What is illness?

The Dalai Lama once wrote in Power of Compassionthat, “all sentient beings, particularly human beings, want happiness and do not want pain and suffering.  On those grounds, we have every right to be happy and to use different methods or means to overcome suffering and to achieve happier lives. It is worthwhile to think seriously about the positive and negative consequences of these methods.  You should be aware that there are differences between short-term interest and long-term interest is more important.

A Desire For Wellness

So, what does this mean?  First, it points out that you have a deep, innate desire for wellness. This is because; you are a god of your own universe, the intricate microscopic ecosystem that creates what you have defined as “body”.  Your body is filled with tiny microscopic life forms. These life forms have no idea of your existence or of their purpose in sustaining your existence. They just do what they do without purpose, which ultimately sustains their life. When they stop doing what they do, or are prevented from doing what they do by forces outside themselves, the god of their particular universe becomes ill. So, in theory, if your cells are unhappy, you are unhappy. If the universe within you is unhappy, the universe beyond you will appear to be the same. 

What Are You Trying To Cure?

There are several theories on what causes illness and how you should cure it.  The problem is that it is often difficult to understand what you are trying to cure.  An outward sign of illness is usually the symptom of a combination of factors stemming from an origin. For example, someone who is suffering from extreme headaches may  choose to take an aspirin to help elevate the headache. The pain subsides, but it may come back because aspirin cannot change the fact that the person suffering from the headache always has two shots of espresso in the morning followed by a large latte chaser, plus three Krispie Kream droughts. This is followed by soft drinks in the afternoon and maybe one glass of water. 

In this case, the headaches are an outward sign that this person needs more water, less sugar, and less caffeine—not aspirin. The aspirin may prevent unhappiness by easing the pain of the headache in the short term, but the body will become more dehydrated affecting the universe that creates that person. This can lead to skin problems, organ problems, retention of water when it is consumed, and a number of other disorders that an aspirin cannot cure. 

Understanding Illness

So, as stated in the beginning quote, it is in your best interest to understand illness. This allows you to choose the appropriate method for addressing it. To do this you must understand what illness is. My theory, based on research, and dealing with clients for over seventeen years, is that illness, in most of its forms, is in someway connected to, or caused by, our captivity and domestication.

Essentially human beings are living in a world they designed with good intentions. Well into the creation of this world we began experiencing its side effects. These side effects are forms of illness that we created through our determination to build a better life for ourselves. Along the way we redefined what constituted as a “better life.” Afterward, we lost sight of our original intent for living—which was health and happiness. Now, many of us unknowingly sacrifice health and happiness to have what we now define as a “better life”. 

A “Better Life”

The idea of “better life” is an amazing deception, and causes most of the illnesses endured today.

For example, someone sits at a desk all day performing his or her job while staring at a computer screen. This is not a natural position for a human being, and will ultimately affect the body system in several negative ways. When one’s movement is inhibited, the lymphatic system cannot function. This, combined with drawn in shoulders, forward neck, strained eyes, compressed spine, and stretched rhomboids (back muscles) will eventually cause various parts of the body system to become imbalanced and cause pain and illness… especially if it’s fed chemicals to exert what energy it has left to keep it going through the day until it eventually crashes on the couch, immovable, in front of another brightly lit screen that allows it to live the “good life” vicariously through others. As the body continues doing this day after day, it begins to develop illness, and affects one’s ability to interact in the world outside of his or her body. 

Choose An Appropriate Method For Change

I am not saying that everyone should quit their jobs, shave their heads, join a commune, and weave baskets for the rest of their lives. Society would collapse if everyone woke up at the same time and decided to break free from the causes of their imbalance… plus many of them have a family and a mortgage to take care of. Some of them even like their job and look forward to going to it every day—no matter how much it may be affecting their overall state of being. 

What I am suggesting is that, by understanding the cause of your illnesses, you can choose an appropriate method to counteract the damage you are doing to your body. Get some water, get some sun, get some sleep, get up and stretch, get up and walk, eat right, think less, meditate, exercise… you are the god of your own universe, so take care of it.

When the universe is happy, its god is happy.

Comments are closed.