Ekadasi

July 31, 2001

Ekadasi is a Sanskrit word, which means 'the eleventh'. It refers to

the eleventh day of a fortnight belonging to a lunar month. There are

two fortnights in a lunar month — the bright & the dark. So, Ekadasi

occurs twice in a month, in the bright fortnight & the dark

fortnight. The special feature of Ekadasi, as most people know it, is

a fast, abstinence from diet. This is how it is usually

understood. 'We do not eat on Ekadasi', is what people understand.

Fasting is a practical expression and a symbol of something deeper.

Ekadasi is related to the movement of moon and mind. The moon's

influence physically on the body has an influence on the Chakras,

which tells upon the mind ultimately. The mind moves through these

Chakras. The passage of the mind is through these Chakras, up and

down. When this operation takes place consciously, it is called Yoga;

When done unconsciously by the mind, it is just influence. When the

moon waxes or wanes, the mind is vehemently influenced. So people who

are not normal in their minds become very bad on the full-moon & new-

moon days. You cannot see the moon's influence on the earth because

it is solid, but it can be seen on the ocean which is liquid. The

moon influences the whole earth, but its influence is visible on the

large body of waters in the sea. This happens due to the twofold

pressure of the relation of the earth and moon. The sun influences

the moon and the moon influences the earth. When the influence occurs

automatically, we are instruments in the hands of Nature. When it is

done consciously, we are said to practise Yoga. We can be

involuntarily dragged from place to place, or we can walk

voluntarily. The difference is obvious. The moon's movement tells

upon the movement of the mind through the Chakras.

Another important aspect is the seat of the mind which is also

twofold. You may be living in many houses, of which one or two are

your own. Svasthana means 'One's own place.' The mind has several

abodes or centres of energy called Chakras, of which two are its own.

The seats of the mind in this personality of ours are:

1. the subtle spot in the astral body corresponding to the centre of

the two eye-brows, in waking, and

2. the heart, in the state of deep sleep.

If it is in the brain, it is active and you, then, do not get sleep,

because it refuses to go down. If the mind is midway between the

centre of the eye-brows & the heart, it is dream state. So, there is

a twofold centre of the mind — the Ajna-Chakra, or the centre between

the eye-brows, & the Anahata Chakra, or the heart. In both these

centres, the mind feels at home and is at ease, because it is nearer

to itself. In other centres it is extrovert. In the Ajna & the

Anahata Chakras it finds itself at home. In the two fortnights, in

its movement, it finds itself at the Ajna Chakra & the Anahata Chakra

on the eleventh day. Since these two Chakras are its own abode, the

mind is at home here (meaning: it gets concentrated & collected

easily). This has been the experience given out by the yogis, & this

has to be taken advantage of by Sadhakas. You are capable of

concentration when the mind is naturally in its home. The mind cannot

be concentrated when it is out of tune, but when it is in its

location it is easy of contemplation.

So, the Ekadasi day in both fortnights is the occasion when the mind

finds itself in its place — in the bright fortnight in the Ajna

Chakra, & in dark fortnight in the Anahata Chakra. Seekers & Yogis

take advantage of these two days and try to practise deep meditation.

Many yogis treat Ekadasi as a very holy day & also observe a fast on

that day.

Fast & meditation! What connection have they? There is really no

intrinsic connection between fast & meditation, but there is some

advantage in keeping the body light & the stomach free from excessive

metabolic function. When the stomach is given the duty of digestion,

doctors will tell you, the blood circulation is accelerated towards

the digestive organs, on account of which blood circulation to the

head gets decreased after food is taken and so you feel sleepy & the

thinking faculty practically ceases to function. Hence, there is no

advantage in giving the physical system work on days you want to do

Yogic practice. Thus, Ekadasi has also a spiritual significance.

The energy of the whole system gets distributed equally if a

particular limb is not given any inordinate work. If any part is

given heavy work, there is a dislocation of the working of the body.

So, in fasting the energy is equally distributed as the digestive

function is not there. But, there should be no overdoing in fast.

Fast is supposed to cause buoyancy of feeling .. not fatigue. So

people who are sick & cannot observe a total fast take milk & fruits,

etc. People who are perfectly healthy & are confident, observe a

complete fast. This helps in control of mind & will.

Apart from all these, there is a necessity to give the physiological

system some rest once a while. It may be over-worked due to a little

over-eating or indiscrimination in diet. These irregularities

unconsciously done during the fourteen days get rectified in one

day. Thus the observance of Ekadasi has many advantages—physical,

astral, spiritual—and because this day has connection with the

relation of the mind with its abode together with the moon, you feel

mysteriously helped in your meditation and contemplation —

mysteriously because you cannot know this consciously. But you can

feel this for yourself by observing it.

In India everything is interpreted spiritually. Every river is a

deity. Every mountain is a god. Everything is holy, dedicated to

the Divine. Everything is presided over by a particular god,

Gramadevata, Grihadevata; etc. Everywhere is God. The idea behind

all this is that we have to feel the presence of God in everything &

everywhere. In space & in time, in everything, there is God. Time is

God. Directions are God. Thus the very objects become embodiments of

God. This is India's religious sidelight, which is profoundly

meaningful in life.

______

Om Santi ...

Yogini Sakti

July 31, 2001

Dear Yogini Sakti,

Thank you for staying and giving us such informative posts. Your

explanations are so beautifully written and gently given. Your last

paragraph here is like an oasis to rest in.

Your presence feels strong and peaceful and wise, as it emanates from all your posts.

Much love,

Gloria

- hamsayogini (AT) aol (DOT) com

Tuesday, July 31, 2001 10:10 AM

Ekadasi

snipIn India everything is interpreted spiritually. Every river is a

deity. Every mountain is a god. Everything is holy, dedicated to

the Divine. Everything is presided over by a particular god,

Gramadevata, Grihadevata; etc. Everywhere is God. The idea behind

all this is that we have to feel the presence of God in everything &

everywhere. In space & in time, in everything, there is God. Time is

God. Directions are God. Thus the very objects become embodiments of

God. This is India's religious sidelight, which is profoundly

meaningful in life. ______Om Santi ...Yogini

Sakti/join

All paths go

somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions,

and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back

into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than

the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of

Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It

is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the

Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of

Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self.

Welcome all to a.Your use of is subject

to the

July 31, 2001

Yes, Gloria, I would llike to second that opinion. Thank you Yogini for your

thougtful and wonderful posts.

Jill

>>> glee 07/31/01 01:06PM >>>

Dear Yogini Sakti,

Thank you for staying and giving us such informative posts. Your explanations

are so beautifully written and gently given. Your last paragraph here is like an

oasis to rest in.

Your presence feels strong and peaceful and wise, as it emanates from all your

posts.

Much love,

Gloria

-

hamsayogini

Tuesday, July 31, 2001 10:10 AM

Ekadasi

snip