After 5 attempts at Nirahara Samyama (reaching the 2 day marker all but one of the 5 attempts), I was able to complete the 8th Batch of Nirahara Samyama, 3rd level/ 21 days without consuming any food. I was initiated via two-way video conference by Swamiji at the Chicago-Srirangam Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
As soon as I started the Nirahara on January 31st, 2013 I began learning amazing things about myself that I otherwise would never have known. I realized that without food I can really live off the prana of this planet and sun and feel just as good (if not, better) as I would have eating. I learned that hunger is rarely experienced in this world by a lot of people. The pattern of, “It’s dinner-time” is simply just that – a pattern which informs our brains that “I should be hungry”.
My energy was high throughout the 21 day event. My juice intake was approximately 3 20oz cans of coconut water a day and on occasion a pulpless mixed juice. Weight loss certainly did occur, but Swamiji prepared us for this. The amount of weight lost was enough to notice, but nothing to be alarmed about. I certainly never felt weak. Meditation was more intense. I could definitely fall into it much easier with an empty stomach and digestive track! I know that there was more to the “meditative mellifluousness” than simply and empty digestive track, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Kicking coffee certainly was easy! The transition from drinking a 20oz cup of strong coffee every morning to nothing was incredibly simple! I was shocked! No coffee headaches, no desire for coffee. And to this day I still do not feel the need. After the 21 days I have noticed that my old eating patterns have crept back somewhat which is something I need to do completion with (no coffee, but pizza!), but just simply being aware of these patterns is, in itself, a blessing!
During the 21 days I also had many large changes occur outside of my eating habits. I was promoted during this time from Network Engineer to Senior Infrastructure Engineer.
I was also asked to travel to India to meet with our operations department which allowed for my wife and I to take some vacation time to volunteer at the Bidadi ashram! Also during this time my manager was let go and my senior manager found a better opportunity and left as well! My new manager loves to travel as do I. I was told that I will be doing a lot more traveling in the months/years to come. Something I always hoped would happen!
It was also during this time that my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I immediately sent her photo to Bidadi and was told by Ma Jnanatma that Swamiji blessed her at the healing tower. I already know that she will miraculously recover as this cancer is in the early stages and Swamiji’s healing miracle list is vast!
Nithyanandam!
Ian Narcisi
Sr. Infrastructure Engineer
Evanston, IL USA.
