In ordinary daily life, many actions become automatic behaviors that don't require conscious attention. Eating, drinking, and even the sense of time become integrated into the rhythm of life without being deeply noticed. But with fasting, a noticeable cognitive shift occurs, and the relationship between the human being and these details changes. Fasting changes not only what you do, but how you feel it, how you perceive it, and how you give it meaning.
The first thing that changes is the perception of the body. Normally, the body works silently, not drawing attention to itself. But with abstinence from food and drink, the body becomes more present in consciousness. You feel thirsty, hungry, sometimes tired, but at the same time you become more aware of your body's signals. These signals, which were previously marginalized, become a clear language. The body becomes not just a medium, but an object of perception. This state reconstructs the relationship between man and his body, from an automatic to a conscious one.
Along with the body, the perception of time changes significantly. On a normal day, time is measured by tasks: Working hours, appointments, commitments. But in fasting, time becomes associated with waiting. Waiting for iftar, waiting for the call to prayer, waiting for a certain moment. This waiting creates a different sense of time, slower and heavier. But at the same time, many also feel that the month is passing quickly. This contradiction reveals that time is not only an objective experience, but a psychological experience that is shaped by the emotional state. By introducing an element of waiting, fasting reshapes the sense of duration and meaning.
Fasting also reshapes the perception of simple things. A glass of water, which might be ordinary on other days, becomes a moment of special value. The first sip becomes a full sensory experience, felt more clearly. Food, which may be consumed without thought, becomes a moment of appreciation and gratitude. This transformation is not about the food itself, but about the context. Temporary abstinence gives things meaning. What was always available becomes precious when temporarily withheld.
Psychologically, fasting creates a state of "slowing down perception". In a fast-paced world, where things are consumed quickly, fasting imposes a kind of slowing down. This slowing down allows details to be re-noticed: The light at sunset, the sound of the call to prayer, the movement of people before Iftar. These elements, which might otherwise go unnoticed, become part of the conscious experience. Fasting, in this sense, does not add new things to reality, but reveals what was already there but unnoticed.
Fasting also affects self-realization. When one voluntarily abstains from basic things, one experiences the ability to control one's desires. This sensation fosters a sense of inner control. In a world of instant gratification, fasting is a rare experience of deferral. This postponement redefines the relationship between desire and response. Instead of responding immediately, one learns to wait. This ability to wait changes one's perception of oneself, from a being who responds automatically to a being who is able to choose.
Ultimately, fasting reveals that our perception of the world is not fixed, but rather flexible and influenced by circumstances. The things themselves do not change, but the way we perceive them does. Water is the same, time is the same, the body is the same, but temporary abstinence rearranges the relationship between them and our consciousness. Fasting, in this context, is not just abstinence from food, but a cognitive experience that redefines the relationship between man and his world. It slows down the rhythm, raises the level of attention, and gives everyday objects a new meaning. Perhaps, in this temporary abstinence, a person discovers what has always been in front of him, but which he has never really seen.
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