Effect of fasting on Yoga

Q: What is the effect of fasting? The effect of fasting on Yoga?

It gives a sort of excitement to the vital being, but the effect does not seem. to be very sound. I fasted twice—once in Alipore jail for ten days and the other time in Pondicherry for twenty-three days. At Alipore I was in full yogic activity. I was not taking any food. I was throwing away all of it into the bucket. Of course, the superintendent didn’t know. Only the warder knew and he said to the others, “The gentleman must be ill. He won’t live long.” Although I lost considerable weight, I could lift a pail of water above my head, which I couldn’t do ordinarily. Then at Pondicherry, while I was fasting, I kept up full mental and vital and yogic activity. I was walking eight hours a day and yet not feeling tired in the least. When I broke my fast, I did it straightaway with normal food.

– Sri Aurobindo