March 2-20 marks the Baha'i annual Fast, in which members of the Faith abstain from eating and drinking fromsunrise to sunset.

According to the Baha'i writings, the Fast is "essentially a period of meditation and prayer , of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires."

As a new Baha'i, Ashley Sandvoss
is going through her first Fast.
Read how the 20-year-old sophomore
at Barnard College is faring on her blog
http://melodicharmony.livejournal.com/. The Faith exempts from fasting those who are ill, elderly, traveling, pregnant, nursing, menstruating or engaged in heavy labor. Baha'is are enjoined to fast from age 15 to 70.

The Fast ends on the eve of the first day of spring, which marks the Baha'i (and Persian) new year. Called the Feast of Naw-Ruz, which translates as "new day," the holy day is observed through prayer and celebration. Naw-Ruz is one of nine Baha'i holy days in which work and school are suspended.

Baha'is have many different ways of managing the physical side of the Fast. Some eat a huge breakfast with lots of protein; others find that a simple morning meal is enough to stoke their energy until dinner.

We asked Baha'is to weigh in on how they fast. Here's what they have to say:

Nancy Smith, Edmonds, Wash.
"My husband, Kevin, and I usually get up an hour and a half before sunrise, and our usual breakfast fare consists of scrambled eggs, toast with peanut butter, fruit, coffee or tea, and, most importantly, a large glass of water, which is so important in keeping us hydrated until sunset. After breakfast, we read prayers and watch the sun come up. A calming and peaceful way to start the day."

Stephanie Fielding, Uncasville, Conn.
"During my first Fast I was 18 years old, 5 feet, 6 inches and battling to keep my weight over 100 pounds. I became a Baha'i during the Fast and didn't really have anyone to express my fears to. I was afraid the Fast would kill me. So I got up early and made myself eat five eggs. I ended up gaining six pounds. I was thrilled! That's not my problem anymore. This year will be my 44th Fast."

Naomi Dreyer, currently living in El Salvador
"Sometimes I eat NOTHING for breakfast, not even water. This way my stomach doesn't seem to wake up. If I have coffee or water, then my stomach says, ‘Hey, I want more!' and I get hungry soon after. I rarely have hunger pangs, but if I do, I immediately make a physical move and start to do something else. After a couple of days the stomach seems to get smaller and one doesn't want very much at dinner."

Shabnam Mogharabi, Lakewood, Calif.
"Living with my family makes me appreciate this sacred period so much more. The six of us have breakfast together every single morning of The Fast. We sit around the kitchen table in our pajamas with our hair unbrushed and eyes half-closed. We have eggs, fresh fruit, hot tea, orange juice and a traditional Persian breakfast -- warm pita bread, salty feta, cucumbers, walnuts or almonds, and fresh basil.

"Occasionally, we have had aunts, uncles and cousins stop by to join us. Some of the youth in our community have showed up in their own pajamas for breakfast. Every year, I'm surprised by how much we are brought together over those 19 days.

"These breakfasts keep me looking forward to the Fast when most of my friends dread it. I start the day smiling and laughing. And I'm always sad to see it end. It makes me certain that there is more to the fast than its spiritual elements. I think it's a reason for everyone to stop and be together -- even if it's just for a bite to eat."

Jeannie Denniston, Morrilton, Ariz.
"Years ago I decided to try different foods in the morning and record how I felt during the day. I found that waffles with syrup filled me up, but I was jittery in the late morning and my energy sank by the afternoon. I found that spaghetti was filling, but I was extremely thirsty throughout the afternoon. I learned that I had the best balance if I ate protein with complex carbohydrates. With that combination, my blood sugar remains pretty constant. I also learned that drinking three glasses of water in the mornings hydrated me enough to get through the day."

Bruce Barick, Raleigh, N.C.
"In the past, my bride would leave a chunk of roast beef with a can of mushroom soup and maybe some small onions in the crock pot overnight. Arising well before breakfast time, she'd add some potatoes, carrots and maybe some more veggies while the meat finished cooking. Did that ever make for a scrumptious breakfast that lasted well through the day!"

Peter A. Oldziey, Dover, Del.
"My favorite dessert is having two Samoas. Girl Scout Cookies come out at this time of year, and it is the only time I eat them."

Oscar Merritt, Greensboro, N.C.
As a 75-year-old Baha'I, I appreciate that the Faith takes notice of the increasing challenge for older people to obey the food part of the Fast. I fasted until five years ago and now eat what my body needs to stay healthy during the Fast. However, my wife, Winnona, and I eat only what the body needs and leave off the extras, such as dessert, in recognition of fasting.

Char Robley, Lacey, Wash.
"I am not allowed to fast because of a health problem. I still want to participate, so I give up sweets during the Fast and control my portions. I eat just enough to get me through and don't eat ‘fancy' foods. I know that I am not required to do this, but it helps me feel the benefits of the sacrifice that is part of the fasting experience. I also try to get up for dawn prayers (a real sacrifice for me, as I'm a ‘night person!') and try to wait for dinner until sundown. After March 11 this year, that should be interesting, as we have Daylight Savings Time earlier than before. Fasting -- even this way -- is a gift for growth, and I appreciate the lessons and learning that happen each year."

Ragna Brown, Franklinville, N.J.
"My most significant advice is moderation. Don't over indulge. Baha'u'llah truly knows what is best for us. After the second or third day I don't even crave or hunger for anything. It's as if my being has been transformed both physically and spiritually."

Mary JL Rowe, Richland, Mo.
"I've often wondered if I am atypical, but throughout the 28 years that I've been blessed with the Baha'i Fast I prefer no breakfast -- just lots of water before sunrise. In every way it makes for a better Fast for me."

Melita Elmore, Austin, Texas
"When I was fasting in Honduras, the days and nights were pretty equal all year around, so I was waking and sleeping with the Earth's clock rather than time as we have it in the U.S., with electric lights and late nights. The pace in Central America really allowed me to slow down and say my prayers in an unhurried manner and think about my spiritual bounties. In the U.S. it seems I have to force myself to slow down, stop and remember what the Fast is about, the blessings that I have and what it means to me to be a Baha'i."

Valerie Smith, Chicago
"I've discovered that dinner food seems to hold me longer, so I combine the two. I start with juice and fruit before moving on to more dinner-y items like beef stew. I have always eaten a huge breakfast during the Fast. I used to stun friends when I told them I had juice, fruit, yogurt, a peanut butter sandwich, eggs, sausage, vitamins and lots of water."

Mary K. Radpour, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
"I eat the same thing for breakfast during the fast that I do every day of my life -- a bowl of cereal."

Judith Partelow, Harwich, Mass.
"I find that if I pamper myself a little in the morning, it makes it easier to arise early, and I don't feel ‘deprived' when everyone else is having midmorning snacks and lunch and afternoon coffee breaks. Since lunch is my favorite meal of the day, I eat those kinds of foods at my pre-dawn meal. I'll even eat pie or cake for ‘dessert.' Or if there's macaroni and cheese left over, or meatloaf or chicken, I will make myself a small dinner!"

Claire Levesque, Needham, Mass.
"Fatigue can be a major issue during the Fast, so I try to get enough sleep and try to keep my meals healthy."

Wendy Scott, Ceres, Calif.
"My husband, Bob, my son, Drew, 27, and I concentrate on nutrition and variety. It's good to eat well during the Fast, but not good to overeat. I usually lose about five pounds during the Fast -- not a bad thing. In the morning, we pray together after breakfast as the sun is coming up, alternating the various fasting prayers, and we include readings from the writings that are appropriate."

Frances Scott, Reading, Mass.
"I add 24-40 drops per day of desalinated sea water from the Great Salt Lake to filtered water and juice. It's a wonderful way to easily re-mineralize our bodies, especially for folks with osteoarthritis. It will be an experiment for me this fasting season, but I so look forward to experiencing the challenge."

Ed VandenDool, Western Ontario, Canada
(Sung to the tune of the John Denver song "Thank God I'm a Country Boy")

Well, life as a Baha'i never did me no harm
Although my family thought that it was cause for alarm
Around the middle of the Fast they start to wonder why
I chose to become Baha'i

Well this is the Fast, there's no time to fiddle
The sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle
By sundown today, I'm gonna hurt just a little
Thank God I got up on time

I'd eat like a glutton all day if I could
A bacon double burger would go down pretty good
But I'll wait until the sundown like I said I would
I think that I'm gonna die

Well this is the Fast , there's no time to fiddle
The sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle
By sundown today, I'm gonna hurt just a little
Thank God I got up on time

 

And here's another light-hearted song entitled "Yesterday - or The First Day of the Fast."

Music by the Beatles; lyricist unknown.

Yesterday
Lunch was such an easy thing to say,
Now I'd love a glass of Perrier.
Oh, my last lunch was yesterday.

Suddenly,
The days seem longer than they used to be,
Now I'm longing for my Sara Lee.
The Fast came up so suddenly.

I can't eat or drink
While the sun is in the sky.
‘Til then I'm dreaming of
A big Mac and a large fry.

Yesterday,
Lunch was such an easy thing to say.
Now all my lunches seem so far away.
Oh, my last lunch was yesterday.
My last lunch was yesterday...