101 THINGS TO DO
IN LIFE –NO.3
MODERATION & REGULARITY
“Athi sarvathra varjayeth”, is a popular Sanskrit quote which I used to hear very frequently in my childhood. This quote means that we must avoid extremes in every facet of our life.
Another ancient proverb in India says – even nectar, taken to excess, acts like poison.
Extremes and excesses, on either side of any facet of life, results in great suffering and unpredictable calamities.
Let’s see what some of the most illustrious, western thinkers feel, about moderation.
“If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please,” says Epictetus.
“The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom,“ says Plato
“The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom,” says Aristotle
Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide, says Marcus Tullius Cicero
“Moderation is the center wherein all philosophies, both human and divine, meet,” says Benjamin Disraeli. He also says that – “the choicest pleasures of life lie within the ring of moderation… there is moderation even in excess.”
Lord Krishna, in his Bhagavad Gita, emphasizes the principles of Regularity and Moderation as essential for avoidance of suffering, and for achieving happiness and health.
There is a distinctive quality to what Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita and also to what Christ says in Bible. Both are quintessential science. The science of Living.
Lord Krishna advocates that –
(i) in respect of food, sleep, exercise and entertainment – moderation is essential.
(ii) One should never exceed the limits of the body and,
(iii) On should eat appropriate food – food which is predominantly Saathvic in nature.
We must understand that Body can never withstand extremes and excesses of any kind. Its capabilities can be raised, of course, through gradual, time-bound processes, intelligently and diligently.
One step at a time – is the limit set by Nature, for man. How big is that one step – depends on how you raise your capabilities over time.
In general – we can lay down a few broad guidelines for our life :
Eight Principles for Food :
1. Eat good, clean, balanced, adequate food - as your body needs, in regular, timely spaces.
2. Stick to regular timings. Give the body time enough to digest the previously taken food. Your body gives you adequate signals, when it really needs food. Give it then.
3. Tongue is not the Guide to what stomach needs or to how much quantity it needs. Tongue is a safety valve not to send in, food of extreme tastes, extreme heat or chillness inside. Tongue should not decide either the timings or the quantity. When you find a thing in your mouth, which the tongue cannot bear – the best thing is to throw it out – not in. Many people gulp down a thing that tongue finds hard – and this is very, very wrong. Except in cases of medicines prescribed by Doctors – do not gulp in any thing that the tongue finds it hard to bear. In that sense, it is a great Safety valve.
4. Food is not a pastime. Do not keep food items with you always – just to spend time. Obesity problem is mainly the result of such wrong food habits.
5. Eat predominantly Saathvic Food. Fresh, natural foods, which are energy giving and good in taste, but which do not send you to sleep or intoxication – are generally called saathvic Food. To know more about them – readers can go to www.wisespiritualidead.blogspot.com (for articles on Guna thrayam).
6. Never Neglect any Health Problem – yours or of any member of your family. But, do not become paranoid about any such problem.
7. As a General Principle – what body creates, body can also cure. But, we do not still know why body creates certain diseases – and how body can cure them. But, this confidence in your body’s capabilities to cure – itself is an effective medicine in many cases.
8. If you are regular and moderate in food and keep a reasonably happy mind – your health is assured. Keep all these – but if a medication is needed, take it in initial stages and do not aggravate any small problem into a major health problem.
4 Principles for Water :
1. Drink clean water; neither too hot, nor too cold. Drink when thirsty. Drink water in small quantities at other times – as body needs water periodically.
2. Coffee, Tea, Fruit Juices etc are not substitutes for water. Exercise absolute moderation in drinking coffee, tea etc. In small quantities, they may be good. But, in larger quantities – they are bad. Fruit juices are more like food. Most of them are good, saathvic Food.
3. Intoxicating Drinks must be avoided totally – for the simple reason, that they compel you to exceed the limits of moderation, and are heavily habit forming. Their Bad effects are much more than any thing Good that they can do. They take away control over your life, from you, to them!
4. Even water – must be taken with moderation. Do not bloat your stomach with water.
4 Principles for Dress:
1. Eat to your taste, dress to others’ taste – says a popular quote. Ask your wife, husband, mother or father – whether your dress is OK. They are deeply interested in your welfare and are your best admirers. Take their advice.
2. The Essential purpose of Dress must never be forgotten. You must guard yourself from the vagaries of nature – protect from sun shine, chillness, dust, rains etc. We often find some people wearing dress suitable for the coldest climates, even in the hottest sun – and vice versa. This is unhygienic and must be avoided.
3. Maintain appropriateness and decency in public places. If you are meeting customers – it calls for a formal wear. If you are attending a meeting, it calls for another type of dress. If you are attending a Yoga class, it needs another type of dress. Dress suitably and correctly for each occasion. Your organization may prescribe a uniform dress – for certain purposes. All these are evolved as healthy principles over time. You must adhere to them.
4. Dresses should never be repulsive or sexually provocative – especially in public places. It is not correct for men and it is risky for women. Some women are especially rebellious in matters of Dress. Their indiscretions place other women also in danger. Our Freedom of Dress in public places must be LIMITED to what others can tolerate. There is no unlimited freedom of dress / undress in public places. It must be understood that certain types of woman’s dress can be sexually provocative and distractive to the majority of even very decent men. People can’t shift attention even from wall posters of women in such dresses, leave aside the live women passing by their side on roads. Many accidents are found to be due to such Posters. Therefore, Dress must be decent and un-distractive in public places. Recently- some women were indulging in public demonstrations saying almost like – “I will dress as I like – but, you must not look at me”. This is against human nature. The hormones will act. That is their nature. And when they act – their effect is felt some where. We find rapes, teasing etc – of even decent women – when this happens. Cause is some where – effect elsewhere. Even internet indecency is causing some of this. Therefore, decent dress in public must become the NORM. And, it applies to Men and women both.
4 Principles for Sleep :
1. We all need adequate sleep. 6 hours is generally accepted as minimum, though, children need an hour or two more. Sleeplessness interferes with your life through out the day, if you miss this minimum sleep.
2. Deep sleep does not care for comforts or appropriateness of the place. Body just stops listening to you any more. Even if a cobra or tiger sleeps by your side – you will not know – if you are in deep sleep. Actually, you don’t sleep by your conscious action. It is when conscious Action leaves you, that the goddess of sleep takes you into her arms. The trick therefore is to leave all conscious action aside – both physical and mental; leave aside all worries, all targets, all plans, all thoughts of your near and dear, all thoughts of your opponents (if any) – and then, sleep takes you over automatically.
3. Never ever sleep after seeing a violent, obscene, sexy movie or TV show. It can get into your sub-conscious mind and control your future habits and actions. Close your TV a full half an hour before you sleep. Perform a small prayer or a deep meditation for a few minutes – in which you seek the welfare of all, of you, of your health. The Sanskrit prayers of “Lokah samasthah sukhino Bhavanthu”, meaning, May all worlds be in happiness and comfort, or, “Sarve Janah sukhino Bhavanthu” meaning, May all people be in happiness and comfort – are good prayers at such times. There are also excellent meditations for relaxing all parts of your body and mind, and induce deep sleep into you. It all takes 5-10 minutes.
4. When you get up after a deep sleep, repeat a different prayer – to energize you for the day, to keep you joyful, to make you achieve your goals and so on. Never, ever, start the day with any obnoxious or violent TV program. It is also not that good to listen to or read news – especially, of violence, rapes, murders and so on early in the morning. The effect of a sound sleep will be gone.
4 Principles for Exercise :
1. Do not stand, sit, walk, run or be in any still position for a long time till body starts aching. Change positions periodically. Your abilities to do any thing will improve only gradually.
2. Any part of your body, which remains unused for a long time – may become UNUSABLE. Make sure that every part of your body is put to its proper use.
3. Proper exercise of the body parts is essential for health and happiness. Choose any exercise – but never overdo. Aerobics, swimming etc are wholesome exercises. It is up to you if your life’s aim is to become a Kung fu expert, or a world champion body builder or boxer. If such be the case – train under a proper coach.
4. Yogic exercises are particularly helpful for all body parts and are least risky or harmful compared to any others. Even in Yogic exercises – never overdo.
5 Principles for Recreation :
1. Let your recreation be within legal and ethical limits. Everyone exceeding these limits for recreation is a danger for some one else in the society. There are no recreations beyond legal and ethical limits – which do not harm some one or other – in the short term or long term.
2. Let your recreations be healthy for you. Let them not spoil your health. Intoxicating drinks or drugs are therefore not a recreation. Their attraction to you lies in how they take control over your brain. You are surrendering control over you from your self to them.
3. Let your recreations be with GOOD FRIENDS – who seek your welfare. For this reason – a gambling club is not a recreation place. A place of drug addiction is not a place of recreation. Humanity has developed so many sports, games, plays, hobbies etc – which are absolutely exhilarating, healthy and joy-giving. Most of them also make you more skilled, more friendly, and more lively. Go for any of them.
4. Yoga and Meditation – is an excellent form of recreation. It is an invaluable tool in achieving self control, happiness and health.
5. Let no recreation become your addiction – excluding from your life, all other essential things. Recreation is just that. It is an interlude – not the main or the only thing in life.
4 Other Principles of Moderation & Regulation :
1. Are there any areas where moderation is not required? Well. Almost none. Most of the time, you will know the limits when some thing hurts you badly. It is time to leave it.
2. What about Love. Fill your heart with Love. Give it freely to the deserving. It is wonderful. But, let it not overflow to the undeserving. Let not love interfere with your food, thirst, sleep, recreation, daily duties etc. Your love can make you very sick!
3. What about compassion. Ditto. Be compassionate. But, know your limits. Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, is very clear on some of these aspects. He says – feel friendly towards the successful (not jealousy or competitive); feel compassionate to the sorrowful (not friendly); feel happy when some one does a good deed (& may be you also do one); feel indifferent (not anger or enmity) towards people doing bad deeds. It does not mean tolerate bad deeds. Do what needs to be done – without anger or enmity possessing you.
4. What about Religion? Religion, carried to excess, has been the biggest cause of most wars, and most human strife. It is so – even today. Religion is YOUR personal communion with the almighty. You don’t need to change your neighbor to your belief system. His belief system is good enough for him. Most of the time – you just do not know if his system is better than yours or worse than yours. Try to know that well – before trying to change him to your belief system. This has been the single biggest cause of human strife.
At the end – we can say – that my limits of moderation may not always be yours and vice versa. Your limits depend on your progress, your skill set and your abilities. Eating 200 grams of rice or wheat may be my limits. Your limit may be 500 grams or more. But, fix your limits of moderation keeping in view the basic principles set out above. As earlier said, dress code – is some thing where it is not your sense of moderation that should rule – but of the others on the road, or in other public places.
There are other matters like what you talk, how you walk, what duties you undertake and so on. In all these things – moderation and regulation is the key to Happiness.
Do you want to be angry, jealous, greedy, proud, lusty, seething with enmity, violent – in moderation? Your mind is such that- it naturally drags you into them – at the slightest provocation. They don’t stay in any limits of moderation. It is like water always flowing downwards. Avoid them.
Your effort to avoid them totally will keep you in moderation!
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