For as long as man can remember the primary goal in life has been the desire to achieve immortality. After all it was in the Bible’s Old Testament, the creation story. The expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden is an allegory of man’s fall from grace and his disenfranchisement with the Tree of Life. This castigation in no short measure was due to a choice on man’s part. The acceptance of the seductive benefits promised in the same allegorical episode afforded by the Tree of Knowledge. The assumption is with knowledge one day we may regain access to the Garden.
In the “Republic” Plato gives a somewhat stoic account of the same story told by Socrates regarding immortality. A discussion framed by the attributes of a wise man. The supposition is one should first and foremost live his or her life free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and above all be submissive to natural law. The implication in modern terms would be the equivalent to a stress free existence.
There is also a dubious flip side to this. It stipulates one should apparently profess an indifference to pleasure or pain. The pledge is if these tenants are practice successfully in life then the crux of the matter somehow presupposes a level of understanding which leads to immortality. By virtue of the practice the results lead to a postmortem judgment followed by transmigration and a survival of the soul.
Poetically speaking I am fonder of Socrates’ Book of Love where he speaks of the Siamese lovers who are forever joined together. The bonding spawns a striving for a more perfect union. It is a struggle for life and the pleasures of immortality. As difficult as it may seem to live as Siamese twins allegorically speaking the deeper meaning is much more preferable than to its stoic counterpart.
Then there is the Gita. The Hindu Bible, an epic story surrounding Krishna’s promises to Arjuna. Where Krishna insists Arjuna go to battle because he is fighting for a noble cause. Krishna explains to Arjuna not to be concerned about death because such a loss only affects the body. Passing is a doorway to our true nature which is immortality.
This promised gift of eternal life for the righteous is reintroduced in the Bible’s “New Testament”, a sequel to the Old Testament no doubt where the tenants of immortality are subsequently wrapped in the Christian faith.
In all steps leading to the ultimate gift of immortality there is an approach to how one should live their mortal life. Essentially we are given guidelines. These steps are to be adhered to while living out our temporal existence. At some point a doorway to another life will be presented to us. Death is that doorway, a portal of judgment. The religious tenants are noble in their approach. They all speak to right living to reach the next level.
In all cases immortality is beyond the reach of humankind in our current corporal condition but longevity along with quality of life is well within our grasp. Reality to this effect began to settle in pragmatically around the late 1400 early 1500 when Juan Ponce de Leon was commission by the Spanish Crown to find the Fountain of Youth. In actuality he was a conquistador who became the first Governor of Puerto Rico.
Yet this somewhat less lofty search for a fountain of youth can be framed under the umbrella of immortality. In as much as it may be practiced in conjunction with religious tenants. In so doing it will give us more time and help us achieve a better understanding of what it takes to successfully crossover. After all what we need is a glimpse of immortality here on earth while we prepare the body, mind and soul for the transition for what is to come.
So from a practical standpoint let’s talk about a noble fight and how we can live a longer and more prosperous life while we strive to attain the ultimate gifts life has to offer. Here are some simplified steps with the same temporal concerns governing longevity while keeping our eternal reward in mind.
1. A Healthy Diet: The first tenant of a healthy diet is the concept of balance. Some put it in more liberal terms and talk about moderation. So eat the following food groups and practice moderation by balancing cereals, meats, vegetables, fruit and plenty of liquids. The word natural comes back into play here. So drink lots of natural juices and water in this case. Green vegetable are highly recommended but for sake of balance a steady intake of all colored varieties of fruits and vegetables should be represented. One item that is often over looked is blue berries because it’s so much easier to keep a steady flow of green, red and yellow groups flowing. With regards to meats stay away from red meats, chicken and seafood are highly recommended. Also rice is a great staple.
2. Nutrition Supplements: Some might say that nutritional supplements should be classified under diet but because of the world we live in and the process foods we eat a complement of Vitamins is recommended along with a healthy dosage of sunshine. It should be noted people have different deficiency when it comes to nutrition. So here are some basics. Find a good multivitamin. Woman and men have different needs and so do children versus adults but in any case a good multivitamin should be considered.
It is also suggested to take at least 600 mg of Calcium with Vitamin D daily, Vitamin D because of the difficulties for the body to absorb Calcium. An additional 400 IU of vitamin D can help with the absorption. Calcium is important because of our bone structure. Also, there is some science to the effect; the body is healthier when it is more alkaline. Calcium will go along way in neutralizing acids.
Although a little subjective take a minimum of 60 mg of Ginkgo Biloba, it helps the blood’s circulation, keeps the mind alert and the memory sharp. There will be some who will disagree that Ginkgo Biloba enhances the memory but they can not speak for everyone. The point is vitamins do improve health and quality of life. Find what works for you. Those mentioned here are good starting points. Then see if you can note the difference.
3. Exercise: Can not say enough about the importance of staying fit. A simple rule of thumb is exercise a minimum of three times a week where you raise your heart rate and sustain it there for a minimum of 30 minutes. How high one should raise the heart rate or how vigorous the workout will depend on the individual. In some cases a physician should be consulted. Use good judgment. We are all different. The key is to get out an exercise and do so at a rate commensurate that challenges your vim and vigor without injury.
4. Dancing: Again here some will say dancing is a form of exercise but it is more than that. Dance is an expression of joy and a freeing of the mind, body and soul. It is meditation in motion. It is recommended at least two times a week for a minimum of one hour per outing. Dancing is a time to be social and share the joy of health and good will with others.
5. Choice of Work: Your job should be an avocation rather than a vocational. Find employment that is in line with your heart. Doing what you enjoy will be less stressful. The freedom will do more for your health than any amount of money you may receive in return.
7. Sex: Try to stay sexually active. Of course there are social taboos here and wrongful participation in this practice can drive your health in the opposite direction. There are those that might argue abstinence and celibacy have more health benefits but I respectfully disagree. None the less all points of view are welcomed and respected but Vive La Difference.
6. Love: Please do not confuse love with sex. Love is something we should share with everyone. Sex on the other hand is best shared with a special someone we love. In any event Love is a key component to our longevity formula.
8. Faith: Finally the most important of all, to believe in a cause or something greater than oneself. Do not underestimate the mysteries of life and the role they play in keeping the mind curious and young. If we believe solely in man or ourselves as the key to all solutions to the universe we will quickly become cynical and realize the finite reality of the world we live in.
As you may have guess by my own prejudice the placement of the list in descending order has some relevance of importance. Feel free to arrange them in any order you prefer. You may even find it necessary to delete a category and replace it with one that is more to your liking. Whatever you do regarding the keys to helping you pursue the path to longevity tie your beliefs to the tenants of any great book written on immortality and just maybe as you stubble along through life you will be given enough time to hit on something of great significance.
