How To Maintain Good Health

Sri Swami Sivananda

Beloved Immortal Self,

I have noted the facts about your present state of health. Your good self is in the prime of life. You are not old. Why should you allow yourself to be disheartened? Good health and strength can easily be yours with a little positive thinking, careful regulation of personal habits, observance of Nature's laws and daily meditation upon your diseaseless, ever free and perfect Spiritual Self.

The mind is master of body. Soul is master of mind. Thou art in essence Immortal Soul, above body and above and beyond mind. Always remember this awareness of thy spiritual Nature.

Health is your birth right. The source of all health and healing is within yourself. The power to overcome all conditions lies in you.

Daily when you go to bed and first thing on waking up, sit silent and simply and persistently assert thy ever perfect spiritual nature. Feel yourself to be an ocean of perfect health, strength, vigour and well being. Allow your mind to dwell upon this thought continuously.

Also practice some deep breathing exercises for a few minutes daily in the fresh air of early dawn. Standing erect, arms flowing open, chest wide, raise thyself gradually upon thy toes, inhaling continuously and deeply all the time. Fill thy chest with pure air. Then gradually exhale and slowly bring down your heels and your arms. While your good self is inhaling, strongly imagine that you are drawing in energy from the cosmic ether. Feel that health, vitality and energy are flowing in and penetrating into every part of the body, vitalising every cell. As you breath out, feel that all ill health, weaknesses, defects, etc. are being eliminated out of the body, leaving it perfectly healthy and sound. This is a cheap yet potent method of regaining health and strength. Your good self has only to spend a little time and nothing else.

Always make it a point to breathe deeply. Be free from all tension, physical, nervous or mental. Be relaxed. Be always cheerful, never harbour thoughts of fear or dejection. Give no room for feelings of ill will, envy or anger in your heart. Let love and serenity fill the heart. Let purity shine in your thoughts, words and actions. If possible, spend a quiet hour in the calm silence of a Church or a Chapel daily. With devotion, pray to the Lord to lift thee up from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality.

I am very glad to note that tests have shown that there is nothing serious in your condition. Please do not take enemas too frequently. Gradually try and reduce it to once in two or three days. Porridge of bran meal will help you to overcome constipation, by and by. Tomatoes and salad are very good for you. Yoghurt is good, provided you do not make it too sour. O yes, your good self can make yoghurt out of your own culture. We in India do it this way. It is certainly very good. Avoid articles of food that cause flatulence in you.

It is very good your good self is studying the 'Divine Life' and other magazines 'Unity', 'Christian Science', etc. These are all treasure houses of spiritual wisdom and practical guidance. What is needed is that you should practice their precepts. Even if one practices a fraction of their inspiring teachings, it will transform his life. A few postures like Sarvangasana (Pan physical pose) are good. Deep breathing, suggestions, spiritual assertions, sincere prayer and mediation will all bestow fullest health and well being upon thee. The Name of God will give thee infinite strength. All energy will come to thee. Be regular in thy spiritual practices.

May God bless you with health, strength, prosperity, spiritual progress and Illumination!

HARI OM TAT SAT