Day 10 of 10 Day Fast: Completed

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So the fast is done. If you have been following me through this, you would already have read my previous days: 9, 8, 5, and 2.

It has been a very interesting journey, one that I have learnt a lot about what people believe, what I believe, what I am capable of, and also what it feels like to go without food for so long. I have proved the myth wrong that a person cannot go without food for such a long time, well maybe it’s not so much of a myth as something that scares most people.

One thing that’s amazed me is that my fridge still has some food in it that hasn’t gone bad! I’ve been writing food blogs like crazy at Exercise and Mind, that have been making me get much more excited about breaking this fast, but now that I am here at this point of break, I eat a little bit, and my stomach cannot handle any more! There are so many things that I want to start eating, but I suspect it’s going to take a few days before my stomach is back to proper working order.

I broke my fast at the hour I started it, 1230hrs, with 1 apple that had made it with me through the whole fast. Yes, it tasted like a million dollars and I ate the whole thing, seeds and all. I am aware the apple seeds aren’t the easiest things to digest, maybe I’ll start an apple tree in my stomach… I had another apple at 1330hrs. Shortly after the first one, I was feeling much livelier, with much more energy. It’s an amazing thing what food does to our bodies, a little bit of nutrition goes a long way.

For my first main meal, I had some homemade carrot and yam soup! Now, I’m not sure if it was because I hadn’t eaten for 10 days, but it was absolutely delicious! I have to be careful about how much I eat though, for if I get too carried away or have too much rich foods, my stomach really isn’t going to like me too much.

This morning I took the time to meditate and do a full stretch. It felt really good, and I always get discouraged when I realize that the fast is over and I haven’t dedicated enough time during it to meditate. I guess this is because I am so focused on what I’m actually doing to take the time. After meditating though, it feels extremely good, I feel lighter, brighter, and a lot more alert and at peace with life; this is a good thing. I appreciate what I have a lot more I feel, and I also feel more in tuned with my surroundings. I like this a lot.

Will I do it again? Absolutely. Will I do it for 10 days? Thats questionable. Will I do it soon? That is doubtful.

It was a great experience, but the fact is, it takes a lot out of me, pretty much takes all my conditioning and training and flushes it out the door. It keeps me fairly un-mobile for the whole time, every bit of energy I do spend weakens me greatly. It was not a health fast, or a cleanse, it was a fast: Spiritual and mind, which is part of the reason why I get upset with myself for not taking more care to meditate; this is ok, and I am pleased with myself none-the-less. I have learnt a great deal about myself, my habits, what I can believe, and also what is important to me as a result of this fast, which yes, I did have a lot of knowledge of these things before the fast, but at some point there was a clearing up of the mess.

You know when you’re absolutely spent, like you’ve just had a day on the ski slopes, and all you want to do is sit back in the hot tub and suck back a beverage, enjoy it and let your muscles get relaxed, and this is all you can think about? Well, that’s sort of what happens. You loose sight of minor complications, overlook trifles, and realize that all of these sort of insignificant disturbances are nothing to get excited about and are all just things that will happen anyways, so just be happy and all things will work themselves out with care and attention.

So, in conclusion, it was a great success, I received some great support from people all around the world here, and on twitter @kingkabuz, and I am a very happy boy.

Thank you all for your encouragement and wise words, and I am back to normal again!

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Day 9 of 10 Day Fast

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Well, today is my last sleep before I finish this fast. It has been a very interesting journey, and it feels like it’s been quite a long time actually. I find myself at various points of the day thinking to myself: “wow, I think I could go forever without eating.” But then I realize that this is silly, and that I’m weak and light headed, not to mention hungry!

I’ve been doing a whole lot of posting of foods such as my Red Chicken on my website, in anticipation of the coming food I shall be intaking, but it’s not to nice for me thinking about all the delicious food, and then not eating anything… I consider it a better test of my will….. smart?

One thing I’m pretty happy about is that some of the fruits and veges that I’ve had since I begun are still alive and not decayed. I guess this is a sign of very little toxins that are used as pesticides, as well as to ripen the crop fast to get it to market. I actually had two bunches of bananas, one was organic and the other was regular. I bought two because the regular bunches were green, and the organic ones were just perfect (if not a bit mature). Right now, 10 days later, the organic ones are actually slightly less brown spotted as the regular ones. Amazing, I know.

I was at the grocer a while ago, talking to the grocer, and he was telling me how a banana is so covered with pesticides that a person should wash their hands immediately after touching them. I found this rather disturbing but it really does describe the difference in organic to regular bananas.

So back to the fast.

These last few days I have been getting extremely cold. I am worried about some sort of hypothermia setting in, but I somewhat doubt this will happen. But as I type this, my place is set to 22.5deg C, and I’m wearing a t-shirt, wool sweater, and a hoody; not to mention pants and giant wool socks. Its slightly weird to me, but it’s also fairly cold out, so I’ll accept this. I just hope it doesn’t turn into a cold. I feel my body is at a very healthy state right now, and it would be hard to get a cold, but this could be the inverse of what is actually truth for all I know.

I have also been finding that my sleeping pattern is extremely off. I get tired at about 10 or so, and sleep for 2 hours, then wake up and can’t get back to sleep until about 3 or 4 in the morning. This is ok, for I read for a few hours, but it’s still a bit interesting to me. I remember reading Gandhi’s autobiography Experiments With Truth where he described his sleeping patterns, and it was very similar. It makes me worry less when I remember this!

It has definitely been a bit of a struggle for me to focus on school these past 9 days, but I blame that more on the usual getting back into the swing of things rather than the fast. For me it’s always hard coming back from a break to hit the grind stone and study hard. Do any of you find this too?

Looking in the mirror, I am definitely going inward in the belly area, and not outward, not that I was before, but it’s pronounced. I can feel my hip bones, and my muscles do feel weak if I try and flex.

One odd thing is on day 7 and today, I pooped. Odd thing to mention, but it’s very interesting I could actually do this considering I haven’t eaten anything in 9 days. I was talking to a friend, and he blamed this on the tea that I’m drinking. I’m still only drinking Goji Berry tea, Peppermint tea, and water. Can any of you attest to this phenomenon?

This is about all I can report for symptoms.

Art by Poncho

For mentality, all I can say I’ve gained are:

a) a patience for life, temporary if it may be.

b) a mind for my body. I am aware of most of my movements, and thinking about a lot more of what I do with it.

c) my mind may not have become more clear, and it may not have become more stable, but I would say that I have learned or enabled myself to focus on what I really need to focus on and that I’m starting to push myself in the proper directions without hesitation. I’m not sure if this is due to the reading material, or the timing of the year, or both combined with the fast, but I can feel it within me.

So you see, I have learnt a few things along the way. The most important thing I have learnt is that I am in charge of this life, and that I can do anything. Most people I have told about this say “Why?” or “Thats really not healthy!” or “You’re crazy!” but in the end, they don’t know why I do the things I do, what I deal with daily, and the commitment required for me to follow through on such a thing. I have also had some great friends that have encouraged me, given me great advice on what to do, how to break the fast, to rest, to stay warm, which really warms my heart just thinking about the support I have learned that I do have in the world around me. This is a beautiful thing in itself.

Read my final conclusions on day 10 here!

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Day 2 of 10 Day Fast

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As the title clearly states, today is the completion of day two of my ten day fast. I woke up this morning feeling alright, took a shower, shaved and brushed my teeth, and now as I sit here I’m feeling slightly nauseous. I’m a little disturbed at this, for I really don’t like this feeling and know its my body telling me something, but I’m highly suspect its the fact that I haven’t drunk any liquids since last night when I went to bed. It could also be the 6hrs I got for sleep that also combine with this.

Yesterday I had some exercise. I walked up to the store, and I also did some light yoga as well as meditation that made me feel really and surprisingly positive about life. I enjoy those feelings.

I find that I am really focusing on my movements, and taking care with everything. Doors are getting shut lighter, steps are more ginger, and my peace of mind moves at a more crisp pace. I like this as well. I hope I can keep these traits for some time.

One thing that worries me is the tea I was drinking yesterday was Goji Berry tea. I’m wondering if this is the cause for my wooziness this morning, but I highly suspect its because of lack of hydration rather then wrong hydration. I’m on the water thats for sure!

Till next time, may peace be with you.

Read more on day 5 here.

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Focus

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Focus is as important as breathing. Just living your life can get you by, but actually having a drive towards your goal is what makes life exhilarating. I will leave what an effective goals are for another time, but I would like to discuss, or rather, contemplate what focus really is.

When I find myself sitting here wondering what to do is the perfect time to sit down and think about what the actual goals are that I have, and from this, I can build my focus bubble. For me, focus takes the form of lists. I write lists all over the place to make sure that I’m constantly thinking about what it is that I want to accomplish, what I’m working towards.

For some, I know its hard to find your focus, so it takes a lot of organization to align your life with that focus. As some of you may know, I refuse to have a TV in my house for the simple fact of how easily it is to distract you from your focus. It takes your focus away from things that can push you into the next level, and puts it on a square receptacle they’ve cleverly nicknamed TV. Another thing is to monitor your time you spend doing ‘house cleaning’ activities like reading through junk emails, checking all the new events on facebook, tweeting about what happened at the mall today, etc. These just delay. Yes, I understand that these things are necessary in some circles, for internet marketing really stresses the benifits of focus….so I guess if you already have the focus in place, and have brainstormed what you need to do, you have the focus in place to do those things… so all is already good!

I find the most important thing that one has to find time to do is to think about the things currently in your life that distract you from getting your focus. When you take time to think about these things, then write a list of them, and break that list down even further describing how you’re going to eliminate that lack of focus from your life. This is called aligning your body and mind. This is a good thing.

From here, remember that you can always edit this list of lifes distractions with new ways to avoid what your loosing focus in, as well as add new things that do distract you. With any luck, over time the list will dwindle because you have so effectively removed those distractions from your life!

Do you have any strategies that help you clean your mind out? I’d love to hear some.

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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

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Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse is a fiction book, but has so many situations and influential ideals that it shouldn’t be considered fiction. Its more of a spiritual book, and a great book at that.

The books I’ve been picking up lately are finding themselves to be spiritual journey type books and this one definitely takes the cake. It follows the travels of Brahmin’s son through his journey of life, and speaks from Siddhartha’s mind in the first person, explaining how he learns to find peace in everything around.

It starts off when young Siddhartha listens to his own voice, which tells him he must leave home to find what he’s looking for. Of course, as all fathers would be, his dislikes the idea, but with Siddhartha’s patience, his father understands that it is what must happen, and blesses his son on his journey.

I was sad at the end when Siddhartha has a moment of reflection about how he never does return to his father, but I will leave that for you to be moved by in your own way.

Siddhartha goes from being a Brahmin’s son, to living with the Samanas in the forests begging for food, then leaves to seek Buddha, but finds that what Buddha is teaching, is the same thing that all the rest have taught him, and what he has been searching for his whole life is something that only he can find himself.

Soon after this realization, he leaves his lifelong friend to stay and practice as a monk under the illustrious Buddha to let himself become a Businessman, seeking wealth & love, which in themselves bring many more extravagances. Let it be known that Siddhartha could not keep happy in such a direction.

I found it compelling and very interesting at every new leaf that Siddhartha turns over, every new discovery about his path that he realizes. Its always amazing to take what you learn from such a book and apply it to ones own life, for it makes a lot of strife so much less important in the scheme of things. This is, I assume, what most people who are searching, are looking for.

Read this book, no doubt about it. It will become a book you will reach for again and again.

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My How Time Flies

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I’ve been thinking lately about how the speed at which time flies to quick. Ideas and plans, designs and goals come into ones head at break neck speed, and in-spite of all the plans and precautions, they still slip by.

What brought this on was looking at flickr photos, and realizing that I’ve got old photos that I’ve promised people I would post. But its not just that, theres ideas involving light painting, plans to read books, arts to check out, the list goes on.

Sometimes it works itself into such a frenzy that I begin to find a panic button badly in need. I always look to the folks at exerciseandmind.com , where they have great ideas on how to keep the mind focused. Its tough though. Sometimes you just want to follow your day(s) dream. In a way, I guess that this is a good thing. Ideals, ideas, goals, etc. are always changing in the path of life, and so should your direction. I guess for me its just sometimes sad, or I feel that I’m forgetting something when I don’t look into projects I’ve got in mind.

I recollect various interviews where the interviewee says something along the lines of: ‘I’ve been working on this project for so long now, its taken x years to get everything together, but its finally here and its so worth it.’ I can totally relate to this. Its just something that happens.

I guess the secret to it all is to keep lists to remind yourself of what needs to be done.

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72Hr Fast Has Begun

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I have decided to undertake a 72hr fast. It was half spur of the moment, half pre-meditated if that makes sense.

Basically, last night, I ate a very small dinner of one avacado, and one naan with roasted red pepper dip, and had a half of a bowl of Lays chips, and woke up this morning thinking: “I will start my fast”.

I did a little research on the subject and I think it goes without saying that eating junk food isn’t good before a fast, but also that one should plan ahead a day or two and structure their diet tapering down to nil food. The key though, I feel, is to ensure that you are eating healthy foods prior to the fast if you wish to feel as little pain as possible.

So now, as I’m in hr.20, I’m feeling good. Not to hungry and feeling the inside of my mouth tasting a little bit weird. You know when you are about to get sick, and your glands inside your cheeks start to salivate? Thats kind of what the feeling is like, minus the oozyness. But I can feel those glands going! I guess this is a good thing.

The purpose of this fast isn’t necessarily a detox, as much as its a spiritual/mental thing; its about control my body and mind to an extent that I can do anything. I suppose I’d be lying though, for in a way, I have been feeling lately that my guts are becoming toxic, I wont discuss the details to save my blog from becoming explicit… to much.. 🙂

I’ve also learnt that when coming out of the fast, I must ease my body back to eating levels a non-faster preserves. No-problem.

Right now, like I said, everything is going good. I went for about a 45 minute walk earlier this afternoon, at about hr.16 or so, and it was ok. One thing I’m noticing is that I’m a little bit light headed, and I’m very conscious of every little squeek that my body gives me in refute to my movements. Its hard to tell whether I’m just aligning with my body more, or if its because of the fast that I feel those tweeks. Either way, I’m happy, feeling good, and glad that I’m finally doing a fast.

I’ve been having weird cravings, earlier it was a grilled cheese sandwich, and then it was a Big Mac. Weird because I don’t eat dairy anymore, or eat fast food anymore, McDonalds for at least 5 years, and dairy for at least 2yrs.

For more information on fasting, check out : exerciseandmind.com

At any rate, I highly suggest for anybody to do one, if not for longer at least 24hrs. I’m already feeling more positive and more in tuned with myself.

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