I've always been fascinated with fasting. Throughout my life I've done it for numerous reasons. Going all the way back to high school, I did it to make weight in wrestling - often dropping ten pounds in a matter of a day or two. Since then, I've done it for spiritual reasons, health reasons, and sometimes just because I've been broke and wanted to save some money.

Usually I'll just do a few days of pure fasting at a time - I really don't even consider things like "juice fasts" to be fasts. That's just eating a lot of fruits and vegetables (which is kind of my life anyway) in pureed form.

This time I'm doing it with a few partners. The wifey has been right next to me this time and a friend of ours in Michigan has been putting herself through the fast as well. I always imagined it would be a fun communal experience, and I was right... Though I don't know that "fun" is the best word to describe it.

I notice that fasting gives me a clearer mind, sharper senses, and more perspective on the world. The downside is that it makes me tremendously weak, but, for me at least, that is a trade-off that is well worth it. After all, after two days of exclusively drinking water, my next meal is going to taste a lot better than my last one, only because I'll appreciate it more.

I may do a few more fasts as my training comes along. That feeling of weakness, with irritated, sore muscles is something I need to get used to. I imagine the fatigue I will experience from sleep deprivation is very similar to the feeling I am experiencing now. The only difference is that when I am depriving myself of sleep, time will go slower. No sleep to pass the pain and suffering with.