This is one of the poem I highly recommend to all if you want to keep yourself alive in its true meanings.

 

You start dying slowly – Pablo Neruda

 

You start dying slowly

if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly
When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly
If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…
If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly
If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly
If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,
If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,
If you do not go after a dream,
If you do not allow yourself,
At least once in your lifetime,
To run away from sensible advice…

 

 

Tell me how did you feel after this.  Are you truly alive?

Syed Fasihuddin Ahmed.

 

Improves Body Resistance Significantly

 

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Few weeks back, I came across an amazing and informative documentary by BBC where Michael Mosley ambitiously tries to find the way he can naturally live longer than the average without any scientific and/or artificial techniques applying on his body.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer

Interestingly – at the end – it forced me to think why Fasting has been an integral part of all the faiths since thousands of years. It doesn’t only purify the soul but it significantly increases the body resistance to avoid the very common diseases comes with the package of “growing older”.

Michael was able to find – after an extreme investigation – that fasting two consecutive days every week while eating “all you want“ during rest of the week keeps you in a controlling position over your body.

 

How do we do?

In Islam, we have one month of daily fasting (29/30 days) during the month of Ramadan. However it is indeed unfortunate to witness that today Ramadan has become a “Food Festival” rather than to be used to cure and purify our body and soul according to its essence.

It is horrible to imagine how much food is wasted during this holy month just because of our greed to eat as much as we can both at the Suhur and at the Iftar, shows either ignorance or reluctance to understand the logical reasons and the hidden treasure for us behind fasting if we follow the true spirit whole month.

 

A part from the holy month of Ramadan, all the Prophets and pious people have this practice in common to fast frequently throughout the year. Another logic perceived is by postponing the food reserved for you by the nature makes you live longer.

In short, if we keep our eating desires in limit and focus on purifying ourselves rather than celebrating it as a food festival, we can really get the fruits of fasting as witnessed by Michael.
It is a very much recommended documentary to watch.