Asceticism is an ancient practice where people abstained from various worldly pleasures often for spiritual purposes.1 The practices have been practiced since ancient times, and even today some people practice for similar reasons it has been practiced since ancient times.
Some of the worldly pleasures that people practicing asceticism abstained from include but are not limited to sexual acts, indulgence in alcohol, and primitive accumulation of wealth among others. These worldly pleasures were considered an impediment to the practice of religion, and often, against their spiritual beliefs. That was widely used to justify the practice. However, the practice of asceticism was not regarded as virtuous; rather it was regarded as a way of transforming the mind and body, or the purification of the body which established the connection with divine powers. The practice was also considered a way of making inner peace with oneself, and with the faith, one believed. The practice was purposely designed to achieve freedom from worldly pleasures and the temptations that come with them, and in the process, bring peace of mind and body.