Thu 4 Mar 2010
I was planning on writing that previous post last night, but I ended up crashing pretty hard once I got home. At the end of the day, as I made my way from work to the library downtown, I really started to feel the effects of the fast. There were some predictable bodily pains, aches in my stomach and such, but there was also a feeling of focus, of concentration. Perhaps I was just trying to ignore my own hunger, but I felt very, very focused on my own thoughts. It was a lot like meditation actually. It felt, well… spiritual. Almost religious, like this feeling was important. Considering I was reading Baha’i books throughout the day I guess this shouldn’t be a surprise, but I was really able to think clearly. I actually felt good, like I really had a handle on what I was doing. However, if I can learn anything from last month, it’s that I’ll have the rug pulled out from under me the moment I think I’ve come to understand anything, so I’ll just leave that as it is. No matter how spiritual I may have felt I pretty much collapsed on my bed after I ate, so maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to praise whatever this was.
I have to say though, finally breaking down and eating something felt a little bit like defeat. I wanted that feeling to last forever, but I was also STARVING, and as I am discovering hunger can be a powerful motivator. I really didn’t get the same feeling this evening, I was just hungry, no closer to anything spiritual. Still, I’m really curious to see if I can attain that same state of mind again.
I wonder how long I could last without any food at all…
Have you looked at the videos of the fasting woman linked from the wikipedia fasting site you linked to? I believe she did three consecutive 40-day fasts, drinking only water. They’re pretty haunting.
In other news, pick a weekend when you’re not doing much else to try a longer fast Not only do you want time and attention to focus on things instead of being distracted by work, but you’ll have fewer physical demands. I find it tends to thin the veil for me– things feel more transcendent or spiritual more easily –though I have never fasted long or entirely deliberately.
I’d be happy to switch any going-out-for-dinner to just hanging out sometime if you’re doing this.