Destiny

If there is anything people tend to blame for their spiritual progress-it is destiny. It is one of the topics that the mind is widely used upon. Luck, fortune, fate are the synonyms for destiny.

To think that we are bound by our destiny, which cannot be changed, is the doctrine of fatalism. This is how the “fatalism” is defined:

1. Doctrine of fate: The philosophical doctrine according to which all events are fated to happen, so that human beings cannot change their destinies.

2. Belief in all-powerful fate: The belief that people are powerless against fate.

3. Feeling of powerlessness against fate: An attitude of resignation and passivity that results from the belief that people are helpless against fate.

Let us analyze whether this concept of fatalism is correct or not. First of all, let us understand what destiny is:

 “The actions we performed in our past lives become our destiny in this life.” In other words, destiny is not something that has come down from the heavens or a horoscope chart that is revealed to us by astrologers. We have created our destiny ourselves by actions in past births. This means that we performed actions with our free will in past lifetimes.

Now, we shall use the technique of “Reductio ad absurdum” to disprove fatalism. This is a technique where the statement to be disproved is accepted in the premise. It is then shown to lead to a logical inconsistency.

Let us start with the premise that everything is predestined.

- If we are bound by destiny in this life, and cannot perform actions by our own volition, this rule must apply to our past lives as well. It would mean that in past lives too we were bound by destiny, for the rule must be the same in all lives.

- But if in each life we were bound by destiny, then in which life did we perform independent actions that created that destiny?

- And if in no past life we performed actions with our free will, then how was destiny created?

- Again, if we did actions with our free will in any past life, we can do them now as well.

Thus, we see the premise that everything is predestined, leads to a logical absurdity and is disproved. The scriptures say that it is lazy people who blame destiny for their substandard achievements:

 “While working, don’t bring destiny into your mind, or it will make you lazy.” If you do, you will start running to astrologers to know what your destiny is, rather than focusing on performing your work properly.

It is a fact that there is an element of destiny in our lives. However, we also possess the freedom to act as we wish in the present. This is called purusharth, or the work we do in the present, by using our freedom of choice. The example is given of a game of cards. The hand that is dealt to a person gets fixed; it cannot be changed. But how one plays with the cards is not fixed. If someone is a good player, he or she may win even with bad cards, while if someone is a bad player, he or she may lose even with good cards.

Similarly, if you were destined to win a jackpot of a million dollars, you will win it. But beyond that it is your self-effort. If you work hard, you could multiply it into ten million dollars, and if you develop profligate habits, you could squander it away in drinking and gambling. That would not be decided by destiny; that would be your own purusharth, or self-effort.

Hyperacidity

To break down the nutrients and kill the harmful particles engulfed with the food in the stomach, there are some glands which secrete acid. The proportion of acid secretion depends on various conditions like irregular food habits, the type of food taken, vagaries of time and sensual over indulgence etc. Taking too much of fast food, pungent food, sour food, too much of tea, coffee, alcohol, or certain chemical drugs like pain-relieving and anti arthritic drugs cause more secretion of the acid. Regular over secretion of the acid due to the above reasons; the mucous membrane of the stomach which protects the abdominal wall from the acid gets challenged thus causing pain and discomfort. This state is called hyperacidity or Amla Pitta as said in Ayurveda.

Remedies

Avoid acid producing foods like pungent, salty, hot, sour, dry ones and alcohol etc. and mental imbalances like anger, fear etc should be controlled.

Adhere to milk diet for several weeks, and drink warm water. The milk dose should be increased slowly to get digested well.

Don’t over eat; take moderate meals three times a day instead and even excess intake of sweets should be avoided since it helps to secrete.

Take pitta pacifying diet which contains bitter and astringent taste.

The best treatment is to have a glass of milk with two teaspoon of ghee in it. This should be taken either as dinner or after two hours of light dinner. This can also be taken as breakfast.

Avipattika choorna should be taken 3-6 grams with water before or during the meal.

Butter milk and fresh cereals should be avoided.

Coconut water is good in this condition. One spoonful of amla (emblica officinalis/Indian gooseberry), in powder form, should be taken, with lukewarm water, twice a day.

Adapt Natural Way to Live Healthy

Nature has given us a lot in the form of various plants. The natural food has enough vitamins, minerals and the other nutrients needed for us. Pulses, nuts, seeds, grains, leafy vegetables and other vegetables as well as fruits are sufficient to fulfill our bodily requirements.

To see all these, there is no need to have non-vegetarian items. Even our anal canal has not been designed in that way. Our intestine is 2-3 times more in length when compared to the flesh eating animal. It is since the flesh putrefies very soon.

And the natural environment with open air, greenery all around us, that is really health giving. Morning walk in such places; doing asans, pranayam and meditation in the morning or at the dusk are no less freshening activities instead to hang around the club house or cinema or television.

Almost everything that we need we have on this earth planet. But what matters is that we have spoiled our habits. We have the habits of eating fried and fast food, drinking, not so soft, soft drinks. We have forgotten the proverb: early to bed and early to rise. “Late to bed and late to rise”, has been or newly formed dictum.

Applying the natural lifestyle is the only way to gain and preserve a good health. A use of medicine is not the way to health. Medicines only suppress the problem which comes up again in another form. That’s the reason why people get attached to the hospitals once they start it.    

Yog as a Universal Religion

   You might consider Yog as a particular religion. However, it is a universal religion for all the sects of people from the world. It preaches guiding principles for healthy and pious living, positive attitudes, study of sacred texts, and communion with the Supreme God. Although some branches of Yog might seem more religious or mystical. Be clear that Yog itself is not any religion.

   Yog as a universal religion in itself is open to all cultures and religions. It encourages you to understand and respect all religious and spiritual texts so that you understand yourself and others in positive and deeper ways. Yog is never biased, prejudiced, or exclusive. So, in order to have the opportunity of Yog practice, you need not be a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew, but you may be from any of sects. Whichever religion you have been following since your birth, Yog will certainly help you to reveal your spiritual potential.

Yog for All Ailments !

The word "Yog" has come from the Sanskrit word "yuj," which means "to unite or integrate." Although Yog seems to be physical exercises, it is also a lifestyle practice for training your mind, body, and breath. This helps in connecting you with your spirituality. Yog brings about the union between you (soul) and the Creator (Super soul) in order to offer you enlightenment, viz. God realization or attainment of permanent bliss.

Yog has tons of benefits. It is helpful in mitigating stress, which is perhaps the biggest common enemy of man in today’s world.  Without doubt, Children are not exempted from this frightening curse. Provided such a situation, Yog is certainly a very good option for the young and the old to obtain a healthy mind in a healthy body, which is the essence of life itself.  Yog can yoke your body, breath, and mind to help you balance the physical, mental, and spiritual elements in day to day life.   

Yog is a way of life that helps you attain not only physical comfort and mental balance, but also spiritual elevation. Yogasans have manifold aims. They can be used as a means to prepare students for spiritual practices. Next they help incorporate the body, mind, and spirit. Most essential role of them is the natural healing nature to cure many diseases, which are even taken as incurable. With its regular practice you can gain flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. For the same reason, many people practice Yog to keep away their anxiety, stress, diseases, and different bodily problems. Of course the regular practice of Yog improves your mental clarity, boosts up your digestions, helps you have a sound sleep, and so on.

Importance of Milk in Diet

Balanced diet is that common topic which almost everybody has heard of. Our body needs the nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats along with vitamins and minerals.

To provide the carbohydrates there are cereals and for the proteins there are nuts and pulses. In the same way there are oils and dairy items to provide us with fats as well.

 Green vegetables, fruits and other veg. items render sufficient minerals and vitamins necessary for our body maintenance.

Another source of proteins is dairy products. These proteins from the dairy products are easily digestible than other proteins from plant sources.

The function of the protein is to handle the wear and tear in the body. Thus to maintain the good proportion of fleshes and other tissues proteins are required in sufficient quantity.

Especially after one falls ill, it requires easily digestible proteins to recover soon since he has to rebuild the tissues in the body. During this period milk and milk products are the most for the vegetarians. Without which it is almost impossible to get well.

There was an instance from Gandhiji himself. He had taken a vow that he will not take milk products. Once he fell ill and could not recover. Doctors recommend him to take milk but he denied due to his vows. One of his doctor friends urged him to take milk with the logic that at the time of vows there might be cows or buffalo’s milk in his mind so the goat’s milk could be taken.

Thought he knew that it was just to save the cover, he took goats milk and got well soon. Since then he accepted the importance milk and included it to the diet.

Gandhiji’s Views on Health

From the point of view of Naturopathy health means:

 Body ease

 Free from all diseases

 Carries his normal activities without fatigue

Able to walk 10-12 miles a day with ease

Perform ordinary physical labor without getting tired

Can digest ordinary simple food

Mind and senses are at the state of harmony and poise

To have the above qualities of health it is necessary to have knowledge of human body. Only research worker may be able to tell something, only something, about what kind of education was prevalent in previous times.

The human body is composed of five elements what the ancient philosophers believed to have. These are earth, water, vacancy, light and air. 

All human activities are carried out by mind aided by ten senses: five senses of action – hands, feet, mouth, anus and the genitals; and five sense of perception – touch through skin, taste through tongue, smell through nose, seeing through the eyes and hearing through the ears. Thinking is the function of the mind and some people have called it the eleventh sense. In health all these senses with mind act in perfect coordination.

The human body is the universe in miniature. That which cannot be found in the body cannot found in the universe. Hence the philosophers formula, that the universe within reflects the universe without. It follows therefore that if our knowledge of our own body could be perfect we would know the universe. But even the very best of the doctors, vaids and hakims have not been able to acquire it. It will be presumptuous for a layman to aspire it. No instrument has been discovered yet to give us any information of our mind.

Scientists have given attractive descriptions of the activities going on within and without the body, but no one can say what sets the wheel going. Who can explain the why and wherefore of death or foretell its time? After infinite reading and writing, after infinite experiences he has come to know how little he knows.

All the part working in harmony is required for smooth function of the machine. Even a disorder in a single part brings it to stop. For instance; if the digestion is out of order, the whole body becomes slack. Therefore, he who takes indigestion and constipation lightly does not know the a-b-c of the rules of health. These two are the root cause of innumerable ailments.

The present education system leaves us totally oblivion of our body system. Our knowledge of our own village and our fields shares a similar fate. On the other hand we are taught about the things that have no bearing on our daily life. This knowledge is also required but at first we must know of our body, our house, surroundings, the crops and its history before all.