There are many reasons to fast, and different methods, depending on one’s purpose. Fasting has been used throughout history to heal the body and to enhance spiritual awareness. The wisdom of fasting, obtained over the last 5,000 years, is largely unknown to mainstream society.
Fasting promotes healing through detoxification. It keeps practitioners free from major health crises, addictions (including to cooked food for aspiring live-foodists), stress and fatigue. Between fasts, a reasonable diet and moderate exercise are necessary. Periodic fasts facilitate a healthful lifestyle by enabling one to engage in physical activities and practices such as meditation more easily, and by increasing the desire for high quality food.
A pro-fasting clue provided by nature comes from animals who stop eating to regain health when they get sick. Humans do not follow suit largely due to an irrational fear of starving to death. Contrary to this misguided belief, it has been determined a person can safely consume only organic raw vegetable juice (known as a juice fast) for at least 100 days. In fact, this juice is so nutrient dense it has been debated whether its use is appropriate in a fast. During a fast the body is freed from the huge energy demands of digestion so it can utilize metabolism for cleansing and reparation. The latter is a process of detoxification known as autolysis, where dead cells and toxins are removed from the body through the eliminative organs (lungs, bowels, kidneys, liver and skin). The definition of a fast is met with juice consumption in that the nutrition provided does not require the release of digestive enzymes and autolysis occurs.
The signal to end a fast is the return of hunger and a clear tongue free of the white mucus that signifies toxicity. Fasts that do not continue until this point still provide benefit due to the rest given to the digestive system and the elimination of some toxins. Fasting should be accompanied by other activities that aid the body in detoxification such as mild exercise, skin brushing, tongue scraping, and enemas.
Addictions may be overcome more easily through fasting since “cellular memory craving” is eliminated when the associated toxins are cleared from the body. Another important physical benefit derived from fasting is weight loss. Lowered caloric intake is associated with longevity, whereas obesity is linked to many chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
The benefits of fasting are cumulative, so periodic fasts are advised. Some experts recommend that those who are able, especially those on a plant-based diet, fast four times a year for seven to ten days at three-month intervals. This period of time has proven safe for unsupervised fasts. Relative fasts, whereby one refrains from a toxic habit such as meat eating or sugar consumption, can be employed at repeated intervals to improve health over time. Those with medical problems, or who wish to engage in longer fasts, should obtain professional supervision so the process of detoxification can be monitored. There are also conditions for which fasting are not advisable, such as some cancers and neurologic diseases.
After the first few days of a fast, hunger dissipates. The appetite is freed from stimulation which, in turn, frees the mind to dwell on higher aspirations. Historically, this has included the object of a social protest. Fasting is a way to use the body to transcend the body. Empirical evidence suggests fasting leads to feelings of tranquility, well being and even bliss. Eventually the goal is to realize one’s true or divine identity, apart from the mind-body complex.
As the body is freed from toxins, the nadis or channels are cleared to allow an enhanced flow of energy via the chakras and auric field. Increasingly more prana, the universal energy, then connects to the pituitary and pineal glands of the endocrine system through the crown chakra. This facilitates the awakening of kundalini energy, located in the first chakra at the base of the spine. When this occurs the body becomes a superconductor of pranic energy, thus accomplishing the goal of the spiritual aspirant.
However, any type of fasting should be done under professional supervision, like a doctor, dietician, or nutritionist.
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