Body mind and soul: Mind is Matter - Nurture It

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Body mind and soul: Mind is Matter - Nurture It

 

Results of recent studies published in the British Journal of Psychiatry

pronounce that diet has a direct bearing on the behaviour of juvenile

delinquents. Certain types of food brought about - though very gradually -

distinct changes in the behavioural pattern of the delinquents.

 

Foods affect animal behaviour as well. For instance, a dog fed on raw meat for

any length of time turns out to be more ferocious than a similar breed fed on

vegetarian foods. Sastras explain that mind is also matter, albeit subtle, and,

like the body, is nourished by food. The Chandogya Upanishad says: " Mind

consists of food, prana (life force) of water and speech of fire. "

 

The rishis had known that it is not only food that affects the mind; every input

through any of the five sense-organs into the mind-body complex affects it and,

in turn, the behavioural pattern of an individual and ter-med such inputs ahaar.

Audio-visual inputs from music, images through ears and eyes, and smell and

touch throu-gh the nose and skin are food to the mind. Therefore, what we are

regularly exposed to will have a definite influence on us. Regular exposure to

highly provocative and violent shows/images on television, Internet and other

media influence the mind of the viewer, particularly of the young.

 

Reportedly, heavy metal and rock music stimulate the mind to act in passion.

Reading horror stories, watching horror movies and hearing eerie music

associated with death and ghosts, is said to arouse one's dark and evil

propensities. On the other hand, listening to hymns and bhajans, watching movies

and reading books about God and positive things purifies the mind and directs it

to noble thoughts and pious deeds.

 

There's a common saying: " A person is known by the company he keeps. " The

sensitive mind easily absorbs vibrations emanating from the thoughts and

activities of the people it associates with. The company of thieves could make

one think and act like a thief, whereas the company of saintly people could well

influence the mind to emulate their pious thoughts and activities. Apart from

visible changes in a person's behaviour, food, sensual inputs and one's

activities create permanent impressions, (samskars), on the subtle subconscious

mind. After a person's death, these samskars are carried over to the next body,

and are instrumental in shaping the future behaviou-ral pattern of the

individual.

 

It is natural for man to seek sense enjoyment. In fact, Vedic scriptures indeed

include it as one of the four pursuits of life - dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Vedic scriptures, however, warn that even a man of wisdom is not immune to the

attraction of sense objects. Moreover, sense enjoyment is ephemeral and one's

desires are never satiated. The scriptures re-commend that the pursuit of

worldly pleasures, kama, be tempered by dharma and confined to permitted

parameters. Vedic scriptures state that it is the three attributes of pra-kriti

(material nature) that control man's thoughts and actions. Sattva-guna inclines

one toward pure and noble thoughts which lead to virtuous and altruistic

actions; rajo-guna inclines one toward generating wealth and a sensual

life-style that leads to arrogant and selfish actions; and tamas inclines one

toward mental and physical inactivity, punctuated by angry, violent actions

leading to stagnation and decay. Everything that is part of material nature can

be placed into one or the other or a combination of the three gunas, where one

of them predominates. So our effort should be to eat foods, associate with

people and welcome such audio-visual inputs that create in us the predominance

of sattva-guna. This will help us get rid of rajo and tamo gunas entirely. The

Bhaga-vad Gita elaborates on the three gunas in great detail.

 

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