• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

Cancers of the mind

Unwellness and productivity

I believe that the major difference between humans and other animals is the mind. Man has been able to achieve tremendous feats by unleashing the potential inherent in his mind. The human brain is also better developed than those of other animals. The brain works together with the mind to produce results. Basically, the mind conceives ideas that the brain helps to give shape. Thus architectural wonders, astounding inventions and artistic masterpieces all existed first in the human mind. The mind is almost limitless in its abilities.

Unfortunately, only a very insignificant percentage of the human population realizes that the mind can be cultivated consciously to produce a rich harvest of desired goals. The techniques for tapping the potentials of the mind vary, but that is not the focus of this article. I think the most important thing is for us to know that we have what it takes to achieve many feats that can be tagged ‘super-human’, just by unleashing the power in our minds. However, only a healthy mind can yield such desirable results.

The environment of earth is brimming with pollutants. Many societies of the world have devoted a lot of money to making the air we breathe, our water and food cleaner and safer. However, very little attention is paid to the health and well-being of the mind. The mind picks up a lot of pollutants in the course of living from day to day.

Just like the body, the mind can be weighed down and overwhelmed by the effects of these pollutants. Thus many minds are plagued by infections, subdued by malignant growths, infested with all kinds of bugs and pests. The outcome of these mind diseases is multiplicity of evil, individual and community retrogression and a sick world.

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It is important to point out some specific pollutants of the mind. Hatred comes in naturally when we encounter certain characters that we don’t like. It takes root speedily if nothing is done to flush it out. When this happens, the seed of a destructive cancer of the mind has been planted. This cankerworm of hatred inflicts more harm on the mind of the host than on the hated person. It weakens the mind, and robs it of its vital essence.

Another pollutant of the mind is selfishness. From infancy, we learn to take care of ourselves first. It is a natural instinct to love self primarily; a part of the basic self-preservation instinct. But when this self-love goes to the extreme, and no one else matters, it becomes a disease that disables and weakens the mind. Envy, pride, anger, anxiety and depression are other pollutants that plague the mind and render it impotent.

But religious fanaticism is one of the greatest pollutants of the mind. This dangerous virus fills the heart with so much hatred for people of other religious convictions that the mind is literally thrown into prison, often lasting a lifetime.

There is great need for us to consciously rid our minds of these terrible infections. It is important for us to remember that the mind can accomplish whatever it sets out to achieve. If, for instance, one wants to rid oneself of hatred, the mind only needs to be reconditioned and consciously re-oriented to achieve the goal.

The human mind must be ploughed, activated and cultivated to achieve good health. When the mind is unclogged and devoid of all clutter, divine essence and love can flow freely through it. In such an atmosphere charged with love, all things are possible.

Africa is a continent that is full of great potentials, but lacking in virtually all basic necessities of life. Cultivating a healthy mind individually will help us wriggle out of the present deplorable condition of our beloved continent. Yes, we can.