There are few remnants of any primary documents describing the fountain of youth. But the only direct mentioning we have on record comes from Peter
Martyr in one of his letters to the Pope:
"that among the islands on the north side of Hispaniola, there is one about three hundred and twenty-five leagues distant, as they say which have
searched the same, in the which is
a continual spring of running water, of such marvelous virtue that the water thereof being drunk, perhaps with
some diet, maketh old men young again. And here I must make protestation to your Holiness not to think this to be said lightly, or rashly; for
they have so spread this rumor for a truth throughout all the court, that not only all the people, but also many of them whom wisdom or fortune have
divided from the common sort, think it to be true. But if you shall ask my opinion herein, I will answer that I will not attribute so great power to
nature, but that God hath no less reserved this prerogative to himself."
Decadas de Nuevo Mundo, Decada 2, chapter X (
page 46 in this book)
The only note about this fountain of youth that survives the test of time is that it is a spring of water possibly mixed with a particular diet. For
those familiar with John the Baptist, this is the exact thing John was doing with people. He was drawing them out to the wilderness to fast with water
and raw food. We have record from Josephus that John was zealously against even cooked food, claiming that it is a derivation of the natural intent.
This sort of fast is insisted upon by Jesus himself for anyone who is lacking lucidity. When the Pharisees questions why Jesus and his disciples
weren't fasting, he responded:
"How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will
fast."
So fasting doesn't seem to be a permanent thing, but rather a temporary stage to enjoin yourself with the heavenly source. For this reason, John was
prophesied to be a prelude to the Christ. He would make clear the way so that when God would come, the people would have their temples purified so
that may see the heavenly heights of the coming Messiah (
matthew
3:16). This holds true to this day. To prepare for Christ it is fitting that we be baptized in this sort of way.
A water fast facilitates internal cleaning processes that detox your body. bathing in water also helps rid of these expelled toxins. Fasting is
clinically proven to be extremely beneficial (
study of 1422 test subjects). But it is
more than just a physical transformation. Abraham, Moses, Mary, Jesus, and many other prophets went through this process
"
to fulfill all righteousness"
What the ancient native Americans and Judeo-Christians had discovered, likely due to their integration with God's natural world, was the archetypal
path of existence that leads to a clean and clear mind and body. The Native Americans were also nomadic people (barring locations near the equator
that were warm year-round). This is a direct resemblance of the Law of Moses, which involved nomadic living isolated from cities. The Mormons go so
far as to say that the Native Americans are a lost tribe of Judah that immigrated across the Atlantic to avoid persecution.
The fact that communities separated by an ocean came to the same lifestyle shows that there is a natural purpose. As the world becomes more and more
technocratic, we are compelled to, at least temporarily, go out in the natural world and purify. Immense health and prosperity was promised by the
rumors of the fountain of youth, and an even greater promise was given by Jesus for those who look for God in the natural world:
Spirit is often abstract, but it literally means 'breath'. With each and every breath during the water fast, focus your mind towards God. this is
the trinity: heart = son, lungs = holy spirit, brain = God. A super-imposed cross over our body shows this relation. In doing so our eyes are made to
see again, ears to hear, and so on. This is what it means to be born again. It is a biological transformation that accompanies the spiritual baptism
of repentance (repentance simply means 'to change your mind').
The people enamored by Egypt (excessive work conditions), and Babylon (drunkenly blind off luxury) can barely see this truth. In this sense the Bible
is true on multiple levels. The entirety of the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) is a macrocosmic re-telling of the awakening soul. Born in ignorant
bliss in the Garden, fallen into a world of Egyptian slavery, and then after much conflict emerging into the promised land.
Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
I cannot describe this transformation with words. This process becomes clear as you immerse yourself into the Baptism of John. The fact that Jesus
himself underwent the baptism of John, despite requiring no cleansing for sin, shows it is a necessary step in our cosmic birthing process.
Keep God first in your heart and mind. Peace and hope to all.