27th Night

I cant believe it’s already the 27th night. I remember being halfway through and thinking this was never going to end. Now that it’s almost over, I’m feeling nostalgic.
I am so happy that I went through this experience. I found the sense of community to be AMAZING. I’ve been invited into the homes of many of my Muslim friends, and breaking our fasts together was a great experience.
The experience of fasting gave me a new appreciation for food (which is really saying something because I have always had a passion for food). It re-ignited my love for cooking as well.
Many people have asked me if fasting is unhealthy, and I would have to say no. In fact, I feel healthier and more focused. Fasting is very different from starving. Our bodies still get the nourishment that they need. Much of my research has lead me to the opposite conclusion. Fasting is actually good for the body.
This has been a great introduction into the world of Islam. Seeing Mecca on snapchat today really warmed my heart. Social media allows us to feel Ramadan’s power on a much greater scale.
I loved being able to see thousands of Muslims gathered together to break fast. Above all the togetherness and the feelings of family and community that Ramadan brings made this month a magical time. It felt like a new beginning.

Ramadan Reality Check: Burnout or Speed Up

Muslim Words

For me, the weeks and days leading up to Ramadan are filled with hope, enthusiasm and determination. I look forward to the days and nights of tranquility, and a sense of unity among the ummah, worldwide. I long for the shayateen to be locked up, so that I can begin my soul searching and be steadfast in my worship. Just the thought of having the chance to improve myself and gain both reward and forgiveness seems to relieve my heart and make me happy.

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Pleasure

     For a (former) hedonist like myself, food is not just about survival. I truly enjoy each taste and texture that I experience when I eat. If I’m really loving the experience, I eat in little tiny bites so as to extend the pleasure. 

     Ramadan has not diminished that need or pleasure at all. I thought it would. I was sure that after more than 15 hours of fasting I would want to just eat the quickest thing I could find. It is quite the contrary. 

     Ramadan has instilled in me a new love for flavor. Last night, I began my Iftar dinner with a banana-avocado smoothie. It was the perfect combination of sweet and light. I had to stop myself from licking the glass. 

     I thought food was going to be the hardest thing to give up during the day, but in this hot Miami sun, all I can think about all day is how badly I want water. That smoothie quenched all my thirsts and wants, but it was light enough that it didn’t immediately incapacitate me as anything heavy would have done. 

      After acclimating to food/drink again, I made a delicious plate of rice and honey-vinegar teriyaki chicken. The contrast of the strong flavors on the chicken was like a symphony in my mouth. It was such an intense sense of pleasure.

     I feel that breaking fast shouldn’t involve binge eating. It’s not about eating as much as you can stuff into yourself just because the sun has set. After all this entire holy month is meant to highlight the importance of moderation and self-control. Am I missing the point?

     Therefore, I am enjoying focusing on fitting the best combination of flavors into healthy, well-rounded meals. Rice, chicken, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and other such necessities provide us with the nutrients and energy that we missed from the day of fasting. 

     I honestly thought that Ramadan would get easier as time went on.  Oh how wrong I was about that! Every day is harder than the last, and the end of Ramadan seems so far away. My feelings of accomplishment grow stronger still as long as I can remind myself that’s it’s worth it. 

10 days down. 20 more to go. 

Exploring Faith

In terms of religion, my faith in any single path is fairly lacking. I was raised in a Hindu household. I grew up with rich religious traditions. I look back on many memories of dressing up and going to the temple, attending many religious services, and hearing the stories of the Hindu gods and their histories. However, I never really knew what it all meant.

     The majority of my classmates growing up were raised Christian. There was a handful of Jewish and Muslim children as well. I celebrated Christmas and participated in Easter egg hunts with just as much enthusiasm with the rest of the group. As a child, each religion comes with interesting stories and traditions, and its easy to get caught up in any one of them without knowing what it all really means.

     The schools i attended always kept me well-informed on various aspects of other religions. We learned about Moses and Jesus. We studied the five pillars of Islam. We discussed karma and reincarnation. I attended a catholic high school, so my insight into the Christian world grew. I was lucky to have a school that cared to teach at least bits and pieces of these world religions. In college, my knowledge and interest grew through studying the literature of Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity as well.

     The more that I learn and the more people that I meet, the more fascinated I have become with religion. I’m very unsure of where I stand in terms of my own faith. I’m not sure that I believe in a god. I’m not even sure if I find it important to have that sense of devotion that I see in others. I can see how it makes people feel happy or secure to have faith in something greater than themselves, and I can appreciate that.

     Religion has at times sort of rubbed me the wrong way. I cannot feel comfortable at the thought that only one religion can be the right way. How can anyone know that there’s is the right one and everyone else is wrong?

     I believe religions were created as a way to help people find the right path to follow in life. Religions teach right from wrong. They demonstrate traditions and practices which join groups together. Each religion offers something I can learn from. I plan to engage myself in aspects of many different religions. My first exploration with be in Islam through the practice of Ramadan.