Fasting according to Hindu Religion.

Dear Meena,
It is nice to receive your F b.
Yes, filling up the stomach to the brim is best avoided. Not only that, fasting gives rest to our system also ! Believe me, I do not touch chocolates at all, the basic urge is not there at all ! Self control has to be developed gradually over the years, for our own benefit !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by meenaprakash

Dear Chitra,

all spiritual practices seem to have deeper meaning -
I don't fast but I don't treat my system like a waste bin filling it up with all crap. I need to be sure of what gets into my stomach. I can keep all the chocolates in front of me and avoid eating - all I need to do is just tell myself I won't and I really won't. that's about food.
the other part of fasting - the spiritual inclination, that's something I've always had and I'm praying all the time. sometimes I feel, I'm distubing God tooo much.
I liked your finishing line, Chitra .

Vish,
Welcome to this thread.
To fast for 3 weeks is really creditable, I salute you !
Yes, the light feeling of the body is something to be experienced to be believed, after the fast.
You seem to be a very determinec person, Vish !
Thankyou for your F B .
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by Vishana

Chithra,

Thank you for sharing that with us. I am fasting at the moment but my simple fast contains of eating only veg, fruits, coffee, water. I do this for about 3 weeks when I feel I need to and for most auspicious occasions in the Hindu calendar .

I only do an 'extreme' fast (where I don't consume anything at all for the day) when I am doing pooja, only eating once pooja is completed in the evening, still refraining from non-veg of course.

It's amazing how great your body and mind feels once you have completed a period of fasting.

Vish

Dear Chithra,

I think u r some kind of mind reader. This was one question which I thought I shd clarify with you - 'what is the significance of fasting?' !!! And lo...I see your write up already!!!

I think you hv clarified it very succinctly - fasting not only has spiritual meaning, but can also lead to good health if done properly.

My mom-in-law observes fast every Tuesday plus on all important religious events, in fact, on all 9 days during Navrathri !!! Knowing that I am working, she suggests that during Navrathri I eat fruits / juice / milk / curd etc on the first and ninth day ... She believes in the power of fasting, more from the sense of spirituality, self-control and closeness to God, I guess....!!


As a personal experience, when I am fasting (i.e., having mild natural raw food like salads, fruits etc during the day and palagaaram in the night), I actually feel better and hungrier the next day, since my digestive system seems to hv cleared up and rested :) :)

But yes, all depends on one's social circumstances, esp in work places!

Thanks for the eye opening write up..

With love
Pavithra

Originally Posted by chitvish

Fasting is abstinence of food for a specific period of time. It is also a self-imposed form of discipline. This practice is followed by almost all religious groups in the world.

There are many purposes for fasting. It has often been a way in which people have sought pardon for their misdeeds. In some religions, people fast during times of mourning. In others, the people believe that fasting will take their minds away from physical things, and produce a state of spiritual joy and happiness. People also fast because of health reasons. Fasting is very potent to increase the power and focus of prayer.

Why do Hindus fast?

According to the Hindu belief, fasting has a way of neutralizing or minimizing chaos in the body. Instead of focusing on food, when fasting, the whole body assists one in going towards spirituality. Hindus fast in observance of a vow or holy day.

Fasting can be done in many ways.

A simple fast may consist of merely avoiding certain foods for a day or more, such as when non vegetarians abstain from fish, fowl and meats.

A moderate fast would involve avoiding heavier foods, or taking only juices, tea and other liquids.

Upavasa is another name for fasting. Upa means near and vasa means to stay. So we can take it that it takes us to the proximity of God. On the days of fasting, we do not spend time and energy on cooking the food and related work. So the mind is comparatively alert and pure and entertains noble thoughts about God. Also our system gets a break and rest! This does a lot of good to the entire body and particularly the digestive system.

In Hindu religion Ekadasi is observed by many, as a fasting day. It is supposed to free one from sinful activities and help him advance in spiritual life. Ekadasi gives one a real taste of renunciation, thus helping one give up trying to enjoy illusory sense gratification of this material world. It also helps us to minimise the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord.

Fasting helps us to discipline our senses and cultivate control over them. So gradually our desires are sublimated and we feel more peaceful. But care has to be taken to make sure that we do not become physically weak and hence irritable during fasting ! This will not happen if we fast with noble intentions.

Love,
Chithra.

dear Chitra,
That was a concise writeup on fasting......i too have no will power i guess like Kamala has said. And we did not have any system followed at home. So never got into that habit .
But of course now i do for reasons u have suggested, dieting and detox etc.....and have managed with just fruits. But i still am not able to equate to the religious aspect.....of course i believe that we have more time to meditate upon god etc.....but all said and done we still need to cook for the other members of the family, so i wonder where will we have time and of course WILL POWER.....i dont know.....but my daughter has got into this and she learnt from my n-indian friends and did fasting on mondays.....and i kept on my jabbering enquiring if she is alright, its okay etc etc! So i guess it is all about one's own interest and self discipline, belief!

Dear Pavithra,
Thanks for the F b. Fasting is a favourite topic in our religion ! Hence I decided to write about it.
How you fast varies from person to person. In the present day with women working as well, we cannot lay down general rules at all.
Maharashtrians take Sabudhana kichdi & they have special Vrat Food !
There is no denying that you feel light the next day, the digestive system having been given adequate rest !
Self-control, in my personal opinion is the essence of fasting !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by mkthpavi

Dear Chithra,

I think u r some kind of mind reader. This was one question which I thought I shd clarify with you - 'what is the significance of fasting?' !!! And lo...I see your write up already!!!

I think you hv clarified it very succinctly - fasting not only has spiritual meaning, but can also lead to good health if done properly.

My mom-in-law observes fast every Tuesday plus on all important religious events, in fact, on all 9 days during Navrathri !!! Knowing that I am working, she suggests that during Navrathri I eat fruits / juice / milk / curd etc on the first and ninth day ... She believes in the power of fasting, more from the sense of spirituality, self-control and closeness to God, I guess....!!


As a personal experience, when I am fasting (i.e., having mild natural raw food like salads, fruits etc during the day and palagaaram in the night), I actually feel better and hungrier the next day, since my digestive system seems to hv cleared up and rested :) :)

But yes, all depends on one's social circumstances, esp in work places!

Thanks for the eye opening write up..

With love
Pavithra

Dear Mrs.C,
Thanks for the wonderful writeup about Fasting. You have done a great job explaining what the term means spiritually and what are the health benefits of fasting.

No wonder you are becoming the spiritual consultant of the IL forum!

Great job!

Dear Sudha,
Thanks for your f B.
Yes, we do have to cook for others - our self-control is put to test then ! This comes only by practice. Good that Rosh is trying out - ofcourse she is young enough to experiment also !
If not for religious purposes, try it for detox atleast once & for our "eternal problem" of weight reduction !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by sudhavnarasimhan

dear Chitra,
That was a concise writeup on fasting......i too have no will power i guess like Kamala has said. And we did not have any system followed at home. So never got into that habit .
But of course now i do for reasons u have suggested, dieting and detox etc.....and have managed with just fruits. But i still am not able to equate to the religious aspect.....of course i believe that we have more time to meditate upon god etc.....but all said and done we still need to cook for the other members of the family, so i wonder where will we have time and of course WILL POWER.....i dont know.....but my daughter has got into this and she learnt from my n-indian friends and did fasting on mondays.....and i kept on my jabbering enquiring if she is alright, its okay etc etc! So i guess it is all about one's own interest and self discipline, belief!

Dear Hamsadhwani, my sweet named friend,
Thanks for your F B.
Please do not call me the spiritual consultant ! I can take bouquets gracefully, but to take the brickbats - I have to go a long way !
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by Hamsadhwani

Dear Mrs.C,
Thanks for the wonderful writeup about Fasting. You have done a great job explaining what the term means spiritually and what are the health benefits of fasting.

No wonder you are becoming the spiritual consultant of the IL forum!

Great job!

For a few years, I used to fast on tuesday evenings when I just had fruit or milk and my husband still teases me that tuesday evening foods were awful( since I didn't have to eat it )!!!

But, I have had the benefit of observing my mom( who has been fasting every monday from the time she got married and of late during SankataHaraChaturthi and other such days ), my grandma( 80+ who fasts almost all evenings these days ), a grand uncle who used to strictly fast on Sankata Hara Chathurthi and recently my Gujarathi team-mate, who fasts every monday and eats only sago kichedi and is not tempted by any team-lunch or anything else. There is a lot of motivation around to fast, but just lack of inclination. I really appreciate your statement 'care has to be taken to make sure that we do not become physically weak and hence irritable during fasting' - the people who inspire me in this aspect do not have an iota of irritation when they fast, while I can't say the same about me -

The concept of fasting once a week, a rigorous fast once a fortnight on ekadasi on the pretext of spirituality to really cleanse the system is really commendable. I have heard that the reason they had agathikeerai and amla raita on Dwadasi was to offset the effects of fasting on ekadasi.

If you don't mind, Can you please share PeriyaVaals idea of fasting???

-Gayathri

Hi,
I used to fast before kids.
But not anymore, I don't have energy and I get severe headache if I don't eat on time.

Thanks,
Punitha