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HUMAN MILK THE TRUE WHITE GOLD HUMAN MILK GOLD THE TRUE WHITE Not only does human breastmilk provide essential nourishment for the infant, but the skin-to-skin contact of breastfeeding imparts a psychological benefit in helping the child develop to full potential. old, particularly white gold, has historically held, and continues to hold, special significance for those committed to spiritual growth. However, the deepest truth is that it is human milk which is the most sublimating substance on the planet, as it completes the act of creation begun in utero and affords the individual the best chance of obtaining physical and psychological optimisation. As such, it is the white gold of the alchemist. It is intriguing that the ancient alchemical symbol for gold, the circumpunct, is a circle with a dot in the centre—a very elegant representation of a breast! Milk is a substance that we tend to take for granted. It is a food staple enjoyed in both savoury as well as sweet forms. Yet humans are the only mammals that continue to enjoy what milk has to offer past the weaning stage—and by drinking the milk of other mammals. Why is that so? Apart from the fact that dairy foods constitute a nutritious and convenient food choice, the answer most probably lies in the fact that humans are unique among the primates in that we tend not to lactate for the standard span of six times the gestation period, i.e., in our case, 54 months. In doing so, humans seemingly display more reptilian traits when it comes to reproduction. So we then go through life playing catch-up, craving what we lacked as an infant because milk provides inner nourishment on both physical and psychological levels. Milk is a mythical symbol of immortality that may be found in different cultural and literary traditions, including those of the Celts, Christians, Greeks, Hindus and Muslims. The Israelites searched for the Land of Milk and Honey, while Mohammed is reputed to have said that "to dream of milk is to dream of learning and knowledge". The Hindu myth on achieving immortality describes how, for 1,000 years, the Devas and Asuras churned the Ocean of Milk until the prize elixir (amrita) surfaced. After a struggle, it was the Devas who prevailed and, after drinking it, they obtained immortality and ruled the cosmos, thereby consigning the Asuras to rule over the bowels o the Earth and the depths of the ocean. The offspring of Zeus all needed to be suckled by Hera in order to obtain immortality. It is said that when Hera was disturbed when Zeus plotted to have her inadvertently suckle Hercules during her sleep, her let-down sprayed across the firmament, giving rise to the Milky Way—our galaxy of stars. The Greek word for milk is gala, and so this legend and our love affair with milk take on added meaning with the popularisation of the notion by Dr Carl Sagan that we are all "the stuff of stars"! In dream symbology, milk signifies success or the gaining of spiritua knowledge. Actually, to dream of milk is understood to be a very positive message from one's unconscious mind. While it may suggest a need for deep and fundamental nourishment, the inference is that it is available. In particular, a dream of breast-feeding may be about nourishing the needy inner child. However, it may also be about offering spiritual inspiration to by Patricia Hatherly © 2011 Amamusus Natural Therapies Centre Brisbane, Queenland, Australia Email: patricia@patriciahatherly.com Website: http://www. patriciahatherly.com Amamusus Natural Therapies Centre Brisbane, Queenland, Australia Email: patricia@patriciahatherly.com NEXUS ¢ 33 by Patricia Hatherly © 2011 DECEMBER 2011 - JANUARY 2012 www.nexusmagazine.com