Posts classified under: 2003

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Chinese, Indian, and many traditional medicines can be called energy medicine. Modern Western medicine belongs more to mechanical medicine. There are many differences in thinking between these two approaches. How they can complement each other is a complex issue. Specifically, in today’s technologically advanced environment, emergency rescue procedures that are applied to many life-threatening conditions need to coordinate the many medical systems. The weak or infirmed, elderly or young are especially susceptible to sudden adverse reactions arising from radiation exposure. How to use energy medicine in such emergency situations is therefore very important.

The hospital is a place where emergency procedures are administered. At the diagnosis stage, hospitals rely on various apparatus to draw blood, to examine urine, to perform X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound procedures, and to take tissue samples. Emergency rescue procedures include the use of blood transfusion, intravenous feeding, diuretics, surgical operations, antibiotics, and chemotherapy. It is particularly important for patients undergoing these procedures to have their energy levels nourished and uplifted to counter the harm caused by these procedures. The hands, feet and seven chakras are important energy entry points. Key energy points to work on during emergencies include the point at the center of the palms, and the Yongquan acupressure point (located just above the center of the foot). The latter is especially important in nourishing the energy (qi) of the kidney, and in stabilizing the heartbeat. The acupressure points located at the palm center and Yongquan should be massaged with your palms in a clockwise direction (for those living in the Northern hemisphere) or anticlockwise direction (for those living in the Southern hemisphere). For those who are familiar with the use of the energy pendulum, press one hand on the center of your foot or palm, while allowing the energy pendulum held in the other hand to freely rotate. If the chain rotates in an anticlockwise direction, it means that negative energy is being discharged from the body. If it rotates in a clockwise direction, it means that energy is being replenished. Let the chain rotate until it stops by itself; when the pendulum stops moving, it suggests that the person no longer needs to discharge or replenish energy. People who are particularly weak may need ten or more minutes to complete the process.

Regulating the energy at the center of the palm or foot can help stabilize an irregular heartbeat or breathing. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the kidney relates to the water element, while the heart relates to the fire element. Thus, the kidney and heart have mutually balancing functions. When the kidney is weak, the heartbeat will also be abnormal. Therefore, when the energy point at Yongquan acupressure point (related to the kidney) is nourished, it will indirectly help the heart function. The palm center is more directly related to the heart. Depending on one’s needs, the energy at the center of the palm and foot should be recharged several times a day, particularly when one’s health is under threat. Massaging the energy fields can also serve to nourish one’s energy. The person doing the massage should stand by the patient’s side and hold his/her palm (left or right) one to two feet above the patient’s body. Massage by rotating the palm in a clockwise direction (for those living in the Northern hemisphere), increasing the number of rotations especially at the locations of the seven charkas. Perform this massage for the entire body’s energy field, starting from the location of the head and then to the feet.

If the patient has significant negative energy levels (e.g., from exposure to X-rays and chemical pollutants), use an anticlockwise direction (for those living in the Northern hemisphere) to cleanse his/her energy field. Discharge the negative energy into salt or salt water. Then massage in a clockwise direction to recharge the energy field.

If the stomach/spleen is not working well, channel energy to the navel area. Place the middle finger of the left hand gently on the indentation of the collar bone, and the right palm on the region around the navel. After five minutes, gently massage the navel area using half-circular movements. Repeat for seven days. To improve a patient’s spleen function, stand on the left side of the patient, and use the right hand to press on the patient’s right armpit, with the left hand on the patient’s navel. Do this for five minutes and repeat this for seven days. After the first day, the patient may excrete dark feces that have a sour smell.

Under normal circumstances, energy between the seven chakras will flow without restrictions. However, after an injury or lying down for too long, energy flow between some chakras become restricted, thereby impairing some bodily functions. Under these circumstances, assistance from others will be beneficial. If you are performing the massage, stand at the side of the patient’s bed, with one hand above the crown of the patient’s head, and the other hand on the root chakra (located at the base of the spine). Both hands are about 2 feet above the patient’s body. Stand quietly for about five minutes. At this time, the center of the palm may feel hot or tingling, or it may vibrate. Sequentially vary the position of the hands to each of the chakra locations so that the energy at all the chakras can flow freely.

For example, if the left hand is above the patient’s crown, the right hand can then shift to the position above the Dantian acupressure point (about two inches below navel), then the navel, heart, throat, and forehead. The left hand can shift to the positions above the forehead, throat, heart, navel, and the Dantian acupressure point. Spend three to five minutes at each location. Once this is done, move to the other side of the bed. Now, the right hand is above the patient’s crown, and the left hand above the root charka. The patient should do this once daily, or more frequently as needed.

Hanna Koreger suggests a method to discharge the X-ray radiation exposed during hospital stays. Use brown paper bag that contains some salt to sweep every part of the body. Replace the salt a few times in instances with greater X-ray exposure. Besides using sweeping movements up and down the body to clear the energy, it is also necessary to sweep in anticlockwise direction to discharge the radiation. Do this to energy fields close to the body, and those that are far away, even stand on a chair when performing this procedure because one’s energy field can extend up to the ceiling level.

Carefully select one’s diet and eat organic food uncontaminated by chemicals. People who are ill or old sometimes have dietary needs that are like infants – they need light and mild food. In addition, cold food should be avoided, and it should be heated above the person’s body’s temperature. It may be necessary to grind the food for those with weak teeth or physique and who cannot chew their food. The staple food can comprise grains that are grounded to powder after they have been toasted using slow fire. Add water or soup broth to dissolve the grain powder. The powder can be mixed with three times boiling water for those who prefer it a little drier, and with four to five times boiling water for those who prefer more soupy. Place this drink into a flask with a wide mouth and drink it after 10 minutes. Below are some recipes for consideration:

Add equal amounts of barley, oat and buckwheat, toast till cooked, and then grind to powder form. At the point of consumption, you can add some miso, organic oil (e.g., sesame oil, olive oil), yeast powder, or pumpkin powder. Barley gets to the kidney and is more appropriate if it is made a little salty. Rice products that can be used include unpolished brown rice (long or short grain), unpolished glutinous rice, millet, and barley. Add small amounts of qian-shi (Chinese medicine), wild yam and lotus seed. Using a low fire, fry till cooked, then grind to powder form and make a drink from it. As before, rice drinks can be salty or sweet. To obtain a sweet taste, add red dates or honey dates. Besides rice, consider adding lightly steamed vegetables or roots. Depending on one’s physique, it is possible to use warm water to prepare fruit juice, vegetable juice, or high-energy vegetable soup. You can first soak walnuts in water, and then grind it to make walnut milk. Food rich in polysaccharides can nourish the body. Currently, the market sells products containing polysaccharides produced from traditional food such as shitake mushrooms, rice, aloe vera, white fungus, red dates, schisandra and lycium, etc.

Patients who have been taking antibiotics can either orally take probiotics (friendly bacteria) or apply some probiotics liquid on their bodies. Those who have extremely weak physique can take a nutritional bath for seven days, or apply either human milk, goat milk, or cow milk on their bodies on a daily basis for seven days.

A nutritional bath is prepared in the following way: take a glass of cow milk, an egg (unfertilized with no antibiotics or hormones), along with freshly squeezed juice of one lemon, and pour the mixture into a bathtub of water. Dissolve the mixture in the water by moving your hand (immersed in water) in the shape of number 8. Soak your body in water for about 15 minutes (extremely weak people should start with about 5 minutes). After the bath, dry oneself, put on clothes, then cover oneself with a blanket, and rest in bed for 30 minutes. Do so for seven days, preferably at the same time each day.

If the patient is in the hospital and on intravenous solution, it is best to raise the energy level of the intravenous solution using the following ways: touch the drip container with energizer or water crystal energizer. One can also visualize golden, white, green, or blue light to “energize” the fluids within the bag; or charge it with prayers that are consistent with one’s religion (e.g., Buddhists can recite the great compassion mantra of Avalokisteshvara, the Six Syllable mantra, or the mantra of Medicine Buddha).

The patient’s caregiver who radiates optimism, peace and warmth can have a significant positive effect on the patient’s recovery. Use comforting and encouraging words to remind the patient to continue his/her daily spiritualpractice. Recognize that life is impermanent, and everyone can go anytime. How to maintain a positive and peaceful mind is very important.

The above are some suggestions on how to take care of a sick person.

 

Reference:

Eden, Donna. Energy medicine. Jeremy P. Tacher Putnam, 1998.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Dr Mitchell May is the CEO and founder of The Synergy Company. His life changed thirty years ago, when he narrowly escaped death in a car accident. He was 21 years old then, and shortly before that fateful car accident, he had prayed that he would not waste this life and that he would realize the truth about life. Right after that prayer, the car that he and his friends were in had a head-on collision with another car. Both his legs were crashed through the car window, but interestingly, other than Mitchell, none of the other passengers were seriously injured. Medical aid workers at the scene of the accident pronounced him dead. His consciousness had left his physical body, and met three other higher-level consciousness who said that his mission on earth was not completed yet, and that he had to quickly return to earth.

Doctors found that his legs were broken in forty places, and his right leg was short of three inches of bones and nerves. There was no flesh below his knee cap; only bones remained. Serious internal injury, along with blood and bone infections, caused him to drift in and out of coma. The doctors insisted that his right leg be amputated to prevent the spread of infection, and to stop the excruciating pain that could not be stopped by any medication. A team of doctors predicted that he would never be able to walk, and that his eyes and ears would never completely recover their functions. Today, Dr. May can fully walk with ease. Not only has his health fully recovered, but he is also helping countless patients recover their health. How did he do this?

After the accident, Mitchell’s parents transferred him from the Tennessee hospital to the Medical Centre of the University of California, Los Angeles, where his father was a university Professor in the department of engineering. A team of seventy specialists worked on saving his endangened life. He intermittently drifted in and out of comas, but always insisted on not amputating his leg every time he regained consciousness. He withstood twenty four hours of excruciating pain daily, a pain (termed Causalgia in medical science) inflicted on the nerves that cannot be stopped by anesthesia. This torment went on for two months, and Mitchell’s weight fell from over 100 pounds to 87 pounds. His mother could not bear to see her son in agony, and in a moment of inspiration, sought help form Professor Thelma Moss (Ph.D) of UCLA’s Parapsychology Department. At that time, one of the participants in Professor Moss’ research was Jack Gray, a person gifted with healing powers. A day before Mitchell’s mother approached Professor Moss, Jack had predicted that someone would seek help, and that he would assist only if it was part of a research program. The following day, Jack showed up in Mitchell’s hospital room after a long day’s work. Jack requested that Mitchell’s parents be present because it was important that Mitchell connected with his parents’ energy during this recovery. Jack approached Mitchell’s bedside, carefully avoiding the space beyond Mitchell’s right leg. Jack used his hands to outline Mitchell’s aura, an action that immediately attracted Mitchell’s attention-prior to this, every time a doctor or nurse walked past his right leg, Mitchell would scream in pain as if someone had stepped on his physical body. At that time, the doctors did not have any knowledge about auras, and thought that his reaction arose from fear and anxiety. On the other hand, Jack seemed to be able to sense that Mitchell’s right leg was leaking energy. Jack gently put his hand on Mitchell’s forehead, and said: “You are created in the image of god, and you possess everything you need to recover.” That night, Jack stayed for twelve hours. He showed Mitchell how to use his mind to control his body’s reaction. Jack could put his hand over fire and not have any reaction, as well as prick his skin with needles and control the bleeding. Jack used a flashing blue light and sound from the Dantian area (below the navel) to bring Mitchell beyond time and space. Jack also placed his hands over Mitchell’s body to repair the latter’s aura. Jack did this for three consecutive nights. On the third morning, a miracle happened. Mitchell’s pain stopped-this is the first medical case of pain stopping spontaneously after a person’s nerves had been injured. Mitchell later recalled those days, and made the following observation: “If we restrict ourselves within the “small I” and normal consciousness, we will feel pain, fear, doubt, and limitation. On the other hand, if we think about our “Greater Self” and the dimension beyond time and space, we can connect with spiritual creative power and healing energy.” Mitchell also learned how to regenerate new flesh, nerves, and bones, and rewrote his life story.

A few months later, Jack expressed interest in having Mitchell as an apprentice so that Mitchell could carry on his work. Mitchell studied with Jack for seven years until the latter passed away.

Mitchell’s recovery was an arduous process. He spent nine months in the intensive care unit of the hospital, two years in a wheelchair, and two years using a crutch. Four years after the accident, he was able to use his right leg. Since then, he takes regular mountain hikes, and can walk as normal. His bone specialist, Dr. Edgar Dawson, considers his recovery to be a miracle and impossible from a medical perspective-X-rays taken after Dr. May’s recovery showed that his ankle had re-grown; also, he should have been in constant pain because his hip joints, knee caps, and ankles do not have cartilages.

During his recovery, Mitchell investigated plants that can raise one’s energy levels. Integrating eastern and western medical knowledge, he combined green algae, sprouts, Chinese and western herbs, and particularly mushrooms and fruits to create a high energy green powder. In the early days, he supplied this to patients of doctors he knew. After these doctors noticed that Mitchell was full of energy, they tried the powder themselves with good effects. They encouraged him to supply this powder to the public, and this led to the creation of The Synergy Company.

After Jack passed away, Mitchell took over the care of his patients. At one point in time, he was tending to patients twelve hours a day. Later, because the demand for his services exceeded his capacity, he focused his attention to creating high energy products. Some of his views on healing are described below.

Human beings have five bodies: physical body, emotional body, mythological body, energy body, and luminous body:

• Physical body: Our cells contain billions of years of life force. We are made of stars, planets, and the galaxies. The physical body is the physical manifestation of the spirit.
• Emotional body: This body reflects the influence of our family history, relationships, and society. It is inseparable from the physical body, and is the body most in need of healing in this culture.
• Mythological body: This body is not constrained by time and space. It operates in the arena of our subconscious and the primal creative energy. It is the world of dreams, shamans, and miracles. We communicate with the unseen world through this body.
• Energy body: This is the body where we connect with our spirituality. It is the source of health and recovery, and it is as old and expansive as the universe.
• Luminous body: This body provides us with the nourishment from the cosmos and the spirit. It contains the source of life energy, and has the capacity to heal and nourish. It is also a conduit for communication with the other bodies. It is through this body that we learn the language of energy.

How To Enter The Space Of Healing

Dr. May emphasizes that healing comes from the dimension that transcends time and space. We enter this dimension through breathing, movement, thoughts, or feelings. The key point is to direct our attention away from the daily life. People generally spend most of their time focusing on daily activities, family and work affairs. Healing goes beyond time and space. Once we have a personal experience, it becomes the support for our lives. The most basic definition of healing refers to the breaking free from old habits and views. Although patients seeking heap from Mitchell only want to heal their physical bodies, Mitchell’s aim is to let every patient find freedom. Generally, when people experience physical, emotional, or interpersonal problems, it is the time when they are most ready to take a fresh perspective of life and to accept the real nature of life.

Experiencing the real nature of life can happen anytime in ordinary life. It is like learning to play the flute-if we practice for fifteen minutes everyday, we will reap fifteen minutes of reward. We need to be relaxed and practice frequently. The practice of silent contemplation is like drip irrigation. We will experience success only when we contemplate on our true nature bit by bit every day on a regular basis. Regulating our breath, taichi, yoga, qigong and so on can help assist restoration of our health. The images we hold in our consciousness have a significant impact on our energy levels and flow throughout the body. When we breath, direct the breath to the pelvic region, and let the tailbone naturally move back and forth. Abdominal breathing will automatically massage the spine. The tailbone is also a source of energy. If we use this method to breath for ten times or more a day, our body and mind will improve.

Eat Your Way To Health

What we eat and drink should increase our energy level. Plants and herbs can regulate our entire body’s energy. Unfortunately, most foods now tend to exhaust our life energy. This is because unnatural food does not harmonize well with the body, and this depletes our energy and hurts our health. Our energy is used on survival in a polluted environment, and not in nourishing our body and mind. It is estimated that about seventy percent of chronic illnesses such as heart attacks and respiratory ailments are related to diet. Commercial agricultural practices that destroy food quality are unethical and criminal. Many people who change their diet, as well as engage in deep breathing and exercises, have seen their ailments miraculously healed. Dr. May is aware of several medical cases where patients who undergo complete recovery within three weeks to six months by eating food grown organically or biodynamically.

How To Survive In A Polluted Environment

We should avoid or reduce our exposure to pollutants. In our home, try to use organic products, and avoid chemicals, radiation, electromagnetic fields, insecticides, and so on. If we are exposed to unavoidable or insidious pollutants around us in the environment, we can only use our consciousness to raise our energy level, visualize ourselves as light and vast as the space. In this way, the pollutants will not remain in our body, but merely pass through it. In the past, Dr. May frequently visited the hospital, and come in contact with people who have serious ailments. If he is in his ordinary consciousness under such circumstances, he could be hurt. Be in consciousness that transcends time and space, even serious ailments can be released. We should be aware that some people and children are particularly susceptible to harm through pollutants in the environment. Many irresponsible and unethical enterprises spread pollutants over the entire earth, and these pollutants have long-term adverse effects on the earth, humans, animals, and plants. Genetic engineering of agricultural products is a very irresponsible approach. It is extremely dangerous to release these genetic codes to the environment as they have very long term effects. May be some of these genetic modification have benefits, but these need long term experimentation and monitoring in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, production of these genetically modified products is currently motivated by greed and not concern for public welfare.

Say “Yes” To Life

Many people do not really live in the present moment, or live within their bodies. They want to escape from this earth the moment they arrive, and therefore are insensitive toward their body. As a result, they easily fall ill. Accepting life is to experience living within the body. Everyday, do some activities that allow the body to feel joy; such activities include sports, massage, qigong, taichi, yoga, dance, deep breathing, etc. The physical body is a manifestation of the spirit, so don’t neglect it. Develop care and concern towards the body, especially areas that have experienced injury or ailments. Send your greatest sense of love to your entire body, especially areas that are in need of this love. Dr. May’s friend fell from the stairs, and her legs were blue-black and swollen. When she fully felt and sent love to the injured part, the swelling disappeared after twenty minutes, and she was fine the next day.

Healing Emotions And Re-Writing Life’s Script

If life is a stage, then each of us is acting out a different script. When we are immersed in the script, we do not realize that this is after all just a script. We have long forgotten how the script was written-perhaps, it was written in our childhood or past lives. When we clearly recognize the story that we are playing, we can choose to make changes to it. Jack taught Mitchell to recognize his own life story, and then to alter this story. After Mitchell had re-written his story, his health not only improved, but his life experiences also changed. Prior to this, his script was that the earth was unsafe and dangerous. During the healing process, we have to confront all our negative emotions and release the energies trapped within our bodies. Once this is done, we will have more energy and wealth. Otherwise, our emotional responses become blind, and will be absorbed by unreleased energies within us. Once these emotions are released, our energy level goes up, and we will be able to treat ourselves and others with forgiveness and compassion. We will also be able to have the courage to face our emotions, which will then allow us to heal the holes in our emotional bodies.

A sense of guilt can take us to unfinished business, unreleased energy, and incomplete experiences. Where is it stored within the body? Similarly, where is fear stored within the body? Fear and emotional wounds trap lots of energy within our bodies, and these need to be released. The energy we need is stuck within these unreleased emotions. Releasing these emotions also unlocks the energy for recovery.

True forgiveness and repentance can only occur when we truly feel and experience the emotions associated with various life experiences. Dr. May reminds us that we have to accept life and face life. We have to accept life with equanimity, and with a mind that does not discriminate between good and bad experiences. It is through life that we can grow and become free.

References:
www.mitchellmay.com

Extracted from Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine 2003 May Issue
Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Recently, several people have asked me about my views about SARS. The panic of the public has dealt a severe blow to the economy, with many canceling confirmed travel plans. SARS has also had adverse effects on people’s lives and career. What is this ailment, and how do we protect ourselves?

Where do we begin? Over the past century, mankind has completely changed the natural environment. Tens of thousands of animals and plants have become extinct. Will it be our turn one day? The simplest answer to the question asked earlier is this epidemic comes from “killing”: killing humans, killing animals, killing sea life, killing insects, killing nature.

Let’s begin with the most recent killings: Several weeks before U.S. attacked Iraq, a friend living on the east coast of U.S. suddenly developed insomnia. Everyday, she would fall asleep at about 2 a.m. to 3 a.m., and wake up at 6 a.m. She found it to be unbearable and wished for the war to end quickly. Another friend, a meditation teacher living in Houston, is generally very energetic but she also felt abnormally tired. I reminded her that even before the war began, the Global Positioning System (GPS) had been tuned to the highest level. This is because modern warfare relies on wireless communication for remote control. In addition, precautionary measures were also taken to prevent interference by the opposition. Wireless means radiation. Radiation from satellites affects every person on earth. Those who are more sensitive or weaker are injured first.

Over the past few years, the Lapis Lazuli Light magazine has been publishing articles about the harm that electromagnetic radiation and wireless telecommunication cause to living things and to nature. A new (Chinese translation) book “Say No to Electromagnetic Fields and Microwaves” deals with the same issue. Microwave radiation can cause pneumonia. War has worsened its effects, and caught people’s notice.

In fact, this silent killer has already taken many lives. In my writeup in the February issue of the Lapis Lazuli Light magazine (titled “On Energy Emergency Cares”), I discussed the harm to life caused by high technology, and talked about methods to remedy this crisis. At this time, it is even more important that everyone learns these emergency care methods. Even last year, I heard about people admitted to emergency units in hospitals, and how they could not breathe because heir entire lungs had hardened. There are also normally healthy people who came down with pneumonia. The dangers affecting people living in cities has reached a crisis level, but people are still unaware.

When our immune system is weakened, we have little resistance against bacterial or viral infections. Nowadays, the bacteria and viruses in our environment are getting more virulent, while our own immune systems are getting weaker. This leads to the appearance of ailments like SARS. We need to ask the following questions: Why are the bacteria and viruses getting more virulent? Why are our immune systems getting weaker?

In his new book titled “Food Revolution”, John Robbins revealed that many dangerous bacteria and viruses come from meat and poultry. In recent years, there have been reports around the world of animal-transmitted diseases like the mad cow disease, outbreaks of diseases in pigs and chicken, hoof and mouth diseases, and many other food poisoning cases originating from animals and chicken. 70% of the pigs slaughtered for consumption have pneumonia. Bacteria (such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, helobacter) contained in infected animal meat has caused many people to fall ill or die. For example, the campylobacter bacteria is the main culprit of poisoning cases in the U.S. Everyday, about 5000 people have food poisoning, and more than 750 people die every year from food poisoning. 70% of chickens are infected with the Campylobacter bacteria. Every year, 650,000 people fall ill from eating eggs infected with the Salmonella bacteria, and 600 people die from it. Every day, 200 people fall ill daily from food poisoning associated with the E. coli bacteria 0157:H7, and some will die from it. Survivors generally develop other serious ailments. In the U.S. and Canada, children with weak kidneys mainly suffer from the Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. 85% of them get this illness because of infection by the E. coli bacteria 0157:H7. There are 25 such cases every year in the Netherlands, and 7,500 cases in the U.S. Beef is the major ingredient in American hamburgers, and 50% of cattle carcasses are infected with the E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria. It is estimated that the U.S. has about 20 million to 80 million cases of food poisoning every year, although these figures likely underestimate actual numbers because many cases go undiagnosed. Perhaps, on average, a person gets food poisoning at least once a year. Factory-style methods of breeding animals put animals in tiny cages where they cannot move, or even see daylight in their entire lives. These animals feed on food containing chemicals, genetically-modified products mixed with manure, left-over meat from carcasses in abattoirs, along with growth hormones and antibiotics to make them grow faster. These conditions are ideal for the breeding of bacteria and viruses. In the U.S., the quantity of antibiotics consumed annually by humans is 3 million pounds, while the corresponding amount used for animal breeding (and not for medical purposes) is 24.6 million pounds! This situation has resulted in many bacteria strains being resistant to higher-dosage, more potent antibiotics (100 times that used 35 years ago). As a result many forms of pneumonia, meningitis, and typhoid cases are now incurable. This has prompted the World Health Organization, in 1997, to appeal to meat producers to stop routinely feed antibiotics to animals.

SARS is now the focus of media, but it is only the tip of the iceberg, and many serious cases remain unreported. Howard Lyman, a cattle rancher turned vegetarian, predicted a few years ago that in a decade’s time (five years remaining now), the mad cow disease will become so rampant that AIDS will seem as minor as having the common cold.

Dr. George Carlo, originally in charge of research in the mobile phone industry, predicted that the popularity of the mobile phone usage will cause a significant increase in the incidence of brain cancer. Do we need to wait for death to knock on our doors before we wake up?

When you sit down to consume your plate of meat, think about what diseases it died from? When you buy food, think about whether you are buying health or buying death. When you use the mobile phone to make a call, think about the harm caused to yourself, others, and nature caused by this gadget (which originated from radar technology in World War Two). When you want to save time by putting food into the microwave oven, think about the harm caused to yourself and others in the apartment complex.

Warfare, competition, and control, have been the basis of technical developments in the last fifty years, with killing as a major driving force. Thus, modern technology is also destroying our immune system (e.g., microwave, electromagnetic radiation, chemical fertilizer, herbicides, industrial pollutants). When our immune system rapidly weakens, harmful bacteria and viruses can easily invade our bodies.

Deadly diseases caused by bacteria and viruses serve also as a reminder to us not to engage in wrongful behaviour anymore. Mankind should not destroy its own immune system. Let us begin by respecting life, and refrain from killing. This common understanding will lead us towards developing a science devoted to promoting peace driven by mutual concern, love, and cooperation.

Friends, do not regret and have remorse only after you have lost your health and your life. Now is the time to reflect about your life, your work, your thoughts, and your emotions. Are you benefiting or destroying Mother Earth? We have only one earthly home; let us work together to care and rebuild our earthly home!

References:
Robbins, John. “Food Revolution”, Conrai Press, 2001.
www.foodrevolution.org

Extracted from Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine 2003 May Issue
Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

After working with thousand families, German psychologist, Dr. Bert Hellinger, discovered that emotional wounds suffered by the previous generation continue to influence the next generation, up to the 4th generation. Events involving unspoken secrete,   members shunned by their families, early deaths, death from child birth, and early adoption by other people—all these inflict emotional wounds that become undercurrents that impact future generations.

Dr. Hellinger’s work relies on observation and intuition. He found out that events that have happened three or four generations ago cannot be known through our day-to-day consciousness, but are best felt through the power of intuition. He normally uses a technique called family constellation. Within the group, he selects people to play the roles of different family members, and then he gets the protagonist to set up the constellation according to his/her relationship with these members. Under these circumstances, people who play the role of these members will have different feelings. Dr. Hellinger will observe their reactions and change their positions in the family to achieve the best solution to their problems.

In setting up these roles within the family constellation, Dr. Hellinger pays particular attention to members who died early, as they have a significant impact on the family. As an illustration, a woman had chronic illnesses since young. After she had a kidney transplant, she continued to have life-threatening infections. During the family constellation session, this woman included a younger sister, who had passed away after three days, as part of the family. When observing this family’s position, Dr. Hellinger discovered that when the younger sister died, the woman’s mother was so traumatized that she wanted to die. At that time, the lady was very young, and when she saw this happening, she made a child-like vow: “Mummy, please don’t die. I will die on you behalf.”  After that, she had ailments that were serious and life threatening. During the family constellation session, Dr. Hellinger suggested a “cure” for this woman, and asked that she turn to the person playing the role of her mother and say: “ Mummy, I stay.” The woman said this from the bottom of her heart, and after that, she cried loudly. Interestingly, she did not have any more infections after this.

Dr. Hellinger believes that many serious ailments like cancer arise because the patient subconsciously wants to die on behalf of another family member, or wants to follow after a dead person. These can come from childhood vows that are etched deep into the person’s consciousness.

From his work, Dr. Hellinger observed that family members that had been rejected pose a great disturbance to the family, and later generations are also affected. Reasons for their rejection can be due to ethical or other reasons. Family members that were forgotten have similar effects on the family and later generations. According to Dr. Hellinger, everyone has a need to belong to a family, and the right to do so.  The only exception is when a person commits murder, in which case the person loses the right to belong to a family.

Great harm also results when a child is sent away or sold to someone else, and therefore separated from his/her family. From the perspective of modern research on prenatal and postnatal psychology, the fetus and the infant both have clear consciousness. Furthermore, experiences during this period have a profound influence on the child later on in life. Children naturally love their parents, and parents also naturally love their children. However, once this natural tendency is interrupted, the body and mind will be disturbed. In a Chinese culture, families that have too many children and have newborn baby girls sometimes give the babies away to relatives and friends. Poor families may also sell their children in order to survive.

What are the reactions in the consciousness of these children? Sadness? Abandonment? Anger? Self-pity? Lack of confidence? Hunger for love? If it is a baby girl, she will grow up to be a grandmother, passing these feelings on to many generations. For example, a person who goes through a famine will be particularly conscious of food and eating. The Chinese customary conversational-opener “Have you taken a full meal?” maybe an after-effect of the Chinese having endured many famines.

Undischarged emotions from an earlier generation can surface in later generations. In counseling a lady who carries a lot of anger inside her, Dr. Hellinger commented: “This is not a child’s anger, but an ancient rage.” He then asked: “Whose anger is this?” The lady replied: “It feels like it is from my great grandmother.” Children who carry these suppressed emotions tend to vent their anger on their spouses; it is just that the person getting angry and the target of this anger has changed. Dr. Hellinger calls this a “double shift”.

How does one recover from the wounds carried over many generations? Only by the power of one’s spirit, and the power of love. Is there any family member who died early? Who was abandoned? Rejected? When you think of them, accept them, and be caring and loving toward them, love them. When you think of “family”, include them with your warm and loving thoughts.

Using visualizations, we can change the memories of our births, and send love to all family members. The founder of San Diego’s Health Centre, Rachel Solomon, shares her experience in changing her memories. As a student, on a few occasions, she obtained an “A” grade for an essay that she had written. When she happily dashed home to show her father these essays, she did not get any encouraging words from him, but received this comment instead: “Where did you copy this from?” These words severely inhibited her inspiration for writing. Whenever she took a pen to write, she thought about her father’s words. Later, when she learned how to change her memories, she imprinted another memory into herself—when she showed her essay to her father, he was very happy and encouraged her. Her inspiration for writing returned after that.

Below, I describe a method for healing one’s memories based on research from prenatal, neonatal and family psychology.

1. Using your breathing, enter into the state of alpha brain waves. Breathe into the abdomen. Breathe in to the count of eight, stop for eight counts; breathe out to count of eight, stop four counts. Repeat another two times, for a total of three repetitions.
2. Select memory starting from any period of your youth. For example begin at age 20, were there any vivid memories of people or events? Observe your body’s reactions. Is it cold, warm, numb, painful? Is there any reaction? Let these feelings discharge by themselves. If the reactions are too strong, move your eyeballs left and right.
3. Then recall memories from age 19, 18, 17, and so on, year by year, till the time of birth.
4. Recall your reactions during the time when you are in your mother’s womb, and the one year while you are waiting in the womb.
5. Re-create the memories: Think how your parents are looking forward to your arrival. You are also looking forward to meeting them. You are bringing with you gifts from the spiritual world, aspirations, and missions-to-be-accomplished. You are placed on your mother’s abdomen before your umbilical cord is cut. After some rest, you raise your head to watch your mother’s loving, kind face and eyes. Both you and mother connect, and smile at each other. You see your father’s warm, loving face welcoming your arrival. You crawl by yourself to your mother’s breast to suckle your needed nutrients. You look at your parents.  You receive their love, good wishes, and blessings, and you reciprocate them back.
6. Through your parents, you receive the love, good wishes, and blessings for your paternal and maternal grandparents, and you reciprocate them back.
7. Through your parents, paternal grandparents, and maternal grandparents, you receive the love, good wishes, and blessings for your paternal and maternal great-grandparents, and you reciprocate them back.
8. Through your parents, you receive the love, good wishes, and blessings of all your ancestors, and you reciprocate them back. Heal whatever needs to be healed, and the energy of love flows smoothly and unimpeded throughout the family tree.
9. Return to the present, bringing with you the love, good wishes, and blessings of the entire family tree.

The above steps can be recorded, and followed the steps while listening to the tape. Those who have practiced this visualization will feel a great sense of lightness, joy, and bliss, and may even look younger. You can heal the wounds of your ancestors.

References:
Hellinger, Bert. “Love’s own truth.” Zeig, Tucker & Theisen, Inc. Arizona, 2001.
Hellinger, Bert. “Love’s Hidden Symmetry.” 1998.

Originally published in Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine (Nov 2002)

Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

I have never met grandma. As a child, when I sang children’s songs and came to the part that ran as follows “Rock, rock, rock, rock to grandma’s bridge”, I used to feel envious of other children who had grandmothers! War and politics separated my grandma from me. Thirty years later, when I first returned to my hometown, she had already left this world.

I met my cousin for the first time last year. Although we led different lives for about half a century, our family bonds made us feel close to each other the moment we met. I asked my cousin for details about our grandma, since she had stayed with grandma for some time. During our conversation, I realized that my cousin’s voice was gentle and soft. Friends commented that her intonation was like those from the Jiangsu  province. Although our mothers were raised in Hunan province, they had grandma’s Jiangsu intonation. Like our grandma, we also had a Jiangsu intonation even though we are from the third generation. In actual fact, not only than our intonation, our bodies and minds are also influenced by grandma because we came from grandma’s womb!

When our mothers were five-month fetus in our grandmother’s womb, we were already eggs in the fetus. Many medical experts have observed that the womb is the source of health and illnesses. The health of our grandmother can influence the health of third-generation offspring. Dr Peter Nathanielsz holds three degrees (medical degree, doctorate, and science degree) from Cambridge University in the U.K., and is currently a professor at Cornell University. In his book “Life in the womb: The origin of health and disease”, he introduced the accidental discovery made by Dr David Barker. In 1984, Dr Barker was compiling England’s national health distribution. He noticed that between 1968-1978, the districts with the highest incidence of heart problems suffered by males between the age of 35-78 was the same as the districts with the highest infant mortality rate at the beginning of the twentieth century. These districts were the industrial and poor areas in England and Wales.

At the time when Dr Barker made this observation, the popular belief was that heart problems were products of affluent lifestyles. Why, then, did Dr Barker find that heart attacks occurred most frequently in poor districts? Could it be that there is a close relationship between the health of the fetus and the health of the grown-up? This was indeed what he found. He retrieved the birth records of infants born a century ago, and found that the size of the placenta, the width of the infants’ waist, and their body weights were related to their health after they reached middle age. When the womb lacked nutrition in the first three months, this would lead the placenta to enlarge in order to transport enough blood and oxygen to the fetus. The lack of nutrition caused the infant’s waist to be small. Because the development of the brain took priority, this caused the liver, intestines, spleen, and pancreas to be small, and the infant’s weight to be lighter. Infants who had inadequate nutrition in the womb tend to develop heart attacks, obesity, and diabetes in later life. Dr Barker’s research was extended to, and his findings corroborated, in Europe, India, and China.

Another research study in the U.S. found that in a sample of 700,000 nurses, those who weighed less than five pounds at birth were twice as likely to develop heart problems when they grew up. Towards the end of  World War II (September 1944 to May 1945), the Dutch people in Holland went through a hungry winter. The German army had cut the food supply on the eastern part of Holland to punish them for helping the united army successfully seize a bridge. That was a particularly cold winter, but the citizen’s food supply was cut from 1500 calories to 750 calories (and even down to 450 calories) per day. The ideal calorie intake of pregnant women should be about 2500. Women who became pregnant during that period gave birth to babies who were harmed by the famine, and this extended to the third generation offspring.

Fetus that endured famine during the entire nine months in the womb are worst affected, and had body weight, height, and brains that were smallest. Those that endured famine in the three months before delivery suffered the next greatest level of harm. Those that endured famine in the first three months of pregnancy suffered the least harm. In fact, these infants turned out to be especially large because their placentas were larger, and the pregnant women were able to resume their normal calorie intake after the united army saved Holland and began to ship large quantities of food to the nation. People who suffered from malnutrition while in their mothers’ wombs grew up with a higher incidence of diabetes, heart problems, obesity, and schizophrenia. In turn, when the females (who had malnutrition as fetus) became mothers, their offspring also had a higher incidence of these ailments. This multi-generation influence was not due to genetic reasons, but arose from the conditions at the fetal stage.

This discovery explained the puzzle behind the abnormally low incidence of heart problems among the French. One hundred years ago, the French led the world in terms of health maintenance benefits for pregnant women. French doctors had discovered that washing women who worked till delivery date were more likely to have premature deliveries. To protect the next generation, the French government provided many privileges to pregnant women. This far-sighted move benefited the future generations of French citizens, and testified to the truth of the saying “the merits cultivated by ancestors will benefit their next generations”. Every pregnant woman can be the grandmother of the next generation. Protecting the bodies and minds of these pregnant women from harm can work only with the involvement of the entire society.

The founder of anthroposophy, Dr Rudolph Steiner, warned of the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers on the health of future generations. He said that the first generation to consume food grown from chemical fertilizers may not feel the effects, but second and third generations will progressively suffer from weakened nervous systems and weakened ability to tolerate stress. The use of chemical fertilizer now has over 50 years of history. Currently, natural organic products occupy less than 0.5% of the market.

Suicide is now the third most popular cause of death among children between eight and fourteen. This statistic was unheard of fifty years ago. The incidence of mental illness has also gone up dramatically. Is this the price that we pay for our ancestors’ eating food grown from chemical fertilizers? Contamination from chemicals, nuclear waste, electromagnetic radiation, and microwave radiation causes severe harm to the fetus and all future grandmothers. To welcome healthy children and grandchildren, we have to re-adjust our lifestyle, and do our best to clean up our earth home. Grandma, if you come back to this earth again, I pray that you will have a healthy, happy, and blissful life. In the nine months that you spend in the womb and in the time thereafter, I pray that you enjoy the following conditions:

1. Have adequate food and clothing, and live in a peaceful time without war.
2. Your parents have a warm and loving relationship, and they are mentally and physically well prepared for your arrival.
3. Your parents have long adopted an organic vegetarian diet, and have avoided all forms of contaminants.
4. During her pregnancy, your mother will engage in appropriate exercise and rest. She will embrace nature, be happy, and have full confidence and control over her body and mind.
5. You will be naturally delivered in a peaceful and warm environment. During her delivery, your mother will have someone to give her mental and physical support, and your father will be beside her. You will be placed on your mother’s abdomen before your umbilical cord is cut, and after appropriate rest, you will naturally crawl to your mother’s breast to suckle. You will then gaze at your mother’s loving face, get to know each other, and establish a loving mother-child relationship.
6. Your father will be beside you to welcome you.
7. Because you are conceived and nurtured in a peaceful, loving environment, you will have well-developed forebrain and cerebrum, as a result have an intelligent and wise mind, loving heart, and healthy body. You will have the conditions to lead a happy and fulfilling life.

May every future child and grandchild have such a beautiful start to life.

Extracted from Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine 2002 Aug Issue
Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Observing the traditional confinement period for new mothers is becoming almost extinction, sharing the same fate as 95% of extincted agricultural crops and hundreds of millions of extincted animal and plant species.  American women usually take their newborns along for shopping trips just days after delivery.  During the 14th century in Europe, experienced midwives and herbalists were accused of practicing witchcraft and were killed.  Having a baby became an “illness” and came under the administration of medical doctors; women thus lost their independence and dignity.  Currently, 97% of American women do not breast feed their babies and 50% have their wombs removed after menopause.  What actually is the function of observing the confinement period?

Confinement is important to both mother and baby.  The new mother has to be well rested. Stagnet blood have to be discharged quickly so as to avoid toxemia and to ensure a speedy recovery of the womb.  Special attention has to be paid to the mother’s diet to ensure good overall health and good milk flow as milk is transformed from the mother’s blood.  The new baby also needs a peaceful and conducive environment to adjust to the new surroundings, as well as some privacy and space to build up a close bond with his/her parents.

Normally it takes one month for a person to heal the “Chi” body.  This applies to the new mother who needs to rest and recuperate her “chi”; thus the confinement “month”.  If relatives can help to provide the month of rest period for the new mother, it would be the most cherished of gifts.  For a small family who has no relatives to help out, it is advisable to hire a domestic helper during this period as the cost is not high.

Before pregnancy, steps should be taken to detoxify the body and mind.  During pregnancy, food taken must be clean and natural, and the mother feeling good.  These will pave the way for a smooth and easy delivery as well as recovery.  Taking tea made from raspberry leaves will ensure a painless and easy delivery, especially if drank during the later part of pregnancy.  Dr. John Christopher has an herbal Prenatal tea formula for use starting six weeks before due date (1-800-453-1406 or The Herb Shops P.O. Box 777, Springville, UT84663).

Practice abdominal or even deeper pelvic breathing regularly.  The breathing should be slow and deep, allowing the brain waves to enter the Alpha state (8 to 13 times per second).  Alpha brain waves have the function of healing and relieving pain.  The tempo is to count 8 during inhale, hold for a count of 8, then exhale counting to 8,  and stop for a count of 4.   Repeat this for more than 3 times.  To have an unobstructed flow of vital energy passing through all the charkas in the body, especially the root chakra. Chakra breathing exercises are to be a daily regime (please refer to Dr. Lai’s Health Tips) as well as cleansing anesthesia residues (after surgery), and the trauma one suffered at birth.  The cleansing process can start with gentle tapping and rolling of eyeballs.  Birth trauma if not cleared, may surface during delivery.  An effective way to deal with this is to first allow the brain waves to enter the Alpha state, and then look into the distance with both eyes closed. Imagine a clock face and look at 11 o’clock.  Move clockwise 3 times (11 o’clock…1 o’clock… 3 o’clock….).  Followed by the counter clockwise motion many times (from 1 o’clock… 11 o’clock… 9 o’clock…).  Do this exercise for 10 to 15 minutes. When feeling tired, repeat the above procedures from clockwise direction.

One may also in a relaxed state ‘rehearse’ a relaxed delivery process, so as to be better prepared both mentally and physically.  During pregnancy, a weekly oil bath will help blood circulation, relaxation and warming the body (please refer to  回归身的喜悦). Preparation for delivery should commence 6 weeks before the due date.  Besides clean and soft organic cotton bed sheets, nappies, scissors, etc., a small bottle of cold pressed olive oil is handy during delivery for massaging the perineum area to relax uterine cervix when the baby’s head emerges.  Further, prepare some golden seal root powder to dust over the cut umbilical cord.  Mix some apple cider, honey and cayenne pepper into a drink that can prevent shock (2 tablespoons apple cider + 2 tablespoons honey + 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in 1 cup of warm water).  Also, Bach Flower Rescue Remedy helps calm the mind, ArnicaD6 (6X) helps prevent excessive blood loss.  After delivery, take 5 drops of Arnica in some water at 3-hourly intervals for 24 hours, this would reduce postnatal blood loss.  Should the hands and feet become cold during delivery, sip the shock prevention drink to warm them up again.

The foetus would transmit indications to the mother a few days before birth.  Each day at dusk, the womb would experience strong contraction as if going into labour.  At the due time, contractions would be stronger.  The husband and midwife can massage the mother’s palms and heels, especially behind the right heel and bottom of the heel to relieve pain, and the left heel to help discharge the placenta.  Should there be an urge to cry out, make a low pitch ‘AH’ loudly. Many Buddhists find it effective to chant Amitabha along with rhythmic breathing.  As the throat and root chakras are connected, making a sound at the moment of birth has the effect of dilating the uterine cervix.  Once the baby is born, immediately place him/her on the mother’s abdomen and cover with a thin cotton towel, allowing him/her to rest.  Generally, within 30 to 45 minutes, the baby would crawl up by him/herself to suckle.  Individuals born in this manner will grow up to be self directed, self-determined and physically healthier because his/her natural rhythm was not interrupted.

The umbilical cord is cut only when pulsing has completely stopped.  According to the natural delivery process in Russian, this is about 24 hours, allowing the baby to maintain his/her spiritual connection.  It is called the “lotus-born”.  As to how much of the umbilical cord to keep, Chinese physicians do not encourage cutting it too short as it would be harmful for the baby’s “chi”. Ideally, it should be 9cm, and sprinkle the wound with golden seal root powder.  Traditionally, moxa is also burnt over the belly button area to prevent harmful “chi” and moisture from seeping in.  There is no need to bathe the new baby immediately; wiping or a warm shower will do.  Do not remove the protective layer of oil on the skin, which contains rich nutrients and can also keep the baby warm.  The oil would be absorbed into the baby’s skin in a day or two.  There is no need to separate the baby from his/her mother so that the baby could bond with the mother. This will help in breast feeding and calming the baby’s heartbeat.

If the foetus is still quiet when date is due, the mother should only take liquid food such as vegetable soup or fruit juice, be completely relaxed, set her sight only on beautiful views, have positive thoughts, and communicate a welcome message to the baby.  Normally, the baby would arrive in 2 days.  Most people, who remember their birth under hypnosis, recall that they were reluctant to be reborn.

In the Chinese tradition, the new mother drinks a herbal soup (生化汤 ) after giving birth to help discharge lochia from the body.  To recover her energy, she may also drink warm organic grape juice (best to take juice of either the red or black grapes), or prune juice.  In Southern China, shredded dried citrus fruit (金桔饼) fried with ginger and sesame oil is served immediately after delivery to assist the flow of chi. In the West, caraway and anise seeds are used.  Indians consume a teaspoon of fried fennel and cumin after meals.  To heal the womb after delivery, drink boiled comfrey root or leaves is helpful.

In considering the functions of a postnatal diet, rejuvenating the chi and blood flow are of paramount importance to keep the body warm and to promote contraction of the womb.  In general, drinking ice water and using tap water are taboos.   Should the mother need to wash, use boiled water.  Drinking soup is recommended; washing of hair is not advisable to avoid catching a cold.  Diets for the confinement period are different in northern and southern China.  In northern China, millet porridge, noodles, eggs and red dates are eaten.  In the south, boiled food is the norm, especially chicken and sesame chicken.  In Jiangnan, sweet wine eggs are also eaten.  In Guangdong and Guangxi, trotters cooked with green papaya or soybean are served.  Both northern and southern Chinese do not take fried food, raw and cold food.  They also drink honey water and use brown sugar.  Since the new birth is welcomed as a celebration of lives, killing of animals should be discouraged.  Northern Chinese are physically better built.  During confinement, the mother’s staple is millet porridge cooked with red dates.  This will promote sufficient milk flow.  In Indian medicine, the physical condition of the mother is first assessed, and then only a suitable combination of appropriate spices and herbs is recommended to balance the diet.  A balanced condition of the body is to be established before conception as well as after delivery.  The human body type is formed by the imbalanced interactions of elements such as ‘wind’, ‘fire’ and ‘water’.  Body type here refers to having more characteristics of certain element.  The ‘wind’ element (vata) is embodied in motion, fast, light, chill, coarse, dry as in cold dry wind, coarse food such as popcorns.  The ‘fire’ element (pitta) is hot, sharp, sour, oily; for example, chilli sauce, summer noon sun, and high pitch noise.  The ‘water’ element (kapha) is heavy, oily, sluggishness, cold, stable, wide, slow like the elephant’s body, drowsy as in after an afternoon nap.

A person of Vata constitution has a pulse rate (for women) of 80 to 100 per minute, she is small built, quick in action, and has irregular meal times. The Pitta constitution has a pulse rate of 70 to 80 per minute. She is medium built and gets angry easily. The Kapha constitution has a pulse rate of 60 to 70 per minute, larger built, calm temperament and patient.  The following are suitable food recommended for the different kinds of constitutions.

Vata constitution :
All kinds of oil, especially sesame oil (from black sesame) can be consumed after delivery.  Others include rice, wheat, cereal, glutinous rice, sweet fruits e.g. grapes, avocados, peaches, prunes (avoid acidic fruits for the time being), asparagus, roots and leaves of beet root, sweet potato leaves, carrots, French beans, and sweet potatoes.  Choose sweet and warm-natured sweet spices, avoid bitter spices like fenugreek and turmeric.  All kinds of nuts such as walnuts, pine nuts, cashew nuts, sesame, etc. Beans such as garbanzos, red lentils and green beans.

Pitta constitution:
Coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower oil,  苦茶 oil, barley, oat , wheat. Sweet fruits such as apples, avocados, figs, dried prunes, raisins (avoid acidic fruits). Asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, French beans, green leafy vegetables (except spinach), sweet potatoes, squashes.  Spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, small amount of fennel and avoid chilli. Nuts include coconut, pumpkins, sunflower seeds. Eat less beans such as garbanzos, green beans and soybean.

Kapha constitution:
Use oil sparingly; can take a bit of sunflower oil, 苦茶 oil, almond oil, organic butter.  Grains include barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, rye, etc., but avoid oat flakes, rice and wheat.  For fruits, choose apples, apricots, dried fruits, pears, and guavas; avoid sweet juicy fruits.  All kinds of vegetables, but avoid cucumbers, sweet potatoes, summer squashes, tomatoes. All kinds of spices, except salt.  Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are allowed and all kinds of beans except tofu.

In the north, the weather is cold and the constitution tends to be of Kapha type.  Southerners tend to be Vitta or Pitta types.  No wonder the confinement diets are different.  Nursing mothers must have enough fluid intake, 1000cc more than the normal consumption is recommended.  In Europe, 50 gm (4 tablespoons) of barley or oat is boiled in 8 cups of water for 1½ hrs with lemon rind or 1 lemon.  To encourage milk flow, cook 4 parts of red beans with 1 part of polished round-grained non-glutinous rice into porridge, or 30g pan-fried sesame seeds, or peanuts in sweet almond/sesame milk, or walnut puree, sesame puree, almond puree, pine seed puree.  Above-mentioned puree is prepared together with pan-fried glutinous rice.

Cooking methods recommended are steaming, boiling and dry-double boiling.  The latter means to double boil over low heat without addition of water to the food, that is to say, the food is to be cooked in its own juices.  This method of cooking is most ‘warming’.  Choose an iron pot or corning ware, coated with a thin film of oil, put sliced roots at the bottom of the pot, next layer stems , and top layer leaves or squash; sprinkle a little ginger or other spices, cover tightly and cook over low heat. If necessary, sprinkle with sesame oil before serving.  If appetite is poor, cook slippery elm in water (1 teaspoon to 1 cup water) to drink.  Avoid eating leftovers or food that gives a bloated feeling in the tummy such as cabbage and bean sprout.  The following are some recommended Chinese recipes.

To nourish the blood:
2 parts wild yam ( 山 药)
1 part red dates
rice (long grain)
cook into a  porridge

To nourish the heart (spirit):
1 part wheat
1 part uncooked licorice root
3 parts large dates
add water to make a brew

To enhance chi:
9 gm  Codonopsis root (党 参)
18 gm  white Atractylodes (白 术)
15 gm  Astragalus (黄 耆)
60 gm long grain rice
Brew the first 3 ingredients, sieve, add the liquid to rice, and cook to make porridge.

To improve kidney functions:
Peanuts
black beans (pan roasted)
black dates
black sugar
winter melon skin
Make a brew with 1 part of each of the above in water

To improve functions of the spleen, stomach and kidneys:
30 gm chestnut
30 gm large dates
60 gm wild yam
6 gm fresh ginger
100 gm long grain rice
Boil into a watery porridge

To relieve blood stagnation, pain and injury:
option 1:
60 mg hawthorn cook in water, add brown sugar

option 2:
6 g cinnamon
15 g  Salvia root (丹参)
a little licorice root and ginger boil in water, and to be taken once a day.

Mastadenitis:
30 g  dandelion roots
30 g   忍冬藤
add water and wine in appropriate quantity
Boil into a thick brew, to be taken twice a day.
(Note:  Wash hands clean before breast feeding; allow baby to suckle and empty from one breast, then the other; any excess milk is to be expressed with a breast pump.)

To discharge lochia:
生化 soup  (to be consumed 10 days after delivery)

For overall nourishment:
Four Things Combination (四 物 汤)
Rehmannia Eight Combination (八珍汤)
Ten Complete Supertonic Combination (十全大补汤)
To consume 10 days after delivery

When it’s time to wean the baby, boil wheat sprout in water to make a drink.  Take for 3 days and the milk flow would stop. Similarly, pearl barley, Chinese chives, star anise boiled in water serves the same purpose.

As far as diet is concerned, do take into consideration one’s own environment, own constitution as well as the season of the confinement.  It is best to master the technique of measuring energy level in order to judge what the body needs.  There is a need to avoid contaminants in all kinds of processed food, food with high sugar content, coffee, alcohol and cold food.  Whatever the mother eats, the baby will also take in through the milk, including residues of pesticides.  Should the mother be depressed after giving birth, her tail bone needs to be adjusted.  Please refer to Hanna Kroeger’s book New Dimension In HealingYourself.  Information is also available from various Lapis Lazuli Light centers.  The mother should sleep and rest more during the confinement period; oil massage the whole body daily.  Allow people around to help out with the household chores and take care of baby and mother.  This article is only for reference; for further information consult elders as well as experienced persons.

References

1. Christopher, John R., (Every Woman’s Herbal), Christopher Publications, Springville, Utah, 1987.
2. Kroeger, Hanna,  (New Dimensions in Healing Yourself), Hanna Kroeger Publications, Boulder, Colorado, 1991.

Extracted from Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine 2002 Aug Issue
Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore