Fasting Is A Peaceful Delight

My dad told me on the phone yesterday morning that he is in the middle of a three-day fast on water only with no enemas. I couldn't help but effuse with him, "Doesn't it feel great? Isn't it like being at a spa?"


He answered that it was great--that his aches and pains weren't there.

And I'm again amazed that this is the great secret and the lost knowledge about pure water fasting: that it is a peaceful delight. There is such a wonderful feeling of body and soul serenity during a fast that I send out a blessing to the whole world that everybody may come to know at the right moment in their life the gentle power of (plain water) fasting.

Unfortunately, if you are dependent on medication or if you are under a physician's care, you need to have physician advisement about fasting, and also unfortunately, fasting is as lost, or perhaps more lost, among physicians as among the general public.

Step 1. Observe Your Body

If you are new to fasting, I suggest you begin by establishing a habit of being observant about your body and its excretions (breath, sweat, urine/pee, stool/bowel movement/poop, and skin oil). If it helps you, perhaps you will want to start a Notes About This Body notebook/log/journal/diary in a stapled stack of pages, a folder, a spiral notebook or a fancy diary. This lifestyle habit of observation alone possibly supplemented by a practice of logging/journaling will increase your peace and happiness.

Step 2. Drink Water

If you already are observant about your body, I suggest you start by establishing a habit of drinking enough plain water that your urine/pee stays generally pale yellow and your bowel movement/stool/poop stays soft. This lifestyle habit of hydration/drinking, even if you go no further, will improve your general health in all areas.

Step 3. Fast Nightly

If you already are hydrated/watered enough by habit, I suggest you start a habit of generally eliminating late night or midnight snacks and drinks other than pure (plain) water. This habit will establish a general routine of daily (nightly) fasting that will give you cleaner teeth, a happier digestive system (more resistant to diabetes and the other modern diseases of affluence), and a more regular appetite.

Step 4. Extend Some Nightly Fasts

If you already have a routine nightly fast, and if you are not dependent on medication or under a physician's care, I suggest you give yourself permission to discretely skip breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner too every once in a while as your body requests it. Since you normally will do this while engaged in your family routine, make sure it is at times when you won't face opposition, excessive physical demands, or the need to explain yourself. Give yourself permission to stop force feeding your body by the clock. This gift will cement your happy relationship with your appetite and will further rest your digestive system and reduce your infections (acne, mouth, gastrointestinal, etc).

Step 5. Learn About Fasting

If you already are fine giving yourself permission to skip a few meals, I suggest learning all you can about the importance of ending a fast carefully. The professional experts in the field of fasting include Dr. Herbert Shelton, Dr. Paul Goldberg, and other Natural Hygienists. Lay experts include Michel Gingras (Youtube) and Nathaniel Bronner. Note that Shelton administered thousands of fasts and said routine enemas (anything in addition to pure water and rest) are not helpful. Ending a fast is the most technical and dangerous part of fasting, so I suggest you pay close attention to Shelton's advice. This knowledge will protect you from the biggest danger of fasting: OVEREATING.

Step 6. Fast A Few Days

If you already are accustomed to giving yourself permission to skip a few meals, and you know how to end a fast safely, I suggest that you take a sabbatical from your work for a couple of days for your own fasting retreat, possibly when the weather is perfect (spring or fall). Buy 5 to 10 gallons of distilled water, arrange to be in a situation where you won't worry anybody or need to explain to anybody, take your (not somebody else's) current personal favorite devotional texts, and feast on your peaceful, delightful fast as you rest. This fast will bring you spiritual insights, compassion, healing, and rest. You will feel as though you just received much more than a pampered stay at the most ritzy spa.

Step 7. Fast Longer Some Day

If you already fasted a few days and all the other first 6 steps, maybe you will want to fast a few to several weeks some spring or fall. This fast--particularly if it lasts three weeks or longer--may heal spiritual, mental, and physical conditions you have lived with for decades.

I would love to hear about your experiences all along the way.

Tom