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Yoga has become mainstream in the US. Yesterday as I drove down a main street in Asheville, NC, I passed a pedestrian walking along with a big smile on her face, and a yoga mat on her back. I love living in Asheville :) Now that yoga has moved from the ashram to the gym, some of the more spiritual aspects are getting lost as yoga becoming an athletic activity, morphing from a lifestyle choice. One of the pillars of yoga is treating one's body as one's temple. The idea is that one's spirit is divine and the body is not only the container of the divine, but also the means by which one is able to enact and achieve one's will, one's desire, one's destiny.
As the vessel of the divine spirit, we must respect our body as our temple. This means not polluting it with drugs, alcohol, poor food and chemicals. Rather eat a m oderate diet of n utritious, organ ic foods. Exercise to keep the body subtle and fit. Do not over-work and get adequate rest so that the body can heal and regenerate itself. Meditate to keep the mind sharp and clear. One's motivation is respect for one's divine nature and taking care of one's body as the container of the divine within.
Secondly, in order to achieve one's fate, one's destiny and one's desires and goals, we need our body to act. Without eyes, one has no vision. Without teeth, one cannot speak. Without legs, one cannot move forward. So we must preserve our health and protect our bodies in order to manifest our dreams, wishes and purpose.
Buddhism agrees. One of the precepts of Buddhism is not to allow toxins to enter the body. Obvious sources are alcohol, smoke, mind altering, recreational drugs, even caffeine. Tonight my meditation group discussed this precept. This idea of toxins is expanded to toxins of the mind, which create delusion and ignorance: pornography and violent videos are prime examples, but also junk TV, gossip (and gossip magazines). Any toxic ideas that will corrupt the purity of the nature of mind. The Dalai Lama gives a simple test: will this foster loving kindness and compassion? if yes, it gets a green light. Or will it cause harm to oneself or others? If yes, no can do. The point is to keep a vigilant filter of what to allow in and what to keep out of the body and mind. In Buddhism the key is right action, speech and thought. So we must closely monitor what we allow in because impure agents can impair our judgement and cause us to do, say or think things that would cause harm to ourselves or others.
As BKS Iyengar states in the forward to The Tree of Yoga, yoga means union, or coming together, referring to integration of body and mind. This is one of the goals of meditation. But this integration also refers to integrating with one's neighbors and surroundings (p.x). This is the concept of holistic living. Seeing the universe as one integrated whole entity. One body where all the parts inter-relate. So one's neighbor is part of oneself. As our actions affect the cosmos, we must take care to protect the earth and the environment: the butterfly flaps it's wings in Japan and a breeze is felt in Texas.
The Buddha taught that the ego and sense of self is part of our delusion which causes our pain and suffering. The truth is there is no separation.
In terms of longevity and personal preservation, when one considers that the average life expectancy in the US is now 79 (up from 70 in 1960), it makes sense to preserve one's health as we will probably be here for some time. I treat many seniors in my practice. Some are reaping the benefits of having lived a healthy lifestyle and enjoy good health in their old age. Others have taken their bodies for granted and have not provided for their health. They suffer from pain and diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia: all conditions cause by poor lifestyle and dietary choices that are avoided with right living.
So its a choice. Enjoy your fries and sedentary lifestyle but realize you will reap the rewards of your neglect or your fortitude. If you want to enjoy life to fullest, protect your health. BKS Iyegar sums it up this way, in The Tree of Yoga (p11):
Discipline alone brings true freedom. If you have to gain health, do you think you can do so without discipline? Moderation in living is essential. . . One who is undisciplined is an irreligious person. One who is disciplined is a religious person. Health is religious. Ill-health is irreligious.
Please share your thoughts on cultivating health and holistic living. Do you find this a lofty goal that is difficult to achieve? What holds you back from honoring your body and protecting your health? What keeps you motivated?
Photo 1: seanhagwell, Creative Commons 2.0
Photo 2: acaben, Creative Commons 2.0