Fasting from doubt

When I was a kid, the beginning of Lent meant the end of sweets until Easter. We were supposed to ‘give something up for Lent’ and for most kids in my Catholic school, that 'giving up’ meant sweets. I don’t remember if we were coached to do that or if we were told we needed to give up something important to us and sweets were pretty important to most of us.

For years, when I observed Lent, I gave up sweets. Then I left the Church, and the whole idea of Lent just fell by the wayside. I only knew it was Ash Wednesday when I saw someone walking around with a dirty forehead. I realized they’d been to church, had the priest make the sign of the cross on their forehead with ashes and say “remember man that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.”

Many years after leaving the Catholic Church, I happened upon a book called Keep a True Lent, by Unity Church co-founder Charles Fillmore. Fillmore talked about the benefit of fasting and preparation for the time of renewal which was Easter. The book’s introduction cast fasting in a new light— “When we withdraw our attention, interest, and support from the false and the unworthy, this is true fasting.”

Since finding and using Fillmore’s book each year, Lent and Easter have taken on more meaning for me. I think in terms of what doesn’t serve me that I’d like to fast from. This year I decided to fast from self-doubt. Second guessing myself, not trusting my inner wisdom, has been a pattern that I can easily fall into. This year I’ll fast from self-doubt and open the way for greater confidence and connection to my inner guidance.

I once heard someone say that anything we do consistently will change our lives. So at least for the period of Lent, I will consistently guard my thoughts against self-doubt. Who knows, maybe I’ll be a different person by Easter!

If you were to choose to fast from something that didn’t serve you, what would that be?