Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
A human being has so many skins inside, covering the depths of the heart. We know so many things, but we don’t know ourselves!
Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
