12 Steps to Raw Foods Part 9

Some people are concerned that such procedures as dehydrating or sprouting are time-consuming. However, that is not the case. Despite the fact that it takes twenty-four hours or so for crackers to dry, we don't sit next to them waiting. To make the dough and lay out the crackers takes approximately half an hour, including cleanup. While the dehydrator runs, we can do whatever we want-go to work or have fun-the crackers will not burn. Growing sprouts works the same way: the sprouting process happens over two to three days, but putting seeds in the water and draining them about every twelve hours takes only one or two minutes.

Most raw-food preparation can be done in minutes. For example, to make a raw soup in a blender takes approximately sixty seconds, plus dicing and cleaning. If you have a powerful blender, it is not possible to blend anything non-stop for more than two minutes because the mixture in the blender will get too hot.

Of course, preparing raw food may take longer in the beginning, when you are first learning. You may not be an experienced peeler and chopper; the recipes may sound too confusing or complicated. Yet I would like to a.s.sure you that if you persist in practicing, you will quickly develop the skills of a raw chef: your recipes will become simple, you'll be able to use the equipment automatically (like driving), and in a matter of weeks you will become great at chopping and dicing.

You will also gain additional time from many other aspects of your "raw" life. For example, your shopping will take less time, as you make all of your purchases in one section now. You might need to buy fewer garments considering that your healthy body will look nice in almost any clothing. At work, when others take a snack break or a smoke break, you may choose to use this time for some valuable activity, such as a walk. On top of everything mentioned, you may move the entire aging process some years farther away. This probably adds another ten to fifteen years of lifetime, at your disposal. Finally, you will notice that your mind becomes sharper, and you will make faster decisions. I have noticed that it takes me less time to fill out paperwork. I am able to concentrate better and thus perform any job more rapidly. Whether I am gardening, writing an article, cleaning my house, or working in my office, I can now work efficiently for many hours without needing a break. When I hire younger people who eat cooked food, I observe them getting tired too soon and needing breaks. I understand that due to consuming a healthy diet, even though I'm in my fifties, I possess more energy than some young people who consume a predominantly cooked-food diet.

Energy. Many years ago when I was eating cooked foods, I used to set my alarm clock to beep twice so I could wake up slowly, because no amount of sleep would make me feel fresh. Every time the clock beeped, I wanted to crush it. I would crawl out of bed an hour and a half prior to my appointments in the morning, because I needed to curl my hair, fix my face, dress up, put on perfume and deodorant, drink coffee, and I don't even remember what else. I only know that I never went for even a short walk. I looked sleepy and felt tired. Now, I can literally wake up fifteen minutes before I have to walk out the door, and I look fresh and feel energetic. Moreover, I never use the alarm clock anymore; I don't even have one! The sun fills the morning with light; I open my eyes and instantly wake up, usually long before any possible appointments; and I always have time to go for a walk.

Society is structured in such a way that people give the most productive part of their days to their jobs, which typically go from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most people feel too tired after an eight-hour working day to do anything but watch TV, eat, and relax at home. By comparison, people who have been staying on the raw-food diet for as little as a couple of weeks testify that at the end of their work day, they feel as fresh as in the morning. Some of them continue to work vigorously for several more hours.

Before my family went on a raw-food diet, my husband Igor had three employees in his health spa. They were cleaning, raking leaves, mowing the gra.s.s, planting flowers, unloading wood from the truck and chopping it for the sauna, vacuuming the rooms, laundering, folding towels, and making refreshments for the customers. After only two months on a raw-food diet, Igor took over the entire load of work himself because he now has enough energy to perform these jobs alone.

On Igor's forty-ninth birthday, he was presented with two bars on which to do push-ups. At first he was not very excited. He told us how he used to dream of doing a hundred push-ups at one time when he was sixteen years old, because he wanted to impress a pretty girl. Despite practicing diligently and consuming lots of protein, young Igor could only achieve seventy push-ups in one trial. After such an intense workout, his arms were left shaking and aching. That was why Igor gave up and didn't even try to do pushups for more than thirty years. Now he was wondering how many push-ups he could do on these bars. He was guessing maybe ten or twenty. The next morning Igor decided to check it out. He did fifty push-ups right away, stood up, and went around the push-up bars. Then he did fifty more, and more, and more. I came in after three hours to tell him that we needed to go. Igor was still doing push-ups and got upset with me, because he had almost made a thousand!

Since that time, Igor has been carrying his push-up bars with him everywhere. He does push-ups at the gas station while pumping the gas, and at the parking lot while waiting for me to do the shopping. He is still trying to figure out what his highest score could be. When he gets bored with push-ups, he jumps-rope into the hundreds. I am sure that when Olympic athletes discover the raw-food diet, many of the world records might be impressively broken.

Money. Before my family went on a raw-food diet, we spent hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars every month on bills from doctors and dentists, for medicine and medical devices, and for health insurance. We must also consider the money we lost from the days we missed work being sick. If I were to take the lowest number and multiply it for all the years we have been on a healthy diet, the amount would come to many thousands of dollars. All these years we have not had any medical insurance. Hence, we can afford organic papayas and pineapples.

In addition to these major savings, you may save additional funds by simplifying your lifestyle. For example, after several months of staying on a raw-food diet, you may begin to eat simpler and spend less money on your meals. You may choose to turn your heaters off and sleep with an open window. You may decide to use fewer chemicals in your household, along with eliminating most air fresheners, deodorants, and cosmetics.

We have already discussed how people may gain more time and energy by adopting a raw-food diet. If desired, you may transfer these savings into further monetary income.

As you may see, additional time, energy, and money arrive as an extra bonus of becoming a raw-foodist. In comparison, I recall that when I ate a diet of predominantly cooked foods, I had a constant deficit of time, energy, and money. I was stuck in a vicious circle: lacking money, I needed to work more; as a result I didn't have time or energy left for creative, playful activities. Being emotionally drained from such a boring life, I was too tired to do anything creative, and so I ate more often. To pay for stimulating foods, I had to again work more, and so on. I felt exhausted and unsatisfied.

Adopting a raw-food lifestyle turned out to be a multi-dimensional present for everyone in my family. I am aware of many people whose lives have been dramatically enhanced on various levels by switching to a raw-food diet. For example, my friend Rhonda, mother of four, used to be a real estate agent. After becoming a raw-foodist, she studied to be a midwife, first as a hobby and later as a main job. Now Rhonda educates pregnant women about eating well and helps mothers give birth to healthy babies. She claims that adopting a raw-food diet started a new, more meaningful chapter in her life.

I believe that by going on a raw-food diet, every person receives a unique opportunity to actualize his or her most sacred dreams. This Step-Actualizing Dreams-is about getting prepared for a big move towards a more fulfilling life. I believe it is important to plan how you are going to spend your bonus time, energy, and money. As paradoxical as it sounds, having extra time could be a problem. Partic.i.p.ants in my workshops often tell me that they don't know what to do with extra time. Being bored, they keep checking the fridge because food continually comes into their mind. However, one cannot eat two buckets of almonds the way one used to consume popcorn, nor can one eat as many raisins as M&Ms. Raw food is so much richer in nutrients, the body feels full more quickly. As a result, people cannot entertain themselves with food as they used to. They begin to feel deprived of the fun of snacking and soon get off the raw-food diet. Finding other pleasurable activities seems to be the only working alternative to this puzzle.

Here is another typical story. When Jennifer started having more free time, she found it difficult not to think about eating. She described how she would wake up early in the morning full of energy, walk the dog, pace around the house looking for things to do, cut a bush in the garden, start laundry, jump on the rebounder, watch a little TV, then look at the clock and find that it was only 8:30 a.m. At this point Jennifer became frustrated and puzzled because she couldn't think of anything else to do.

Meanwhile, many people tell me that they have had certain dreams for as long as they can remember but they never had the chance to follow their visions, because they didn't have enough time, energy, and money.

If you don't know which activity to choose, pay attention to what other people create out of inspiration. Most importantly, try choosing activities that are useful for your community and Earth-friendly. Go to your local YMCA, community college, or recreational center for ideas and see what attracts your heart. Please find below some activities that people from my workshops have listed as their dreams.

To plant many fruit trees in town To write a book To teach neighborhood children to read To cater raw food To take care of animals To learn how to construct cob houses To do art work To learn sign language To get involved in a community theater production To make raw crackers for sale To go on a long hike with a friend To plant an organic garden To sew dolls and send them to children in poor countries To volunteer in church To bike across the state as a fundraiser for a good cause To take voice lessons and to sing at community events To study the geology in one's region To sing in a choir Staying on a raw-food diet may enrich us in many ways. In addition to better health, we can gain more time, energy, and money. You may use these riches in any way you like. Your choice may influence your life and can make a difference in the whole world. May all your dreams come true!

Step 9

EMBRACING OTHER.

HEALTHY HABITS.

"Sickness is the vengeance of nature for the violation of her laws."

-Charles Simmons While diet is a key factor in human health, there are many more important aspects to optimal health. I consider the following components to be the most vital for human well-being: Exercise Sunshine Good sleep Proper breathing Drinking pure water Stress management Tempering the body with cold water Exercise. Medical researchers at Harvard and Stanford universities, after studying the habits and health of 17,000 middle-aged and older men, reported the first scientific evidence that even modest exercise helps prolong life.1 If one generation is twenty years, then there have been only five hundred generations since 10,000 BC. Therefore, we inherited our current genetic design from our ancestors who lived thousands of years ago. If we aren't living a physically active lifestyle, our bodies may react in a negative way. When we sit around and live sedentary, inactive lifestyles, our bodies weaken and we can become seriously ill even if we eat healthy. Therefore if you can dedicate at least thirty minutes of your day to performing exercise or some form of physically intensive work, you will receive some or all of the following benefits: Increased energy Improved metabolism An increase in muscles Reduced stress Improved self-esteem Less body fat The reduced risk of many serious diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis An increase in blood circulation Sunshine. For centuries, doctors and natural healers relied on medical treatment by sunlight (called "heliotherapy") to help heal many common ailments. Scientific research shows sunshine to be an effective treatment for rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, acne, eczema, psoriasis, neonatal jaundice, and depression. Without the sun's life-giving energy we are at thirty times greater risk of death from cancer.2 I came upon an article in a medical journal that discussed the benefits of adequate sunlight. In an experiment with twelve hundred children who were exposed to various levels of sunlight, exposure to adequate amounts of sunshine led to an 80% reduction in developing diabetes in comparison with the control group. This article explained that vitamin D from fish cannot subst.i.tute for sunshine.3 According to an article in the Washington Post, "Many Americans, particularly African Americans, may be suffering from unrecognized deficiencies of a key nutrient-vitamin D-that increase the risk of bone problems and a host of other diseases. Some evidence suggests that a lack of vitamin D may be a.s.sociated with many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and immune-system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes."4 We need to be exposed to sunlight regularly because it heals and supports one's body in the following beneficial ways: Lowered cholesterol Lowered blood pressure Improved thyroid functioning Regulated immune system Improved insulin production Improved heart muscle contractility I recommend to everyone the regular, preferably daily, practice of sunbathing for at least thirty to sixty minutes, especially for those people who work indoors under artificial lighting. However, I would like to warn against exposure to extreme sunshine, such as in the middle of the day in the summer, particularly in regions located close to the equator or at high alt.i.tudes.

Good Sleep. Human beings were created in a very smart and prophetic way. Our Creator predicted that we humans would engage in different kinds of abuse and do harm to our health during the active part of our days. Therefore, our Creator magically blessed us with the need for sleep every night so that no matter what we do in the daytime, during the dark hours sleep prevents us from continuing the insanity of the day. Every single person in the world must lie down and stay motionless for several hours each night. We are unable to drink, smoke, or overeat when we are asleep. No matter what damage we do to ourselves in the daytime, at night our bodies heal themselves.

Our bodies are trying to reach homeostasis during the night hours in order to heal. However, we humans have succeeded in our destructive behavior during the day to such a degree that it even impairs our nighttime sleep. Very often we don't realize how little things can harm our health. I would like to share several recommendations with you.

Whenever possible, sleep in the fresh air: fresh outside air is rich in negative ions. Elevated negative air-ion levels are widely reported to have beneficial effects on humans, including enhanced feelings of relaxation and reduced levels of tiredness, stress, irritability, depression, and tenseness.5 My entire family and I try to sleep outside year-round. My husband built a structure in our back yard, a combination of a gazebo and a shed that has big windows without gla.s.s, a huge open door, and even an opening just beneath the roof. That is where my family sleeps when we are at home. Whenever it's not raining, we don't even sleep in this structure-we sleep outside on the deck directly under the stars.

Let your energy field restore. Our energy field expands several feet beyond our body in the shape of a gigantic egg. This energy field is our cradle of healing. At night any damage is repaired, but not if we have an alarm clock next to our head, or computers running in our bedroom. All electrical devices have an electromagnetic field that extends out for several feet beyond their physical structure. When the two fields cross, the body cannot fully heal. I personally turn off all electrical fixtures if I have to sleep indoors. I'm also careful about refrigerators, microwaves, or other strong devices running in an adjacent room because the plywood wall does not stop those harmful vibrations.

Sleep on a hard surface: our bodies need to stretch out at night. All the bones and joints can only stretch out when we lie on a hard surface. This is especially important for the spine. During the day, the spine is improperly positioned while driving, sitting in front of the computer, and watching TV, such that some spinal joints don't get adequate spinal fluid and blood enriched with oxygen. My entire family prefers to sleep on hard beds or on the floor in sleeping bags. You should see us sleeping on the floor around the king-sized bed in hotels when we travel. If we are forced by circ.u.mstances to sleep on soft beds, we wake up with headaches, feeling achy, and not rested.

Don't go to sleep on a full stomach. Try to eat your last meal at least two to three hours before you go to bed and aim to eat light food so that it is digested by the time you fall asleep.

Learn to sleep in the nude: any clothing, no matter how loose, interferes with the circulation of blood while you sleep. Synthetic nightwear is especially harmful because it acc.u.mulates static electricity, which interferes with the body's energy.

Sleep at night: no wonder the night shifts in the U.S. are called the "graveyard shifts." It is very important to sleep at night. The human body is attuned to the movement of the stars and the universe, and different organs rest at different hours of the day. For example, the adrenal glands rest best between 11p.m. and 1a.m. That is when we begin to feel so sleepy that we use coffee, loud music, and bright lights to stay awake. If we try to stay up after 11p.m. as a habit, our adrenals eventually wear out and as a result, we could feel sleepy and tired during the day. Over the years of habitual staying awake late, one might develop insomnia and depression.

I understand that we all lead busy lives and these little things might seem unimportant. I recommend that you try improving your sleeping conditions and see how the quality of your sleep will improve from following these simple guidelines. I work very hard and some days feel exhausted when I go to bed. I take care of my sleep and wake up refreshed, full of energy, and in a good mood.

Proper Breathing. Oxygen plays a vital role in the circulatory and respiratory systems. As we breathe, oxygen that is inhaled nourishes the body and purifies the blood by removing poisonous waste products circulating throughout our blood system. According to Michael White, founder of The Optimal Breathing Development System,* "the respiratory system is responsible for eliminating 70% of our metabolic waste." Irregular breathing may hinder this purification process and cause waste products to remain in circulation, which may contribute to many serious illnesses.

Based on years of research, White states: "Most people have unhealthy breathing habits. They hold their breath or breathe high in the chest or in a shallow, irregular manner. These patterns have been unconsciously adopted, accidentally formed, or emotionally impressed. Certain 'typical' breathing patterns may trigger physiological and psychological stress and anxiety reactions."6 To check your own pattern of breathing, sit in a quiet place and relax for a minute or two. Put your hand, horizontally, about one inch above your navel. Close your eyes. Breathe normally without trying to influence your breathing one way or the other. Observe how your abdomen moves every time you breathe in and out. If you are breathing correctly, you should find that the hand over the stomach moves as you breathe in and out.

Abdominal breathing is the correct way of breathing. If your chest is moving as you breathe, and you do not have a medical reason to do so, that means that you are breathing shallowly and incorrectly.

Begin paying steady attention to your breathing. Any time you find yourself holding your breath, breathing irregularly or too rapidly, go back to your abdominal breathing.

Drinking Pure Water. Presence of an adequate amount of water in the human body ensures that every system of the body functions normally. Water makes up more than two-thirds of the weight of the human body. Without it, humans die in a few days. Water makes up 95% of the human brain, 82% of our blood, and 90% of our lungs. As a result of extensive research into the role of water in the body, Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj has found chronic dehydration to be the cause of many conditions including asthma, allergies, arthritis, angina, migraine headaches, hypertension, raised cholesterol, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, depression, false hunger, and diabetes in the elderly.7 The main health benefits of water include: More energy Better metabolism A reduction in headaches and dizziness The loss of extra weight More efficient digestion and conversion of food into energy Better elimination of waste The lubrication of joints Better regulation of the body's temperature Considering the fact that water content in a raw-food diet is relatively high, you do not need to drink eight gla.s.ses of water per day, unless you consume a lot of salt, live in a dry climate, and/or exercise heavily for prolonged periods of time. I usually drink about four gla.s.ses of water a day. Sometimes, when I consume two or three quarts of green smoothie in a day, I drink very little or no water at all. Of course, you need to choose only the best pure water for your consumption.

Stress Management. When we worry or experience stress, our bodies turn on the same physiological responses that animal bodies do, but we do not resolve conflict in the same way-through fighting or fleeing. Over time, the constant activation of a stress response makes us literally sick. In his best-selling book, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, Dr. Robert Sapolsky explains how prolonged stress causes or intensifies a range of physical and mental afflictions, including depression, ulcers, colitis, heart disease, and more.8 As I mentioned above, I consider walking to be an effective natural way of handling stress. If you don't like walking, you may practice other forms of exercise. I prefer walking because it is the most natural movement for all humans, and it is good both for the mind and the body. Walking relieves stress because it provides a way for the body to release tension and built-up frustration by raising the output of endorphins-one of the "feel good" chemicals in the brain.

Many stresses can be changed, eliminated, or minimized. Here are some things you can do to reduce your level of stress: Become aware of your own reactions to stress.

Reinforce positive self-statements.

Focus on your good qualities and accomplishments.

Avoid unnecessary compet.i.tion.

Develop a.s.sertive behaviors.

Recognize and accept your limits. Remember that everyone is unique and different.

Talk with friends or someone you can trust about your worries/ problems.

Learn to use your time wisely.

Practice relaxation techniques. For example, whenever you feel tense, slowly breathing in and out for several minutes may help you to relax.9 Tempering the Body with Cold Water. Throughout history, humans bathed exclusively in cold water except on those rare occasions when they had access to hot springs. Today there are still many places where people have only cold water for their personal use.

Ancient Greeks were aware of the healing properties of cold water. When they invented the first water-heating systems in 700 BC, they continued using cold-water treatments for health purposes. Spartans, for whom health was a matter of high reputation, considered it unmanly to use hot water; they regularly dipped in cold water for vigor and better health.10 In the first century AD, in Finland it became common for people to jump into cold streams or lakes after sweating in saunas. The indigenous peoples of ancient Russia used cold plunges into icy water for the ceremony of "purification" in the ninth century. Tempering the body with cold water has been a widespread Russian tradition throughout the centuries and into the present.11 Swimming in ice water is such a large part of Russian culture and tradition that there is even a major government-funded organization called The Federation of Tempering and Winter Swimming. In addition, Moscow hosts an annual science conference dedicated to researching the influence of cold water on the human organism. There are several research inst.i.tutes in Russia, especially in Siberia, that have been studying the effects of cold temperatures on human health for many decades. I would like to share some of their findings.

The maximum healing occurs when the body is submerged in water with a temperature below 12 Celsius (53 F) for one to two minutes.12 During the brief application of cold water, the blood vessels in the skin abruptly contract, pushing a large amount of blood inside the organism. This results in the re-activating of the inner capillaries, many of which are typically atrophied by the age of thirty, due to poor circulation and an unhealthy lifestyle. The regeneration of a large amount of capillaries ensures that our inner organs receive the necessary nutrients for their optimal performance and rejuvenation. This great improvement in capillary circulation results in the younger appearance of cold-water swimmers.13 In ancient Greece this process was called "the natural gymnastics of blood vessels."

Several scientific studies have demonstrated that within fifty seconds after the brief application of extremely cold temperatures, an enormous amount of heat is generated by the transformation of neurons, which is known as the phenomenon of "instant free heat." Therefore, despite the initial shock that can be painful, winter swimmers (often called "Polar Bears") almost immediately experience an amazingly pleasant warmth from head to toe, causing the profound relaxation of the entire body.14 This relaxation is one of a kind, as it cannot be compared to any other way of relaxing.

Russian scientists have demonstrated that the combination of quick cold stress and the resulting heat stimulates the body to find diseased cells and destroy them, thus reversing many degenerative diseases of liver, kidneys, and heart, as well as mental problems.15 After a cold plunge, the surface of the skin becomes charged with negative ions. Russian academician and scientist Alexander Chizhevsky considered this charge of negative ions to be important for our bodies, which are often charged too positively.16 Tempering the body with cold water increases the rate of the metabolism. This brings about the purging of free radicals, heavy metals, nitrates, and pesticides. Additionally, this cleansing occurs via skin and lungs, thereby unloading the burden on the kidneys.17 Finally, swimming in cold water dramatically strengthens immunity. While constantly protecting ourselves from natural cold and heat by using air conditioners, heaters, and clothing, we keep our bodies at the same temperature, disabling our natural system of thermal regulation. We tend to think that this brings our body to a healthy and comfortable state when in actuality, the opposite is true. When exposed to cold temperatures, a human organism that has not been trained to regulate its internal temperature loses its internal heat approximately thirty times faster than a tempered body.18 As a result, one can get sick from even minor changes in outside temperatures-for example, after waiting five extra minutes in windy weather or after getting wet in the rain.

Meanwhile, we have not even remotely explored the depth of human abilities. My mind was totally blown away when I read a report of the new sport named "Aquaice": swimming in ice-cold water, which became popular in recent years in Russia, j.a.pan, Czech Republic, China, and other countries. Hundreds of compet.i.tors take part in marathon swims in ice-cold water, usually lasting for many hours. For example, as soon as the thick ice cracked on the Moscow River on March 19, 2006, twenty teams from different regions of Russia competed in a 100-kilometer (62.1-mile) swim. The teams consisted of four swimmers (men and women) who took turns covering this distance. The record time was 42 hours, 45 minutes! The longest stretch was 7,000 meters (4.3 miles). In order to reach this level of tempering in the body it takes several years of constant practice.19 Cold-water swimming is becoming increasingly popular in many places, including North America. There is a number of old Polar Bear Clubs in the state of New York that engage hundreds of people in this healthy practice.

Perhaps the biggest Polar Bear Club on this continent is located in Vancouver, BC, where thousands of people are involved. For instance, on New Year's Day in the year 2000, there were 2,128 "Polar Bears" simultaneously swimming in the ice-cold ocean to celebrate.20 In the 1980s, my husband Igor was president of the regional Polar Bear Club in Moscow. He took our family every morning before work to swim in frozen rivers and lakes, including the times I was pregnant and breastfeeding. I remember how we got so used to our cold baths that we couldn't miss even one day. If we skipped dipping in the ice water for one day there was a definite feeling of loss, and the children didn't sleep well and exhibited cranky behavior. I personally felt that the whole day went wrong.

Winter swimming is a wonderful method of tempering the body, which increases the energetic strength of the organism. Statistics hold that among those who practice winter swimming, sickness rates decrease for cold-type diseases by sixty times.21 As a therapeutic method, winter swimming can heal many illnesses, including arthritis, hypertension, tuberculosis, type 2 diabetes, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, different inflammations, menstrual cycle abnormalities, dermat.i.tis, and many others. Of course, everyone should receive proper instructions at the local Polar Bear Club or from the literature before jumping in a cold river.

Some researchers question the benefits of human exposure to very cold and hot temperatures as too extreme. I believe that these practices are as natural for people as exercising or fasting. For example, feeling tired after jogging doesn't mean that we should abstain from running. Both the facts and research show that people who try to always stay in the same temperature range by using heaters, air conditioning, or warm clothes often end up having less energy, vitality, and longevity.22 Most centenarians (people one hundred years old and above) live in the mountains where the contrast of temperature is unavoidable.

Contrary to popular belief, winter swimming is remarkably enjoyable. After dipping in cold water I feel so good and refreshed that I cannot think of anything else being compatible with this pleasure. My family traditionally goes for a swim on each New Year's morning. Igor has introduced dozens of Americans to cold-water swimming. Many partic.i.p.ants of our retreats in Ashland experienced jumping into the cold river and told us that they felt incredibly energized and pleased with the whole experience.

*Michael White's educational website: www.breathing.com

Step 10

GAINING CLARITY.

"Clarity of mind means clarity of pa.s.sion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what it loves."

-Blaise Pascal I consider clarity to be the biggest gift we can have. When I say "clarity," I don't mean "the ability to understand the meanings of words and scientific definitions," or "to have a vast speaking vocabulary." To me, "clarity" is "the ability to see things as they are, to be able to separate truth from deception on my own, to know what I want and what I need."

Following a raw-food diet has helped me discover clarity. Since I began eating raw foods, I stopped being a typical member of society because most people in the world believe that eating cooked food is healthy. My habits and behaviors have been continuously changing. My lifestyle differs from the way the majority of people live. Often I am compelled to make serious decisions on my own. In the beginning, the constant need to decide by myself was new, and even scary. Periodically I panicked and searched for ready answers from "experts." But there are no true experts in the "raw-food world." We are all pioneers. Gradually I discovered that making my own decisions was not as dangerous and doomed to failure as I expected. On the contrary, deciding for myself appeared to be safer, more enjoyable, and led to more fruitful results.

My whole perception of life began shifting. Many of my favorite beliefs began to seem false. Some of my opinions stopped making sense, and in place of my former knowledge, clarity came. For example, I used to believe that everyone should always finish the food on their plate, because children in China and Africa are starving to death. Suddenly it occurred to me that forcing myself to overeat doesn't make any difference to those poor children. Another of my seemingly solid opinions was that I have to please everyone else before I can please myself. One day I had a revelation that to keep myself happy was one of the main missions in my life.

Now it is hard for me to imagine how I was able to live without clarity until I was thirty-eight years old. I was convinced that I was incapable of creating a new thought or coming up with a new conclusion completely on my own. I was sure that I could only read or hear clever ideas from other very smart people. I tried to acc.u.mulate knowledge, collecting many professional points of view, memorizing facts and quotes. I composed my lectures and articles from other people's lectures and books. My idea of "wisdom" and "intelligence" was "to possess as many pieces of information in my mind as possible." I believed the cliche: "Knowledge is power." At the same time, I could not understand why no matter how hard I tried, my lectures were not popular and my articles were boring even to me. Discouraged, I lost interest and stopped teaching and writing for many years.

When I began experiencing glimpses of clarity, and I was moved to share some of my own discoveries, I was amazed by the attention I received from other people that I had never before experienced. With glowing eyes, my listeners were asking for more. People in my audience and I experienced profound inspiration, and I fell in love with lecturing. I am thankful that I can clearly see that knowledge can never subst.i.tute for clarity. Knowledge is not even information. Knowledge is someone's opinion. Clarity is the ability to see life events as they are, without the distortion of knowledge. Very often, acc.u.mulated knowledge prevents us from gaining real clarity. I am glad that I have a lot of clarity now. In my life, I do not have to depend on experts or authorities to make my decisions. I know what I need to eat and drink, how I need to sleep, and what to wear, what to read. And I know the answer to the most important question of all: "What do I want to do in my life?"

I don't think we can benefit from other people seeing and thinking for us, but sometimes we can be inspired by their ideas. For example, Einstein told the world: "Everything is relative." When I consider his idea, I can see clearly that my own viewpoint is the only vision of reality I can trust.

Very often we confuse clarity with "ostentatious words." I would like to explain. If I, for example, memorized an entire textbook on human anatomy and even if I could retell anything from that book, it still doesn't mean that I have clarity about how the human body functions. Most of us have lots of knowledge and very little clarity. When we don't understand the difference between the two, we prefer to have knowledge rather than clarity. Clarity starts when we pay close attention to the intricate shifts of our feelings and impressions while observing the objective experience without hiding behind pleasant illusions. Clarity enables us to deal with the root of each situation in the most optimal way.

With clarity, we can see the spiritual nature of human beings. With clarity, we can feel oneness with all living things. With clarity, we can feel true happiness. When we are truly happy, we don't look for pleasures. Only unhappy people are focused on pleasures. Happiness is a part of the natural law.

To gain clarity, you may practice de-conditioning. Throughout our lives, we have all acc.u.mulated conditioning that obscures clarity. "To be conditioned" means "to have firm opinions that were formed in the past." "To de-condition oneself" means "to form fresh images of subjects or ideas every time we encounter them." In other words, "to be unconditioned" means "to live in the present." For example, when we began living next to the mountain, at first we admired the beautiful view every minute we noticed it. After some time, we stopped seeing that mountain. We become conditioned to know that it was there. Guests notice the mountain because they have a fresh, unconditioned approach to it. They tell us, "You live in such a gorgeous place!" We can start noticing the mountain again if we look at it every day with fresh eyes.

In order to de-condition ourselves, we need to be able to see as many conditionings in ourselves as possible. This sharing from my workshop might give you ideas of different conditioning: I used to be conditioned to think that animals don't feel pain.

I used to be conditioned that failure is bad.

I used to be ashamed of being poor.

I used to be ashamed that my parents were very wealthy.

I used to be conditioned to think that men are smarter than women.

I used to be conditioned to think that I had to drink milk every day to have calcium.

I used to be conditioned to think that I have to answer the phone each time it rings.

I was conditioned to believe that I had to eat a lot to grow big.

I used to be conditioned to think that I must have a career to be successful.

I used to be conditioned to think that a woman's place was in the kitchen.

I used to be conditioned to think that it was my teacher's job to make me smart.

I used to be conditioned to think that money would make me happy.

I used to be conditioned to think that children should be seen and not heard.

I used to believe that good grades were the priority of my education.

I used to be conditioned to think that I have to drink to be social.

I used to be conditioned to think that when other people were sad they lacked my advice.