Читать книгу The Healthy Mechanic - Tim Scapillato - Страница 14

The seed of health contains innate intelligence that automatically keeps the body tuned up.

A tiny seed contains within it the power, the energy, and the intelligence to create a mighty oak tree, or to make vegetables and fruits for our sustenance. If you were to dissect and study it under a microscope, you would never be able to detect the innate intelligence that it possesses. Yet, you do not question this when you plant the seed. You simply know that nature will take over and ultimately the plant will appear if we do not interfere with the natural processes. We need to have this same knowing and confidence when it comes to our own bodies and follow certain steps to optimize its tuning up process.

“Ben, I’m worried,” said Julia. “Why didn’t you tell me about your problems, and the visit to the doctor? I’m your wife and I feel like I’m the last to know. And now you tell me that you’re taking medical advice from a ninety-one-year-old mechanic from Wakefield? What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry, Julia, it was bad judgment. I really didn’t want you to worry until I knew for sure what was wrong. I should have told you. And I’m not getting medical advice from Daniel—it’s just the opposite, actually. He has an approach that doesn’t rely on drugs and doctors.”

“Right. What qualifies him to be giving this kind of advice to complete strangers? Is he the leader of a cult, or something? This is crazy, Ben. Think about it: your high school vice-principal leads you to a small town mechanic for health tips after your doctor tells you that you’re a walking time bomb. Have you started taking the blood pressure medication yet?”

“Ah, not yet. I just wanted to wait and see what the first secret—”

“—how can you wait? Ben, you aren’t a kid anymore. You can’t afford to fool around like this and ignore your doctor.”

“Well, when you think about it, what has my doctor really told me? He told me I have problems, and he has written a couple of prescriptions for drugs that will deal with the symptoms of the problems. That’s it. Daniel is offering something that will address the problems. That makes more sense, doesn’t it?”

“How do you know what he’s going to tell you while he’s fixing your carburetor, or whatever he’s going to do?”

“He’ll be replacing the timing belt, actually. He was able to tell that it will need replacing, before it even—”

“—Ben, I don’t care about your timing belt. I care about you. I love you, and I want you around for a few more years.”

“Then trust me. I have a gut feeling about this. Do you think I’m stupid? Have I ever done anything crazy or foolish since you’ve known me? Do you think I’d risk my health on a whim? You have to give me more credit than that.”

“It’s up to you, Ben. I’ve told you what I think. I just hope you know what you’re doing, and that you don’t end up regretting following that old Parsnips down a garden path.”

“Why don’t you come with me? I’d like you to meet Daniel. You’d like him.”

“No, Ben, this is your adventure. I respect your decision, but I can’t support it or agree with it. I hope you change your mind.”

“Duly noted, dear.”

* * *

They were on the outskirts of Hull, on Highway 5 heading north towards Wakefield, when Ben first noticed how sluggish his engine was performing. While trying to accelerate up a hill, it hesitated, and then backfired, before picking up speed.

“That old son-of-a-gun was right, Max. That feels like a bad timing belt to me.”

“It could have been a lucky guess. Maybe Toyotas are known for that problem.”

“I doubt it. I’ve never heard that before. I’ve owned three Toyotas, and never had to replace or even adjust the timing belt. Anyway, we’re going to the right place. I don’t want to drive too far with that kind of a problem under the hood.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a bigger problem at home, Ben. Julia didn’t look too happy to see you leave this morning.”

“Really, Max, can you blame her? Think about it: her husband could drop dead at any moment and for help he goes to a complete stranger whose skill is fixing automobile engines. On the face of it, it does sound pretty bizarre. Maybe she thinks that you are starting to rub off on me.”

“Nice try, Ben. I think she knows both of us well enough to know that you have enough quirks of your own. You don’t need to borrow any from me.”

“Still, I hope I can get her to come out here sometime and meet Daniel. She likes interesting characters, and Daniel is nothing if not interesting.”

“Maybe if her husband’s life wasn’t in his hands she’d find him more interesting. Right now, she probably sees him as more of a threat.”

“That’s a good point, Max. You do have good ideas every now and then, don’t you?”

Max smiled, and then pulled an apple from his jacket pocket. He bit into it and settled back in his seat to enjoy the scenery as they left the city and headed north up the Gatineau River valley.

“Max, what are you doing carrying a piece of fresh fruit with you? Trying to impress the vice-principal?”

“No. There were no more Twinkies left in the cupboard. This was all I could find for a snack.”

Ben wasn’t buying that. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Max eat fruit, except for strawberry shortcake with enough whipped cream to hide the taste of the fresh fruit beneath.

“Sure, Max. I hope it isn’t too much of a shock to your system.”

* * *

As Ben turned the Toyota onto Phoenix St. it let out a shotgun blast.

“I hope there aren’t any gun control fanatics living on this street, Ben,” said Max.

“It’s OK,” replied Ben. “I’ve got a licence for this gun.”

When they arrived at the Webster home, Daniel was standing on the front lawn, under a majestic white pine, talking to a woman dressed in a flowered sari wrap. Her thick hair was pulled back in a bun, accentuating her high cheekbones and almond-shaped face. Her eyes sparkled as she listened intently to Daniel. Her gaze shifted as Ben and Max got out of the car. Smiling, she gestured to the guests and placed her hand gently on Daniel’s arm. She spoke softly, lowered her arm, and watched as Daniel turned around to greet the new arrivals.

“Good morning, gentlemen. I’d like you to meet my wife, Elizabeth. Honey, this is Ben Dayton and Max Farley.”

“Very nice to meet you, ma’am,” said Ben, extending his hand.

“Pleasure to meet you,” said Max, raising his hand in a gesture resembling something between a wave and a salute.

“Welcome to our house,” said Elizabeth. “I’m glad you could make it. Daniel has been telling me about your visit last weekend.”

“Your husband is a genius, Mrs. Webster. He predicted that my timing belt would need replacing and sure enough, it does. I guess you heard us coming up the street.”

“We did, indeed. And please call me Elizabeth. Can I get you something to drink? Water or herbal tea?” she offered.

“Water would be fine, thank you,” answered Ben.

“Same here,” said Max. “Thanks.”

Elizabeth turned and walked up the path to the house. Ben noticed that her stride was so smooth that she appeared to be gliding. If Daniel looked young for his age, this woman looked even more remarkably preserved. He was assuming that she was close to Daniel’s age, but he couldn’t be sure. She didn’t look older than 60. He wasn’t about to inquire about her age, however. That was something he stopped doing years ago. It was too risky.

“Nice call on the timing belt, Daniel,” said Ben.

“That’s just experience, Ben. You see things enough times and you start to recognize the warning signs. Have you spoken to your wife about your visit here last week?”

Ben was surprised at the question. Max was the only person who knew about their discussion, and he was sure that it was kept confidential.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. We did discuss it.”

“I see. I hope that she’ll be able to join in one of our sessions sometime.”

“I hope so, too. Should I bring the car in now?” asked Ben, changing the subject.

“Sure. Right hand side, same as before.”

When Ben turned the ignition on, the Toyota backfired again, let out a cloud of dark smoke, and then began to idle roughly. He drove into the garage, got out, and attached the exhaust ventilation hose. When he stood up, Daniel handed him a large pinecone. Ben realized that it was from the largest of the white pines on the Webster property. It was the largest one he had ever seen.

“Thanks,” said Ben, hesitating as he accepted the proffered ‘gift’.

As he opened the hood on Ben’s car, Daniel watched Ben examining the pinecone.

“Do you realize how much knowledge and potential energy you are holding in your hands, Ben?”

“Knowledge and energy?” asked Ben.

He looked at Max, who smirked and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. As he did so, he noticed a bamboo flute hanging on the wall above the door. He hadn’t noticed this on their first visit, or the beaded curtains in front of the window on the far wall. Max wondered if these people were leftover hippies.

“Do you know what a pinecone is, Ben?” asked Daniel.

“A pinecone? Of course. It’s like a seed. It’s how the tree reproduces.”

“Yes, that’s almost correct. It is actually many seeds. Each blade of the pinecone is a single seed and each cone has the potential energy to create about 30 white pine trees as big as the one in my front yard. I find that pretty amazing, Ben.”

“Does this have anything to do with Ben’s timing belt, Daniel?” asked Max.

“You haven’t started without me, have you, boys?” said Vic, interrupting the conversation as he entered the garage. “Sorry I’m late.”

“You’ll have to stay after class, Vic,” said Max.

“I’ll bet you’ve always wanted to say that to your teacher, haven’t you?” asked Vic.

“Well, it hasn’t been a major preoccupation, Vic, but I have to admit, it did feel good.”

“Learning about seeds and the energy they possess, I see,” said Vic, gesturing to the pinecone.

“I was just telling Ben that he holds in his hand enough potential board feet of lumber to build several houses,” explained Daniel.

“But only if allowed to flourish without interference, right?” asked Vic.

“You’re a good student, Vic,” replied Daniel.

Ben placed the pinecone on the workbench. He noticed how tidy Daniel’s workspace was. In fact, the entire garage was uncluttered and efficiently organized. Most other garages to which he had taken his car had the characteristic oil and gas odours, stains on the floor, and a disorganized array of tools scattered about. Ben wondered how Daniel kept the floor so clean—there wasn’t an oil stain in sight. A shaft of sunlight filtering through the prism caught his eye. He felt good. For a moment, everything seemed perfect.

“I hope Ben doesn’t think that he’s about to get a lesson on the birds and the bees,” joked Vic.

“He learned that a long time ago, Vic,” said Max.

Daniel picked up the pinecone and turned to Ben. “Don’t worry—there’s a point to all of this. What I want to say is that although it may seem self-evident to almost everyone, most people don’t stop to think that we all began as seeds. I like to describe it as the ‘seed of health’. The seed from which you and I sprang contained an innate intelligence that has controlled the formation of your body, enabling it to maintain itself in a constant state of good health.”

“Until now,” said Ben. “I seem to have found a way to override that innate intelligence.”

“Not necessarily, Ben,” explained Daniel. “Look at this way—maybe it’s that innate intelligence that has led you here. Somewhere inside you is a survival instinct. The innate intelligence is guiding you to a new lifestyle that will ensure that you complete your life.”

“I hope you’re right, Daniel,” said Ben.

“I know that during his teaching career, Vic probably met a lot of students who seemed to have absolutely no innate intelligence—present company excepted—but I’m sure that we all have it. Unfortunately, for many different reasons, most of us spend our lives doing things that suppress the seed’s innate intelligence. The eleven secrets can help you find a lifestyle that will allow the seed to flourish and express its full energy.”

“I’ve met some pretty seedy characters in my life, and they didn’t seem to have too much intelligence, innate or otherwise,” said Max.

Ben rolled his eyes, and then turned to Daniel. “Remember, you invited him along.”

“It will be worth it, Ben. I hope.”

Daniel gently placed the pinecone in a large, ceramic, dragon-shaped bowl.

“The amazing power of the seed of health begins to manifest itself long before birth. Just think about the gestation period of a human being: over a nine-month period, a perfectly formed fetus develops according to a very predictable schedule. Now, I realize that there are sometimes genetic defects or weaknesses, but a lot of that is actually caused by humans disturbing the genetic pool or introducing chemicals at critical times in the crucial formative period of the fetus.”

“This is the interference that you were talking about last week,” said Max. “Right?”

“Exactly. This is one of the earliest and most crucial forms of interference, because the development that takes place at this point sets the stage for all future development in the life of the new human being. Think of the newborn baby: it is perfection. Under normal circumstances, it has two eyes, ten fingers and toes with little nails at the ends, an ear on each side of the head, and all of the internal organs, fully functioning and in the right place. Throughout the body are complex systems of electro-chemical complexes, hormones, immune system cells, blood vessels, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and a multitude of other crucial components. A central nervous system coordinates and controls the smooth functioning of all these intricate systems. It’s like an orchestra.”

Daniel’s face was glowing as he described the intricacies of the human body. Although this was not really new information, Ben felt like he was hearing it for the first time, or more to the point, that he actually understood its significance. How many people simply take for granted that their bodies will continue to function as nature intended, no matter what kinds of stresses they are placed under?

“—water, or herbal iced tea. And I’ve made gluten-free carrot and flaxseed muffins,” offered Elizabeth.

Ben hadn’t even heard her enter the shop. He found her gracefulness enchanting as she glided into the room. Her presence had a calming effect, a realization that surprised Ben, since he was already more calm and relaxed than he had been in years just by being in the shop with Daniel. He wondered if these people even knew what the word ‘stress’ meant.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” she asked, looking at Ben and Max.

“Please do,” answered Ben. “Daniel was just describing the incredibly complex network of systems in our bodies that is controlled by our innate intelligence or life force. He compared it to an orchestra.”

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. She turned her gaze to Daniel and gestured for him to continue.

“A newborn infant has an instinctive sucking reflex that allows it to nourish itself, ensuring its survival. No one has to teach this new being how to nurse, or breathe, or process the nutrients it receives for sustenance and growth. It does not have to remember to direct the liver to secrete the proper digestive enzymes. It does not have to concentrate on keeping its heart beating and its blood flowing. It is the innate intelligence contained in the seed of health that enables the body to keep itself alive and healthy. It’s a miracle, Ben. Have you ever wanted to see a miracle? Look in the mirror.”

“The only miracle I’ve ever seen is when the Leafs made it to the playoffs during the Harold Ballard years,” said Max.

“And even then they were a better team than the Canadiens,” Vic replied.

Ben looked at Max and Vic and shook his head. When he considered all of the interconnected systems in the human body, and their thousands of interrelated functions, he began to realize just how much of a miracle his life was. At the same time, he was suddenly acutely aware of its fragility. He had spent enough time around computers to know that even a slight and seemingly insignificant interference could cripple even the most powerful computer. The human body, with an internal computer far more sophisticated than any computer on the market, was likely to be affected in much the same way if any of its systems were tampered with or experienced interference from external sources. He had tampered with his far too much over the past few years. The thought disturbed him.

“The human body knows exactly what needs to be done in order to heal itself when it is injured or stressed,” continued Elizabeth, as though anticipating what was going through Ben’s mind.

He noticed how seamlessly she had entered the conversation, continuing Daniel’s train of thought.

“It would be nice if they could invent a computer that could fix itself,” said Vic.

“They don’t need fixing very often, Vic, unless you misuse them. They usually run quite well if there is no interference,” said Max.

Elizabeth smiled at the bantering in the background, and then continued. “If a part of the body is cut, one of its many internal systems goes to work instantly to heal and restore the injured tissue. Now, just try and imagine what would happen if you had to consciously control all your bodily systems and functions. Would you be able to list the steps, in proper sequence, that your body would need to follow in order for it to heal a cut? Would you know that your tissues have to swell to cut off the flow of blood to the injured area? Do you know how to send special chemicals to clot the blood? Can you send extra blood cells to fight infection? How would you go about directing the healing process? In fact, you could not possibly do all these things, even if you knew how. Fortunately, your body knows instinctively what has to be done, and how to do it in the most efficient manner. It knows how to react to any situation, from a small cut or bruise to a flu virus or an injured back. Your body knows how to do this because of the innate intelligence contained in the seed of health.”

Vic stood up and walked across the room to inspect the partially dismantled Toyota engine. “Imagine all of that activity going on inside your body, Ben, without your having to worry about controlling it. Everything happens when it is supposed to happen. I’ll bet you would never hear any little voices inside your body yelling, ‘I’m still waitin’, Dayton!’”

“You’ll never let me live that one down, will you?”

“Absolutely not, Ben. It’s one of the highlights of my career. But don’t look at me. Your friend here put you in that difficult position,” he added, glancing over at Max.

Max held up his hands in mock protest, then moved over to help inspect the engine.

“If our body knows instinctively how to do all these things,” asked Max, “then why is that we still get sick? Shouldn’t our bodies be able to resist everything that attacks it?”

“I don’t know how your body could resist some of the things you dump into it, Max,” said Ben. “Those afternoon ‘snacks’ are scary.” Ben turned to Elizabeth, allowing her to continue.

“Well, Max, this may sound too good to be true, but it is a fact that, left to its own devices, the human body would certainly maintain itself in a state of perfect health. When we get sick, it is because we have done something that interferes with one or more of the systems in our body. Ultimately, our immune system is weakened and we succumb to illness. For example, have you ever wondered why, if someone in a group has a cold, only a few people might get it, even though everyone is equally exposed to the virus? It is because those people have weakened immune systems, for whatever reason, and are more susceptible to the illness. What it all comes down to is this: the less we do, the better off we are.”

“Now you’ve piqued his interest,” said Vic. “Doing less was his specialty in high school.”

“But you can’t complain about my marks,” said Max. “I may have worked less hard, but I got better results than almost everyone else.”

“Which proves Elizabeth’s point,” said Vic. “It’s the same with our health. The less we do to interfere, the better off we are.”

“The beauty of this process,” continued Elizabeth, “is that it works most efficiently when it is left alone. The less we interfere, the better our health will be. In fact, the basic premise of the eleven secrets is that nature, or innate intelligence, knows exactly what is needed to attain and maintain perfect health. It doesn’t need outside help. This is the point that Daniel was explaining to you earlier.”

Ben was amazed that Daniel had quietly dismantled the top half of the Toyota engine in complete silence while the rest of the people in the room discussed the innate intelligence in the seed of health. As he turned to reach for a tool from the wall rack, Ben noticed that this 91-year-old man showed no signs of fatigue after spending the past hour bent over an engine, removing bolts, clamps and brackets. Inspecting a socket wrench, Daniel nonchalantly joined the conversation.

“When the body is operating normally, it really does respond correctly in every situation. Remember how your car responded when you pressed the accelerator pedal on the way here, Ben. There were internal problems in the engine, and it didn’t respond the way it was designed to do. When you leave here, the problem will have been corrected. The engine will work the way it is supposed to, and it will respond as is should when you step on the gas.”

Elizabeth picked up the discussion. “These are the fundamental principles of nature, and we should not work against them. Everything we need to achieve and maintain a perfect state of health is within us from the moment of conception. Allow this miraculous system to work unimpeded and you will enjoy better health. It really is better to work with this all-knowing mysterious intelligence than to depend on chemicals from external sources to mask our symptoms.”

Ben thought of all the prescription drugs in his medicine cabinet, and the unfilled prescriptions his doctor had given him. Julia was urging him to start the medication that had been recommended. He was reluctant to turn to drugs for help, at least for the moment. He had already started walking to and from work, for a total of about an hour a day. He was down to a coffee a day, first thing in the morning, and he had cut back on beer. This wasn’t much, but he felt it was a good start. He would have to visit his doctor for a follow-up exam next week. If things hadn’t improved, even slightly, he would consider listening to the medical advice he was hearing from his doctor and his wife.

“This innate intelligence must be present in every living organism,” said Max. “It’s not just humans that have it, is it?”

“Good question, Max,” answered Daniel.

“Why didn’t you ever come up with good questions in high school, Max?” asked Vic.

“Maybe I didn’t think I would get good answers.”

“Good one, Max,” said Vic. “Ten points for you.”

“Max is right,” continued Daniel. “The innate intelligence that functions to sustain life is present in every living organism. A plant, for example, knows that it must send its roots down into the soil and turn its leaves up towards the sun. Move a plant away from the sunlight and it instinctively turns its leaves toward the light. There is no limit to this intelligence. All life in the universe is comprised of energy and movement. The trillions of cells that make up our living bodies are in constant movement and change. Imagine that—trillions of cells, all moving, growing, changing and interacting in harmony. Our bodies are like finely tuned instruments. This isn’t happening by chance. It is our inner wisdom that directs this energy to control the constant change and movement that constitutes life. This is what we mean when we talk about the seed of health.”

Daniel turned back to the Toyota and began to re-assemble the refurbished engine.

Ben sat down on a couch against the side wall, watching Daniel and contemplating what he had learned so far that morning. That’s odd, he thought—he had never noticed the inlaid ceramic tiles on the shop floor. This was an interesting room, one in which you continually noticed new things, depending upon your location in the room. He hadn’t sat on this couch yet, so hadn’t viewed the room from that perspective. Looking more closely at the tiles, he realized that there was a definite pattern. Turning his head, he spotted it: the tiles formed the shape of a giant tortoise. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but knowing the Websters, he was sure that there was some significance to it. Nothing seemed to happen by chance with this couple.

“If what you are saying is true,” said Max, “and I’m not saying it isn’t, then theoretically, if there were absolutely no interference, a human body should be able to live forever. If the body can keep healing itself and resisting disease and illness, then why does it eventually die?”

Vic regarded Max with raised eyebrows. “Maybe you did learn something at school, after all. That’s a brilliant observation, my friend.”

Max reached for another muffin, his third of the morning.

Elizabeth watched Ben as he examined the ceramic floor art.

“This organizing force is at work in everyone and every living thing, regardless of age,” she explained. “Where we encounter limits is with physical matter. No one has the ‘perfect body’: we all possess some physical flaws that set limits, and eventually the physical body will die. Scientists believe that our cells have the potential to live for about 125 years before they die off completely. Until that moment arrives, however, we have the potential to enjoy a life almost completely free of disease and debilitation. We need only refrain from interfering with the process of innate intelligence using energy to organize physical matter and keep it as healthy as possible for as long as possible. The most important message we can heed is this: optimum health is achieved from within. This is the essence of the eleven secrets”.

Daniel closed the hood on the Toyota. Ben asked if he would like to take it for a drive to see if everything was running properly.

“That’s not necessary, Ben”, he replied. “It’s running fine. Trust me.”

“How much do I owe you, Ben? I know you didn’t charge me for the oil change, but this was a major piece of work.”

“Another donation for what you think this work is worth would be great.”

Wiping his hands, he reached into his pocket and removed the key to the chest. Closing the lid, he locked it and wiped it with a clean rag. He turned to Ben and Max and smiled.

“Enjoy the trip back, boys. And watch out for the radar at Tulip Valley.”

“How do you know that?” asked Max.

Daniel checked his watch. “Trust me on that one, too. Just make sure you do the speed limit through that area. Can you come back next weekend? I’d like to have a look at your brakes.”

Ben looked surprised. “Don’t tell me they’re going to need replacing, too.”

“Hopefully not, but I need to take a peek. You may notice a shimmy in the steering wheel when you brake at high speeds. That’s the first sign.”

“OK, Daniel, next week it is. Same time, same place. Thanks for the nourishment, Elizabeth. See you later, Vic.”

“Remember what you learned here today, boys,” said Vic. “There’ll be a test next week.”

“I never had to study for tests in high school,” said Max. “No use starting now. Good-bye, Vic.”