Spiritual Fasting

paky

Has anyone ever tried fasting for a prolonged period of time? Most forms of religion seem to recommend it for a spiritual experience. It seems to be catching on in the alternative medicine scene. Alot of people have posted videos of themselves fasting from 3 weeks to 40 days on you tube. However it seems to be the case that any fasting over 3 weeks can be very bad for your health. Anyone in any position to shed light on the situation?

booksale

hi, op, i recommend you to read Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince.

Are there reasons you want to fast for a long period of time?

PDN

I've fasted several times for 40 days (just drinking fruit juice). I actually found it very beneficial both spiritually and physically.

Onesimus

Christians are not supposed to fast for selfish means. Such as losing weight and beauty therapy. that is not the reason we do.

When fasting for long periods one should be under the direction of a spiritual director.

Peoples bodies are different thus fasting for long periods of time could cause harm to themselves. The Lord does not require we do this. but if one cannot fast on bread and water they should seek other means such as fasting from gossip, coffee, tea and television, to give just a few examples.

booksale

I personally have not fasted for that long, but I found that 'fasting AND praying' is very good to help focus on God.

ubertrad

PDN wrote: »

I've fasted several times for 40 days (just drinking fruit juice). I actually found it very beneficial both spiritually and physically.

Did you lose a lot of weight and feel really ill during it?

What kind of fruit juice did you drink? Did you also drink water?

PDN

ubertrad wrote: »

Did you lose a lot of weight and feel really ill during it?

On average I would lose a pound a day. But I'm a big guy anyway so that wouldn't do me any harm.

No, I didn't feel ill at all. Felt rather good actually.

I also found my prayer life improved greatly.

What kind of fruit juice did you drink? Did you also drink water?

Yes water too. All kinds of fruit juice.

ubertrad

PDN wrote: »

On average I would lose a pound a day. But I'm a big guy anyway so that wouldn't do me any harm.

No, I didn't feel ill at all. Felt rather good actually.

I also found my prayer life improved greatly.

Yes water too. All kinds of fruit juice.

I'd like to try a fast myself sometime but since I must take medication each day with food, a total fast is out of the question. Some toast in the evening would be fine though.

If I don't eat I get a headache and if I drink too much pure orange juice I get a sore head too!

I am a guy only a tad under 9 stone so I am not really best placed to be losing weight.

I understand that the thirst and potential for communion with God is intensified with fasting. That thirst is usually temporarily slaked with comfort eating in most people I think.

georgieporgy

So we have a Friar Tuck in our midst!

I am very impressed by anybody who would fast like that for 40 days.

In the rc tradition St josemaria Escriva has recommended delaying personal gratification as a form of mortification/fasting. For example, you feel like a cigarette - just delay it half an hour. Likewise you want to put on the radio and listen to some rubbish, just wait a while first. Nobody else notices these things but Jesus does and He knows you are doing it for him.

Basically delaying legitimate passtimes as a form of personal sacrifice/mortification.

ubertrad

georgieporgy wrote: »

So we have a Friar Tuck in our midst!

I am very impressed by anybody who would fast like that for 40 days.

In the rc tradition St josemaria Escriva has recommended delaying personal gratification as a form of mortification/fasting. For example, you feel like a cigarette - just delay it half an hour. Likewise you want to put on the radio and listen to some rubbish, just wait a while first. Nobody else notices these things but Jesus does and He knows you are doing it for him.

Basically delaying legitimate passtimes as a form of personal sacrifice/mortification.

You think smoking is a legitimate pastime? :eek: Death sticks and the temple of the Holy Spirit don't go together!!

georgieporgy

ubertrad wrote: »

You think smoking is a legitimate pastime? :eek: Death sticks and the temple of the Holy Spirit don't go together!!

I personally don't smoke but I'm pro choice in the matter!

Smoking is not a sin, though like eating cream cakes, it may not be good for your health. I just gave it as an example of an ordinary daily action many people do.

PDN

georgieporgy wrote: »

I personally don't smoke but I'm pro choice in the matter!

Smoking is not a sin, though like eating cream cakes, it may not be good for your health. I just gave it as an example of an ordinary daily action many people do.

As I heard one preacher say, "Smoking won't send you to hell - but it will make you smell like you've been there!"

paky

booksale wrote: »

hi, op, i recommend you to read Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince.

Are there reasons you want to fast for a long period of time?

thanks for all the replies. i had some health issues in the past and fasting was recommended to me by an alternative medicine type person.

ubertrad

georgieporgy wrote: »

I personally don't smoke but I'm pro choice in the matter!

Smoking is not a sin, though like eating cream cakes, it may not be good for your health. I just gave it as an example of an ordinary daily action many people do.

If, whilst fully conscious of the health effects of smoking, you continue to indulge in a deadly habit and pollute the temple of the Holy Spirit, then that is a sin.

georgieporgy

ubertrad wrote: »

If, whilst fully conscious of the health effects of smoking, you continue to indulge in a deadly habit and pollute the temple of the Holy Spirit, then that is a sin.

Not brushing and flossing your teeth results in gum disease. Gum disease is a causative factor in heart disease. Is it a sin not to brush and floss?

kelly1

paky wrote: »

thanks for all the replies. i had some health issues in the past and fasting was recommended to me by an alternative medicine type person.

Hello Paky, personally I wouldn't recommend going any longer that 3 days. And I certainly wouldn't do it for any kind of spiritual experience!

paky

kelly1 wrote: »

Hello Paky, personally I wouldn't recommend going any longer that 3 days. And I certainly wouldn't do it for any kind of spiritual experience!

i did a 4 day fast last summer. it was tough. have you tried it?

kelly1

paky wrote: »

i did a 4 day fast last summer. it was tough. have you tried it?

The longest I did was 48hrs and that was to raise money for charity. I do believe in fasting for penance/mortification and apparently it has the effect of lessening the "desires of the flesh".

PDN

Jesus taught His disciples that much prayer and fasting would increase the effectiveness of their ministry when confronting evil spirits.

paky

alot of people who have tried it claim it improves your level of conciousness.
cleansing the body is also another reason for trying it. when your body is in a fasted state, your fat will gradually be consumed by your body. this same theory is applied to anything else that is in your body that shouldnt be there, such as ailments and the like. i think this theory makes alot of sense and its one of the reasons i'd like to try a prolonged fast.

ubertrad

georgieporgy wrote: »

Not brushing and flossing your teeth results in gum disease. Gum disease is a causative factor in heart disease. Is it a sin not to brush and floss?

If you know that your teeth need to be cared for and you wilfully neglect to do so, then yes, that would be a sin. The temple of the Holy Spirit includes your teeth and gums.

Why else would I feel guilty if I try to slink away to bed without brushing my teeth?

georgieporgy

ubertrad wrote: »

If you know that your teeth need to be cared for and you wilfully neglect to do so, then yes, that would be a sin. The temple of the Holy Spirit includes your teeth and gums.

Why else would I feel guilty if I try to slink away to bed without brushing my teeth?

what about drinking coka cola and chewing gum? french fries?

ubertrad

georgieporgy wrote: »

what about drinking coka cola and chewing gum? french fries?

Junk food. Do you put junk food into the temple of the Holy Spirit? (I must admit, there is a 2 litre bottle of Coca-Cola in our fridge right now, and I do enjoy the odd Burger King...)

I think the odd burger and french fries is ok. I do it myself the odd time, but you wouldn't want to be doing that too often. But is it good eating? Some of it is OK, some of it is junk.

Chewing gum is just a silly habit, although it is reputed to have positive dental effects.

neuro-praxis

My longest spiritual fast was 24 hours. I found it very calming to the mind and body. That can never be a bad thing.

georgieporgy

ubertrad wrote: »

Junk food. Do you put junk food into the temple of the Holy Spirit? (I must admit, there is a 2 litre bottle of Coca-Cola in our fridge right now, and I do enjoy the odd Burger King...)

I think the odd burger and french fries is ok. I do it myself the odd time, but you wouldn't want to be doing that too often. But is it good eating? Some of it is OK, some of it is junk.

Chewing gum is just a silly habit, although it is reputed to have positive dental effects.

addiction to anything is of course harmful. pure tobacco itself is probably not bad and probably has some good properties. I think it's the added extras in the last half century that made the product more harmful to health. Remember Our Lord turned water into wine. A glass a day may be beneficial whereas 2 bottles would be sinful.

Getting back to the notion of fasting for the purpose of deepening one's prayer life, I think in addition to the prolonged fasts described by other posters, which I think few people actually do, we can all practise mini fasts like delaying the legitimate pleasures of normal life.

Even if we apply that notion to the smoker - a smoker who can habitually delay his fag 30 mins probably in no time at all could quit altogether. He would then have to look for another means of mortification though....