What I Knew About Upavasa
Fasting also known as Upavasa (in Sanskrit), was practiced long ago in ancient yogic traditions. Gautum Buddha went on periods of intense Upavasa in search of enlightenment (that is some 2500+ years ago). I’ve heard of yogis who went on Upavasa in the forests regions. When food was not readily available people fasted for those lean months and our bodies over time developed storing systems to help us survive those hard times. Since science validating the practice to be beneficial for our health it has become very popular now in the modern world. However, it is a very ancient practice rooted deeply in Ayurveda and yogic culture as a cleansing and detoxing process on the health realm and to break-free and go beyond the entanglements with basic necessities on a spiritual realm.
The Reason
I have done small Upavasa before and intermittent fasting as a regular process. However, I have never done an extended fasting for longer than 20 hours. I remember feeling very weak the last time I did a 20-hour Upavasa on my own. This time I chatted with my Ayurvedic practitioner (AP). We decided that longer fasting would help digestion and eliminate accumulated toxins over the years, and it may benefit my circumstances. She mentioned an even more intense process in Ayurveda called Pancha Karma would be the deepest level of cleansing one can do from the Ayurvedic medical realm. But that is a big process.
What you have read about fasting and the scientific facts about it aside, let me share what it is like from a felt human experience beyond those facts.
24 Hour Upavasa
I planned for 24-hour Upavasa, since I have never done anything of this sort before. So I ate a relatively light dinner and was done at 6 pm and there would be no food till the next day dinner, simple enough. My Upavasa is a traditional Ayurvedic Upavasa with nothing but water and I used Himalaya salt gargling from here and there. The next day, I could not stop thinking of all the delicious food I wanted to eat. Biriyani masala with lentil curry and sambol and some delicious desserts. A tasty Chai masala afterward. I could not help those seriously tangible memories of tasty mouth-watering delights.
I usually put lemon, honey, and Himalaya salt on water, but to drink just plain water was very challenging without the used-to energies from water. Since having done 18 hours of regular between meal Upavasa, the first 18 hours of this Upavasa felt relatively easy as far as my used-to need for food.
As I was approaching the 24hr end, I started preparing a delicious vegetable fried rice with Organic basmati rice with papadam, sambola, and parippu.
However, while I was preparing the meal something changed, I no longer felt hungry. As I was preparing this aromatic food, I felt “do I really need this?” I felt my energies stabilize within my body, as if my body was able to slowly produce energy from within, without the outside food. I did not want it to end so soon, just as I was accessing a sweet space of balance.
It felt important for me to connect with how it felt within my body to make the next decision…
Let the Extended Upavasa Begin
Just as I made the meal, I told others, “Please enjoy this meal, I won’t be eating tonight either”. Just like that, I started 24hr + Upavasa. I planned to eat breakfast the next day.
I felt my energies going up and down that night and a lot of water with salt gargle seemed to stabilize the low energy. I noticed a sense of attempt to reserve energy when engaging in normal daily interactions, as in just observing, listening, and taking it all in instead of expressing thoughts and emotions. When I had spare moments, I made sure to sit in silence connected with breath, or practice Isha Kriya. I also spent some time drawing and drumming.
The next morning at 3:17 am – just like that I am wide awake, my brain fully awake. I felt as if running a fever. The Space-heater was at 79F and I was in a thick sweatshirt and wool socks and still not hot but sweating a bit. My Shambhavi practice felt extra focused and intense than ever before. My AP later explained that was when my body started breaking down and recycling damaged cells and promoting cell repair, and what happened was good. But I had no idea, so I thought I was overdoing it and I felt I needed to end the fast. I felt scared of collapsing. It felt important for me to connect with how it felt within my body to make the next decision.
I still wanted a big delicious meal to finish the fast. But as I got closer to eating, I felt I needed something very light to start the digestive system again after my gut had a mini-vacation. With this in mind, I decided chicken broth and fruits would be the best to break the Upavasa (This is what my AP adviced).
Food After 38 Hours
I never planned to go this long, but what I was feeling was something magical inside. On the last day morning, I did my morning Yoga and meditative practice before eating breakfast. I felt a deeper connection with myself, my body, and my life. It is beyond the verbal expression. It was from a deeper dimension of experience.
Here I am sitting with a bowl of chicken bone broth with cooked carrots and broccoli. Tears came into my eyes as I started to drink the broth. It felt as if I was leaving a very dear friend. The last 12 hours of the Upavasa were such a profound experience. Part of me wanted to keep the Upavasa going but part of me felt it was time to stop and that I could re-visit again soon.
All the facts about fasting mean nothing in respect to the profoundness of the felt experience.
Paschat Upavasa
My thoughts and emotions around food have changed after upavasa. I feel a deeper sense of connection with food as a source for nourishment rather than a craving to feel comfort. I started noticing better mental clarity, more stabilized energy, and a sense of lightness, perhaps from some toxins that were released.
Looking back it was a profound experience and I want to continue to do this regularly and next time go even longer to experience deeper benefits. What I have now is a felt experience of what it is to upavasa for 38 hours and what I can expect from a felt experience. No book can give you this. All the facts about fasting mean nothing in respect to the profoundness of the felt experience. My felt experience is an absolutely unique experience just for me.
What I share here is my personal experience. I felt the way I approached the Upavasa (Pera Upavasa) and what I did during Upavasa had a huge impact on how much benefit I could reap out of it. If you feel this is something that can benefit you, make sure you have set a strong foundation on how you approach it rather than just jumping into it.