100 day fast

[Appledog]

Part of becoming a true master is that you have to change your karma. So, I have decided to undergo a 100 day fast. I am actually a few days into the fast now -- it will end just before the end of august -- and I can tell you it is somewhat difficult. The problem is I will eat small amounts of food thinking I am not cheating when, in fact, I am. Today I ate 10 grams of lean chicken and four chicken nuggets for breakfast and I am not too concerned because I feel I didn't need to eat them but in fact it breaks the fast. I've been losing significant weight every day, at first water weight and then a short plateau before I started losing about 500 to 700 grams per day.

So, for the first week or so, I got into it by only eating a small breakfast and not anything else, except maybe a little yogurt in the afternoon. I have lots of high mountain tea and decent coffee to keep me going (no sugar tho).

I'd like to open the thread now for anyone to post their experience with extended fasts (7-10 days or more), any advice people might have (although I have definitively covered the basics) and whether or not people feel that fasting is worth it for Tai Chi practice.

I will also keep posted any major events.

[Doc Stier]

What you described in your opening post is not a fast, but rather a restricted diet. A true fast is to consume only water for a specified period time in order to rest and cleanse the entire Gastrointestinal Tract.

Three times in my life thus far I have done 30 day fasts, ingesting nothing but pure water throughout. Following one of those fasts, I went an additional 60 days adding only fruit or vegetable juices and herbal teas, so no solid food for 90 days! It was a life changing experience not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

[wayne hansen]

Mine was 24 days
There was no time limit going in only going until the tongue was clear
100 days no ejaculation beforehand
Complete Neti until nothing but water comes out
Apple carrot and celery juice for me
Then the noi gung training began
I had been doing weekly 24 hr fasts up till then

[yeniseri]

Part of becoming a true master is that you have to change your karma.

Karma cannot be changed by fasting. It can only be changed through proper action, thought and deed , which in turn influences behaviour.

[Doc Stier]

Karma cannot be changed by fasting. It can only be changed through proper action, thought and deed , which in turn influences behaviour.

By your own definition, fasting is an influential behavior generated by personal intention and action. Thus, proper fasting can alleviate or neutralize the negative karmic effects of a previously unhealthy diet, excessive eating, or gluttony, through proactive personal initiative, rather than passively waiting for the random return of karmic fate. This is only one example of how karma can be influenced by deliberate thought and action, imo. ymmv.

[Quigga]

Were you guys doing physical labor while fasting? I've always been worried about electrolytes.

48 hours without water was one of the most challenging things I did.

[wayne hansen]

I was not doing Labour but training and teaching as usual
It was enhanced rather than effected

[Quigga]

I see

[Doc Stier]

I was not doing Labour but training and teaching as usual
It was enhanced rather than effected

Same for me. I maintained my usual work schedule and training regimen, but added additional attention to meditation and internal cultivation practices with the time that normally would have been devoted to preparing and eating meals, and cleaning everything up thereafter.

[Dmitri]

Part of becoming a true master is that you have to change your karma.

Where is that from? Makes no sense to me...

Best of luck with your efforts though!

[Quigga]

Do you think you can't change your Karma? Idk, maybe you have to discharge the effects you have accumulated first in prior lifes and this one, before you can hover around the zero point balance of good and bad.

[Dmitri]

Do you think you can't change your Karma?

If you believe in it, then yes. For me - no, because I no longer believe in karma/samsara/etc. I used to for many years, but over time the overwhelming simplicity and universality of the idea of total determinism won me over. At least until I can find a simpler/better explanation (which I'm really doubting, at this point.) Douglas Adams' genius answer aside.

Although my point was that I don't see any connection between mastery of taijiquan and "having to change your karma" and was wondering where Appledog got it from.

[wiesiek]

well,
completing all requirements on the way to became >master< of anything is changing your karma definitely...
anyway dealing with karma is apparent, let`s say that you`re negotiating pushing the car instead of pulling it,
of course you may prefer pushing today and pulling tomorrow,
but
point is - don`t do unnecessary work, aka- karma should be burned out not changed.
ok
back to the topic:
Appledog, do you have previous experience with the fasting?
If not, you have to start with 24-36 h. weekly,
when one day in a week became for you "natural" go for 3 days and later for 7.
I don1t have experience with longer period of time,
anyway, if you eat something it is restricted diet, as Doc noticed, not the fasting.
You may use bentonite (natural clay) and plantago ovvatta seeds (easy available in GNC shops in the States)+ lot of water. It will help you to deal with empty stomach, and adds extra cleaning power .

Didn`t heard about 100 days fasting in TJ, however 100 days seclusion is a final part of teaching in Zen schools.
Kwan Um, GM Soen San was eating only ground pine needles during this time,
and was quite green on return...
I give up

[yeniseri]

Part of becoming a true master is that you have to change your karma.

I have been in the comapny of masters who are good people (buena gente ) and it has nothing to do with karma, You are because of your actions.
For an imprecise definition, as my choice of words tend to be odd and nonsensical at times, based on feedback from some detractors but that is my karma
Just the "outcome" of whatever you do in life, by your own choice. Nothing to do or undo unless you see some defect that you feel you need to change.

So, I have decided to undergo a 100 day fast. I am actually a few days into the fast now -- and I can tell you it is somewhat difficult. Today I ate 10 grams of lean chicken and four chicken nuggets for breakfast and I am not too concerned because I feel I didn't need to eat them but in fact it breaks the fast. I've been losing significant weight every day, at first water weight and then a short plateau before I started losing about 500 to 700 grams per day.

Fasting is positive as I used to do it when I was younger but as I am old and stiff, I do it less. The spread of age, less activity, etc is real. Based on your descriptive, I see what may be termed 'empty heat' building since you appear to be "heating up the cauldron" but the top of the cauldron lacks the fuel (it seems) to allow for "burning/cooking" what is on top. Chicken nuggets are OK but perhaps more 'purified source of vitamins and other 'natural type food delivering nutrients to the body that can be utilized/metabolized for immediate use. My "fasting schedule" is eating less in PM since circadian rhythms per eating is at its lowest in evenings i.e. eating a big dinner when to capacity to break down the food is at its lowest at PM time.

So, for the first week or so, I got into it by only eating a small breakfast and not anything else, except maybe a little yogurt in the afternoon. I have lots of high mountain tea and decent coffee to keep me going (no sugar tho).

The first part seems OK but coffee, by itself is a strong stimulant. You are decreasing 'fuel" (small breakfast) but raising the heat by use of coffee (stimulant) and it seems like an incoherent strategy. Just my perspective so there are others who may provide additional insight fo you to see a clearer path!

I'd like to open the thread now for anyone to post their experience with extended fasts (7-10 days or more), any advice people might have (although I have definitively covered the basics) and whether or not people feel that fasting is worth it for Tai Chi practice.

One does not need to fast in Tai Chi practice. Better to do what may be termed 'purposeful eating" which is anathema to me at times since I love rum, sangria, roti, paella, pellau, etc so one needs to balance a regimen (a very difficult thing to do ) regardless of one goal or direction, at least for me. The majority of tai chi masters liked to dribnk, eat heartily and had the ubiquitious Buddha belly like myself but that does not mean you have to do the same thing.
Be you and prosper, whatever that may entail

[wayne hansen]

Be careful with short fasts (36 hrs) etc
My first teacher who was an osteo/chiro accu told me to stop the short fasts I was doing
His reason was it brings toxins stored into the blood and dosent have time to expel them from the body
His test was fasting till the tongue was clear