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𝐐: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲, 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭? 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐌: We need to purify the mind because of the clutter that gathers on it. With this clutter we cannot uncondition ourselves. So, the first thing is to realise that it is cluttered and the first step is to understand that this self, as I know it, is cluttered and the clutter needs to be removed. From here we start with the physical. As far as the body is concerned, the most important thing is that there should be no excesses. In Gita, when Krishna talks about yoga, he says this yoga is not for him who eats too much or eats too little, or sleeps too much or sleeps too little. It’s a metaphor which means stick to the middle path. Don’t go into any excesses. Bring down your food, make it minimum and eat only what is required for the body. So, moderation is essential. Exercise is also required. Don’t think that all human beings can sit down in ‘padmasana’ for days together and attain the supreme. It doesn’t work. You have to purify your body through asanas, and exercise. Asanas are not meant to develop your muscles; they purify your body. Also as far as possible, do not use any chemicals which would interfere with your psychic energies. Then purify your lungs and your breath and your ‘prana’ through pranayama. Next step, purify your mind by doing exercises and ‘sadhana’ which keep the mind properly disciplined and centred, because the mind is so scattered. You need to centre it. It needs a lot of energy and attention. Once the mind is purified, then comes the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”. Patanjali says that ultimately what is required is ‘chitta vritti nirodah’, which means, getting rid of all the distractions of the mind, all the movements that happen in the mind, and all the waves that take place in the mind. So, if you moderate food and do asanas and pranayama, you step by step purify your body and mind and your ‘prana’, And a mind that is free of distraction no longer remains a conditioned mind. It’s already open to the unconditioned.