The Gym - A Place For Mental Clarity

I’m currently at the gym and thought I’d write this up between sets.

Did you know the Classical Greeks believed that physical fittness and mental clarity were two sides of the same coin?

The Mind and the Body are not seperate entities, they are linked, they are one.

The Greeks understood this, and regarded the practice of physical conditioning with the same importance as the pursuit of knowledge and their understanding of medicine. To exercise was not a preference to the Ancient Greeks, but a civil duty.

In our modern era, we’ve been able to take this understanding a step further, proving what the Greeks knew intuitively all along.

In a study done by the University of British Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise appears to increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that deals with verbal memory and learning.

Other studies have suggested that strength training also improves cognitive function, while exercise of any kind has been proven time and time again to drastically decrease the chances of developing a slew of potentially fatal physical ailments and conditions. There is absolutely no doubt that exercise drastically improves your state of well being.

Not only this, but personally, I find that when I exercise, I enter the same space I do when meditating. All other thoughts, concerns, and stresses seem to melt away, and I find myself in a place of mental clarity and stillness. A place that is ripe for reflection, inspiration, and a better understanding of self.

I need to get back to my workout now, but do yourself a favor and go exercise if you don’t already. I promise, you wont regret it.