The
body with its organs is no other than the mind. The physical body is the
outward manifestation of the mind. Mind is the subtle form of this physical
body. The mind contemplating upon the body becomes the body itself and then,
enmeshed in it, is afflicted by it. All the bodies have their seat in the mind
only. Should the mind be paralyzed, then the body will not evince our
intelligence. Without water, can a garden exist? It is the mind which transacts
all business and is the highest of the bodies. Mental actions are the real
actions. The mind performs all actions very speedily in the Linga Sarira and
fluctuates thereby. But, the gross body knows not anything and is inert. Even
should this gross body be dissolved, the mind will assume fresh bodies to its
liking very quickly. This physical body is the mould, as it were, made by the
mind for its own enjoyment, for its outpouring of its energy and thereby
gaining different experiences of this world through the five avenues or
channels of knowledge, the five Jnana-Indriyas (organs of knowledge or
perception).
Thoughts Make The Body
The
actions of the mind alone are indeed actions; not so much those of the body.
The body is really our thoughts, moods, convictions and emotions objectivised,
made visible to the naked eyes. It is a point worthy to note with care that
every cell in the body suffers or grows, receives a life-impulse or a
death-impulse, from every thought that enters the mind, for you tend to grow
into the image of that which you think about most. When the mind is turned to a
particular thought and dwells on it, a definite vibration of matter is set up
and often more of this vibration is caused, the more does it tend to repeat
itself to become a habit, to become automatic. The body follows the mind and
imitates its changes. If you concentrate your thought, the eyes become fixed.
Every change in thought makes a vibration in your mental body and this, when
transmitted to the physical body, causes activity in the nervous matter of your
brain. This activity in the nervous cells causes many electrical and chemical
changes in them. It is thought activity which causes these changes.
Mind
is the subtle form of this physical body. The physical body is the outward
manifestation of the mind. So when the mind is rough, the body is rough too. As
a man of rough appearance generally cannot invoke love and mercy of others, so
a rough minded man cannot invoke love and mercy of anybody. Mind very
conspicuously reflects on the face its various states which a man of
intelligence can very easily read. Face is an index of the mind, just as the
tongue is an index of the stomach. The body follows the mind. If the mind
thinks of falling from a height, the body prepares itself immediately and shows
external signs. Fear, anxiety, grief, cheerfulness, hilarity, anger all produce
their various impressions on the face. The eyes which represent the windows of
the soul bespeak of the condition and state of the mind. There is a telegraphic
instrument in the eyes to transmit the messages or thoughts of treachery,
cunningness, fraud, pure love, compassion, devotion, depression, gloom, hatred,
cheerfulness, peace, harmony, health, power, strength and beauty. If you have
the faculty to read the eyes of others, you can read the mind at once. You can
read the uppermost thought or dominant thought of a man if you are careful to
mark the signs in his face, conversation and behavior. It needs a little pluck,
acumen, training, intelligence and experience. Your thoughts, sentiments, modes
and emotions produce their strong impressions on the face. The face is like an
advertisement board wherein is advertised what is going on inside the mind. In
face, you can hardly hide your thoughts. You may foolishly think that you have
kept up your thoughts in secret. Thoughts of lust, greed, jealousy, anger,
revenge, hatred, etc., at once produce their deep impressions on your face. The
face is a faithful recorder and a sensitive registering apparatus to register
and record all the thoughts that are running in your mind. The face is a
polished mirror to indicate the nature of the mind and its contents at a
particular time. He who thinks that he can hide his thoughts is a dunce of the
first water. His position is like that of the ostrich which, when chased by the
hunters, hides its head underneath the sand and imagines that it cannot be seen
by anyone. Your face is like a gramophone record or plate. Whatever you think
is at once written on your face. Every vicious thought serves as a chisel or
needle to write down the thoughts on your countenance. Your faces are covered
with the scars and wounds which are made by the vicious thoughts of hatred,
anger, lust, jealousy, revenge, etc. From the nature of the scar in your face,
I can at once read your state of mind. I can at once diagnose your disease of
the mind.
Mutual Influence Between Mind And Body
The
mind is intimately connected with the body. The mind acts upon the body and the
body reacts upon the mind. Mind has influence over the body. A pure, healthy
mind means a healthy body. Grief in the mind weakens the body. Body influences
the mind also in its turn. If the body is strong and healthy, the mind also
becomes healthy and strong. If the body is sick, the mind also becomes sick. A
pain in the stomach causes depression in the mind.
Bad Thoughts, The Primary Cause Of Disease
The
primary cause of diseases which afflict the body is bad thoughts. Whatever you
hold in your mind will be produced in the physical body. Any ill-feeling or
bitterness towards another person will at once affect the body and produce some
kind of disease in the body. Intense passion, hatred, longstanding bitter jealousy,
corroding anxiety, fits of hot temper actually destroy the cells of the body
and induce disease of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen and stomach. Violent
fits of hot temper do serious damage to the brain cells, throw poisonous
chemical products into the blood, produce general shock and depression and
suppress the secretion of gastric juice, bile and other digestive juices in the
alimentary canal, drain away your energy, vitality, induce premature old age
and shorten life. When the mind is agitated, then this body also is agitated.
Wherever
the body goes, the mind follows. When both the body and mind are agitated, the
Prana flows in a wrong direction. Instead of pervading the whole body steadily
and equally, it will vibrate at an unequal rate (unrhythmically). Then the food
is not digested properly. Diseases originate. If the primary cause is removed,
then all diseases will disappear. The pains that afflict the physical body are
called secondary diseases, whilst the Vasanas that affect the mind are termed
mental or primary diseases. If bad thoughts are destroyed, all bodily diseases
will vanish. Purity of mind means healthy body.
Therefore,
be careful in your thinking, in the selection of your thoughts. Always
entertain noble, sublime, loving and kind thoughts. You will have harmony,
health and beauty.
It
is lamentable, indeed, to note that most of the doctors in the world,
particularly the allopaths, do more harm than good to their patients. They
exaggerate the nature of the disease to their patients. They fill their minds
with imaginary fears of all sorts. They do not know the power of suggestions
and their influences on the minds of their patients. As greed is ingrained in
their minds, as the desire to become rich is deep-rooted in their minds, they
try their level best to extract from their patients as much money as they can.
If they say to their patients, .This disease is nothing. I will make you all
right within a couple of hours, who is going to pay them amply? They give wrong
suggestions to their patients: .This is a terrible disease. This is an
incurable disease. A dangerous poison, a dangerous microbe is lurking in your
lungs... The poor patient spends sleepless nights on account of imaginary fear,
on account of wrong suggestion given by the doctor. Every moment he thinks: I
may die at any moment. The doctor has said that my disease is dangerous and
incurable... He drags a cheerless existence. The worry and anxiety and fear
destroy millions of red blood-corpuscles daily. The doctor gives the wrong
suggestions to glorify his skill, dexterity in the profession also.
The
erroneous imagination that you are the body is the root of all evils. Through
wrong thinking, you identify yourself with the body. Dehadhyasa arises. You are
attached to the body. This is Abhimana. Then, Mamata (mineness) arises. You
identify yourself with your wife, children, house, etc. It is identification or
attachment that brings about bondage, misery and pain. You never wept when millions
of Germans died in the war. Why? Because, there was no identification and
attachment. But, you weep profusely when your son dies, on account of
attachment. The word "My" Produces wonderful influence in the mind.
Note the difference in effects produced in the mind when you hear the two
sentences: .Horse is dead and my horse is dead…
Pain
is evident so long as you connect yourself with the mind. There is no pain in
sleep. If there is an inflammatory swelling on your back with throbbing pain,
you do not experience any pain at night when you are asleep. Only when the mind
is connected with the diseased part through nerves and thinking, you begin to
experience pain. There is no pain when the mind is disconnected from the body
by the administration of chloroform. During moments of great joy, the severe
pain entirely ceases, as the mind is taken away from the body, from the seat of
the pain. If you can consciously withdraw the mind from the diseased part by
concentrating it on God or any other attractive object, you will not experience
any pain even when you are wide awake. If you have a powerful will and strong
Titiksha (power of endurance), then also you will not experience any pain.
By
constant thinking of any trouble or disease, you only augment your pain and
suffering. Pain is in mind. Atman or spirit is Anandasvarupa (full of bliss).
Conquer The Mind To Control The Body
With the
majority of mankind, the mind is greatly under the control of the body. Their
minds being very little developed, they live on Annamaya Kosha mostly. Develop
the Vijnanamaya Kosha and, through Vijnanamaya Kosha (Buddhi), control the
Manomaya Kosha (mind). The Vijnanamaya kosha is developed by abstract thinking
and reasoning, by systematic meditation, Brahma-Chintana, study of the
Upanishads, Yogavasishtha and Brahma Sutras. When you have controlled the mind,
you have perfect control over the body. The body is only a shadow of the mind.
It is the mould prepared by the mind for its expression. The body becomes your
slave when you have conquered the mind.
