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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See also: Body mind and soul, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)