The Ancient Practice That Made Me Stop and Think: Ekadashi

When I was in school studying to become an Ayurveda Health Counselor, I came across a practice called Ekadashi.

Out of all the things I learned, this one made me stop and think.

It was beautiful.

It was clever.

And it was incredibly practical.

You don't run across something like that very often.

As someone who spent years in the corporate world, I'm wired to appreciate good systems.

I like it when something has a purpose, follows a logical pattern, and actually works in everyday life. The more I learned about Ayurveda, the more I realized that many of its practices are exactly that—beautifully designed systems that help us live in greater balance.

Ekadashi was one of those systems.

The basic idea is surprisingly simple. Twice each month, on specific days of the lunar cycle, you intentionally slow down. You simplify your meals. You give your digestion a little rest. You reduce some of the noise coming into your mind. You spend a little more time in prayer, meditation, nature, or simply being quiet.

That's it.

No expensive supplements.

No complicated meal plans.

No 30-day challenge.

Just a gentle pause built into the month.

The more I studied the practice, the more impressed I became. Ayurveda isn't simply asking us to stop eating for a day. It's inviting us to step back from excess in every form.

We don't just digest food—we digest conversations, social media, television, stress, emotions, and everything else our senses take in.

Ekadashi reminds us that every once in a while, it's healthy to give all of those systems a chance to catch their breath.

Of course, when I started researching the practice, I found something that happens all too often with ancient traditions.

There were plenty of resources explaining the strict rules, the exact timings, and the technical details, but very little that answered the question most beginners are really asking:

"How do I actually do this?"

As a Westerner who came to Ayurveda later in life, I wanted someone to translate the tradition into everyday language. I wanted to understand not only what to do, but why it mattered and how to make it fit into a busy, modern life.

Eventually, I realized that if I was looking for that kind of guide, other people probably were too.

That's why I wrote Moon Powered Fasting.

It isn't meant to be the definitive book on Ekadashi. There are wonderful teachers and traditional texts that go far deeper than I ever could in a beginner's guide.

Instead, I wanted to create the book I wish I'd had when I first discovered this practice—a simple, practical introduction that explains the history, the symbolism, the Ayurvedic principles, the food guidelines, and the spiritual heart of Ekadashi in a way that feels approachable rather than overwhelming.

If you've ever felt like life is constantly asking you to do more, consume more, or hurry more, perhaps what you need isn't another thing to add to your wellness routine. Maybe what you need is a rhythm that reminds you to pause.

That's exactly what Ekadashi has become for me.

If you'd like to learn more about this beautiful practice, I'd love for you to read Moon Powered Fasting. I hope it helps you discover, as I did, that sometimes the simplest traditions are the ones that stay with us the longest.

Click the link to read my Moon Powered Fasting Ebook: https://www.sandracorder.com/product-page/moon-powered-fasting-a-gentle-yogic-introduction-to-ekadashi-for-modern-life