Preparing To Fast

[gamesfanatic04]

Ok, I want to go on a fast to remind my body who and what is boss. Advice?

[photosynthesis]

One piece of advice about fasting: consult your spiritual director before you decide to do anything. As a general rule, we don't fast without prayer. Of course, penance is a form of prayer but you should be replacing the time you spend eating with acts of devotion and piety. The traditional days of fasting in the Church are Tuesdays and Fridays, and we are not supposed to fast on Sundays outside of Lent.

[Totus Tuus]

I have not often heard the suggestion that we need to consult our spiritual directors before fasting. I think as long as you understand the true meaning of fasting (uniting the physical aspect with the spiritual), you can go ahead. Consult your spiritual director if you want/if you have one, but I don't think it's a necessity.

[tojo]

[quote name='photosynthesis' post='1324081' date='Jul 11 2007, 01:07 AM']One piece of advice about fasting: consult your spiritual director before you decide to do anything.[/quote]


[quote name='Totus Tuus' post='1324849' date='Jul 11 2007, 10:02 PM']I have not often heard the suggestion that we need to consult our spiritual directors before fasting. I don't think it's a necessity.[/quote]

I'm more on Totus Tuus's side, that is so long as it's a moderate fast.

I'm going to assume you have little experience with fasting. If that is so, I wouldn't recommend fasting for more than a day, and still at least drink water.

You may also wish to consider a bread and water fast, especially at first. You could perhaps have several certain times planned out throughout the day, when you will pray (plan different prayers, rosary, liturgy of the hours, litany, spontaneous, whatever) and then drink a glass of water and eat a roll or something. (Note drink your water more often than this.)

With that plan, you'd be putting prayer first, and still sacrificing bodily comfort, without being too sever. If you start out too severe, it's less likely to go well.

Edit:

If you want to have a more serious fast, I suggest you do consult your spiritual director, pastor, father, someone who you have a good spiritual relationship with, who can better discern the voice of God than you can.

Edited July 12, 2007 by tomasio127