Ezra Taft Benson on Action & Habits

Fasting appears in religious and cultural traditions around the world, often as more than a dietary practice. Temporarily abstaining from food can function as an intentional interruption of appetite and routine.

Benson describes benefits to mind, body, and spirit. The spiritual dimension belongs to the religious framework in which he was speaking. Claims about physical benefits, however, should not be treated as universal medical advice; fasting can affect people differently and is not appropriate for everyone.

As a growth principle, the interesting idea is deliberate restraint. Choosing not to satisfy an ordinary impulse immediately can make that impulse more visible. We notice habit, appetite, discomfort, and the stories the mind tells when something familiar is unavailable.

That awareness can create space for reflection. The practice becomes less about deprivation and more about noticing what normally operates automatically.

Restraint can be practiced in many forms. We might temporarily step away from food, social media, shopping, alcohol, entertainment, or another habitual source of stimulation.

The useful question is what the absence reveals. Do we reach automatically? Become restless? Discover time we did not know we had? Notice an emotion the habit usually covers?

A temporary boundary can turn an invisible routine into something observable. That information can help us decide whether the routine still serves us.