Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

[Azvanna]

So, I'm considering going on a fast for spiritual break-through. All of my experience in fasting has been an outworking of my Christian faith. Seeing my journey is branching out from those roots, I'd love to compare notes with you on your wisdom (ie applied knowledge) regarding fasts. I want to see what could be done differently, how attitudes might differ and what outcomes to expect.

One of the key points I was taught with fasting is that it must always be accompanied with prayer, otherwise it's just a really bad diet. Prayer and Fasting were referred to as Power Twins.

I was taught that you get to decide the reason behind whatever fast you choose. I was not taught any specific fast to match a specific desired outcome, but I wonder if they exist.

Fasts I was taught include:

Easy Fast:
Time Length: As long as you like.
Rules: Give up an activity or comfort that's very important to you that requires something of your time, energy or money. Use that resource instead as a way to invest into your sprituality. For instance.. some of my friends stopped listening to secular music and only listened to contemporary praise and worship.

Personally, I have never done this one because I thought it was the biggest cop-out ever. However, I won't deny that the people who did this kind of 'fasting' benefited (can't help the contempt.. sorry! ). I don't know if there were any lasting changes.

No Food Fast:
Time Length: 3-40 days.
Rules: Drink only water or water based liquids. This excludes soups and any dairy. Drinking milk is cheating! Pulverising fruit into smoothies is also cheating ( I did this, though ). I found that a minimum of three days was effective. One-two days was not long enough. 40 days is an incredibly long time to do without food. I read that it's at this point where your body really starts to starve and there are serious health risks past the 40 day mark. I don't think there's a consensus on how long you can actually survive without eating because the factors are so variable, but I only went up to 7.

No Food, No Water Fast
Time Length: 3 days max.
Rules: Nil by mouth.

Never did that one.. not even one day.

Daniel Fast
Time Length: Daniel himself fasted for 21 days.
Rules: Consume: Water, all fruits, all vegetables, all whole grains, all legumes, all quality oils derived from plants (eg peanut oil, olive oil), soy products are okay as are herbs, spices and seasoning (excluding anything sweet such as honey, sugar, molasses). Do not consume 'nice foods:' No animal products, nothing sweet, nothing deep-fried, nothing processed or refined, no comfort drinks such as soft drinks, tea, coffee, herbal teas etc..

When I fasted, it was usually a No Food Fast coupled with specific time I set aside for prayer. I would fast for either 3 days or 7. Sometimes I'd have a certain goal in mind and sometimes I didn't. The way God worked with me during fasting changed each time. The first two times I did a No Food Fast were in stark contrast. The first time I just had increase presence of God in my prayer time and good feelings associated with that prayer time. The second time, I had no feelings during prayer, but instead was able to think with clarity and was shown ways to better organise my time.

Some of my friends fasted leading up to retreats or conferences in hopes to receive something from God while at the event. In contrast, in my fasting, God has always worked with me during the fast itself. One way isn't better than the other I suppose, just different.

This time when I fast, I'm hoping to make sense of all this information swimming around in my head. So confusing! I want to find a steady path.

What is your experiences in fasting? What kind of fasts have you done and why? What has the outcome been?

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

I juice fast from time to time. You need a juicer for it, and there are a lot of nice recipes on the web. Basically you can consume herbal tea, water, and juice (not bottled juice, but homemade juice) Roughly 4-5 16oz. juices per day, 80% veggies, 20% fruit.

The first few days are tough, and the rest are easy as pie.

And I have done a couple of 24 hour water fasts, but I have a sensitive blood sugar, and I've never been able to do more than 24 hours due to fainting.

Also, I wanted to mention that your "Daniel Fast" ...is almost my diet. My natural normal diet. Except I eat eggs and cheese, and herbal tea.

[Azvanna]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

Also, I wanted to mention that your "Daniel Fast" ...is almost my diet. My natural normal diet. Except I eat eggs and cheese, and herbal tea.

I think that the 'Daniel Fast' is one of the exceptions to the bad diet statement... It's how I aim to eat. But you know I really love Cherry Ripe!

Would it be bad to do the juice fast with bottled juices? I want to try but I don't own a juicer.

[Tamina]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

I never understood fasting, the lack of food or the point behind it, even when I was Christian. I've fasted before, as a teenager, but only because of a fundraiser. I'd love to learn more about it.

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

I fasted for 36 hours once and only drank water with fresh squeezed lemon for my meals and slept outside (in a tent). My goal was 72 hours, but I started to hallucinate, or had a vision of some sort.

I had no goal going into it except to discover something- anything that was pertinent to my existence, and the vision gave that to me. I won't say I completely failed myself because I achieved my goal of some sort of discovery, but I learned my focus isn't that great if I am not fed. I haven't fasted since. I think I should give it a try again.

I never understood fasting, the lack of food or the point behind it, even when I was Christian. I've fasted before, as a teenager, but only because of a fundraiser. I'd love to learn more about it.

From my understanding (from the Hindu point of view at least, and I think it's the same for other paths as well), fasting is used to cleanse the body, mind and spirit of all harmful influence and attachments. By drinking the water with lemon it helps to eliminate bodily waste, such as chemicals, drugs or other unhealthy things. If you pray (or chant or meditate) it is used to get closer to your divinity (whether internal or external, or both) and clear your mind and spirit of all impurities, such as negative and harmful thoughts. It also helps clear your subtle/energy bodies (if you believe in them). There's other reasons I'm sure, but I don't know them. I understand and used fasting as an all around cleanse, but the connection to God or whatever name you give divinity seems like an added bonus.

[Azvanna]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

In regards to the point of fasting, I agree with everything Psyk said . I was taught that fasting is about making your physical self subject to your spirit self. I think it's a bit gnostic (right word?) in that sense as the aim is to deny the flesh. The other reason, from a New Testament pov is that it adds power to your prayer.. Reportedly, Jesus performed a deliverance that the disciples could not because the disciples had not fasted. (Matthew 17:19-21).

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Would it be bad to do the juice fast with bottled juices? I want to try but I don't own a juicer.

and also.. just to answer my own question.. yes, tried this today.. failed miserably. Too much sugar and not enough nutrients. It would have also helped if I took the time to prepare my body beforehand. High five!

[SPhoenix]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

Funny, when I was christian, I did a 3-day water-only fast. I did a lot of reading the bible and praying. I asked that my faith in god be restored because I was totally and completely losing it at last. I was so disillusioned that I couldn't stand it.

I had a vision at the end of the fast, in which God came to me and said point-blank that I'd never once, not for a second, lost my faith in God... only in the bible and its teachings. And by the way, "My name isn't Jesus, though I don't mind if you call me that. It's less important what you call me, than THAT you call me."

And that was the beginning of the end of my christianity.

I would definitely do another 3 day water fast, except that I believe fasting should be personal and private, and hubby is the snoopiest freaking person on the entire planet. If I were to fast and pray for 3 days and 3 nights, he would harass me eternally until I told him WHY... then he would get "the look". The "wtf??" look... *sigh*

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Would it be bad to do the juice fast with bottled juices? I want to try but I don't own a juicer.

I think you could do it if you did it with some "meatier" juices. So rather than, say, apple juice or orange juice, use something like V-8 or better yet, some sort of green drink.

The issue with over-the-counter juices is that they are pasteurized, meaning dead. Juicing at home gives you living juice.

If you eat a typical diet, I think you would find great benefit from a smoothie fast, wherein you can just add a small amount of living greens to some store bought juice. For example, you might add a few leaves of spinach to some apple juice. A de-stringed leaf of kale to a glass of orange juice. Stick them in a blender and ZAP.

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

I had a vision at the end of the fast, in which God came to me and said point-blank that I'd never once, not for a second, lost my faith in God... only in the bible and its teachings. And by the way, "My name isn't Jesus, though I don't mind if you call me that. It's less important what you call me, than THAT you call me."

I just enjoy this sentence, as I am one who questions my faith quite a bit (less and less as time goes by- at least for now). I have known for a long time I am not Christian or any related denomination, but I would even go beyond merely questioning my personal faith and downright blaspheming by jumping pretty deep into the Left-Hand Path, mainly Luciferian/Satanist predatory spirituality. Anyway, I don't want to get too far off topic. Let me end by saying this sentence is inspiring and something to reflect on. This is why I love spiritual forums.

I would definitely do another 3 day water fast, except that I believe fasting should be personal and private, and hubby is the snoopiest freaking person on the entire planet. If I were to fast and pray for 3 days and 3 nights, he would harass me eternally until I told him WHY... then he would get "the look". The "wtf??" look... *sigh*

This would be a great test of tolerance, especially on an empty stomach.

Back on topic:

When it comes to a juice fast, I would suggest staying away from bottled juice at all costs. Aside from what SPhoenix said (it being dead), it is more sugary than home made juice (even the organic stuff), it is kept in plastic which leeches into your beverage (this is why bottled water should be avoided at all costs, especially for the health and fitness freaks out there) and a lot of it is filled with... well, crap. When it comes to home juicing the time and work spent finding the right ingredients, nutritionally and taste wise, lends reinforced intention into the fast (if it is done for spiritual reasons). Plus the ritual of gathering and cutting, especially the aroma, of the fruits and vegetables makes the money and time well worth it. The left overs can even be used as an offering to the Earth and the nature spirits.

[Azvanna]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

Argh!! I want to multi-quote! I loved that sentence too... 'It's more important THAT you call me.'

And the idea of using the fibres as an offering is genius ^.^

[SPhoenix]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

Yeah, it cannot be overstated how huge a turning point that statement was for me. The whole thing, really... but that part was the most profound. It's less important what you call me, than it is that you're calling me. It was sort of delivered to me as a concept, not really exact words. But that's the concept... it's not what you call god, it's that you call god.

It was truly a gift to hear that, and I can take zero credit for it.

[Shawn Cameron]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

I was taught that one fasts for a number of reasons:
1. On a spiritual level you are consciously denying yourself food for the sake of getting closer to god, denying your instinct to eat.
2. after the first day or two you don’t really notice that you’re hungry quite as much and so can focus even more on your prayers.
3. it is a form of sacrifice, giving something up as a sign of love and respect.
4. it cleans the body as Psyk explained.

I knew of one person who would fast every dark moon, to meditate on what it felt like to be empty and to clean herself for a new start with the new moon. (when I speak of fasting I’m talking of the water only fasting)

Personally I love the idea of regular fasting/cleansing for religious purposes. If done regularly it is a time in which you come back to your faith and really focus on that, reconnecting and reaffirming yourself to your path and your gods. I suppose it would work even if it isn’t regularly but I like the discipline of doing something like this on a regular basis. Also it does serve the purpose of cleansing your body of anything it doesn’t need, such as pesticides and what not, and I believe that we should care for the bodies we where gifted with.

As for a Juice fast, I love the idea and was going to try it only last week. I don’t have a juicer but I had a blender so I would blend up my juices then strain them. I even had some plans on what to do with the pulp!... then I broke my blender T.T

[Azvanna]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

Thanks for your input, Shawn ^.^
Have to agree with you here, the benefits are spiritual and physical it would seem.


Oops! sorry to hear about your blender!! What did you plan to do with the pulp, if I may ask?

[Shawn Cameron]

1) You could stir any veggie pulp into a dip, soup or sauce.
2) Use fruit pulp in frozen fruit pops.
3) Make your own fruit leathers
meatballs, meatloaf or burgers
5) Toss it into any baked good recipe. How about throwing some carrot pulp into a pound cake recipe? Pancakes work well too(berries and apples are good for pancakes). It adds some moisture, flavor and a nice texture.
6) Sneak it into some layered recipes like lasagna. (from that leftover tomato veggie juice you made). Mix it right into the tomato sauce for "chunky" lasagna sauce.
7) Try putting it in savory muffins and biscuits. Add some celery, onion or tomato pulp in with your recipe to give it some flair!
8) Mix some honey or other binder in the pulp, roll in cookie shaped balls, and dehydrate for healthy!
9) Make your own animal treats, and throw some pulp in!
10) Mix some extra pulp in a smoothie!
I particularly liked the idea of fruit leathers since I have a dehydrator and its basically just fruit jerky, also putting it in bread to make something like zucchini bread seemed appealing. J the internet is a wonderful source for all kinds of randomness I find.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

The "Daniel fast" is basically vegetarianism from the days before we had readily available non-meats such as cheese, etc. (or refrigeration). Sounds pretty much how I like to eat, most days!

Does the interest in fasting derive from the concept of the spirit and body being separate?

[Azvanna]

Re: Comparing notes on fasting for spiritual breakthrough

The "Daniel fast" is basically vegetarianism from the days before we had readily available non-meats such as cheese, etc. (or refrigeration). Sounds pretty much how I like to eat, most days!

I would really like to eat like this too! But I really do indulge at snack time.. I really do like coffee and biscuits and all those nice comforts

Does the interest in fasting derive from the concept of the spirit and body being separate?

This is a good question. With my Christian roots, I think yes. I was taught always to deny "the flesh" and build up the spirit man through prayer. So yes, I think fasting for me personally has been about putting the needs of my spiritual person ahead of the needs of my body.

I could be wrong about this, but in paganism, it seems there is more of an emphasis on the harmony of body and spirit than in Christianity. I'd be really interested to see how someone really given over to harmony of body and spirit would answer this question and if they would fast at all.