The
Healing Law That Shines in Dark Times
Steven
H. Levy
The underlying theme of the worldwide medical consensus
on the best way to limit the pandemic spread of Coronavirus-19 is to isolate
oneself physically and socially from external sources of infection by the
virus.
Although
protocols may vary, the degree of isolation becomes more restrictive depending
on whether the individual is self-monitoring, self-quarantining or
self-isolating.
The use of
physical means, including all efforts to maintain and promote physical purity
in one’s body and physical environment, is a sound general approach to the
treatment of disease and the promotion of health. It is in perfect accord with
Theosophical principles.
Physical
self-isolation from potential physical contagion, when necessary, not only
protects individuals but the community in which they live and by extension
humanity as well. Along with practices that promote physical purity,
self-isolation is in harmony with universal law. Consider the following correspondences
which demonstrate the importance of active isolation and purity in combating
disease and promoting health.
Spiritual
health is maintained and promoted by seeking conscious union and refuge in the
Higher Self thereby isolating oneself from the virulent disease of selfishness,
caused by ideas that invade the mind and promote delusions of separateness.
Mental
health is maintained and promoted by consciously peopling our inner life with
altruistic and universal ideals that build an inner wall isolating the mind
from virulent impressions of suspicion, doubt, fear, and anger, all of which
are caused by the selfish desire for personal reward.
The desire
nature is vital to all human action, physically, mentally and spiritually. It
is kept pure and healthy by the active cultivation of high aspirations and
noble feelings in harmony with the spiritual nature. This gradually isolates
the desire principle from the influences of the astral and physical senses
which excite lust, staining the desire principle with impure passions.
The health
of the senses is promoted and maintained by active restraint and moderation
which isolates them from virulent illusionary impressions produced on the astral and physical plane, that
adversely affect the health of the physical body.
Notice that
the universal law involved is that of attraction and repulsion. In each example
the acts of isolation and purity attract the constituents of the healthy state
and repel the conditions of the unhealthy state. Another word for this
universal law of attraction and repulsion, or affinity, is magnetism. It operates on the physical, psychic, mental, and
spiritual planes of being.
The
maintaining and promoting of inner magnetic purity and health, psychically,
mentally and spiritually, is essential to maintaining and promoting physical
health. Impure inner magnetism will adversely affect the physical health, just
as physical impurity can adversely impact the inner magnetic purity. Hence the
ancient wisdom of the phrase “a healthy mind and a healthy body”.
Returning
to the medical recommendations for those who are in self-isolation or
self-quarantine because of Covid-19, we see that these individuals may be
advised to stay home, avoid public transportation, and avoid public areas.
They may be
told to stay away from partners and children, and limit contact with pets and
other animals. They may be advised not to share dishes, drinking glasses, cups,
eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in their homes.
While these restrictions are extreme and obviously protect the individual and
others from infection, they are also promoting a better inner magnetism
unsuspected by either the patient or the doctor. This improved inner magnetism
may have its outer and inner benefits as well.
It is
interesting to note that these restrictions are very similar to those advised
to chelas, or disciples, who need to maintain a pure and healthy inner
magnetism.
H.P. Blavatsky
gives examples of the discipline required by this level of discipleship in her
article “Practical Occultism”. It includes 12 rules for promoting a pure inner
magnetic condition. Number 8 and 10 deserve particular attention:
“8 - A Lanoo (disciple) has to dread external
living influence alone (magnetic emanations from living creatures). For this
reason while at one with all, in his inner
nature, he must take care to separate his outer (external) body from every
foreign influence: none must drink out of, or eat in his cup but himself. He
must avoid bodily contact (i.e.,
being touched or touch) with human, as with animal being. [No pet animals are
permitted and it is forbidden even to touch certain trees and plants. A
disciple has to live, so to say, in his own atmosphere in order to individualize
it for occult purposes.]”
“10 - No
animal food of whatever kind, nothing that has life in it, should be taken by
the disciple. No wine, no spirits, or opium should be used; for these are like
the Lhamayin (evil spirits), who fasten
upon the unwary, they devour the understanding. [Wine and Spirits are supposed
to contain and preserve the bad magnetism of all the men who helped in their
fabrication; the meat of each animal, to preserve the psychic characteristics
of its kind.]” [1]
While this
latter rule may not apply or be necessary for those who are not chelas, it does
suggest that the ill person would be helped by following general medical advice
to eat the healthiest diet possible for them, drink more pure water, and avoid
beverages and intoxicants that would add unnecessary stress to the body’s
resources to fight infection.
The inner
magnetism may be optimized by other practices outlined in the same article by
H.P. Blavatsky. These disciplines may be useful and beneficial to any Theosophist
or individual who is attracted to the approach of holistic medicine.
For
example, rules 3 and 4 emphasize the importance of keeping the mind at peace
with all and especially with one’s companions in life. Rule 7 emphasizes the
importance of chasing every hostile thought or prideful thought out of the
heart and keeping it full of the feeling of non-separateness.
Rule 9
emphasizes the importance of continuously keeping before the mind the universal
truths of nature. Rule 11 emphasizes the importance of meditation, performing
our moral duties, and cultivating gentle thoughts, good deeds, kind thoughts
and good will to all.
H.P. Blavatsky
wrote that karma accounts for illness and suffering in our lives in a general
way. “[There] is not an accident in our
lives, not a misshapen day, or a misfortune, that could not be traced back to
our own doings in this or in another life.” [2]
Nevertheless,
mankind has never been without a friend.
The Elder
Brothers protect the infant humanity from itself and from any harm that might
otherwise destroy it. They do so as they can, under law. They have left for us
a message and keep it alive at every age. It is a path and a knowledge of the
very Laws that assist us the most, in our darkest times.
NOTES:
[1] “Practical
Occultism”. See pages 94-95 of volume two in “Theosophical Articles”, H.P.
Blavatsky, Theosophy Co., Los Angeles, a 3-volume compilation.
[2] “The Secret Doctrine”, vol. I, H. P.
Blavatsky, pp. 643-634.
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The
above article was published at the associated websites on 15 March 2020.
Read
the article “The Meaning of a Pandemic”. Examine the book “Man and Society in Calamity”, by Pitirim A. Sorokin.
Click
to see other texts by Steven H. Levy,
M.D., a
theosophist who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
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