Jump to content
IndiaDivine.org

Fasting and Prayer

Rate this topic


Gauracandra

Recommended Posts

A few months ago H H Bhakti Swarup Tirtha Maharaj was giving 12 days of lecture on SB in Seattle.During the course of lectures he happened to touch upon the idea of fasting. Let me try to get out the gist of what he said:

 

"On days like Ekadasi, we should fast..but what is even more important is to have satsanga. Satsanga itself means sadhu+sanga or association with devotees of the Lord. Days like Ekadasi are oppurtunities for all, including grahasthas, to gain such association which will keep the devotional fire in us alive. Similarly, when people go on yatras to a dham, they should eat only once a day, chant atleast 6 hours and read scriptures like SB for 6 hours. And all this to be preferably done in satsanga. All these occasions like Ekadasi or yatra to a dham are occasions to remind us that eating, sleeping, mating and defending are not the purposes of our life."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by karthik_v:

A few months ago H H Bhakti Swarup Tirtha Maharaj was giving 12 days of lecture on SB in Seattle.During the course of lectures he happened to touch upon the idea of fasting. Let me try to get out the gist of what he said:

 

"On days like Ekadasi, we should fast..but what is even more important is to have satsanga. Satsanga itself means sadhu+sanga or association with devotees of the Lord. Days like Ekadasi are oppurtunities for all, including grahasthas, to gain such association which will keep the devotional fire in us alive. Similarly, when people go on yatras to a dham, they should eat only once a day, chant atleast 6 hours and read scriptures like SB for 6 hours. And all this to be preferably done in satsanga. All these occasions like Ekadasi or yatra to a dham are occasions to remind us that eating, sleeping, mating and defending are not the purposes of our life."

Good points, prabhu! The real fast is not simply cleansing so we can feast again, but consciously extricating ourselves from any identification with the material energy.

 

Thus chanting of the Holy Names is the only recommended sacrifice for Kali Yuga and it should be performed constantly, preferably in the personal association of His Divine Grace embodied as Sri Guru and sadhus.

 

HARIBOL! HARIBOL! RR

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by valaya (edited 09-21-2001).]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That wasn't the complete email, my dear poet, but you are right, I shouldn't have mentioned it but I will not breach by elaborating as you have done. I would have preferred deleting the post about the nectar...

Anyway, if you see fit to throw nectar my way, I will keep my mouth open but silent. Like a baby bird.

JR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haribol, JR, I think I knew another Jesus (AKA Las Vegas Richard). He was also a very nice person, but had se4rious issues, not the least was a horrible Vietnam experiance coupled with the fact that he joined the marines two weeks after he killed his best friend while "playing" with the father's rifle.

 

He got out of Nam in '68, got into the veggie/surfin world (and did live in Aptos, which is not that different than Soquiel). He had quite a following in '70, but I had heard that he left voluntarily sometime in '71 as described above. Unfortunately, his path crossed with the Manson clan that was spread out thru SC area back then, and his troubles were mixed with a marvelous concoction from Vegas called "Psychic Energized", part PCP, part MDA, part drano, and I guess I just explained his suicide.

 

It was ironic. I went to Idaho to live in the Sawtooth wilderness after a two-year stint with the Navy spies and a year with the yachtmakers from costa mesa. I stayed there from april to october, 1971. I left the Las Vegas homies in Long beach, and everything was peace and love, psychic energizer was a new thing, but the "Krsna" hippies did not want to go there, we stayed with the Afghans and their hash oil. Six months later, as we returned for our surfboards and big wave tickets away from Kaliforniacate forever, the Las Vegas posse was brain dead, playin with guns and thinking everyone was enemy. The Jesus I knew could not transcend the devil's promises, and paid the piper.

 

The time I speak of was very early seventies, my SC experiance was 69ish while I still was a civilian working on Navy Antenna systems.

 

I did know many devotees who called Santa Cruz home, I knew well the original folks who started the health food co-op, but I met them all in Hawaii, not SC. Early SF disciples and family members, Jivananda and his sister and friends as well as others, etc.

 

haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by JRdd:

Anyway, if you see fit to throw nectar my way, I will keep my mouth open but silent. Like a baby bird.

 

How can the exiled mean dwarf

throw nectar to a distant Snow White ?

 

Posted Image

 

BTW, my breakFAST this morning

was snow peas from my garden.

 

 

Now I am going "bush" for some days

to fast and pray

If anyone is sending me a friendly message

I will not be able to reply for quite some days

Not that I'm expecting any ....... Posted Image

 

My kindest and most loving regards

to all my friends

(even those who dont like me !)

 

 

 

 

------------------

talasiga@hotmail.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone remember the Christian guy who was bicycling with his girlfriend, then suddenly left her to head out into the desert with just his bible for 40 days. God showed him where to dig for water, I think, though he was not always successful. Finally he had `a vision of God's love for all of mankind` and he left the bible, because he felt it was no longer necessary. Don't remember how he left the desert, but he married his girlfriend and is now happily married, still appreciating God's love for all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by dasanudas:

We look forward to your return from the 'burning bush', and sharing with us what it tells you. What if it asks you to stay for a month?

Was that really a `burning bush` or all that poetry that his wife forced him to toss out 'cuz it was cluttering up the house? (chuckle!)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by dasanudas:

Question:

Does the burning bush talk thru the prophet or the prophet talk thru the burning bush?

Only the genuine prophet knows...or does he? Now you're getting me confused! Could Talisiga be haunting us with some strange Aussie bush-magic? Do you think he's preparing himself for an all-out poetic assault when he returns? Should I be studying the Theasaurus and my Oxford Book of Quotations? Nah, japa will have to do!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Gauracandra:

I think you have to be real careful with the fasting. The longest I've ever fasted was for 3 days. One devotee I know went through a major fast. But he consumed one thing. Basically it was maple syrup with lemon juice and water (I think, if I remember correctly). He said that combination helped keep the energy level up, but still purge the system, without it getting overloaded with food.

 

Any recommendations on how to approach a safe, sensible fast? I'm not about to go 40 days without my pasta Posted Image

 

Gauracandra

You sound like you're a good cook, talking about saffron pudding and now pasta. Do you have any good recipe for tomato sauce?

 

Another day with more time I'll tell you when I did a complete fast for 9 days. Only water.

 

[This message has been edited by atma (edited 09-21-2001).]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by valaya:

Only the genuine prophet knows...or does he? Now you're getting me confused! Could Talisiga be haunting us with some strange Aussie bush-magic? Do you think he's preparing himself for an all-out poetic assault when he returns? Should I be studying the Theasaurus and my Oxford Book of Quotations? Nah, japa will have to do!

 

 

Your words have just inspired a vision of a starving mystic dancing around a fire in the Aussie red heart to the pulse of the digeridoo.

Chanting "make my koans koanea"

We know you have your laptop with you Tal.

We'd never talk behind your back mate it's unCanadian, can't speak for the Aussies tho! Posted Image

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by talasiga:

How can the exiled mean dwarf

throw nectar to a distant Snow White ?

Posted Image

 

Distant only to some. Those whose dealings aren't respectful.

Posted Image yourself.

Posted Image

My friends don't find me distant. They find me very near.

 

BTW, my breakFAST this morning

was snow peas from my garden.

 

Mine was cold leftover porridge with maple syrup. Had to feed the bear in me. Grrreeat!

 

 

Now I am going "bush" for some days

to fast and pray

If anyone is sending me a friendly message

I will not be able to reply for quite some days

Not that I'm expecting any ....... Posted Image

 

My kindest and most loving regards

to all my friends

(even those who dont like me !)

 

Jury's still out. But my soul namastes yours.

 

JR

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by atma:

You sound like you're a good cook, talking about saffron pudding and now pasta. Do you have any good recipe for tomato sauce?

Anyone can throw pasta in a pot of boiling water, carefful or he might answer that last one with "ketchup". I know someone who eats raw tofu with "sauces" as he puts it. Including ketchup. Kinda cute but....

 

Now but one qualification of a good cook is that he or she is a good eater. So there is a good chance that Gaurachandra is a good cook. Another sign is, he is a Vaisnava.

 

Another day with more time I'll tell you when I did a complete fast for 9 days. Only water.

 

Same as me! Nine days too, just little water. Ok make it soon then will ya?

 

JR sis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...