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I can not forget the shock I experienced when on three different occasions and in three different parts of the world I heard a spiritual teacher whom I admired and respected and who had a substantial following, express complete indifference to the condition of the body. One was a European, the other two were Oriental. They expressed it not merely as a personal opinion, but also as a part of their teaching, for their disciples were present on each occasion. One of the Orientals fell ill within a few weeks and had to cancel his meetings until he recovered. The other died under painful circumstances, that is, from a most painful disease. The European was struck down within a few years and had to undergo a major operation from which he recovered, but with all his vitality gone, his creativity at an end, and personal work practically finished. I asked myself, "Were the Gods trying to correct the attitude of these three spiritual guides? Can we afford to ignore the question of the health and sickness of the body? Is it not a fact that sickness destroys our pleasure in living and increases our negative thoughts?"

-- Notebooks Category 5: The Body > Chapter 2 : The Body > # 76