A Healthy Way to be Sick

By Marc Lerner

When we look deep within and rely on the Wisdom of the Body, we learn to accept the beauty of life. Our illness or disability may limit us as we adapt to society, but that same situation has the power to force us into a wonderful self-acceptance and that is what I call a healthy way to be sick.

From that state of mind, you create an inner healing environment, where you become an active partner with your doctor. Having inner and outer resources working together empowers the healing process. Remember, this is your body and it is your energy that heals you.  Do not be passive, because you play an important role in healing.

Over the decades of making efforts to heal my illness, multiple sclerosis, using everything that held promise, I learned a beautiful lesson. No matter who you are or what condition you are in, the silence beyond our thinking mind is an amazing resource for meeting your challenge. This is what I call the Wisdom of the Body. Becoming aware of that resource is a healthy way to be sick.

That silence is free from disturbing thoughts and fears, giving you a shelter where you are free from your illness and the struggle you are in. Even when you are dealing with a chronic illness, there is an inner peace at that depth. In my condition, if I was to limit my focus to my superficial thinking mind, I would easily become depressed. I am forced to go deeper and take an active role in healing.

Once I was asked “how do we create the ideal state of mind?” My answer was: Take away everything that isn’t the ideal state of mind. When imperfection is removed, we have what existed before we were poorly conditioned. In other words, deep within all of us is a wisdom that may not be perfect, but is free to change and evolve.

The real task we all face is to learn how we can return to that ideal state of mind in our everyday life. When we are sick, we can use our thinking mind to uplift our spirits and work with our doctor and medical team. Our thoughts were not created to depress us or limit us in any way. Thinking, like the clothes you wear, can be put on or taken off. Dress up to meet the incredible challenge where you consciously participate in healing. Don’t go shabby to an event that is so significant.

©2012 Marc Lerner and Life Skills Institute

 

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