How do we respond when we feel like the world around us is out of control? For millennia, people have found rituals - like fasting - can help them achieve clarity or a sense of control. Martyn Oliver, a senior professorial lecturer in the department of philosophy and religious studies at American University, says the practice of fasting most likely predates organized religion. And we explore the different ways individuals and communities are embracing the ancient ritual of abstaining from food, water, intimacy, and comfort as a response to modern life.