Dr. Shanker Adawal
Austerities and Fasts
One way of astrological
remedy is to do certain form of austerities. Austerities or “tapas” is a form
of accepting voluntarily a penance or self-restraint, in order to pay a karmic
debt. Tapas strengthens the mind, will power and capacity to endure any
difficulty in life. It takes the mind away form the duality of “likes and
dislikes”, Raga and Dwesha.
Tapas activates the
“Tejas” or fire element in the mind and body, which bestows inner strength,
sharp mind and the capacity to achieve any desired situation and overcome any
difficulty in life.
Instead of trying to avoid
any form of pain at all means, which is what the mind usually does, the Yogi
takes upon himself some challenge to become stronger.
Tapas can be especially
powerful to counteract any negative influence from Saturn or to strength the
Mars or Sun energies if weak on the birth chart.
The
most recommended Tapas are:
Doing service to the poor,
the sick, the personal teacher or the wise people, refrain from pleasures that
are not healthy and make the mind scattered and attached, observing a pure
simple moderated diet, occasional fasts, keeping silence or only speaking what
is absolutely necessary and beneficial, getting up early in the morning to do
Yoga, meditation or other spiritual practices, assuming and maintaining a
steady posture without movement for meditation, sleeping on a hard bed, sitting
on the floor.
One of the highest (and
most difficult, but recommended) tapas is: “Bear insult and injury”, not
responding with aggression or negativity towards an offender, not identifying
with the ego.
But tapas donot mean
torturing the body by extreme or “masochist” means, which harm the physical
body. Some people cut, burn, beat, pierce their bodies. This kind of extreme
Tapas is considered as “Tamasic” or born out of ignorance and delusion.
The
Bhagavad Gita clearly explains that:
“Worship of God, the
brahmanas, the teachers, the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and
non-injury are called the austerities of the body”
“Speech which causes no
excitement, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial and the study of the
Vedas are called austerity of speech”
Serenity of mind, good
heartedness, self-control, purity of nature, this is called mental austerity”
The austerity which is
practiced with the object of gaining good reputation, honour and worship, and
with hypocrisy is here said to be of a “rejasic”, unstable and transitory”
“That austerity which is practiced out of a foolish notion, with self-torture or
for the purpose of destroying another is declared to be “Tamasic” or ignorant”.
Fasting is regarded as an efficient way of physical, mental, spiritual and
karmic purification.
During fasting the toxins
from the body are released and that allows the negativity of the mind to be
released too. The mind and will power becomes strong. Karmic debts can be
purified too.
The prana or vital force
usually occupied in digesting the food can be engaged in healing the body and
flowing to the higher chakras during fasting.
When there is an
afflicting planet on the birth chart, or during a difficult “Dasa”, planetary
period or difficult transit of that planet, the austerities and fast should be
perform on at least the whole day of the week ruled by the planet for at least
6 consecutive weeks.
Sun
|
Sunday
|
Moon
|
Monday
|
Mars
|
Tuesday
|
Mercury
|
Wednesday
|
Jupiter
|
Thursday
|
Venus
|
Friday
|
Saturn
|
Saturday
|
Rahu
|
Saturday
|
Ketu
|
Tuesday
|
Continue…
Dr. Shanker Adawal
Profile: www.connectingmind.com
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
www.shankarsastro.com
Published articles on Articlesbase.com
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Published articles on Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/2wyxtfk
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
www.shankarsastro.com
Published articles on Articlesbase.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/shanker-adawal/149926
or search keyword "shanker adawal" in google search for published articles
Join my Facebook Group for free Astro Queries: www.facebook.com/adawal
Published articles on Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/2wyxtfk
