Fwd: Shaucha: Purity

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Hare Krsna Shaucha: PurityPurity, shaucha, number ten of the yamas, is the outcome of restrainingourselves in all the other nine. Purity is the natural heritage of menand women disciplined in mind and body, who think before they speak,speaking only that which is true, kind, helpful and necessary. Peoplewhose thoughts are pure--and this means being in line with the yamas andniyamas--and whose bodies are free from incompatible alien obstructions,are naturally happy, content and ready to perform japa. Japa yogalifts the spiritual energies and annihilates pride and arrogance byawakening within the superconscious areas of the mind anextraterrestrialintelligence, far surpassing the ordinary intellect one would encounterinthe schools and universities of the present day. To be pure in mindmeansto have a bright, luminous aura filled with the pastel hues of theprimaryand

secondary colors under every circumstance and life situation. Thosewho practice this restraint have realized that thoughts create andmanifest into situations, actual physical happenings. Therefore, theyare careful what they think and to whom they direct their thoughts.A clean personal environment, wearing clean clothes, bathing often,keeping the room spotless where you meditate, breathing clean air,letting fresh air pass through your house, is all very important inthe fulfillment of purity. Shaucha also includes partaking of cleanfood, which ideally is freshly picked food, cooked within minutes ofthe picking. There are creative forces, preservation forces and forcesof dissolution. The preservation force is in the continued growing of afruit or a leafy vegetable. It reaches its normal size and if not pickedremains on the plant and is preserved by the life of that plant. As soonas it is picked, the force of dissolution,

mumia, sets in. Therefore,the food should be cooked and eaten as soon after picking as possible,before the mumia force gets strong. Mumia, as it causes the breakdown ofthe cells, is an impure force. When we constantly eat food that is onthebreakdown, the body is sluggish, the mind is sluggish and the tongue isloose, and we say things we don't mean. Many unhappy, depressedsituationsresult from people eating a predominance of frozen foods, processedfoods,canned foods, convenience foods, which are all in the process of mumia.Clean clothing is very important. One feels invigorated and happywearingclean clothing. Even hanging clothing out in the sunlight for fiveminutesa day cleanses and refreshes it. An incredible amount of body waste iseliminated through the skin and absorbed by the clothing we wear. It iscommonly thought that clothing does not need to be cleaned unless it hasbeen dirtied or soiled

with mud, dirt or stains. Very little concern isgiven to the body odors and wastes that are exuded through the pores,then caught and held by the fabric. Small wonder it's so refreshing toput on clean clothing. The sun and fresh air can eliminate much of thebody waste and freshen up any garment.

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