If you
are interested in fasting for 24-hours
here are three perfect days to do so...
The New Moon is when you are at
your lowest...energy-wise. It is a good day to fast on lemon
and water. Fast from sun-up until the next morning at
breakfast, when you "break" the "fast."
Yogi
Bhajan taught that this is the day when you are in balance. The
glandular system readjusts itself on this day. Your metabolism
is changing, so if you eat very lightly (green foods) or if you
live just on water and lemon today, your health will be
perfect. Eat very lightly during the day. Eat only one meal
and drink lemon and water the rest of the day. (See below for
the lemon and water mixture.)
Waxing Moon
... is the time between the New Moon and the day before the Full
Moon. During this time the energy of the body moves into your
higher centers (chakras). This is the time to bring new things,
new people or new relationships into your life or to accelerate
the progress of your special projects.
You are naturally
accelerated on a full moon. You are at your highest energy
level. The secretions in your body will be at their
maximum, so you don't want your energy being used to consume
food. Save your energy to reconstruct yourself. Try to
drink only liquids on this day. If you feel you must eat,
drink only milk. (But,
don't drink cold milk right out of the refrigerator. Milk
should be brought to a boil. Allow the milk to foam up and
then bring the heat down so the milk is on a slow boil for
5-10 minutes. While cooking it, you may add a pinch of
ground turmeric, a pinch of black pepper, a cinnamon stick,
or a few pinches of ginger to reduce any mucous causing side
effect.)
Waning Moon
... is the time between the Full Moon and the day before the
New Moon. This is the best time to remove things,
relationships or situations from your life that no longer
serve you. It is not generally thought of as the best time
to start a new project.
FASTING
In Sanskrit, the word for fast
is "upvas." This literally means, "sitting near
to...". Sitting near to whom? The answer...near to God.
Fast from sun-up until
the next morning at breakfast, when you "break" the "fast."
With a 24-hour fast, you shouldn't encounter much
resistance from anyone in your family provided you keep it
low-key. Go about your normal business and observe how you
feel. Most people experience no difficulty with a 24-hour
fast. You might experience a few hunger pangs and/or light
stomach turbulence. By dinnertime you'll probably get hungry.
That is the time to stay away from food! Go out for a nice (Breath-)walk
or do some light exercise.
When you wake up the
next morning, you will probably
be hungry. Break your fast with some fresh fruit or
steamed greens, but don't gorge yourself.
Eat lightly several times during the day and keep drinking
plenty of water to continue the cleansing process.
Fasting
is like cleaning the house--it cleanses both your body and your
mind. Fasting gives your body a rest and allows for the
expulsion of toxins that have built up over time. Even after a
24-hour fast, I believe you will notice some benefits. Many
people say they can think more clearly. Others observe that
they can see things--literally and figuratively--more
distinctly. Fasting has cumulative effects. The more often you
do it, the more you will notice an intensifying of these
positive effects.
Fasting
is...a time of reflection...for peace of mind, body and
spirit...a day of discipline...to purify you...to realize your
Divine connection.
LEMON & WATER MIXTURE
Use
approximately two cups of lemon juice to about 20 cups of water
with a little sweetener. This should make about 3 bottles for
one day. If you begin to feel very cool, then add ginger to the
water. (Bring a sweater to work if you'll be in an air
conditioned environment.) You may sweeten the lemon water with
a little maple syrup, black molasses or ghur (raw
sugar) but don't use much. Save the enamel on your teeth and
drink the lemon and water mixture through a straw.
This is a great "detox"
fast to do in the Spring. It is taken from Yogi
Bhajan's book, "Foods for Health & Healing," which we carry
at Kundalini Yoga in the Loop (KYL). This is
designed to cleanse the liver, kidneys, intestines,
renew bodily fluids and strip-off fat.
Click here for a
more detailed discussion of this diet.
Fasting is more than just
the absence of food...it is a very powerful tool for healing
and strengthening the body. Dr. Siri Atma Singh, M.D.--Yogi
Bhajan's personal physician the last four years of his life
and an incredible yogi himself--recommended we experience
this fast. Dr. Siri Atma thought it would be especially
beneficial to Hari Dev for cleansing the last of the toxins
from his chemotherapy treatments.
Sticking to the fast is
only part of the challenge. The physical cleansing of a
fast is often accompanied by a mental cleansing as well.
You have to just let the inner cleansing happen. It is all
about changing the consciousness, which is what we routinely
experience through Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. If you're
curious, here is what we've been eating...
Days 1-3: Cantaloupes
(warming & laxative, prepares the kidneys to cleanse).
Days 4-6: Watermelons
(cooling, prepares the liver to cleanse).
Days 7-9: Papayas (works
on the intestines and digestion).
Day 10: Lemon and honey
dissolved in water (clears the system of excess mucus).
Day 11: Plain water (not
ice cold).
Day 12: Reverse the
above...drink lemon and honey dissolved in water.
Days 13-15: Eat only
papayas.
Days 16-18: Eat only
watermelons.
Days 19-21: Eat only
cantaloupes.
We have not been
hungry on this diet. We have taken electrolytes
(magnesium, potassium, sodium) during the fast, but no other
nutritional supplements. We have noticed how much aroma
plays in our enjoyment of eating certain foods (especially
when Hari Dev got caught in the elevator with a pizza
delivery man!). And, we definitely have lost fat and
weight.
Although any time is
appropriate for starting a fast, springtime is really the
best. Hari Dev and I plan on experiencing the melon diet
again next year although we'll do it a little earlier in the
summer--prior to Summer Solstice. Perhaps you will join us
on the journey next time...once you see that we've
survived!!
CONSULT A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL
Before
beginning any kind of fast, it is wise to consult a health care
professional, i.e., your doctor, your homeopath, etc.
"Your
biofeedback moves from new moon to full moon and full moon to
new moon. There
are three days of the moon, when if you want to take care of
your mind and your health, you can fast at these times. In
Ayurveda, this is considered to be the mastery of all treatments."
--Yogi
Bhajan
