01 The Life Story

A 45-year-old wealthy clothier has always been in good health, with only diabetes under stable treatment.

One day, he felt a little short of breath and a little weak. He went to a medical center for a checkup. He was surprised to find that he had anemia, and was referred to the Department of Hematology and Oncology for treatment. He was hospitalized.

After more examination, he was found to have bone marrow dysplasia, and it turned into acute blood cancer six months later.

Later, due to myocardial hypoxia, he was referred to the Cardiology Department for balloon dilation and was admitted to the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. He was alone in the intensive care unit, and began to look wild, babble, and twitch his hands and feet.

When Dr. Zhang Mingzhi was taking rounds checking into his patients, the clothier grabbed Dr. Zhang Mingzhi’s hand and said, “I’m so scared.”

Zhang Mingzhi replied, “It is your own heart that is afraid, and it is only when you have attachments that you are afraid in your heart. ” and led him to pray.

When the condition of the clothier improved, he began to practice Buddhist meditation, and his whole personality changed as if he was reborn.

Two years later, his blood cancer recurred, and he did not complain. He knew that blood cancer cells could not be killed and could easily recur.

He was later hospitalized for chills and fever, but he couldn’t find the reason. Dr. Zhang told him to do more spiritual homework after he was discharged from the hospital and put aside his worldly troubles. When he came back to the clinic for follow-up, he was radiant and his blood test was normal.

“This cannot be explained by science, but people with healthy minds will recover from physical pains faster.”

Zhang Mingzhi, a hematologist-oncologist at Mackay Hospital, later recorded the story in 18 Lessons in the Mind Ward.

02 Power of the Mind

When a major disease strikes, we inevitably fall into the dark abyss of fear, obsessively wondering “Why am I sick?” “What will happen in the future?” “I’m afraid,” “Will I die?”

Dr. Zhang Mingzhi who performed the drama of life and death in the cancer ward, also saw many patients use the power of their minds. Even if they fell ill and died later, the power of their minds enabled them to see a ray of light on the road that was gradually shrouded in darkness. Peace of mind, no worries.

Of course, we do not practice meditation only when we are sick. Many experts have scientifically confirmed that meditation can change the frequency of brain waves. As long as the brain waves slow down, our thoughts will be clear and our emotions will be stable.

It can also change the structure of the cerebral cortex. Our creativity will be inspired and our efficiency of work and study will be improved. Meditation before going to bed can also help us to sleep more peacefully, and we will not have a bunch of thoughts lingering in our head.

We should practice spirituality, not necessarily a specific religion, on a daily basis when we are not sick. We should learn to think more inwardly, learn more ways to stabilize our emotions, and make ourselves healthier physically and mentally.

Scientists have long confirmed that stress, anxiety, and depression are harmful to health. Reducing the stress hormone cortisone can increase immune globulin and activate the immune system.

Happiness can prolong the life of heart disease patients, reduce the chance of stroke, ease allergic reactions, and enhance resistance to colds.

“Don’t cry on sunny days,” Dr. Zhang Mingzhi said.

Improving mental health is like getting a map to Disneyland. More and more people are sharing the ways to nourish the soul, from the well-known meditation to the “waiting for 90 seconds not to get angry” verified by neurologists.