GOD'S GYM.

You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a little stronger. 
Swami Vivekananda.

GOD'S GYM.

All this is very intoxicating, but what is spirituality in simple terms? Asked the snake.

Simple? To be simple is spiritual, answered the yogi. And spirituality is the simplest thing to me, but you are more body oriented, you love going to the gym don’t you; why?

Because I love my body, replied the snake, and I want to look after it, I want to feel fitter.

That is good, said the yogi, I for one, will not ask you to neglect your body; it is, after all, the vessel that contains the spirit, but don’t be overwhelmed by it, learn from your muscles, don’t get carried away with them.

What can I learn from my own muscles about spirituality? Asked the snake.

An easy way to comprehend spirituality, is to compare it to physical fitness. We all want to be fit; muscles are latent in everyone, but only the enthusiast makes a persistent, conscious effort to draw them out. He can do this at home, under a guide, or in the gym. He has a wide variety of exercises to choose from, such as free weights, pulleys, aerobics, calisthenics. So do we have different methods such as meditation, devotion, ritual, selfless work, the Tao, and so on.
Soon, he will know what suits him best, and go for an advanced course in it, say he is focusing into something. In due course, he will realise an essential truth, the man with the best body is not necessarily the strongest. That is better show, but someone else may have stronger tissues, capable of high performance. Muscles that are visually less impressive, but can lift bigger weights.
So, we have certain seekers who remain in the world of magic and sorcery, spiritism only; not that a mystic doesn’t have his magic, winked the yogi, he understands the utility of these, but he is devoted to the highest performance. A heavyweight meditator, has the knack of conjoining with the creative energy itself.
Like benching the ultimate weight? asked the snake.
Yes, it is benching the ultimate, said the yogi. A Gym will always train a man to do his best. The instructor will always encourage the weaker ones, and remain critical of the strong. This is because he knows the potential of each, he can see muscles in their dormancy. Similarly, the Guru in the Gurukul will function. He will give you the disciplines and rules, these will help along the way. This is where Yama and Niyama step in. Pictures of peer groups will adorn the halls wherein you train. Similarly saints and mystics of the past adorn our temples and churches, they serve as inspirations. Mirrors will be provided so that you many watch yourself grow, In spirituality,there are two mirrors. One, is the mirror of introspection. The other is the Guru.

{The Yogi and the snake,1995}