I was in a workshop at the Marriott today and had lunch at the cafe. The buffet had a wide spread including a very special selection of desserts. This is what I didn’t have for lunch. Thanks to #nosugarjune which has carried through to #nosugarjuly, I felt great after my lunch. No sugar rush and fall for me! Absolutely no lethargy through an extremely heavy afternoon session. There is much to be said about discipline. I am realising more and more that it just makes life easier. I am quite prone to strong hunger pangs. But since quitting sugar, I feel more at ease between meals.

The greater the pleasure in an activity the lower the fall after. There is nothing against enjoying pleasurable things. We just need to bear the consequences after. The more the ecstasy in an experience, the more a monkey the mind is afterwards. Even the day after. Experiment with it if you don’t believe me. Let go your restraints and enjoy the roller-coaster ride that follows 😉

At this point I am reminded again of the 5 principles to follow – Forgiveness, Sincerity, Compassion, Contentment & Truth. Every time we judge ourselves or others, we encourage guilt or victimhood. It comes out of wanting to get something out of every situation. On the other hand freedom is giving everything and taking nothing. The world entices us into its grip again and again. And people, situation and things seem like impediments to really being at peace. Yet the challenges we face are what remind us of moving away from our centre. When I am not at peace, what do I pay attention to? To the individual/situation that triggers the reaction or the sensations within? When one is in pain (either mental or physical) despite being totally sincere to the journey, reminding ourselves that one is here only to give and observing dissolve the sensations.

Ashtavakara keeps reiterating that the source of joy is within. Anything that is triggering joy is only triggering the joy within. Silence or peace leads to joy. Enlivening every cell in the body leads to joy. And so #nosugarjune is a conscious attempt to not contribute to depletion of Prana and make it easier to experience this silence and peace within. When we take care of the Prana within, we can be very busy doing, without letting all that activity pull us down. Even desires diminish when the Prana is high. It is all very scientific. When I started #nosugarjune it was only a challenge of willpower. But I am increasingly convinced that is far more beneficial than that. It makes our mind body complex more conducive to experience the silence within at a deeper level than just intellectually understand it. All should experiment with this to see what effect it has one’s mind. All the practices we do including waking up early, doing the Yoga & Kriya is only to remind us again and again that the journey has to be within, for Maya is ‘MahaMaya’. The great Maya which sucks us into her grip again and again. How amazing! And yet Maya gives us pain to remind the sensitive mind to become sincere again and again! If all was smooth, we would never be driven to realise the higher levels of joy that are being alluded to through out Ashtavakara Gita.

I fall and rise. Time and again. Its a wonder! Atmanam Kevlam Pashyam Na Tushyati Na Kupyati. When I see only the self everywhere, there is no disturbance nor anger.