My vision of the truly enlightened person is someone who improves without restriction in every area of their life. When they speak to others they learn to improve their communication, when they write their signature they treat it is a calligraphy class, as they walk they are mindful of each step and develop better coordination and awareness of what’s around them to me enlightenment should touch every area of your life and especially something as fundamental as your diet and your health.
Modern research shows that fasting has many health benefits. It is said to have a strong hormonal release which keeps you young that can regrow brain cells and allow you to function better mentally but as your fat cells release toxins that built up in those fat stores also dispelled the mental effects is just as powerful the two biggest risks to health in the modern western world are smoking and being overweight and just fasting one day a week can significantly decrease your body fat you can also recalibrate what you view as being hungry.
Fasting is also powerful tool self-development in the sense that it challenges you in many different ways. Some people say that fasting allows and to reach higher degrees of consciousness or to be up to meditate more effectively my experience of fasting is quite the contrary.
For me, the low blood sugar and hunger makes it hard to focus and keep control. In a sense it a form of weightlifting for the mind whereby you need to learn to concentrate under the adversity, calm your emotions and focus on the important tasks you have before you to the best of your ability. By dealing with these challenges we improve ourselves and find it easier to deal with things and to be effective in normal life.
When approached as a challenge it can also be fun. Indeed when beginning the day of fasting I always remind myself to apply the lessons I’ve learnt through years of meditation practice to that day, remain calm speak skilfully be pleasant and do good things. When I find myself struggling to concentrate or perform to the level that I would if I wasn’t fasting, I enjoy it in the same way as I would lifting weights or playing computer games. For me, this makes burning fat, graining new brain cells and generally improve my health and enjoyable activity.
Improve yourself on all levels with a day of fasting and enjoy the challenge