‘THE NINE REFRAINMENTS IN LIFE’ WHEN DEALING WITH PEOPLE, MATTERS AND IN TAKING CARE OF OUR HEALTH
4. Refrain going overboard when dressing warm in cold weather
Fourth, refrain going overboard when dressing warm in cold weather
First and foremost, I would like to share the meaning of ‘not desiring extreme warmth during winter’. What this means is during winter, we should not seek excessive heat. Taking hot showers in winter could cause strokes which explains why many people die while taking their showers. During winter, human blood vessels contract – with heat comes expansion whilst with coldness comes contraction, and stiffness. When there is sudden heat and drastic change in temperature, the person will collapse because the blood vessels in the brain are very fine. Such incidents are common.
On the flip side is ‘not desiring extreme cold during summer’. What does extreme cold here mean? It’s the type of bone-chilling cold which is not something that we should expose ourselves to. As you notice, many people are fond of keeping themselves cool in summer. However, for those who enjoy extreme coldness in their younger days, chances are they will end up with arthritis in their older days.
In a nutshell, how you wear your clothes and hats are important because it is as easy to catch a cold when one is too warm as it is to suffer from chills when it is too cold. This underscores the importance of adopting the middle path.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Paris, France, 5 September 2019