Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
The mind exists in a state of “not enough” and so is always greedy for more. When you are identified with mind, you get bored and restless very easily. Boredom means the mind is hungry for more stimulus…it is not satisfied.
Rain clouds come floating in, not to muddy my days ahead, but to make me calm, happy and hopeful.
The guru cannot awaken you; all that he can do is to point out what is. The guru can give you words; he can give you an explanation, the symbols of the mind, but the symbol is not the real, and if you are caught in the symbol, you will never find the way.
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
