Page:Hatha yoga - or the yogi philosophy of physical well-being, with numberous excercises.djvu/87

Rh is deficient in quantity—where do you suppose Nature is going to get the fluids from to make the blood? No wonder that your nerves are out of condition, with all this abnormal going on. Poor Nature does the best she can, even though you be foolish. She draws a little water from the system in order that the machinery shall not entirely stop, but she dare not draw too much—so she compromises. She does just as you do when the water in the spring is nearly exhausted—you try to make a little do the work of much, and must rest content with doing things only half-way right.

The Yogis are not afraid to drink a sufficient amount of water each day. They are not afraid of "thinning the blood," as are some of these "dried-up" people. Nature throws off the surplus quantity, if it be taken, very readily and rapidly. They do not crave "ice water"—an unnatural product of civilization (?)—their favorite temperature is about 60 degrees. They drink when they are thirsty—and they have a normal thirst which does not have to be restored as does that of the "dried-up" people. They drink frequently, but mark ye this: they do not drink large quantities at any one time. They do not "pour the water down," believing that such a practice is abnormal and unnatural, and injurious. They drink it in small quantities, though often during the day. When working they often keep a vessel of water near them, and frequently sip therefrom.

Those who have neglected their natural instincts for many years have almost forgotten the natural habit of water drinking, and need considerable