The Joyful Mind Leads to Healing

by Michael Ketterhagen

“The peaceful state of mind is the source of joy.”

--Ishan Tigunait, Himalayan Institute

This peaceful state of mind, about which Ishan Tigunait talks, also leads to healing. For joy is healing.

I’ve experienced this healing state many times, personally and through watching others who have been traumatized by some terrible catastrophe in their lives. Whenever I am deeply troubled and even can’t sleep, I sit up in a chair and just stare. That’s what happened to me when my brother killed himself and just recently when my daughter-in-law’s father died of Covid 19. I just sat in the chair looking out onto the patio and just stared.

I just sat and stared. My eyes were open, just looking at the birds fly around outside my patio windows. I wasn’t thinking anything. I just watched the movement. I continued to stare. Shortly, my eyes started to glaze over and didn’t record anything. I just continued to stare. My breathing got deeper and smoother and more seamless and effortless. It was as though something was breathing me while I continued to stare.

Upon reflection, days later, I realized that the ache in my heart and the sadness that seemed to overwhelm me at first had decreased. Upon further contemplation, I began to understand what happens to me and many yogis during meditation. It is even a spiritual practice in the Christian Orthodox tradition, (called icon gazing) and in the Buddhist tradition (called candle gazing) and in the Catholic Christian tradition (called Eucharistic adoration) and in the Yoga Sri Vidya tradition (called feeling the prana).

My mind was in a perfect state of peace and the Inner Healer (The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Orthodox Christian tradition, the Buddha in the Buddhist tradition, Christ in the Catholic Christian tradition, and pranic sensitivity in the Sri Vidya tradition) performed its healing power.

We are always healed when we still the mind and bring it to a state of seamless, effortless breathing. Our Inner Divinity heals us.

At this Thanksgiving time, this is the greatest gift for which we can be thankful!

Thank you, Oh Divine Source of Life, whatever you are called!

Namaste’