Sekhem: Fasting, Nourishment, and Preparing for the Dark Room

Fasting, Nourishment, and the Body’s Reserves

The body may need less food than we usually assume. Breatharianism is described as living from breath or a form of nourishment other than ordinary food, although many people who make that claim still eat. The question remains open, and it is important to distinguish the claim of being Breatharian from the more specific understanding that the body can survive with much less food.

A trusted friend completed eight days without eating or drinking anything. Although it is commonly said that a person dies after three or four days without water, this experience showed that the body can sometimes continue beyond that point. With food, a person may be able to go much longer without eating, perhaps fifty or sixty days or more, depending on the individual.

Mata contains complete protein that has already been digested. It is a form of nourishment that yogis have used for many years. Because it provides nourishment without the same amount of fat, some weight will probably be lost, but the body can be supported through forty days. It can be taken as much as desired each day, along with as much water as desired.

Mata is described as complete nourishment, comparable to breast milk. Some women breastfeed their children for years, and in some cases breast milk is the child's only food during the first years. The difference is that Mata does not contain the same fat, so weight loss is expected.

The first few days, and particularly the first week, are the hardest. The stomach begins to shrink, and after three or four days hunger may no longer be present. The body relaxes and the intestines are replenished. The practice becomes a matter of drinking Mata and water rather than thinking about food.

Intermittent fasting is also associated with the body's use of damaged cells first. The body may begin to consume damaged cells, including cancer cells. For that reason, if diagnosed with cancer, fasting would be the course chosen here. This is presented as a personal response to that possibility, not as a general instruction to disregard medical care.

The retreat support is arranged so that the practice can be approached with guidance. The full forty days will not be undertaken by the teacher, but Mata will be used alongside the group during the first few weeks, before the other people arrive. Daily activities still need to be handled, including preparing the mantra and moving between different tasks, but there will be regular visits, sometimes a couple of times a day, to see how everyone is doing and answer questions.

Questions activate the guidance. When a question is asked, the teacher begins speaking, sometimes for a long time, and answers whatever arises. This provides guidance and support throughout the retreat. Traditionally, yogis may go into a cave and meditate for forty days, but a cave still requires dealing with bodily needs, washing, insects, snakes and the discomfort of the surroundings. A prepared place removes those concerns.