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NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 06:42 AM
Namaste Beloved Portions, I would request your help.

For many years, since I was so young I had no understanding, I have fasted. Always upon this time and the Fall for Mahalaya Amavasya. Usually about 40 days or so from new moon to new moon.

During this time as the lower vibrational foods left my body I was left with such intense feelings of Beloved being near. I could feel such high vibration from this that I have kept it even when ill.

As I hit my 9th consecutive day of fasting I began to get very ill. Lastnight I meditated for hours to seperate myself from this pain...it was very intense. I will not become graphic here but to say my whole body seemed to seize up many times over. I felt so very ill. Reminding myself that I am not ill only the car I drive...it helped.

Now, I have always said...I would not kill myself to get this higher vibration. Because I can not leave this family. My youngest are far too young. Unless Beloved would want to take me early I do not want to make things happen to force it.

I am forty this year...and I think this plays a part in my inability to tolerate lengthy times without food. My Beloved husband has been urging me to cease and I understand his fear...I love him so very much.

So, today I sit unfed, Shiva being my only nutrition. But, seeking a compromise between my life and this closeness.

This is where you come into play, I would love to see your opinions about the best ways to eat to keep this higher level without harming myself.

In your Most Beloved opinon would be the foods which are best to maintain this?

At your feet,
M

Sahasranama
15 February 2011, 06:52 AM
Please, eat something. There are three sorts of tapas according the Bhagavad Gita: tamas, rajas and sattva. When you are hurting yourself and not following the injuctions of the scriptures, that tapas is considered tamas. I would say gather some strenght eating nutricious food, because in a few weeks it will be Maha Shivaratri, a very special day in the year, and you can fast on that day with full devotion and attention. If you are sick on Mahashivaratri and won't be able to fast on that day, you will have wasted all your effort. You need to take care of your health first and then you will have the strength for fasting on the important days.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 07:02 AM
Yes, normally I fast until the day after.

This year was very special, I wanted to give Shiva my Valentines Day also...as this was a moment of extravagance upon my part and my husband. I was giving this food to him yesterday...not partaking in this normally wonderful holiday.

I will eat, but I want to do it the correct way this time...not just go back to potato chips or mashed potatoes...or even carrots. We have read so many differing ideas about what is correct, I decided to come ask you whom have so much wisdom upon these things.

Sahasranama
15 February 2011, 07:12 AM
If I can give some advice, it's better not to just randomly start fasting for long periods. Some people fast to detoxify their bodies which is health related, but religious fasting is done on specific religious holidays. Some people pick on day out of the week to fast, for Shiva this can be monday, thursday or sunday. Others follow pradosha vrata on trayodashi twice every month or Shivaratri once a month or Maha Shivaratri once a year. If we look at it from a health perspective, very long fasts are not healthy, but short fasts between 16-36 hours once in a while do improve your health and hormonal profiles. A very advanced yogi may be able to fast for months, but this is not realistic for us.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 07:21 AM
The fasting is not random. I fast for Durga in Fall during Amavasya Mahalaya and Shiva in Late Winter/early Spring for Shivaratri. Have always done this.

The longest period being 42 days with no problems. I know of a christian who fast three forty day periods online because she could feel this closeness to Shiva, yet because she was coming from a xtian perspective she really didn't understand the reason this happens.

Thank you so much for your kindness and advice.<3

Sahasranama
15 February 2011, 07:24 AM
I am sorry, I didn't mean it like that, what I meant was that this is not the shastric way of fasting for Shivaratri as far as I know. Forty day fast are a catholic thing, but worshippers of Ayyappa have also adopted this. There are monthly fasts in Hinduism which take 30 days like chandrayana, but these are a little outdated, probably too much for the avarage person in kali yuga to handle, but they also were not complete fasts where nothing is eaten. More popular are the one day fasts like ekadashi and pradosha. The month of Shravan is very dear to Shiva and the month Karthik is very dear to Vishnu. Special religious observences are also taken in those month by devotees.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 07:29 AM
It is more or less forty, from new moon to new moon. Not for any christian day. Very interesting that some would take the bible so literal...this explains the christian and her preoccupation with that number.

I didn't put them together until just now thanks to you.

Oh I should also mention, that after such a long time of weeks it takes many days for me to ramp down enough to eat actual solid food. Which is why I say more or less forty. It can be 34 or 36.

devotee
15 February 2011, 09:22 AM
Dear NayaSurya,

Such tapas increases your will power. However, the way to God is not through extreme ways ... it is not recommended. Lord Krishna advises to adopt a middle path. Tapas which results in a lot of mental and physical pains & sufferings is considered Tamasic in nature.

There are Yogis who can live even without taking air ... what to say of food and water ... but it needs years of practice, patience and correct guidance under an able Guru. You are the best judge to decide what to do. However, if it threatens your body's and mind's health significantly ... better be moderate ... so that you may concentrate on your Beloved without being bothered by your bodily discomfort.

OM

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 09:34 AM
ty<3 I believe in the middle path, and have never been adversely affected until now, and I will begin to stop. But I need your help deciding which foods will be best?

I had heard say no root veg, and then some say root okay. I have seen list to say cheese sattvik and then some do not.

I would like to take this cleansing as a chance to better improve my diet. It's mostly been good, but I want to find a better way, a more sattvik way to proceed.

Anyone have a trusted Hindu website for foods which are better?

Sahasranama
15 February 2011, 09:40 AM
Jains do not eat any root vegetables. It's hard to say what you can or can not eat, because each fast has it own rules. Ekadashi for example is a fast where you can't eat any grains. The Hare Krishna people are probably the strictest when it comes to eating sattvik food. In India though there are yogis who live on a diet of onions and potatoes.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 09:47 AM
This is why I came here, I looked and found such confusion among lists.

I did not know you did also eat potatoes and onions in India (although I thought onions were bad so I decided to cut back), that is really awesome. It is one of my favorite foods. Until recently I did not know that in the South of India you all eat those long beans. Those are absolutely my favorite food of all. E.M. was telling me how much they eat where he lives...and I was surprised we had such similar likes to each other, despite our distance. I really wish there was a thread so we could hear about each of your lives and all the information you know.

Sahasranama, you are a huge heap of information...and I am grateful for every single word<3

Sahasranama
15 February 2011, 09:54 AM
Onions are very healthy in moderation, but because of their rajasic nature, you cannot offer them as prasadam or eat them while fasting. Hare Krishna's only eat prasadam, therefore they can't eat any non-sattvik vegetables like onions and garlic at all. I like long beans too, it's also very popular in Surinam where my parents come from.

Eastern Mind
15 February 2011, 10:44 AM
Vannakkam Naya: I'm sure you already know this but a great way to break a fast is with honey. Gives you back some of the sugar your body may be dieing (no pun intended) for. I really think your observation on age has a lot to do with it. There are a ton of things that body age impacts. For me, the most obvious was the time it takes to recuperate a muscle strain, like a sprained ankle. When we were 15 it was 2 days. Now its 2 weeks. Please don't beat yourself up over it. My one attempt at a longer fast (6 days for Skanda Shasthi) was broken with some delicious banana some colleague brought to school and shoved past my face. At least it seemed like it was in my face ... probably was next door in her classroom.

Aum Namasivaya

sm78
15 February 2011, 11:33 AM
It is more or less forty, from new moon to new moon. Not for any christian day. Very interesting that some would take the bible so literal...this explains the christian and her preoccupation with that number.

I didn't put them together until just now thanks to you.

Oh I should also mention, that after such a long time of weeks it takes many days for me to ramp down enough to eat actual solid food. Which is why I say more or less forty. It can be 34 or 36.

So basically you have been attempting a self made version of the ancient chandrayana vrata, where one fasts from full moon to full moon.

However, in the chandrayan vrata one starts with a full meal in the starting full moon day and with each day of waning of the moon, one decreases the amount of food (1/16th portion) such that at the 16th new moon day one goes completely without food (actual fast) ... then with the waxing of the moon one starts eating again till next full moon day, gradually increasing the amount of each day till it reaches normal diet on the full moon day.

The message I believe is not to go for complete fast for multiple days.

I have never been in your position so can't suggest much. I get headache if I fast for half a day and realized that fasting is not for me. It does cleanses the system when done occationally, but beyond that I am not sure of its spiritual value.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 11:58 AM
This fast, I was unaware of so I had to look it up. When I looked it up I found it in the Sri Garuda Purana. Oddly enough I had been feeling like I should read Garuda Purana lately, as it kept coming up when I researched things from the forum and read deeper.

It does not surprise me there is some underlying reason for my inclination, despite not getting it absolutely correct. As a child I would offer my food to God, much to my parents confusion. You can take a follower of SD out of their homeland, dump them into hell...and somehow they will find the Truth.

I thank these wondrous eternal Gurus, Beloved Brahma, Beloved Vishnu, Beloved Shiva for bringing me to your feet. Without it I would have remained in the darkness of ignorance.

sm78
15 February 2011, 12:09 PM
It does not surprise me there is some underlying reason for my inclination, despite not getting it absolutely correct.

Now you will get it right next time ;). It is indeed surprizing that you thought of new moon to new moon vrata by yourself.

But you flatter me too much, I am a very ordinary and unevolved person as of now.

satay
15 February 2011, 03:25 PM
namaste nayasurya,
Please eat something.

NayaSurya
15 February 2011, 06:04 PM
I did, I did...it was potatoes...of course:p

smaranam
15 February 2011, 06:15 PM
Dear Nayasurya,

Fruit - non acidic - like bananas, grapes, ripe pears, sweet mango (completely ripe) or sweet apples (red delicious will be fine) - with a cup of milk - if milk is part of yr diet - in fact this is the satvicest food.

Next step/day(s) - if you do not want to continue simply on fruit sugar, then potato, yams or non-sweet Indian yams called "ratALa" are good starch choices. Boiled potatoes work well with yogurt, butter or just saute'd on jeera. Jeera (cumin, an Indian spice) is good for the stomach and common in fast recipes.

Some people include singoda flour (shingada / kuttu) (waterchestnut flour or buckwheat four) as upavas item, and some don't. I don't use these fancy things on Ekadashi or Mahashivratri, but it is not a grain, bean or pulse so your choice.

Then there is sabudana : tapioca or sago , tiny white pearls. You must be familiar with tapioca pudding, and a similar "pudding" or kheer is good, so is sabudana khichadi. I don't bother with cooking it just for myself, unless KRshNa says He would like to have it :) I shall post the recipe(s) as soon as i can.

Of course, a handful of nuts - peanuts go well with potato and sabudana, but they may tilt on the rajasic side. Almonds walnut - sattvic...

I am glad you have decided to eat something or else KRshNa would be in tears.

Eastern Mind
15 February 2011, 06:58 PM
I did, I did...it was potatoes...of course:p

Vannakkam: I still have a few of Ganesha's garden's spuds in my cold room. Now them ones are exceptionally healthy. Organic, and in Ganesha's garden. What better prasad could there be? Have you planted your garden yet? It will be awhile here as the temple parking lot had all its snow removed and pushed to atop the vegetable garden. About 10 feet high or more. That dirt will be sticky indeed. I wish I was your neighbor because I'd put on the teenage attitude and come steal those long beans you grow. Maybe a coupla squashes too. Long drive for a few beans though.

Aum Namasivaya

Ramakrishna
15 February 2011, 08:16 PM
Namaste all,

I have never done a real fast before, but I'm planning on doing a one day fast for Maha Shivaratri this year. This thread has definitely accumulated a lot of helpful information about fasting.

Jai Sri Ram

devotee
15 February 2011, 11:37 PM
Namaste NayaSurya,

You can eat anything which can be offered to Lord (for whom you are fasting) after the fast. Smaranam has given very good advice. You can eat all sweet fruits, honey, sweets, milk and items made in milk.

After a long fast, you should start slowly with some liquid which is non-acidic and sweet (you badly need water & sugar). For that, honey and sweetened butter-milk (without any salt content) would be nice. After you gain some strength, you may move on to bananas & easily digestible solid food.

It is nice to hear that you have broken your long fast. :)

OM

kd gupta
16 February 2011, 12:50 AM
Namaste Nayasuryaji
Life goes through long instances . I have gone through many deceases . Medication does not allow fast . I never keep fast and dont find anything that stops me feeling that almighty .
Fast has no meaning here.....
Vishayaa vinivartante niraahaarasya dehinah
Rasavarjam raso’pyasya param drishtwaa nivartate.
The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man [ niraahaarasya...nirahar +asya , one without food ] , leaving the longing
(behind); but his longing also turns away on seeing the Supreme...2/59 gita