Lighten Your Body

The Navaratra fast is not just about doing without food, it’s a purification ritual, says Yogi ASHWINI 
On one of my expeditions to the Himalayas, I met a tapasvi — a practitioner who meditated with utmost regularity. He had a mystical calmness about him. We had a long conversation after which I thought of leaving something with him for his expenses. I slipped my hand beneath the asan or seat on which he was sitting to leave some money behind. As I did so, something pricked me. That hurt! I lifted the cloth to find iron nails below….

Giving Up Pleasure
One of the five niyams or rules in Ashtanga yoga is tapa, that is, to heat the body by inflicting pain on it. It is a very basic kind of purification ritual, a means to cancel out your negative karmas, a tool to aid progress and evolution. Upavaas or fasting is one way of putting yourself through pain. Upavaas has a much greater connotation than what it is generally (mis)understood to be — merely holding back from eating certain foods. When sadhakas observe upavaas in the authentic sense, that is, giving up pleasure to observe austerities during sadhana, this is done by celebrating and eating food for energy, and not for sensual pleasure, by following a niyam of the sadhana your Guru has given you — a mantra, dhyan or a tantric practice where senses are kept under strict control and the focus is your ishta deva or favourite deity and all your thoughts and actions during those days are devoted to your ishta deva. Charity and service are an intrinsic part of such sadhanas.

During the navaratras or nine sacred nights, fasts are observed for purification as well, both ethereal and physical. Navaratras are observed twice a year and mark the transition in seasons, winter-summer and summer-winter. According to ayurveda, during this time, one should consume nourishing foods in minimal quantities to rid the body of toxins accumulated during the rains. The nine nights and ten days of navaratras hold within them the energy forms of Shakti — Shailaputri, Brahmcharini, Chandrakanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidatri and Aparajita.

Thus, each navaratra has a specific purpose. During this period the weather changes; that is, various energies of creation move from imbalances towards a new normalcy. Since you are a poorna ansh or integral part of Creation, every object and energy of Creation resides inside you as well. Thus, in these nine days, you, too, move towards a new normalcy. The prana shakti inside your body undergoes a process of re-alignment from imbalance to new balance for the new season. For this re-aligning of forces, the body has to be kept light.

For the beginner, these nine days may be divided into three parts of three days each for the three parts of the body — the region below the navel, between the navel and shoulders and the head region, corresponding to the energies of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga respectively. The nine devis originate from these three devis who in turn have their origin in Adi Shakti. These three parts are further divided into three parts each; thus the body is divided into nine parts in all.

In the first three days, the sadhaka stops having spicy food and performs a havan in the morning and evening sandhya with chants invoking Ma Durga. In the next three days, the sadhaka stops intake of anna and only light foods are ingested in order to keep the body light. Havan for Ma Lakshmi is done during two sandhyas by making offering of a sweet along with ghrit or clarified butter.

The last three days, the sadhaka consumes only water and juice (not even milk as it is an animal product) and havan for Ma Saraswati is performed during two sandhyas by making offerings of ghrit and guggal. On the tenth day, complete fast is kept and once more Ma Durga or Kali is invoked, as on this day, Ravana had invoked Ma Kali and Rama had invoked Ma Durga. This process brings about the required re-alignment. After this, the sadhaka performs his sadhana and chants a specific mantra as prescribed by the Guru. With yoga sadhana, all energies that are invoked come to the sadhaka.

Navaratras are days to prepare your body  to accept the new energies of the coming season. Most people lighten their bodies by fasting for nine days, only to make it heavy on the tenth day by rushing to restaurants and liquor shops. It is like you clean your house and after that you bring all the garbage back into the rooms.

Fasting or any such technique will bear fruit only if carried out with a sense of detachment, for the purpose of evolution. It is important to observe fasts in tandem with yogic practices to reap maximum benefit.

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