Event: Talk by Hakim Archuletta – Prophecy and the Way to Good Health – Part 2

Part of being healthy is coming back to our selves via our senses. We do not live for our senses, but they are our foundation. He said that the Prophet (PBUH) was the most sentient of beings because he was the most balanced. The tip of our index finger is the most sentient or feeling part of our body – like our Prophet (PBUH) was for this ummah – Rahmat-al-Alameen.

We love our Prophet (PBUH) because we are created like him. Being human we have a noble form, but we have lost our sense of nobility. This doesn’t mean that we have to think of ourselves as great. He quoted one sheikh as saying: “Don’t be great, don’t be nobody – just say “Allah” – just be”.

Hakim Archuletta went on to say that the greatest element in health is attitude. A genuine gratefulness and generosity and service to others contribute towards good health. If we feel good, we “flow” better.

He also explained the role of emotion in health. Men are trained from a young age that force equals power and that emotion shows weakness. More and more women also are beginning to espouse these attitudes. This disables us from having emotions. Muslim men cry more than non-Muslims, but still not enough. The Prophet (PBUH) indicated the benefits of fearing Allah (SWT). Being able to feel is important because it is the beginning of compassion. It takes real courage to come into our bodies again and to feel.

He quoted a particular ayah when discussing the importance of correct breathing:

“Whomsoever Allah desires to guide, He expands his chest to Islam; whomsoever He desires to lead astray, He makes his chest narrow, tight, as if he were climbing up to the sky.” ~Quran 6:125.

He asserted that to breathe more means to feel more and for this we have to be strong enough to deal with the sorrows of the world – strong enough to feel. This requires courage. Courage comes from practices and guidance given by Allah (SWT).

He also spoke about the fact that we all have an animal part of our nature and that we must acknowledge this and control it and not let it control us.

How then can we become more present in our bodies? Options he suggested included yoga, martial arts and Thai massage. We have to remember though, that these bodies are on loan to us from Allah (SWT). We have a duty to care for them. We must take responsibility for our health and not delegate to so-called experts. Modern medicine is in a terrible state – when a Doctor wanted to know about how a medicine works he calls a salesman. Modern medicine only recognises a part of the whole problem (which may have political, social and ecological as well as health elements)

One gentleman mentioned hijamah, or cupping, and Hakim Archuletta acknowledged that this was beneficial when done correctly and with wisdom, but he felt that people are now so sick in a deeper dynamic way that they need more than cupping or herbs

A lot of what Hakim Archuletta said held resonance for me. I noticed as I took notes that there was a stiffness in my neck and hands that was not there when I was at university and was famous amongst friends for the copious notes I took. So I can believe that over time, the stresses of life are stored in our body and affect the way we function to our detriment.

Part 1 here