 MANY
OF US SUFFER from the "I feel sick syndrome."
We are not truly "ill," in the sense that we do not have a significant
malfunction of an organ or organ system that can be readily diagnosed
by traditional contemporary medical testing. But we certainly experience
bouts of discomfort, pain or distress - in other words, we just
don't feel right - we just feel sick!
And we often feel it physically - in particular parts of our bodies
- our heads, our backs and joints, our chest, our abdomens. We experience
pain, discomfort, heaviness and a variety of other vaguely abnormal
sensations which seem to either focus in on one part of our bodies,
or in an overall sense of general discontent and 'dis-ease'.
We feel it emotionally as well - blues and blahs, anxiety, fatigue,
frustration, unhappiness, lack of focus, lack of strength, lack
of appetite, sleep, sex drive - an absence of enthusiasm, of motivation,
of joie de vivre. From a spiritual perspective, it may
be experienced as a sense emptiness, confusion, lack of direction
and focus, an absence of meaning and also, a loss of faith. I am
not referring to a loss of faith in a Divine Being but in oneself
and the reason for being here on earth.
But rest assured, we are not alone. We are in the midst of an epidemic
of feeling sick - one that has metaphysical implications, one that
involves our body, mind and soul.
Have we become a nation of hypochondriacs? No! Not really. Our confusion
is real. Our discomfort is real. Our pains and insomnia are real.
We are not faking, or deluding ourselves or others. The ache in
our heart and soul is palpable. We are suffering from a sense of
detachment and discontinuity from our whole being - from the body/mind/soul.
 We
are in need of 'healing' in its true sense and meaning - to make
'whole' because it is this fragmented sense of self which is responsible
for our feeling sick. The first step towards reclaiming health is
to change our approach and understanding of what we mean by 'feeling
sick'. By reclaiming our inner metaphysician, we can assist in our
own healing.
Some Metaphysical 'Cures'
We should approach a sense of feeling sick by addressing issues
of body, mind and spirit - simultaneously. The first step is to
consult a physician and rule out any predominantly physical illnesses.
This is crucial because there is a danger in assuming we automatically
know which aspect of our being is dysfunctional. Also be
aware that emotional distress can lead to physically disorders that
can be addressed and corrected. But do not hesitate to simultaneously
explore the mind and spiritual aspects of our being.
Taking a metaphysical approach can be the source of great healing.
Examine
our attitudes. How we 'feel' about how we 'feel'
is crucial. The way we interpret the inevitable ups and downs
that come with living makes an enormous difference. If we see
ourselves as strictly physical beings composed of a conglomerate
of organ systems, we will be constantly rattled by the daily changes
in how we experience our physical bodies. If we understand that
we are essentially spiritual beings having a physical experience,
we can stand back and observe the imperfections of our bodies
as inherent in the nature of being. The emotional roller coaster
of our lives will manifest itself through physical symptoms sometimes.
Not that we should ignore them, but we can adopt a mindful approach
to our physical complaints. We can observe them, acknowledge them
and explore them, unaccompanied by panic and anxiety. Such an
approach will enable us to calmly work through the physical and
emotional factors which contributed to their manifestation. Don't
be surprised if this attitude leads to a significant reduction
in the very symptoms which concerned us in the first place.
 Welcome
the lesson of the blahs. It is easy to be irritated,
annoyed and sometimes totally exhausted by the challenges life.
But from a spiritual perspective we are not victims of the chaos
of existence. Sickness, in fact, offers us opportunities to evolve
by facing and overcoming its challenges. Feeling sick can be a
clue that change is needed in our attitudes, relationships, careers
- or our general approach to living. Life is imperfect, and illness
will touch us all in some way eventually. Accept the truth that
pain is part of living, while suffering ultimately depends upon
how we perceive and interpret that pain.
Let
our karma run over our dogma. Getting stuck in
myths and belief systems that perpetuate guilt, fear and restrictive
thinking will not empower us toward health.
Whether
or not we believe that physical death is the end of existence
or that we possess a spiritual dimension which continues afterwards
will impact on our attitude about health and disease as well.
Our souls incarnate in order to evolve and grow. Pay attention
to what your feelings are telling us. Blues and blahs and feeling
bad might be a cue to clean up some of our karma.
Redefine
what feeling sick is all about. Our emotional
states often heighten our awareness of discomfort, at times exaggerating
them. This often sets us up for a vicious cycle in which symptoms
causes fear and anxiety which heighten our sensitivity to discomfort
and further increases symptoms. Our attitude will impact powerfully
on subsequent symptoms. If we are the kind of person who immediately
believes the worst, rushes to a physician to undergo extensive
testing, and catastrophizes a horrendous condition, we are more
likely to drown in our own fear and magnify our feeling of being
sick. If we tend to secretly seek attention from others by playing
the 'sick' role to its fullest, we will become the "sick person"
in real life. Besides, this plea for attention will often backfire
as people around us will feel exhausted and drained by our demands.
Don't become an energy vampire!
Learn
to accept that which cannot be altered. We've
heard it in the Serenity Prayer: "Grant me the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I
can, and the wisdom to know the difference."  How
we 'manage imperfection' in our lives reflects upon our maturity
and spiritual evolution. We are impermanent beings living in an
impermanent world. Death is an unavoidable consequence of living
for all of us. When we accept this metaphysical truth we can surrender
to the flow of life and become healed even in the face of death.
Take
a vacation from illness, emotions, and negative thoughts.
Go on a literal vacation and use it to heal, or find a way to
tap into serenity wherever you are,But even within the heart of
a city we can escape the chaos that constantly bombards us by
finding a favorite park, a stream, water fountain or even a tree
or garden. Connect to the sacred space within by taking time out
to reflect, breathe , and meditate as a way to find peace and
solace anywhere. Step back from the 24hour bombardment of media:print,
TV, internet, which relishes violence, hatred and negativity.
Seek the place of tranquility in the eye of the storm of existence.
Get
enough sleep. A huge factor in the malaise of
modern living is that we simply do not get enough sleep or rest.
We are chronically fatigued. Our minds are going a mile per minute
and we can gel lost in the unending chatter within. A good night
sleep can heal many ills. Even a short 'power nap' will offer
tremendous healing. Sleep is the body/mind/spirit's way of 're-booting'.
©
2008 Steven E. Hodes, M.D.
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