Following is an essay compiled entirely from the Divine Discourses on Wellness and Health. Other than the sub-topics, not a single word has been added by the compiler. The essay has been written in a manner such that it answers the question that could arise in our minds.
Why Should We Be Healthy?
Embodiments of Love!
In this wide world, everyone aspires for long life, prosperity and health.
Health is wealth. Health is the greatest blessing. Without it, man cannot do even the lightest work.
Health is an indispensable requisite for progress in material, moral, political, economic, artistic and spiritual fields of life. Wealth cannot be enjoyed by a person with poor health. Health is more important because it gives physical and mental strength to a person.
Punarvittam Punarmitram
Punarbhāryā Punarmahi
Etat Sarvam Punarlabhyam
Na Śarīraṁ Punah Punah.Wealth once lost can be regained by one way or the other.
If a friend is lost, one can make many more through good feelings.
If a wife is lost, one can marry again.
If the land is lost, it can be reacquired through some means.
But once the body is lost. it can never be regained.
Humans are leading an artificial life today. A human is not merely the body but a combination of body, mind and Spirit. In the Gayatri mantra, ‘Ōṁ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Suvaḥ’ is the first line. In this ‘Bhu’ refers to matter, that is the body, Bhuvaḥ refers to the Prāṇa Śaktī (Life Principle) which animates the body, and ‘Suvah’ refers to Prajñā Śaktī (Awareness or Conscience) which acts through radiation.
Hence, the human being is made up of Prajñā (awareness), Prāṇa (the vital force) and the body (the material substance). ‘Śarīra mādhyaṁ Khalu Dharma Sādhanaṁ’. (the body is gifted to man to undertake righteous actions) So, it has to be sanctified by performing sacred deeds. Health is very essential in order to do so. In fact, health is the very foundation on which human life rests. If health is lost, you have to suffer in many ways. There is no greater wealth than health.
What is Health?
Health is the English term for ‘Ārōgyaṁ’ in Sanskrit. The word ‘health’ is derived from the Latin word “Healy.” Ārōgyaṁ has several meanings. One is sacredness. Another is Paripūrṇam (Wholeness). The term, thus, indicates that all the organs of the body should be perfect and holy.
The body is a combination of different limbs. So, only when all limbs are utilised for sacred purposes can one have Puṣṭi and Santuṣṭi (good health and happiness). For a healthy mind, one should have a healthy body. The Ātma sustains human life on the basis of the health of the body and the mind. A healthy human body is the very foundation for all virtuous and good actions. Human Body – a gift
The body is a gift of God and cannot be made by doctors. The human heart beats 1,03,000 times a day. The blood circulation in the body is computed to cover 1,68,000 miles per day. Man breathes 21,600 times and consumes 438 cubic feet of air every day. These are based on Divine Will and are regarded as a Law of Nature. God is the preceptor of Prakr̥ti (Nature). The body is unclean in many ways and is subject to various diseases. But in such an inherently unattractive abode dwells the most valuable divinity. Man should always act in harmony with Nature, which is a reflection of Divinity.
The body is like a rest house You must know that each one is a pilgrim and each life is but a stage in the journey towards the city of liberation. This body is a rest-house, in which we stay for a short time, during the pilgrimage. The mind is the caretaker, the watchman in the choultry where we rest. We are not to treat him as if he is a master or owner. But, we ought to take care that the house we are privileged to occupy is not damaged or polluted. We have to take good care of it and its furnishings and treat the watchman politely. The pilgrim is either helped or handicapped by the antics of the mind. The body is a temporary habitation; it is subject to all kinds of disease and injury. Yet the body is the boat on which alone we can cross the ocean of Sansāra (birth and death cycle). The boat has to be kept trim and serviceable. It should not distract our attention more than the minimum necessary for its upkeep. It has to be used for reducing the burden of others, and should not itself become a burden on us. It should serve others, not demand service from them. Realise the value of health. The body is a chariot, wherein God is installed, being taken along in procession. Every effort should be made to keep the human body healthy.
What causes disease?
Embodiments of Divine Ātma !
Science and technology have made great strides in contributing to the progress of human society. In spite of the availability of so many amenities, why is man afflicted with disease? We have to investigate why we lose our health. What is Disease? Disease means feeling uneasy, disturbed, on account of the upsetting of one’s temper or balance or equilibrium, which affects the physical as well as mental condition.
This happens for two reasons: faulty Āhāra (food) and faulty Vihār (activities).
What are the main causes of ill-health?
Food is the main factor in maintaining good health or causing diseases. Millions of living beings grouped as species dwell on the earth; they sustain themselves by means of food secured from Nature, as provided by Nature.
Birds and beasts do not suffer from cardiac and digestive ailments to which man is prone. They lead natural lives. It is only man that is an exception. In order to cater to his palate and other senses, he changes the composition and characteristics of the things provided by nature and prepares, through the process of boiling, frying and mixing, concoctions which have no vitality in them. This artificial lifestyle takes a heavy toll on his health. Birds and beasts do not adopt such destructive methods. They eat things raw and consume the strength-giving vital essence. So, they do not fall victim to the many ills that man brings on himself.
Plant a boiled pulse in the soil; it won’t sprout. How, then, can it contribute life to the living? The Vitamins and proteins that are valuable ingredients are destroyed while it is cooked to please the palate! The billions of cells in the body are so interdependent that when one is weakened or damaged, all of them suffer. There is a limit and a balance which every limb and organ has to maintain. Insufficient or improper food will endanger this balance.
There is an axiom believed in by men of yore, which says: ‘One meal a day makes a ‘Yōgi’, two meals a day make a ‘Bhōgi’ and three meals a day make a ‘Rōgi’. ‘Yōgi’ is the contented God-centred person. ‘Bhōgi’ is the one revelling in sensual pleasure. ‘Rōgi’ is the one ridden by illness.
The quantity of food intake by the well-to-do is now much beyond essential requirements. Over-eating has become a fashion. The breakfast does not serve to break any fast, for, there has been no fasting at all! It is as good as a full meal. Lunch is pressed in and consists of many dishes, chosen for the palate rather than to assuage hunger. Tea is tea only in name; it includes rather heavy fare, out of all proportion to the needs of the body. Dinner at night is the heaviest meal and includes the largest variety and soon he goes to bed, weighted with unwanted stuff, to roll from side to side, in a vain effort to get a few minutes of sleep.
‘Eat in moderation and live long.’ This is the advice handed down through the ages by the seers of the past. This advice is seldom heeded. People fill themselves with such large quantities of food that they find it hard to rise from the eating plate. Ruining their digestive system by consuming heavy, rich foods, the affluent are proud when they host costly banquets. The modern man consumes many artificial foodstuffs and a variety of alcoholic drinks, which are injurious to health.
What is the cause of heart ailments?
Many doctors say that they are due to smoking, consumption of fatty foods, overeating and other habits. Heart diseases are found to be more rampant among non-vegetarians while vegetarians are not prone to heart ailments to the same extent. This is because of a higher percentage of fats in non-vegetarian food which increases the cholesterol in the blood.
Worry causes high blood pressure and ‘hurry’ causes diabetes. Both of them are like twins, one acting on the heart inside and the other externally on the blood. So, worry, hurry and curry (fatty foods) are the root causes of cardiac ailments. The consumption of large quantities of fat is the cause of cardiovascular diseases. Doctors advise against the consumption of fatty foodstuff which causes an increase in weight resulting in susceptibility to cardiac diseases The presence of toxins also inflicts equal damage. Everyone should know how to control these causes.
Man is constantly afflicted with some source of worry or other. He is never free from anxiety. Why? Because he is identifying himself with the body. How did he acquire this body? Through his past activities and deeds. What were they caused by? By the twin pulls of love and hate. How did they originate? They were born out of the entanglement in duality, in the opposites. And, why does he get snared by them? Ignorance of the Truth, the ONE.
The mind has as its warp and woof, desire or thirst for something or other, getting some gain or avoiding some loss. Desire arises from attachment, often the consequence of delusion. Desire distorts and denigrates the mind. It keeps the mind incessantly agitated. No plain of water can be calm when stones are dropping on it and if there is a perpetual shower of desires, the mind too will be pitifully restless.
Indeed, more than physical ailments, mental diseases are growing limitlessly. The most common source of illness among people today is tension. What is the cause of tension? It is indulgence in excesses of various kinds. Mental sickness caused by tension and worry gives us so many bodily ailments. Most diseases have their origin in the mind. Everything has a psychological basis. When a person feels that something is wrong with him, he develops an illness. Man today is afflicted with discontent. As one set of desires are satisfied, other desires go on cropping up. If desires are reduced, contentment will grow.
Excessive thinking, worrying, and studying is the main cause for man’s illness. Some students are absorbed in studies all the time, because of which they lose their health. There is a limit to everything. The Greek philosopher Aristotle conducted extensive research on the digestive system of man, and as a result of too much thinking, his health deteriorated, and ultimately he died of digestive problems. Constant investigations into cardiac ailments made the heart specialist, Dr. Herin, a heart patient, and ultimately led to his death. Excessive activity in any field is harmful to health. Do not spend much thought on the body; some people worry always about health, and they are never satisfied with the care they bestow on the body.
Bear in mind the limitations of the body and act accordingly. The main cause of your illness is psychological. This is nothing but illusion and delusion. We start imagining that a disease that is present in another person may also be present in us. 80% of the diseases are psychological. If you check your pulse rate under anxiety, you will find it abnormal.
Evil thoughts cause ill-health. Anxiety, fear and tension also contribute their share. All these results from greed, greed to have more of things, of power and of fame. Greed results in sorrow and despair. The rich man is not contented in spite of the accumulation of wealth. Worry causes hurry and both together bring about ill-health.
It is not only unbridled passion that damages the health of man. Living on ill-gotten money also causes ill-health to some extent. Living on earnings obtained by unjust means causes many unknown diseases to take root in us. It is said:
As is the food, so is the mind;
As is the mind, so are the thoughts;
As are the thoughts, so is the conduct;
As is the conduct, so is the health.
Man today is a victim of worry. What is the cause of this worry? Lack of contentment is the cause. Contentment can come only from a spiritual outlook.
It is wise to prevent disease than run after remedies after it has happened or grown beyond control. Man does not attend to precautionary measures; he allows things to worsen and then the disease is aggravated by fear, uncertainty and anxiety.
Summer Course, Brindavan, 27-05-2002 Nowadays none wakes up when the cock crows, nor when the loud whistle of train blows, but get up late in the morning at eight or nine. What is the reason? They go to sleep late at night. Are they at least using the night hours for studies? Not at all. They put on Television or Radio, thus polluting their own minds besides wasting time. Much of what is seen on the television are things that are lewd, disgusting, immoral and vile. Such are the undesirable things being shown. None protests against this evil, neither parents inside house, nor the teachers, the educated persons and the elders in the society. The reason simply is that they too have succumbed to this addiction. So if they try to correct children, they would have to face the question “What about you?” Such are the elders of to day to whom children would give a piece of mind. They in fact are the ones who occupy the front seats in front of TV sets. Let me tell you what some of these elders are up to. They tell our students when they go home on vacation, “Son, it is an year since you watched TV or movie, as you were at Puttaparthi. Now go ahead and watch them to your heart’s content”. Mothers even serve meals to them in front of the TV set itself. Should any mother interested in the well-being of her child do this? Certainly not. But unfortunately they are all out to spoil their own children. The government servants themselves are glued to TV as soon as they return home from offices. Or they go to clubs where they drink, fill themselves with unhealthy food and gamble. It is precisely due to these bad habits, evil traits and unhealthy activities that today’s citizens are turning into cruel people. Even their speech is not soft and pleasant but is very rude.
Boys and Girls! Preserve your health. Bad habits are the root cause for ill health; so eschew bad habits totally. Where the young children should have chubby cheeks, you see today faces looking shrunken. You must build up good health. Good health enables you to carry out meritorious deeds. You will derive happiness out of such deeds. Thus happiness is a product of good health. So take proper care of your health to find happiness. Happiness is your greatest wealth. Health is your greatest wealth. Eat your meals on time. Have your fill. Relish and enjoy the food provided by your parents which they have secured through much hard work. Never find fault with it or refuse it. If you relish fondly, it nourishes your body well. Then the body can do any amount of work.
Students! I am indeed begging of you: please shun your vices, give up bad habits, develop virtues, cultivate good habits, take to right path and enjoy an ideal life. If you have both health and happiness, you need not acquire anything else. Money can always be earned, but what is really important is earning of virtues. Money without virtues is of no use, for, it is virtue that gives happiness in life and not money. Make your parents happy. If they are into bad habits and try to pull you in, tell them as follows: “These things are not good. They spoil us. We know that you wish our well-being but you are showing to us wrong ways of life. Swami told us what is good for our well- being; allow us to do that.” Do lead a sacred life on the sacred path with good behaviour. All of you be happy and I shall tell you many more special things.
How to promote wellness and prevent ill-health?
Embodiments of Love!
To improve and maintain the health of the people, continuous education on the principles and practice of hygiene and environmental cleanliness is essential. Education is the most effective safeguard against physical and mental ill-health. So these two activities are closely interrelated.
As the cock crows, get out of bed;
Brush your teeth and relieve yourself,
Bathe, dress up and breakfast.
It’s good to eat light and chew well
As you relish your favourite dish.
Off to school for serious studies;
And the good remarks of being a humble child.
Don’t get wet and don’t play in dirty puddles.
When it’s playtime, sprint, jump or dribble the ball.
If you follow the above directions
You will enjoy the wealth of health.(Telugu Poem)
You are what you feed on; your activities shape your nature. So, by regulating food and activity (Āhāra and Vihāra), one can overcome the Aasuri tendencies and promote Sathwik tendencies through planned self-effort.
Āhāra (Food) and Vihār (recreational habits) are the two main causes for ill-health. Great care has to be ensured that these two are not injured. It is essential to observe the principle of moderation in food habits, work and sleep. The Buddha preached the same principle of moderation to his disciples. “Be always moderate, never indulge in excess,” proclaimed the Buddha. In fact, moderation is the royal road to happiness.
Prevention is better than cure. There will be little room for cardiac ailments if one’s food habits are properly controlled and regulated. You may have some doubt as to why we should give so much importance to a minor matter like the intake of food when there are so many other important things. Food is the chief formative force. Moral conduct, good habits, spiritual effort – all depend upon the quality of the food. Disease, mental weakness, spiritual slackness – all are produced by faulty food. We should not think that the importance that is being given to the aspect of food is unnecessary. For all types of Yoga — Pranayama, Niyama, Pratyahara, Samadhi, etc. — the correct type of food is the most important basis. By eating clean food, we can get a clean mind and through a clean mind, we can get a clear idea of the goal. Through such a clear concept of the Atma, we will be able to get rid of the illusion of maya. Through this method, the knot that is present in our heart will open up, and this is the basis for getting a divine vision. So, we say that limited food and sathwik food which is already offered to God will enable us to have a clean mind. Without having purity of mind, we cannot achieve even a small thing.
Sātvik Āhāra
- Food should not be too salty, too spicy, too bitter, too sweet or too sour.
- Food should not be taken while steaming hot.
- Food that fans the flames of thirst should be avoided.
- Food cooked in water should not be used the next day. It becomes harmful
- Do not consume food indiscriminately unmindful of the caloric content of the food taken. For example, people eat papads (thin circular flour preparations) fried in oil which have high calorie content. People also consume ghee which is also a high calorie food. A single papad has 100-150 calories of energy. A single spoon of ghee has 100 calories of energy. Even when the quantity of food intake is reduced, reductions in the calorie content is not ensured.
- Even fried articles should be consumed before they develop “unpleasant odours.” Uncooked food, nuts and fruits, germinating pulses are the best. Coconut kernel, coconut water, sprouting pulses, uncooked or half cooked vegetables, and greens are good for health. Use these at least at one meal, say, for dinner at night; this will ensure a long life.
- Fast one day in the week. This is good for the body as well as for the country. Do not eat a dozen plantains, half a dozen puris and drink a quart of milk and call it a fast! Take only water, so that all the dirt is washed away. Do not crave for fruit juice or other liquids. Even physical machinery is given rest; they cannot run forever, continuously. What then shall we say of this delicately organised human body!
- The older generation in this land used to take some quantity of rice soaked in curds, first meal in the morning or, they drank some ragi gruel, which is equally good. It is good Sathwik food;
- Drink large quantities of water, boiled and cooled, not during meals, but some time before and after.
- Eat at regular intervals, according to a well-established timetable.
- Move about and fill the day with activity, so that food is well digested.
- Develop biting hunger, before sitting down for a meal. Now, many do not know what it is to be hungry or thirsty. Wait until you get the call, before you load the stomach again.
- Care should be taken to see that the food consumed does not have much fat content, for the fats consumed in large quantities are detrimental not only to one’s physical health but also to one’s mental health.
- Meat and alcoholic drinks take a heavy toll on man’s health, causing many a disease in him.
- Research has revealed that non-vegetarian and alcoholic addicts are more prone to heart ailments than vegetarians. If the vegetarian food that is consumed should be balanced and wholesome, it should contain liberal doses of vitamin C and vitamin E, which are available in vegetables like carrots. The presence of these vitamins prevents heart ailments in a large measure.
- The intake of food should be gradually reduced after crossing 50 years.
The general principle is that there should be a limit, a restraint. Regular and limited intakes alone can enable a person to discharge one’s duties. If we eat in the right proportions, it may be described as sathwic. The ideal proportion for a meal session is two parts of solid food, one part of liquid and one part air.
Among the myriad of species of living beings, all except humans live on food as provided by Mother Nature. Man alone strives to make such food, more attractive to the senses of sight, touch and smell by boiling, frying, freezing, mixing, grinding and soaking. The consequence of this greed is ill-health and debility. One should realise that food materials, as offered by nature, are really more beneficial. When heat is applied, they lose the vitality yielding components and cannot offer strength and efficiency. The person ages fast and loses the sprightliness of you
Many diseases are caused by drinking water that is polluted. Polluted food also accounts for the spread of these disease carrying germs.
The rural folks live on food that is deficient in vitamins and proteins, though they grow vegetables and food that provide these ingredients in plenty and sell them to city-dwellers. They must be told of the value of fruits and vegetables as a source of nutrients that will promote and preserve their health. Healthy parents mean healthy children, and sick parents pass on their ill-health to the coming generations. Members of the units of the Sathya Sai Seva Organisation should join the Seva Dal in this campaign of educating the villagers. This activity is as meritorious as worship itself.
The relationship between food and habits should be properly understood. We should see that proper balance is maintained between the physical body and inner feelings (Spirit). When we take our food, we are taking it through our tongue; but we have five different sense organs. In spite of this, we think that we are consuming food only through the palate. Many people wonder why they are getting bad thoughts, although they are consuming only pure and sathwik food. When we say that we should accept only sathwik food, it refers to food that we accept through all the organs.
This kind of food will help us a great deal in our sadhana and we will have good health. It is in this context that it has been said that health is our true wealth. A healthy body will have a healthy mind. However, today man is not accepting any of these good principles and he is subjecting himself to a lot of disease and harm.
Why is it that we eat too much and in excessive quantities? If we eat more than what we need, we will have trouble digesting our food. In order that we may digest too much food, we will have to spend two or three hours in a wasteful manner. Further, it would also imply that we are depriving someone else of the food that he might need more than us. In this manner, we will be committing two wrongs. Be that as it may, such eating will promote ill health. Limited consumption of food will promote a clean and pure mind.
Good thoughts, good words, good deeds,
Listening good, seeing good, being good,
These confer good health on human folk.
This body is an iron box of paltry worth.
As in an iron box are jewels and gems kept,
In this paltry box, is kept the Atma, Divine,
This is the Truth, the Word of Sai.
One whose heart is filled with compassion,
Whose words spell truth,
And who works for the welfare of others
Will never suffer from difficulties
Or diseases even in the Kali age.”
Divine Tips
Most illnesses can be cured by simple living, simple exercises and by intelligent control of the tongue.
Tip # 1: Avoid idleness through self-help
Illness is the inevitable result of idleness and indulgence; health is the inevitable consequence of a tough hard life. If everyone decides to carry on all personal services themselves, rather than depend on servants or helpers, the health situation will definitely improve and hospitals will have much less work. Some people do not do any physical exercises and lead a sedentary life. My advice to office-goers and students is that it is good for them to commute by cycle at least 5 or 6 kilometers a day. This cycling exercise is very useful not only for maintaining health but also for reducing the expenditure incurred on automobiles. Another advantage is the avoidance of accidents. Moreover, it serves to reduce atmospheric pollution caused by the release of harmful fumes from automobiles. Be (outdoors) in the sun; let the sun’s rays penetrate into the home, let the rays fall upon the body for some time, let the rays warm and illumine clothes and food; that will suffuse the clothes and food with health.
Tip # 2: Moderation in Lifestyle
Men must learn to moderate the hectic pace of living. Hurry causes worry and worry causes disease. “Hurry, worry and curry (fatty food)” are the causes of heart diseases. Therefore the first requirement is control of food and head (the mind). When you control these two, there will be no room for illness.
Tip # 3: Control what you see and listen
Do not seek to listen to vile and vicious stories. This tendency reveals a diseased mind. What is heard is imprinted, like a carbon copy, through the ear, on the heart. One is injuring oneself through indulgence in this evil habit. We should also avoid viewing TV, video, etc., while eating food, as they may cause mental disturbances. Keep the eye, ear, tongue, hands and feet under restraint. Don’t read enervating or exciting stuff; don’t attend film shows which exhaust or inflame the mind. Don’t lose faith in yourself, you are the Divine encased in the body.
Tip # 4: Control passions and emotions
How to bring about mental transformation? Any amount of development in the areas of scientific, economic and social spheres will not be of much use without mental transformation. How can we bring about this transformation? It is by restraining passions and emotions. Since mental tension is most detrimental to man’s health, man should learn the art of controlling his passions and emotions, which cause stresses and strains. It is also essential to keep our mind serene and peaceful while eating food. We should not indulge in discussion of topics which will cause agitation and excitement and disturb our mental peace while we are taking food. Mental tension is responsible for ill health. Passions yield only temporary satisfaction, but cause serious emotional disturbances. Hence, it is imperative on the part of man not to yield to any unbecoming passions while taking food. The observance of the three P’s, namely, purity, patience, and perseverance, vouchsafes permanent happiness and good health free from diseases.
Contentment is the best tonic; why inflict on yourself the disease of greed and consume tonics to get strength, and to hanker further? Use the body as a boat to cross the ocean of life, with devotion and detachment as the two oars.
Tip # 5: Control Anger and Tension
It is only by sense control and steadfastness that one can lead a happy and healthy life. Along with control of the mind, one should control the temper and avoid tension. Prevention of disease should be the goal. We should aim at a human society free from diseases. It will be a happy day when a hospital gets no patients at all.
Anger is an enemy of health. It injects poison into the bloodstream and brings about profound transformation which damages it. Here is an example: Two women, who were neighbours turned into bitter enemies on account of a dispute over a very trivial incident. The cow belonging to one woman while going on the road dropped its dung in front of the other woman’s house. The owner of the cow ran to collect the dung, while the other woman claimed that it belonged to her since it lay on her doorstep. From words they very nearly came to blows. Just then the other woman’s little baby veiled from the cradle. She rushed in to feed the baby and while the child was drawing in its food, she shouted most ferociously at her neighbour. Her anger poisoned her blood so much that the child died while drinking her milk! Another cause of ill-health is vice and vile conduct. People believe that a wicked person need not be a diseased person but most diseases are mental illness, fundamentally.
Diseases which torment man are many in number; of these, hatred, envy and egoism are the worst. Even doctors cannot cure them, for most of them suffer from these. One Should develop equanimity and serenity, if one desires to be free from these diseases. Self-restraint is essential to maintain health. Regulate your habits and develop good manners, which are the mark of a true man.
Tip # 6: Develop Good Thoughts, Words and Deeds
Health does not depend on medicine. Good words, good manners, good sight, good thoughts–these are essential. What can even powerful or costly medicines do if one is ill with bad thoughts and bad feelings? On the other hand, virtuous living, beneficial thoughts, elevating ideals and righteous conduct can confer not only health, but what is even more precious, Atmananda, the Ecstatic Awareness of the Reality itself.
Good health is very essential for anyone leading a meaningful life. To enjoy good health, one should have water, food and air free from pollution. Now all these three are polluted. Apart from these, man’s mind is also polluted. To purify the mind, one should nurture noble and sacred thoughts of service to others. One who does not hurt anybody and has feelings of love and compassion to fellow beings is the greatest of men. That is why sage Vyasa Gave the essence of the Eighteen Puranas he composed in the aphorism; “Help Ever, Hurt Never.” You should make every effort to avoid harming others in any circumstance. You are only hurting yourself when you hurt others. You should not use harsh words. When you develop human values, you can be free from diseases and even enjoy good health with God’s Grace.
Tip # 7: God Contemplation
A healthy mind is needed for a healthy body. But it is not enough to be physically healthy. Keeping the mind fixed on God and good ideas and things also helps health. Man needs Daiva-anugraham (God’s grace) also. To Acquire God’s grace you have to cultivate the love of God.
Apart from the exercise of care in the food consumed there should also be Daiva chinthana (contemplation of the Divine). Because people don’t think of God, they are subjected to a lot of misery. Without divine thought, man is harbouring two bad qualities. One, he hides many defects and evil qualities within himself. The other is, he magnifies even minor faults in others. Because of such evil qualities among human beings diseases are also on the increase. Only when human effort is there, with God’s grace, good results will be attained.
Regular prayers twice a day will give strength and courage, which can withstand illness. The Grace of God will confer mental peace and so, good sleep and rest for the mind. Feel that you are hundred percent dependent on God; He will look after you and save you from harm and injury. When you go to bed, offer thankful homage to Him for guiding and guarding you throughout the day. When a friend or someone offers you a glass of water, you immediately say, “Thank you”; how much more gratitude should you evince to God who watches you and wards off all harm threatening to overwhelm you. Activity must be dedicated to God, the Highest Good. Then, it will provide health of body and mind.
Tip # 8: Take Swami’s life as an example
How to lead a healthy life? Let Me tell you about My own health. I am sixty eight years old, and believe it or not, My weight since my 14th year of age has been constant at 108 pounds only. It never went up to 109 pounds not came down to 107. You can lead a healthy life once you achieve this kind of balance and moderation. I never eat even a little bit excess. I observe the principle of moderation whether I am invited for food by a millionaire or a pauper. Even though I’m sixty eight years old, My body is in perfect trim! I do not suffer from aches and My heart is as sound as a rock. There is none who can work like Me and exert himself as much as I do! The Secret of My sound health is My regulated food habits. This is how one has to achieve the unity and harmony of food, head and God.
I am 70 years old now. I can see even an ant that is far away. It is not due to divine power. It is physical power. What is the reason? Diet control. My weight has remained the same for over sixty years—108 lbs only. Proper balance must be maintained throughout life.
As soon as we wake up in the morning, w e should cleanse our mouth. The inner and outer sides of teeth should be brushed well. Surface of the tongue should be cleaned thoroughly. For, mouth is the front entrance, the gateway for all diseases. While talking t o each other we should be cautious of unpleasant odor. Health should thus be protected through hygiene. Not only this, each working part of the body should be fit and robust. We should always be aware of the truth that divinity is inherent in each limb and organ of the body. That is why Vedas extol God as “Angeerasa”, essential fluid in the limbs. Each part of the body has its intrinsic characteristic goodness.
Good Health is Essential for the Path of Atma
People who want to develop themselves along the path of the Atma must have good health and, for this purpose, the control of food is essential. By eating clean food, we can get a clean mind and through a clean mind, we can get a clear idea of the goal. Through such a clean concept of the Atma, we will be able to get rid of the illusion of maya. Through this method, the knot that is present in our heart will open up, and this is the basis for getting a divine vision. We should not think that the importance that is being given to the aspect of food is unnecessary. For all types of Yoga—Pranayama, Niyama, Pratyahara, Samadhi, etc.—correct type of food is the most important basis.
Food & Mind (Sadhana)
Without having purity of mind, we cannot achieve even a small thing. By the unclean food that we take in, we expose our body to unnecessary ills. In creation, there are 84 lakhs of different kinds of jivas. Amongst those 84 lakhs of living things, man alone cooks his food and eats it. All the other types of living beings take their food in the natural uncooked form. By taking to natural food, these jivas promote their longevity. Because man cooks his food before he eats, the life force that is contained in the food is partly destroyed. This means that by frying or cooking, the sathwik life force that is present in the seeds is destroyed. By eating such food, man makes himself liable to several types of diseases. Because man eats such cooked food, he also becomes distant from sadhana. It is because of this that in ancient times, rishis and devotees of God were eating only uncooked food in its natural form.
When we take our food, we are taking it through our tongue; but we have five different sense organs. In spite of this, we think that we are consuming food only through the palate. Many people wonder why they are getting bad thoughts, although they are consuming only pure and sathwik food. There is something here to which you have to give a great deal of thought. Sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa and gandha are the five senses in us. Whatever we take in can enter our body by way of any of the sensory organs, namely, ear, skin, eye, tongue or nose. In a superficial manner, we think we are taking the food only through the palate, and we are not giving any thought to the kind of food that we are taking through the other organs. When we say that we should accept only sathwik food, it refers to food that we accept through all the organs.
We should use our eyes to see only the sacred creation of the Lord. Just because we have eyes, we should not use them to see everything without any control. Sometimes when we look at certain things, the organs within us may become uncontrollable. This is why, the sadhakas have laid down that men and women should not look at each other too much, as it will promote rajo guna. We should use our eyes only to look at sacred things.
The next is the process of listening or the food that we take through our ears. We should not indulge in blaming others, criticising others and listening to unnecessary things. All this constitutes unsacred food. We should also not listen to things intended to ridicule others. We should be prepared to listen only to sacred thoughts of the Lord. We should not be prepared to listen to the blame heaped on others.
Then comes the process of smell, the food we take in through the nose. You should take only sacred smell which is associated with divine aspects. Good smell does not mean scent or perfume. Good smell connotes sacred smell associated with the divine. Thus, through all the organs, we should try to take in only sacred and pure things.
Next one is the sense of touch. Our ancients have prescribed that contact should be only with divine aspects. When we sit down for dhyana, we use a small plank and sit on that so that there is no contact with the earth. It is not possible for us to realise what happens by contact that exists between us and the earth.
The creation that we see around us has the strength of sound, strength of movement, strength of being permanent and prosperous, the strength of maya and many other different types of strength. This is why it is said that, when you are in dhyana, your body should not be in contact with anyone else. There are also other meanings for this. Wherever there is dirt and unclean atmosphere, there would be bad and filthy bacteria, while in a clean place where the atmosphere is good and clean, there will be clean bacteria. When we touch an unclean body, there is a possibility of the disease causing germs flowing into us. Further, that unclean and unsacred body may communicate a part of the uncleanness to us. One body and another are like magnets in this case. This is the reason why individuals who take the path of sadhana, should keep away from unclean surroundings and objects.
It is only when you restrict the intake through all your organs to sacred things that you will really be taking only sathwik food. If you take sathwik food through your mouth in the form of fruits and milk and use your eyes to see all bad things, there is no use of such a partial restriction.
Our ancients considered the coconut as a sacred food. Gradually, when we look at the coconut, it reminds us of our head. It also has two eyes and one mouth. It also has a patch of hair. Some people think that it is a form of Shiva because it has three eyes. In fact, in certain festivals, a coconut is decorated and people perform puja to it. What is the reason for our giving so much importance to a coconut? It is useful to examine this, even in a worldly sense. Doctors have examined this fruit and come to the conclusion that it has very valuable constituents. It is believed that this fruit has nearly 57% of fat, 15% of powdery material, another 15% of watery substance, seven or eight percent of solid matter. The remaining eight percent is pulp. The rishis believed this to be a very sacred fruit. An unripe coconut is also a sacred fruit.
Many of our scriptures have taught us that good type of food is essential. Just to relieve your hunger or fill the basket of your stomach, you should not eat whatever you see and wherever your feet drag you. Even if it is some trouble, you must search for good and clean food. But young people of today do not have such patience. We need not go so far. If the coffee to which you are habituated is delayed even by a few minutes, you get very irritated and excited. You should make an attempt to get rid of such weakness. If you cannot control your actions when you are young, you cannot do so when you grow old. While one is young and strong, he must try to control the organs. This is the right path which you must adopt. Your actions must be undertaken in the thought of God. I hope that you will be able to take such a sacred path and lead a good life.
Moreover, because of the perversions of the Kali Age, the five basic elements–ether, air, fire, water and earth–are polluted. The water we drink is impure. The air we breathe is polluted. The food we consume is polluted. As a consequence the mind gets polluted.
If we change our vision, we will experience peace. When people view the world with the vision of love, they will have peace. All diseases will be cured. Most diseases have their origin in the mind. Everything has a psychological basis. When a person feels that something is wrong with him, he develops an illness. A healthy mind is needed for a healthy body. But it is not enough to be physically healthy. Man needs Dhaiva-anugraham (God’s grace) also. To acquire God’s grace you have to cultivate the love of God. Love has become today a kind of show. Genuine love should emanate from the heart. Start the day with love, spend the day with love, end the day with love, that is the way to God. If you develop love, disease will not come near you.
For every man two things are essential: Arogya (good health) and Aanandha (Happiness). Health for the body and bliss for the spirit. With these two wings you can soar to any height. You need both the things, for which you must secure God’s grace. To get God’s grace, you have to engage yourself in sacred action. Bear in mind the three P’s–Purity, Patience and Perseverance. With these three you are bound to acquire good health and bliss.
The doctors of this hospital are rendering service with such purity and broad feelings. Dr. Rajeswari used to work day and night in this hospital. I often used to tell her not to exert herself too much. I would tell her, “Rajeswari, it is possible for you to serve others more and more only when you have good health. So, you should take proper rest.” She would say that serving others was her way of taking rest. Her only wish was to leave her mortal coil while serving in the hospital. That is what happened ultimately. She breathed her last in this hospital itself while doing some work sitting in a chair.
HEALTH is an essential requisite of man. The man afflicted with ill-health is powerless to execute even the least burdensome assignment. The scriptures proclaim that health is the very root of all endeavour in the four fields of human achievement—Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha (righteousness, wealth, desire and liberation). Without health man cannot brave temptations, earn a decent living, fulfil his basic needs or succeed in spiritual saadhana. Man can engage himself in obligatory and optional functions only if he is healthy.
It is only recently, after India fell under the impact of alien cultures which highlighted material comfort, physical luxury, sensual liberty and exterior display, that Indians have trodden the wrong path of exploitation and violence, idleness and pompousness. With the spread of alien cultures and alien ways of thought and life, diseases too have multiplied and mental imbalances have Increased. But when simplicity, humility and the idea of social service (having root In the worship of the God in man) are restored, the nation will again be happy and healthy, full of peace, prosperity and Joy.
Food and recreational habits are the two main causes for ill-health. Great care has to be bestowed to ensure that injurious tendencies do not affect these two. At present, though drugs have multiplied and hospitals have been established in every nook and corner, ill-health is also widespread. This situation is attributable to the spread of deleterious food habits and pastimes.
Physical and mental activities are closely interrelated. To improve and maintain the health of the people, continuous education on the principles and practice of hygiene and environmental cleanliness is essential. Education is the most effective safeguard against physical and mental ill-health. So these two activities are closely inter-related. The body is a temporary habitation; it is subject to all kinds of disease and injury. Yet the body is the boat on which alone we can cross the ocean of samsaara (birth and death cycle). The boat has to be kept trim and serviceable. It should not distract our attention more than the minimum necessary for its upkeep. It has to be used for reducing the burden of others, and should not itself become a burden on us. It should serve others, not demand service from them.
“Sareeramadyam khalu dharma sadhanam (the body is gifted to man to undertake righteous actions.)” So, it has to be sanctified by performing sacred deeds. Health is very essential in order to do so. In fact, health is the very foundation on which human life rests. If health is lost, you have to suffer in many ways. There is no greater wealth than health.
Excessive activity in any field is harmful to health We have to investigate why we lose our health. Excessive thinking, worrying, and studying is the main cause for man’s illness. Today, everyone is crazy after computers. What is the benefit accruing from it? The human brain is being under utilised. Today, people depend on calculators for simple arithmetic. One should make use of the original computer, the brain, which was gifted by God. We are giving up the original for the artificial. Art is outside; heart is inside. People follow the art, not the heart. Art should come from the heart.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle conducted extensive research on the digestive system of man, and as a result of too much of thinking, his health deteriorated, and ultimately he died of digestive problems. Constant investigations into cardiac ailments made the heart specialist Dr. Herin a heart patient and ultimately led to his death. Excessive activity in any field is harmful to health. Bear in mind the limitations of the body and act accordingly. The main cause for your illness is psychological. This is nothing but illusion and delusion. We start imagining that a disease that is present in another person may also be present in us. 80% of the diseases are psychological. If you check your pulse rate under anxiety, you will find it abnormal. Do not bestow undue attention on your health. Discharge your duties peacefully and happily, then everything will be all right.
Ayurveda and Allopathy
Among the four Vedas, the Atharvana Veda is the one that has given the science relating to longevity, known as Ayurveda. Ayurveda transcends time and space and is valid for all places, at all times. It relates to the spirit, mind and the body and has an integrated approach.
The Allopathic system came much later. It is based on an objective, external approach while Ayurveda is subjective. Both have to be coordinated for better results. Since Ayurveda is subjective, it is more efficacious than the Allopathic system. There is a superior artistic sense in Ayurveda. Doctors have to realise the distinction between subjective and objective approaches. The latter has an external outlook while the former has an inner view. The object is a reflection of the subject. Without realising this relationship between Ayurveda and Allopathy, doctors are wasting their time in arguments.
The basic difference between Ayurveda and Allopathy
Ayurveda affirms that purity of mind is more essential for one’s health while Allopathic doctors do not consider the mind as so important. They give importance to the eradication of disease-causing germs and consider this as the only means to cure diseases. This does not take into account the role of the mind and the Spirit in the eradication of the disease. Allopathy is based on external knowledge and experimentation, while Ayurveda is based on inner knowledge and experience. There is a gulf of difference between experiment and experience. Because of the difference between the subjective and objective approaches, in course of time, Allopathy resorted to the use of antibiotics to deal with various diseases. The antibiotics act powerfully and yield quick results in curing a disease. But, in the process of curing a disease, they give rise to adverse side effects.
The role of the mind in causing sickness
Allopathic doctors experiment only with matter. They do not take the inner consciousness (Self) into account. In spite of the prodigious technological developments in the world, man is not able to enjoy peace. Peace cannot be achieved by knowledge of the physical. Peace should come from inner feeling or the Spirit within. It is only when the body, the mind and the Spirit are in harmony that peace will prevail. Medical science should recognise the role of the mind in causing sickness. Good health confers mental peace. Mental worry impairs physical health. Ayurveda, therefore, lays emphasis on mental peace and aims at the elimination of the root cause of disease.
There are three basic factors that are responsible for health or disease in the human body according to Ayurveda. They are Vāta (vital air), Pitta (bile) and Slĕśa (phlegm). Vaatha accounts for 36 diseases, piththa accounts for 98 and Shleshma for 96 diseases. These three factors are essential for the human body but they should be in proper balance without exceeding their respective limits. When they are in balance, there will be no disease. Moderation is the golden rule for good health. For the treatment of disease arising out of vaatha, piththa and shleshma, gingelly oil, ghee and honey respectively, are prescribed as remedies. These should be taken in moderation.
In ancient times, sages and scientists commended the Ayurvedic system of treatment as it was considered a natural system for curing disease. Trees play a vital role in helping mankind to receive oxygen from the atmosphere while they absorb the carbon dioxide exhaled by human beings. Hence, the ancients favoured the growing of trees to control atmospheric pollution. But nowadays trees are cut down indiscriminately and pollution is on the increase. The relationship between man and trees is indicated by the term “Vanaspathi” (herbs) employed in Ayurveda.
** Live long so that you witness the career of the Avatar for years and years.**
Discourses Referenced
- http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss2002/ss2002d12.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1978/ss1978-26.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume28/sss28-16.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume34/sss34-11.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume13/sss13-22.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume31/sss31-41.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume09/sss09-21.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume28/sss28-37.pdf
- http://sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume27/sss27-03.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume15/sss15-21.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume26/sss26-04.pdf
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume15/sss15-54.pd
- http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume27/sss27-05.pdf
Swami’s Quotes from Vibrionics Newsletters on Health:
“Eat in moderation and live long. This is the advice handed down through the ages by the seers of the past. This advice is seldom heeded. People fill themselves with such large quantities of food then they find it hard to rise from the eating plate. Ruining their digestive system by consuming heavy, rich foods, the affluent are proud when they host costly banquets. Those who know that physical health is the greatest treasure, take great care to eat only Sathwic food.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol XI
“Man is functioning by the combination of three forces: Radiation, Vibration and Materiality. It is called Prakrithi. Praana Shakthi makes it vibrate. The Prajna Shakthi directs this vibration, which is consciousness (awareness). Thus man’s life is a combination of consciousness, vital force and matter. Without realizing this fact, man is always keen on looking after the body alone, with the wrong conception that the body is all-powerful. All of you know that America (USA) is considered to be a land of plenty where there is no dearth of food. So the people eat well and enjoy material pleasures. They consume excessive food and lead a life of luxury. But we find that there are more deaths owing to heart diseases in that country than in other countries.
Sweden is a very affluent country in Europe and the government is also providing all possible comforts and looks after the people well. In spite of such prosperity, there are more suicide cases in this country than anywhere else and the number of divorce cases is plenty. What is the cause for this? It is not lack of any physical or material facilities but lack of spiritual outlook that is responsible for such a situation. It is because they identify themselves with the body, which is perishable and impermanent, and are ignorant about the Real Inner Self that is the permanent and eternal entity. They lead an artificial life.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol XXVI
“What is the cause of heart ailments? Many doctors say that they are due to smoking, consumption of fatty foods, overeating, and other habits. The relationship between food and habits should be properly understood. We should see that proper balance is maintained between the physical body and inner feelings (Spirit). Modern man is continuously in a hurry. Hurrying causes worry which affects physical health. The main cause of heart troubles may be said to be hurry, worry, and curry [fatty foods]”.
... Sathya Sai Baba, Integral approach to human ailments
“Eat only fresh food. Do not eat stale food that has been prepared on the previous day. Oil is necessary for preparing food. Doctors say that excess oil in the food will give rise to cholesterol. However, cholesterol is also required in the body to some extent. Therefore, do not eat food that is totally devoid of oil. Eat balanced food.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Supreme Bliss Comes From Absolute Wisdom”
“Wherever there is dirt and unclean atmosphere, there will be bad and filthy bacteria, while in a clean place where the atmosphere is good and clean, there will be clean bacteria. When we touch an unclean body, there is a possibility of disease-causing germs flowing into us. Further, that unclean and unsacred body may communicate a part of the uncleanness to us. One body and another are like magnets in this case. This is the reason why individuals who take the path of sadhana, should keep away from unclean surroundings and objects. It is in this context that our ancients have advised that we should go and touch the feet of sacred and elderly people so that the sacredness that is contained in their body is transmitted to us. Similarly, if you touch an unsacred body, the impurity or sacredness can also enter into you.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, Good Health is Man’s Greatest Wealth, Summer Showers June 1978
“The type of food you consume decides the degree of concentration you can command; its quality and quantity decide how much your self-control is lessened or heightened. Polluted air and water are full of maleficent viruses and germs and have to be avoided at all costs. There are four pollutions against which man has to be vigilant – of the body (removable by water); of the mind (removable by truthfulness), of reason (removable by correct knowledge) and of the self (removable by yearning for God). “Vaidyo Narayano Harih”, the Shruthis declare. God is the Doctor. Seek Him, rely on Him, you will be free from Disease.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “Food and health” Discourse, 21 September 1979
“Everybody needs vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. Vitamins and proteins are available in sattvic food. Proteins are in milk, buttermilk, and whole wheat; vegetables contain lot of vitamins. Both Indians and foreigners, due to their habits, take to non-vegetarian foods and also to drinking alcohol, thereby damaging their lives. Health is essential to all human beings. When one is healthy, one can take to spiritual pursuits more easily. All this time we are spoiling our health with our own hands. We should not subscribe to the feeling that people will be happy with only food, shelter, and clothing.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Sathya Sai Speaks on Food-from Discourses Spanning the First 81 Years of His Life” Discourse 27 August 1994
“Excessive intake of food results in obesity and, consequently, heart will be subjected to greater strain to pump blood. Blood travels a distance of 12,000 miles in the body every single day. With increase in obesity, the circulation of blood and, consequently, the functioning of heart will be impaired. Hence, one should exercise control over one’s food habits.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, Discourse 10 September 2002
“Doctors agree that illness is caused through faulty food habits and foolish ways of spending leisure. But, they do not seem to know that food is a Word that connotes a wider variety of ‘intakes.’ Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses in ‘food’ has an effect on one’s health. We say “food for thought”; whatever we see or hear or smell or touch has an effect on the body; good or bad. The sight of blood makes some people faint; or, it may be some bad news, that 10 administers a shock. Allergy is produced by unpleasant smells, or when something intrinsically unwelcome is contacted or tasted. A sound mind ensures a sound body; a sound body ensures a sound mind. The two are interdependent. Health is essential for happiness; happiness is a capacity to be happy, whatever may happen is essential for physical health, too.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “Vehicle care” Divine Discourse, 16 October 1974
“Man suffers from two types of ills, physical and mental, the one caused by the disequilibrium of the three tempers of Wind, Bile and Phlegm and the other caused by the disequilibrium of the three Attributes—Pure, Passion and Dull. One peculiar fact about these two types of illnesses is that the cultivation of virtue cures both. Physical health is a prerequisite for mental health and mental health ensures physical health! An attitude of generosity, of fortitude in the presence of sorrow and loss, a spirit of enthusiasm to do good, to be of service to the best one’s capacity— these build up the mind as well as the body. The very joy derived from service reacts to the body and makes you free from disease.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “The Temple» Discourse 9 September 1959
“Keeping the mind fixed on God and good ideas and things also helps health. Keep the eye, ear, tongue, hands and feet under restraint. Don’t read enervating or exciting stuff; don’t attend film shows which exhaust or inflame the mind. Don’t lose faith in yourself, you are the Divine encased in the body. Contentment is the best tonic; why inflict on yourself the disease of greed and consume tonics to get strength, and to hanker further? Use the body as a boat to cross the ocean of life, with devotion and detachment as the two oars.”
“It is wiser to prevent disease than run after remedies after it has happened or grown beyond control. Man does not attend to precautionary measures; he allows things to worsen and then the disease is aggravated by fear, uncertainty and anxiety. There is an axiom believed in by men of old, which says: ‘One meal a day makes a Yogi, two meals a day make a Bhogi and three meals a day make a Rogi. Yogi is the content God-centred man. Bhogi is the man revelling in sensual pleasure. Rogi is a man ridden by illness. Yes. The quantity of food intake by the well-to-do is now much beyond essential requirements. Over-eating has become a fashion.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “Seaworthy boat » Discourse 12 October 1968
“Today, people go on consuming food at all times, not to speak of drinks and snacks in between. How then can they escape from indigestion and other diseases? Man needs food that supplies him energy equivalent to about one calorie per minute. Young people should be satisfied with 2,000 calories of food per day. For healthy life, man needs only 1,500 calories per day. But nowadays, the food intake has increased up to 5,000 calories. As a result, people suffer from indigestion and sleeplessness. Loss of sleep gives rise to many ailments. Don’t worry about sleep. If you go to bed without any worry, you will get sound sleep automatically.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “The Moving Temple” Summer Showers 1990 Chapter 3
“By regulating your diet and avoiding certain bad habits, you can preserve health. Moderate food and food of the pure (sathwic) type, will promote mental poise and also physical happiness. Moderation in food is always to be welcomed. Many people consume more than the necessary quantity of rich food, and as such have to practise moderation. So too, if you do not smoke, you escape a number of illnesses that follow that passionate (rajasic) practice. Any intoxicant or stimulant, because it disturbs nature’s even trend, is harmful. Moderation in food, moderation in talk and in desires and pursuits, contentment with what little can be got by honest labour, eagerness to serve others and to impart joy to all — these are the most powerful of all the tonics and health-preserves known to the science of health, the Sanathana Ayur-Veda, the Veda of the full life.”
“The greatest disease (or absence of ease) is the absence of santhi (peace); when the mind gets peace, the body also will have health. So, everyone who craves for good health must pay attention to the emotions, feelings and motives that animate the individual. Just as you give clothes for a wash, you have to wash the mind free from dirt again and again; otherwise, if dirt accumulates and you form a “habit,” it is difficult for the dhobi (washer-man) as well as harmful for the clothes. It should be a daily process; you should see that no dirt settles upon your mind; that is to say, you should move about in such a company that dirt is avoided. Falsehood, injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, hate—these form the dirt; Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema (Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love)—these are the clean elements. If you inhale the pure air of the latter, your mind will be free from evil bacilli and you will be mentally sturdy and physically strong.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “The Best Tonic” Divine Discourse, 21 September 1960
“Food and recreational habits are the two main causes of ill-health. Great care has to be bestowed to ensure that injurious tendencies do not affect these two. At present, though drugs have multiplied and hospitals have been established in every nook and corner, ill-health is also widespread. This situation is attributable to the spread of deleterious food habits and pastime
… Sathya Sai Baba, “Hospitals and Health” Discourse, 28 August 1976
“The food that is required for sustaining the body is conducive to health only when it is consumed within limits. Over-eating poisons the physical system. Food may give satisfaction or cause illness. By his food habits man is becoming a prey to disease. Food is essential, but it must be taken within limit for it to be wholesome. Likewise wealth is essential but within limits. When there is excessive wealth, many dangers ensue. With excessive wealth man turns arrogant and loses the sense of discrimination between right and wrong. He becomes a Duryodhana who exemplified greed rather than a Karna who was noted for his generosity.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “The Avatar and the devotees” Discourse 23 January 1994
“Birds and beasts do not suffer from cardiac and digestive ailments to which man is prone. The cause can be traced to the natural food which the animals consume, unlike human beings who consume all sorts of fried and cooked items of food being slaves to the palate. Modern man consumes many artificial foodstuffs and a variety of alcoholic drinks, which are injurious to health. Birds and beasts lead natural lives, while the artificial life style of man today takes a heavy toll on his health. When man observes moderation in diet he can be saved from most diseases. In the 11 entire range of God’s creation man alone is endowed with the faculty of discrimination. It is this faculty which sets him apart from animals. Man should exercise his discretion and discrimination with regard to food habits.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Food, the heart and the mind” Discourse, 21 January 1994
“Eat only what you need to eat. Do not be greedy. Do not take more than you can eat and waste the rest, because wasting food is a great sin. The surplus food can feed another stomach. Do not waste food, because food is God, life is God, and man is born from food. Food is the main source of man’s life, body, mind and character.” “The gross part of the food, which is the major portion of the food consumed by the body, is thrown out as waste matter. A minute amount of the food, which is the subtle part, is assimilated by the body and flows as blood. And a minuscule amount, which is the subtlest part of the food, makes up the mind. Therefore, the mind is the reflection of the food consumed. The reason for the present beastly and demonic tendencies in our minds is the food we consume.”
“A large part of the water we drink is expelled as urine. A minute part of the water consumed becomes the life force. Therefore the nature of the food and water that we take in decides our character. Only by controlling the quality of our food and water can we attain Divinity. This is why food is said to be God. Hence, to waste food is to waste God. Do not waste food. Eat only what you need, and be sure that what you eat is satvic. Give away any surplus food to those in need.”
… -Sathya Sai Baba, “Teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba-Volume 1”
https://www.sathyasai.org/publications/TeachingsOfBSSSB-Vol01.html
“Man is the only living being which dislikes raw food found in the natural state. All other animals eat things as they are—grain, leaves, shoots, fruits. Man boils, fries, melts, mixes and adopts various methods of cooking in order to satisfy the cravings of the tongue, the eye and the nose. As a consequence, the food value of these articles is either reduced or destroyed. When the seeds are fried, they do not sprout; that is clear proof that the ‘life force’ is eliminated. Therefore, uncooked raw pulse just sprouting, is to be preferred, also nuts and fruits. The coconut, offered to the Gods, is a good Sathwic (pure) food, having a good percentage of protein besides fat, starch and minerals. Food having too much salt or pepper is Rajasic (passion rousing) and should be avoided; so also too much fat and starch, which are Thamasic (disposed to inactivity) in their effects on the body should be avoided.”
… Sathya Sai Baba, “Food and Health” Discourse 21 September 1979
“Anger is another enemy of health. It injects poison into the bloodstream and brings about profound transformation which damages it….. Another cause of ill-health is vice and vile conduct. People believe that a wicked person need not be a diseased person but most diseases are mental illnesses, fundamentally. Doctors, too, have to deal with patients sweetly and softly and consider their profession as one calling for dedication to their fellowmen. It is best to preserve one’s health by good thoughts and good deeds. It is best to be vigilant about food habits. Coconut kernels, coconut water, sprouting pulses, uncooked or half cooked vegetables and greens are good for health.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Good Health and Goodness” Discourse, 30 September 1981
“Bad thoughts and bad feelings arise in the mind. At the same time, there are also good thoughts and good feelings. It is only when bad thoughts and feelings are weeded out that man can have good health. Many diseases have their origin in the thoughts that fill the mind. Bad thoughts cause indigestion, affect the heart, bring about variations in the blood pressure; worries are the cause of many mental diseases. Diabetes and pulmonary diseases are traceable to mental causes.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “The power of the Lord’s name” Discourse, 25 November 1998
“All men, all living beings, are cells in the Body of God. Their origin, continued existence, and progress are all in God, by God, for God. The individual is a unit in this unity. There are no other aliens. When one is ill, all suffer. When one is happy, all are partners of that happiness. Faith in this truth is the fundamental equipment the Sevaks must acquire.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Equipment for Service” Discourse, 21 November 1986
“An intake of too much food is also harmful. Simply because tasty food is available and is being offered, one is tempted to overeat. We have air all around us but we do not breathe in more than we need. The lake is full but we drink only as much as the thirst craves for. But overeating has become a social evil, fashionable habit. The stomach cries out, ‘Enough,’ but the tongue insists on more, and man becomes the helpless target of disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid bodily life. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more the principles of naturopathy, and give up running around for doctors.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Food and Health” Discourse, 21 September 1979
“Evil thoughts cause ill-health. Anxiety, fear and tension also contribute their share. All these result from greed, greed to have more things, of power and of fame. Greed results in sorrow and despair. Contentment can come only from a spiritual outlook. The desire for worldly goods has to be given up. One should not distinguish between “my work” and “work for God.” All work should be worshiped. Whatever the reward, it is the gift of God. It is for our lasting good. If this attitude is developed, suffering and pain can toughen us and help us to progress towards Divinity.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, “Good Health and Goodness” Discourse 30 September 1981
“Man today is a victim of worry. What is the cause of this worry? Lack of contentment is the cause. The rich man is not contented is spite of the accumulation of wealth. Worry causes hurry and both together bring about ill-health. So Worry, Hurry and Curry (fatty foods) are the root causes of cardiac ailments. The consumption of large quantities of fat is the cause of cardiovascular diseases. Doctors advise against the consumption of fatty food stuffs which cause increase in weight resulting in susceptibility to cardiac diseases. The presence of toxins also inflicts equal damage. So one should eat in moderate quantities the right type of food and avoid intoxicating drinks to safeguard his health. The intake of food should be gradually reduced after crossing 50 years”.
… Sathya Sai Baba, Divine discourse, 21 January 1994
“You take drugs in a vain attempt to escape from the grip of diseases. But you are unaware of the diseases that eat into the very vitals of your happiness and make you a social danger – the maladies of envy, malice, hatred and greed. Take this best medicine to rid yourself of these diseases! Believe that the Lord is living in every heart and so when you inflict pain, physical or mental, on anyone, you are slighting the Lord Himself. Never entertain hatred or contempt in your heart. Show your resentment, if you must, through carefully selected words but never through action. Introspect and repent for your own errors and pray for strength to refrain from your shortcomings.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, Divine Discourse, 14 Oct 1964
“The body is a temporary habitation, subject to all kinds of diseases and injury. Yet the same body is also the boat, which alone can carry us across the ocean of life or Samsara. The boat has to be kept trim and serviceable. It should not distract our attention more than the minimum necessary for its upkeep. It has to be used for reducing the burdens of others and should not itself become a burden on us. It should serve others and not demand service from them”.
–Sathya Sai Baba, Love All, Serve All, Help Ever, Hurt Never, book commemorating Sathya Sai Baba’s 80th Birthday, 2005
“You must be able to get up with the same ease with which you sat to have your food. If you sit down feeling light and feel heavy and find it difficult to get up after eating, you have taken more than you need and it will develop Tamasic qualities. The space in your stomach is divided into four parts. Youngsters should fill three parts of their stomach with food and the remaining one part with water. For adults, two parts of the stomach with food, one part for water and one part for air is advisable. If you fill all four parts with food with no place even for water, you are violating the rules for digestion! After having your lunch, rest for just ten minutes. That will help blood to circulate freely from your head to your toe. At night, after dinner, you must go for a walk. This is a sound routine for good health and to develop Sattvic nature.”
…Sathya Sai Baba, Divine Discourse, ‘My Dear Students’, Vol 2, Ch 2
“The main cause of cancer is refined sugar. The reason is that in the refining of sugar a lot of chemicals are added and one of these processing chemicals is bone-char. When you eat, it may get lodged in any part of the body and create problems. Eradicate sugar and you will eradicate cancer. Sugar encourages calcium losses and is sufficient to increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones in the urinary tract. In place of sugar, jaggery is a good substitute.
…Sathya Sai Baba’s Discourse, Jan. 3, 1994
“All that you eat, all that you see, all that you hear, all that you take in through the senses, make a dent on your health.”
…Sathya Sai Speaks Vol 2 Page 78
“…If we change our vision, we will experience peace. When people view the world with the vision of love, they will have peace. All diseases will be cured. Most diseases have their origin in the mind. Everything has a psychological basis. When a person feels that something is wrong with him, he develops an illness. A healthy mind is needed for a healthy body. But it is not enough to be physically healthy. Man needs God’s grace also. To acquire God’s grace, you have to cultivate the love of God. Love has become today a kind of show. Genuine love should emanate from the heart. Start the day with love, spend the day with love, end the day with love, that is the way to God. If you develop love, disease will not come near you.”
…Sanathana Sarathi 1995 Page 117
Why should we care for the essential upkeep of the human body? “The body is but a boat, an instrument for crossing the sea of births and deaths, that you have earned through the merits of many generations. Crossing the sea is to realise the Dweller, in the Dwelling. The purpose of the body (deha) is to realize the Indweller (Dehi). So even when the body is strong and skilled, the intellect is sharp and the mind alert, every effort must be made to seek the Indweller. So keep your body fit, strong and free from trouble. Just as the boat should be seaworthy, your body too should be fit for its purpose. You must take good care of it.”
…Sathya Sai Baba – Divine Discourse, Aug 3, 1966
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