Part 4 (1/2)

Some tell us that life is a continuous battle. It may be looked at in that way, but if we look at it from a more rational point of view it is a continual reaching up for higher enjoyment. Every day and every hour we must be on our guard; our theories must be a rule of life to be really obeyed and lived. Therefore, to apply our own knowledge to the restoration or maintenance of life demands that we avoid that which is injurious, and that we joyously, gladly accept that which is helpful.

Life is a sacred gift, a privilege, and an opportunity to be enjoyed, it is to be lifted up, and filled with high experiences.

To accomplish all these ends, we should study those moments when we are in greatest danger,--those moments which are most important and when we are best able to control our attention and to command our feelings.

The one supreme hour is the hour of awakening. If we can occupy a few minutes of this time in right thoughts, and right movements scientifically directed and as simple as those of the animals, the effect will be astonis.h.i.+ng.

To come down to a few specific things that everyone should practice in order to be stronger, to be more efficient, to enjoy more and to live longer, let us summarize a few general points.

(1) Express joy first with laughter. If you cannot laugh aloud, laugh with an inner chuckle. It is not enough to have joy, it must be actively expressed to have an effect upon the organism.

(2) Maintaining the joy and laughter, express, therefore, all harmonious extensions of the body, that is, all simple stretches. Maintaining the laughter and the extension of the body, expand the chest and torso as much as possible.

(3) On waking up, take a thought of joy, of courage, of love toward all mankind, toward the day and its work.

(4) Maintaining all previous conditions, take a full, deep breath.

(5) Set free with the simplest movements every part of the body.

(6) Co-ordinate the parts of the body concerned in every-day work, and sustain them with primary and normal activities.

(7) Bring all the parts of the body into normal rhythm by alternative activity of the parts and in other ways.

To have good health we must rejoice, laugh, extend, expand, breathe, co-ordinate the primary parts of the body, act rhythmically, set free all the parts of the body and all the primary activities of function.

In short, this book tries to move everyone to study the simplest things, the simplest actions, the most normal duties of a human being, and to a.s.sert these and to exercise them the very first thing in the morning.

III

WHAT IS AN EXERCISE?

On account of the many misconceptions of the nature of human development, will it not be well, before beginning our program to consider seriously--What is training? What are some of its principles?

What can we do with ourselves by obeying nature's laws? Or, if these questions are too serious, too difficult for a short answer, should we not, at least, try to realize what is an exercise?

To many persons, any kind of movement, any jerk or chaotic action, is an exercise. They think that the more effort put forth, the better. Thus some teachers of voice contend that, to be an exercise, there must be muscular effort in producing tone. On the contrary, many movements are injurious; unnecessary effort will defeat some of the most important exercises.

The exercise must obey the laws of nature. It must fulfill nature's intentions, stimulate nature's processes, awaken normal, though slumbering activity.

An exercise is of fundamental importance to all human beings. Man comes into the world the feeblest of all animals. He has the least power to do anything for himself, but he comes with possibilities of higher love and union with his fellow-men. He comes into the world with a greater possibility of unfolding than any other created being.

Accordingly an exercise is a means of progress, a simple action which a man must use for his own unfoldment.

An exercise is a conscious step toward an ideal.

Man is given the prophetic power to realize his own possibilities. We can hardly imagine an exercise independent of the conscious sense of the highest and best attainments, of thereby making ourselves stronger and in some way better.

This ideal is instinctive, even on the part of animals, in fact, the animal instinctively regards its own preservation, its own unfoldment and the reaching of its ideal type.

A tree will cover up its wound and reach out its branches freely, spontaneously in the direction of the light and toward the attainment of its own type.