FORMULA FOR RIDDING YOURSELF OF HYPERTENSION

THERAPEUTIC GITA: BREATHE AND MEDITATE
SUITABLE TO VANQUISH THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

www.indiatimes.com - In the end it all boils down to greed, that ever-so-low emotion that spiritual gurus have been warning us against since centuries. Out of greed is born desire, out of desire comes attachment; attachments lead to anger and out of anger comes stress - that turbulent, sleep-depriving emotion that brings with it an endless cycle of suffering and illness. “Think of yourself as modern-day Arjunas,” urges Surakshitji, who, with a PhD in yoga under his belt and with deep insight of Gita gyaan, stresses that following Krishna’s message to Arjuna can bring about a positive turn in your life. It will also keep your blood pressure (BP) down. We have forever battled ego, greed, anger and other ills. The yogacharya stresses that do-able changes in your food, sleep patterns, recreation habits, and thoughts can take care of many of these ills.

Yogacharya Surakshit Goswami is conducted workshops in Delhi on the subject and explains “Move the body, but still the mind,” for it is our lifestyle that is responsible for our health. The Bhagavad Gita, too, makes this point: “While concentrating on objects of the senses, a person develops attachment to the sense objects; from attachment desires are born, from desire anger arises” (2.62). “One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul....” (6.5). The mind can turn into your enemy, too, just as easily. But as Krishna tells Arjuna, there is a way out if you take to yoga and meditation: “The yogi should ... practice yoga to purify the heart by controlling his mind, senses and activities and fixing the mind on one point.” (6.12)


“Five minutes of meditation can bring down your BP. Pranayama can calm your thoughts, and if you regulate your life as nature meant it to be, you will only benefit,” says Yogacharya Surakshitji. The Gita advocates yoga, too. “He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.” (6.17) In general terms, people who is attached to bad habits can not relish for studying devotional scripture, hearing and chanting the Lord’s name, so it is necessary to make great efforts in order not to be attached to the objects of pleasure who were born from the greed.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The sensual pleasure derived from associating with women, eating palatable foodstuffs, bathing, applying sandalwood paste, and chewing betel is extremely temporary. As soon as one indulges in these activities, he begins to feel distress. Drunkards and woman-hunters exemplify this truth. What eternal happiness is there in enjoying the atmosphere of Nandankanana in heaven, enjoying the dancing of Apsaras like Urvasi and Menaka, or drinking soma-rasal. Such sense pleasures are simply products of the imagination. ... One should carefully give up material attachment. If one does not give up these things, he cannot derive happiness from devotional service. Attachment for these material things is easily destroyed when one associates with devotees. One should try to destroy such petty attachments by fully engaging in devotional service. By observing approved vows in devotional service, such attachments will be vanquished.

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
“Śrī Bhaktivinoda Vānī Vaibhava” - Vol 2: “Abhidheya”
Chapter: “Activities Unfavorable to Devotional Service”
Compiled by Śrīpad Sundarānanda Vidyāvinoda.