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SPORTS
AND SPORTSMANSHIP
As
soon as the child is able to make use of his limbs,
some time should be devoted every day to the methodical
and regular development of all the parts of his body.
Every day some twenty or thirty minutes, preferably
on waking, if possible, will be enough to ensure the
proper functioning and balanced growth of his muscles
while preventing any stiffening of the joints and
of the spine, which occurs much sooner than one thinks.
In the general programme of the child’s education,
sports and outdoor games should be given a prominent
place; that, more than all the medicines in the world,
will assure the child good health. An hour’s moving
about in the sun does more to cure weakness or even
anemia than a whole arsenal of tonics. My advice is
that medicines should not be used unless it is absolutely
impossible to avoid them; and this "absolutely impossible"
should be very strict. In this programme of physical
culture, although there are well-known general lines
to be followed for the best development of the human
body, still, if the method is to be fully effective
in each case, it should be considered individually,
if possible with the help of a competent person, or
if not, by consulting the numerous manua0ls that have
already been and are still being published on the
subject.
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THE MOTHER
(Ibid. Vol. 12, pp. 14-15)
Q: Sweet Mother, during our tournaments there are
many who play in a very bad spirit. They try to hurt
others in order to win. And we have noticed that even
the little ones are learning to do this. How could
it be avoided?
With children it is above all ignorance and bad example
which cause the harm. So it would be good if, before
they begin their games, all the group-leaders, the
captains, call together all those they are in charge
of and tell them, explain to them exactly what Sri
Aurobindo says here, with detailed explanations like
those we have given in the two little books The Code
of Sportsmanship and The Ideal Child {What a Child
Should Always Remember}. These things must be repeated
often to the children. And then, you must warn them
against bad company, bad friends, as I told you in
another class.
And
above all, set them the right example....Be yourself
what you would like them to be. Give them the example
of disinterestedness, patience, self-control, constant
good humour, the overcoming of one’s little personal
dislikes, a sort of constant goodwill, an understanding
of others’ difficulties; and that equality of temper
which makes children free from fear, for what makes
children deceitful and untruthful, and even cunning,
is the fear of being punished. If they feel secure,
they will hide nothing and you will then be able to
help them to be loyal and honest. Of all things the
most important is good example. Sri Aurobindo speaks
of that, of the invariable good humour one must have
in all circumstances, this self-forgetfulness: not
to throw one’s own little troubles on others; when
one is tired or uncomfortable, not to become unpleasant,
impatient. This asks for quite some perfection, a
self-control which is a great step on the path of
realisation. If one fulfilled the conditions needed
to be a true leader, even if only a leader of a small
group of children, well, one would already be far
advanced in the discipline needed for the accomplishment
of the yoga.
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THE MOTHER
(Ibid. Vol. 12, p. 15; Vol. 9, p. 80)
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