Monday Morning

A note from a student, "J", who has a serious weight challenge:
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I just wanted to brief you on my first fasting attempt. Now, mind you, I am approaching this very cautiously due to medical issues. I did not go the 36 hours but just 24 instead to see how things went. I went from 6pm yesterday until 6pm today. I generally don't wake up hungry when I am allowed to sleep until my internal alarm goes off. Oddly, I wake up quite hungry when I have to rise before the sun. At any rate, I didn't anticipate any problems the first half of the day but wondered what the 2nd half was going to be like. I have to say that I did drink a little milk as my medication cannot be taken with just water. Actually it says to take with food. I figured milk was a reasonable compromise. Drank my normal quota of coffee during the morning and early afternoon hours. I didn't notice feeling at all hungry until aroun 4pm and it kept getting more and more insistent until we sat down to dinner. Actually it was an interesting experience. I had anticipated being distracted and cranky and this was simply not the case. I went about my normal stuff. Mostly reading for school and drafting thoughts for two papers that I am working on. I found my focus actually a bit sharper than it might normally be but then again it could be the material as it is directly related to things o psyche and soul. I never once felt that low blood sugar feeling that I am familiar with. No shakes or sweats or nasea. Thumbs up. I plan to try it again next weekand and go the full 36 if I can work it in. We have lots of family stuff happening.

Namaste,

J
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FROM STEVE:
"J"--
6 to 6 is just fine for getting the health benefits. Don't worry about the 36 hour thing--I'm pushing the edge there for a very specific reason. If you could handle a 6/6 I think you'd get fabulous results that would blow your mind--emotionally even more than physically. I kid you not. Don't set your eyes on the 36 six thing--remember that your ego will do anything in its power to slow you down, including having you do "too much" so you can fail and add it to the trash heap. I suspect I.F. is the real deal. If you can, try it for say 2 weeks, and see what happens. You'd need to do some kind of minimal exercise too--the "Five Tibetans," which take around ten minutes, is as good a minimum as I've ever seen.

But congratulations for even thinking about I.F.--I think on some level it has to scare the piss out of you.
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What would you like to see in a book on the subject of I.F.?
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"J"--

Steve,

You're right..on some level it does scare the piss out of me. That's where all of my projections were coming from. And continue to come from. I'm thinking, ok, that went alright but who is to say what will happen next time? Huh? I will do it again. Since things went so well yesterday I am tempted to try it on a normal work day and see how it goes. My days are really long though these days so I'm uncertain and yes, hella scared. I'm thinking I will wait until Thursday when I don't have evening clients scheduled and run that through. BTW - my blood sugar reading the past couple of days have been the best I've had in months. Good news.

I've already considered the exercise thing and began that a couple of weeks back in anticipation of trying this. I walk every day at work. Approx 1/2 mile. It takes me about 15-20 minutes at this point. I'll add distance as that becomes easier and my time gets shorter. I have failed repeatedly at things that require my time and attention in the morning so won't set that up again at this point.

What would I like to see in a book? I would like to see the whole issue of the seriously obese addressed. While I think it is a great tool for someone looking to master their baser instincts and really master their lives, if it is what you think it is then it will be an even better tool for those of us that seriously war (it's not a battle) with our health and our weight. We are generally given a set of dietary guidelines that read like a death sentence in some very real ways. ALL of the things that have given us pleasure in the past are now verboten and we are given no way of countering that. What is offered just seems paltry and entirely insufficient. Like trading a baby's bottle for a pacifier when he is screaming with hunger. But, to do something for just a day at a time, much like a twelve step program, might be doable. I'm not sure about the broader audience. I am certain that most will have the same fears that I have had. I am not sure how you counter that. Each person has to address those fears individually and resolve to 'just do it' as the saying goes. That monkey mind screams really loud! "What will we do without food?????" "We will die!!!!" And since it says we, it means me too. Hell, I don't care if it dies. It needs to. It's really been in the way for a long time.

I would like to see referenc to the specific research on weight loss, blood chemistry and blood sugar effects along with other current measures of health in our modern medical system. Perhaps also, if the data exists, something coming from the Eastern philosophies about this lifestyle/regimen. Also, the female physiology as well. The mere fact that we generally carry more body fat than men do makes our task just a little harder. We also cannot generate as much lean muscle as men. In my mind this means that our ability to generate calorie burning material (muscle) is limited and less efficient than mens. I may be way off base here but I would like to see the hard science on this.

Beyond that, can you address the metaphysics in this? What is the spiritual aspect, if any? I would think there is. I haven't pondered it long enough to find it myself but will consider that over the next few weeks as I experiment with this.

Sorry to have rambled. Just giving you what is on my mind. Sometimes I don't make much sense.

On another note, I am reading a fantastic book that you might find interesting. "Money and the Meaning of Life" by Jacob Needleman. Addressing a completely different aspect of spirituality.

More as I have more to offer.

Much love,

"J"
##

Would you keep a journal, or write down your thoughts about this stuff as you go? Your perspective (and training) might be invaluable for others, and unique. You're quite right--if this is what it looks like, it is a nuclear bomb. Do X, get Y result. Period. Man oh man, that would be terrifying to the ego! I empathize completely.

Your walking sounds great. Keep it up!
love,
Steve
##

J --

6 to 6 is just fine for getting the health benefits. Don't worry about the 36 hour thing--I'm pushing the edge there for a very specific reason. If you could handle a 6/6 I think you'd get fabulous results that would blow your mind--emotionally even more than physically. I kid you not. Don't set your eyes on the 36 six thing--remember that your ego will do anything in its power to slow you down, including having you do "too much" so you can fail and add it to the trash heap. I suspect I.F. is the real deal. If you can, try it for say 2 weeks, and see what happens. You'd need to do some kind of minimal exercise too--the "Five Tibetans," which take around ten minutes, is as good a minimum as I've ever seen.

But congratulations for even thinking about I.F.--I think on some level it has to scare the piss out of you.
What would you like to see in a book on the subject of I.F.?

Steve
##
Steve,

You're right..on some level it does scare the piss out of me. That's where all of my projections were coming from. And continue to come from. I'm thinking, ok, that went alright but who is to say what will happen next time? Huh? I will do it again. Since things went so well yesterday I am tempted to try it on a normal work day and see how it goes. My days are really long though these days so I'm uncertain and yes, hella scared. I'm thinking I will wait until Thursday when I don't have evening clients scheduled and run that through. BTW - my blood sugar reading the past couple of days have been the best I've had in months. Good news.

I've already considered the exercise thing and began that a couple of weeks back in anticipation of trying this. I walk every day at work. Approx 1/2 mile. It takes me about 15-20 minutes at this point. I'll add distance as that becomes easier and my time gets shorter. I have failed repeatedly at things that require my time and attention in the morning so won't set that up again at this point.

What would I like to see in a book? I would like to see the whole issue of the seriously obese addressed. While I think it is a great tool for someone looking to master their baser instincts and really master their lives, if it is what you think it is then it will be an even better tool for those of us that seriously war (it's not a battle) with our health and our weight. We are generally given a set of dietary guidelines that read like a death sentence in some very real ways. ALL of the things that have given us pleasure in the past are now verboten and we are given no way of countering that. What is offered just seems paltry and entirely insufficient. Like trading a baby's bottle for a pacifier when he is screaming with hunger. But, to do something for just a day at a time, much like a twelve step program, might be doable. I'm not sure about the broader audience. I am certain that most will have the same fears that I have had. I am not sure how you counter that. Each person has to address those fears individually and resolve to 'just do it' as the saying goes. That monkey mind screams really loud! "What will we do without food?????" "We will die!!!!" And since it says we, it means me too. Hell, I don't care if it dies. It needs to. It's really been in the way for a long time.

I would like to see referenc to the specific research on weight loss, blood chemistry and blood sugar effects along with other current measures of health in our modern medical system. Perhaps also, if the data exists, something coming from the Eastern philosophies about this lifestyle/regimen. Also, the female physiology as well. The mere fact that we generally carry more body fat than men do makes our task just a little harder. We also cannot generate as much lean muscle as men. In my mind this means that our ability to generate calorie burning material (muscle) is limited and less efficient than mens. I may be way off base here but I would like to see the hard science on this.

Beyond that, can you address the metaphysics in this? What is the spiritual aspect, if any? I would think there is. I haven't pondered it long enough to find it myself but will consider that over the next few weeks as I experiment with this.

Sorry to have rambled. Just giving you what is on my mind. Sometimes I don't make much sense.

On another note, I am reading a fantastic book that you might find interesting. "Money and the Meaning of Life" by Jacob Needleman. Addressing a completely different aspect of spirituality.

More as I have more to offer.

Much love,

J



##
A RESOURCE:

http://eatqod.com/
There's a book there, written by a kidney specialist. He's advocating I.F. with some very specific limitations, including "don't try it if you're over 25 pounds overweight." Let's put it this way: if you are, talk to your doctor. This is a very, very good idea.