Guest guest Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Have you ever heard of the Bengali term "chack, chack?" It means gleaming, radiantly gleaming. With another Navaratri upon us, tomorrow is the day the professional carpet cleaners come to clean all my carpets. Saturday morning before Prayer Club, I will clean all the puja vessels and arrange the altar for this special time. I will buy the fresh flowers and get them ready to offer in my puja. After the Guru Gita class, I will prepare myself for our group Sankalpa. What joy fills my heart to know that so many are joining in the Sankalpa! I hope that many will join in the Guru Gita discussion on Saturday. For those who are able and willing, we will be fasting. I recommend drinking water daily. For those not experienced with fasting, it is probably a good idea to eat a few crackers or some fruit. The blessing of the ten day fast is finding out “who” you are. You are not the body that requires food and exercise and a sense of “body image” or imagined health or illness. In fact when you remove your attention from the physical body and place it on the inner shining Self, that Self truly blossoms forth. As the individual life becomes full of Light, the body becomes lighter, the mind becomes clarified and life is filled with its natural state of Bliss and Gratitude. And think of all the time and energy you will save by not planning meals and shopping. May this Navaratri truly be a "blossoming forth" for all. With loving blessings, Ardis Attachment: (text/enriched) [not stored] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Jai Maa! I feel so happy imagining Ardis preparing for Navaratri pujas with so much diligence and devotion...I can just feel how sparkling her space will be! I have never done a complete extended fast, but I've definitely found that reducing food intake helps sadhana tremendously. THe process of eating food, even sattvic food, creates a lot of processes in the body. All kinds of chemicals are released in the blood, which travels to the brain. Some of these can make the mind churn a little more. Fasting, whether complete or partial, really does send home the message that we are the Light, not the body. I always feel more peaceful when I fast on liquids or water. Also, fasting keeps the nadis clear and open, so that the energy of one's practices seems to penetrate very deeply into the subtle body and mind. One's energy will also rise much more easily if there is less food in the system. For those who still like a little food during a fast, they can always have milk (preferably organic), fresh fruit or vegetable juices, or thin pureed vegetable soups. In many traditions, a partial fast can be done using fruits, nuts, root vegetables like carrots or potatoes and green, leafy vegetables. THis way, you're still getting a little something to eat, but these foods tend to disturb the body/mind the least. Some people like to incorporate fasting on a regular basis. It is very auspicious to fast on the full and/or new moons. For weekly basis, Friday is a good day to fast, as it is very special to Devi. Or Monday for Lord Siva. These days are connected with the mind in a powerful way, so fasting these days will help purify the mind. Jai Maa! Ekta --- Ardis Jackson <ardis1 wrote: > Have you ever heard of the Bengali term "chack, chack?" It means > gleaming, radiantly gleaming. > > With another Navaratri upon us, tomorrow is the day the professional > carpet cleaners come to clean all my carpets. Saturday morning before > Prayer Club, I will clean all the puja vessels and arrange the altar > for this special time. I will buy the fresh flowers and get them ready > to offer in my puja. After the Guru Gita class, I will prepare myself > for our group Sankalpa. > > What joy fills my heart to know that so many are joining in the > Sankalpa! > > I hope that many will join in the Guru Gita discussion on Saturday. > > For those who are able and willing, we will be fasting. I recommend > drinking water daily. For those not experienced with fasting, it is > probably a good idea to eat a few crackers or some fruit. > > The blessing of the ten day fast is finding out “who” you are. You are > not the body that requires food and exercise and a sense of “body > image” or imagined health or illness. In fact when you remove your > attention from the physical body and place it on the inner shining > Self, that Self truly blossoms forth. As the individual life becomes > full of Light, the body becomes lighter, the mind becomes clarified and > life is filled with its natural state of Bliss and Gratitude. > > And think of all the time and energy you will save by not planning > meals and shopping. > > May this Navaratri truly be a "blossoming forth" for all. > > With loving blessings, > > Ardis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Dear Shankar, Thank you so much for the information on the different Navaratris. I have a very special love for Varahi Devi and will be sure to pay attention to the dates for her Navaratri now that I know about it!!!! Sadhvi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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