During fasting we harmonize and rebalance the relationship between body, mind and soul. It is a time of tranquillity, of contemplation, of rediscovering one’s inner self and of regeneration.
While fasting we unwind, slow down and act calmly and more mindfully. There is no time pressure and no performance pressure. We subject our body to mild physical exercises by walking in the fresh air or practicing yoga in well-ventilated rooms.
Yoga is a philosophical system that originated in India several thousand years ago. The original purpose was to attain a higher state of development through special exercises for the body and the mind.
In the West, various yoga schools have further develop the practice. The most important change is its focus on body-oriented exercises with positive effects on the mind and the mood.
Our fasting programme comprises yoga elements. We usually begin the morning with a sequence of classical yoga postures, the so-called sun salute. It is a succession of simple movements designed to stretch all our limbs and to deepen our breath.
At our fasting academy we practice Hatha Yoga either in ventilated rooms or outdoors. These yoga exercises, combined with breathing exercises, consist of simple sequences of movements. Through them, practitioners learn again to become aware of their body and mindful of the way they move.
The purpose of harmonic body movement exercises in conjunction with proper breathing is to train mindfulness, to carefully strain and relief parts of the body in combination with relaxation phases.
The yoga we practice during fasting is simple, free of complicated postures, but beneficial for body and mind.
Everyone, from 8 to 80, can and should participate and reconnect with their body through heightened awareness. Every age has its elegance and beauty. Grey hair in its natural state is as fine as silk. Wrinkles are a sign of maturity and life experience. Fasting is no beauty contest. And once the fasting session is over, the idea of competition is removed from our minds! We see ourselves and the world through different eyes.