Fasting While Studying and Working
Paryushan is a holiday that is really important in my family. Ever since I was a little girl, my parents stressed the importance of self-control during Paryushan. I would try fasting as much as I was physically able to do, and if for some reason I couldn’t fast, I would try to give up one food item that I really liked.
Growing up and going to the temple for Parna, I saw all the tapasvi’s that managed to do attais, mas khaman, varsitap, and various other rigorous penances, and I always wished that someday I would physically be able to do that too. Every year, I try to start the first day of Paryushan by doing an upvas, so in 2015, I started Paryushan the same way. I woke up early to do parna, but when I got out of bed, I felt fine. My mom gave me the pachkan book and some food in case I wanted to break my fast at school. The hunger I felt throughout the day was quickly forgotten as I engrossed myself in classes and schoolwork. I came home, and I felt fine, so I kept on going as long as I was physically able to. I ended up being able to fast for the whole 8 days.
For me, the hardest part of this whole experience wasn’t so much the physical discomfort, but the mental self-control. Fasting while in school actually made it easier for me because I would have classes to distract me and my friends to keep encouraging me.
The hardest part for me was battling my temptations and controlling my thoughts. Sometimes when I came home to the huge jar of Nutella on our kitchen counter, my first thought would be that I should break my fast so I could eat it. During the first few days, it took a lot of self-talk to remind myself that what I was doing was for the betterment of my soul and that in the long run, I would be helping myself. Towards the end of the eight days, I started becoming better at controlling those thoughts and temptations to the point where they gradually started disappearing.
At the end of the eight days, I felt so much lighter, physically and mentally. I felt like I could focus much more on my surroundings, and I started being able to control my thoughts a lot more. I felt much more content with what I had and much more confident in the way I presented myself. Although I have not been able to fast like that again, Paryushan still remains a festival close to my heart, and every year I try to spend those eight days controlling my thoughts and temptations in order to better my soul.
Juhi Nahata
Two years ago, a month into my junior year of college, I did my first atthai. While I had fasted before, I’d never tried to fast consecutively, so this was a new experience for me. Also, at the time, I was taking 18 credit hours, had a job, and was an intern at an events company. I’d be out of the house for 14 or more hours a day, and I spent a lot of time driving between my house, school, and where I interned. Despite all this, I felt compelled to try. The first few days of fasting were fine. I felt the normal hunger pains one would expect from not eating, but other than that, I had a decent amount of energy, and my classes, job, and internship kept my mind off of eating. However, after four days, I started to feel fatigued and realized that, in my current state, I couldn’t drive myself anymore.
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Thankfully, a friend offered to drive me to school, but I had to call in sick at my internship and work from home. I spent the last three days of my atthai at home with a lot more time on my hands which allowed me to pray and remember the reasons I was attempting this atthai in the first place. I thought about myself and the people I’ve affected, as well as those who’ve affected me. I thought about forgiveness, compassion, and understanding. I thought about what I could do to be a better Jain and to live my life according to Jainism’s main principles.
In hindsight, I don’t know that I’d do an atthai the same way again. While my chaotic schedule did keep my mind off of food (which, I won’t lie, was extremely difficult the first few days), I found that the more rewarding days were the ones I spent at home praying with my family and focusing on my relationship with Jainism. I would’ve had more time to do these things had I not had the obligations that come with being a student or an employee — but in my case, and for many others, it’s not possible to drop these responsibilities. Ultimately, I think Paryushan has always been about doing what you can, and doing it wholeheartedly and with good intentions.
That’s something we can all strive for this year. To someone considering fasting while working or attending school, I’d say: Drink water, have a reliable support system, and take time to reflect on why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Heena Momaya
At 13, I was inspired by my cousin, Rushabh Daulat, to complete an atthai. I had fasted for 1 or 2 consecutive days at most, without too much trouble, so I thought that giving up food for only 8 days out of 365 would not be extremely difficult with the right mindset.
On the first day of fasting, I had no troubles: I went to school, finished my homework, and did Pratikraman and samayik at night. The second day was a Saturday, so I went to the temple in the morning and continued to do Pratikraman and samayik at night without any troubles. However, by the third day, I could feel my stomach yearning for food, growling more than it ever did, while my strength tremendously decreased. I had trouble reading books, participating in the puja at the temple, and focusing during Pratikraman and samayik. This intense feeling of hunger led me to question my purpose in fasting. After self-reflection, I realized my goal was to decrease attachment towards food and to restrict it from affecting my emotions. A lack of food can cause people to become agitated, frustrated, and sadder. Therefore, I decided to continue fasting to test my strength and stability without a usually vital source of satisfaction. Surprisingly, as I continued the fast, my body started to feel less hungry. This adaptation did not stop my desire to eat, but made me realize how the desire for food is more of an attachment than a necessity. As I shifted my focus and decreased my attachment towards food, fasting became much easier.
Even with a strong mindset and adapting body, completing the atthai was still difficult. Without food, my body started to have acid build up, causing me to feel nauseous when I drank water. Luckily, this obstacle did not stop me from fasting, because I knew I could control my desire for water. Also, passing time was a difficulty in the beginning. Since Paryushan is a time of self-purification, I gave up my attachment towards electronics and games, so I did not know what else to do. The adjustment became easier as I started spending more time on religious activities and meditation. These simple tasks helped me relax my mind and be more comfortable during my fast.
You may wonder, what did I learn from not eating for 8 days? Many people would consider fasting miserable. On the contrary, I believe that my atthai is one of my greatest experiences. I learned how to find strength when I am physically weak, to find peace when filled with frustration, and most importantly, to be happy when attachment is the source of sadness. Since the fast, I have been less attached to food, clothes, electronics, and other worldly materials in an attempt to not letting these items affect my happiness. Without question, I would encourage everyone to try completing an atthai and witness the wonderful experience themselves.
Sohail Daulat
