Spiritual Awakening Through Illness

Everyone has had the experience of being sick inwhen you are well, because you want to be 'nice'?
their life. Did you get the spiritual awakening and theWhen you are sick, you are being more honest with
learning that was presented to you?yourself and others.
Many of you who are on the path of becoming4. Looking after Self: When you are feeling low, you
aware know about the metaphysical causes ofhave to take your own needs seriously. Looking
illnesses. There are plenty of great books on thatafter your body becomes a matter of
topic, among them my favorite from Louise Hay andself-preservation.
Lise Bourbeau, which can be an excellent starting5. Less Ego Fixation: If you are seriously weakened
point in understanding your dis-ease.by your illness you will no longer be bothered making
Let's look at it on a practical level: Take the examplea point. It becomes less important to 'be right' and
of the reoccurring bouts of flu. What are themore important to 'be well'.
benefits and potentials for spiritual awakenings in6. Sticking with the Essential: When you have throat
having the flu?pain, for example, you are only saying what is really
1. Prioritizing: When your body is weakened by fevernecessary, leaving out all the fluff. Similarly to the
and headache you only do what is really important orprevious point you are less attached to being right or
urgent, like cancelling appointments, calling work to letbeing heard and trust that things will sort themselves
them know you are not well. You are not wastingout.
time with or worrying about unimportant, trivial7. Allowing Help: This is a great chance for people
matters.who find it not so easy to accept help under normal
2. Focus on Health: You become more healthcircumstances. When you are ill and cannot do certain
conscious, you are mindful of what you eat, drinktasks, you have to learn to accept and welcome
and what outside influences you expose yourself to.help. For the person helping you it is also much nicer
3. Speaking the Truth: You might be telling people toto help you as they won't hear: 'Oh no, that's not
stop talking when you're physically, mentally ornecessary, I can do it myself!'
emotionally not able to take in more. How often doesSo do you have to get sick to learn those lessons or
it happen that you are keeping your mouth shut,can you do it while you are well?