I don't fast on particular days. And I don't do it often, haven't in ages to be honest. But I fast when I want to symbolise I don't rely on anything of the world, kind of to demonstrate that I'm really serious about what I'm about to approach God about, perhaps a friend's illness, or other situation close to my heart. I don't think God needs me to fast, it's more about making a difference in how I approach him, my mindset, and it makes me connecting with God feel more special than usual.
For me though, fasting isn't the big deal it is for many people, because I can go all my sunlight hours without eating anyway. I'm lazy, absent minded, and disorganised, so it's often 4pm by the time I think 'gee, I'm hungry'. For me, symbolically it's a bigger deal to go outside somewhere quiet by myself with my bible, or not speak for a certain period of time.
Kind of like some people do the 40hour famine without their phones or internet - that is more significant and meaningful to them. And God gets my meaning, he knows what is significant to me.
I'm not sure how you would work fasting into your life Hoobs. Perhaps when you need to think about something, redefine who you are and what you want out of life, you could fast to symbolise that this isn't a physical issue, but a deeper one? Not sure.
I have fasted in the past and used the time to concentrate on my relationship with God. It has been fantastic and given me some fantastic insight into where I am in my journey. And in my life too. Answers come quicker when you're listening rather than eating!
BUT on the whole I try not to fast too often. It's something that I can do easily, I've fasted for up to three days before, with nothing but water. Given that I have a bad relationship with food and I tend to comfort-diet, I have to make sure I am mentally strong enough to fast and that it doesn't start me dieting again (I haven't dieted for about 3 years now, but that doesn't mean the mentality isn't there and fasting sometimes encourages this). Plus I have to cook for DS, if not DH, so I'll still be thinking about food.
It's not something I do on a specific day or at a specific time, for reasons mentioned above, but it is something I try to do. For me, it's more on focussing the mind, which can sometimes mean missing a meal so I am praying and contemplating privately. Again, with DS around, doesn't happen too often. But can happen because it's taking time out while he's sleeping and I could have lunch. Just a few times a year, just missing food for one day to concentrate on other things, can be so beneficial (as you found a few years back!).
Maybe you could spend time thinking about your own faith and what you really believe rather than trying to follow a set fasting programme? I know that when I do that I have a much clearer picture of what I do believe and that's helpful; there's so much cultural stuff that we were told as children that we just randomly think is true when, if we evalutate this, we find we don't believe it at all.
We have 2 major fasts a year (around 25 hours, dusk - night) - on Yom Kippur (the day of atonement, which is in about 2 weeks, eek!, and the 9th of Av. These are the only 2 days were everyone has to fast, unless it is life or death not to (not, "i have a headache kind of thing". Pregnant and bfeeding women do also.
We have about 8 other minor fasts a year, which go from daybreak until night. These ones pregnant and bfeeding women can be excluded from (i haven't done one since beginning 2005, my aim is not to until menopause )
As much as fasting is exhausting and hard at times, i enjoy it when i'm not around the kids and i have time to think about why i'm doing it. I find it very refreshing and cleansing in a way.
My tips for fasting are:
1) stop drinking caffine etc at least 3 days beforehand.. the biggest cause of headaches are always caffine withdrawl
2) the day before just keep drinking water.. very important tha you are hydrated enough during the fast
3) complex carbs and protein are the way to go for your pre-fast meal.
4) break your fast on something light, like a cup of tea and some cake.. then after an hour when your stomach has adjusted have a proper meal.
5) have a sleep during the day, makes it easier.
6) make dinner in advance, - it's hard enough fasting and feeding kids, let alone cooking all day long.
I think for muslim women they can choose if they want to, and i know at least 2 who did. They only did it in the middle trimester and if they felt unwell on it they did take some water. For most of my muslim friends it depends what season Ramadan is falling, how far along they were, and how good their pregnancy was going generally. One girl i know told me the town in Pakistan where she was from MOST women did fast during pregnancy and breastfeeding (you can't fast if you have lochia still anyway, so most never fasted if ramadan happened to fall in the first 4-6 weeks of breastfeeding)
IN many many parts of the world women live on FAR fewer calories that we in the West do. Many have to go days without food, and sometimes days without water, weeks, months, years, lifetimes without clean water. It's not ideal, but it hasn't wiped the human race out yet. I think in the situation of Ramadan, where a woman is able to eat and drink amply and healthily during the 24-hour period, just not during daylight, it's probably not dangerous for healthy women having normal pregnancies.
Yes, it's fine to fast during a normal pregnancy for 24 hours with no food or water. I have done it twice, both pregnancy's. Last year i was around 32 weeks, felt fine, just took it easy that day (still walked 25 mins each way to synagogue pushing a stroller).
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