Nervousness - Cause and Cure
Nervousness - Cause and Cure
Nervousness - Cause and Cure
Any violent or persistent mental, emotional, or physical excitement greatly disturbs and
unbalances the flow of life force throughout the sensory-motor mechanism and the lamps of
the senses. If we connect a fifty-watt bulb with a two-thousand-volt source, it would burst
out the bulb. Similarly, the nervous system was not made to withstand the destructive force
of intense emotion or persistent negative thoughts and feelings.
Realization that all power to think, speak, feel, and act comes from God, and that He is ever
with us, inspiring and guiding us, brings an instant freedom from nervousness. Flashes of
divine joy will come with this realization; sometimes a deep illumination will pervade one's
being, banishing the very concept of fear. Like an ocean, the power of God sweeps in, surging
through the heart in a cleansing flood, removing all obstructions of delusive doubt,
nervousness, and fear. The delusion of matter, the consciousness of being only a mortal body,
is overcome by contacting the sweet serenity of Spirit, attainable by daily meditation. Then
you know that the body is a little bubble of energy in His cosmic sea.
The victim of nervousness must understand his case, and must reflect on those continual
mistakes of thinking which are responsible for his maladjustment to life. When the nervous
man once admits to himself that his disease is not mysterious in its cause, but the logical
outcome of his own habits, he is already half cured.
The Nervous System
The nervous system is the telephonic outlet and inlet of die body, providing man with his
response to outer and inner stimuli, excitement upsets the nervous balance, sending too much
energy to some parts and depriving others of their normal share. This lack of proper
distribution of nerve force is the sole cause of nervousness. The calm man—he who avoids
excitement because he is not overly attached to his ego and is aware that God, and not he, is
running this universe—is always able to meet any situation in life because his nerve force is
equilibrated. Lord Krishna said: "With unwavering discrimination, free from delusion,
neither jubilant at pleasant experiences nor downcast by unpleasant experiences, the sage be-
comes established in God."* This is the goal we must strive for and attain.
The nervous system supplies life current to the brain, heart, and other parts of the body. It
distributes energy to the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Nerves are our
medium of contact with the outer world and the' Bhagavad-Gita V:20, Source of all our
sensory reactions. How important it is, therefore, to keep the nerves in a state of perfect
balance, not shocking one part of the body with too much energy and consequently limiting
the supply to other regions. Not by restlessness or emotional reactions, hut by calmness, by
deep trust in God, we reach the yogic state of an equilibrated being.
The yogis have special techniques by which one can revive tissues burned out by
nervousness, by sending life energy into nerves partially destroyed by mistreatment. Each
cell and tissue in the nervous system is a living, intelligent structure. Life energy can always
renew it.
The diet should be simple, balanced, and not too plentiful. Exercise should be regular. Too
much sleep drugs the nerves, and too little sleep is hurtful to them. But all-important is the
choice of company. Tell me what kind of friends a man has and I will tell you what he is.
Flatterers do not help us. We should seek the society of superior men—those who tell us the
truth and help us to improve ourselves. He is our best friend who humbly suggests how we
may benefit our life by worthwhile changes.
Strong criticism, delivered in a mean or heartless way, is like hitting a man on the head with
a hammer. The power of love is infinitely more effective. Kind suggestions, given with love
and understanding, can accomplish wonders; mere faultfinding accomplishes nothing. One is
fit to judge others only after he has perfected his own nature. Till then, judging oneself is the
only profitable analysis,
Association with calm, wise people is one of the quickest ways to banish nervousness and
realize our innate divinity. Nervous people should stay away from those suffering from
similar troubles,
Calmness Is the Best Cure
The best cure for nervousness is the cultivation of calmness. One who is naturally calm does
not lose his sense of reason, justice, or humor under any circumstances. He can always
separate sentiment or wishful thinking from fact. He is not led astray by the honeyed
tongues of dishonest men with improbable schemes for acquiring unearned wealth. He does
not poison his bodily tissues with anger or fear, which adversely affect circulation. It is a
well-proven fact that the milk of an angry mother can have a harmful effect on her child.
What more striking proof can we ask for, that violent emotions will finally reduce the body
to an ignominious wreck?
Poise is a beautiful quality. We should pattern our life by a triangular guide: calmness and
sweetness are the two sides; the base is happiness. Every day, one should remind himself: "I
am a prince of peace, sitting on the throne of poise, directing ray kingdom of activity."
Whether one acts quickly or slowly, in solitude or in the busy marts of men, his center
should be peaceful, poised. Saints and prophets of world are an example. Everywhere, they
demonstrated peace. They passed through every conceivable test without losing his poise.