47
They should not imacme ;hat they are hungry and
rush to take some food. Lr* a fav cases the trouble
may be largely an ir.;dc!",'ary one. But generally,
the development of rft feeling of giddiness during a
one-day fast is an Indications lhat the person con-
cerned is net quite healthy/ thst there is much of
accumulated fiith In him "vhich needs to be elimi-
nated. To be sbie T:,> fast ior a day or hvo without
loosing one's energy arjd without feeling the
slightest dlscomfcn1 73, rerhaps, the surest sign of
a high degree of good health.
It is not difficult to suggest an alteinative course
of dieting for those Tvhc are rather afraid of fasting.
For instance, if only diluted fruit juice or tender
cocoanut water be taken three or four times in the
day/ it will be an approach to a fast, But my advice
to you is not to fight shy of a short fast Some
people will frighten you into thinking that any kind
of fasting is fraught with danger and should never
be undertaken except in the presence of an expert.
Such propaganda only serves the interests of the
so-called experts. Anybody can undertake a short
fast safely/ provided be observes some simple
rules. The main principles will be indicated, but
a fuller understanding of the science of fasting can
be had by going through my father's Fasting' Cure.*
To say that fasting is good is to minimise its
importance. Fasting in some form is an absolute
necessity both for the preservation of health and
eradication of disease- Fasting for health is of two
kinds: FASTING FOR A FEW HOURS EVERY DAY
and FASTING FOR A FEW DAYS EVERY MONTH.
Of the two kinds, the first one is absolutely neces-
sary for all people. The stomach and other digestive
* Fasting Cure, by Sri K. Lafcshman, Published by
Nature-Cure Publishing House Limited. ( 2nd Edition*