Ageing as Drying Out
If you contemplate the yogic view of ageing, you will see that some of its claims could be based on observation. Yogic texts describe two forces at work in the body: one cool, watery, and magnetic, and the other hot, electric, and fiery. To them, ageing is when the cool water energy is used up, and the whole being dries out. If we observe the process of ageing, it's easy to see how the yogic practitioner could consider it a drying-out process whereby the first force is burned off by the inner fire. As we age, we look more dry. Our skin dries, our bodies shrink, and we wrinkle as if we are not holding as much water. We lose flexibility in our bodies, and our cells become less magnetic in the sense of keeping repair. In our consciousness, we often dislike change or transformation. But could there be some truth in what the yogis teach? As we age, our bodies undergo various physiological changes that contribute to a decrease in overall hydration levels. Here are several ways this occurs:- Decreased Total Body Water Content
- Changes in Kidney Function
- Thirst Perception
- Physical and Environmental Factors
- Hormonal Changes