A Gym for The Soul

While we are relentlessly hitting the gym, trying to match our biceps with the likes of John Abraham or Hugh Jackman, it would be fitting to say fitness for the soul also deserves a front seat alongside the ‘body’. There has been much talk about how we can keep our body fit, get shining six packs, rippling biceps and triceps and what not. There is a whole plethora of magazines just talking about diet plans, things to eat, and eatables to avoid. Actually, fitness in a broad sense covers both the soul and the body. Nevertheless, I make an exception and skip the body for the fitness gurus and come directly to the soul. Yes, I will give you a diet chart for your soul, a balanced diet of thoughts, emotions, expressions, actions and reactions.

First, I will get rid of the word ‘soul’, because in the 21st century no one believes there is actually a soul inside our bodies, let’s choose a similar word which will be more generic and understood by all, like ‘conscience’ or ‘pith’ of the body or just plainly ‘mind’. In the lifestyle we live in, we feed our bodies with nutritious food, but our soul with the most impious, unworthy and vulgar thoughts. Our newspapers and TV shows are full of cheap humor and vulgar comments, our movies cross the line of sanity every now and then. Our language rots by the day, we lose our temper over little things, we fight for things we do not want, our relations are getting weaker and weaker, our principles falling like a house of cards under the weight of corruption we do with ourselves and the lies we tell our conscience. I plead, do not mistake me for a critic or a 19th century Indian born in 21st century by mistake; I am just a human being, who feels sorry for the future generation who will never know chivalry, modesty, purity of thought and peace of mind.

The problem lies not on the outside, but inside us. Just like the body our mind needs to be healthy too, and for that it needs regular nourishment; but unlike the body it doesn’t grow but it will definitely show. By nourishment for the mind I simply mean that we must supply our mind with soothing music, good literature, polite conversations and a healthy lifestyle. I again emphasize on the fact that “a healthy mind rests in a healthy body”, but if you read the quote carefully he end result is a ‘healthy mind’, the prerequisite for which is a ‘healthy body’. Our ultimate target is a healthy mind which is tranquil, pure and undisturbed. In our fast lives, we care very less for our bodies and the least for our minds. This is the reason for new diseases like migraine etc. which were unknown to our ancestors because they always nourished their mind regularly.Practices like meditation, reading scriptures help connect ourselves with our soul and give great insights.

 The road to the complete fitness might begin at the gymnasium for some but it always ends at the library. For those who do not have enough time to engage in reading nourishing literature, there are multitudes of audio books. The only motive is to be motivated and happy and be soulful. Soul is as important as the body, rather more important considering the times we are living in today. If everyone was more concerned and worried of what they feed their soul more than what they feed their bodies, we would be living in a different world today.

Mayank Mishra

Passionate about writing, encaptivated by the magic of words. Writes poetry , short stories, articles etc. Very friendly in nature.

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