Question: Some people believe that fasting will help to achieve inner peace. Do you recommend fasting before meditation?¹¹²

Sri Chinmoy: No! There are many poor people on earth who cannot afford to eat every day. But those unfortunate people who are starving are not nearer to God-realisation. Again, there are people on earth who fast quite often, but I do not think they have more peace of mind than those who meditate every day. A snake may eat once in five or six months, but in what way is the consciousness of a snake superior to ours?

Fasting once in a blue moon is beneficial if you want to purify your system. If once a month you fast, it will not tell upon your health; it may even help in illumining your mind. But if you fast on a regular basis with the idea of having a calm, pure mind or good health, then you will be making a deplorable mistake; you will only be weakening yourself. It is through meditation, not fasting, that illumination comes. Only regular, soulful meditation can bring you peace of mind and inner harmony.