Experts of mind power say that disease first enters the mind and then it appears in the body. The mind controls the body. Therefore, any disorder in the mental field gives rise to disorder in the body. Ayurveda advises control of aahar (diet) and vihar (lifestyle) for increasing the life force of the body and remaining healthy. However, this control cannot be achieved without the control of mind. Unrestraint appearing in the mind is used by the senses to gratify them. So long as the mind is interested in doing the task, the senses will cooperate enthusiastically. If the mind is peaceful, it is not at all possible for a person to act inappropriately.
The power of mind can be compared with that of the sun. It is not possible to take special benefit from scattered rays of sun; it is possible to use it only for heating and lighting. Similarly, the desires and imaginations of mind merely fulfil the general needs of everyday life. They are not able to show their specific effect due to the fickleness of mind. Otherwise they have the capability that if they are focused at one specific goal, they can show miraculous results. People talk of willpower or the power of resolve. This is nothing but the power of the controlled mind. With the help of will-power, not only the animate and inanimate can be influenced but they can also be changed according to need.
Most of the disappointed and frustrated persons are observed to be weak from the point of view of willpower. Such persons have also been observed to be suffering from physical and mental ailments.
Even in minor ailments, they feel more pain and trouble, whereas people rich in willpower keep smiling even in severe and incurable disease; and they have been observed to cure themselves with the help of strong will-power. If the willpower can be maintained strong, not only a healthy long life may be achieved but the benefit of continuing youthfulness can also be accrued. At least, it is possible to keep aside the signs of aging. A few incidents are described below which amply demonstrate miracles of willpower.
An incident has been cited in the book ‘Old age: Its cause and prevention’ by Sanford Bennett. A 19-year Old French girl got engaged to an American young man. As the groom was poor, he decided first to go to America, earn money and then marry her. He worked there for 3 years and he also earned sufficient money during this period. But, unfortunately, he was trapped in a legal case and was imprisoned for 15 years. Thus he returned to France after 18 years and he was amazed to see the health and beauty of his fiancé. At the age of 37, she was looking like a 19 years damsel. After the marriage, he asked the mystery behind her beauty. The lady told him that she used to stand in front of the mirror daily in the morning and she felt within herself that she is the same today as she was yesterday. It is due to her strong will power that she could maintain her youthfulness even at the age of 37.
One aspect of willpower is concentration. Once it is practiced, the tasks that are considered impossible become possible. For example, it is possible to forget the physical pain, at least for some time by concentrating on some specific object. A much-talked incident in the life of Lokmanya Tilak signifies this fact. Lokmanya Tilak’s thumb was to be operated upon as it
On the operation table doctor approached him with chloroform so that he could be made unconscious. Tilak said
– “There is no need of making me unconscious. Please give a copy of the Gita”. During the period of operation Tilak was engrossed in studying the Gita. He did not feel any pain. He later told the surgeon that the pain is felt not by the body but by the mind. If the mind is concentrated on some other object, the bodily pains can be completely forgotten.
An extraordinary aspect of the power of mind is one with which objects and the people can be influenced. It is the power of the controlled mind that can influence people sitting at distant places and can also produce disturbance in the inert objects.
During British rule, Sir John Woodruff was the Chief Magistrate of Calcutta High court. In his memories he has mentioned that once he was sitting on the floor of Tajmahal. He was accompanied by an Indian friend. During conversation, a discussion on will-power got initiated. Woodruff didn’t believe in it and hence he asked his friend to provide a proof for this. His friend said that he can give a small but definite proof right then and there. He indicated towards some persons sitting at some distance from them and asked Woodruff to select one of them. He said that he can make him sit at the desired place. Woodruff selected one person from among them and asked his friend to make him sit at the place indicated by him. His friend used his willpower. As a result that selected person got up without reason and sat on a place that was selected by Woodruff. This incident has been narrated by Woodruff in detail in his book.
In fact, ancient Indian scriptures and history are filled with the miraculous incidents of the power of controlled mind. In a single verse, it has been said in Yoga Vashishtha as –
Manohi jagatam kartra manohi purushah smratah (3/9/14)
That is – Mind alone is the cause of the world and is the Purush (God) described in smritis.
Alexander Ralph in his book titled “The power of mind”, has written, citing several examples, that it is possible for the human mind to produce a desirable effect on animate or inanimate objects, situated outside the body, by practicing concentration. He says that it is a universally acknowledged fact that with a strong willpower it is possible to control the physical world.
The same formula applies for a disease-free physical body. By believing in long life and trusting in oneself, some people live long and healthy lives. This does not mean, one should not be careful if a person is suffering from a chronic disease. Such people should, apart from taking the medical treatment sincerely, change their food habits as per the requirement and lead a disciplined life style. Nature has blessed us with vital force to repair any damage within our physical system. Cleansing of mind, taking proper rest etc. are also important factors in augmenting the vital force. The golden formula to cure oneself is, to focus mental energy on the sick part of the physical body with the feeling that healing is happening and that the affected part is getting cured.
It should be noted that a dual practice of control of mind and concentration has to be done to make willpower strong. There are different types of Dhyana (meditation) for augmenting this power. The audio files of the instructions for these meditations (in Pujya Gurudev’s voice) are available on our website (http://www. awgp.org/media_gallery/audio). By adopting this process, anyone can make his mind so powerful that it can serve all the ordinary and extraordinary purposes in life, what to say of curing the disease.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2017 May-June