Suppression
Exercising and keeping fit
Category: Actions
Type
Voluntary
Introduction and description
It is no accident that both the Chinese systems of spiritual experience and the Hindu yoga system include methods by which we can keep fit. By keeping our bodies in good condition, we are clearly less likely to be plagued by illness and by messages of complaint from our body and our mind will not be diverted by worries about ill health either.
Some well known example systems
The Chinese martial art practise of Taijiquan [Tai Chi] was used in the past for defense training, but it was always recognised that its health benefits were also key spiritually.

Many of the current postures taught in yoga classes have absolutely no effect on direct spiritual experience, but they may have an effect on fitness, so on the whole, there is every reason to use the yoga exercises to maintain your health and well-being and improve the body's flexibility and vitality. If you are fit, flexible and relaxed, you are effectively a good way towards ensuring you have no internal messages from your nervous system.
In yoga, an asana is a posture or position. Asanas are also performed as physical exercise where they are referred to as "yoga postures" or "yoga positions". Some asanas are only performed for health purposes. Asanas promote health in a different way to most physical exercises, "placing the physical body in positions that cultivate also awareness, relaxation and concentration". Through the practice of yoga asanas 'one puts the body into positions that are not often practiced in modern, everyday life and this helps to maintain long term range of motion as we age'.
We have provided a brief description, plus more references, in the Commonsteps section, for the following asanas
Asana - Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Asana - Agnistambhasana
- Asana - Ardha Chandrasana
- Asana - Ardha Matsyendrasana
- Asana - Baddha Konasana
- Asana - Bakasana
- Asana - Bharadvajasana
- Asana - Bitilasana
- Asana - Dandasana
- Asana - Dhanurasana
- Asana - Garudasana
- Asana - Halasana
- Asana - Janu Sirsasana
- Asana - Kapotasana
- Asana - Malasana
- Asana - Marichyasana III
- Asana - Marjaryasana
- Asana - Matsyasana
- Asana - Padangusthasana
- Asana - Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
- Asana - Pasasana
- Asana - Paschimottanasana
- Asana - Prasarita Padottanasana
- Asana - Salabhasana
- Asana - Sarvangasana
- Asana - Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
- Asana - Shavasana
- Asana - Siddhasana
- Asana - Simhasana
- Asana - Sukhasana
- Asana - Supta Padangusthasana
- Asana - Supta Virasana
- Asana - Tadasana
- Asana - Tittibhasana
Asana - Urdhva Hastasana
- Asana - Ustrasana
- Asana - Utkatasana
- Asana - Uttana Shishosana
- Asana - Uttanasana
- Asana - Utthita Hasta Padangustasana
- Asana - Utthita Parsvakonasana
- Asana - Utthita Trikonasana
- Asana - Viparita Karani
- Asana - Virasana
But you don’t have to use a system, you just need to find a way of keeping your body fit and free from aches and pains. All the other forms of gentle exercise routine are just as good. The objective is to minimise aches, pains and internal messages by keeping fit, so a long walk in the country may be just as effective.
Background
The I Ching has a gua for this Qian. Martial arts exercises are used in Qigong.
Method

Just do it! You don’t need to join a health club just go out into the country and have a nice walk in the fresh air.
How it works
|
No immediate effects, no sudden spiritual experiences, but this is a contributory technique and its worth has been proven by the number of systems that use it. Gentle regular exercise [not frenetic exercise] keeps our body toned and healthy and helps to minimise nervous sensations. It also has some effect on minimising input from the autonomic system. |
For more details see also the generic description of How spiritual experience works.
Advantages

Can be free
Legal
Enjoyable
Effective
Disadvantages
Not easy if you are old or already unfit and unhealthy
This is a life style choice of technique, you must do it regularly
Does not work on its own, needs other techniques with it to achieve the full experience
References and further reading
Videos
"Hip Op-eration" - New Zealand dance crew "Hip Op-eration" practicing for the 2013 World Hip Hop Dance Championships held in Las Vegas. All the people in this dance troupe have some infirmity - hip operations being just one. The aim of putting this video on the site is to show that whatever you have in the way of physical problems, exercise is possible and it can be enormous fun.
Related observations
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In time
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