Jaya Sri Ekadasi

Not many Americans (North or South) are familiar with the Hindu practice of Ekasi. It is marked by a religious observance which occurs on the 11'th night of each waxing and waning lunar cycle.There are many reasons given for Ekadasi, for those with little faith in Krsna, there are materialistic explanations dealing with the effects of the moon's gravity on water. The only significant explanation from a devotional perspective is that Ekadasi is a direct manifestation of Krsna's mercy and it pleases him when we honor Ekadasi, which means at a minimum fasting from all grains, or ideally completely fasting from even water.
Yesterday I decided to observe Ekadasi by fasting from all food and only taking a little bit of water. It seemed like an OK thing, and I felt pretty good most of the day...
I woke up this morning, and even before sitting up I began crying. I just felt completely empty and unfullfilled. Ahh, the thrilling life of renunciation. The morning after Ekadasi is always a bit intense emotionally, so I was observing and rolling with it. After my prayers I went down to prepare some Krsna Prassadam and break the fast. Before I could even get my oatmeal cooking, I threw up. Barfed. Ughh. There wasn't even anything in my stomack to throw up! Ughh, again. Yellow bile. Shaky legs, low blood sugar, general weakness. If I was in a video game my life energy low warning indicator would be flashing in the upper right corner while motor skills deteriorate rapidly.
Ekadasi has rules regarding when the fast has to be broken: not before a certain time, and not after either.
Furtive glances at clock... try to eat oatmeal... ughh, throw up again, and again, and again, and again. Whooee, this is serious.
I see S outside and he makes a comment (sarcastic, as usual) so I tell him what's going on (he's heard me urping). I told him if he didn't see me in a few hours to check up on me. He replies: "there is a hospital in Corte Madera that takes walk-ins. You can take myself there if you need to." Hmmm, now this is getting clearer. I don't have any psychic skills, but I sure can feel it when someone is having unhealthy thoughts about me. S totally worked himself into a negative vortex of huricane strength because he resented the fact that I spent the day Sunday observing my spirtual practice instead of working all day in the yard like him. Too weak to work Monday because of it? Double the hate.
V said that contact with the devotees quickly gives people liberation or sends them to Hell. The purport of that statement would be that those who are ineligible to receive the mercy of Krsna tend to also be inimical to the point of creating offenses to Krsna and the Holy Name, which quickly robs them of all intelligence causing them to run into the jaws of death, which are no more than gates leading to Hell for such offenders.
This is another reason why it is good for advanced devotees to move about and not stay in contact with materially minded people: because they have compassion for all the fallen souls, and knowing them to be offensive by nature, the pure devotees limit the opportunity for offenses while still sharing sadhu sanga.