Fasting: An Exceptional Human Experience

Fasting: An Exceptional Human Experience

Fasting<br />An Exceptional Human Experience<br /><br /><br />Since prehistory, fasting has been used in various ways as a means of<br />transformation. As a spiritual practice, it is the oldest and most common form<br />of asceticism and is found in virtually every religion and spiritual tradition. In<br />psychology, studies have suggested that fasting can alleviate the symptoms<br />of some psychiatric conditions, including depression and schizophrenia.<br />In medicine, fasting is one of the most promising therapies, with research<br />suggesting that fasting can cause certain drugs, such as chemotherapy, to<br />work better while reducing drug side-effects. Hunger striking, sometimes called<br />political fasting, may be the most powerful application of fasting. Proof of this<br />occurred in 1948 when Gandhi’s hunger strike caused millions of Hindus and<br />Muslims in India to cease their fighting. As a practical guide, Randi Fredricks,<br />Ph.D. provides detailed information on the different types of fasting, where<br />people fast, the physiological process of fasting, and the contraindications<br />and criticisms of fasting. Using existing literature and original research, Dr.<br />Fredricks focuses on the transformative characteristics of fasting in the<br />contexts of psychology, medicine, and spirituality. The relationship between<br />fasting and transpersonal psychology is examined, with a focus on peak<br />experiences, self-realization, and other exceptional human experiences.<br />Dr. Fredricks demonstrates how fasting can be profoundly therapeutic,<br />create global paradigm shifts, and provide personal mystical phenomena.