28 Days Later: Sunrise To Sunset Fast

A month of self-reflection, new challenges, and renewed energy

Although I do not belong to any particular religion, I was inspired by Lent and Ramadan this year and decided that I would fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month of February. In 2026, the two coincide (something that happens every 33 years apparently); Lent began on February 18th and Ramadan on February 17th. In addition to this, the Lunar New Year took place on February 17th.

I was not aware of this rare overlap when I decided I would fast for 28 days – a full lunar cycle :D. As is often the case with pretty much everything I set out to do, it just showed up in my mind one day in January. I don't know why I felt called to do this, but I am glad I did. It was a wonderful experience, one I would be happy to repeat. Despite not being religious, I know that Lent and Ramadan are periods of self-reflection, empathy, compassion, kindness, and communion, where fasting and abstaining from things that do not serve us individually and collectively are encouraged to cultivate these qualities in our day-to-day lives. One does not need to be religious to see the value in that, or any specific time of year, to integrate such practices into one's life.

Along with the fasting, I did not drink coffee or alcohol. Again, I don't indulge in either very often – the last time I drank alcohol was at Christmas, but I thought I would consciously set the intention to abstain from both for 28 days.

I also made changes to my yoga practice. I have been practising the same sequences for a while now, and my body and mind needed something different. I usually like to dedicate some time learning other physical activities aside from my yoga practice; over the years, I have spent time learning wakeboarding, pole dancing, contemporary dance, and capoeira. I find a lot of joy in learning new skills and challenging my body to do things it is not used to doing. Our physical bodies are very well-engineered machines that adapt very rapidly. I think it is important to put myself out of my comfort zone and experience situations where I am a beginner to maintain a healthy body and mind.

I have not had the opportunity to sign up for any other activities in the last couple of years, and I needed to do something different. Still unable to join a class, I simply set a goal for myself within my yoga practice, and it has been wonderful. My body has been aching in places I had forgotten it could :), and my beginner's mind has been having a blast – after the initial frustration – exploring different techniques and sequences. I think this has been the most rewarding takeaway from the last 28 days: the renewed relationship with my body and my mind. And perhaps that is why I felt called to fast for the month of February, to shake things up where it felt a little stagnant. And, in a way, I have been stagnant in the past 3 months, reveling in the energy of winter and thoroughly enjoying the slowing down, but spring awaits!

Time to emerge from the slumber and rejoice in this new season and the new adventures that it will surely bring.