Posts classified under: From Founder

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Every day, wild animals undergo traumatic experiences. For instance, herbivores have to be alert at all times to avoid predators’ attack. Encountering life and death situations daily is a part of their lives.

Though living under highly stressful conditions, wild animals do not exhibit post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Medically, the post-traumatic stress disorder appears as insomnia, depression, temper tantrums, forgetfulness, anxiety, shyness, inability to concentrate, behavioral and emotional stiffness, controlling and restricting others. While these symptoms may appear many years after the incident of a trauma. The trauma could be caused by accidents, natural disasters (e.g., Earthquake), serious illnesses, war, violence, surgery. Often these traumas cannot be remembered by the person.

There are many methods of treating trauma in Psychology. One of them mentioned here is discovered by observing wild animals. Psychologist Peter A. Levine, Ph.D. spent a lifetime studying the recovery process from traumatic experiences. Most of the patients under his counsel suffer from traumatic response of accidents and surgeries, while a minority suffers from wars or violence. His inspiration came from observing carnivores animals devouring their prey. For instance, when a leopard chases after a deer, just before the deer is caught, it would faint from extreme fright, appearing to be dead. This phenomenon of ‘fake death’ is frequently, a means of self-preservation. Normally, carnivores do not feed on dead meat, hence may leave the ‘dead’ animal alone or drag it to one side. The ‘dead’ animal may wake up without being noticed and escape when it has the opportunity. During its unconsciousness, the nervous system and body of the prey would become highly agitated. Upon waking up, its body would tremble for a while before it could regain normal consciousness. When a bear is shot with tranquilizers while being chased, upon waking up, its body would tremble for one hour. Trembling is a means to release stress. Man’s emotion and thoughts are complicated. After a traumatic experience, his emotions and thoughts may affect the process of releasing stress, hence building up the many post trauma symptoms described earlier. If the stress is not properly released, it may affect the person’ lifetime.

When faced with danger, the ability to respond comes from the brain as for all animals and insects. The nervous system and entire body undergoes a highly agitated state, responding by flight, fight or fainting. In the event the response of flight, fight or fainting, is incomplete and consciousness cannot return to normal but is stuck at the state of escaping in the form of extreme fear and helplessness or stuck at the state of fighting in the form of easily angered or stuck at the state of fainting in the form of forgetfulness or inability to concentrate. Victims of accidents often respond by fainting. Upon waking up, they cannot remember what they said or did.

Anesthesia used in surgeries are chemically induced “spirit leaving the body”. Though without consciousness, the cut is still experienced by the physical body. Hence, if the body does not release the stress after surgery, there could be post-traumatic stress. Young children are especially susceptible to trauma and parents have to pay special attention. Peter A. Levine had a case whereby the patient’s source of trauma came from the anesthetics used in an operation during her childhood. Her symptoms only surfaced when she was in an examination to enter a research institute and suddenly exhibited intense panic attack for no apparent reason. Her condition was so serious that she could not leave her house alone. Under the treatment of Peter A. Levine, while she relaxed herself, she suddenly went into a full-blown anxiety attack, unable to breathe and her body paralyzed. Peter A. Levine had a sudden inspiration – he asked the patient to imagine a tiger running to her and that she should run atop the tree for safety. The patient let out a bloodcurdling scream, followed by her legs trembling in running movements. Her entire body trembled, shake for one hour. At the same time, she remembered her terrifying experience from the anesthesia during her operation at 3 years old. This trauma laid hidden for 20 years before exhibiting its traumatic effect. After the counseling, she could return to her research institute to continue her studies.

Medical operations and extracting of tooth are common to our modern lives. However, the effects of anesthesia on our body and mind goes beyond our imagination. During one recent course to remove the remains of anesthetics effects, I asked students to recall their feelings before they underwent anesthesia, and the feeling after waking up from the anesthesia. One student immediately cried, and another had difficulty breathing, experiencing pain in the chest and stomach. I asked her to focus her breath at areas where she felt the discomfort (focusing her attention on the areas of discomfort, inhaling and exhaling from those areas). This process continued for over 10 minutes before her discomfort subsided. 30 years ago, she underwent a major operation and complete anesthesia. For 20 years, the pain remained, and she has difficulty breathing upon waking up in the morning.

She never realized the lasting effects of anesthetics had on her. After this session of clearing the effects of anesthesia, she no longer had difficulty breathing upon waking the next morning and her body and mind improved over the next 1 month.

In order to understand healing from trauma, we need to realize that consciousness does not depend on the brain. There are some examples in medical history whereby during unconsciousness or under anesthesia, the patient after waking up could recall the surrounding environment such as the doctors’ and nurses’ conversation. Experiment have shown that after removing the mice’ brain, their memories still remained. Only when the body’s survival is threatened that the memory is disturbed. Some people under special circumstances could remember the time they were born or their experiences in their mother’s womb.

A person’s conscious mind may exist outside the physical body. What Chinese described as the spirit leaving the body from fear came from experiences, recovery and prevention of post-fear effects and the need to unite the conscious mind and the body.

Peter A. Levine suggested that while saving the body from a frightening experience, we should also help the victim recover his normal consciousness. The following are important points:

• Keep the patient warm, quiet, do not let the patient move about.
• If not seriously injured, encourage the patient to feel the bodily sensations. If he shivers, tell him that it is a normal reaction. Normally, after shivering, the limbs would feel warm and breathing becomes easy.

This process may take 15-20 minutes.

• After rescue efforts or after discharge from hospital, the patient should rest for a few days, keep warm and quiet. This includes accident victims with slight injuries. Emotional response such as extreme fear, anger, sadness and regret would appear.
• At the same time, the patient should deliberately recall the time before the accident, giving abundant time to recollect his bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts and impression then. Thereafter fully experience the feelings during the accident, releasing all negative energy.

Young children are especially susceptible to fearful experiences. For instance, a fall while playing or from injections when visiting doctors.

Adults should first stay calm, stabilize emotions before attending to the child. First, keep the body warm, quiet just as in adults. Then ask in a light tone if the child feels any discomfort or how the discomfort is felt (pain, tired or numb). Should the child exhibit loud cries or shiver this is directly releasing the stress of frightful trauma. Do not restrain the child when he exhibits fright, cries loudly, or shiver. Otherwise stress from the frightful trauma may surface again after 20 years later.

After the accident, use a play to re-enact the conditions during the accident, to test if the emotional or bodily stress have been fully released. If the child avoids the issue or cries, it signals that the stress is not fully discharged and requires patience in helping the child release the stress over numerous occasions.

After a child undergoes a frightful experience, especially after receiving anesthesia, and if he persistently behaves differently, it signals that the stress is not released.

Other symptoms are:

1. Persistently directing others
2. Reverting to earlier behavior, e.g., Thumb-sucking
3. Tantrums, uncontrollable rage attacks
4. Hyperactivity
5. Easily frightened
6. Nightmares, thrashing while asleep
7. Unable to concentrate in school, forgetful
8. Over belligerence or shyness, or fearful
9. Overly clingy to parents
10. Stomachache, headache or unexplainable ailments

To release the stress in adults, the patient has to focus his attention on his body sensations, or use showers with vibrational effects, or bath with cold water on various parts of the body, concentrating attention on the body parts in contact with water.

When emotions or memories arise, ignore them, concentrating only on the body sensations. The preparation step of Wai Dan Gong (a form of Qigong), a trembling movement of the whole body, helps one to release the energy stored from trauma.

Human being has the ability to self-heal. By allowing one to react naturally, one can recover from trauma.

 

 

 

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Maintaining good health not only means taking care of our physical body, more importantly, it requires taking care of the invisible energy of the body, because the body’s nutrients and maintenance depends on the energy of the body. The energy of the body is affected by emotions, the mind and environmental factors.

The nourishment of energy (Chi) from natural forests and seaside are very important. That is also why in cities, man’s body and emotions are damaged by pollution. Professor Valerie Hunt, a scientist researching on the body’s energy discovered that muscle strength reflected the influence of energy of the body. In our environment full of man-made substances, such as wearing clothes made of man-made fiber, using carpet with man-made fiber, the physical body’s energy is reduced by 1/3-1/2 its original energy; a change to natural environment such as wearing cotton material, using bare flooring, some of the energy lost by the body is recovered, but not immediately to its original level of energy.

The interaction between people also affects energy. For people whose energy do not match to interact with each other, both their energy would be reduced by each other, and the body would easily feel tired and unwell, or fall ill. For people whose energy interact well with each other, both their energy would be raised by each other. Unhappy interpersonal relations would affect the body.

Regulating the energy, the emotions and the mind are directly related to one another, being the crux of maintaining good health. Irregular heartbeat is a reflection of irregular flow of energy in the body. External environment pollution may also cause irregular flow of energy. Weed killer contains glyphosate, which may cause irregular heartbeat as one of its side effects. In the air, electromagnetic radiation caused by television, wireless station/satellites, handphone transmission stations, radar all affect energy. The radiation caused by man in the atmosphere is 1 million to 2 million times of that caused by the radiation from the sun. The effects of these disturbances on our bodies come in many ways. More scientists’ research has been conducted showing that the body’s resistance, internal glandular secretion and mental system are being disrupted.

 

Professor Valerie Hunt has shared a method of harmonizing energy, using the process of breathing and visualization to open up the main switch to the body’s energy – the chakras, to remove the disturbances to the body.

 

1. BOTTOM OF THE FEET:

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the left foot, across the back of the waist, moving down the right leg, breath out from the right foot. Repeat 10 times.

2. BOTTOM OF THE FEET:

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the bottom of both feet all the way to the heart. Then exhale, moving back down the path from which it came, exiting from the bottom of both feet. Repeat 10 times.

3. THE KNEE:

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the knees all the way to the heart, breath out from the knees. Repeat 10 times.

4. ROOT CHAKRA

(Point between the anus and urinary tract)

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the Root Chakra all the way to the heart, out breath exiting from the Root Chakra. Repeat 10 times.

5. SACRAL CHAKRA

(Dan-tien)

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the sacral chakra (lower abdomen) all the way to the heart. The out breath moving down from the heart, exiting from sacral chakra. Repeat 10 times.

6. SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the solar plexus chakra (stomach) all the way to the heart, the out breath exiting from solar plexus chakra. Repeat 10 times.

7. HEART CHAKRA

(Center of the chest in line with the armpit)

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the heart, the out breath exiting from the heart. Repeat 10 times.

 

8. THROAT CHAKRA

(Depression between the collar bone)

When breathing in, visualize the breathe coming in from the Throat Chakra all the way to the heart, the out breath exiting from Throat Chakra. Repeat 10 times.

9. BROW CHAKRA

(3^rd-eye)

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the Brow Chakra all the way to the heart, exiting from the Brow Chakra on exhalation. Repeat 10 times.

10. CROWN CHAKRA

When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the Crown Chakra all the way to the heart, exiting from the Crown Chakra on exhalation. Repeat 10 times.

11. When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the bottom of the feet and up to the crown chakra. Energy flow in from all the chakras along the path. Breath out from the crown chakra. Repeat 3 times.
12. When breathing in, visualize the breath coming in from the bottom of the feet and from the top of the head, all the way to the heart, breath out exiting from both ends (the bottom of the feet and the top of the head). Repeat 3 times.

In areas where the body needs healing, visualize energy entering the body from the opposite direction, such as the energy flowing up and down the body, left to right, forward and backward.

 

With the above harmonizing of the body, the energy would flow through the entire body, nourishing our health.

 

 

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Energy level measurement makes use of the electromagnetic field’s vibration to determine to what extend another person, an object, an event or the environment affects us. (It can help us select suitable food, plants or soil as well as to find out the energy level of the human body.) Because it makes use of the electromagnetic field’s vibration, its accuracy depends greatly on the person who carries out the measurement. This person being the conductor of the process needs to be at a good energy level, to be relaxed both physically and mentally, and to be void of excessive disturbances. The measurement can be done by determining the strength of one’s finger or arm, or by observing the direction and number of rotations of a metal chain held in the hand.

A lightweight, fine metal chain is a suitable choice for a beginner; the higher the electrical conductivity of the metal chain the better but any metal will do. Attach a small weight, such as a crystal ball to one end of the chain, but you may also do without the weight. Place the object of interest on a table. Let the chain dangle from the index finger on your right (or left if you are left-handed) hand and rest your thumbs on it lightly. Keep calm and allow the chain to move freely. There are three possible movements: clockwise rotations, anti-clockwise rotations, back and forth oscillation or none at all.

Clockwise rotation indicates compatibility or a positive answer. If the energy measurement is that of a food or a surrounding, count the number of rotations until it finally stops. The greater the rotation and the higher the number, the more favorable the answer. Anti-clockwise rotation signals incompatibility or a negative answer. Similarly, higher counts of the number of turns indicate a stronger negative answer. Back-and-forth movement means neutral; neither good nor bad. If there is no movement, then the object being scrutinized may have neither good nor bad energies; or the investigator is not relaxed, or has a weak aura, etc. A point to note is that the investigator needs to have a clear and calm mind and be consciously and subconsciously non-judgmental.

In the early stages, the beginner can use familiar objects to make comparisons; for instance, fruit and sugar, tap water and filtered water, etc. Experienced investigators may acquire a very high degree of accuracy in their energy measurements. In Western countries, experienced investigators help to locate sources of water and petrol, lost objects and persons, and the damaged part of a machine. I know of a lady who can successfully identify sickness in the body; including those of cats’ and dogs’; and even determine the treatment. Her precision in energy measurement is so high that she has a waiting list of clients that stretch for 3 months.

There is wide application for energy measurement. When buying vegetables, we determine which vegetables come from fertile soil and which from chemically fertilized soil. Even with vegetables that are labelled “organic”, we can have several grades too. Some “organic” produce comes from virgin soil (soil that has never used chemicals before) and some from soil that has recently stopped using chemical fertilizers. Many chemical fertilizers have yet to be completely disintegrated even after a lapse of 20 years; DDT is one example.

The thought of the farmer can also affect his produce. I recall an incident in a farmer’s market in Northern California; my father unintentionally discovered that an old lady was selling fruits with very high energy levels although they looked ordinary. On investigating, he discovered that her family orchard had a history of more than a hundred years and has never used chemical fertilizers. Now in her twilight years, the old lady did not have the capability to take care of the orchard and she allowed it to grow as it pleased. She was full of love and was always exchanging a few good words with passers-by. From then on, we always bought fruits and walnuts from her; unfortunately, many people overlooked her less handsome looking produce to patronize her neighbor who sold fruits and vegetables produced from their chemically fertilized orchard.

In general, farm produce with residual chemicals has energy that goes anti-clockwise. Food with chemical additives, processed food, refined salt, white sugar, seasonings, etc., are also in this category. On another occasion, we felt ‘bloated’ after eating a meal of organic brown rice. On investigation, we discovered that the energy moved anti-clockwise. Owing to the increased demand in organic food, some lower quality products were passed off as the genuine stuff. If the buyer can measure the energy level when buying, he would not have been cheated.

Energy measurement can also be used to determine situations that requires a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. A clockwise movement means ‘yes’ and an anti-clockwise movement means ‘no’. If a decision needs to be made from a number of choices, each choice can be written in a piece of paper and its energy measured with the chain dangling over it. The number of clockwise rotations is noted for each, and the best choice being the one that has the highest number of clockwise turns; those that have anti-clockwise movement are not suitable choices. Other than measuring the energy levels of food and herbs, we also can measure its suitability for our personal consumption. First hold the food in the hand, with the back of the hand facing up. With the other hand, dangle the chain over the back of the hand; a clockwise movement indicates suitability and an anti-clockwise says unsuitable.

The proverb “one man’s meat is another man’s poison” clearly advises that an object may be beneficial to some but not all people due to individual circumstances such as, body condition, living environment and health condition. On one occasion, I was demonstrating how to measure the energy level of some local fruits in East Malaysia. The fruits’ energy levels were high but not suitable for my consumption. When the local people did the measurement, the energy level was high and good for them. We did the same test on some almonds that I’d brought with me. I could demonstrate that they had high energy but there wasn’t much reaction when the local people held almond in their hands. This experience reconfirms the need to eat locally produced food. It also explains why it takes some time for us to acclimatize to new environment, the food available in the new environment do not suit our body condition well.

In the beginning of practicing the art of measuring energy levels, there may be several problems. First, the chain may not move; possibly because you are not sufficiently relaxed, or the biological electromagnetic field is weak. The remedy to re-charge one’s energy is to face West, raise both hands to shoulder level with the left hand pointing in the direction of South and the right hand in the direction of North. Hold the posture for 3 minutes, then cross the arm and lightly rub the shoulders few times.

The second difficulty is disturbances. For instance, the electrical lamp, closure of the crown chakra, environmental pollution or the mind not being able to stay calm. The activity in the mind can affect the aura, and consequently having an influence over the physical body as well as the hand holding the chain. A few minutes of deep breathing can help to calm the mind and to be detached from the answer that you are seeking. If you suspect that there is any interference, you may test on objects or events with known answers to justify if the opposite answer is obtained. To overcome the crown chakra problem, visualize a sun over your head, think of the perfect energy of the universe, and silently say a few prayers in your own religion.

The third difficulty is the way of phrasing the question. If there is limitation in the question itself, the answer will not be accurate, especially so if it a negative question.

However, all these difficulties will disappear after some practice.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

What are the Real Nourishing Foods?

Food as medicine has been part of Chinese life from the earliest times. Furthermore, there is a very sophisticated system of knowledge regarding food for healing. However, traditional concepts of nourishment always include chicken or meat, sea foods or parts from exotic wildlife. One can see this from the recipes of foods served in the imperial palace. The Chinese perception of “nourishing foods” has caused many of the wildlife to become extinct or near extinction. Pity the bear without its paw, the snake without its gall bladder, the tiger without its bone, and the monkey without its brain. They have all ended up in people’s stomach.

Did these “nourishing foods” help people live long and stay healthy?

If exotic wildlife and seafoods are really nourishing foods, then emperors of China would have lived long. In fact, few did. Peasants eating simple vegetables and rice, meditators and Taoist practitioners living in the mountains were healthier and lived longer than the emperors living in the palace. Now we have statistics to show what are the real nourishing foods and what are the foods that nourish heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

The greatest obstacle to health is “habit”. The way we think, feel or live can be the cause of our sickness. Yet, these habits are also the most difficult to change. Food, in particular is our emotional comfort. What we ate as children become what we like as adult. It becomes part of us. Most people will not change their eating habits unless faced with some serious illnesses.

I have changed my eating habits for thirty years and introducing healthy ways of eating for nearly thirty years. In the beginning almost no one took interest in this “new” eating concept, because it is too different from habits. Slowly when cancer, heart diseases and chronic diseases become more prevalent, some start to try these new concepts of nourishment. May be the results were good, more and more people were willing to change their habits. Often in a family the changes began with one person then the rest of the family followed. Now almost everyone has had contact with this new concept of nourishing food. As far as when to change, each has his or her time.

EAT NATURAL FOOD

What is the “new” nourishing food concept? Simply to eat our natural food – grains, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes and sea vegetables. If foods natural to human included chicken, pork, beef, lamb, fish wildlife, then when we see living animals, we would salivate like tigers and lions. Have you ever seen a three- or five-year-old grabbing a live chicken or fish to eat?

Every child living in the semi-tropics remembers salivating after the yellow ripe mangoes and red ripe lychees on the trees. Those living in Southeast Asia salivated after durians.

Many medical studies found plant foods to be most suitable to humans. If people with heart diseases, cancer, and other chronic illnesses are willing to change to natural eating habits, often they will regain their health.

People who are used to eating meat, fish, eggs and milk products when first encountering this new food idea are afraid without animal products they will be malnourished. They are especially worried about lack of protein, calcium, iron and vitamin B12, etc. Let us look at the actual medical findings and not “imagined” nutritional ideas. Heart diseases and cancer are the major causes of death. Fifty percent of the men die of heart diseases. Only 4% of vegetarian male die of heart diseases. If they eat eggs or milk, then the death rate increases to 15%.

VEGETARIAN FOOD IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Cancer has become epidemic. At least four out of ten Americans will get cancer in their lifetime. Compared to meat eaters, vegetarians have lower rates of cancer. The breast cancer rate for women who eat meat daily is 3.8 times that of those who eat less than once a week.

A seven-year study in China involving 65 countries discovered that countries consuming the least amount of meat and the most vegetables have the best health. The incidences of some common chronic illnesses are directly proportional to the amount of meat consumed.

Plant sources of protein are more than adequate to meet our needs, if the diet is balanced. If there is enough calorie there is enough protein. In mother’s milk, 5% of calories comes from proteins. The World Health Organization recommends protein need to be only 4.5% of total calories. The percent of protein among total calories for some vegetables are as follows: spinach 49%, celery 11%, legumes 23-43%, grains 8-20%, fruits 5-16%, and seeds 12-18%.

We need to worry about getting too much protein, and not too little. Excess protein causes loss of calcium. Americans consume more calcium than Africans, yet they have more osteoporosis because of excess intake of protein. B complexes, especially B12 are produced by the beneficial bacteria in our digestive system. Any fermented foods such as miso, sauerkrauts, pickles contain B12. The dark leafy green are good sources of iron and calcium. Sea vegetables such as kombu, hijiki, nori and dulse are also good sources of minerals. For further information, one can read “The Pursuit of Life” by myself and “Diet for a New America” by John Robbins.

Chiu-Nan Lai, Ph.D.

Our living environment is heavily polluted, including the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, our homes, and our transportation. Even the basic survival needs, such as food produced from clean, fertile soil, clean water and air, and sufficient oxygen are difficult to obtain. Our health is threatened from the time we are in the womb.

To maintain health, we need to learn how to handle these hazards and the pollution of the emotions and mind brought about by these factors. The hazards include millions of synthetic chemicals, televisions, computers, microwave ovens and cell phones, electrical appliances, radio-active wastes, super-viruses (from genetic-engineering of plants), and super-bacteria (from long-term usage of antibiotics in animal husbandry and medicine). As individuals we can make an effort to reduce the production of these pollutants. As manufacturers and producers, we need to step outside of our specialities and work together for the health of all of us.

For example, the agriculture industry could produce food free from pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and genetically engineered crops. The food industry could produce food without chemical additives, food colourings, artificial flavourings, and preservatives. All industries could practice “green” manufacturing, working toward zero pollution. Consumers could use buying as an incentive to encourage “green” businesses.

Every aspect of our lives and especially our emotions, thought patterns, and the development of our will, directly impact our health. Health is the totality of our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.

At a time when the physical environment is polluted, it is even more important to clean up the emotions and the mind.

Many of the world’s medical traditions have contributed to the understanding of the total health of the body, mind and spirit. Examples are the ancient Chinese medical understanding of the seven emotions, acupuncture meridians, consciousness, soul, and essence, the ancient sciences of Veda, Yoga and Buddhism of India. Modern science, psychology and medicine including psychobiology, psychoneuroimmunology, bioenergy fields, quantum biology, and anthroposophy are also finding the connection of mind and body.

Individual doctors and scientists have made discoveries similar to those of the ancient medical systems. Dr. R.G. Hamer of Germany, in observing over ten thousand cases of cancer patients, found that cancer, heart diseases, and many other illnesses are triggered by emotional factors. Often a combination of shock, or conflict and not being able to talk about it will produce lesions in the brain within a few months. Dr. Valerie Hunt in nearly thirty years of laboratory research has found that human energy fields are related to thoughts and emotions. Psychics are able to observe changes in the colour of the field or aura.

Since these understandings are from different cultural traditions and different times, the terminologies are different, but the essence is the same. For example, chi in Chinese medicine, prana in Indian culture, bioenergy fields in Western science, etheric body in anthroposophy. These all share the common characteristics of nourishing the physical body.

The “consciousness” in Chinese medicine, the eighth sense, subtle minds in Buddhism, the astral body, ego body in anthroposophy, and what psychics describe as “aura” are also similar. The spiritual components although are not of the physical world, they are described as the creative forces for the physical world. Therefore, spiritual energy can change the physical. In the case of human beings, emotions and thoughts can affect the etheric and physical body.

During the past hundred years, anthroposophy as developed by Dr. Rudolf Steiner has become one of the most complete systems for describing the interconnection between body, mind and spirit, sharing many of the same ideas as that of ancient medical systems. Dr. Steiner was an Austrian-born material and spiritual scientist, educator, agriculturist, and doctor. Through his own investigations, he described the human as being made of four bodies:

1. PHYSICAL BODY – mineral, earth element (hope)
2. ETHERIC BODY – water, water element (love)
3. ASTRAL BODY – air, air element (faith)
4. EGO BODY – warmth, fire (consciousness)

Our attention is usually placed on the well-being and health of the physical body, but in terms of energy-interactions, it is the last link. The ego body affects the astral body, in turn the etheric body and finally the physical body. Illnesses can originate from injury of any of the bodies, such as injury to the physical body, emotional hurt, injury of the life force of the etheric body by electromagnetic fields and the injury of the ego body by drugs, mistaken concepts, and any activities or thoughts that harm others. Sometimes diseases come from problems of connection between the bodies such as between the physical and etheric bodies. Under the influence of anaesthesia, the physical body separates from the etheric. After a medical or dental procedure, if the two bodies are not brought together in alignment, one can suffer from local pain, back pain, or the part of the body on which the surgery was performed may feel numb and have below normal functionality.

By generating regrets to past wrong doings and cultivating loving kindness, one can repair damages to the ego body, which in turn increase its energy level. In the Buddhist tradition, purification practices such as Confession to the Thirty-five Buddhas, Vajrasattva practice, and keeping of pure vows are found to increase one’s energy. The energy increase can be measured by bioenergy field strength, or muscle strength. Cultivation of loving kindness such as saving lives, circumambulating holy objects, reciting the Amitabha name and the mantras of Compassion Buddha (OM MANI PADME HUM, for example) increase the energy as well. There are Christian methods of confessing wrong doings and generating love and compassion. All these practices increase the energy of the ego body.

The health of the astral body (emotional body) depends on the free expression of the seven emotions and clearing of repressed negative emotions. Creative artistic activities such as music, painting, and dancing all have a positive effect on the astral body. Cultivation of lovingness and positive attitude in general produce a beneficial effect on health. The astral body is most connected with the eyes. The use of eye movements in psychology to release traumas seems to validate this view from anthroposophy. Trauma is usually stored in the right brain stem. Therefore, it cannot be accessed through talking, which is a left-brain activity, but can be released through movement of the eyes, observing body sensations, and specific techniques of deep breathing.

The astral body affects the etheric body. The etheric body nourishes the physical body. Chi Gong, acupuncture, herbs, walking in nature, and exercises all restore the balance of the etheric body. The etheric body has fluidity like water. Plants also have fluidity. Foods derived from plants are believed to nourish the etheric body. In the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses, a plant-based diet has proven to be very beneficial.

The essence of the etheric body is love. If a person did not receive love during the time in the womb and early childhood, the etheric body will be weak. When one has no love of life itself, the etheric body will shrivel, and death will follow. Dr. Dean Ornish in Love & Survival reported many medical studies showing the importance of love in health. One study involved following over one hundred Harvard college graduates for 35 years.

Those who responded to questionnaires indicating that they were not close to their parents all suffered from serious illnesses by middle age. Those who indicated closeness to their parents had less than half of the incidence of chronic illnesses in their forties.

Another source of information comes from following unwanted births. In studies involving three areas (Sweden, northern Finland and Prague), ranging in time from 16 to 25 years, children of mothers who were denied abortions were observed. These children’s physical, emotional and mental health were less than normal. Their risks of premature birth, birth defects, and infant death were higher than average. In school, these children more often had learning difficulties, and social and behavioural problems. As young adults they were more likely to be involved in crime.

The emerging fields of prenatal and perinatal psychology and traumatic stress are finding that those who suffer from childhood traumas, especially neglect and constant criticism have six to twelve times the risks of substance abuse, suicide, smoking, obesity, cancer, chronic lung problems, hepatitis, liver problems, bone fractures and diabetes. The etheric body stores the memory of life experiences, including early childhood.

To strengthen the etheric body, besides cultivating loving attitude, and being in a loving environment, a rhythmic lifestyle helps. The etheric body is part of nature and is strengthened by being in harmony with the natural rhythm. Ancient Chinese medical science advises living in accordance to the season in waking and sleeping patterns.

The nourishment of the physical body depends on the etheric body. The food that we eat must be transformed before it can be used. The roots of the plants nourish the head, the leafy greens the chest, and the fruits and flowers the lower body and limbs. Carrots, for example, improve brain function; greens are good for the lungs and heart; Lycium berries and Chinese chrysanthemum flowers are good for the liver.

The astral and ego bodies belong to the spiritual world. At the time of death, they will separate from the etheric and physical bodies. They store the accumulated energies of many lives. Our innate abilities come from the astral and ego bodies. The memories of past lives are also stored in these two bodies. Some illnesses come from memories of past traumas. For example, a person with lung cancer remembers through regression an experience of being killed by an arrow. The location of the pain from the arrow wound is the exact spot of the current cancer.

Dr Ian Stevenson has documented thousands of cases of children from around the world who remember their previous lives. He observed that death experiences often influence the health of the new-born. They may suffer from the same illness from which they died or have a scar from a gunshot wound that killed them.

Dr Brian Weiss helped many people overcome unusual symptoms that could be traced to traumatic death experiences. Once they relived the trauma and released the emotions, they were free of the symptoms.

Waking up in the morning is like being born; the astral and ego bodies incarnate into the physical and etheric bodies. Going to sleep is like dying; the astral and ego bodies separate from the physical and etheric bodies. During sleep, the etheric body is left alone to repair the physical body without interference from emotions and thinking. Unfortunately, in modern times, there are many interference to good sleep. Many people are chronically sleep-deprived. This is an important factor. Often overlooked, which contributes to disease.

In summary, the totality of our experiences shapes our body, mind and spirit. Some of the factors that interfere with health are listed below in the form of questions. The more “yes” responses to questions, the more likely it is that one will become ill. These are offered as suggestions for prevention and healing of disease.

LIFE HISTORY AND HEALTH

ANSWER YES OR NO

1. Mother and/or father smoked and drank alcohol before and during pregnancy?
2. Pregnancy was unwanted by either or both parents?
3. Mother was ill, stressed, depressed or felt emotionally alone during the pregnancy?
4. Born by Caesarean birth?
5. Given cow’s milk or formula as an infant?
6. Was neglected or constantly criticized during the early years?
7. Bad reaction to any of the vaccinations?
8. Solid foods introduced before 7 months of age?
9. Flesh foods given before three years of age?
10. Watch more than 30 minutes of T.V. daily before 14?
11. Work with computers for more than 30 minutes daily before 14?
12. Given antibiotics on a regular basis for any period?
13. Smoked or drank alcohol?
14. Exposure to regular indoor or outdoor spraying of chemicals: terminate treatment, pesticides, air-freshens, cleaning agents, herbicides, D.D.T., etc?
15. Eat mostly meat of any kind, seafood, refined foods and chemically grown fruits and vegetables?
16. Live erratically, i.e., wake-up and sleep at different times and eat meals at different times?
17. Received anaesthetics for surgery or dental work?
18. Experience frequent or long periods of stress:

• Disharmony between parents or family members?
• Loss of loved ones?
• Moving frequently
• Change jobs or schools frequently
• Not feeling loved or have someone to love?
• Forced to do what one dislikes?

Suggestions For Living In Total Health

Avoid polluted environments. In all aspects of living, conserve and recycle. Eat a natural vegetarian diet of food from organic and natural farming. Exercise daily in a natural setting. Drink clean water. Take in foods that are rich in friendly bacteria such as sauerkraut, miso and rejuvelac. Keep a rhythmic schedule at work and rest. Surround oneself with loving relations and do meaningful work.

Use saltwater baths, colour visualizations, breathing techniques, artistic painting, moving of the eyes to clear traumatic memories and negative emotions.

Also, through gentle tapping of the entire body, one can help to clear traumatic experiences stored in the right brain stem.

Avoid harming living beings through thought, speech or action. Be loving towards the world. Apply different methods of confession to clear past negatives. When faced with new information, refrain from making arbitrary judgement. Maintain an open-mind and continuously increase one’s wisdom, love and creativity towards attaining perfection.