THE PROPER APPROACH TO FITNESS
AND HEALTH FOR DEVOTEES 
Hari das dasa
Zac Laurent (IFAST)

 

In the Vedic scriptures it is said that we should try to do everything in sattva-guna or the mode of goodness. Unfortunately, when someone wants to try some “keep fit” training or martial art, they tend to go for something "dynamic" as this is what is most readily available on the market.

Aerobics, kung-fu, Karate, Circuit training etc., seem to be very good for the health and mind as well as exciting to do, but the fact of the matter is that these things are speeding up the heart rate dramatically and therefore making one breathe faster.  This is alright for a short term point of view, but in the long term, we will see heart strain, pulling of the tendons, muscle tension as well as breathing difficulties.

It is said that we have a certain amount of breaths to take in our lifetime, so we are pushing our luck by doing something that makes us breathe faster.
Not only that, we are not really breathing properly! We are breathing in allowing our chest to rise before our abdomen.  In this way we are only filling the top part of our lungs with vital oxygen needed for the body.  If you observe a baby you will note that their abdomen rises gently before their chest, and it is clear that they are filling the bases and well as the upper portion of their lungs. This is the natural way to breathe as it relaxes the whole body (thereby reducing pressure on the heart, lungs and other internal organs).

In the ancient traditions of Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Gung and Ba Gua Zhang, there are two fold techniques which enhance health as well as martial prowess.  It should be noted that the health aspects are extremely profound and do not just deal with the external body, but also with the mind and spirit.  The nature of the techniques increases mindfulness, concentration, focus and breathing effectiveness; as well as massaging the internal organs, thereby enabling them to rejuvenate and function more effectively.  It is also to be noted that there is an esoteric element to the internal martial arts training which works on a more subtle level-akin to the anapanasati and vipassana techniques used by Theravada Buddhists. This involves using the breath to first still the mind.  Once this is achieved, one can then go deeper into the body and mind and thereby seek out and analyze gross and subtle blockages.

In some books about chanting, devotees have mentioned the benefits of breathing deeply for a few minutes before doing the rounds.  This is recommended because the more oxygen we take into our body (if we breathe properly) the more our mind will RELAX; therefore a higher focus on attentiveness can be achieved.

The above is a very brief introduction and more articles will follow shortly.  The subject matter is quite vast and key concepts must be approached with emphasis on detail as this is a scientific process like Krsna consciousness.
Any questions or comments are most welcome.  I can be contacted by writing to zacifast@hotmail.com

Thank you.  Hare Krishna.