The functions of the human body are deeply related to the functions of the mind. One’s will or volition, though a mental function, causes an increase in a chemical within the brain known as noradrenaline. Noradrenaline promotes the smooth and lucid functioning of the brain. On the other hand, when one’s will or motivation decreases, the brain’s noradrenaline level drops, producing a corresponding decrease in brain function. If such a condition persists too long, the danger of decreased mental functions arises.
If a student is half-hearted in preparing for an exam, his brain will not function at maximum efficiency, hampering his ability to understand and remember. An earnest and determined attitude in one’s studies will enhance his mental functions and the power to understand and digest the material. When someone is nervous or afraid, his face may turn white or even blue, and his body will tremble. When angry or excited, a person’s face becomes bright red and his heart pounds violently. Almost everyone has experienced this at one time or another. In this sense, the functions of the body and the mind are intrinsically connected.
If the mind or spirit is weak, then the body will grow weak. If the body is weak or sickly, the mental or spiritual state will be adversely affected. Therefore, it is only natural that one’s determination can have a profound effect on one’s physical state, enabling one to summon forth the physical power or energy necessary to stay healthy or overcome illness. On the other hand, if the mind grows passive or weak, then the body too will become weak making it more susceptible to illness and making that illness harder to cure. Illness that stems chiefly from a mental or spiritual condition is known as a psychosomatic disorder.
Ultimately, we could say that such disorders begin as self-deprecation or self-hate. It is not uncommon for young people to try to escape, in one way or another, from the pain, suffering and problems that accompany growing from a child into an adult. In some cases, this escape may even take the form of criminal behavior, psychosomatic diseases or suicide. Needless to say, denying one’s own existence or behaving in a way that denies the rights or happiness of others will solve nothing, even if one manages to avoid becoming ill.
Human beings are able to display their greatest power and ability when they are confronted by a great problem or difficulty and challenge themselves to overcome it. When we challenge ourselves, we can display 110 or 120 percent of what we had considered to be our best. On the other hand, if we allow ourselves to be defeated by suffering and grow spiritually weak, we can muster only 50 or as little as 30 percent of our normal ability. Let us look at it from the scientific perspective.
When the mind or will grows weak, the autonomic nervous system becomes less responsive and the secretion of important hormones decreases. We become tired easily, lose the desire to challenge even small problems, feel dissatisfied with our surroundings and tend to complain. When we are determined to challenge each of our difficulties, we find ourselves able to tap our inherent power and capability to a much greater degree.
Once we realize that whatever we are seeking in our life’s journey lies within us, most of us would be able to find the solution to most of our problems. A strong resilient mind will have the potential to overcome problems in life and thus uplift one’s life to a whole new level.
What lies inside us translates into the world surrounding us. External factors do not affect us, We possess the power to influence the external factors and in turn bring out a change.
