What was Sai Baba's philosophy regarding fasting and its relationship to spiritual practice?

Sai Baba held a very practical view on fasting, believing it was not conducive to spiritual progress. As detailed in Chapter 32, Baba himself never remained fasting and would not permit his devotees to do so either. He taught that the mind of a fasting person is not peaceful, and questioned what spiritual benefit could be gained in such a state. His core teaching was that God is not attained on an empty stomach; one must first satisfy the soul of the self. Without the strength provided by food, the senses become weak and lack the capacity for true devotion to God.