Dear Khalsa Ji,
The English word ‘Fasting’ means not eating or not drinking or both. This word indicates what many people in India do when they say they are having Upavaas - they do not eat; they do not drink.
What my learning has taught me is different from what is actually the practice here. In my understanding not eating and not drinking is not Upavaas. To me, Upavaas has nothing to do with such abstentions. The basis of my having this view, I elaborate below.
We study the word Upavaas. It is made up from two words - Upa and vaas i.e. Upa+vaas. Upa means near and vaas means staying. Taken together it means staying near. Since Upavaas is directed towards God, it means staying near God. In other words, depending on the level of individual’s spiritual evolution, this staying near can be any thing from doing prayers at the feet of the deity up to going into Samadhi.
When the individual goes into Samadhi, the senses loose all hold over the individual. The individual in Samadhi does not feel the pangs of hunger or thirst; the person in Samadhi does not ask for food or drinks. What people around this evolved person can perceive is only what their senses tell them i.e. this evolved individual doing her or his Upavaas (mentally being with the God in Samadhi) has not eaten or imbibed any drink. These people cannot know what is happening deep inside the individual who has gone in Samadhi to perform her or his Upavaas. As one understands so one interprets; these people concluded that performing Upavaas means not eating and not drinking i.e. fasting.
The people around this evolved person, probably started imitating her or him based on what they understood. They only knew that Muni Ji do not eat and drink while performing Upavaas. These common individuals started having their Upavaas by denying themselves any nourishment during the period of Upavaas. This way, what was the natural consequence (not feeling hungry so not eating and not feeling thirsty so not drinking) of Upavaas with evolved individuals, became the basic instrument of Upavaas for the commoners. This way Upavaas became synonymous with fasting and the real meaning was lost in the crowd of the commoners.
Based on this rational, I hold the view that Fasting is not Upavaas; Upavaas means mentally being with the God. Fasting has nothing to do with Upavaas.
In Hindi there is another word for Fasting and that is Annshann; it is not Upavaas.
I hold the opinion that Fasting is injurious to health of the individual. If this individual happens to be a lady, it is injurious for those whom she may bring into this world.
Unlike others groups, we in Khalsa Panth have no requirement from Sikhi to undertake fasting. Not all Khalsas have yet given up the baggage of their ancient past, some of us continue to think fasting to be and instrument of spirituality. Which, in my opinion, is not in accordance with Sikhi.
Our systems of the body have evolved for use in moderation. The heart takes rest between its two beats so is the case with respiratory system; they keep working through out the life of the individual. This is the case with digestive system also. Digestive system has evolved for periodic intakes of nourishment. Elements of the digestive system sequentially rest between two meals as the food taken in moves from one portion to the other within the system. Taking nourishment in moderation to satisfy hunger is all that we humans are expected to do. We do not have to organise special rest sessions for digestive system. To me the suggestion that Fasting is good to give rest to digestive system is only good for those who live to eat and eat continuously. This is to force them to eat less. In other words, in my opinion fasting has nothing to do with spirituality or religiosity.
No one ever suggests giving rest to respiratory system or circulatory system; why this special consideration of giving rests to digestive system alone? In my opinion, the suggestion that fasting and the consequent rest to the digestive system are only a way to justify this practice. Eating based on the need of the body i.e. in moderation is all that we have to do.
Living bodies are the abode of ‘The Sat’; the needs of the body should be respected. Saiyam, and not abstention is the guiding word to meet the requirements of the body.
Saiyam is in between abstention and indulgence; it is the middle path; the best path that of moderation.
With this I close.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal
The English word ‘Fasting’ means not eating or not drinking or both. This word indicates what many people in India do when they say they are having Upavaas - they do not eat; they do not drink.
What my learning has taught me is different from what is actually the practice here. In my understanding not eating and not drinking is not Upavaas. To me, Upavaas has nothing to do with such abstentions. The basis of my having this view, I elaborate below.
We study the word Upavaas. It is made up from two words - Upa and vaas i.e. Upa+vaas. Upa means near and vaas means staying. Taken together it means staying near. Since Upavaas is directed towards God, it means staying near God. In other words, depending on the level of individual’s spiritual evolution, this staying near can be any thing from doing prayers at the feet of the deity up to going into Samadhi.
When the individual goes into Samadhi, the senses loose all hold over the individual. The individual in Samadhi does not feel the pangs of hunger or thirst; the person in Samadhi does not ask for food or drinks. What people around this evolved person can perceive is only what their senses tell them i.e. this evolved individual doing her or his Upavaas (mentally being with the God in Samadhi) has not eaten or imbibed any drink. These people cannot know what is happening deep inside the individual who has gone in Samadhi to perform her or his Upavaas. As one understands so one interprets; these people concluded that performing Upavaas means not eating and not drinking i.e. fasting.
The people around this evolved person, probably started imitating her or him based on what they understood. They only knew that Muni Ji do not eat and drink while performing Upavaas. These common individuals started having their Upavaas by denying themselves any nourishment during the period of Upavaas. This way, what was the natural consequence (not feeling hungry so not eating and not feeling thirsty so not drinking) of Upavaas with evolved individuals, became the basic instrument of Upavaas for the commoners. This way Upavaas became synonymous with fasting and the real meaning was lost in the crowd of the commoners.
Based on this rational, I hold the view that Fasting is not Upavaas; Upavaas means mentally being with the God. Fasting has nothing to do with Upavaas.
In Hindi there is another word for Fasting and that is Annshann; it is not Upavaas.
I hold the opinion that Fasting is injurious to health of the individual. If this individual happens to be a lady, it is injurious for those whom she may bring into this world.
Unlike others groups, we in Khalsa Panth have no requirement from Sikhi to undertake fasting. Not all Khalsas have yet given up the baggage of their ancient past, some of us continue to think fasting to be and instrument of spirituality. Which, in my opinion, is not in accordance with Sikhi.
Our systems of the body have evolved for use in moderation. The heart takes rest between its two beats so is the case with respiratory system; they keep working through out the life of the individual. This is the case with digestive system also. Digestive system has evolved for periodic intakes of nourishment. Elements of the digestive system sequentially rest between two meals as the food taken in moves from one portion to the other within the system. Taking nourishment in moderation to satisfy hunger is all that we humans are expected to do. We do not have to organise special rest sessions for digestive system. To me the suggestion that Fasting is good to give rest to digestive system is only good for those who live to eat and eat continuously. This is to force them to eat less. In other words, in my opinion fasting has nothing to do with spirituality or religiosity.
No one ever suggests giving rest to respiratory system or circulatory system; why this special consideration of giving rests to digestive system alone? In my opinion, the suggestion that fasting and the consequent rest to the digestive system are only a way to justify this practice. Eating based on the need of the body i.e. in moderation is all that we have to do.
Living bodies are the abode of ‘The Sat’; the needs of the body should be respected. Saiyam, and not abstention is the guiding word to meet the requirements of the body.
Saiyam is in between abstention and indulgence; it is the middle path; the best path that of moderation.
With this I close.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal
