DHYAN FOUNDATION

Navratri comes twice a year and it marks a transition in seasons, winter to summer and summer to winter. According to ayurveda, during this time, one should consume nourishing foods in minimal quantities to rid the body of the toxins collected during the rains. The nine nights and 10 days of Navratri hold within them the energy of 10 forms of shakti – Shailaputri, Brahmcharini, Chandrakanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidatri and Aparajitha thus each navratri has a specific purpose. In the navratri weather changes, ie, various energies of this creation move from imbalance towards new normalcy, including our body. In these nine days, the prana shakti inside our body undergoes a process of re-alignment, i.e. from imbalance to new balance for a new season. For this re-aligning, the body has to be kept light. Therefore, our ancients prescribed fasting or upvaas on these nine days. Upavaas has a much greater connotation than what it is generally misund...