Fasting is often considered as a companion to prayer. All religious systems recommend fasting and it is considered as a way to improve tolerance and prepare for suffering. Of course, fasting is just not a sentimental thing that one imposes on oneself artificially as a test. Deep fasting means giving honor and respect, with a deep gratitude towards the superior power.
When something is related or connected to the supreme power, the process becomes a source of power. It is said that prayers and fasting for higher purpose can really connect one to the supreme power. This has been believed, tested thoroughly, verified repeatedly and concluded finally that fasting has a superior power associated to it. So this is the process going on from centuries.
Godly people and sages have fasted. They have recommended it to the masses as well, for peace and harmony in the world that we live. The scriptures are full of the glories of fasting. Following are the revealings:
Hindu scriptures describe vividly about fasting. Vaishnavas fast on every Ekadashi – the eleventh day of waxing and waning moon. Ayurveda elaborately describes the effects of fasting on the body and mind. It reveals that fasting brings about attunement with god by harmonious relationship between god and the individual soul.
John Wesley, a great Christian preacher, who shook the world for god during the Great Awakening, and the founder of Methodist Church, towards the end of the eighteenth century preached the necessity of prayer with fasting.
Muslims fast in the holy month of Ramadan for 30 days and the Quran describes fasting as one of the five pillars of Islam.
Buddhism considers fasting as a means to achieve self discipline and practice self-control. The followers of Buddhism observe fasts as an ascetic practice or dhutanga.
The power of fasting is fathomless and endless. It cannot be expressed with in the limited vocabulary of any language.
