Fasting- A Spiritual Culture

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In religion and spirituality, fasting isn't merely confined to observing hunger. Huger is, of course, observed for a couple of days in the week during a certain auspicious time period. It could last a month, as in the case of Ramzan. While people of many religions observe fasts, there is a concrete reason for the practice that goes beyond merely observing hunger. So why do people fast? This article answers the question from the spiritual angle.

Besides observing hunger for reasons pertaining to improved health, fasting signifies dedication and commitment to a cause more than anything else. For instance, in Islam, it is said that a believer is someone who has a mission. A person who has a mission is different from laymen who seek to live life only to enjoy the various pleasures it has under its hood.

In the Arabic culture, fasting basically symbolizes abstinence from something. This means that a person who fasts is ready to abstain from the basic necessities life has to offer in order to solely dedicate his being towards pursuing and furthering his mission, i.e, to spread the name of god, to promote peace, to evolve happiness- an aspect that is evidently missing with the way the world is today.

Even in Hinduism, whenever fast is observed, apart from signifying the fact that a person with the mission to spread the name of God is willing to sacrifice the most basic necessities of food and water, also indicates the tall character of a person who fasts. It is of course, a show of respect to the universe and the intention to pursue only one's mission, giving up on other worldly requirements.

Apart from just being considered a religious practice, fasting also brings with it scores of health benefits.