10 Things Worth Fasting From Aside Food
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In the Lenten tradition, Christians fast. So each year I prepare myself for the season by collecting a list of things I would like to be rid of. Some food item is typically among the list of heathenish activity I would prefer eliminated (milk chocolate, honeyed rice cakes, sin), and as any of you who’ve been with me for a while know, I’m a heavy proponent of fasting generally–that is, fasting from eating, specifically.
But what is fasting? And why should we do it? This is a good question and it’s a question not too many think about. And the easy answer is this. Fasting is whatever bridles the lusts of the flesh.
Fasting, in other words, is a discipline, not an outcome. We fast to become a more serious and centered person, not because we want to lose body fat, although we typically do lose body fat when engaged in fasting, that’s true. But that’s not the reason we fast.
We fast because it’s good for us, first, spiritually, and second, physically, since we can see from meditation to charity to prayer and so on, that whatever builds the body is also that which purifies the soul. I find it no coincidence that there is such a strong, salubrious connection between the two. (Salubrious is a word I will begin fasting from, starting tomorrow.)
But aside food, what else should a person fast from? I obviously can’t give an exhaustive or perfect list for everyone, unless our list runs something like, say:
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
- sin!
And thanks be to God!
But what I can do is give you my list, and let you take it from there, and do with it what you will. Because like most, I’ve yet to bridle all lusts of the flesh, so what’s helpful for me, might also be helpful for you. So here’s what I’ll be working on.
10 Things Worth Fasting From Aside Food
- Fear of moving outside your comfort zone.
Action Items: Do ONE thing everyday that scares you. Strike up a conversation with a stranger. Leave home without your phone. - Distraction.
Action Items: No devices at the dinner table. No podcasts or music in the car. - Entitlement.
Action Items: Daily remember and recite this prayer, “”Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” – Augustine of Hippo. Also, when put in a tough situation, an argument, etc, ask first, what can I do to make this better? - The Quick Fix Mentality
Action Items: Start a project (or become part of a program) that promotes long term commitment at the start. (For example, join a church, or some other spiritual community. Also, Strong ON!) - Youtube and Netflix (this generation’s equivalent of giving up “TV”)
Action Items: Delete these apps from your phone and TV. - People Pleasing.
Action Items: Say no at least three times a day. Politely, of course, but with firm disposition. - Breaking Promises.
Action Items: Do what you say, no matter what; even–and especially–when it inconveniences you. (Hint: this become a lot easier when you also stop being a people pleaser.) - Heroin. (just in case.)
Action Items: Don’t do heroin!!! - Swearing.
Action Items: Start a swear jar, into which you donate a certain amount of money anytime you cuss. At the end of the week/month/whatever, give that money away. - Not Reading Good Books.
Action Items: Read at least one good book per week. - Bonus: Dishonesty.
Action Item: Think before you speak, and always ask, am I telling the truth? Even little lies, harmless as they may seem, add up to wreak havoc on the psyche.
So that’s my list.
Now, what about you and your fasting list? Let me know in the comments?
Strong ON!
– Pat
The Pat Flynn Show
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Rose says
Excellent list. Not to be picky though- there is no e at the end of heroin. The way you have it spelled, we should be giving up our female heroes. I guess what I need to give up is perfectionism and perhaps sarcasm. LOL
Lisa Hibberd says
I wanted to find the journal writing I did on the Fasting topic, as it related to Spiritual practices. Remember a few years back I asked you to speak at a Convent!!!
I wanted you to discuss how important the Physical fast supports the Spiritual growth?? I found my notes and reflection, I’ll share them here again with you. Maybe you can look at with new eyes, your writings are definitely opening mine, again. It’s a lot, and I have much more, I hope this helps the physical/spiritual connection conversation on emptying to be filled.
Fasting: A reflection on a Conversation–
Fasting creates space, a pause. We eat to fed ourselves on many levels of this body; physical to subtle. Feeding is to eating; as hunger is to craving. One serves us (feeding and hunger) and the other, slays us (eating and cravings).
We were created — hungry. This need, for nourishment.
Everything we take in through our senses (taste, touch,smell, hear and see) comes into us, whole. In this fullness, comes nutrition and value; with toxins and waste, all indifferent proportions to each person’s experience and constitution. Fasting, offers us pause, it is an integral part of feeding ourselves on every level. Pat explained in our discussion; simply, we are either in a fasted state or in a fed state, physically. This statement includes a lot of information about the nervous systems, what is on or off; the energy systems, how they work and when; bottom line is- we are either materializing or de-materializing. Born hungry to feed this body, this mind, this – soul; in order to balance. We pause to create space. Fasting offers us this pause, we were designed for it; to take in the wholeness (nutrition/toxins, what serves/what does not, value/waste), so we can discern, assimilate, and transform what we have taken or been given. We so often absorb or ingest things we have no control over, it is put onto us.
Our bodies know what to do, we were divinely designed to exquisitely evolve. We need to be mindful that resting the digestive system is just as important to the body; as recovery is when working out. De-materializing. Create space. Materialize. It is an efficient cycle. We have moved away from it in our crowded and engorged lifestyles.
When we breathe we take in air, all inclusive of life giving oxygen as well as pollution and allergens. Our lungs filter the air; take the parts that do not serve us out (exhale), and send the parts that serve us where they need to go. We pause, between the inhale and exhale for this to work. Our whole internal ecosystem works on this balance of letting go. When one system is out of balance, the other systems tend to follow suit. We can gift ourselves this pause; in self reflection, a fast, in mediation or prayer to find this subtle awareness in all of the body, for every experience we take in.
We are challenging the participants, and anyone interested to mindfully micro-fast. Either look at it as planning when you eat between 12pm and 7pm or planning when you don’t eat, between 7pm and 10 am. Which ever plan works to accomplish the goal. There are modifications that can be done and for first time fasters, try this once a week, then twice, etc. It is best to fast for less time more often, than to fast for longer times, less often when beginning. Make this challenging enough, yet successful. Be mindful when you are eating and preparing food. Be reflective when you are fasting. Make your food choices closest to nature and avoid overly processed/packaged foods. And as discussed first talk with your doctor, or wellness practitioner.
It is important to understand that we do not fast to punish ourselves or because our bodies, and our appetites are ‘sinful or bad’. Our bodies, our appetites and our food and drink, are all part of divine creation–a creation which is inherently good.
Indeed, as intelligent human beings we know that in and of itself what we eat or drink has no power to affect our relationship with Self, Source, the Divine, the Absolute or what you want to name God. But,when we start to look to food for solace or to drink for peace, or physical/mental distractions for comfort for then it becomes unhealthy. For then we are looking to food, drink and distraction to serve a role that is properly reserved for a deeper connection to Truth, what ever you have named it.
Over the course of the next few weeks we will layer in other fasting challenges, prayers and mediation exercises.
Week 1 – Microfasting
Week 2 – Smart Phone Fasting – turn off all application after 6pm to 6 am the next
day (phone use only)
Week 3 – Turn off TV after 6pm to 6 am the next day
Week 4 – Turn off the computer after 6 pm to 6 am the next day
Week 5 – Financial Fasting – Try to make only necessary purchases, no more no less.
Use all the food in your house, don’t buy any more gas than you need for the week,
find other things to entertain yourself that do not cost money. Offer to help
neighbors, volunteer, etc.
Week 6 – Examine
The Final Week we will examine our progress. All progress includes failures, these are examined along with the successes. Meditate, pray, journal; what comes up in these spaces, in the empty bowl we create within. What do we hold there, what do we need to release?
Resource:
Review of Empty Bowl Meditation – Dr. Lad
(remember you can insert what ever name you give the Divine, the Source of all things)
Sit comfortably and quietly in a cross-legged posture, with the palms up and placed open on your knees, like empty bowls.Relax your fingers as if you are holding a bowl in each hand. Open the mouth slightly and touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth, behind the front teeth.
Simply watch the movement of the breath,which is the object of awareness. Do not interfere with your breath; just let the lungs do their work with no effort on your part. As you pay attention to your breath, be aware of the tip of your nose and the touch of the air entering the nostrils. Sit quietly and feel you are inside the nose, remaining aware of the movement of air touching the nostrils. Incoming air has a cool touch, while the outgoing air is warm.
After about five minutes, follow the breath with your attention. Go with the air into your nose, throat, lungs, diaphragm,and down behind the belly button, where you will experience a natural ‘stop.’Stay in this ‘stop’ for a fraction of a second, then follow the exhalation, as it goes upward from the belly to the diaphragm, lungs, throat, and out through the nose to about nine inches in front of the nostrils, which is a second‘stop’ that is outside the body.
The movement of breath is time. At these stopping points, the breath stops and time stops, and there is only pure existence. God is present and you are surrounded by peace and love. The moment you allow the lungs to breathe and become like an empty bowl, divine lips can touch you and your heart will fill with divine love. God will pour His love into you. Most bowls are full of ambition, competition, thoughts, feelings,desires, anger, frustration, or fear. Since time immemorial, God has been seeking an empty bowl into which to pour His love.
Āgama means inhalation and nigama means exhalation. In these two processes, God is breathing and whispering the love divine into the heart of every being. Hence, another name for Empty Bowl meditation is Āgama Nigama Veda.
Practice this meditation for 15 minutes each morning and evening. You may also practice this meditation in a prone position.
Spontaneously stay in the ‘stops’ between breathing in and out; in which ever stop you feel more comfortable, remain there without effort. In the beginning,it will only be for a fraction of a second, so don’t worry if nothing happens.Just do this sincerely every day for a year or so, without expecting anything. Over the days and weeks, you will find your time in each stop naturally prolongs until eventually the inner and outer stops merge at the third eye and everything happens within you. A person should think, “nothing should happen,”then everything will happen on its own accord. This is the skill in action of meditation. When your stop, naturally and without effort, increases to ninety seconds, you will be become enlightened. Then you see the inner light behind the third eye, the blue pearl that is a beautiful dawn on the horizon of bliss. This is a powerful technique.
Remember we do not really inhale, muscular energy changes the shape of our chest cavity and atmospheric pressure pushes the air into our lungs.
We co-participate; connected to everything else, we live and die. Materialize and dematerialize.
Pat Flynn says
This is wonderful.