Book Title: Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya Rajat Jayanti Mahotsava
Author(s): Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya Mumbai
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay
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SILVER JURILEE)
THE WAY TO LIVE IN PERFECT HEALTH
51
seeker should fully avail oneself of it. One should know how to relax the mind and the body as sound sleep to a great extent depends upon relaxation. The hours of sleep before midnight are more refreshing and invigorating than those after. Early retiring leads to regularity which is very desirable.
SERENITY AND POISE
As we have seen before, not only the body but the mind needs, its due activity and rest. Every one should learn how to avoid anger, lear, worry, excitement, hate, envy, jealousy. grief and all depressing or abnormal mental states. If we want to be really healthy our mental attitude should be healthy. A healthy mental attitude implies many elements, but they are all summed up in the word 'serenity'. Few other hygienic requirements are of greater importance than this. Moreover the attitude of health-mindedness should be striven for in order to have sound health. In short the health of the body and the health of the mind act and react on each other.
The basis of health is internal cleanliness, and to attain that, it is necessary to exercise self-control and moderation. Success in life means balance, poise, adjustment. We must adjust ourselves, so as to be in harmony with nature. Then one must exercise self-control to bring them in harmony again, for natural laws are no respectors of persons. If one disregards them often enough, consequences are harmful. We must realize our unity with nature, that we are governed by the same fixed laws that govern the rest of nature. Attempts to escape from their workings indicate lack of understanding. A seeker after good health, needs no medicine but to learn the art of living. Our bodies thrive when properly used but not when abused. It is necessary for our physical well-being to get air, sunshine, work and play in proper proportion. Physically, be moderate--Mentally, cultivate equanimity.
