TOTAL FAST. What is it? How to keep it & what are the spiritual benefits of total fasting?

What is the Orthodox practice of total fasting? How do you keep it and why would you? What are the spiritual benefits of fasting for a period from all food and water for the love of Christ?
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The video 'Orthodox TOTAL FAST. What is it? How to keep it & what are the spiritual benefits of total fasting?' was recorded by Fr Seraphim Aldea from Mull Monastery (The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints), on the Isle of Mull, Scotland.

[@summerb860]

I made the mistake of mentioning to my brother that I was trying to fast. I made it 2 days, hoping to do 3 with no food before continuing the fast like normal. He has made bacon daily, burgers, cakes etc. When I failed, the first time, he made a spectacle of it. And has continued to do so. God sent my little brother to stay during Lent? Maybe its just me but it feels orchestrated! Lord have mercy. God bless you, father.

[@slimsmcgill]

Man, I love Orthodoxy

[@waterotter3625]

Woot! Woot! Orthodoxy!! 🎉

[@danielgaley9676]

As do I. Unfortunately, my wife is against Orthodoxy. Please pray for us. Dan and Cathy.🙏☦️🙏

[@Hana-ur5lb]

God bless you father. May you have a blessed fasting season, love from Ethiopia!

[@mullmonastery]

Thank you so much for your love and blessing, dear Hannan. May we all be blessed with a wonderful Lent, in which may we all grow together in Christ. Please stay safe and healthy, dear one.

[@paulazahariuc2635]

Bagoslovirea dv. părinte. Va ascult din Grecia,mă bucur când va aud,macar sfaturile dv.sa mi le amintesc mereu,mereu. Nu știu dacă aș putea că mama cu multe obligații și înafara de casa,să fac post negru...și postul de ulei greu mi este...

[@Subeffulgent]

I love this topic and I like how you explain it. I am a Catholic and I try my best to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays since my first learned that it used to be a practice of the church. I did not start this practice because I thought I was better than somebody I started it out of a curiosity of being able to somehow possibly get closer relationship with God. But every now and then the pride does creep in. I remember when I first started it was like I was being boiled alive! Spiritually speaking of course not physically. Thanks for all that you do and may God bless you and your family 👉✝️

[@paxvobiscum9859]

I'm Catholic and fast Wednesdays and Friday too (as well as extended periods during Lent and Advent.) In my parish, there are many of us that do this, so it doesn't feel like anything special. It is most useful though in developing some pretty important virtues such as modesty and temperance, and in strengthening the will, subordinating it to our higher intellect. 🙂

[@PhoebeK]

Father, I really appreciate your recognition that not everyone can fast as due to my past heath problems my Spiritual father will not allow me to keep the strictest form of the fast as it could course my problems to reoccur. I have found that there is a special grace of humility which comes from knowing what the expectations are and being instructed not to do them, as it is impossible to be proud about any achievements when you cannot keep the basic rule others manage. I have over the last few years how important it is to offer what I can to God not what I cannot or will course me harm to do. Sometimes it is the little things I can offer which seem almost silly which bring more grace than struggling though what is expected and then being unable to function properly for days.

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Phoebe, for some, humility comes from trying to fast and failing. For others, it comes from fasting and truly succeeding (because real fasting melts your heart). For others still, humility comes from the awareness of not being able to fast. The 'method' of acquiring humility is irrelevant; all that matters is that we do acquire it any way we can, and that we are honest before God in our attempts. Please keep us in your prayers, dear one, and may we all be saved.

[@minanabil5346]

@@mullmonastery You are good Father God bless you and your mission 🙏🙏🙏

[@210SAi]

I don’t think I’d ever heard of a 3 day total Fast (no water too). Thank you for bringing this to my attention Father!

[@danielgaley9676]

You answered my questions Father. Thank you for all your do! Glory to God 🙏 ☦️

[@gretagarbo6930]

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right,for they shall be filled with the Bread of Life!

[@antonellajalil5663]

Amen Amen Amen Thank you so much, Father. Let us always smile in the certainty that God loves us and that we are His children. Praised be God.

[@mullmonastery]

For as long as I have my being, I shall hope in the Lord. This same determination to hold on to His Love has given life to many others before us, dear one. We need to fulfil our responsibilities (do the little good which we can do; and stay away from the evil we can also do) and trust that Christ will do the rest. May we all be blessed, dear one.

[@fstri757]

The first thing I noticed as soon as you started speaking is that you seem to be at a place of increased peace and settled joy in your soul. Spiritually you seem to have found a satisfaction that is far greater than the satisfaction of 3 days worth of food. And while your spiritual state is none of my business, it is encouraging to perceive such an outcome of your fast. It encourages me in my struggle, that if I but only try, similar is available to myself. God knows what I am capable of. My struggle may not be exactly the same as yours. But if I put in the effort and the struggle, I am likely to find the peace and contentment I am seeking as well. I thank God for your faithfulness that I am able to look to for an example.

[@Fastedstate]

I am probably the most “unorthodox” in my approach to my spirituality, I suppose that exposes the current frailty of my journey with Christ. This video However, spoke to my heart in a brand new way. I am learning more and more how to fast according to scripture. I struggle with tradition, and have held fast to a more radical approach to my walk with God, but I’m not blind to my own lack of understanding and weaknesses. That brings me to this video. This video has been a great starting point in my approach to “Black fasting” or the total fast. Thank you brother for sharing this video with individuals such as myself, who are simply learning and searching out the fundamentals of a true spiritual fast according to the scriptures. Blessings to you always, Matt 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@gretagarbo6930]

Yes.The greatest thing is for me to know that I have a Heart that is so far away of me,in Mull, but comforts me,is sending us ,again,so much love.This matters the most.Do not die! Love gives meaning to the fasting.you feel the hunger of the whole world.and the thirst of the One Who said on the cross I am thirsty!

[@lijmaryam3528]

Amen(3) greetings from eritrea orthodox

[@mullmonastery]

May we all be blessed, dear one, and may we have a beautiful Lent together.

[@eden7736]

I keep running into the topic of fasting in the last week. Most unusual. It began with learning that many bibles publshed post 1965, omit Mathew 17:21. Thankyou for your wonderful knowledge and encouragement. Peace to you, Fr! 🕊

[@cassaundramariac9075]

Thank you Father.

[@mysticalheart8107]

In the Roman Catholic Church we are, thankfully, enjoying a revival of fasting throughout the year; each individual encouraged to make it an integral part of daily life, whether from food, news, social media, sweets, etc. I have always felt that the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church can each be enriched by each other. Thank you for this insightful video. God Bless you Father!

[@nancyincanada5553]

Thank you, Fr. Seraphim. I am new to Orthodoxy, and this teaching is very helpful. Thank you.

[@mullmonastery]

Glory be to God, dear Nancy. I appreciate that you took the time to let us know, and we do take courage from your message. May we all be blessed.

[@dimitriosefstratiadis5117]

Thank you father,pray for us weak people,,love from Australia.

[@santiagolgb]

Thank you, Fr Seraphim, this is very helpful. God bless you. ¡Fuerte abrazo en Cristo desde Argentina!

[@bloo4448]

Bless you, I thirst for your discussions, I feel God led me to your videos. Also sometimes to be natural is wonderful so not to worry about being unprepared.

[@mathialeuch896]

God bless you Father and thank you for your wonderful and deep videos! Love from Norway 🇳🇴🙏🏻☺️☘️

[@marshabrubaker185]

Thank you for this wonderful message. I do fast on a regular basis, pray & read the Bible daily. However, I suffer from an incurable disease that requires I drink one to two liters of water daily or I go into hypothermia episodes. Please know that I pray for you & the monastery daily. 🙏

[@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647]

Things aren't going well, but it has never gone well if it has that only means bad things are coming it always has meant that for me, I have been doing total fasting for the last few days let's just say it's been approved by the family they like the idea, this has helped me out a lot they understand my choices.

[@absoluteinsigns3062]

God bless You Father Seraphim

[@andemariam1763]

Amen Amen Amen Thank you Father God bless you Father Father we need more vidoe about fasting. I am thinking father that we miss it. Fasting makes our flesh weaker and our souls more stronger. My dear brothers and sisters it is fasting time until Easter. 🙏🙏🙏

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Andemariam, fasting is one of the many tools we have at our disposal - for some, it is very difficult, because of various weaknesses of their bodies; for others, it comes easier. But that is alright, because Christ knows our hearts and He knows exactly what each of us can do. As long as we sacrifice a bit out of love for Him, He will give us the grace to sacrifice a bit more next time. Be blessed, dear one.

[@margareta7439]

So beautiful explained! Thank your dear father and God bless you and all around you!

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Margareta, may we all be blessed. Thank you for your kindness, it help to know that one's work is not completely useless. I pray we all find the grace to go through Lent (and life) learning from each other and growing in Christ together.

[@absoluteinsigns3062]

Thank You Father Seraphim

[@mimiabraham160]

Thank you Father please pray for us.

[@tonytrevorrow1280]

Thank you Dear Reverend Father,thank you for this wonderful explanation of the total Fast,it was most edifying & inspirational.

[@mullmonastery]

Thank you fro your kind words, dear Tony. I very much appreciate them and I am grateful for the encouragement they give us to continue our work. Please keep us in your prayer.

[@dariaangkadiredja5633]

Thank you Father Seraphim!

[@adrianaandronache6423]

Thank you so much for your pieces of advice! God bless you!

[@wendyflanagan5738]

Thank you Father Seraphim for this insightful talk. God bless all at the Mull Monastery.

[@andreigl]

Thank you, Father Seraphim.

[@lindarothera7838]

Lots of love from Australia

[@chrisdheinen]

Amazing bro. Simply amazing. So profound

[@4kleisurelywalks]

Thank you so much for this informative video upload Fr. Sending you warm regards and God bless you. Greetings from Canada

[@thomaslovell7861]

As I pray to the Father for guidance, I also thank Him for answering previous prayers. Please explain to me why the Lord Jesus instructed to not call any one on earth father, as we all have the one Father who is in heaven. I am asking out of a desire to know, not to cavil or argue. Blessings to you, father Seraphim and all the monks, nuns and novices at Mull!

[@grez6330]

Thank you for your kind advice father.....

[@ninaarpolahti3582]

Thank you, father, so much. I would like to keep fasting really properly this time.

[@bonnie_gail]

thank you

[@teodoramihaelaslavuica1906]

Foarte frumos explicat. Și mai ales totul așezat în duhul blândeții. Mulțumim tare mult, părinte! Gânduri de pace din agitatul București! :)

[@sorinvalentin9014]

Doamne ajuta ! Post usor parinte Serafim👍👍👍❤

[@mullmonastery]

Cu Dumnezeu inainte. Cum-necum, tot inainte, catre Lumina. Va imbratisam toti in Domnul

[@mkeenan1955]

Thank you father. Your words are encouraging to me. As a Catholic this is the first time I have tried to fast. I followed what my son calls intermittent fasting and I succeeded at it for three or four days and I achieved on one day that alleviation of nervousness and anxiety you mentioned. So the fasting was of some benefit. I hope I can continue it but I am 65 years old and am still feeling a little foggy because of the second COVID vaccine shot or jab I got almost two weeks ago.

[@aditipuri5148]

Thank you Καλή Σαρακοστή

[@mullmonastery]

Glory be to God for all things, dear one.

[@Aleksandr-Herman]

Fr Seraphim, may God bless you. I wish you lived where I live so that I can talk to you.

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Sasha, in a way, we live very close to each other. At least, we are aware of each other and here we are - praying for one another and speaking to one another. I am grateful for the little that I have and I trust that God will give me more when I am ready for more. Be blessed, dear one.

[@nromanov]

Sasha Canada, glad to see you are watching these kind of videos and thirsting for Christ. God bless you brother and father Seraphim

[@Aleksandr-Herman]

@@mullmonastery I am a protestant, who is exploring orthodoxy. I have a friend, who is a former protestant and now is a deacon in russian orthodox church in US. For some reason he is not very open now for a conversation, maybe just bussy, because he is a professor in a university. He told me to find a local chuch and ask my questions there. I was trying to find an orthodox church near me that I can visit, but, because of all the restrictions people can't just come to a liturgy, they have to book a visit online before coming, and capacity is very limited. I left a message about a month ago on the church's website, expressing my interest and asking someone to contact me, but no one got back to me yet. I also asked questions few times on your channel and other orthodox KZbin channels, but people answer rarely. I'm trying not to get disappointed because of these circumstances. So, as per now, I have to explore ortodoxy by myself, mainly by getting information online. Fr. Serafim, could it be God's will that I can't find an actual orthodox believer to talk to, and have to navigate my way just relying on God's guidance? I am very blessed by your videos, by the way, and they help me a lot. Let me know if I can help you with what you are doing in anyway. Thank you.

[@SabahsPsalm777]

@@Aleksandr-Herman Peace & Blessings Sasha, please don't give up. We are living in VERY different times. I wouldn't take it as a sign you shouldn't consider Orthodoxy. I was researching and studying for a couple of years before I moved to an area with a Church. I started attending but my husband wasn't interested. I eventually stopped going because of this and other circumstances. A few years later I began attending a different Orthodox Church. A little later my children began attending. Almost a year in my husband started attending. Pray, ask God for discernment. Get a basic book on prayer. Learn about and practice the Jesus prayer. A book I've found extremely helpful is www.amazon.com/Thirsting-God-Land-Shallow-Wells/dp/1888212284 Especially for Protestants and anything by Frederica Matthews-Green. I met a kind woman online who walked with me as I was not in the Church yet. Please don't give up. It's been one of the hardest and most beautiful experiences. God bless

[@Aleksandr-Herman]

@@nromanov hi Nikola, glad to see you again. As I mentioned earlier here, no one replied to me from that church in my city. So my jorney in Orthodoxy is unguided so far.

[@dskb83]

Amen!!! Amen!!!

[@ruthshivani]

thankyou

[@zen-sufi]

Can someone pray for me? I am struggling with discernment, between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. I have no idea what God wants me to do. I am struggling with various passions and sins. Pretty much everyday I am daydreaming of death.

[@gabrielgboucher6546]

Either one is better than living a sinful life brother. For myself i am catholic

[@gabrielgboucher6546]

And i Will pray for you and your délivrance from sins , after that you Will see more clearly. What is your name?

[@s.d.berquist6866]

Please get help in real time and on the ground. Do not allow yourself to continue to daydream about death! I’ll pray for you, although I am a sinner.

[@phredharvey7428]

May the fervor of our devotion be made fruitful by Your grace,we beseech You, O Lord, for then will our fasts be profitable to us, if they are pleasing to Your goodness.

[@johnpaulhumphrey2981]

"God wants no one to lose" I need to plant that deep in my heart. God bless you. Do the Orthodox regularly have black fasts (like a particular three days in lent every year?) or is it for certain rare occasions?

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Johnpaul, the answer is 'both'. We have some set black fasts (the three days at the beginning of Lent, the last three days of the Lent, some other one-day Feasts during the year, connected to the Holy Cross or St John the Baptist, for instance), but - on top of these instances (not replacing them) - we can also have personal rules of fasting which we agree with our spiritual fathers or parish priests (a lot of people keep the black very Friday of the year, for example, or when they want to pray with all their strength for someone who is ill or someone who has just departed) etc. I hope this helps a bit, dear one.

[@johnpaulhumphrey2981]

@@mullmonastery That is very helpful! You have one of the best channels on youtube. I am not Orthodox, but I am thinking of converting as soon as I can, and your channel will have helped in that. All my family is devout restoration movement (not Orthodox), and I am at least 4th generation, and they are proud of me. So my pride is hindering me from Orthodoxy, as well as other things. Would you pray for me? Thank you, and God bless you.

[@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647]

I've been hurting for the last few days glad I scrolled down to read this

[@marieh9204]

You are so Blessed as a true Religious. You can relate so perfectly to your brothers & sisters. You have opened my eyes and gave me such encouragement about fasting. I vowed to certain stricter fasting during lent & it has been so difficult. I have fallen several times. But I also have had times of success. What you have explained about the total intertwining of soul & body and how each effect each other as you explained. Fasting is very spiritually strengthening. I feel very tempted during fasting because satan knows it’s powerful. But how you legitimized fasting just gave me more passion to fast. Is it ok to develop your own habits of fasting. I have been fasting on Wednesdays as devotion to St Joseph. In other words if you follow the Holy Spirit, can fasting lengths days etc be customized as an individual. I can see it being tricky that we are fasting for the right reasons. I have to be careful it’s not just to maintain my weight versus pride versus truly having a devotion to spiritual commitment. Love your talks. They are so anointed. Please continue. Our 🌎 world needs genuine sincerity of faith like yours!!!!♥️

[@s.d.berquist6866]

Father did say in this video that one should not decide for themselves how they are to fast but to be obedient to the church traditions and a spiritual father.

[@mc-vu4vh]

Parinte Serafim, Bunul Dumnezeu sa va intareasca toata viata pentru rugaciunile de zi si noapte pe care le savarsiti alaturi de fratii manastirii.

[@mullmonastery]

Sarut mana pentru toata rugaciunea si urarea de bine. Sa ne tina Bunul Dumnezeu pe toti sanatosi si cu un strop de bucurie in suflet, sa nu ne stafidim la inima pe drumul catre El. Tot dragul in Domnul.

[@mc-vu4vh]

Doamne ajuta si binecuvintati parinte Serafim! Vazandu-va fata asa senina dupa post, m-am bucurat de bucuria si linistea care ne emanati in Domnul .

[@realtimeisnowtanyalynnk5425]

AMEN

[@triciagarea9576]

Unite the dates of Easter, that is my prayer for Orthodox and Catholics. By the Blood of Jesus Amen.

[@abm765]

What are all steps during the fast? If you had a map how would you organize the fast by weeks? Also, if you did not do total fasting / what are the other ways..is there any schedule for that or not. Just trying to get a complete picture..God bless

[@laurameszaros9547]

I'm a convinced and committed "faster" and regularly go without food for periods ranging between approximately 36-108 hours. Fasting is good, a really good habit to get into, unless there are good medical reasons to avoid it. My fasts are calorie free - no solid or liquid food, but plenty of hydration, water, herbal tea and weak black decaffeinated coffee. Dry fasting, without water, is not recommended for health reasons, except possibly for very short periods of only a few hours at a time. Dry fasts may be spiritually rewarding, but have no health benefits that I am aware of. If prolonged, dry fasts can in fact be very harmful to health. On the other hand it is possible to fast for anything up to around 168 hours (one whole week) if one hydrates frequently throughout. It still remains a spiritual challenge to fast on water only, and in fact it is possible to sustain a water fast for much longer than a dry fast. Intermittent fasting support groups will usually warn and then ban members who advocate dry fasting.

[@ChaplainReece]

This Kind Come Out By Nothing But Prayer and Fasting. Breaking Strongholds!!!

[@mullmonastery]

That is perfectly true, dear one - simply because it comes from the very mouth of Him Who is Truth. Fasting is such a powerful tool, in so many ways, and yet it is almost abandoned by many Christians today. May we all be blessed, dear one.

[@nilsllsteyaert]

God bless you, Father, for your inspiring words and simple explanations. I asked my spiritual father about night vigil and/or total fast, and he advised against it because I have young children to take care of, I need my energy levels high. And indeed, I noticed that even skipping a breakfast on a workday is daunting, I simply cannot focus on my work and during meetings. And I get grumpy. However, skipping breakfast on a Sunday to attend liturgy and partake in Holy Communion feels very easy. Hence my question: When you hold 3 days of total fast in a monastery, are those spend mostly in prayer, postponing all work to a later date? Or does God grant you superhuman powers which my needy stomach cannot comprehend? ;)

[@mullmonastery]

This is a very good question, dear one. I shall make a note of it for when we shall record on the topic again. Simply put, we continue to work throughout the entire period, but taking into account the changes that occur in our bodies. For instance, we do most of the physical labour work on day one, we move inside for day two (and do prayer ropes or clean the Monastery etc), and we basically move in the Church on day three. For the end of Lent, the church services are so long that, practically, if we were to do all of them, we would mostly be in church the entire time. But these are still working days, they are not treated as Feast days.

[@makita3680]

How do you fast regularly during lent? On what days do you eat oil?

[@franciscalester8879]

Ame

[@katkat2340]

Father - thanks for your teaching. Understanding the truth of fasting is very lost to our culture. How is it no water? So much more needs to be understood. Does fear come up as u deny yourself? Will you make a book, with spiritual guidance? What if a person is just terribly weak willed. How to overcome ?

[@Leonugent2012]

The Catholic Church doesn’t have many fasting laws. We are free to fast as much as we can

[@Kyriakyriaki-onlyaservant]

Father bless! Thank you for your video. I want to do a total fast, however, when I asked my priest during our last fast, he said that this type of fast is for monastics and priests. I think it is too easy nowadays for us and I want to sacrify my comfort of foods. I have to be obedient. Is there a danger going alone, father?

[@s.d.berquist6866]

Yes. There is a danger in going alone because of pride and self-deception. Do whatever your spiritual father says.

[@johnpaulhumphrey2981]

Do you recognize the loch ness monster most of the time??? :)

[@mullmonastery]

She is a lovely lady who often comes for tea, dear one 🐳

[@johnpaulhumphrey2981]

@@mullmonastery And here someone was telling me Nessie wasn't real. :)

[@htttppppp]

Never practiced total fasting. But I can vouchsafe that, regular fasting and prayer united with self-condemnation, as taught by father Raphael from Podmaine Monastery, Montenegro, and Holy Communion brings us closer to God, expelling demons.

[@orsulchili6984]

There are many types of Catholics Father. I have been raised in the Latin traditionalist Catholic religion where fasting is a thing. But also, as a divorced woman, my understanding is that we are not quite welcome to church and certainly not the holy communion. I don't have a full understanding of everything that had happened but this is what I was told. In the 1960's there was a change to the rites of the mess and Sunday school stopped being a thing. The church had divided itself with traditionalists being discommunicated for refusing to use the new updated versions of the mess and Sunday school education. I had only ever attended Sunday school as a child in order to be educated enough for my first holy communion. My education is minimal but I constantly try to educate myself. Religion is the most complicated thing to learn on your own. Anyway, being a divorced woman and even more so a stranger walking into a traditionalist Catholic Church I get a sense of uneasiness. Therefore I have stopped going altogether. I am 44 years old, the last time I confessed I was 11 years old. The last time I went to church, the priest made a sermon that Our Lady does not send her blessing to women, only to men and women get her blessings through their husbands. As you can imagine, this deeply affected me and I never went back. Also the Catholic traditionalists have now split, some of them were re-communicated. Politics in religion!! You would know that better than all of us!. Cut matters short, I am craving my church but I am craving your teachings. Confusing hey!

[@210SAi]

Divorced people are not excluded from receiving Holy Communion. The problem comes in if that divorced person enters into another union while their original spouse is still alive. There are several good sources for more information on this matter

[@orsulchili6984]

@@210SAi I'm interested. What sources?

[@s.d.berquist6866]

Dear Orsul Chili, you are craving union with Christ, which is beautiful. The best thing to do would be to find an Orthodox Church and begin learning from attending service there. Hopefully one with welcoming people and a supportive priest.

[@orsulchili6984]

@@s.d.berquist6866 I have been seriously considering that recently. Thanks for confirming that. It's unfortunate that people risk their lives and health going to church around here. Just the other day, a 78 year old lady was beaten up on the stairs of a greek orthodox church right near me...by a 36 year old. He was intercepted but we can see that the devil is waiting at the stairs in order to dissuade practice. It's heart breaking! That's not enough to stop me though but I can imagine that this can be dissasive enough to some others who are craving the same as what I am. All we can do is pray, hope and try not to worry I guess. Thanks again for your encouraging words.

[@andreisoare6978]

Father, tell me , in this film are you on the Athos, Mountain ? Please answer me ! Thank you !

[@mullmonastery]

Dear Andrei, we live on the Isle of Mull, in the North-West of Scotland, part of the Hebrides Archipelago.

[@andreisoare6978]

@@mullmonastery Ok Father, I undestood very well . But you pronounced very well in my language, Blak Post like Post Negru . Mull monastery is it ortodox monastery ? Maybe romanian ortodox monastery ? Why are you there father ? Forgive me father, I please you answer me ! Thank you father ! God with you ! Sorry for my mistakes in English !

[@bogdanungureanu9751]

I posted a comment today and can't see it anymore...

[@catechumen24]

This is interesting to me because being Orthodox myself I didn't know there was a 3-day total fast at the beginning of Lent, I knew about the 1-day total fast on Holy Friday though. I recently (2 weeks ago I think?) undertook a 3-day total fast but not for spiritual reasons, for health reasons having nothing to do with my faith, simply because I was having abdominal pain and it cured it, and I knew I was able to do it because I had done it once years before just to see if I could. I've read Dr. Jason Fung's book on fasting, and how it's really good for our health, and have been doing what's called "intermittent fasting" for a few years now, which is simply eating only 1 or 2 meals a day instead of 3, out of convenience and also for the health benefits. So I have in the past approached "total fasting" from a non-spiritual perspective, informed by a doctor, for health reasons. As well as doing the total fast on Holy Friday (and before communion of course) for spiritual reasons. I'd like to understand if you mean that, as an Orthodox Christian, we shouldn't undertake any total fasting, even those done for health reasons instead of spiritual ones, without the blessing of a priest? I don't have a spiritual father so I would have to ask the priest of my parish. I'm very interested in the topic of fasting for health reasons as I've been passionate about food, nutrition and health for a long time now. So being able to get more info on this from the Orthodox perspective is interesting and useful to me, thank you :)

[@mullmonastery]

Dear one, according to the Typikon, there is a three-day period of total fasting at the very beginning of Lent and another three-day period at the very end, just before the Resurrection. It is observed in all Orthodox monasteries and most parishes I know in Romania, even is many people need to make slight adjustments to fit their lives. Be blessed, dear one, and please keep us in your prayer.

[@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647]

I've been on the journey towards Orthodoxy for over 20 years now there have been several obstacles mostly torment trying to get me to stop not going to happen to go to continue no matter what.

[@annabertuna1805]

But doesn't prayer and fasting heal illnesses and diseases?? God bless everyone from Melbourne Australia 🙏🙏🙏

[@victorinoterradillosortega2539]

Paz y Bien. Bendiciones. ¿Conoce usted la vida de san Pedro de Alcántara? Puede leer los capítulos 27 y 30 del Libro de la Vida, escrito por santa Teresa de Jesús. Es posible que ahí se encuentre una verdad sobre el ayuno y penitencia totales, y cómo la persona es transfigurada hasta mostrar las huellas y delicadezas de Jesucristo. Gracias.

[@franciscalester8879]

ORTHODOX Fast What it is. Fr. Seraphim . I'm fasting today March. I wonder if I can have water and bread like the Jews people. ? Thank you and God blessed you

[@210SAi]

There are different types of fasting. This total fasting is new to me as well.

[@s.d.berquist6866]

Mostly we abstain from all animal products; those of us who are able. If you search for Orthodox Christian fasting tradition online, there is a plethora of information.