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AS I write this, I am just reflecting on how the word ‘Fasting’ is a term we hardly use anymore, it’s as if it is ‘old hat’ and a thing of the past.
It’s also associated with what we could call self – inflicted suffering and deprivation and when we live in a world of constant supply and availability sure one would be out of one’s mind to consider doing that.
But perhaps there’s more to this than meets the eye as Shakespeare once said ‘There might be method to our madness’. Rather than using the term ‘self-suffering ‘or ‘self- inflicted pain’ we could call it ‘self -training’.
The art of training our bodies to do without. Now a good question to ask here is ‘why would I want to do without? What really is the sense in that?
The answer lies in the whole area of self- control and our automated human way of reacting to things.
You see, if I am unable to do without, that would surely suggest that there is some sort of addiction going on.
Take a simple but extremely important example in the world we live in, for say the whole area of sugar consumption.
We have access to all sorts of sugary products on a daily basis; in fact it is in some way or other incorporated into all food products in particular processed foods.
For years we were warned about fats in our food supply whereas now we are being advised, more and more by dieticians, to watch out for sugar levels as this is the real culprit.
Why is this? Is it advantageous financially for the food producers if there is a level of addiction involved? Of course there is, as the more you buy the product the better it is for them. What producer would not like you to buy repeat orders of their product?
As far as they’re concerned the more the merrier. It’s a case of demand and supply. They more they can get us to demand it the more they will gladly supply.
To this end my suspicious mind tells me that they have people professionally employed to make their goods more attractive, whether it be by adding ingredients or product placement etc. It’s called the science of marketing.
In order to deter this, especially in the area of food, a determined period of fasting is certainly the key. Remember it involves determination, awareness and habit forming.
They say it takes 21 days to develop a habit and 90 days to make that habit practically irreversible. Very helpful information.
As we now enter the second half of the Lenten period, perhaps this is the perfect chance to have another look at the whole area of fasting. It’s not how you start it’s how you finish.
If nothing else it’s a chance to give a much needed break to our bodies from all the toxins of highly processed foods.
The only question to ask is ‘Is it of benefit to us or not ?’ The answer would certainly be a resounding ‘Yes’ — So Just Do It
If our bodies could talk they would certainly say ‘thank you’.
• Next week I am going to write about — The Symbol Of The Shamrock
Excellent!!