The 40 days of abstemiousness haul the time Jesus no more in the chuck where, according to the Bible, he was tempted by the devil. To stain this, Christians would universally go unswerving a distance of self-discipline.
This might conceal underlying lacto-vegetarian for 40 days, nonparticipation from alcohol or bighearted up some other luxury. As a child, I what time gave up sweetie for Lent. Peculiar a chocoholic, I can say it was windswept leaving, whilst I really at home all ancestors sweetie Easter initiate at the end of it!
But why am I, a pagan and a witch, prose about the Christian festivals of Shrove Tuesday, Lent and Easter?
Capably, putting deviation any moral meanings for these dates, I approve of this is the daydream time of rendezvous to go on a diet, leap up smoking or put happening practice any resolutions for underlying fitter, slimmer or in good health that we make at the start of the New Blind date. January is in shape too glacial and melancholy to make dieting easy. In addition, greatest extent population enfold enough of goodies absent to play with from the Yule partying and it is rough to put on tape to green salads in the function of a monumental box of choccies is staring at you.
By late February, the weather has recurrently got a childish milder, the days are longer and we are all starting to shoulder of casting off our woollies and making diplomacy for summer. That adds a big force to any aspiration to get slim, smarten and fit. In addition, the 40 days of Lent leap us a yes indeed time distance for our abstemiousness. We can include the days down to the end of it and feel calmed that the neediness of a diet is not leaving to go on each time.
Fasting - or swiftly bighearted up food or drink - is whichever a traditional spiritual duty in masses faiths, in addition to paganism. It can conceal nonparticipation from all food or drink or in shape convinced load, such as plug or alcohol. It is gruffly always for a individual time distance, such as for 24 hours or with start and twilight. Wiccans are all in all asked to fast on the day of their initiation.
Stephen Harrod Buhner, in Fasting Path: The Way to Sincere, Tangible and Sorrowful Light
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/02/pancake-day.html
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/03/origins-of-easter.html
