Happy Ekadasi. Twice a month in the Vedic Lunar Calendar ( and 24 times in the cycle of a solar year) is EKADASi… Ekadasi falls twice in a Lunation ( Lunar month , is calculated as a cycle of 30 days) and it is the perfect time of the month to embrace fasting. Normally a cycle of fasting would last for four consecutive days from Ekadasi to the day before Full Moon or to the day of New Moon. Fasting is not recommended if you are pregnant, on your moon or you are ill. Ekadasi is an auspicious day for fasting and this is the right time of the year for cleansing to be aligned with the flow of Spring. Ekadasi means ( eka= 1 and Dasi = 10 1+10 = 11 ) the 11th day of the Calendar Month, before FULL or to NEW MOON .
Fasting, in the tradition, is a sacred observance that is practiced to reclaim your state of inner balance with the cycles of Nature. It is a powerful inner medicine way of healing all diseases and rekindle Agni, your digestive power. Fasting also lightens the body, relieves toxins , cleanses and nourishes all your tissues and cells and strengthened your innate intelligence.
Of course in order to fast you need to be able to observe certain rules which nowadays are a bit restrictive , especially for householders. Therefore i recommend you a modified and lighter form for of fast that consists of herbal teas and light meals. This should be observed by those not accustomed to full fast. I personally observe a form of fast that is called Ekabhuta that consists of eating only one meal a day when the sunlight begins to decrease in the late afternoon / early evening. This is beneficial for everyone at least once a week and i have now embraced it as a way of life and I practice it between 5 to 6 days a week ( one day i break and have a feast to celebrate!) Vasanta Navaratri ( Vasanta = Spring, navaratri = nine nights ) is also approaching, the time when we give thanks to the great Mother Nature. Navaratri is celebrated twice a year during the important Sandhias /Junctures of the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. Navaratri begins next week with the New Moon on the 30th of March. It ends after nine nights in the 8th April. If you want to know more about that celebration of the ” nine nights of the Goddess” read an article at https://alessandrayoga.com/2010/03/16/vernal-equinox-and-navaratri-spring-is-in-the-air/ Saturday 29th March I will be teaching “Emergence of Spring”, a Vinyasa Flow Yoga workshop with elements of Ayurveda, music and Live Soundbath @ the Life Centre Islington, London 1 Britannia Row, London N1 8QH islington@thelifecentre.com
