Fasting is not a new term. For thousands of years, people have been using various forms fasting for spiritual and health reasons. Some are private, some are public. Some are religious, some are physical challenges. Some are resets, some are detoxes. Some are intermittent, some are full. Some are wet, some are dry.
Ahhh. What is a dry fast?
A dry fast is when you don't eat or drink for a set period of time. It might be the most controversial of all fasts, and like my title suggests - you should NEVER dry fast... UNLESS you have researched and know what you're doing - safely! hehe
- In dry fasts, you can have soft dry fasts, or hard dry fasts. In a soft dry fast, you are still going to be exposed to some water- like taking showers, or possibly brushing your teeth. In a hard dry fast, it's without water entirely.
A wet fast, is very much like its name suggests. The faster refrains from eating, but can drink water throughout the day. Surprisingly, in my own experience (and the experience shared by others) a wet fast can be more difficult to sustain than a dry fast!
Why? How is that even possible?
It's an odd sort of thing! I can't really speak to everyone's individual experience, and I wouldn't really want to. But, I can share with you my own personal experience. Feel free to ask questions if you like in the comment section!
When I think of fasting, I usually associate it with spiritual reasons - though, I haven't always done them for spiritual reasons. As a Christian, we are instructed to not talk about our fasts publicly, but I do believe that the spirit of that instruction was to refrain from boasting about our own ability. I don't think that there is any harm in talking about it publicly, as long as the heart is focusing on sharing experiences in a helpful manner. And so - I am. I hope you receive it that way!
My first fast.
A lot of what I have learned about fasting over the years has been gleaned from many sources, many teachers, many projects- but with wisdom, testing, prayer and practice, I've found what works for me. I've found fasting to be challenging - ESPECIALLY psychologically. The thought of a scheduled fast is often a lot more stressful than the actual fast itself! LOL The mind can simply play the most sinister tricks! haha But, once I begin, I'm always - ALWAYS - amazed at what the body is capable of achieving.
Before my first fast, I was so nervous. Whenever I had skipped a meal in the past, I would feel sick, get a migraine, become irritable - etc. I later learned, that the level of toxicity in your body is USUALLY (not always) a direct correlation to the amount of time you can go without meals. The body rests and repairs at night - when you are "fasting" during sleep. Throughout the day, it is too busy in "digestion" mode, to allocate time and attention to restoration. So when you finally stop eating, and the body has finally digested the food you've consumed, NOW... it can dedicate time to "rest, repair and restore" mode. What triggers your body to come OUT of this mode? Your break - fast. Sincerely. hahaha When you are eating breakfast and returning the body to digestion mode - you are doing exactly that. Breaking your fast from the night.
I had gotten my body to the point where if I skipped breakfast, it was only a matter of 3-4 hours before I got a terrible migraine. What I learned was - that my liver (one of the kings of detox in your body!) was recognizing that it now had time to start flushing. When the liver begins to set its focus on cleaning, it begins dumping toxins into the bloodstream with the intent of flushing it out of the body. IF, however, you are TOO toxic, that dump is intense, and can make you feel very very sick.
This creates a situation where the faster believes that the FASTING is causing the illness, and the first thing they want to do - is eat! To STOP the process. That will in fact stop the process (and isn't such a bad idea! hahaha) If you are THAT toxic, and the dump into your bloodstream is making you THAT sick, it's probably a sign that you need to ease yourself into a fast more slowly, and clean up your diet more gently before diving headlong into a fast.
For me, I was determined to try.
I knew that I would probably have a very hard time, with a lot of sickness, irritability, lethargy - etc, since I couldn't even skip ONE meal. How was I going to be able to endure a full day fast, two days, three - and more? (At the time this was not a hard dry fast - liquids were allowed) But as I said, I was determined. And when I began, I was simply amazed.
For me, this was a spiritual and physical fast, which caused me to be VERY reliant on prayer, worship, and reading the Bible. So - for me (notice that I keep saying - for me- lol) I truly knew that my success was a beautiful display of God's help throughout this process. I never got a headache, never got sick, never was irritable. On the contrary, I glowed. I had more energy than I could have ever imagined. I actually wanted to extend the fast beyond what they had originally set (but did not - because I wanted to be careful that I kept employing wisdom). To me, it was a small miracle. Maybe not parting the Red Sea, or feeding the 5000 LOL - but a miracle, nonetheless.
That was about hmmm now coming close to 20 years ago - my first fast!
Since then, I've done more, tried different versions, and even have dipped my toes several times into a "dry, hard fast". hehehe
I don't know how to explain this - because it is just my impression, but I was trying to explain it to a friend today when she was thinking that surely a wet fast has to be easier than a dry fast!! hehehe
And yes - logically, rationally, it must, right?
In my experience (and the experience of many others) - it is not. It is actually easier.
Now, I'm sure there are lots of scientists out there that want to explain things with empirical data. But, I am a person that loves both empirical data - and miraculous, irrational, unreasonable, outlandish experience! hahaha I think that a love for one gives me a fuller appreciation for the other - and vice versa.
Though some of you might rather understand the science - I'd rather explain it to you in a way that I experience and understand.
Imagine that your body goes into a totally new state of being, when you are not eating or drinking. Of course we know, eventually - this "new state of being" will be death ultimately! LOL
As far as I know, there has never been a person who can indefinitely survive without food or water. (though there WAS an odd woman I saw online that lived for quite a while ONLY on sunshine! bizarre - but truth is sometimes stranger than fiction! LOL. She eventually DID need to eat again! LOL so back to my point...)
Imagine this new state of being - This state is unexplainably peaceful and clear. Now imagine that every time you drink water, you pull yourself back into the previous "normal" state of being. With dry fasting, it feels like you're fully and without challenge - ushering in a shift in your state of being. With wet fasting, it always felt like a tug of war in my mind, body, and spirit. It felt like right as I was starting to edge into that new calm zone, I would drink and trigger my body to pull back into "eat, drink and be merry" mindset. Except - I wasn't giving it the eat and be merry parts! hahaha I was only giving it water, and then it NOTICED the lack of the other two, and struggled so much more!
But with the dry fasting, I don't know. It's hard to explain unless you're talking to another faster who has done dry fasting for 72 hours or more. But something incredible happens. It's really quite remarkable. For me, it's like I'm acknowledging the limitations of the body, and then God is equipping me to soar right past them.
If that sounds amazing to you, and you want to try it? DON'T. HAHAHAHA
Don't- yet!
Research, study, test in small ways, search your heart, and probably most importantly ask God to search your heart.
Fasting for long periods of time - WITHOUT the proper preparation, can be very harmful. Thinking that you know what's best for you - can be VERY prideful and dangerous. Study! Pray! Talk to those who have wisdom - and then if you're ready, and you've talked to other WISE people in your life that can support you - maybe, dip your toe in!
But - I can't say it enough. If you don't know what you're doing - it can be incredibly dangerous and definitely fatal. Don't be foolish. Use wisdom, please. 😊
Tips, in my own experience and opinion:
- preparing your body for a fast is almost as critical as the fast itself.
- coming OUT of a fast is almost MORE critical than the fast itself.
BE GENTLE easing in, during, and coming out of the fast. - Your body will be different. Don't try to do the same things on a fast as you do off a fast.
- Prayer is key. Your mind will MOST LIKELY be a lot clearer, your energy a lot more stable. Use that time for breathing, meditating, introspection - and my favorite, prayer.
- It's a special time. It's not normal to have 72 hours (or more?) of time set aside for clearing your mind and body. Treasure it. Treasure your body. Be appreciative. Let yourself be changed.
That's all. Feel free to ask any questions you like. Please don't be disrespectful in the comment section. If you see a question that you'd like to answer - use grace? Don't use my post or my comment section to wage your own wars. 😄 If you want do that, write your own post and invite debate there.
My house is a house of peace! 😊❤️
Images used in post:
Fasting image
confusion
first
determined
oasis
lovely state of being
wisdom
peace
Loved this ❣️
Until I did it, I never ever in a million years thought I could fast for 3 days without food and still be able to function relatively normally. On my wet fast, I had a glass of water when I woke up and then abstained until evening, at which point I drank about 1.5 litres of water before bed. I did not drink during the day. I also abstained from all food for the full 3 days.
What I have discovered is this:
Day one - pretty much a breeze. I had a bit of a grumbling tummy by evening... but that was it.
Day two - it felt like every single thing I read or watched was about food haha... and it felt like my hubby and kids ate all day... there always seemed to be somebody eating something or preparing something. I lost count of how many times I got up to go to the kitchen... on automatic... and then sat down again almost immediately. Conditioning, right? But I never felt tempted to break it. I also had a mild headache that hung around for a while - I am guessing caffeine withdrawal... I did realise how much more time I had on my hands and time seemed to slow down. Despite getting a decent amount of sleep, for me... 6-8 hours... I was feeling tired earlier each evening.
Day three - I woke up and got out of bed to go to the bathroom and I was like ...ok I stood up way too quickly 😂 Then at one point during the morning I had to go up and down my stairs about a few times in quick succession and I had to do it slowly because the first time made me feel a bit woozy. But then I went to a garden party, had a lovely time and everyone around me was eating and drinking the whole afternoon. I kept getting offered food and drink ...and I was like no thank you, I'm fasting... people were fascinated that I could fast for 3 days without any food whatsoever... and you know on that day 3 I even took part in a tug of war that was arranged as one of the garden party games... and I felt great afterwards. I felt like I could extend it beyond three days but I stuck to the 3!
While I was fasting I did spend a fair bit of time reflecting, praying, and reading.... reading... reading... I watched a few films too... I found it very spiritually rewarding so I completely get this post of yours 💞 !LUV !ALIVE
hehehehe you know I know exactly how you feel! LOL
and yes - we don't realize how conditioned we are to continue to graze like cattle all day long LOL
and even when we're not hungry - we are still looking for things to put into our mouths to keep us from being bored! hahaha
or stimulate us..
or just distract!
food is such a blessing (I was really feeling how much of a blessing when I had my fruit feast to break it) hehehe and sometimes it takes pulling away from that - to see what a gift it is.
You know - we could have been made to have like - a fuel button. hahaha or like - you know - just a hole to put the "gasoline" LOL
but God gave us tastebuds to enjoy all the variety of flavors, and nostrils to appreciate the delicious scents, and even touch - to enjoy the crunch, or squish, or chew, or crisp, or crackle, or many many more textures!
hehehe what an enjoyable experience to indulge in! but as humans, what do we do? lol
Wear it out until it's common and expected.
hmmm i tell you - eating that fruit on Saturday night. hehehe It was special.
I'm sad to say, that I'm sure it won't be long before I'm taking the gift of food for granted again. But I'm happy to say that I will most definitely do a fast again - if it will remind me!
love you Sammy girl!!!
Oh thank goodness we were given tastebuds... or I don't think I'd ever eat hahaha... I would literally forget completely and then be like... uh oh... God... I ran outta 'gas' ... help... not my time! hehe
And yeah we do take it for granted... and it is so habitual too! Oh my goodness, so much of it is! We simply don't need a lot of the things human beings shove into their bellies each day.
But yeah all the textures and the flavours.... mmmm....yum... that is one nice thing about breaking a fast...although I will be honest here... I broke it badly😂🙈...I will do better next time, promise !LOLZ I mean I started well with soup and a light salad... but then within a day I had eaten some dumplings (only 2), dark chocolate, salty sunflower seeds, and spicy Doritos hahaha... I did also eat loaded oats and a nice veg curry...mmmm see spicy hehe... I wasn't craving on day 3 until I actually started eating again... so weird. Next time... I will try something more like your long cleansing fast after a 3 day wet fast... but minus the coffee 🤣🤣🤣
!ALIVE !LUV
I only have one thing to say about those last 4 words....
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thanks @samsmith1971 !!! :)
Now I understand what you were going on about. Sorry to have put temptation in your path.
I’ve only ever fasted for 1 full day and that was for medical reasons (I find it fascinating that anyone can achieve a longer period willingly. ) The concept and achievement are both interesting.
Good for you ❤️😊🤔
hehehehe
yes - well teh fast was over - and it was amazing. i mean - AMAZING.
and that led me right into a detox for 26 days
so i am chock full of energy right now hahahaha and getting cleaner by the moment! LOLOL
but no - you didn't tempt me too much
i'm looking forward to it in July! hahahahahahah
and yes - it is really miraculous that I was even able to learn to fast. because i really would get migraines so quickly if i skipped a meal!
but its just a beautiful thing to me now!!! i truly enjoy it!
I have tried all forms of fasting too. To me it's usually a spiritual exercise. Other times, I just wanna feel lighter. But in both cases, it's always highly rewarding.
It helps me to be more focused and disciplined. I do it,when I feel like I'm losing control of my choices. I fast to bring myself to order.
Like you said, no one should jump into it.
Research and prayers are needed.
@dreemsteem This is a perfect post.
hi honey!!!!!! oh my goodness!!!! so good to see you! hehehehe
i'm just smiling ear to ear - seeing you commenting on my post right now heheheheh
and i so agree with you - fasting to bring yourself to order. bringing control back into chaos! oh yes. i can't even say it better than this!!! that's how i feel.
life is running away with me - and things are just helter-skelter!!! but fasting has a wonderful way of letting God re-order everything!!!
love you honey!!!
sending you a huge hug right now!
Good to see you too, Ma'am. Thanks for the warm hug, I receive it with gratitude. 😄
This is really great, i myself I've always heard about the wet and dry fasts but didn't know how the wet fast really was until I met your post😄😃
Thank you for that enlightenment.
hehehe yes - now you know the difference!
i'm glad that you enjoyed it!!! thank you for visiting :)
A most excellent post. Thank you.
i have some fasting experience too, over the last 15 yrs or so. First time was 36 hrs water fasting in Thailand. Longest was 41 days, in Mexico. Very little dry fasting though, i think i managed 36 hrs once.
Lately i don't seem to have the willpower or courage needed to fast. But this too shall pass.
Love from Bulgaria
Atma
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trying to fast can show someone how addicted to food they really are..
humorous and unfortunate how overeating today is so normalized, almost celebrated meanwhile for fasting we see the opposite response
I saw this with the Tim Schieff fasting where he didn't want to stop.
Great post, thanks for sharing.
I never tried full-day fasting but I usually do fasting on my holiday..skipping breakfast and eating lunch late.. I guess I became used to it since I have no body reactions at all. But if I am busy at work and try to do fasting, that's the time I experienced body pains and discomforts..
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