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The Secret of Successful Fasting

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Two years ago, I used fasting to cleanse my body as a way to celebrate my birthday.  The fasting resulted in more energy, better mental clarity, and boosted spirits—as well as weight loss. I felt so good during the fast and hoped to continue as long as I could. However an important consulting mission in the Ukraine ended the fasting on the 24th day. Today, I still maintain the weight I achieved at the end of fasting.

Most people find that one day without food is their limit. People who are able to fast for 1-2 weeks often find that days 3 and 4 of the fast are the most difficult period to overcome.  However, in my case, I did not experience any physical or emotional uneasiness from the first day onwards.  My fasting experience was simple, easy, and even enjoyable. Yes, there is a secret! The secret to fasting is to bring the full body on board.

When the president of a country wants to implement a policy for the good of country, not only will he need the support of all of his cabinet members, he will also need the support of all the citizens.  He needs to clearly explain to the citizens the necessity and benefit of implementing a particular policy. With the majority of citizens voting in support, the policy could then be successfully implemented.  This is the same way with fasting.  Deciding to fast with only your head, the president, is not good enough; we must lobby for and obtain support from all of the body’s  cabinet members—the  12 major organs—and all of the citizens, or cells.

Here is how to do it: the night before fasting, lie on the bed with your body relaxed and your mind clear. Then visualize all of your organs and talk to each one, explaining the necessity and benefits of fasting. These benefits could include cleansing the body, rejuvenating the metabolism, removing a block for better energy flow, and/or your own personal reasons. Once you have explained these benefits, feel all of your organs happily agreeing and move on to the cells. Visualize all of your body’s cells, from toe to head, and talk to each of them. Explain to the millions of cells how this fast will benefit the whole body.  As your cells agree, you will feel the body relax and warm a bit. Give thanks to your organs and cells, and then use abdominal breathing to go to sleep.

When you wake up the following day, follow the fasting routine you have chosen. You will not experience any hunger or emotional disturbance. I base my fast loosely on the lemon-juice method, and I also drink tea. You do not need to make life too complicated by strictly following any one system to fine detail.  As long as you have the support of your whole body, you will find the fasting is simple and easy.

Remember, the natural way is the simple and easy way.  Fasting should not require “suffering”. Simply follow the method above for a good surprise.

Happy fasting!

Natural Law Perspectives on Vegetarianism as a Spiritual Path

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Vegetarianism has been a popular topic among nutritionists and spiritual seekers, as well as in political circles. About 400 million people, roughly 6% of the world population, claim to be vegetarian. Their reasons are varied, from seeking better health to adhering to cultural and religious codes, to respecting sentient life. One question I often hear is, “How important is vegetarianism on the spiritual path?”
 
There is no shortage of arguments on this question. It has been split between vegetarianism vs. non-vegetarianism for those on a spiritual path.  Both sides of the issue have solid logic, but neither side’s arguments are all-encompassing. To blur the matter even more, among vegetarianism there are several categories, including ovo-vegetarian, lacto vegetarian; ovo-lacto vegetarian, vegan vegetarian, fruitarian, etc.

How do we view this from a natural principle perspective? Natural principle is universally applicable; it should be simple, easy and economical without effort. Any rule that is not universal or is overly complicated, is not in alignment with natural principles. Therefore, neither argument on the matter aligns with natural principles.  To address this issue, we must expand the scope of the argument. We need to move to a higher dimension, to see things from different perspective.

Nature does not force things to happen in a particular way. Vegetarianism, even with its good supporting reasons, does not apply to all. To force someone to be one way is not proper on any path. So to answer this question, I would say: It is important to be a vegetarian only if it is one’s path. To adopt a value or another person’s belief because it seem beneficial to that person, does not mean that it will be beneficial to you.
There are those for whom vegetarianism represents respect for life, which shows a sensitive understanding of nature and a beautiful balance. However, there are others for whom the service they need to offer to this planet and the work they need to do requires healthy nourishment and for this reason, they are able to eat meat. Both paths are spiritual, depending on the person who would walk them.
 
There are many vegetarians who live with hatred in their hearts, making them apart even from their own brother. Though they do not kill for food, living with hatred in their hearts is, in its own way, a kind of killing. Conversely, there are highly spiritual people who because of climate, have literally no access to fruits and vegetables, and subsist only on meat they kill. So vegetarianism on its own does not constitute a spiritual path, nor does eating meat exclude one from a spiritual life. When an individual is true to the practices of his own heart and follows nature, that determines what is the right path for him. Neither eating meat nor not eating meat is spiritual in and of itself; yet both can be spiritual depending on the person. Rules should be made to guide people, not to limit people.
 
Above all, follow natural law to determine what diet you need. If you are in a climate that is warm, you may not need meat. However, if you are living in a very cold region, where more strength is required just to subsist, eat whatever and all that is there. Look for natural food. If there is a bird, or a fish, or an animal that is plentiful in the region and is easy for you to obtain and you feel the need for this meat, then eat it.
 
Yet you must always take whatever it is that nourishes you—whether that is fruit, vegetable, animal or grain—with great respect for the life that was given up to sustain your own. For we are all here to support each other and it is right that they should be your food. All you need to do in order to replenish and to restore this, is to be thankful and grateful. You must be conscious of what you are partaking and to know that another plant or another animal has given their life for you, in order to sustain you so that you may, in turn, give life to others. This is a natural cycle. It is love and as it should be. In this way, no killing is taking place.
 
For if there is respect for all life then there is the understanding that it does not need to be in any particular form so it cannot be ended, not with killing, not with the taking. Life, or energy, is never lost; all energy transforms from one state to another. In accord with this way of being, we can walk in balance with the earth. And in this way we are true to our path, which can be spiritual no matter what we would label it.

Indeed, many find it beneficial to be a vegetarian on their spiritual path. However, the spiritual path does not exclude those who chose to eat meat.
Enjoy living and be thankful; you are on a spiritual path.

The Feng Shui Prospective of 9-11 Memorial Park

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Ten years in the making, the National September 11 Memorial was completed and opened to the public on September 12, 2011.  The eight-acre park was designed by Israeli- American, Michael Arad of Handle Architects, a New York and San Francisco firm.  The Memorial is composed of a forest of swamp white oak trees with two square pools, one on each of the original foot prints of the North and South Towers.  The core of the design is a 30-foot man-made wall of water that hugs the sides of the one-acre reflecting pools. The downward-streaming water is meant to symbolize falling tears.

The purpose of the memorial was to commemorate those who died in the September 11 terrorist attack, and those involved in the rescue work, and to provide a place for the families of the victims to be reminded of the loss they suffered and for continue grieving.  It is also intended as a reminder that we should remain vigilant against the threat of another attack, and also to show the world the American spirit:  that we may be destroyed, but we can rebuild.

People with a basic understanding of how energy works know very well that to hang onto past tragedy serves only to perpetuate the negative energy, and continue to be consumed by it. A memorial park should be more than merely a place of remembrance:  it should lead in a positive direction.  It should inspire, by conjuring up a positive image, like the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.   Even the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery inspires people by commemorating heroic acts and sacrifices for good causes.

Most who died on 9-11 were just victims, caught up in an event they did not choose.  In this, they were not much different than millions of innocent civilians who have died in wars all over the world.  Although it may be appropriate to have a reminder of tragedy and grief, the reminder should also lead to a symbol of hope for peace and celebration of life.

A wrong concept always leads to wrong manifestation. Not surprisingly, from a feng shui point of view, the design of the 9-11 Memorial fails badly on all three levels:  informational, chi energy and physical manifestation.

Instead of creating a Yang, upward and positive energy, the design reflects a Yin, downward and negative energy.  If we wish to show an American spirit that can rise up after being destroyed, we should build something that moves upward, above the ground, rather than something that sinks 30 feet below ground.  In fact, when the “Reflecting Absence” design was first selected from among the 8 finalists, relatives of the victims gathered with other concerned citizens to protest the choice.  They too thought that the memorial should be built above the ground.  Despite this, many politicians hailed the creativity and thoughtfulness of the design, and the chosen design prevailed.  From a feng shui perspective, both the designer and the decision panel had either lost touch with common sense, or had somehow developed a much disoriented mind set.

The most significant feature of the design is the waterfall.  From a feng shui perspective, a body of water metaphorically represents money and wealth. The 52,000 gallons of water per minute, rushes into the center dark pit, symbolizes that money is continuously going down to the drain.  This is especially so since it is in the center of New York City, the financial center of USA, at the site of the World Trade Center buildings that were a major part of that financial nexus.  On both the information and energy levels, this reflects not only the current state of affairs, but also the days to come.  Even more, the treasured survival tree is a non-fruit bearing pear tree that was rescued from the World Trade Center grounds  — a further suggestion of the infertility of hopes for economic recovery in the years to come.

As a tourist attraction, what can it offer tourists?  What can a tourist expect to take away from this?  Only sad memories of the event, and the tears of the victims’ families?  It literally is a depressed place and a depressing place. What incentive would tourists have to visit?

An additional irony is that, in the midst of the financial crisis, the US government spent 500 million for the project.  And, coincidentally or not, within a week after the National September 11 Memorial opened to the public, the Occupy Wall Street movement began.

Why has so much money flooded the Seattle/Puget Sound area in the last couple decades?

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Change is the nature of the universal energy, qi. The only thing in the universe that does not change is change itself.  Change reflects the flow of energy.  On a large scale, the planet’s energy shifts from continent to continent by the century. In the 19th century energy was high in Europe, in the 20th century energy moved to North America, and in the 21st century energy is flowing toward Asia.

On a smaller scale within America, energy is shifting from East to West; from New England to California.  When California reaches its prime, since the energy cannot go to the ocean, its momentum turns toward the south (México) and the north (Seattle/Puget Sound). In addition, Vancouver hit its high energy point, and its energy has shifted south toward the NW. Therefore, in the past two decades, Seattle has experienced fast growth, while a lot of energy and money has flooded into (and grown from) the Seattle/Puget Sound region. This also relates to the rapid rise in real estate value.  For the people who subscribe to the Flying Star School of feng shui, one might suggest the years of 1984-2003 are the period 7 of the grand 180 years cycle belonging to the Metal element, which resonates with the energy of the northwest direction.  Metal also creates the element Water.  In the Five-Element theory, intelligence is related to the Water element. Therefore, you find Microsoft, Starbuck’s Coffee, Amazon.com, and many bio-tech and high-tech companies, all belonging to the Water element, prospering in the Greater Seattle area.  The years from 2004 to 2023 are period 8, the Earth element, of the cycle. Earth creates Metal; therefore, the Pacific Northwest can expect a couple of decades of continuing prosperity.

Is The Office Cubicle Driving You Mad?

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Herman Miller invented the cubicle in 1956, with the idea of creating more privacy and helping to reduce distraction and increase concentration.  Since then, the  cubicle has become a standard feature of modern office design in the American workplace.  Offices designed using this modular unit, often called mouse mazes or cube farms, have become the symbol of human conditioning, and of the reduction of  individuality to uniformity and blandness.

One thing we know is that most people do not want to work in a “cube world”.  A common report from those working in cubicles is that they find themselves frequently checking the time, anxious for their workday to end so they can get out of the space.  After all, a cubicle design is similar to a prison cell.  Staring at a partition wall in such close proximity to one’s field of vision, throughout the long work day, replaces feelings of openness and comfort with a sense of being trapped.  This feeling, and the resulting impact on creativity, can lead to anxiety and agitation, and even make you feel that you might be going mad. How much of the work-related stress and low productivity of corporate America is due to this working environment?  Is this one of the reasons Americans seem to need to work longer hours in the office to finish their work?

Corporations at times try to save money by resisting change that benefit employees. The irony is, such changes in the long term actually benefit the corporation, as they can increase employee productivity, reduce stress levels, and increase overall morale.  But often enough, even if a company wants to move away from the cubicle work space; it is hard for most designers to know what to change to.

There have been few attempts to liberate workers from these constricting cell since the cubicle was invented.  Most changes have been superficial updates that meet technological and aesthetic advances. Over a decade ago, Knoll took on the challenge of reinventing this modular office unit, and hired a well-known architectural firm to take on the task.  However, after two years and millions of dollars spent on research, development, and engineering, they only managed to create a more expensive design that did little to resolve the core issue.

The fundamental reason for this impasse is that industrial designers have not been able to identify the real issue behind the cubicle problem. When you do not feel good in the box, you cannot argue with the feeling.  Although the cause may not be clear, the feeling itself is real and valid.

Naturally, when architects, interior designers, and furniture designers make any attempt to “improve” the design, they tend to understand and approach it from a purely physical point of view.  As I have often commented, the blind spot for designers throughout history has been that they only see a building or object as a physical body, but not as an energy body –  nor as an information carrier. There is much to learn from the wisdom of the traditional Form School feng shui in which all objects and manifestations are seen on all three levels:  as a physical body, an energy body, and as an information carrier. Designing with this in mind will naturally create functional, economical and beautiful designs.

God created the human body with a strong spine at the back to hold up the entire body, and  with openings in front, such as our eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.  Therefore, to live in resonance with our physical body, our living environment should follow this same pattern. In our daily lives, we always feel better when we position ourselves with some protection behind our back with a nice open space in front of us.

Throughout the history of world, people have followed their instincts and built their houses with the backs against a mountain, hill or more protective objects and the front doors facing bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, oceans or facing a nice field or other open space.  This is also how we should build our work spaces.  The innate flaw of the cubicle office is that it violates this feng shui design principle  which is based on natural laws.

In the terminology of Form School feng shui, we need to have Water (for expansion) in front andMountain (for support) at back. Why is this more ideal? In simple language, when we are protected from behind, (for example with a wall closely behind us), we feel more secure, and when we feel more secure, we are more relaxed.  When our bodies and minds are more relaxed, the energy in our body flows better, and contributes to a higher spirit, happier feeling and more productivity in our work. Furthermore, having a nice open space in front of us allows an extension of view and vision.  This not only helps release our stress, it also frees and expands our thoughts, enhancing creativity.  (This is why people nowadays need to have more windows as life becomes more stressful.)

The cubicle design turns this whole principle upside-down.  The computer is placed on the working counter against the partition wall (facing a mountain); co-workers pass or approach from behind, causing one to feel vulnerable.
Regardless whether one is aware this impact or not, it builds internal invisible stress. To help mitigate the problem, and in an attempt to bring life to an unexciting space, people who work in cubicles put photos, plants and even mini-fountains in their work spaces.  Some workers place small mirrors in front so that they can see reflections from behind without turning.  All these design maneuvers may help to some extent, but they do not fundamentally fix the problem.  As long as there is no Mountain behind the chair, the insecure feeling remains.

Most bosses would not feel comfortable working in cubicles; in fact, they have the luxury of well-protected private offices. It’s hard not to wonder why bosses would put their employees into spaces that they themselves would not feel comfortable in.  Without increasing the space, it is still possible to create a working environment making people feel much more comfortable.

Some office designs do have cubicle partitions that fully protect the worker, with the opening to the side, so that people pass or approach that side.  Many people who work in cubicles do this intuitively, when they have the space to do so, by orienting their computer or other work activities toward a side wall rather than toward the back wall.  Physically, this is not as comfortable, but emotionally it will be less stressful. This is a definite improvement. If this cannot be done, it may possible to put some large plant at one’s back, as a buffer between one’s back and the world outside the cubicle.

Imaging how much better it will be, when architects, interior designers, furniture designers — and all designers! — understand the traditional Form School feng shui.

Ask Mother Earth for Answers

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Human beings live between Heaven and Earth, nourished by Yang and Yin energy.  The energy of Heaven comes downward from above, manifesting as sunshine, rain and so on.  The energy of Earth rises upward from below, manifesting as food, water and other nourishing products.  Heaven (yang) energy implies dynamic expansion while Earth (yin) energy implies collection, connection, cooperation and nourishment.  Without the effects of Earth’s energy that emerges to balance the outward expansion of Heaven’s force, there will be conflict and strife.  What are the most powerful factors in manifesting Earth energy, the energy of connection and cooperation?  The answer is trees, forests and all vegetation.  The places that tend to have more conflict in the world are just those

places that lack forests, or that have undergone recent, sudden deforestation. In modern history, there are positive correlations between the depletion of natural forests and the general level of strife and chaos in the world.  This is the source of the problem.
In the arenas of politics, economics or other specialized spheres, there is constant effort to control chaos and conflict.  The emphasis is not on how to solve the issues but on how to not create further problems.  Due to this, there will always be an uphill battle to find a fundamental solution to today’s issues.  From a feng shui perspective, the best solution is found in Mother Nature.  We must look at it from an energy (chi) level.   Chaos and conflict means there is too much Yang energy so it is necessary to increase the nourishing Earth or Yin energy or increasing energy for cooperation and support.  How do we go about this? We must begin by planting trees and establishing greenery all over the world.  In the meantime, where forests are abundant, water will be abundant. And water, to the planet, is like blood in the human body.
The global warming and the increase of CO2 is the modern urgent concern.  While people search for different ways to find solutions, which are often complicated, we should just ask our Mother Earth for a solution.   According to a scientific study, 20% of CO2 is attributable to deforestation, which is more than all of the world’s cars and trucks combined.  Let us stop and take the time to think.   How much of a positive impact will there be in solving the CO2 issue if instead of deforestation, we increased forestation?

The Beauty of Imperfection

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A good old friend, an architect, came to visit from out of town.  He brought along a few house models to discuss the design from a feng shui perspective.  My friend is a Black Feet American Indian, who is tall, handsome and a gentlemen.  In contrast to his commanding physical presence he creates intricate and beautiful beadwork.

There is a special bead-ring he designed showing five different color figures:  white, black, yellow, red and brown.  Each color represents the different colors of people in the world.  The design of these five people, hand in hand, symbolizes world peace.  He had shown a similar bead-ring to me a long time ago and I always remembered it because it impressed me so.  During lunch, he showed me another bead-ring that he recently made.  While I was admiring it, putting it on my finger, he said, “I do not want to give it to you because there is some flaw”.  I smiled, put the ring back on my finger and said “it is mine now”.

People are always looking for perfection, appreciate perfection and have difficulty accepting imperfection.  If a beautiful blue and white, Ming dynasty vase has a small chip or has a fine hairline crack, the commercial value will drop dramatically. This is true for many objects.   Why is it, that a vase with a small chip, no longer looks beautiful to us anymore? Why can’t we enjoy something with flaws, even though we are aware the world is full of imperfections?

Navaho and Hopi Indian tribes, purposely leave some flaws and mistakes in their work when weaving carpets or straw baskets.   It is their belief that only God can make perfect things.  This is an attitude of humbleness, the wisdom of learning to accept and enjoy imperfection.

We tend to focus too much on small flaws, and lose sight of the whole picture.  This habit can be seen in our daily lives through our actions toward others, material things and events in our life.  For example, we may think, “this is a beautiful piece of pottery, too bad it has a chip at the bottom” or “he is a nice boy, unfortunately he does not have much patience” or “the party was just perfect, except the soup wasn’t hot enough”.  We always pay more attention to small mistakes, and lose sight of the whole picture.  Such thoughts add to the stress and unhappiness of our lives.

It is inevitable that in life, we will always encounter some flaws, mistakes and imperfections.  If we can learn to accept small flaws, learn to appreciate the beauty of imperfection, we will be a person with more tolerance and compassion and at the same time be more loving.  In turn, it will make us more relaxed and happy. So give yourself and others a break from time to time, as only God can make things perfect!

Magic Mushrooms from qi-treatment and Magic Eggplants from space-treatment

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When things in nature grow and their size and quantity is plotted on a chart, they tend to exhibit what is called the normal distribution curve or a bell shaped curve.  This growth pattern, as seen in most natural objects such as, plants, animals and  humans, shows the medium size will always be the dominant size, while quantity of the small and big size are much less, creating the bell curve.

In the novel, The Medicine Box, I described a professor experimenting using qi to enhance mushroom growth.  The results created a crop that had  a mixture of very giant sized and very tiny sized mushrooms, with only a small number of middle sized mushrooms.  If we chart the crop results, it creates the normal bell curve flipped upside down, looking more like the letter ‘U’, an inverse bell curve, which is the total opposite from what is exhibited in nature.  Why does this happen?   It’s a mystery.

In 2008, the Chinese Shenzhou space craft carried 87 kinds of vegetable seeds into space.  Recently, many vegetables grown from those seeds have come to maturity and their fruit has been harvested.  All exhibit a very interesting result.

In the crop of eggplants grown from the seeds brought back from space, there were some the size as big as a honey dew melon!  What also caught my attention was the fact that on the other hand, some eggplant were as small as an egg, with very few medium sized.  This phenomenon is exactly the same as the mushrooms that were treated by qi projection.  Similarly, both exhibit the upside-down bell curve, opposite to what is seen of vegetables grown in nature.   Is there a common factor or influence from qi-treatment and space-treatment to these plants?  If so, what is it?  This could be a very interesting subject for researchers to study.

The Power of Visualization

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children-reading

A Latvian family, consisting of a mother, daughter and son, has published a very nice picture book for children. After reading my blog regarding selling your home, they wondered if there is a similar way to help sell their book.  There is good news, the answer is yes.

Physical manifestation begins at the information level.   First visualize children reading and enjoying the book.  With the existence of this visualization, information could trickle down to create a real manifestation. The effectiveness will be based on how clear the image of visualization one can project.  What is the criteria for this?  One is the ability of the individual and two is the scale of the image.  Visualizing the image on a smaller scale is easier than on a large scale.  This is because if the scale is too large it becomes more difficult to focus on an image.  For example, in this particular case, to imagine millions of children reading the book is not easy, creating only a vague image and idea.  Due to the difficulty, it can be interpreted as wishful thinking, thus not creating the desired result.  So, it is best to start on a smaller scale.

Visualization takes practice.  One can begin by first looking at a static object, such as a flower, tree, or even a cup.   Next, with your eyes closed, see how long and how clear an image you can hold.  Once you feel confident that you are able to do this, then increase the image content.   Finally, move on to practice dynamic images.  The big secret to obtaining good visualization skills is practice, practice, practice.