Metaphysics of Mental Health

Our numerous commitments and responsibilities, the emotional rollercoaster that comes with having any form of human interaction, and the unforeseen circumstances that life sometimes presents without warning, all impact our mental health. When the pressure that comes with any one of these factors accumulates, it results in prolonged periods of stress which can become difficult to deal with, leading to anxiety disorders. Thus, to maintain our emotional and mental health, we have certain needs which must be met. With the increasing recognition of the prevalence of mental health problems, especially in young people, it is now more important than ever to explore different standpoints to develop a better understanding on the matter. I believe that it is impossible to fully appreciate the state of human psychology without considering spirituality. I therefore aim to discuss the potential metaphysical aspects of mental health in this much delayed, and still insufficient blog post...

The vitality of the human heart is obvious to us all. Our cardiovascular system meticulously delivers oxygen and nutrients to body tissues and in turn removes carbon dioxide and waste products. The average rate of contraction is 75 beats per minute, meaning that a human heart contracts 108,000 times a day, more than 39 million times in one year, and nearly 3 billion times during a 75-year lifespan. However, the blood that our heart pumps contains more than just oxygen and nutrients for the body. It is comprised of our soul- both good (ruh) and bad (nafs). It is perhaps odd for me to focus on the heart rather than the brain, but this little pump in the centre of our body holds vital importance in metaphysical terms. The fact that the Arabic language has eight different translations for the word 'soul', and that each of them account for a different element of the soul including the heart further reinforces the link between the physical and metaphysical.

From basic heart physiology, we know that deoxygenated blood returns to the right ventricle which pumps it into the pulmonary trunk and then to the lungs where carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is absorbed. Oxygenated blood then travels back to the left side of the heart into the left atrium, then into the left ventricle from where it is pumped into the aorta and subsequently the arterial circulation. What we may not have considered, however, is that our evil-commanding carnal soul or nafs-al ammara is also present in the right ventricle, where our deoxygenated or 'dirty blood' returns. In contrast, our ruh is present on the left ventricle- from where clean, oxygenated blood is pumped. Thus, the heart is a tool of the soul, and the soul is a mirror of the heart. If the mirror is kept clean, one can see. If it is dirty, then we are blinded. In this way, we can say that the state of the heart affects the soul: the two are in a directly proportional relationship.

Long before the advancement of modern psychology, emotional and mental wellbeing were highlighted in the Quran. The ayah 'And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein' (50:16) is a perfect example of the spiritual psychology that is emanant throughout the Quran. Not only does it demonstrate the proximity of God to His servants at times of inner turmoil, but it also sheds light to the notion of vesvese, or whisperings of the heart and that He is aware and understanding of those moods of doubt. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also refers to the relationship between the heart and soul: 'Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all the body is sound and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.' This hadith refers to the close relationship between the bodily organs and the subtle psychic organs of the human soul, and specifically between the heart as the centre of human consciousness and the bodily, physical heart which are interrelated.

Analysing the literature on vesvese highlighted a consensus to suggest the existence of a sensory organ through which whisperings are perceived: our lumme-i sheytaniyye. We also have an opposing force in place: the kuvve-i akliye- in other words our conscience, or mind to acknowledge and make sense of all the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise in our attention field. Muslim scholars describe possible sources for inner voices to be: God, the angels, the devil, and the physiological body, i.e. nafs. With the appropriate depth of perception, self-regulation and spiritual expertise, one can distinguish them. While vesvese has a negative connotation and usually refers to the whisperings from the devil and our nafs, we can also receive sources of inspiration from other metaphysical beings such as angels. The mind's ability to see the world through patterns and metaphors are the workings of the heart, and a gift from God to help us see the meaningful connections in life and to learn by reflecting upon experience. In this way, mindfulness provides an innovative approach to treat mental health issues. By having awareness and a clear comprehension, one can pay attention with patience and care to what happens and try to resolve it accordingly.

It is an understatement to say that we are in an incredibly complex and dynamic aura, where the interaction of the metaphysical and physical matter that make up the human body are in continual interaction, and receive input from other existing beings around us. There are mechanisms of action we can adopt to make a protective shield against these forces which can have a negative input on our soul. The most obvious constituent of this shield is being immaculate in performing farz and sunnah worships which are a reference point for us- our 'Must Do's'. When there is any slacking in these, our protective shield against vesvese is inevitably weakened. Trying to have wudhu throughout the day, including when we sleep is another protective mechanism, while in the remembrance of God (dhikr) our hearts will 'find tranquillity and satisfaction' (13:28). However, even saints have lamented over periods of 'dark nights' when the believer is tested by God who, for a short period, withholds from the devotee all delight in prayer and worship. Sufis describe this state of the soul as qabd, literally meaning being grasped by hand. This causes distress and makes one suffer from spiritual blockage. On the other hand, the soul can also reach a state of bast, or openness, expansion, development, or relief, when one is freed from spiritual blockage and develops inwardly. Thus, 'God contracts and expands' (2:245), and believers must make both of these states fruitful by being thankful during openness, and seeing contraction as an effective remedy for the sickness of the soul.

Unlike common practice in muslim communities, trying to solve psychological problems solely with spiritual therapies is a big mistake nonetheless. Mainstream, pharmacological therapy can also be necessary just like in physiological disease. We rarely hesitate to see a doctor when we have an allergic reaction or the flu, but psychological disease is assumed to be resolved through worship. While dua is an incredibly powerful metaphysical tool that eases and lessens mental health problems, it might not be enough to completely cure a person of their condition. It would be ridiculous to tell a cancer patient to just make dua, and increase the frequency of their prayers without receiving chemotherapy. In the same way, psychological problems can be seen as a cancer of the soul and should be treated appropriately, professionally. While dua will undoubtedly have an anaesthetic effect on the patient, going to see a psychologist would be the active prayer. Only then can you leave the outcome to God, after having done your part of fulfilling both verbal and active dua.

As Imam al-Ghazali said: 'knowing the definition of these diseases, their causes and their cures, and remedies to fix them, is personally obligatory on every Muslim.' Thus, we are obliged to not only realise what is going on in our hearts, and our conscious minds, but also to cure ourselves from any of the diseases that may have a negative impact on our mental or physical health.

'When due to loneliness you feel undone,

Go to the friend's shade- you'll become a sun!

Go, seek God's friend as quickly as you can;

Find him, then God will be your friend, good man.

The one who turned to Him while in seclusion

Learned from His Lord that all else is illusion...'

-The Masnavi, Book Two, by Rumi