The past few days I've been on a self-imposed short water fast. I've been interested in fasting lately, and I've been reading all about the possible benefits and harmful effects... eventually I decided I wanted to work out an intermittent fasting plan and try it out for a while.

I suppose I'd be lying if I said that part of it wasn't to loose a little excess weight *sigh*...vanity... but other reasons I've been using to justify this process are wanting to become a more focused and spiritual individual, and wanting to feel like I can start to gain some control over my life... which sometimes feels like it's going haywire.

I don't know if I'll ever have FULL control over my life... I suppose that's impossible. But I've been battling an emotional eating addiction for a long time that just keeps getting worse... all the classic symptoms: a new diet every week, looking for the fast solution, doing well for a while but falling off shortly thereafter, eating for emotional reason instead of biological ones, over-eating, and possibly an underlying fear of being healthy... because that hasn't been my comfort zone.

Anyway, enough babbling. I was wondering if anyone here fasts, or has fasted, or is planning on fasting for any reason. What were your reasons? What would you suggest? How do you not just break down and go to a Wendy's and eat a thousand cheeseburgers?! And how do you think this might help/hurt me in my journey with the Tao?

I know this is something I want to try... but I'd like it to be something that I actually stick to (unlike most things I've started in my life)... maybe that way I can gain some kind of focus.

Any kind of wisdom or advice or criticism is both welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

ZiggySunshinedust:

….I know this is something I want to try... but I'd like it to be something that I actually stick to (unlike most things I've started in my life)... maybe that way I can gain some kind of focus.

Any kind of wisdom or advice or criticism is both welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

I’ve found fasting only works when the loss brought greater contentment. Despite my wishes, this is something beyond my control. Loss comes; if I end up feeling newly made I am invariably pulled to further do my utmost to attain emptiness. If the loss has little effect, life returns to normal and further loss soon visits me again. Either way loss will always be present. That valley never dies.

Loss comes in two forms as I see it. I either pay first, or later. Simply, ‘The way that leads forward seems to lead backward’. As you sense this more deeply, you will then be better able to deal with a thing while it is still nothing. In effect you will pay up front and avoid the huge interest penalty that comes with paying later.

Right now you are tending to pay later and are unhappy with the interest that accrues. You are going through growing pains everyone passes through to one degree or another. Consider this:

If you would have a thing shrink,
You must first stretch it;
If you would have a thing weakened,
You must first strengthen it;
If you would have a thing laid aside,
You must first set it up;
If you would take from a thing,
You must first give to it.

Not that it will help you get where you think you need to go, but perhaps it will give you insight on where you are now.