THE ESSENE SCIENCE OF FASTING
GUIDE TO REGENERATION IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
by EDMOND BORDEAUX SZEKELY

Years ago I discovered "The Essene Gospel of Peace" by Edmond
Bordeaux Szekely, which, he reports, is taken from a manuscript,
which can be found both in the Library of the Hapsburgs and in the
Vatican Library. I tried to verify the authenticity of these texts. I
never coiuld locate the Library of the Hapsburgs. The Library of the
Vatican contended there was no such mss. in existence, and Szekely's
wife contends the Vatican is lying.

I am familiar with the Dead Sea Scrolls, and wondered why a photo of
them was placed on the cover page to this entirely different text.
All one can conclude, as usual, is that the important thing is if the
information contained in the book is true or not. My guess is that it
is a forgery from Szekely's own fertile mind. Nevertheless, the
information is good, but these are probably not the teachings of
Jesus. Jesus might say: "I never wrote this, but I wish I had."

We must recall that, in the confirmed Gospels of Jesus, such as the
Holy Bible and the Nag Hammadi Gospels of Thomas ans Philip, Jesus is
a teacher and master of Hermetic Science, which is never mentioned in
the Gospel of Peace, except for the general allusions to fasting and
a "Father-Mother God", which is also mentioned in "The Aquarian
Gospel", another wonderful spiritual guide whose authenticity cannot
be confirmed, since it, like the Book of Mormon, was given to the
mind of a prophet by direct revelation, and has no original text
gathering dust in some museum.

The Essene Gospel, The Aquarian Gospel, the Book of Mormon, and the
Nag Hammadi Library can all be found on your computer's search
engine. When I consider this present generation of humans, I can only
marvel at the willful and wanton wasted chances for Salvation from
Suffering. I was teaching Urine Tantra before anyone around ever
heard anything about Urine Therapy. But, lamentably, the rest of you
cannot accept the Truth, even if you are "spoon-fed the Knowledge
from a silver platter" as it were - even if "the precious words are
as plain and simple as can possibly be written", as the Book of
Mormon prophesies.

Even though my life is probably more dangerous than yours, I wouldn't
trade it for all the sundrae slops that filthy lucre and ill-gotten
gain from whorehouse lies can buy. Each of us must now play the parts
we have chosen in prophesied events. A few are saints and the rest
are not. What are you, and what will be the fate you have chosen for
yourself? No one is forcing you to do the wrong thing, so what is
your excuse for boycotting us? What is the matter with you? Jai Om. -
Sw. Tantrasangha

CONTENTS
Foreword
Fasting & Sobriety According to The Essene Gospel of Peace 7
Part One
THE ESSENE SCIENCE OF FASTING
Introduction 12
How to Fast 12
Is the Enema Unnatural? 17
Essential Points and Warnings 19
The Drinking of Water 24
Fasting and Longevity 26
Long Fasts 27
Conclusion 30

I Fasting

Renew yourselves and fast. For I tell you truly, that Satan and his
plagues may only be cast out by fasting and by prayer. Go by yourself
and fast alone, and show your fasting to no man. The living God shall
see it and great shall be your reward. And fast till all evils depart
from you, and all the angels of our Earthly Mother come and serve
you. For I tell you truly, except you fast, you shall never be freed
from the power of Satan and from all diseases that come from Satan.
Fast and pray fervently, seeking the power of the living God for your
healing. While you fast, eschew the Sons of Men and seek our Earthly
Mother's angels, for he that seeks shall find.

The angels of air and of water and of sunlight are brethren. They
were given to the Son of Man that they might serve him, and that he
might go always from one to the other. Holy, likewise, is their
embrace. They are indivisible children of the Earthly Mother, so do
not you put asunder those whom earth and heaven have made one. Let
these three brother angels enfold you every day and let them abide
with you through all your fasting.

And it was by the bed of a stream, many sick fasted and prayed with
God's angels for seven days and seven nights. And great was their
reward, because they followed Jesus' words. And with the passing of
the seventh day, all their sickness left them.

II Sobriety

So eat always from the table of God: the fruits of the trees, the
grain and grasses of the field, the milk of beasts, and the honey of
bees. For everything beyond these is of Satan, and leads by the way
of sins and of diseases unto death. But the foods which you eat from
the abundant table of God give strength and youth to your body, and
you will never see disease. For the table of God fed Methuselah of
old, and I tell you truly, if you live even as he lived, then will
the God of the living give you also long life upon the earth as was
his.

For I tell you truly, the God of the living is richer than all the
rich of the earth, and his abundant table is richer than the richest
table of feasting of all the rich upon the earth. Eat, therefore, all
your life at the table of our Earthly Mother, and you will never see
want. And when you eat at her table, eat all things even as they are
found on the table of the Earthly Mother.

Take heed, therefore, and defile not with all kinds of abominations
the temple of your bodies. Be content with two or three sorts of
food, which you will find always upon the table of our Earthly
Mother. And desire not to devour all things which you see round about
you. For I tell you truly, if you mix together all sorts of food in
your body, then the peace of your body will cease, and endless war
will rage in you.

And when you eat, never eat unto fullness. Flee the temptations of
Satan, and listen to the voice of God's angels. For Satan and his
power tempt you always to eat more and more. But live by the spirit,
and resist the desires of the body. And your fasting is always
pleasing in the eyes of the angels of God. So give heed to how much
you have eaten when you are sated, and eat always less by a third.

Let the weight of your daily food be not less than a mina, but mark
that it go not beyond two. Then will the angels of God serve you
always, and you will never fall into the bondage of Satan and of his
diseases. Trouble not the work of the angels in your body by eating
often. For I tell you truly, he who eats more than twice in the day
does in him the work of Satan. And the angels of God leave his body,
and soon Satan will take possession of it. Eat only when the sun is
highest in the heavens, and again when it is set. And you will never
see disease, for such finds favor in the eyes of the Lord.

From the coming of the month of Ijar, eat barley; from the month of
Sivan, eat wheat, the most perfect among all seed-bearing herbs. And
let your daily bread be made of wheat, that the Lord may take care of
your bodies. From Tammuz, eat the sour grape, that your body may
diminish, and that Satan may depart from it. In the month of Elul,
gather the grape that the juice may serve you as drink. In the month
of Marchesvan, gather the sweet grape, sweetened and dried by the
angel of sunshine, that it may increase your bodies, for the angels
of the Lord dwell in them. You should eat figs rich in juice in the
months of Ab and Shebat, and what remain, let the angel of sunshine
keep them for you. Eat them with the meat of almonds in all the
months when the trees bear no fruits. And the herbs which come after
rain, these eat in the month of Thebet, that your blood may be
cleansed of all your sins. And in the same month begin to eat also
the milk of your beasts, because for th is did the Lord give the
herbs of the fields to all the beasts which render milk, that they
might with their milk feed man. For I tell you truly, happy are they
that eat only at the table of God, and eschew all the abominations of
Satan. Eat not unclean foods brought from far countries, but eat
always that which your trees bear. For your God knows well what is
needful for you, and where and when. And he gives to all peoples of
all kingdoms for food that which is best for each. Eat not as the
heathen do, who stuff themselves in haste, defiling their bodies with
all manner of abominations.

For the power of God's angels enters into you with the living food
which the Lord gives you from his 'royal table.

And chew well your food with your teeth, that it become water, and
that the angel of water turn it into blood in your body. And eat
slowly, as it were a prayer you make to the Lord. For I tell you
truly, the power of God enters into you, if you eat after this manner
at his table. For the table of the Lord is as an altar, and he who
eats at the table of God, is in a temple. For I tell you truly, the
body of the Sons of Man is turned into a temple, and their inwards
into an altar, if they do the commandments of God. Wherefore, put
naught upon the altar of the Lord when your spirit is vexed, neither
think upon any one with anger in the temple of God. And enter only
into the Lord's sanctuary when you feel in yourselves the call of his
angels, for all that you eat in sorrow, or in anger, or without
desire, becomes a poison in your body. For the breath of Satan
defiles all these. Place with joy your offerings upon the altar of
your body, and let all evil thoughts depart from you when you receive
into your body the power of God from his table.

Rejoice, therefore, always with God's angels at their royal table,
for this is pleasing to the heart of the Lord; and your life will be
long upon the earth, for the most precious of the servants of God
will serve you all your days: the Angel of joy.

(These are excerpts from The Essene Gospel of Peace, Book One)

Part One: The Essene Science of Fasting

INTRODUCTION

Fasting is the most ancient therapy of humanity. Even our forefathers
observed that after some days of fasting, a recrudescence of vitality
and vigor shows itself in the organism. Nature turns it to account
for the purpose of accelerating the functions of elimination, while
the marvelous economy of the organism profits by the rest afforded to
the digestive functions and by the vital machine's slackened activity
resulting from the fast to cast off the impurities of the organism by
every channel. In sickness, nature seeks to eliminate, then to
eliminate more, and again more, until the choked-up ducts which are
the vehicles of vitality and energy are made free and good health is
re-established. And it is only when elimination is complete and all
the embarrassing waste products of the organism have been evacuated,
that hunger, exquisite and natural, appears.

On several occasions enthusiasts have embarked on a fast without
having studied the question sufficiently or without having accurate
ideas on the physiology of the body. They have injured the idea of
therapy through fasting in the minds of people by incorrect
application of an excellent method.

There are some kinds of fasts which must be wholly condemned:
irrational fasts, fasts without preparation, fasts of long duration
without an experienced guide, and fasts which are only inspired by
the wish to follow a system momentarily in vogue.

The purpose of this book is to give a dialectical guide to all who
want to profit by this most ancient therapy of mankind, without
making mistakes in its application.

HOW TO FAST

In general, official medicine looks on fasting as a bad and even
dangerous thing for the human organism and regards it as the
equivalent of starvation. There is some truth in the official
viewpoint, but we cannot accept it in its totality, for as it stands
it is extreme. At the other end of the pole, certain naturist systems
consider fasting to be the high spot of therapeutics and as the best
method of cure. I know some very good and reputable naturopaths who
make all their patients fast, and who say that by fasting every
disease is curable. This concept has a great deal of truth in it, but
we must reject it also as extreme. it is true that very often fasting
produces excellent results, but there are many cases when a fast,
particularly a long fast, may result in accidents and even in
disaster. We must therefore examine carefully the problem of fasting
from the point of view of physiology.

What happens in the organism during a fast? We know that a great part
of the energy of the organism is absorbed by the work of digestion.
When we do not introduce food into the organism, then those forces of
the organism which are generally absorbed by the work of digestion
are freed. And the forces of the organism which are usually paralyzed
by the struggle against waste products introduced into the system,
and occupied with the elimination of superfluities and fermentations
provoked by an irrational diet, are liberated by the rest which
fasting secures.

The organism begins to feed upon its own reserves and the liberated
forces begin to eliminate various old local accumulations and
deposits of waste products, which the organism when occupied with the
daily influx of superfluities has neither the energy nor the time to
do. During a fast this eliminative process goes on with accentuated
intensity. In view of all these useful physiological processes
provoked by a fast, we can consider fasting as an excellent
therapeutic method. Both from the point of view of the intensity of
the metabolic processes which it occasions and from that of the
results which it obtains, I do not know of any therapeutic method
which can be so effective as the fast.

It is sad, but none the less true, that generally we eat very much
more than is necessary for the organism as regards both quantity and
quality. Fasting is a good counterbalancing factor against the
various alimentary excesses which by our unnatural mode of life we
accumulate in the organism. As a general rule more people die of
overeating than from malnutrition. And even where the excess food
material does not consist of toxic disease-forming material, there
is, at the least, a great mass of starchy and fatty substance
deposited in the body. Fasting is a radical cure which
counterbalances the evil effects of overeating and unwise choice of
food. If people were to feed upon a healthy diet and not to overeat,
then I should not advise fasting as a therapeutic method, as it would
be unnecessary. But since people do, fasting is a very valuable
therapy. The value of fasting must always depend on the concrete
case. The value and significance of the fast are relative. Those
naturopaths wh o advocate fasting are right for the reason that
people are over-nourished. But if they would eat exactly the right
diet in quality and quantity, then these naturopaths would no longer
be right. The value and significance of fasting thus depends on
present habits of eating.

In the future, when man has a healthy diet in both quantity and
quality, we shall perhaps no longer be able to say the same of the
value of the fast. But fasting is truly very valuable in cases of
overeating and in the case of disease caused by over-nourishment.

Now let us consider how to fast. We must pay attention to certain
factors which limit both the duration of the fast and its intensity.

First, we will deal with the question of the duration of the fast.
When we fast, there are two chief parallel physiological processes
going on in the organism. First, there is the dissolution and
elimination of the excesses and superfluities of the organism, and
secondly there is the exhaustion of the vital cells and reserves of
the organism. These are two parallel processes. The most interesting
thing in the physiology of the fast is that the organism first
eliminates those parts of the organism which are unhealthy, and only
when unhealthy tissues have disappeared, does it begin to consume
healthy cells and tissues. This fundamental physiological law of
fasting gives us the essential rule to be observed in the fast. We
must only fast up to the moment when the elimination of accumulated
waste products and diseased cells is complete. We must always stop
the fast at this point, before the organism starts to exhaust its
healthy cells and tissues, which are necessary for the vital func
tioning of the organism.

Those who exaggerate in fasting often go beyond this stage in the
fast, with the result that progressive starvation and even death may
ensue. This extremism is unfortunate, for it only brings prejudice
against a method of cure which is really very sound. The number of
enemies of fasting is unnecessarily increased.

There are also certain derivative rules which change with the
individual case. Sometimes an organism is too intoxicated, and the
dissolution and stirring up of waste products creates too strong and
intensive an elimination. if this happens, the various excretive and
eliminative organs cannot keep up with the accelerated rhythm of
elimination, and it may happen that this very heightened elimination
will exercise such an intensive chemical fermentative influence upon
the organism that it can paralyze the activity of various important
organs and so cause very serious irregularities and even death.
Therefore a fast may be justified from one point of view, but not
from another. The result of the over-intoxication of the organism may
be that the manifested chemical energy of the latent toxins overcomes
the power of resistance of the internal organs. In these cases, it is
highly recommended, before undertaking a fast, to follow for a few
months a well balanced, purifying and detoxifying d iet, such as
outlined in The Essene Science of Life.* This is the second chief
rule of fasting.

*by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, available from the International
Biogenic Society.

The first law, as was mentioned above, is the quantitative law that
the duration of the fast should depend on the quantity of unhealthy
cells and tissues present in the organism, while the second law of
fasting is the qualitative law which says that the intensity of the
elimination should depend on the force of the latent chemical
energies of the accumulated harmful waste products present in the
organism.

if we examine those cases where fasting has resulted in accident or
death, we shall find that they have invariably occurred from non-
observance of these two fundamental laws of fasting.

The manner in which one fasts is also very important. I have seen
individuals who have fasted remaining shut up in a room. This is not
at all an optimal way of fasting. When the organism fasts, it does
not receive its customary source of energy from the body, so it is
necessary to utilize other sources of energy: deep inhalations of sun-
irradiated air, which refresh the nerves, pulmonary cells and
circulation of the blood. A large amount of oxygen introduced into
the organism aids the oxidation of harmful waste products and
increases the eliminative capacity of the lungs, thus preventing
possible local accumulations of gas.

Similarly, frequent washing of the skin also increases the capacity
for respiration of the epidermis. When there is a large amount of
oxygen flowing through the skin, this has the same effect as oxygen
inhaled through the lungs. And various noxious substances are
likewise removed through the skin. The internal dynamic forces of the
fast and the chemical and metabolic energies released by it drive
from within to without the various superfluous and unfavorable
substances of the organism. These all flow in the direction of the
skin. if, during a fast, we wash the skin two, three or even four
times a day, we shall always find that the color of the water is much
darker than when we are not fasting.

The external washing of the skin also has a refreshing influence on
the organism. Sun-baths alternated with water-baths also very greatly
help the process of elimination. The sun's rays have a bactericidal
and fermenticidal influence. Its chemical rays traverse the whole
organism and, passing through the cells, greatly help the process of
elimination. The rays of the sun, provided they are used always in
moderation, also represent a source of thermic energy for the
organism, which replaces the warmth generally supplied by food. It is
very pleasant for the organism to have the sun as a source of warmth,
for generally during a fast the person fasting is more inclined to
feel the cold.

IS THE ENEMA NATURAL?

Another application during the fast is the washing of the intestines.
The question of the enema is a cause of great disputes among
naturists and naturopaths. There are those who say that the enema is
an entirely unnatural thing. They say that animals living in a state
of nature never have such a tliing. They also hold that enemas remove
certain mucus material from the lining of the intestines and for this
reason, too, they disapprove of them. To them I would answer: Is the
consumption of refined and processed foods, laden with chemical
additives and preservatives, a natural thing? Have we ever seen wild
animals eating cooked food, or white sugar and white flour? We have
not. It is natural, therefore, that they should not require enemas.
Nor would human beings need them if we were to live naturally. But if
we have introduced unnatural things into our bodies, then we have to
eliminate them. One unnatural custom breeds another.

During a fast, a great quantity of harmful waste products and other
superfluous substances enter the intestines and accumulate there. if
they are not eliminated, these substances can create an intense
fermentation which can exercise such a local pressure on particular
organs and general pressure on the nervous system as to give rise to
dangerous consequences, having regard to the general weakness of the
organism during a fast.

If we take an enema during a fast, we cannot fail to remark the dense
color of the liquid discharged, its contents and smell, from which it
is easy to see that it would be less advantageous to leave such
material in the intestines than to remove it with the help of a
little plain water. If we do not take an enema, all this matter is
left in the intestines, with the result that the organism must make a
great effort to eliminate all these substances by the usual channels
of excretion. This unduly taxes the strength of the organism and also
immensely extends the duration of the fast. The longer such
substances remain in the organism, the slower the metabolism becomes,
and no complete elimination of additional poisons is possible for
some time. But as soon as we eliminate them by the enema, then the
internal forces of the fast immediately produce new eliminatory
secretions. The enema may be repeated to advantage every day of the
fast.

In view of our unnatural habits, I do not consider an enema at all
unnatural. Fasting itself is not natural, for nourishment is a
natural process and its suppression is not. But when we have been
unnatural in our eating, then we must counterbalance and repair it by
other unnatural applications, by fasting and enemas. Whether a thing
is natural or unnatural is relative. If we did not have an unnatural
diet, resulting in excess, superfluous matter clogging the organism,
then fasting and enemas would both be unnatural. But since there is
superfluous matter accumulated in the organism, then fasting and
enemas must be regarded as necessary and even natural processes, for
we must help nature get rid of the harmful waste products in the
organism. Elimination is a natural proccss which we must always help.
Of course we do not see animals in the forest fasting and taking
enemas, but neither do they deviate from the laws of nature regarding
their diet. For the completely denatured individual living in our
present artificial civilization, an enema as an adjunct to successful
fasting is a very necessary thing.

The effect of having an unnatural diet for some years is that the
intestines are full of unwholesome matter and inferior fermentations.
In such an environment, a large number of parasites, both visible and
invisible, multiply constantly. in most cases, evacuation of the
bowels is not regular or normal and the waste matter is never
entirely discharged from the intestines. It is for this reason,
particularly in the large intestines, but in the others as well, that
inferior stratified layers are formed.

The nutritive juices are absorbed into the organism through the inner
surface of the intestines and consequently they always reach the
blood infected with this fermented liquid in the intestines. As a
result, all the juices of our cellular life are infected in turn and
this condition increases our liability to disease.

The microbes of the inferior fermentations multiply by division, and
though they are due to a previous flesh diet, they and all their
parasites continue to thrive even in the contents of the intestines
derived from a vegetarian diet and may remain for several years. They
can therefore form the permanent precondition of contagious diseases.

For all these reasons, the enema is necessary at the beginning of our
new life. After the fermentations, former parasites and harmful waste
products have been eliminated, the intestinal system will regain its
vitality and elasticity, particularly if, at the same time as we
adopt the new natural diet, we begin the renewal of the body. if we
do, normal absorption of the nutritive juices is a certainty. Where
reform of life follows on an unnatural diet extending over dozens of
years, the intestines should be washed out every day for a week. At
the beginning of a fast, the enema may be taken morning or evening,
but not less than eight hours after the last meal. After only a few
days there will be an improvement in the complexion, indicating the
cleansing process within.

ESSENTIAL POINTS AND WARNINGS

The next question is how to know when it is time to end the fast and
also what food to eat before and after it. in order to give the
answer to both these questions we must examine a little the
physiology of fasting. During the first and second days of a fast we
have a very good appetite, which makes fasting somewhat difficult,
but usually on about the third day the appetite disappears and a
white layer forms on the tongue. Nature is closing the road to foods.
When the organism has eliminated all the superfluous substances then
the white layer on the tongue disappears and a natural appetite
returns. This event indicates the end of the fast. It means that we
must start eating again. This is the symptom which marks the time
when we should end the fast, but naturally this is only a general
rule. There are certain special exceptions to it. In case of great
weakness of the organism the fast must sometimes be interrupted
earlier on. We must also suspend the fast in the case where the
liberated chemical energy of the accumulated toxins necessitates a
slackening of the elimination.

We must make certain preparations for the fast. A person eating all
the usual "civilized" foods, including meat and other toxic
substances, would, if he were to start a fast after such a meal,
experience alarming symptoms. He would have intestinal gas, strong
intestinal and gastric fermentations and other discomforts. in such a
case the sudden commencement of a fast can cause severe
irregularities and dangers. it would therefore be advisable to follow
a wholesome, natural diet for a few months (as previously mentioned),
and then begin the fast only after two or three days upon an
exclusive diet of fresh juicy fruit. Nature does not like sudden
changes, so between the customary digestive pattern of the stomach
and the strong elimination occasioned by fasting, we should
interpolate a transitional period of moderate elimination. in this
way, alarming symptoms at the beginning of a fast can be avoided. Yet
these will only be postponed, for it is very rare to be able to fast
for many da ys without having symptoms, which are the punishment for
our past sins. Through them we pay our debts we owe to nature. The
person fasting may experience periodic dizziness, and strange black
objects may appear in front of the eyes. He may feel extremely weak,
or cold, or irritable, or even lose consciousness for a few seconds.
Such symptoms very often accompany fasting.

What is the explanation of these phenomena? During a fast the most
important role is played by the circulation of the blood. The
circulating blood dissolves old accumulations in various parts of the
body and in the skin. Its circulation becomes saturated with these
chemical accumulations, which from time to time are carried by the
blood through certain nerves, thereby occasioning these sensations of
blackness, irritability, depression, or momentary loss of
consciousness. There is no need to be afraid of these things, for
they come and go.

Another symptom during a fast is a change in the color and texture of
the urine: it becomes denser and undergoes strange permutations of
color, turning yellow, red and sometimes green. And if the urine is
left standing for a day, considerable deposits will be found at the
bottom of the bottle. This shows the effect of fasting, providing
proof that the organism requires a fast, and that elimination is
going on within the organism. Similar accumulations form on the
lining of the intestines and also on the surface of the skin, for
which reason washing of the skin and of the intestines is
recommended. Also, the breath has a bad smell, as there is a
considerable elimination of various gases through the lungs. The
salivary glands also take part in this elimination, and the person
fasting feels compelled to spit. The saliva itself contains
eliminative matter. The economy of the human organism does not desire
that this should remain within, so it impels the patient to spit it
out. All thin gs considered, fasting is not exactly pleasant, but it
is extremely useful and necessary, and the temporary inconvenience is
more than compensated for by the anticipation of future vibrant
health and well-being.

Those who undertake a fast should withdraw into a natural environment
and fast in the open air, with sunshine in moderation and plenty of
shade. They should get away from the temptations of the outer world,
for the sake of both themselves and those around them. it is better
to go away and fast by oneself, in order to avoid tempting foods,
well-meaning interference, etc., which may cause one to break the
fast. "When you are all alone, you are all your own," said Leonardo
da Vinci. one should seek the company of fresh air, water and
sunshine (in moderation), reading the various volumes of The Essene
Gospel of Peace,* in order to be psychologically and spiritually
fortified. A fast is an excellent time to open oneself up to the
absorption of new sources of energy, harmony and knowledge.

How should the fast be ended? it should end much as it began, but
instead of taking juicy fruits for the first meal, simply a glassful
of fresh fruit juice eaten with a small teaspoon should be taken.
This should be thoroughly mixed with the saliva. The interruption or
termination of a fast with meat or even any concentrated or
nourishing food can have catastrophic results. It is most important
to end the fast with fresh fruit juice, preferably from fruit which
is organically grown and ripened in the sun. Such fruit contains the
most superior water, rich in organic mineral salts, vitamins, enzymes
and the accumulated energies of the sun. After two or three hours,
one can take a second glass of juice, and so on. The following day,
in addition to the fruit juice, one can add some fresh fruit, and a
tender, vegetable salad, composed of ripe, juicy vegetables in
season, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, in small amounts and chewed
extremely well. it cannot be emphasized strongly e nough that all the
food taken immediately after the fast must be eaten in very small
amounts, must be chewed and mixed with the saliva thoroughly, and
must, above all, be fresh and raw. Following this pattern, gradually
one can eat more nutritive foods until normal weight is reached. It
is hoped that one might never return to pre-fast eating habits, but
follow instead a diet of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, whole
grains, nuts, seeds, sprouts, fresh raw milk and eggs (these last
only if available pure and fresh), and so keep the organism healthy.*

*Translated by the author, available from the International Biogenic
Society.

After fasting, the human organism is like a dry sponge; it has a more
intensive capacity for absorption than at other times. It is,
therefore, most important to pay great attention to what is eaten in
the first days and weeks succeeding the fast. During the fast, the
organism will have lost much superfluous weight. Afterwards it
reconstructs, and the person who has been fasting will gain weight
very rapidly. The organism absorbs everything for use in the
reconstruction of new cells. if, therefore, unhealthy foods are eaten
after fasting, the organism will be built of unwholesome material,
and much of the benefit of the fast will be lost. On the other hand,
if the organism is reconstructed after the fast with wholesome
materials, then the new cells will be of the finest quality. In the
few weeks succeeding a fast, raw foods rich in vitamins and enzymes
should be eaten in preference to cooked, for in that way the organism
can construct new cells more perfectly. Once the natural weigh t has
been regained, then one can begin to eat in moderation the various
cooked foods which one is accustomed to. I do not generally advise
eating cooked foods at all. I am in favor of a raw diet. Those who
read my numerous books on health and nutrition will realize the
superiority of raw foods, containing all the valuable enzymes, plant
hormones, vitamins and other imponderables. But those who are not in
the habit of following a raw diet, and who do not have the will power
to adhere to a completely raw regime, should at least do so during
the week after the fast, i'n order that the reconstruction of the
organism may be completed in the best possible way. After that, the
disadvantage of eating cooked foods is less, for once the cells of
the organism have been reconstructed, it can more easily eliminate
the superfluous by-products of cooked foods. In later weeks, the
organism is not using everything for reconstruction, but at the end
of the fast it utilizes everything, absorbing like a dry sponge. This
is why the new cells should be constructed with only the finest
building materials from nature's table of wholesome raw foods.

*See The Chemistry of Youth, by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, available
from the International Biogenic Society

The same foods have a very different effect upon the body before and
after fasting. Before a fast, the organism uses a very small part of
the food ingested and eliminates the major part, without much
increase in weight generally taking place. But after a fast, a meal
of juicy fruit will increase considerably the weight of the body. The
organism has quite a different capacity for absorption before and
after fasting. This increased absorptive capacity continues for some
days.

Fasting is good for those who are healthy, provided it is not
exaggerated. Extremes of temperature should be avoided. it is not
advisable to fast in cold weather, for then it is necessary to stay
in a warm room, which lacks fresh air. On the other hand, when it is
very hot, excessive thirst is provoked in the organism and that, too,
is not very agreeable for the person fasting. A pleasant temperature,
neither too hot nor too cold, is best.

THE DRINKING OF WATER

There is another very interesting problems. Should one drink water
during a fast, or not? This is another great point of dispute amongst
naturists. There are those who advise so-called "dry fasts," during
which nothing is drunk at all, while others give the patient as much
as several gallons of water a day. Without knowledge of the
individual case, both extremes can be bad. A little water during the
fast is very good, for it helps the dissolution of the accumulated
toxins and cleanses the internal parts of the organism; but too much
can be a mistake.

Those opposed to water drinking say that fasting provokes increased
oxidation in the organism, with a resulting consumption of harmful
waste products, and that drinking, as it were, puts out the fire.
There are arguments for and against this view. Every problem has two
sides.

The answer in every case depends on common sense and the particular
individual. There are organisms which have an excess of liquid, and
in such cases it would be folly to give more liquid during the fast,
for the organism has sufficient work to do to get rid of its own
liquid. Excess of water during a fast does indeed suppress the
process of oxidation in the organism and gives it superfluous work to
do. The organism is thereby prevented from using up its own
accumulated liquid, which in the majority of cases is not at all a
vital or wholesome liquid. in these cases, the effect of the fast is
greater if no drinks are taken. The drying-up of the organism in
these cases is very useful, for the excess liquid derives from
overeating of highly concentrated foods. It is good to replace this
surplus liquid of inferior quality with the fresh fruit juice taken
after the fast. On the other hand, there are persons with
comparatively dry organisms, and in these cases it is quite a good
thing to help the organism with a little water. These cases can be
allowed about four glasses of water a day, but not the gallons of
water prescribed by certain naturopaths. When a small amount of water
is permissible, it is important that it be pure, fresh and
unchlorinated.

I have often observed a very great regeneration effected in the
organisms of quite old people by proper fasting. Various symptoms
occur. For instance, the color of the hair may change, becoming
darker, while in the case of baldness, new hair may grow. Often in
certain cases teeth are renewed. A good fast, properly commenced and
properly terminated, followed by a proper reconstruction of the
organism with superior new material (fresh, raw fruits and
vegetables, whole grains, sprouts, etc.) often effects almost
miraculous changes in the organism. I have observed this in a great
number of cases of the almost 124,000 patients I treated during a
third of a century of "The Great Experiment"* at the Essene School of
Life at Rancho La Puerta, applying the Essene Biogenic principles of
nutrition and fasting, without any adverse effect or accident.

*See Search 'for the Ageless, Volume Two: 7he Great Experiment, by
Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, available from the International Biogenic
Society.


The person who fasts does not rely on doctors nor on drugs for a
cure; he undertakes his own healing, relying on the powers latent in
his own body, having complete faith in the laws of nature. Thus a
fast may prove to be not only an ancient and time-tested method of
healing, but also a bridge to greater awareness and self-knowledge.

FASTING AND LONGEVITY

Saint Paul, the anchorite, who died at the age of 113 years, ate only
dates and drank nothing but water. Saint Anthony died at the age of
105 and was content to live on bread, water and a few herbs for
ninety years.

We may also refer to the cases of Calcas, from Peru, who died in 1761
at the age of 140; of Pari, from Chile, whom Alexander Humboldt
relates having seen at the age of 143; of Louise Truxo, who died in
1780 at the age of 175; of Joss Moreira and Sabina of Lemos, both of
Brazil, who died at the age of 115, in 1869 and 1872, respectively.

In our present day we have the remarkable example of the Georgian
peasants of the Caucasus, a great many of whom have reached the age
of 120 years in splendid health.

All the examples of long living, such as Thomas Carn and Jenkins,
instinctively followed the laws of nature. They did not eat cooked
foods at all, they ate very little, and their foods were simple and
wholesome. In their rare falls from grace, their constant
abstemiousness made their organisms immune and able to resist and
eliminate inferior processes. The results they obtained were not in
consequence of a knowledge of the laws of nature; they only partially
followed the law according to the promptings of their organisms.
Sobriety became their habit. Because they died only through accident,
their age at the time of death was not the extreme limit of their
possibilities, as Thomas Carn, for instance, lived to be 207. The
Countess Desmond Catherine lived to the age of 145; she ate
practically nothing but fruit, led a simple life, and kept her beauty
till the last years of her life, according to Sir Walter Raleigh's
History of the World. Of the books on longevity the most inter esting
works are Macrobiotics of Hufeland, and L'Almanac de la Vieillesse et
des Centenaires ou Dur6e de la Vie Humaine, jusqu'd cent ans et au
dela, d6montr6 par des exemples sans nombres, tant anciens que
modernes, by Augustin, Marie Lottin, Paris, 1761 to 1772 (12 vols.
each of 460 pages). it is liere we find the biography of Jenkins who
was born in Yorkshire in 1500 and died in 1670 at Bolton. At a very
advanced age he was in excellent physical condition. His two sons
both lived to be over a hundred. His life was of the simplest. He
never ate in the morning, he always lunched between one and two
o'clock on milk or butter with honey and fruit. In the evening he had
only milk or fruit for supper, and once in a great while cooked corn
meal with the milk. He drank river water, he was very abstemious, and
he fasted on several occasions.

All the long-livers were vegetarians, eating very little and only
once or at the most twice a day. Thomas Carn lived in the same way as
Jenkins and exceeded even his age. His diet was milk products, bread
and fruits. He was born in London in 1588 and died in 1795, surviving
twelve kings of England. Of the opposite sex the oldest was Charlotte
Dessen of Temesvar, the wife of jean Rovin. The former was 164 and
the latter 172 when they died. The marriage lasted 147 years. From
childhood they were very frugal eaters and lived almost exclusively
on milk and corn bread.

Generally speaking, all those who live long are altruists and
optimists. They know neither hatred nor envy. in addition to their
practice of periodic fasts, and their fine diet of natural foods,
they also know the value of a good diet in thoughts and emotions.

LONG FASTS

People without the necessary physiological knowledge, or unable to
understand the language of their own organism, should not undertake a
prolonged fast without the of someone skilled in the physiology of
fasting. I have met people who, after reading a book on fasting, have
embarked on a fast of undue length, without sufficient knowledge of
the technique of fasting. Such people get bad rather than good
results, and accidents are liable to occur. Experienced advice is
very necessary where a long fast is contemplated.

I do not usually recommend long fasts. As a general rule, it is good
to fast one day a week, unless there is some particular reason
against it. But I do not advise long fasts for inexperienced people;
they do much more harm than good, and afterwards raise a prejudice
against natural methods and the therapeutics of fasting. There is an
old Latin proverb which says: "One careless friend can do more harm
than a hundred enemies." Similarly, fanatical naturists very often do
far more harm to the reputation of natural methods than do those who
openly declare themselves opposed to fasting and other natural
therapies.

For instance, there is the type who, after reading a book on fasting,
proclaims that he is going to fast for forty days, as Jesus did. When
asked if he has already carried out long fasts, he replies that he
has not, but that he is certain that he can manage it. Despite
warnings, and advice to confine the fast to three days, he goes away
and starts his fast. He fasts one day, perhaps two, three, four,
five, or even six days; but on the seventh day a terrific hunger
comes upon him and he begins to eat everything in enormous
quantities. He practically eats the walls of the house-cooked foods,
meat, etc., forgetting all his fine resolutions. The organism absorbs
everything after a fast, so he reconstructs his organism with the
same bad things as before. Then, after barely escaping serious
illness from his post-fast eating binge, he declares that prolonged
fasting is only for certain individuals, but not for him, and he
never fasts again.

Then there is another type. This type comes along and says: "I am
used to prolonged fasts of one or two weeks. Tomorrow I will start my
two weeks' fast. I have done this

two or three times already." But if by chance you pay an unexpected
call on him, you will either find him eating or else in the act of
disposing of some half-eaten food. Such people only make a game of
fasting, but they like to assume the role of being great fasters.

Then there are those who for religious and metaphysical reasons wish
to fast. They imagine that the longer one fasts, the more perfect the
organism will be. They think that their organisms will become more
etheric and refined, and that finally they will become. Like the
angels. As to this angelic transformation I cannot comment, but if
they continue to follow such a program they will certainly become
disembodied. This type can be really dangerous, for those numbered in
it are very obstinate and refuse all food. They adopt the attitude
that since Jesus fasted for forty days they also must fast for forty
days. Besides the obvious fact that the individual capacities of
these people are generally much lower than those of Jesus, they seem
to ignore the fact that human beings were designed to partake of the
wholesome and delicious foods from the table of nature, and while
eating is a natural and joyous daily necessity, prolonged fasting is
a radical therapy to be used only when absolutel y necessary, and
then only under expert supervision. I am reminded of a little slogan
I saw during the second World War, at the time of gasoline
rationing: "Is this trip necessary?" The medical term for this
pathological loss of appetite is anorexia, and very often these
people can continue to refuse food until they starve and die. In a
world where famine is a stark reality for millions, such intentional
starvation is not only tragic, but somewhat tragicomic. But these are
the people who bring much prejudice to fasting. The allopathic
physicians who are opposed to fasting catch hold of these cases and
write articles attacking natural methods, which they make responsible
for the antics of these illogical and senseless creatures. There are
always fanatical and dogmatic individuals who exaggerate every good
thing, thereby robbing it of its value.

CONCLUSION

There is one last point on the physiology of fasting. Generally
speaking, the more intoxicated the organism is, the harder it is for
a person to fast, while the more detoxicated and more perfect the
organism is, then the easier it is for that organism to fast. If a
person has already fasted many times in the past, he can fast much
more easily than one who has not fasted before. The more one fasts,
the easier ' it is to fast, for each new renewal of the cells of the
organism results in a greater capacity for fasting. On the whole, as
I have already mentioned, I do not advise prolonged fasts for the
majority of individuals, since they are not able to realize the right
conditions for carrying them out. I therefore usually advise only
periodic short fasts of two or three days' duration, and only in
those cases where no special factors make them undesirable. In the
majority of cases one day's fasting a week is quite feasible. it is
best done o n a day when the person is free and can seek out some
sun, fresh air and fresh water, not so easy if one lives in a city
(which is why cities are not ideal dwelling-places for human beings).
Those who find it difficult to fast one day a week can begin by
undertaking a half-day's fast. They can fast for lunch and eat only
in the evening. Even a short fast helps the organism very greatly,
and little by little they will become able to fast for a whole day.
This is the most sensible and practical way of fasting in the
circumstances of ordinary life, particularly when at work, or where
it is impossible to have fresh air, sun and water.

In conclusion, I hope that I have made one thing above all very
clear: that fasting must be adapted to the individual case, and each
person is totally unlike another, each with a different background, a
different medical history, different health conditions, heredity,
etc., all having a bearing on how and when to fast, and for how long.
But if common sense and reason are applied, it will be seen that
every question can be answered.