Fasting: How body and mind cleansing can bring in happiness and wholesome living

BY ANIL K. RAJVANSHI

Boot scan on computers is done to clean the system of viruses and malware. After the native boot scan, the machine runs well. This native boot scan is supposed to be done regularly to have the computer running smoothly and without a hitch.

Similar logic should be applied to human body and mind. We should do periodic boot scan on ourselves which should include introspection, giving time to oneself and cleaning of one's body. During our daily living, we keep on accumulating lots of toxins both physically and mentally. Periodically we should get rid of them.

In the ancient times and even today, quite a number of people do fasting as a part of cleansing the body. However majority of times it becomes a ritual. A true fasting process should involve reduced or no food intakes, spending time thinking about the basis of fasting and general introspection. Mahatma Gandhi's innumerable fasts embodied all these ingredients.

When native boot scan is taking place the computer cannot process any data and for all practical purpose shuts down. Similarly when we do our boot scan we should focus only on cleaning our system both physically and mentally so that the body and mind become better and general feeling of well-being results.

Naturopathy regime allows a possible and good way to boot scan ourselves. The regime includes colon cleaning by enema, mud application on the stomach, fasting and general cleansing of the body to get rid of toxins. The regime generally lasts anywhere from 5 to 15 days and if done with introspection then it brings great benefits to its practitioner.

Once the body gets cleaned by such a system it also affects the thought process.

Nowadays there are many retreats for such "boot scans" all over India and in other countries. Most of them cater to rich people and includes fancy diets, designer enemas and fancy sounding rituals. All that is not necessary. One can have the retreat at home by having simple diet, intake of fruits and boiled vegetables, introspection and getting away from internet and mobile phones. This can help us to boot scan ourselves and bring in calmness and rejuvenation of the body and soul.

The author is the Director and Hon. Secretary Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). He could be reached at (anilrajvanshi@gmail.com)