Posts classified under: 2004

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

One day, two-year old Dahai suddenly mentioned that when he was one month old, his maternal grandmother had remarked that he cried too much! Indeed, Dahai was delivered by Caesarean-section, and cried frequently after he was born. His mother was startled to know that he still remembered events that had happened when he was only one month old. His maternal grandma had flown from Taiwan to the U.S. to help take care of the new-born Dahai and left shortly after. When Dahai’s mother asked him whether he remembered what it was like to be in her womb, he replied, “Yes.” When asked what he was doing, he replied: “swimming.”

According to Dahai’s kindergarten teacher, many children between two and three years old have memories of their time spent in the womb and when they were born, but they forget shortly thereafter. Parents can help them preserve these memories by recording them down. A three-year old girl in the kindergarten made drawings of her past life in a Chinese village.

Western medical research has begun to investigate children’s memories of the womb and of birth. A Japanese gynaecologist, Dr Akira Ikegawa, wanted to investigate whether Japanese children have these memories. Between August 2000 to December 2000, he surveyed 79 mothers and asked them whether their children had spontaneously mentioned about events relating to their time in the womb or at birth. Results showed that 53% of these mothers indicated that their children had memories of the womb, and 41% had memories of birth (particularly those who had difficult deliveries). His second survey was conducted between August 2002 and September 2002 and involved 878 mothers. Among the respondents, 35% indicated that their children had memories of the womb, and 24% of birth. These memories were mainly of the womb’s colour, temperature, sound, and feelings. One young girl recognised the park that her mother used to take walks in during her pregnancy. Another child remembered the T.V. program that his mother watched during pregnancy.

What was more surprising to Dr Ikegawa was that some two- and three-years old children could see the foetus inside the womb. For example, these children knew that their mothers were pregnant or had a miscarriage even before their mothers became aware of it. If their parents did not talk to the foetus during pregnancy, these children felt very lonely in the womb and were in a hurry to get out.

These memories of young children provide more evidence that the foetus and new-born children are conscious. Psychologists who specialized in issues related to the foetus and new-born indicate that the nine months in the womb and the first year after birth provide the body-mind blueprint for the child’s entire life. For children under two years of age, their frontal lobes and hippocampus at the back of their brains are not fully developed, so they have memories of the sub-consciousness, but not of the self.

These memories of sub-consciousness are the sources of natural instincts, likes, and automatic responses of the child. While bringing up their children, parents activate their memories of the womb and of early childhood. This explains why adults who were abused as children are easily prone to abusing their children. The pain and wounds of the previous generation gets transferred to the next generation. These pain and wounds have a way of replicating themselves and being passed on.

How does one prevent these negative childhood experiences from being transmitted to the next generation? Two specialists have summarised their professional expertise in a book titled “Parenting From the Inside Out”. One is Dr Daniel S. Siegel, a specialist in child psychology and neurology; the other is Mary Hartzell, a specialist in early childhood education. These specialists advise parents to first clear the source of their emotional responses, which generally originate from their childhood. In particular, when they are very angry, they must not hit their children. Let the emotions settle down, and then recall what memories provoked one to react so strongly. For example, if we had been beaten and scolded before as children, our habitual tendency is to also beat and scold our children.

Parents who were not respected when young are less likely to respect their own children. Likewise, parents who did not experience warm parent-child relation as children have difficulty establishing warm relations with their own children. Psychologists can ascertain the relation between parent and child by getting the parents to narrate their childhood experiences. In general, there are four kinds of parent-child relations: warm and secure, avoidant, anxious/ambivalent, and disorganised. If parents can provide children with a warm environment that satisfies the children’s needs, the children will feel safe. If the children’s needs are frequently not met, parent-child relation will not be close, and there will be avoidance. If the parents sometimes understand the child’s needs but sometimes not, the child feels unsettled and parent-child relation is one that is ambivalent and characterised by anxiety. If parents do not heal their own childhood wounds (e.g., fright or sorrow), they may have unpredictable reactions when they interact with their children. They may have rages or lose control of their senses. If parents get drunk and lose control of their actions, they can cause confusion in their children’s consciousness. This causes long-lasting harm to the children’s body and mind.

An infant first develops the right brain. Before the child turns two, the major stimulant for the development of the right brain is the emotional face of the mother or caretaker. Communication through contact with the mother’s skin is very important. Some doctors recommend that in the infant’s first nine months, parents should have maximum skin contact when cradling the infant. This will have very positive impact on the infant’s development. In 12^th century Europe, King Frederick of Sicily wanted to know what language would be spoken by infants who never heard the voices of people. He selected some infants and, other than during feeding and cleaning, prevented them from receiving human touch or hearing human voices. None of the infants lived beyond a year.

Orphanages have also found that death rates are high among infants who are unable to bond with their caretakers. Hence, these orphanages have since changed to an arrangement where each infant is under the charge of a specific individual caretaker.

Children who are adopted or brought up by nannies may also experience a break in personal ties, which may influence their subsequent interpersonal relationships. If separation is an early childhood experience, it will be more difficult for such children to establish personal ties later on in life.

A healthy start to correcting such deficiencies is to understand our own childhood and familial histories. For example, people who lose a parent early in life, or who is adopted can use the power of the mind to re-establish such broken family ties. The following is one such method: In a relaxed manner, breathe in to the pelvic bone area, and then gently breathe out. Repeat this a few times. Then, count to eight when you breathe in, hold for eight counts, breathe out for eight counts, then pause for four counts. Repeat this three times. When the brain waves enter into a relaxed state, visualise a horizon, and recall the imagery of your last encounter with your parents. If you don’t have such memories, simply think about the encounter. Observe the reactions of your physical body. If there is any uncomfortable feeling, fully experience this feeling. At this time, you can rotate your eyes to ease this negative feeling. Then feel that your heart and the heart of your loved one are connected, and that you are sending love to your loved one. You are also re-connecting to the love of your loved one, and receiving love from him/her. Connecting each other’s heart transcends time and space, and it doesn’t matter where our loved ones are in the universe. We can still love them and wish them happiness.

Specific features of a culture can also have far-reaching influences on future generations. Consider a child who grows up in a polygamous family with one father and many mothers. What will the child learn from his/her mother? What will be passed on to future generations? Will the child have a sense of safety? What about the child’s self-esteem? Competitiveness? Hatred? Jealousy? Rage? Feeling of inequity? Scheming for power?

What about cultures where one’s land has been invaded and occupied by others? What are the special features of such cultures? If old wounds perpetuate new wounds, is it possible that people who grow up in a repressed environment may also have tendencies to invade and control others? Will people who have experienced poverty be particularly anxious about money matters and obsessed about earning more money? As the author of the book “Parenting from the Inside Out” says: only if we deeply and thoroughly understand ourselves will we be able to do a good job in educating and raising the next generation. If every mother and father were to first heal their own wounds, they will together create a peaceful and happy society, and bring up a happy and healthy next generation.

References

IkegawaAlira. “I remember when I was in Mommy’s Tummy”: Lyon Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan, 2002.

Siegel, Daniel, M.D. and Hartzell, Mary. “Parenting from the Inside Out”: Jeremy P. Tarcger, Putnam, New York, 2003.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

The incidence of cancer has accelerated in the 21^st century. Cases of young people contacting cancer are increasing. These are generally malignant cases, so that metastasis has set in by the time cancer is diagnosed. The body’s blueprint of health and diseases are influenced by the nine months spent in the womb, as well as environmental factors experienced later on in life. To understand why young people develop cancer, it is necessary to identify whether the foetus in the womb had contact with contaminants, whether there were nutritional deficiencies, and whether the baby consumed its mother’s milk within 12 hours of birth. A baby’s lifelong immune system, digestive ability, and enzyme formation in the stomach are dependent on the special nutrients and antibodies found in the milk that it first suckles.

A dentist, whose parents died from cancer, conducted intensive research on the causes of cancer. His research spanning thirty years showed that all the cancer patients he examined did not drink their mother’s milk within twelve years of birth. Of course, this finding does not mean that all people who did not drink their mother’s milk would get cancer, but it does indicate that the likelihood of contacting cancer is higher. Perhaps, this may be the reason why the incidence of cancer in America is so alarmingly high – only 4% of U.S. mothers breastfeed their children.

This dentist discovered that, among other external environmental factors, lack of water among cell structures is a common feature among cancer patients. If the patient’s cells can rehydrate, he/she can easily recover. However, does it mean that drinking more water will enable the body’s cells to absorb more water? This is not necessarily the case: if the water is polluted, or if the water inside the body is acidic, the body’s cells will automatically block the absorption of such water to prevent the entry of toxins. Such toxins can come from outside the body, or they could be uric acid that the metabolic system cannot discharge from the body. Chronic lack of water can lead to aging and other diseases.

The book “Messages from Water” documents how the crystalline structure of water can change through contamination. Microwave radiation can harm the crystalline structure of water. Water inside the cells is a form of liquid crystal, and changes in its liquid crystalline structure influence the functions exhibited by genes from the cell nucleus, as well as whether cells divide and grow (or stop growing). If the crystalline structure of cells is somehow disturbed, these cells may continue to divide and grow, leading to the development of cancer. Many years ago, I conducted laboratory experiments which showed that when potassium was added to a cancer cell cultures, these cancer cells changed to normal cells. After the potassium enters the cells, the liquid crystalline structure and genetic structure of the cells change and lose their  “cancer” characteristics.

The key point to preventing and curing cancer is to recover the cleanliness of water inside the body, and to nourish the body’s cells with the necessary minerals. Eating clean food, drinking clean water, and breathing clean air are important aspects. In today’s environment, it is also important to avoid sources of radiation (e.g., mobile phones, computers, televisions, and microwave ovens) that disrupts the water’s crystalline structure. This may be a coincidence, but the young people I heard who got cancer are also those who frequently use mobile phones or who live with people who do so. One day, we may treat the use of mobile phones the same way we treat cigarette smoking – second-hand smoke and second hand radiation are both harmful.

We can also understand the importance of water through a person’s energy or qi. Qi belongs to the water element, and lack of water will weaken the body’s qi and lead to illnesses (including cancer).

Many years ago, Dr Yoshitaka Ohno, a Japanese doctor, started to search for a cure to chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, asthma, and diabetes. His research indicated that water is a major causal factor. To verify his theory, he searched for different sources of water. While conducting his research in Japan, he found a rare magnetic mountain with a source of naturally magnetised water that can effectively treat chronic diseases. A renowned local doctor successfully treated many kinds of modern chronic diseases using this water. In the past, Russia, China, Japan, and the U.S.A. had reports of the healing properties of magnetised water.

Research shows that naturally magnetised water can accelerate cellular absorption of water, supplement minerals in the body, protect cells, maintain normal blood circulation and pH levels, discharge pollutants in the cellular structure and fluids, as well as control free radical formation. People who have consumed naturally magnetised water find an increase in bowel movement frequency and that their faeces have unusual smells. It is also possible that the more we drink this water, the thirstier we become. This is because normal water typically cannot be absorbed by the cellular membranes, and the body’s cells have been deprived of water for a long time. Discharge of mercury is also accelerated six hours after amalgam in the teeth has been removed. People with chronic diseases generally see positive effects of drinking this water within two to four weeks. Magnetised water is also helpful in protecting friendly bacteria in the body, discharging harmful bacteria and toxins from the body, and preventing infection. This water is called Nariwa, and further information can be obtained from this website www.ohno.org.

Over 70% of our body is made of water. In this polluted environment, water that can help our cells begin to absorb the water they need is indeed a treasure, regardless of whether the water comes from organic vegetables or magnetised water.

In preventing and treating cancer and modern chronic diseases, it is important to consider the effect of the environment. Water is one such important factor. Of course, to fully recover our health and happiness, it is important to be with nature as much as possible and learn how to discharge negative emotions. Finally, it is necessary to develop and cultivate our spirituality.

 

Note: For more information, please contact Lapis Lazuli Light (Singapore).

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

All life forms on earth, whether plants, animals or humans, depend on nourishment from the sun to survive. Petroleum, the energy resource of the modern world, is also an ancient form of sunlight. Although sunlight is so vital to life, modern man is commonly deficient in sunlight. We no longer begin work at dawn, and rest at dusk – it may even be that we don’t see the sun in twenty-four hours, particularly during wintertime when people can be living under electrical lighting all day. During winter, people living in parts of the world with high latitudes easily contract S.A.D., a season-related illness with the following symptoms: depression, suicidal tendencies, insomnia, fatigue, bad temper, inclination towards drinking alcoholic drinks, over-sleeping, weakened immune system, and even stroke, dementia, and calcium-deficiency through the lack of vitamins. Most electrical lighting tend to have a “yellow” tinge, which can lead to tensed feelings from over-stimulation of the nervous system, as well as eye fatigue.

Over forty years ago, to make a Walt Disney film on the growth process of plants, John Ott grew some squash plant under interior lighting. In the end, these squash plants did not flower or produce fruits even after one season. This experience led John to engage in research on lighting. He believes that animals and humans possess cells that have photosynthesis capabilities of plants. Light enters through the eye to the hypothalamus behind the brain, and then gets transformed to electrical impulses that are sent to the pineal gland and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is the body’s biological clock and balancing center, and controls the body’s reproductive functions, responses to hunger and thirst, body temperature, and moods. Light is critical to our health and moods. John Ott found that fluorescence lamps and ordinary bulbs have narrow light spectrums, and weak light intensity that is equivalent only to that at dusk. He designed a full-spectrum blue light. In classrooms that changed to this lighting, students’ learning ability increased, and their hyperactivity decreased. People working in offices that used this full-spectrum lighting increased their productivity and energy levels.

Depending on the season, we need an average of 30 minutes to 2 hours of direct or indirect sunlight. Lack of sunlight can lead to the following effects:

• Low energy levels
• Cravings for carbohydrates, sugar and coffee
• Difficulty in waking up, and extended sleeping time
• Low zest for life
• Decreased attention span and ability
• Inclination towards bad moods.

Sunlight absorption does not necessarily need to come from direct exposure to the sun. Light entering the eyes through the windows can work as well. Lack of sunlight, particularly deficiency in red, blue, violet and some ultraviolet light, can occur in the following circumstances: frequent wearing of sunglasses; use of dark-colored windowpanes in the home or office; or dust pollution in the atmosphere. The skin can also absorb sunlight. When light shines on the skin, it promotes the formation of melanin that protects the skin. Then, through melanin, Vitamin D is formed. Vitamin D3 and melanin jointly help to regulate one’s mood and immune system. Vitamin D enters the liver and kidney to help the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and is essential to the formation of healthy bones and teeth. In particular, during children’s growing stage, Vitamin D helps the development of their nervous system, heart function, and blood clotting.

In the pre-1930 period when there were no antibiotics, treatments using sunbaths or ultraviolet baths were universally acknowledged to be the best forms of treatment against bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, asthma, cuts and wounds, festering wounds, jaundice, joint inflammation, psoriasis, acne, and lymph inflammation.

Besides appropriate exposure to the sun, room color matters. Use light colors for the rooms or use mirrors to reflect light. If we need to work indoors under artificial lighting, use full-spectrum light bulbs. Avoid fluorescent lamps – they are the source of X-rays, radio waves and low-frequency electromagnetic radiation. Whether the X-rays originate from fluorescent lamps, computer, or television, they can cause the blood cells to coagulate. Over a long period of time, this will cause us to be tired, and drowsy. In contrast, exposure to light from the sun or a full-spectrum lamp causes the blood cells to separate and not coagulate, and therefore regain its normal function. People who frequently use the computer should do additional sunbaths, or work under a full-spectrum lamp.

Colors from light have unique effects on the body and mind. Western medicine has had some insights over the past two hundred years. In recent times, infants with jaundice have responded very well to blue light therapy. In 1926, an American medical surgeon, Dr. Kate Baldwin, related her experiences using a variety of colors to treat ailments. She was of the opinion that in her 37 years of medical practice, light therapy had more superior effects than any other medicine or surgical procedures; recovery was faster and benefitted the patients more. When treating burns, blue light had the effect of curing inflammation, and stopping pain and itch. The light blue color helps in healing of the skin. A child who was severely burned could not pass urine for 48 hours. Dr. Baldwin shone a red light for 20 minutes at a distance of 18 inches above the child’s kidney, with the rest of her body covered. Two hours later, the child passed 250cc of urine. Light therapy is most appropriate for the treatment of sprains and bruises and is effective in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections. It can also be used to treat asthma, heart problems, lung infections, eye infections, glaucoma, and cataract. Even under conditions where surgery is required, the patient’s recovery is hastened with the use of light therapy. Recovery from burns is especially fast using light therapy – 20 to 30 minutes of blue light exposure can stop pain and itch and enable the skin to recover its softness.

Dr. Baldwin was one of the most outstanding students of Dr. DinshahGhadiali. Dr. Dinshah had several medical degrees and had been interested in light therapy earlier on when he was in India. In 1897, during the rampage of the Black Death, a friend’s niece contacted a lethal form of colon infection. She had to pass motion hundreds of times a day, and she was literally waiting for death because no medicine could cure her.

Dr. Dinshah was aware that Dr. Edwin Babbit from the U.S. had used color therapy. Dr. Dinshah used the light from a kerosene lamp filtered through indigo glass pane to shine on his friend’s niece for 30 minutes. At the same time, he filled a glass bottle of the same color with milk and placed the bottle under the sun for an hour before feeding her the milk. The effects were immediate. The patient’s tendency to pass motion reduced to just 10 times a day. With continual treatment, she was able to get out of bed after three days. This experience changed Dr. Dinshah’s direction of life. He spent the latter half of his life investigating and promoting light therapy. In 1911, he settled in the U.S.A., and after his death in 1966, his son Darius Dinshah continued his work. Darius suggests the following treatment for SARS: place a blue bottle filled with water under the sun for an hour, and then drink a cup of the water three times daily. In addition, another suggestion is to use indigo light for twenty minutes twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. When doing so, it is best to keep the light at a distance of about 3 feet from the body. Currently, the use of light therapy in medical treatment has increased by leaps and bounds and deserves the attention of people in the medical circle. We can also use color therapy in our daily lives – fill water in different colored bottles and put the bottles under the sun for an hour before drinking the water. Here are the functions associated with different colors:

Blue: Promotes calm and quiet; clears phlegm and fever; stimulates the pineal gland.

Green: Stimulates lymphatic system; aids digestion and bowel movements; beneficial to nervous system.

Orange: Aids breathing system and growth of bones.

Red: Stimulates nervous system and circulation and aids the repair work by the liver.

For further information, visit the website www.dinshahhealth.org or read the book “Light Years Ahead” published by Celestial Arts, 1996.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Thirty years ago, Dr. Mtichell May escaped death in a traffic accident. He became a medical miracle when he recovered from an injury that broke his legs in 40 places. Now, he is able to walk at ease. In 1992, Dr. May established The Synergy Company in order to supply his personally-formulated super-nutritious blend of food and herbs to patients and doctors. Outwardly, it appears that he has left his healing but in actual fact, he has expanded the scope of his healing work to include business world and the entire planet.

Dr. May resisted entering the business world at first, because he observed that it had very little goodwill. To achieve personal gains, businessmen have no qualms about destroying the environment, harming people’s health, and exploiting employees. Neither do they care that their actions can lead to significant suffering and social unrest. Dr. May did not want to be part of this, as did many others who disdained from entering the business world. Yet, the business world especially needed people who respected life in order for it to change for the better. Businesses should contribute to life, not harm it. Everyday, Dr. May could see people’s greed and deception in the business world, just as he could see people’s suffering when he was going in and out of the hospitals. He could not be indifferent to this, but respond with compassion. He had learned healing skills from his teacher, Jack Gray; how could he exclude the business world from healing? Whether the business world creates benefits or harm has tremendous impact on the world. Hence, he finally decided to jump into the fire pit of business. Little did he know that it would be so hot!

After operating for ten years, The Synergy Company’s contribution to environmental protection was recognized by the state of Utah. In 2003, the company was awarded Excellence in Manufacturing for Environmental Consciousness. Even the town of Moab where Synergy operates has also turned “green”, the town government, and many of Synergy’s employees have switched to Blue Sky wind energy for electricity.

Right from the beginning, in designing the production plant, Synergy company considered the environment and sustainability. It arranged for the National Parks department to transplant wild trees from the site for park restoration projects. Its production plant uses environmental-friendly facilities, and drought-resistant plants and trees for the grounds. It uses water-efficient toilets, and energy-efficient machinery. Even the lightings use motion-sensitive lights. In addition, only 100% environmental-friendly cleaning agents are used to protect the water supply. Recycled paper and boxes are used, and printing use water-soluble colours derived from soya beans. Organic cotton wool is used to pack Synergy’s products. Even the fillers used for boxes are made from bio-degradable corn. Still, the production process inevitably damages the environment, and the company tries to minimize this damage. Hence, 100% of the electricity supply comes from wind power, and this avoids generating 140 tons of carbon dioxide every year. Although wind-generated electricity costs 50% more than normal, this is an investment for the next generation. To compensate for the carbon dioxide that would be generated from using paper, boxes, and transportation, Synergy plants an additional 25% trees annually. In collaboration with Plant-it 2020 (a tree-planting foundation established by the late singer John Denver), Synergy plants indigenous trees within the U.S. and Mexico. In 2003, they planted 2000 trees, and more trees will be planted in the future as the business grows. In addition, Synergy buys the wild Camu Camu grown along Brazil’s Amazon River in an effort to help the local residents preserve their rainforests.

Below, Dr. May shares his thoughts in running a company:

I do business with ethics as the foundation. I define ethics as responsibility towards all forms of life without limit, and it is the principle I use in making every business decision. Other companies see making money as their primary objective. For my company, profits come from appropriate decisions that respect life. Many people consider life to be restricted to humans and not other life forms. This is very narrow, and will lead to the destruction of other life forms. I consider running a business as my spiritual practice. Of course, other people need not do this, but everyone should have morality, honesty, and goodwill. This does not mean we do not use our common sense and judgment, or the fruits of our spiritual practices – loving kindness and a calm mind. All these attributes should be used in business. Doing business is not about being taken advantage of. If companies that are our business partners are not honest, I will stop dealing with them. This is because we want honesty of our counterparts, and we deal with them with honesty. If we don’t want others to pollute the water supply, we must also not pollute the water supply. Goodwill in business comes from being able to see the perfect nature of everyone. Although the other party is not performing to expectations, we have the responsibility to see their perfect nature. Otherwise, it will be difficult to continue a friendly attitude once we encounter negativities in their speech or actions. We do not need to criticize them. Many enterprises do not have goodwill with each other because they care only about making money and gaining power. They will get money and power, but they will not get merit, love, health, and peace, which are all inner treasures.

Developing a morally-responsible enterprise is relatively difficult because we need to consider all aspects. Working hours are long and tiring. I have thirty employees, and I need to care for their welfare and concerns such as family, children, sickness or financial difficulties. I also need to provide their health insurance, and a fair salary for their living expenses. We are not an enterprise that relies on volunteers, although we donate to charitable activities. This is the company’s choice. We respect everyone’s value, and respect the natural resources provided by the earth, including resources used in shipping, packaging, and building the production plant. We very much treasure earth’s gifts to us.

Our employees are very committed because their jobs have meaning and reflect their aspirations. They feel badly when the occasional mistake occurs. They want to contribute to mankind and to the earth. They feel happy even after a hard day’s work because they know that they are helping to support small organic farms, protect the rainforests in South America, and support wind energy. When a person constantly feels the inherent goodness inside them, their spirituality will naturally be raised.

At the moment, large corporations control the entire food production and marketing. Being unwilling to share resources with those more unfortunate than us is unthinkable. It is hard to understand why people do not help others alleviate their sufferings when they have the ability to do so. Morally-responsible enterprises have potential, and can make money. Our company’s growth is higher than the industry average, even though we donate a high proportion of our profits, and our cost of organic or natural ingredients is 2 to 5 times the average (generally, the cost of organic ingredients is only 25% more). We use the best natural ingredients as if they were for the consumption of our own families. We only use wind-generated electricity, and this leads to a 50% increase in our electricity costs. This is an investment for our next generation. I will not enjoy the benefits. If we consider the environmental damage caused by electricity generated from nuclear power plants and petroleum, wind energy system is indeed the least expensive option. Our ancestors planted trees for their children to enjoy the fruits. Modern people only want to extract fruits within a few years. If businesses only think of their own benefits, they are like parasites – in the end, both host and parasite will die. Friendly bacteria consume food inside the human’s intestines, but they also secrete substances that help its host ward off harmful bacteria. This symbiotic relation is more ideal. Fortunately, some people have begun to realize this, and businesses have begun to consider environmental and social impacts of their actions. These “green” enterprises think more holistically, and it is a good start. However, do not do so only on the surface. If I only take leisurely strolls, I cannot say I exercise everyday. If I listen to music periodically, I cannot say I practice meditation everyday. How do consumers discern true “green” enterprises? Real products? True moral responsibility?

Knowing an enterprise is like knowing a person. You need time. You can phone the company to find out about their activities, such as support for organic farms, recycling, energy conservation, or awards won. Nowadays, some organizations give recognition to socially-responsible companies that do not sell cigarettes or alcohol, manufacture toxic chemicals or pesticides, and those that provide health insurance for their employees. Some religious organizations do not invest in companies that manufacture weapons.

More and more people want to support morally-responsible enterprises. If there are two similar products, they would rather pay a little more to support these enterprises so that their money can be used to benefit the world, and not destroy it. Thus, when you buy our products that contain Camu Camu, you are also helping Brazilian people to support their rainforests. I can only do things this way because this comes from my spiritual consciousness. It is an arduous task, but anything that has value requires hard work. My rewards are blessings and joy.

The temptations in business are large, and this issue itself is a deep philosophical practice. Management must hire people with love and morality to work for them, and it is best to have a teacher close by to remind them. The CEO’s job is to be vigilant, and when hiring people, observe whether they have an honest job record, and whether they have a sense of responsibility and take pride in their own work. This is the foundation of spiritual life. Many people say that they have a faith or spiritual life, but tell lies when they face crises. What a person does is more important. Does he/she learn from experience? Some employees have their own spiritual practices, but I cannot insist that everyone has. If they unintentionally make mistakes, I forgive them. But if they intentionally cheat, I will ask them to leave.

At the end of a hard day’s work, I know with a clean conscience that I have benefited this world. How many people can say this? Our wealth comes from other people, and we must share this with others. When we share with others, our wealth will grow even more. Based on my experience, true giving has miraculous powers, and quiet giving has even greater powers.

References for morally-responsible enterprises:

www.coopamerica.org
www.planti2020.org
www.awea.org
www.synergy-co.com

Extracted from Lapis Lazuli Light Magazine 2004 Feb Issue
Translated by Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

At a farming class organized by Lapis Lazuli Light in the U.S. last summer, Bob Cannard made this profound remark: “Many people tell me they cannot grow fruit trees because they rent their homes. In our society, many people indeed rent their houses. They may move every few years, so they feel that if they plant fruit trees, they do not get to taste the fruits of their effort. However, think of it another way: if every tenant of a house grows fruit trees in his backyard, then he will enjoy fruits even if he moves to another home later. In our modern society, this narrow perspective is the sickness of our cultural ailments.” Bob elaborated further: “I am also renting this farm to grow vegetables and fruit trees, and I’ve been here over twenty years. One day, I too will leave this land. I can’t bring these fruit trees with me, but I can bring along my experiences to another piece of land. If I hadn’t originally grown fruit trees merely because the farm land was rented, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy so many fruits now!”

A friend living on the U.S. east coast was preparing to sell her house, and engaged a contractor to repair the floor. This friend is particular about using non-toxic materials, and, this time, she also asked the contractor to look for non-toxic glue and paint. Because this involved a lot of time, the contractor was very unwilling to do so, and said: “You are selling your house and not living in it. Why are you so particular about the materials? Other people use cheap materials when they sell their houses.” Carpenters I know also commonly utter the following phrase: “Can’t see it from my house.” It means that when you are building a house for someone else, you can be a little sloppy because you will not live in it.

In our daily life, what we wear, eat, live in, and use are all dependent on others. If we want to raise the quality of our lives, and improve what we wear, eat, live in, and use, we need to change our perspective of life. Our teachers in school teach us this motto: “All for one, one for all”. If we can actualize this motto when we grow up, the earth can be transformed into a paradise. Not only will our living conditions be improved, but so will our lives.

Here’s another true story. Walter Russell was an American genius. Born in 1871 in Boston, he made significant contributions to the arts, music, philosophy, and science. He was twice invited to the White House by the first President Roosevelt to draw portraits of the President’s family. He also made a bust portrait of the second President Roosevelt.

Walter started working to support himself when he was ten years old. At the age of thirteen, he entered the art school, supporting himself on a part-time job. One summer, he was working as a bellboy in a hotel. He was very special in that he enthusiastically served the guests, but never accepted a tip or gratuity. In fact, he would wake up at 5 a.m. to get fresh milk for an infant staying in the hotel. At that time, his salary was only US$6 per month, and income from tips generally could be as high as US$100 over the entire summer. The first time a guest offered him a tip, Walter extended his hand to receive it, but then retracted it. This was because an inner voice told him that he should not take it. He murmured hesitantly: “I am already drawing a salary, and shouldn’t receive a tip.” He then hid in his room to reflect on his feelings just experienced. He had a sudden inspiration: “I want to be the one and only bellboy in the world who doesn’t accept a tip, and who offers the best customer service.”

After that, Walter joyfully and wholehearted served every guest. All the guests were pleasantly surprised by such a spirited bellboy who offered such good services, and yet refused to accept any tip. They invited him to attend their dinner functions and cruises, but the hotel manager told them that this was against hotel regulations because hotel employees are not allowed to socialize with their guests. In response, these guests made it clear that if an exception was not made for him, they would stop patronizing the hotel. So he had a wonderful summer.

Walter paint in his spare time. The hotel guests were very interested in his paintings so much so that during the entire summer, he made US$850 from selling his paintings even though he didn’t receive any tips. In addition, five wealthy families wanted to adopt him as a godson. After Walter’s work became famous, these guests also introduced many people to purchase his paintings. Later, he also attended the wedding of that infant who had, many years ago, needed fresh milk at dawn. Walter deeply felt that the universe’s laws are fair: when we give it all we’ve got, we will naturally get our rewards, so all of us should joyfully do our jobs well. He realized the universal law that we will get back what we offer. Being overly greedy will lead to losses in other areas. Joy is the manifestation of a heart in balance and equanimity, and genius comes from inner joy. A person immersed in joy does not feel tired, nor will his body create toxins.

If what we can give more than expected, our lives will naturally be successful. Walter’s wonderful life story illustrates this universal truth. If we can all internalize and apply this work attitude during this period of economic recession, we would surely see a change for the better. Dr. Mitchell May (featured in the October-December 2003 issue of the Lapis Lazuli Light newsletter), who is himself a living medical miracle, also discovered that the universe transcends three-dimensional space and time. He found that to overcome difficulties within one’s body, life, and finances, one needs to transcend narrow restrictive thinking and living conditions. Faith or trust is one key factor to transcending three-dimensional constraints.

Walter’s creative genius originates from beyond time and space. When he had to do his first-ever life portrait bust (of Edison), he had never received any training or instruction in this area. During the flight to see Edison, he entered into deep meditation that transcended time and space. When he arrived before Edison, he had already acquired the skill to do the sculpture.

In his younger days, Walter also used a similar method to transcend challenges in his life. When he was fifteen, he was drawing a weekly pay of US$12. His girlfriend wanted him to bring her to attend opera performance that was coming to town, and he readily said yes, thinking that it was just for one show. He didn’t realize that she wanted to attend every show of the series, costing a princely US$79.60. He said it was impossible to do so, and she retorted “You are the last person in the world that I would ever expect to hear say that word” Walter reflected, and thought that she was right. On the night before the ticket sales, he lined up behind a long queue, with only US$6 in his pocket. However, he believed that by the time he reached the ticket counter, he would have enough money to buy the entire series of shows. The next morning, a man behind the queue asked him: “Do you want to earn five dollars?” Walter said: “Of course.” The man said: “Only if you can offer your place to me so that I can get to work by 9 a.m.” Walter had instinctive thought: “I have a better idea. Give me the money, and I’ll deliver the ticket to your office.” Walter recorded the man’s address in his notebook. Shortly after, other people also sought his help. By the time he reached the ticket counter, he not only had enough money to purchase the entire series of shows, but he had also earned US$110, an amount that was enough to civer his school fees over the next few months. The strange thing was that none of the people who entrusted him to purchase the tickets had asked for his name or address. When he completely trusted on the forces of the universe, it also enabled others around him to trust him.

Because people do not believe in the generosity and fairness of the universe, they engage in unbounded greed. Regardless of whether the targets of this greed are the resources of nature or of the commercial world, excessive greed inevitably leads to poverty and damage. During Bob Cannard’s farming class, he continually emphasized that nature is generous, but we must repay what we get in order for these resources to keep coming. Twenty years ago when he first started farming on this ecologically-damaged turkey farm, all the plants and vegetables needed his daily attentive care to supply liquid fertilizers. After the land had recovered, he could leave it unattended for two weeks, and the plants and vegetables would still grow very well. Long ago, Bob’s farm was originally a place where spring water gushed out everywhere. However, a hundred years of deforestation and damage by cattle grazing led to the hardening of the land around the mouth of the spring water. Furthermore, the water level sank, causing the spring water to dry up. After Bob took over the farm, he used rocks and wood to slow down the flow of creek water. He also used twigs and branches to cover the hardened land around the spring water’s mouth so that the land will soften. After a short four years, the spring water came back again.

From these examples drawn from nature, we can see that when we naturally pay back to nature what we have received, nature will offer its unabated generosity manifested in our daily lives, work, businesses, and interpersonal relationships. Believe in the universe’s generosity and its fairness. Be concerned only in cultivating and planting virtuous seeds, and ask not about the rewards. In this way, we can be sure to create a wonderful world filled with joy.

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