Unit 2
Understanding Harmony in the Human Being - Harmony in Myself
Humans though they appear to be one entity in nature, they are a kind of composite entity, which means they appear as a whole but in reality, they are composed of parts. Humans may be understood as a composition of various parts, looking from various point of view. One of the broader points of view suggest, Human are made of two parts the 'self' or 'I' and the body. The human being is the co-existence of self and the body, and there is exchange of information between 'I' and body. This indicates the 'Self' or 'I' and ' Body' are related to each.
The sentient part of humans is the “I” or “Self”, the “I” has no physical form, and it represents the human consciousness. The “I” is very important because, this is what makes a human different from any other inanimate entity of this world. The 'self ' or 'I' may be seen as the driving life force, which gives us the ability to think, to have an identity of our own, it gives us the ability to relate ourselves with others and the world, and also provides the ability to distinguish ourselves from others and the world. The 'self' represents our consciousness, which is responsible for what we think, how we think, how we argue and how we distinguish one thing from the other. The 'self' or 'I' is what creates desires and aspirations in us, it is what decides what makes us happy and what makes us unhappy. It is the sentient 'I' which cautious us of impending dangers and gives us the ability to think defensive measures. It is the 'self' which recognises if the humans are in some troubles and tries to take counter measures, to protect the individual. Thus, we can see how important “self” or “I” is for the existence of humans. But in spite of its vital role, it has no power to execute them without the help of the other part which is the “body”.
The “body” is the second constituent part of the human existence. The “body” represents our physical form or the material human body, made of flesh and bones. The “body” is a complex bio-chemical structure, composed of various material parts. The “body” is what gives human a physical hold in world and a physical identify. The “body” gives us the ability to perform various physical activities, like running, jumping, various kinds of physical works. The “self” or “I” may deploy counter defensive mechanism in a distress situation, but it the “body” which in actuality performs these defensive mechanisms to protect ourselves and our identity.
Both the “self” or “I” and the “body” are equally important constituent parts of human existence. They are equally important because the one cannot exist without the other neither it can do anything alone. Whatever humans do, whatever they do it is always a combined effort of both the “self” and “body”. In many of the ancient religions of the world like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, etc the concept of “Atma” or the “self” and “Sharir” or the “Body” is found. For example, according to ancient Hindu text “Yajurveda” human body is composite structure made of five elements, namely earth, water, air, sky and fire. It also states that this composite body is governed by consciousness “Jiva” or what we now understand as the “self” or “I”. Thus, for the harmonious existence of a human, proper balanced co-existence between the “self” and “body” is required.
The above diagram gives us a pictorial representation of how the Human existence is a co-existence of the “self” and the “body”, while they co-exist, they share information. Both the “self” and the “body” has it’ needs, here we will discuss what are needs of the “self” and the “body”, how their needs are different, and how they work together to help each other fulfil their needs.
The need of “Self” or “I” is basically happiness or “Sukh”. The main and primary need of the “self” is happiness, everything “self” does or plans to do is for happiness. Happiness is a sensation, which is derived from the feelings of love, respect, care, trust, fellow - feeling, brotherhood. When people care for us, we feel happy, when people respect us, we feel have, we feel happy when someone keeps our trust. When someone shows us brotherhood, we also feel happy. Thus, we derive happiness from these emotions. This happiness or “sukh” is the driving force behind the “self” or “I”. The “self” is in continuous struggle to acquire happiness, which it tries to get by getting into various relationship of trust, love, care etc, with our family, friends and acquaintances. The need of the “self” is something continuous and is not temporary. The “self” is always looking for “sukh” or happiness, irrespective of time, it never stops this pursuit of happiness. The needs of the “self” are fulfilled by right understanding and right feeling among our relationships. Right understanding and harmony in our relationship with our own selves, family, society and Nature, fulfils the needs of the “self”. The needs of the “self” are first recognized by thinking, then assuming, and then desiring. The desires of the “self” is what forms the main crux of the needs of the “self”. The “self” may have various desires upon the fulfilment of these desires, the “self” thinks it will be in a state of “sukh” or happiness. The needs of the “self” is qualitative in nature, which it has nothing to with quantitative measure, it focuses more on the quality of the needs. The needs of the “self” are non-materialistic or abstract in nature, the needs have no physical form but are like feelings and sensation which are very important to keep the self in state of satisfaction and bliss.
The needs of the “body” are physical facilities or “suvidhas”. The body is a complex physical structure made of muscles and bones, so it has some physical needs to maintain its proper shape, structure, strength and durability. The needs of the “body” are mainly food, clothing and shelter. But unlike the “self” the needs of the “body” are not continuous, but rather periodic in form. For example, we don’t keep eating food continuously, but rather wait till our body feels hungry again when the previously consumed food is totally burned to procedure energy. Unlike the needs of the “self”, the needs of the “body” is quantitative in nature. For example, the quantity of food required by an adult person will be more than the quantity of food needed by a child. The needs of the “body” are first recognised and are the fulfilled by various physical activities. Like the body gathers food and eats it to satisfy its hunger, the “body” needs to take shelter to protect the skin and organs from the elements of nature. The “body” fulfils it’s need of protection and similar members by expanding its identity, by the process of reproduction. The needs of the “body” stimulate the “self” to bend its desires accordingly. For example, the “self” may desire to be powerful, which is induced by the body's need of physical protection. But unlike the non-materialistic needs of the “self”, the needs of the “body” are materialistic and physiochemical in nature. Both “sukh” and “suvidha” are designed in such a way they complement each other, both the “self” and “body” have needs which not only satisfy themselves but also helps in the fulfilment of the needs of each other.
A human is a composite of the “self” and the “body”. The “body” is the physical frame made of bones, muscles and skin, but without the “self” the “body” has no use, it becomes like a dead person. All the thinking, assuming, planning, desiring is done by the “self” while the body executes these plans and desires physically. It can be compared to a puppeteer pulling the strings to make the puppet dance, though the act of dancing is executed by the puppet, but it’s every move is due to strings being pulled by the puppeteer. Similar is the case here, the body moves, behaves, acts just as the “self” plans and desires. A very good example of the body being useless with the “self” is when a person is in the state of coma , many of us are aware people sometimes enter a State of coma due to some physical or mental trauma, in that state though the person is alive, due to the absence of the consciousness or the “self” the body is unable to do any work , it lies like a lifeless vegetable.
We will discuss here what do we actually mean when we 'body' is the instrument of the “self”. Just like the puppet in puppet show, the body does everything but the actual doer, seer or enjoyer is the “self”. Though the act of seeing, doing or enjoying is physically executed by the body, it is actually the “self” seeing, doing and enjoying. What do we actually mean, when we say “I” is the seer? For example, if we are watching a television, we are seeing the images on the television, listening to the sound and music, but we enjoy only when we understand what we are seeing. Thus, while watching a television or anything the actual seer is the “self” who desires to watch the television, who understand what is being shown on the television, and enjoys it. Therefore, in the act of watching the television, the “self” or “I” is the actual seer which sees through the medium of our physical eyes. If the “self” was not available, all the information received by our optic nerve would be useless and meaningless. This can be well understood with an example, for instance we watch a news channel where the news is being read in a language unknown to us, we won’t understand what is being shown and nothing will make sense to us. In this case the eyes are receiving the images and the ears are receiving the sounds they are sending the information to our conscious mind, but since the particular language is not known to us, the “self” is unable to recognise it and thus makes no sense to us.
Similar is the case when we say “I” is the doer, the hands and legs are just the medium through which the “self” or “I” person what it desires to do. When we say “I” is the enjoyer, it means when we say we are enjoying something it is not the body which is enjoying, it is the “self” who is enjoying the feeling. For example, when we say we enjoy eating French fries, it is not the body which enjoys the taste, it is our “self” which prefers that taste, and it realises that taste by the act of chewing without our mouth and feels the taste on our tongue. Thus, by now it must have been clear how the “self” or “I” uses the body as instruments to perform various activities. But the “body” is also important part of the existence, since without it the conscious “self” won’t be able to perform any action nor fulfil any desire.
The “body” is only capable of two responses, recognition and fulfilment, but the “self” or “I” is also capable of multiple functions like knowing, assuming, recognition and fulfilment. For example, when our hand goes near fire or a hot object our hand automatically retracts back or moves back to protect itself. This happens because the “body “knows that fire or heat is harmful, it recognises the fire and fulfils the action of withdrawing the hand. But the “I” or “self” can do more than just recognition and fulfilment. The 'I' or 'self' is capable of knowing, which means if there is a fire burning, the “body” only recognises it as a source of heat, but the “self” is capable of knowing through the medium of eyes, what is the source of the heat, how the fire is burning, where the fire is burning. This act of knowing by the “self” induces another function of assuming, which is also done by the “self”. When the “self” knows why the fire is burning, how is it burning, then the “self” starts assuming is the fire harmful in that situation or can it can be used for something else.
For example, the “body” is not able to distinguish between the fire in cooking stove and the fire of a burning house. But the “self” through its activities of knowing, assuming will be able to differentiate between the fire of the two different scenarios. While the “body” will try to retract from both the fires, the “self” will use the fire of the cooking stove to cook food and will retract from the fire of the burning house. To make it more clear with another example we may take the instance of a vaccine injection. For example, when the “body” feels a pointed object like a needle on the skin, it recognises the object and fulfils the action of retracting the hand. But when the “self” sees the needle on the head of a vaccine syringe, the “self” knows it’s not just a regular needle but a vaccine injection, then it assumes that since the doctor is coming with that injection towards the hand it will be pierced into the skin for medical purpose and there will be some pain, this time the “self” stops the hand from retracting even when the needle is pierced. This happened because the “self” first recognised, then thought about it, assumed the outcomes and then led towards the fulfilment of the action. This is how the activities of the “self” take place.
The characteristics of “I” or “self” include desire, thought and expectations. These characteristics of the “self” are realised by various activities of “I” like imaging, analysing, selecting or testing. For example, if the “self “desires to be a respectable rich man, the “self” initiates the desire by the activity of imaging. Here the “self” starts forming images in the mind about being respectable and rich. Whatever the desires may be, the “self” through the activity to imaging and imagination tires to paint a picture of the situation when the desire will be fulfilled. After the activity of imagination come the activity of thinking, the “self “thinks about the desire how to fulfil it in what way. Then comes the activity of analysis, the “self” analyses whatever thoughts it got about the desires. Once the analysis is done the “self” starts assuming about the possible outcomes. Then based on the assumptions and analysis the “self” makes some expectations.
Now we need to understand what is harmony in “I” or “self”. ‘Self’ or 'I' have certain basic aspirations. To fulfil these aspirations, “self” develops some desires. The desire of the ' self ' is followed by various activities like imaging, imagination, thinking, analysis, assuming and finally expectation. After the “self” has formed some expectations it stars to execute the desire through the medium of the body, and when the practical outcome of the plan matches the expectations formed by the “self”, a state of harmony in the “self” or “I” is achieved. On the contrary if the expectations don’t match the final outcome of the plan, then the desire is not fulfilled and the harmony in “self” or “I” is not achieved.
Our body is a composite structure made of the “self” or 'I' and the “body”. The “self” uses the “body” as an instrument to execute its various plans and desires. Therefore, if the instrument through which the “self” carries out its plans and desires is hampered in some way or other, it will in turn disrupt the desires and plans of the “self”. Thus, it is very important that the “body” remains in a healthy harmonious condition, then only both the “self” and “body “will be able to co-exist in harmony too. The human body is a self-organised unit with a highly sophisticated mechanism. It is made up of several organs such as the heart, lungs, etc and various glands, all of these work in a close co-ordinated, well balanced manner.
The body is made up of cells and each cell of the body has a role to play in the overall working of the body. Each cell is self-organised and participates in the self-organization of the body as a whole. All the activities in the body keep the body fit and ready, so that the “self” or “I” may use it to execute its desires and plans. The conscious “self” and the “body” remain in a state of co-existence, and to maintain a smooth functioning of themselves the “self” performs the process of “Sanyam” or Self-Regulation, and the “body” performs the process of “Swasthya” or Health. Through both these processes the self and the body maintain their smooth functioning and in turn ensure a state of harmony between “I” and “body”.
“Sanyam” or self-Regulation is the feeling of responsibility in the “self” or “I” for nurturing, protection and proper utilisation of the “body”. Once “I” realises that “body” is it’s instrument and that the body needs nutrition, protection from environment, rest and proper utilisation to work as an efficient tool for the right purpose. “I” naturally develops a feeling of responsibility towards the “body”. This feeling of responsibility developed in “I” is “Sanyam”. For example, “I” desires to be a successful runner, then the “body” must complement physically to help fulfil this desire. Now if the “self” takes some self-regulatory steps like strict diet, regular exercise, proper training etc to keep the “body” fit and ready to perform best as an athlete, this self-regulation of the “self” is called, “Sanyam”. When “I” lives with “Sanyam”, there is harmony among the different parts of the “body” and the “body” becomes a more efficient instrument of “I”.
“Swasthya” or Health is the condition of the 'body' where every part of the 'body’ is properly performing it’s expected function. Health is maintained by eating nutritious balanced diet, wearing proper protection gear to save the body from natural elements, adequate rest, and regular exercise, all these are required to main a proper healthy body. This leads to harmony within the body, and the body becomes perfectly fit for use by “I”. There is strong coupling between “I” and “body”. Disharmony in any one of them adversely affects the other. For example, If the “self” or “I” is in disharmony due to stress, anger or despair, it starts affecting the “Body” adversely leading to psychosomatic diseases like allergies, diabetes, hypertension, etc. Similarly, if there is strong disturbance in the “body” in the form of illness, severe pain, obesity, fatigue, etc., its distraction “I” from its normal functions and the desires and plans of “I” also get affected.
One of the two basic aspirations of human beings is prosperity, but before aspiring to be prosperous it is very important to understand what prosperity actually means. Running blindly behind prosperity will not help us, if we are not aware of the true meaning of prosperity then we will never feel prosperous. This will make us run behind prosperity endlessly and we will get stuck in loop of despair, which will slowly affect our confidence and in turn the harmony of the “self”.
The “body” mainly needs three physical facilities to be proper shape and stay healthy. These three facilities are: food, clothing or shelter and equipment. Our need for food, shelter and equipment is limited, but we have a common misconception today that our needs are unlimited. We are getting confused between the needs of the self and the needs of the body. In turn we are assuming that the needs of the body are unlimited. For example, if we calculate how much money do, we spend for food and living per month, and try to calculate how much money we will require for a year, we can easily save enough money accordingly to give us a sense of prosperity. But instead of focusing on a standard Life if we get greedy and luxurious, our wants will never end. Then no matter how much money we acquire or save we will never get the feeling of being prosperous and thus it will disrupt the harmony of our “self”
In Nature, the availability of facilities like water, oxygen, etc., is more that our needs. Once we realise that the needs of our body are limited and can be easily fulfilled, there emerges a possibility of prosperity in our minds, which will lead to a state of harmony of the “self”.
Our present life style of the modern world and our conditionings are not very conducive to keep our body fit and therefore it is important to understand “Sanyam” and “Swasthya” correctly.
Program to take care of the body:
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