The Buddhist philosophy proclaims the four Noble Truths of life. The essence of this philosophy is that all existence is suffering. The human body has to go through the relentless cycle of pain from the moment we are born, through childhood, adolescence, youth and finally old age.

Lord Buddha renounced the world to get salvation. Salvation from suffering and pain but can we as ordinary mortals do that? Do we really want to renounce the world? For me the answer is a definite NO. I want to live a happy life, live every moment of it big and small, see the world, see my children grow and become responsible adults one day and say at the end of it all that I lived my life. To the fullest. Don’t all of us want that? Well most of us do!

To be able to do all this, one thing is imperative. That is to have a healthy body that can sustain you through the ups and downs of life, see you through pleasure and pain and is fit enough to be your partner for life. Sounds funny? Your own body is your partner for life? Yes it is.

Let us look at our body like a house where you live in. Along with you, therein lives your mind, your soul, your dreams, your ambitions, your heart, love and all the things that make you what you truly are.....a person with a name.

This house called ‘body’ is a person’s greatest asset. Come to think of it, we all love our material possessions so dearly. We attach so much importance to our house, cars, clothes, valuables, jobs, friends...and yet neglect the most prized possession of all...our body.

It is an asset that is given to us totally free of cost but is really high on maintenance. Maintenance of this asset requires loads of discipline, tons of self control and a truck load of positive attitude. It is a machine that can work for you as long as you want it to and the more you make it work the longer it sustains, the more you push it, punish it the stronger it gets. It also depreciates the fastest if neglected. The price one pays for neglect of this valuable asset can be heavy. It comes in the form of disease, pain and suffering.

The human body is a marvel of nature. It is a perfect specimen of all the sciences and philosophies of the world put together. So keep your body fit and fine.

Make fitness a habit, not an option. A necessity not a compulsion. Remember the real joy of life is in living freely and health is freedom! Freedom from pain and suffering, that is what salvation is all about!