@
TinyBubbles & @
Kgal,
During the August 8-9 weekend, I made the decision that I wanted to fast on Monday the 10th. I was googling more information about fasting and found out that August 10 was a special fasting day called Ekadashi. Here is some information on it:
Ekadashi means the 11th day after the full moon and the 11th day after the new moon. The human physiology goes through a cycle called a mandala, approximately every 40 to 48 days. In this cycle, three specific days, which may be different from person to person and need not come with equal spacing, will arise when the body does not demand food. If you identify those days in your life and not give the body food – because it is not asking – a lot of your health issues will be handled by that simple pattern.
This cycle in the system is something that most people can identify if they take away the nonsense of “so many calories, so much protein and so much mineral should be eaten.” If they listen to the body, these three days can be easily identified by most human beings. So it was told that three times in those 48 days, you should not eat. This was said because somebody observed his own system and from that he expressed this. But then people did not have the awareness so they fixed the Ekadashi for not eating. If you look, there are three Ekadashis in 48 days. It goes well.
The reason is because the planet itself is in a certain state on that day, so if we keep our body light and available, our awareness will turn inward. The possibility of opening the door within is more on that day. If you have a full stomach, and you are unaware and dull, you will not notice it. So to stay alert and also to purify the body, you go without food on that day – you ate dinner the previous day and the next thing you eat is dinner on Ekadashi.
If you are unable to go without food – because your activity levels are such and you do not have the sadhana to support you – you can go on phalahara or fruit diet, which is light on the stomach so that your inner doors will open. Forceful denial of food is not the point. The point is to make everything into a conscious process. We do not want to compulsively eat like this, we choose.
from
http://www.ishafoundation.org/blog/yoga-meditation/demystifying-yoga/ekadashi/
You can google Ekadashi and find out more information. Here are the Ekadashi fasting dates for the next few months if you are interested:
• 26 August, Wednesday - Shravana Putrada Ekadashi
• 08 September, Tuesday - Aja Ekadashi
• 24 September, Thursday - Parsva Ekadashi
• 08 October, Thursday - Indira Ekadashi
• 23 October, Friday - Papankusha Ekadashi
• 24 October, Saturday - Vaishnava Papankusha Ekadashi
• 07 November, Saturday - Rama Ekadashi
• 22 November, Sunday - Devutthana Ekadashi
• 07 December, Monday - Utpanna Ekadashi
• 21 December, Monday - Mokshada Ekadashi
• 05 January, Tuesday - Saphala Ekadashi
• 06 January, Wednesday - Vaishnava Saphala Ekadashi
• 20 January, Wednesday - Pausha Putrada Ekadashi
• 04 February, Thursday - Shattila Ekadashi
• 18 February, Thursday - Jaya Ekadashi
• 05 March, Saturday - Vijaya Ekadashi
• 19 March, Saturday - Amalaki Ekadashi
• 03 April, Sunday - Papmochani Ekadashi
• 04 April, Monday - Vaishnava Papmochani Ekadashi
• 17 April, Sunday - Kamada Ekadashi
http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/Purnima-Amavasya_Ekadshi-Dates_3.htm
I've noticed after doing this, my dreams are clearer and more memorable. I am not as hungry when I am not fasting because my body feels full so quickly from smaller amounts of food. Also, my mood feels untouchable - things that would have made me upset just a year ago seem to just bounce away.