See my other replies. But I can speak for others a bit, prolonged fasting, even just water fasting, is a spiritual experience. It has unique health benefits. I do it for health, mainly, although I enjoy the experience itself, I'm functioning very differently during a fast, obviously I'm physically weakened, sleep patterns are dramatically altered, but the mind is sharper than ever, in a way that's frankly indescribable. Water fasting does this to a lesser degree, it can be a preview for those that are not ready or interested in something as "extreme" as dry fasting, as even water fasters look upon us as crazy.