Transcript for August 23, 2009 by Ian Lawton

Rabbi Bunam said: “Seek peace in your own place.  You cannot find peace anywhere save in your own self.  When you have made peace within yourself, you will be able to make peace in the whole world.”

The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Han said almost the same thing:  “If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can blossom like a flower and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.”

Thich Nhat Han uses the example of a small boat crossing the Gulf of Siam; refugees leaving Vietnmam. They are called boat people, because they leave the country in small boats.  Often the boats are caught in rough seas or storms, they tangle with pirates along the way, and have no guarantees that they will be accepted in their country of origin. They may panic, and the boats might sink.  But if even one person aboard can remain calm, peaceful, knowing what to do and what not to do, he or she can help the boat survive.  His or her expression, face and voice communicates calmness, and people have trust in that person.  One such peaceful person, then, can save the lives of many.

“Our world,” he says, “is something like a small boat.  Compared with the cosmos, our planet is a very small boat.  We are about to panic because our situation is no better than the situation of the small boat in the sea.  Humankind has become a very dangerous species.  We need people who can sit still and be able to smile, who can walk peacefully.  We need people like that in order to save us.” 

You are that person. Do you believe it? Do you realize the power you have? You can be the peace the world needs, while all around there is chaos and crisis. Being peace is good for your health, and it’s good for the health of the world.

I’m speaking about some of the spiritual challenges of the current health care debate. It’s a body, mind and spirit challenge as the workings of your mind do affect the health of your body. Peace of mind is good for your health. I want to explore this point a little further this week but from a slightly different perspective.

Last week I spoke about the danger of catastrophizing, and the spiritual value of keeping situations in perspective. Studies have shown that it is literally bad for your health to catastrophize. One study showed that men in particular were at risk from catastrophizing. It was a life cycle study that began in 1921. It showed that men with a tendency to catastrophize were 25% more likely to die by age 65 than men with other ways of seeing the world and they were at especially high risk for deaths by accident or violence. Catastrophizing may be a self fulfilling prophecy.

So you see the value to your health in keeping life in perspective. As Mark Twain said: “I’ve had a lot of problems in my life and most of them never happened.”

During the week, we saw more anger on both sides of the health care issue in a most unfortunate incident at a Town Hall. I was just as unimpressed with the congressman’s anger as I was with the woman’s offensive protest. Anger spirals into aggression, people stop listening and conversations break down. I worry for the health of all those involved in angry conversations and I worry for the health of a national community that doesn’t know how to have a civil conversation.

Preventive Health Care

Another spiritual challenge in the current health care debate is self responsibility. Self responsibility is a quality that we can agree about across the aisle, on all sides of this issue. There is an important aspect to the current health care reform bill that is not being discussed widely, and this is a pity as I imagine that almost everyone would agree on this one. It is called the Healthy Workforce Act. It offers tax credits for employees participating in wellness initiatives. Some companies have led the way by offering preventive wellness programs to employees. IBM claims that between 2005 and 2007 it invested 81 million in wellness programs and saved about $190 million in health care costs in the same period. They also claim that their workers have become more productive and satisfied in their work. This is a great example of preventive health care, and preventive health care is a great example of self responsibility. The Beijing government now requires its employees to take 20 minute exercise breaks as part of a ten year health plan that aims to increase the average life span from 80 to 81.

We all agree that there needs to be some type of health care safety net to protect everyone from the many unforeseen and unpredictable health issues. Many people deal with health crises that are beyond their control. However, no matter what your perspective on health care reform, no matter what your opinion about government involvement in health care, we can all take some steps to improve our health and in the process reduce the burden on the health care system.

Exercising regularly is a wonderful way of taking responsibility for your own health. Excuses begone! Have you heard about the guy who said, “I don’t exercise at all. If God had wanted me to touch my toes he would have put them up higher on my body?”

Exercise is good for body, mind and spirit. It keeps your muscles strong (body). It is a natural antidepressant. It stimulates blood flow, including to the brain (mind). it releases endorphins that make you happier. It raises self awareness of breath and rhythm (spirit). It even has a meditative function for many people.

You know all this. I’m not giving a lecture on fitness. I’m suggesting that by having your own exercise program you are strengthening body, mind and spirit. By taking responsibility for your own health you reduce some of the strain on the health care system.

Here is a bazaar thought. Maybe they should expand the Healthy Workforce Act and include tax breaks for participation in spiritual growth communities. I am half serious.

Participating in spiritual communities should improve your health and reduce the burden on the system by strengthening body, mind and spirit.

Here are three practical ways that spirituality can improve your health.

Healthy Beliefs are Good for your Health

Proverbs 3; 1 and 2, “Do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for they will add long life and peace to your days.” Maybe Solomon was on to something there.

Many studies suggest that spirituality is good for your health and it also increases the wellbeing of communities. Spirituality tends to make people more positive, more generous with their money and time, and gives a greater sense of life purpose. But it’s even better than that. A 2004 Australian study suggests that people who reflect on and choose their own beliefs have greater wellbeing and happiness than those who inherit beliefs unreflectively from their parents of the tradition of their upbringing.

Maybe that’s what Solomon meant by keeping the law with your heart as opposed to believing by rote. Another Hebrew text suggests that the law has been placed on human hearts. What does it mean to say that the law is placed ON the heart rather than IN the heart? You choose your beliefs so that when your heart is open, they can drop right in.

Choose beliefs that feel right to your conscience, your own inner wisdom; beliefs that can drop into your open heart at the right time. Choose beliefs that don’t require you to sell your soul, to compromise your own conscience. Choose beliefs that give you peace of mind. Choose beliefs that increase love and kindness in the world. Choose beliefs that expand your compassion and self responsibility. Choose healthy beliefs. Healthy beliefs are good for your health.

Affirmations are Good for your Health

Affirmations are positive thought patterns to shift your mind’s incessant negative chatter. You can use them to counteract any tendency to self sabotage or judgment. There is an affirmation for every life situation. For example, when you are feeling pulled in every direction by the advice of others, there is an aff for that. Say to yourself “I am wise and I know what is true for me.” When you are feeling resistant to what is taking place, there is an aff for that. Say to yourself “I am open to life’s lessons.”

Woody Allen once ended a stand up routine by saying, “I wish I could think of a positive thought to leave you with. Will you take two negative thoughts instead?” Here are some negative affirmations-

I honor my personality flaws, for without them I would have no personality at all.
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except the ones that are someone else’s fault.
I am willing to make the mistakes if someone else is willing to learn from them.

We can do better than that. Say to yourself, “I am becoming all that I can be.” “I am the peace I wish to see in the world.” “I am responsible for my own health.”

Affirmations are good for your health.

Laughter is Good for your Health

The Bishop said to the young priest, “You had a good idea to replace the first four pews with plush bucket theater seats. It worked like a charm. The front of the church always fills first now. And just as you said, adding a little more beat to the music would bring young people back to church. Now our services are consistently packed to the balcony.”

“All of these ideas have been well and good,” said the Bishop, “but I’m afraid you’ve gone too far with the drive-thru confessional.”

“But, Bishop,” protested the young priest, “my confessions have nearly doubled since I began that!”

“Yes,” replied the elderly priest, “and I appreciate that. But the flashing neon sign, ‘Toot and Tell or Go to Hell’ cannot possibly stay on the church roof!”

Proverbs 17; 22. “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is a slow death to be gloomy all the time.” Laughter is good for your health. It certainly was for Norman Cousins who claimed that heavy doses of Vitamin C and ten minutes of belly laughing in front of a Groucho Marx movie gave him hours of pain free sleep. Studies seem to suggest that laughter increases pleasure and decreases pain. It increases antibodies in saliva that combat upper respiratory infections. It secretes an enzyme that protects the stomach from forming ulcers. It relaxes muscles throughout the body. It aids in reducing symptoms of rheumatism. It reduces blood pressure and heart-rate, helps the body fight infection, and releases endorphins which provide natural pain relief. It helps move nutrients and oxygen to body tissues. AND, it generally just makes you feel good in body and mind!

Why is laughter good for your spirit? The word humor comes from the Latin word that means “going with the flow.” Laughter and humor are ways to remind yourself that some things are out of your control, and you need to just move with life. Humor often serves to distract you from situations that seem hopeless to you and give you a break from your anxiety. You can see life from a new perspective and move on more positively. Chaucer said that many a truth is told in jest. He wasn’t kidding!

Taking Care of your own Temple

One image that seems to sum up what I am saying this morning is to take care of your own temple. Build a temple of beliefs and life practices that make sense to you and build a healthy life. Make it the life of your choosing, and fill the temple with plenty of laughter and affirmations. Let me leave you with a story.

An elderly carpenter was getting ready to retire. And he told his employer of his plans. He wanted to live a more leisurely life enjoying his family. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could just build one more house as a personal favor.

The carpenter said, “Yes,” but in time it was easy to see that his heart was just not in the work. And he resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.
When the carpenter finished building the house and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to this master carpenter. “This is your house,” he said. “It’s my gift to you.”

If he had only known that he was building his own house, he might have done things very differently. Imagine that every thing you build in the world, every peace you work for, is part of building your own temple. Every effort you make to respond with kindness and love is building your own temple.

And what about the health care system? The words from the 1980s musical Fame:

I sing the body electric, I celebrate the me yet to be.
I toast to my own reunion, when I become one with the sun.
I sing the body electric, I glory in the glow of rebirth,
Creating my own tomorrow, when I shall embody the earth.

“I Sing the Body Electric”

When you have made peace in yourself, you will be able to make peace with the whole world. The system is secondary. Take responsibility first for yourself. I honor your body. I honor your mind. I honor your spirit. Namaste.