a call to live

8/9/2019 A CALL TO LIVE

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A CALL TO LIVETorah Guidance on Healing

A Call to Live

Many people never really appreciate what a blessing health isuntil illness or injury suddenly changes the course of their lives.

If you are ill, in pain, frustrated, anxious and despondent, youmay feel that you have reached a very low point in your life. Butit need not be so -- if you are willing to hear the deeper

message your illness or injury is sending you. It is a call to live!If your normal life has been disrupted, it is to teach you to bemore fully aware of the preciousness of life, so that you will liveyour life with greater purpose each day and every moment up tothe very last.

By heeding this call, you can transform what you are goingthrough now into a profound learning experience that will openup new dimensions in your life and bring you to deeperfulfilment and happiness.

ou surely want to heal in order to be able to achieve all yourgoals in life. hen don"t wait until you are feeling better beforeyou start living. here is no more effective way to encourage thehealing process than by living your life to the full extent that youcan now.

o be healed is to be able to live life to the full. #iving well is as$ill, which, li$e any other, can only be developed throughpractice. %ractice now! &ecide that you are going to live now!Ma$ing this decision is one of the most important steps you will

ta$e to recovery.

Living on a higher level

%hysical and other limitations may ma$e it difficult for you tocontinue with many of your usual activities at present. But don"tgrieve over what you can"t do. Instead, thin$ about all the things


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you can do to give meaning to your life at this time. ourphysical limitations need not prevent you from living an active,fulfilling life on the mental and spiritual planes. hese areprecisely the levels within yourself that you should now see$ tocultivate in order to be truly healed.

Be ready to explore new pathways of mind and soul. #earn howto relax and to meditate. %onder the meaning of life in thisuniverse. 'eflect on your own destiny and purpose. &iscoverwho you really are. (ven if you are under stress owing to yourphysical condition, your medical treatment, emotional, financialor other pressures, be sure to avoid sin$ing into morbid anxietyand depression. urn your pain and frustration into prayers. ryto see the positive side of what you are going through.

)s you wor$ on yourself, wor$ also to enhance your relationshipswith others -- your dear ones, friends, and all the other peoplewith whom you have contact. If you are experiencing pain andhardship, learn from them to empathi*e with other people whomay also be suffering. (ven as you see$ to fulfil your personalneeds and pursue your purpose in life, ta$e account of the needsand sensitivities of others. &evelop your ability to communicateand live cooperatively with those around you. Be willing to learnfrom everyone.

Healing the Inner YouMany people thin$ of healing as having to do mainly with therestoration of normal bodily functioning. It is certainly proper todo everything necessary on the physical level in order to bringabout recovery. But medicine alone is not enough. hat isbecause your body, crucial as it is to your existence in this world,is nevertheless only one part of an even greater whole+ .

ou are a whole person with your own uniue identity, yourthoughts, feelings, emotions, needs, desires, memory, reason,

imagination, goals, ideals, aspirations... as well as ama*inguntapped potential. he essential ou, the living, thin$ing,feeling, creative I at the center, is what philosophers andpsychologists call the mind or psyche, while religious andmystical traditions call it the soul or spirit.

) physical illness or injury obviously has far reaching effects on


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the mind and soul as well as on the body. our bodily conditiondirectly affects your mental states, your thoughts and feelings./owever, the relationship is more than just one-way. ourmental and emotional states, your attitudes, your feelings about

yourself and the way you run your life have a decisive influenceon your level of physical health, your immunity to illness andinjury, the extent to which your body is able to heal, and at whatrate.

More than this, your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeingare really the $ey to your overall happiness in life since yourinner life is the very essence of your life. he health of yourinner self -- your mind and soul -- is what ma$es the differencebetween a fulfilling, satisfying life and one that is not. here are

people who may be technically fit and healthy physically, butthey really have no life at all because their lives are wasted byemptiness and depression.

our doctors may be treating you medically to try to cure yourbody. But as you wait and hope for your body to mend and heal,$now that your inner personal healing -- healing the bruises ofyour self and soul -- is primarily in your hands. 0ince the mindand soul influence the body, the more you succeed in healingand cultivating your inner self, the greater your body"s ability toheal. herefore the most important contribution you can ma$e to

improving your physical condition is by wor$ing to heal anddevelop your inner self.

Life after life

here are times when the body cannot heal. 0ome conditionsare chronic, others terminal. (veryone eventually ages anddeteriorates physically, because in the end our bodies have todie. he body is a finite, material structure of limited duration+ indue course it must disintegrate.

he body dies, yes, but the inner you never dies! he essentialself and soul is non-finite spirit, and the spirit is everlasting. 1orthe soul, death is not the end but a new beginning. &eath is thegateway to a higher stage of life, a new state of being on a planethat we cannot even imagine as long as we are still in our


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bodies.

&eath is death only in relation to the material world. But for theessential you -- your soul -- death is the stepping stone to a

more exalted, more intense and vastly more joyous level of lifeon the spiritual plane. his is because of the greater ability ofthe soul to expand in the spiritual dimension when liberatedfrom the physical body. If the prospect of death is awesome, thisis because the soul then draws closer to the 0ource of all things-- 2od -- and 2od is awesome.

Illness may ma$e us deeply aware of the great step that liesahead of us. 0ooner or later everyone must face this. )dangerous, life-threatening condition is a call to ma$e your

peace and come to terms with the prospect of death in order touse the time you have left in this world in the best possible way.our body may be wea$ and in pain, but this need not crushyour spirit. 1or the spirit is invincible.

Being willing to accept the prospect of death does not meannecessarily that you are going to die soon. #ife and death are inthe hands of 2od alone. 3o-one dies a moment before or aftertheir appointed time.

ou cannot control death, but that does not mean that you

cannot choose how to live in the face of it. he idea is not tospend all your time morbidly preparing for death. n thecontrary, you should shift from being a passive victim of fear andanxiety to actively ta$ing charge of your life. a$e stoc$ ofyourself. 4or$ out your priorities. &rop whatever is meaninglessand wasteful. 0ay what you want to say to your dear ones andfriends. 1ix what is in your power to fix in this world -- and live.

5now that death leads to new life, and therefore you will neverreally die but only live. 3ow you are alive here in this world6

afterwards you will be alive there, on a higher plane. 4hetheryou are here or there, the main thing is to be alive! By decidingto live now, even within the limitations of illness or injury, youare ma$ing the most of your time here while at the same timepreparing yourself in the best possible way for your life after lifethere later on.


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Now!!!

0eriously ill or not, the fact is that in this world we are all

condemned to death! 3one of us $nows when his or her time willcome. 0ic$ or healthy, everyone can only benefit from acceptingthe fact of their own mortality. 4hen we $now that our timehere is limited, we value it more and ta$e full advantage of it.

(very single moment is precious. hat is why you must live now.&on"t put off living until tomorrow, saying I can"t live the way Iwant to right now because I"m not well+ I"ll wait till I"m betterand then I"ll start living. he day you are hoping for may nevercome, and even if it does, you do not really $now what it maybring. In this world it is not possible for everything to be perfect.

ou have to carry on living even when things are not as youmight want them to be.

ou only have today! &iscover how rich life can be right now,even amidst all your problems and difficulties. 1ind joy inwhatever comes to hand. %ri*e each new insight you gain aboutlife, especially those won through pain and suffering. reasuretimes with dear ones and friends. (njoy each act of $indness andlove that you or others perform. 7herish each smile, each $indword, each good thought, each word of prayer and outreach to

2od. It is by living life now that you will heal, because this isprecisely what healing is all about+ living now!

2 The ecret of Health and

Healing

he $ey to health and healing is ultimately simple+ $eep happy!

0imchah -- happiness and joy -- is the elixir of the soul. )nd thehealth of the soul is the $ey to the health of the body.

It can ta$e time and effort to attain true joy and self-fulfilment. heway to start is by ma$ing yourself happy with little things. %amperyourself with small pleasures and comforts, good food and the li$e.0pend time with people who ma$e you feel good. #ift your spirits


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with stimulating conversation and interesting reading. #isten to yourfavorite music. 8o$e. #augh. (njoy yourself!

his may wor$ for a while, but you probably wonder how you canpossibly be really happy when you are ill, in pain, confined tosurroundings not of your choosing and troubled by many otherproblems. (ven so, you must ma$e every effort to find ways to behappy, even in face of all this adversity. &o everything possible tolift your moods.

1or when you are happy, your mind becomes settled. ou can thensee things more clearly, and you will begin to understand thepositive aspects of your present situation and your life in general,and uncover the good that exists even in adversity. his is the way

to genuine happiness and fulfilment, which are the $ey to healthand healing.

h" ha##ine$$ #ro%ote$ health and healing

7ontemporary medicine is rediscovering the ancient truth that ourmental and emotional states affect our bodies just us much as ourbodily states affect our minds and feelings. he destructive effectson the body of excess tension, anxiety, negativity, frustration and

depression are seen daily in heart, cancer and other clinics.7onversely, it is now well established that positive attitudes play avital role in recovery, rehabilita- tion and long-term health.

o understand the reason for this, you must under-stand what$eeps your body alive and functioning. he cells of the body grow,develop, reproduce, regenerate and maintain themselves to formorgans and body systems of astonishing complexity and subtlety.(ach individual cell and organ of the body goes through its ownhighly speciali*ed seuences of biochemical reactions at its own

uniue pace.

he miracle is that all the individual rhythms of the different bodycells, organs and systems are perfectly orchestrated. hey wor$together to maintain overall stability and health in spite of constantfluctuations within the body and in the external environment. hisbalance is vital for the continuation of life.


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4hat is it that ma$es unity out of the diversity of all the differentbodily rhythms and functions9 /ow are they all orchestrated9 /ow iseverything controlled9 %hysiology explains that our heart rate,breathing, digestion, excretory and other functions are regulated by

the brain and nervous system. But if the body is under the controlof the brain and the nerves, how are they controlled9

he brain and nervous system, and indeed the entire body, aresubordinate parts of a greater system+ the whole person. )s soon aswe consider bodily functioning in the broader context of the personas a whole, it becomes clear that, if we are to discover the mastercontrol system that ultimately sustains and governs our physicaland mental functioning, we must search beyond the body andbeyond the conscious mind.

The oul

'eligion and mysticism teach that the master control system is thesoul. It is the presence of the soul that ma$es the differencebetween a living person and a dead body. %eople find it hard to forma clear conception of the soul. his is not surprising, since the soulis not something tangible li$e the hand, the heart or the brain. Butalthough we cannot see or physically feel the soul, we do experience

it directly on the level of our conscious awareness. he soul is :I,:the sentient, feeling, thin$ing, purposeful ego sitting in the driver"sseat of the body.

he soul is a complex system comprising a variety of subsystems.0ome of them are accessible to our conscious minds, others are not.hus the soul controls our bodily processes via the autonomicnervous system without our even being aware of it.

(ven in the realm of our conscious behavior, we often do not $now

why we act the way we do. ur stream of everyday consciousnessinvolves complex structures of highly subtle logical and non-logicalthoughts, fantasies, intuitions, feelings and emotions that haveroots stretching deep into our unconscious minds. In addition, weare usually uite unaware of the way in which higher, spiritual partsof our souls are uietly guiding our lives and destiny in this world.


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1or although the soul is :in: the body and therefore :in: the physicalworld, it is really rooted in a ualitatively different dimension ofexistence. he spiritual dimension interacts with the physicaldimension yet it reaches way beyond it. ou may have vague

contact with these exalted spiritual levels at certain highlysignificant moments in life, as when you become subliminally awarethat you are somehow being guided by a superior force. 0uchawareness sometimes comes in dreams, only to be lost on wa$ingup.

he higher soul in each person is itself part of a far greater systemthat has its own master control. he ultimate master control overthe entire creation is the mystery we call 2od.

&odil" rh"th%$ and the %u$ic of the $oul

/ow do the mind and soul actually control and influence the body9)s we have seen, bodily functioning is a matter of rhythms. herhythms of the various cells, organs and body systems are regulatedand coordinated by other, higher order rhythms. hese are thepatterns of neural impulses relayed from one part of the nervoussystem to another. But how are these master rhythms controlled9

his can be understood by considering music. ) piece of music ismade up of a melody line with a rhythm. sually the rhythm is themost infectious aspect of the music. #isten to a lively piece of musicand see what happens. he rhythms created by the players travel inthe form of the pulsating sound waves that cause your ear-drums tovibrate, thus penetrating your conscious and unconscious mind.

Before you $now it, your hands and feet are tapping, your head isnodding to and fro, and your whole body is moving in unison underthe sway of the rhythm. 1or the moment, the rhythm is :controlling:

you and all your body movements.

et the rhythm of the music is itself subordinate to the melody line.(ach melody has an inner uality that calls to be expressedappropriately through a suitable rhythm. 0o the rhythm is governedby the melody, which in turn is created by the mind of the mastermusician or composer. hrough the melody and rhythm of the


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music, the composer :controls: the movements of all the musiciansplaying the music, the rhythmic tapping and swaying of theaudience, and all the thoughts and feelings inspired in them by themusic.

4ith the help of this analogy we may begin to grasp how theintangible, spiritual soul controls the tangible, physical body. 8ust asthe body movements of the listener are influenced by the rhythmsof a piece of music, so the functioning of individual body cells andorgans is governed by the rhythms and patterns of the brain andneural impulses. hese in turn are governed by a higher ordercontrol system+ the melody sung by the soul.

he soul is the creator, conductor, player and singer of ama*ing

:music.: ou may not always hear it, but it is this music thatcontrols the rhythms of your brain and nervous system, sending youyour thoughts, your feelings and your very life. In short, it"s themusic of your soul that ma$es you and your body tic$.

hat $ong are "ou $inging'

4hat $ind of song are you singing9 Is it a happy song that issending energy and vitality into every fiber of your being9 r has

your inner music become hushed, muffled, sad and plaintive9 r isit tense, angry, aggressive and destructive9

our mental states, your attitudes and general outloo$ have a directeffect on your body. (xcess tension, anxiety, insecurity, anger,frustration, depression and other forms of negativity can causedistortions in your physical posture6 they may restrict yourbreathing6 they may drive you into poor dietary patterns, substanceabuse and other destructive habits. ver time these may ta$e aheavy toll on your joints and muscles, your arteries, heart, lungs

and other vital organs, your digestion, nerves, immune system,general metabolism, resilience and vitality.

he wea$er and more depressed the music of the soul, the moresluggish the metabolism becomes. his leaves the body less andless able to withstand regular wear and tear, let alone the ravagesof illness or injury. But with happy music -- positive attitudes,


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cheerfulness and joy -- the entire system becomes invigorated andthe functioning of all the cells and organs of the body is enhanced,bringing heightened physical immunity, increased stamina andgreater wellbeing on every level.

ou must feed and nourish the cells of your body with the rightsongs+ the happy, healing songs! he songs of life! his appliesuite literally. 2et into the habit of singing a happy tune. /uminspiring melodies. ry! (xperiment! 7hoose a favorite tune andwor$ with it for five minutes. 0ee what happens. )t first yoursinging may feel a little uninspired, but if it"s a good melody andyou are prepared to :get into it,: you"ll soon see how the melodywill start to lift you up, bringing you new vitality, greater optimismand more positive thoughts and feelings. &o this regularly! 4hen

you don"t feel li$e singing yourself, have others sing or play to you,or listen to recordings of your favorite music.

The %elod" of life

It"s not only tunes and songs in the literal sense that bring healthand healing. ou must turn your very life into a melody.

4hat is music9 Music is made up of seuences of notes. o play

music, you have to hit the right notes in the right order, one afterthe other. (ach note is produced by air vibrations. If you don"t $nowhow to play, you may produce little more than a succession ofstrident noises. But a s$illed musician can create profoundly stirringand inspiring music simply by moving artfully up and down thescale.

0o too in all of life, every one of our thoughts, words or actions alsoproduces :vibrations.: (ach one is a :note: in the total symphony of life and creation. /ow much :bad air: can be produced by one

careless, cruel or selfish act, a single cutting remar$ or even an evilthought! ur syndromes of worry, fear, anger, frustration,depression and gloom create soul- grinding rhythms and melodiesthat destroy our bodies and our lives and those of the peoplearound us.


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But all this :bad air: can be dissipated, purified and sweetened bythin$ing good, positive, generous thoughts, by smiling, sharing a$ind word, offering a helping hand.... here"s always somethinggood you can thin$, say or do.

he art of happiness is always to go for the good+ to see the goodpoints and pic$ out the good notes rather than harping on the bad.his applies to how you view the various situations you face in lifeand to the way you play out your roles in them. It applies to theway you loo$ at and deal with the people around you. )nd it appliesto the way you loo$ at and deal with yourself. (ach good point youfind is a note in the melody of life.

(e)oicing in the good

It is natural to be happy in good times, when things are good andwhen you"re feeling good. )nd if things are bad9 In bad times, youhave to search for the good. /ave faith that good exists even in theworst adversity. 5now that there is a way in which everything canbe turned around for good. )s 5ing 0olomon said, :n a good day,enjoy! )nd on a bad day, you must loo$: ;(cclesiastes ?. Inother words, when things are bad, you must loo$ around and searchuntil you discover the positive side.

Being positive does not mean you have to deny the truth. If you arein pain and discomfort, your suffering is very real. ou don"t have topretend you"re fine if you are far from it. Being positive means$eeping yourself from sin$ing into a uagmire of morbid negativityby having faith in 2od"s goodness even at the hardest moments.

ou may face seemingly intractable situations in your life. ou mayfeel loc$ed in deep problems within yourself. But in many cases oneof the best ways to improve a situation is by learning to loo$ at it

dif- ferently. he way you view things plays a major part in whetheryou experience them as good or bad.

se your mind and all the inner resources you possess to brea$ outof negativity and depression and to be positive. ou have the powerto control and direct your thoughts. &on"t allow yourself to be drawninto syndromes of negative thoughts and feelings. 1ind new, more


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positive ways of loo$ing at yourself, other people and the variousproblems and difficulties you face. 4hen bad thoughts come intoyour mind, ma$e every effort to direct your thoughts elsewhere.ften the best way to put yourself in a better frame of mind is

through humor and jo$ing or acting a little silly.

our laughter is the best medicine of all. our happiness is vital. helife of your body and soul depend on it. 1or $eeping happy is the$ey to good health, as it is to healing.

/aving become sic$, you must now ma$e a special effort to pic$yourself up and ma$e yourself happy again. urn the search forgood into a way of life, because this is the $ey to happiness andfulfilment. 8oy will enable you to focus on your true mission in this

life and accomplish all that you must.

* here in the world a% I'

4hen you wa$e up from your sleep only to feel pain all over yourbody... when you loo$ around you, and even familiar surroundingsseem strange and alien... and you rub your eyes and you as$yourself, :4here in the world am I9: this may seem li$e a uestionborn of confusion and chaos. But in truth, as$ing this and other

searching uestions about the new reality you face in your life is asign of an awa$ening mind and spirit.

0erious illness or injury may bring a welter of different thoughts andfeelings, some so private that we cannot begin to share them withthe healthy, chirpy people around us going about their business insuch blissful ignorance of our own pain, shoc$, grief and anxiety. 4emay be bitter and angry+ :4hy me9: %erhaps we feel betrayed byour bodies. 4e worry about the future+ :4ill I suffer pain9 4ill I be

permanently disabled or disfigured9 )m I going to die9 4hat"s it li$ein the grave9:

It is right and natural to be seriously concerned about what ishappening to you. But don"t let anxiety push you into despair.)dmitting physical vulnerability does not mean you will necessarily


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remain permanently wea$ from now on. 7onfronting the fact of yourmortality does not mean you are going to die soon.

our worries and concerns are in fact a signal to you to embar$ onan extensive examination of yourself and your life. ou must nowact as doctor to your own inner self. 8ust as a medical doctor firstcarries out a thorough examination and then prescribes treatment,so you should now ta$e an honest inventory of yourself and yourlife. hen you must start developing your own self-healing strategy.his is your part in the healing process.

&on"t thin$ only about your physical condition and how you aregoing to get well. 7onsider also all the other issues in your life,including any problems within yourself, in your wor$, your

relationships or other areas. Be ready to face things you mightnormally prefer not to thin$ about. Be willing to as$ the deepestuestions -- about your body and your soul, what this life is about,how you"ve been using your time, and how you"d li$e to use it infuture. 4here do you want to go9 /ow are you going to get there9

0tarting to wor$ on yourself in this way is a major step forward onyour self-healing journey. ou"ll come away with a new innerconfidence founded upon greater wisdom and understanding. ou"llbe able to live your life more freely and joyously. )nd living is whathealing is all about.

ho i$ in control'

1or many people, the most frightening aspect of illness and death isthe loss of control. )fter having been born helpless babies totallydependent on others, we gradually gained control of our hands andlegs and our various faculties. 4e grew from childhood toadolescence and onwards, ta$ing ever more control of our lives.

)nd then came the illness or injury... and suddenly we findourselves helpless again, maybe to the point that we cannot evenmove. 4e hope that the doctors have things under control. But attimes it seems as if everything is haywire -- as if some wild forcehas ta$en charge and is beating us down time after time.


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ne of the things we have to learn to accept in this life is thatsooner or later we are going to have to give up our control com-pletely. 4e all have to die, and death is the ultimate loss of control.

1or much of our lifetimes we are given a certain ability to direct andcontrol things. 3ot that we can control everything. 4e can"t fly. 4edon"t choose our parents, our bodies, our minds and many otherthings. et there are major areas in which we do have a degree ofcontrol, if we choose to exercise it. In fact some of us put enormousenergy into trying to manipulate other people and things in thehope of being able to $eep various aspects of our lives undercontrol.

But in the end we have no control. 4e may try to hold on for as

long as we can. 0ometimes death seems to stare us in the face, andwe beg+ :3ot yet! %lease! #et me get through just this one time!:But in the end there is no escape. &eath is the ultimate loss ofcontrol. ) dead body can do absolutely nothing for itself.

ne of the greatest mysteries of this universe is how man enjoyshis allotted time of glorious freedom -- he flexes his muscles, runsout into the world and does what he wants... but at last his strengthis exhausted, he shrin$s bac$ into second babyhood... and finallysurrenders. /is body becomes a useless clod that rots and turns todust. )ll the pride and splendor are forgotten.... )nd then 2od is incontrol.

The ource

:2od: is the (nglish name for the ultimate %ower that sustains andcontrols the entire cosmos and everything in it -- from the furthestreaches, way way beyond the most distant of galaxies, right downto the smallest, finest details of creation, such as the eccentric,

sauntering path of a single leaf that"s fallen from the tree and isgently tossed and patted by a bree*e until it comes to rest at itsappointed place on earth, there to decay and merge bac$ into theecological cycle.

a$e a few moments to thin$ about the wonder of this universe.hin$ about the diversity and complexity of the natural world of


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plants, trees, insects, birds, animals, microorganisms, molecules,atoms, particles, waves, energies.... 7onsider the diversity ofteeming humanity -- all the different faces, types, ages, stages,activities, thoughts, feelings and secret inner worlds.... hin$ about

this planet+ the cities, plains, hills, mountains, forests, deserts,rivers, seas and oceans. hin$ of the moon, the sun, the stars...galaxies upon galaxies stretching out for endless millions of light-years, further and further away... until the human mind is totallyoverwhelmed and you have to turn your thoughts to somethingmore immediate and graspable.

he divine Being that sustains this unimaginable richness anddiversity is utterly beyond the power of the human mind to envisageor understand. 8ewish tradition refers to the ultimate %ower that is

the source and cause of all existence as (yn 0of. he /ebrew means:3o (nd!: he human mind is only able to grasp things that arefinite, i.e. things that have limits and boundaries. But (yn 0of isliterally without end -- beyond all limits -- and therefore cannot beconceived in any way.

his ama*ing universe is not an accident. It is a system, albeit oneso vast that our minds could never grasp it, though at times, whenwe experience certain uir$s of fate, strange coincidences,

mysterious happenings, beautiful serendipity and the li$e, we maybe granted a faint glimpse of how everything ultimately fitstogether.

he unity that underlies the entire universe is expressed in the mainname of 2od in the Bible+ /@/ ;traditionally pronounced as )donaiwhen praying, or as ud 5eh @av 5eh when referring to the name atother times?. he /ebrew root of this name is /a@a/, which means:is: or :exists.: he name /@/ signifies :the ne that causesexistence or being,: i.e. the 0ource of all phenomena on every level,

a %ower beyond space and time, ne that has been always, is nowin the present, and will be for ever and ever.

)nother biblical name of 2od is (lohim ;pronounced as spelled whenpraying, but referred to at other times as (lo$im?. his namesignifies that the ne 2od is the supreme power underlying and


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controlling all the multiplicity of different powers manifested in theuniverse.

(efining "our under$tanding of God

In childhood many people develop their own images of 2od, only toreject them as they grow older and find them inconsistent with whatthey have learned about the way in which the world seems to wor$.Modern science has made some traditional conceptions of 2odappear primitive. Many find it hard to relate to conceptions of 2odas a $ind of super-person who :spea$s,: :creates,: :wor$s miracles:in nature, in history, and the li$e.

'eligious traditions freuently refer to 2od as :1ather.: his may be

problematic for those who have experienced difficulties in theirrelationships with parents. 0ome resent the idea of 2od as a rulerwith a set of laws telling people how to behave. he image of astrict, reproving, chasti*ing 2od may be perceived as a repressivethreat to one"s freedom to ma$e one"s own choices in life. 0omereject the authority of religion because in their experience it hasbeen falsely invo$ed by human beings to serve their own mundaneinterests.

he rejection of false and outworn images of 2od is indeednecessary in order to develop a more mature conception that willaid rather than inhibit us in our personal growth and development.0ometimes childhood ideas about 2od remain embedded deepwithin us. It may ta$e a conscious effort to exorcise them in orderto reach a higher understanding. hus the young )braham,founding father of 8udaism, smashed the idols in his father"s housebefore setting off alone on his journey to the #and of Israel -- a

journey that was really into his own self and soul.

ltimately each person must find his or her own way to conceive ofand relate to the supreme 0ource of this universe and of our verylives. 'e-examining our ideas about 2od in the light of authentic8ewish teachings on the subject can help us clarify and deepen ourunderstanding.


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Choice$ and con$e+uence$

4hether we li$e it or not, ultimately 2od ;however we understand2od? is in control. 4e cannot control death, and there are many

other circumstances in our lives that are chosen for us, such as thefamily and socio-economic group we are born into, our bodies,minds and other endowments, and the many other external andinternal factors that leave their imprint on us down to our very core.

et ama*ingly, within these parameters we are free. 1ar from beinga repressive tyrant, 2od gives us complete control over vital aspectsof our lives and destinies. It is up to you whether you put your time,energy, money and other resources into food, drin$, sex, wor$, play,household, family and other relationships, hobbies, sports,entertainment, art, intellectual development, spiritual growth,service of others or anything else. It is up to you whether to striveto ma$e the best of the advantages and disadvantages you"ve beengiven, or to rail against fate and say :to hell with trying.:

ou are free to choose. )nd then you must live with theconseuences of your choices. 3o matter what you do or don"t do inlife, there are always conseuences of one $ind or another. (veryone of your choices leaves its mar$ on your body, your soul, the

uality of your life and the lives of those around you.

ur predicament as human beings is that while we have no optionbut to ma$e choices, the long-term effects of our decisions areusually un$nown at the moment we actually ma$e them. 0ciencemay provide information about the probable effects of certaincourses of action. But science can tell us nothing about whetherthey will bring happiness and fulfilment.

It is our very inability to $now in advance the long-term

conseuences of our choices that gives the real edge to ourfreedom. If at the very outset we already $new the evilconseuences of wrong choices, we would never ma$e them.

Ta,ing re$#on$i-ilit"


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)s you ta$e stoc$ of yourself and survey your life, you must ta$eresponsibility for any poor choices you may have made. 7onsidercarefully whether your own behavior may have been a factorleading to your present illness or other undesirable aspects of your

life. his does not necessarily mean that you bear responsibility forcausing these problems. Many of the things that happen to us aresent by 2od for reasons that cannot be understood in worldly terms.

et there are also many cases where people"s lifestyle, attitudes andbehavior do cause or contribute to their problems, including actualphysical illnesses. he point is not to grieve over your pastmista$es, but rather to admit them honestly in order to ta$eresponsibility for your life and ma$e wiser choices from now on.

But how can you ma$e wise choices when you don"t always $nowwhat the conseuences of your choices are going to be9 he orah-- 2od"s teaching to man$ind -- gives us guidance about goodchoices to ma$e at each of the different junctures in our lives in thisworld, from birth to death.

he orah views human life from the perspective of eternity. 4e aremore than merely people living here and now in this world. (achone of us is a soul with roots and branches stretching out into theentire cosmos, a soul that has existed for much longer than we canremember, a soul that will be alive and aware long after our bodiesare dust.

2od is good. 2ood is by nature expansive+ good see$s to spreaditself. hus 2od desires to bestow good on all creation. 2od wantsevery single soul to have the very best -- eternal good. )nd 2odwants it to be our very own. hus 2od placed us here in a worldwhere we have to earn the good for our souls through our ownefforts.

In a world filled with falsehood and confusion, our mission is tostrive to do good and be good, and thereby $now 2od, who is allgood. ur actions in this world affect not only our lives here but alsothe destiny of our souls in higher realms after death. he soulenjoys the good earned in this world for ever.


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he orah gives guidance as to how to earn this eternal good byfollowing simple pathways of conduct in practical, everyday life. 4eshould eat and satisfy our other needs in moderation, with gratitudeon our lips. 4e should show $indness and compassion to others. 4e

should conduct our business affairs with honesty and integrity. 4eshould stri$e a balance between wor$ and recreation, celebrating0habbat and festivals... )nd so on.

he orah prescribes and suggests, but the actual choice remainsours. 4e see no police going around compelling people to be $ind,give charity, pray, observe 0habbat, follow the dietary rules, etc.he orah code is :advice: which everyone is totally free to ta$e orignore as they choose -- and live with the conseuences of theirdecisions.

.aith

&o you believe in the medical treatment you are receiving9 If youdo, is it because you yourself are a medical expert and you $nowthat the treatment is bound to wor$9 r do you have faith ;or hope?that the doctors $now what they are doing9

In critical areas of our lives there are many things we have to ta$e

on trust. his certainly applies in healing the inner self. It ta$es aleap of faith to believe that orah pathways of $indness, charity,prayer, meditation, 0habbat and so on can bring inner healing andfulfilment.

3o scientist can measure the greater sense of meaning andhappiness to which these pathways lead. 1ulfilment in life andconnection with the divine are levels of experience barely discussedby science. But that doesn"t ma$e them any less real and importantto you.

2od is on a plane that science cannot reach because science dealsonly with phenomena that can be experienced with our physicalsenses. 2od, as the ultimate cause and source of these phenomena,cannot be experienced directly.


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5nowledge of 2od comes not from scientific enuiry but through thestance or mental attitude we call faith. %eople often find their faithto be confirmed by what they see around them. But you don"t getfaith because you"ve seen proof. 1irst you have to decide to have

faith6 understanding comes later.

o have faith is to have the humility to admit that there aremysteries about our existence in this world that our minds cannotunderstand. he essence of faith is to believe that everything wesee around us is part of one vast, single, unified system thatencompasses many other planes of existence besides the materialworld with which we tend to be so preoccupied.

Interpenetrating this material world of space and time are

emotional, intellectual and spiritual realms that are also called:worlds.: #ife in this world is one leg of a journey that leads to ahigher plane of existence in the :next world.: Belief in the afterlife isone of the fundamentals of 8udaism.

It is this faith that gives meaning to many aspects of life here in thisworld that would otherwise be incomprehensible. In terms of thisworld, injury, illness and death are the antithesis of life. hey signifydestruction and the negation of life as we $now it. 4hy shouldpeople have to wor$ and struggle so hard and endure so much intheir lives, only to end up helplessly ravaged by pain, suffering andphysical destruction before finally dying9 ften the end of life is li$ea shipwrec$ that ma$es everything seem so futile.

But what to our eyes seems li$e meaningless suffering is a cleansingof the soul in preparation for its eternal journey. 4hat we see asdeath is in fact a transition to a new state of being. 4hen the timecomes for the inner self and soul to move forward, the worn body,having served its purpose, is discarded li$e the s$in of a caterpillar,

while the soul ta$es wing and flies to new hori*ons.

1rom our perspective in the material world it is impossible toimagine what this new, higher life might be li$e. But deep inside,the soul $nows its destiny. his is why it happens that at criticalmoments in our lives we naturally begin to wa$e up and as$, :4hoam I9 4here did I come from9 4here am I going9:


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he destruction wrought by injury, illness and death is notpurposeless. It is to enable the soul to build anew on a higher level./aving this faith will enable you to live more happily in this world,because you will $now in your heart of hearts that all your

struggles, efforts, pain and suffering have meaning and purpose. Ifpain and illness are the antithesis of life in this world, they will leadto a higher level of synthesis and harmony in the world to come.

%eople as$+ :4hy did this illness or injury happen to me9: But whathas happened is a fact you cannot change. 4hat you can change isthe way you live your life in the face of your problems anddifficulties. )nd this way you can change the meaning they have inthe wider canvas of your life as a whole.

)s soon as you accept your present condition as a necessary stagein your spiritual journey, you can learn to use it for your long-termgrowth and development.

&e "our$elf

1aith means more than having faith in 2od :out there.: ou musthave faith in the 2od who is with you here and now+ the 2od withinyour heart and your innermost self. ou must have faith in the

divinity contained within your highest hopes and aspirations, in yourfinest traits and faculties, in your subtle thoughts and feelings.

ou must have faith that you are important and what you do in thisworld matters. he goodness you bring into this world is veryprecious. our struggle is important and worthwhile.

/ave faith in the power and resourcefulness of your soul and itsincredible capacity to heal. 1or the soul is invincible.

ne of the most ama*ing features of the creation is that everythingis uniue, down to the smallest detail. 2od is a master artist wholoves originality. 3othing displays the infinite power of divinity morespectacularly than the uniueness of every blade of grass, andespecially the uniueness of every human being, each with his orher uniue individuality.


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Because you are uniue, you have to find your own uniue way ofrelating to 2od and developing the divine spar$ within yourself. oumust develop your own understanding of how to apply traditionalspiritual guidance in your life and circumstances. 2od dwells with

each person in the very place and situation in which they findthemselves. 2od :hears: them there, and subtly guides them intheir chosen path in order to bring them to their ultimate goodnessand fulfilment.

o be yourself, you must discover who you really are and clarifywhat you want in your life. ur upbringing and life experiencesoften leave us with a tough protective mas$ that we wear even toourselves. It gives us a certain identity, outloo$, opinions andattitudes. But deep inside us there is a sensitive, often wounded

inner self that may have been repressed and stunted owing tobac$ground, upbringing and other factors. 4e have to tend andnurture that inner self. 4e must have the courage to be who wereally are and live.

In the revelation at Mount 0inai, 2od introduces /imself as :I am.::I am /@/ your 2od who brought you out of the land of (gypt...:;(xodus A+A?. It can be disconcerting to reali*e that 2od is a live:personality,: as it were, with a :self,: an :I,: just li$e we have.

0ome people experience this as a threat to their own independence,which is why they prefer an impersonal 2od or none at all. But inthe end we all have to ac$nowledge that 2od alone can say :I.: :I$ill and I ma$e alive, I wound and I heal, and there is no-one thatcan deliver out of My hand: ;&euteronomy CA+CD?.

he inner reality of that divine :I: is totally beyond the grasp of thehuman mind. But even so, as long as we are alive, we do havesome idea of what it is, because each one of us is also an :I.: 4ithinlimits, we too are free to create and control. nly the all-powerful

2od could create an independent being -- an :I: -- that can alsocreate and control. he inner :I: -- the soul -- is the most 2odlypart of us.

2od"s intention was not that this :I: of ours should be timid andrepressed. 4e must be humble, yes. 4e have to $now our limits.4e have to $now where our power comes from. But true humility is


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to rejoice and exult in the gift of power and creativity that 2od hasgiven us. 2od wants us to use this power to create!

4hether you $now it or not, control of your destiny is in your hands.4a$e up to your freedom and grasp the reins of control. a$e yourlife in your hands and direct yourself to where you want to go.

0et your goals and wor$ towards them! It is the process of strivingto attain your goals, with all the ups and downs this involves, thatwill bring you true happiness and satisfaction in life.

/ The Three 0oint$ of

E%#ower%ent

Medical treatment is the more passive part of the healing process.In many cases the patient is as$ed to do little more than submit tothe treatment and wait for it to ta$e effect. But the most importantpart of your total healing -- healing and vitali*ing the inner you --obviously cannot come about through remaining passive. ou mustta$e the initiative. ou have to act.

here is widespread agreement today that changes in diet, lifestyle,

attitudes and other areas may play a major role in recovery andlong-term health. But many people find it hard to ma$e evenrelatively small changes in their lives. ne of the main reasons isoften because inside they feel hurt, tired, cynical and despondent.4hy ma$e the effort to change if you don"t believe it will ma$e yougenuinely happier9

oo often people just give up on themselves. hey feel helplesslyloc$ed into negative attitudes and behavior patterns. )ren"t we alltoo familiar with the repeated vicious cycles that consume our lives94e may not want to so much as glance at our inner mirror. It"seasier to reach for that snac$, open a maga*ine, pic$ up the phone,pour a drin$, light a cigarette, throw ourselves into our wor$ orother activities, or just go to sleep... anything rather than face thedeeper issues in our lives.


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But these unresolved issues and the accompanying inner pain canbe major factors underlying poor health and illness. o allowyourself to remain loc$ed in the same old patterns could be a recipefor disaster. If you want real recovery and a life worth living, you

must find ways to ma$e the necessary changes in your life and inyour inner self.

here are three :power points: or sources from which you can drawthe inner strength necessary for growth and change. hese arethree crucial points of interaction between yourself and sources ofhelp and support. he first is the point of interaction between youand those you choose as your guides in life. he second is the pointof interaction between you and the friends whose support you need.hird, and most important, is the point of interaction between you

and your own inner self. hese are the three points ofempowerment.

In each case the essential uality of the interaction involved is oneof give-and-ta$e. 4hen you accept counsel and guidance from ateacher, it means giving something. ou have to give yourself, in thesense of submitting to the advice and putting your energy intofollowing it. %aradoxically, this giving on your part is actuallyreceiving. 4hat you get bac$ is the new power you gain from your

teacher"s wisdom and insights and from correct practice of the s$illsand techniues he or she instills in you. It"s li$e when you exercise+the more effort you invest, the healthier and stronger you become.

2aining friendship and support li$ewise depends on giving. hemore support you give to others -- through empathy, $indness,sharing and so on -- the more support you will find you receive. Byma$ing some good friends and opening up to people who can helpyou in various ways in your chosen pathway, each one of yourinteractions with them becomes a :power point: from which you

yourself can receive greater inner strength.

2iving is also necessary in order to draw greater power from yourown higher self. /ere, what you have to :give: is some of your time.ou must ma$e time for meditation and other practices that canincrease your inner power. 4hen wor$ing on yourself in these ways,you are at the :point: of encounter and give-and-ta$e with your own


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higher self. )s you learn to wor$ on yourself in the right ways, youwill receive rich dividends of inner power and joy in return for allyour time and effort.

1 Guidancehe 'abbis said+ :2et yourself a teacher and acuire a friend: ;)vot=+E?. In advising us to find a teacher, they understood that humanbeings have a basic need for guidance in life.

0mall children need a guiding hand to help them find their waysafely around the physical and social environment. )ll of us -- evenadults -- are little children in this ama*ing, divinely-created cosmos.4e all have limited vision. 4e are all prone to ma$e mista$es. ften

we simply do not $now what is best for us. 1ew people have thepower to release themselves from their own inner wea$ness andconstriction without some external source of true guidance andinspiration. )nyone who wants to ma$e the most of their life needssomeone of greater experience and wisdom to teach them.

ou need someone who cares for your true good, understandswhat you really need, and $nows how to give it to you. 0uch aperson is not always easy to find. But even if you cannot find your

own ideal guide in the flesh right now, you can always turn to thegreat classics of guidance and inspiration, such as the Bible or theteachings of outstanding spiritual masters li$e 'ebbe 3achman.

(mpowerment from such teachings comes through reading and re-reading them, pondering their meaning, and thin$ing carefully abouthow they apply to you. )s you review favorite teachings over andover again, $ey words and phrases will become imprinted withinyou, giving you greater strength to face up to the challenges in yourlife.

O#ening u# "our heart

(ven so, reading boo$s is not enough. ou also need someone realand alive to tal$ to about your goals and ambitions and about howyou can overcome the obstacles that stand in your way. ou need


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someone who can tal$ bac$ to you and provide you with greaterperspective and practical guidance.

%eople sometimes dream of having their own ideal mentor in life,but it may turn out that the people who become your actual guideswill be different from what you imagine. If you put your mind to it,you could probably thin$ of several people to whom you could turnfor help and support. ou may not always feel willing to follow allthe advice you receive. But the very act of airing issues withanother person can help you clarify what you do want to do.

0ome people tal$ to their rabbis. 1or others it may be a therapist, acounsellor, a lawyer, an old aunt, or just someone who impressesyou because of the way they live their life. )ll you have to do is as$

the person you have in mind if they would give you some privatetime.

Ma$e an effort to overcome any inhibitions you may have aboutopening up. Be willing to drop your mas$s and defenses. )dmit yourinner tenderness and sensitivity. al$ out your fears and worries,your hopes and desires. ell your life story. 0hare your pain andgrief, your tears, your laughter and fun times.

al$ about your mista$es. )dmitting your mista$es and wea$nessesto someone else can provide you with a more objective perspectiveon yourself, helping you to develop greater self-understanding andto ma$e better choices in the future.

here are mista$es and there are also sins. Be willing to admit thatsome of the things you have done in your life may have been trulysinful -- against family, friends and associates, against 2od, andagainst your very own self!

4hether you need to tal$ about sins, mista$es, personal hurt andpain, fears, worries, confusion, loneliness or any other privateburden, you can only benefit from insight and guidance from theright person. 3othing is more therapeutic than to open yourself tosomeone with whom you feel secure, someone who listens with trueempathy and really cares about what"s best for you.


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In order to heal your inner self, see$ out a doctor for your soul.0ome people can benefit from long-term counselling or therapy. 1orothers, periodic discussions with a mentor combined with readingthe right boo$s may be sufficient. vercome your pride and

hesitations and go to a guide for help. By giving yourself, you will bereceiving. 1or in return you will gain a world of inner power.

2 u##ort

In the same breath as the 'abbis said, :2et yourself a teacher,:they also said, :)cuire a friend.: he two ideas are closely boundtogether. ) true teacher is your best friend, while a true friend canbe your best teacher.

ne of the main differences between a relationship with a spiritualguide and one with a friend is that the latter is more reciprocal.0ometimes you receive from your friend, sometimes your friendreceives from you. (ach of you has his or her uniue inner :point:from which the other can receive.

he friend may be an old chum, your spouse, a brother or sister, orsomeone else you love dearly. It might be someone you"ve $nownfor a long time. It could be somebody new. Illness or injury can

often be the catalysts to help us ma$e new friends or see freshsides of old ones. %eople with specific problems can often findfriendship through support groups for those with the same problem.thers may wish to build their own support circle.

1riendship plays a special role in healing ;which is why the 8ewishtradition places such emphasis on visiting the sic$, bi$ur cholim?.0ocial isolation is a major underlying factor in many illnesses. hereis a human need to share thoughts and feelings, especially inrelation to traumatic events. 4hen this need is not met, feelings

fester, putting chronic stress on the heart, the nerves, the immuneand other systems. 1riendship is one of the main $eys to actualphysical health as well as to emotional and spiritual balance.

) true friend is very precious. ) friend is someone you can open upto freely without having to hide behind a mas$. ou $now that yourfriend will accept who you are and what you are saying with love


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and respect. he ideal friend is one who wants your true good andwill therefore not hold bac$ from giving you honest feedbac$ forfear of hurting your feelings.

pening yourself up to such a person is empowering because ithelps you to be yourself. al$ing things out with your friend can giveyou a better understanding of what you really feel inside and whatyou really want. 4hen you give expression to your highestaspirations and discuss the changes you want to ma$e in your life,this can help you actually ma$e them. 2ood friends can support andencourage each other to eat more healthily, persist with their fitnessprograms, practice meditation, deepen their faith and many otherthings.

How to 3-u"3 friend$

It"s not the number of friends you have or how much time youspend with them that counts so much as the uality of yourrelationships. he $ind of friend who is a real support is worthbuying! hat is why the 'abbis said, :)cuire a friend.:

%aradoxically, many people who seem to be surrounded by friendsare actually very lonely and feel they have no-one to whom theycan really turn. 0ome do indeed try to :buy: friends -- with gifts,flattery, or by trying to impress them. But these methods of see$ingcloseness may be self-defeating, merely setting you further apartfrom the very people whose friendship you see$.

4hen the 'abbis spo$e about buying a friend, they were tal$ingabout payment of a different $ind. he way to buy friends is throughgiving friendship. o get a good friend, be a good friend. Be toothers the $ind of friend you yourself would li$e to have.

4hen you loo$ at other people, try to see the inner person behindthe face. Many people desperately crave a little understanding,$indness and encouragement. a$e an interest in who this personreally is rather than only thin$ing about what you want from him orher. %roject yourself into their situation. 4hat do they need9 4hatare they searching for9 4hat could you give them that willgenuinely benefit them9 he effort to understand and sympathi*e


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with others will also help you understand yourself better and be$inder to yourself.

) second $ind of giving necessary in order to :buy: deeperfriendship and intimacy with someone is giving yourself, in thesense of ta$ing the ris$ of lowering your outer walls and letting yourtenderer sides be seen. 4hen you have the courage to lower yourouter walls and disclose more of your real self, warts and all, yourfriends will feel safer about showing their real selves too.

If you are recovering from illness or injury, this is a good time tosee$ to heal relationships with your dear ones and other people youare close to. /ealing your relationships is an important part ofhealing yourself.

he way to heal relationships is through see$ing open and honestcommunication. 7ommunication must be two-way. 2et into thehabit of expressing clearly what you thin$ and feel so that the otherperson can understand you better. )nd you must also listen intentlyto what they are saying, avoiding the tendency to judge harshly or

jump to hasty conclusions. 'ather, you should see$ to empathi*e.4hat are they really expressing9 4hat inner feelings lie behind theirwords and gestures9 4hen you show a willingness to understandothers, it will ma$e them more willing to understand you.

#earning to communicate better does not mean you have to betotally open and defenseless to all people at all times. 3ot everyoneis mature enough to understand or accept your more vulnerableside. 3ot everyone is capable of giving you the friendship andsupport you need. 0ome people might $nowingly or un$nowinglyhurt you or ta$e unfair advantage of you. he friends you need arethose who understand your needs and sympathi*e with the stepsyou want to ta$e to ma$e changes in your life. 7hoose your friends

carefully.

4hen you find the right friends, tal$ together fran$ly and honestlyabout the things you each want in life. 0hare some of your moreprivate thoughts and feelings. 0pea$ about your hopes, your fearsand concerns. hin$ together about how you might be able toalleviate some of your concerns. /ow can you be more positive and


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joyous even if things are very hard9 )ffirm your faith together.(ncourage each other. &iscuss practical steps you can each ta$e tomove closer to your respective goals.

It is this give-and-ta$e between friends that empowers. 4ith thesupport of others, you can accomplish things you would notordinarily be able to do on your own. 1riendship and support --whether from individuals or from a group -- can give you a greatersense of meaning in your life and help you feel more connected withthe world, with yourself and with 2od. his will ma$e it easier foryou to turn inwards in order to draw new power from your owninner point. his is the third point of empowerment.

* Your own Inner 0oint

our inner :point: is the creative source of all of your mental,emotional and spiritual life. It is what religion and mysticism call thesoul+ an invisible, ever-renewed wellspring of vitality and inspirationfrom which you can draw at all times and in all circumstances inorder to grow, heal and lead a richer, more meaningful life.

urning to your own inner point means getting in touch withyourself and learning to draw upon your inner resources in order to

attain your most precious goals. ou must ta$e a calm loo$ atyourself and your life. ou must thin$ seriously about who you reallyare and where you stand. 4hat do you want to accomplish9 /oware you going to succeed9

2oing to your inner point involves wor$ing on yourself in differentways in order to enhance your mental states, improve your outloo$and cleanse yourself of negativity. ou may have to go deep into theinnermost recesses of your being. ou must learn to ma$e anynecessary changes in your life and to direct yourself to what you

want to achieve. In this way you become more proactive. ou ta$egreater control of your life instead of being swept along bysurrounding currents.

urning to your inner point also means loo$ing far beyond yourself-- reaching out to the /igher %ower that is the source of the wholeuniverse and of your very life. ou ma$e direct contact with the


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&ivine -- whether through inner uieting and :listening,: or moreactively, through prayer and other forms of self-expression. Illnessor injury may confront you with some very serious issues. urningto 2od will help you face everything, and you will grow and elevate

yourself in the process.

#earning how to draw a steady flow of inner power from the :point:within your own self is a crucial part of self-healing. therwise,insights may come to you but you may do little with them. ou mayma$e decisions and resolutions but find it hard to follow themthrough.

o draw power from your inner :point,: you must ta$e time. If youwant to $eep your body fit and strong you have to ma$e time for

regular exercise. In the same way, to $eep fit mentally andspiritually you need to set regular sessions in which to practice thetechniues that lead to inner growth and spiritual connection.

In the 8ewish tradition, the word for this private time is hisbodedus.0o central is the place of hisbodedus in health and healing that itdeserves a chapter to itself.

4 Hisbodedus5 Ti%e for Your$elf

he literal meaning of the /ebrew word hisbodedus is :ma$ingoneself alone.: he aim is not to become a hermit. In essence,hisbodedus is private time that you put aside for yourself on aregular basis. ou detach yourself from your normal routine for awhile in order to explore and develop yourself through meditation,introspection, self-expression, tal$ing, praying, singing and anyother method that helps you.

/isbodedus is alluded to in various places in the Bible. In differentforms it was taught by many 8ewish spiritual teachers through theages. It was given special emphasis by 'ebbe 3achman of Breslov.0ome of the main techniues that may be used in hisbodedus arediscussed in more detail below.


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he mar$ of a successful hisbodedus session is that you should feelgood at the end of it. )t the very least, you should feel better thanbefore! 0ometimes this is achieved through relaxation, breathing,settling the mind, etc. )t other times more active methods may be

employed, as described later.

he hisbodedus session itself may not necessarily be calmthroughout. In one and the same session you may go through awhole gamut of different experiences, from heightenedconsciousness, insight, joy, gratitude, peace of mind and divineconnection to frustration, inner pain, grief, tears and many more. Bewilling to face negative aspects of yourself and your life honestlyand with the confidence that 2od can help you discover the goodconcealed within negativity and dar$ness. 0earching for this

goodness will bring you to greater harmony and joy.

)im to set aside time for yourself every day. his could be anywherefrom about ten minutes to as much as an hour, according to yourneeds. 0urely you deserve it!

hen and where

7hoose a time when you are not li$ely to be disturbed. Many people

prefer to practice hisbodedus early in the morning before thepressures of the day build up. 0ome ta$e a brea$ for hisbodedusbetween activities. thers practice hisbodedus at the end of the day,finding that it helps them unwind. 1or best results, choose a timewhen you have not just eaten a large meal as this may interferewith your mental clarity. If you are unable to sleep at night, youmight try some hisbodedus then.

If possible, find a place where you can have some privacy. If youare confined to bed, you can practice hisbodedus right there. If you

are up and about, choose a uiet corner whether at home orelsewhere. 3atural surroundings can be especially conducive to calmand spirituality. If you have access to a suitable natural spot, oreven your own bac$ yard, ta$e full advantage of it!


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tension. If you become restless, stretch and move around a bit, orta$e a few deep breaths, and then go bac$ to uiet sitting.

o relax deeply, you must also let go of the inner fear, anxiety,anger, resentment and other factors that so often cause people totense various parts of their bodies. he way to overcome fear is byhaving faith that everything in your life is in 2od"s hands, and 2odis good and wants your good.

The active #ha$e of hi$-odedu$

0ome people hold that within each individual there are naturalwellsprings of vitality and joy ready and waiting to flow forth, and ifyou can only relax and settle your mind sufficiently, the happiness

will naturally bubble up within you.

/owever, this fails to ta$e into account how hurt, wounded,thwarted and stunted many people are inside as a result of whatthey have been through in their lives. his is why some people findthat when they start meditating, disturbing thoughts and feelingsbegin to surface, or they feel gray and cloudy and want to go tosleep.

In order to draw out, nurture and actuali*e the true power of yourinner :point,: it is not sufficient merely to relax and try to settle themind. It is also necessary to wor$ on yourself actively in order toovercome inner forces that may be inhibiting this latent power.

)fter an initial period of uiet sitting, a typical hisbodedus sessionturns into a wor$shop in which you contemplate what is happeningin your mind, your heart and your life as a whole. hen you activelystart wor$ing on yourself in order to change and grow.

The #ower of word$

our most powerful tool for change, growth and spiritual connectionis right under your nose. It is your mouth. 8ust as you can influenceothers by the way you spea$ to them, so you can affect your ownself. 4ith the right words, songs, cries and other means of


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expression, you can influence your own states of mind and directyourself to where you want to go.

0mall children uite innocently express themselves out loud -- to2od, to themselves, to invented characters, or to no-one inparticular. But as we grow older this easy self-expression tends tobecome muted, turning into the continual, and often negative,internal dialogs within our minds. 0ometimes our innermostthoughts and feelings go underground and may be hidden from ourvery selves.

al$ing to yourself is popularly considered a sign of madness.%erhaps it is when the person is not in control of it. But one of thesanest things you can do to enhance your life is to relearn the art of

self-expression and consciously use words to focus your mind, toma$e contact with the different sides of yourself, to direct yourselfand to tal$ deep into your soul and right out to 2od.

o whom are you really tal$ing in hisbodedus -- to yourself or to2od9 he truth is that even when you tal$ :to yourself,: you arereally tal$ing to 2od. )lthough you experience yourself as anindependent entity, at root your vitality as a living being derivesfrom 2od, as does everything else in the world. )ll your thoughtsand feelings ultimately come from 2od, even though they arechannelled to you via the mysterious entity we call the :self: or:soul,: which ma$es them seem to originate :inside: you.

In order to ma$e changes in your life and grow, you must find newinner power. 1resh energy, positive mental states, insights andoriginal ideas are all new creations that ultimately come from 2od,the 0upreme 0ource of all creation. In hisbodedus you consciouslyreach out to 2od with words, songs, cries and the li$e in order tochannel new life into yourself. 4hen you :tal$ to yourself: in

hisbodedus, you are at the point of encounter between youreveryday self and the 0upreme %ower from which your very lifederives.

&on"t be embarrassed. ou are alone and no-one can hear you. 1indyour own voice! &on"t worry if you feel you don"t $now what to say.(verybody has this experience at first. (xperiment with different


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$inds of self-expression until you discover those that have meaningfor you.

By definition hisbodedus is a highly individual practice. ou arecompletely uniue. ou must find your own way to connect withyour inner :point: and with 2od. ailor your hisbodedus to your ownpersonal needs. ou may use different techniues at different timesdepending on your mood and your needs of the moment.

Hi$-odedu$ Techni+ue$

Guide ord$

hese are words or phrases of your choice that you repeat aloud

over and over in hisbodedus in order to evo$e a desired state ofmind, focus your thoughts, etc. 0aying words aloud or in a whisperis much more powerful than merely thin$ing them in your mind.'epeating the word 0halom, :%eace,: can help calm you if you aretense. 4hen you want to ma$e changes in your life or achieve otherimportant goals, $eep yourself on trac$ with guide words thatexpress exactly what you want, ;e.g. :'elax!: :%atience!::5indness!: :Moderation!:? o develop a deeper spiritual connection,try simply repeating :2od: or some other name for the /igher

%ower that has special meaning for you.

6elod"

0inging or humming the right song is a powerful way to guideyourself and influence your moods and states of mind. If you arefeeling uninspired, negative or depressed, choose a melody with apositive energy. 4hen you first begin humming even a favoritesong, it may ta$e some effort to get into the right spirit. But if youpersist and sing it over and over again, you will find that the melody

will begin to lift you. It will bring healing rhythms into your soul,your mind and your very body. he melodies taught by outstandingspiritual teachers have the power to lift people to exalted states ofconsciousness and to inculcate deeper faith and trust.

Affir%ation$


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(vents, circumstances, other people and certain forces withinourselves often conspire to ma$e us lose sight of essential truths.)n affirmation is a statement of some important truth or beliefabout yourself, your goals and values, or about life in general. 1or

example, :My goal is to heal and to live life to the full every day,every moment,: or :I believe in 2od, and 2od is good,: etc.'egularly ma$ing such affirmations out loud $eeps these truths atthe forefront of your mind. &evelop your own set of affirmationsabout your beliefs, goals and ideals, or choose some inspiringuotations. 0ay them out loud regularly in your hisbodedussessions.

Guiding 7ue$tion$

If you want to use hisbodedus to explore yourself and resolvecertain issues in your life, give focus to your uest by as$ingyourself guiding uestions, such as :4hat is on my mind9: :4hatam I really feeling9: :4here in the world am I9: :4hat is mypurpose in this life9: :4hat do I really want9: :/ow can I attain it9::4hat $eeps me loc$ed into destructive patterns9: :4hat are mypositive points9: etc. )s$ing such uestions out loud can aid yourconcentration when exploring various issues and can also help youdevelop new answers.

elf8E9#re$$ion

)s you as$ yourself guiding uestions, many different thoughts andfeelings are li$ely to pass through your mind. In order tounderstand yourself better, express what you are thin$ing andfeeling out loud. ry to articulate your thoughts and feelings asclearly as you can. #isten carefully to what you are saying. ften weare in conflict within ourselves. )rticulating the different sides of ourpersonalities can help us explore and resolve inner conflicts. 2ive

honest expression to all aspects of yourself, and especially to yourhighest ideals and aspirations. o give continuity to your mental andspiritual growth, it can be helpful to jot down some of the ideas andinsights that come to you in hisbodedus and $eep them in a specialfile.

Crie$ and tear$


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#ittle children naturally cry out in pain and hurt. ou too are allowedto cry out because of your pain and to complain about the thingsthat are troubling you. 7ry to 2od about the pain in your body andin your soul. 7ry out about your fears. 4eep over your deepest hurt

and sorrow. 4eep for yourself. 4eep for your dear ones. 4eep forthe world. 1or many people a cry of pain or an unarticulated sobrising from the depths of the heart can be their first act of outreachto 2od. :4here are ou9 2od, please help me! %lease help!!!:

Than,$

&on"t dwell only on the negative. hin$ about the good things too! If you can see, hear, smell, taste, feel... than$ 2od for it. (xpress yourthan$s out loud. :han$ you, 2od, that I"m breathing, I"m

thin$ing... I may not be well, but I"m alive! I"ve had good times,I"ve done good things...: #ist the good things in your life. 7ountyour blessings and than$ 2od for them. %eople often associateprayer with ma$ing reuests to 2od. But before you start as$ing forwhat you need, first give than$s to 2od for all the gifts andblessings you already enjoy in your life. Ma$e it a habit to spea$ to2od about all the different aspects of your life.

(e+ue$t$

#ist your prayers and reuests. (ven if some of them seemunrealistic, for 2od anything is possible. Ma$e detailed reuests+e.g. :%lease send healing to my arm, my leg, my heart, my lungs,my liver, my $idneys, etc. /elp me wor$ on my lac$ of confidence,low self-esteem, anger, pessimism, etc. /elp me in my relationshipwith so and so. /elp me in that situation at home or at wor$, etc.:%ray for joy and the will to live. )s$ for insight and enlightenment.%ut your dreams and deepest yearnings into words, and as$ 2od tohelp you attain what you want.

0$al%$ and 0ra"er$

If you feel unable to express yourself to 2od or you feel that yourown words are inadeuate, open the 0iddur ;8ewish %rayer Boo$? orthe %salms. hese are rich spiritual treasuries containing prayers ofmany different $inds expressing every mood and need in life. If you


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with words. )rticulate what it is you really want. ry to define theobstacles and difficulties you face. (xpress out loud your variousideas as to how you can overcome your problems. 4hen youexpress your thoughts as clearly as possible, you can begin to see

where your ideas may need further clarification.

4hat is up to you to do and what is up to 2od9 Many things are in2od"s hands alone. )ll you can do is pray about them -- again andagain and again. (ven when it comes to the things that are in yourhands, you should also pray for help and the strength to actually dothem. But when the time for action arrives, it"s entirely up to you.he more you articulate your goals in hisbodedus and brea$ themdown into small, do-able steps, the easier it will be to ta$e that nextstep.

The Ha##ine$$ or,$ho#

he ultimate goal of hisbodedus is to attain happiness! If youpractice hisbodedus regularly, you will soon see changes andimprovements in your life. If you feel more relaxed, more optimisticand positive after a session of hisbodedus, this is the best sign thatyou are doing it right.

But don"t expect release, insight, illumination and joy every time.(ven the most assiduous practitioners of hisbodedus go throughperiods when they feel they are ma$ing little or no progress.&espite all their efforts, they find themselves tense, closed up,spiritually disconnected, frustrated, and unable or even unwilling toopen their mouths and tal$.

his is because hisbodedus is an active endeavor to elevate yourself spiritually. )s soon as you face yourself as you really are and startgrappling with yourself in order to ta$e your life in hand, you will

inevitably encounter powerful resisting forces. 0ome of these forcesmay be within yourself, others in the world around you. ften theresistance may become strongest when you are on the verge of amajor brea$through.

(ven when you really want to tal$ to 2od, there may be times whenyou can thin$ of nothing to say. )t such moments simply say the


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word :2od,: or repeat the phrase, 'ibono 0hel lam, :Master of theniverse.: If you don"t $now who, what or where 2od is, or if youfeel cut off spiritually, cry out+ :4here are ou9: If you can"t spea$,whisper. If you can"t move your lips, say the words inside your

heart.

here may be times when nothing wor$s, no matter what you try.0ometimes things may be very bad. ou may be assailed bynegative thoughts. #ife is full of pain and trouble. 4hen we startexamining ourselves, we may imagine that :nothing is sound fromthe soles of the feet to the top of the head -- only wounds, bruisesand festering sores: ;Isaiah =+E?. 4e may feel that we are facedwith insoluble problems on every side, while inside ourselves all wesee is pain, frustration, anger, grief and contrition.

he essential wor$ of hisbodedus is to dig and search beneath thissurface negativity in order to uncover the redeeming spar$s of goodthat exist everywhere, both in the external situations we face in ourlives and within our own selves.

In the words of 'ebbe 3achman+ :ou must see$ out the good inyourself. Maybe when you start loo$ing at yourself, it seems as ifyou have nothing good in you at all. (ven so, don"t let yourself bediscouraged. 0earch until you find even a tiny modicum of goodwithin yourself. Maybe when you start examining it, you feel it is fullof blemishes. (ven so, how is it possible that it does not containeven the tiniest amount of good9 0earch and search until you findsome small good point in yourself that will give you new vitality andbring you to joy. )nd when you"ve found one good point, carry onsearching until you find another... and then another...

:4hen you search for the positive points and gather them together,each good point becomes a Fnote" in the melody of life. he music

made by all these good points will bring life into your soul, andhealth and healing to your body. hen you will be able to pray andsing and give than$s to 2od!:

:oing it!


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/isbodedus may well turn out to be the single most importantpractice you adopt in order to bring your life to a higher level. 0etregular times for hisbodedus. 4or$ out the best time for youaccording to your schedule. %ractice every day.

0ometimes people feel daunted by the idea of sitting down tomeditate and pray for twenty minutes. If you find it hard to set ahisbodedus session, try it for just five minutes! ry it for even asingle minute! 0pea$ to 2od honestly for one minute! ou"ll find youcan pour out many prayers even in as little as a minute!

)t any time and in any place, you can always ta$e a few momentsfor hisbodedus. It is always possible to snatch a little time to ta$e afew deep breaths, offer some words of prayer, hum an inspiring

melody, etc. ou can do this even while washing dishes, standing inline at a chec$out counter, or waiting to see a doctor, etc.

)s a trial, ta$e ten minutes for your first session of hisbodedus. oucan practice hisbodedus right where you are at this very moment.8ust decide that for the next ten minutes you are going to practicehisbodedus.

0pend the first five minutes sitting uietly, as discussed earlier. oumight focus on your breathing or repeat a guide word such as:0halom!: in order to settle your mind.

)s you become calmer and clearer, you are ready for the second,more active phase of hisbodedus. a$e a few moments to than$ 2odfor the good things in your life. 0ay the words out loud, or in awhisper. :han$ you for my life. han$ you for this. han$ you forthat...:

3ext, use guiding uestions in order to become more aware of your

thoughts and feelings. )s$ yourself, :4hat am I thin$ing9 4hat amI feeling9 4hat is on my mind9 4hat is really troubling me9: )s$these uestions out loud or in a whisper.

3ow start articulating your goals, needs and desires. al$ to 2odand to yourself about how you can attain them. ou could spendfive minutes or more on this active phase of hisbodedus. 4hen you


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are ready to conclude, give than$s again for the good things andaffirm your faith in 2od"s ultimate goodness.

he time is now! %ut this boo$ aside and ma$e a start!

; Care of Your &od"

ou can"t leave all the wor$ of healing your body to your doctors.Most medical treatment focusses on correcting what"s wrongwith the body. But don"t forget what"s right with your body! /owyou eat and ta$e care of yourself in other simple ways can havea vital influence on your general physical functioning. hestronger your system as a whole, the easier it will be for the sic$

parts to heal.

Ideally, healing should start long before the body gets sic$! It"sharder to restore health to a body that has been allowed todeteriorate than to maintain good health when the body isessentially sound. 0ometimes it ta$es a bout of illness or injuryto ma$e people reali*e the importance of ta$ing good care ofthemselves. (ven so, it"s never too late to start ta$ing propercare. Ma$e up your mind to live wisely and sensibly from nowon!

2uarding health is taught in the Bible+ :a$e care of yourself,and guard your soul diligently: ;&euteronomy >+D?. %hysical andspiritual healthcare contribute to each other. 2ood physicalhealth promotes mental and spiritual wellbeing. 7onversely,spiritual wellbeing and a strong sense of mission in life ma$e iteasier to maintain the self-discipline reuired to $eep healthyphysically.

ften you have to sacrifice immediate physical gratification forthe sa$e of long-term benefits. ou have to learn to say no to

your favorite bad foods or other things that are no good for you,even when they"re right in front of you. ou must maintain yourfitness routine even when you don"t feel li$e it.

1ocus your mind on why you want to heal and $eep healthy -- inorder to live your life to the full. he stronger your sense ofmission and commitment to your goals, the more incentive you


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will have to maintain your healthcare program.

onder$ of the -od"

4e are usually so busy going about our lives that we tend tota$e our physical functioning for granted. 4hat is morewonderful than the functioning of the body -- growth, renewal,self-repair, respiration, circulation, digestion, excretion ofwastes, vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, movement,coordination, etc. etc. -- every second, every minute, every dayfor seventy, eighty, a hundred years and more!

a$e a few moments to reflect on the complexity and subtlety ofyour body. he 8ewish practice is to offer a blessing of than$s

over the wonders of the body after relieving oneself+ :Blessedare ou, (ternal, )ll-%owerful 2od, 'uler of the universe, 4hodesigned man with wisdom and created within him manyopenings and many cavities. It is revealed and $nown beforeour 0eat of 2lory that if one of them is ruptured or one of thembloc$ed, it is impossible to survive and stand before ou even fora brief moment. Blessed are ou, 2od, 4ho heals all flesh andacts wondrously.:

Your diet

'egardless of any medications you may be ta$ing, remember+by far the most important medicine you ta$e into your bodyevery day is the regular food you eat. his is what is $eepingyou going! our diet provides the physical building bloc$s of yourbody and the energy it needs to function. Moreover, the food youeat turns into your thoughts and feelings, your moods and yourmental and spiritual states.

(verybody $nows that eating badly is unhealthy for the body. et

many people are uite unaware of the ravaging effects poordietary patterns can have on our mental, emotional and spirituallife as well. Bad foods, or even good foods eaten badly, cancause moodswing, anxiety, negativity, fatigue and depression.

)mong the main villains in our society are excesses of caffeine,sugar, fat and protein, additives, over-refined and processedfoods. It"s not only a matter of what you eat. /ow you space


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your meals through the day and combine different $inds of foodsalso affects your energy cycles and the way you thin$ and feel.

(at to feed your mind, your heart and your soul as well as your

body. (at only the finest, purest, most nourishing foods -- foodsthat are fit to heal you physically and spiritually.

8ust as some foods are good and others bad for the physicalbody, so there are good and bad foods for the mind and soul.his is the basis of the 8ewish dietary code, which excludesimpure and spiritually damaging foods, such as unclean animals,mixtures of meat with mil$, etc. )cuaint yourself with thedetails of the 8ewish dietary code.

How to eat

2ood nutrition is more than a matter of chewing and swallowingyour food and then forgetting all about it. he way you eataffects both the satisfaction you derive from your food and alsothe $ind of energy and vitality it gives you.

4herever possible, try to arrange things so that you can sitdown for your meals in a relaxed state of mind. 1reshen yourself and wash your hands before you eat.

)s you are about to eat, don"t just put the food into your mouthand bite. %ause for a moment. 'eflect on the wonderful way inwhich this specific item of food came into being. hin$ about thesubtle energies in the food and how they will enter your body,turning into your thoughts and feelings and your very life.

ffer your than$s to the 7reator of the food. our words ofblessing before eating are the channel through which your soulreceives the refined spiritual energy contained in the food.

)lways chew your food carefully. 7hewing is the beginning of thedigestive process. %roper chewing ma$es for better assimilationof the nutrients in the food by the body. horough chewing alsobrings greater satisfaction, ma$ing it easier to overcome baddietary habits. )s you chew and taste your food, thin$ abouthow the subtle spiritual energies in the food are being releasedinto your body and soul.


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Many people forget about what they"ve eaten as soon as they"veswallowed it. But long after you"ve finished your meal, your bodycarries on dutifully brea$ing down the food, assimilating thenutrients and distributing them to all the different body par

a call to live

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