Sri Aurobindo

Letters on Himself and the Ashram

The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo. Volume 35

Life and Death in the Ashram

Medical Treatment [3]

X had some trouble with his ear for some months; it went away only after a short “action” upon it. I do not believe in this action theory — at least here in the Ashram. I believe that if one compiled statistics of those who took an active approach and those who believed in laissez faire, there would be less disease and mortality in the latter group.

It depends on the person and the circumstances. “Action” of X’s kind can be taken — only it often means a struggle with the contrary forces; if the action is sufficient, it is all right, otherwise it takes time and trouble. What you say is also true. Not to be conscious about the body, not to be always thinking of it, just to say to one’s illness “Nonsense” and go about one’s business is often very effective. When we first had the Asram there was no Doctor, no dispensary, no medicines, people hardly got ill and, if any did, he simply got well again. If at any time somebody got dysentery, he just swallowed a lot of rice and whey and got well again. If he had fever he lay in bed a day or two and got up again. There was no serious illness and no lasting illness. Now with doctors and dispensaries and cupboards full of medicines illnesses gambol about like tigers in a jungle. But in those days people had a faith in the mind and even one might say in the body, “What is illness going to do to me here” and that attitude imposed its own result. यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः [yo yacchraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ]

6 February 1935