We live in uncertain and challenging times. We now confront situations which we have never faced before. As a result, a lot of people are living with anxiety and fear. The Covid pandemic created an unprecedented situation for many: they were isolated like never before and felt completely helpless. Many contracted the disease, some of them succumbed to it, others lost a family member, and countless people suffered financially. The experience left many shaken, leading to a rise in cases of psychological illness. People may have recovered physically, but many are yet to overcome the psychological fallout of the severe anxiety and fear they experienced.
Notably, those who survived the disease or were never infected, or were able to cope with the loss of a loved one, or a financial setback, had something in common: a strong immunity and adversity quotient, which is a measure of our ability to manage difficulties and transform obstacles into opportunities. This is the single most important factor that can save us in any adversity. Immunity here does not mean just physical immunity, because that alone is not enough to protect us even in a pandemic. We need three-tier immunity. We may be having the healthiest food and nutritional supplements, and exercising regularly, but that may not keep us safe if our mental and spiritual immunity are weak. Fear and anxiety are known to destroy our physical immunity. On the other hand, strong willpower and a positive attitude helped even octogenarians survive severe Covid.
Spiritual immunity comes from knowing and living by spiritual truths. We are not just a body. A human being is a combination of matter and consciousness, soil and soul. The soul is the living entity in the body. When we are aware of this truth and live accordingly, we can experience and express the original qualities of the soul, including purity, peace, and love. It is when we forget this truth and move away from it, identifying ourselves and others as bodies, that anxiety gets triggered. The body and all that is connected with it, such as our personality, role, and possessions, are perishable. Attachment to them gives rise to anxiety as we do not want them to be threatened or taken away from us. Ego about them brings fear – of destruction of the self-image I have created on the basis of ego.
Recognising and accepting the fact that we are immortal souls changes our perspective. The soul’s original qualities, such as purity, peace, and love, begin to emerge and be expressed in our behaviour. This brings stability and freedom from fear and anxiety. Regular practice of Rajyoga meditation is the best way to develop this spiritual awareness, which gradually makes us immune to negative influences.
Mental immunity includes psychological strength, which we get when our thoughts and attitude are based on truth, not desires, assumptions or beliefs that stem from a weakness in the mind. Emotional strength is also needed. That too comes from seeing the self and others as souls, immortal beings who are children of one God, and relating to everyone with that awareness. Recognising the fact that every soul is our brother, an independent entity playing its unique role in the drama of life, enables us to interact with them with love and respect, but we are free from undue expectations or attachment. This makes relationships enjoyable and saves us from emotional upheavals.
Dr. Satish Kumar Gupta is Director, Medicine & Cardiology, at the RMM Global Hospital Trauma Centre in Abu Road, Rajasthan.