Two of the most important things in life are peace of mind and health. If one has both of these and little else, one can still be happy.
Up to 70 per cent of all diseases today are caused by psychological factors. In recent years, researchers have been able to establish a clear link between certain kinds of emotion and the ailments they trigger or magnify. For example, those who are jealous are more likely to suffer from acidity and skin disorders. Perfectionists, who get upset if everything is not exactly the way they want it to be, are at a greater risk of suffering from migraine and heart disease. Those who are chronically unhappy have stomach ailments, and those who suppress their feelings, or are unable to forgive others, develop cancer.
Just as our emotions can make us sick, the right kind of emotions can make us healthy. Contented, loving, happy and carefree people are less likely to fall ill.
If we wish to remain healthy, we need to become totally positive. Some people complain that this is easier said than done. That is true, but every situation has a silver lining, and we should try to identify that. Sometimes, it may not be immediately visible, and in such a case we can tell ourselves that there will surely be some benefit from it in future.
If we find it impossible to think positive, we can at least think right. For example, if we are unwell, we can think, “I have to get well soon at any cost”. It has been found that hopeless patients, who take no responsibility for their health and leave everything to their doctor, do not recover quickly.
We need to work on our emotions, as they carry a lot of energy. If we cannot avoid negative thinking in an adverse situation, we can at least accept that fact, understand why we are doing so, and then change our thoughts.
In order to have thoughts that make us healthy, we need to change our subconscious mind, which contains our belief systems and has the greatest influence on our thinking. We can create some healthy belief systems, for example, “I am healthy”, or “I am calm and relaxed, and I will be healthy all my life.” Of course, we will have to adopt a healthy lifestyle too.
The way to heal the body with one’s thoughts is to start with appreciating the affected organ, thanking it for serving us thus far in life. Secondly, apologise to the organ for having harmed it. If we have a heart problem, surely our diet has not been very healthy, or we have neglected exercise. Then visualise the affected part of the body healing and becoming whole again. The more powerfully we visualise this, the better will be the results.
Dr Girish Patel is a well-known psychiatrist based in Mumbai, and a student of Rajyoga with the Brahma Kumaris.