Going to fast, but should I wait....

[emeadow]

I really want to do a fast in the next few weeks, have been putting it off as I have been SUPER busy at work, and just unable to plan or set aside the amount of time I want to do it properly.

I am about to leave my job of 11 years to work from home on my own interests. I may end up working from home for 30-60 days for my current employer, but it will be in a very non stressful role, and temporary. So I will still have a lot of freedom in my schedule.

Since I will be at home after Nov 2nd, I am thinking that is a prime time for me to start a fast. I am about to enter a new phase of my life, and the last few months have been extremely stressful (physically and mentally), so I am ready for a 'reboot' so to speak.

So my question being, any thoughts on if it is good or bad to start a fast RIGHT at the point of a serious change? This is a HUGE transition for me, I have a lot of planning and clarity to work on, so my initial thought is I should start the fast as soon as I can. But, worried maybe it is too much, leaving my job, starting a new path, and fasting ALL at once.

I have some experience with fasting (but far from an expert), food trials, raw challenges, and I eat a pretty simple and limited diet now. So the effects of fasting are not entirely new on me, but its been awhile since my last real effort of full fasting. I will likely go for a water only fast, or at most include some raw veggie juice (low sugars). I don't know the time frame, probably no more then 10 days, but I am going to just go with the flow.

Thoughts on if I am planning on doing too much at once?

[ginkgo]

Fasting is a great way to deal with change. Gabriel Cousins, M.D., (psychiatrist) says "I often observe in the fasting participants that by four days of fasting, concentration seems to improve, creative thinking expands, depression lifts, insomnia stops, anxieties fade, the mind becomes more tranquil and a natural joy begins to appear. It is my hypothesis that when the physical toxins are cleared from the brain cells, mind-brain function automatically and significantly improves and spiritual capacities expands."

Then there is the religious/spiritual aspect of it. Moses fasted for 40 days and mankind then got the commandments of God. It was only after Jesus had fasted for 40 days did He go around preaching and performing miracles. This site on fasting has testimonials from 20 MDs and why you should not fast if you are on drugs (medications). Christians say that fasting is great for different changes since it will give you the blessings of God and also will help you make the best decisions and that agrees with Dr Cousens above.

[andrew112]

Originally Posted by emeadow

I really want to do a fast in the next few weeks, have been putting it off as I have been SUPER busy at work, and just unable to plan or set aside the amount of time I want to do it properly.

I am about to leave my job of 11 years to work from home on my own interests. I may end up working from home for 30-60 days for my current employer, but it will be in a very non stressful role, and temporary. So I will still have a lot of freedom in my schedule.

Well that's nice.

Originally Posted by emeadow

Since I will be at home after Nov 2nd, I am thinking that is a prime time for me to start a fast. I am about to enter a new phase of my life, and the last few months have been extremely stressful (physically and mentally), so I am ready for a 'reboot' so to speak.

Now let us analyze and disect this paragraph. You are starting a new phase of your life, which will be "working at home for 30-60 days", and you also want a "reboot", or a fast, which will be another phase in itself.*

Originally Posted by emeadow

So my question being, any thoughts on if it is good or bad to start a fast RIGHT at the point of a serious change? This is a HUGE transition for me, I have a lot of planning and clarity to work on, so my initial thought is I should start the fast as soon as I can. But, worried maybe it is too much, leaving my job, starting a new path, and fasting ALL at once.

So are you planning on fasting during the transtition or after the transition?

Originally Posted by emeadow

I have some experience with fasting (but far from an expert), food trials, raw challenges, and I eat a pretty simple and limited diet now. So the effects of fasting are not entirely new on me, but its been awhile since my last real effort of full fasting. I will likely go for a water only fast, or at most include some raw veggie juice (low sugars). I don't know the time frame, probably no more then 10 days, but I am going to just go with the flow.

Thoughts on if I am planning on doing too much at once?

By "go with the flow" I assume that you mean going with what your body tells you.

*Keep in mind that in this particular scenario, meaning this particular situation of me typing these couple sentences that I just typed, I am a gnostic (in the sense that I do not want to start an argument, nor am I trying to start an argument in any of the sentences that I have typed in this entire post of mine).

[MightySunTzu]

hi emeadow,

I agree with both Ginkgo and Dr. Cousins.

Rather than thinking of fasting as an event that adds more stress, i see it conversely as an activity that is nearly unbelievable in its ability to de-stress us.
As well, your timing for a fast seems rather excellent as you ideally want to be able to rest and relax as much as possible and your temporarily flexible and undemanding schedule will lend itself to this.

I am looking towards my next fast, but need to await a less demanding time... hopefully i will have that within 3-4 weeks.