Our thoughts influence our emotions, which in turn influence our thoughts, and this cycle continues endlessly. In fact, we could consider the mental and emotional bodies as a single entity, and we would not be far from the truth. The nature of these thoughts and emotions, as well as our reactions to them, determines the impact they will have on our physical body and our energy levels. Our state of health is therefore closely linked to them.
Positive emotions strengthen vital energy and immunity, while negative emotions harm and lower our vitality and immunity. For example, a strong and sustained negative emotion, fueled by anxious and distressing thoughts, will cause digestive problems and, more often than not, stomach ulcers. The same is true for all emotions, which will impact various organs depending on their nature. It’s quite simple, really, except that we have very little control over our thoughts and emotions if we don’t understand how to influence them in the right way.
The first thing to understand is that we are entirely responsible for everything that happens to us. We therefore have the choice of how we react or do not react. The law of cause and effect is inescapable and unavoidable. If wonderful things happen to us, it is because, in the past, we have done good deeds to help others. If we experience unpleasant circumstances, it is because we have been unpleasant or have harmed others. If we know how to remain calm and serene in all difficult circumstances, we will avoid adding even more negative seeds that will impact our future. If we know how to sow good seeds of compassion, generosity and concern for others, then one day they will blossom into beneficial and favorable events, encounters and circumstances.
To promote all this, there is only one path that all the great ancient traditions teach. Whether it is indigenous spirituality, Tibetan Buddhism, Japanese Shintoism, Muslim Sufism, Indian Hinduism, etc., they all emphasize the importance of spiritual practice. To master ourselves, to guide our lives and actions in the right direction, we must take the time, every day, to look within ourselves. One thing that is easy to understand is that true happiness does not come from outside. It can only come from within us. It comes from us, from the heart. There are countless stories of great masters who always remain smiling, even in the face of the greatest trials and disasters. Why? Because their souls are at peace. With peace comes love and joy. These do not depend on external circumstances, but on the state of our hearts and souls. Finding inner peace is the greatest achievement a person can attain. Confronting the demons of the ego, the endless stream of obsessive and haunting thoughts, the fixation on negative emotions that refuse to leave us, and the endless pursuit of fleeting pleasures is the most noble and meritorious struggle we can undertake. The real enemy is not outside of us; it is within us. The healing of the world takes place within us. True service to others begins with purifying our being of its negativities. No one can do this for us. And yet, it influences our entire environment and the circumstances and events of our lives. Until we understand and put this reality into practice, we will wander in an endless cycle of rebirth and death, each as painful as the last. The truth is that we are here on earth to evolve spiritually towards a greater mastery of who we are in order to help others. With the end purpose of becoming immortal and helping countless beings in countless worlds all at the same time. And the best way to do this is not through grand gestures and incessant activities, but through the silence of our daily prayers and meditations. If we have a solid foundation, a stable base in spiritual practice, regardless of tradition, then we will be on the path to evolution. And then, all thoughts, emotions, circumstances, events and encounters will be steps in the right direction. Everything will be helpful on the path, nothing will be insignificant, everything will have meaning. This is the best way to serenity and health of heart and mind.
P.S. – Here are some links to articles in my blog that can furthur your exploration of this theme.
THE TURTLE ALTAR — A PRECIOUS SHRINE FOR OUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE