Once a middle-aged lady went to a temple. The spiritual teacher of the temple had a way to advise devotees and she explains her health challenges to Him, seeking a solution!

She was going through many health issues and had grown significantly obese. Her ability to move around was now getting difficult, and doing basic household chores was getting hard. She was an ardent devotee and had a supporting family.

After going through a series of medical tests, not knowing where to start her treatment, doctors had prescribed her to walk everyday. They expected that this should trigger a cycle of reactions in her body towards making her physically more active & improving her health.

After hearing the doctor’s advise, the middle-aged lady did not know how she could walk everyday as her foot pain would trigger a series of symptoms. When she is unable to move around to do household chores, would it even be fair to expect her to walk everyday?

In this scenario, the family decides to bring her to the temple and visit the spiritual teacher to seek guidance.

She comes to the temple and explains her issues and seeks advice.

Now, the spiritual teacher understandingly nods his head and and says “This is a big problem! The doctors do not understand how painful it is for the patients to walk with all these health issues”. The lady feels an affirmation and somehow a sense of satisfactions seeps in, that he understands how she was actually feeling.

She thanks him for understanding and asks him “How do you suggest I get back my health? I want to get better, what should I do?”

He advises her “Hmm.. that is a tough question!”. He thinks for sometime and says “You have come to this temple with a lot of trust and belief that you will find a way to resolve your health issues. Have faith and circumambulate this temple 9 times everyday for a month. You will see a betterment in your health. God will take care of it!”

The lady was overwhelmed to hear the simple solution and said “Your solution energizes me so much! Thank you! I will follow as you suggested!”

She & her family thank her and leave.

One of those in the teacher’s trusted circle asks him “You told her to walk just like the doctor who told her to walk. Why was she open to listening to you and not the doctor’s advise? Would she not feel the pain walking around the temple? Approximately 9 times would make it close to 10,000 steps. That is hard for anyone to start – especially someone in her condition!”

The spiritual teacher smiles and answers “Yes. You are right! She has settled into a way of life where physical activity has become hard for her. The doctors must have realized that and asked her to walk. However, she does not trust them. She does trust the deity of the temple. She knew that when she prays to the deity, she will be able to get better! I connected her faith to the change she intends to trigger. An aspect of faith helped her trigger the change that she very much wants to, yet is unable to! Faith can move mountains and give us the will-power needed to pull through!”

Everyone around smiled.

Three months later, the lady came back smiling and thanking the teacher for his Grace and triggering a healthy change in her life! Her health was improving and she was able to get back to doing her household chores.

The spiritual teacher was none other than “Maha Periyava” (Sri Chandrasekara Swamigal) 🙏🏻

Having trust and faith in suggestions / advice given by doctors goes a long way in increasing our own self-confidence and will-power to trigger a healthy change. When in doubt, seek a second opinion. Sometimes the affirmation and confidence comes from someone who can understand how to best influence us positively as well!