Fasting....?

Question

Has anyone fasted before? If so, how do you do it? Do you work your way up to not eating anything, eating less and less until nothing, or do you just quit eating for a period of time? Also, do you take vitamins or supplements during your fast? Thanks.

Answer 1

Here's how it's done in the Orthodox Church, which has maintained the same discipline since the fourth century.

On fast days, you eat one meal, after sunset. That meal should have no meat, fish, alcohol, eggs, dairy products, or oil -- basically, vegetables cooked in water and salt.

Every Wednesday and Friday are fast days (this is attested to in the Didache, the earliest post-New Testament Christian document in existence, from the late first century). There are also four major fast periods during the year. Lent is one; there are also fasts before Christmas (no Christmas parties for Orthodox), before the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul in the summer, and before the Feast of the Assumption August. Some of those are stricter than others. The first week of Lent is the most severe: you eat nothing on Monday or Tuesday; one meal on Wednesday, nothing on Thursday, and one meal on Friday. A lot of pious people don't eat at all during that whole first week. And in the Orthodox Church, you're in a lot of services that week, all *standing* since Orthodox Churches have no pews and think it's disrespectful to sit in God's presence. It can be pretty tough. But for the faithful, it's all out of love, not out of slavery to ritual.

During the extended fast periods, Saturdays and Sundays (sabbath and Resurrection days) are a little more lenient; you can eat two meals.

I'm not Orthodox anymore, so: leaving all those rules aside, I can tell you that the best spiritual benefits of fasting come from simply not eating for an extended period of time. Fast for three days just drinking water, don't take supplements, and see what happens to you. Don't worry about the hunger pangs; they're worse than they feel, and you won't die :-). But --most important thing -- fasting always goes with prayer. Pray when you fast, or your fasting will just make you annoyed and tired.

Answer 2

A fast should happen naturally, as if one were just naturally guided into it. If it involves forcing or a feeling of sacrifice of any kind, then it is not a real fast. Some people do it as a bodily cleanse, but my feeling is that it is ultimately more of a spiritual cleanse when done appropriately

Begin a couple of days before by eating light meals - vegetarian meals and smaller portions than you generally might. The day before should be fruit, especially your last meal. Some people say citrus and grapes are helpful because they are cleansing.
Fasting is generally a time of deep devotion to prayer and inner listening in which the attention is taken of off food (which can require a great deal of attention to shop for, prepare and digest) and other major distractions. It is a time which requires rest and solitude. It is a time of introspection where the attention is turned from the worldly / physical to the mental / spiritual. Small amounts of very light foods - like grapes - may be eaten if one feels guided or if it is helpful. You should always drink water. Lay off the vitamins until you are eating full meals again - they aren't generally water soluble.

Answer 3

Now I fast once a month, for two meals. I used to not drink water, but I do now since I've passed a kidney stone. (and If I happen to be on medications that require taking it with food, I'll usually just take it with a little bit of milk, or drinkable yogurt). Medical needs aside. Yes, I worked up to lasting for the two meals, adding about an hour each time.

Also, we take the money we would have spent on the food and donate it to a fund that helps the needy. I've heard that if everybody did this, there would be no starvation in the world. Isn't that a beautiful thought?

Answer 4

I fast for a month(Ramadan) every year.I don't prepare for it in anyway e.g cut down on my eating in the weeks leading up to Ramadan.
I don't take any supplements either and I'm sure that most people don't,at least no-one that I know of take supplements when they are fasting.
Fasting is from sunrise to sunset every day in the Islamic religion during the month of Ramadan.

Answer 5

Fasting has several elements. First of all you have to determine the length of your fast. It doesn't have to be for 40 days and 40 nights. You can start with a meal. The point is to replace your solid food with spiritual food. You can take supplements to replace the nutrition value as well.

Answer 6

Ok as a Native American, fasting is to purify yourself and to seek a vision. A vision to help with a problem you have or to have as a guidance.

First you would cleanse yourself, washing yourself making sure there is nothing on you. Here we have sweat lodges you can sit in and it opens all your pores and cleanses you. I have never fasted before, but uncle does often and I think he goes to the hills or forest and you would sit there, not eating or drinking anything at all for that day you are to fast and on until you recieve your vision. It could be a day or more until you recieve your vision, but it's really worth it in the end.

Answer 7

You might give up certain food(s) or all food.
Two or three days, perhaps.
Depends on how you're led.
I usually do a 3 day / all food myself. Pick a day and just stop eating. I don't bother with supplements but there's nothing wrong with using them.

http://www.gotquestions.org/fasting-Christian.html

Answer 8

Fasting occurs when one is so busy PRAYING that they forget to eat.

Fasting for the sake of fasting is ""doing things to impress GOD' That, HE does not need, require, or desire.

That is why True Christians do not scourge or beat themselves with chains, etc..

Answer 9

Fasting is a regular practice. choose a day to give up something freely and while giving that up seek the Lord for His will about why your fasting. fasting does not change Gods mind about something, it changes us to deprive ourselves to know His will in regards to the matter we are asking about.

Answer 10

the day before I fast I pig out on just about everything that I can to make me feel absolutely full.

I have fasted for 14 days, and all I take is water by mouth.