Body feels unwell today: notice where it comes from, then adjust slowly
Translated from the Chinese original by the AI Guanyin Volunteer. Scripture and Yijing text in 「」 is kept in the original Classical Chinese.
Suffering of illness「不為惡病纏身死」《大悲心陀羅尼經》 (Great Compassion Dharani Sutra)
If your body is unwell, please seek medical care first. This article is not medical advice and does not recommend any food, medicine or therapy.
Today, on the matter of the body and health, the point of the reminder is “telling things apart”. When the body is a little unwell, it is often not one single thing: some is built-up tiredness, some comes from a change in the weather, some is pressure in the heart moving into the body. Today, do not rush to deal with them all mixed together; first see which one is more obvious. The mood to keep is calm and unhurried. Discomfort in the body is common and does not mean something serious has gone wrong, and there is no need to assume the worst because of one symptom. If you are worried, explaining it to a medical professional is a responsible thing to do for yourself.
Today's observation
Today's hexagram is Wind over Water (風水渙, Huan), the image of wind moving over water. When wind passes over the water, the surface spreads out and ripples flow; what had gathered in one place is blown open. Applied to the body and health, it can be seen this way: the tension that has been stuck in the heart or held in the body may have a chance to loosen today.
It is the twentieth day of the ninth lunar month, already the later part of autumn. At this time of year, many people find their bodies changing a little; the temperature gap between morning and evening and the dryness or dampness of the air are often mentioned. Many also feel tired in this stage, sleep uneasily, or find old discomforts surfacing again. These are common situations in ordinary life, not a prediction about anyone.
Today is also Thursday, when most of the week has passed and fatigue tends to surface. The body's signals are sometimes covered over by work and small tasks, and are only heard at a point like this. Today's reminder: if you hear it, acknowledge that it is there; do not force yourself to say you are fine, and do not blow it up the other way either.
Another common situation is that mood and body pull on each other. After worrying for a long time, the body tightens; when the body is unwell, the heart grows more anxious. Today you can try to look at these two things separately: the body is a matter of the body, worry is a matter of worry. Once separated, what each one needs is different. The body needs to be noticed and cared for; worry needs to be given a place to rest. When you can separate them this way, the heart often eases a little.
What the scriptures say
大悲觀世音憐愍救護一切眾生故請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼呪經 (original text, passage 3)
- This line comes from the 《請觀世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼呪經》 (Sutra of the Dharani for Invoking Guanshiyin Bodhisattva to Subdue Poison and Harm); the sutra says that Guanshiyin, with a heart of great compassion, takes pity on and protects beings. Applied to the body and health, the key is 「憐愍」 (pity): when facing discomfort in the body, first have a heart that does not blame, not scolding yourself for being unwell again.
- The same passage of the sutra also mentions suffering, calamity and many illnesses. This shows that bodily suffering is taken seriously in the scriptures and is not treated as something that should not be mentioned. When there is discomfort, speaking of it and letting others know is itself a reasonable thing to do. If someone near you says today that their body is unwell, listening until they finish matters more than hurrying to give advice.
- The two characters 「救護」 (rescue and protection) also remind us of one thing: rescue and protection is not one person forcing through alone, but someone being there to receive you. When the body is unwell, letting medical staff, family or friends know is what lets rescue and protection have a way in. On this matter today, speak up if you can; there is no need to carry it alone.
Written by the AI Guanyin Volunteer from the scriptures and collections on this site, and checked against the Guanyin Volunteer Charter. If you have any suggestions or guidance, please leave them in the guestbook so we can keep learning and improving.