{"id":1169,"date":"2008-03-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-03-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/news\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/"},"modified":"2017-10-14T04:49:27","modified_gmt":"2017-10-14T04:49:27","slug":"fasting-as-learning-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Fasting as "learning journey""},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fasting
Sydney Baha’i Diane Hansen is observing the Baha’i fast for the second time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sydney Baha’i Diane Hansen is resuming the “learning journey” she undertook at this time last year.<\/p>\n

Ms Hansen joined the Baha’i Faith in 2006 and last year participated in the Baha’i fast for the first time.<\/p>\n

“My first Baha’i fast was a real learning journey with many peaks and valleys,” Ms Hansen said.<\/p>\n

“It definitely boosted my spiritual development, as I often found myself calling on prayer to get me through the day,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Fasting taught me a lot about myself. The best meal I ate during the fast contained a good portion of humble pie,” Ms Hansen said.<\/p>\n

Fasting is a reminder<\/strong><\/p>\n

In observing the fast, Baha’is between the ages of 15 and 70 do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset from 2 March until 20 March.<\/p>\n

Fasting is intended to draw the individual closer to God through re-focusing on prayer and the life of the spirit.<\/p>\n

According to the Baha’i writings, abstaining from food and drink is symbolic, “a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires.”<\/p>\n

There are exemptions for those who are sick, pregnant or breastfeeding, travelling, or engaged in heavy labour.<\/p>\n

Most Baha’is find they can carry on their normal lives, often having an early breakfast and breaking their fast just after the sun sets.<\/p>\n

New Year<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the final day of fasting draws to a close at sunset on 20 March, celebrations will begin for the Baha’i New Year, or Naw-Ruz.<\/p>\n

In Australia this holy day is usually celebrated with prayers and joyous local celebrations.<\/p>\n

It falls on the spring equinox, the same day as the ancient Persian festival also called Naw-Ruz.<\/p>\n

Read another story about the Baha’i Fast from the Baha’i World News Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sydney Baha’i Diane Hansen is resuming the “learning journey” she undertook at this time last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media-releases","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\nFasting as "learning journey" - Australian Baha'i Community<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fasting as "learning journey" - Australian Baha'i Community\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sydney Baha'i Diane Hansen is resuming the "learning journey" she undertook at this time last year.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Australian Baha'i Community\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-03-03T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-10-14T04:49:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/Portals\/0\/Diane_Hansen.JPG\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"it-admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"it-admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/fasting-as-learning-journey\/\",\"name\":\"Fasting as "learning journey" - 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