Yoga and Fasting

By: Shama Kaur

In February I tried an experiment. I went on a liquid fast for 30 days where I had two juices per day for breakfast and lunch plus a hearty warm soup for dinner. I upped my meditation and relaxation time, and from day 3 I started feeling pretty awesome: energetic, lighthearted, easygoing, all-embracing, flexible and peaceful.

What I learned from the experience:

1. The difference between real hunger and eating for pleasure
2. How easy it is to eat out of boredom
3. How we can use food to avoid emotions
4. How little food our bodies actually need to sustain us
5. How much energy one spoon of honey can give a clean body
6. How little sleep we need when the body is clean (pure)
7. How much more kind and patient we can be to others when we know we can’t hide away behind food (alcohol or other things)
8. How much the Higher Power can help move us through pangs of hunger
9. The power that yoga and meditation offer the mind to control the body from impulsivity
10. How important it is to have a strong abdominal area (our center of willpower) to set an intention and honoring it

So this Ramadan I thought of sharing my experience and some cool yogic ways to help you maintain a state of peace, patience and kindness throughout the fasting period while also cleansing your body from toxins so you can feel energetic and even sleep less while also fasting. This month I’ll be giving talks and workshops about the importance of practicing yoga while fasting (see details below).

The practice of yoga goes beyond physical movement (asana), sitting crossed-legged and concentrating (meditation) and breathing (pranayam). The chief reason that yoga has been practiced throughout the centuries is to purify the body and mind.

Unhealthy foods and drinks, overeating and breathing unclean air all pollute the body with toxins. The mind is polluted with negative thoughts, memories, fantasies, desires and emotions.

A weak body and a weak mind will result in being ineffective in daily life. This is why yoga promotes a form of austerity (purification) called Ragasic Tapas. In Egypt, fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan is the perfect opportunity to purify both the body and the mind.

Fasting is a great way to give some rest to an overworked digestive system. It clears the mind and gives insight into any subject matter. It brings such happiness with the divine that once enjoyed can turn into a positive habit. It leaves the body feeling light and blissful.

Unfortunately, in Egypt, most people fast like robots on autopilot. Many follow the practice simply because it is a religious duty. However, not many people pause and try to find purpose in abstinence. Are there any habits they want to let go of? Do they have an intention for spiritual growth and development? Without the purpose, the benefits of fasting are minimal.

Even worse than not making the best of the abstinence experience is that most people break their fast in a way that does more harm than good for the body. After fasting 16 or more hours a day, one should break the fast with easily digestible and simple food such as fruits, vegetables, grains and well-cooked beans. But in reality, what happens in Egypt is that iftar turns into a proper feast: Not only are unhealthy foods consumed—those that contain a high percentage of unhealthy sugars and fats—but the speed at which one eats and the quantity tax the digestive system.

Yoga reminds us to go back to the roots of fasting and to set our mind on an intention, breathe deeply and completely before breaking the fast and say a few words in gratitude before a meal. Those who practice yoga will have learned to enjoy simple and small meals, to eat quietly and slowly and to chew fully (at least 32 times). They will also know to fill only half the stomach with half food, a quarter with water and to leave a quarter empty to give room for the digestive processes to happen.

Yoga is all about awareness. It’s about consciousness. It’s about making the mind and spirit fit by purifying the body with fasting, food choices and breathing. In the spirit of Ramadan, yoga invites you to fast consciously, embrace the pain of hunger and thirst, for it is only through pain that we can learn, grow and heal the pain of others.

For more about how yoga can enhance your fasting experience, join YallaYoga’s Ramadan programs • 15 Maahad El-Ishtiraki St., opposite Merryland, Heliopolis • facebook.com/YallaYogaEgypt/ • Tel: 012-7866-3371 • justbreathe@yallayogacenter.com