Evaluation of the Science of Curative Methods by Paramhansa Yogananda
Scientific Healing Affirmations, 1924 Edition
Disease is generally considered a result of external material causes — few realize that it comes through the inaction of the Life Force within. When the cell or tissue vehicle of the Life Energy is in any way affected, the Life Energy withdraws from that place and trouble consequently starts. Medicine, massage and electricity only help to stimulate the cell in such a way that the inactive Life Energy is induced to return and resume its former work of repair.
We must not be extremists in any way. We should adopt whatever methods of healing are suitable according to individual conviction. One fact should be borne in mind — medicine, food, poisons, etc., all have a definite chemical action on the blood and body. As long as one eats, why should he deny that medicines or other material aids are without effect on the body? They are useful as long as only the material consciousness is present. They have their limitations, however, because they are applied from outside. The best methods are those which help the internal Life Energy to resume its healing activities.
Medicine chemically helps the blood and tissues. Use of electrical devices is also of benefit. But neither medicine nor electricity can cure disease; they can only stimulate or coax the Life Energy back to the neglected diseased body part. Hence the introduction of a different foreign element, be it medicine or electricity or any other external aid, is undesirable if we can manage to directly use the Life Energy to effect a cure without employing any intermediary agent.
In massage, osteopathic treatment, adjustment of the vertebrae, Yoga postures, etc., no introduction of an outside influence is involved, and by these methods we can remove or relieve the congestion in the nerves or vertebrae and permit the free flow of Life Energy.
On the other hand, mental cure is superior to all methods of physical cure because will, imagination, faith, etc., are the different phases of consciousness which actually and directly act from within and are the motive powers that stimulate and direct the Life Energy to accomplish any definite task.
We, therefore, see that both physical methods and mental methods of cure are useful only insofar as they can influence and awaken the Life Energy. It is the Life Energy that will cure, and that method which exerts the most power over the Life Energy is the superior method. The Yogoda system teaches one to harness and direct the will to assist the actual vibrating Life Energy to any body part required. Neither physical culture methods nor mental healing can equal the marvelous results of Yogoda, which employs the will and the Life Energy directly. It is not imagination — one can feel the tingling energy throughout the body by the use of the Yogoda exercises.
Medicine may be used for little itches, sores or accidental cuts, etc. If the arm has been fractured, it is foolish to give God the trouble of joining your displaced bones when a doctor (a child of God) can fix it by a little use of his skill and knowledge of God’s own laws as applied to matter. If you can instantaneously heal your broken bones by mental power it is admissible, but don’t wait.
Matter does not exist in the way we usually conceive it, nevertheless, it does exist as a delusion. Dispelling delusion requires a definite method. You cannot cure a dope-fiend in a moment. Material consciousness possesses man through a law of delusion and only by following the opposite law of undoing the delusion can the material consciousness be dispelled.
The rabid medical man and the mental healer both are extremists. They are wrong because they draw a dividing line between matter and Spirit. Spirit through a series of processes of materialization became matter, hence matter proceeds from and cannot be different from its cause, the Spirit. Matter is a partial expression of Spirit — the Infinite appearing as finite, the Unlimited as limited. But since matter is nothing but Spirit in its delusive manifestation, matter cannot exist without the Spirit. Hence the Spirit exists; matter does not.
