Benefits of fasting have been advocated in all religions in one way or the other. While searching for the genesis of fasting I recently chanced upon the following view:
In ancient times, when great seers used to meditate upon divine thoughts they often used to forget their physical demands, including hunger. For days together they would be engrossed in their meditation, oblivious of all surroundings. For the external world, they were fasting, but deep inside they were drinking the divine nectar. Fasting was a natural state of the body when soul was engaged in divine contemplation.
So, while fasting if mind races towards food then we are far away from the true spirit of fasting. True fasting is not simply going hungry, which may at best cleanse the body. True fasting is a great way of cleansing soul. Thoughts play most important role during fasting. We are where our thoughts are.
In ancient times, when great seers used to meditate upon divine thoughts they often used to forget their physical demands, including hunger. For days together they would be engrossed in their meditation, oblivious of all surroundings. For the external world, they were fasting, but deep inside they were drinking the divine nectar. Fasting was a natural state of the body when soul was engaged in divine contemplation.
So, while fasting if mind races towards food then we are far away from the true spirit of fasting. True fasting is not simply going hungry, which may at best cleanse the body. True fasting is a great way of cleansing soul. Thoughts play most important role during fasting. We are where our thoughts are.
No comments:
Post a Comment