Karma and a silver fish
I read an interesting article the other day about a woman who cured herself of breast cancer by cultivating the virtues of kindness, truth and tolerance. Apparently she was practicing a form of Qigong when she saw a silver fish with deep hatred for her. (I have no idea how she could tell it hated her!). The woman believed that she must have killed this fish in a previous life and that her present illness was the result of not having paid off this karmic debt.
Now although this story seems extremely far fetched – whether yo
u believe in past lives or not – it does remind us of the emotional component of the Five Element Theory and the relationship between mind and body in Oriental medicine. Even in Western medicine it is acknowledged that stress, along with its inevitable negative thoughts and emotions, has a direct bearing on physical illness, and that the best way to heal (Old English word “haelen” = to make whole) is to combine both physical and psychological treatments.
In TCM an excess in the five emotions (fear/fright, anger, love, worry, grief) causes imbalance in energy leading to possible damage of internal organs and their related systems of the body. Therefore, learning to control our emotions and moods and adjusting our lifestyle to one that is more harmonious and balanced in our relationships to others and ourselves is just as important to prevent or cure a physical disease as it is for the mind and spirit.
Something to think about the next time you see a silver fish.
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