What Attributes of God Can We Internalize? (Page 2)

Zanjan: So, "mindfulness" seems to be a tool. I mean, normally, you wouldn't carry a hammer around in your hand all day; you might if your house was infested by an encroaching mob of scorpions.

We all have one same area that's weak. The body. The necessities of life on this physical plane distract and pull in different directions. The body burns fuel but continual demand saps the energies and, eventually, wears one out. The treatment is rest and sleep - a kind of fast. The body needs to detoxify.

Same for the spirit, which needs to be reconstituted and purified. God's treatment for that is similar. The means is through fasting while awake. Anyone who hasn't done this wouldn't know how well it works. However, like the physical treatment, it's only temporary; it will support you for a prescribed time period.

Baha'is annually fast for 19 days but the resulting effect lasts a year. Muslims do it too and some from other religions for a shorter period. Doesn't matter what we've been doing in our lives, as the year end approaches, we can feel the irritation growing - the neglect to think before speaking, perhaps a little apathy, indifference, procrastination or impatience etc. The spirit is being drained.

We're like a lit candle with a wick that's getting so short, it's nearly swamped in the melted wax. After the fast, our flame burns brightly again on a strong wick, high above the wax.