Does anyone here practice fasting for spiritual purposes? That is, give up certainly earthly indulgences to focus the mind and keep up to scratch with self discipline?
I used to do "dry July" (no alcohol over the month of July, other than communion) back in the day. I don't believe in any gods anymore, certainly not those that effectively require me to fast, anyway.
However, I did feel the benefit of it. Not the lack of alcohol, I don't drink enough for it to affect me physiologically on the days I do, let alone over the long term. But I do feel mentally stronger for giving something up for a long time, and I feel more focussed. I may be a non-theistic whatever these days, but I might try it again. I won't lie and say I don't look fondly on parts of my Orthodox past. But I think it was the spirituality of it, rather than the deity involved.
I used to do "dry July" (no alcohol over the month of July, other than communion) back in the day. I don't believe in any gods anymore, certainly not those that effectively require me to fast, anyway.
However, I did feel the benefit of it. Not the lack of alcohol, I don't drink enough for it to affect me physiologically on the days I do, let alone over the long term. But I do feel mentally stronger for giving something up for a long time, and I feel more focussed. I may be a non-theistic whatever these days, but I might try it again. I won't lie and say I don't look fondly on parts of my Orthodox past. But I think it was the spirituality of it, rather than the deity involved.
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