Another area where I hadn’t fully jumped on the bandwagon is the discipline of fasting.
Fasting seemed like such a weird “transcendental” radical thing to me. I’m not even sure if those are the right adjectives to use, but those were always the words I’d associate with fasting: Transcendental and Radical. Cue the psychedelic music.
I know now, however, after implementing it into my own life, that fasting’s FAR from weird or transcendental, but it is radical. It’s radical because it’s hard and we don’t HAVE to do it.
After adopting fasting as a means of discipline, it has proven itself to be a way for me to be mindful of my blessings, how I can be a better steward of my resources, keep a sense of humor, realize the “hard” things I’m enduring could be way worse, and that I am a child of God fully equipped to handle anything that comes my way with His help.
I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s true for me.
I don’t fast as a gimmicky way to lose weight or curb eating, although, I guess that’s part of it by sheer happenstance, nor do I fast to make myself feel “super virtuous” (the thought makes me shudder). I fast for reasons beyond what my original arrogance, immaturity and naivety had had me believe.
I have found it profoundly rewarding as a result.
So, if you choose to fast (you can fast from anything, not just food), don’t talk about it, don’t broadcast it, don’t bask in your virtue and, by all means, don’t complain about it.
You’re wildly blessed. Find out how much. Fast.
Read “Ignorance Is Blitzed” 1 of 3 here
Read “Ignorance Is Blitzed” 2 of 3 here
NOTE: When it comes to fasting from food for long periods of time (i.e. 5 days), two successful fasting tactics that I use are 1) consuming 10 ounces of BCAA’s twice a day and, 2) sipping on chicken bone broth for my meals. I just recently finished a fast from food (resumed eating on 1/5/2024) and the hacks above helped me not want to claw my eyes out. Haha I’m being a little ridiculous, but I will say, the fast did not seem perilous or overly punishing.
