This time of year women in Northern India and Nepal celebrate a festival called Teej. On this day, a fast (go without food) is observed from the beginning of the day until the moon comes out at night. Once the moon appears women rush outside to look at it through a sieve. While the festival is rooted in traditional Hindu lore and for the coming rainy season, this is a joyous time when women dress up in their best clothes, apply Mendhi (seen above), go see a movie together and take care of themselves. The fast is done for vitality and for the health of the family, specifically for marital bliss. Sacrificing superficial pleasures for greater purposes is viewed as way to increase ones positive karma.
My Mother-in-Law celebrates this holiday every year and two years ago, I joined her. This was the first time I fasted. It was a very difficult day! I was already eating pretty healthy and was of average weight. However, I became aware that while I did not fit the morbidly obese, televised version of a food addict, I in fact was. This single experience forever changed my relationship to food. Since that day, I have:
1) Decreased my portion sizes significantly after learning that I do not need that much food to feel full and energized.
2) Increased the value of the food I eat. Most of us already know that not all food is created equal. However, I started to become more conscious of how what I eat makes me feel. For example, eating a handful of chips made me feel hungrier (and thirsty because of all that salt), while eating an apple made me feel good and full enough to last me until the next meal. When you realize that certain foods are making you feel bad it is easier to not eat them. This is contrast to the pressure of not doing something because someone says its bad for you.
3) Been able to go longer periods without eating because I am okay with being a little hungry sometimes. I also can tell the difference between whether or not I feel hungry because I am bored, sad, etc.
4) New appreciation and gratitude for the food I receive. After years of literally shoveling in whatever I felt like eating, superfast so I can move on to my task, this was a profound concept! Sitting down and quietly enjoying what is on my plate is a fulfilling experience. Eating consciously and with all of your senses naturally makes you take your time, which makes you feel more full with less.
5) Able to maintain a healthy weight and a healthy budget. Once you start making these changes things start to happen. They are like little seeds. You start buying less food at the store and spending less money on going out.
It is hard to believe that all of this came from one day of not eating. While some may not buy into the spiritual aspect of things, I believe having a greater purpose looming in the background encouraged my effort. It is easier to by-pass the demands of the ego when you have something greater than yourself to look up to. Not to mention, how having millions of other women joining in and making a celebration out of it helps!
In true American spirit, I have co-opted this holiday as a chance to offer everyone the chance to increase vitality and raise consciousness. Men are welcome too! Are you in? Join me tomorrow (Wednesday August 13th) on Facebook & Twitter, for Noble Therapies' very own Teej-like celebration! #NobleFast
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