3 Day Juice Fast
How things connect in life. Have you ever seen how in life one thing, leads to the next and the next and your situation in life is transformed so smoothly…
My Sister-in-Law forwarded me a 2 day salad revolution program invite from Sharan in March. In the same month, Husband suddenly got high BP, so I watched some videos of Sharan and also attended the workshop. We found it so good that we went in for paid consulting for 3 months. The consultant assigned to us gave me a recipe for vegan butters. The video she sent me was interesting and very well made, by this organization called Satvic Movement. Some more searches on Satvic’s YouTube channel and I was hooked.
They were at that time enrolling for their 3 Day Juice Fast. After many promotional videos and prompting by FB, IG and YouTube, I paid up for the 3 day juice fast (/fest). I was afraid to do it, so I said I will attend all sessions and take notes and will fast once I am fully equipped with their fasting technique.
In advance, we received the basic rules, ingredients list and some general gyan about this fast. I was intrigued by all the material but still not willing to fast. On the Friday (Day 1), I got up and still debating in mind, whether to fast or not, I decided try atleast for half a day or a day. The first session started at 10AM. It was a beautiful, lively session and I took copious notes.
At the first break at 11:30AM, I ran down and bought the missing ingredients and had my first ABC juice. It was blissful. I knew.. am in… for 3 full days. The first day was a breeze. Second day started well with Yoga / pranayam, but became a little boring by the afternoon. But now I had committed to continue. With phases of low energy, high energy, boredom, enthusiasm, I completed the 3 day fast.
The fun was when they (on Sunday morning) said that you cannot start normal food on Monday. You gotta stick to smoothies and salads on Monday and through Tuesday morning. I almost died of weakness on Monday morning. By Monday evening, I was again jumping with excitement at having lived 4 days of my life without salt and cooked food.
The juice fast opened up a whole new world for me. One, it has taught me the power of the mind. I always thought that “no-salt food gives me headaches” and “I cannot live without cooked food”. But no! I survived beautifully. I did not experience any headache. Little weakness yes, but no headaches, pains, fevers, chills etc.
Second, the fast drills into you the importance of raw, wholesome, fresh fruits and vegetables. The craving for cooked food esp for dinner is gone. The craving for bread, dessert, cheese, butter is gone. The vedic concept of subjugation vs sublimation became crystal clear to me. Former is when you are forced to give up without really being committed to it (and therefore leads to frustration), the latter is when you understand the concept, buy into it and then identify with it and then give up something (there is no experience of force or coercion).
Third, I was really proud and had gratitude for my body. It really co-operated with me these 3 days.
Fourth, I have got back in my life the habit of saying a short gratitude prayer for the food. As kids, we always said a small prayer (which summarized as God! I offer my food to you first, thank you for it). Somewhere in my teens the habit vanished. Am glad to get back to this childhood habit.
With this fast, I have taken on 16 hours intermittent fasting, and once a week juice fasting, from now onwards.
Thank You Sharan and Thank You Satvic Movement!
