14. Camp Fourteen : Mind and Health
Health means state of being well and free from illness. In scripture of Sanskrit, the word ‘Svasthya’ is used in the meaning of health. Sva means Self (Soul) and Svasthya means to enjoy the existence of our own soul. Being a fraction of God, soul is free from ailment, lure, evil, greediness, anger and pain. So when the soul is attached with God, it attains higher state full of mirth, being free from all the physiological weaknesses and deformities caused by diseases. This state is called Health.
Health is the real asset and it is the supreme happiness. The beauty without health is short-lived and futile. Alround completeness of health is the only natural state of human life. In the famous scripture ‘Dhammapada’ of Buddhism, Lord Bhuddha has also considered healthy condition as a super advantage and said: आरोग्य परमा लाभाः।
‘‘It is written in Ayurveda: धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्। ‘‘means the main and the best spiritual practice to attain fourfold goals viz. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha is good health.Good health is the birth right of every human being. To ignore health is in fact the negligence towards one’s own existence - ignorance of fulfillment of life.
There is a sloka in the scripture of Mahabharat:
सत्वम् रजस्तम इति स्युः तेषां गुणानाम् साम्यम् स्वास्थ्यलक्षणम् तदाहुः।
Satva, Rajas and Tamas are the three qualities of mind.The harmonical equilibrium of these qualities is called health. Thus the real healthy condition is based on the harmony of both mind and body. When this balance is disturbed, the natural immunity power bestowed upon the body weakens and consequently the body becomes bed-ridden.
Natural healthy condition is not possible without proper diet and movement, purity of thoughts, pious living, selfless sentiments like truth and love, to save the mind to be condemned by lust and lure etc. impurities of Rajo Guna. Today we ignore our mind and try in vain to keep our body fit by physical exercises in gymnasium. In the root of this act, there is an absence of proper understanding for health.
A doctor named William Harvey proclaimed before three hundred years that our physiological heart has a direct relation with our mind. Happiness or miseries, pain or tranquillity, hope or fear all these have the direct effect on our heart. Persons with angry temper, highly ambitious, hasty natured and the persons who are achieving their goals at any cost are easily victimized of the heart diseases. Those who aspire and expect good health and peace in their lives must remember one slogan: ‘If you want to take rest, forget the rest.’ Crush the worries into fine powder & gulp it. Alleksil Carel says:’ ‘The great matter is not to add years to your life but to add life into your years.’ To pass years in drudgery is not the fruitfulness of life, but life becomes fruitful only when we live every moment of life upto end with liveliness.
Dr. Freedman and Dr. Rozen conclude at the end of their research: ‘A man’s feeble nature, constant tension, irresponsible life-style, constant smoking and consuming wine are the factors responsible for diseases like Diabetes and Heart problems. On the contrary, light natured, contented and teetotallers never become an easy victim of these kingly diseases.’ Dr. Herbert Bension, in his book ‘The relaxation, response and the mind body effect writes: ‘Mental tension and depression badly affect the major organs of human body. Also in adverse situations arising in life, if positive attitudes like courage, hope and patience are adopted in place of fear and tension, good consequences can be seen regarding health.’ Not only for heart problems but also for any serious diseases, mental power plays a vital role. In allopathy, so far it was taken for granted that most of the diseases were caused by germs but now-a-days for having illness and for its recovery too, mental reasons are considered to be crucial.
Prof. Dr. Lagnard Fox of the university of medical therapy of Rochestar notes in his book ‘Psycho-neuro Immunology’ : ‘When a person suffers from Cancer or Rheumatoid Arthrities, in the root-cause of these diseases, the patient’s mental attitude is responsible. His resistence power is according to his mental tolerance. Because of concentration of mind, body and brain experience remarkable bio-chemical changes which in turn increase resistence power of the body immeasurably.’
We have coined different names of the diseases. In fact, certain diseases or certain problems need not be classified. When the harmony of body and mind is disrupted, problems or diseases begin. Hyper tension invites ulcers of the stomach. Paradoxical situation in thoughts is responsible for skin diseases. Negative attitude of mind gives rise to low blood pressure and extends upto diseases relating to heart. Gallen, the forefather of Allopathy once said that gloomy nature of women is the cause of breast cancer. Women enjoy a longer life span than males because their hormones are consisting more estrogen components and hence they are mentally more capable than males.
The doctors of the west now have begun to accept the basic facts of Ayurveda indirectly. Ayurveda considers two fundamental elements for better health out of which first comes appetite in the stomach. Appetite (Jatharagni ) means the form of GodVaishvanar, manifestation of the supreme entity. In Gita, Lord Krishna said that in every creature He Himself exists in the form of Vaishwanar agni (fire of appetite). One who save and preserve it and does not allow it to be mild, can protect and maintain health. Second element is Vayu. Vayu is the only manifestation of life - cornerstone of life - Prana too. According to Ayurveda, mind is Vayu and Vayu is mind. Both are synonymous. All the mental activities are being carried on by Vayu. The God of life of every living creature and the adopter of body is Vayu. Thus the appetite and Vayu are the only two regulating abilities of our body. So the base of our health is only these two elements.
The great master of Ayurveda, Vagbhatt writes in ‘Ashtang Hriday’ :
‘The virtuous person whose mannerism, speech and mind follow an easiness of cow and those who acts as they speak or think, have their life-span, sense-organs, appetite and character unshakable.’ According to the opinion of Ayurveda, for deformities do not occur in mind and body and both of them live in natural state, intelligent persons always resort to good combination (Samyog), giving up Aayog and Mithya Yog, and should not rely on the things absolutely opposite to their own nature. For instance, a person suffering from diseases caused by the imbalance of Vat element, should be shifted to a hot region or in climate comprising of high temperature. He should be saved from Vatal (provoking the element of Vat) diet and climate. Man should keep his mind and sense-organs in healthy condition by planning his daily routine, seasonal activities and routine night duties as per his nature of body with thoughtful consideration for beneficial or harmful diet.
The person who maintains good health can get victory over his sense-organs and that same fellow gets the right of Supreme being by means of the control of mind and meditation.