on fasting

this month has been the month of sacrifice, and one thing that helped me considerably was the discipline of fasting. the routine of fasting twice a week has not only allowed me to rein in my senses, it's helped me slowly gather an understanding of temptation in general, and strengthened my resolve towards achieving what i know to be right. (waking up at a predetermined time continues to be a problem though :(.) the effort, needless to add, will be lifelong. in the meantime, these words by rumi resonate:

There's hidden sweetness in the stomach's emptiness.
We are lutes, no more, no less. If the soundbox
is stuffed full of anything, no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean
with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.
The fog clears, and new energy makes you
run up the steps in front of you.
Be emptier and cry like reed instruments cry.
Emptier, write secrets with the reed pen.
When you're full of food and drink, Satan sits
where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue
in place of the Kaaba. When you fast,
good habits gather like friends who want to help.
Fasting is Solomon's ring. Don't give it
to some illusion and lose your power,
but even if you have, if you've lost all will and control,
they come back when you fast, like soldiers appearing
out of the ground, pennants flying above them.
A table descends to your tents,
Jesus' table.
Expect to see it, when you fast, this table
spread with other food, better than the broth of cabbages.