Chapter 11-5 Immunity and Wellness

In the opening of "The Reflections on Life", Teacher Qu Limin uses a metaphor to explain the concept of "Essence, Qi and Spirit"（精气神） in the human body: "The essence stored in the human body is like oil; the Qi is like fire; and the brightness, like spirit. When there is ample oil, the fire burns brightly, and the light shines intensely. Conversely, when the oil runs dry, the fire extinguishes, and the light fades."

TCM holds that the human body is the result of the unity of "Essence, Qi, and Spirit". has an inherent ability to regulate the balance of yin and yang. A healthy physique can readily mobilize its immune system to restore equilibrium. Illnesses, which manifest as pathological changes, primarily arise when this internal balance of yin and yang is disrupted. The external agents that disrupt this balance are generally referred to as "external pathogens" in TCM. The fundamental principle of TCM treatment is to "support the upright" by restoring the body's yin-yang balance, thereby naturally enhancing the immune system's ability to resist external invasions.

Nowadays, many children have become chronically ill and dependent on medication, turning into "little medicine jars" who can't withstand even slight changes in their environment. This is often a result of over-reliance on medication. When children are young, many parents can't bear to see them with a fever and rush them to the hospital for intravenous fluids, forcibly suppressing children's immune cells, temporarily masking symptoms with medication. However, the evident side effect is a compromised immune system, as the medication's apparent balance is temporary and unnatural.

Following the pandemic, pediatric clinics in many cities have been overwhelmed with sick children. One explanation is that these children were subjected to mandatory three-dose COVID-19 vaccinations by their schools, and now there's growing evidence pointing to the side effects these vaccines have had in their bodies. Unfortunately, these children, whose immune systems are particularly fragile, have become the hardest hit. Sadly, while Western medicine's symptomatic treatment temporarily alleviates symptoms, it fails to restore bodies' internal balance, laying the groundwork for more severe health issues in the future.

Concurrent with the rise in pediatric illnesses, 2023 also saw the emergence of highly sensitive respiratory pathogen tests, with costs ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan. These tests are said to detect up to 200 different pathogens, such as chlamydia, mycoplasma, and adenovirus. Parents, armed with lengthy test reports, can then choose corresponding vaccines, seemingly protecting their children from these 200 pathogens. As a matter of fact, pathogens are far more diverse than these mere 200 types. Furthermore, such tests only assess the current state of the body and cannot predict future conditions.

The virus changes faster than the human body. There's no denying that some major vaccines in history, such as those for measles, smallpox, and polio, have saved many lives, as the human immune system struggles to recover from these infections on its own. However, when medical treatment is intertwined with vast market interests, the proliferation of vaccines and market trends has deviated from their original intent.

 Currently, expensive HPV vaccines, such as the 6-valent and 9-valent types, are highly sought after by many underage girls. Yet, it's important to note that regardless of the type, HPV vaccines only prevent 70-80% of cervical cancers. Can this really be considered immunity? During flu season, various flu vaccines are also in high demand, with many parents rushing to get their frail children vaccinated. In reality, a healthy body with a balanced yin-yang has a low probability of contracting such viruses. Even with close contact, the immune system can quickly recognize these "external pathogens" and protect itself from harm.

The principle of vaccination is to introduce a small dose of the virus to help the body recognize it. However, even though the dose is small, for those with weaker constitutions, this "momentary invasion" poses a higher risk. Every year, countless people suffer from vaccine side effects and seek justice, only to be categorized within the "acceptable adverse rate" of vaccinations. Today, many COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have ceased production. Is anyone still willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Yet, during those three years, nearly 5 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered across the country (an average of three doses per person), with a reported adverse reaction rate of less than 0.01%. Of these, "common reactions" accounted for 80%, abnormal reactions were only 5.5%, and severe abnormal reactions reportedly made up 1%. However, these statistics have significant visible "errors".

The government spent a significant amount of money to vaccinate the entire population, enriching certain interest groups. Eventually, various calculations and statistics proved a harsh truth: even vaccinated individuals did not necessarily have a lower probability of contracting COVID-19 compared to the unvaccinated, and their reactions to COVID-19 later on were not necessarily milder. The virus still claimed many innocent lives. The group almost universally mandated to receive 2-3 doses were the children in urban schools, who later among the first to be struck down by various contagious viruses.

Chinese wellness culture is rich and diverse, promoting the harmony and health of Chinese people guided by theories and practices of TCM. At the core of wellness lies the cultivation of the heart. What does it mean to "cultivate the heart"? According to "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon (Huangdi Neijing)", it involves maintaining a state of tranquility and emptiness, allowing Qi to flow, and keeping the spirit inwardly guarded, ensuring illness stays away. This entails a serene and optimistic mindset, focused and internally peaceful.

After nurturing the heart, the next step is inner adjustment, achieving greater enlightenment and freedom within oneself, ultimately attaining "supreme enlightenment", where heaven and humanity unite. For many who seek the path and practice meditation, the essence of these practices is to adjust the body's operational state, aligning it with the cosmos, achieving a state of selflessness and transcendence.

The prerequisite for selflessness is self-acceptance—acceptance of everything. True strength lies not in stubbornness or forgetting, but in acceptance. The most important growth in life begins with accepting one's own ordinariness and allowing anything to happen. In youth, we often consider ourselves extraordinary, but no matter how hard we try, we cannot always become what we aspire to be. Whether one achieves greatness later in life or remains unfulfilled, there is no need to be too harsh on oneself. We accept our ordinariness, but that does not mean we settle for mediocrity. The world is full of ordinary people, and making an ordinary life shine is true greatness.

Recalling a story:

A man traveled a long way to visit Master Huaihai. He asked: "Master, do you practice diligently?"

The master replied: "I do."

"What does diligence mean to you?"

The master answered: "When I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm tired, I sleep."

"What's so special about that? Isn't everyone like this? Is there a difference?"

 

The master replied: "Of course, there is! When ordinary people eat, they don't just eat; they have many distractions. When they sleep, they don't just sleep; their minds wander endlessly. I am not like them."

Indeed, it's difficult for people to concentrate fully on one thing.  They are entangled in the pursuit of gains and losses, trapped in the illusions of worldly praise and criticism. When they eat, their minds are filled with various thoughts and within their meals lie countless distractions. "Eating" becomes merely a facade for achieving other purposes. Consequently, they cannot eat with genuine attentiveness and wholeheartedness. Sleeping is also challenging because there are too many unfulfilled desires, leading to restless thoughts and tossing and turning, making it impossible to sleep peacefully.

Staying on the surface of life without maintaining a "normal heart" is the greatest obstacle in people's lives. It's important to understand that only by integrating the mind into the natural universe, by sincerely feeling life, can one find the true essence of life. Eating and sleeping are innate instincts, originally very simple and relaxed activities. Yet, how many people today can eat joyfully and sleep peacefully? "When hungry, eat; when tired, sleep" —besides these, there should be no other thoughts. The so-called "normal heart" is simply settling one's mind on the most ordinary aspects of life. But how difficult it is for modern people to achieve this!

Some are surprised that certain advanced practitioners eat very little, without supplementing vitamins, yet do not suffer from malnutrition. Despite their age and not drinking milk or taking calcium supplements, why do they not have osteoporosis? The root of health does not lie in medicine and drugs; more often, it lies in good living habits and a calm, open-minded attitude. If there's illness within the heart, and bad habits remain unchanged, medications can only provide temporary relief and not address the root cause.

To me, cultivating the mind means embracing nature with utmost purity and goodness, harmonizing with life itself.

Humans and nature are inherently interconnected. Long periods indoors deplete spiritual essence, making it crucial to reconnect with nature for swift healing. The "Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon" teaches us to merge with the Qi of heaven and earth, harmonizing with the cycles of the seasons to nourish our life energy. When body and mind are out of balance, replenishing energy from nature through activities like sunbathing, moon gazing, or imagining absorbing the essence of the sun and moon can restore equilibrium and vitality. Walking, hiking in oxygen-rich forests also allows one to reconnect with the natural Qi.

Performing good deeds accumulates the radiance of natural energy, akin to photosynthesis in plants. Utmost purity and goodness embody the state of being "untainted by the mud", adhering to the "Law of goodness".

As the saying goes: "Though the sky rains broadly, it does not nourish rootless grass; though the Buddha's teachings are vast, they cannot save those who are not virtuous." Your purity manifests purity. Doing good without concern for future outcomes creates a pure land within your heart, resulting in genuine blessings. When you decide to harmonize with life, every encounter becomes the best arrangement.

How can a drop of water become everlasting? By merging it into the ocean! The same principle applies to people. The highest state of inner peace is to integrate oneself into the cyclical flow of time and space within the universe. Do you remember the "Holographic Principle" of the universe? Your heart is the entire world. When you are filled with joy, compassion, and tolerance, positive energy from time and space will continuously flow into your body. When you cultivate kind thoughts and wishes, you will instantly receive infinite energy. Once a person reaches this level, they naturally develop a reverence for heaven and a love for all beings, harboring boundless wisdom within. In every thought and action, the universe will mobilize vast amounts of energy to assist them.

I recall reading "The Life of the Buddha", where Shakyamuni did not attain enlightenment through ascetic practices but achieved Buddhahood in a state of harmony and unobstructed understanding. In "Steve Jobs: A Biography", it is described how Jobs insisted on daily meditation. Through practice, he elevated his mental strength, willpower, insight, and creativity. It is said that, Steve possessed a "reality distortion" capacity: when he was present, reality was malleable, and he could make anyone believe almost anything. However, it gradually dissipating in his absence. Master Yixing (Thích Nhất Hạnh) wrote in his book: "Everyone's mind harbors unimaginable power; its full development depends on personal practice." Therefore, "all phenomena are mind-made". For every ordinary person, it is crucial to deeply realize: from now on, love yourself well, elevate your energy frequency; unlimited powerful energy resides within us all.

The ultimate wellness practice is nurturing and regulating the mind. By caring for the mind, you're essentially nurturing your lifespan. Sun Simiao, the "King of Medicine" who lived to be 141 years old, left behind a "Song of Longevity", which has been passed down through the ages.

• A bowl of porridge in the morning; do not overeat at night.
• Strike the Jingyang bell and tap your teeth 36 times.
• In extreme cold or heat, avoid indulging in desires.
• Do not sit or lie in the wind; frequently bathe in warm places.
• Walk a hundred steps after eating; often rub your abdomen with your hands.
• Avoid getting drunk at night, and most importantly, refrain from anger.
• Calm your mind with joy, and cherish your energy to maintain harmony and purity.
• Do not attribute longevity to fate; cultivation depends on the individual.