why fasting is important? UPAVAAS upa means near and vaas means stay ,that is stay near god,this is what fast means. It is scientifically proven that food influences the mind and body of a person as food is the source of energy . The spiritual significance of fasting is being forgotten today as man is losing contact with his inner being. Nevertheless the science of fasting, as preserved in the Vedas and Shastras, is a method of purification which can aid man in his mundane and spiritual life. These ancient texts are inherited from our ancestors who understood and were in tune with the law of nature and man. The systems they devised came from their profound knowledge and enable man to raise his consciousness into the higher realms. It has been scientifically proven that fasting makes the mind calm and serene. In yogic terminology this is known as the sattvic element. Because the mind becomes predominantly sattvic and more receptive, the scriptures advise the worship of certain deities during these fasting periods. This is called vrat, a specific type of purifying austerity or tapa. In the Tapovanshant Paras fasting is referred to as param tapa, or supreme austerity. When the positive aspects of a particular deity are concentrated on, those qualities are ultimately evoked in the individual. The deities are not actually separate beings; they are aspects of the dormant mind waiting to be awakened and utilized in mans consciousness. Worship can arouse these potential faculties so that the low, sensual consciousness can be elevated to super-consciousness.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 06:06:30 +0000