On the Baha’i Fast: An opening day salvo

Not eating, Baha’is have extra time to work on their blogs. This time of year is a great time for blog-reading as well. -gw

Firstly, I am awake earlier than 6 am. That is not crazy, because I’m doing the Baha’i Fast, which means only eating and drinking before the sunrises and after the sunsets. Also, sleep wasn’t happening because of the INSANE bluster outside and the CRAZY COOL imagery I had in this dream:

http://babygoodsmule.blogspot.com/2009/03/where-i-will-get-my-mfa.html

My first day of Fast started well, having rehearsed my cook to prepare breakfast at 5:00 AM. This is my ninth year of fasting (I missed last year since I was traveling extensively). It’s the only time of the year when I consciously make the truest effort to detach from material passions and desires, as mandated by Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith. A friend told me recently that the industry I work for—retail industry—is the first to encourage such materialism. So true, and so lucky am I. There will be tests at work in the next 18 days, and I look forward to winning those challenges through the Fast!

http://pancheta.multiply.com/journal/item/65?mark_read=pancheta:journal:65

There’s a Baha’i fasting period that starts March 2. And Baha’is are using the event to draw attention to some worldly concerns. From my e-box:

Baha’is in thousands of U.S. communities will observe their annual 19-day fast starting on March 2 with their thoughts and prayers focused on Iran, where seven leaders of the religion remain in prison under unfounded charges of espionage and insulting Islam.

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/lent-isnt-the-only-religious-f.html

Current mood:	hungry
Entry tags:	fast, life, work

Today through March 20th is the Baha’i Fast, which means no eating or drinking during daylight hours. I’ve never had to do that while working full time before, though I suppose it won’t been much more difficult than it was during years with a full class schedule and a far more physically active job in the greenhouse.

http://tmartian42.livejournal.com/85004.html

 Anyway, speaking of the fast and such, I need to have been in bed an hour ago. Waking up before the sun does means I get up at 5:30, which is at least two hours earlier than I’m used to. Guh. Wish me luck and hope I don’t shrivel up on the first day, everyone!

• Current Mood: tired but cheerful
• Current Music: Stargate 1 themesong

I’m sending much love to my family and friends during this special, special time of the year, and I hope you all make most of the precious time during the Fast. It’s truly a blessing, despite the difficulties. I just want to say to the communities back at home: KCNE & Woodinville; that every one of you are in my thoughts and prayers so much. I’m sending hugs to my dear children’s class I used to do during Feast, and MUCH MUCH LOVE to the youth!

Yeah, let me tell you how not to start out 19 days of fasting: You don’t start off by sleeping through your alarm clock! I can’t begin to tell you how awful it was to wake up at 6:50 and realize that the sun had already been up for 30 minutes! Thank you, alarm clock malfunction (which was probably somehow my fault but let’s not talk about that okay!) And so, at that point, I had a choice. Do I eat because, well, I’m hungry and it’s not like anybody’s around to see. Or do I recognize that doing the Fast is about more than food. It’s about developing my spiritual capacity.

Today marked the third year that I’ve participated in the 19-Day Baha’i Fast and the first since I’ve graduated. Fasting during the 9-5 will definitely provide new obstacles, but I’m already finding it more bearable. In the past, the Fast has often left me irritable and negative-minded–exactly the opposite of the intended result. But now, with Denise’s support, a more active Baha’i community, and a less physically demanding daily routine, it should give me a chance to be the person I’ve always wanted to be this holy time of year.

After 23 years of doing this religious Fast, I can honestly say that it really is not so much about the abstaining from food or drink from sunrise to sunset, but is more about getting the sludge out of my life that has collected and built up and is sometimes to the point of suffocating my spirit that is the most important thing the Fast does for me.