Philosophy For The Sick by Manly P. Hall

Excerpt, Page 13

The health problems of modern man grow more complicated with each passing day. We live in a time of synthetic nutrition, impoverished soil, adulteration, and over-refinement of food products. We eat ourselves to death and die of malnutrition. Yet it should also be remembered that in the midst of this lamentable state of affairs, the human life expectancy is longer today than ever before in history. This seems to be a contradiction, but even while we are causing sickness through our ignorance and selfishness, we are discovering better remedies for many diseases once regarded as hopeless. Racial populations are increasing all over the planet, and even the horrors of scientific warfare are not limiting the trend of population. The increase is due partly to the reduction of infant mortality, and partly to the lengthening of life expectancy through the successful treatment of disease in the aged.

If you are ailing, there is every probability that science can provide you with a considerable span of time in which to reorganize yourself. Even though existing knowledge may not be sufficient to cure your complaint, it can mitigate the symptoms and keep you in a state of reasonable comfort and efficiency for many years. With this added opportunity you may be able to work out your own salvation if you are willing to practice the proper diligence. If science can assist you through an emergency and you accept the lesson that is taught by a health crisis, the best years of your life may lie ahead. If, however, you simply lean upon medication and continue previous practices, a valuable opportunity for self-improvement has been wasted.

Pain is a warning that the sufferer has broken faith with the rules of his kind. He has disobeyed laws that are stronger than his own will. Frequently, we are ignorant of nature’s plan until we violate one or more of its edicts. Having experienced the facts, it is our privilege and our duty to make good use of the knowledge that has come to us. To repeat blindly procedures that brought trouble, is only to invite a larger disaster.

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