Once you observe Ekādashi vratā regularly, Navrātri is a breeze.
Conditioning one’s body to work on reduced inputs helps in times of need, but if you keep a track of it, you will observe that you actually eat much more than you have to.
Our ancestors used to hunt and farm and collect food, and eat twice a day. We lead a sedentary lifestyle, and have three full meals and snacks in between as well. This mismatch in input and output leads to excess fat, water retention, and in general – ill-health.
Navrātri, that comes at the cusp of a new season, serves as a reset – for the body. And also for the mind, making it more focused on the tasks ahead. One spends time with oneself, meditating on the journey so far and the challenges ahead.
It also is an opportunity to correct small (and big) habits that invariably creep into our lifestyles – things like excess mobile usage, or excess smoking and drinking, swearing and stressing…all this can be reset during this time of self-introspection.
Try it and tell me how it goes!