Fasting: an Exceptional Human Experience

Fasting

An Exceptional Human Experience

Since prehistory, fasting has been used in various ways as a means of

transformation. As a spiritual practice, it is the oldest and most common form

of asceticism and is found in virtually every religion and spiritual tradition. In

psychology, studies have suggested that fasting can alleviate the symptoms

of some psychiatric conditions, including depression and schizophrenia.

In medicine, fasting is one of the most promising therapies, with research

suggesting that fasting can cause certain drugs, such as chemotherapy, to

work better while reducing drug side-effects. Hunger striking, sometimes called

political fasting, may be the most powerful application of fasting. Proof of this

occurred in 1948 when Gandhis hunger strike caused millions of Hindus and

Muslims in India to cease their fighting. As a practical guide, Randi Fredricks,

Ph.D. provides detailed information on the different types of fasting, where

people fast, the physiological process of fasting, and the contraindications

and criticisms of fasting. Using existing literature and original research, Dr.

Fredricks focuses on the transformative characteristics of fasting in the

contexts of psychology, medicine, and spirituality. The relationship between

fasting and transpersonal psychology is examined, with a focus on peak

experiences, self-realization, and other exceptional human experiences.

Dr. Fredricks demonstrates how fasting can be profoundly therapeutic,

create global paradigm shifts, and provide personal mystical phenomena.