Dear Subscribers!

Wow, wow! The response to the post on visual problems was enormous. I hope this information helps a lot of people. If you missed that post, it is now online:

http://ingridnaiman.com/subscription_posts/health_emails/dyslexia.html

The responses exceeded the two most popular posts ever. Those were on the elephants in Thailand that paint and the visual challenge of which direction the dancer was spinning. Add them together and you have the total response to the post on color and vision.

Quite a few subscribers to this list were familiar with the Irlen work or some variation of it. There were details they provided in their emails to me, like images that will not stay still until the right color filter is used. Following a contaminated smallpox vaccine at age 3, I spent years with eye doctors. Unusual child that I was, I totally understood that the doctors were clueless. My parents were too scientific to believe medicine in the 40s and 50s had any limitations so they just dragged me from one specialist to another. I thought I wanted to be an eye doctor when I grew up, but I put the idea aside when I realized the curriculum was going to put me over the top. However, I have always been fascinated by vision and since all the pieces of life eventually fit together, I have recently found myself revisiting some issues and investigations. In short, this has been interesting for me as well.

I ordered a set of color overlays. I found three online sources with prices ranging from more or less $10 to the much more expensive set on the Irlen web site. I tried all the overlays and combinations of them. The conclusion was that a filter makes for less eye strain and hence more peaceful (and enjoyable) reading experiences. I can't honestly say that I saw more clearly, just that perhaps the contrast between print and paper makes the letters stand out better. That is actually major if you read a lot! Since I fool around in graphics programs, I was already well aware that contrast can make an enormous difference, even appearing to increase the white space even though the letters are the same size.

Fire-Water

Some of you wrote questions about fire or water or the liver or detoxification or light or color. So, back to Ayurveda. We have senses associated with the chakras and there are, of course, rarefied senses, like intuition, working through the third eye. Fire is associated with the solar plexus, and it governs everything to do with light, heat, pigmentation, and color as well as the chemicals used in transformation of food to nutrients. Fire is the alchemist so whether we are changing gross substances into more refined matter or changing what is unjust or obsolete to what is fair and modern, fire is needed for these processes as well as the interpretation of light.

Fire is visionary and necessary for creating the future but it accomplishes this by being insightful and perhaps idealistic and a little prophetic so that the next phase of manifestation can become real. However, it is opposed by everything and everyone more traditional and conservative. Simply put, water drowns fire, earth suffocates it, and even air can blow it out if it gets too strong. Fire is the only element that is hot and water is the only one that is moist. Their ability to work cooperatively is what maintains warmth and viscosity.

One can learn a lot about the elements by simple adventures like furniture shopping. A fire type will usually want something ultra modern in design and perhaps with angles that water types find jarring and ugly. A water type will treasure antiques, heirlooms, and not mind a few scratches made by great grandmother when she tripped over the family cat 80-odd years ago. If you can just stand still and laugh, you will immediately realize that it is completely pointless who has better taste because the twain shall not meet.

So, in the antagonism between fire and water to which I referred, water loves the past and history and fire loves the future and even the mystery of the unknown. One has to have a sense of adventure to want to explore the unknown so fire has courage where water has caution. Fire is progressive, water is conservative. Fire gets aroused and this sometimes leads to anger and recklessness. Water becomes sad and tearful and then withdraws. In short, the line of least resistance for each is utterly and absolutely different, but we all have all four elements and they need to be balanced and harmonized so insisting that one way is better than another just makes for more imbalance rather than solutions.

People have written a lot in the last few days about myopia and various other visual problems. Many were relieved to know that their problems, often life-long, have such an easy solution and some people were obviously in tears that they have struggled so long and hard when a filter would have made life so easier! A couple of people found the deeper causes and were no longer dependent on lenses.

Energetics

Let me try to explain a bit more about the energetics. Excess water leads to high blood sugar and excess fire to hypoglycemia. So, sugar is ruled by water and insulin by fire. Sugar is a sedative and too much leads to drowsiness, laziness, and even coma. Too little leads to emaciation and restlessness. Too much water can also result in poor metabolism, meaning there will be an accumulation of fats and sugars and therefore high cholesterol, lipid deposits, congestion, gall stones, fibroids, swelling, fluid retention, glaucoma, cataracts, and probably sensuality because water rules the second chakra. Clamminess, cold hands and feet, incontinence, and a host of other conditions are also due to excess water.

Keep in mind that the number one cause of blindness is diabetes, excess sugar. We could look at all the reasons the incidence has increased but just try to hold the thought that excess water usually means high sugar, more drowsiness, and worse vision. There is always a spectrum, i.e., slightly to the left or right of center or way to the left or right to one or the other extreme end. The extreme end for fire would be beyond far-sightedness into clairvoyance.

Excess water is antidoted by fire. In the food department, this means spices, lots of hot spices. The number one Ayurvedic formula for this is "trikatu" meaning "three peppers" but Banyan Botanicals recently changed the name of their formula to Kapha Digest. It's the same three peppers with a different label. You might say, this is pure dynamite, not very elegant, but it's an antidote to excess water. The spices work on many levels. First, the aroma perks up the appetite and stimulates the flow of saliva and gastric secretions. Then, the heat promotes better digestion, assimilation, and peristalsis. This improvement shortens transit time through the gastrointestinal tract and reduces the risk of yeast infections because food that takes too long to break down through normal digestive processes ferments and causes a host of secondary complications such as candida. So, you see the elegance of this system, but it was revealed as a complete system of medicine not researched and compiled.

Once one understands imbalances, it becomes obvious that removing a body part, such as the gall bladder, because it is congested does nothing to correct the underlying cause which is slow metabolism. The problem of fat metabolism can be easily solved through a combination of higher quality fats and better food preparation, proper food combining, good digestion, seasoning that is appropriate to the one eating the food, and herbs that help to maintain balance.

With fire, the problems are, as one can imagine, absolutely the opposite of those of excess water. Fire is inclined to fevers and to problems with a sudden onset and acute symptoms as opposed to gradual, cumulative, and chronic problems. Fiery types can handle more ice cream and snacks between meals, but because none of the other elements are friendly towards fire, fire tends to get squelched. This means that over time, fire cultivates the habit of not expressing the fire and this results in blockages, especially excess heat trapped in the liver. When fire is expressing, it tends to relieve inside pressure so fire moves in a way that is more natural even if the reactions to the moving fire are not always congenial. Lest you get this wrong, fire can have a wonderful, frolicking, cheerful time with other fiery individuals. In comfortable situations, fire is spontaneous, jovial, and optimistic. In less friendly situations, fire can be competitive or aggressive. Fire can also choose to separate itself from battles not worth fighting but this is not particularly healthy since it usually translates as, "not in agreement but don't want to rock the boat." Fire can always be aroused if the issue matters so even a serious case of ennui can be cured when the right issue is ignited.

Too much fire can cause problems with others or oneself. The issues with others are usually due to their reactions to what fire puts into motion. As such, fire suffers the repercussions of its own deeds. This is where skillful use of fire is important. Find out if there is any potential support for your action or cause before risking an unwelcome reaction. In terms of the "others", what everyone needs to learn is the difference between a reaction and a response. Let's say I have a complaint and I voice it forcefully. Most likely, someone will try to put me in my place, show me door, or, well, you know, you can see all the possible scenarios. However, if able to explain the significance and engage in constructive dialogue, there might be a more favorable response than hands over the ears. This, however, is true for absolutely everyone: reactions are more instinctive and immature whereas responses are less emotionally charged even if not what was wished.

The first objective is to determine whether fire is low or suppressed. If it is low, spices will compensate for deficiency and restore balance. If suppressed, there is a risk of arousing a sleeping dragon so if in doubt, the one dietary/herbal strategy that is safe for both fire and water is use of bitters. Just as food is sour because of acids, the bitter taste comes from alkaloids. These are much higher in herbs than in most foods. The reason is simple. Foods are intended to be nourishing so they are mainly sweet even if the presence of different flavors makes for a fairly wide range of taste sensations. Most people have a limit when it comes to how many bitter foods they want to consume. For instance, take a salad. It's mostly lettuce but you might use some radicchio or dandelion leaves but a salad of only radicchios would curl the eyelids. This might be why most of us get our bitters out of an eye dropper or in pill form. Since most toxins are acidic, it's easy to understand that alkaloids, in moderation, are detoxifying. Anything carried to an extreme is ill-advised.

Bitters have a fine molecular structure so they penetrate where other nutrients cannot move properly and this opens up blocked passageways. My guess is that consistent and steady use of the right formula will remove all debris, including what blocks arteries and even blood flow to the brain and eyes. This is why detoxification appears to enhance alertness, clarity, and energy levels. . . to a point. Beyond the optimum point, bitters are emaciating and debilitating.

The mother lode of all bitters in Madagascar periwinkle, the herb used in vincristine and vinblastine. In the Caribbean, people make a tea for diabetes out of the leaves, but in India, they use gymnema or even holy basil. Most people don't need to access the mother lode to experience improvement, they just need to get things moving the right direction and once balanced, adjust the protocol so as to stay in balance.

Some people ask me to write more without knowing how much is already posted online. There is a heap of material on detoxification on these pages:

http://www.cancerchecklist.com/purification/purification_index.html

http://www.kitchendoctor.com/midlife_tuneup/colon_cleanse.php

The herbs are available here:

http://www.ayurvedicbazaar.com/detoxification.php

http://bioethikainternational.com/shop_herbs/detoxification.php

I formulated an eye tonic a few months ago and have been trying it on myself and with a few friends. It is very hot, but it seems to do exactly what I intended in terms of balancing the water element which might have accumulated over the exceptionally cold winter.

Now, on another note, many of you have asked me to forward information about sending hair and fur for use in cleaning up the spill. There is plenty of information online for those who wish to do this, but my personal choice was to promote global intention to create the highest good, not to use our minds to decide what that is. What I have seen, and I admit that I was looking for evidence that this would work, is that huge organizations picked up on the same thought and really energized it. Countless stories of free alternative energy have been published but the most interesting one might be this:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100510151356.htm

We know about air and water cars, solar, zero gravity, etc., but quantum entanglement is totally fascinating.

This said, lots of people are functioning with their limited minds so we see countless proposals about increasing the hoops for drilling permits, investors suing executives for failure to use proper safety methods, legislative proposals to increase funding for clean up, removing the obstacles to green energy, and so on and so forth. My intention is to continue praying for the highest good and suspend judgment about what this might mean.

Finally, another glimmer of hope and call for action:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-free-speech-about-science-act.html

Speaking for myself, I would love to be able to tell you exactly what herbs really do without fear of consequences. Obviously, I would also like to be able to decide for myself what my body needs in order to thrive!

Blessings,

Ingrid

Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2010

Introduction to the Dhatus
Essay #1 || Essay #2 || Essay #3 || Root Chakra
Chyawanprash || Ayurvedic Herb Import
Hair Color || Energetics Behind Vision || Air-Water Balance

Dosha Balance Questionnaire || Articles on Ayurveda || The Ayurvedic Bazaar

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