I have been fasting from dawn to dusk. Fasting from food, water, and negative cycles of thought. A cleanse of the mind, body & soul. From a new moon to a new moon, a full lunar phase of fasting to be able to appreciate what we have in our lives.
It is not a punishment or a sad lonely time. It is growth. It is a time for introspection. To be able to value what you have. To put your awareness on what truly matters. So that you can cultivate gratitude for everything around & within us.
It influences me to become an even better version of myself. A shift in my life where my routine is changed. My will power grows and I develop a greater sense of self control. I look forward to the personal growth and the time to just be. Without food and water, our energy levels are dependent on rest and the food we nourish ourselves with during the evening. I give my body what it needs. Creating meals that my body craves to survive and hydrating through the moon lit hours of the night.
Some days it wants slow fluid yoga movement. Other days as the energy piles up within me it needs a run outside to release the stored-up tension. I give it the chance to be heard. My body craves movement to survive. I continued to teach during this time, to take classes, and to workout. But I listened, I stopped when I needed to without feeling guilty or shameful. I focused on my meditation practice. Feeling more connected, lighter and present.
Our bodies and our minds are capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for. We create excuses, numbing methods, and toxic thought patterns to keep us stuck and avoid ourselves. Judging, fearing, shaming & pushing our truest selves so far from us.
We are always so busy to notice. Always trying to get to the next place, to not feel, to numb, to avoid. We gobble down our meals. We chug drinks upon drinks. Without even a thought of what is coming into our bodies. We smoke, we gossip, we talk negatively about ourselves, we rush passed our lives, numbing and avoiding. We don’t feel. We don’t take the time to breath. To listen. To feel what it is that our body may need.
There are days where I feel weak, tired, hungry, irritable and exhausted. During those times I can appreciate what I have. That a meal will be there when the sun finally dips down. For so many people in the world, they do not have what we have. Food, water, shelter, the luxuries we see in life are not as abundant for everyone. We fast to understand what the world feels like, what people who are hungry and without feel.
I can appreciate life so much more than before.
Every moment I get.
Every breath I take in.
Each sip of water.
Each bite of nourishment I take. Fully tasting it.
Feeling the days unfold slowly to be able to feel each moment blossoming.
Present in my body. Grateful for all that I have.
Ramadan takes away all the exterior that we are focusing on to go inward even more.
We give our energy, our kindness and love to ourselves and those around us.
A time to detox from bad thoughts and negative emotions.
To be in our bodies & realize what is important.
With little energy through the day; you aren’t wasteful with it.
Many distractions are removed.
Our constant want to snack, fill, and consume are gone.
So that we can be faced with life. To celebrate it!
It puts things into perspective
