MIRACLE CURES – CASE HISTORY 4
Name: Keerun
Age: 21 yrs
Sex: Female
Complaints and duration:
- Lack of motivation.
- Feelings of inadequacy.
- Depression
Past History:
History of mental retardation.
Prognosis:
Left to herself the patient would have at best stagnated. As she grew older, her condition would have been aggravated by increasing depression.
Discussion
The salient feature of this case is Mental retardation. Physical retardation was a result of poor environmental conditions and lack of care.
Mental retardation is a developmental disability. It may be defined as a level of intellectual functioning well below average, leading to significant limitations in the person’s daily life. It usually begins in childhood or adolescence before the age of 18. In most cases, it persists throughout adult life. In a majority of cases mental retardation is thought to be caused by one of four factors: heredity, prenatal problems, childhood illnesses, and environmental factors.
Children who might otherwise develop normally sometimes become mentally retarded because of the environment in which they live. Children who are ignored, neglected or abused often do not develop normally. Infants who are not provided with the mental and physical stimulation required for normal development may suffer irreversible learning impairment. Their native intelligence never gets a chance to express itself, and they become retarded.
Treatment
A supportive, warm home environment is essential to help the mentally retarded reach their full potential. The goal is to help them develop their intellectual and functional skills to the maximum.
The prognosis for mild to moderate cases is usually fair. They may achieve some self-sufficiency to lead happy and fulfilling lives. However, they need appropriate and consistent support.
Effects of yoga and meditation
Keerun was just 2 years old when her father passed away. The family was left in dire straits. The eldest in the family, her brother aged 15 had to go to work with the mother to make ends meet. Keerun was left to the care of her siblings, themselves hardly much older to her. Poverty, malnutrition, unhealthy living conditions were all responsible for her condition.
Although unintentionally, she was ignored and neglected. She was not provided with the mental and physical stimulation required for normal development. This led to severe learning impairment. She could not complete primary school. She was thus left with hardly any perspective in life.
“In the past, whatever I undertook could never materialize. I met with disappointments after disappointments which severely sapped my stamina. I felt so wretchedly discouraged and disgusted with my life.” **
When she was about 18 years old, she got the chance to come to the ashram for meditation with some relative. She was physically very frail and weak. She told about her past, her failures and apprehensions. Yoginiji advised her to come daily for meditation at the ashram. She was made to meditate for 1-2 hours. She was offered tea and light snacks. It went a long way to make her feel at ease, with herself and with others. She became more care free, happy go lucky. Slowly, she became more ‘alive’.
“I am now a more disciplined person, confident and carefree. I realise that life is worth living though temporary as it may be. By ‘living’ I really mean ‘being’ not existing.”**
Meditation was something out of the ordinary. She felt it was some higher power and it increased her confidence. She became less and less apprehensive. She came to realise she has to develop a more positive attitude and forget the past.
“For the first time in my life, I felt a change of fortune….
I feel my unhappy lot steadily changing.” **
She was advised to mix freely with others. There was another girl of her age who was coming for meditation. Yoginiji asked her to take Keerun with her wherever she went. In this way she got the chance to follow a training course for kindergarten teachers. Yoginiji encouraged her to resume studies. Keerun became very excited that she could resume her studies and become somebody. Before, she was self conscious and extremely ill at ease. Now she could relate to others. She was more at ease with a higher sense of self-esteem.
“Today things have taken an altogether new turn. Results no more bother me. I can harness my courage to forge ahead, thoroughly convinced that someday success will smile upon me.” **
After the course, she was able to secure a job as kindergarten teacher. She was much liked by her young students. She became more conscious of her looks, more fashionable, taking pain in her clothing, even following the latest fashion.
“I have gained greater confidence in myself and my capabilities. Something of an exploit. Presently, if confronted with adversity, I can serenely reconcile with it…. I am able to accept and adjust myself with all determination and endurance….I am now be able to look to life with a sunny smile.”**
She was completely transformed. No one who knew her before would have believed she could be changed to that extent, both physically and mentally. She had become an absolutely normal person, thanks to meditation.
(**Excerpts from Keerun Magazine 2, 1991, P 46-47.)
CONCLUSION
Because of adverse circumstances Keerun found herself physically and mentally retarded. As she grew older she did feel the lack in her. Alone, she could not have coped with her life and come out of her dilemma. Left to herself she had drifted into a life of stagnation. She was almost a wreck, lacking proper guidance and care to lead a normal life and be able to evolve. Meditation would bring both to her. The extra prana coming to her from meditation would go a long way to provide the extra energy she required to drag herself out of her apathy.
She received the proper holistic support at the ashram. It helped her gain self-confidence. Yoginiji encouraged her to follow some course according to her capabilities. Her success in the course would be a turning point. She now felt more self-confident. She would slowly ‘grow’ into a normal person of her age, a feat she had never dreamed of before! The holistic approach of meditation at the ashram managed to do what no other therapy had yet been able to do. She was metamorphosed. No one seeing her would imagine what a physical and mental wreck she had been before.