A True Fast
A true fast, undertaken with understanding and discipline has the power to cure most ailments of the body, mind and spirit. For the body, a fast restores all systems of the body - the nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems are all regenerated. The toxins and impurities in our blood and tissues are eliminated and our system becomes rejuvenated. It is a rare man who dies from under-eating; however, the majority of all today's terminal illnesses are rooted in over-consumption.
A fast also is one of the best ways of controlling our mind and senses. Fasts have been used for millennia to subdue passion, anger and lust. They allow us to withdraw our senses from the outside world and become refocused on our own divine nature and our connection to God. Additionally, during this period of sadhana, of austerity, of restraint one realizes that one is truly the master of one's body, not vice versa.
Unfortunately today, even the Indian community seems to have forgotten much of the purpose of a fast. Today, you will see people with plates overflowing with puris and pakoras who say they are fasting. There are phalharI chapatis, saboodana kichari and so many other hearty foods that we barely even notice it is a fast. I have heard that there is even a recipe for phalharI pizza dough!
On the one hand, it is wonderful to see such a proliferation of the idea of phalhar, and I am glad to see that observing weekly fasts, or fasts on Ekadashi are rituals which have not been lost as we enter the 21st century.
However, it is crucial to pause and reflect on what we are calling a "fast," for, although the idea of fast is still upheld with great fervor, its true meaning and purpose is quickly being obscured by the latest phalhar recipes.
Upvas
In Sanskrit, the word for fast is Upvas. This literally means, "sitting near to..." Sitting near to whom? Near to God.
Fasting is a time in which our bodies are light, a time in which our vital energy is not being dissipated through the process of consumption and digestion, a time in which we are free from the heaviness and lethargy resulting from overindulgence.
However, a fast is not meant to be merely a refrain from eating. It is not as simple as just reducing one's caloric intake or avoiding certain foods. Upvas is not a time in which only our stomach is free from excessive external stimulation. It is not a time of mere restraint of the tongue. Rather, it should be a time in which all of our organs are restrained. It should be a time in which all of our organs are purified, a time in which every sense is turned toward the divine.
Our tongues should refrain from both indulgence in food and drink, as well as from indulgence in speech. A fast should also be a time of silence, for we lose much of our vital energy in speech, and through speech our focus becomes diverted outward.
India Heritage Research Foundation
A true fast, undertaken with understanding and discipline has the power to cure most ailments of the body, mind and spirit. For the body, a fast restores all systems of the body - the nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems are all regenerated. The toxins and impurities in our blood and tissues are eliminated and our system becomes rejuvenated. It is a rare man who dies from under-eating; however, the majority of all today's terminal illnesses are rooted in over-consumption.
A fast also is one of the best ways of controlling our mind and senses. Fasts have been used for millennia to subdue passion, anger and lust. They allow us to withdraw our senses from the outside world and become refocused on our own divine nature and our connection to God. Additionally, during this period of sadhana, of austerity, of restraint one realizes that one is truly the master of one's body, not vice versa.
Unfortunately today, even the Indian community seems to have forgotten much of the purpose of a fast. Today, you will see people with plates overflowing with puris and pakoras who say they are fasting. There are phalharI chapatis, saboodana kichari and so many other hearty foods that we barely even notice it is a fast. I have heard that there is even a recipe for phalharI pizza dough!
On the one hand, it is wonderful to see such a proliferation of the idea of phalhar, and I am glad to see that observing weekly fasts, or fasts on Ekadashi are rituals which have not been lost as we enter the 21st century.
However, it is crucial to pause and reflect on what we are calling a "fast," for, although the idea of fast is still upheld with great fervor, its true meaning and purpose is quickly being obscured by the latest phalhar recipes.
Upvas
In Sanskrit, the word for fast is Upvas. This literally means, "sitting near to..." Sitting near to whom? Near to God.
Fasting is a time in which our bodies are light, a time in which our vital energy is not being dissipated through the process of consumption and digestion, a time in which we are free from the heaviness and lethargy resulting from overindulgence.
However, a fast is not meant to be merely a refrain from eating. It is not as simple as just reducing one's caloric intake or avoiding certain foods. Upvas is not a time in which only our stomach is free from excessive external stimulation. It is not a time of mere restraint of the tongue. Rather, it should be a time in which all of our organs are restrained. It should be a time in which all of our organs are purified, a time in which every sense is turned toward the divine.
Our tongues should refrain from both indulgence in food and drink, as well as from indulgence in speech. A fast should also be a time of silence, for we lose much of our vital energy in speech, and through speech our focus becomes diverted outward.
India Heritage Research Foundation
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