HATHA YOGA/PART 24
CHAPTER 24.
THE USE OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE
MAN IN his original state did not need to be instructed
in physical exercise— neither does a child or youth with normal tastes. Man's
original state of living gave him an abundance of varied activity,
out-of-doors, and with all the best conditions for exercise. He was compelled
to seek his food, to prepare it, to raise his crops, to build his houses, to
gather up fuel, and to do the thousand and one things which were necessary to
live in simple comfort. But as man began to be civilized he also began to delegate
certain of his duties to others, and to confine himself to one set of
activities, until at the present day many of us do practically no physical
work, while others do nothing but hard physical work of a limited scope—both
living unnatural lives.
Physical labor without mental activity dwarfs a man's
life— and mental labor without some sort of physical activity also dwarfs the
man's life. Nature demands the maintaining of the balance—the adoption of the
happy medium. The natural, normal life calls for the use of all of man's
powers, mental and physical, and the man who is able to so regulate his life
that he gets both mental and physical exercise is apt to be the healthiest and
happiest.
Children obtain the necessary exercise in their plays,
and the natural instinct of the child causes it to indulge in games and sports.
Men, if they are wise, vary their mental labor and sedentary lives with sports
and games. The success which has attended the introduction of golf and kindred
games of recent years, shows that the old natural instinct of man is not dead.
The Yogis hold that the
instinct toward games—the feeling that exercise is needed, is but the same
instinct that causes man to labor at congenial occupations—it is the call of
nature toward activity—varied activity. The normal, healthy body is a body that
is equally well nourished in all of its parts, and no part is properly
nourished unless it is used. A part that is unused receives less than the
normal amount of nourishment, and in time becomes weakened. Nature has provided
man with exercise for every muscle and part of his body, in natural work and play. By
natural work, we do not mean the work attendant upon some particular form of
bodily labor, for a man following one trade only exercises one set of muscles,
and is apt to become "muscle-bound,” and is in as much need of exercise as
the man who sits at his desk all day, with the exception that the man working
at his trade usually has the advantage of more out-of-door life.
We consider the modern plans of
"Physical Culture” very poor substitutes for out-of-door work and play.
They have no interest attached to them, and the mind is not called into play as
it is in the case of work or games. But still anything in the way of exercise
is better than nothing. But we protest against that form of Physical Culture
which has for its object the enlargement of certain muscles, and the
performance of the feats of the "strong men.” All this is unnatural. The
perfect system of physical culture is that one which tends to produce a uniform
development of the entire body—the employment of all the muscles—the
nourishment of every part, and which adds as much interest as possible to the
exercise, and which keeps its pupils out in the open air.
The Yogis, in their everyday life, do their
own work, and get much exercise in this way. They also take long walks through
the woods (if they are near woods, and they usually are, for they prefer
mountainous country and keep away from the plains and large cities so far as is
possible), and over the hills. But they also have a number of forms of mild
exercise with which they vary their hours of study and meditation. There is
nothing especially novel or new about their exercise, and they bear a very
close resemblance to the calisthenic exercises and Delsarte movements,
in favor in the West. The principal and important point of difference, however,
lies in the fact that they use the mind in connection with the bodily
movements. Just as the interest in the work, and the game, brings the mind into
play, so does the Yogi allow his exercise to call into operation his mind. He
takes an interest in the exercises, and by an effort of the will sends an
increased flow of prana to the part brought into motion. He thus obtains a
multiplied benefit, and a few minutes exercise do him as much good as would ten
times that amount of exercise, if performed in the usual indifferent,
uninterested way.
This "knack” of sending the mind to the desired part
is easily acquired. All that is necessary is to accept as a fact the statement
that it can be done, thus doing away with all subconscious resistance
occasioned by the doubting mental attitude; then simply command the mind to
send a supply of prana to the part, and to increase the circulation there. The
mind does this to a certain extent, involuntarily, the moment that the
attention is centered on a part of the body, but the effect is greatly
increased by the effort of the will. Now, it is not necessary to contract the
brows, clench the fist, or to make a violent physical effort in order to
operate the Will in this way. In fact, the simplest way to accomplish the
desired result is to confidently expect
that what you wish will happen. This "confident expectation” acts
practically as a strong and positive command of the Will— put it into operation
and the thing is accomplished.
For instance, if you wish to send an increased amount of
Prana to the forearm, and to increase the circulation to that part, thereby
increasing the nourishment, simply double the arm, and then gradually extend
it, fastening the gaze or attention upon the lower arm, and holding the thought
of the desired result. Do this several times, and you will feel that the
forearm has been greatly exercised, although you have used no violent motion,
and have used no apparatus. Try this plan on several parts of the body, making
some muscular motion in order to get the attention there, and you will soon
acquire the knack, so that when you go through any ordinary simple exercise you
will do this almost automatically. In short, when you exercise, realize what
you are doing and what you are doing it for, and you will get the result. Put
life and interest into your exercise, and avoid the listless, mechanical manner
of going through the motions, so common in physical culture exercises. Put some
"fun” into it, and enjoy it. In this way both mind and body obtain a
benefit, and you will leave your exercise with a splendid glow and thrill such
as you have not experienced for many a day.
In our next chapter we
give a few simple exercises, which if followed will give you all the movements
necessary to exercise your entire body, bringing every part into play,
strengthening every organ, and making you not only well developed, but straight
and erect as an Indian, and as supple and quick of movement as an athlete.
These exercises are taken in part from some of the Oriental movements,
adapted for Western use, combined with a number of motions which have found
favor with the physical trainers of the armies of Europe and America. These
army physical directors have studied the Oriental movements, and have adopted
such of them as suited their purpose, and have succeeded in forming a series of
movements, which while very simple and easily performed in a few minutes, are
capable of accomplishing as much for a man or woman as many elaborate courses
and systems of physical culture which are sold at high prices. Do not let the
simplicity and brevity of this system cause you to undervalue it. It is just
the thing you have been looking for, with all the unnecessary features
"trimmed off.” Try the exercises for a while, before you make up your mind
about them. They will practically "make you over” physically, if you will
take the time and trouble to put them into faithful practice.
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