Fasting

Ramadan began on Sunday. I visited a dear friend L and her husband that evening. They had invited us for dinner. Both of them slipped upstairs to do their Namaz before joining us for food.

I know very little about the tradition of Ramadan and fasting. Yet, it seems to me that this month is a period of spiritual growth and introspection. On the Art of Silence Course, we observe a few days of silence. The days are filled with yoga and meditation sessions interspersed with viewing knowledge tapes by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The evenings are all about joyous singing. Food is simple and healthy, and participants are encouraged to spend time in Nature, with themselves and their own thoughts. On residential courses, everyone engages in service of some kind – cleaning the premises, assisting in cooking, cleaning, etc.

To me, Ramadan seems to be a very similar period. A time for contemplation, observing one’s thoughts, dedicating one’s energies towards raising the Sattva, devoting oneself to spiritual pursuits, and disciplining the mind and senses. It is very easy to go off-center in celebration; awareness is reduced both about oneself and the surrounding. Celebrating with wisdom and awareness is what makes things special, elevates it to a precious occasion, a learning experience, a life-transforming one.