On Fasting

An Unnumbered Task of Pisces - Part I

Part I - The Fast

Before all acts of Conjuration and Spirit work we should have spent some time fasting from all things that excite the mind and body, we are to avoid becoming drunk or high, we are to restrain ourselves from all lustfulness, we are to limit our intake as best we can of food, restricting ourselves as best we can to simple water and bread. We should avoid all foods containing animal products, especially the flesh. In the modern world we should endeavour to strictly limit our exposure to social media, television and video games. Anything that would take the presence and grounded focus of the Mind away from the immediate moment of perception is to be restrained. Our fasting should last three days, before any major operation. In all cases, this should be done with medical concerns and dietary necessities accounted for. If you suffer from diabetes for instance, or have a specific dietary requirement, then always stick to what your doctor has suggested to you, regardless of the instructions found within the grimoires or this Guide.

It is generally understood that the importance of fasting is as a means of purifying the body, but it can also be seen as a means of approaching the stillness and liminal state before death. As I have already mentioned, Kadmus describes in his book, True to the Earth, that the ‘Waking state is to Sleep what Sleep is to Death’. There are phases of this spectrum of Waking-Sleeping-Death which we can enter into prior to ritual action which both remove the excitations of the Living from us as well as masking our more human smells which may be displeasing to the Spirits. In this way we see the Fast as part of the preparation for an act of Katabasis, that is, a decent into the Underworld from within the Circle, taking one step into the Underworld to meet the Spirits half-way, in both a liminal space, time and physical state of body, not quite in the Living and not quite in the Realm of the Dead. By embodying the fasted state we approach something of this quality and virtue, perhaps masking the scent of the living world from us and allowing us to pass unimpeded past the Guardians set over the Gates of the Underworld to prevent our access.

And so, we see the value of this state of being, a passive preparation to encounter the Other at a threshold, such as the Circle, Graveyard or Crossroads, inhabiting some form of Mythical Time, such as a Planetary Hour, oriented towards a specific direction of space, and surrounded by the Spirits of our Court, a genuine encounter becomes a possibility. Just as we Call upon the Spirits to come to us, it is equally our responsibility to travel half the distance ourselves. Physically we may not move at all, but in a sense we are undergoing a Journey, bringing ourselves into proximity of those we wish to entreat with.

The Fasting of St. Charles, by Daniele Crespi c.1625

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How to Fast

There are many ways this can be accomplished, but from my personal experience I prefer to ramp up my Fast over the course of the three days. This way the body falls gently into the new rhythm and does not experience a stress-shock. I do this to prevent functional seizures which I am prone to while under stress and low blood sugar. You should consider how you should approach this yourself given your own bodies needs and concerns. In all cases, please be kind to yourself. Fasting is a state of being, not a competition. It should be geared towards self-knowledge and compassion, not torturing yourself or purifying the flesh of sin.

The following is an example of how I personally approach the Fast.

Day One

The day begins with a moment of silence before a glass of water over which is said,

“O great Spirit of the Waters, Elelogap, I call unto thee to guide me through this time of fasting. Come unto this Water, which I drink in your Name and honour. May all the Spirits I call upon come swiftly along the sweet scented path I have cast to the four quarters of the World. Amen ✠

I then enjoy a black coffee, or either apple or orange juice. Juice is good for raising low blood sugar in my case but again, please stick to whatever dietary requirement best suits you. I also eat two slices of bread or toast with no topping.

Lunch consists of fresh uncooked vegetables such as sliced carrots, fresh tomatoes and cucumber. Over these I add a dash of some mixed salt. A light vinaigrette or perhaps some humus are enjoyed and paired with a glass of water and another glass of either juice or green tea. Tea is excellent for helping to settle the body and mind. I have a huge selection of teas, so enjoy something new or stick to something you enjoy that possesses some purifying or cleansing virtue. I am a huge fan of lemon tea for this. It is important to drink enough water every day, but while fasting water should be drunk slowly to prevent becoming overly hungry.

Dinner consists of a thick soup or vegetable stew made with vegetable stock with a couple of slices of bread. If you have access to an Asian market I highly advise you try out konnyaku¹ as a filler which is both excellent for your digestion, possesses zero calories and fills you up rather splendidly. Do be careful to boil it twice and not to over eat it as it is essentially pure fiber. It will pass through you very quickly! I also highly recommend mushrooms, potatoes, aubergine, pumpkin and carrots. If you live near a bakery, you can find all sorts of delicious breads to add to this meal. I enjoy almond or sesame bread, as well as sweet potato bread. This meal can be enjoyed with water and another juice.

All the above is enjoined with both prayer, specifically the Prayer for Success, and periods of meditation. This is done once at dawn, twice before Noon, thrice at Noon, four times at 3pm, five times at sunset, six times at 9pm, and seven times at midnight. The times performed between Dawn and Noon, Noon and Sunset, and Sunset and Midnight will change according to the time of the year and the latitude at which you reside. Be aware of the Planetary Hours as you do this. Meditation sessions last ten to twenty minutes immediately after Prayer. For meditation, sit on a chair, back straight, shoulders back, hands resting over your lap and chin slightly angled down. Eyes can be closed or left half open as per the Zazen gaze. Focus on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath and nothing else.

Between prayer, meditation and our meals we are to study the Grimoire, prepare the ritual and focus on its steps. Memorise as best we can the conjurations and even practice them in full outside the ritual space. Recite and rehearse. I will add, that memorising the seal of the Spirit we wish to conjure is also an exceptionally potent form of meditation. Sit with you pen and ink and practice until you can draw it flawlessly from memory.

Day Two

This day begins much the same as day one with the same moment of silence and words spoken to Elelogap. Instead of two slices of bread or toast I only eat one. I still enjoy a coffee, but a smaller juice is poured. Eating very slowly helps avoid the worst of the hunger.

For lunch this day we limit ourselves to a small amount of raw vegetables with no dressing. Carrots are great, as they are full of goodness and delicious. Lentils are also fantastic. Again, this meal can be paired with water and a tea.

For dinner on the second day a light broth is prepared. Bread as before may be enjoyed, but limited. At no point should you feel full, but instead simply sated. Water and tea may be enjoyed as normal.

Meditation sessions after prayer are extended to twenty to thirty minutes.

Day Three

This day begins with a single piece of bread and glass of water.

I abstain from lunch entirely save water or tea.

For dinner a soup and a single piece of bread with a glass of water. Again, you can have a good meal, but to feel overfull or ‘stuffed’ goes against the goal of the fast. Becoming sated is enough.

Meditation is extended indefinitely between meals and periods of study and practice. Conjurations are recited and rehearsed. By now we should have fully retreated from work, family, friends and all mundane responsibilities.

This final day is often the most difficult to endure. Prayer helps as it focuses the mind which is inflamed. The first time you do this it may seem quite terrible. An endurance. Some people hate solitude. I promise you, it gets easier. If you do it often enough there are many health benefits. Eventually you will start to see improvements overall in your diet. You may even change the way you eat overall as a result and see lasting health benefits, especially if you have any addictive habits.

The Day of the Conjuration or Work with the Spirits

There are many different factors at play depending on the nature of the operation. We will develop this further on in the Guide, but for now, we should know that we should limit ourselves to water alone until the Conjuration has been performed. Once complete a Feast may be provided and bread broken with the Spirits. More on this later.

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Gratiarum Actio

“For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful. Amen.”

Much as a Christian may say Grace over their meal, there are many ways we can implement this into our Work, enjoined with our Fast to better focus the sorcerer on their goals as well as develop a means whereby all food and drink may be purified. You will find a Thelemic variation of Grace described below. If you have something similar in your own tradition or faith, then consider utilising this before any meal, especially as one fasts before the act of conjuration. This can also be done as an expression of Buddhist meditation practice. All Japanese people begin their meal by saying, いただきます (‘Itadakimasu’), meaning, ‘I am grateful to receive.’ A swift, simple and direct expression of gratitude to the person who paid for or prepared the meal for you. Once the meal is finished it is natural to state, ごちそうさまでした (‘Gochisousama deshita’), meaning, ‘I give thanks for the meal.’ To leave out this statement would be considered rude and its absence would be noticed by all present.

The purpose of this act of Grace or Will is to express our true gratitude for the ability to eat and sustain ourselves, an act we take for granted in our modern world far too often. Each and every day we are alive to experience the wonders of Creation is a gift. To this day, many millions of people around the world still lack even basic access to food and water. By making a point of our gratitude I hope we are also making a direct expression of compassion to all people, indeed, to all life. Acts of gratitude should not be limited to a single meal a year, but should be sung from the heart with each dawn, with each meal, each bight and sip, for each and every act should be an act of joy, a celebration of the chance we have been granted to exist. What we have access to today our ancestors could only dream of, and perhaps one day we may lack what we have today. We are blessed, and by being conscious of this blessing daily we come to understand that we are lucky beyond words to possess such bounty. A glass of clean water is a miracle.

Form your own Grace. Sing it from your heart. Give thanks, for tomorrow we may have nothing.

Thelemic Grace

The following can be performed by a group or a single individual.

Leader: (knocks 3-5-3)

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

All: What is thy will?

Leader: It is my will to eat and to drink.

All: To what end?

Leader: That I may fortify my body thereby.

All: To what end?

Leader: That I may accomplish the Great Work.

All: Love is the law, love under will.

Leader: (knocks once) Fall to!

This article continues in Part II, On Purity.

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This concludes the Unnumbered Task of Pisces

1. Sometimes referred to as devil’s tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphophallus_konjac