This probably is the first Ramazan in our lives which started before it actually started. Yes, you read it right! There is no typo here. The spread of Covid-19 made many people start a life of abstinence well before Ramazan.

“Seek forgiveness of your sins”, “Make a connection with God”, “Pray regularly to get out of this calamity” — these are some of the messages that we have all come across in the past month or so. And a few among us, including yours truly, did pay heed to those messages. We may or may not be religious, but all of us do focus on our spiritual side in one way or the other.

There are four aspects of our existence: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. And all these are interconnected. If we do not get satisfaction in any one of these sides, then we suffer in the remaining three fronts also. So striking a balance is important and that includes focusing on our spiritual side.

The art of living well starts with self-discipline. This is more or less the same as being spiritual. If you try to know about the principles for living well, then you would, among other things, get to know about the following: meditation, self-control, exercising patience, truth sets you free, be thankful for whatever you have, being positive/avoiding negativity and healthy habits/lifestyle.

These principles are generally adopted by all those who are happy and successful in life. The holy month of Ramazan, in nutshell, is about adoption of these wellness habits.

When you think about it, what else it can be when you are fasting? By getting up early in the morning, praying, abstaining from food and drink, avoiding all bad habits, etc., you are just following the aforementioned principles of spirituality. But the bottom line remains that you need to be honest in following all the compulsory things during a fast. For when you are honest, it is only then that you truly build on your spiritual side.

“Spirituality is deeply personal,” says Jeanette Schneider, a self-help expert, in her book LORE: Harnessing Your Past to Create Your Future. “It is the moments when you are quiet, reflective, and intentional that you become your own teacher and guide — and it is in those moments that you commune with your own higher power and answers become clear.”

The most significant part of developing spiritually is developing the habit of helping others. Charity is an essential practice during the month of Ramazan. Moreover, you are helping others when you make use of truth, politeness, empathy, care, etc. in your dealing with them during a fast. The same goes when you arrange for Iftar of the poor or friends and family.

The aforementioned aspects of truth, politeness, care, etc., are what we call positive habits, as opposed to the negative aspects of lying, envy, hate, back-biting, conspiring, etc. You can build on these positive habits by bringing more positivity in your life. Showing gratitude for all that you have and trying to let go/forget all the bad experiences or negative emotions in your life, would go a long way in making you relaxed and content.

Everything that one does or does not do during fasting leads to a heightened sense of spirituality in Ramazan. This positive atmosphere both acts as a catalyst and a foundation to develop our spiritual side.

I do not want to be preachy, but at the same time I cannot ignore the facts. We, humans, are part of a universe in which everything is inter-connected and can be traced back to its source — the Creator (God). So at a spiritual energy level, we all are connected to our Creator. To gain inner and outer peace, we all have to show gratitude to Him and ask forgiveness for our mistakes.

With the ongoing lockdown, there never has been a better time for disciplining oneself by means of fast. This is because with everything locked down, the number and size of temptations for us are quite limited. So strive to do a lot of soul-searching for the purpose of soul-feeding!

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 25th, 2020