There can hardly be a person who has never heard the popular proverb “A healthy mind in a healthy body” in his life. Moreover, those who received the specialty of philologist will easily pronounce it in Latin as it originally looked: Mens sana in corpore sano.
If you ask such people how they understand this proverb, then everyone will most likely have the same answer: if a person has a healthy body, then the spirit that dwells in him is also healthy. It cannot be otherwise. A healthy spirit will not settle in an unhealthy body.
But life quite often makes its own adjustments to this verbal formulation, and we see that apparently healthy people turn out to be quite weak spiritually, and vice versa, a sick person with physical disabilities can reveal incredible strength of spirit while struggling with their illness.
“A healthy mind in a healthy body”: continuation of the phrase, author
The traditional understanding of the catchphrase “A healthy mind in a healthy body” contradicts the meaning that was originally intended in these words. In fact, this phrase is an excerpt from the context.
If taken literally, the words of the expression mean that a person with good physical health a priori has a healthy psyche and strong fortitude. But is this really so? Life proves the opposite: people who have good physical health cannot always boast of a stable nervous system or a strong and healthy spirit. And people suffering from various physical ailments have a healthy spirit and amazing willpower. And many such examples can be given.
What happens? Were there really times when people lived up to the literal understanding of the words of a phrase? No, that didn't happen. Moreover, a literal understanding of the phrase incorrectly interprets the meaning intended by the author and his followers. Therefore, it is useful to know about the origin of the phrase and its author.
Important: The authorship of the famous catchphrase “A healthy mind in a healthy body” belongs to the Roman satirical poet Juvenal.
The satirist lived and worked in the hundredths of our era in the country of Ancient Rome. The years of Juvenal's life and work occurred during the reign of Emperor Trajan. In the satire written by the author, there was the following phrase: “We must pray for a healthy spirit in a healthy body.” This means that you need to pray to the gods.
Satirist poet Juvenal
As you can conclude, the phrase “went to the people” does not have the meaning that the author originally put into it, but with a completely different meaning. By the way, the phrase became popular not during Juvenal’s lifetime and creative years. This happened much later, namely in the 17th-18th centuries.
English educator, philosopher John Locke and French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau made the phrase popular. Philosophers and educators repeated this phrase in their works, pointing out that a healthy body is not the key to a healthy mind. Philosophers called for the fact that a person should strive for harmony. A person must improve his body and thoughts through daily work on himself, and not by resorting to the help of the gods.
The quieter you go, the further you'll get
And finally, the argument that is given to justify one’s slowness or caution. They say, if you drive more quietly, you will go further. This sounds reasonable, except that the original version of the expression has the exact opposite meaning. Namely: “The slower you drive, the further you will be from the place where you are going.” So, sometimes it is more useful to gallop than to hesitate. Well, or vice versa. Now you won’t be able to embarrass yourself by hastily using the wrong expression and out of place. Just like grandma on St. George's Day.
Proverb – “A healthy mind in a healthy body is a rare piece of luck”: semantic meaning
You can often hear continuations of the popular phrase:
- “A healthy mind in a healthy body is a rare blessing”;
- “A healthy body means a healthy mind, in fact, one of two things”
In some sources you can find the following statement:
- “In a healthy body there is a healthy spirit, which created this body.”
The first version of the statement was a popular proverb in Rome. In some sources you can find information that it was this proverb that formed the basis of Juvenal’s satirical work.
The second version of the expression belongs to the pen of Igor Irtenyev, who is a poet, a representative of the ironic trend of modern literature. The author emphasizes that more often a person achieves one thing: either health of the body or health of the spirit.
Important: It is noteworthy that Juvenal ridiculed the hobby only for improving the body, and in his own words tried to convey that people should also place emphasis on developing their own morality. But it turned out that the satirist’s words acquired a completely opposite meaning.
The reason lies in an inaccurate translation. In Rus', they became acquainted with the work of Juvenal during the reign of Peter the Great. The Russian Tsar traveled through Europe, and there he became acquainted with the work of the Roman satirist. Since then, the history of translations of Juvenal into Rus' began.
Critics wrote that Juvenal’s work would be accepted by our society and would be successful if there were correct translations. In 1988, the writer L. Leonov called for reconsidering the axiom, since according to it only athletes have a healthy spirit.
There are many slogans and calls for physical education with this popular expression. You should understand the true meaning of this phrase, and also draw the right conclusions for yourself. Many writers and philosophers urged people to develop the beauty of the soul along with the beauty of the body. This direction is popular at the moment. Modern people of different ages take care of their bodies and also develop spiritually.
A healthy mind in a healthy body: what does this mean?
Stake on the head
We pronounce the phrase “at least a stake on your head” when we want to hint at the tenacity or stubbornness of a certain person. And it really shows it, although people often pronounce it incorrectly. In the original version, scratching the stake would not have led to any results, because the original sounds like this: “at least there’s a stake on your head.”
That is, trim it, clear it of the bark even with an axe, sharpen it - in general, do what it is better not to do with an ax over your head, if it is not cast iron. This is what we are hinting to our opponent.
What is a healthy body, how to always be in a healthy body?
Our body is a source of energy. Achieving any goal requires a certain amount of energy. Some tasks require a lot of energy expenditure, while others require less. But it is definitely easier to achieve your goals if your physical health is normal.
Important: Many areas of life depend on how healthy our body is.
Many people who start taking care of their bodies notice improvements in many areas of their lives. It’s simple - physical tone rises, followed by improved mood and self-esteem, a person’s internal energy begins to attract the sympathy of others. A person with his strong life position begins to command the respect of others. It is easier for a person who is confident in himself and his abilities to achieve success than for an insecure person prone to depression.
Everyone puts their own concept into the words “take care of your body.” For some, this expression implies global changes in their body, others prefer to limit themselves to morning jogging. In fact, every person can maintain the health of their body using any methods convenient to them. You can maintain and improve your body in different ways:
- Engage in a certain sport;
- Go to the gym or stadium;
- Do exercises, exercise;
- Go for morning or evening jogging every day; some prefer walking or cycling;
- Yoga, fitness, shaping, Pilates, etc.
But let's not forget that taking care of your body is not only about regular physical activity. This concept also includes other important components:
- Healthy eating;
- Rejection of bad habits;
- Healthy sleep, proper routine;
- Hygiene procedures;
- Timely seeking medical help.
Important: Many people find many excuses not to exercise. They often cite lack of time and money. You should admit to yourself that the most important thing in the approach to maintaining a healthy body is desire.
How to Maintain a Healthy Body
To maintain your own health, you don’t need to have extra money or a lot of free time. Morning exercise is a minimal but very beneficial activity. Most people can get up early in the morning to spend 15-20 minutes exercising. There will already be enormous health benefits.
Many people, thanks to sports, get rid of depression, increase their self-esteem, and improve self-organization skills. There are a lot of positive aspects and opportunities that a healthy mind gives a person.
Don't forget, if you don't take care of maintaining the health of your body, no one will do it for you.
The sages say that without a healthy body it is impossible to rejoice and enjoy life to the fullest. Moreover, such people suffer.
What is a healthy mind, emotions, how to always be in a healthy mind?
Important: Maintaining mental health and increasing spiritual health is one of the main components of a successful and happy human life.
All human actions begin with thoughts. Whether they will be good or bad, beneficial or harmful, depends on the health of the spirit.
Many of you have probably heard the phrase “all diseases come from nerves.” These are not just empty words, they have substance. There is a direction in medicine called psychosomatics, which studies the influence of psychological factors on the occurrence of bodily diseases.
Qualities and traits such as irritability, fear, anger, a state of dissatisfaction, dissatisfaction with oneself and others lead a person to self-destruction. Negative thoughts affect a person’s actions, his relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. A negative attitude towards life leads to the accumulation of negative energy, which spills out in the form of various diseases. Therefore, it is important to drive away negative thoughts, surround yourself with good thoughts and deeds, and fill your soul with positive emotions.
A person’s happy and fulfilling life directly depends on emotional stability. People use various methods to cultivate morality, to develop spirituality and emotional harmony. Some people immerse themselves in faith in God, others begin to engage in charity, others analyze themselves, their thoughts, change and improve their value system. Some people cope on their own, others with the help of psychologists and spiritual mentors.
The development of a healthy spirit involves not only taking care of yourself, but also loving your neighbors, the people around you, and the world around you. With the right direction of thoughts, a person’s life includes peace, joy, understanding of the meaning of his life, responsibility for himself and his health.
In order to always be in a healthy spirit, it is important to work on yourself. This is a kind of training, and sometimes it is more difficult than physical activity. Improving your soul and mind is hard daily work. It is best to choose a direction for yourself that helps you fight negativity, reveals the best qualities in your soul, and move along this path.
Health of spirit
If a person does not give himself physical activity, he may get carried away with something harmful to his soul.
“You believe that excessive attention to the body is detrimental to the soul.” But even in Orthodox educational institutions today, fitness rooms are opened and sports competitions are held. Yes, you yourself just said that a priest must be physically strong and resilient.
- Now I’ll clarify my point. Anyone who goes in for sports always adds to physical activity taking care of appearance, beautiful clothes, proper nutrition, and the like. Can you imagine what a large percentage of time, effort, and money a person spends on this. He creates a cult out of the body. And the cult of the body is condemned by Christianity. Nobody says that you don't need to take care of your body. Need to. But in moderation. In any Orthodox educational institution, in addition to studying, there is obedience and worship. And still, time is allocated for physical education. Not at the expense of spiritual education, of course. I am convinced that if a person does not give himself physical activity, he can get carried away with something harmful to his soul. Now there are three serious dangers - the computer, delicious food and alcohol. A person unloads and relaxes with the help of these three means - alcohol, food and a computer. Rarely does anyone pick up a book, rarely does anyone go to workout, and rarely does anyone visit places where the soul truly rests. I am against food, alcohol and computers as antidepressants.
— Does sport, in your opinion, help a person’s spiritual development?
- There is no direct connection here. A person’s spiritual growth is influenced by a correct, ascetic life. In Christianity, this culture - the culture of ascetic life - has been developed over centuries and brought to perfection. Sports are needed in the city. And in rural churches and rural monasteries it is replaced by correct, ascetic practice, when you need to mow hay, graze cattle, water the garden, work in the refectory, prosphora, solve economic, construction, and everyday problems, and even bow and observe fasts. There is probably no need for sports there.
How a healthy body and healthy emotions are connected: an explanation
Important: Body and mind are inseparably connected. Everything that has a destructive effect on a person’s mental and emotional health affects physical health.
Any thoughts give impetus to the physical body. This occurs as a result of the active work of the nervous system, as well as the connection of this system with other systems of the human body.
Let's look at simple examples: the heart begins to beat faster if a person is worried, blood rushes to the face as a result of anger. There are many such examples. These are clear examples of how emotions are connected to the body.
In the same way, emotions can affect a person's health or illness. People with an unstable emotional psyche are often exposed to respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and headaches. In turn, people with stable mental health are less prone to diseases of this kind.
Connecting mind, body and spirit
Important: Scientists have proven that emotional instability leads to a decrease in the immune system.
Healthy thoughts are positive, joyful, kind, bright thoughts. If a person can direct his thoughts in this direction, he will definitely think about his physical health. In the same way, the body-soul connection works in the opposite direction: a healthy body generates positive, healthy emotions.
Whether we like it or not, our mind and emotions interact with the body. A change in one of these systems resonates in the other. This is proven both by the research of doctors and scientists, and by the observations of philosophers and sages. Proof of this is the famous phrase of Juvenal, the true meaning of which you can now understand.
