Christianity and Asceticism

Both Thomas a' Kempis and Francis of Assisi emphasized the importance of ascetical practices in the spiritual life. Asceticism comes from a Greek word which means "training." An ascetical practice is a practice of self-denial. It is a matter of denying yourself something so that you can learn how to control your passions. The "passions" include your desires for earthly goods, such as food, drink, relationships, knowledge, possessions, sex, etc. From time to time these desires can become disordered. They become disordered when you want too much of something or when you become bound to something. So, in the monastic tradition, it is important to restrain your desires for some of these goods, with the hope that by learning to control your passions you will achieve true spiritual freedom.

For Thomas a' Kempis, asceticism leads to growth in grace and deeper union with God: "The more completely a man renounces worldly things, and the more perfectly he dies to self by the conquest of self, the sooner will grace be given, the more richly will it be infused, and the nearer to God will it raise the heart set free from the world.” --Imitation of Christ 4.13

There are certainly extremes in asceticism of which we need to be aware. What, though, are the advantages of these practices? What are the dangers? What would it look like to practice some form of asceticism in your own life? Comments are welcome.