'Detachment' from Body

[devotee]

Namaste Icy,

Body is a gift from the nature which we all should take care for our worldly and spiritual needs. After its need is over, it would go to back to nature. So, attachment to it is not good.

However, it doesn't mean that just because it is not ours we should not take adequate care of it. Please remember that our body is the means of doing all our spiritual dharma for which we all are here in addition to other duties. In Yoga, the first thing that is taught is "How to keep your body fit". However, whether to go to gym or play golf or play badminton or go for a 1 hour morning walk or go for swimming or do some AsanAs etc. etc. is dependent upon your age, body condition, time available, your personal liking etc.

Caring for one's body may become obsessive, we may become enamored by the beauty of our own body ... so, keep yourself reminding that it is not yours ... it is just a gift from mother nature for a given time-period after which it would go back to elements. Say, you have gone to visit some planet for some time where you have a friend ... the friend gives you a special suit to wear which is necessary for survival there ... when the time is over, you have to return it back to your friend with "a thank you and a smile" ... will you get attached so much to the suit that you refuse to return it until your friend takes it forcefully from you ?? Even if the friend allows you to keep it, what would you do with it once you have to return back from the planet ?

OM

[Maya3]

I'm not in the mood to debate this every nutritionist, health expert, weightlifter, vegeterian weightlifter, bodybuilder, and individual has a different opinion on this. However its on the basis of protein, I do get enough but if I were to stop eating my mums food constantly (where the time will come eventually) I know how I will go about things I won't get enough because I know I won't cook lentils or anything.

IcySFX
Well, I exercise a lot, cardio, weight lifting, hatha yoga and I do get enough protein on a vegetarian diet.
I'm very strong and have good muscle tone.

You really can be a body builder and vegetarian. There are lots of different vegetarian good proteins. But yes cooking lentils IS a good idea

so, keep yourself reminding that it is not yours ... it is just a gift from mother nature for a given time-period after which it would go back to elements. Say, you have gone to visit some planet for some time where you have a friend ... the friend gives you a special suit to wear which is necessary for survival there ... when the time is over, you have to return it back to your friend with "a thank you and a smile" ...

Devotee, I love this. Thank you.
I just lost my mother so this will give me comfort to think about.

Maya

[saidevo]

namaste everyone.

The great yogi of the siddha tradition, TirumUlar, says this about the relation between the body and the soul and the need to take care of the body:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/a.../message/10643
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/a.../message/10644

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

You really can be a body builder and vegetarian.

Two words: Bill Pearl.

[Maya3]

Namaste.



Two words: Bill Pearl.

Thank you, I did not know about him!

Not planning to become the strongest woman of the Universe, but it is amazing to have strength. I'm kind of new to lifting weights, (a couple of years only) but it makes a huge difference when I carry home groceries, plant trees and other things that my body needs muscle for.
It's kind of crazy actually, the body can do so much more then we think.

Maya

[Jainarayan]

Don't forget the benefits to your bone strength and density too.

[devotee]

Namaste Maya,

I just lost my mother so this will give me comfort to think about.

Sad to hear it, Maya. May she fully enjoy the love of God where she has gone !

OM

[kallol]

Body is the medium through which Mind interacts. Body is the medium, through which mind alters its state.

So here the body is essential and needs to be at its prime to be able to act as better medium. So healthwise, it should be at its best to perform best. This is just like a gadget or car. The better you maintain, the better it serves you.

However said, the mind and body being different, mind is most of the time not aligned to body constraints or limitations. Just like we use normal cars as racing cars and subject the car to lots of stress and strain, same is with the body. Due to unbridled mind, the body is subjected to lots of stresses and strains. These gives rise to lots of diseases.

That said, body is alo the limitations, if we depend on that for mental excellence. The limitations are in the form of number of senses and number of action organs. These limit us to the material world, which are in in the realm of Maya. So that will perpetually bind us to Maya.

To move out of that, one needs to use the external clues to analyse further in the lab of the mind and get into the world of reality and TRUE knowledge. The travel is through the subtle medium (mind and intellect) to the Knowledge goal.

So finally, we should USE the car (body) to travel to destination (TRUE Knowledge). For that we need to maintain the car (body) well.

The mind should be detached from the body in this sense and not become the body.

[Maya3]

Namaste Maya,



Sad to hear it, Maya. May she fully enjoy the love of God where she has gone !

OM

Thank you Devotee.

Maya