The Germ Theory of Disease

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth remained fully operational, at no point shutting its doors to guests. As a result, there were several times when COVID made its way through the community, with many people getting sick. The training continued during this period, even during intense meditation retreats.

During one such retreat, a resident asked a question about how we orient to illness. Forall had consistently emphasized that sickness is an occasion to practice all the more fervently, full of the knowledge of impermanence of the body, rather than waiting to practice until one is feeling healthy. The resident asked whether he subscribed to the germ theory of disease, or if he believed that sickness could be overcome with a change in attitude. Forall’s answer was brief and to the point: “It’s not that germs don’t cause disease. It’s just that germs don’t cause themselves.”