Fasting, Spirituality and Religion

By Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.

The origins of fasting as a religious and spiritual practice are considered obscure (Rader, 2005). Fasting has occurred in every major religion and has been used as a method of transformation and healing since the beginning of recorded history (von Braun, 2007).

Fasting was a practice in the ancient mystery schools created by the teachers and masters of the mystery religions of Egypt, Greece, and Rome (Stone, 1997). Vital experiential practices, such as fasting, were taught by the teacher as a technique by which to bring about inner transformation. Socrates, Plato, and Pythagoras were all advocates and initiates (Butcher, 2007). Pythagoras went as far as to require a 40-day fast of his students (Suvarna & Nirgun, 1974).

Ancient Egyptian priests and priestesses fasted before entering the temple and as a matter of initiation (Clark, 2000; Houston, 1998). The act of fasting served as a way to transform the individual into a state of worthiness for priestly duties. Ancient Egyptian and Babylonian rituals included fasting as a form of penance that expressed sorrow for wrongdoing (Rader, 2005). Egyptian Christianity during this period held the same beliefs, viewing fasting as a “means of reducing or eliminating tension between the earthbound body and the divine” (p. 2997).

Fasting has long been used as a means of alleviating feelings grief. Homer’s (2007) The Iliad and the Odyssey contains stories of fasting, such as the tale of Achilles, who—saddened by the death of a comrade—vows to fast to avenge his passing. Hutton Webster (1973) described this phenomenon as follows:

The physical repugnance of food after experiencing grief, fear, or other strong emotions, would tend to become a conventional abstinence, as the symbol, and sometimes pretense, of such emotions. Doubtless the mourning fast often arose in this manner. (p. 164)

Historically, fasting has served as a way to expiate sin and become worthy of God’s grace. It had to do with releasing emotions and connecting our souls with the sacred, particularly at significant transition points. In addition to being seen as preparation for divine revelation, fasting is a prelude to important events in a person’s life. Through these mechanisms, fasting became a means of transformation in religious and spiritual traditions.

Religious founders have consistently demonstrated fasting to be an effective method for receiving revelations and achieving transformation. Following their lead, religious and political leaders modeled this behavior to create paradigm shifts – in themselves and among the populace. In response, followers have fasted, in accordance with established doctrines and as a personal prescription for obtaining transcendence. Particularly in literate cultures, fasting is used to develop spiritual powers and to overcome corporality (von Braun, 2007).

In the major religions, fasting has been mainly preparatory, purificatory, repentant, and supplicatory (Rader, 2005). Examination of how fasting has been used in world religions and spiritual traditions can offer further insight into how it has been used as a means of change.

Fasting in Christianity

The popularity of fasting in Christianity is largely due to Jesus’ predilection for it. The first record of his fasting was in preparation for his public ministry. Huston Smith (1995) recounted Jesus’ experience: Having descended, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness where, during forty days of prayer and fasting, he consolidated the Spirit that had entered him. He then returned to the world empowered. (p. 206)

Throughout his ministry, Jesus promoted fasting among his followers and his disciples carried on the tradition (Vaage & Wimbush, 1999; von Braun, 2007). In Christianity, fasting has been used as a way to realign misguided priorities, initiate a deeper connection to God, and to imitate Christ. Arthur Wallis, itinerant Bible teacher and author of The Radical Christian, called fasting a powerful catalyst for transformation, pointing to the long list of fasting references in the Bible, as well as to saints, scholars, preachers, missionaries, revivalists, and evangelists who fasted and testified to its value. Wallis (1968) claimed a biblical imperative to fast and asserted that spiritual power can only be gained through fasting. He called for the Catholic Church to renew the practice of fasting as a means to regain its lost apostolic power (p. 9).

Among Christian religions, fasting is most prevalent in Catholicism. The major season of fasting is Lent, inspired by Jesus’ 40-day fast. This is an example of attempting to be more Christ-like; a form of emulation called “imitatio Christi,” Latin for “imitating Christ” (Wheatley, 2007).

One of the best-known occurrences of fasting and imitatio Christi was that of the Catholic saints. The saints would frequently fast for extended periods in order to demonstrate their devotion to Christ. Carol Lee Flinders (1993) described how Sainte Claire of Assisi’s love of Christ colored her perspective: Claire’s life of poverty was not a grim, calculated handing over but rather a joyous, easy, impatient flinging aside; lovers don’t feel the cold, lovers don’t care what they eat—and Claire was a lover, running full tilt toward her Beloved . . . . (p. 23)

Claire was so devoted to Christ that she had herself carried to church after her prolonged fasting had made her too weak to walk.

The fasting activity among the Catholic saints was not always associated with divinity. Although the saints were known for their fasting visions of God and Christ, they also had apparitions of demons. St. Anthony, an Egyptian ascetic, reported having demonic visions after his frequent fasting. Nevill Drury (2006) proposed that St. Anthony’s visions were actually hallucinations caused by the bread he ate after breaking his fast - bread that may have been infected with ergot, a fungus from which LSD is synthesized. Other reports of demonic apparitions included those of Catherine of Sienna, who claimed to have seen and heard demons telling her to quit fasting and return to a normal life (Flinders, 1993).

Fasting in Judaism

Fasting has a long history in Judaism during which it has been practiced at times with severity (MacGregor, 1989). Moses fasted for 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving the Torah (von Braun, 2007). In Leviticus in the Bible, Moses states the purpose of fasting is to make atonement for past offenses (Ezra, 2002). This set the precedent of atonement as a fundamental part of Judaism. Philosopher and theologian Patricia A. Williams (2001) said, “. . . atonement involves both revelation and transformation . . . it changes human nature” (p. 195). In this respect, fasting has been used in Judaism as a means of reparation of past transgressions.

In the Talmud, written by Rabbis in Babylonia around 600 C.E., an entire chapter is devoted to Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, a fast that lasts for one day (Schnall, 1981). Four more days of communal fasting are spelled out in the Talmud, each commemorating historical tragedies.

In Judaism, fasting has been instituted as a sign of mourning, when danger was perceived, or in preparation for divine revelations. On occasion, fasts were instituted for entire communities, particularly when the nation was believed to be under divine displeasure, such as times of great upheaval, pestilence, or drought (Werblowsky & Wigoder, 1997). Like Christians during the Lenten season, Jewish people will often take the money that would have been spent on food for themselves and give financial assistance to someone less fortunate (Young, 2007).

Repentance is another function of fasting in Judaism. In a similar manner as atonement, repentance is demonstrated by fasting and showing remorse or contrition for one's sins. Brad H. Young (2007) explained the significance of this association, “ . . . for the rabbis fasting is nearly synonymous with repentance. One returns home to God by denying oneself, subjugating the strong will for human gratification, over to the divine will for holy living” (p. 15).

Much of Jesus’ affinity to fasting is found in the Judaic tradition. Young explained Jesus’ respect for the Judaic practice of fasting as follows:

Jesus is not opposed to the Jewish fasts of the sacred calendar of Israel. In strong loyalty to his people and their shared faith commitments, it seems clear that Jesus himself fasted on these days. The clear reference to set fast days of the calendar, “When you fast . . . ” indicates that he participated fully in the liturgical yearly cycle of prayer and fasting followed by his people. Moreover, in the Sermon on the Mount, he teaches his followers how to fast. Much like his teaching on prayer, he supports the customs of ancient Israel but stresses the necessity for the right attitude of heart. Fasting is accompanied by heartfelt prayer . . . Prayer should transform the one who prays. The worshiper must seek the face of God with genuine sincerity. Prayer and fasting require inner participation of the heart, soul and mind. (p. 16)

Fasting is often done in Judaism as a means of heightening spiritual awareness (Young, 2007). It has been used as a method of transformation in the Jewish practice of Kabbalah, beginning with the Safed Kabbalists of the 16th century (Wigoder, Skolnick, & Himelstein, 2002). Kabbalistic principle dictates that followers must adhere to specific spiritual practices, such as fasting, in order to achieve transcendent states of consciousness (Hoffman, 1996). Psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Gerald Epstein (1995) spoke of the importance of fasting in Kabbalah:

In fasting, we usually feel light and buoyant because we have established another rhythm other than our ordinary one. Establishing this other than customary rhythm temporarily takes us out of ourselves by altering a habit. This estrangement is lived as a time event because rhythm is a function of time. Now, if fasting is an experience shared by our ancestors through the Hebrew custom of Yom Kippur, then we are able to live past, present, and future in one moment of effort. Through this effort of being together in time, we have shared, by an interior act, the life of our ancestors. (p. 264)

Epstein’s depiction describes a phenomenological construct of fasting that occurs across all religions: the ability to tap into the collective consciousness of others who are presently fasting and those who have fasted before us. Fasting does this by removing the barriers that block this connection. Obstacles include feelings of fear, grief, and depression. Without these obstructions, the faster has the ability to connect with the collective consciousness, often through the use of prayer and meditation.

Another reason that fasting increases the ability for connection with the collective unconscious has do with the meditative qualities of fasting. In the summer of 1993, researchers claimed that 4,000 meditators reduced the crime in Washington, D. C. by 20% through the use of Transcendental Meditation (Hagelin et al., 1999). According to the study’s authors, meditation techniques allow access to a larger field of consciousness that has always been there, beyond the conscious thinking mind. This same phenomenon occurs during fasting primarily because it is commonly combined with meditation, as demonstrated by numerous historical figures, including Buddha, Gandhi, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad.

Fasting in Islamic Religions

In Islam, the most sacred fast occurs during the month of Ramadan, to honor the period of time when Muhammad wrote the Qur'an. Fasting is the fourth of the five pillars of Islam known as “sawm” (MacGregor, 1989). The Muslim scholar, Al-Ghazzali said that the main purpose of fasting is “to purify the heart and to concentrate all its attention upon God” (Al-Ghazzali, 1995, p. 49).

The prophet Muhammad routinely fasted for extended periods. His best-known fast occurred before the Night of Power, the night the Qur'an was first revealed to him by Allah (von Braun, 2007).

In the Qur'an, an entire chapter is written about three different types of fasting; ritual fasting, fasting as compensation or repentance, and ascetic fasting (McAuliffe, 2002). The three types of fasting Muhammad outlined in the Qur'an represent different spiritual intents. The first, ritual fasting, is done on a prescribed day or days to honor someone, such as Muhammad. The second, fasting as repentance, is a type of self-sacrifice intended as compensation. The third type of fasting, ascetic, has to do with experiencing humility.

To learn more about fasting, visit www.fastingtherapy.org.

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About the Author

Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and author specializing in the treatment of mental health using integrative medicine and natural therapies. She works with individuals, couples, and families at her office in San Jose, California. Dr. Fredricks' publications include the landmark book Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Dr. Randi Fredricks as articles often present the published results of the research of other professionals. Copyright © 2012. To cite this article, please use the following citation: Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health. Bloomington, IN: Author House.


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