The Interaction of the Mind and the Body

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The body has its own
consciousness, and much of its

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operation takes place without
active mental intervention.

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However, there is also a serious
interaction that takes place so

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that the mental power can
influence, guide, train, direct,

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and otherwise gain at least some
control over certain aspects of

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the body consciousness.
Physical training, whether in

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sports, military training or
playing a musical instrument,

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typing, singing, dancing, art or
sculpture, or development of

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other motor skills, represents
one such area of mental

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intervention.
The mind can implement a course

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of development for the body such
that it learns how to perceive

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more accurately and respond to
circumstances.

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With certain trained responses,
the level of skill that can be

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developed is actually quite
remarkable.

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When we observe, for instance,
the precision, grace and skill

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of certain Olympic athletes, we
can see a remarkable difference

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compared to the untrained
physical body trying to carry

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out the same set of routines. 1
Interesting point is that the

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training is not after
implementation.

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Totally reliant on direct mental
control after the initial

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training routine is put in
place, we saw in a recent

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Olympic Games the phenomenon of
one of the top world class

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gymnasts having to pull out of
certain competitions because she

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recognized that her mind was
interfering with the automatic

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trained responses of the body
and thereby putting her at

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severe risk of injury.
In the normal course, we do

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indeed exercise some amount of
mental will.

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For many ordinarily bodily
actions, the body does not

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decide to walk on its own, but
requires an impulse from the

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mind that tells it to get up and
start moving.

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The actual motions of walking
are part of the trained

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response, but the impulse to
move right now.

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Is a conscious impulse of the
moment.

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It must be remembered that the
interaction is not exclusive,

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nor is it a one way St.
The body and its condition can

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impact the mental functioning
and the vital can impact both

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the body and the mind.
It is the mutual interaction of

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all three of these major
components that make up the

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actual state of awareness and
action.

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We see in our bodily existence
there are further elements in

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the interaction, such as the
psychic, the spiritual, planes,

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etcetera, but they are not
directly at issue for most

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people who live primarily in the
external life of the mind, life,

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body complex, Sriorbindo
observes, Quote The body obeys

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the mind automatically and those
things in which it is formed or

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trained to obey it.
But the relation of the body to

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the mind is not in all things
that of an automatic perfect

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instrument.
The body also has a

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consciousness of its own, and
though it is a submental

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instrument or servant
consciousness, it can disobey or

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fail to obey as well in many
things, in matters of health and

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illness, for instance in all
automatic functionings.

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The body acts on its own and is
not a servant of the mind.

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If it is fatigued, it can offer
a passive resistance to the

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mind's will.
It can cloud the mind with

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Thomas inertia, dullness, fumes
of the subconscious, so that the

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mind cannot act.
The arm lifts no doubt when it

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gets the suggestion, but at
first the legs do not obey when

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they are asked to walk.
They have to learn how to leave

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the crawling attitude and
movement and take up the erect

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and ambulatory habit.
When you first ask the hand to

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draw a straight line or to play
music, it can't do it and won't

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do it.
It has to be schooled, trained,

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taught and afterwards it does
automatically what is required

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of it.
All this proves that there is a

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body consciousness which can do
things at the mind's order, but

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has to be awakened, trained,
made a good and conscious

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instrument.
It can even be so trained that a

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mental will or suggestion can
cure the illness of the body.

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End Quote reference Shriorobindo
and the Mother Our Many Selves,

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Practical Yogic Psychology,
Chapter 2.

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Planes and Parts of the Being,
pages 21 to 22.