Attempting the Black Fast

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The Black Fast appears to be a little stricter than the EO Great and Holy Lent…as if Clean Week were extended throughout all 40 days the Fast.

While I’m encouraged by your zeal, I’m also reminded of what St. Seraphim of Sarov said about the aim of the Christian life:

"However prayer, fasting, vigil and all the other Christian practices may be, they do not constitute the aim of our Christian life. Although it is true that they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end, the true aim of our Christian life consists of the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God . As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done for Christ’s sake, are the only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. Mark my words, only good deeds done for Christ’s sake brings us the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All that is not done for Christ’s sake, even though it be good, brings neither reward in the future life nor the grace of God in this life. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ said: He who does not gather with Me scatters (Luke 11:23). Not that a good deed can be called anything but gathering, even though a deed is not done for Christ’s sake, it is still considered good. The Scriptures say: In every nation he who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to Him (Acts 10:35)… “That is it, your Godliness. Acquiring the Spirit of God is the true aim of our Christian life, while prayer, fasting, almsgiving and other good works done for Christ’s sake are merely means for acquiring the Spirit of God.”

And as one priest cautioned: Fasting without prayer is demonic. I hope you are going to balance your fasting with prayer and almsgiving, as well as frequent consultation with a spiritual director.

May God bless your ascetic struggle and crown you with a joyous and Grace-filled Easter.
 
Update

I have struggled to hold to this fast. I have broken it on more days than not at about a 3/1 ratio. 😞

Abstaining is easier than I thought it would be, but the one meal is indeed a hurdle for this sinner.

I’m not giving up, nor beating myself up over it.

I have made a decision to self isolate because of the Coviv-19 virus. I’m not infected with it that I know of, but my job increased my risk of infection/exposure, so Sunday was my last shift worked. My employer is ok with it and understands my age and health conditions place me at high risk should I become infected. So eliminating that, coupled with embracing CDC recommendations which include staying home if possible seems a good plan.

Perhaps the need to conserve my food supply will help me in my attempt to tackle this form of fasting.

@PilgrimMichelangelo

Thank you for your reply. It has certainly reminded me to maintain my focus on Christ as best I can. Indeed, all we say, do, and decide, should be done with an awareness of Him.

God bless you, and all who post here.
 
CradleRC58 said:
I have struggled to hold to this fast. I have broken it on more days than not at about a 3/1 ratio. 😞
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It’s a struggle isn’t it?

For me the challenge is dizziness and feeling lightheaded.

I’ve managed so far, not to break it (knock on wood), but it’s been a struggle.
 
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I’m following a slightly watered down version of this. Vegan diet, but only Monday to Friday, and only limiting the number of meals on Fridays. Its working for me so far.
 
Um… Fasting with one meal a day is not supposed to result in lightheadedness, headaches, or other evidence that you are not eating enough.

St. Alphonsus de Liguori says so. (Just from a moral standpoint, totally not medical advice, o admins.)

Drinking more water or other acceptable liquids, or eating stick to your ribs versions of your fasting food, are traditional monastic solutions.
 
One meal a day I could not do. Personally I find limiting what I eat more managable than trying to place too strong a limit on how much.
 
@CradleRC58 Wow! Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, cake/ice cream and then a steak dinner!!! Satan was going all out to tempt you out of this fast. You should be commended for even trying to adhere to it. God bless you and give you the grace to succeed.
 
Are you still doing 16:8 or something different?

I’m doing an 18:6 for health reasons. So far so good.
 
I do 18:6 Wednesday and Friday and 16:8 for the rest of the week.

I do not snack, so I eat one small meal and one regular sized meal on Wednesdays and Fridays and eat two regular sized meals the rest of the week.

I’ve minimized sweets, sodas, junk food and processed foods and cooked from scratch all of my meals.

I’ve also minimized eating out.

When fasting, I remind myself that fasting is primarily for spiritual purposes and for some reason this has enabled me to withstand temptations.

Do you do 18:6 everyday?
 
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I fast completely for 18 hours. Only liquid beverages, but no shakes or soup etc.

It is VERY hard. I do it on Wednesday and Fridays during lent, from 12:00 am to 6:00 pm.

I’m relatively young, but I don’t know how many years I can do this.

Ask your doctor first.

I’ll say this much; it does allow for some real clarity of prayer, but I do it more because I have lived a very sinful life. It’s a form of offering and repentance. Who knows…
 
Sarcelle said:
Do you do 18:6 everyday?
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Yes, everyday. I do an 18 hour fast with only liquids then I have a small lunch around 2 and a regular sized dinner. I stop eating around 8 pm everyday day.
 
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I plan to do 18:6 Monday to Friday but I’m easing into it.

On the days I do 18:6, I have a modest lunch at 2 PM and have regular dinner at 7:00 PM.

During fasting I drink water and plain green tea or Earl Grey, plain.
 
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Well, I tried. It is simply too much to do. I’ve also stopped smoking and the home isolation due to the pandemic added to feeling of hunger due to quitting is more than I can deal with.

I have increased prayer a good amount though.

I’ll try again next Lent if He grants me one.

J+M+J
 
I’m a food worker and I’ve always had a problem with headaches and faintness, except for a brief time in my twenties. We were overworked and understaffed even before all this stuff, and I kept having non-diabetic low blood sugar episodes earlier this year. (Which I hadn’t had for quite a while.)

So I’m sticking with abstinence, and trying to give up low blood sugar episodes for Lent. (Not really a joke, as it takes a lot of self-control to figure out low glycemic index stuff to eat.)

You can see why I’m a big fan of St. Alphonsus de Liguori. He’s very reassuring to those of us who have to modify practices down instead of up.
 
Still doing the fast.

I admit I am tempted to eat when fasting and working from home. To counteract this, I exercise instead using my stair machine and drink water to keep hydrated.

It also helps that I do not keep snacks at home.
 
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