Writings of Porphyry Ivanov. A Hymn to God.
Soon I shall be eighty-five years old. Fifty years of them I gave to the practical search for the ways of healthy life. For that I daily test on myself the different qualities of Nature, especially her rough sides. I am filled with the wish to give the benefit of my experience to our youth and all Soviet people. This is my gift to them.
If it is possible, please publish my suggestions in a newspaper or a magazine.
Warm thanks to you.
Porphyry Korneyevich Ivanov.
Dear Child,
thou art filled with the wish to bring benefit to all Soviet people, which build communism. For that try thou to be healthy.
I ask of thee from my heart to accept several suggestions from me, in addition to what is written in “Ogonyok” No. 8, 1982, in order to strengthen thy health:
1. Two times a day, bathe in cold natural water, that thou feltest good. Bathe where thou canst: in a lake, a river, take a shower or a bath, or pour water upon thyself. This is thy conditions. Finish up hot bathing with cold one.
2. Before or after bathing, and if it is possible together with it, go outdoors to Nature, and stand barefoot upon the ground or snow in the winter, for at least one or two minutes. Breathe in the air through thy mouth several times and wish in thy mind (ask of the person thou trustest in) health to thyself and to all the people.
3. Do not drink alcohol and do not smoke.
4. Try at least once a week to go completely without food and water, from Friday evening between six and eight o’clock until noon on Sunday. This is thy achievements and peace. If it is hard for thee, keep fasting for at least twenty-four hours.
5. At noon on Sunday, go to Nature barefoot and breathe several times and think as it was written above. This is the celebration of thy business. After that thou canst eat whatever thou likest.
6. Love the Nature that surrounds thee. Do not spit around and do not spit out anything. Get used to it: this is thy health.
7. Greet every one here, there and everywhere, especially the aged people. If thou wantest to get health, greet every one.
8. Help people with what thou canst, especially the poor, sick, abused and needy man. Do it with joy. Answer to his need with heart and soul. Thou wilt find in him a friend and help the cause of peace!
9. Overcome thy greed, laziness, complacency, material gaining, fear, hypocrisy and pride. Trust to people and love them. Do not speak of them unjustly and do not take to heart unkind opinions of them.
10. Put out of thy head thoughts about diseases, weakness and death — it is thy victory.
11. Do not separate thought from action. Thou hast read — that is good, but the most important is to act!
12. Tell other people about this business and pass thy experience on, but do not pride thyself upon it nor brag about. Be modest.
If there is anything unclear or incomplete for thee, then write to me. I am ever ready to share my experience, in order that thy business should be successful.
I wish thee happiness and good health.
Porphyry Korneyevich Ivanov.
My address: 58 Sadovaya Street, Verkhny Kondryuchy village, Dolzhanskoye post office, Voroshilovgrad’s region, Sverdlovsk’s district, zip code 349200.