Today is Ash Wednesday, traditionally the start of Lent - the season of preparation for Easter - and a day of fasting. The word "Lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "lencten", referring to the lengthening of days in the Spring. These periodic fasts, linked to the development of the inner or spiritual life, are meaningful, symbolic actions that most wisdom traditions prescribe, so it seems to correspond to some common human need or insight. It is ironic that the notion of fasting seems somewhat alien today, even though the Muslim period of Ramadam has increased awareness of this type of practice greatly. We have become quite comfortable with the latest diets and slimming fads - similar rituals but without the same link to something deeper in the unconscious. Fasting, like the silence and stillness of meditation, removes us from some of the normal routines of each day and allows us see what then arises in the mind. Ceasing some activities which have become second nature can be a useful "mindfulness bell" which reminds us to drop into our inner life rather than distracting ourselves from it. This simplification of our day brings us face to face with some of the "stories" which we have about our lives and allows us see more clearly what our priorities are.
"In our crazy world, silence and stillness are two of the true remaining luxuries. You have to work hard to create those sacred pockets of stillness for yourself.... More than anything, I needed peace. And modern life, for all its conveniences and all its opportunities, doesn't offer that. We almost have too many options."
Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
