To eat or not to eat...FAST is the Question!

Fasting is something most people approach hesitantly, for eating is one of our greatest pleasures. In our culture, to begin this sort of self-inflicted deprivation is nearly unheard of except in the most sincere spiritual aspirants or those afflicted by more serious physical ailments. Often the only time that we abstain from food is when the body takes charge and forces this purification through general nausea or the flu.

Yet, throughout history fasting has been a part of many spiritual traditions. It seems to be universally accepted (except by the American Medical Association, of course) that fasting cleanses the body and mind and opens us up to the higher powers of spirit. Only after fasting have I felt certain qualities of silence within my mind and in those periods realized what a huge impact food has on my thoughts and emotions. Fasting is not just physical, it is a holistic practice that allows us to experience the more subtle energies of nature within and outside of ourselves. In the Sanatana Dharma tradition it is not uncommon for people to pick one day of the week and fast on that day 'religiously'. Yogis believe that this develops discipline and courage; it is also considered a form of spiritual austerity or tapas.

In the language of practicality, snacking and overeating can lead to a build up of undigested material or AMA (ironically also the abbreviation for the pharmaceutical ruled association previously mentioned) in the digestive system. Fasting gives the digestive system a (much needed) break, and since Ayurveda believes that poor digestion is the root of the disease process, many forms of fasting are recommended depending on the dosha and the disease.

Building your own fasting ritual can become a beautiful part of a seasonal routine and when done correctly, under the guidance of a knowlegable practitioner, can work wonders for a myriad of health issues.

There are many different types of fasting: fruit fasts, juice fasts, soup fasts, liquid fasts, water fasts... and also many different time periods appropriate for each individual, dosha, and circumstance.

In general:
Kapha types generally do well with regular fasting for longer periods of time.
Pitta people tend to need less (since their digestive fire is naturally high) and do well with minimal fasting on fruits or juices.
Vata types can handle only short, gentle fasting (a few meals of light broth, lots of liquids, ginger tea etc..)

Again, these are very rough guidelines.

Finding a personal relationship to fasting is key, but truly the most important aspect of the fasting ritual is HOW you break the fast. It is so important that we consider the first few days after a fast a time of heightened awareness; an extension of the fast that is equally important.

The building of the digestive fire is not so different from how one would build a camp fire: it is methodical and done with an awareness of the state of the flame in every moment. Each piece of kindling is vital and throwing a huge log (or say, a hot dog) onto the fire is going to put a small fire out quickly (leading to less metaphorical stomach pains, noises, gas, and general discomfort).

Consider trying a mini-fast to test the waters: eating one meal of only room temperature fruit or having an entire day of light vegetable soups. Making sure you get plenty of water between meals is the key to avoiding hunger pangs and properly flushing the toxins from the body.