Exercising and dieting⁵

Every day I have been trying to walk eight miles. My disciples have to go to work, but God is kind to me. He has made me a vagabond; I can spend time taking exercise. Again, perhaps even if you did not have to go to work, you would not have gone out. Lethargy would have devoured you.

I start my journey early in the morning. Some days I go out at four o'clock. Most days I try to be out right after four. The latest is 7:15. This morning I went at five o'clock. Some nights the goddess of sleep does not condescend to visit me, and on other nights I rest for an hour or two. So the body has to be trained either by the soul's light or by adamantine will-power.

I try to walk vigorously. Recently, I have been taking only 200 calories a day. Sometimes I go under 200 calories. That is the only way I can lose weight. Since I began doing this, I have lost a pound every day or even over a pound. By the grace of Pranika, Shephali and Nishtha, all the calories in my food have been faithfully recorded. I am trying to stick to this diet. When I take Mexican food or Italian eggplant, I immediately gain five pounds. When I eat most delicious Indian food, I automatically gain six pounds. Then it takes me two or three days to come back to where I was.

My mileage and the route I take are all recorded by Paree and Govinda. And also, for discovering different routes, I am extremely grateful to Ketan, Pulak, Dhanu and a few others.

While I am walking, I get tremendous inspiration. At that time, I am meditating and meditating. I am not singing any song or thinking of "cabbages and kings". I am meditating. When you walk or jog, you, too, can meditate.

And also I have an excellent hobby. When I am walking, I pick up pennies, nickels and quarters. Last week I was blessed only with a penny. Then this week I found a dime. About a month ago, I found a quarter near Main Street. It was beneath my dignity to bend down. I was having some back pain. But the quarter spoke to me, "If you do not bend down and pick me up, I will give you an immediate cramp!" So I picked it up and naturally I did not get a cramp. Now I very faithfully pick up these pennies, nickels and so on.