To keep in Heart

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Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

 

July 20, 2005

 

NOT STUCK WITH SICKNESS

 

When patients come into a treatment situation, they may have a sense

of

anxiety, a sense of hope, or a sense of complete negativity. It is a

very

sensitive matter to bring them into the right situation and work

with them.

The main point is that they are not stuck with their sickness. If a

person

regards sickness as an enemy, then his body has no working basis to

be

well. He thinks his body is invaded by enemies, and he goes to the

doctor

to get rid of these foreigners occupying his castle. And once that's

taken

care of, it's all over. So no relationship is established. There is

another

problem which goes back even further -- the concept of death as the

archenemy, where we try to avoid death every minute, every second.

There

has to be more emphasis on creating an atmosphere of help. Sickness

is a

message, and it can be cured if the right situation is

created....Mind

reflects body, and body is affected by the atmosphere. The idea is

recovering rather than being cured of a particular disease. This

approach

could also be used with older people who are dying. In the process

of

dying, they are uncovering some kind of sanity. So they approach

their

death peacefully.

 

From " Intrinsic Health, " in THE SANITY WE ARE BORN WITH: A

BUDDHIST APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY, pages 163- 164.