The concepts of health and sickness, good and evil, better…
““The concepts of health and sickness, good and evil, better and worse, have the same use and relation to life as those of long and short, high and low to carpentry: even a short piece of wood can be three inches long. Even cancer is called a growth, and when Ramana Maharshi was dying of cancer he resisted the doctors, saying, “It wants to grow, too. Let it.” This is, perhaps, an extreme example of renunciation—not of love or energy—but of willing right as against wrong, and thus of renouncing one’s own separateness from everything that happens, which is what Tillich called “the courage to be.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Health and illness are relative concepts; embracing both as part of life’s flow mirrors true courage and non‑attachment.
In simple terms: Accept health and sickness as equally natural.
Key Takeaway
Let go of judgment, accept life’s dualities.
Themes
acceptance
non‑attachment
philosophy
Mood
contemplative
serene
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- medical diagnosis
- personal illness
- spiritual practice
- ethical decision making
Key Concepts
relativism
renunciation
existential courage
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you honor both health and illness without denial?
- What does “courage to be” mean for you?
A Different Perspective
May overlook practical health actions in favor of philosophical acceptance.