The Link Between Attitude and Digestion

The Mother provides simple, yet powerful guidance about the connection between one’s attitude and his digestive system. If we consider for a moment the times when we are ‘out of sorts’, feeling angry, or bitter, or somewhat sharp and biting in our reactions to others, we can see that in many cases, there is a reaction that knots up the digestive system, we experience various disturbances of the digestion and we feel generally out of sorts. Many people who suffer chronic digestive upsets have a generally negative attitude towards life.

The connection works in both directions. A bitter frame of mind can cause digestive disturbance, but also, the digestive system is capable of sending back signals to the brain when there is some organic cause of disturbance there, leading to a sour mental attitude.

This relationship between the digestive system and the mind has been, in recent years, extensively studied by medical researchers. They validate the signal pathway and the result and conclude that states of worry or anxiety in particular can upset the digestion. The development of stomach or duodenal ulcers is just one manifestation of the power of the attitude to harm the digestive tract. Studies actually have shown that about 50% of digestive issues are caused by the disturbed mental attitude, while the other 50% show that digestive issues have caused the mental attitude.

This tight inter-relation between the two systems provides a clue for managing the situation. As an individual becomes more aware, he can begin to consciously undertake steps to bring calm, peace, contentment to the being. These actions, whether through development of an attitude of harmlessness and kindness, emotional goodwill, conscious attention, breathing techniques, meditation, chanting, music or other modes of action, can reduce anxiety, and begin to create a positive feedback loop that aids both the mind and the digestive system.

The Mother writes: “Always be kind and you will be free from suffering, always be contented and happy, and you will radiate your quiet happiness.”

“It is particularly noticeable that all the digestive functions are extremely sensitive to an attitude that is critical, bitter, full of ill-will, to a sour judgment. Nothing disturbs the functioning of the digestion more than that. And it is a vicious circle: the more the digestive function is disturbed, the more unkind you become, critical, dissatisfied with life and things and people. So you can’t find any way out. And there is only one cure: to deliberately drop this attitude, to absolutely forbid yourself to have it and to impose upon yourself, by constant self-control, a deliberate attitude of all-comprehending kindness. Just try and you will see that you feel much better.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pp. 44-45