Breathe
By Karla Iberia Sánchez
What went wrong with our diplomacy and prayers?
What went wrong with our compassion and good neighborliness?
How do we deny a heritage that gives us hate soup?
What would a doctor who claimed that violence is a global health emergency more than 30 years ago say?
What would you say on the day of the attack on the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza and its 500 dead? This:
"I don't think there is a solution to the violence and recycling of trauma that humanity has been suffering for some 5,000 years or more," emphasizes the athletic man, nearing 80 years of age.
"Violence begins with trauma and trauma is exacerbated by those who have already suffered some trauma. So when we talk about the aggressor and the victim, the two are intertwined. They are co-creators of each other. Every victim becomes an aggressor, so then the perpetrator becomes a victim. History shows us that the human being is the only species that gives death and murders in the name of God;
that gives death and murders to get hold of some property;
that gives death and murders for its ideology;
that gives death and murders, even to protect its religion in the name of God.
Such is our collective madness, which recycles itself".
20 million books later, he does not accept to be described as a guru. The integral thinker, let's call him, is meticulous with his adherences and his definitions:
"Basically, religious doctrine generates wars since the beginning of time.
Religion is used as a tool, like politics, to exercise power, wield influence and exercise cronyism and corruption."
He adds: "Today we cannot trust politicians, because they obey special interests.
We cannot trust national leaders either, because they protect their own interests.
We cannot rely on companies: war and killing means a lot of money for the arms industry; it means profits for the medical industry as well.
The only solution, if there is one, is to understand the anatomy of violence.
"The anatomy of violence begins with trauma, which leads to anger. Anger leads to hostility, hostility leads to revenge, and all that produces inflammation of the body-mind. In individuals, families, communities or nations. As a physician," he explains, "I have seen a lot of suffering: I realized that everything we do to alleviate the pain of our patients is very superficial. I realized that we must include mind, body and spirituality to bring peace."
-Are there absolute truths, then? Are you not also part of the "profit" of hope?
-I am not interested in leaving a legacy, nor do I make any promises. I just share my reason for being peaceful. That is all.
- Doctor, I ask you this question to try to understand: Where exactly did religion, spiritual growth guides and mentors cease to be enough to heal the pain in our soul?
Breathe: "I reiterate: I do not trust religious leaders because they are institutionalized figures."
- Last Saturday, when you went to sleep and saw the first attack on Israeli soil, what did you think, Professor?
"I wasn't surprised at all. I was already expecting it."
"Everything we are doing to resolve that conflict is wrong. Talking about who's to blame and who's not is what we've been doing for thousands of years."
Today, with almost 10 million followers, he is launching a proposal to train peace facilitators.
"There are other techniques. Respect for your adversaries, recognize the injustice suffered by both sides, recognize each other's true values, renounce belligerence, recognize that fear is the cause of all conflict. "
Chief of staff at New England Memorial Hospital until he became acquainted with Ayurvedic medicine, he has been listed as one of the 100 heroes and icons of our time, he refuses the rockstar figure of "wellbeing".
You are coming to Mexico. Why?
"The anatomy of anger is connected to the anatomy of pain, it is connected to the anatomy of violence, it is connected to the anatomy of inflammation, and it is connected to the anatomy of disease. It is also connected to the anatomy of conflict on a global level. Everything is inflammation in the body-mind. Compassion, joy, empathy and equanimity, peace generate homeostasis and self-regulation in the body. If people would treat this as a health crisis, I think more people would be willing to listen.
-Please, could you share an idea for a country like mine that suffers so much violence?
The only way to alleviate suffering is to help someone else with their suffering.
Thank you, Deepak Chopra.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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