I've been thinking a lot about health and well-being lately. In part this is inspired by my own desire to become more healthful, in part it is inspired by intellectual musings on the eco-village I am researching, and the lifestyles of inhabitants there.
My husband pointed me to a program on BBC2 about fasting, which started by focusing on a 101-year old Indian man running a marathon. While much of the rest of the program made me very skeptical, that first image stayed with me, and I've been wondering about this man and his lifestyle ever since. Why? Because I'd like to know more about the kind of healthy lifestyle that allows a person to live that long and be in that good shape. Wouldn't we all? I mean, there is most likely some element of luck involved, but I had a feeling from the brief interview they conducted with him that it was much more about an approach to life. The relative running with him said that he always ate very small portions of food. Obviously he was taking care of his exercise as well by running a marathon. So in some ways, no surprises there. But actually I think in the midst of this running interview, the interviewer wasn't asking the right questions. So focused was he on the food and exercise, in a quite mechanical way (as evidenced by the types of studies he looked at in the rest of the program) that he probably missed what I think is a very important point.
The running man was wearing a turban and obviously hailed from the Sikh faith. From a quick look at wikipedia (font of all wisdom ;-)) I found this about the Sikh teachings:
The Sikh religion teaches that human life is very precious, described as more precious than a diamond, which comes after great spiritual deeds and merits are done, and Sikh teachings are filled with guidance on how one should conduct one's self in order to find peace in this life and unite with God.And also that:
The Sikh code of conduct strictly forbids the use of intoxicants, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, narcotics and any other foreign substance which disrupt the body; sexual relationship outside of marriage; consumption of sacrificial meat (Kutha meat) and cutting of hair.A mechanical view might consider that if the man was devout in his religion, not consuming intoxicants, drugs, alchohol etc, is likely to have had a significant effect on his health and longevity. But I think the first point is also very significant, that of considering human life precious and trying to live in such a way that brings peace to the self and others. Since stress is probably the number one cause of death, all things considered, putting finding peace at the core of one's goals is likely to have a massively positive effect. I read that:
Sikhism believes in the concept of a human Soul; (Self (spirituality) or consciousness or spirit or astral body)Sikhs believe they can unite and become one with God in this life (Gurmukh), as the consciousness merges with God (Supreme Consciousness) through truthful living and actions and is only a matter of realization. Sikhs always greet each other with the words "Sat Sri Akaal" which literally means "Truth is Time-less being". Truth, truthful living, equality, freedom and justice are the core principles of Sikh philosophy. And this makes me think again of the eco-village and of how people are trying to live in a truthful way, trying to remove some of the elements of modern living that discord strongly with their beliefs and desires. In another similarity between the eco-villagers and Sikhs,
Sikhs are not required to renounce the world. They aspire to live the life of a householder. Seva(selfless service) is an integral part of Sikh worship, observed in the gurdwara. Visitors of any religious or socio-economic background are welcomed, where langar(food for all) is always served to people of all origins, the same (vegetarian) food, while sitting together on the same level of the floor.And so, I continue to play with the idea that it is not just what you eat and how much activity your body gets. Obviously both of these things are important, but I think in order both to be able to effectively manage and improve on those things, a philosophical approach is beneficial. Such an approach would consider that life, and the living body, the self, are precious gifts that connect us to 'god', in the sense that god is in everything, our selves included. Such an approach would mean that we treat our selves with care and respect, that we consider the outcomes of our actions on our bodies as well as our minds and our souls. It means looking outwards as well as inwards, as in the Sikh policy of serving the same food to people of all origins and beliefs, while sitting at the same level as everyone else. I think too, that perhaps the vegetarian aspect of the food is also significant, in the sense that it is saying that the life of animals is also sacred. On this final point I have been pondering a lot. Vegetarianism is something I have thought about a great deal. Today I decided to draw upon the great journal access I have as part of the university and read up on the connections between vegetarianism and health. I'll save my findings for another post, and instead leave on the idea of living a truthful, egalitarian, just and peaceful life in which the self is cared for so that care can be bestowed on others.
