Home again, safe, and everything is calm, quiet even.
I always thought I was anti ascetic, self denial seemed like an easy escape from failure… and I’m not saying that’s wrong.
What I’m noticing is how going without makes having the sweeter. I won’t impose it on myself, we’re entering the season of spiritual fasting, lent. Silly, silly idea. I just lived without my bed, my dog, and my computer for seven days. It wasn’t too bad either, because we were all dealing with missing our comforts of home.
I saw an awesome concert though! I also got to listen to some live music while eating amazing pizza and having my favorite beer. For seven days my focus was more on others than myself. Yes, I had a breakdown near the end, but in that I found out how supportive my friends are.
So I’m saying that I get why people fast. Maybe someday I’ll have the willpower to deny myself again… right now I’m going to watch my shows and play my game, my cradle of comfort is lovely to return to
3 comments
Great topic, I’m wondering if anyone else has experiences with this. I can vouch 100% that fasting clears the cobwebs out of your mind, and that generally leads to less depressing thoughts. Back in school I used to go on juice fasts during finals or stressful times, and I’m convinced that’s what kept afloat, academically as well as physically.
So the question is why not do it more often. I suppose fasting is one of those positive self-denials like quitting addictions, it requires a lot of discipline and some optimism to get started. At least it requires believing you can do it. I haven’t been in that state of mind in ages.
if we’re talking fasting in terms of diets, short term fasting works bc the Standard American Diet is SAD- we don’t eat very healthy. Fasting or a juice cleanse is healthy for us, clears out our digestive tract out of all that gunk most of us have been eating.
if you’re talking lent kind of fasting, denying yourself temporarily of creature comforts, yes that works too- for healthy normal ppl. it doesn’t work the same if you’re sick/disabled though.
when you deny yourself something and “get it back”, it provides short term positive feelings. doesn’t last though. i suppose people can do it more often than 1x/yr like for lent, but then again, if done too often, say 1x/mo, it won’t be as effective.