Ramadan for the Non-Muslim 2014

Well, it's that time of year again. It's fasting time! Time to take off those pounds for Allah! A year ago I observed (in the loosest of senses) Ramadan. It's a Muslim practice of fasting and prayer. One hitch, I'm not only not a Muslim, but I'm an atheist. Last year I wrote 4 blog entries about my experience and this year it basically slipped my mind. It started almost a full week earlier this year. What in the world? So I decided to start late. The Muslim friend that I practiced Ramadan with last year of course is strictly following his religion currently, but I am not. Almost a full week has went by. It started on June 28th this year. I have decided however to use all the great things about Ramadan and trash all the other religiosity of Islam.

So I am currently observing Ramadan for the Non-Muslim. Here's how we do this. Same rules (sort of). We do not eat solid food until sun down until the end of Ramadan. However, unlike strict practicing Muslims (who do not even drink water or any liquid of any kind until sundown) we only drink juice. So essentially this is a juice diet until sundown where you break your juice fast with a small healthy meal.

Prayer is a very integral part of Ramadan. Muslims begin their fast just before the sun rises with a deeply personal prayer to Allah. Throughout the day (coinciding with times one would normally eat a meal) prayer is offered up to Allah. Of course as atheists we not only don't believe in Allah, but we don't believe in any of the other hundreds of gods our species has created throughout its fascinating history. We can pull a David Lynch here and focus on meditation instead. We can use the time to calm our nerves, and focus in on our breathing, let go of thought and simply exist. This is more of course borrowing from the various godless Eastern religious practices, but naturalizing these things allows us to keep the helpful, healthy tenants of the religion while carving off the fat of all the superstition.

I suggest taking aspirin for the first week at least, juice diets (at least for me) give me massive headaches. This is probably due to detox, but it's a good thing. Your body is being shocked by all the nutrients. Also, I suggest (as my brother rightly mentioned today to me) to cut out as much coffee intake as possible. I would add alcohol to that list too.

I have considered, yet haven't actually done this yet, replacing the "prayer time" the Muslim Ramadan allots for with exercise. If one were to get hardcore about coming up with a legitimate set of dogmatic rules for the Non-Muslim Ramadan it would be interesting to set specific exercises at specific points during the day to help center and focus you while your body goes without food.

Anyways, I may add more from time to time to keep anyone who cares updated with my Non-Muslim Ramadan month. Or I may just give up and eat a big cheeseburger for breakfast. I'll keep you posted but for now "Happy Non-Muslim Ramadan". There is no God! ... but these rituals sure are fun. Thanks Islam!

Here's a few juicing recipes I recommend trying (juice or blend these:)

beet leaves
watercress
dino kale
swiss chard (whatever color)
spinach
parsley
2 apples
1 banana
fill to brim with either aloe vera water or coconut water
(Blend)

a meal I suggest to break your godless atheist fast:

boil beets, turnips, carrots, and purple potatoes.
Spiralize squash, add mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and organic green and red peppers (saute these with a little olive oil in a pan) (this is your side dish)
cook up some brown rice or quinoa as the base.
slice up and add beets, turnips, carrots, and purple potatoes to the bed of brown rice or quinoa. Garnish with green onion. Add sauteed veggies with dollop of plain yogurt and Sambal or Siracha (for spice). Use lemon to add to flavor as well.