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Seeing successfully for health and happiness Usually we think of metabolism in relation to digesting food. Did you know that people also digest, or metabolize, what they take in through their senses? That means, when we see, hear, taste, perceive through any of the senses, or experience anything, our bodies also metabolize that experience? Just as the food we eat becomes part of us, the experiences we take in also become who we are. They affect our personality and our health. His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the foremost scientist of consciousness and founder of Maharishi’s Vedic Science, has often pointed out that ‘what you see, you become’. When the eyes see something, it becomes imprinted on the blank screen of the observer’s consciousness. In normal waking state of consciousness, when the observer looks at something, his awareness becomes absorbed in the object of his attention. He loses awareness of pure consciousness, his Self, and he becomes the object. If the observer is not established in his own inner bliss consciousness, then what he sees can overshadow his inner fulfilment. Even if it is a pleasing perception, the person can become lost in the pleasure of this transitory experience. This temporary, relative happiness creates an impression on the mind which can become the seed for future desires, causing bondage. Only when a person has the regular experience of the unbounded, eternally blissful Self within does this lasting source of fulfilment saturate the mind. Then no fleeting experience of relative life can overshadow the perpetual experience of inner bliss consciousness. Metabolizing experience Thus, in normal waking state of consciousness, clearly, what we perceive affects our mind. More than this, how we perceive and metabolize any experience directly influences us physically; it affects our health. When one takes in sensory information, that initial sensory impression then triggers a physiological reaction, based on interpretation of the sensory input, often related to past association, or memory. Sensory input changes the body, creating a series of neurological and chemical responses. In this way the body metabolizes the experience. We see a beautiful sunset and this uplifting perception creates a relaxing, joyful response throughout our body. In their book, Contemporary Ayurveda, authors, Christopher Clark, MD and Hari Sharma, MD discuss the concept of metabolizing experience in relation to health. (See upcoming article entitled, 'Behavioural Rasayanas to promote good health' on Excellence in Action page of Global Good News.) Drs Clark and Sharma point out that ‘through the action of the limbic system, particular psychological and emotional states take on molecular form. When you watch an “action movie”, you may begin to feel a nervous stomach and sweaty palms. Specific chemical messengers have been released. The body has been changed by what it is seeing on the screen. The emotions raised by the movie correlate with activity in the limbic system.’ Drs Clark and Sharma explain that input from the five senses, cognitive information, and emotions cause stimuli from the limbic region of the brain to excite the hypothalamus to release a wide variety of neuropeptides. These neuropeptides in turn stimulate specific hormones and other glandular activity. ‘This new combination of chemical messengers changes the operation and make-up of the body, especially the metabolic system and the immune system.’ Drs Clark and Sharma continue: ‘In this sense, the body metabolizes the emotional content of every experience it has. Happiness registering in the limbic region stimulates one cascade of chemicals from the hypothalamus and pituitary, with corresponding physiological changes everywhere in the body. Sadness creates another cascade, and another physiology.’ In this way, we are actually feeding our bodies with what we have chosen to experience through our senses. Favour positive experiences This underscores the need to favour positive and uplifting ideas, emotions, and sensory input from the environment. The person who chooses to put his attention on pleasing, uplifting experiences, news, entertainment, company, and atmosphere incorporates those experiences into his mind, emotions, and physiology. The person, who dwells on the negative news or favours sad, fearful, or upsetting sensory input and experiences, incorporates those into his mind, emotions, and physiology. Drs Clark and Sharma remind the reader of the man who chose to watch funny movies in order to overcome a life-threatening disease. See the rose and ignore the thorn Skilful perception includes both 1) choosing to favour positive sensory input and also 2) selectively perceiving, when faced with negative input. When a rose and its thorn are presented, the skilful observer focuses on the rose and ignores the thorn. In 1962, Maharishi told the story of the saint who was known for seeing good in everything in creation. One day a mischievous man tested the saint by leading him through a part of the city where there was a dead animal. The saint lived up to his reputation by focusing only on the sparkling white teeth of the animal and ignoring the rest. Maharishi concludes: ‘The world is a garden of almighty God, and He has made the flowers in all their variety. You may pick the one you like but, you have no right to say another is bad. Even if you do not like that flower, God created it for someone who can admire it and who will be happy to see it. Do not always go about lost in your own taste; admire the great variety in the garden of God.’ Experience bliss consciousness It would be a strain to try always to perceive in a positive way, if inside that is not what one was feeling. Fortunately, a technique is now available so that anyone can live inner fullness of life and perceive the world around him in terms of this fullness. If the observer practices Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme, including Yogic Flying, these techniques allow one to experience the silent field of unbounded bliss consciousness, the Self, within. Through regular experience of one’s Self, inner bliss begins to predominate during activity as well. The experience of the Self prevents any sensory perception or experience from overshadowing one’s inner bliss consciousness. This is balanced perception, where the observer is not overshadowed by the object of observation. When the Self becomes a permanent experience, then no matter what one sees and experiences, one sees in terms of one’s own inner bliss. Established in the experience of inner stability, positivity, and strength, one gains the ability to see the world as one is—in the same invincible, positive, uplifting light. Maharishi describes the perception of a person who is permanently established in the bliss of Transcendental Consciousness—the state of cosmic consciousness in devotion to God: ‘To live this state of concentrated, universal love is the ultimate fulfilment of life. It is an unbounded flow of love at the sight of everything, the touch of anything; the whole of life in its multifarious diversity is nothing but the fullness of love, bliss, and contentment, eternal and absolute.’ Maharishi points out that in this state of fulfilment of life, one naturally enjoys perfect mental and physical health. Metabolize peace and contentment From a medical perspective, Drs Clark and Sharma describe Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique as giving the limbic system the opportunity to metabolize peace and contentment, rather than stress. They refer to Transcendental Consciousness, attained during the practice, as ‘the most important thing one can do for promoting health’. The conclusion is: 1) be selective about what experiences you choose to take in through the senses and, more important, 2) cultivate the ability to perceive successfully. Expand your awareness so your perception is balanced; expand your ability to perceive skilfully so that inner bliss consciousness is always maintained amidst the field of diverse perception, thought, and action. Through the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme, one can easily experience the ocean of bliss, one’s own Self and develop skilful perception so that every experience is a wave of bliss and perfect health is maintained. Copyright © 2007 Global Good News(sm) Service
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