In the beliefs of many religions, Fasting is a part of their worship. For some it is an abstention from certain things for certain times, For others it is an abstention from all foods for certain time periods. For those who are of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or "Mormons" the first Sunday of every month is a Fast Sunday. For two meals in time, usually from dinner the night before 'till dinner that Sunday evening, we abstain from everything food and water. The only thing we eat or drink in that time is what is known as the Eucharist in other religions. To us it is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. A morsel of bread and a small cup of water, During that time, we focus even more intently on spiritual things to strengthen our bodies while weakening our carnal temporal natures. It is often hard to tame the physical desires and the body screaming for food, even to the point where it often drowns out the spiritual voices.
Physical Benefits of Fasting
There have been a number of studies have been done on the physical benefits of periodic fasting. Some of the benefits include allowing the body time to cleanse itself. With many of the abuses we pile upon ourselves through our diet, it is good for the body to get a small break allowing it to clear out and clean up the mess we have made. If we just constantly eat, then our bodies use resources to digest the food we have and has none to repair the damage we do to ourselves. However, if we periodically allow our bodies to go full bore on the "repair" cycle. a lot of damage can be undone. Of course it could also benefit us to not do some of the damage we do anyway.
http://www.livescience.com/48888-intermittent-fasting-benefits-weight-loss.html
Mental benefits of Fasting
When we are not constantly feeding the screaming fat man within, we prove to ourselves that we are in control and not our stomachs. When we can walk by our favorite fast food place, see the idealized advertisement for our favorite junk food, and then be "repulsed' by the calories, fat, and salt we see there, that self control is beginning to be made manifest.
Emotional Benefits of Fasting
To have a goal that we want to reach in weight loss and greater health really helps in what we want to achieve. For me it is to regain some things i have lost over the years and really want back. I have mentioned some in past posts but as I sit here and write I want to mention a few that rise to the top at this moment. I want to look at myself in the mirror, fully clothed and be happy with the shape that I am in. I want to think of a hike in the beautiful Wasatch mountains, that I drive to every day for work and not be immediately seized with the physical exhaustion that it seems to present. I want to beat my all time mile run record which I set in sixth grade at East wood Elementary of 7:53. My time has only gotten worse since. I want to be able to run and play with my kids at whatever game or activity they want to do and not have to turn them down because I am too tired. I want to be able to go swing dancing with my wife and not be heaving a lung after twenty seconds. I see a mental picture of a man with a skinnier version of my face, healthy, trim, full of energy and I never fail to see him as happy. I want so much to be that man. Fasting is one component of that.
Spiritual Benefits of Fasting
The spirit in my mind is the inner me, separate and distinct from my body that in likeness of my body controls it and uses it as a hand would a glove to move, act, etc in life to live and be. As we care for our bodies or abuse them, the condition of our bodies improves, degrades, etc and that can have an effect on our spiritual well being as well. In my religion, as mentioned before, one of the purposes of our life here is to subjugate the physical nature of man and bring it in line with the eternal nature of God. The natural impulses of man to eat and over eat, to drink and get drunk, and to rest or oversleep are all manifestations of how well we are doing at that battle to subjugate the carnal, sensual and even devilish elements of our physical natures.
When we are born our spirits are clean and ,being joined with a body, embark on a new experience of physical desires and temptations. How well we respond to them and go through them dictates how well we can control those passions which are part of this mortal experience. Babies cry when hungry and over time, they learn to soothe themselves and feed themselves. Children likewise go in search for food but when guided by parents,and other wise adults, they can control their passions and again only eat as necessary and not be beholden to the "screaming fat man within" Fasting weakens that natural man and allows the quiet whisper of the spirit to come through. I want to hear more from that spirit and this year will be working to strengthen my connection to it.
Fasting is a powerful way of subjugating the body to the mind, emotions and spirit. Properly done and done based on ones own needs and situation, it can be a great help. I also want to testify tot he role that Jesus Christ plays in fasting. I know many of you who may read this are not religious but it is in my religion that fasting begins for me. In the bible, the Lord comes down from the mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John. below the other apostles had struggled all night to free a man from possession by evil spirits and failed. The Lord rebuked the devils within the man and they departed. Afterward, the apostles asked why they were unable and the Lords response in part was "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
In essence what he was telling them is this problem was not a typical one and needed greater power and strength in the spirit to overcome. He having been both on the mount and likely fasted through his experiences as well as being the Lord himself and the source of the power of which he spoke had that power and authority sufficient to rebuke them.
My temptations for food and junk and other things like that are the proverbial possession by a devil, one I brought on myself through years of overeating, lack of exercise and subjugation to the carnal. For me to succeed at this, it will not succeed or go out but that I include prayer and fasting in it.
What are some of the elements in your religion that you connect with good health and weight loss?
What are your traditions in fasting? Why do you do it?
If you don't fast, is it something you see yourself as being beneficial? Why or why not?
Physical Benefits of Fasting
There have been a number of studies have been done on the physical benefits of periodic fasting. Some of the benefits include allowing the body time to cleanse itself. With many of the abuses we pile upon ourselves through our diet, it is good for the body to get a small break allowing it to clear out and clean up the mess we have made. If we just constantly eat, then our bodies use resources to digest the food we have and has none to repair the damage we do to ourselves. However, if we periodically allow our bodies to go full bore on the "repair" cycle. a lot of damage can be undone. Of course it could also benefit us to not do some of the damage we do anyway.
http://www.livescience.com/48888-intermittent-fasting-benefits-weight-loss.html
Mental benefits of Fasting
When we are not constantly feeding the screaming fat man within, we prove to ourselves that we are in control and not our stomachs. When we can walk by our favorite fast food place, see the idealized advertisement for our favorite junk food, and then be "repulsed' by the calories, fat, and salt we see there, that self control is beginning to be made manifest.
Emotional Benefits of Fasting
To have a goal that we want to reach in weight loss and greater health really helps in what we want to achieve. For me it is to regain some things i have lost over the years and really want back. I have mentioned some in past posts but as I sit here and write I want to mention a few that rise to the top at this moment. I want to look at myself in the mirror, fully clothed and be happy with the shape that I am in. I want to think of a hike in the beautiful Wasatch mountains, that I drive to every day for work and not be immediately seized with the physical exhaustion that it seems to present. I want to beat my all time mile run record which I set in sixth grade at East wood Elementary of 7:53. My time has only gotten worse since. I want to be able to run and play with my kids at whatever game or activity they want to do and not have to turn them down because I am too tired. I want to be able to go swing dancing with my wife and not be heaving a lung after twenty seconds. I see a mental picture of a man with a skinnier version of my face, healthy, trim, full of energy and I never fail to see him as happy. I want so much to be that man. Fasting is one component of that.
Spiritual Benefits of Fasting
The spirit in my mind is the inner me, separate and distinct from my body that in likeness of my body controls it and uses it as a hand would a glove to move, act, etc in life to live and be. As we care for our bodies or abuse them, the condition of our bodies improves, degrades, etc and that can have an effect on our spiritual well being as well. In my religion, as mentioned before, one of the purposes of our life here is to subjugate the physical nature of man and bring it in line with the eternal nature of God. The natural impulses of man to eat and over eat, to drink and get drunk, and to rest or oversleep are all manifestations of how well we are doing at that battle to subjugate the carnal, sensual and even devilish elements of our physical natures.
When we are born our spirits are clean and ,being joined with a body, embark on a new experience of physical desires and temptations. How well we respond to them and go through them dictates how well we can control those passions which are part of this mortal experience. Babies cry when hungry and over time, they learn to soothe themselves and feed themselves. Children likewise go in search for food but when guided by parents,and other wise adults, they can control their passions and again only eat as necessary and not be beholden to the "screaming fat man within" Fasting weakens that natural man and allows the quiet whisper of the spirit to come through. I want to hear more from that spirit and this year will be working to strengthen my connection to it.
Fasting is a powerful way of subjugating the body to the mind, emotions and spirit. Properly done and done based on ones own needs and situation, it can be a great help. I also want to testify tot he role that Jesus Christ plays in fasting. I know many of you who may read this are not religious but it is in my religion that fasting begins for me. In the bible, the Lord comes down from the mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James and John. below the other apostles had struggled all night to free a man from possession by evil spirits and failed. The Lord rebuked the devils within the man and they departed. Afterward, the apostles asked why they were unable and the Lords response in part was "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
In essence what he was telling them is this problem was not a typical one and needed greater power and strength in the spirit to overcome. He having been both on the mount and likely fasted through his experiences as well as being the Lord himself and the source of the power of which he spoke had that power and authority sufficient to rebuke them.
My temptations for food and junk and other things like that are the proverbial possession by a devil, one I brought on myself through years of overeating, lack of exercise and subjugation to the carnal. For me to succeed at this, it will not succeed or go out but that I include prayer and fasting in it.
What are some of the elements in your religion that you connect with good health and weight loss?
What are your traditions in fasting? Why do you do it?
If you don't fast, is it something you see yourself as being beneficial? Why or why not?
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