Purity of body is more desirable than bodily strength. Purity of body consists in three things: pure blood, sound muscles and skin in proper condition. One might ask, "How can one be strong without a pure body?" But I should say, "One can be." There are many strong and vigorous looking people with something wrong in their flesh, blood or skin.

Health, from the spiritual point of view, does not necessarily mean a strong body; health means a body sound in all its aspects. The standard of normal health is different for a mystic from what a scientist today thinks it to be. To the scientist the emotional side of man is not of interest; if the body is perfect according to his idea, he thinks man is healthy. But from a mystical point of view, if a man is strong bodily but his emotional nature is buried beneath, he is not healthy; there is something wrong with him. Therefore, a physician will find many not in proper health, but a mystic will find still more not in proper health. The person who is healthy to the physician's point of view is not necessarily healthy before the view of a mystic.

The illness that humanity has today is lack of that emotional nature which is productive of sentiment. In the East, though times have changed, still there is a recognition of that healthiness which is recognized by the mystic. They name these qualities of health beautiful names, such as consideration, thoughtfulness, mildness, gentleness, sympathy, harmoniousness, selflessness. When these things are lacking in a person, the mystic considers that lack of health.

Even an animal can be materially strong. If man is simply strong, he is no better than an animal. It is purity which is necessary, in the body first, in the mind afterwards, which produces in a person a state of health which alone can be called good health.