On May 16, 2009, at 9:49 PM, Bhairitu wrote:
Mike Dixon wrote:
Actually , I , as well as others have been on rounding courses in
which M's instructions were to "not come out of your room for a
couple or three days and just meditate. If you become hungry, have
some bite of the apple." On my six month course we fasted on grapes
or other fruit if you liked, for about three days each month. While
in India, I learned that a fruit and milk diet was considered very
purifying and satvic and raised the quality of ones experiences
very quickly. Shantinand and many great yogis would fast on fruit
and some on fruit and milk for days and weeks at a time.
But these tapas are not necessary to achieve samadhi. But they are
something that people on the right hand path might do.
I don't know that I believe the western imported idea of 'fasting is
good for you and your spiritual experiences'. It's certainly not
promulgated in Ayurveda. It's also one of the quickest ways to
unbalance yourself. We've imported a myth of 'just fast, it's good'.
Yeah, sure if you're a yogi and know the techniques for balancing the
five elements and know how to imbibe prana, yeah then it has some real
advantages.
But fads like TM just wanted to look like yogis. It's good for the
brand. "Wow, we're yogis, we fast." It's based on ignorance, not wisdom.
