Growing up, the misery of my existence always came out during obligatory physical education known better by its established acronym, P.E. I certainly would not want Gandhi for my spokesperson against the evils and embarrassments that come from the daily 50-60 minute torture, which scarred my otherwise happy-go-lucky youth. Yet, like most adults, one can see the positive effects of physical training. Even Gandhi states how “gymnastics and cricket [were] compulsory for boys of the upper standards” and he disliked both (15).
Unlike gym and cricket, Gandhi seems to emphasize physical enlightenment as equal in importance as mental exercise by controlling one’s own body you gain a better sense of yourself in the space of your surroundings. This could be analogous to how Indians compare themselves with the English whether it is race, physique, money, and/or power.
While Gandhi may not fit the criteria of a P.E. teacher, i.e. a fairly obese coach who simply enjoys the power of commanding weakling children, he teaches the same basic principles. Developing self-discipline through dietary constraints and the limitations brought on by poverty. All this is needed to gain a closer understanding and speaking truthfully.
I agree with the importance Ghandi places on using physical exercise to develop sense of self, but I don't think standardized P.E. classes are his weapon of choice. I think the process of developing sense of self is something that has to be unique to your... well... self. I think you have to find the path and technique that works for you. This is why some people like to run to burn off stress while others swim or lift weights. I think Ghandi understands the connection of the mind to the body, but I think his dislike for cricket and gymnastics stems from the fact that they did not work for him, so he may not have been able to make a great self-discovery.
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