Hi.
I’ve been suffering from constant tiredness which has been diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue. I was wondering if you could give me any Spiritual advice to combat this or understand what I’m supposed to learn from it. I already meditate and do the energisation exercises and eat a healthy diet so I’m at a loss to understand what I’m supposed to learn from this and how to combat it. Thanks.
—Sophie, UK
Dear Sophie,
If in this lifetime you have lived in harmony with the laws of health then one must conclude that your chronic fatigue comes from a past life. But whether or not that is true is a fact that may, or may not, ever be known by you. The important question is the one you have asked: “What am I supposed to learn from it?”
Our soul knows that it has access to all the energy it needs by operation of will power combined with divine attunement. The lesson(s) could be to strengthen your awareness that you live by divine power and by joyful willingness and not by bodily health or stamina. It can also be patience; surrender; joy under all circumstances; faith in God and in the latent goodness of all circumstances, whether considered “good” or “bad.” Also, fortitude and perseverance in face of obstacles.
Thus, you see, the lessons are innumerable, potentially. Therefore, focus on the practical: what can you DO as you struggle each day. Combining the need for rest, exercise, prana-filled diet, meditation, prayer with the importance of serving others in whatever way is open to you without causing further injury / fatigue to your system — these are the simple daily acts that are practical responses to your current condition.
An important issue related to chronic forms of illness is to balance acceptance of its realities against falling into the pit of identifying yourself as someone with “chronic fatigue.” You cannot know when, by grace or karma, it might vanish as if it had never been. Yet, you should not live in a world of “what if’s” or make believe.
Lahiri Mahasaya counseled: “banat, banat, ban jai!” (Doing, doing, soon done!) Yogananda put it this way: “The minutes are more important than the hours.” You day to day mindfulness, practicing the Presence, being self-aware of thoughts, words, emotions is far more important than the big picture of health routines.
No matter how far back you need to scale your activities, try not to succumb to failing to meditate and pray (and pray for others). Consider how many people are worse off than you. Find ways to serve other people: in your home; your neighborhood, or, across the globe. Use energization as best you can, even if you cannot do them all together at once. Keep up your spiritual reading; include humor in your daily mental diet. Use affirmations: here’s one:
“Within me lies the energy to accomplish all that I will to do. Behind my every act is God’s infinite power.” (Swami Kriyananda, Affirmations for Self-Healing: Energy); followed by this prayer:
Prayer
O Cosmic Energy, vitalize all the cells of my body; recharge my mind with boundless inspiration; fill my soul with Thy inexhaustible joy.
or another from the same source:
Affirmation
My body cells obey my will: They dance with divine vitality! I am well! I am strong! I am a flowing river of boundless power and energy! Followed by this prayer:
Prayer
O mighty Source of all that is right and good, help me to see my strength as an expression of Thy infinite power. Let me banish the darkness of disease: It is forever foreign to Thy light!
After energizing, sit and feel the energy coursing throughout your body. Indeed, do the exercises more slowly and pause to feel the energy after each movement!
When meditating, and especially while sitting after practicing kriya or Hong Sau, commune with the vitality and energy you feel in your body, seeing it as divine energy: joyful and intelligent and, as the presence of God in the form of healing energy.
Lastly: do healing prayers for others. You can join the Ananda Healing Prayer Council.
Live in grace; in joy; in the soul’s health and vitality!
Nayaswami Hriman
