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lmaher22
USA
217 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 17 2014 : 3:12:46 PM
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Seven or eight months ago I got into fasting. It then began very hard for me to meditate for whatever reason. I persevered though, even when it felt useless. I think it has come back recently though. Hope it stays. Thank you all.
Larry |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2014 : 12:55:08 PM
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Hi Larry,
For years I fasted at least twice a month (Ekadashi days) and often once a week. I cannot say those were always easy days, particularly when in the midst of increased practices that led to exhaustion (since those days invariably fell on my busiest work days) and irritability. Yet I continued, gritting my teeth and wanting to burn in the intensity of the tapas... Until I saw what an ego trip it was.  All the ways I had become identified as the "spiritually arduous" seem positively comical when I look back at it. But, seeing I had the same issue you are describing, I gave it up, along with the "need" to identify as that one. Fasting happens naturally these days, when neither the need to take in food nor the "thought" to fast happen intentionally. Those days, there is incredible lightness of being and a resetting of the system.. And "I" don't do it..
Here's a fabulous description of the process by Ram Dass, one of my favorite teachers: http://www.ramdass.org/tag/fasting/
Much love.   |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 07:20:56 AM
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Hi Larry and Kami,
Interesting subject and good to read your experiences to which I can relate (having experienced similar effects to some extent at some point)..
I also did quite some experimentation with food (including a.o. being on a mostly fruitarian diet for about one year and later, on a more regular vegan diet fasting once a week for more than 6 months. Now I fast about once every two weeks and eat otherwise a mainly vegan diet (sometimes including fresh unpasterised milk). I benefited very much from these restricted diets and fasting, though noticed there comes a point where it becomes rather unbalancing and the point can be easily reached after some episodes of tapasya or (unknowingly) practicing too much.. Main symptoms of imbalance that were experienced here were oversensitiveness to sound, being somewhat overactive mentally and sometimes irritability also.
The wisdom and recommendations from Ayurveda as well as the grounding advice in AYP helped me a lot.
According to Ayurvedic principles, regular fasting (for instance one day a week/fortnight, or longer fasts every season) may be long term extremely beneficial for some, while unbalancing for others..
Ayurvedically speaking, people with a dominant kapha constitution are most likely to benefit tremendously from lifelong fasting habits. The benefits of fasting enjoyed with simple ease are also most strikingly observed among the kapha dominant clients/patients of health advisers holding fasting retreats.
Those with a dominant vata and to a lesser extent also pitta constitution may benefit more from very mild fasts (eg. one day every two weeks juice fasting for pitta or one day a week fruit fasting for vata). If taken too far they may experience undesirable effects (vata imbalance related symptoms such as being somewhat overactive aka restlessness; pitta imbalances may often manifest as irritability. Irritability being a mild form of anger, a fiery emotion. Tapas/force/discipline are pitta characteristics (and in terms of chakras often manipura (potentially ego) related)..)
A person with a dominant vata constitution is the quickest to experience the downsides of fasting, being very light already.. The person whom has a dominant pitta constitution will experience the benefits of fasting for a longer time than the vata person (until the fire is much cooled down; then they may start to experience more and more undesirable vata symptoms as their constitution becomes lighter and lighter).
The imbalances have repercussions both during normal daily activities and while engaging in spiritual practices.
These may apply to a larger or lesser extent to different individuals, depending on many factors. So, as always, experimenting and adjusting over time yields most understanding about what works best for oneself.. For reference: My ayurvedic constitution is more dominant in pitta-vata.
Best!
Omsat
PS:
Some info on Ayurveda from this website can be found here:
http://www.aypsite.org/ayurveda-diets.html
http://www.aypsite.org/69.html
There's plenty elsewhere also if you wish to study more extensively.. |
Edited by - Omsat on Jan 20 2014 09:11:42 AM |
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kami
USA
921 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 08:16:30 AM
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Thanks Omsat.
Very true about the effect of fasting on prakruthi/vikrathi. Ayurveda is a lifestyle that encompasses not just food recommendations, but also optimal times to perform daily duties, seasonal adjustments in self-care, etc. Meditative practices increase vata/pitta, particularly with Kundalini awakening. Thus, what might have been appropriate at one time during the spiritual journey is no longer appropriate at another time. Fasting, for example, might work for someone who is kapha predominant until Kundalini awakening results in a huge vata-pitta imbalance. At that point, it may not be necessary to eat a whole bunch of meat and potatoes to ground, but to make simple changes in daily routines and self-care along with not fasting.
The body is inherently superbly intelligent; my experience with fasting and dietary choices is an example of not being in tune with that intelligence. Pushing through with fasting when that is not what is called for is simply an egoic need to be this or that (in this example, "spiritual"). Cannot say I'm completely in tune with the body's intelligence, but it is gradually getting there. I simply need to listen and it tells me when to eat, to rest, to exercise, to meditate. When in harmony with that intelligence, even fasting just happens, when it needs to.
Much love.
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 09:01:16 AM
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Very beautiful..
Very wise..
Thank you for the insightful finetuning..
Thank you for sharing from the heart..
Much love to you
quote:
Originally posted by kami
Thanks Omsat.
Very true about the effect of fasting on prakruthi/vikrathi. Ayurveda is a lifestyle that encompasses not just food recommendations, but also optimal times to perform daily duties, seasonal adjustments in self-care, etc. Meditative practices increase vata/pitta, particularly with Kundalini awakening. Thus, what might have been appropriate at one time during the spiritual journey is no longer appropriate at another time. Fasting, for example, might work for someone who is kapha predominant until Kundalini awakening results in a huge vata-pitta imbalance. At that point, it may not be necessary to eat a whole bunch of meat and potatoes to ground, but to make simple changes in daily routines and self-care along with not fasting.
The body is inherently superbly intelligent; my experience with fasting and dietary choices is an example of not being in tune with that intelligence. Pushing through with fasting when that is not what is called for is simply an egoic need to be this or that (in this example, "spiritual"). Cannot say I'm completely in tune with the body's intelligence, but it is gradually getting there. I simply need to listen and it tells me when to eat, to rest, to exercise, to meditate. When in harmony with that intelligence, even fasting just happens, when it needs to.
Much love.
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Edited by - Omsat on Jan 20 2014 09:07:18 AM |
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lmaher22
USA
217 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 11:50:48 PM
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| Thanks guys. Reminds me of how far I still have to go. |
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Omsat
Belgium
267 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2014 : 04:32:05 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by lmaher22
Thanks guys. Reminds me of how far I still have to go.
You're welcome..
Thanks..
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Fasting and meditation.
