Yogic Discipline

Yoga is rooted in virtue. Ethical discipline is very necessary for success in Yoga. Ethical
discipline is the practice of right conduct in life. The two moral back-bones of Yoga are Yama and
Niyama, which the aspirant must practice in his daily life. These correspond roughly to the ten
commandments of Lord Jesus or to the noble eightfold path of Lord Buddha. Non-injuring
(Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satyam), non-stealing (Asteya), continence (Brahmacharya) and
non-covetousness (Aparigraha) are the component parts of Yama. Internal and external purification
(Saucha), contentment (Santosha), austerity (Tapas), study of religious and philosophical books
(Svadhyaya) and self-surrender to the Lord (Isvara-Pranidhana) come under Niyama. Practice of
Yama and Niyama will eradicate all the impurities of the mind. In fact, Yama and Niyama form the
corner-stones of Yoga philosophy.
Pre-eminence is given to abstention from injuring any living creature (Ahimsa) amongst all
other virtues. There must be non-injuring in thought, word and deed. Non-injuring is placed first
because it is the source of the following nine. The practice of universal love or brotherhood is
nothing but the practice of non-injuring. He who practices non-injuring will get quick success in
Yoga. The practitioner must abandon even harsh words and unkind looks. He must show goodwill
and friendliness to one and all. He must respect life. He must remember that one common Self
dwells in the hearts of all beings.
Truthfulness (Satyam) comes next in order. Thought must agree with word, and word with
action. This is truthfulness. These virtues are attainable only by the unselfish. Truth can hardly arise
unless there is pure motive behind all actions. The word of the Yogi must be a blessing to others.
Then comes non-stealing (Asteya). You must be satisfied with what you get by honest
means. The Law of Karma is inexorable. You will have to suffer for every wrong action of yours.
Action and reaction are equal and opposite. Amassing wealth is really theft. The whole wealth of all
the three worlds belongs to the Lord. You are only a caretaker of his wealth. You must willingly
share what you have with all and spend it in charity.
The fourth virtue is the practice of celibacy. That portion of human energy which is
expressed in sexual union when controlled, becomes transmuted into a form of special spiritual
energy called Ojas-Sakti and this is stored up in the brain. If you practice Yoga and at the same time
lead an impure, voluptuous and immoderate life, how can you expect progress in Yoga? All great
spiritual giants of the world have practiced celibacy and that is the reason why they were able to
thrill and electrify the whole world through the power of the special spiritual energy they had stored
up in their brains. A Yogi with an abundance of this energy keeps his audience spell-bound, as it were, and sways them even as a monarch sways his dominions. There is a peculiar charm in his
smile and power in the words emanating from his heart. He produces a very profound impression in
the minds of all with whom he comes in contact.------------- Remaining in the next post.

Yoga Sadhana

Sadhana means any spiritual practice that aids the aspirant to realise God. It is a means to

attain the goal of life. Without Sadhana no one can achieve the goal. Sadhana differs according to

taste, temperament and capacity.

You can realise the goal of life by four different paths. Just as one and the same coat will not

suit Mr. John, Mr. Smith, Mr. Dick and Mr. Williams, so also one path will not suit all people. These

four paths lead to the same goal, viz., the attainment of the Ultimate Reality. Roads are different but

the destination is the same. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “Howsoever men approach Me, even so

do I reward them, for, the path men take from every side, is Mine, O Partha.” The four paths are: the

path of work (Karma-Yoga), the path of devotion or love (Bhakti-Yoga), the path of psychic control

(Raja-Yoga) and the path of self-analysis and knowledge (Jnana-Yoga).

These divisions are not hard and fast. There is no line of demarcation between one another.

One path does not exclude the other. For instance Karma-Yoga is suitable for a man of active

temperament; Bhakti-Yoga for a man of emotional temperament; Raja-Yoga for a man of mystic

temperament; and the path of Jnana-Yoga or Vedanta for a man of will or reason. Each path blends

into the other. Ultimately they all converge and become one. Thus it is hard to say where Raja-Yoga

ends and Jnana-Yoga begins. All aspirants of different paths meet on a common platform in the

long run.

Religion must educate and develop the whole man—his head, heart and hand. Then only

there will be perfection. One-sided development is not commendable. The four paths, far from

being antagonistic to one another, indicate that the different methods of the Yoga System are in

absolute harmony with each other. Karma-Yoga leads to Bhakti-Yoga which in its turn leads to Raja-Yoga. Raja-Yoga brings Jnana. Supreme devotion is Jnana only. Bhakti, it should be borne in

mind, is not divorced from Jnana. On the contrary, Jnana intensifies Bhakti. Karma-Yoga removes

the tossing of mind, Raja-Yoga steadies the mind and Jnana-Yoga removes the veil of ignorance

and brings in the Knowledge of Self. Every Yoga is a fulfilment of the preceding one. Thus Bhakti

is the fulfilment of Karma, Yoga of Bhakti, and Jnana of all the preceding three.

The practice of Karma-Yoga prepares the aspirant for the reception of knowledge of Self. It

moulds him into a proper Adhikari (aspirant) for the study of Vedanta. Ignorant people jump at once

to Jnana-Yoga without having any preliminary training in Karma-Yoga. That is the reason why

they fail miserably to realise Truth. The impurities still lurk in their minds. The mind is filled with

likes and dislikes. They only talk of Brahman or God. They indulge in all sorts of useless

discussions vain debates and dry, endless controversies. Their philosophy is on their lips only. In

other words, they are lip-Vedantins. What is really wanted ispracticalVedanta through ceaseless

selfless service.

Those who follow the path of Karma-Yoga should do work for work’s sake, without any

motive. Two things are indispensable requisite in the practice of Karma-Yoga. A Karma-Yogi

should have extreme non-attachment for the fruits of his works and secondly he should dedicate all

his actions at the Altar of God with the feeling of Isvararpana (self-surrender). Non-attachment

brings freedom and immortality. Attachment is death. Non-attachment is eternal life.

Non-attachment makes a man absolutely fearless. When you thus consecrate all your actions to the

Lord, you will naturally develop devotion towards Him, and the greater the devotion the nearer you

are to the Lord. You will slowly begin to feel that God directly works through your body and senses.

You will feel no strain in the discharge of your works now. The heavy load you felt previously on

account of your false egoism, has now vanished out of sight, never to return.

The doctrine of Karma-Yoga forms an integral part of Vedanta. It expounds the riddle of

life and the riddle of the universe. It brings solace, satisfaction and happiness to one and all. It is a

self-evident truth. Fortunately even the Westerners have begun to acknowledge its importance and

veracity. They have no other go. Every sensible man or woman will have to accept it. “As you sow,

so you reap” holds good not only on the physical plane but in the moral world as well. Every

thought and every deed of yours generate in you certain tendencies which will affect your life and

hereafter. If you do good actions in a selfless spirit, you will naturally soar high to regions of bliss

and peace. Karma-Yoga is the lowest rung in the Spiritual Ladder; but it lifts us up to ineffable

heights. It destroys pride, selfishness and egoism. It helps growth and evolution.

Every work is a mixture of good and evil. This world of ours is a relative plane. You must

therefore strive to do such actions that can bring maximum of good and minimum of evil. If you

know the secret of work, the technique of Karma-Yoga, you will be absolutely free from the taint of

Karma. That secret is to work without attachment and egoism. The central teaching of the

Bhagavad-Gita and the Yoga-Vasishtha is non-attachment to work. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna:

“O Arjuna, work incessantly. Your duty is to work always. But do not expect fruits. The lot of that

man who expects fruits is pitiable. He is the most miserable man in the world.”

Generally people have various motives when they work. Some work in society for getting

name and fame, some for money, some for getting power and position, and some others for getting

enjoyments in heaven. Some build temples and churches with the idea that their sins will be washed

off. Some perform sacrifices for getting children. Some sink wells and tanks so that their names will

be remembered even after their death. Some lay out gardens and public parks with the idea that they

will enjoy such lovely parks and gardens in heaven. Some do acts of charity with the idea that they

will be born in the house of a Henry Ford or a Rockefeller in their next birth.

The greatest service that one can render to another is the imparting of Knowledge of Self.

Spiritual help is the highest of all. The root cause for all suffering is ignorance (Avidya) only. Cut

the knot of Avidya and drink the sweet Nirvanic Bliss. That sage who tries to remove the ignorance

of men is the greatest benefactor in the world. If you remove the hunger of man, it is after all a

temporary physical help. It is removal of physical want for three or four hours. Then again the

hunger manifests. The man remains in the same miserable state. Thus it is safe to conclude that

building of hospitals, poor-houses,dharmasalasor choultries for distribution of free food, clothes,

etc. is not the highest kind of help, though they are absolutely necessary. I say this is not the highest

kind of help, because I ask: How long can these last? Miseries have to be eradicated once and

forever. The world will remain in the same miserable state even if you build millions of hospitals

and feeding-places. There is something that can put an end to all these miseries, sufferings, worries

and anxieties, and that something is Knowledge of Self.

Bhakti-Yoga is the path of devotion or the path of affection that is suitable for people of

devotional temperament or in whom the love-element predominates. Ladies are fit for this path, for

affection predominates in them. Generally there is an admixture of devotional and intellectual

temperaments in all persons. Hence Bhakti-Yoga is suitable for the vast majority of persons. In

Bhakti-Yoga the devotee makes absolute and unreserved self-surrender. He depends upon the Lord

for everything. He is extremely humble and meek. He develops devotion to the Lord gradually to a

very high degree by repeating the Name of the Lord, studying the Holy Scriptures and practicing the

nine modes of devotion. Hearing the Name of the Lord, singing His praises, remembering His

presence, serving His Lotus-Feet, worshipping Him, bowing before Him, attending on Him, loving

Him as a Friend and surrendering of the self entirely to Him are the nine modes of devotion. The

devotee will observe austerities, pray frequently to Him and offer mental worship to Him. He will

serve his fellow-men realising that the Lord dwells in the hearts of all. This is the Sadhana for those

who wish to tread the path of Yoga of devotion.

Sri Sankara, the great Advaita Jnani, was a great Bhakta of Lord Hari, Hara and Devi.

Jnanadeva of Alandi, a great Yogi of late, was a Bhakta of Lord Krishna. Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa worshipped Kali and got Jnana through Swami Totapuri, his Advaita Guru. Appayya Dikshitacharya, a famous Jnani of South India, author of “Siddhanta Lesha” and other monumental

works on Vedanta, was a devotee of Lord Siva.

It behoves, therefore, that Bhakti can be combined with much advantage with Jnana. Bhakti

is a means to an end. It gives purity of mind and removes mental oscillation (Vikshepa). Sakama

Bhakti (devotion with expectation) brings Svarga for the devotee, while Nishkama Bhakti

(devotion without expectation) brings purity of mind and Jnana.

A life without love of God is practical death. There is no power greater than love. You can

win the hearts of others through love alone. You can conquer your enemies through love alone. You

can tame wild animals through love alone. The glory of love is ineffable. Its splendour is

indescribable. The power of love is unfathomable.

True religion does not consist in ritualistic observances, baths and pilgrimages but in loving

all. Cosmic Love is all-embracing and all-inclusive. In the presence of pure love all distinctions and

differences, all hatred, jealousy and egoism are dispelled just as darkness is dispelled by the

penetrating rays of the morning sun. There is no religion higher than Love. There is no knowledge

higher than Love. There is no treasure higher than Love, because Love is Truth, Love is God. This

world came out of Love; it exists in Love and it will ultimately dissolve in Love. A heart without

love is a desert without water. God is an ocean of Love. In every corner of His creation, you can see

ample evidence of His unbounded Love for His children.

It is all so easy to talk of Universal Love, but when you come to the practical field, you

manifestly show signs of failure. If Mr. John speaks ill of you and uses harsh words, you are thrown

out of balance instantaneously. You get irritated, show your angry face and pay him in the same

coin. You do not like to part with your possessions, when you see people in distress. A man who is

struggling to develop Cosmic Love and realise Him through Love cannot keep anything for himself

more than he actually needs for keeping his life going peacefully. He will willingly sacrifice even

this little to serve a needy person and undergo starvation with much pleasure. He will rejoice that

the Lord has given him a wonderful opportunity to serve Him. People generallytalkof Universal

Love but are very niggardly inaction. They show lip-sympathy and lip-love in mere words. This is

nothing short of hypocrisy.

Those who talk of Universal Love should endeavour to develop various good qualities.

They should serve humanity untiringly day and night with disinterested, selfless spirit for many

years. They must be prepared to bear calmly insults and injuries. Then only there is a prospect of

developing Cosmic Love. Otherwise it is all vain, flowery talk and idle-gossiping only.

The saints, seers and prophets of the world have spoken of Love as the end and aim of life.

Lord Krishna has preached Love through His flute. Lord Buddha was an ocean of Love. He gave up

His body to appease the hunger of a tiger’s cub. Raja Sibi gave flesh equal to the weight of a pigeon

from his own breast to satisfy the appetite of a hawk. Lord Rama lived a life of Love and showed

Love in every inch of His activity. Lord Jesus also preached and practiced Love in the fullest

measure. O dear children of Love! Draw inspiration from their teachings and tread the path of Love.

Remember Him. Feel His indwelling presence everywhere. See Him in all faces, in all objects, in all

movements, in all feelings, in all sentiments, in all actions. Meditate upon His form with

single-minded devotion. Become a peerless devotee of the Lord in this very life, nay in this very

second.

The student treading the path of Raja-Yoga has to ascend the Spiritual Ladder step by step,

stage by stage. There are eight limbs in Raja-Yoga, viz., Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama,

Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. By practicing Yama and Niyama at the outset the

student gets ethical training and purification of mind. By developing friendship, mercy and

complacency, he destroys hatred, jealousy and harshness of heart and thereby gets peace of mind.

By practicing Asana he steadies his posture and gets complete control and mastery over his body.

Then he practices Pranayama to remove the tossing of mind and destroy Rajas (passion) and Tamas

(inertia). His body becomes light and elastic. By practicing Pratyahara (withdrawal of the Indriyas

or senses from sensual objects) he gets strength and peace of mind. Now he is fit for concentration

which comes of itself. He practices meditation and enters into Samadhi. By the combined practice

of concentration, meditation and Samadhi (Yogic Samyama), he gets various Siddhis (powers). By

concentration on the senses, egoism, mind, etc., he gets various other powers and experiences. He

now sees without eyes, tastes without tongue, hears without ears, smells without a nose and feels

without a skin. He can work miracles. He simply wills and everything comes into being.

Those who follow the path of Jnana-Yoga or Vedanta should first acquire the four means of

salvation, viz., Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sampatti and Mumukshutva. Viveka is discrimination

between the Real and the unreal. Vairagya is indifference or dispassion for sensual objects herein

and hereafter. Shat-Sampatti is the sixfold virtue, viz., Sama, (calmness of mind), Dama (restraint

of the senses), Uparati (satiety), Titiksha (power of endurance), Sraddha (faith) and Samadhana

(one-pointedness of mind). Mumukshutva is intense longing for liberation. Then they should

approach a Brahma-Nishtha Guru (one who is established in Brahman or God), who has fully

realised the Supreme Self and hear the Scriptures directly from his mouth. Then they should reflect

and meditate on what they heard and attain Self-realisation. Now the Jnani exclaims in exuberant

joy: “The Atman alone is, One without a second. Atman or the Self is the one Reality. I am Brahman

(Aham Brahma Asmi). I am Siva (Sivoham). I am He (Sivoham).” He, the liberated soul, sees the

Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.

There are also three other forms of Yoga in addition to the four mentioned above. These are:

Hatha-Yoga, Mantra-Yoga and Laya-Yoga or Kundalini-Yoga. Hatha-Yoga relates to the physical

body, Asanas, Bandhas, Mudras, Pranayama, vow of silence, steady-gazing, crystal-gazing,

standing on one leg, etc. Hatha-Yoga is not separate from Raja-Yoga. It prepares the student to take

up Raja-Yoga. Hatha-Yoga and Raja-Yoga are, therefore, the necessary counterparts of each other.

No one can become a Yogi of a perfect order without a clear knowledge of the practice of the two

Yogas. Raja-Yoga begins where properly practiced Hatha-Yoga ends. A Hatha-Yogi starts his

Sadhana with his body and Prana (breath); a Raja-Yogi with his mind. A Hatha-Yogi gets different powers when the mighty Kundalini-Sakti reaches the Sahasrara Chakra (at the top of the head); a

Raja-Yogi gets psychic powers by the combined practice of concentration, meditation and Samadhi

at one and the same time. Mantra-Yoga relates to the recitation of certain Mantras (sacred words to

which definite powers are ascribed), such asOm Namo Narayana, Om Namo Bhagavate

VasudevayaandOm Namah Sivaya. Laya-Yoga is Kundalini-Yoga. Concentration on the sound

emanating from the heart-lotus is Laya-Yoga. Laya is dissolution. The mind is dissolved in God just

as a lump of ice is dissolved in a tumbler of soda-water.

A Jnana-Yogi can practice his Sadhana even while walking, eating and talking. He is not in

need of any Asana or room. But a Raja-Yogi wants a room and an Asana for his practice. A

Jnana-Yogi is always in Samadhi. He is not affected by Maya or illusion. There is no ‘in Samadhi’

and ‘out of Samadhi’ for a Jnani, whereas a Yogi is affected by Maya when he comes down from his

Samadhi. A Raja-Yogi plugs his mind, as it were, through effort, just as you plug a bottle with a

cork, and thus stops all mental activities. He tries to make the mind quite blank. He remains as a

silent witness of all the activities of his mind and intellect. A Raja-Yogi commences his practice

with his mind. A Jnana-Yogi starts his practices with his will and reason.

A Karma-Yogi does selfless service to kill his little self. A Bhakta or devotee of the Lord

practices self-surrender to annihilate his egoism. A Jnani practices self-denial. The methods are

different but all want to destroy this self-arrogating little “I” the root cause of bondage and

suffering. Karma-Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of Light and Knowledge. It expands the

heartad infinitum. It breaks all barriers that stand in the way of unity and oneness. Bhakti and

meditation are also mental Karmas. There can be no Jnana without Yoga. The fruit of Bhakti is

Jnana. Have you now understood the nature of the four Yogas and their interrelations?

There is a verse in Sanskrit the gist of which runs as follows: “The Sastras are endless; there

is much to be known; time is short; obstacles are many; that which is the essence should be grasped

just as the swan does in the case of milk mixed with water.” I therefore want you to start doing some

kind of spiritual practice or other and realise the goal of life and justify your existence before the

Lord on the “Day of Judgment.”

Yoga And It's Objects

Yoga Philosophy is one of the six systems of Hindu Philosophy which exist in India. Unlike

so many other philosophies of the world, it is a philosophy that is wholly practical. Yoga is an exact

science based on certain immutable Laws of Nature. It is well known to people of all countries of

the world interested in the study of Eastern civilisation and culture, and is held in awe and reverence

as it contains in it the master-key to unlock the realms of Peace, Bliss, Mystery and Miracle. Even

the philosophers of the West found solace and peace in this Divine Science. Jesus Christ himself

was a Yogi of a superior order, a Raja-Yogi indeed. The founder of the Yoga Philosophy was

Patanjali Maharshi, who was not only a Philosopher and a Yogi, but a Physician as well. He is said

to have lived about three hundred years before Jesus Christ.

Patanjali defines Yoga as the suspension of all the functions of the mind. As such, any book

on Yoga, which does not deal with these three aspects of the subject, viz., mind, its functions and

the method of suspending them, can he safely laid aside as unreliable and incomplete.

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root “Yuj” which means “to join.” Yoga is a

science that teaches us the method of joining the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. It is the

merging of the individual will with the Cosmic or Universal Will. Yoga is that inhibition of the

functions of the mind which leads to the absolute abidance of the soul in its own real nature of

Divine Glory and Divine Splendour. It is the process by which the identity of the individual soul

and the Oversoul is established by the Yogi. In other words, the human soul is brought into

conscious communion with God. Yoga is the Science of sciences that disentangles the individual

soul from the phenomenal world of sense-objects and links with the Absolute, whose inherent

attributes are Infinite Bliss, Supreme Peace, Infinite Knowledge and unbroken Joy.

Yoga is that state of Absolute Peace wherein there is neither imagination nor thought. Yoga

is control of mind and its modifications. Yoga teaches us how to control the modifications of the

mind and attain liberation. It teaches us how to transmute the unregenerate nature and attain the

state of Divinity. It is the complete suppression of the tendency of the mind to transform itself into

objects, thoughts, etc. Yoga kills all sorts of pain, misery and tribulation. It gives you freedom from

the round of births and deaths, with its concomitant evils of disease, old age, etc., and bestows upon

you all the Divine Powers and final liberation through super-intutional knowledge.

The word Yoga is also applicable in its secondary sense to the factors of Yoga, viz.,

self-training, study, the different actions and practices that go to make up Yoga as they are

conducive to the fulfilment of Yoga and as such indirectly lead to emancipation. Union with God is

the goal of human life and that ought to become the touchstone of all human endeavours. That is the

be-all and end-all of existence.

Iron Strong Health

Without iron, there would be no hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin gives red corpuscles their color. And it is the hemoglobin that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. If you lack iron, an insufficient supply of oxygen in your hemoglobin will produce sensations of fatigue, headaches and
shortness of breath. Men don’t have to worry too much: most men have a reserve of iron stored in their body that could last 3 years ! But women, because of the menstrual cycle, need twice as much
iron as men. And the amount is even higher for pregnant women. Vitamin C doubles the amount of iron the body absorbs: so it is a good idea to add a glass of tomato or orange or grapefruit juice to every meal. On the other hand, tea reduces the amount of iron absorbed by
50% and coffee by about 39%.

Prevent high blood pressure

Research has shown that people whose diet is rich in potassium (vegetarians for example) are less likely than others to develop high blood pressure. Calcium is also beneficial. Fortunately, potassium and calcium are abundantly present in a large variety of foods. Fruits, vegetables, beans, fish, fowl and lean meats are full of potassium. Calcium is a little more restricted. Foods rich in calcium usually
also contain large amounts of sodium and fat, which can increase blood pressure. However, moderate amounts of milk are recommended, as well as yogurt, almonds, bananas, grapes, broccoli, potatoes, beans, tofu and sardines.

Protect Yourself Against Cancer

Radical liberals are not a political group, but a kind of very active molecule that is suspected of being one of the causes of cancer. How can you protect yourself? Diet plays an important role here,
especially in the absorption of anti-oxidants. The strongest anti-oxidizing agent is Vitamin E, which is found in wheat germ oil and sunflower seeds. Next comes Vitamin C (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, red peppers etc.). Beta carotene also absorbs large amounts of radical liberals. This substance seems to act as a protecting agent against most types of cancer. Where do you find it? In red vegetables (like tomatoes), orange ones (carrots), yellow (squash), and dark green (broccoli). All these are rich in beta carotene. So make them a regular part of your menu!

Stop Catching Colds

As much as possible, avoid coming into close contact with infected persons, especially if they cough or sneeze. A person with a cold is extremely contagious: he or she fills the air with fine particles of saliva or mucous which transport the virus microbe. Even if the person is careful to wipe his nose with tissue or a handkerchief, the microbes will be transported to his hands. And studies have shown that these viruses are transmitted through hand contact. So if you have to shake hands with someone who has a cold, you would better wash soon after! What can you do if you do catch a cold? It is useless to take antibiotics: they have no effect on viruses. However, there are certain substances found in alcohol which help decongest sinuses, that is why a good hot toddy can work wonders.
But take care of your liver: a toddy is just as good with a little rum as with a lot. You don’t have to get drunk to get better. You don’t even have to drink it - just sniff some strong alcohol like cognac or brandy and breathe in the fumes.

Menstrual Cramps - Suffer No More!

To reduce the intensity of menstrual symptoms, you can change your diet:
·Less sugar, and slightly more protein.
·Diuretic foods such as eggplant, cucumbers and parsley can help diminish water retention.
·Calcium supplements (1 gram per day) and magnesium (500 milligrams) can help reduce anxiety (always take both).
·Vitamin B-6 (not more than 50 milligrams per day) can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and tension.
·Vitamins E and C also help reduce the intensity of cramps.
·Aspirin has a mildly soothing effect.
· And once again you can turn to plants to relieve your pains:
* ANGELICA in infusion: 3 1/2 tablespoons of root per quart of water.
* MATRIX (derived from the Latin for womb): 2 teaspoons of flowers per quart of water.
* MILFOI OR YARROW which soothes and reduces overly
abundant menstruation: about 5 1/2 tablespoons of flower tops per
quart of water.
* SAGE in infusion: I 1/2 tablespoons of dried leaves per quart of water.
In extreme cases, ask your doctor for medication to alleviate pain.

Digest Better

There is a plant for each type of digestion problem.
· AIGREMOINEis useful when the stomach problem is accompanied by enteritis, diarrhea and/or chronic liver infection. It helps tone a lazy digestive system. And it also helps regularize acidity and soothe ulcers by improving metabolism. 3 or 4 cups a day. 3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons per quart of water.
· ANGELICAis a digestive, an aperitif, a stimulant, a tonic. It decongests and soothes stomach pains and swelling. Prepare an infusion (tea) preferably using the fresh plant: 3 1/2 tablespoons of roots per quart of water. If your stomach is very swollen, prepare and drink 3 cups per day made of 5 tablespoons of seeds per quart of water.
· ANISEis a soothing digestive. It aids digestion and the elimination of intestinal gas, it soothes stomach cramps, aerophagy, dyspepsia (contractions of the digestive organs, dizziness and a heavy
feeling after eating). 2 or 3 cups per day, after meals: 2 tablespoons of seeds per quart of water.
· CAMOMILE: a digestive, sedative, anti-inflammation agent and tonic. It helps painful or difficult digestion, stomach cramps, gastro-intestinal spasms, loss of appetite, and it helps expulsion of gas
(carminative). Particularly recommended for persons who suffer from stomach cramps (and/or who are irritable, temperamental, angry etc.) One cup of infusion, a half hour before meals, or one hour after. To prepare the infusion, add 5 1/2 tablespoons to a quart of boiling water and let stand for five minutes.
· CHERVIL:digestive, depurative and diuretic. It also acts as astimulant. For difficult digestion, drink 2 or 3 cups per day. Prepare an infusion with one teaspoon of dried leaves per cup of water, and
let stand for 10 minutes.
· SAGE:The ancients had a saying - “Why die when your garden is full of sage!” It is a digestive, diuretic, antispasmodic and helps combat hypoglycemia. It stimulates the appetite, fortifies the stomach and aids digestion, especially when digestion is difficult. It is also a general tonic. 2 or 3
cups of infusion per day. 1 1/2 tablespoons of dried leaves per quart
of water. (Practical Guide No. 6, Vol. II).

Reducing Your Cholesterol

To reduce cholesterol:
· First cut down on saturated fats. To do this:
· Eat lean meat. Select lean cuts and ask your butcher to cut off the fat.
· Drink skim milk instead of whole milk. Do the same for all dairy products. Note that vegetarians have a much lower cholesterol level (almost twice as low as average) which is perfectly understandable, since cholesterol is only found in products derived from animals. · Alcohol - in moderation. Not more than two glasses a day. However, it does appear that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol raises the number of HDL lipids (the good ones!), which break down
cholesterol. (Moderation = two 4 oz. glasses of wine or two 12 oz. zeers.)
· Do regular exercise, for example walking.
· Take Vitamin E. It reduces the risk of coronary disease.
· Calcium brewer’s yeast, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6 also
combat the accumulation of cholesterol. And don’t forget lecithin, which helps fight excess cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, hypertension.
and angina (as well as psoriasis, anxiety and diabetes - and reduces the likelihood of contracting cancer). Losing weight is a good way to raise your HDL level. · Use poly-unsaturated, non-hydrogenated, cold pressed oil: corn oil, sunflower seed oil, soy, flax etc. A mono-unsaturated oil like
olive oil can even raise your HDL level. · Daily consumption of fish would be ideal for preventing
cardio-vascular problems, as demonstrated conclusively in a number of studies on fish-eating populations (Eskimos for example). Ideally, you would eat fish twice a day. And as strange as this sounds, you should select the fattest kinds: mackerel, sardines, herring, salmon etc.
As for the oil in the fish, it is used to treat arterial disorders. Its effects can be felt in about six weeks. Fish oil contains two poly-unsaturated fatty acids which are very beneficial for the arteries.

A Miracle Remedy

If we offered you a miracle remedy that prevents cardiac disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and varicose veins, would you buy it? Certainly you would. There is such a product. But it is not a recent discovery and you won’t find it in a pharmacy but at the grocery store. We are talking about fiber. A study conducted in Holland on 871 men, over a period of ten years, showed that subjects who had a low fiber diet were three times more susceptible to mortal disease - causes notwithstanding -than those who ate a lot of fiber (Future Youth). This said, it cannot be confirmed at present that fiber prevents the above mentioned diseases in all cases. But there is conclusive proof that they occur more frequently in populations with low fiber diets which is precisely the case in the west. According to The Lancet (the British Medical Journal) a diet which contains at least 37 grams of fiber per day (the equivalent of one cup of bran, one apple, one potato and a half cup of cooked spinach) can effectively protect the organism against chronic illnesses common to western society. So fiber is useful in combatting many disorders besides constipation.
LOW FIBER FOODS:
Notably white bread (since fiber is removed in white flour),
beef, pork, chicken, milk, butter, cheese, sugar, processed meats,
desserts, fish, seafood and noodles.
GOOD SOURCES OF FIBER:
· Fruits: especially apples and prunes.
· Vegetables: potatoes with their peel, spinach, artichokes,
cabbage, peas.
· Whole grains: barley, whole wheat (you should eat whole
wheat bread because of the bran it contains), oats, corn.
· Nuts: peanuts and almonds.
· Dried fruit: apricots, plums, figs, dates.
· Legumes: soy beans, lima beans, lentils, chick peas.
Note that there are numerous types of fiber, and that you should
alternate between them. For example, the fiber contained in apples
and the fiber in cereals are both essential, since they don’t have the
same digestive function.

How To Put An End To Heartburn

Heartburn usually results from excess acidity in the stomach, or from improper functioning of your digestive system. At the point where the esophagus and stomach join, a special muscle opens and closes the esophagus. When we swallow food this muscle relaxes to let the food pass into the  tomach after which it closes again. But it can happen that the muscle malfunctions. The contents of the stomach then rise back up the esophagus, irritating the area. And this results in the infamous feeling of heartburn. How to stop it? Avoid acidic foods (lemons, etc.), alcohol, fat or fried food, food that is overcooked, coffee, juice, tomato base products and chocolate. But don’t deprive yourself too much. Rather, observe which foods bring on heartburn and avoid them. Also, don’t go to sleep right after eating (you should eat supper around 7 o’clock) and don’t smoke, especially after meals.

How To Prevent Flatulence (Aerophagy)

Aerophagy results simply from “eating” air. The condition is not dramatically serious, but it does bloat the stomach and can prove embarrassing (stomach gurgles, etc.) How to prevent it? Above all chew your food properly and savor it fully. Swallowing too much is a direct cause of aerophagy. So don’t swallow needlessly. Don’t drink a lot when you eat. Avoid tobacco and alcohol, cabbage, radishes, doughy bread, strong spices and bubbly drinks. Don’t eat food that is too hot or too cold.
And pay attention to the kinds of food you eat together: make a note of any combination that seems to provoke an attack and avoid it in future.

The Anti-allergy Vitamin

So much has been said in praise of Vitamin C. So it is not surprising that it is also effective in treating allergic reactions like hayfever. We recommend taking Vitamin C in the form of ascorbate rather then ascorbic acid. When taken in ascorbic acid form, it can cause gastro-intestinal disorders. To fight an allergic reaction, you should consume up to 8 grams. 5 grams are necessary, on average. Start with a dose of 3 grams. Every three hours, take another 1 or 2 grams, until the symptoms disappear completely.

How To Prevent Motion Sickness - Naturally

Did you know that half a teaspoon of ground ginger is more effective than chemical medication in suppressing motion or sea sickness? And unlike most medication, it will not make you drowsy.
Ginger has been used in the Orient for centuries to prevent sea sickness. Researchers asked subjects who were especially susceptible to motion sickness to sit in a reclining chair that spun around at high
speed. All the subjects who ingested a well known medication or who took a placebo experienced violent nausea and/or vomiting. On the other hand, six of the twelve subjects who took ginger
twenty minutes before the test experienced no discomfort. They consumed only 840 milligrams of ground ginger, which is the equivalent of half a teaspoon. The Japanese have a very curious method of treating all kinds of motion sickness. They use an adhesive plaster to fasten an “umeboshi” (a very salty fermented plum, available in most health food stores in the West) to their navel. The idea may seem a little strange, but what have you got to lose!

Use Seaweed To Stimulate Your Immune System

Japanese seaweed possesses remarkable immunizing properties, especially in fighting cancer. Japanese researchers at the University of Kitasato have discovered 6 kinds of seaweed which inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells in rats, notably two types of Laminaria. Laminaria extract has proven 70% to 84% effective in suppressing intestinal tumors. Wakame, another Japanese seaweed, is now familiar to many Westerners, thanks to the arrival in the west of Japanese macrobiotic cooking, which uses it a lot. Pharmacologists at the University of Hawaii injected rats with an extract of this substance. They found that the seaweed helped prevent and cure cancer. The researchers claim that Wakame fights cancer by activating and strengthening the immune system. It can be found in most health food stores.

Treat Diarrhea Without Medication

If you have ever been to a tropical country, you have probably experienced diarrhea: frequent and uncontrolled evacuation of liquid stool caused by bacteria in local water, milk or food. Diarrhea can also be caused at home by excesses in diet (a diet that is too rich) or an allergic reaction to certain foods or medication or even by stress. To treat diarrhea, avoid all solid food on the first day. Drink liquids like water, apple juice, meat or vegetable boullion and tea. These will compensate for your loss of water - dehydration being one of the main dangers of diarrhea - and will give your intestines a
period of rest. If you have stomach cramps, rub your hands together for about a minute. Then place both palms on your abdominal region. The heat will soothe the pain. On the second day, eat small quantities of solid food. Among the least irritating are cooked cereals (especially rice), biscuits and soft boiled eggs. You can also try charcoal. It comes in tablet or capsule form (you can also get it off burnt toast!) Chinese medicine has always considered ginger one of the best remedies for diarrhea. Dilute a tablespoon in hot water and add honey.

How T o Get Rid Of Liver Spots

If you have liver spots, it is up to you to get rid of them.
May be you took too much sun, without using the proper precautions like sunscreen, gradual exposure, etc. If you continue ignoring your skin in this way, you might end up looking like a lizard!
Liver spots can also result from a thyroid deficiency. The thyroid gland must therefore be stimulated through a variety of means. For example, brown seaweed tablets: take one a day every morning, for fifteen days a month. Or apply a cream composed of 1 teaspoon oxygenated water and 4 1/2  tablespoons lanovaseline every morning and night. Aloe vera (see previous chapter) is very effective in treating skin disorders. Daily application of aloe vera over a period of time can eliminate liver spots completely. Also take a look at your nutrition: the real problem might lie in what you do or don’t eat, like a diet too high in fat.

A Few Tricks For Treating Insect Bites

You don’t have to sit back and just passively put up with insects, especially those that like to bite (mosquitoes, wasps etc.). Eat asparagus and your sweat will develop an odor that repels insects. Or
apply lemon oil to your skin. If you are bitten, there are natural substances to soothe the irritation.  Aloe vera has extraordinary powers of soothing skin disorders. It is available in forms for both internal and external application in most health and beauty stores. If you have one of these amazing plants growing at home, cut the tip off one of the leaves (the leaf will heal itself). Apply the pulp and
juice to the itching or swollen area. Lightly boiled cabbage or leek makes an excellent analgesic
poultice. Of course, if you are hiking in the woods, you might have a little trouble finding cabbage! Plantain also works well. Cut it and rub it to get to the juice then apply it to the affected area.

What To Do When You Get Something In Your Eye

Got some dust in your eye? Or some other irritant like an eyelash or cigarette ash? You can use the following technique to help others as well as yourself.
Before doing anything, make sure you don’t do what you absolutely shouldn’t: rub or press the eye, lift the eyelid, or remove contact lenses without washing your hands. How to proceed?
Examine your eye. Is it red? Swollen? Is it tearing? What do you feel? Does it itch? Burn? Is your vision blurred? · Let nature do its work - it is usually effective. Tears and natural eye movements will usually get rid of the irritation. · Try rinsing your eye with some warm water, or with drops. You
can pull on the skin around the eyes, but don’t touch the eyelid. · If this doesn’t work, wash your hands, and then lift both the upper and lower eyelids to locate the irritant. Is it on the inside of one of the eyelids, or is it stuck to the eyeball itself? Pour some sterilized, warm water on your eye to flush the irritant out. · If you can’t locate the irritant or if the discomfort persists after you have removed the particle, you would better consult a doctor.

Losing Weight: The Pakistani Method

Pakistani women have an amazing trick they use to stay slim: they keep a string permanently tied around their forearms. According to Dr. Drupas, a gentle but constant pressure on the nerves in the
forearm stimulates certain glands, particularly those involved in weight control (thyroid, suprarenals).
Why don’t you try it? Find two ordinary rubber bands and place them around your right forearm, one third of the way up between your wrist and elbow. The rubber bands should exert noticeable pressure without cutting off blood circulation and should not slip or slide when you move your arm. This is not a tourniquet! For best results, you have to wear the rubber bands constantly, even at night when you sleep. It is also recommended not to wear any other jewelry on the right arm.

How To Beat Asthma

Asthma partially obstructs the bronchial tubes, making breathing difficult. The cause of asthma is still not known. But if you are an asthma sufferer, you can, through natural means, considerably reduce
the number of asthma attacks you get. A placebo study has shown that asthmatics who consume 1 gram of vitamin C per day had 4 times fewer attacks. When they stopped taking vitamin C, the attacks resumed with the same frequency as before (Trop. and Geog. Med., Vol. 32, Mo. 2, 1980).
As for magnesium, it also works wonders! Dr. Zack H. Haddad of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southern California conducted a study on thirty children suffering from asthma associated with allergies. Twenty of them drank a daily amount of mineral water rich in
magnesium, while the others received no magnesium supplement. After three months, the first group had a higher level of magnesium in their blood, and they were able to breathe more easily.
So taking vitamin C and magnesium is an excellent way to prevent asthma attacks. But what can you do to breathe more easily during an attack? Simply drink 2 or 3 cups of strong coffee. By activating blood circulation, it eases respiratory blockage.
In addition, the American Lung Association recommends the
following exercise:
l. While standing, contract all your muscles. Keep them
contracted for a few seconds.
2. Release the muscles, like letting the air out of a balloon. Relax
all your muscles completely until you feel like a limp cloth.
3. Let yourself fall to the floor, and stretch out. Close your eyes
and relax your face and your feet.
4. Imagine that you are floating on water. Concentrate on the
effect the earth’s gravity has on your muscles and on the pleasant
feeling of being completely relaxed.
5. Breathe gently and quietly, as if you were about to fall asleep.
6. Open your eyes.
Practising this exercise when you feel an attack coming on, or
once it is already started, will help you overcome your
asthma condition

Avoid Eye Problems Caused By T.V. And Monitors

The eye was not made to be constantly focused on close objects. If your work requires that you stare at a computer screen all day long or if you watch a lot of television, stop from time to time to do a few eye exercises. For example, roll your eyes in large circles in both directions; look over to each side as far as possible and then go from up to down; or scan an imaginary text on the wall from left to right; or look out the window as far as you can following the horizon then return to
a point right in front of you and begin again. In this way, you will avoid long term eye problems, you will enlarge your inner space, and relax both your eyes and your mind.

How To Avoid Cancer Caused By Smoking

If you smoke, you can greatly reduce the risk of contracting cancer by drinking carrot juice. This according to the German Doctor Hans Nieper, founder of Eumatabolic Medicine, a new alternative

mode of treatment which has become very popular in Germany. The carotene found especially in carrots prevents and can even cure cancer.

Dr. Nieper states, “If you smoke 60 cigarettes a day but drink 4 glasses of carrot juice, you will still be less prone to contract cancer than someone who doesn’t smoke but who doesn’t drink carrot juice.” Of course, if you don’t smoke and do drink carrot juice all the better!

Care For Your Heart While You Sleep

In which position do you sleep?
If you sleep on your stomach or on your left side, you are putting pressure on your heart with the extra body weight, while the heart has to continue pumping blood as usual. This additional burden wears the heart out more quickly. Think about it - you spend more than one third of your life sleeping! To reduce the strain on your heart, sleep on your right side, or on your back. This simple technique will add years to your life.

Are You Anxious?

Is worrying one of your characteristics? Well, stop! It is okay to worry, but at the right time.
Psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania tell patients who suffer from anxiety to regularly do a daily twenty minute “worry session,” always at the same time and in the same place. Collect your
head full of worries during the day (don’t suppress them!) and then pour them out during your daily worry session. Exaggerate your worries to the point of absurdity - knit your brows, make faces, let the sweat flow, shake and cower as much as you like. In other words, make a caricature of the part of yourself that is always worried, and in so doing exorcise it. Eliminating worry will help prevent numerous psychosomatic illnesses, which result from living in a state of permanent anxiety.

How To Fight Aging

Did you know that just walking for 30 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week is enough to combat aging?
According to researchers at the University of California, one of the principle causes of deterioration of the human organism’s physical
faculties is its diminished ability to metabolize glucose. And they showed that even leisurely exercise, like taking a walk, plays an important role in keeping glucose metabolism functioning smoothly.
Do you spend the whole day sitting at your desk or in front of a computer screen? Why not get up occasionally and do a few minutes of physical exercise? Don’t worry about what other people think. In some Japanese companies, it is even become a collective habit. Every twenty minutes a bell sounds, and everybody gets up to do some stretching exercises, after which they sit down again as if nothing had happened. Japanese managers are convinced that their employees are more productive when they are relaxed.