Darkroom Retreat

7/25/2019 Darkroom Retreat

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darkroom retreatdeep rest for the self-healing psyche

An d r e w D u r ha m

T h i s b o o k i s f o r s a l e a t http://leanpub.com/darkroomretreat

T h i s v e r s i o n w a s p u b l i s h e d o n 2 0 1 5 - 0 5 - 0 1

T h i s i s a Leanpub b o o k . L e a n p u b e m p o w e r s a u t h o r s a n dp u b l i s h e r s w i t h t h e L e a n P u b l i s h i n g p r o c e s s . L e a n Pu bl is h in g is

t h e a c t o f p u b l i s h i n g a n i n - p r o g r e s s e b o o k u s i n g l i g h t w e i g h tt o o l s a n d m a n y i t e r a t i o n s t o g e t r e a d e r f e e d b a c k , p i v o t u n t i ly o u h a v e t h e r i g h t b o o k a n d b u i l d t r a c t i o n o n c e y o u d o .

2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 5 A n d r e w D u r h a m ( c o p y & s e l l m e ; s e e l i c e n s e )D I S C L A I M E R : T h i s b o o k i s n o t i n t e n d e d a s m e d i c a l a d v i c e . T h er e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f y o u r t a k i n g a n y a c t i o nd e s c r i b e d h e r e i n l i e s n o t w i t h t h e a u t h o r , p u b l i s h e r , o r

distributors.
http://leanpub.com/manifestohttp://leanpub.com/http://leanpub.com/darkroomretreat


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Tweet This Book!P l e a s e h e l p A n d r e w D u r h a m b y s p r e a d i n g t h e w o r d a b o u t t h i sb o o k o n Twitter!

T h e s u g g e s t e d h a s h t a g f o r t h i s b o o k i s #darkroomretreat.

F i n d o u t w h a t o t h e r p e o p l e a r e s a y i n g a b o u t t h e b o o k b yc l i c k i n g o n t h i s l i n k t o s e a r c h f o r t h i s h a s h t a g o n T w i t t e r :

https://twitter.com/search?q=#darkroomretreat
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23darkroomretreathttps://twitter.com/search?q=%23darkroomretreathttp://twitter.com/


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For late friends,

Lisa Saavedra and John Rosenberg,

who burned bright in a benighted lifeway

and so fell long before their time;

and imprisoned cousin,

Damon Durham,on whom the sins of our fathers are heavily visited

these decades of hard time.


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Contents

about the book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

1 - hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 - format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

3 - protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

4 - prepare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

5 - design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

6 - make . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577 - faq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

bibliography and influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92


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C O N T E N T S

services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

bio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98


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about the book

a complete manual

H yg i en ic d ar kr oo m r et re at in g c on si st s o f r es ti ng i n a n a bs ol ut el ydark room for days. Why do this? To re store conditions of p s y c h o l o g i c a l b a l a n c e , g i v i n g r e f u g e f r o m t h e c o n s t a n t s e n s o r ym a l s t im u l a t io n o f c ivil iz e d e x is t e n c e .

T h i s s e e m i n g l y t r i v i a l c o n t r a s t c a n l e a d t o a r e m a r k a b l e a n dl as ti ng r es to ra ti on o f y ou r w el l- be i ng , m ak in g t he d ar kr oo m ap o w e r f u l t o o l .

T he b o ok e xp la in s e ve r yt hi ng a bo ut w hy a r et re a t w or ks ,h o w t o d o i t , a n d h o w t o m a k e a d a r k r o o m . I t i n c l u d e s e a s y s t e p s

t o a t t a i n s o m e o f t h e s e e f f e c t s i n y o u r o w n h o m e .

toward a Natural Hygienic psychology

N e i t h e r s p i r i t u a l n o r d i s c i p l i n e d , t h e r a p e u t i c n o r m e d i c i n a l , t h i sis t h e f ir s t a p p r o a c h t o d a r kn e s s a n d p s yc h o l o gyba s e d in Nat-ural Hygiene. H i s t o r y s m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l a p p r o a c h t o h e a l t h , H y -g i e n e g a v e t h e m o d e r n w o r l d a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r f r e q u e n t b a t h i n g ,

f r e s h a i r , r e g u l a r e x e r c i s e , a n d p u r e f o o d .N a tu r al H y gi e ne s i mp l y r e co g ni z es t h e s e lf - pr e se r v in g o r -

g an is m a nd p ro vi de s i t s uc h n or ma l c on di ti on s o f l if e. I n t hi sw ay, i t h as l on g a ch ie ve d s tu pe nd ou s s uc ce ss i n c ar in g f or t hes e lf - he a li n g b o dy. W i th d a rk n es s , H y g ie n e n ow h a s a n e q ua l lye f f e c t i v e w a y o f c a r i n g f o r t h e s e l f - h e a l i n g p s y c h e .


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preface

W h a t i s a H y g i e n i c d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t a n d w h y d o i t ?I t c on si st s o f r es ti ng i n a n a bs ol ut el y d ar k r oo m f or d ay s

a l o n e w i t h f o o d .A t f i r s t , I j u s t d i d i t t o r e s t . I t w o r k e d . A f t e r 5 4 h o u r s , I f e l t

c a u g h t u p o n a l l t h e s l e e p I h a d e v e r l o s t , t r u l y a w a k e f o r t h e f i r s tt i m e i n d e c a d e s . I w a s s t u n n e d .

T w o ye a r s l a t e r , t h e s a m e t h in g h a p p e n e d . E x c e p t , u n u s u a l l y,I a l s o f e l t h u m b l e d . G e n u i n e l y c a l m .Well i n m y s o u l .

H o w ? , I w o n d e r e d . F r o m N a t u r a l H y g i e n e , I v a g u e l y r e m e m -b e r e d t h e s e l f - p r e s e r v i n g n a t u r e o f l i f e , a n d r e s t a s t h e p r i m a r yc on di ti on o f h ea li ng . O ne m or ni ng i n a d re am , t hi s a nd m an y

r e l a t e d c l u e s f u s e d i n t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f restful use of darkness insupport of the self-healing psyche.I b eg an te st ing th is i de a i n m ore d ark ro om re tre at s. As

p r e d i c t e d , l e t h a l p s y c h i c i s s u e s t h a t h a v e t o r t u r e d m e m y w h o l el if e b e ga n r es ol vi ng t he ms el ve s s p on ta ne o us ly. I n s ev en y e ar sa n d 1 6 r e t r e a t s , I h a v e s e e n n o s i g n o f a n e n d t o t h i s p r o c e s s s h o r t o f f u l l r e c o v e r y o f p s y c h i c i n t e g r i t y .

T h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n h a s b a r e l y b e g u n . B u t I h a v e s e e n e n o u g h

to c on fi de nt ly s ha re wh at I h av e l ea rne d: wh at h app ens i nd ar kn es s, w hy, h ow t o r et re at , a nd w ha t f or. T hi s a pp ro ac h i sr ip e f o r m o r e p a r t ic ip a t io n , r e s o u r c e s , a n d ve l o c it y.

H y g ie n ic d a rk r oo m r e tr e at i ng r e qu i re s m i ni m al e f fo r t a n dn o f a i t h . D a r k n e s s i s n o t t h e a b s e n c e o f l i g h t , b u t t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e s e l f . I t i s y o u r s .


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introduction

T h i s b o o k i s a b o u t H y g i e n i c d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g : r e s t i n g d e e p l yi n d a r k n e s s i n o r d e r t o h e a l . I t i s a b o o k o f n a t u r a l p s y c h o l o g y .I t s h o w s h o w p h y s i c a l d a r k n e s s i s t o t h e p s y c h e w h a t a m o t h e ri s t o a c hi ld : o ri gi n, s us te na nc e, a nd r ef ug e. I t s ho ws h ow t he

p s y c h e , l i k e a s c r a p e d k n e e , c a n h e a l i t s t r a u m a a n d i l l n e s s i t s e l f :w i th o ut s u bs t an c es , t r ea t me n t, o r t h er a pi s ts ; w i th l i tt le m o ne y,k no wl ed ge , e ff or t, a nd t im e; a nd w it ho ut d is ci pl in e, r it ua ls , o rp r a c t i c e s . J u s t b y r e s t o r i n g s o m e n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e .

T h i s b o o k o f f e r s r a d i c a l h o p e t o s u f f e r e r s o f a l l k i n d s . I t c a l l sN at ur al H y gi en e, a t im el es s s ys te m o f p ri ma ri ly b o di ly h e al th ,to a ls o s er ve t he s ou l. I t h el ps d is pe l f ea r o f d ark ne ss . A nd i t

e x t r ic a t e s d a r kn e s s f r o m h is t o r ic a l l y e s o t e r ic u s e .T he f ol lo wi ng i s s ci en ti fi c i n s pi ri t, b ut i t i s s ci en ce f ro mt h e h i p . I d e r i v e d i t f r o m s e l f - e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , n o t d o u b l e - b l i n dclinical studies. And while I have trie d to stri p it down toe ss en ti al s, t hi s r em ai ns a n i nt en se ly p er so na l b o ok p ro mp te db y a l if e a nd d eat h s tr ug gle. Th e d am age to my s ou l a nd th ee xt re mi sm I n ee de d t o s ur vi ve i t c om e t hr ou gh t he t ex t. Ta kew h a t y o u f i n d u s e f u l . I h o p e i t h e l p s y o u r e c o v e r y o u r l o s t s e l f a s

i t c o n t i n u e s t o h e l p m e .

basics

why retreat

f or t he i mm en se p le as ur e o f r es ti ng d ee pl y


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introduction iv

f or r el ie f f ro m t he o ve r- st im ul at io n a nd d is tr es s o f c iv i-l iz e d e x is t e n c e

t o r e co v er f r om t i re d ne s s, f a ti g ue , e x ha u st i on

t o h e a l f r om p sy ch i c t r au ma a nd i ll ne ss

t o r es ol ve s uf fe ri ng i ts el f

how it works

1 . A s a n o rg an ic s ys te m, t he p sy ch e i s s el f- he a li ng .

2 . T he p ri ma r y c o nd it io n o f h e al in g i s r es t: h e al i ng r e qu i re s e x tr a e n er g y, a c cu m ul a te d i n r e st f ul l h ea li ng o nl y o cc ur s i n f ac ul ti e s h e l d s t i ll

3 . T h e p s y ch e f i n d s p r o fo u nd r e st i n d a r k ro o m r e t re a t: d ar kn es s s ig na ls u s p hy si ol og ic al ly, t hr ou gh h or -

m on al c ha ng es i n o ur c ir ca di an s ys te m, t o s le ep,d r e a m , a n d l o s e a p p e t i t e , a m o n g h u n d r e d s o f o t h e r

c a l m i n g v i t a l p r o c e s s e s . I n e x t e n d e d t o t a l d a r k n e s s ,s l e e p g e t s d e e p e r a n d l o n g e r ; w a k i n g c o n s c i o u s n e s sm o r e p l a c id .

a r et re at p ro vi de s a ll c on di ti on s o f p ro fo un d r es t:c o mf o rt , s o li t ud e , t i me , a n d s i le n ce ; a b so l ut e d a rk -n e s s , f r e s h a i r , w a r m t h , a n d n a t u r a l f o o d .

b y d e st i mu l at i on , a r e tr e at c o ns e r ve s t h e s i g n i fi c an te n er g y c o ns u me d i n p r oc e ss i ng s e ns a ti o n. S i gh t , w h ic h

r e q u i r e s m o r e p r o c e s s i n g t h a n a l l o t h e r s e n s e s c o m -bin e d , is c o m p l e t e l y e l im in a t e d .

t he a bs tr ac t n a tu re o f v i s io n f u e ls t he m in d. I n d a r k-n es s, t he m in d s lo ws d ow n. O ne c an s to p t hi nk in ga nd f all a sle ep m ore e as ily. F ee li ng a nd m ov ingm o d e s o f in t e l l ige n c e r e ga in l o s t t e r r it o r y, ba l a n c in gt h e p s yc h ic w o r kl o a d m o r e e f f ic ie n t l y.


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introduction v

B e c a u s e t h e p r o c e s s o f h e a l i n g i s i n v o l u n t a r y , i t i s f o o l p r o o f .D a r k n e s s i s g o o d e v e r y o n e , j u s t a s a i r f o r b r e a t h i n g a n d l i g h t f o rs e e in g . I f n o th i ng h a pp e ns , c o nd i ti o ns w e re i n su f fi c ie n tl y m e t.T h i s b o o k p r e c i s e l y d e s c r i b e s c o n d i t i o n s a n d h o w t o m e e t t h e m .

darkroom

A b e d r o o m m a k e s t h e b e s t f i r s t d a r k r o o m . O n e n e e d s d a r k n e s se v e r y d a y a n d t i m e t o l e a r n h o w t o u s e i t b e f o r e r e t r e a t i n g .

A d e d i c a t e d p u b l i c H y g i e n i c d a r k r o o m i s j u s t a s m a l l , f u l l yf u n c t i o n a l h o u s e i n a q u i e t l o c a t i o n . I t h a s m i n i m a l f u r n i s h i n g s ,l ike a h ote l ro om . L ike a ll h ou se s s ho ul d b e b ut a re n ot , i t i sp e r f e c t l y a n d e a s i l y d a r k e n e d .

I t i s s o d a rk t ha t e v en a ft er y ou r e y es a dj us t t o i t f o r t hr eed a y s , y o u s t i l l c a n n o t s e e y o u r h a n d i n f r o n t o f y o u r f a c e .

W he n y o u l oo k a r o un d, y ou c an no t s e e a h az e o r p in pr ic ko f l i g h t a n y w h e r e .

I ns id e, t he re a re n o l ig ht s ou rc es l ik e c a n dl es .

terminology

Hygiene ( c a p it a l iz e d ) : N a t u r a l Hygie n epsyche: t h e f a c u l t y o f c o n s c io u s n e s s ( in c l u d in g t h e s u bc o n s c io u sa n d u n c o n s c io u s ) . T h e s o u l .normal: w h at i s b i ol o gi c al l yappropriate ( no t m er el y u su al o raverage)psychic: of or re la ti ng to th e ps ych e. F or exa mp le, I r ef er top sy ch ic i ll ne ss r at he r t ha n me nt al i ll ne ss . P sy ch ol og y i s n ot

just the study of the mind, but the psyche: theentirety o f h u m a nc o ns c io u sn e ss . T h is i n cl u de s i t s e m ot i on a l a n d p h ys i ca l f o rm s ,no t j us t i ts me nta l o ne s. Al so, I am no t ta lk ing a bou t o cc ul t


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introduction vi

phenomena.lifeway: wa y o f li fe. I t i s ev er yth in g t ha t ha pp en s wi th a g ro up o f p e o p l e i n t h e c o u r s e o f l i v i n g . I o n c e u s e d t h e w o r d , c u l t u r e , f o rt h i s . T h e n I l e a r n e d c u l t u r e i s r e c e n t : a n i n v e n t i o n o f c i v i l i z a t i o n .I w a n t e d a b i g g e r w o r d w h i c h w o u l d i n c l u d e a l l a p p r o a c h e s t oh u m a n e x i s t e n c e . L i f e w a y i s a n i c e l y c o m p r e s s e d t e r m c o m m o nin anthropology.

background

history

E ve r y c iv il iz ed s pi ri tu al t ra di ti on a nd m an y i nd ig en ou s o ne shave used darkness for thousands of years as the ultimatee n v i r o n m e n t f o r s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e a n d t o g a i n u n u s u a l k n o w l e d g e :a nc ie nt E gy pt ia ns a nd M ay a i n t he ir p yr am id s; C hr is ti an s i n

c a t a c o m b s ; S u f i s a n d T a o i s t s i n c a v e s ; T i b e t a n B u d d h i s t s i n c e l l so f m o n a s t e r ie s .W e s t e r n s c ie n c e h a s s t u d ie d s e n s o r y d e s t im u l a t io n s in c e t h e

1 9 5 0 s f o r a p p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g s p a c e a n d h e a l t h . A y u r v e d a , a nE a s t I n d i a n h e a l i n g t r a d i t i o n , u s e s e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s o f d a r k n e s sf o r r e j u ve n a t io n . B y reports, i t i s t h e f o u n t a i n o f y o u t h .

A ma zo ni an s ha ma ni sm u se s d ar kn es s i n a ya hu as ca c er e-m o n y. W e l s h s h a m a n s a n d N a va j o , M a ya , a n d K o gi In d ia n s a l ike

b u i l d s p e c i a l d a r k s t r u c t u r e s , h o l d i n g d a r k n e s s i n h i g h r e g a r d a se s s e n t ia l t o s e l f - d is c o ve r y.

Hygie n ic d a r kr o o m r e t r e a t in g c o m p l e t e l y s e c u l a r iz e s t h e u s eo f d a r k n e s s f o r t h e s p e c i f i c p u r p o s e o f h e a l i n g . T h e r e i s n o t h i n gm ys ti ca l, d is ci pl in ed , o r c om pl ic at ed a bo ut t hi s a pp ro ac h. I t i sr a t io n a l , s a f e , a n d r e s t f u l .
http://andrewdurham.com/reports/365-day-retreat-of-150-year-old-yogi


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introduction vii

Natural Hygiene

A p h i l o s o p h y o f h e a l t h , N a t u r a l H y g i e n e o r i g i n a t e d i n A m e r i c aa g e n e r a t i o n a f t e r t h e R e v o l u t i o n . H y g i e n e b e c a m e a m a s s m o v e -m e n t i n 1 8 3 2 w i t h t h e l e c t u r e s o f S y l v e s t e r G r a h a m , p h y s i o l o g i s ta n d n a m e s a k e o f G r a h a m f l o u r . T h e m o v e m e n t c o n t i n u e s t o t h ec u r r e n t d a y . N a t u r a l H y g i e n e b e a r s u n s w e r v i n g r e s p e c t f o r l i f e ss el f- pr es er v in g n at ur e, a nd f or t he s el f s p ri ma ri ly a ut on om ic ,s e co n da r il y v o li t io n al n a tu re . I t o b se r v es t h at h e al t h n a tu r al l y

o c c u r s i n o r g a n i s m s u n d e r n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e . S o H y g i e n es t u d ie s a n d p r o vid e s t h e s e c o n d it io n s .

N o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e i n c l u d e f r e s h a i r , s u n l i g h t , n a t u r a lf o od , a nd c le a nl in es s b y r eg ul ar b at hi ng . H yg i en e t au gh t t hem o d e r n w o r l d t h e e n o r m o u s b e n e f i t s o f t h e s e , m a k i n g H y g i e n et h e m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l a p p r o a c h t o h e a l t h i n t h e w o r l d . I t s m o t t o : He a l t h t h r o u gh h e a l t h f u l l ivin g .

Hygie n e id e n t if ie s d is e a s e as t h e p r o c e s s o f h e a l i n g . D i s e a s ei s t he n or ma l o rg an ic a ct iv i ty o f s el f- re pa ir, c le a ni ng , a nd r e-e n er g i zi n g, b u t a c ce n tu a te d u n de r a b no r ma l c o nd i ti o ns . T h us ,d is ea se i s no t a n i nv ad ing e nt ity t o b e f oug ht , b ut a na tur alp r o c e s s t o s u p p o r t w i t h h e a l t h y c o n d i t i o n s a n d p r a c t i c e s .

N a t u r a l H y g i e n e , w h i c h c o u l d b e c a l l e d a p p l i e d p h y s i o l o g y ,h a s e x t e n s i v e m e a n s o f c a r i n g f o r t h e p h y s i q u e . B u t i t h a s l a c k e da p s y c h o l o g y . I w i l l s h o w h o w , i n d a r k n e s s , a H y g i e n i c w a y h a s

e m e r g e d t o c a r e f o r t h e p s y c h e .T he f un da me nt al s o f N at ur al H yg ie ne h el p u s r ec on ne ctw i t h o u r o w n c o m m o n s e n s e a b o u t h e a l i n g . T h e y g u i d e u s p a s ti nc or re ct a ss um pt io ns a nd a ss oc ia ti on s w e m ay h av e w it h i t.O nc e y ou h av e t he se a bs ol ut e b as ic s d ow n, y ou c an l ea rn t hec on cr ete d et ai ls o f a da rk ro om r etre at a nd a ppr oac h i t w ithc o n f id e n c e . A f t e r r e t r e a t in g, N a t u r a l Hygie n e p r o vid e s gu id a n c e


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i n a l l o t h e r a s p e c t s o f h e a l t h f u l l i v i n g .A bs o l u t e d a r kn e s s is n a t u r a l . C o n s id e r : n a t u r a l h u m a n h a bi-

t a t i s t r o p i c a l . T h i s i s p r o v e n b y t h e t r o p i c a l t e m p e r a t u r e w e a l lm a i n t a i n n e x t t o o u r s k i n w i t h c l o t h i n g , s h e l t e r , a n d m a c h i n e s .I n t h e t r o p i c s , w e w o u l d l i v e i n f o r e s t s . T r o p i c a l f o r e s t s a r e p i t c hb l a c k a t n i g h t b e c a u s e o f t h e t h i c k c a n o p y o f l e a v e s .

W h e n t r a u m a t iz e d , o n e s s h e l t e r in g in s t in c t in t e n s if ie s . O u re x t r e m e , p r o l o n g e d m a s s t r a u m a l e d t o i n t e n s i v e i n v e s t m e n t i n

a u t o m a t e d s h e l t e r . O u r s o l u t i o n i s a t h a n d . W e n e e d o n l y r e a l i z et h e i m p o r t a n c e o f a l l o u r w o r k a n d c o m p l e t e i t w i t h d a r k n e s s .

frederic

N at ur al H yg ie ne c am e t o m e t hr ee t im es , l ike f at e k no ck in g a t t hed oo r. O nc e i n 1 98 9 t hr ou gh m y d ad s s ec on d w if e, a s ee ke r w ho sebo o k c o l l e c t io n c o n t a in e d t h e e c s t a t icFit for Life b y H a r v e y a n dM a r i l y n D i a m o n d . A s e c o n d t i m e i n 1 9 9 2 f r o m m y g r e a t f r i e n d ,S t e r l i n g V o s s , w h o d i s c u s s e d , i n t h e g r e a t e s t l e t t e r a n y o n e e v e rw r o t e m e , He r be r t S h e l t o n sFasting Can Save Your Life. A t h i r dt i m e f r o m m y c l o s e a s s o c i a t e , F r e d e r i c P a t e n a u d e , a u t h o r o f TheRaw Secrets, w h i c h I e d i t e d a n d p u b l i s h e d w i t h h i m i n 2 0 0 2 .

I worked with Fre deri c off and on for four ye ars, f romN at ur e s F ir st L aw i n C al if or ni a t o Tr ee o f L if e i n A ri zo na t oF r e d e r i c s c o m p a n y i n Q u e b e c . H e h a d s t u d i e d n o t j u s t H e r b e r t

S he lt on , b ut t he F re nc h h yg i en ic m as te r, A lb er t M os se ri , w it hwh om h e wa s i n c on ta ct f or m an y y ea rs . S low ly, I ab so rb edt he e ss en ce o f N at ur al H y gi en e s r ad i ca l p e rs pe ct iv e t hr ou ghF r e d e r i c . B y t h i s , I m e a n h e b e a t i t t h r o u g h m y t h i c k s k u l l w i t hh i s r e le n tl e ss , c r y st a ll i ne a r gu m en t at i on . I w a s s y mp a th e ti c , s oI k ep t a sk in g (o r c ha ll en gi ng ) a nd h e k ep t a ns we ri ng . I t t oo kt i m e b e c a u s e I s t a r t e d o u t q u i t e l o s t i n t h e s t e w o f n a t u r o p a t h i c ,


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h o m e o p a t h i c , h e r b a l , c h i r o p r a c t i c , a n d a l t e r n a t i v e d i e t a r y i d e a sf l o a t i n g a r o u n d m y h e a d . W h e n t h e t i d e t u r n e d , I s t a r t e d s t u d y -i n g h y g i e n e o n m y o w n .

F re de ri c s d ed ic at io n a nd g re a t k no wl ed ge m ad e h im i m-m o v a b l e w h e r e I w a s m e r e l y s t u b b o r n . I c a n o n l y h o p e t o r e t u r nt he f av or w it h t he c ur re nt w or k. I b el ie ve i t i ll um in at es m ys te ri eso f d ie t a nd t he g re at er m ys te ry o f s uf fe ri ng t ha t w e t ri ed a ndf a i l e d t o s o l v e w i t h d i e t .

finn

I f i r s t h e a r d a b o u t d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g i n 2 0 0 4 f r o m m y f o r m e rs pi ri tu al t ea ch er, P ur na S te i ni tz . A H in du , h e h ad h ea rd a b ou ti t s u s e i n A y u r v e d a . H e s a i d , A p p a r e n t l y , a f t e r a f e w w e e k s o f i t, o ne c om es o ut c om pl et el y r en ew ed . I f ou nd t he i de a v er ys tr an ge . A n i nc ip ie nt H y gi en is t, I t ho ug ht w ha t p e op le n ee d i sm o r e l i g h t . B u t l i k e a l o t o f t h i n g s P u r n a s a i d , t h e i d e a o f r e n e w a li n d a r k n e s s s t a y e d w i t h m e .

A year later, I move d to an e covi llage i n Oregon. I hit i to f f w i t h t h e v i l l a g e m a i n t e n a n c e m a n , a f e i s t y h i p p y - f r o m - b i r t h( h i s d a d w a s a b e a t n i k ) . N a m e o f F i n n P o . S c r a w n y g u y . L o t s o f e n e r g y . F u l l o f w r y o p t i m i s t i c s a y i n g s a s w e l l a s g o o d - n a t u r e d

jokes about peoples hang-ups. Wizard-level resourcefulness.D r i n k s h i s o w n p e e a n d l i v e s i n a t i n y g e o d e s i c d o m e h e b u i l t

o u t o f g a r b a g e 2 0 y e a r s a g o .N a t u r a l l y , F i n n h a d a d a r k r o o m . T ir e d o f e n l igh t e n m e n t ? h e a s ke d . T r y e n d a r ke n m e n t . I s a i d , O h m i g o d , F i n n , r e a l l y ? ! I t s t h e w a y o f t h e f u t u r e . D o n t b e t h e l a s t t o k n o w . W h a t s i t l i k e ? E ye s c lo se d, a rm s w ra pp ed r ou nd h im se lf , h e s ai d, It s a


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luxury. H o w d o y o u d o i t ? A h , j u s t g i t i n t h e r o o m ! A b e n e v o l e n t P i e d P i p e r a n d t h e c o o l e s t 6 0 y e a r - o l d a r o u n d ,

h e h a d i n s p i r e d a l l v i l l a g e y o u t h t o t r y i t . A f t e r l i s t e n i n g t o h i mr h a p s o d i z e a b o u t i t a l l w i n t e r , I t r i e d i t , t o o .

Wow.B u t a s F i n n s a y s , I w a s j u s t g e t t i n g s t a r t e d . I t w o u l d t a k e t w o

m or e y ea rs , t he m as si ve s ho c k o f l ea vi ng m y t ea ch er, a nd a no th ers u c c e s s f u l r e t r e a t f o r m e t o g r a s p t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f r e t r e a t i n gin d a r kn e s s .

andrew

H o w d i d a l l t h i s b e g i n ?A t a ge 15 , I f elt mo ro se a nd al ie nat ed . S lu mp ed i n f ro nt o f th e

T V o n e d a y , I w a s s p o n t a n e o u s l y o v e r c o m e b y rapture: s u b l i m ejoy in perceiving and being part of a perfect, beautiful universe.

T h i s f e e l i n g a n d p e r s p e c t i v e l a s t e d t h r e e m o n t h s s o l i d . W h e n i tf ad ed , s o d id m y p re vi ou s i nt er es ts . I w an te d m or e t ha n a ny th in gt o u n d e r s t a n d t h e c a u s e o f r a p t u r e i n o r d e r t o r e c o v e r i t . L i v i n go u t o f a backpack, I i n d e p e n d e n t l y i n v e s t i g a t e d t h i s m y s t e r y f o r2 1 y ea rs , e xp e ri me nt in g w it h p hi lo so ph y, h ea lt h, a nd d es ig n.T o w a r d t h e e n d o f t h i s p e r i o d , I d i d m y f i r s t d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t s .

S o o n a f t e r , i n l a t e 2 0 0 8 , t h e a n s w e r c a m e :A slight increase of vital energy from adolescence

had caused a temporary, partial restoration of my

damaged psychic integrity, revealing an enraptur-

ing universe. So perhaps a massive increase from

darkroom retreating could cause permanent and

complete restoration.
http://mchalepacks.com/http://andrewdurham.com/darkness-conjecture/rapture/http://andrewdurham.com/reports/four-darkness-experiences


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introduction xi

Wi th t hi s b re ak th ro ug h, m y s ea rc h e nd ed a nd my wo rkb e g a n . I a n d 2 5 c l i e n t s h a v e t r i e d i t . O v e r t h e c o u r s e o f m y 2 0 ,2 - 7 d a y r e tr e at s , n o ti c e ab l e r e st o ra t io n o f m y p s yc h ic i n te g ri t ya nd f un ct io n h as o cc ur re d. F or e xa mp le : m y b od y s s ce nt h asi m p r o v e d . I w o k e u p f r o m o n e r e t r e a t f e e l i n g l i k e a n a d u l t ; t h i sf e e l i n g h a s n o t c h a n g e d i n t w o y e a r s . I d o n o t g r i n d m y t e e t hn e a r l y a s m u c h . I n r e t r e a t , s y m p t o m s o f f i b r o - m y a l g i a d i s s i p a t e .F l ex ib il it y r et ur ns . I w ak e u p k no wi ng t hi ng s t h a t h av e m ys ti f ie d

m e f or d e ca de s. E xh au st io n a nd s ui ci da l t ho ug ht s a nd f e el in gse va p o r a t e . C l a r it y, p u r p o s e , e n e r gy, c a l m , r e l a x e d n e s s , e ve n j o yr e t u r n f o r w e e k s a t a t i m e ; b a s i c f u n c t i o n i n g l a s t t w o m o n t h s . A l lt h i s a f t e r y e a r s a t a t t i m e w i t h o u t i t .

N o d at a c on tr ad ic ti ng t he b as ic i d ea h as y et e me rg ed . I nt er es ti n d a rk n es s i s g r ow i ng w o rl d wi d e. A n i n te r na t io n al l y r e co g ni z edp sy ch ol og y p ro fe ss or w it h d e ca de s o f f l o ta ti on r es ea rc h e xp e -r ie nc e u nq ua li fi ed ly a gr ee s w it h m y t he or y a nd w an ts t o d o

r es ea rc h w it h m y e xa ct m et ho d. W he re ve r I go , p eo pl e a re a ss t r u c k a s I a m b y t h e s i m p l e l o g i c o f t h i s i d e a a n d w a n t t o t r y aretreat.

W h a t e l s e c a n g o r i g h t ?

application

audienceT h i s b o o k i s f o r t h o s e w h o s u f f e r i n a n y w a y s p i r i t u a l l y , m e n -t a l l y, e m o t io n a l l y, p h ys ic a l l y, s o c ia l l y, o r e c o l o gic a l l ya n d n e e dh o p e t h a t t h e i r s u f f e r i n g i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y p e r m a n e n t . I t i s f o rs e l f - e x p e r im e n t e r s a n d a p p r e c ia t o r s o f go o d a r gu m e n t s .

D a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g i s f o r a n y o n e t o w h o m i t m a k e s s e n s ea n d w h o f e e l s m o v e d t o d o i t , w h e t h e r t o h e a l f r o m a c u t e i l l n e s s


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o r t o s im pl y s ee w ha t i t s l ike . B es id es p sy ch ic i ll ne ss , m uc hp h ys ic a l il l n e s s is p s yc h o s o m a t ic a n d t h e r e f o r e a m e n a bl e t o s e l f -h e a l i n g i n d a r k n e s s .

H ow ev er, d ar kn es s i s n o e sc ap e. S om et im es i ll ne ss n ee dst o b e a dd re ss ed i n o th er o bv io us w ay s f ir st . B ut j us t k no wi nga bo ut d ar kro om re tre ati ng ca n e nc ou ra ge us t o d o s o. A nda c qu a in ta n ce w i th H y g ie n ic p r in c ip l es i s i n va l ua b le t o h e al i ngf r o m a n y i l l n e s s .

how to use this book

A b o v e a l l , t h i s b o o k p r e s e n t s a n i d e a f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . F i r s t , i ti s a b o u t k n o w i n g , n o t d o i n g . M o t i v a t i o n t o d o n a t u r a l l y c o m e sf r o m k n o w i n g . T a k e y o u r t i m e a b s o r b i n g t h e i d e a .

T he n, i f y ou f in d s uf fi ci en t r ea so n h er e t o a pp ly t he i de a, s ta rtd a r k e n i n g y o u r r o o m w i t h t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s i n t h e f o r m a t , d e s i g n ,a n d m a k e c h a p t e r s . O n c e y o u r r o o m i s s e t u p , t r y a r e t r e a t w h e ni t i s c o n v e n i e n t . A f t e r y o u v e d o n e a f e w s h o r t r e t r e a t s , y o u c a nf i n d a p u b l i c d e d i c a t e d d a r k r o o m t o d o a l o n g e r r e t r e a t a t .

M ea nw hi le , m ak e t he r ad ic al c ha ng es i n l if ew ay y ou h av eb ee n l on gi ng f or a nd a re n ow c ap ab le o f. A lt er na te p er io ds o f s u c h c h a n g e w i t h r e t r e a t s o f i n c r e a s i n g l e n g t h u n t i l y o u r p s y c h i cin t e gr it y is c o m p l e t e l y r e s t o r e d .Live.

contentC h a p t e r s a r e m o s t l y p r a c t i c a l w i t h a l i t t l e t h e o r y t o s t a r t w i t h :

1 . h yg i en e: u nd er ly i ng t he o ry o f t he r es tf ul u se o f d ar kn es s

2 . f or ma t: w ay s t o u s e d ar kn es s i n r et re a ts a nd d ai ly l if e

3 . p ro to co l: w ha t l it tl e t he re i s t o d o i n a H y gi en ic d ar kr oo mretreat


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4 . p r ep a re : o r i e nt a ti o n f o r a r e tr e at

5 . d e si g n: d a rk r oo m s p e ci f i ca t io n s

6 . m ak e: i ns tr uc ti on s a nd p la ns f or m ak i ng d ar kr oo m c om -ponents

7 . f a q: f r eq u en tl y a s k e d q u e st i on s

C o n t e n t i s d r a w n f r o m m y w e b s i t e ,darkroom retreat, at an-drewdurham.com. T he re, y ou ca n a ls o re ad : a s eri es o f m y r etre at

reports; t h e o re t ic a l e s s a ys l i nk ed t o i n t hi s b o ok le t; e la bo ra ti veblog p o s t s ; r e l a t e d myths; a n d e s s a y s , d e s i g n s , p r o s e , p o e t r y , a n dl y r i c s f r o m t h e p a s t 2 5 y e a r s.

open source psychology

T h a n k s f o r r e a d i n g . P l e a s e g i v e o u t t h i s f r e e e b o o k a s m u c h a syo u p l e a s e .

B es id es b ei ng f re e c on te nt , t hi s i s a n o pe n s ou rc e p ro je ctc on ta in ed i n a p ub li c c od e r ep os it or y. F or k t he p ro je ct, op ena n i ssu e, o r s ub mi t a p ul l re que st . Learn d ist r ibut e d ve r s io nc o n t r o l s o f t w a r e . O r j u s t w r i t e m e d i r e c t l y w i t h c o m m e n t s a n dcorrections.

I c o n t i n u a l l y u p d a t e t h i s b o o k . S o o n I w i l l p r e s e n t m y n e wd e s i g n s f o r t h e l i g h t p r o o f v e n t a n d w i n d o w c o v e r i n g s . S o e s p e -c ia ll y b e fo re b ui ld i ng , d ow nl oa d t he l at es t v er si on o f t he b o ok

a n d r e vie w r e l e va n t s e c t io n s .

support

Join the dolphin economy: I help you help me help you help meh e l p y o u

I n a d d i t i o n t o t h i s b o o k , I c a n a s s i s t y o u b y e m a i l , s k y p e , a n di n p e r s o n . S e e about>services f o r d e t a il s .
http://andrewdurham.com/about/serviceshttp://http//rogerdudler.github.io/git-guide/https://github.com/yodrew/adhttp://andrewdurham.com/other-writings/http://andrewdurham.com/other-writings/myths/http://andrewdurham.com/blog/http://andrewdurham.com/darkness-conjecture/http://andrewdurham.com/reports/http://andrewdurham.com/http://andrewdurham.com/


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Y o u c a n h e l p m e b y :

1 . w ri ti ng m e a h el lo , f ri en dl y q ue st io n, o r c om me nt , e sp e -c i a l l y a f t e r r e a d i n g t h e b o o k

2 . a pp ly in g m y w or k b y d ar ke ni ng y ou r r oo m a nd d oi ng ar e t r e a t yo u r s e l f

3 . r ep or ti ng y ou r e xp er ie nc e o nl in e a nd s en di ng m e t he l in k

4 . i mp ro vi ng t he m et ho d a nd d es i gn s

5 . i mp ro vi ng t he w eb si te6 . l end ing m e a s u it a bl e r e t r e a t l o c a t io n f o r a m o n t h s o I c a n

h e a l f r o m m y o w n p s y c h o s i s , e x h a u s t i o n , a n d d e p r e s s i o n

7 . d on at in g m on ey t o m e o n m y homepage; I l i v e e x t r e m e l ys i m p l y , s o e v e n s m a l l a m o u n t s h e l p

8 . o ff er in g s om et hi ng e ls e o nl y y ou k no w a bo ut o r t ha t w ec a n d e ve l o p t o ge t h e r

T h a n k s f o r r e a d i n g a n d b e s t w i s h e s o n y o u r w a y . N o w I w i l li n t r o d u c e y o u t o a b a s i c p a r t o f m y w a y : h y g i e n e .
http://andrewdurham.com/http://andrewdurham.com/design


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1 - hygiene

N at ur al H yg i en e i s a s im pl e, n at ur al , a nd r at io na l a pp ro ac h t oh e a l t h a n d h e a l i n g . I t p r o v i d e s a c o m p r e h e n s i v e f r a m e w o r k f o rt h e r e s t f u l u s e o f d a r k n e s s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e s e l f - h e a l i n g p s y c h e .H y g i e n e e n a b l e s u s t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t d a r k n e s s i s a n d h o w t o

r e l a t e t o i t f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f h e a l t h .W h i c h i s t h e p o i n t . W e a r e o r g a n i s m s , s o o u r j o b i s t o l i v e .

T o l i v e f u l l y , w e n e e d h e a l t h .W h a t i s h e a l t h l i k e a c c o r d i n g t o N a t u r a l H y g i e n e ?

He al th d oe s n ot c on si st m er el y o f t he a bs en ce o f s ym pt om s o f i ll ne ss . I t i s a s ta te o f p os it iv e w el l-b ei ng t ha t i s e vi de nc ed b y a c on st an t s ta te o f e u-

p h o r i a . I t i s r a r e l y , i f e v e r , e x p e r i e n c e d b y h u m a n stoday. He r be r t S h e l t o n , N a t u r a l Hygie n e s s ys t e m a t iz e r

E up ho ri a i s e xa ct ly t he s ig n o f l on g- lo st f un ct io n t ha t m ya d o l e s c e n t r a p t u r e h i n t e d a t . O n c e t a s t e d , n o t h i n g e l s e w i l l d o .T h e t h i n g i s t o c o m e b y i t o n p u r p o s e , n o t j u s t b y c h a n c e . W h a tc on di ti on s w ou ld m ak e i t p os si bl e? I de nt if y in g a nd p ro vi d in g

c o n d it io n s is N a t u r a l Hygie n e s f o r t e .N at ur al H yg i en e b eg i ns w it h o rd in ar y o bs er v at io ns o f n a-

t u r e . S o w e w i l l d o t h e s a m e w i t h t h e p s y c h e a n d d a r k n e s s b e f o r el e a r n i n g m o r e a b o u t N a t u r a l H y g i e n e i t s e l f . A f t e r t h e s e basics,somedistinctions f u r t h e r a i d u n d e r s t a n d i n g . T h e n I i n t r o d u c e a

Herbert Shelton,Human Life, Its Philosophy and Laws ( f o u n d o n l i n e , f u l l r e f e r e n c eforthcoming)


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couplemechanics o f r e t r e a t i n g b e f o r e h e a d i n g i n t o i t s depths,t h e u n c h a r t e d t e r r it o r y o f N a t u r a l Hygie n ic p s yc h o l o gy.

B y t h e w a y , i f y o u s k i p p e d t h e b l u r b , p r e f a c e , a n d i n t r o d u c -t i o n t o t h i s b o o k , p l e a s e g o b a c k a n d r e a d t h e m f i r s t .

basics

psyche and darkness

H er e i s S he lt on s u ns en ti me nt al v ie w o f t he p sy ch e: Th e c on -s ci ous f unc ti ons o f th e b od y s er ve p ri ma ri ly to pro te ct a ndp ro vi de t he n ee d s o f t he s ub c on sc io us f un ct io ns . Consciousnessi s n o t a n e n d i n i t s e l f . I t s e r v e s a b i o l o g i c a l f u n c t i o n .

F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e p s y c h e i s t h eprimary s y s t e m i n t h e h u m a no rg an is m b ec au se i t c oo rd in at es a ll t he o th er s. A nd n ot j us tc on sc io us ly, a s w he n r ea di ng t hi s b o ok o r r un ni ng a n e rr an d.

T h e p s y c h e i n c l u d e s s u b c o n s c i o u s n e s s ( w h i c h c a n b e m a d e c o n -s c io u s ) a n d u n c o n s c io u s n e s s ( w h ic h c a n n o t be m a d e c o n s c io u s ) .T h e s e a r e d if f u s e t h r o u gh o u t t h e o r ga n is m , a u t o n o m ic a l l y m o n -it o r in g a n d c o n t r o l l in g e ve r y o n e o f it s 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0( p en t il l io n ) p r oc e ss e s p e r s e co n d. W h at e ve r a f fe c ts t h e p s yc h ef o r g o o d o r i l l a f f e c t s t h e r e s t o f t h e o r g a n i s m l i k e w i s e .

L i k e a n y o t h e r o r g a n i c s y s t e m , t h e p s y c h e n e e d s a p e r i o d o f r es t a nd r ec ov er y. S in ce i ts s en so ry a pp ar at us i s r ef l e xi ve t he

s k i n f e e l s , t h e n o s e s m e l l s , t h e e y e s s e e s e n s o r y d e s t i m u l a t i o ni s n ec es sa ry f or p sy ch ic r es t. T hi nk b ac k t o t he t im es y ou go ty ou r b e st s le e p. B es id es f e el in g c om fo rt ab le w he re y ou s le pt ,y o u r s h e l t e r w a s p r o b a b l y e s p e c i a l l y d a r k a n d q u i e t .

D ar kn es s s ig na ls t he r eg ul at or o f o ur c ir ca di an ( da il y) r hy th ms ,the s u p r a c h ias m a t ic n u c le u s, t o c a u s e u s t o s l e e p . I t d o e s s o b y

Herbert Shelton,The Science and Fine Art of Natural Hygiene, p 1 3 9
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5asoextbr2sa7hv/Kyk7I2QAIO/Natural-Hygiene-Shelton-single.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/suprachiasmatic-nucleus


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i n s t r u c t i n g o t h e r o r g a n s o f t h e c i r c a d i a n s y s t e m . F o r e x a m p l e , i tt el ls t he p in ea l g la nd t o s e cr et e melatonin, a h or mo ne t ha t c au se ss l e e p i n e s s , d r e a m s , a n d l o s s o f a p p e t i t e .

H um an b ei ng s a re d iu rn al c re at ur es , n at ur al ly a wa ke i nd a y t i m e a n d a s l e e p a t n i g h t . T h i s p h y s i o l o g i c a l c y c l e i s c r i t i c a lt o p sy ch ic f un ct io n. M od er n l if e r ep la ce s t he n at ur al e xt re me so f s un a nd s ta rs w it h t he r el en tl es s g re y o f a rt if ic ia l l ig ht a nds u ng l as s es ; n a tu r al s l ee p in g p a tt e rn s w i th g r av e ya r d s h if t s a n d

a f t e r p a r t i e s . T h i s g r e y n e s s , a l o n g w i t h a h u n d r e d o t h e r o f f e n c e s ,h a s p u s h e d p s y c h i c i l l n e s s t o e p i d e m i c p r o p o r t i o n s . S i m p l y p u t ,o u r l i f e w a y i s b r u t a l , t r a u m a t i c , a n d d a m a g i n g .

M od er n d is tr es s ( l on el in es s, s en so ry o ve rl oa d, o ve r wo rk ,f a c t o r y f o o d , e t c ) r e q u i r e s h u n d r e d s o f m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e t o c o n -s um e p sy ch oa ct iv e d ru gs j us t t o f un ct io n a nd s ur v iv e. C au gh ti n a v i c i o u s c i r c l e , t h e y w o n d e r h e l p l e s s l y h o w t h i n g s c a n e v e rchange.

W hi le m an y f ac to rs c on tr ib ut e t o d is tr es s, H y gi en ic d ar k-r o o m r e t r e a t i n g u n i q u e l y p r o v i d e s a n opening: a s i m p l e w a y t ob eg in r ev er si ng a ll o f t he m a t o nc e. F ir st , i t h ar ml es sl y b ri ng st h e m t o a h a l t . S e c o n d , i t p r o v i d e s t h e b e i n g a c h a n c e t o r e c o v e rf r o m t h e m n a t u r a l l y , t h a t i s , b y i t s e l f . A u t o n o m i c a l l y . N o d r u g s ,n o t h e r a p y , n o e x p e r t s .Self-healing unleashed.

T h u s , c o n t r a r y t o f a i r y t a l e s , r e l i g i o n , a n d l i g h t b u l b a d v e r -t i s i n g , d a r k n e s s i s a g o o d t h i n g . D a r k n e s s , l i k e l i g h t , i s a n a t u r a l

c on di ti on o f l if e. We n ee d n at ur e s f ul l p ro vi si on o f i t ab ou t1 0 h o u r s a d a y i n o r d e r t o r e s t p r o p e r l y . I n c r i s i s , w e n e e d a ne x t e n d e d p e r i o d o f d a r k n e s s t o r e c o v e r . D a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g i st o t h e p s y c h e w h a t f a s t i n g i s t o t h e b o d y :

r e li e f f r om p r o c es s in g i n t ak e

t im e t o f ul ly r ec ov er f ro m i nj ur y, i nt ox ic at io n, a nd e x-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/melatonin


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haustion

o ve rd ue r ec og ni ti on o f e xa ct ly w ho a nd w ha t i s d oi ng t herecovering

I n s t i n c t i n e x t r e m e c i r c u m s t a n c e s g i v e s u s a g r a p h i c c l u e t ot he b as ic n ee d f or d ar kn es s: w he n p sy ch ic al ly o ve r wh el me d , ap e r s o n d o u b l e s o v e r a n d c o v e r s h e r e y e s . D e p r e s s e d , h y s t e r i c a l ,o r s ho cke d f ro m v io le nc e, h er w ho le b ei ng c ri es o ut , Gi mm e

shelter!D a r k n e s s i s g o o d s h e l t e r . N o w l e t u s f i n d s h e l t e r a c o n t e x t f o r d a r kn e s s it s e l f .

Natural Hygiene

H e r e i s W e b s t e r s b a s i c d e f i n i t i o n :

hygiene: a c on di ti on o r p ra ct ic e c on du ci ve t o t he

p r e s e r va t io n o f h e a l t h ,such as cleanliness. (empha-s i s a d d e d )

I n c om mo n u sa ge , h yg i en e m ea ns v i gi la nt c le a nl in es s a ndu s e o f s a f e t y e q u i p m e n t t o p r o t e c t a g a i n s t a h o s t i l e w o r l d . B u th y g i e n e i s m o r e t h a n c l e a n l i n e s s , a n d i t i s n o t f e a r f u l . I t i n c l u d e sa l l h e a l t h y c o n d i t i o n s a n d p r a c t i c e s .

N a t u r a l Hygie n e go e s e ve n f u r t h e r . It be n e vo l e n t l y id e n t if ie st h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h e a l t h w i t h t h e n a t u r a l , n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e . I t s e e k s t o p r o v i d e t h e m t o a s e l f - p r e s e r v i n g o r g a n i s m . T h i si s b a s e d o n H y g i e n e s o b s e r v a t i o n o f u b i q u i t o u s h e a l t h i n n a t u r e ,w h e r e o n l y n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e o c c u r : p u r e w a t e r , s u n l i g h t ,w a rm t h, n a tu r al f o o d, f r es h a i r, r e st , e xe r ci s e, c o mp a ni o ns h ip ,e t c . N o w d a r k n e s s f i n d i t s p l a c e i n t h i s l i s t , t o o .


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S he lt on d es cr ib es N at ur al H y gi en e a s th e e mp lo ym en t o f m a t e r ia l s , a ge n t s , a n d in f l u e n c e s t h a t h a ve a n o r m a l r e l a t io n s h ipt o l i f e , i n t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n a n d r e s t o r a t i o n o f h e a l t h a c c o r d i n g t owell-defined laws a n d d e m o n s t r a t e d p r in c ip l e s o f n a t u r e .

N a t u r a l H y g i e n e i s b a s e d o n t h e f a c t , i d e n t i t y , a n d c a u s a l i t yo f l i f e : t h a t l i f e i s , t h a t l i f e i s a l i v e , t h a t l i f e l i v e s . T h i s m e a n s i t i sin h e re n t ly s e l f -p r e s er vin g, ie , s e l f -ge n er a t ing, s e l f -m a in ta in ing,a n d s e l f - h e a l i n g . T h i s i s t r u e i n e v e r y r e s p e c t a n d a t e v e r y s c a l e ,

f r o m t h e c e l l s t o t h e o r g a n i s m a s a w h o l e . T h i s i s t h e f i r s t p a r t o f HygienesGreat Law of Life.TheGreat Law i m p l i e s o t h e r s . T h eLaw of Action s t a t e s t h a t

o n l y t h e o r g a n i s m p e r f o r m s v i t a l a c t i o n , i n c l u d i n g h e a l i n g . T h eLaw of Vitality s ta te s t ha t e ne rg y e mp lo ye d t o p er fo rm t hi sa c t i o n r e s i d e s o n l y w i t h t h e o r g a n i s m , n o t a n y t h i n g e x t e r n a l t oit.

T hu s, n o d ru g, h er b, o r f oo d; n o c on di ti on o r p ra ct ic e; n o

t r e a t m e n t , p e r s o n , o r d e v i c e h e a l s . A t t e m p t i n g t o m a k e t h e b o d yh eal wi th t he m f ur th er d ama ge s o r d ra ins i ts p owe r to h ea li ts el f, w ha te ve r b en ef it m ig ht a pp ea r i n t he s ho rt t er m. T hi si s a n exa mpl e of t he Law of Dual Effect. A d o z e n o t h e r L a w sc o m p l im e n t t h e s e .

W he th er we ll o r i ll , o ne s c on sc io us (v ol it io na l) r ol e i s t od i s c o v e r a n d p r o v i d e t h e n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e i n t h e p r o p e rp r o p o r t io n . T h e a u t o n o m ic ( in vo l u n t a r y) p r o c e s s e s o f t h e o m n i-

s c i e n t , o m n i p o t e n t , i n f a l l i b l e o r g a n i s m h a n d l e t h e r e s t . H y g i e n es y s t e m a t i c a l l y d e s c r i b e s h o w t h i s h a p p e n s w i t h t h e s e a n d o t h e rl og i ca ll y i nt er re la te d l aw s. A ll a re d er iv ed f ro m s im pl e o bs er -v at io ns e ve ry on e c an m ake . I t i s a n e ve ry da y s ci en ce , r ip e f orself-experimentation.

I b i d , b a c k c o v e rI b i d , c h a p t e r 5
http://www.i-nhs.com/inhs/members/general/e/files/lawsoflife.pdf


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A d ru g, f or e xa mp le , i s t ox ic b y d ef in it io n (w hi ch i s w hyd ru gs a re l eg al ly c on tr ol le d) . I t i s a p oi so n. A n o rg an is m d oe sn o t r e l a t e w i t h p o i s o n s b u t r a p i d l y n e u t r a l i z e s a n d e x p e l s t h e m .B y c o n t r a s t , a n o r g a n i s m a s s i m i l a t e s f o o d i n t o i t s o w n s t r u c t u r e .Since it manages its own he aling, me dicine of all kinds i ssuperfluous.

F as ti ng w he n i ll i s a n i ns ti nc tu al e xt en si on o f t he n or ma lti me between meals. In this break, the b ody can rest from

m o s t m e t a bo l ic p r o c e s s e s , r e p a ir t is s u e s , e l im in a t e d e e p l y s t o r e dw as te , a nd r ep le ni sh i ts el f w it h n ut ri en ts a nd e ne rg y t o t hef ar th es t re ac he s o f ev er y c ell . S o f as ti ng i s a p ar t o f N at ur alH y g i e n e . D a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g i s t h e t w i n o f f a s t i n g . I t e n a b l e sp s y c h i c r e s t l i k e f a s t i n g e n a b l e s p h y s i o l o g i c a l r e s t .

I n t he re la ti ons hi p b etwe en f oo d a nd ne rv e e ne rg y l ie sa n o t h e r e x a m p l e . F o o d d o e s n o t a c t u a l l y g i v e e n e r g y t o t h e b o d yd i r e c t l y . F o o d t a k e s n e r v e , c h e m i c a l , a n d m u s c u l a r e n e r g y t o e a t

a n d d i g e s t . O t h e r w i s e w e c o u l d j u s t e a t t o r e s t o r e o u r s t r e n g t h .F o o d p r o vid e s s u ga r , w h ic h r e f u e l s e ve r yt h in g f r o m l a r ge m u s c l em o v e m e n t t o t h i n k i n g t o c e l l o p e r a t i o n . S o m e o f t h i s r e f u e l i n gc an o cc ur w it hi n s ec on ds o f e at in g e as il y d ige st ed f oo d l ikef r u i t . B u t t h e b o d y o n l y t r a n s f o r m s s u g a r i n t o r e s e r v e e l e c t r i c a lp ot en ti al o f t he n er v es d ur in g s le e p. I t o nl y e li mi na te s t ox in sf r o m t i s s u e s a n d r e p a i r s t h e m c o m p l e t e l y w h i l e t h e y a r e u n u s e d .

S o ag ai n we se e th at n o e xt ern al f o rc e, b ut li fe i s t he own er o f

t h e p o w e r t o a c t f o r i t s e l f . L i f e i s t h e d o e r . H y g i e n e h e l p s u s g i v etheautonomic self s o m e o f t h e v a s t a t t e n t i o n p a i d i n o u r l i f e w a yt o t h e v o l i t i o n a l s e l f . V o l i t i o n p l a y s a c r i t i c a l y e t s m a l l p a r t i n t h ew h o l e p r o c e s s o f l i f e . I n d a r k n e s s , H y g i e n e f i n d s a n o t h e r m e a n so f a t t e n d i n g t o t h e a u t o n o m i c s e l f .

T h e d e e p s e l f w i l l n o t s o l v e a l l o n e s p r o b l e m s i n d a r k r o o mre tre at. I t wi ll ha ve a ch an ce t o re cov er l os t ca pa ci ty. Re ca -


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p ac it at ed , o ne c an t he n m ak e t he r ad ic al c ha ng es i n l if ew ayn ec es sa ry t o h an dl e r em ai ni ng p ro bl em s. S e e protocol, p os t-r e t r e a t s e c t i o n f o r m o r e a b o u t t h i s .

distinctions

attitude

H yg ie ni c d ar kr oo m r et re at in g i s n ot p ri ma ri ly a bo ut h yp er -s ecr eti on i n th e b ra in of D MT, r eme mb er in g o f dreamtime,a cc es si ng h ig he r s ta te s o f c on sc io us ne ss , o r m ed i ta ti on ( al l o f w hi ch c an e as il y h ap pe n i n r et re at ). I t i s a bo ut u ng la mo ro us ,passiverest a n d t h e m o s t l y i n s e n s i b l e h e a l i n g t h a t o c c u r s i n r e s t .T h u s , i t i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e a c t i v e a p p r o a c h e s o f d is c ip l in e ( l ike s p ir it u a l p r a c t ic e ) , t h e r a p y, a n d p s yc h e d e l ic s . It isg r o u n d e d t o t a l l y i n n o r m a l o r g a n i c p r o c e s s e s o f t h e i n v o l u n t a r y

n e r v o u s s y s t e m , w h i c h o c c u r f a r b e n e a t h t h e l e v e l o f c o n s c i o u sa w a r e n e s s ; a n d i n c e l l u l a r s e l f - m a i n t e n a n c e , w h e r e t h e n e r v o u ss y s t e m d o e s n o t r e a c h , b u t u n c o n s c i o u s n e s s d o e s .

C iv il iz at io n h as t au gh t u s w el l: i n v ar io us w ay s, w e h av ea ll c om e t o t hi nk t ha t s om eh ow, s om ed ay, w e w ou ld f in al lydo s om eth ing ab out ou r qu and ar y. We f ee l p um pe d up b yt he p ro sp e ct o f d oi ng s om et hi ng c on sc io us ly a nd d ir ec tl y. Wee nt hu si as ti ca ll y s ig n u p f or w or ks ho ps , s ub mi t t o t re at me nt s,

u n d e r t a ke d is c ip l in e s , a n d e x p e r im e n t w it h e x o t ic p s yc h o a c t ives u b s t a n c e s . M e a n w h i l e , t h e a u t o n o m i c s e l f , o m n i s c i e n t a n d o m -n i p o t e n t , r o t s i n a n u n e m p l o y m e n t l i n e .

T hi s i s e go ma ni a. I t i s a n a ct , a p re te nc e o f e nt hu si as m t oc ove r th e p ai n of p sy ch ic d am age, o f p ar ti al s elf -l os s, o f t hes u i c i d a l u r g e t o t o t a l s e l f l e s s n e s s . U n d e r r e g u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s ,we wont drop this act. We cannot b ecause it would be too
http://andrewdurham.com/dreamtime/http://andrewdurham.com/protocol/


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p ai nf ul a nd f ri gh te ni ng . We n ee d a r ea ll y s af e p la ce i n w hi cht o d o i t . D a r k n e s s i s s u c h a p l a c e .

H yg i en e s ay s t ha t w e c an no t d i re ct ly h e al i nj ur y a ny w ay.W e a r e u t t e r l y h e l p l e s s in o u r p o s t - t r a u m a t ic f ix a t io n a n d d e n ia l .I t i s n o t a p l e a s a n t t h o u g h t . B u t i t i s f r u i t f u l b e c a u s e i t c a n e l i c i ta s t r o n g e n o u g h r e s p o n s e f r o m c o n s c i e n c e t o f i n a l l y n o t i c e a n ds u p p o r t t h e s e l f - h e a l in g o r ga n is m .

P a t h o l o g i c a l l y d i s i d e n t i f i e d f r o m l i f e , w e a r e p o w e r l e s s . W e

w h o s t i l l s t u m b l e c h a o t i c a l l y t r y t o c o n t r o l l i f e r a t h e r t h a n s e r v ei t . S o w e a r e n o t g o i n g t o h a n d l e o u r q u a n d a r y . A s w e i m a g i n eo u rs e lv e s t o b e j u st t h e c o ns c io u s, v o li t io n al p a rt we a r e n o tg o i n g t o g e t i t d o n e o r h a v e a n y t h i n g t o d o w i t h i t s g e t t i n g d o n e .W e a r e n o t g o i n g t o f i g u r e i t o u t . W e a r e f i t t o b e t i e d .

T he b es t we ca n d o i s f ull y a dm it to ou r h el pl es sn es s a ndt o s u r r e n d e r t o t h e o n l y f o r c e s t h a t c o u l d e v e r u n t i e t h e k n o t . I ti s t h e G o r d i a n K n o t . B u t t h e k n o t a c t u a l l y n e e d s t o b e u n t i e d .

A l e x a n d e r d i d n o t p r o p e r l y h a n d l e i t b y c u t t i n g i t o p e n w i t h h i ss w o r d , a n d n e i t h e r w i l l w e w i t h o u r s c h e m e s , e f f o r t s , o r s k i l l s .O n l y t h e s m a l l , s i l e n t , s l o w t e n d r i l s o f t h e a u t o n o m i c o r g a n i s m so w n v a s t i n t e l l i g e n c e c a n e v e r u n t i e s u c h a t a n g l e . B u t i t n e e d so ur r ec og ni ti on , o ur c om mi ss io n t o d o t he j ob. I nt eg ri ty i s t hee n d , s o i n t e g r i t y m u s t b e t h e m e a n s a s w e l l .

N at ur al H yg ie ne s p as si ve e mp ha si s o n r es t a nd h ea li ngi s v er y i mp or ta nt b ec au se i t d ef in es t he a pp ro pr ia te attitude

t o w a r d r e t r e a t i n g . I l e a r n e d i n f a s t i n g t h a t h o w o n e a p p r o a c h e sa retre at has a gre at effe ct on what happens in it. The mindb e co me s e xt re me ly p ow er fu l w he n i t i s r es ti ng a nd p ur if y in g.I f o n e s a t t i t u d e i s r e a l l y t o p a s s i v e l y l e t t h e o m n i p o t e n t h e a l i n gf or ce s o f t he o rg an is m d o e ve ry th in g, t he e ff ec t w il l b e m uc hg re a te r t ha n i f o ne h as t he d o er -a tt it ud e o f a p ra ct it io ne r. B e-c a u s e t h e m o r e c o m p e t e n t w o r k e r i s o n t h e j o b .


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I k now no o ne wh o h as exp li ci tl y gon e i nto d ar kne ss w ith th eH y g i e n i c p e r s p e c t i v e , w i t h t h e s o l e p u r p o s e o f s i m p l y p r o v i d i n gt he c on di ti on s o f l if e t o t he s el f- he al in g o rg an is m. S in ce t heo rg an is m i s t he o nl y t hi ng t ha t h ea ls t he o rg an is m, t hi s i s f arm o r e p o w e r f u l t h a n a n y o t h e r a p p r o a c h c a n b e . A t t i t u d e a f f e c t srecovery.

T h e m a i n e f f o r t i n v o l v e d i s s u p p o r t i v e : t o m a i n t a i n t h e c o n -d i t i o n s o f h e a l i n g . T h i s a i n t a t a l l o r d e r . S t a y i n t h e d a r k r o o m .

L ie d ow n a s m uc h a s p os si bl e. E at . E xe rc is e. B at he . E li mi na te .M e d i t a t e i f s o m o v e d . L i e b a c k d o w n . S t a r e a t t h e b a c k s o f y o u re y e l i d s , f e e l y o u r b r e a t h a n d p u l s e , a n d l e t s l e e p c o m e .

I t w i l l a n y w a y . D a r k n e s s e n s u r e s i t . A b l o o d s t r e a m f l o o d e dw it h m el at on in i s c om pe ll ed t o s le ep . A nd s le ep d ee pl y: I f el tp o s i t i v e l y k n o c k e d o u t . D r e a m s a r e f e w e r o r m o r e v i v i d . I n 4 8h o u r s i t i s p o s s i b l e t o c a t c h u p o n a l l t h e s l e e p o n e h a s e v e r l o s t . Ia m n o t s p e a k i n g m e t a p h o r i c a l l y . I t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o b e l i e v e u n t i l

it h a p p e n s .T o m e , i t f e l t l i k e f a l l i n g t h r o u g h a t r a p d o o r . A t t h e e n d o f m y

s e c o n d s u c c e s s f u l r e t r e a t , I f e l t f i v e o r s i x m o r e s u c h t r a p d o o r sa w a i t e d m e , w h i c h w o u l d t a k e a b o u t t w o w e e k s i n d a r k n e s s t of al l th ro ug h. Th en I wo uld s ee th e o th er s id e o f m y p er so na ls t r u g g l e , m y l i f e l o n g d i l e m m a . I s t i l l a w a i t m y c h a n c e .

T he re we re t im es I f el t I wa s cr awli ng i n m y s ki n. S o th ew h o l e t h i n g w a s a l t e r n a t e l y v e r y p l e a s a n t a n d v e r y u n p l e a s a n t .

But it i s no worse than what I go throug h any way. I t is justa c c e l e r a t e d , c o n c e n t r a t e d , a n d w i t h o u t d i s t r a c t i o n . A n d t h e r e i sa c h a n c e o f n e v e r r e l i v i n g t h e h o r r o r a g a i n .


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fulfilment

A v er y p le as an t e ff ec t o f t hi s r es tf ul a tt it ud e b ec om es m or ea pp ar en t t he l on ge r a r et re at go es o n: a s en se o f f ul fi lm en t. I ti s a s i f a l l o n e s f u t i l e e f f o r t s o f t h e p a s t a r e r e d e e m e d a n d t h e i rg o a l i s f i n a l l y r e a l i z e d . A s l o s t p a r t s o f t h e s e l f a r e r e c o v e r e d , t h es a t i s f a c t i o n o f s i m p l y b e i n g a l i v e r e t u r n s .

For the exhauste d, just getting up to p ee can fee l like ac ho re . I n d ar kn es s, t hi s f e el in g c an i nt en si fy a t f i rs t. B ut t he n,

im p e r c e p t ibl y, it t u r n s t o s a t is f a c t io n a ga in . F o r m e , f o r e x a m p l e ,t o e xe rc is e b ec am e f un a ft er t hr ee d ay s. I f el t h ow f ru st ra te d I h adb e e n i n m y i n a c t i v i t y .

F r u s t r a t i o n i s o n e o f m a n y e f f e c t s o f p s y c h i c d a m a g e . D a m -a g e i n c a p a c i t a t e s u s . W e c a n n o l o n g e r d o c e r t a i n n o r m a l t h i n g s .T h e o r g a n i s m g e n e r a t e s f e a r o f t h e a c t i v i t y t o p r e v e n t u s f r o mt r y i n g , f a i l i n g , a n d h u r t i n g o u r s e l v e s e v e n w o r s e .

B u t w e s t i l l d e s i r e t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s . F r u s t r a t i o n i s t h e c o n f l i c tb etwe en d es ire a nd f ea r. I t wa ste s a tre me nd ous a mo unt o f e n e r g y t o k e e p u s s a f e . R e c a p a c i t a t i o n r e m o v e s t h e c a u s e o f t h ef e ar, e na bl es t he f ul fi lm en t o f d es ir e, a nd r el ea se s v it al e ne rg yf o r o t h e r t a s k s . S e l f - r e c o v e r y a c c e l e r a t e s a n d d e e p e n s .

S e e n o t e o n f u l f i l m e n t i n protocol i n t h e s e c t i o n o n a t t i t u d e .

not

T h e r e a r e t h r e e t h i n g s t h e H y g i e n i c u s e o f d a r k n e s s i s n o t .

1 . I t i s n ot m ed i ta ti on . M ed i ta ti on i s d is ci pl in e. D is ci pl in e i se x e r c i s e o f t h e w i l l , w h i c h i s a f a c u l t y o f t h e p s y c h e , t h es ys te m m os t d am age d a nd i n n ee d o f r es t. S o d is ci pl in ep r e v e n t s f u l l r e c o v e r y o f t h e p s y c h e .
http://andrewdurham.com/protocol/


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A n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f d i s c i p l i n e i s s p i r i t u a l p r a c t i c e , w h i c hentails super-effort to force access to subtle energy reservesto fuel transformation. T he H yg ie ni c a pp ro ac h i s e xp li ci tl ya nd e xa ct ly t he o pp os it e: r es t p ro fo un dl y t o g ai n e ne rg yf o r r e s t o r a t i o n . T h e c o n s c i o u s s e l f a t t e m p t s n o t h i n g t o d i -r e c t l y c a u s e h e a l i n g . I t o n l y p r o v i d e s c o n d i t i o n s o f h e a l i n gt o t h e u n c o n s c i o u s s e l f , t h e a u t o n o m i c s e l f , w h o s e j o b i t i st o h e a l t h e o r g a n i s m .

W it h d is ci pl in e, o ne b eg in s b y a cc ep ti ng a s r ea l t he a p-p ea ra nc e o f a n i nt ri ns ic i nt er na l c on f li ct : o ri gi na l s in .N ex t, o ne s tr ug gl es ag ai ns t n at ur e, f ig ht s h ab it s w it hp r a c t i c e s t o a c h i e v e a n i d e a l . I n H y g i e n e , l o g i c a l e x p l a n a -t io n o f i ll ne ss n at ur al ly m ot iv at es o ne t o f ul fi ll t he a ct ua ll yh e a l t h y a i m o f o n e s h a b i t s .

2 . I t i s n ot t he ra py. Th er apy i s d one to a p a ss i ve o r ga n is mf r om t h e o u ts i de . T h e t h er a pi s t, t h er a py, a n d t h er a pe u ti cs ub st an ce s a re t he p ri nc ip al a ct or s i n a t he ra pe ut ic s es si on .W hi le d ep e nd in g o n t he o rg an is m t o r ea ct t o t re at me nt ,t he ra py v ie ws t he o rg an is m a s i nc ap ab le o f i ni ti at in g am o v e m e n t t o w a r d h e a l t h . I t d o e s n o t s e e , i n d i s e a s e i t s e l f ,t h e m o v e m e n t a l r e a d y t a k i n g p l a c e .

I n a d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t , d a r k n e s s d o e s n o t h i n g . L i k e a i r o rw at er, i t i s m er el y p re se nt s a n o pp or tu ni ty i n w hi ch t he

s el f- pr es er v in g o rg an is m c an b e tt er p ur su e i ts c ea se le sst e n d e n c y t o w a r d w h o l e n e s s . T h e p r in c ip a l a c t o r is l if e , n o ti t s c o n d i t i o n s . C e r t a i n l y n o t a n y t r e a t m e n t .

3 . I t i s n ot a p sy ch ed el ic t ri p: a n e xp er ie nc e o f u nc on sc io usp s y c h i c p h e n o m e n a m a d e c o n s c i o u s w i t h c h e m i c a l s , n a t -u r a l o r a r t i f i c i a l .


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W h a t t h e s e a l l h a v e i n c o m m o n i s t h e a t t e m p t t o a m e l i o r a t es u ff e ri n g w i th c o ns c io u s a c ti v i ty. : w i ll e d a c ti v i ti e s t o i m pr ov ea n i ne rt, ev en r es is ta nt u nc on sci ou s s el f, a s i f i t we re d is in -c li ne d o r i nc ap ab le . U nf or tu na te ly, t hi s a tt it ud e i s i g no ra nt lyc o e r c i v e t o w a r d t h e c r i p p l e d c o n s c i o u s s e l f a n d d i s c o u r a g i n g o f t h e o m ni p o te n t a u to n om i c s e lf . I t i s i n te r na l iz e d t y ra n ny, w i thi t s r e s u l t a n t t r i u n e b r a i n d r a i n .

I n c on tr as t, H y gi en ic u se o f d ar kn es s i s e ss en ti al ly p as si ve

a s r eg ar ds t he w il l. N ei th er e xt er na l i nf l u en ce s n or o ne s c on -s c i o u s s e l f h a v e c e n t e r s t a g e , b u t o n l y p l a y s u p p o r t i v e r o l e s . T h ea u t o n o m i c s e l f i s t h e p r i n c i p a l a c t o r .

N o c o n f l ic t . M a x im u m e f f ic ie n c y. Pe r f e c t r e s u l t .

mechanics

food

A t t e n t i o n t o d i e t a n d n u t r i t i o n h a v e a l w a y s b e e n p a r t o f N a t u r a lHygie n e . D u e t o d e c r e a s e d a c t ivit y, s t r e s s , a n d a p p e t it e , d a r kn e s sp r e s e n t s a m ir a c u l o u s o p p o r t u n it y t o :

e at well

i n te r ru p t t h e m a ln o ur i sh i ng , d i ss o ci a ti v e, t ox i fy i ng r e la -t i o n s h i p w i t h f o o d f r o m w h i c h m o s t o f u s s u f f e r

c l ea r ly e x pe r ie n ce o n e s t h ou g ht s , f e e li n gs a n d s e ns a ti o ns

T hi s i s wh y I s er ve a nd r ec omm end o nl y f re sh f ru it a ndg r e e n s t o r e t r e a t a n t s . A s a s a m p l i n g o f t h e f r u g i v o r o u s d i e t , c o m -m o n t o a l l a n t h r o p o i d p r i m a t e s l i k e u s , t h e s e f o o d s o n l y n o u r i s h .T he y d o n ot o ve rt ax d ig es ti on , i nt ox if y, o r o ve rs ti mu la te t hes y s t e m , n o r h e l p u s s u p p r e s s f e e l i n g o r m e m o r y .


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F or m or e o n f ru gi vo ro us d ie t, I r ec om me nd The 80/10/10Diet by D r D o u g l a s G r a h a m . H e i s a N a t u r a l H y g i e n i s t , 2 5 - y e a rf r u givo r e , a n d O l ym p ic t r a in e r .

H o w e v e r , i f t h e p r o s p e c t o f e a t i n g j u s t f r u i t s a n d v e g e t a b l e ss to ps y ou f ro m r et re at in g, t he n j us t p la n t o e at a s s im pl y a ndna tur all y a s y ou k now h ow. F ee l f re e t o wr it e m e wi th yo url im it at io ns ; I a m h ap py t o m ak e m en u s ug ge st io ns . R ev er si ngi l l n e s s a n d s u f f e r i n g i s a p r o c e s s w i t h i t s o w n l o g i c . D a r k n e s s i s

a s t a r t i n g p o i n t . O n e s t e p a t a t i m e .N ot e: j us t b ec au se t he f ru gi vo ro us d ie t c on si st s o f a ll r awf o o d d o e s n o t m a k e i t a r a w f o o d d i e t . F r u g i v o r i s m h a s a l a r g e ,m u lt i -d i me n si o na l s e t o f c r it e ri a a b ou t f o o d ( t im i ng , q u an t it y,p r o p o r t io n , c o m bin a t io n , s e a s o n , s o u r c e , o n e sfeeling, e t c ) . R a wf o o d i s m o n l y h a s o n e c r i t e r i o n : a n y t h i n g g o e s b u t h i g h - h e a t i n g .I t l ac ks de pth a nd s er io us ne ss . I t i s f an at ic is m, no t a wh oler e l a t io n s h ip w it h f o o d .

preparation

I f n o t h i n g i s t o b e d o n e d i r e c t l y i n a r e t r e a t t o c a u s e h e a l i n g , h o wd o e s o n e p r e p a r e f o r i t ? I t i s m o s t l y l o g i s t i c s :

u n de r st a nd i ng t h e H y g i e ni c a t ti t ud e o f p a ss i ve s u pp o rt

l ea rn in g h ow t o e a t f r u gi vo ro us ly t o f e el s at is fi e d

a rr an gi ng a d ar kr oo m, s up po rt , a nd f o od

O t h e r w i s e , y o u p r e p a r e t h e s a m e w a y y o u p r e p a r e f o r w e e k si n a h os pi tal b ed i n tr ac ti on. I e, i t i s t oo l ate. Yo u a re a lre ad yprepared.
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depthstrauma

I n t h e c o u r s e o f d a y s a l o n e i n a d a r k r o o m , i t i s i n e v i t a b l e t h a t u n -r e s o l v e d t r o u b l e f r o m o n e s p a s t w i l l c o m e t o t h e s u r f a c e . B u r i e dt h o u g h t s , f e e l i n g s , s e n s a t i o n s , a n d m e m o r i e s o f t r a u m a b e c o m ec o n s c i o u s a s t h e p s y c h e r e p a i r s i t s e l f . T h i s i s n o t t h e t o r m e n t o f e n d l e s s l y r e l i v i n g t h e p a s t , b u t p a r t o f g e n u i n e r e c o v e r y f r o m i t .

W h y a r e t h e s e t h i n g s b u r i e d ? T h e f i r s t a n d s t r o n g e s t m a n i -f e s t a t i o n o f t r a u m a i s u n c o n s c i o u s d e n i a l . D e n i a l i s n o t a m o r a lf ai lu re . I t i s s ub co ns ci ou s s uc ce ss . Tr au ma o f s uc h d ev as ta ti ngn at ur e u su al ly o cc ur s i n i nf an cy. I t e a si ly o ve r wh el ms a n i nf an t sf r ag i le c o ns c io u sn e ss . D e ni a l p r ev e nt s t r au m a f r om s h at t er i ngb as ic p sy ch ic i nt eg ri ty, w hi ch w ou ld c au se d ea th . D en ia l i sm ai nt ai ne d u nt il t he p sy ch e h ea ls e no ug h f or o ne t o o ne b ea rw i t n e s s t o t h e h o r r o r o f w h a t h a s b e e n d e n i e d .

D en ia l b eg in s t o l if t a nd a t ra um at ic e ve nt i s r em em be re do r a c k n o w l e d g e d . F r o z e n f e e l i n g s r e s u r f a c e . I n s i g h t s c o m e . T h eo r g a n i s m p a c e s t h i s s o m e t i m e s i n t e n s e p r o c e s s w i t h g r e a t c a r e .T he f ac t t ha t i t i s h ap pe ni ng p ro ve s y ou h av e t he c ap ac it y t oh a n d l e i t .

G a i n i n g c o n f i d e n c e i n y o u r a b i l i t y c a n t a k e t i m e . I n t h e n e x tc ha pte r, I d es cr ib e s om e wa ys I l ea rne d to de al wi th i nt ens e

m em or y a nd f ee li ng i n d ar kn es s. T hi s i s k no wl ed ge a nd s ki llI h a d t o l e a r n i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e p r o c e s s . I n as e r i e s o f reports, I h a v e r e c o r d e d m y e x p e r i e n c e s i n d a r k n e s s o f b e g i n n i n g t o h e a l f r o m d e e p t r a u m a .

W ha t t ra um a? I m e an t he r ou ti ne b ru ta li ty o f o ur l if ew ay.N ot j us t t he b ad t hi ng s w e c on de mn , b ut t he b ad t hi ng s w e a cc ep ta n d e v e n b e l i e v e i n . E x a c t l y w h a t t h e y a r e for you, I i n v i t e y o u
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t o f i n d o u t y o u r s e l f i n d a r k n e s s , w h e r e y o u h a v e a r e a l c h a n c e t od e a l w i t h t h e m .

T h e b o t t o m l i n e i s t h i s .N o o n e c a n g e t b r u t a l i z e d d a y i n a n d d a y o u t f o r y e a r s a n d

n o t b e a f f e c t e d . W e a r e n o t i n d e s t r u c t i b l e . W e a r e v u l n e r a b l e t oi n j u r y . T h i s v u l n e r a b i l i t y i s n o t o u r f a u l t . I t i s t h e n a t u r e o f o u rc o nd i ti o na l e x is t en c e a s o r ga n is m s. P e rs o na l f a il u re r e su l ts n o tf r o m w e a k n e s s . I t i s s i m p l y a s i g n o f m a l f u n c t i o n r e s u l t i n g f r o m

d e e p d a m a ge .F ro m t hi s d am age , w e n ee d t im e t o h ea l. We d es er ve i t s im pl yb e c a u s e w e a r e h u r t . T r a u m a i s r e a l . I t i s d e e p . I t p e r s i s t s u n t i l i th e al s. I t d is ru pt s e ve r yt hi ng e ls e i n t he m ea nt im e, m ot iv at in gu s t o t a k e i t s e r i o u s l y . W e c a n h e a l f r o m i t . W e j u s t n e e d b a s i c ,d e c e n t c o n d i t i o n s i n w h i c h t o d o s o : r e s t i n d a r k , q u i e t s o l i t u d e .

L as tl y, u nc on sc io us p sy ch ic t ra um a o ft en e xp re ss es i ts el f s o m a t i c a l l y : a s p h y s i c a l i l l n e s s . I f y o u a r e p h y s i c a l l y i l l , y o u m a y

w e l l f in d p s yc h ic w o u n d s u n d e r n e a t h yo u r c o n d it io n , w o u n d s o f s u r p r i s i n g i n t e n s i t y . T h e s e w o u n d s a r e d o o r s . O n t h e o t h e r s i d eo f t h e m l i e u n e x p e c t e d p a t h s b a c k t o p h y s i c a l h e a l t h .

M uc h o f t hi s c om es s tr ai g ht o ut o f m od er n d ep th p sy ch ol og y :R ei ch , L ie dl of f, J an ov, M il le r. I n d es cr ib in g r ou ti ne c iv il iz edt r a u m a t iz a t io n , t h e y t o o k h e r o ic s t a n d s f o r h u m a n it y. T h e y o n l yd id n ot i ma gi ne th at t he p sy ch e co uld re pai r i ts el f wi th ou ttherapy.

T he h um an or ga ni sm i s re si li ent i n s ome wa ys a nd v ul-n er ab le i n o th er s. D ar kn es s p ro vi de s o ur a ut on om ic s el ve s t heo pp or tu ni ty t o f ul ly p ut t he se q ua li ti es t o h ea lt hy u se , a nd t or igh t u n f a t h o m a bl e w r o n gs .

W i l h e l m , J e a n , A r t h u r , A l i c e


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psychosis

C a l l i n g p e o p l e c r a z y i s a c l i c h a m o n g u s . B u t w h a t i f w e a r ecorrect?

T hi nk er s t hr ou gh ou t h is to r y h av e o bs er v ed i n u s c iv il iz edpe ople a pattern of mass functional psychosis. Mass me ansu ni ve rs al . F un ct io na l m ea ns a bl e t o s ur vi ve l on g e no ug h t or e pr o du c e. B ro a dl y, p s yc h os i s m e an s p s yc h ic d i se a se : t r au m a,e x h a u s t i o n , t o x i f i c a t i o n , a n d t h e r e s u l t i n g d y s f u n c t i o n o f t h i n k -

in g, f e e l in g, a n d m o vin g in t e l l ige n c e s .N a r r o w l y , p s y c h o s i s m e a n s t h e i n a b i l i t y t o d i s t i n g u i s h r e a l -

i ty f ro m f an ta sy. F or e xa mp le , w e b el ie ve t he s li ve r o f r ea li tywe a re a wa re o f c omp ri se s th e wh ole o f re ali ty. T he s li ve r i ss p a c e t im e gr o s s m a t e r ia l it yt h e t h r e e d im e n s io n s o f s p a c e a n do ne d im ens io n o f t im e w hi ch , to ge th er, a re s o a me na ble toi n t e l l e c t i o n . S o w e e m p h a s i z e t h i n k i n g a t t h e e x p e n s e o f f e e l i n ga nd , to s om e ex te nt, ac ti on . Ob se ss ive c on tro l o f th is s li ve re na bl es s om e o f u s t o s ur vi ve a nd s ta ve o ff m ou nt in g d is as te rf o r a n o t h e r g e n e r a t i o n . W e h o p e .

E x a m p l e s o f m a s s p s y c h o s i s a b o u n d a m o n g u s :

r ig ht eo us w ar s a ga in st t he i nn oc en t

o pp re ss io n i n t he n am e o f r ig ht s a n d f re e do m

p o ve r ty a m id s t m i n d -b o gg l in g w e al t h

u s el e ss w o rk a n d w e a ri s om e r e c r ea t io n c o nf u si n g p h il o so p hy

a l ie na t io nc iviliz a t io n s c a l lin g c a r d

d e p r es s io n, a n x ie t y, s c h iz o p hr e n ia

e p id e mi c d i s ea s es o f l i fe s ty l e ( ca n ce r, d i ab e te s , c a rd i ov a s-c u l a r d is e a s e )

s t up i fy i ng e d uc a ti o n, s i ck e ni n g h e a l th c a re


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1 - h y g i e n e 17

N o d o u b t y o u c a n s u p p l y y o u r o w n . P e r h a p s y o u h a v e e v e nw e p t o v e r y o u r o w n d e s p e r a t e m a d n e s s .

N o rm a ll y, c a ll i ng s o me t hi n g c r az y h a lt s f u rt h er c o ns i de r a-t io n a nd c on ve rs at io n. A ft er a ll , yo u c an t f ix c ra zy. S o w hyt h i n k o r t a l k a b o u t i t ? I s i t e v e n c r a z i n e s s , o r i s i t j u s t h u m a nn a t u r e , a s w e h a v e l o n g a s s u m e d ? C o n v e n t i o n a l p s y c h o l o g y h a sf ai le d, c ap it ul at in g t o p sy ch ia tr y s n ar co si s . M as s p sy ch os is i s t heb i g g e s t e l e p h a n t i n o u r r o o m .

I s ub mi t th at we a re a ct ua lly c ra zy ; we we re n t al wa ys ;s ome th ing we nt wro ng ; b ut we a re a li ve ; th ere fore, we c anrecover.

I f t h e h y g i e n i c v i e w o f h e a l t h a n d s a n i t y a r e t h e b r a i n o f m yt h e o r y , a n d d a r k r o o m r e t r e a t i n g i s t h e g u t , t h e c o n c e p t o f m a s sf un ct io na l p sy ch os is i s i ts h ea rt . F in d e la bo ra ti on o n i t i n m ye a r l ie r e s s a y, psychosis.

causationP at ho lo gy i s t he s tu dy o f i ll ne ss , i nc lu di ng i ts c au sa ti on : t hec h a i n o f c a u s e a n d e f f e c t t h a t l e a d s t o s y m p t o m s .

N a t u r a l H y g i e n e d e a l s u n f l i n c h i n g l y i n f i r s t c a u s e s . I t b e g i n sb y o b s e r v i n g t h a t h e a l t h i s t h e n o r m a l s t a t e o f o r g a n i s m s u n d e rn or ma l c on di ti on s. D is ea se o nl y o cc ur s w he n s om et hi ng g oe sw r o n g w i t h c o n d i t i o n s : h a r m f u l o n e s a r e p r e s e n t a n d b e n e f i c i a l

o n e s a r e a b s e n t o r i n p o o r p r o p o r t i o n .A m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , t h i s g i v e s H y g i e n e a r a t i o n a l s t a n d a r df o r e v a l u a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s p r o p o s e d a s b e n e f i c i a l . H y g i e n e a s k s ,w ha t n or ma l r el at io ns hi p t o l if e d o es t hi s c on di ti on h av e? D idi t s a b s e n c e c a u s e o r c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e d i s e a s e i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e ?I f n o t , t h e n t h e p r o p o s a l c a n b e d i s m i s s e d .

I n t h e c a s e o f u s i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n o f d a r k n e s s t o h e a l f r o m
http://andrewdurham.com/darkness-conjecture/psychosis


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1 - h y g i e n e 18

p syc hi c i ll ne ss , o nc e up on a ti me, we were d ep ri ve d o f t hes he lt er w e i ns ti nc ti ve ly s ou gh t i n o rd er t o h ea l f ro m w ha te ve rt r a u m a t i z e d u s . W e g o t h u r t b u t g o t n o c h a n c e t o h e a l . R e s t i n gi n a d a rk r oo m f i na l ly a d dr e ss e s t h is l i tt le - no t ic e d i n te r me d i at ec a u s e o f ongoing s u f f e r i n g a n d i l l n e s s f r o m t r a u m a .

Wh y we re we d ep ri ve d? P are nt s, o ur so urc e o f s he lte r,w er e o ft en t he s ou rc e o f o ur t ra um a. T he y w er e m is gu id ed o ru nw it ti ng . P os si bl y t he y we re t ra um at iz ed w it h u s. O r o ve r-

w he lm ed . E it he r w ay, h ow we re t he y t o p ro vi de u s p ro pe r s he lt erafterwards?T h e y d i d n o t m e a n t o h u r t u s . T h e y s u f f e r e d f r o m t h e s a m e

i l l n e s s a r i s i n g f r o m a n o f t e n s i m i l a r t r a u m a f r o m t h e i r p a r e n t s .T h e y w e r e i n d e n i a l o f t h e i r n e e d f o r r e s t , j u s t a s t h e i r p a r e n t sd e n i e d t h e m . T o s u p p o r t o u r h e a l i n g w o u l d h a v e m e a n t f a c i n gt he i r o wn t er ri f yi ng p ai n i n p re ci s el y t he d is tr es si ng m om en tw h e n t h e ir h igh e s t va l u e s t h e ir c h il d r e n w e r e s u f f e r in g m o s t .

I t h a p p e n s o c c a s i o n a l l y , b u t i t s t o o m u c h t o e x p e c t .S o h e r e w e a r e .S inc e h um an ity wa s f ine a t s ome p oi nt , h ow d id t ra uma

b e g i n ? S a n e p e o p l e d o n o t r o u t i n e l y h u r t t h e i r c h i l d r e n . S o t h et ra um a h ad t o o ri gi na te e xt er na ll y. I d on t k no w e xa ct ly w ha t,b u t I g u e s s a n a t u r a l s u p e r -catastrophe i n o u r d i s t a n t p a s t d i d i t .F a c t i s , b i g r o c k s f l y a r o u n d s p a c e a t h i g h s p e e d s . O c c a s i o n a l l y ,o n e l a n d s h e r e w i t h u n h a p p y c o n s e q u e n c e s . M a y b e w e a r e t h e

b u t t o f a c o s m i c j o k e .W h a t w o u l d i t m e a n t o g e t t h e j o k e ? E v e r y b o d y i s i n n o c e n t .

S o e v e r y b o d y i s f r e e t o h e a l .O n Ea rth , pre ve nti on o f a ll tr au ma i s f ut ile. H op e l ie s i n

h a v i n g a w a y t o r e c o v e r f r o m i t .
http://andrewdurham.com/darkness-conjecture/catastrophe/


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1 - h y g i e n e 19

psychology

I n l ig ht o f t he t ra um at ic o ri g in o f d is e as e, H y gi en ic p ri nc ip le s,a n d r e s t f u l u s e o f d a r k n e s s , a H y g i e n i c p s y c h o l o g y c a n n o w b eoutlined:

1 . A s o r ga n is m s, w e s t a r t o u t w h ol e , f u n ct i on a l, a n d h a p py.

2 . E ar ly, r ou ti ne , m aj or p sy ch ic t ra um a l ea ve s u s d am ag ed ,m a l f u n c t io n in g, a n d s u f f e r in g.

3 . T he p sy ch e, a s a n o rg an ic s y st em , w il l h ea l i ts el f.4 . H e al in g p ri ma ri ly r eq ui re s rest d ue t o t he s ti ll ne ss a nd

e x t r a v i t a l e n e r g y i t a f f o r d s .

5 . P ro fo un d p sy ch ic r es t o cc ur s a ut on om ic al ly i n a bs ol ut e,p h ys ic a l d a r kn e s s .

6 . T he re fo re, b y r es ti ng i n d ark ne ss, we ar e re st ore d tow h o l e n e s s , f u n c t io n , a n d h a p p in e s s .

N a t u r a l H y g i e n e u p h o l d s b a s i c f i n d i n g s o f p s y c h o l o g y f r o ms e ve r al t r ad i ti o ns . H y g ie n e m e re l y s h ru g s a t p s yc h ol o g y s c o n-s c io u s o ve r - in vo l ve m e n t in t h e u n c o n s c io u s , w h ic h is c o m p e t e n tt o f ix i ts el f i f s up po rt ed . We a re c or re ct i n b el ie vi ng w e h av ea p ro ble m a nd ne ed to d o s om eth ing ab out i t. We h av e b ee ni n c o r r e c t a b o u t w h i c h p a r t o f o u r s e l v e s h a s t o d o i t .

F oc us in g o n d e ep p sy ch ic r es t i n a bs ol ut e d ar kn es s i s n ew

i n N a t u r a l H y g i e n e . U n t i l n o w , i t h a s f o c u s e d o n p h y s i o l o g i c a lr es t a ff or de d b y f as ti ng ; f as ti ng h as b ee n i ts u lt im at e m ea nso f d e al in g w it h s er io us i ll ne ss . A t m os t, H y gi en e r ec om me nd ske ep in g e ye s c lo se d d ur in g f as ts b ec au se i t r es ts t he m in d. A

A s p s y c h o l o g i s t s M i c h a e l M e a d e a n d J a m e s H i l l m a n p u t i t i n t h e t i t l e o f t h e i r 1 9 9 3book,Weve Had a Hundred Years of PsychotherapyAnd the Worlds Getting Worse

Hygienist, B e r n a r r Z o v l u c k, q u o t e d o n l i n e
http://www.towardsfreedom.com/wdh/towardsfreedom/RTAlternativeHeal.html


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1 - h y g i e n e 20

d a rk r oo m r e tr e at e m bo d i es t h is p r in c ip l e f u ll y w h il e p ro v id i ngt h e e n e r g y a n d , f r a n k l y , t h e s e c u r i t y o f f o o d t o s u p p o r t r e p a i r o f p sy ch ic s y st em s. I t c om pl im en ts f as ti ng s m or e p hy si ca l b e ne fi ts .

A s i n f a s t i n g , o n e h a r d l y k n o w s i n d a r k n e s s w h a t t h e b e i n gi s d o i n g a t i t s d e e p e s t l e v e l s . O c c a s i o n a l l y t h e r e i s a c

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