Question: Guru, if you have an ailment, is it valid to try to pretend that you do not even have it?

Sri Chinmoy: Madame Curie’s philosophy was, “I am getting better every day. Every day I am getting better.” One approach is self-deception: “I do not have any illness.” The other approach is positive thinking: “I am getting better, I am getting better.” That is an infinitely better policy. The first way is just to neglect and neglect the problem. I have many disciples who do that. They have diseases, but they say, “I do not have this disease, I do not have it.” After six months or six years, alas, they see what kind of disease they have. At that time it is difficult, if not impossible, to cure. A European disciple was suffering and suffering from some ailment. Finally she informed me, but she said that she would not go to a doctor. I said, “No, please go to a doctor!” If we know that we have a serious disease, negligence must not be allowed in our life. We must not try to forget about it.

If you go to a doctor for treatment, you have the right to say, “I am feeling better, I am feeling better, I am feeling better.” That can help you. If you can change your thinking process, that may help you. Most of the time it does help. But if you are experiencing sharp pain and you do not go for treatment, but you say to yourself, “I am feeling better, I am feeling better,” that approach is not valid.

If you feel better, then do tell yourself, “I am feeling better.” But if you do not feel better after a few days, a few weeks or a few months, then the treatment is not working, and you have to be practical. The difficulty is that very often it is too late when people finally seek more help.