Growing up in Ireland in the eighties meant that Lent was a big thing. When we woke up on Ash Wednesday, there wasn't a sweet to be seen until Easter Sunday. Or maybe St. Patrick's day. Some more laid back souls even took every Sunday off. Imagine.
So I grew up with an abstract notion of fasting. It was laid into my foundations without me even realising. But now as an adult, I am fascinated by the traditions of fasting, prayer, cleansing, self deprivation, meditation, purification and discipline that exist across all cultures and all times. There are layers to these practices. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. And any practice which remains with humanity through all times and all circumstances, must be significant.
I have my own understanding of the significance of these practices. And it is based purely on personal experience and gnosis. I am a true believer in using life as a type of experiment. Trying out things to see how much we can open, connect, align, cleanse and heal. Looking at the rituals and practices that have been nurtured and held sacred within cultures over millennia.
And, I love the idea of living with something for a period of 40 days. 40 days is a good length of time, I think. A period of time that allows you to break through layers of resistance, and get to a deeper level in the practice. Once you hit this sweet spot, your curiosity for where the path can take you kicks in, and holds your hand as you travel deeper and deeper.
Fasting, as a spiritual practice, is a thread which runs through the tapestry of the human story. Food, being one of our most basic needs, is also unique in that we can survive without it for a period of time. Fasting allows us to travel close to the edge.There is a real stripping away of superficial layers. When you take away the act of physically putting food inside your body for a set period of time, it draws you energetically right back to the core of your being. Without the distraction of eating and digesting, you can fully focus inwards. And in the sensation of hunger, there is an honesty and an authenticity that seeps through the strata of your being, and infuses everything inside you with a light and a truth that feels profound. At the end of the set fasting period, there is elation and joy and a deep appreciation for the gifts of food and health and abundance.
There's no doubt that this past year has been difficult and sad for so many of us. It is a year that has forced us to give up so much. Things we may have taken for granted, have become precious in their absence. We have been forced into a type of fasting that we weren't expecting. And no doubt it has brought us to places inside ourselves that we hadn't yet discovered. Some of these places might hold great magic and great healing. Just like a simple food fast, these times may have stripped back the layers of our being and helped us navigate our way to our core.
Perhaps over the last year, collectively, we have given up enough. Fasted enough. Learned enough. And at the end of this particularly harsh fast, imagine the elation, the gratitude, the joy.
So with that in mind, I have decided I am going to use this period of 40 days to add something into my life instead. I have committed to my meditation practice. Every day for 40 days. No excuses. At this point I am only 4 days into the commitment. And meditation is not new to me. I have used it for about 20 years. But the act of making the commitment is what changes the energy. The commitment immediately makes it a sacred act. It is front and centre in my day. It is a priority and it demands respect. And there are two thousand reasons for me not to meditate every day. I don't need to tell you about the challenges of lock-down life. No matter what your personal circumstances are, this lock-down life will try to obstruct your plans. Through lack of personal space, lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of energy, And all the other lacks. But, I have made the commitment. I have signed the contract with myself. And I am a stubborn old goat, so that alone should pull me through. The resistance is there, but past work assures me that at the other side of the resistance, there is magic. On the very practical side, I can say that already, it is easier. My body seems to understand this commitment even quicker than my mind, and when I settle into my meditation position, my body is all in, right away. My muscles relax and let go at lightening speed, opening the doors to my inner space with eagerness and enthusiasm, The wisdom of our beautiful bodies repeatedly amazes and humbles me. It is a reminder to trust it and respect it. And the thing about meditation, as you know, is that there are good days and there are bad days. And that's just a fact. There are days where you feel enlightenment, awakening, divinity, oneness, awe, infinite ecstasy. And there are days like yesterday, where I couldn't stop thinking about all the cleaning that needed to be done. And whether I should get my hair coloured after lock-down, or continue with the grey. You know, important life questions.
But if it's always easy, it's boring. There is no growth in comfort. And that's why 40 days is important. It forces us to meet the good and the bad, and all the shades in between. It allows us the space to fully explore the new territory. It gives us a good fighting chance at creating some powerful change.
So if you are embarking on a spiritual journey at this time, or any time, I wish you strength and insight and courage. Enter into it with an open mind and heart, and a sense of excitement. Know that the blocks you will meet are truly only there to bring you to a deeper level. You have my deepest respect and admiration. Share whatever you learn with the rest of us. We need the pioneers.

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