Asceticism

[emus]

What is to be gained from asceticism? I know that most religions, include one or another form of asceticism, be it doctrine or a spiritual excercise.
Anyways, I'm interested what you think about the subject.
As a note, I'm not looking for a religious debate, just your opinion and the underlying reasoning.

[Strogian]

Just to save some of you the trouble ;):

as·cet·i·cism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-st-szm)
n.
1. The principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.

2. The doctrine that the ascetic life releases the soul from bondage to the body and permits union with the divine.

[Strogian]

And now that I know what it is, I know I don't practice it. :) If you do, and it helps you, no problems here. But I don't think it would give me satisfaction.

[emus]

Usually the reasoning is that by relinquishing desires and wants, new insight is gained.

[skidhmor]

Hmm, I live homeless for about 2 years between the end of '96 and the beginning of '99. The main lessons I took from the ascetic part of the expeience (there were other issues from wich I extracted other lessons) were
A. The difference between what I want and what I need, and
B. the difference between surviving and living.