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| Friday, 9 July 2004 |
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Emotions lead to sicknesses by L.V. Cabral It is evident that emotions, strong mental or instinctive feelings could lead man to diseases. It has been proved by specialists in the field of behavioral medicine. Fortunately such sicknesses could be averted by developing one's mind and body. Once there lived a happy family; loving parents and two devoted young children, a son and a daughter. One day unfortunately the parents died suddenly in a car crash. It was a bolt from the blue for the children. However, the son thought he should proceed with his studies and graduate and lead a successful life, to fulfil his dead parent's ambition and aspiration for him. On the contrary, the daughter who loved her parents profoundly confined herself to her room and started to brook over the tragedy that befell her loving parents. Her brothers appeals to her to continue her studies and lead a successful life so as to honour the parents' ambition, fell on deaf ears. She spent sleepless nights time after time and finally suffered from insomnia. Her physical condition deteriorated gradually. After examining her, their family doctor asserted that she was coming for an acute asthmatic attack. When the brother told the doctor that she had been neglecting her health and worrying over the sudden death of their parents, the doctor advised her to dispel the destructive thoughts and worry and go back to her normal school life. She did what she was asked by the doctor, joined the school and studied hard and finally cleared all the hurdles and graduated with honours in the final degree examination. Evidently, it shows the strong link between emotion and physical diseases in human beings. When man's personal freedom is violated or he loses his job or is insulted and humiliated by others or a loving partner lets him down usually, he becomes emotional. In such provocative mishaps aggressive emotions like anger, hate impatience may evolve. Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher, says when man loses his temper, he behaves like an animal, his physical changes are distinctly apparent in such events. His heart beat is rapid, blood circulation increases in some extreme cases, the body shivers and falls into an aggressive mood; in short humans become inhumans. In case man does not overcome aggressive emotions, he may develop hypertension or coronary heart diseases. In a home for the elders, all the inmates were grouped into two categories A and B. A group was given complete freedom to run their apartment cleaning, arranging, gardening, washing, marketing, cooking and the like. B group was given orders not to engage themselves in any activity; everything would be provided to them by the wardens. After one year the authorities led by the house doctor observed that the inmates of the A group were physically and mentally active, alert, brisk and lively and enjoying themselves happily and joyfully. On the contrary, the inmates of the B group who were spoon fed by others by providing everything needed looked feeble, sickly, vulnerable, mentally and physically debilitated and powerless. Apparently most of us take exercises to keep our bodies healthy and fit but forget that exercises are necessary for our mind as well to enjoy perfect health, physically and mentally. The ancient Greeks realised it and stressed on a "Healthy mind in a healthy body". Emotions like anger, vengeance, worry, weeping, shedding tears are different facets of uncultivated mind. Those who constrain their mind and develop it, it is evident, lead a peaceful, joyful life. Instead of aggressive emotional defilements like strong displeasure, resentment, fuming, such wise people fill their minds with positive thoughts like loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity, understanding and tolerance and lead a happy and joyful life. "Those who constrain their mind absolutely are wise and cultured." |
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