Physical Morality….

We have all heard of morality --- perhaps more often than we desired to.

Morality deals with moral standards and the need to adhere to them at all costs
however much the temptation not to !!!

Oscar Wilde has observed (rightly ?) that the best way to overcome temptation is
to yield to it—though there are varied interpretations as to what exactly he had in
mind.

Morality is a very vast field with a universe of interpretations possible of what is

right and wrong.

Judge not , lest ye be judged is the sombre warning of Jesus to us all.

Whether any of us can even attempt to sit on high moral ground is a major
question of debate rightly brought out by the parable of Jesus when he asked the
person to throw the first stone who has not committed any wrongdoing.

But we will not get into such perilous territory and stay within more tolerable
tests.

Such as physical morality.

The strange phrase attracted my attention during a reading of some ancient

literature .

So I will endeavour to explain .

Most of us can be rightly accused of neglecting our bodies till it is too late.

The body is a wonderful creation of God and Siddha philosophy even goes to the
extent of declaring that it is indeed the abode of God Himself.

Even Jesus may have been referring to it indirectly when he stated that the
Kingdom of God is within you.

Many of us abuse our bodies by overfeeding it, substance abuse, alcohol, smoking,
undersleeping, underexercising,addicting it to tea, coffee, sugary substances….
The list is endless.

Do we have a sense of duty to it like we perceive a duty towards our parents,

children, spouse, friends, country, profession, even God?

If not why ?
Why is it that we take our bodies for granted when we take so much care of other
things such as cars, pets, hobbies, books, other prized possessions?

Why do we have this very dangerous concept of familiarity that our bodies can be
ignored and yet we depend on it so much?

In fact the very foundation of existence on this earth rests on a healthy body .

Do we realise the magnitude of this statement?

How ,without a healthy body the very existence becomes a living hell?

Just look around you at the people who are differently abled or sick or aged to
understand the dimensions of the miracle of health.

Siddhas go to the extent of stating that man can actually become immortal in this
very body.

How does one go about developing a sense of morality applied to the physical
body?

To start with one should not abuse it.

And secondly not take it for granted by not sleeping enough.

Not losing the vital energy by excessive indulgence .

Desire arising naturally is wholesome and natural – if a product of contrived and

deliberate intent of the mind then it becomes something akin to a fetish and may
not even be pleasurable.

Trying to find the same intensity again will prove futile as there is no natural
substance behind the impulse.

The mind tries to recreate the same fervour through memory but that is what it
will be – a feeble imitation of the original.

Mental indulgence is not only a time waster but a precious waste of energy and
disposition.

And by exercising enough to burn off the calories that are ingested.

Walking is a good tool to keep fit at any age.

The sin of neglect visits the body and so us through disease.

When we are diseased enough , we die and take on another body to continue
where we left off and this goes on ad nauseum.
We can decide however, that we can look after this body itself quite well till our
destined hour comes, without interruption so that we need not ask for
replacement till it is due.

Look around you and you find bodies dying all around you before their time has
come… BPO/ call centres stressed out employees, ,drug abusers, heart attacks
before 30,accidents at all ages, cancers at any age, psychosomatic diseases,
diabetes… all related to abuse of bodies that cause wear and tear that the body is
not designed to bear.

We have forgotten that the first duty to look after our bodies and health is with
ourselves and only much later any third party called the doctor.

We have gotten into the erroneous habit of depending on external aids and advice
on a very internal thing called health.

No one can tell you how exactly you feel whether in health or sickness.

No system of medicine can cure you – you have to stop this overdependence on
medicine and its practitioners and regain the power that is always yours to heal
yourself.

Even Jesus when he healed stated clearly that it is ones faith that heals—the
healing energy is within us all inherently—only that we stop the flow with false
beliefs and practices.

One way is to relax consciously.

And let the power flow in like a river –silently and powerfully.

Atlas said that variety is the spice of life.

It applies to exercise too.

Have a bouquet of activities—gym, walk, breathing, aerobics, swimming, games to

overcome the boredom of exercise.

But always remember that you owe it to yourself to be in good health.

Good health is not a means to an end –it is an end in itself.

No amount of money can compensate for the feeling of good health.

Though the body is resilient enough it can be damaged beyond repair.

One more important thing to remember – keep your mind clean- it is the
storehouse dirt and filth that will eventually find a place in your body as disease.

A lot of people go to extremes to keep their homes squeaky clean but actually
don’t bother to do so with their minds.
It is not so much about purity as about not having grudges, bad memories.

Take things simply and not seriously.

The more serious you are the more are you inviting trouble.

Have soft feelings not hard ones towards anything.

Hard attitudes have a way of making their way into your body.

As someone stated – happiness is having good health and a bad memory !!!

Now enough of reading—shake a leg and go about moving yourself.

Don’t commit the foolish sin of neglecting your body and health.

You won’t be around to explain it to anyone……