Guest guest Posted June 26, 2000 Report Share Posted June 26, 2000 Hello- Fasting can purify the body and steady the mind for concentration. I don't mean mortification here- Sri Krishna warns against this in the Bhagavad Gita. But for advanced stages and long periods of meditation, fasting reduces the body consciousness and can free the mind from lust. Of course Sri Krishna also says " Yoga is not for him who eats too much or eats too little, or for him who sleeps too much or too little. " The emphasis in Yoga is living a balanced life and avoiding the extremes.... something that sounds easy in theory but quite difficult in practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2000 Report Share Posted June 26, 2000 Hello, Along the same lines as the Pujya Gurudev story , I have always wondered the following: I have never quite understood the need to fast for really extended periods of time. I know that there is a certain reasoning behind being able to resist the pains of the physical body, but I can't quite understand why one would sacrifice health to meditate. I know I may be off-base here, but doesn't it make more sense that a healthy body would make it easier to concentrate the mind as opposed to a frail body with hunger pangs? Conquering these hunger pangs of course is a part of controlling our body, but why actually force oneself into that situation? Thank you for any reponse. Ankur Goel - Anurag Goel Ramakrishna Cc: Indian Philosophy Mailing List Monday, June 26, 2000 1:12 AM [ramakrishna] Some Divine Incidents Pujya Gurudev was once involved in some sadhana and for the successful completion of the sadhana it was necessary that one not take food for some 5 days. But when the hunger became unbearable pujya set out to a far village to ask for some food. A kind lady gave Pujya some wheat flour. Pujya came back and after lighting a small fire started making chappatis. The hunger was such that he didn't even wait for the chappatis to bake fully. As he held the chappatis in his hand Immediately it occured to him. What am i doing. Can't i bear this hunger (something like that don't remember exact words). And he immediately threw away the chappatis in the river and took the pledge of not taking food for another 7 days. Love Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah Vivekananda Centre London http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2000 Report Share Posted June 27, 2000 May be Madhavaji can give a better answer to your query. I too sometimes think about it. But i will try to speculate what all i can. In sadhanas divine energy within rises so if any food that can hinder in the rising of that divine energy has to be avoided. For example in some sadhans some specific food articles are to be avoided. one of the reasons for simple fasts is to clear up the toxins that have accumulated in the body. People take lot of liquid or fruits in their very raw state. keeping fasts during sadhana facilitates the rising of the divine energy within. As per the psychological part controlling generates strong will power. And strong will power is something very essential for success in many of the sadhanas. Also controlling strengthens one psyche not to give away for mere material things. It can be that sometime one may have to choose between death and food just for the sake of morality. Such acts will help one to beahve in manner which goes according to morality. ( Story of a brahman whose whole family parted with food even though they have been hungry for 3-4 days. ) Such sadhanas stress on the divinity within and to unveil that. Also one may spoil the child if we spare the stick. love, On Mon, 26 Jun 2000, Ankur Goel wrote: > Hello, > > Along the same lines as the Pujya Gurudev story , I have always wondered the > following: > > I have never quite understood the need to fast for really extended periods > of time. I know that there is a certain reasoning behind being able to > resist the pains of the physical body, but I can't quite understand why one > would sacrifice health to meditate. > > I know I may be off-base here, but doesn't it make more sense that a healthy > body would make it easier to concentrate the mind as opposed to a frail body > with hunger pangs? Conquering these hunger pangs of course is a part of > controlling our body, but why actually force oneself into that situation? > > Thank you for any reponse. > Ankur Goel > > > Pujya Gurudev was once involved in some sadhana and for the successful > completion of the sadhana it was necessary that one not take food for some > 5 days. But when the hunger became unbearable pujya set out to a far > village to ask for some food. A kind lady gave Pujya some wheat flour. > Pujya came back and after lighting a small fire started making chappatis. > The hunger was such that he didn't even wait for the chappatis to bake > fully. As he held the chappatis in his hand Immediately it occured to him. > What am i doing. Can't i bear this hunger (something like that don't > remember exact words). And he immediately threw away the chappatis in the > river and took the pledge of not taking food for another 7 days. > > > Love > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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