By Rajyogi Brahma Kumar Nikunj Ji

“Health is Wealth” is an old maxim that remains relevant even in today’s modern age. It is a fact that health is essential for happy and natural living. Without good health, one does not experience stamina, suppleness, or a sense of well-being.

Today, nobody wants to be sick or physically distressed and spend their hard-earned money on doctors and medicines. This is why people across the world have become far more health-conscious than they were a few years ago.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being—not merely the absence of disease. Since there is an intimate connection between the mind and body, a physical disease often causes symptoms in the mind and vice versa.

To treat diseases, there are many systems, or “pathies,” as we call them. Usually, doctors prescribe medicines so that the symptoms disappear or, at most, the disease in its present form subsides. However, only a few systems truly focus on eradicating the root causes of disease and restoring overall health. In fact, various systems define disease and its causes differently, and their philosophies vary significantly.

For example, the allopathic system of medicine is based on the belief that viruses cause disease, and thus considers them living microorganisms. It also recognises bacteria as causes of many diseases. Accordingly, this system attempts to eliminate viruses or bacteria to help the body recover.

On the other hand, the hygienist school of thought, or nature curists, believe that viruses are not living entities. They consider viruses to be proteinaceous debris of spent cells, creating a condition of intoxication called toxemia or toxicosis. According to them, what is termed a “virus” is always non-living and does not exhibit characteristics of life such as metabolism or control mechanisms.

As for bacteria, they believe bacteria have always coexisted with us as symbiotic partners.

Thus, according to nature curists, the real culprit is accumulated toxic matter. They view disease not as an attack by viruses or bacteria, but as a result of internal or external toxins, along with the body’s attempt to eliminate these harmful substances. In their view, most diseases are remedial efforts by the body to cleanse and repair itself.

If we consider disease as a signal of accumulated waste or toxins, then purification of the body becomes the foundation of health. In this process, purity of mind plays a vital role. Physical purification requires mindful eating, occasional fasting, avoiding toxic foods, and controlling sensual pleasures that deplete bodily vitality.

It also involves regulating our behaviour and emotions, as these too can lead to debility, nervous exhaustion, and unhealthy functioning of bodily systems. Even if one accepts viruses and bacteria as causes of disease, it is difficult to deny that accumulated toxins provide a breeding ground for them.

In conclusion, both spiritual and physical purity are essential for natural health. Without positive emotions such as love and enthusiasm, one cannot maintain vitality and proper bodily functions. Negative emotions drain energy and weaken the entire system.

Therefore, purity remains the key ingredient for achieving good health. While modern medicine discusses holistic health, hypertension, psychosomatic diseases, and drug addiction, it is equally important to address the turmoil caused by negative thoughts, which contribute to an unhealthy and polluted social environment.

(The writer is a spiritual educator and a popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal, and the UK. To date, he has written over 9,500 published columns.)