The reason intermittent fasting can improve meditation and yoga

In this post, I am going to go over how intermittent fasting can improve your energy for meditation and yoga. I am going to discuss how fasting can make a huge difference in yourself on an energetic level. It all has to tie into the fact that fasting can actually feed the brain those ketone bodies and increase our mental acuity. There is something about getting on “that level” with yoga and meditation.

Meditations can go deeper while fasting. It is interesting to feel one’s mind settle more quickly when going in, like a switch turning on. It can take at least thirty minutes of an hour-long silent meditation to get into the flow after you have eaten. When the body is empty of food, experiencing the higher chakras in meditative states is easy. This may bring about the sense of “no-mind” that meditators and yogis are able to achieve with as much practice and stillness is also possible¹.

Fasting state while doing meditation and yoga helps with mental clarity

In my own perspective, I have found that intermittent fasting while doing meditation or yoga allows me to have greater mental clarity with an improvement of focus. I feel as if I can delve into the moment and as if the facilitation of gratitude is more at ease. Think about it? If you would like to learn more about fasting I recommend that you refer to my articles on Intermittent fasting benefits.

Tamas

Fasting is a yogic practice because it reduces the tamasic element in the body. Tamas is the greatest obstacle to meditation. Tamasic is an adjective referring to the Sanskrit word, tamas, which is defined by yogic philosophy as one of the three basic qualities of nature (gunas). Tamas is also considered a kind of kamya karma. Tamas is associated with darkness. A tamasic person is concerned with the self, dissatisfied and materialistic. Yogic practices aim to balance the three Gunas, including tamas, in the yogi in order to elevate his/her state of mind to a higher plane.

Easier to progress to the fasting state when the body is fasting

While doing intermittent fasting to improve your energetic state for meditation and yoga, you will also shed weight from the body and gain strength and clarity of the mind. We CANNOT progress in meditation with a weak mind. If your stomach has food in it during meditation then the mental focus is not as well. Think about how you feel after eating a large meal. Some of the best yoga practices in your life can happen while being completely empty. You may be able to actually feel your internal organs, twist deeper and get into the meditative quality of the practice while on a fast¹.

Why do cultures incorporate fasting into rituals?

Think about… Why do you think so many cultures and religions have incorporated fasting into their rituals? Basically to promote mindfulness. Jewish communities today traditionally fast during times of great upheaval, as an expression of mourning and gratitude, and in preparation for divine relations³. Fasting has been practiced in most Christian denominations including Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, Greek Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Oriental Orthodox churches to repent; purify the body, mind, and soul; to enhance prayer and to overcome desires that are obstacles to one’s relationship with God⁴. These are just an example of a few religions that participate in the fasting, of course, there are others! As you can see, fasting not only is major in health benefits it is beneficial for the emotional/spiritual mind.

Choose a fasting state for yoga or meditation

In conclusion, there are many ways to participate in meditation and whether you chose to do it in the ” fed” or “fasted ” state is completely upon your discretion. I encourage that before you do yoga or go into meditation you should be fasting. Afterward, really examine how you feel. Do you feel more energy and spiritual awareness?  Really take time and analyze your symptoms after a good fast followed by meditation/yoga.

Please keep in mind you need to fast for at least 12 hours. Once you have passed the 12-hour mark from dinner the night before ( aka 12 hours from your last meal), you are truly in a fasted state⁶. For this reason, I would really recommend that you partake in at least 12 hours to really get the full benefit of the clarity of the mind which may help to really balance out your energies. I am so excited, for you as a goddess to start partaking in fasts to help you become energized and really envelope that prana!
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1 How Fasting Increases Your Awareness. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2020, from https://www.gaia.com/article/how-fasting-can-increase-your-awareness
2 What is Tamasic? – Definition from Yogapedia. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2020, from https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/7669/tamasic
6 Intermittent Fasting (Time-Restricted Eating). (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2020, from https://www.burnfatnotsugar.com/assets/if.pdf/
3,4 Mercola, J. (2019). Ketofast: rejuvenate your health with a step-by-step guide to timing your ketogenic meals. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
2What is Tamasic? – Definition from Yogapedia. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2020, from https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/7669/tamasic
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