> Religious Fasting :When How & Why!

FunStar#1

Religious Fasting :When How & Why!

Baha'i
When they fast: The Baha'i fast takes place during Ala, the 19th month of the Baha'? year, from March 2-20.
How they fast: Abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
Why they fast: To focus on love of God and spiritual matters.

Buddhist
When they fast: All the main branches of Buddhism practice some periods of fasting, usually on full-moon days and other holidays.
How they fast: Depending on the Buddhist tradition, fasting usually means abstaining from solid food, with some liquids permitted.
Why they fast: A method of purification. Theravadin and Tendai Buddhist monks fast as a means of freeing the mind. Some Tibetan Buddhist monks fast to aid yogic feats, like generating inner heat.

Catholic
When they fast: Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat on all Fridays in Lent. For many centuries, Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on all Fridays, but since the mid-1960s, abstaining from meat on Fridays outside of Lent has been a matter of local discretion.
How they fast: On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, two small meals and one regular meal are allowed; meat is forbidden. On Fridays in Lent, no meat is allowed. For the optional Friday fast, some people substitute a different penance or special prayer instead of fasting.
Why they fast: Teaches control of fleshly desires, penance for sins, and solidarity with the poor. The Lenten fast prepares the soul for a great feast by practicing austerity. The Good Friday fast commemorates the day Christ suffered.

Eastern Orthodox
When they fast: There are several fast periods, including Lent, Apostles' Fast, Dormition Fast, and the Nativity Fast, and several one-day fasts. Every Wednesday and Friday is considered a fast day, except those that fall during designated "fast-free weeks."
How they fast: In general, meat, dairy products, and eggs are prohibited. Fish is prohibited on some fast days and allowed on others.
Why they fast: Strengthens resistance to gluttony; helps open a person to God's grace.

Hindu
When they fast: Fasting is commonly practiced on New Moon days and during festivals such as Shivaratri, Saraswati Puja, and Durga Puja (also known as Navaratri). Women in North India also fast on the day of Karva Chauth.
How they fast: Depends on the individual. Fasting may involve 24 hours of complete abstinence from any food or drink, but is more often an elimination of solid foods, with an occasional drink of milk or water.
Why they fast: A way to enhance concentration during meditation or worship; purification for the system; sometimes considered a sacrifice.

Jewish
When they fast: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the best-known fast day. The Jewish calendar has six other fast days as well, including Tisha B'Av, the day on which the destruction of the Jewish Temple took place.
How they fast: On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, eating and drinking are forbidden for a 25-hour period, from sundown to sundown. On the other fast days, eating and drinking are forbidden only from sunrise to sundown.
Why they fast: Atonement for sins and/or special requests to God.

Mormon
When they fast: The first Sunday of each month is a fast day. Individuals, families, or wards may hold other fasts at will.
How they fast: Abstaining from food and drink for two consecutive meals and donating food or money to the needy. After the fast, church members participate in a "fast and testimony meeting."
Why they fast: Closeness to God; concentration on God and religion. Individual or family fasts might be held to petition for a specific cause, such as healing for one who is sick or help with making a difficult decision.

Muslim
When they fast: Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that commemorates the period when the Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Various Muslim customs recommend days and periods of fasting in addition to Ramadan.
How they fast: Abstain from food, drink, smoking, profane language, and sexual intercourse from before the break of dawn until sunset for the entire month.
Why they fast: Some Muslims fast every Monday (some say Thursday) because Prophet Muhammad was said to do this, and some fast during the month of Sha'baan, which precedes Ramadan, and especially during the three days leading up to Ramadan.

Pagan
When they fast: No organized fast days, but some pagans choose to fast in preparation for Ostara (Spring Equinox).
How they fast: At the discretion of the individual--some totally abstain from food, others reduce how much they eat.
Why they fast: Intended to purify a person energetically; often used to raise vibrational levels as preparation for magical work. Ostara fasting is used to cleanse oneself from heavier winter foods.

Protestant (Evangelical)
When they fast:At the discretion of individuals, churches, organizations, or communities.
How they fast:Though some people abstain from food or drink entirely, others drink only water or juice, eat only certain foods, skip certain meals, or abstain from temptations, edible or not.

Why they fast:

Evangelical fasts have become increasingly popular in recent years, with people fasting for spiritual nourishment, solidarity with impoverished people, a counterbalance to modern consumer culture, or to petition God for special needs.

Protestant (Mainline)
When they fast:Not a major part of the tradition, but fasts can be held at the discretion of communities, churches, other groups, and individuals.
How they fast:Discretion of those fasting.
Why they fast:For spiritual improvement or to advance a political or social-justice agenda. One example: the ELCA's "Campaign of Prayer, Fasting, and Vigils.

Source:The ritual of fasting in different religions -- Beliefnet.com

Private Ryan

I'm like 5.11" n yet only 58 kgs and maybe i eat less, but i just cant live without food for a whole day...

I usually keep munching something ..mostly junk food n ofcourse, coffee!! cant live without it..

...but yeah, i cant fast for evn a single day..... I'll fall asleep if i have to...

broar94

man , I can't fast for more than 6 hours and guys talk about fasting for days together!!!!!!!!!!

MA5K · 07:06 PM

^ lol.. for all u guys who think fasting is a killer or some sort of plague (as in we trying to avoid it), its not! everyone thinks fasting is tough and takes a serious toll on ur body n mind. but it doesnt. its like learning to ride a bi-cycle or ur first swimming lessons. U think u wud never get thru. But u always do

Its all in the mind. Heck, I am a food junkie too. When i am in office, i usually keep stock of biscuits n snacks

. But during Ramzan, no matter wat, (like i cud be in the middle of a luncheon) i still wudnt feel like eat anything

gr8 post FS

FunStar#1

Masky!

btw, to add something more abt fasting in Hinduism:

Fasting is very common among most Hindus. They Fast on certain days of the week based on their belief and to appease certain deities. Most fasting Hindus abstain from eating meat and only live on fruits and milk. Some people refrain from using edible salts in the preparation of the meal and have it only one time on the day.

There is a month called Shravan or Savan when Hindus fast for the whole month and abstain from eating any form of meat. Also they fast during the holy days like Ganesh Chaturthi (Chauth), Shivaratri, Rama Navami and Durga Puja(Navaratri).You eat once when it Ekadashi or Ekwaari but there are many more days where you don't eat nothing at all for the whole day. Moreover, I would say ekadashis are tougher as you can eat only once in 24 hrs.

Some people view fasting as a form of penance (tapasya) or alternatively as a means to develop a close bond with the Supreme Being. The purpose for fasting (tapasya) was instituted into the religion with a twofold purpose. The first purpose was to instill a sense of discipline in the followers, since disciplined lives are believed to be most productive. The second reason was to use these fasting days as a form of 'body cleansing'. For instance, on certain fasting days, people usually eat only fruit throughout the day, followed by one meal thus leading to a healthy lifestyle.

Additionally, in the early centuries when Hindus were beginning to gain identity in the religion, there was disparity among the rich and the poor (which continues to exist in cultures all over the world) and fasting was a way for 'resource sharing' and to ensure that no one was claiming more rights on scarce resources like grains and other crop, merely because of their economic advantage.

The Hindu religion does not require or mandate its followers to fast, it only proposes these suggestions as a way of life.

Maybe some useful info

Nikhil

I personally think the only reason for people to fast (for a day or two) is to cleanse their system....