Fasting...ready, set...

It has been a while since i talked about some of the things i hold dear to me on this blog. One such thing is my faith (http://www.bahai.org/) The Baha'i Faith. We are in a special part of the year right now. Today is the last day of a period called Ayyam-i-ha, which are 4 or 5 days helping to align our calendar with the Gregorian one. During those days, we do service, give gifts and spend special time and attention being joyous.

Tomorrow, adult Baha'is begin the Fast. It is a 19 day period where we refrain from eating or drinking--usually from sunrise to sunset. Here in Alaska, we fast from 6am to 6pm.

"[Fasting] is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which [we] must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic - a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires." ~ Shoghi Effendi

The first few days are always a struggle for me--as i break free from my caffiene addiction and the headaches that accompany it. By about day 5, it starts to feel pretty good. What always surprises me is how much of my time a day is spent in pursuit of physical nutrients versus spiritual ones and how lopsided the balance.

So, i wish you all a month of refocus, rejuvenation, and inner peace.