Fasting to conquer the mind

  Fasting to conquer the mind

We have often heard that only those who conquer a flexible mind with willpower can change the world. That is why it is said that the world turns at the fingertips of those with will power.

You can only achieve success in life if you keep your mind in its own way. Fasting and prayer are the means for that.

Fasting is a lesson in overcoming temptation and taming the mind.

On the battlefield of Kurukhetra,  Arjuna asks Sri Krishna what to do to control his angry, defiant and fickle mind. Sri Krishna advises that the mind can be subdued through exercise and Vairagya.

The Gita says that the mind is like a monkey. The mind wanders from one thing to another without yielding to anything.

Fasting is not limited to food. The movement of the mind must also be controlled. One must consciously withdraw the mind from entertainment, and extravagances viz. Wearing jewelry, carry fancy clothes, apply perfumes, etc. etc..

Fresh meats, rich grain, leafy greens, honey etc should also be avoided.

Fasting improves health.

Many Puranas have mentioned the power of fasting. Many sages conquered their senses and mind by fasting.

Fasting is an important function of many religious practices. The truth is that fasting is related to health. Fasting has the ability to cleanse your body and even heal diseases.

Fasting removes all the toxins from the body. Many toxins accumulate in the body due to lack of proper lifestyle and dietary issues. When you fast for a day by giving up food or fasting less, the body organs get time to expel them. In this way diseases do not occur.

Relaxation of the digestive tract and therefore stomach ulcers, gas, also relieves diseases like acidity. Fasting helps to normalize the digestive process.

The ability to regulate blood sugar levels comes with fasting. Fasting improves the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin as well as the digestive system. Insulin can regulate blood sugar levels. This means fasting is good for diabetics.

Body weight will also reduce significantly by fasting. When other food is not available, body fat is converted into energy. It will reduce weight.

Meditation and prayers are part of fasting. It is very good for calming the mind.

Upavas means: Upa = near : Vas = dwell : Vas = stay near

“That I live near myself.”

On fasting day one takes instead of rice, chickpeas, peas, bananas, semolina porridge and semolina flour.

It is not fasting or worship.

Let's hear some say "Tomorrow is Ekadashi,'If you eat rice, you will feel full “. I don't know why rice is so taboo and has become hostile! Wonder where we got all this from.

"I'm fasting tomorrow, the wife told her husband. Then the man will ask What do you want from me??'

"What do you want?” … He deliberately didn't hear the question, but instead had got the long list...

What are they?? Bananas (ripe),Banana (green) Chickpeas, tapioca, all the other special tubers, start with a fruit crumble….

The fasting person rushes to the neighbor's house and gets her boiled roots at home and exchanges other items with comments about the delicacies, in the name of fasting!

There is something in the word Ekadashi itself. Ekadashi is a preparation to bring the senses to unity.

A journey from Dashamukha (Ravana) to Dasharatha...Lord of the Senses., one that stimulates all the senses and the other all the senses to the consciousness that animates it.

It is said in the Upanishads.

Look within to become Immortal

पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत् स्वयम्भू-
स्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् ।
कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्ष-
दावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १॥

parāñci khāni vyatṛṇat svayambhū-
stasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman .
kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣa-
dāvṛttacakṣuramṛtatvamicchan .. 1..

Yama said: The self-existent Supreme Lord inflicted an injury upon the sense-organs in creating them with outgoing tendencies; therefore a man perceives only outer objects with them and not the inner Self. But a calm person, wishing for Immortality, beholds the inner Self with his eyes closed.

Eyes longing for nectar, fasting is a process in that direction.

Ekadashi, has nothing to do with rice.

Giving up food is the preparation.

Annowai Mana: - Annam is the mind.

 Annamayam hi soumya mana:-Science says that the mind is eternal.

So to calm the mind, one should pray and meditate on that day.!

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