Every Body Must Work

“If you were trapped on a dessert island…” so goes the classic, “what would you choose…” question; and I would indeed select yoga as my only form of physical activity or exercise (though that is not to suggest that yoga is a form of exercise!). The complete and total processes of the practise cover more than all other disciplines combined; as discussed in "What Is Yoga?"

Thankfully, today we are very rarely in a situation when we would have to be so categorical. It is true that we are all uniquely individual; and each person must always be encouraged to explore that which best suits their own wants and needs.

The basic, fundamental truth and principle is that our bodies are brilliantly designed to move in many different ways. If you look at the anatomical form of the human body it becomes difficult to question the influence of Divinity; each and every aspect of this vehicle has been designed to perfection, able to perform any number of specific tasks in the simplest and most efficient ways.

Consider that we are made up of 70/80/90% water! When water stagnates it becomes putrid and stale. Leave a glass of water by your bed for 2 days before drinking it if you doubt this fact. When rivers flow, water is filtered and energized and becomes the life force of everything it comes into contact with. We simply must move our bodies in order to maintain health and wellbeing.

Yet people often seem to fall into one of two traps; doing to little or doing too much! The mantra of this book is moderation. It’s simple…

We drive instead of walking. How often do you take your car on journeys under 2 miles?
We have remote controls for our television sets…
We watch hours of television… in comfortable chairs, slouching our spine.
We take escalators up single flights of stairs.
Drive-Ins, microwaves…
We cut corners every opportunity and call these modern tools of laziness progress!

Whatever the example - without taking offence - ask yourself right now, how many short cuts you have taken today to save time or effort? “Yes but…” I hear you say. We are indeed busy, it does indeed rain. But if there was one single moment where you could have moved but chose not too you have missed an opportunity to work your body as it were intended to be worked. The cumulative effect of an underused body is one that is sluggish and weak; prone to sickness and disease.

The alternative?

Get to the gym! Monday morning! 1st of the month! This is it! Now I’m doing it! Feeling tired, fat, hung-over, guilty… 100 repetitions at the double! Ouch! My back hurts!

The point of exercise is to bring health to the whole; both inside and out. Inclined to see only that which is reflected in the mirror, we often fail to connect to our internal body. Exercise (movement) massages and tones our vital organs, cleansing and purifying them so that they may perform there life giving functions. We must encourage strength and flexibility through regular and consistent practise; not by beating ourselves into submission through sporadic attempts to right what once went wrong. Over exerting ourselves in this way places strain on every aspect of our body; bones, joints, muscles, the spine, the heart..!

My father has always been a keen runner. As a child I was allowed to keep his medals in a box in my room and I remember them fondly as one of my most treasured possessions. Aged 55, overweight and struggling with arthritic pain he took it upon himself to get back in shape. And sure enough; with no warm-up and no warm-down, he ran himself into agony and disillusionment.

When I visited the family home I asked him about this. He was desperate to shed some weight, fully aware that his health was beginning to show signs of deterioration. He was scared; the family livelihood dependent upon his being able to run the shop, especially at this time with Mum’s ongoing ill-health.

“Where were you running?” I asked.
“The lanes around the village”, he said. “They’re beautiful in the morning, I took it as a time of prayer and it brought me great comfort”.
“Why don’t we walk?” I offered.

The next day, 5:30am, we set off together to waken body and mind in a calm, composed and productive manner. We walked, breathed, rolled our shoulders up-back-and-down. We took in the magnificent beauty of the surrounding farmland and in our own ways, gave thanks for the dawning of a new day. Taking 5 minutes to stretch at the end of our circuit, Dad set about his days work with renewed vigour and vitality. Over the next few days we added a little pace, the occasional burst of energy and more stretching. Dad has now established a routine that suits his needs and makes him feel great.

Starting the day in this way lays a solid foundation built on respect and good common-sense. Modern living habits seem to dictate that we should leap out of bed into showers, tea, toast and work. We are not robots! Throughout the night ours bodies have been resting and our cells dehydrating.

Would you start your car on a cold winters morning and put pedal the floor from the off? Or would good ownership and a sense of preservation dictate that you leave the engine a warm through a little, setting off slowly until you were sure everything was in order?

Be gentle with yourself as you rouse from your slumber. Take a moment to connect with your body and mind before heading off into the day. You will see how this makes sense if you try it for a while. Setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier could allow for a stretch, a glass of water and a moment to consider you actions before doing them. Clear minds make less mistakes saving time throughout the day.

There are infinite forms of exercise available today, each with their own merit. As this book is primarily concerned with the restoration and maintenance of health from the view of those that have lost it; the following is a list of forms that offer little chance of injury, and can be enjoyed on some level by most people, regardless of their current physical condition. It is not necessary to wear yourself out. We are looking to cleanse and revitalize the body, gently massaging and stimulating the internal organs. Building slowly lays firm foundations that bring lasting strength.

Yoga - Said it once, said it a thousand times, yoga is complete and perfect in every way and is abundantly available across the planet. My parents live in a village of less than 1000 people yet they offer a full and varied weekly timetable at the community hall. There is nearly always a beginners class, and besides, a good instructor will be able to cater for mixed levels of experience simultaneously. If you are intimidated by the ability of others, a great way to introduce yourself to yoga is to look out for a beginners course following a specific programme of integration that can lead you to a point where you feel confident to join in with a regular class.

Walking - Difficult to find an excuse here! No fees, no contracts, no complicated equipment. Put on a decent pair of shoes and head out of your house. Get creative. Head off in a direction and see where you end up. Be it 5 minutes around the block, half and hour to the shops and back, a saunter around the local park. If you are very immobile simply get outside and touch the earth with your feet. Walking moves the entire body through a gentle range of motions, encouraging smooth and even breathing. Walking is very meditative in that it quickly brings you into a space of quiet observation of yourself and your surroundings. Feel each part of the foot as you roll from heel to toe. Enjoy the fluidity of motion as your arms and legs begin to sway with each other, creating balance and coordination. Keep the head and neck soft, almost floating, as you take in what is around you. Breath. You may well find that in a very short time you can build up momentum and speed, almost be accident! The fit and strong can head out for an entire morning, afternoon or the whole day. There are treks and trails everywhere. Get online, buy a guide book, go explore! Using some common sense (and following professional advice when necessary) means you always prepare according to your route. Dressing for the weather, taking snacks and water etc should not have to be explained. Use your head as well as your feet to avoid difficult situations.

Swimming - Or simply getting in the water. Even the most physically impaired will receive great benefit from being submersed in water. Swimming offers a complete and total workout, utilizing every single part of the body; providing resistance without any potentially damaging impact. In water we become light so aching joints and muscles can be moved with greater ease. Walking across the width of the shallow end might be enough for some - you don’t even need to know how to swim! By holding onto the sides of the pool you can ‘cycle’ your legs to stimulate blood flow and lymph. If you are an able swimmer - remember my Dad’s running experience before you set off at world record pace! The intrinsic beauty of swimming is that it is completely without impact on the body, so try not to create any by over exerting yourself. You’ll soon know if you are when your breath becomes strained or your neck (especially between the shoulder blades) becomes tense, stiff or sore. Don’t be afraid to rest in between lengths. Use this time to stretch open your body.

Exercise will obviously raise the heart rate, but that doesn’t mean it has to race. Pressure felt in your eyes, ears, face, chest etc means that the heart is taking strain. It in imperative to maintain a steady, smooth breathing pattern. Learn to differentiate between pushing your boundaries and going too far. You should feel good after your exercise, not knackered and fearful of your next session. Cultivate a sense of peaceful, productive joy in your chosen discipline(s) and watch it grow with time and compassion.