“When I understood that the human being is made up of soul and body - mind and matter - I realised that I need take care of both. Recently, there has been a lot of research that indicates that the state of the mind has an impact on the state of the body. There is, in fact, a whole area of medicine known as ‘psychosomatic’ – the influence of the mind on the body. Through the practice of meditation I can experience a sense of detachment from the body.

I see the body as a very precious instrument through which to be able to do the work I need to do in the world now. Generally, when something happens to the body, such as illness, it is the soul that not only feels the pain but also any distress, as I lose hope and feel very negative about the situation. Meditation can help me to reduce this distress, which is an added stress to the body and can be a barrier to healing.”