Eid Mubarak

So yesterday was Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day. Today or tomorrow is the official Eid-ul-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, depending on when the moon is seen. And we are still in the middle of Lent with Easter, the end of the Lenten period, coming up in a few weeks.

We are also in the middle of Chaitra Navratri, which started yesterday, the start of the Hindu New Year and also a time of fasting and prayers. So strangely, after the bacchanal of Carnival, it is a kaleidoscope of religious periods, all incorporating fasting and prayers. The Spiritual Baptist day itself does not include fasting but a period of fasting and praying or mourning is a component of the Spiritual Baptist faith where the person spends time fasting and praying in a church room.



Typically, the first mourning period can be for seven days. The first three days is more intense, only some water in between the day. The eyes are blindfolded to have visual sensory deprivation.

The person sleeps on the ground, mainly as a way of connecting with mother earth but also in bareness and simplicity, to connect with God in as much purity. After the first three days, the person continues in this period of isolation and seclusion but now they are allowed to eat and drink. They may experience dreams and visions while in this isolation.

After mourning, persons usually would feel calm, lighter, reset with positive mood and even physical cures. Some seem to have a better direction with their life as if given spiritual guidance. Most feel closer to God and seem to have a heightened ability to communicate with him.

For Muslims, the fasting time is the entire 30-day period of Ramadan. They start fasting from sunrise after the Suhoor meal and the fast is broken at sunset with the Iftar. Aside from the prayers five times during the day, there is an extra prayer time in the night, after the Iftar.

This extra session may occur at home but typically it is in the mosque where, over the 30-day period, the entire Quran is read, in parts, each night a section. The month of Ramadan marks the time in which the Qur’an was revealed. And thus, time is spent to re-read it again, almost like a yearly reminder of all the principles and key messages, almost as if the Prophet Muhammad was relating the passages again.

The Qur’an is read in Arabic and the prayers are also done in the same. Aside from having the traditional prayers, one can supplement with prayers of their own, in their local language. Again, there are similar themes.

Praying is done kneeling on the ground signifying not just connecting with earth and Allah, but also the aspect of humility, being humble, being simple. The last ten days of Ramadan are extra special. Although the exact night is unknown, the night of power falls during this ten-day period.

This represents the exact night the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. On odd numbered nights during this period, people can have all night prayer sessions with heightened spirituality During Ramadan and during Spiritual Baptist mourning, people do not really lose weight. They may lose a few pounds but mostly the weight stays the same.

During fasting the body may presume starvation mode and switch into storage mode, thus fat and carbohydrates would be stored after the Suhoor and iftar meals, to compensate. The prayer thing, though, is the main effect. There is a proven reduction in stress and anxiety, strengthening of faith, increased positivity, and increased reflection, almost getting to know oneself better in addition to connecting more with one’s God and spiritual principles.

I asked a few people what was the thing they most felt or appreciated about the month of Ramadan. Most said it was very easy to switch to the fasting period with Suhoor and Iftar. Psychologically they know when Ramadan is coming up and they prepare themselves for it.

Again, most people reported feeling calm and chilled, anger mainly removed from their psyche as they focus on prayers and reconnecting with Allah and the words of the Qur’an. Another feature was the family togetherness. During the month of Ramadan, time is taken to fast and pray but also to spend quality time with family, being simple with a focus on being loving and appreciative.

Another thing was the Zakat, where one does acts of charity. Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. The others include Salat (prayer), Hajj (pilgrimage), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan) and Shahadah (a declaration of faith).

This weekend, a few of us visited the lovely restaurant Santa Luisa in Gran Couva. We also walked around the Santa Maria Eco Lodge and visited the Tortuga RC Church. Looking out at the rolling hills of the Central Range is such a beautiful thing.

The breeze blowing, the birds chirping, allowing for a deep reset breath, reflection, and connection. Prayers and reflection can be anywhere and anytime. I think we should take heed of today, this special day, this coalescing of religions sending the same messages, the power of prayer or meditation or mindfulness, the power of reflection, the power of humility.

It may be the Universe reminding us to make some time, every day, to enrich, soothe, feed, our very beautiful soul. To remind us, to be unencumbered. Dr Joanne F Paul is an Emergency Medicine Lecturer with The UWI.