Page:Hatha yoga - or the yogi philosophy of physical well-being, with numberous excercises.djvu/52



human body is constantly undergoing change. Atoms of bone, tissue, flesh, muscle, fat and fluids are constantly being worn out and removed from the system, and new atoms are constantly being manufactured in the wonderful laboratory of the body, and then sent to take the place of the worn-out and discarded material.

Let us consider the physical body of man and its mechanism, as a plant and, indeed, it is akin to the life of the plant in its nature. What does the plant require to bring it up from seed to sprout, from sprout to plant, with flower, seed and fruit? The answer is simple—fresh air, sunlight, water, and nourishing soil—these things, and all of them, must it have in order to grow to healthy maturity. And Man's physical body requires just the same things—all of them—in order to be healthy, strong and normal. Remember the requisites—fresh air, sun light, water and food. We will consider the matter of air, sunlight and water in other chapters and will consider the matter of nourishing food first.

Just as the plant grows slowly, but steadily, so does this great work of discarding worn-out material and the substitution of new material go on constantly, day and night. We are not conscious of this mighty work, as it belongs to that great sub-conscious part of Man's nature—it is a part of the work of the Instinctive Mind.

The whole of the body, and all its parts, depend for