home  from  the  hospital,  I  weighed  89  pounds  and  developed  a  post-surgical
infection which required several courses of antibiotics. After taking the antibiotics,
I developed an extremely severe case of candida (yeast infection). My hands and
arms became covered with a horribly itchy fungal infection that nothing could
relieve or cure, and I remained generally exhausted, bedridden, and in intense pain. Because of the surgeries, I was also experiencing early and severe menopausal
symptoms – hot-flashes, mood swings, water retention and depression. But because
endometriosis is exacerbated by estrogen, my doctor recommended that I refrain
from taking estrogen supplements which she said would have relieved the severe
and very unpleasant symptoms. Several  months  after  the  surgery,  the  all-too-familiar  endometrial  symptoms
returned. My  doctor  assured  me  that  all  was  well,  but  when  I  asked  for  and
received my surgical records from the hospital, I found that she had written that
"all attempts to remove endometriosis will be done, but complete surgical care can
rarely be guaranteed; the patient may require further therapy for endometriosis,
medically or surgically" For my exhausted and bewildered husband and myself,
this prognosis seemed like an insurmountable and final defeat. I had one more heart to heart talk with a gynecologist who told me, "given the
severity of your case, the reality is that you


 them? Shall we
withdraw from a similar situation in the future with greater fear, or shall we
transcend this crisis and master it once and for all? Do we choose hope or
discouragement? Can we use the experience as an opportunity to learn how
to share, or shall we withdraw into a shell of fear and bitterness? Every
emotional experience is an opportunity to go up or down. Which do we
choose? That is the confrontation. W e have the opportunity to choose whether we want to hang on or let
go of emotional upsets. W e can look at the cost of hanging on to them. Do
we want to pay the price? Are we willing to accept the feelings? W e can
look at the benefits of letting go of them. The choice we make will
determine our future. What kind of a future do we want? W ill we choose to
be healed, or will we become one of the walking wounded? In making this choice, it is well to look at the payof f we get from
hanging on to the residuals of a painful experience. What are the
satisfactions we are getting? How little are we willing to settle for? Anger. Hatred. Self-pity. Resentments. They all have their cheap little payof f, that
little inner satisfaction. Let’ s not pretend that it’ s not there. There is a weird,
quirky pleasure when we hang on to pain. It certainly satisfies our
unconscious need for the alleviation of guilt through punishment. W e get to
feel miserable and rotten. The question then arises, “But for how long?”
T ake, for example, a man who had not spoken to his brother for twenty-
three years. Neither of them could remember what the incident was about; it
had been long for gotten. But they were in the habit of not speaking, and so
for twenty-three years they paid the price of missing each other ’ s company,
af fection, togetherness in family matters, and all the shared experiences and
love they could have had. When the man learned about the mechanism of
surrender, he began to let go of his feelings about his brother. Suddenly, he
broke out in tears of grief, realizing all that had been lost over the years. By
for giving his brother, he triggered a similar response in the brother, and the
two were reunited. Then, one of the brothers flashed back on the incident. It
had been an ar gument over a pair of tennis shoes. Over one pair of tennis
shoes they had paid a price extending over twenty-three years! Had the man
not learned the technique of letting go, he might well have gone to his gravewith the same resentment. So the question is, “How long do we want to go
on suf fering? When are we willing to give it up? When is enough enough?”
The part of us that wants to cling to negative emotions is our smallness. It is the part of us that is mean, petty, selfish, competitive, cheap, conniving,
mistrusting, vindictive, judgmental, diminished, weak, guilty, ashamed, and
vain. It has little ener gy; it is depleting, demeaning, and leads to the
lowering of self-respect. It is the small part of us that accounts for our own
self-hatred, unending guilt, and seeking for punishment, sickness, and
disease. Is that the part with which we want to identify? Is that the part we
want to ener gize? Is that the way we want to see ourselves? Because if
that’ s the way we see ourselves, that’ s the way others will see us. The world can only see us as we see ourselves. Are we willing to pay
those consequences? If we see ourselves as cheap and petty, it’ s unlikely
that we’ll be at the top of the company list for a raise. The price of holding on to smallness can be demonstrated with muscle
testing. The procedure is fairly simple (Hawkins, [1995], 2012). Hold in
mind a mean, petty thought and have someone press down on your arm
while you resist; notice the ef fect. Now choose the exact opposite view. Picture yourself as being generous, for giving, loving, and experiencing your
inner greatness. Instantly, there will be an enormous increase in muscle
strength indicating a sur ge of positive bio-ener gy. Smallness brings
weakness, sickness, disease, and death. Do you really want that? Letting go
of negative feelings can be accompanied by another very healthy maneuver
which will greatly assist your inner transformation, and that is to stop
resisting the positive emotions. Enhancing Positive Emotions
The corollary to letting go of negative feelings is to stop resisting the
positive ones. Everything in the universe has its opposite; therefore, in the
mind, every negative feeling has its counterpart between smallness and
greatness, whether we are constantly aware of its existence at any given
moment or not. A good and very illuminating exercise is to sit down and look at the
feeling that is directly opposite the negative one that we are experiencing
and begin to let go resisting it. Let’ s say, for instance, that a friend’ s
birthday is coming up and we are feeling resentful and stingy; therefore, we
just can’ t seem to get out to shop for a present, and the day is getting closer.The exact opposite feelings are those of for giveness and generosity. W e just
start looking for the feeling of for giveness within ourselves and stop
resisting it. As we keep letting go of our resistance to being a for giving
person, it is often surprising that it will come up with a sur ge. W e will begin
to recognize that part of our nature has always been willing and wanting to
for give, but we didn’ t dare chance it. W e thought we might appear foolish. W e thought we were punishing the other person by holding the resentment,
but we have actually been suppressing love. In the beginning, we may not
consciously feel this specifically about our friend, but we will begin to
notice that we do have this aspect to our personality. As we keep
surrendering our resistance to love, we will notice that within ourselves
there is something that wants to express itself through sharing and giving,
letting the past go and burying the hatchet. There is a desire to make a
friendly gesture; we want to heal the separation, to repair the wound, to
make good the wrong, to express gratitude, and to take a chance on being
thought a fool. The purpose of this exercise is to locate within ourselves that which
can only be described as greatness. Greatness is the courage to overcome
obstacles. It is the willingness to move to a higher level of love. It is the
acceptance of others’ humanness and having compassion for their suf fering
by putting ourselves in their shoes. Out of the for giveness of others come
self-for giveness and the relief of guilt. The real payof f we get is when we
let go of our negativity and choose to be loving; we are the ones who
benefit. W e are the ones who gain from the real payof f. W ith this increased
awareness of who we really are comes the progressive invulnerability to
pain. Once we compassionately accept our own humanness and that of
others, we are no longer subject to humiliation, for true humility is a part of
greatness. Out of the recognition of who we really are comes the desire to seek
that which is uplifting. Out of it arises a new meaning and context for life. When that inner emptiness, due to lack of self-worth, is replaced by true
self-love, self-respect and esteem, we no longer have to seek it in the world,
for that source of happiness is within ourselves. It dawns on us that it
cannot be supplied by the world anyway. No amount of riches can
compensate for an inner feeling of poverty. W e all know of the many
multimillionaires who try to compensate for their inner sense of hollowness
and lack of inner worth. Once we have contacted this inner Self, this innergreatness, this inner completion, contentment, and true sense of happiness,
we have transcended the world. The world is now a place to enjoy, and we
are no longer run by it. W e are no longer at the ef fect of it. When we utilize these techniques of relinquishing the negative and
surrendering resistance to the positive, sooner or later we come into a
sudden, comprehensive awareness of our true dimension. Once this has
been experienced, it will never be for gotten. The world will never
intimidate us again as it once did. There may be continued compliance with
the ways of the world out of sheer habit, but the inner drivenness, the inner
vulnerability, and the inner doubt is now gone. Outwardly, the behavior may
appear the same but, inwardly, the causes for it are now totally dif ferent. The end result of the conscious handling of emotions is invulnerability and
imperturbability. Our inner nature is now bullet proof. W e are able to go
through life with balance and grace. CHAPTER
4
A P A T H Y  A N D  D E P R E S S I O N
Apathy is the belief, “I can’ t.” It is the feeling that we cannot do anything


riya Yoga) to purify the body so
that the consciousness can ultimately contain the
entire universe. In this respect, it is closely related
to a religious practice, and is therefore not really a
method of treatment. Swami Satyananda Saraswati states in 'Amaroli
-The Way of the Yogi', the preface to the book
Amaroli:
"I am fully acquainted with the topic of amaroli
and have had personal experience with its use. Of
course, I did not use it for therapy but in order to
perfect vajroli kriya, and I am convinced that those
who want to perfect vajroli will have to go through
the process of amaroli. Since 1943, right up to 1978 (date of publication
of the book Amaroli), I have never seen bad results
from the use of amaroli, either in therapy or for
vajroli. just recently a very ill gentleman
approached me and asked me my opinion on amar
oli. I suggested that he try it for himself and see
what happens. Now, two months later, he has
recovered completely. From the healing point of view, if amaroli proves
to be less dangerous than the therapeutic use of
drugs, synthetic hormones and various other
assorted chemical substances, if it proves less
corrosive and nutritionally harmful than Coca Cola
and 7-Lf;>, if it is less dependence-producing and
intoxicating than alcohol, less distasteful than
eating gelatin, manufactured from the hooves and
32 Nectar of Immortality tendons of animals, then I am sure it will be a boon
to humanity. I personally feel that we must state the facts on
amaroli in as straightforward, clear 1nd direct a
manner as po$sible. Then mankind may just
possibly find that there are many other benefits
hidden in the science of amaroli than originally
believed." (From: Amaro/i, S. S. Saraswati, Bihar School of
Yoga, Bihar 1978)
Many verses in the Damar Tantra refer to the spir
itual aspects of urine therapy. Keep in mind that
this text was meant for yogis or monks who fol
lowed a spiritual path. A number of things will
therefore sound exaggerated. One example is:
Verse 19
"After eight years of working with this method, the
follower can conquer all the five important elements
of the universe. Nine years of this method will make the follower
immortal." In the Indian tradition the entire material world
consists of the five elements earth, water, fire, air
and ether. Conquering these elements is equal to
spiritual freedom, which means one does not have
to remain in the cycle of reincarnation. Generally
stated, reincarnation is based upon the belief that a
person keeps being reborn until he is liberated from
earthly life, either by performing good deeds or by
becoming enlightened. In this sense reaching immortality can be seen as
achieving spiritual freedom. Other fragments in the Damar Tantra refer to the
influence of urine therapy on moods and character. Jt is also clear that urine therapy is applied in
combination with herbs. The method of urine
therapy described in the Damar Tantra is closely
related to the Ayurvedic tradition, Ayurveda being
the'science of long life', an Indian system of natu
ral medicine and living, thousands of years old and
stil: successfully being practised. The following frag
ments indicate how urine therapy relates to
Ayurveda and to herbs blended according to
_Ayurvedic principles:
Verse 37
"Sulphur, dried fruit of Am/a (Phylonthus
Emblica) and nutmeg powder should be mixed
together and taken daily, followed by Shivambu. All pains and miseries vanish." Verse 62
"The follower who drinks the mixture ofShivambu
and the powder of thr five parts of the
Sharapunkha (Devnal) plant will become the
master and authority of meditation. He will enjoy
utmost pleasure in life." Verse 85
"Oh Goddess, if in the early morning the follower
nasalizes his own urine, the ailments arising out
ofKapha, Pitta and Vata will vanish. He will have
a healthy appetite and his body will become strong
and healthy." Other ancient texts which are part of the religious
and spiritual heritage of India also contain frag
ments about and refer either to urine therapy or to 'amaroli' ('nectar of immortality'). A number of
these fragments, most of them taken over from the
book Amaroli of S.S. Saraswati, follow below. Hatha Yoga Pradipika 3;96-97
"In the doctrine of the Kapalikas, amaroli is the
drinking of the midstream, leaving the first for it
is too pungent (too much bile) and the last, which
is useless. He who drinks amari, snuffs it daily,
and practises vajrolt~ is said to be practising
amaroli." Gyanarnava Tantra, Chapter 22
"After realizing the exact knowledge of dharma and
ad harm a, every aspect of the world becomes holy
stool, urine, ovum, nails,. bones, are all holy things
in the sight of that person who has explored mantra. 0 Parvati, different deities are living in that
water from which urine is made, then why is urine
said to be contaminated?" Harit, Chapter 1 on Urine
"Human urine is basic, bitter and light. It destroys
diseases of the eyes, makes the body strong,
improves digestion and destroys coughs and colds." BhawaPrakasha, Verse 7, Chapter on Urine
"Human urine destroys poison, properly used ii
gives new life, purifies blood, clears skin troubles,
is sharp in taste and contains many salts." Yoga Ratnakar, Mutrashtakam Verse 11
''Human urine controls bile in the blood, destroys
worms, cleans intestines, controls cough and calms
nerves. It is sharp in taste, destroys laziness and is
an antidote to poisons." The History of Urine Therapy In the East 33 Sushrut Samhita, 4/2 28
"Human urine is an antidote to poisons." Tirumandiram
(written by Siddhar Tirumoolar), Verse 830
"Shivambu is medicine for the courageous. It is
divine and nectar, the gift of shakt( and imbues
one with great strength. The God Nandi has told
us about this. The great sages have said it is the
basis· of all medicines.'' 34 Nectar of Immortality Vyavahar Sutra, Chapter 42
In Chapter 42 of the Vyavahar Sutra, a religious
document from the Jain tradition written by
Acharya Bhadrabahu, the followers' pratimas
(promises and trials) are listed. This includes a pe
riod as a hermit during which one fasts and drinks
all one's secreted urine. Shiva-Parvati Sambad
This is an ancient Sanskrit document studied by
Professor Athawale from Ahmedabad. The text was
apparently terribly damaged, but in spite of this
Professor Athawale has been able to decipher the
following fragments. Shiva says to his wife Parvati
"Dev( listen to what I say: Shivambu (urine) is a
great purift.eri it removes all the impurities from
the body. Shivambu is a veritable nectar ( amrit)
churned out of one's own body.'' 'The pot which is to be used for collecting urine
before oral consumption should first be cleansed with
a piece of cloth. While cleaning the pot the following
mantra should be uttered-1astraya phut'." ~ A saddhu (Indian holy man) drinking urine from a
human skull. Australian scientists are doing research
into the drinking of urine by Indian yogis and the pre
sumed beneficial effects on their meditation practices. The tranqui/lizing effects of morning urine are, accord
ing to the hypothesis of the scientists, to be attributed
to a hormone called melatonin. ·The text includes the following mantra, which
should be said aloud seven times before drinking
urine:
"Om, aim hreem amritodbhave amrita varshini,
amritam kuru no swaha." ·
A mantra is a holy saying which can be compared
to a short prayer. The super mantras Om Namaha
Shivaya ('All honour to Shiva' or' May Thy will be
done') from Hinduism and Om Manipadme Hum
('The jewel in the lotus') from Buddhism are also
known to many Westerners. · The text further states that for fast results, urine
should be drunk three times a day: once in the
morning, once in the afternoon and once in the
evening, usually one hour before or after dinner. One of the results of this can be:
"By taking shivambu continually and regularly, a
man or woman becomes sexually potent and the
signs of old age (such as senility and loss of. pro


 building a relationship that serves
to connect you back to that reality. A spiritual relationship is one in which
the deepest values are aligned, and in which the deepest commitment is to
helping each other awaken to the reality of your soul—the only part of you
that is consistent, as everything else changes. To build a love that lasts—
because its foundation is built upon the only part of you that is lasting—
here are suggestions for deeper commitments you may choose to make in
your relationship:
Help each other awaken to the part of you that is unchanging
(beyond the body, mind, emotions, and situation). Learn how to love from that deepest place. Practice loving, even when it is hard. Hold space for each other when you forget who you really are and
how to act.Take responsibility for your actions and communicate ef fectively so
that you grow together. Be honest and transparent because you respect each other. Acknowledge the parts of yourselves that have been broken by
circumstance, and come back the part of you that is (and has always
been) whole. Help each other learn how to love God, acknowledging that the most
profound experience of relationship is when you are instruments of
that love and that compassion in the world. Make each other happy, knowing that ultimately your happiness is
not the other ’s responsibility, though real joy is experienced in loving
exchanges (both in giving and receiving love). Live a life of service, knowing that that is where real happiness
comes from. Questions to Explore as a Couple
Before your little one comes, it is invaluable to sit down and
discuss your vision for becoming parents, sharing ideas
about what that might look like. This assures that you and
your partner are both on the same page about building this
next part of your life. What is your intention for inviting this little soul into your
lives? How do you envision yourself as a mother/father? Practically speaking, what will your day-to-day life look like? Will one of you take primary responsibility for your child asthe other one works? Will it be a 50/50 split? Will there be
anyone else supporting with childcare? How do you see yourselves raising this little one? What
values (spirituality, purpose, nature, health, family, discipline)
are important? Are there any habits that you would like to rid yourself of
before baby comes? Are there any mental or emotional patterns that you would
like to work on, so as not to pass them on? Are there any dynamics or past experiences in your
relationship that need to be healed? How might your relationship change? When and how do you feel most supported by the other? What fears do you have around becoming a mother/father? What are you excited about? PREPARING YOUR BODY
By human adolescence, each female ovary holds 250,000 eggs. Over the
course of a woman’ s lifetime, about four hundred of those eggs will be
released. [*1] Each month, in preparation for pregnancy, one egg is released. This “chosen egg” is being prepared for three or four months and slowly
making its way through all other eggs toward the top of the ovary. Ayurvedic medicine is attentive to an understanding that the health (or
disease) of the egg, and thus the long-term health (or dis-ease) of the child,
is lar gely established in those three or four months before it is released,
based on the mother ’s diet and lifestyle.Similarly, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of a father ’s dietary and
lifestyle choices. It takes about three months for sperm to get from where
they are produced to where they are ejaculated—almost exactly the same as
the egg maturation period! Consequently, a man’ s ability to procreate and
the health of his sperm, and thus the health of his child, are af fected by his
diet and the way that he lives. Ayurveda teaches that there are six bodily tissues—plasma, blood,
muscle, fat, bone, and nerve tissue—on which the health of the reproductive
tissues—the seventh tissue—are dependent. To the degree that plasma is
nourished, blood will be nourished. To the degree that blood is nourished,
muscles will be nourished, and so on. The final tissues to be nourished are
the reproductive or gans. The health of all of the tissues are dependent on having good digestion,
referred to in Ayurveda as agni, which controls how well food is assimilated
into the body (see more on agni in chapter 8, starting at this page ). Your
tissues are literally composed of what you are able to digest and assimilate. The first step in producing healthy sperm and eggs is to ensure digestion is
working optimally—a goal achieved through deep internal cleansing to
balance the doshas and remove toxins. If it suits your unique circumstance,
both parents should begin the following cleanse starting six months before
trying to conceive:
Six months befor e conception: gentle cleansing. Eat an easy-to-digest,
whole-food diet that is well cooked. Any of the recipes in chapter 8
will be appropriate for this time. Eliminate—or at least avoid as much
as possible—processed foods, dairy, vegetable oils, meat, caf feine,
and alcohol. Eating at the same times each day without snacking
between meals will support the body’ s regulation, metabolism, and
ability to digest accumulated waste. Regarding digestion, Ayurveda
says that how you eat is just as important as what you eat. Take this
time to work on being present while eating and chew your food
thoroughly so that it is easier to digest.Five months befor e conception: mor e intense cleansing. If a
panchakarma  center is accessible to you, under go panchakarma for at
least two weeks. Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic regimen that includes
oil massages, herbal steam baths, and detoxifying Ayurvedic
processes and herbs to move any toxicity from the deeper tissues of
the body to the gastrointestinal tract, where they will then be
eliminated. If panchakarma is not possible, follow a home cleanse
routine for two weeks to a month, eating a mono-diet of kitchari  (see
this page  for the recipe) with well-cooked seasonal veggies and
sipping on warm lemon water, ginger tea, or cumin, coriander, and
fennel (CCF) tea (see the recipe for CCF tea on this page ) throughout
the day. Perform daily oil massages, take baths, and sweat every day. Four months befor e conception: gentle cleansing. Ease back into
the routine of a gentler cleanse, as in the first month. Minimize or
abstain from intercourse. This time of cleansing requires extra ener gy
and reserves. Abstinence is a yogic practice used to conserve physical
energy, mental ener gy, and ojas so that a more introspective and
clearer mindset is maintained. Note:  In the practice of Ayurveda, ojas,
meaning “vigor,” is thought to be responsible for strength, health,
longevity, immunity, and mental and emotional wellness. Ashoka Bath
When preparing for conception, Ayurveda recommends bathing in
water infused with the herb ashoka. Ashoka,  which means “remover
of sorrow,” heals physical and psychological pain associated with
your reproductive tract and supports female fertility by promoting
healthy ovarian and endometrial tissues. Enjoy an ashoka bath one
to three times weekly in the months before trying to conceive. Boil
the herbs and draw the bath with intention. Boil ½ cup of ashoka powder in 5 cups of water, reducing until 3
cups of water remain.Add to a hot bath and soak in it for at least twenty minutes. While in the bath, try to suck in the perineum to draw the herbal
water and its ef fects close to the uterus. Ojas Milk
Ojas is the final product of the digestion of food after it goes through
all seven layers of tissue. During the months before conception, milk
brewed with ojas-building ingredients is an incredibly nourishing
drink for your reproductive organ. Also, once you start trying to
conceive, you can bathe, and then drink a glass of this warm milk
after intercourse. Saf fron is particularly nourishing to the
reproductive tract and good for ojas-building. 1 cup of milk
pinch of cardamom
pinch of saf fron
pinch of ginger powder
pinch of ground
almond powder
Warm the milk on the stove and add the spices and almond powder. Bring to a light simmer (watch that the milk does not foam over the
edges of the pot!) for three minutes. Let cool and add sweetener if you desire. Enjoy warm after your
bath. After a cleanse, the three months prior to conception are focused on
rebuilding and deep nourishment. Both parents should aim to follow a diet
of or ganic, fresh, and whole foods rich in prana (vitality, life force) for the
remaining three months prior to conception.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Pitta is the force behind
your ability to digest, learn, and grow from your life experiences as well as
the ability to digest your food. Because pitta is a combination of fire and water, especially
in the summer months, be mindful of the excess fire energy
that is already in the environment. Healthy pitta is


anat, 56, 264–65, 292–93, 297–98
sugar, 19, 275
avoiding, 28, 105, 215, 278
cane, 56, 274, 277
cravings, reducing, 313
for newborns, 260
options, 284
rapadura, 215–16
turbinado, 217–18
summer, 23, 25, 61
surrogacy, 216–18
Sushruta Samhita,  85, 100, 268, 276
svastha, 9, 14
swaddling, 252Swami, Radhanath, 42, 81, 157–58
symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), 107–8
T
tahini
Tahini Cookies, 297–98
Tahini Sauce, 296
tamas, 73, 74, 76–77
tastes, six, 261
celebrating, 88–89
seasons and, 60, 61
sweet, 270
Teitelbaum, Marianne, Healing the Thyr oid with Ayurveda,  210
tests and procedures, 119, 134, 162–63
thyme oil, 310, 317
thyroid, 204, 208–10
time of day, 16
tongue scraping, 65
Touching Heaven  (Oakes), 215, 261, 281–82, 283, 289
travel, 84, 178, 206
trimester, first
imbalances during, 97, 100
miscarriage in, 102–3
overview, 84–85
vata in, 20
trimester, second
overview, 85–86
pitta in, 24
trimester, third, 86–87
hair-parting ritual, 113
imbalances during, 97, 107, 108–9
kapha in, 27
pain reduction during, 125
triphala, 58
true Self, 13, 44, 45, 64, 83, 233
trust
in birthing process, 122, 128–29, 142, 160, 162
in relationships, 48, 49–51
turmeric, 56, 104, 264–65
avoiding, 283
essential oil, 314, 317
Herbal Chewing Mix, 289–90
Hot Milk Tonic, 290–91kanji, 292–93
kitchari, 294–95
Warm Yam Smoothie, 292
U
umbilical cord
bathing and, 245
ceremony for cutting, 168
massage and, 247
when to cut, 154
Upanishads, 10
uterus
involution of, 203
irritable/exhausted, 155
preconception influences on, 32
strengthening, 57, 58, 212, 304, 305
V
vacha (calamus root), 153, 315
vaginas
during birthing, 149
bleeding from, 95
oiling, 151
tissues of, preparing for birth, 123, 126
valerian, 208, 318
values
choice based on, 12
guilt and, 231–32
living in alignment with, 38–39
vanilla, 207, 276, 307
vata
balancing, 21–23, 66
in breastfeeding, 263
depression and, 217
imbalances, 20–21, 62, 94, 100, 204
during labor, excess, 154–55
nesting as, 122
overview, 18–19
pacifying, foods/herbs for, 277–79, 303–4
postpartum, 174–75, 180, 201–2
preconception, 57
during pregnancy, 17, 20, 86–87, 90
sleep and, 109stabilizing, 64, 126
vitiated, eliminating, 125
weight gain and, 111–12
See also  apana vata
Vedas, 10, 11–12, 232–33
Vedic tradition
parameters in, 36
rituals, 138, 168, 220–21, 234
vegetables
Kitchari, 294–95
Steamed Veggies, 296
when to avoid, 282
See also individual vegetables
vegetarian diet, 269
Velamentous Cord Insertion (VCI), 163, 164–65
vernix, 135, 244
vetiver oil, 314, 317
vitamin B (various forms), 57, 109, 210, 269, 275
vomiting
by newborns, 243–44, 252
during pregnancy, 97, 106, 108, 149, 273
W
walking, 22, 79, 84, 87, 90–91, 178
walnuts, 56, 262, 273, 276, 284
water breaking, 144, 146, 147
water element, 15, 17, 23–24, 26–27, 91
Weed, Susan, Wise W oman Herbal for the Childbearing Y ear, 109, 256
weight gain, 27, 111–13, 209
Western/allopathic medicine, 14, 71, 301
Williamson, Marianne, 1
winter, 19, 21, 60, 61
winter green oil, 316
witch hazel bark, 181, 200
Wolf, David B., Relationships That W ork, 51
Womanly Art of Br eastfeeding, The  (La Leche League International), 261
Y
yamas, five
ahimsa, 37–38
aparigraha, 41–42
asteya, 39
brahmacharya, 39–41purpose of, 36–37
satya, 38–39
yams, 128, 279, 285
Steamed Veggies, 296
Warm Yam Smoothie, 292
yarrow, 181, 198, 199
Yasoda, 232
yeast infections
from kapha imbalance, 27
in newborns, 255, 256
ylang ylang oil, 151, 311, 315, 316, 319
yoga nidra, 104, 208
yoga practices
for apana vata, 102
and Ayurveda, relationship between, 8
gentle, 26, 42
hatha, 22
for kapha balance, 29
during pregnancy, 79, 84, 85, 87, 95–97
prenatal, 86
weight gain and, 112
Yoga Sutras (Patanjali), 36
Yoga tradition, 2
yogurt, 56, 99, 105, 250, 278, 282
in cookies, 297–98
Panchamrit, 274
yoni picchu, 87, 126
Z
zucchini, 270, 285, 296
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X
Y Z
OceanofPDF. comDAbout the Author
hyana was born to a family of Bhakti yoga practitioners, with the
practices and teachings of Ayurveda woven seamlessly throughout
her life. Growing up around her family’ s retreat center
(www. AyurvedaHealthRetreat. com ), she was trained in all the healing
modalities that are of fered there and witnessed, firsthand, the profound
healing that happens when the principles of Ayurveda are applied in one’ s
daily life. She is a certified Ayurveda health counselor and educator, specialized in
guiding groups and individuals on transformative and healing journeys. Through her yoga and Ayurveda trainings as well as her online community,
Soul Space, she empowers countless individuals to become healers in their
own homes and to live a life of real meaning. She lives in Alachua, Florida, with her beautiful family. OceanofPDF. comSign up to receive news and special of fers from Shambhala Publications. Or visit us online to sign up at shambhala. com/email-signup.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>
Q: What is the importance of self-care during pregnancy?,
A: The importance of self-care during pregnancy is emphasized in the text, with recommendations for daily practices and self-reflection.
Q: What is the role of the author in her family and her experience with Ayurveda?,
A: The author was born into a family of Bhakti yoga practitioners and grew up around her family's retreat center, where she was trained in various healing modalities and witnessed the positive impact of Ayurveda on people


 of the power of Infinite Context. The Unmanifest is even
beyond Infinite Context. As the Buddha pointed out, being mortal automatically entails suffering,
which is why he taught to seek enlightenment in order to preclude that
karmically determined recurrence. At very high levels, the subjective
experiencing of existence is no longer limited by the narcissisti c ego or the
psychological blocks of the positionalities. This condition is the
consequence of progressive surrendering at great depths of all limitations
and belief systems. The require ment is the persistent “one-pointedness of
mind,” processing out the emotional/mental residuals of lower
consciousness levels and surrendering all self-identities and mental belief
systems. The capacity to reach the condition or state classically called
“enlightenment” represents the fulfillment of the potential of consciousness
in its evolutionary progression. Consistent application of any spiritual principle can unexpectedly result
in a very major and sudden leap to unanticipated levels. At that point,
memory may not even be avail able; instead, the Knowingness of Spiritual
Truth presents itself silently. Comfort and confidence can be derived from this verifiable reality: that
the rare persons  who are actual ly attracted to enlightenment as a life goal
are attracted because that is already their destiny. For the same reason, only
future golfers would be taking golf lessons. Enlightenment is the consequ ence of the surrender of all dualistic
illusions to Truth. All suffering ends with dissolution of the ego’s
positionalities. Thus do we praise the Lord God for radiating Light to the
world. To seek enlighte nment is a major decision. The decision itself is therefore
akin to a “yang ” position—bu t subsequently, the process itself is more
intrinsically akin to a “yin” posture. While the ordinary ego is programmed
to “getting” (yang), spiritual intention now shifts to “allowing” (yin). The dedication to Self-realization and enlightenment is a disciplined
straight-and-narrow path. Thus, a serious devotee is advised to bypass the
attraction of curiosity and the appeal to the inner child offered by the
magical and mysterious paranormal and psychic phenomena that are
commonly merchandized and prof fered as learnable skills. Spiritual evoluti on is a lifetime commitment and a way of life by which
the world and all experience subserves spiritual intention. Miraculous
events are merely the actuali zation of potentiality that appears when
conditions are appropriate. From an even more advanced level of
consciousness, it becomes apparent that all phenomena are actually
occurring sponta neously as a consequence of the evolution of the universe
itself, and therefore not only is life perfect at any moment, but it is also a
continuous revelation in which one is a participant/observer. Aware mind is not prone to bana l positionalities or judgments nor does it
get entrapped in frenetic endea vors. It tends to be easygoing and mellow
and prefers to observe rather than to become involved in the world’ s
dramas. A ware mind is not involved in worldly definitions of gain or loss. The state of enlightenment is therefore the potential Reality that replaces
the illusions of the ego’s perceptual positionalities. Spiritual intention,
effort, and decision potentiate the evolution of consciousness from the
linear limited to the nonlinear Allness of Reality. God is the source and presence of peace, love, stillness, and beauty. God
is beyond all universes and materiality, yet is the source of All That Is. To seriously seek enlightenment is a very strict discipline that therefore
eschews the attraction of involvement in supposed spiritual movements that
are actually intrinsically politica l in nature and factional. The attraction of
“changing the world” (for the presumed better, of course) appeals to the
naïve idealism of the inner spiritual adolescent and is transcended with
maturity. The nature of human life is the automatic consequ ence of the
overall level of human consciousness itself. Therefore, to benefit the world,
it is necessary to change not the world but oneself—for what one becomes
is influential by virtue of its essence (nonlinear) and not its actions (limited
and linear). The energy of life is a radiance from the field of consciousness,  which is
the mode of the Presence of Divinity that manifests in physicality as
Creation. The capacity for enlightenment is merely a consequence of
consciousness returning to its source, which is Divinity Immanent as Self. The ego/self identifies with its various functions and qualities and labels
them as “me” and says that is “who I am. ” This results in the vanity of
authority, an error that originated during evolution as a consequence of
identification with the experienc e of the senses. Thus comes about a typical
conclusion that “I” itch, instead of “the body” itches. The same error of
authorship/ownership occurs with feelings and thoughts in that the witness
identifies with the subject and the content of the experiencer. The experiencer function is an information probe that collects linear data
and therefore is an “it” and not a “me. ” It is a functional processing unit
similar to the senses of smell or touch. Enlightenment is the consequence of a major shift of content and
identification. The experiencer focus is like a screen that veils Reality and
drops of its own accord when the props are removed. This is the
consequence of surrendering the will to God. The sense of reality of the self
was actually due solely to the underlying Presence of the Self. It is helpful to remember that neither Truth nor enlightenment is
something to be found, sought, acquired, gained, or possessed. That which
is the Infinite Presence is always present, and its realization occurs of itself
when the obstacles to that realization are removed. It is therefore not
necessary to study the truth but only to let go of that which is fallacious. Moving away the clouds does not cause the sun to shine but merely reveals
that which was hidden all along. Spiritual work, therefore, is primarily a letting go of that which is
presumably known for that which is unknown—with the encouragementthat the effort is more than well rewarded from others who have realized the
Infinite Presence. To look within for the actual source of love leads to the discovery of the
Self. Like the sun, the Self is ever present, unconditional, and not subject to
thought, opinion, or attitude. The Self can only love because  that is its
essence. The love of the Self is not earned, deserved, or subject to
limitation. The Self is the source of life and the subjective awareness of
existence. It is beyond all dualities; there is no duality between the Self
and existence. The Unmanifest and Manifest are one and the same. Consciousness may include content, or it may not. By analogy, space is not
dependent on the presence of planets or universes, yet it includes all of
them. Consciousness does not recognize separation, which is a limitation of
perception. The enlightened state is a “Oneness” in which there is no
division into parts. Such division is only apparent from a localized
perception; it is only an accident of a point of view. To best serve the world, seek enlightenment and transcend illusions
rather than contribute to them. The Infinite, Ultimate Potentiality is the Actuality of Existence. “All That
Is” is therefore innately Divine, or it could not exist at all. The absolute
expression of Divinity is Subjec tivity. If I exist, then God Is. Enlightenmentis the verification that all existence is not only the result of Creation, but
that existence itself is not different from the Creator. The created and the
Creator are one and the same. Through spiritual alignment, intention, and devotion—aided by
meditation, contemplation, authenticated instruction, and Truth; and
assisted by the energy field of an advanced teacher—gre at leaps of
consciousness can occur unexpectedly. Thus, it is important to know of
these leaps well in advance, as confirmed by consciousness research. The chances of becoming enlightened are now more than one thousand
times greater than at any time in the past, which means that reaching the
level of Unconditional Love (calibration 540) is a very attainable and
practical goal. From the level of Unconditional Love, the pathway is
increasingly joyful. At level 600, there occurs an infinite, silent stillness and
peace—and progression from there is up to the Will of God, karma, and the
potentialized Knowingness nascent within the spiritual aura. Truth is recogniz ed. It presents itself to a field of awareness that has been
prepared in order to allow the presentation to reveal itself. Truth and
enlightenment are not acquired or achieved. They are states or conditions
that present themselves when the conditions are appropriate and the
obstacles are removed. All avenues of questioning lead to the same ultimate answer. The
discovery that nothing is hidden and Truth stands everywhere revealed is
the key to enlightenment about the simplest practical affairs and the destiny
of mankind. In the process of examining our everyday lives, we can find
that all our fears have been based on falsehood. The displacement of thefalse by the true is the essenc e of the healing of all things visible and
invisible. And always, a final question will eventually arise for every
questioner—the biggest question of all: “Who am I. ”
Investigation into the nature of consciousness leads directly to the very
source of illumination, for the Light of Consciousness is the condition of
enlightenment. By its Light, the knower and


. These positions correspond to metabolic zones known
as the Triple-Burner  or Three-Heater. The position closest to the
thumb corresp onds to the chest and upper body (the Heart  and
Lung). The middle position corresponds to the upper abdomen (the
Stomach, Spleen, Gallbladder, and Liver). The position farthest from
the wrist corresponds to the lower abdomen (the Kidney, Bladder,
Small Intestine, and Large Intestine ). The strength, rate, rhythm,  and size of the pulse express the
integrity of the Qi and Blood  and the functional activity of the Five
Organ Networks. A healthy pulse is regular, with four to ve beats
per cycle of respiration and a smooth, owing feeling as it rises and
falls. It is both elastic and resilient, evoking a sense of relaxed and
vigorous rhythm and harmony. As many as thirty-two pulse qualities are described in the classical
texts, each indicating a particular type of disturbance. For example,
if the pulse is “oating”—that is, it can be felt with light pressure
but fades away as the pressure increases—it indicates an AdverseClimate  (Wind, Cold, Heat, Dampness, or Dryness ) has penetrated the
surface from the outside. If the pulse is oating and rapid, or
oating and strong, this reects the inuence of these Adverse
Climates  in con ict with the vigorou s defensive Qi of the body. The
“sinking” pulse is its counterpart. It is perceived only with deeper
pressure and feels like a stone settling in water. Since it is relatively
hidden or buried, it indicate s that the problem exists at the deeper
internal level. Left
Heart : all organs and functions above the diaphragm, especially on
the left side of the body
Liver: all organs and functions between the diaphragm and the navel
especially in the lateral areas of the body
Kidney Yin: all organs and functions below the navel, especially in
the pelvic region on the left side of the lower abdomenHeart
Inch Position:
(Upper Burner): cun
Liver
Bar Position
(Middle Burner): guanKidney Yin
Cubit Position
(Lower Burner): che
Right
Lung: all organs and functions above the diaphragm, especia lly on
the right side of the body
Spleen : all organs and functions between the diaphragm and the
navel, especially in the central area of the abdomen
Kidney Yang: all organs and functions below the navel, especially in
the pelvic region on the right side of the lower abdomenLung
Inch Position:
(Upper Burner): cun
Spleen
Bar Position
(Middle Burner): guanKidney Yang
Cubit Position
(Lower Burner): che
The slow pulse suggests that Cold is retarding  movement,
manifesting in a lack of warmth, whereas the rapid pulse suggests
that the presence of Heat is accelerating  movement and activity. A
thin and forceless pulse is associated with weakness and a lack of
sucient Qi and Blood. A big, full pulse that “pounds” against the
ngers suggests excess and may be felt when too much Heat is found
in the Heart, Stomach, Liver, or Intestines. Generally, problems of a
Yin nature are indicated by a frail and weak pulse, while problems
of a Yang nature are indicated by a strong and full pulse. A given
individual may exhibit a full and forceful pulse in one position and a
soft and weak pulse in another, suggesting that one system is
hyperactive and another is underactive. Stagnation tends to produce
a tense and erratic pulse It can be generated by both conditions of
excess  or deciency. Heat  can be generated by a lack of Yin as well as
an excess of Yang or Fire. Most people are not diagno sed as having
problems of a purely Yin or Yang nature, and often more than one
Organ Network  is involved in their disorder. THE EIGHT GUIDING  PRINCIPLES
The Eight Principles  are four sets of polar categories that distinguish
between and interpret the data gathered by examination. These
include Yin-Yang, Cold-Heat, deciency-excess, and interior-exterior. They determine the relative nature, quality, and location of the Qi,
Moisture, and Blood  within the body as a whole and within each of
the Five Organ Networks. The energetic activity of the organism is determined by qualities
that distinguish between Heat and Cold. The locale of a disturbance
is judged by the presence of symptoms in the exterior  region
(aecting skin, hair, muscles, tendons, joints, peripheral bloodvessels, nerves, and meridians) or the interior  region  (aect ing the
visceral organs, deep vessels and nerves, brain, spinal cord, and
bones). The virulence of a pathology is compared with the inherent
strength of the body by the presence of symptoms and qualities that
indicate excess  or deciency. Excess  refers to noxious pathogenic inuences such as the Adverse
Climates  or Emotions  and abnormal accumulations of Qi, Moisture,
and Blood. Deciency  refers  to a lack of the fundamental
constituents, Qi, Moisture, and Blood. Any condition can then be
summarized in terms of the relative dominance of Yin and Yang. (see larger image)(see larger image)
Click  to download a PDF of Syndromes of Distress
Using the Eight Principles  enable s the practitioner to formulate
certain therapeutic objectives. Where Cold predominates, the body
must be warmed. Where excess  persists, it must be dispersed. When
the disease is internal, deep-acting remedies must be employed. Similarly, Heat is cooled, deciency  tonie d, and external  ailments
are treated with remedies that act on the surface. THE ACUPUNCTURIST AND THE  HERBALIST
Just like an irrigation engineer needs dierent data than a soil
analyst, the acupuncturist needs dierent information, or the same
information organized dierently, than the herbalist. Herbs are
classied by categories descr ibing the disruption of Qi, Moisture, and
Blood  corresponding to the Eight Principles  and Adverse Climates. For
example, the herb poria dispels Dampness ; angelica nourishes
decient Blood ; astragalus generates Qi; forsythia and
chrysanthemum clear Heat
Five-Phase Theory  is more critica l for acupuncture. It is not enough
to know that Dampness  or Heat need to be dispersed, or that
deciencies of Qi and Blood  need to be tonied. The acupuncturist
also needs to know which Organ Network  assumes primary
responsibility for the disru ption of Qi in order to treat the
appropriate channel. The methods of the acupuncturist emphasize
the direct manipulation of Qi within the Organ Networks. The properties of herbs are assimilated metabolically by the
internal organ s and then dispersed throughout the body as Qi,
Moisture, and Blood. There are particular herbs that clear Damp Heat
from the body. With acupuncture there is a dierent process—the
elimination of Damp Heat is accomplished by adjusting the
circulation of Qi of the Organ Networks  respon sible for distributing
and transforming Moisture  and generating heat. The Damp Heat is
not treated directly, but rather through the functional relationship
within and among Organ Networks. If the relatio nships among the
Organs  are harmonic, the pathologic condition resolves itself. Five-
Phase Theory  puts the relationship among Organ Networks  into
perspective. The doctor who practices both herbal medicine and
acupuncture gathers all the evidence and synthesizes and interprets
it, using both the Eight Principles  and Five-Phase  approaches. SAME SYMPTOM, DIFFERENT  DISORDERS
To use Five-Phase Theory  it is necessary to identify which Organ
Network  is disturbed. The evaluation identies where the symptomis located, when it occurs, whether anything makes it better or
worse, and what other events may have occurred just prior to or at
the same time as the sympto m. This information is interpreted via
lines of correspondence that link symptoms, timing, and
circumstances with Organ Networks. In the West, a symptom like a headache may be treated
universally with aspirin or Tylenol. This same headache needs
dierentiating in Chinese medicine. It’s like the many words in the
Eskimo language that describe varieties of “snow. ” In Chinese
medicine a multiplicity of disease patterns produce what in Western
medicine is one named symptom or disease. For example, disturbance of the Liver Network  can produce
migraine or bilious headaches associated with nausea, vomiting, and
sensitivity to light and noise. These headaches may be provoked by
anger and occur more frequently in the spring. Disturbance of the
Stomach  and Intestines  may cause headaches associated with nasal
and sinus congestion, acidity, atulence, and constipation. This type
of headache may appear in the morning and improve in the evening.


, the iron is set free and is as indigestible as saw
filings. In digesting starch and sugar, and all carbohydrates, an
alkaline solution or digestive fluid is required, a large amount
of which is furnished by the saliva. Hence, all cereals, fruits
and vegetables should be thoroughly masticated, insalivated
and pulverized before entering the stomach. And as the saliva
is an alkaline substance, the digestion of these foods,
therefore, begins in the mouth. All foods composed largely of starch, such as cereals,
potatoes, and nearly all legumes, should not be eaten at the
same meal with sweets, especially cane sugar. All foods, whether fluids or solids, that contain starch or
sugar, such as rice, potatoes, corn, oats, in fact, all the cereal
class, may be eaten with safety at the same meal. Milk can
also be taken with all the car bohydrate family of foods. All foods containing gluten, albumen or gelatine, such as
meat, eggs, and a few kinds of nuts, are classed as protein,
and require an acid solvent to be digested; therefore can be
eaten with safety with all kinds of fruits. The digestive fluid secreted by the stomach is an acid
substance; therefore, the last-named foods are digested
mainly in the stomach. Milk, one of the best foods known, can be taken with all
kinds of fruits, provided no cereal starch be eaten at the same
meal. All foods that contain both carbohydrates and proteins
compose healthful combinations. Starch, sugar and fats may be  properly termed the "fuel
of the body." They supply all the force, energy, heat and brain
power of the system, while proteids produce the structure in
which this energy is reposed. The few fundamental rules given here apply to a normal
or healthy stomach. Where any abnormal condition is present,
selections of food must be made to counteract and overcome
them. The study of food combinations, however, in its last
analysis, is the science of trying to ascertain the best way to
do the wrong thing. The less foods are mixed and combined
at the same meal, the healthier and higher that form of life
will be which they build. The system requires daily so much water, proteids,
carbohydrates, fat and salts. The foods necessary to supply
these elements can be eaten at different meals, instead of
combining them all at the same time. It is this most interesting and important problem that the use of uncooked
foods will solve. The ultimate and most scientific end that can be attained
in the study of the food question is, to find in foods the exact
requirements of a normal body; in other words, a perfectly
balanced bill of fare. This is rendered extremely difficult
when we subsist upon foods which have been changed by any
process from their elemental condition; but in subsisting upon
natural or elementary foods it is but a matter of time when the
taste will dictate the quality, and hunger the quantity, and the
perfectly balanced bill of fare becomes possible. THE PREPARATION OF FOOD. MANY good women have spent the best part of their lives,
and volume after volume has been written in the endeavor to
tell the world how to prepare foods. The very words, "prepare
foods," suggest to the mind that they are not right; that nature
has not finished her work; that something must be done to
them before they are fit to convert into human energy. It suggests that they must be fixed, mixed, mashed,
smashed, bruised, ground, shredded, heated, steamed, baked,
boiled, oiled, roasted, toast ed, greased, sweetened, soured,
fermented, raised, mushed up, wet up, dried out, or in some
way changed from the way in wh ich they were handed to us
by the provident hand of nature. The securing of food is the chief business of every living
thing on this globe. The necessity, of doing this has shaped to
a very large degree both the body and the mind. It made for
man hands suitable for plucking fruit, nuts, and things that
grew above his head high up in the air and sunshine. It gave
to the lion claws and tusks to catch and tear his food. It gave
to the hog a snout with which to root in the ground. It gave to
the stork and the crane long legs and bills. It gave to the
giraffe a long neck with which to reach buds and leaves. It
gave to the honey bee an organ to collect honey, a sack in his
own body to carry it, and intelligence enough to make his cell
in which to deposit it for future use. In the process of ages, want creates all that is necessary. Food taken as nature made it will produce a natural being. When it is changed, mixed, distilled and concentrated, it is
unnatural, and it will necessarily produce an unnatural being. For, as man is the net product of his food, as is his food, so he
must be. There is no problem in philosophy more obvious
than this. It may be argued that our present methods of feeding are
the product of heredity, and with the long ages we have
changed the artificial into the natural. This is not true,
because the ultimate end of artificialism, that is, the violation
of natural law, is extermination. There is no such thing as
getting used to the wrong thing. A human being can never get used to whiskey and
tobacco. They will stimulate the nervous system above par,
only to drop it farther below each time they are touched. They
leave their withering trail through the body and brain of the
real man, and sink lower and lower each day the hopes,
aspirations and emotions. They cover the faculties with a
callous veneering that finally becomes impervious to the
sweetest senses of the human heart. Foods should be changed as little as possible from their
elementary condition. The idea of preparing foods should be
allowed to fade entirely from the human mind. It is well to
remember that they have been prepared once by a supreme
intelligence, and it is seriously to be doubted if the puny
biped called man can very much improve them. When the average mind thinks of uncooked foods, it is
wont, it seems, to fly to a meat store, more politely called a
butcher shop, for proof infallible that the scheme is wrong;
and draw a picture of one dining from the swinging carcass of
a cow or hog, or going to the corn bin and gnawing through a
crack at an ear of yellow corn. Instead, picture a dainty table in a quiet corner, covered
with spotless linen and laden with milk, cream, egg-nog,
pecan meats, walnuts, almonds, grapes, grape fruit, bananas,
pears, apples, dates, figs and raisins, luscious red melons and
golden cantaloupes, lettuce, cucumbers, ripe olives, celery,
olive oil and a dozen other delicious things, all of which
being natural, satisfy hunger, furnish the highest form of
nutrition, and quickly appeal to  and excite the highest sense
of taste and enjoyment. It is too bad that so many good people
go through the world from the cradle to the coffin, and, after
leaving the maternal fount, never enjoy, never taste, one
good, clean, pure, delicious meal. PREPARATION OF UNCOOKED FOODS. THE idea of preparing foods is so firmly fixed in the minds of
women that the very suggestion of lessening their labors in
this direction suggests the idea of limiting the family
rations,—depriving the table of its pleasure and luxury;
therefore, it sometimes meets with more or less opposition. Experience has shown that men are more willing to accept the
elementary food idea than women, particularly when it
promises to lighten the labors of their wives, mothers and
daughters. There has been for many thousand years a sort of
competition between housewives, hotels, and all public and
private eating-places, as to which could prepare the greatest
variety of foods, the result of which is that the table is held
responsible for over ninety per cent. of all human ills. This result is not sufficiently creditable to cause thinking
people to clamor for its continuation. It reminds me of the
consolation that I received once from a gentleman with whom
I was playing a game of billia rds. It was my off-day. The
balls would neither "hit" nor "hurdle," while his plays were
all graceful and effective; and I was enjoying the supreme
pleasure of seeing him make all the points beside paying for
the games. In answer to my complaint upon missing a simple
shot, he said, "Oh, this is noth ing. I have seen luck run this
way for three or four hours, and all of a sudden get worse." The best foods need the least preparation. Geographic
and climatic conditio ns, under which most of us live, of
course, make harvesting and garnering necessary; and in
order to store certain foods for winter use, certain
preparations become necessary; but when we come to prepare
them for the table, the effort should be to bring them back as
nearly as possible to their original condition. All


’	China. After	the	traveler	actually	lands	in	China,	lives	there,	and	meets	the
people,	then	the	traveler	actually	‘knows’	China	rather	than	‘knowing
about’	China. Once	this	occurs,	the	traveler	needs	no	further	beliefs	or
faith	that	China	actually	exists. Thus,	successful	action	starts	with
plausible	belief. The	belief,	however,	cannot	be	substituted	for	the	actual
experience. Most	people	have	many	religious	beliefs	that	serve	as	guides	and	in
which	they	have	faith. However,	unless	these	are	carefully	calibrated	as	to
their	actual	levels	of	truth,	the	beliefs	may	indeed	be	fallacious	or	half-
truths.<|eot_id|><|begin_of_text|>Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Every	entity	that	lives	loves	its
existence,	not	because	it	has	emotionality,	but	because	the	joy	of
awareness	is	intrinsic	to	life	and	all	existence. Knowingness	does	not
require	either	thought	or	feeling	because	existence	contains	the	quality	of
Divine	awareness. Life	itself	knows	that	it	exists,	but	it	gets	caught	up	in
its	identification	with	its	current	form. From	the	level	of	awareness	of
Truth	and	Reality,	death	is	an	impossibility	because	it	has	no	reality,	just	as
absence	is	not	a	state	of	being	but	a	mental	description. For	death	to	occur,
it	would	have	to	be	part	of	the	karmic	potentiality	of	the	universe. It	is	not
a	possible	potentiality,	and	there	is	nothing	to	occur. Nothingness	is	not	a
thing	that	can	happen. Life,	like	existence,	has	no	opposite,	just	as	truth	has	no	opposite,	self-
existent	pseudoreality	such	as	falsehood. Truth	is	either	present	or	not. Divinity,	God,	Allness,	Oneness,	and	the	Absolute	are	All	That	Is;	no
opposite	to	God	can	exist. Only	the	true	is	true;	nothing	else	exists. All
fear,	then,	arises	from	attachment	to	form	due	to	the	illusion	that	form	is	a
necessary	requirement	for	existence. CHAPTER	12
The	Search	for	Truth
Q:	Where	does	one	begin	the	search	for	spiritual	truth	self-realization
called	enlightenment. A:	It	is	simple. Begin	with	who	and	what	you	are. All	truth	is	found	within. Use	verified	teachings	as	a	guide
Q:	Where	is	that	reality	of	eternal	truth	to	be	found. A:	Begin	by	accepting	the	very	important	statement	that
all	truth	is	subjective. Do	not	waste	lifetimes	looking	for	an	objective	truth	because	no	such	thing
exists. Even	if	it	did,	it	could	not	be	found	except	by	the	purely	subjective
experience	of	it. All	knowledge	and	wisdom	are	subjective. Nothing	can
be	said	to	exist	unless	it	is	subjectively	experienced. Even	a	supposedly
purely	objective	material	world,	if	it	existed,	could	be	said	to	exist	only
because	of	one’s	subjective	sensory	experience	of	it. Even	the	most	rabid
materialist	is	stuck	with	the	fact	that	in	the	end,	it	is	only	their	own
subjective	awareness	that	gives	it	the	authority	of	believability. Q:	Is	there	not	a	difference	between	an	objective	and	a	subjective	reality. A:	All	reality	is	subjective. Every	other	position	is	an	illusion	based	on
duality. The	subjective	and	objective	are	one	and	the	same,	just	different
descriptions	from	different	points	of	perception. Reality	is	not	based	on
perception,	duration,	description,	form,	or	measurement. All	such
attributes	are	those	of	perception	itself,	which	is,	by	its	very	nature,
transitory,	arbitrary,	limited,	illusory,	and	dualistic. Q:	What	is	the	value	of	the	great	teachers	and	teachings. A:	The	gift	is	not	limited	to	information,	facts,	or	wisdom	but	the	level	or
power	of	consciousness	from	which	they	emanate. Great	power	is
sustained	by	purity	of	context. The	usefulness	of	many	teachings	has	been
destroyed	by	error	in	the	context	in	which	they	were	taught,	and	thus	their
meaning	has	been	obscured	or	distorted. How	else	could	mankind	be	led
into	its	historic,	repetitious	pattern	of	horrific	and	ghastly	acts	committed
in	the	name	of	some	religion,	theological	dogma,	or	positionality. Every
human	crime	can	be	excused	and	rationalized	by	some	distorted	statement
that	claims	to	be	truth	because	it	was	‘taken	out	of	Scripture’	by	those	whoseek	power,	fame,	wealth,	and	control	over	others. Dogma	masquerades	as
truth	and	provides	the	slogans	that	lead	whole	civilizations
sanctimoniously,	piously,	and	arrogantly	to	grim	and	horrific	death. All
such	empires	expire. Q:	What	is	the	difference	in	meaning	among	God,	Is-ness,	Buddhahood,
Christ,	Avatar,	Truth,	Enlightenment,	Self,	Krishna,	Reality,
Awareness,	Oneness,	Absoluteness,	Allness,	Totality,	and	Divinity. A:	None. Different	linguistic	forms	reflect	the	culture	of	origin	of	the
teachings. Q:	But	are	there	not	differences	between	the	truths	of	the	different
teachings. A:	In	actuality,	no	difference	is	possible. All	supposed	differences	are	merely
due	to	misunderstandings	and	are	reflections	of	limitations	of	context. Differences	may	exist	among	religions	but	not	among	truly	spiritual
teachings. Spirituality	unites;	religiosity	divides. Q:	How	can	that	be	possible. A:	All	truth	is	self-existent,	total,	complete,	and	all	encompassing	without
location,	duration,	or	parts. Because	truth	is	self-existent	as	itself	in	its
totality,	that	which	is	a	self-evident,	subjective	state	of	‘I’	encompasses	All
That	Is. Allness	allows	for	no	division. Q:	What	is	the	‘I’. A:	The	‘Infinite	I’	is	that	subjective	reality	which	underlies	the	individual	‘I’
and	allows	for	the	experience	of	‘I-ness’	as	one’s	existence. It	is	the
absolute	‘I’	that	enables	the	statement,	“I. ”	It	might	be	said	that	Descartes
had	it	backwards. The	truth	is	not	“I	think,	therefore	I	am,”	but	its
corollary,	“I	am,	therefore	I	think. ”
					Consciousness,	or	the	capacity	for	awareness,	is	formless	and	is	the
backdrop	from	which	form	can	be	identified. It	is	because	of	the
formlessness	of	the	apparent	emptiness	of	space	that	form	can	be
perceived. ‘Somethingness’	can	be	identified	only	because	it	stands	out
against	no	other	things. It	is	due	to	the	clarity	of	the	sky	that	we	can	see
the	clouds. Q:	Is	there	a	shortcut	to	enlightenment. A:	Yes,	indeed. One	can	spend	endless	lifetimes	studying	all	the	spiritual	and
philosophical	teachings	of	the	world	and	merely	end	up	confused	and
discouraged. Seek	to	‘know’,	not	to	‘know	about’. ‘Know’	impliessubjective	experience;	‘know	about’	means	to	accumulate	facts. In	the	end,
all	facts	disappear,	and	there	are	none	to	be	known. If	one	realizes	that
one’s	own	Self	is	the	All	of	Everything	that	is,	has	been,	or	ever	could	be,
what	is	left	that	one	needs	to	know. Completeness	is,	by	its	very	nature,
total	and	complete.


ose. But he didn’t. He only focused on other men’s bellies. Our pr ojections always shock us. When we ar e judginganother, we never r eally think we ar e talking about
ourselves. But once we understand our ﬁnger -pointing, we
can start to untangle ourselves fr om our per ceptions and
ﬁerce judgments of others. W e must r emember the old
saying, “Y ou spot it, you got it.”
If we deny or ar e uncomfortable with our anger, our eye
will automatically sear ch and ﬁnd all the angry people. If we
are secr etly lying or judging ourselves for lying in the past,
we will be righteously upset about the dishonesty of others. In my years of leading workshops, I’ve had some incr edibly
funny moments when people got mad at me for suggesting
this very concept of pr ojection and telling them that they
too possessed the qualities they dislik e in others. One of my
favorites was when a beautiful Hispanic woman in her late
twenties came up to me on one of the br eaks insisting that
she wasn’t anything lik e her father, who didn’t appr ove of
the men she went out with. When I ask ed her if she knew
why, she said it was because he is a racist. She said she
only went out with Asian men, and he didn’t appr ove of
them. When I jokingly ask ed her what kind of Hispanic
woman only goes out with Asian men, the anger drained out
of her face, and she meekly suggested, “Someone who’s a
racist?” She r ealized in that moment that she was a bit of a
racist, just lik e her father, because she would never go out
with men of her own backgr ound. Another woman pr otested that she wasn’t anything lik e
her judgmental father, who always pointed out what was
wrong with her. She told me he was angry, hypocritical,
nasty, critical, and so on. When I ask ed her what she just did
to her father in the course of this conversation, she r ealized
she was demonstrating the same judgmental behavior that
she saw in him. Another time, a man stood up to tell me
how much he hated closed-minded people and how he
seemed to be sur rounded by them at work and in his own
neighbor hood. Then one day, his beloved son came home
from college and announced that he was gay. This man wasﬁlled with disgust. When his wife tried to settle him down,
he realized that he was the closed-minded person he always
despised, which led him to “The Shadow P rocess” workshop. Owning our pr ojections is a courageous and yet humbling
experience we all must go thr ough to ﬁnd peace. It for ces us
to acknowledge that we ar e capable of and of ten do the
very things we dislik e in others. There are many famous e xamples of pr ojection. The
former gover nor of New Y ork Eliot Spitzer spent his car eer
trying to clean up pr ostitution, because he deemed it so
unacceptable, and then got caught in a call-girl scandal. Former Speak er of the House Newt Gingrich, who
continually pointed his ﬁnger in outrage and led the char ge
to impeach P resident Bill Clinton for se xual indiscr etions,
was later found having an aﬀair outside his mar riage. The
famous pr eacher R everend T ed Haggar d, who railed about
the immorality of homose xuality, was later caught having a
drug-fueled homose xual r elationship. And the radio
phenomenon R ush Limbaugh, who on his radio show openly
shamed and derided drug addicts, later admitted his own
addiction to pr escription medicine. I could literally give
thousands of e xamples of people publicly demonizing and
putting down behavior they ar e cur rently displaying. Do you
think these people r eally set out to destr oy their lives and
careers, to publicly humiliate themselves and shame their
families? W as this r eally their intention? Or wer e they in fact
caught by surprise and deeply disappointed in their own
behavior? Is “The Devil made me do it” r eally the shadow in
disguise? As Shak espear e so brilliantly said, “The lady doth pr otest
too much.” Whatever quality, behavior, or feeling we ﬁnd
ourselves righ teously denying, we can be certain that is the
one we ar e harboring deep within our own psyche. W e don’t
have to look far to discover that we ar e usually doing the
exact thing we ar e judging others for. It may show up in a
completely diﬀer ent way, yet the driving for ce behind ourbehavior is, in fact, the same. It can sometimes be
challenging to identif y the driving for ce in ourselves,
because we may not be displaying the e xact behavior as the
person we ar e projecting onto, but it is ther e within us. When we have a trait that doesn’t have a cover plate over it
(to use the earlier image of multiple electrical outlets), we
draw people and incidents into our life to help us
acknowledge, heal, and embrace that denied aspect. If we embrace the qualities that disturb us in others, we
will no longer be upset by them. W e might notice them, but
they won’t aﬀect us. Those outlets will have cover plates
over them, so they will no longer car ry a char ge. It is only
when we ar e lying to ourselves or hating some aspect of
ourselves that we become emotionally char ged fr om
someone else’s behavior. Revered philosopher and
psychologist K en W ilber mak es a gr eat distinction. He says if
a person or thing in the envir onment informs us, if we
receive what is happening as infor mation or a point of
interest, we pr obably ar en’t pr ojecting. If it aﬀects  us, if
we’re pointing our ﬁnger in judgment, if we’r e plugged in,
chances ar e we ar e a victim of our own pr ojections. Until we tak e back all the parts of ourselves we have
projected away, whatever we r efuse to accept will k eep
showing up in our life, either in our own behavior or in the
behavior of someone close to us. When we don’t deal with
our shadow, it will negatively aﬀect our r elationships. It will
rob us of being pr esent to the gif ts of those ar ound us,
because we will have put up a defensive wall of judgment
that blinds us fr om truly seeing who others ar e. It will
distract us fr om the r elationship as a whole and, instead,
force our eye and our attention to what we believe is wr ong
about others. Pilar’s behavior is a perfect e xample of the phenomenon
of projection. A woman in her early forties who prides
herself on being a good daughter, P ilar is constantly upset
at her father for being a hoar der. As she drives over to hishouse each Sunday to visit him, she begins to feel anxious
and annoyed. By the time she walks into his living r oom to
settle in for their af ternoon father -daughter time, instead of
asking him how he is doing or updating him on her own life,
she starts barking at him about all the piles of newspapers
on the ﬂoor and the hundr eds of little items of memorabilia
scatter ed ar ound his small living space. F rustrated by her
father’s inability to thr ow things out and listen to her
direction to dump everything into the trash, P ilar engages in
a belittling conversation in which she points out his inability
to let go of useless items. Sitting in such an atmospher e of
judgment, they both feel sad, and their visits end up being
monotonous and life-draining for both of them. P ilar always
drives away feeling bad about herself, and her father
secretly wishes she would just stop coming, although he’s
too kind and lonely to say so. One day while working in the home oﬃce she shar es with
her husband, Emilio, P ilar realized something about herself. Emilio ask ed her if she could empty one of the drawers she
was using, so he could have mor e room for his papers. Annoyed, she quickly r esponded that she needed six of the
eight drawers for all of her important papers and that he
could r ent a storage unit if he needed mor e room. Agitated
at his wife’s inability to shar e, Emilio began to yank open
one af ter another of her cabinet drawers, r evealing
hundr eds of ﬁles stuﬀed with newspaper and magazine
clippings. She hear d Emilio ranting, even though she was no
longer listening to the content of what he was saying. She
was stunned. Her e it was right in fr ont of her—her father’s


aking	hormones	or	calcium
supplements	is	a	shot	in	the	dark;	it	in	no	way	addresses	the	imbalance	in	the	liver	and
gallbladder	caused	by	reduced	bile	output	due	to	gallstones. Rickets
	and
osteomalacia
	are	diseases	that	affect	the	calcification	process	of	bones. In
either	case,	the	bones	become	soft,	especially	those	of	the	lower	limbs,	which	are
bowed
by	the	weight	of	the	body. The	fat-soluble	vitamin	D,
calciferol,
	is	essential	for	balanced
calcium	and	phosphorus	metabolism	and,	therefore,	healthy	bone	structures. Insufficient
bile	secretion	and	disturbance	of	the	cholesterol	metabolism,	both	of	which	are	caused	by
gallstones	in	the	liver,	lead	to	vitamin	D	deficiency. Lack	of	sufficient	exposure	to	natural
sunlight	further	aggravates	these	conditions. Infection	of	bones,	or
osteomyelitis,
	may	result	when	there	has	been	a	prolonged
lymphatic	obstruction	in	the	body,	especially	in	or	around	bone	tissues. Consequently,
blood-borne	microbes	gain	unhindered	access	to	bones. As	mentioned	before,	infectious
microbes	only	attack	tissues	that	are	acidified,	weak,	unstable,	or	damaged. The	microbes
may	originate	from	gallstones,	a	tooth	abscess,	or	a	boil. Malignant	tumors
	of	the	bone	can	occur	when	lymphatic	congestion	in	the	body	and
the	bones,	especially,	has	reached	extreme	proportions. The	immune	system	is	depressed,
and	malignant	tumor	particles	from	the	breasts,	lungs,	or	prostate	gland	can	spread	to	or
develop	in	those	parts	of	the	bones	that	have	the	softest	tissue	and	are	more	prone	to
congestion	and	acidification,	that	is,	the	cancellous	bone. Bone	cancer	and	all	other
diseases	of	the	bone	indicate	lack	of	nourishment	of	bone	tissue. Such	diseases	usually
defy	treatment	unless	all	gallstones	in	the	liver	are	removed	and	all	other	organs	and
systems	of	elimination	are	cleared	of	any	existing	congestion	as	well. Disorders	of	the	Joints

Our	body	contains	three	types	of	joints:
fibrous
	or	fixed	joints,
cartilaginous
	or	slightly
movable	joints,	and
synovial
	or	freely	movable	joints. The	most	susceptible	to	disease	are
the	joints	of	the	hands,	feet,	knees,	shoulders,	elbows,	and	hips. Rheumatoid	arthritis,
osteoarthritis,
	and
gout
	are	among	the	most	commonly	found	joint	disorders. Most	people	stricken	with	rheumatoid	arthritis	have	a	long	history	of	intestinal
complaints:
bloating,	flatulence,	heartburn,	belching,	constipation,	diarrhea,	coldness
and	swelling	of	hands	and	feet,	increased	perspiration,	general	fatigue,	loss	of
appetite,	weight	reduction,
	and	more
. It	is	reasonable,	therefore,	to	conclude	that
rheumatoid	arthritis	is	linked	with	any	of	these,	or	similar,	symptoms	of	major	intestinal
and	metabolic	disturbances. I	have	personally	experienced	all	the	symptoms	mentioned
above	when	I	suffered	painful	bouts	of	juvenile	rheumatoid	arthritis	during	my	childhood
years. The	GI	tract	is	constantly	exposed	to	a	large	number	of	viruses,	bacteria,	and	parasites. In	addition	to	the	many
antigens
	(foreign	materials)	contained	in	foods,	the	digestive
system	may	also	have	to	deal	with	insecticides,	pesticides,	hormones,	antibiotic	residues,
preservatives,	and	colorings	contained	in	so	many	foodstuffs	today,	as	well	as	some	large-
molecule	drugs	such	as	penicillin. Possible	antigens	include	pollen	from	flowers,	plants,
plant	antibodies,	fungi,	bacteria,	and	the	like. It	is	the	task	of	the	immune	system,	most	of
which	is	located	in	the	intestinal	wall,	to	protect	us	against	all	these	potentially	harmful
invaders	and	substances. To	be	able	to	accomplish	this	task	every	day,	both	the	digestive
and	lymphatic	systems	must	remain	unobstructed	and	efficient. Gallstones	in	the	liver
seriously	disturb	the	digestive	process,	which	leads	to	an	overload	of	toxic	substances	in
the	blood	and	lymph,	as	mentioned	above	(see	“
Disorders	of	the	Circulatory	System
”). Doctors	consider
arthritis
	an
autoimmune	disease
	affecting	the	synovial	membrane. Autoimmunity,	a	condition	in	which	the	immune	system	develops	immunity	to	its	own
cells,	results	when	antigen/antibody	complexes	(
rheumatoid	factors
)	are	formed	in	the
blood. Naturally,	the	B-lymphocytes	(immune	cells)	in	the	intestinal	wall	become
stimulated	and	produce	antibodies	(
immunoglobulins
)	when	coming	into	contact	with
these	antigens. The	immune	cells	circulate	in	the	blood,	and	some	settle	in	the	lymph
nodes,	spleen,	mucus	membranes	of	the	salivary	glands,	lymphatic	system	of	the	bronchial
tubes,	vagina	or	uterus,	milk-producing	mammary	glands	of	the	breasts,	and	capsular
tissues	of	the	joints. If	there	is	repeated	exposure	to	the	same	types	of	toxic	antigens,	antibody	production
will	increase	dramatically,	particularly	in	areas	where	immune	cells	have	settled	becauseof	a	previous	encounter	with	the	invaders. These	harmful	antigens	may	consist	of	protein
particles	from	putrefying	animal	foods,	for	example. In	such	a	case,	intense	microbial
activity	can	occur. The	new	encounter	with	the	antigens	raises	the	level	of
antigen/antibody	complexes	in	the	blood	and	upsets	the	fine	balance	that	exists	between
the	immune	reaction	and	its	suppression. Autoimmune	diseases,	which	indicate	an
extremely	high	level	of	toxicity	in	the	body,	directly	result	from	a	disturbance	of	this
balance. If	antibody	production	is	continually	high	in	synovial	joints,	inflammation
becomes	chronic,	leading	to	gradually	increasing	deformity,	pain,	and	loss	of	function. The	overuse	of	the	immune	system	leads	to
self-destruction
	in	the	body. If	this	form	of
self-destruction	occurs	in	nerve	tissue,	it	is	called	MS,	and	if	it	occurs	in	organ	tissue,	it	is
called	cancer. Yet,	seen	from	a	deeper	perspective,	the	self-destruction	is	but	a	final
attempt	at	self-preservation. The	body	only	“attacks”	itself	if	the	toxicity	has	increased	to
such	a	degree	that	it	could	cause	more	damage	than	an	autoimmune	response	would. It
certainly	has	no	intention	of	committing	suicide,	which	is	what	the	meaning	of
“autoimmune	disease”	suggests. When	the	body’s	cell	membranes	are	clogged	with
foreign,	harmful	chemicals	and	toxic	particles	like	trans	fatty	acids	(as	found	in	fast	foods,
such	as	hamburgers	and	french	fries),	it	is	an	absolutely	normal	response	by	the	immune
system	to	attack	these	contaminants. To	call	this	survival	response	a	disease	is	unscientific
and	reflects	a	lack	of	knowledge	of	the	true	nature	of	the	body. Gallstones	inhibit	the	body’s	ability	to	keep	itself	nourished	and	clean,	which	makes
them	a	leading	cause	of	toxicity. They	prevent	the	liver	from	adequately	taking


 we for give because we
decide  to for give. Healing occurs in the pr esent, not the
past. W e are not held back by the love we didn’t r eceive in
the past, but by the love we’r e not e xtending in the pr esent. Either God has the power to r enew our lives, or He doesn’t. Could God be looking at any of us and saying, “I’d love to
give you a joyful life, but your mother was so ter rible, my
hands ar e tied”? There is a lot of talk today about people gr owing up in
dysfunctional homes. Who didn’t  grow up in a dysfunctional
home! This world is dysfunctional! But ther e is nothing we
have been thr ough, or seen, or done, that cannot be used to
make our lives mor e valuable now. We can gr ow fr om any
experience, and we can transcend any e xperience. This kind
of talk is blasphemy to the ego, which r espects pain,gloriﬁes pain, worships pain, and cr eates pain. P ain is its
centerpiece. It sees for giveness as its enemy. Forgiveness r emains the only path that leads out of hell. Whether we’r e forgiving our par ents, someone else, or
ourselves, the laws of mind r emain the same: As we love,
we shall be r eleased fr om pain, and as we deny love, we
shall r emain in pain. Every moment, we’r e either e xtending
love or pr ojecting fear, and every thought tak es us near er to
Heaven or hell. What will it tak e to mak e us r emember that
‘the ark is enter ed two by two,’ that ther e is no getting into
Heaven without taking someone with you? Practice and commitment ar e the k eys to love. What I’ve
seen for myself, and witnessed others grapple with also, is
not an ar gument with the power of love. I can see the truth
of all these principles. But I have also seen how of ten I
would r esist the e xperience of love, when holding on to a
grievance seems mor e important than letting it go. An entir e
world has been built on fear. Fear’s system will not be
dismantled in a moment. W e can work on ourselves every
moment that we live. The world is healed one loving
thought at a time. Mother Ther esa said that ther e are no
great deeds—just small deeds done with gr eat love. Each of us have diﬀer ent fears, and diﬀer ent
manifestations of fear, but all of us ar e saved by the same
technique: the call to God to save our lives by salvaging our
minds. “ Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fr om
evil, for L ove is the Kingdom, and L ove is the glory, and
Love is the power, for ever and ever.”
OceanofPDF.comCHAPTER 7
Work
“I am only her e to be truly helpful. I am her e to r epresent Him who sent me. I do not have to wor ry about what to say or what
to do, because He Who sent me will dir ect me. I am content to be wher ever He wishes, knowing
He goes ther e with me. I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal.”

1. SURRENDERING OUR CAREERS
“Seeing your str engths e xactly as they ar e, and
equally awar e of wher e they can be best applied,
for what, to whom and when, He chooses and
accepts your part for you.”
Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our
talents and abilities wer e used in a way that served others. We’re compensated by grateful looks in people’s eyes,whatever material abundance supports us in perfor ming
joyfully and at high ener gy, and the magniﬁcent feeling that
we did our bit today to save the world. The A tonement means putting love ﬁrst. In everything. In
business as well as everything else. Y ou’re in business to
spread love. Y our scr eenplay should spr ead love. Y our hair
salon should spr ead love. Y our agency should spr ead love. Your life should spr ead love. The k ey to a successful car eer
is realizing that it’s not separate fr om the r est of your life,
but is rather an e xtension of your most basic self. And your
most basic self is love. Knowing who you ar e and why you came her e—that you
are a child of God and that you came her e to heal and be
healed—is mor e important than knowing what you want to
do. What you want to do is not the important question. The
question to ask is, “When I do anything, how should I do it?”
And the answer is, “ Kindly.” People don’t nor mally associate
business with kindness, because business has come to be
regarded as simply a tool for making money. Miracle-
work ers ar e not in business only to mak e money; they’r e in
business to inject love into the world. Each of us has a particular part to play in “ God’s plan for
salvation.” The Holy Spirit’s job is to r eveal to us our
function and to help us perfor m it. ‘The Holy Spirit asks us if
it’s reasonable to assume that He would assign us a task,
and then not pr ovide us with the means of its
accomplishment.’
Once again, we’r e not deciding for ourselves what part to
play in life, but rather asking that it be r evealed to us wher e
He would have us go and what He would have us do. We
surrender our car eers to Him. During W orld W ar II, the Allied
generals oversaw all tr oop activity fr om a centralheadquarters, fr om which they issued or ders. The
commanders on various fr onts didn’t necessarily know how
their movements ﬁt into an overall military scheme: they
just knew they did, because they knew ther e was a general
intelligence behind the issuing of their or ders. So it is with
us. W e might not know how or wher e our talents would best
be put to use, but the Holy Spirit does. A Course in Miracles
teaches us to ‘avoid self -initiated plans, and to instead
surrender our plans to God.’
Some people have said, “ But I’m afraid to sur render my
career to God. I’m a musician—what if He wants me to be
an accountant?” My answer to that is, why would He? Wouldn’t He rather have someone who understands
numbers do that job? If you’r e talented at music, that talent is of God. If
something mak es your heart sing, that’s God’s way of
telling you it’s a contribution He wants you to mak e. Sharing
our gif ts is what mak es us happy. We’re most powerful, and
God’s power is most appar ent on the earth when we’r e
happy. A Course in Miracles  says that the ‘only r eal pleasur e
comes fr om doing God’s will.’ The crux of salvation in any
area is a shif t in our sense of purpose. R elationships,
careers, bodies—all these ar eas of our lives ar e reborn in
spirit when we dedicate them to God’s purposes, asking that
they be used as instruments thr ough which the world is
healed. That shif t is a miracle. As always, we consciously ask for
it. “Dear God, please give my life some sense of purpose. Use me as an instrument of your peace. Use my talents and
abilities to spr ead love. I sur render my job to you. Help meto remember that my r eal job is to love the world back to
health. Thank you very much. Amen.”
2. GOD’S WILL
“Wher e would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say, and to whom?”
People ask themselves, “ Do I want to serve God, or do I
want to be happy?” Since certain or ganized r eligions have
represented the spiritual life as a life of sacriﬁce and
austerity, it can be har d for some people to imagine that a
life lived close to God is a life full of joy. A Course in Miracles
says the ‘only r eal pleasur e comes fr om doing God’s will.’
God does not demand sacriﬁce. The life of sacriﬁce is the
life we live befor e we ﬁnd a higher sense of identity and
purpose: the sacriﬁce of the memory of how magniﬁcent we
really ar e, and what an important job we came her e to do. And that’s a lot to sacriﬁce, because when we can’t
remember why we’r e going somewher e, we have a har d
time acting on full thr ottle once we get ther e. Love gives
energy and dir ection. It’s spiritual