Mind and Body

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About the Book I have gone through this interesting book ·Mind Body" compiled and edited by Da Som Her intently with profound pleasure and profit. The book is a comprehensive presentation of some important aspects of life related with mind and body. The author collected materials both from biology and Yoga.

This is an Endeavour to show the deep relation between mind and body. This book has three parts. The first part deals with the problem of stress. The second part discusses the relation between mind and body and also the effect of the yogic process on the mind and body. The third part deals with the scientific perspective on yoga. She has shown through photographs and pictures the relation between asana and body parts, and the effect of asana on some diseases. The author's mastery over Yoga has been reflected through her presentation of the chakras and asana.

I am delighted and inspired to go through the admirable book by Da Som Her which deals with the aforesaid Issues in their right perspectives. It is a profound exercise on the part of its author, who employs analytical acumen in examine various Issues In mind and body and relates them with Yoga.

I am sure the students and Interested readers will find this book to be immensely rewarding. I wish this publication wide reading in the related circles with Interest and appreciation.

About the Book Do Som, alias Nirmala, was born to an Indophlley father and mathematician mother in 1988 in Jeon Ju, South Korea, She lost her father in a tragic car accident at an early age of three, Her mother brought her to India when she was five years old, to educate her in the holy land of rich culture and spirituality.

She did her early schooling from Calcutta International School, one of the renowned schools in West Bengal. Later, her mother took her to Santiniketan, West Bengal, where she began tasting Indian culture and spirit in real earnest-learning meditation, yoga, Indian classical Instruments, Bharat Natyam and other Indian dance forms, She has given dance performances in India and Korea, and has participated in many N programs as well.

She has also acquired the knowledge of four languages-Bengali. Hindi, Sanskrit and English-during her stay at Santiniketan.

In 2008, she stood first in Higher Secondary Examination of Visva Bharati Board, for which she got big recognition In West Bengal. and was featured in many news dailies like 'Ajkal' and Anandabazar', and was also featured in prime time news In KBS, Korea.

She had started pursuing her Bachelor's in English honors in Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, However, after some time she quit the course as she felt that was not the right choice for her and picked the path towards Yoga & Indian Culture by joining Dev Sanskriti University (D.S.V.V,), Haridwar, Uttarakhand, which Is committed to the cause of spreading Divine Indian Culture.

She Is clear about her vision and mission In India and Is doing her Bachelor's Degree from D.S.V.V to get In-depth knowledge about the rich Indian Culture, Philosophy and Spirituality; It is Interesting to note that her mother is also pursuing her Master's Degree In Yoga Philosophy along with her.

Preface How often have you come across expressions such as "I am mentally willing but physically it is not possible"? I guess the answer is countless times over the years. This kind of expressions seems to suggest that the mind and the body are two different entities and there is a point of disconnection between the two. Such an argument may be validated by observing that certain lower creatures possess bodies but can in no way be shown to possess thinking capacity or mind. Indeed, the word 'Mind' is not synonymous with the word 'Brain'. The brain, or the central nervous system, is physically definable whereas the mind eludes any precise definition. It appears to be a peculiar feature of the creature Homo Sapiens, the only creature we know of having powers of imagination and emotion.

However, I feel that attempts to understand the human mind without understanding the human body are bound to be futile, as is the case the other way around. This is because the mind dwells in the body and for the mind to function or exist, the human being needs to be physically alive. So I would rather observe that the body and the mind are one and continuous-and this is perhaps the most unique feature found in the species Homo Sapiens.

I would not begin a theoretical discussion with this observation though. I possess only a little knowledge about the intricacies of the body and the enigmas of the mind and dare not to venture into the choppy waters of rigorous scientific argument. This work is merely traces of my personal feelings and is a result of my experiences regarding the idea that the mind and the body are indivisible.

This idea, rather than an argument, is a part of my life and to me, is thus a vital shaper of my personality. I was born in a country known for its techno- logical prowess and economic development and came to settle down in another country known for its rich culture and philosophy. Born in the Republic of Korea, I came to India when I was a tiny tot. Since then, India has become my home as I have been brought up in this land of ancient wisdom. I feel the idea of the unity of the mind and the body is in the air and soil of this nation, and am reminded of it every time I stretch my gaze into the distant horizons where the sky and the earth merge into each other. I get the same feeling listening to the hymns of Indian classical music and through the movements of Indian classical dance-forms. I guess I have been quite fortunate to come in contact with the fountainhead of this pristine flow of wisdom that flows all through this land, stretching from the frozen silence of the Himalayas to the ever restless blue waters of Kanyakumari.

What I feel is unique in this simple yet profound idea is that it is not a country specific, or specific to any culture, but it is true for every human being. In fact, this is not only an idea but a vital realization that has helped shape our history as the dominant species on this planet. It can easily be observed that other species of animals have keener senses and are far better users of many physical organs compared to man. However, only man has the capacity of fine tuning his basic faculties through the process of thinking and selective application. While the owl has the spectacular sense of vision, the astronomer peering through the giant telescope can stretch his eyesight to the remotest corners of the cosmos and thereby look back in time and witness the galaxies being born. Here the astronomer does not use his eyes only, he uses his imaginary power and mental resources to see something no other eye can see. His mind acts in union with his physical faculty of vision to elevate his senses and knowledge to a whole new level.

Paradoxically, the selective applications of the kind described above have become so common today that we often forget the root of the innovation. We live in an age where man's ability to produce and govern machines runs our lives. This is the same ability born from the union of the mind and the body, but this ability, when in full bloom alienates man from its root. Today's technological civilization has enabled us to enjoy a great number of material benefits and over-consumption of this material comfort has resulted in a numbing of the true senses that make a human being what he is. Technologically advanced societies exhibit a remarkable degree of stagnation as far as the flow of pure thought is concerned. Because the human mind in its truest form is an inalienable part of the human body and that union is best preserved in the simple yet profound rhythms of life in synchronization with the rhythms of nature.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages