Baba
Preparing for & breaking fast
Namaskar,
Fasting / upavása is one of the significant and important gifts which Baba has bestowed upon us for maintaining human health and leading a spiritual life. This letter discusses numerous aspects of the practice of fasting / upavása - including the all-important point and practical method of how to break fast. Here following are many of the topics:
Universal and Natural Law ~ Animal Existence vs Human Life ~ Operative principle / Prakrti's Perfect Remedy: Fasting / upavása ~ Animals follow Natural Law, Human Eat Mostly out of Greed ~ Fasting / upavása for Health: A Purification Process ~ AM's Approach to Fasting / upavása ~ Fasting / upavása and Longevity ~ Humans Know How to Break ~ System of Breaking ~ Wrong Breaking Invites Harm ~ Water Needed for Digestion & Whole Body System ~ Work of the Small and Large Intestine ~ Proper Cleaning Necessary ~ Use of Lemon Water ~ 'Rounds' for Breaking ~ Individual Needs ~ Gentle Process ~ Maintain Prama when Breaking ~ Warning and Guidelines ~ Stages of Cleaning ~ What and When to Eat ~ Taking Banana ~ Baba's Special Blessing ~ Baba's Complete System ~ Proper Interest and Care Needed ~ Optimal Health ~ Suggestions from Others ~ Healthy and Happy in All the Realms.
Humans abuse their freedom
Parama Purusa has created this world in a well-balanced way. And within this creation there is both animal existence and human life, with a unique difference separating the two. Animals are fully bound by natural law. They have no option but to strictly adhere to the rules of prakrti; whereas human beings have been given freedom or dominion to make choices and exercise their will, within a certain degree.
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Yet the Operative principle / Prakrti itself has been devised in such a perfect way that animals always advance and benefit from following natural law. In that sense, animals are comparatively more fit and healthy than common human beings because animals are forced to follow Operative principle / Prakrti's ways, while humans have some scope to go against natural law, should they desire. And this whole equation, with regards to animal life and human life, is especially true with regards to food and fasting / upavása.
Fasting / upavása: a law of prakrti
For example, when an animal gets sick, in their natural way they refrain from taking food until they regain their health. Refraining from ingesting food - i.e. fasting - is the very tool by which animals heal themselves and recover from their sickness. So animals do not eat food for taste per se, but as a means of survival and recovery according to the dictates or laws of the cosmi operative principle / prakrti.
So Parama Purusa has created this beautiful universe in such a way that everything unfolds according to natural law. Within this, fasting / upavása is a special method for curing oneself if the body is not functioning properly.
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Human food habits: improper & proper
Sometimes humans disobey natural law, and in this materialistic era especially, some persons eat excessively out of greed. When they see food, they desire to eat it, whether it suits them or not.
Those human beings - who are sensitive and follow the codes of yogic life - develop an inner sense of when to take food and when not. When the body is sick then they do not like to eat food. And that is the natural system to cleanse the body, enhance its functioning and make it perfect and pure. For thousands of years yogis have been following this approach.
Through fasting / upavása, toxins and waste are removed; and the body is given opportunity to recover and ultimately reach a higher state of functioning and wellness.
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Fasting / upavása in our Ananda Marga
In our Ananda Marga yogic style of living, all-knowing Baba has given the system of fasting (upava'sa) whereby He directs us to observe ekadashii as a fasting / upavása day. Some also fast on purnima and amavasya. In both cases, whether 2 or 4 times per month, fasting / upavása brings about a beneficial effect on the entire body, in numerous ways. Those who do not fast are deprived of the unique health benefits; their health breaks down, diseases crop up, and their health problems linger, and ultimately get multiplied. In the end, they have no choice but to surrender themselves to a local doctor and begin the process of taking medicine on a regular basis.
Parama Purusa Baba has given fasting / upavása as part of Sixteen Points and Baba has also said that by following 16 Points one will extend the length - and enhance the quality - of their life. So there is a vast difference between those who follow Sixteen Points and those who do not. Those strictly following points like fasting / upavása will get an extra 15, 20, or even 30 years of quality living. For optimal health fasting / upavása is highly important. As one becomes regular in following this system of fasting / upavása, the body becomes conditioned, so before the next ekadashii arrives one can internally feel that another fasting / upavása is needed.
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Svarashastra, the science of breathing and breath control, is helpful on fasting / upavása days. Those who are new to fasting / upavása and struggling with it can resolve their problem by doing this. Start your fasting / upavása day, and when the feeling of hunger arises then lie down on your right side. That will make the left nostril dominant and the feeling of hunger will dissipate. And if the feeling of hunger arises again then again lie down on the right side. By this way, one can control the urge to eat and have a successful fasting / upavása day.
Differences in fasting / upavása: humans & animals
In their own ways, both animals and proper human beings fast. But some vast differences exist between the two.
(a) In general, animals fast when the body is sick, whereas humans fast during sickness, as well as on amavasya, purnima and ekadashii in order to cleanse the body. As a matter of regimen, a person should not eat when sick or when not hungry.
Here it should be noted that I have seen how certain animals do not eat on ekadashii such as the fish that were in the pond at Baba Quarters in Lake Gardens and the dog in Ananda Shila' MU. Those animals were very strict not to eat those days. And there are various cases of animals that felt the negative effects of the moon on ekadashii and amavasya. And those animals refrained from eating those days. This I have seen with my own eyes.
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(b) Animals do not know how to properly break their fast, whereas humans have been given the technique.
And it is by breaking fast properly that the body is able to maximize the benefits of the fast. Unfortunately some are not aware how to break fast.
Here are more upcoming points
~ System of Breaking ~ Wrong Breaking Invites Harm ~ Water Needed for Digestion & Whole Body System ~ Work of the Small and Large Intestine ~ Proper Cleaning Necessary ~ Use of Lemon / Lime Water ~ 'Rounds' for Breaking ~ Individual Needs ~ Gentle Process ~ Maintain Prama when Breaking ~ Warning and Guidelines ~ Stages of Cleaning ~ What and When to Eat ~ Taking Banana ~ Baba's Special Blessing ~ Baba's Complete System ~ Proper Interest and Care Needed ~ Optimal Health ~ Suggestions from Others ~ Healthy and Happy in All the Realms.
Indeed, fasting / upavása is one special process for achieving and maintaining optimum health. As Ananda Margiis, we have all realised the various positive effects of fasting / upavása, such as ridding the body of toxins, increased longevity, and enhanced quality of life etc. Certainly then fasting / upavása is a unique purification process and one most significant aspect of this practice is the approach to breaking the fast.
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How the body is at the end of the fast
By doing a 24 hour dry fast - i.e. without water - and going 32 hrs without food, the body obviously becomes dehydrated. Hence the body is in a very delicate and sensitive state. In that case, if one breaks the fast in an abrasive or hasty manner then not only will they be unable to derive the many benefits of the fast but it will create harm to the body.
Here is another key point: In actuality, the real fasting period starts 10 hours after one's last meal and culminates when one breaks their fast. And by this way every sadhaka can calculate their actual fasting period.
Preparing for fasting / upavása
If you are planning to fast the next day then eat a little less quantity for dinner / evening meal. If this approach is followed then cleaning will go more smoothly on breaking fast day.
Other preparations include:
1. Be sure to have 2 - 3 hours of time in order to complete the whole process.
2. Be sure to have a lemon or lime available for breaking fast.
3. Be sure to have salt available for breaking fast.
4. Be sure to have a few (2 - 3) ripe bananas available.
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A few points of awareness
Before getting into the specifics of breaking fast, it should be mentioned that one, two, or even three glasses of water is not nearly enough for the breaking process. In their naivety, some people might drink 1 - 2 glasses of water and then immediately start eating a variety of food etc, but that way of doing is off base and should never be done.
Rather on the morning of breaking fast the first thing is that the digestive system should be cleaned thoroughly - from top to bottom - with water. And when that has been done completely, then solid food can be taken, but not beforehand.
Breaking the fast itself - a "how to" process - 1
Note: Please read this entire step-by-step process in full (at least once) before you actually start breaking your fast.
1. Squeeze ¼ or ½ of a lemon or lime into a bowl (ceramic, wooden or glass or BPA-free plastic or anything - but not metal.) Note: This entire breaking process can be done without a lemon / lime if need be in an emergency.
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(The size of the bowl should be at least 1 liter. Be sure that the individual cells of the lemon or lime are broken to maximize the juice. That will help bring more juice.)
2. Add 2 teaspoons (flat not heaping) of salt to the lemon / lime juice and mix.
3. Everyone has a different salt tolerance, and some people may be able to take as much as 3 teaspoons in the first round. In that case there will not be a second round with salt; one will just drink plain water for the second round as the entire breaking fast process can be done with just the 3 teaspoons of salt from the initial round.
4a. Special warning to heart patients: During this process, be sure not to drink more than ½ liter in one sitting and use less salt, approximately 1 teaspoon per round.
4b. Those with high blood pressure should be careful about the use of salt; for those in proper health, kindly know that this salt solution will be eliminated from the body in the next hour or two, so there will not be much of a lingering effect of all this sodium-chloride.
5. Begin to drink the lemon salt water mixture, then do some kaoshikii, and continue drinking. Then do some kaoshikii, and then drink again. Then do some kaoshikii, and then drink again - until you have finished that initial round of salt water. Note: The drinking should not be done in one gulp per se, but in a series of comfortable sips and swallows over the course of a five minutes or less, without bloating the stomach.
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Breaking the fast itself - a "how to" process - 2
6. After finishing this initial round of salty lemon water, walk around for a few minutes - either in the fresh air or indoors. Do not remain in a seated position. Either stand up or walk.
7. You may gently stretch the upper body by raising the arms on the inhale and then exhaling and gently bending to the side. And repeat by bending to the opposite direction. This gently helps to hasten the cleansing process. If you wish and it is comfortable you can bend forward and back a little bit, but do not go extreme.
Do not sit down and remain still as that will severely hinder the process of clearing. Do not create pressure when you bend forward and back as the belly is full of water.
8a. If you have done #3 then 8b is not needed. In that case, 20 minutes after finishing your first round, just drink 1 liter of warm water without any salt.
8b. After reading point #3, as soon as you feel ready, drink the next round of lemon salt water: ¼ or ½ lemon or lime with 2 flat teaspoons of salt, mix, then add 1 liter of warm water.
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(Note: It is important not to wait too long between rounds. As soon as the stomach feels comfortable one should again drink. Do not wait more than 10 minutes or so – if you can start drinking the next round before then that is fine.)
9. After #8a / 8b, be sure to walk around and bend the torso side to side – or a little front to back. Remember, do not sit down or remain still as that will severely hinder the process of clearing. This 15 - 30 minute period is very important; keep moving.
10. If you do not have a strong urge to go to the bathroom immediately, continue to walk and drink warm water with a lesser amount of salt, just a sprinkling. Lemon is not needed. (1 or 2 liters can be taken.)
11. By this process of drinking and walking, a strong urge will come to go to the toilet-- within 1/2 hour to one hour. If you ate too much on the eve of fasting / upavása (too much normal food and or "rich" (high protein and fat) then it may take longer.
If you followed up to now and still not breaking
Note: If the salt water mixture was misdirected to the urethra instead of cleansing the colon, it means that not a sufficient amount of salt was used or you ate too much rich food the night before fasting / upavása. But really for most people 2 teaspoons (max of 3 teaspoons) of salt per liter of water for the first two rounds should work fine. One should not consume more salt. Taking more salt may result in the release of important stomach enzymes and bacteria - for more about this see the warning after point #16.
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12. Initially, a very strong smelling brown waste matter will be released from the colon. Thereafter, more and more solids and liquids will be released via the rectum. This will also be brown at the beginning. But do not worry, thinking you have been stricken with a severe case of diarrhea. This is the initial stage of cleaning out the digestive tract.
13. Once this process of clearing the digestive tract has begun, switch over from drinking a lightly salted mixture and begin taking pure fresh water without any salt. This fresh water will help hydrate the body and aid in the cleansing process. Drinking 1 or 2 liters is quite helpful – both for clearing and re-hydrating.
14. In this process of cleansing one might visit the toilet between 3 - 5 times, or more. Or you may go less frequently but sit for longer periods. Do not suppress the urge, when the impulse comes go straight to the toilet.
15. The waste material will turn from brown and somewhat solid to yellowish and liquidy until finally being a completely clear liquid. Once completely clear liquid comes, be assured the entire digestive tract is clean - including the intestines, colon, and stomach etc.
16. By this entire process of cleansing a very light and healthy feeling will consume the body. One will feel very happy, fresh, and energetic.
Warning: If in the process of clearing, a white or yellowish foam (lots of bubbles piling up) is released from the rectum then it means too much salt has been taken. The foam is actually the mucous membrane / stomach lining that contains all kinds of positive bacteria that should remain in the gut. So if you have reached this point of producing foam, then you have taken too much salt and you will be overcome with extreme weakness.
17. Within ten to fifteen minutes a slight feeling of hunger will come. At that point, you should eat 1 - 2 very ripe bananas that have brown spots on the outside - or 3 if they are very small. The bananas should be soft and ripe with brown spots - not green and hard. Chew them slowly and thoroughly to generate and mix with the saliva. Be sure to only eat ⅙ full of the belly.
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18. After taking a few bananas - be careful not to overeat or fill the stomach - wait until the onset of a strong feeling of thirst. Then drink a little bit of water, and when a strong feeling of thirst returns, drink a little more water. This will help in digesting the bananas.
19. After stronger hunger comes, take ½ belly of easily digestible food such as cooked rice etc. Here are a few other options as well.
(a) If one chooses to take fruit then only eat fruit - not grain or vegetables - and avoid taking citrus fruit.
(b) If one chooses hydrated rice and vegetables (kichuri) do not mix fruit with that rice dish.
(c) Avoid heavily spiced, oily food, or processed food. Avoid eating too much dry food like bread, or acidic food like pasta. Aim for more simple food: like soups and kichuri.
(d) Later on in the day, after your second round of food is digested, then it is ok to take some citrus fruit if you wish.
20. Throughout the day, care should be taken to continue to drink plenty of fresh water in small amounts, but not at the same time as eating. This will help ensure the solid food gets digested properly and it will also keep the body hydrated.
Taking proper care
One should also keep in mind that breaking fast is a highly individualized thing. And one should be gentle and listen to one's own body when undergoing this entire process.
So altogether, this is one very important practice and a delicate subject; it needs personal interest and proper care to see what is good and working well for you.
Also beware, if on non-fasting / upavása days you are not feeling hungry, then do not eat until the feeling of hunger arises. Eating when not hungry will ruin the system.
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Great significance of fasting / upavása
Parama Purusa Baba has included upava'sa (fasting) as its own exclusive point in Sixteen Points.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "Observe fast as prescribed." (1)
And in His supreme 'Secrets for a Long Life', Baba lists upava'sa (fasting) as its own entry.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya states, "upava'sa (fasting) at Intervals." (2)
And furthermore in Yogic Treatment pointedly remarks how upava'sa (fasting) helps restore the body to a balanced and natural condition.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "During upava'sa (fasting) the body's organs get a good rest, and the healing process is more rapid." (3)
Upavása is more than just fasting
Here below Baba colorfully describes how we are to spend our fasting / upavása days.
Ananda Marga ideology says"'Upa' means proximity. And va'sa means to live, to reside. So the upava'sa word means to live near the Lord. In these days of fasting, what the aspirants are to do? Mentally they should live near their Lord. On all other days there remains a balance between external objective adjustment, and subjective approach. An adjustment between objective adjustment and subjective approach. But on these fasting, or upava'sa, the aspirant remains more in proximity to the Lord than in other mundane duties. That's why these days are known as "upava'sa". The word 'fasting' doesn't carry the proper sense or the proper spirit of the term 'upava'sa'. To go without food, for this the proper word is anasan. 'An' means not, 'asan' means eating. And not upava'sa. So these ekadashii, amava'sya, and purnima they are, upava'sa. Do you follow?" (4)
And Sadguru Baba's next guideline further details how fasting / upavása days are perfect for an enhanced spiritual routine.
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Ananda Marga philosophy states, "These fixed [fasting] days are called upavása since during these days people keeping their minds engaged in spiritual matters 'live closer' to God, and any possibility of mental degradation is averted: their humanity is not endangered by the lengthening shadows of annihilation." (5)
By all this we can understand that on upavása days one can enjoy heightened spiritual awareness and thus deepen their devotional link with Parama Purusa - Baba.
In Ananda Marga, sometimes we may use the term 'fasting', but in reality one means upavása. It is just that due to the lack of a proper English term that we may say 'fasting'.
Conclusion
The Ananda Marga system of fasting / upavása is a central practice for every sadhaka and the benefits reflect in all realms of life: physical, psychic, and spiritual. So every Ananda Margii should be keen to fast on the noted days and break fast in the aforesaid manner.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Prabhu Deva
I can never forget how in one general darshan, Parama Purusa Baba has given the guideline that although most animals know how to fast, only humans know how to break their fast properly. Those not aware about this technique should be taught at the earliest.
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Fasting / upavása on planet earth & beyond
We know that our Ananda Marga system of fasting / upavása is based upon the cycle or phases of the moon. Yet Baba also guides us that when human beings move to other planets then accordingly the system of fasting / upavása will be based on that planetary system etc.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "On and around the times of new and full moon, one may observe that the gaseous and aqueous factors in the body rise up into the head and chest, creating an uncomfortable feeling. Therefore, if a person does not take food at these times, these factors will be drawn down from the higher portions of the body to the lower portions, thereby alleviating the uncomfortable feeling." (6)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "You should not depend on food too much. This is why I have prescribed fasting on four days a month for some people and two days a month for others, and personally I have proved by fasting for five years and ... months at a stretch that if people try, they can remain without food. If one's dependence on food decreases, one will gain more freedom in a particular aspect of life." (7)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “So upavása is a necessity in the eleventh moon, púrńimá (that is, full moon), and the new moon. In Ánanda Márga, I didn’t prescribe these four days’ upavása for grhiis—that is, non-wholetimers, non-avadhútas; they are to fast only two days, two eleventh moons. And for workers, avadhútas, they are to fast how many days? Four days. Because they will have to engage themselves more in higher works, in the intellectual and spiritual [realms]. That’s why they should fast four times in a month—and others twice. But, if others so desire, they may fast four times—I won’t say anything—but it is not compulsory.” (8)
References
1. Caryacarya - II, Point no. 8 of 16 Points
2. Caryacarya - III, Point no. 5, 'Secrets Long Life’
3. Yogic Treatments, Appendix F
4. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 6, Upavása
5. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, p.188
6. Caryacarya - 3, Procedure for Fasting
7. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, In Kali Yuga, Strength Lies in an Organized Body
8. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 48 (Pure), Why Upavása - 2
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Due to Your absence
"Toma'ke ja'y na' bhola'..." (Prabhat Samgiita #2347)
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa, I can’t forget You. Always I am calling and thinking about You, yet You are not giving me Your darshan or satiating my heart's desire by coming to me. You have bound me in Your divine attraction - love. When I long for You and the feeling of melancholy is unbearable then my heart begins to ache. In that yearning and pain, the feeling comes in my mind that it is best just to forget You.
Because then at least the agony which is lingering due to Your absence will dissipate and vanish. But I can’t forget You; the more I think that I should forget You, then my ardent desire for You only intensifies and my heart becomes even more restless. Baba, I crave Your proximity...
== Section: Prabhat Samgiita ==
परमपुरुष ! धरती ने नयी आशा के साथ तुम्हारा स्वागत किया।
प्रभात सङ्गीत 298
हे परमपुरुष बाबा ! अनेक युगों से यह सूखी और ऊसर धरती तुम्हारे आने की रह देखती रही थी । बादलों के गरजने और वर्षा होने के रूप में तुम आए । गरमी से प्रभावित होकर थकी हुई धरती ने नयी आशा के साथ तुम्हारा स्वागत किया।
बाबा ! मेरे मन रूपी मोर के पङ्ख सैकड़ों लयों और तानों में नाचने लगे हैं। तुम्हारे आने से गूॅंगे लोगों को भी बोलने की ताक़त मिली है। अब वे लोग तुम्हारी की ओर दौड़ रहे हैं। हे परमपुरुष ! तुम बादलों के गरजने और वर्षा के रूप में यहाँ आये ।
हे परमपुरुष ! आज तुम को पाकर मेरा हृदय छलकने लगा है। सभी दसों दिशाओं में तुम्हारी सुन्दर चमक फैलती जा रही हैं। हे परमपुरुष ! तुम बादलों के गरजने और वर्षा के रूप में यहाँ आ गए हो ।
बाबा ! आज मेरे लिए करने को कुछ नहीं है। तुम्हीं को सोचते हुए तुम्हारे विचारों में डूब कर, मैं तुम्हारे ही रूप को देखता जाता हॅूं। तीनों लोकों की भूख और तीनों लोकों का अमृत मिलकर एक हो गए हैं। बाबा ! यह तुम्हारी ही कृपा है आज तुमने आकर भक्ति की अपार वर्षा की है। हे परमपुरुष ! तुम बादलों के गरजने और वर्षा के रूप में यहाँ आए हो । (1)
References
1. Sadguru Baba says (in GD, Delhi, 26 Feb 1984) that when writing a Prabhat Samgiita purport then very simple words should be used so that the common mass may understand. The above Hindu purport has been written according to that guideline.
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Inner spirit of dharmacakra mantra
Ananda Marga ideology says, “Just see the case of air, light, water, respirations and everything. The need for these things is the same for all individuals. There have been no differentiations. These differentiations that we see in society are creations of vested interests, creations of depraved persons, of degenerated, immoral people. So you should not support these actional defects of immoral persons. You should follow the divine vibrational system, that is, you must not try to find any differentiations among individuals. “Devábhágaḿ yathápúrve saḿjánáná upásate.” It is the wont of divine expressions that there be no differentiations, no class of exploiters and exploited. That is, this wont of not creating any differentiations was not only their duty, it was their upásaná, the desideratum of their existential march.”
Ananda Marga ideology ways, “Samáni va ákuti”. When everything cometh from the same source, from the same Progenitor, and when finally everything goeth back to the same desideratum, there must be the same aspirations, the same longing, in the heart of each and every individual. But due to the depraving actions of immoral people, those exploited, those downtrodden people are forced to forget their goal. They are drifted away from the desideratum of their life. This should not be done. Everybody should get the chance to develop their natural longings for Him.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 3, Saḿgacchadhvaḿ
== Section 3: Links ==
Postings to ReadWhen money is tight - what to do
Animal suffering & rhino tale
Natural call: keeping clean
Reply to skeptics: singing His glory
Baba’s childhood pledge: obliterate casteism
