Psychological Well-being Leads to Physical Health
When we observe people around us, we often find that those who are irritable and easily angered over trivial matters often have physical ailments, such as poor liver function or hormonal imbalances. Conversely, when feeling downhearted and pessimistic, it is also a time of physical exhaustion, when the body’s energy is insufficient to cope with various tasks. Therefore, it is easy for us to attribute a person’s temperament to the influence of their body.
It is indeed possible for physical illnesses to affect mental health. However, it is certain that the mind is the master of the body. If the mind is fragile and unhealthy, it will certainly affect one’s physical condition. Therefore, physical defects or illnesses can be improved by adjusting one’s mental state.
Firstly, we must accept the fact that everyone’s body is prone to illness. Someone once asked me, “Who doesn’t get sick?” I replied, “Those who don’t get sick are already dead, and those without illness have not yet been born.” This is because the deceased do not fall ill, and there are no illnesses before birth. Apart from these two types of people, no one is without illness.
Sickness and aging are natural laws. From birth, we continuously experience the process of aging, and in genetic factors, everyone carries the seeds of illness. In other words, we are born with illness and it is not something that only occurs in old age.
Therefore, whether we are aware of it or not, in reality, everyone has their share of illnesses. I have been frail since childhood, but because I know my body is weak, I take care of myself, avoiding excessive eating and overexertion, and as a result, I am still living well. It is precisely because of being ill that I feel my blessings are insufficient and my karmic obstacles are heavy, which makes me feel remorseful. Therefore, being ill has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me.
On the other hand, some people never fall ill throughout their lives, but when they do, it is too late to recover. This is because they never realized that illness was already lurking within them and did not know how to take good care of their bodies. By the time the doctor discovers it, it is already too late.
From this perspective, those who can feel their own illnesses are fortunate! However, we do not need to live in constant fear and anxiety about illness. For example, I have a friend who constantly complains about having ailments here and there, and even says that they won’t live to see the next month! Such words, whether spoken to oneself or others, are negative and can have a detrimental impact, which is not a healthy state of mind.
Therefore, we should maintain the concept that “falling ill is a normal part of life” to cherish our bodies. When we are truly ill, we should avoid the adverse effects of the illness on our mental state. Some people, upon discovering their illness, feel like a deflated balloon, thinking that they have no hope and are about to die. In fact, since you are ill, you should seek treatment and uplift your spirits. By detecting an illness early, you can take better care of yourself, seek treatment, and at least you won’t die immediately, leaving time to handle many things! So, isn’t discovering your illness a reason to rejoice?
Furthermore, from a Buddhist perspective, we have accumulated a lot of karma in our past lives. Therefore, when illness strikes and the body feels uncomfortable, we should consider it as a way to repay and settle karmic debts. Being able to repay debts means you still have the capital, and having the capital to repay debts allows you to “live debt-free,” which is comforting. In addition, there is a famous saying in Buddhism: “A monk always carries three parts of illness.” This illustrates that illness is a condition for assisting the path and achieving enlightenment. Therefore, those who frequently fall ill can prolong their lives and even achieve longevity.
All these concepts can help us face illness positively. If we can use this mindset to deal with our own problems, even if our bodies are uncomfortable, we can adjust our temperament at any time and in any place. In this way, we can maintain a cheerful and pleasant mood every day.
