Article July 19, 1993 Issue

Training—physical or spiritual emphasis?

What kind of fitness are we working toward?

Jürgen Vogt

Original in German

A Great deal of attention is paid physical fitness these days, and numerous programs and products are being offered to help us achieve it. Tremendous energy is spent on jogging, exercising with fitness machines, and lifting weights. How important is this training? Is it a sure way to attain health and to feel really alive?

One assumption is that a stronger body provides more vigor and endurance to deal with everyday tasks. But this emphasis too easily disregards mental qualities such as joy, love, and intelligence as sources of strength. Instead of giving so much attention to building up the body, perhaps we should think more about the real nature of health. Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "To say that strength is in matter, is like saying that the power is in the lever. The notion of any life or intelligence in matter is without foundation in fact, and you can have no faith in falsehood when you have learned falsehood's true nature" (pp. 485-486).

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