Introduction

While this is a time of spiritual rejuvenation and enlightenment, the spiritual aspects of the Bahá’í fast are often overshadowed by anxieties associated with how to simply make it successfully through the day without eating or drinking. We are often in a “survival mode,” counting the minutes until sunset—when the first drink of water or bite of food can be taken. And when sunset arrives, we feast, as if to make up for lost calories. Let’s face it, we’ve all been there!

For many of us, the problem is our preoccupation with food and the mentality of “making it through the day.” Although Bahá’u’lláh describes the Fast as outwardly “difficult and toilsome” and a “rigorous exercise”, excessive preoccupation with the outward struggle leaves us with little bandwidth to focus on reflection, meditation, and prayer—all the essential elements that will allow us to enjoy the inward “bounty and tranquility” that Bahá’u’lláh says it is intended to produce.

In the prayer for Naw Ruz, Bahá’u’lláh speaks to the mystical nature of fasting that transcends simple culinary abstinence:

“For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the Fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the Fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the Fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.”

This suggests that fasting needs to be both physically and spiritually intentional and purposeful. It also suggests that successfully completing the physical requirements doesn’t necessarily equate to having remained faithful to this mighty ordinance. In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá’u’lláh tells us:

“The very life of all deeds is My good pleasure, and all things depend upon Mine acceptance.”

As a deed, true fasting requires that each person strive to make his/her fast acceptable to God. It requires us to move beyond a simple focus on abstaining from food and drink to a focus on pleasing and turning our hearts to God out of our love or our desire to develop a love for Him. To do this, we will need to also continually strive to improve our understanding of the significance of the Bahá’í Fast.

Personally, my fasting “experiences” have varied from year to year, some being unpleasant and exhausting while others being truly exhilarating. While I understand that my feelings about how I fasted have no relationship with how God judges my fast, I’m still trying to determine the exact key ingredient(s) that made the difference between unpleasant and exhilarating. Until then, I am certain of one thing: The Writings are replete with hidden gems that point any soul in the direction of exhilaration. The fast is fundamentally about mining those gems through the spiritual guidance of the Writings.

Bahá’u’lláh teaches “At the outset of every endeavor, it is incumbent to look to the end of it.” He also tells us that “It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action.” The ’’i writings give us the blueprint for both with regards to fasting. In attempting to do this, however, we must have realistic expectations.

True fasting is an obligatory endeavor with benefits that are often (but not always) difficult to realize or measure, as it is a very personal experience that will undoubtedly differ from person to person. We must have Faith, however, that when we “strive” to fast according to the counsels of Writings, the powers and blessings will assuredly follow—“Whoso seeketh out a thing and persisteth with zeal shall find it.”

It is with this in mind that I have created this space. It is intended to be an evolving exploration of the meaning and ultimate purpose of fasting based on the Bahá’í Writings, hopefully providing greater insight and understanding about the intentional and spiritual nature of this “great law.” I have included the online English, Mandarin, and Farsi versions of my book “Happy Fasting! A Healthy Approach to the Bahá’í Fast.” Each of these versions have been approved for publication by their respective publishing trusts/agencies. The purpose of these publications is to provide spiritual, dietary, and lifestyle reflections that support the true purpose of fasting, hopefully assisting the reader to translate what has been written into reality and action.

Happy Fasting!

What Does It Mean To Fast?