Recomposing The Melody of Life – Fasting and Realization

Robin Pan

Most people associate fasting with hunger, drinking only water and being weak. As a result, they are not interested. Then 55 ½-year-old Dennis Paulsen, with his 30 years of experience in teaching the art of fasting as a way to keep fit; may be able to change this perception. Dennis has clients all over the world.

According to Dennis, fasting has the following advantages:

1. Slimming

Fasting naturally has the effect of depleting the body of excessive fat.

2. Detoxification (as a form of therapy)

Fasting is the most effective detoxifying method. Other methods such as acupuncture, acupressure and the use of herbs, are not able to remove toxins that are deeply buried in the organs and fat cells; only fasting can achieve this. The body is restored to its healthy state once more.

3. To increase the energy level

Contrary to general belief that fasting weakens the body, fasting actually increases the body’s energy level.

4. The mind is more alert

The body need not dispatch extra energy to digest solid food substances, and the conserved energy allows the mind to be more alert.

5. Reinforcement of spiritual awareness

The most important and yet most surprising fact is the strengthening of spiritual awareness as a result of practicing fasting over a long period of time.

Fasting is effectively therapeutic. It is also the speediest and safest therapeutic method. Dennis pointed out two interesting examples.

1. Prisoners of war were kept in concentration camps with little to eat during the Second World War. They were starved constantly but their initial sickness contracted before the imprisonment disappeared.
2. Using rats and rabbits in dieting experiments, it was discovered that the lifespan of these creatures extended a few times longer when their food intake was reduced.

In explaining the point regarding the strengthening of spirituality; we could look back upon the history. We could see many great thinkers and philosophers practiced fasting. Dennis pointed out that the Lord Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert when he was 30 years old; and thereafter attained a state of togetherness with God. Dennis further pointed out that lay people like you and I could also achieve this state. On the other hand, the 35-year-old Lord Buddha attained enlightenment after fasting and meditating under the Bodhi tree for 49 days. The Lord Buddha declared that there is no secret in the path to Enlightenment, one simply has to put effort to obtain ultimate wisdom.

For this reason, Dennis believes that the physical body is an entity comprising of the body,mind and spirit; and we inherit the basic right to have this entity in the best of health; which can be achieved by fasting and adequating well-balanced nutrients intake. We have to know that our potential is exactly identical to those of any historical great being in the past.

Why is fasting necessary to reach the state of perfect health? Ultimately, it does not only benefit oneself. When you have a healthy body, you would have the ability to help others lessen their unnecessary sufferings. When you have a longer life, you would be able to help more people. When you have a clear mind, you would be more confident and able to maximize the quality of every moment of existence.

Fasting has to be carried out on sound theoretical argument and practical feasibility simultaneously. If one only understands the theories of fasting without actually trying them out personally, one is not able to benefit from fasting. Dennis has several wealthy clients who are in this category, and they will never receive the goodness of fasting. On the contrary, many of his clients who put the theory of fasting to practice, have their lives changed.

According to Dennis, fasting sounds simple but to practice it skillfully is not something that everyone can easily achieve. Because many unexpected physical and mental symptoms would suddenly appear during fasting, and these require the guidance of an experienced teacher; and at time consultation with a medical doctor.

The following are some interesting events that may occur during fasting:

1. After 3 or 4 days of fasting when all solid food have been discharged, you will not experience any more hunger pangs.
2. When drugs, tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, refined sugar and other addictive substances have been eliminated from the body, symptoms such as headache and cold perspiration may happen. These substances hurt the body when they first enter and once again when they leave. However, after 7 to 10 days of fasting, the addiction will be completely overcome.
3. As you experience the sufferings during the detoxification process, you would also gradually feel comfortable and energized. This is so because solid food deprives 10% of the body’s energy to digest it. Fasting means no or minimal solid food.
4. After prolonged fasting, your mind would be crystal clear. You would no longer crave for unnecessary material needs. You would slow down to take stock and re-examine your purpose in life. Your confidence would be boosted. You’ll believe that you’ll succeed. Dennis further pointed out that according to his observation all over the world, 95% of the people are materialistic; being influenced by family and society which regard happiness as possessing beautiful houses, cars and clothes. Thus these people drift along busily to and from work aimlessly every day even though most of them do not like the work they are doing; if not for the pay which allow them to maintain their present standard of living, they would most probably not want to continue with their jobs. The other 5% of the people are very happy although they do not have big houses, cars or branded clothes. This is so because happiness cannot be derived from external material wealth, but it has to come from within you. Their work is what they really want to do, and it involves helping others to reduce sufferings.

Dennis also told a story about a person who followed her heart:

Many years ago, a 31-year-old Catholic nun arrived in India from Armenia. She found that the local people lived in extreme poverty and hardship. So she chose to remain in the most improvised place to help the people overcome their unnecessary sufferings there. Each morning, she would roam the streets seeking out and helped the sick and the poor, including the ‘untouchables’ who were social outcast of the lowest caste. She turned her home into a hospice. Her exemplary actions encouraged several women to volunteer their help and they formed a sister club to care for the underprivileged. The nun is now 86 years old** and is none other than the famous Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mother Teresa.

**NB: Late Mother Teresa passed away in 1999, this passage was first published in 1997.

Thus no one will pat you on your back to announce your destiny or tell you “Hey! You’ll be the next Mother Teresa!”. Your future depends on whether you choose to follow your heart to be one of the 5% who lead a truly rewarding life; or follow the tide of the 95% who pursues a materialistic life without really being happy at all.

Dennis’ THEORY OF FASTING

1. Those who are not supposed to fast: growing children (below 18 years of age), expectant mothers, nursing mothers (toxin discharge during this period may be harmful to the nursing baby), diabetics who are using insulin and persons who are undernourished.
2. Water fasting is not recommended; fasting is best done under professional guidance to ensure safety.
3. It is necessary to reduce the amount of food taken gradually before reaching the fasting state. In the same way, gradually increase the food intake to normal level after the fasting period.
4. During fasting, continue to consume fruit juice, vegetable soup and herbal brew to maintain the minimum nutrient requirement for the body. These include 60 kinds of minerals, 60 kinds of vitamins, 12 kinds of amino acids and 3 kinds of fatty acids. Your brain needs four basic elements namely, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium; to sustain normal functions.
5. During fasting, large amounts of toxin is discharged into the large intestine. Daily colonic irrigation (a process of cleansing the large intestine) is recommended in order to avoid toxin being reabsorbed into the system and being discharged through other organs. Please note that one should not be dependent on colonic irrigation at other times so as not to allow the colon to lose its normal functionality. (Details on Colonic Irrigation could be obtained from the Lapis Lazuli Light office by mail request. Please attached a prepaid return envelope)
6. How long should you fast in order to eliminate all toxins from the body? The answer is your age plus 17 days. For instance, if you are 35 years old, then it will be 35 + 17 = 52 days; and broken into sections according to your physical health.
7. It is normal to lose weight during fasting. In general, it takes about 2 months to gain back your normal weight afterwards.

Dennis’ THEORY ON HEALTH

Be true and sincere to thyself. Maintain a good lifestyle, eat a healthy vegetarian diet limiting to 2 meals a day of organically grown food, and exercise.

Dennis serves as a fasting consultant to the international community through e-mail and the Internet. You may wish to visit his website at http://www.fasting.com for more information and reference material.