Day 1 — Entering the Gate: My 21-Day Fasting Journey Begins

Start Time: August 22, 2025, 23:00 — Zi Hour
Starting Weight: 129.9 lbs
Blood Pressure: 120/70

Tonight, I step into the quiet corridor that will stretch for 21 days. No more “preparation” — the fast is real now. I begin at the Zi Hour, the very first of the twelve double-hours in the Daoist day, when midnight has just opened the gate from Yin into the first stirrings of Yang.

In the Daoist calendar, this is not just midnight — it’s the rebirth point of the entire day. The Kidneys, storehouse of Yuan Qi (original life force), are at their peak. To start now is to plant my intention directly into the root system of my body’s energy, letting it germinate in stillness before the light comes.

This isn’t only about food — it’s about a reset that will work on the body, the emotions, and the spirit.

 
Why I Fast
Over the years, I’ve learned that fasting is less about subtraction and more about revelation.
When you stop feeding constantly, you discover:

What was driving you to eat.
What your body does when it’s not digesting.
What rises up when silence replaces the usual noise of meals and snacks.
I’ve done shorter fasts before — three days, five days, ten days — but twenty-one days is a different territory. It’s long enough for the body to dismantle old patterns, not just physically, but hormonally, mentally, and spiritually.

For me, there are three purposes this time:

Physical Renewal — allowing autophagy to clear out damaged cells, giving my organs a deep rest, and moving toward my healthiest, lightest self without crash diets or extremes.
Emotional Clarity — seeing how much of my eating has been about comfort, reward, or habit, and learning to meet those needs without food.
Spiritual Alignment — using the fasting state as a still, open space for cultivation, meditation, and inner alchemy.
 
The Power of the Zi Hour Start
Most people choose a convenient morning to start fasting. I chose midnight — specifically 23:00 on August 22 — because in the Daoist system of Zi Wu Liu Zhu (midday-midnight flow), this is when the Kidney meridian is strongest.

The Kidneys in Daoist medicine are not just physical organs. They are the root of vitality, the “Gate of Life,” and the wellspring of your inherited essence (Jing). Starting here sends a signal to the deepest layers of the body:

“I’m beginning something new. I’m returning to the root.”

It’s also a subtle shift in the psychology of fasting. By starting in the middle of the night, I’ve already gone hours without eating since dinner — the first leg of the fast feels effortless, and I wake up already in motion, instead of waking up to the “first day struggle.”

 
The Numbers Today
I like to anchor the journey in something measurable.

Weight: 129.9 lbs
Blood Pressure: 120/70 — a sign my cardiovascular system is balanced at baseline.
These are not vanity numbers — they’re waypoints. Over 21 days, my body will change, but more importantly, the meaning of these numbers will change. I’m not looking for the lowest possible weight. I’m looking for the place where the body feels light, strong, and at ease — and where the numbers are a reflection, not an obsession.

 
The First Night’s Feel
As I write this, my stomach is calm. There’s no panic, no desperate craving. I’ve been tapering stimulants, no caffeine to avoid the sharp headaches that can come when fasting meets withdrawal.

There’s a stillness in the house. The world outside is already in Yin — quiet streets, soft darkness — and inside, I’m choosing to hold that same energy. The first hours of a fast aren’t about heroics. They’re about slipping gently into the current, not thrashing against it.

 
What the Next 21 Days Will Bring
I’ve broken the journey into three broad arcs, knowing the body and mind have their own rhythm in fasting:

Days 1–3: The Shift

Glycogen stores empty.
Body switches from burning sugar to burning fat.
Mental patterns around eating begin to loosen.
Days 4–10: The Deepening

Energy stabilizes.
Hunger signals diminish.
Emotional layers start to surface — this is where meditation becomes the real work.
Days 11–21: The Inner Work

Body is fully in repair mode.
Clarity peaks.
Spiritual practice becomes richer; distractions fade.
 
Daily Check-In Ritual
Every day, I’ll note:

Weight and blood pressure.
Physical sensations (energy, hunger, any discomfort).
Emotional tone.
Meditation quality.
Not to obsess — but to track the arc of change. It’s easy to forget how you felt on day 2 when you’re on day 15. The log keeps the invisible visible.

 
Guardrails for the Journey
This isn’t a punishment, nor a reckless experiment. There are guardrails:

Hydration: Clean water, herbal infusions, and mineral support.
Rest: Sleep is non-negotiable — fasting without rest is like trying to heal with the bandage still off.
Movement: Gentle walking, qigong, stretching — no overtraining.
Self-Observation: If I see warning signs (dizziness, severe weakness, mental confusion), I will act, not push blindly.
 
Why Share This Publicly
Fasting is both private and universal. My experience is mine alone — my body, my mind, my spirit — but the themes it touches are human: discipline, letting go, renewal.

By sharing this daily, I’m making a pact — not just with myself, but with those of you who read this — that I will stay the course, not out of stubborn pride, but out of respect for the opportunity this fast represents.

And maybe, in following along, you’ll see echoes of your own patterns with food, energy, or rest — and feel inspired to try a reset of your own, in your own way.

 
Closing Thought for Day 1
The first day of a fast is not the day of great triumph — it’s the day of quiet beginnings. Tonight, at Zi Hour, I crossed a threshold that doesn’t announce itself with fanfare. It’s a simple thing: no more food, for now. But behind that simple act is a long lineage of seekers, healers, and cultivators who understood that fasting is not about emptiness — it’s about space.

Space for the body to heal.
Space for the mind to rest.
Space for the spirit to speak.

As I close my eyes tonight, I imagine a single seed planted in the dark soil of the Kidney’s realm, hidden under the midnight earth. Over the next 21 days, that seed will sprout, grow, and reach toward the light.

I’ll meet it there.