Need And Benefit Of Exercise And Meditation For Students

Need and Benefit of Exercise and Meditation for Students:

Man is a harmonious and marvelous combination of body, life force and mind that has evolved over countless millennia to a high level of efficiency. Although the acquisition of knowledge and skills for living are the objective in student life, this is possible only if the physical body is maintained in a healthy condition. Also, one must have some degree of knowledge about the structure and working of the body and practice appropriate physical exercise daily, so as to remain healthy and alert. A meaningful education should include meditation as a component. It is an historical fact that the great saints and sages attained their revelations only through deep and sustained meditation. Through the practice of meditation the mind becomes subtle, penetrating and creative. Meditation should not be thought of as exotic and difficult; it is similar to other skills in life by which one can enjoy many benefits with regular practice. It helps to convert tension to peace, illness to health, dullness to sharpness and restores energy to a sluggish mind and body. Group meditations are useful for mutual motivation and to benefit from group energy, but essentially, first and last, meditation is a ‘solo inward journey’. Meditation is a tool for mental subtlety and in order to be fruitful it must be supplemented with self-introspection methods whereby one critically analyses his own character and deeds. Through the detachment and awareness one gets by meditation, it is possible to plan and effect the necessary corrections in one’s life and thoughts. After all, an individual’s progress in life is nothing but a series of modifications and corrections. Meditation frees one from unthinking, automatic behavior and the compulsion to follow only the temptations of habit and the senses, disregarding consequential results.

Physical Exercise:

Man is a harmonious blending of body and spirits-a marvelous fusion of physical structure, life force and mental faculties that have evolved during countless millennia to a very high level of perfection. The human being has come into this world with a purpose viz., to develop his consciousness to the fullest extent and achieve perfection and everlasting peace. Although spiritual development is the goal of man, its realization is possible only if the physical body is maintained in an healthy condition. For this, we must first of all know something about the structure and working of the human body. In the functioning of the human system, it is the life force that plays the main role; the physical structure serves only as a container. A closer study of the human being will reveal that it consists of five layers corresponding to the five elements; solid, liquid, heat, air and ether or akash. Solid is the physical structure, liquid is the blood, heat is electricity, air is oxygen and akash is the life force. The subtle life force and the gross solid body are linked together by three media, viz., liquid, heat and air. If the normal quantity and quality of these media and the pace of their circulation within the human system are adversely affected in any way, the life force in its electrical function gets short-circuited and the molecular arrangement in the physical body is disturbed or punctured. As a result, the life-force gets obstructed, diverted or exhausted in proportion to the extent of the disturbance and the intensity of the short-circuit. Whenever there is such a disturbance, it is called pain. If the disturbance is more intense, the pain is also more, as there is a corresponding increase in the exhaustion of the life force. If the disturbance is for a short period, it is known as pain. If it extends over a long period, it is known as disease. If the disturbance is of such magnitude that a major portion of the life force is exhausted, the functioning of the physical body gets paralyzed and comes to a standstill; such a condition is known as death.

Over the centuries, man has discovered that through suitable physical exercise, he can develop and increase his immunity level so that he may guard against ill health. In case he falls a victim to disease due to unavoidable causes, he can recoup his health quickly by assisting nature to cure the illness speedily and successfully. There are two aspects in all physical exercises: Postures and Movements. The three media which we have referred to earlier (blood, heat and air) are circulating in the human system one within the other according to their specific gravity and they are governed by the centripetal pull exercised by the earth. When the normal position of the body is alerted or when a part of the body is moved or turned towards the earth or away from it, the location of the three media in that portion or part is also altered. When a part of the body is turned towards the earth, a little more air goes to the other side or part of the body which is upward. In addition to this, if a rhythmic movement is also given, all the three media are suitably regulated. Through such systematic and well-regulated movements, the various parts of the body get cleansed, strengthened and rejuvenated. Thus we can, through proper physical exercises, achieve a level of immunity against diseases which will enable us to maintain good health in spite of occasional erroneous actions or adverse natural forces.

Simplified Physical Exercises:

The comprehensive training for this reformation is the SKY system. Through the analysis done, so far we have understood the need for emancipation of mankind and the magnificent structural expertise of Nature in the human body. The present structural pattern has been developed by nature along its evolutionary process. We thus understand that all its functions are due to nature itself. The derangement of the parts of the body occurs due to deeds and thoughts arising now and then because of the three-fold impurities-ignorance, innocence and emotional moods. All the harmful activities perpetrated by man have been characterized in the personality and are continuously being carried through the descendants, all along the innumerable generations. These pain-inflicting deeds committed by man, which are antagonistic to Nature’s harmony, are the negative characterizations we all carry. Every one of us have to realize this truth and moralize our deeds and thoughts. Such rectification will redeem our peace and happiness and last not only all through our lives, but also in the lives of generations to come. Such redressing of physical and mental derangement are all encapsulated into the one word 'Yoga'. Yoga means unifying and streamlining our physical and psychic functions with those of Nature and living with constant awareness of the consequences of our activities and deeds. In order to streamline our physical system, first the polarity arrangement of the cells of the body has to be set right. Only when this is effected, the circulations of blood, air and magnetism become regular and uniform. The cell arrangement can be set right only by proper exercise.