The Healing Law That Shines in Dark Times
Steven H. Levy
The underlying theme of the worldwide medical consensus on the best way to limit the pandemic spread of Coronavirus-19 is to isolate oneself physically and socially from external sources of infection by the virus.
Although protocols may vary, the degree of isolation becomes more restrictive depending on whether the individual is self-monitoring, self-quarantining or self-isolating.
The use of physical means, including all efforts to maintain and promote physical purity in one’s body and physical environment, is a sound general approach to the treatment of disease and the promotion of health. It is in perfect accord with Theosophical principles.
Physical self-isolation from potential physical contagion, when necessary, not only protects individuals but the community in which they live and by extension humanity as well. Along with practices that promote physical purity, self-isolation is in harmony with universal law. Consider the following correspondences which demonstrate the importance of active isolation and purity in combating disease and promoting health.
Spiritual health is maintained and promoted by seeking conscious union and refuge in the Higher Self thereby isolating oneself from the virulent disease of selfishness, caused by ideas that invade the mind and promote delusions of separateness.
Mental health is maintained and promoted by consciously peopling our inner life with altruistic and universal ideals that build an inner wall isolating the mind from virulent impressions of suspicion, doubt, fear, and anger, all of which are caused by the selfish desire for personal reward.
The desire nature is vital to all human action, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is kept pure and healthy by the active cultivation of high aspirations and noble feelings in harmony with the spiritual nature. This gradually isolates the desire principle from the influences of the astral and physical senses which excite lust, staining the desire principle with impure passions.
The health of the senses is promoted and maintained by active restraint and moderation which isolates them from virulent illusionary impressions produced on the astral and physical plane, that adversely affect the health of the physical body.
Notice that the universal law involved is that of attraction and repulsion. In each example the acts of isolation and purity attract the constituents of the healthy state and repel the conditions of the unhealthy state. Another word for this universal law of attraction and repulsion, or affinity, is magnetism. It operates on the physical, psychic, mental, and spiritual planes of being.
The maintaining and promoting of inner magnetic purity and health, psychically, mentally and spiritually, is essential to maintaining and promoting physical health. Impure inner magnetism will adversely affect the physical health, just as physical impurity can adversely impact the inner magnetic purity. Hence the ancient wisdom of the phrase “a healthy mind and a healthy body”.
Returning to the medical recommendations for those who are in self-isolation or self-quarantine because of Covid-19, we see that these individuals may be advised to stay home, avoid public transportation, and avoid public areas.
They may be told to stay away from partners and children, and limit contact with pets and other animals. They may be advised not to share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in their homes. While these restrictions are extreme and obviously protect the individual and others from infection, they are also promoting a better inner magnetism unsuspected by either the patient or the doctor. This improved inner magnetism may have its outer and inner benefits as well.
It is interesting to note that these restrictions are very similar to those advised to chelas, or disciples, who need to maintain a pure and healthy inner magnetism.
H.P. Blavatsky gives examples of the discipline required by this level of discipleship in her article “Practical Occultism”. It includes 12 rules for promoting a pure inner magnetic condition. Number 8 and 10 deserve particular attention:
“8 – A Lanoo (disciple) has to dread external living influence alone (magnetic emanations from living creatures). For this reason while at one with all, in his inner nature, he must take care to separate his outer (external) body from every foreign influence: none must drink out of, or eat in his cup but himself. He must avoid bodily contact (i.e., being touched or touch) with human, as with animal being. [No pet animals are permitted and it is forbidden even to touch certain trees and plants. A disciple has to live, so to say, in his own atmosphere in order to individualize it for occult purposes.]”
“10 – No animal food of whatever kind, nothing that has life in it, should be taken by the disciple. No wine, no spirits, or opium should be used; for these are like the Lhamayin (evil spirits), who fasten upon the unwary, they devour the understanding. [Wine and Spirits are supposed to contain and preserve the bad magnetism of all the men who helped in their fabrication; the meat of each animal, to preserve the psychic characteristics of its kind.]” [1]
While this latter rule may not apply or be necessary for those who are not chelas, it does suggest that the ill person would be helped by following general medical advice to eat the healthiest diet possible for them, drink more pure water, and avoid beverages and intoxicants that would add unnecessary stress to the body’s resources to fight infection.
The inner magnetism may be optimized by other practices outlined in the same article by H.P. Blavatsky. These disciplines may be useful and beneficial to any Theosophist or individual who is attracted to the approach of holistic medicine.
For example, rules 3 and 4 emphasize the importance of keeping the mind at peace with all and especially with one’s companions in life. Rule 7 emphasizes the importance of chasing every hostile thought or prideful thought out of the heart and keeping it full of the feeling of non-separateness.
Rule 9 emphasizes the importance of continuously keeping before the mind the universal truths of nature. Rule 11 emphasizes the importance of meditation, performing our moral duties, and cultivating gentle thoughts, good deeds, kind thoughts and good will to all.
H.P. Blavatsky wrote that karma accounts for illness and suffering in our lives in a general way. “[There] is not an accident in our lives, not a misshapen day, or a misfortune, that could not be traced back to our own doings in this or in another life.” [2]
Nevertheless, mankind has never been without a friend.
The Elder Brothers protect the infant humanity from itself and from any harm that might otherwise destroy it. They do so as they can, under law. They have left for us a message and keep it alive at every age. It is a path and a knowledge of the very Laws that assist us the most, in our darkest times.
NOTES:
[1] “Practical Occultism”. See pages 94-95 of volume two in “Theosophical Articles”, H.P. Blavatsky, Theosophy Co., Los Angeles, a 3-volume compilation.
[2] “The Secret Doctrine”, vol. I, H. P. Blavatsky, pp. 643-634.
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The above article was published at the associated websites on 15 March 2020.
Read the article “The Meaning of a Pandemic”. Examine the book “Man and Society in Calamity”, by Pitirim A. Sorokin.
Click to see other texts by Steven H. Levy, M.D., a theosophist who lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
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