The word fasting very often comes with a sting..hum! has different interpretations/strings of motives attached into it. Interestingly it is often used widely when related /refereed to faith/health. I kissed my daughter on her cheeks in the afternoon and walked away..she turned around and commented sheepishly, now what is the motive behind Appa! tell me. Do I have to stop watching Matelda,the movie she was watching / is it a reminder call to get involved into some basic normal chores. As a father how do I define the question/answer, when there was no strings attached to this act of affection, answered her back posing another counter question. Muthu what is more precious an unconditional priceless act/a very valuable thing!? Think over it, and left the spot blank for her to fill into. May be sometime later she might understand/reflect on the statement if she heard which I made/she might have simply ignored as one among the many statement/words pouring and hovering around her daily be it at/in the house/school/church. There is a natural instantaneous ignorant tendency to link every act/word towards an underlying submerged objective/agenda. Might be wondering by now,what has this got to do with fasting. My point is..Does God need human penance/starvation/fasting!? Does humans need God's attention/guidance/blessings.. when the call/benchmark is to make heaven on this earth !? Very much like a blood test/X-ray recommended or being prescribed/conducted to probe deeper into/clarify the submerged facts within for the unwarranted symptoms/ailments to help come out with a practical, current treatment regime/solution for the underlying submerged cause than to be treating the symptoms, thus to resolve/subside it to the limit possible, within once available means/awareness capacity, in the process aiming and working collectively/symbiotically towards the very optimal perfect outcome, is the very essence/flavor of the word fasting.
In this season of lent for the Christians who are encouraged/reminded to undertake fasting/penance suggested as an act of internal reflection/mind purification/soul probing quest. Undertaking spirituality to be built around the understanding of body/mind/soul..where the mind and the soul is/are encapsulated within the body, the body which is made up of flesh/blood which functions/grows depending on the quality/quantity of input/discipline provided/trained/tuned into it, which we call/understand as the personality/character of the individual/person. Reminded today of a question paused by one of my dear friends. Does a person have to follow any/a religious path/guideline to do everything what/which is appropriate/socially acceptable/lawfully accurate!?Very similar to my reasoning, as to should I send my children to school/church to be educated/enlightened/reminded/reassured, since I have already undertaken the path, and is reasonably well informed/aware and might as well impart it to them personally,is my underlined reasoning/understanding to the above question/belief. If willing/eager/knowledgeable enough is the best option available any time/any where. The role of a trained honest doctor/priest only becomes relevant/fruitful if the patient/seeker has trust/faith in the judgement/reasoning of the person seeking assistance from. To reason that the doctor is/has been first diseased and overcome the situation with his treatment guidelines, prior to his prescription/treatment regime is a nave/unreasonable way of undertaking any adamant stand on any/many issues under brightness/darkness.
Fasting is thus only a practice tool kit to rehearse within self the vast theoretical gathered knowledge pool of virtuous outlook/guidelines to be transformed into a practical format, kind of like practicals conducted in a miniature version in/at lab scale based on the theoretical understanding of science at/in schools and colleges. This theoretically deployed translated into practical undertaking, will eventually help built up focused endurance/sustenance of once spiritual beliefs/health objectives, to finally overcome/withstand hurdles called temptations/negativeness which spiritually called as 'sin' which to me is, sinking in negativeness. This tool earnestly try to identify/help one locate the cause of sin, and fight it back with understanding/awareness of its nature built on perseverance/determination, than to let the obstacle/weight sink the individual/get them exploited in the name of timely detected interventions/blessings. Fasting is a very practical process/voyage encouraged for all, which comes along with a slight sting called sacrifice. A controlled/managed sting or bite has various medicinal property, attributed towards various treatment/aliment management/mitigation. Fasting which will/can be controlled/managed with persistence/time, like within any other activities linked/related to our daily now imbibed casual chores as within sports/work related efforts/environment, which needs only two words translated into action namely will/introspection . A women approached lord Buddha, the supreme master who dedicated himself probing deeper within self, trying to understand/interpret the behavior of the body/mind in its totality, through the medium of meditation/abstinence/fasting the oath of many monks/priests built on the foundation of poverty/chastity/obedience and asked for his blessings/guidance to attain/posses happiness, the ultimate submerged purpose/objective of every living person/soul. The sentence goes like this "Women, I Want Happiness. Buddha, first remove 'I' that is ego then remove 'Want' that is desire, see now you are left only with happiness."
Two thousand years ago, regarded as God in flesh himself, fulfilling the promise offered to mankind by translating his words given through prophets/holy saints by becoming an avatar/incarnation as one among his beings, to further clarify/define the path of how to behave, becoming human, incarnating himself as a person among his creatures. It is said that he undertook/resorted towards fasting for forty days and forty nights, after fasting a spirit tempted him with the whole treasures/pleasures/powers of this world and he denied/rejected them all humbly. A gentle good reminder that where there is light/action then only there is a shadow/reaction. When/Where ever people called/looked upon him, during his time, he was a champion lion for/to the leapers,prostitutes,suppressed outcasts and a beacon of hope to/for the sick and the needy and was a gentle lamb to the proud,arrogant,powerful law enforcers/makers of the time. Left behind with the legacy/memory to be reflected/imbibed/implemented. Now being reflected/missions undertaken through the understandings/interpretations derived through lessons drawn from his birth as parables/miracles/passion/resurrection by organised groups named Christians. Traditionally now being instituted/built on The Eucharist the foundation, the soul purpose for the gathering inside a home called the church, which/where is the commemoration/celebration/reflection on the body/blood ,called life style guidance of their guide is being reassured/reminded. Body signifying the physical flesh, to reflect what he did/how he utilized his physical strength/mind for humanity within this format, referring/highlighting towards which causes/vision he intended towards. The blood which scientifically speaking, nourishes/cleanse/defends the body, reminding his followers to undertake the virtuous means/path of righteousness/honesty/purity. After all the means undertaken will/would justify the ends met, a modest call to think reflect/modify on the path. Everything built on a single commandment/word on his life called Love, thus compiling all the old interpretations of primitive faith/practices into a single sentence/platform 'To love once neighbor as yourself'.. for the betterment of self and as a benchmark for the next generation, thus to be at peace within self/for others.
What do I gather/find around to this guideline/interpretation/act being followed/practiced by his followers in the current century named traditional practices/preservation..to witness bishops/priests/layman/ including myself promoting abstinence/restraints in the name of charity/goodwill but to undertake/practice otherwise. Once out of the podium, when the curtain is drawn down to stipulate, what is the need/use of fasting, when the seed is sown and God is with/among us. What is the manure/water/environment for the seed/people to sprout/grow into built/composed on/of!? Is the nature of self introspection/discipline one has to be drawn into/towards. Worth to be reminded of his message/instructions to his fellow disciples/followers not to be like the hypocrites/law maker of his time, to have different yard stick for themselves/others. What he did through himself, within his human version is clearly the guideline outlined for all, nothing more/less to my understanding/undertaking. Went and fasted/meditated for 40 days and night without any food/water. How is this humanely possible/tool deployed to attain this transcendental elevated level of consciousness/well being.(Luke 4:1-13;Mat 4:1-10) worth being ignorant/denying the truth.
The soul objective/primary intention of fasting is simply but to accomplish self discipline over once bodily senses, often refereed simplistically to have a limit over gluttony/greed..which is spiritually imbibed into/compartmentalized as fragmented segments purifying/rectifying sense perception of seeing/hearing/smelling/tasting/touching. Once to have disciplined/overcome, the body is ready to focus within the mind for the betterment/course correction towards the sanctity of the soul. Being 'now' systemically and ignorantly diluted/polluted in the name of charity/arms giving/good gestures. Reminded of a saying 'Give me a fish I eat for a day,teach me to to fish and I eat for my lifetime' the current spiritual system/guidelines/interpretations seems to be encouraging a scenario, where the means undertaken to achieve the objectives/material desires seems to be systemically/ignorantly overridden in the name/format of charity/generosity/compassion for the poor/needy eventually blurring the whole idea/intention of fasting, the former given more prominence to the later. Thus now very often, unfortunately to witness a partially blind leading a flock of blind flocks in deeds/actions is the reality/fact to comprehend into knowingly/unpleasantly in the name of organised religion. Very often interpreted/felt like to make statements/be a cheer leader/coach without feeling/undertaking the pulse of the content under impact/consideration. How can a child/person understand the sincere depth of starvation/poverty and be honestly connected/linked to the reality to be reassured/reminded again if not undertaken by self at least periodically is the underlying final verdict. Our expectations are very often like expecting a bulls eye target/ clean boundary/3 pointer/perfect touch down, without much training/discipline in the concerned arena of the game/fellowship.
Fasting is undertaken by different communities in different ways/manner. The primary objective of which is to be making good humane judgments prudently at the opportune circumstance/moment when prompted/duly desired, than to be thinking I should have said/done like this and eventually to feel sorry for the ignored/missed opportunity to the covered ignorance shrouded within. The classic expression/undertaking witnessed now is to see one give up their favorite food/object,substance of desire/ push once basic needs and wants to a later period of time.. in the process expected to be reflecting on vitreous taught/deeds to be reassuring/reminding/reinforcing oneself to be within once promises perceived holistically/spiritually. The food habit of individuals are worth refreshing/pondered upon while fasting, some are born herbivorous/carnivorous and the major majority fall in between them, after all the basic life mantra/fact being, one life can only sustain another life and every living creature is interdependent on each other for their survival/sustenance. The responsible ideology/value one possess to utilize the other prudently/respectfully/prayerfully defines the imbibed quality of the person/society/culture/tradition. The process of self introspection is expressed/manifested/translated in various ways, by different undertakers some displayed in public, witnessed to be wearing rugs/sprinkling ashes on their body to denote the inner status of their mind/being.When perceived from a spiritual/holistic dimension its a very challenging/humbling projection of the current status of the mind within, to the onlookers/passengers walking by them to be perceived as an effort taken by the concerned individual for a better self/person within their limitations/circumstances..a cautious/gentle wake up call for all passengers/onlookers reminding to look inward to project out/give out the best submerged within all. Its a simple call/reminder/act to be a ray of light/hope in the wilderness of darkness/hopelessness within self/for others, which we translate ignorantly as depression/poverty.
The reality being unless the body/its senses are controlled/disciplined reproduciblity of any godliness/holistic principles are a strain/agony in its making.. to otherwise fade/wile away like a seed scatted on rocky/sandy/thorny environment. If otherwise one undertake/succeed in this endeavor willingly/honestly without any real intentions/objectives added to the fasting, on a periodic basis has a good chance of knowing,controlling his/her mind and leave behind a speck of good memories to be called a genuinely decent deserving soul to be a pleasure/honor in the company of deserving personalities to be called a genuine human being.Thus to my underlying observation so far, fasting is a very powerful mantra/tool/guideline offered to their fellow followers, be called a Christian/Hindu/Muslim or within any other denomination, who are eventually knowingly/unknowingly seeking the path into godliness a noble invitation for all, a venture set aside to understand/control once body/mind and sanctify/propel once soul into/towards a brighter better present/future for themselves and for others surrounding their sphere of influence. Fasting if one research back/now will be marveled to realize that was/is been undertaken by the vitreous/non virulent for many reasons, interestingly referring/reflecting back inwards towards self discipline/passionate quest.The progress of which would be very identical to mastering the progression in mathematics, starting with addition,subtraction,multiplication and then finally ending up with division. That is to say the progression in the spiritual context starts/end with control over the senses,body,mind and then the soul.
The rational/logic behind fasting is not any different to a drained battery within a cellphone, to be recharged using an external support to be plugged/drawn towards the source of energy called electricity/power to be recharged/reused towards positive/negative deeds, is then once call/choice. Worth remembering in the process that the electricity we utilize has a positive/negative charge along with a neutral phase to be deemed useful/safe.. no charge/phase is big/small/useless.Worth reminding to self humbly that, there is an environment for improvement/betterment even within the best presumed minds/communities, and built once outlook on the fact that every mind is unique with different enriched/stored treasures with an aptitude to learn/develop from towards a better present/future. The wise understands rational behind this statement and the ignorant pride in their temporary progress. After all the proof is submerged within the quality not the quantity of the pudding when tasted/utilized. Fasting encountered/witnessed very often is being thus finally linked towards, good health/miracle/power/knowledge in our day to day life. To conclude, with the classic undertaking of/from most of all the major religious principles/spirit suggesting.. "Seek/Know the truth and the truth will set you freE."
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