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The Sacred Art of Fasting: Preparing to Practice
Open your mind and heart and discover how the sacred art of fasting can strengthen your spiritual appetite "Fasting as a religious act increases our sensitivity to that mystery always and everywhere present to us…. It is an invitation to awareness, a call to compassion for the needy, a cry of distress, and a song of joy. It is a discipline of self-restraint, a ritual of purification, and a sanctuary for offerings of atonement. It is a wellspring for the spiritually dry, a compass for the spiritually lost, and inner nourishment for the spiritually hungry."
―from chapter 9 Though fasting is practiced in some form by nearly every faith tradition throughout the world, it is often seen as scary or something only for monastic life. But fasting doesn't have to be intimidating. And it doesn’t have to mean going weeks without food. The Sacred Art of Fasting invites you to explore the practical approaches, spiritual motivations, and physical benefits of this ancient practice by looking at the ways it is observed in several faith traditions. Inspiring personal reflections, helpful advice, and encouragement from people who practice fasting answer your questions, allay your fears, and reveal how you too can safely incorporate fasting into your spiritual life.
―from chapter 9 Though fasting is practiced in some form by nearly every faith tradition throughout the world, it is often seen as scary or something only for monastic life. But fasting doesn't have to be intimidating. And it doesn’t have to mean going weeks without food. The Sacred Art of Fasting invites you to explore the practical approaches, spiritual motivations, and physical benefits of this ancient practice by looking at the ways it is observed in several faith traditions. Inspiring personal reflections, helpful advice, and encouragement from people who practice fasting answer your questions, allay your fears, and reveal how you too can safely incorporate fasting into your spiritual life.
- GenresSpiritualityHealth
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2005
20 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 11, 2009
So the Catholic Church has us fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday... and my church bulletin this year said that we're supposed to fast EVERY Friday and the whole three days from Good Friday to Easter Vigil?
My Vegetarian Times just had an article on cleansing the body of toxins, including fasting, which I'd never heard of. This book joins the two together and combines the physical and spiritual reasons for fasting. Apparently all forms of religion have some roots in the tradition of fasting. This book spends several chapters explaining the whys and hows of fasting in Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Mormons. The author then talks about each tradition's commonality of allowing a person to "clean house" by temporarily fasting from food; bringing forth a new focus on spirituality. All of the traditions encourage social justice by teaching that fasters can live in solidarity with people who are poor as they fast (each tradition also encourages fasters to donate the food or money for the meals they missed to the poor).
In summary, the book says that fasting is something done in moderation. No tradition demands days and days of starvation - most require 12 to 25 hours a few times a year, some allow juice, and even Muslims, who fast the entire month of Ramadan, eat every night at sundown.
Just as an athlete isn't being "deprived" or "oppressed" by his/her coach during peak training season, a person who prayerfully turns to fast as a means of becoming spiritually stronger will find this to be an effective tool.
I think I will see fast days in a new light after reading this book and I'd recommend it to anyone who has ever considered a fast or struggled with the requirement of one.
My Vegetarian Times just had an article on cleansing the body of toxins, including fasting, which I'd never heard of. This book joins the two together and combines the physical and spiritual reasons for fasting. Apparently all forms of religion have some roots in the tradition of fasting. This book spends several chapters explaining the whys and hows of fasting in Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Mormons. The author then talks about each tradition's commonality of allowing a person to "clean house" by temporarily fasting from food; bringing forth a new focus on spirituality. All of the traditions encourage social justice by teaching that fasters can live in solidarity with people who are poor as they fast (each tradition also encourages fasters to donate the food or money for the meals they missed to the poor).
In summary, the book says that fasting is something done in moderation. No tradition demands days and days of starvation - most require 12 to 25 hours a few times a year, some allow juice, and even Muslims, who fast the entire month of Ramadan, eat every night at sundown.
Just as an athlete isn't being "deprived" or "oppressed" by his/her coach during peak training season, a person who prayerfully turns to fast as a means of becoming spiritually stronger will find this to be an effective tool.
I think I will see fast days in a new light after reading this book and I'd recommend it to anyone who has ever considered a fast or struggled with the requirement of one.
August 12, 2019
It was informative, however the book did not meet the goal the author states in the beginning. He wanted to bring together the spiritual/religious and medical reasons for fasting and I really felt like all he did was explain each religions fasting purposes. The final chapter briefly discusses the health benefits of fasting and why/how one might fast for health reasons. The remaining chapters are strictly religion based. It was very interesting and I enjoyed it, but it just isn't what it promises to be.
January 29, 2020
I've read many books on fasting lately and I would say this is the best one because there is a chapter dedicated on how to. All the other books I've read were just "why to". There is a chapter each on Islam, Hinduism, buddhism, and Church of Latter Day which I didn't expect to find in a book by a Catholic priest. There is also no mention of the bread and water fast which many of the other fasting books I read advocated for.
August 14, 2020
4.5 stars
February 11, 2010
Ryan wants people to know that fasting is not just for particular periods of religious observance, but instead can be a valuable part of everyday life. He ends the book with creative suggestions for fasts for your eyes, ears; from judging others, anger, resentment and bitterness; and more.
November 21, 2013
Fr. Ryan is very liberal. He got a lot of little details wrong about the non Catholic religions he talked about. it was an interesting book, minus his attempted indoctrination into his liberal worldview.
January 7, 2016
Loved this book! Really opened my eyes to why people of several major religions fast as well as what they consider fasting. It's a great introduction to fasting as a general religious practice and how non-religious or non-denominational people can put some sort of fasting into their lifestyles. :)
March 4, 2015
A helpful resource. I think Ryan may make too much of the physical benefits of fasting, but I appreciate his insight into the spiritual benefits.
October 5, 2015
How and why fasting is practiced in each of the world's major religions.
February 25, 2023
Offers terrific assistance for the Spirituality of Lent re: fasting for religious reasons.
I recommend all of Fr. Tom Ryan’s books.
I recommend all of Fr. Tom Ryan’s books.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews