I guess I have all the time in the world to do things that Agathiyar and the Siddhas have prescribed. My daily walk includes the figure 8 carried in the book "Walk 8 Break Diseases" by S.Srinivasan. Many ailments including LDL cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, headaches, and bronchitis, shall be checked or arrested and possibly cured writes the author who has been doing it for 10 years as of the date of publication of the book, February 2014. Obesity will be checked, the excretory system shall function well, the vertebral column will be toned up, the oxygen required will be obtained, eyesight will improve, and blood pressure will normalize. It helps settle the mind for meditation, and one shall have a good sleep. To derive full benefit the figure 8 has to conform to the following size and space, between 14 and 16 feet in length and 7 to 8 feet in breadth. He advocates it to those under the influence of the planet Saturn which runs its 7 1/2 years course for he says they tend to benefit much from this practice as the planet Saturn's number is 8.
During my walks, I see people from all walks of life and of all ages and races. Going by the communities I notice that the Chinese will take up anything under the skies to stay healthy and jump into it immediately. They are willing to take chances. They are willing to gamble. The Indians need a lot of talk and convincing to do. The Malays hesitate and often look up to their spiritual leaders for approval as in fatwas or religious edicts before engaging in anything. In November 2008, "the Islamic authorities issued a ruling, known as a fatwa, instructing the country's Muslims to avoid yoga because of its Hindu roots." Soon after the ban, Muslims were allowed to carry on doing yoga minus the chanting. https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/malaysia-backs-down-from-yoga-ban-amid-backlash-idUSTRE4AP2CA/
Considering these factors it is no surprise that we see the Chinese community taking the lead in keeping fit. There is this Chinese uncle in his 80s who plays basketball solo. Then there are these aunts and uncles in their 80s too who are seen brisk walking. Next come the Malays who join in the walk. Finally, we only see a few Indians in these parks taking a walk to keep fit.
We at AVM had come up with some programs to get the devotees to keep fit hoping that they would continue doing it. Are they doing it?
The lorry attendant whom I used to see often was sitting on the bench in the park as usual but unusually absorbed in deep thought yesterday. He lamented to me that much was going on in his mind. I wondered what they were. I pointed out to him asking him if he had debts, if he had an illness, if he had a family and responsibilities? He replied in the negative to all those questions. So what was bothering him I asked. He said that he had no parents. This jolted my mind to the moment Lord Muruga wanting to play a game comes as a cowherd and reminds Agathiyar that he was an orphan. Both Lord Shiva and Parvathy come along as an elderly couple and tell him that just as he was looking for his parents they too were looking for their child. They drive in the point that Agathiyar in being fully engrossed in spreading the Tamil language had forgotten his parents. The couple reveal themselves and consoled him that he was not an orphan. The Siva family appear before him and pronounce that he was not an orphan but part of the family.
Gowri Arumugam under her label Raagawave penned a song set to music by Jey Raggaveindra that was jointly produced by AVM and AUM. One track among the seven touched on this.
I told the man to look back at the number of mothers and fathers that he has had in all his births, something that Pattinathar highlights in his songs. I told him to look at himself, cheer up for all the above reasons, and be grateful. Not many can afford to sit and gaze aimlessly into the skies. I told him to look around. People are all running around trying to make ends meet and feed the family amidst all the tensions and stress that they take on. Finally, I told him that I envy him for Agathiyar and Lord Murugan too have asked me to do nothing like him.
Losing one's parents is something difficult. So is it in losing a child. But Agathiyar tells us to welcome death. It is a process and a gateway to another journey. What remains in all these numerous births is the soul that takes on the experiences that come from learning.
My mother-in-law is finding it so difficult to accept her present state. She tells us that she cannot serve us all as she has in the past. We must understand that with age comes its limitations. We have to settle into it. If we start comparing to what we did in the past we are going to be frustrated angry and can only cry and weep.
Thus the reason the Siddhas begin to prepare us by asking us to let go of our hold slowly as we approach our graves so that the soul can depart easily in its last moments.