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We worship Śiva on Monday. We call it Somavāra. When Monday coincides with the new moon after Pūrṇimā, it is considered a very auspicious constellation for the coming new year, heralding better times. Therefore, we worship on this Monday. For the many people practicing yoga, meditation, and the worship of Śiva, Monday is the best day for fasting. While we are here, we should at least fast on this day. However, many people, especially in the Western world, do not understand what fasting is. In Christianity, there is a practice once a year involving ash, which they call a tilak. Many still believe in this and apply the ash tilak. This practice existed elsewhere too, but some people gave it up, claiming it is only for Hindus. Yet we know that all festivals and constellations, according to Jyotiṣa, are ancient. Slowly, in this Kali Yuga, humans created various traditions and fashioned them into religions. That is fine; there is no problem. But then they established different ceremonies without understanding. These religions often try to elevate their own by taking elements from others, urging people to convert. Consequently, everything has become confused. The reality is that our lives are governed by the sun, moon, and stars. The moon is very important. Even in Islam, they do not call it worship, but they revere the moon. In depth, even some governments or countries have a flag bearing a crescent moon. The moon is Śiva. Many of us are connected in this way. What does Monday mean? Monday begins our week again. Some say Saturday and Sunday are holidays, others say Friday. It was not originally like this. This concept has become prevalent; people worked and then declared Saturday and Sunday as holidays. Muslims do not observe Saturday and Sunday in this way; they have different days. In China and other countries, they have other days. In India, with many religions, each makes its own holy day. Internationally, it is now more commonly said that Saturday and Sunday are holidays. In India, we also say that, though Friday is the day for Muslims. On Friday, they have more prayers; even children leave school to pray. Everyone acts according to their belief, which is good. We do not call this a "holiday" here; they call it a "free day." We go to work or stay home. Here in Europe, and now in India, they take Saturday and Sunday as just free days, not as festival days. When we say "free day," some people instituted this because they did not want a religious holiday. Different religious traditions are not present for them, but they tell others—who may be more devout—that it doesn't matter which religion you have; they would like to... However, many so-called intelligent people give up all kinds of festivals, while other simple, spiritual, and more religious people do not accept this. These are the things we have lost. Otherwise, we know that Sunday is for Christians, and on that morning they go for prayer. Now, with a larger population, churches are not as full; people do not go. Only elderly people go to church for prayer because they still hold spirituality and religion. Regarding Jesus or Christianity, they all go to church. Sunday is said to be for the church. In some European countries, they still strictly keep Sunday for prayer and meditation. But we are more inclined to run for skiing or other programs involving airplanes, cars, horses, and so on. We have lost that discipline, and we know we are suffering. Some people in Europe used to say that Christianity embodied humility and kindness, not great wealth. But now it is different. When they lost this tradition—the tradition not being God, and God not being the tradition—but in that time, those holy saints were preserving spirituality in their own way, according to the seasons: summer, winter, etc. When I first went to Australia, it was Christmas Day. I asked, "How will you celebrate Christmas now?" They said they go to the beach and swim because it is very hot. That is their Christmas. They celebrate, but not in the same way as here. Australia has its own branch. You could say they are not Christians in that way. They have a king or queen, and you have the... what do you call it, the father. This is always different, but ultimately there is only one. Our movements, our speech, everything we do, and all our discussions—that is finished when the soul departs. We are dead. That is the reality. We all die, and then we know where our soul is. Here, we do not know. When we die, where does our soul go? Did we seize it? No. We were all one, like when the sun rises, the light is there. But in the dark, there was a different kind of light. I had a nice petal light, a hidden light, or just early sleep. Now we have electricity, but still this is not it. Light is the friend of our soul. We should believe. We say, "Believe." We do not know what the truth is. We say, "My religion is the truth. Another religion is not my truth." But this is only while we are with our open eyes, good ears, and sound, talking more. There, we can fight for this. But again, we are finally in oneness. Like the sun setting far on the horizon—there is only one sun. This is very important to know. In the time of Satyuga, what we were calling then, Śiva and Monday—and so we have that Śiva's day is Monday today—and it began with Guru Pūrṇimā, with what we call the Monday day of... Sunday? No, Śiva. Now they are doing fasting. There is a fasting day in some religions too. In Islam, they have one month of fasting at night, after the moon appears. It is different. From morning sunrise, they will not drink water or anything. Sometimes, three times, they even do not swallow their own saliva. This continues till evening. A few years ago, in the district of Pālī, near Jālodī, there was a Muslim elderly lady about 90 years old. They took her to the hospital. She said, "Do not touch water on my body, do not give me water to drink, and do not give any kind of liquid in my body." She even refused liquid through injection. She was a very pure thinker of Islam. Many people work the whole day without drinking water, eating fruit, or anything—not even chewing gum. In that way, you can see how strictly they follow. We want to make one day of fasting, but we are chewing the whole day. We take ice cream, some take fruit. It is more than just, "You should eat one bread, that's all." In my eyes, Christians and Hindus have lost that kind of strict religious tradition. When we make such a festival, it is not only for spirituality or God, but we should give the body one day completely free. That is very important. In the way of that lady, they do not even take any medicine or water. But how are we living? According to our tradition and religion on this earth, we should adopt that kind of discipline. We are very close together, but we do not do it now. Slowly, slowly, churches are closing. In London, how many churches are for sale? They should be used for spirituality. It is very cold. It is very cold, with many duties; it is very difficult. Otherwise, in earlier times, people would come and clean and do everything without money. In this way, we should understand what the day is. The sun is a sun, and the moon is a moon. But how do we take energy through the moon? Because the moon is the nearest. There are the seven constellations, and that is a very important question to ask: which are they and what are they for? These seven days are about those constellations: Sun, Moon... and that sun means the words we are talking about. We are talking. Yes? Did you understand? So, will you make this day one for fasting? For those practicing Kriyā Yoga, they should observe this day—Monday, not Sunday. How will you do it? Many of you come only for Kriyā practice here and do not do it at home. That is not good. Some are beginning to do it twice a day, which is also not good; it is too much. Some do only half the techniques. Those who do this should attend our classes on Kriyā Śaktis and Kriyā Techniques. It would be good to make yourself ready. If yes, then we should commit for life. In this way, we will continue—today is the third day we are here. We will practice more. In every class, your teachers should be very nice, which we have. But some people sometimes sleep, sometimes do not properly attend the class. I always check. Someone is only practicing like this—like this, my position. That is not good. If it is said to sit like this, then you have to be like this. Why is it difficult? Because you did not practice. Now you come and want to run; you will not be the winner. Did you practice at home? How long did you? We all have to follow the rules. This is very nice for us to think about. Today is our Monday, and we should think of that. This is the day of Śiva and the moon. Śiva has both the sun and moon. We know the moon is on one side of Śiva's head. When we see the moon in the evening, our moon is turned here to the south. When you go to Australia, the moon is already in that direction. Yes. Have you seen somebody in Australia? Is there somebody from Australia? Okay. We will ask our people, our bhaktas in our āśramas in Australia and New Zealand, and tell them, please, the new moon is from which direction. When we look down, which line are we on? West, east, west? We look to the west, our moon comes from this side. In Australia, it is on the other side. Why not? It is okay because we know our face is on this side and our back is on the other side. Our face is side A, and the back side is B. But there is a very important meaning about energy in that. When you fast, you can take fruit and water. If you want to be like a Muslim, then the best of the best: nothing at all—no milk, no chocolate, no ice cream, no Coca-Cola, no water, nothing. If you want to really keep the fast like Muslims, then do not drink or eat anything—no ice cream, no chocolate, and also no water. Do not swallow your thoughts; spit them out. Yes. Or do it your way. You can drink pure water, that is all. This is for the whole body. I will say it is not for spirituality or God, but for the health of our body. There are certain people who fast three times a week. If you do not like this, there is one thing that is really very clear: fast three times a week. The next day, you will break your fast. The next day you will say it is fasting, clean eating. The next day, so three times a week. What will be good for us if you do not even understand our body? Or spiritually, then at least you should know. Your economy will be better, yes? You will not buy fruits, bread, drinks, or anything. So three times a week, our economy will be good. See how much money you save nicely in one year. Weekly, three days in one month, or one year: 156 days. Per day, let us say in Austria, 100 euros. You do not know. Our Austrians are good people; they eat so much all the time because they are very rich and very good, and they like to give to others also. So it is not too much; it is very little. With that money, you can buy something good, or give for good medicine, for your grandmothers and grandfathers, yes, or for yourself, for your food and your house. Unnecessarily, we are putting it in our belly and throwing it out. We have more energy when we eat less. When we eat too much, we become lazy and lack energy—more sleeping, and so on. Let us say on this Monday you can make a Saṅkalpa and see how it will be next year on Guru Pūrṇimā. For our Kriyā Sādhānā and other practitioners and karma yogīs, tomorrow I will be with all the general yoga practitioners here. Kriyā Yogīs will be in their places. We will see the exercise and learn how it is. But yesterday was Guru Pūrṇimā; were you fasting? How many of you did the fasting there? Only the right can tell me, our cook. Yes. So it is your chance, but for me, do not think about spirituality, but your health. Really, really the best health. Four times I made an experiment with myself, and now again I am changing. You should also do it, but do not make it quickly—slowly, slowly. We have many people here who give us training on how to eat. I think we have our Annapūrṇā. Is Annapurna here? She will come home. She will come tomorrow. She will give you... we can call her this evening. She will come either this morning or tomorrow morning. Many times it happens with her; we did not know which is the direction, forward or backward, left or right. It is like rolling. All her dresses, she was changing every week. Then I gave her training on non-medicine. Really, she followed. Now I think it has been about 15 years. Do you know somebody? Now you know how she looks—very, very healthy. She does not look old. It is very good. She does not eat anything from grains, also no ice cream. She should tell herself many things: yes, she is strong, she is teaching yoga and driving, and she does a lot of work for others. So this is discipline, and slowly, slowly... In one month, a year, then you think that yes, now I can try. When you are hungry, then eat. Do not eat the grass. Grass means salad—nice salad, this salad, or some fruits. Among fruits, there is no banana, no chiku; a few fruits are not good. But others are very good. Watermelon is very good. The stomach is full, it is tasteful, sweet, and you will see after three hours the sugar is down. I made the experiment. I also experimented for three months. So fruit is light, very good. Milk and yogurt, and butter, we should reduce. For those who want to gain kilos because you are very thin, I have a technique. In five months, your wife will say, "Please, we need two beds." That is it. In five months, I will tell you the next day.