Q: If I am sick, will meditation help me get better?

A: It can, but it is a far better prevention than a cure. As the nervous system becomes more balanced over time from a regular routine of daily meditation, the body's immune system functions much more efficiently, and there is far less chance of falling sick. Other advanced yoga practices we will be discussing here will further enhance the body's resistance to illness. Balance and purity of body and mind are known to be among the best defenses against disease. Meditation and other methods of yoga are important contributors. You could say that good health is a coincident benefit of long-term meditation practice, a foundation upon which we are building a much greater thing -- enlightenment.

In our western culture, we tend to think in terms of fighting disease when it has come upon us after months and years of unhealthy living, rather than cultivating a state of balance within ourselves in advance that will practically nullify the occurrence of disease. No doubt, achieving good prevention through balanced, healthy living is the best course of action. But if we get sick, meditation can help us there too. If you are bedridden, meditate as much as is comfortable, alternating with sleep periods. Be very relaxed about it, leaning back on a pile of pillows. Meditation will help the healing process. But do not expect it to be a magic bullet that will instantly correct a situation that has finally tipped toward sickness after a period of imbalanced living. Instead, think of working your way back into good daily habits, including meditation, which will lead to long term balance. Then sickness will be much less of a factor in life.

Of course, sooner or later, these bodies of ours will disintegrate and die. The longer we have cultivated pure bliss consciousness within, the less overwhelming and confusing will the transition be. This is the greatest cure of all.

The guru is in you.

Note: For detailed instructions on deep meditation, see the AYP Deep Meditation book.

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