[A sannyasin asks about fasting]
No need... no need. Your body need not go on a fast. A fast is needed only when the body has too much fat; otherwise it is a torture, it is masochism. Never be a masochist, and be very alert -- in India there are many masochist mahatmas; in fact all the masochists in India have become mahatmas. It is easy for the masochist to become the mahatma, to become the saint, to become the martyr, but behind his religiousness is nothing but masochism: he enjoys torturing himself.
There are two kinds of people: a few enjoy torturing others -- that is the sadist, the sadistic person -- and the other kind is the one who enjoys torturing himself. And that is more dangerous, because the other can protect himself against you, but how can you protect yourself from yourself? For the other the government exists and the police and the court, but for you there is no protection at all. On the contrary, when you start torturing yourself people start respecting you; they think you are holy or something, and that gives a great boost to the ego. Never bother about such things.
Never torture the body. A fast can be a healthy thing only when your body has too much fat. Then it is a load; it is unnecessarily carrying a load. That load is heavy on the heart and that load is heavy on the head too. When the body is too heavy it is very difficult to grow in consciousness. You must have observed: when your stomach is full you fall asleep naturally, easily. If you have fasted the whole day, sleep in the night becomes difficult because the body is not heavy.
So only for people who have something wrong with their bodies can fasting be a health measure, but it has nothing to do with spirituality at all. And your body is perfectly normal -- you need not worry about it.
- Osho, "Hallelujah!, #13"