| The physical exercises play very important role in | | | | more faith you would develop on the presence of |
| enhancement of our stamina and muscle power. If | | | | Omnipresent Spirit or Supreme. |
| you run daily, the muscles of your legs, hands and | | | | 2. Man is Spiritual |
| heart get stronger. The workouts at Gyms are often | | | | While it is true that man shares many similarities with |
| designed to make the muscles of a specific part of | | | | other animals, yet he is designed uniquely by nature. |
| the body like the abdomen, thighs... etc stronger. | | | | Jesus said in Bible that man does not live for bread |
| Similar to the physical exercises, man has also | | | | alone because he has spiritual needs. No other animal |
| designed mental exercises to strengthen the power | | | | has this needs and that distinguishes man from the |
| of mind. Almost all education system devised by man | | | | rest of the animals. You have to therefore, observe |
| helps increasing the mental power to enable him to | | | | by looking in our own life as to what brought |
| understand the complex world and solve complex | | | | happiness and joy in your life and what caused us |
| problems. For example, the study of language needs | | | | pain and misery. Every person is bound to see that all |
| a large number of words to be memorized which | | | | material achievements brought happiness that lasted |
| increases the memory of the person. The study of | | | | only for few days or even for few hours while if you |
| literature increases imagination and comprehension. | | | | have helped others and made their life better, the |
| The practice of mathematics increases the analytical | | | | joy was lasting. It can be then found that happiness |
| power of mind. The study of science increases the | | | | is not achieved by sensual satisfaction but achieved |
| logical and reasoning power of the man. | | | | only by being good to others. The desire of doing |
| The increase of the physical and mental power by | | | | good to others is what people call spirituality as the |
| the help of different exercises are finally tested by | | | | rewards of such act are not material, but spiritual |
| help of tests and games where people are required | | | | which fills the natural requirement of every man. Thus |
| to play the game and the one who scores high or | | | | whenever possible, try to help others. There is no |
| defeat others wins the game. The winner is | | | | better method to become spiritual than by helping |
| rewarded by the society with more material benefits | | | | others as if you are helping your loved one. |
| as they are in a better position to solve the problems | | | | 3. Discipline of Body and Mind |
| of the world. Over the years, the physical and mental | | | | Gita states that senses are superior to body, mind is |
| power of the man had increased by the help of | | | | superior to senses, Soul is superior to mind and God |
| these exercises and now the man is able to | | | | is superior to Soul. However, for most people, it is |
| comprehend far more complex issues much better | | | | the body and senses that control the mind. The mind, |
| than his ancestors. | | | | therefore, can't listen to the soul and the voice of |
| It is said in scriptures that every person evolves | | | | God. The only way to improve the power of soul is |
| from body to mind to soul to spirit. Thus the next | | | | to control the body, senses and mind. This is what is |
| goal of the man must be to strengthen his soul so | | | | attempted by Yoga and Meditation exercises. In |
| that he can love the world and lead a life of peace | | | | these exercises, the body of the person is forced to |
| and happiness. | | | | live in a particular posture for sometime and the mind |
| The spiritual power of the man can be improved by | | | | is focused on some imaginary object. The practice of |
| man in the same way as we improve the physical | | | | yoga and meditation gradually enhances the spiritual |
| and mental power. The techniques to improve | | | | power of the man as the soul takes control over the |
| spiritual power are the spiritual exercises, which shall | | | | body and mind. |
| be explained in this article. | | | | 4. Love Thy Enemy |
| The Spiritual Exercises | | | | As the same spirit resides in every single creation of |
| Just like every person has a body and mind, every | | | | the world, hence every one becomes the extension |
| person also has a soul which is the essence of the | | | | of the self. No one can hate himself and consider |
| person. This soul is the presence of the God or Spirit | | | | hurting himself. The very reason of hate is the feeling |
| in man which connects every single in this world. All | | | | of separateness. It is said that every person has |
| souls of the world are, therefore, connected with | | | | both good and evil in him. However, we prefer to |
| each other with the invisible spirit just like all flowers | | | | see good in the people whom we love but we see |
| of the garland are connected by the invisible thread. | | | | only evil in the people whom we hate. Hence, if we |
| Everyone is born with a pure soul. However, as the | | | | develop the habit of seeing good in every person, |
| man gets involved into more and more worldly affairs | | | | including our enemies, it would not be difficult to love |
| and focuses on the body and mind and uses less his | | | | the enemy. The method to start loving your enemy |
| soul, his body and mind gets stronger while his soul | | | | is by finding a common friend and learns the |
| gets weaker. The result is that the invisible | | | | goodness about the enemy from him. This can |
| connection of man with the reality gets weakened. | | | | gradually reduce or hatred and bring loves as we |
| Hence the man gradually loses the power to influence | | | | develop a vision and desire to see goodness in him. |
| others or get influenced by the others. He loses | | | | 5. Serve Rather than Rule |
| sympathy and empathy. | | | | No one would like to give orders to God as God is |
| The enhancement of soul power connects the man | | | | Omnipotent. We all have developed the habit of |
| with the world and helps him realize his dream by | | | | serving God as we consider ourselves weaker than |
| developing the capability to influence the soul of | | | | God. It is only by service, the love of God can be |
| others. The power of the soul can be enhanced by | | | | obtained. If you are spiritual, you see God in |
| the help of spiritual exercise as much as the physical | | | | everyone and hence there is no way that you can |
| exercises enhances physical power. | | | | order another person to submission. You serve |
| THE FIVE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES | | | | everyone as you serve God. This is a change in |
| The five spiritual exercises are designed to improve | | | | paradigm as we have learned to serve only a more |
| the spiritual power of a man. These are described as | | | | powerful person while make the weaker person |
| following:- | | | | submit to us. For example, in a family, the more |
| 1. Increase Faith in The Invisible | | | | powerful person gives orders to the weaker one. |
| Faith is the essence of spiritualism. However, a | | | | However, even as head of family, if you serve the |
| spiritual person does not have faith on a God, deity | | | | others rather then forcing them to do something, |
| or a saint but on the Supreme Reality that is behind | | | | you are on your path of spirituality. You request and |
| all the Material Realities. This reality is often called | | | | pray to your family for doing any work rather than |
| Spirit as it can't be seen or felt by senses. Yet this | | | | giving orders. Similarly, you take the wishes of your |
| Reality connects every person and seeks the good | | | | family as commands rather than as requests. This |
| of all people. A person who seeks to damage the | | | | exercise can be started at home and then gradually |
| whole for the sake of his selfish good is punished and | | | | experimented in the office and other places. You can |
| the one who seeks to help others selflessly is | | | | gradually see how other man gets transformed into |
| rewarded. However, the rewards and punishment is | | | | divinity who gives you love and happiness besides |
| not instantaneous as every seed that is sown on the | | | | doing the work assigned to them. |
| ground takes time in bearing fruits whether good or | | | | Strengthen Your Soul |
| evil. Yet everyone reaps what he sows. The first | | | | The key to love, happiness and peace lies in the soul |
| exercise of the spiritual person is to observe closely | | | | and not in any material things in life. However a man |
| the life of the self and others and discover this | | | | with a weak soul can never realizes these blessings. |
| eternal truth by himself that every person who is | | | | Even after achieving everything in his life, he still feels |
| leading a life or pain or joy is not due to any accident | | | | pain and misery and continues to lead an unhappy |
| or manipulation but because of his actions in the past. | | | | and unsatisfied life. The spiritual power of the man |
| The faith on this universal law is the first and | | | | can be enhanced gradually by following the five |
| foremost requirement of a spiritual person. The more | | | | exercises discussed in this article which opens the |
| you study the life of self and others honestly; the | | | | door of happiness and joy for him in this world. |