Quote:
Originally Posted by paparora
"I have heard the fasting produces intense feelings including the sensation of becoming close to God." yeah cuz they are dying from starvation lolll so what they think is God is really just hunger and weakness producing hallucinations.
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Actually, this may not be true. Once the body hits ketosis, it taps into fat stores. Hunger often subsides by this time, and the body is running efficiently, liver included, as it preserves energy where possible in the absence of food.
Spiritually, many people fast as a way to experience the transcendence of the physical realm into the spiritual. Once we experience a state where we don't "need" food (at least for the time being), our spiritual focus increases and we feel closer to God. Our dependence on our physical bodies limits us spiritually if we are distracted by their physical manifestations. The physical often distracts us from the spiritual, which is why people perform fasts--it reminds us of our faith and why we wish to do good.
Even atheists can benefit from fasting. It can put one's ignorance of physical existence into enlightening perspectives.
I'm not, however, speaking from experience. The longest I've fasted is a day, though I'd be open to much longer fasts if I were prepared to experience the benefits.