Differences Between our Body and Mind
In our
previous article on Time Management we reflected upon
how our bodies and mind relate differently to the concept of time.
Feelings of pain felt by the body
are often translated as experiences of unhappiness in the mind. Pain is a
messenger to make the mind aware of a particular concern with the body that
will need to be addressed. When the mind is not disturbed by the pain or illnesses
of the body, the mind can remain peaceful and happy. When the mind is disturbed
with thoughts of suffering, losses, changes etc, ordinary situations are reacted
to as though they are serious problems to create peacelessness and unhappiness.
For example, when driving to an important
appointment, it is the driver who is aware of the need to reach the destination
in time for that appointment. The driver plans and makes the necessary efforts
for the journey. If along the way, the car is stuck in a traffic jam, it is
the driver who becomes concerned. The car, on the other hand, is never concerned.
Likewise, the mind is the driver
of the body. It is the mind that experiences happiness when everything works
out fine. It is the mind that becomes unhappy when some things do not work
out right. The body is the “tool” used by the mind to express itself and perform
physical actions and express itself.
The mind, similar to the tiny microprocessor
in computer systems that access, store, process and manage information, is
responsible for human Intelligence.
The mind is the living being that
“sees” through the eyes, “smells” through the nose, “hears” through the ears,
“tastes” with the taste buds and “feels” via the body’s senses of touch.
With the realisation that our mind
and body are separate entities, we can begin to explore the differences between
body and mind to develop happy and healthy lifestyles.
With this understanding comes the
self-realisation that will motivate us to change our body-related habits that
cause unhappiness. When suffering from physical pain or illness, sure it is
a discomfort, but we must not allow our physical condition to affect our state
of peace and happiness. A happy mind, or at least one that is at peace is
necessary to restore the body.
A faulty car, for instance, does
not repair or maintain itself. It is the driver who gets faults fixed and
generally maintains the car. Similarly, it is the mind that maintains the
body from birth to death.
An important point to ponder over
is that when we eat, sit, rest, sleep or visit the doctor, we are addressing
the physical needs of the body’s health.
The mind needs peace and the experiences of happiness that come from
positive reflections / silence / meditation.