C. Diseases of Worry and Irritation

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Esoteric Healing - Chapter I - The Psychological Causes of Disease

C. Diseases of Worry and Irritation

The third category of complaints which arise in the emotional or

astral body is synthesized esoterically under the term: diseases of

irritation. These are the insidious poisons which lurk behind the

phenomena of disease.

It might be said that all diseases can be covered by two definitions, from the standpoint of occultism:

Diseases which are the result of auto-intoxication. These are the most general.Diseases which are the result of irritation. These are very common amongst disciples.

We hear much today about auto-intoxication, and many efforts are

made to cure this by diet and the regulation of the life in terms of

rhythmic living. All this is good and of help, but it does not

constitute a basic cure, as its protagonists would lead us to believe.

Irritation is a basic psychological complaint and has its roots in the

intensification of the astral body, which definitely produces abnormal

effects upon the nervous system. It is a disease of self-interest, of

self-sufficiency, and of self-satisfaction. Again I would say, ponder

on these terms, for these three aspects of irritation are of general

discovery. We will therefore [68] deal with irritation, "imperil," as

it is called by exponents of the first ray, such as the Master M.

We have nearly completed our first section under the heading

Psychological Causes of Disease, and have very briefly, yet I believe

suggestively, considered those problems which arise from the

over-activity and wrong condition of the astral body. All I can do in

this short treatise is to generalize, because most of the statements I

may make are, in any case, so new and revolutionary (from the

standpoint of orthodox medicine) that it will take time for even this

first inner structure of ideas and this somewhat new formulation of

truth to make its impact upon the thinkers of the race. Then, if

accepted as hypothetical possibilities by the open-minded among them, a

long period of time must elapse before there has been enough

investigation, leading to definitely formulated conclusions, which will

make the ideas of popular recognition and use. In saying this, I am not

reflecting critically upon the medical profession. The money-grasping

specialist and the charlatan are rare; they of course exist, as do the

corrupt and the undesirable in every profession. Where are they not to

be found? The closed minds are many; but again, where are they not

found? The pioneers along the new lines of thought and the man who has

grasped some of the New Age concepts have often equally dosed minds and

see nothing but the new ways, modes and methods, and throw overboard

all the old, losing much thereby. The medical profession has one of the

greatest and most beautiful records in the world of its purpose and

field of activity, and has developed some of the greatest of the soul

qualities - self-sacrifice, compassion and service. But the ways and

the techniques of the New Age are hard to grasp. Much of the old ways

have to be given up and much sacrificed before the new art of healing

becomes possible. [69]

Until the fact of the subtler bodies is properly recognized by the

world thinkers, and their existence is established through a right and

true science of psychology and the development of the faculty of

clairvoyance, the tracing of the causes of disease back to the subtler

bodies is relatively meaningless. The best reaction which the most

open-minded physician can (I say can and not will) produce or

admit is that the psychological attitude, the mental state, and the

emotional condition of the patient do either help or hinder. Many are

already admitting that. That in itself is much.

When, therefore, I say that cancer, for instance, has its roots in

an astral condition and began its career in Atlantean times, it means

but little to the average man today. He does not realize that large

numbers of people today are Atlantean in their consciousness.

I want briefly to touch upon the most common of all causes of

trouble: Worry and Irritation. They are more prevalent at this time

than ever before, and for the following reasons:

The world situation is such, the problems and uncertainty are such,

that scarcely a person in the world at this time is exempt. Everyone is

more or less involved in the planetary situation.The inter-communication between people has increased so much, and

men live so much in massed groups - large or small - that it is

inevitable that they produce an effect upon each other as never before.

"If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" is a statement

of truth, ancient but new in application and today realized for the

first time.The increased sensitivity of the human mechanism is also such that

men "tune in" on each other's emotional conditions and mental attitudes

in a new and more [70] potent manner. To their own engrossing concerns

and worries are added those of their fellowmen with whom they may be en

rapport.Telepathically, and also with a developed sense of prevision, men

are today adding the difficulties that belong to someone else, or to

some other group of thinkers and of people, to the difficulties that may be. It is not sure that they will be.

These problems will demonstrate to you how intensely difficult it is

for men to face up to life. It will be obvious that the problems of

worry and irritation (called by the Master Morya "imperil") are many

and must be considered.

Why are these difficulties of the astral body so "perilous" and so serious? Worry and Irritation are dangerous because:

They lower the vitality of the man to such a point that he becomes

susceptible to disease. The scourge of influenza has its roots in fear

and worry, and once the world settles down to freedom from the present

"fearful" condition, we shall see the disease die out.They are so highly infectious from the astral point of view that

they lower in a peculiar manner the astral atmosphere, and thus make it

hard for people - in the astral sense - to breathe freely.Because the astral conditions of fear, worry and irritation are so widespread today that they might be regarded as epidemic, in a planetary sense.Because irritation (I speak not here of worry) is inflammatory in

its effects - and inflammation is hard to bear - and leads to much

difficulty. It is interesting to note that certain forms of eye trouble

are caused by this. [71]Because worry and irritation prevent true vision. They shut out the

view. The man who is the victim of these conditions sees nothing but

the cause of his complaints and is so submerged through self-pity,

self-consideration, or in a focused negative condition, that his vision

is narrowed and his group hindered. Remember that there is group

selfishness as well as individual selfishness.

I have cited sufficient reasons for the effects of Worry and

Irritation to demonstrate to you the wideness of the difficulty. It is

not much use at this time to talk of the remedy. One does not say to an

influenza patient (when the worst throes of the disease are upon him),

"There is nothing the matter. Pay no attention. Get up and go about

your business." It is no use saying to men today, "Do not fear. Leave

off worrying. All will be well." They will not believe you, for one

thing - and that is fortunate, for it is not true. Things are not well

and humanity and the planetary life are not well. This, the Hierarchy

knows, and is working for the amelioration of the conditions. When the

throes of the "planetary influenza" are over (and the patient will not

die), then investigation can be made and effort produced which can

prevent a recurrence. At present, all that can be done is to keep the

patient quiet and also keep the fever down. This is the work of the New

Group of World Servers and the intelligent men of goodwill. Their name

is Legion.