The Ascetic , also known as asceticism , is a religious philosophical proposed as a starting point the purification of spirits from the rejection of the pleasure of a material nature and abstinence when satisfy any desire .
That is to say, for asceticism, the physiological needs that human beings manifest in their daily life turn out to be of an absolutely inferior nature and opposed to those questions inherent to the spirit, therefore, it is that it considers them far below the scale values and of course does not attribute the value and importance that those who do not agree with this position usually give them.
The first manifestations of this type of doctrine appeared a few centuries back in time, in Ancient Greece , and then, with the development of the Christian, Buddhist and Islamic religions , the ascetic, it achieved a fabulous expansion throughout the world.
For example, in the case of the Catholic religion , asceticism has been promoted, especially among priests, because it is believed that it was the best way to achieve a solid union with God, since away from any type of temptation and doomed to prayer, penance and solitude is that this communion with God can be effectively achieved.
On the other hand and in the case of Buddhism, as one of the main motivations is to come into contact with suffering in order to free oneself from it from the succession of nirvana, it will be necessary to promote meditation on the one hand and tend to detachment on the other. of material goods. Meanwhile, Islamism's proposal presents some coincidences in this sense to also please its God and achieve a maximum expression of faith.
Also, the term ascetic is used to designate the individual who is dedicated to the practice of asceticism and therefore stands out for leading a life in which simplicity predominates .