Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji about physical exercise – April 11, 2011 – Hyderabad
Jaya Guru Datta
“Physical exercise is very important to balance with pranayama. With physical exercise your buddhi, intellect, and your concentration will improve. You may do walking. Also do without fail, the exercises taught by Swamiji himself during Kriya Yoga classes. It is mandatory. Without exception you must do. Do it with as much determination as possible. You are not doing this for body building, but for mind building. For attaining Jnana, spiritual knowledge, you need physical exercise.
For bhakti you try to decide which is better, Bhagavatam or Ramayana.
For Jnana you try to decide which Upanishad to follow.
For Karma you try to decide which mantra, which deity, which yajna.
All the above three will also sometimes lead to confusion.
The more physical exercise you do, the more mental benefit you derive.
You will get into lots of problems if you only sit and do work. If your hands hurt, you should also exercise your legs. If your legs hurt, you should exercise your hands also.
Do 40 pradakshinas around temple. Walk to the temple. At the Hanuman temple in Bangalore you should see. So many people do 40 rounds every day for 16 days when they tie the Purna Phala. It is so effective. Even poor people repeatedly do this austerity. That is the proof that it gives benefit.
Doing Surya Namaskara early in the morning is highly beneficial. All your limbs will benefit from it.
Swimming is great for all ages. Only those with Asthma should avoid it. Those who have asthma, be careful.
Meera Datta is an example. You all know Meera Datta. She is my daughter. My mother. Her mother introduced her to Swamiji. She was an atheist. She is now a great devotee. She wanted to retire. Swamiji told her “No.” He wanted her to reach a very high position in her career. Next to the Prime Minister. Swamiji gave her hope. His words came true. She became the Postal Chief. Third in line from the PM. She retired when Swamiji told her to. They offered her an extension. She declined. She built her own room at the ashrama. She moved toMysoreto stay there. She made financial arrangements so that she would not be a burden on Swamiji. But now she shuttles betweenMysoreandBangalore. She says, “I will do as you say.” But she is not ready to do so yet.
She cannot sit. She cannot stand up. The chair sometimes sticks to her. Not because of eating. It is a disease. Swamiji told her to go swimming. She said she was scared of even looking at water. She would simply die. Swamiji told her, “Okay. Die. “Now she swims. First she simply stood in waist deep water. Then she started taking steps while still in water. Now she swims. She feels so much relief. No pain.
I am telling Narayana Rao they should build a pool here. They said. “No water.” Whenever it is possible, you must swim. Even walking in water inside a swimming pool is sufficient. Take 50,100, 200, 1000 steps. Yes. Then, while in water, bend. Your knee pains will disappear. Slowly the coach will help you to learn swimming. All body pains will disappear.
For people in Andhra Pradesh this is a new eye opener. Now, for the first time.
Thousands of gopikas, 16,000 of them swam, looking forKrishna. All Kriya Yoga students must learn to swim. Swamiji himself will teach you swimming for three days. After that if you catch a cold, Swamiji is not responsible.”
Sri Guru Datta