What Ramadan means to me....
Ramadan means I have an excuse to tell others that I am making time for my faith. This year it has been really good for me actually. There is just something calming about it, like dude just chill out.
1) Patience
Ramadan reminds me that you may want something and it may even be good for, you can picture it in your head but you will not get it until it is time. Really different from the I have to get as many things as possible as fast as possible in order to be productive way of thinking.
You get hungry, you know that eating food (or certain kinds) is good for you, you might be picturing exactly what you want in your head but you have to wait till sunset and you know that you will no matter how much you want it NOW!!!
2) Natural
Secondly, it does hinder your ability to do work, which reminds you that you are human and connected to this earth and that natural rhythms do affect you. You have to pay attention to those again, sunset, sunrise, your menstrual cycle. These things do affect us all year but I find (living in an urban environment) that the only time we consider these things is when there is a snow storm and everything shuts down. Even then it is just an inconvenience getting in the way of our productivity, not something natural and normal and to be expected.
3) Practise & Action
Also recently, I've been having changes in my orientation to my religion or faith. I mean religion can mean not doing a lot of things, like not drinking or not doing drugs or not whatever you know what I mean, and maybe this is part of it but sometimes I think it overshadows the other part which is what you actually do to be religious. Religion is something you have to do, not necessarily just all the things you don't. Related to this is the idea that faith, or your connection to that something greater whatever you want to call it, it has to be developed and maintained. * logical reasoning at the end of blog.
4) Balance
Also what I found this year especially is that it makes you realize that if you are putting all this energy into being faithful you really don't have as much time for other activities, for example if you go out and get hammer at night it would be difficult to go without drinking water the whole next day, you would be too hungover. In the same vain if you are working all the time, (as can happen so easily in our society), long hours not sleeping etc. it would be difficult to fast, I don't think you could keep it up for long.
5) Community
Also as a friend kinda blogged about, it remains you that you are part of a community because of your faith. For me it is one of many communities so it is a chance to see how they intermingle. If you are hanging out with people that are not tolerant or respectful of the fact that you are fasting, like oh that is stupid ect. it makes you look at that relationship differently, at least it would for me. Luckily most people are cool with it and it is nice to know that people around you are accepting or respectful or even is some cases appreciate that you are taking time for your faith.
6) Fragility
Fasting can also make you realize that not having anything to eat or a place to stay warm in the winter or cool off in the heat can severely affect your ability to think straight, making you more considerate to those that do not have these things. It makes you appreciate the fragility of being human, kinda humbling. Millions of people in poverty, natural disasters that take everything away from you. No one is immune to these things are they?
7) Feeling Good
Aftar is kinda a reason to get together with friends and family and enjoy something as simple as the pleasure of having the privilege to eat, and boy it feels so much more amazing if you've been fasting all day.
8) Strength
There are sometimes when I just don't think I can take it for a second longer, not eating, I am just like no man there is no way how will I make it, but then you do, which remains you that we all have strength too, strength to resist temptation, strength to follow through with what we set out to do. And that is always nice.
*Point 3 continued
You study, or read, to develop your mind. You have to make some sort of effort to maintain friendships, be there for your family etc. You have to do a lot of things to develop or sustain your body, eat, sleep, exercise, and yeah you can go with little or no attention to these things but you usually feel better it you do pay attention to these things.
I think there is something to be said about taking the time to actually do something to maintain your faith or spirituality. I mean thinking about calling that person, or thinking about working out, or thinking about eating is not the same as doing it. Praying everyday can be seen to serve this purpose, it is something you physically and mentally do to stay connected (or at least it can be one way of doing this).
1) Patience
Ramadan reminds me that you may want something and it may even be good for, you can picture it in your head but you will not get it until it is time. Really different from the I have to get as many things as possible as fast as possible in order to be productive way of thinking.
You get hungry, you know that eating food (or certain kinds) is good for you, you might be picturing exactly what you want in your head but you have to wait till sunset and you know that you will no matter how much you want it NOW!!!
2) Natural
Secondly, it does hinder your ability to do work, which reminds you that you are human and connected to this earth and that natural rhythms do affect you. You have to pay attention to those again, sunset, sunrise, your menstrual cycle. These things do affect us all year but I find (living in an urban environment) that the only time we consider these things is when there is a snow storm and everything shuts down. Even then it is just an inconvenience getting in the way of our productivity, not something natural and normal and to be expected.
3) Practise & Action
Also recently, I've been having changes in my orientation to my religion or faith. I mean religion can mean not doing a lot of things, like not drinking or not doing drugs or not whatever you know what I mean, and maybe this is part of it but sometimes I think it overshadows the other part which is what you actually do to be religious. Religion is something you have to do, not necessarily just all the things you don't. Related to this is the idea that faith, or your connection to that something greater whatever you want to call it, it has to be developed and maintained. * logical reasoning at the end of blog.
4) Balance
Also what I found this year especially is that it makes you realize that if you are putting all this energy into being faithful you really don't have as much time for other activities, for example if you go out and get hammer at night it would be difficult to go without drinking water the whole next day, you would be too hungover. In the same vain if you are working all the time, (as can happen so easily in our society), long hours not sleeping etc. it would be difficult to fast, I don't think you could keep it up for long.
5) Community
Also as a friend kinda blogged about, it remains you that you are part of a community because of your faith. For me it is one of many communities so it is a chance to see how they intermingle. If you are hanging out with people that are not tolerant or respectful of the fact that you are fasting, like oh that is stupid ect. it makes you look at that relationship differently, at least it would for me. Luckily most people are cool with it and it is nice to know that people around you are accepting or respectful or even is some cases appreciate that you are taking time for your faith.
6) Fragility
Fasting can also make you realize that not having anything to eat or a place to stay warm in the winter or cool off in the heat can severely affect your ability to think straight, making you more considerate to those that do not have these things. It makes you appreciate the fragility of being human, kinda humbling. Millions of people in poverty, natural disasters that take everything away from you. No one is immune to these things are they?
7) Feeling Good
Aftar is kinda a reason to get together with friends and family and enjoy something as simple as the pleasure of having the privilege to eat, and boy it feels so much more amazing if you've been fasting all day.
8) Strength
There are sometimes when I just don't think I can take it for a second longer, not eating, I am just like no man there is no way how will I make it, but then you do, which remains you that we all have strength too, strength to resist temptation, strength to follow through with what we set out to do. And that is always nice.
*Point 3 continued
You study, or read, to develop your mind. You have to make some sort of effort to maintain friendships, be there for your family etc. You have to do a lot of things to develop or sustain your body, eat, sleep, exercise, and yeah you can go with little or no attention to these things but you usually feel better it you do pay attention to these things.
I think there is something to be said about taking the time to actually do something to maintain your faith or spirituality. I mean thinking about calling that person, or thinking about working out, or thinking about eating is not the same as doing it. Praying everyday can be seen to serve this purpose, it is something you physically and mentally do to stay connected (or at least it can be one way of doing this).
posted by girlyLarki at 6:08 AM
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