The key to healing is selflessness.
When I was young I used to follow my master wherever he went. Once we went to a city called Heta in UP district to visit a railway officer whose only son had very severe smallpox with huge abscesses all over his body. When we were traveling it was customary to go to different households and ask for food. Being young I dashed in front of my master and knocked on the railway officer’s door. When the door opened, I immediately asked, “Mother, could you give me some food?”
She came out and angrily said, “If you are really swamis, you should know that we have only one son and he is dying. Instead you are behaving like a fool and talking of food.”
That really affected me. When my master reached I told him what had happened and he smiled and said, “Let me go inside.”
When he saw the condition of the child he asked the mother what she had said to me. She repeated, “If you are a swami you should have known that my only son is dying. Instead of helping me you are being very selfish in asking for food.”
Then again he smiled and said to me, “Son, I am going to cure him.”
He then removed the bed sheet that was covering the boy and wrapped himself in that. Immediately his whole body became covered with smallpox eruptions, while the boy was completely cured. Both parents fell down at the feet of my master. He said, “Now I am going to transfer this to a tree.”
Later I asked him how it was possible for him to cure that child, so he gave me one example: “Suppose there is a house that is burning, and the family members of that house are crying and screaming outside because their only child is inside that house. They have no strength to go inside and save him. Suddenly a stranger comes and hears about the child. Without hesitation he runs into the burning house and after a few moments brings the child out. How can you awaken such love where you are willing to put yourself in danger to rescue someone else? Love requires sacrifice and courage. Anyone who knows what sacrifice is and what it means to give, is a real lover.”
Above and beyond medicine you can heal others if you have an intense desire to serve others with love. You have that potential, but you have not yet explored it. Human beings are still incomplete in the process of evolution. That completion will be possible when you learn to love others and serve without any selfish motivation.
The key to healing is selflessness, love, dynamic will and undivided devotion to the Lord within. Christ and all the great messengers had the capacity to heal. You also have that same capacity; you simply have to come in touch with it.
When India was ruled and controlled by the Mogul dynasty, one of the rulers, Babur, had only one son, Humayun, who was on his deathbed. So Babur went to different swamis, sages, fakirs and priests, but nobody could help that dying child. Then one of the women sages came forward and said, “You have healing powers. Why do you not heal your child?”
“But I am not a spiritual person. I am not pious and holy.”
She said, “But still you have the power to heal. You can use it if you are prepared to give up your life for the sake of your son.”
“Yes, I have lived for a long time, so I am willing to give up this life. If he doesn’t live, I will have to go through so much sorrow in my old age.”
So the lady said, “Hold this glass of water while walking around the cot four times and repeating: ‘O Lord, give this span of life to my child. I quit, I surrender.’ And then drink this water.”
Having followed her instructions, he abruptly died. And the child was cured and got up from the bed.
Love is the real healer.
Reprinted from The Ancient Traveler: Writings on Love, by Swami Rama
