Wisdom is physically healing

[Nikolai1]

Let’s imagine we spent the day feeling quite well, but after our evening meal at 7pm we started to feel a bit strange. By 8 we are in bed, and already running a high fever.

 

There are two ways to interpret our situation: an unwise way and a wise way.

 

Unwise

 

Before 7 o’clock we were well and healthy. But after our evening meal we became ill. We know we are ill because of our fever. To be ill is a negative situation and we must take measures to remove the fever. Paracetamol is effective at lowering our raging temperature.

 

Wise

 

All the above is one way to interpret our situation, but there is also an opposite and equally valid interpretation. Before 7 o’clock we were already ill, but unaware of the fact. The onset of the fever is therefore a positive development. The illness has been brought to our consciousness, and our body is now raising its temperature in order to kill off the microbes. The fever must be left to do its work.

 

We can see that the wise person is not caught up in a definitive viewpoint. They have the flexibility to see that the fever (which has been brought to consciousness by physical symptoms) is simultaneously the onset of the illness and the onset of the healing. To the wise person illness is also health.

 

Mental states of the unwise and the wise.

 

The unwise person is immediately in a mentality of conflict. They have identified something that they wish to see eliminated. They wish to eliminate the symptoms of fever. They wish to eliminate the high body temperature that has developed to kill the microbes. They will not feel comfortable until their body temperature is normal. They will anxiously monitor their bodily sensations to check for signs of progress. Accompanying this checking will be a host of cognitions related to illness and recovery. The unwise person is ill and fully aware of their illness.

 

The wise person, however, is not able to settle on a clear strategy. The moment they imagine themselves ill, rival cognitions remind them that they are already recovering. They are not in conflict because they have no certain desire to see their fever eliminated. They are therefore not constantly monitoring their body, and there are therefore few related cognitions about the illness. Although physiologically they are in an identical state to the unwise person, the illness is hardly interrupting their consciousness. They are ill, but hardly aware of the fact.

 

Wisdom therefore benefits the patient in two ways. First, by having a balanced perspective the wise person is less likely to adopt interventions that disturb the body’s natural return to health. Second, the experiential impact of the illness is hugely reduced by not developing a fearful conflict mentality with all the accompanying feelings and cognitions.

 

The key to good health is therefore to develop a fully rounded interpretation of bodily sensations. We must develop the ability to understand every malevolent symptom as simultaneously a benevolent symptom. I have a few ideas of how to do this, but I’d be interested to discuss this further.

 

Best wishes, Nikolai

 

 

 

[baiqi]

I'll try to remember that the next time I have some physical problem.

[Friend]

We must develop the ability to understand every malevolent symptom as simultaneously a benevolent symptom.

 

It is the body's work to eliminate a problem.

To mistake the symptom

- which is the reaction on a problem -

with the problem itself is a misunderstanding.

Actually the body do detoxification, stopping

harm to spread.

 

Actually the bodypart which is doing this

must have great love trying to do

all itself and try to show

that there is something wrong- so I feel.

Again from the other standpoint

assume it as egoistic from that bodypart

- split up the work, we are all together,

trust us.

[soaring crane]

Beautifully said. :wub:

 

hahaha that smiley is broken but I'm beginning to enjoy the text version even better

 

re the OP, "We must develop the ability to understand every malevolent symptom as simultaneously a benevolent symptom. I have a few ideas of how to do this, but I’d be interested to discuss this further."

 

I can follow along with this no problem, on an intellectual level and so long as I'm healthy. But I'm admittedly a horrible patient when I'm ailing; I hate being not perfect and I take an extremely active stance when it comes to restoring my balance. If I feel an 'intruder', I immediately bring out the heavy artillery - dry brushing, specific and vigorous self-massage, sauna (alternating hot/cold), chilli in my tea ... I agree with and am convinced of the homeopathic approach of fighting like with like.

 

What are your ideas regarding mental attitude? I do understand symptoms are not the illness but part of the body's way of defending itself. But fever sucks.