How Thoughts Affect Health and the Body

THE body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay; at the command of glad and beautiful thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty.

The body is the mind’s servant. It follows the mind’s activity, whether that activity is consciously chosen or happens automatically. Under the influence of wrongful thoughts, the body quickly falls into disease and decay. Under the influence of joyful and beautiful thoughts, the body becomes youthful and beautiful.

Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly. The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.

Disease and health, like life’s circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will show themselves in a sickly body. Fearful thoughts have been known to kill a person as quickly as a bullet. And fearful thoughts are constantly killing thousands of people just as surely, though more slowly. People who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly weakens the whole body and leaves it open to disease. Meanwhile, impure thoughts will soon wreck the nervous system, even if they are not acted on physically.

Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigour and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.

Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build strength and grace in the body. The body is a delicate, flexible instrument that readily responds to the thoughts that shape it. Patterns of thought will have their own effects on the body, good or bad.

Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood, so long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body. Thought is the fount of action, life, and manifestation; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure.

People will continue to have impure and poisoned blood as long as they nurture unclean thoughts. A clean heart produces a clean life and a clean body. A polluted mind produces a polluted life and a corrupted body. Thought is the source of action, life, and everything that takes shape. Make the source pure, and all will be pure.

Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure food.

Changing his diet will not help a man who refuses to change his thoughts. When a man purifies his thoughts, he no longer wants impure food.

Clean thoughts make clean habits. The so-called saint who does not wash his body is not a saint. He who has strengthened and purified his thoughts does not need to consider the malevolent microbe.

Clean thoughts lead to clean habits. The so-called saint who does not wash his body is not a saint. A person who has strengthened and purified his thoughts does not need to worry about harmful germs.

If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts. Wrinkles that mar are drawn by folly, passion, and pride.

If you want to protect your body, guard your mind. If you want to renew your body, fill your mind with beauty. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, and despair rob the body of health and grace. A sour expression does not happen by chance. Sour thoughts create it. Wrinkles that spoil your appearance are caused by foolishness, uncontrolled emotion, and pride.

I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn into inharmonious contours. The one is the result of a sweet and sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of passion and discontent.

I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well below middle age whose face is drawn and uneven. The woman’s face reflects her kind, cheerful nature. The man’s face reflects his anger and discontent.

As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity.

You cannot have a pleasant, healthy home unless you freely let air and sunshine into your rooms. The same is true of a strong body and a bright, happy, or peaceful face. These can only come from freely welcoming thoughts of joy, goodwill, and peace into your mind.

On the faces of the aged there are wrinkles made by sympathy, others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion: who cannot distinguish them? With those who have lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful, and softly mellowed, like the setting sun. I have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He died as sweetly and peacefully as he had lived.

On older faces, some wrinkles come from sympathy, others from strong and pure thoughts, and others are carved by passion. Who cannot tell them apart? For those who have lived rightly, old age is calm, peaceful, and gentle, like the setting sun. I recently saw a philosopher on his deathbed. He was old only in years. He died as gently and peacefully as he had lived.

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all—such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.

No doctor can match cheerful thoughts in relieving the body's illnesses. No comfort can match goodwill in lifting the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live constantly with thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy is to live in a prison you built yourself. But think well of everyone, be cheerful with everyone, and patiently learn to find the good in everyone. Such unselfish thoughts are the very gates of heaven. And thinking peaceful thoughts toward every living creature, day after day, will bring you abundant peace.