Everybody wants to be healthy and happy, which is our birthright and of course responsibility too. To achieve this, we need to be physically and mentally sound. Whereas many times, we get upset mentally on approaching various issues in our day to day life. When the mind is affected, automatically body functions also will get upset and affected.
To solve the physical problems, Naturopathy, the treatment system with fasting, dieting, proper exercise, relaxation techniques and treatments with natural elements like mud, water, air and sunlight is the best. Naturopathy believes that diseases are due to toxaemia of physical or mental origin. Toxins in the body can be eliminated by activating the body vitality through above mentioned methods and we see that nature heals without medicines.
Problems of mental origin (psychosomatic diseases) have to be treated by removing the root cause affecting the mind. Only physical treatments will not be effective here. Vipassana and Naturopathy work like two sides of a single coin. Hence, merging of solutions for the mental cause of suffering and Naturopathy methods that removes the physical cause will work together more effectively in making the person fully all right. Here comes the relevance of Vipassana Meditation.
Treating the physical aspect alone will not solve the problem. Mind and body are interlinked that unless the impurities of the mind are removed, diseases cannot be completely cured. For this, we need to dive deep into different levels or sheaths or koshas of mind through meditation and clean and clear the negative thoughts and its impact on body.
Negative thinking like thoughts of hatred, ill-will, anger, greed and fear are causes that lead to generation of toxins at the mental level. The severity of these mental defilements can harm us more than the toxins at the physical level, which within few minutes can make the nervous system debilitated. As a result, problems like hemiplegia, hypertension, heart attack, early aging, upset of digestive system, leading to liver disorders, diabetes, etc. may occur. To solve these problems a purification process of mind is essential. Satvik way of living leads to noble thoughts and mental defilements like greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, etc. will be uprooted.
Lord Buddha, the great physician of all ages has deeply analysed these situations through his own experiences. He, by concentrating and observing the sensations at different physical and mental level, attained the highest level of enlightenment, that is, the state of Nirvana.
The method of meditation called Vipassana was then taught by him to his disciples and it is being continued by Guru-Sishya parampara, even today. Today the main teacher is Sri Satya Narayan Goenkaji. He has been teaching this technique since 1969 at Igatpuri near Nasik, Maharashtra, which is the headquarter for Vipassana meditation.
Vipassana
The ancient technique of Vipassana was rediscovered by Gautam Buddha, The technique of self-realisation, truth realisation.
Observe reality as it is; not as one would like it to be. Observe the experiences or reality from moment to moment within the body. A Vipassana student has to go step by step on the basis of truth and nothing imaginary. One has to go from gross to subtle level and from outside to inside observing the truth within the framework of the body.
One has to go beyond mind and matter phenomena and experience the truth. When you start observing, layers after layers of subtlest impurities from the depth of the mind, it gets eradicated from gross to subtle level and one gets energised and transformed.
Benefits
Individuals are found more effective and efficient in work, more balanced in the office and at home after regular practice of Vipassana. Children are also benefited by meditation.
Vipassana is a natural treatment of mind. Both Naturopathy and Vipassana combined together can take out deep-rooted causes of impurities of body and mind.
Gandhiji was witnessing Almighty within. He said ‘Truth is God’ and ‘God is Truth’. During the prayer meetings, he was suggesting others to do the chanting of Ramanama, but he himself was remaining silent, doing meditation. After this, his mind used to become quiet, light and tranquil and found the solutions of all the problems in a right way. Mahatmaji was practising choice-less and effortless observation. One has to work and follow nature’s law in eating, drinking, sleeping, behaviour and at work also, according to nature. Law of Nature is dharma. If one arouses any impurities in himself, he or she starts burning within. Law of Nature works in the same way in everyone.
While taking treatments in Naturopathy, sometimes there may be healing crisis to take out the impurities. Similarly, while doing meditation one’s mental defilement will be brought out and new one’s are not allowed to be formed and mind gets purified.
As Guru Goenkaji says there are problems in everyone’s life. In my life also, I faced the problems which I could overcome with the help of Vipassana, it helped me a lot. Guru Goenkaji was kind enough to guide me often as and when required since my first training in 1976.
Medical practitioners of different therapies may learn Vipassana meditation, so that their patients can be handled in a better way. Vipassana cleanses and purifies the mind not only at conscious level, but also at the subconscious and unconscious levels.
Mind should be kept healthy and Vipassana is a technique to keep the mind healthy. May all derive the benefit by learning Vipassana and come out of their misery and diseases by leading a healthy, happy, harmonious and peaceful life.
