They live up to 90-100 years: reasons for the longevity of Shaolin monks

Photo byAlamy

It's hard to believe, but many Tibetan monks live lives exceeding 100 years! The average life expectancy of a Tibetan lama is 90-100 years! What helps them stay young and healthy?

Shaolin monks are known for their strict discipline and very healthy lifestyle. They get up at 5am, follow a vegetarian diet, chant, have two kung fu training sessions of two hours, morning and afternoon, avoid tea and liquids during meals to aid digestion, and go to bed at 10pm.

Here are 12 habits these monks follow to stay young and healthy.

1. Moderation in food

Shaolin monks do not eat meat and have great energy to do all their activities. Their bursting energy is achieved through protein sources such as tofu, beans, milk and nuts. On a typical day, monks eat bean soup for breakfast at 6am and at 11:30am they have lunch consisting of five or six different vegetables with tofu and rice. At 5:30pm it is time for dinner which consists of noodles with bread; the bread must be made of black or yellow wheat.

They also reject any unhealthy food and think of food as medicine, eating and drinking only what their body needs. On the other hand, they pay a lot of attention to food as it helps with digestion. The key to being mindful both while eating and during other activities is to connect the mind with the heart and body. This will also help you not to overeat, which is very good for your body because if you keep yourself slightly hungry it will keep you young and energetic. So avoid unnecessary snacking.

Remember to drink enough water, and it is advisable to include green tea due to its many properties that benefit the body. Avoid toxic substances such as alcohol.

2. Develop inner strength

Although Shaolin monks are known for their great physical strength, it is equally important that they develop their inner strength. To do this, they are very confident in themselves and their abilities.

A holistic approach to training will not only strengthen your body but also your mind, which will benefit you in the form of the ability to concentrate even in situations where your entire environment is in chaos.

When you develop your inner strength, you will gain a sense of integrity and hope, which will help create a positive attitude and motivate you in your daily life. Think of failures as a force that will force you to improve and develop new qualities. The truth is that all people are born with inner strength, which they are often unaware of.

3. Put your health first

Many people focus too much on their work and daily routines, leaving no opportunity to take care of themselves and their health. This is a big mistake that you should avoid, because if you lose your health, you will not be able to achieve everything you have set out to do, including goals, wealth, and other plans. For Shaolin monks, physical fitness is essential for good health, and that is why they are very strict in their training, which they do not skip for any reason.

While you probably won’t spend hours working out like these monks, be sure to dedicate some of your day to physical activity. Once you make health a priority and develop the habit of exercising your body daily, you’ll find that your life is much more balanced and it’s easier to find harmony.

4. Accept the changes

The nature of the universe is changeable, so everything around you continues to move and flow. Therefore, you should not cling to circumstances or situations that are already in the past. Shaolin masters recommend that in order to continue moving forward in harmony, you must let go of any emotions associated with past events, and thus remain in the present.

Focus on what you enjoy doing and what is around you right now, without dragging emotions from the past. Recognizing that all circumstances change and that people come and go is a great step toward living a fulfilling life.

5. Practice discipline and self-control

One of the first teachings of the Shaolin monks is that discipline leads to self-control, so in order to achieve your personal goals it is very important that you practice discipline.

6. Accept yourself

The principle of acceptance is a fundamental part of Shaolin philosophy. In the same sense, it is very important to learn to forgive those who have wronged you, because when you cling to feelings such as anger or resentment, your body and mind suffer negative consequences. Leaving behind the pain of past grievances is an important step to being able to focus on the present, accept reality, and fully enjoy life.

7. Practice non-attachment to material possessions.

Although most attachments are focused on material goods, there is also attachment to people and ideas. Appreciate among all your material goods those that are truly important and necessary, and appreciate more everything that is not related to material goods, but has much greater value.

Photo byYouTube Screenshot

8. Start with small changes.

Sometimes when people want to make changes in their daily lives, they start with radical changes. Shaolin monks focus more on quality than quantity, and therefore believe that it is better to practice for ten minutes with a clear and focused mind than to practice for an hour with a scattered mind.

So if you are looking to improve your physical or mental performance, avoid making sudden changes and gradually introduce the routines you want to make part of your daily routine so that your body gets used to them and you can increase the intensity without throwing you off balance.

9. Focus on one thing at a time

Modern life has taught us to pay attention to several things at once. Buddhism teaches the opposite and encourages you to focus on one thing at a time. It is commonly believed that multitasking is a quality that makes us more productive people, but in fact, scientific research shows the opposite and excludes the possibility that the human brain is designed for multitasking, as the quality of work decreases.

10. Let go of everything you can't control.

Focusing on things or situations that you cannot control is an unhealthy way to live. This does not mean that you do not get involved in what is happening in your immediate environment, but you learn to recognize when there is something that you cannot change or control, and then you must accept it as part of reality without contradicting it.

11. Listen without judging

Buddhist philosophy places great emphasis on the ability to communicate with others without judging or condemning them. In this sense, it is important to learn to listen to others and understand what they want to tell us.

12. Learn to cope with pain

Suffering from pain at some point in life is inevitable, whether it is physical or emotional pain. Shaolin monks train hard to better tolerate pain so that it strengthens them rather than weakens them. Being more resilient to pain will allow you to make better decisions and not get carried away by the moment, and to act with a clear mind.

Remember that you can always start changing yourself and your life.

Which of these habits do you think is most beneficial for maintaining youth?