According to the World Health Organization, health is physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease. Since there is an intimate connection and interaction between mind and body, most of the times a physical disease causes some symptoms of ailment in the mind and vice versa. And to treat it, there are many systems or pathies as we call them. Usually, the doctors give medicine so that the symptoms of the disease disappear. However, there are only very few systems who feel really concerned with the eradication of the causes of the disease and with the restoration of health.
In fact, various systems define 'disease' and its causes differently and their philosophy of health and disease is very different from that of the other systems. For example, the Allopathic system of medicine is based on the philosophy that it is the virus which causes a disease and hence allopath’s consider viruses as living microorganisms. But the hygienist school of thought or the nature curists say that viruses are not living entities and they consider viruses as the proteinaceous debris of spent cells that create a condition of intoxication, called toxemia or toxicosis. As to the bacteria, they say that bacteria have always been with us because they are our symbiotic partners.
So, the nature curists consider a disease not as a result of attack by virus or bacteria but the result of the toxic matter, generated within or taken from outside, and also the result of the body making an attempt to throw this toxic material out of it. Now, if we consider 'disease' as the manifestation of a signal concerning the accumulated waste or toxic matter, then we will have to say that purification of the body is the mother of health. In this purification, 'purity of mind' plays a very great role because purification of the body requires fasting or less eating, avoiding food which is toxic, and having control over sensual pleasures that lead to waste of body-vitality.
In sum, it would be correct to say that spiritual and physical purity is the factor that promotes natural health. It would therefore be proper to emphasize that purity is the main ingredient to achieve good health. So, while doctors talk of holistic health, hypertension, psychosomatic diseases, drug addiction, we wish that due attention is also paid to the turmoil caused by one’s negative thoughts which is making the atmosphere of the society polluted and unhealthy.
The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and the UK. He can be contacted at nikunjji@gmail.com / www.brahmakumaris.com
