On Art, Age, Time, Photos, Top Floors, and Eating Udon: Seven reflections on the Baha’i Fast

The time of the fast invites reflection. -gw

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Some people pray or meditate to take them into this ‘spiritual’ state. But it could be said that when artists are creating, they are inhabiting an inner world, somewhat cut off from much of their surroundings. Even if they are focusing on the object of their art – it is at the expense of the rest of the world. One of the practices common to most religions is fasting. As a Baha’i, I try a dawn to sunset fast during this part of the year – leading up to March 21st. I have observed that during the afternoon on a day when I am fasting, my mind is definitely in a different state. I feel less tied down to immediate worries and concerns, more able to let myself drift in a creative space.

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it seems to me that the Fast has been going awfully . . . well, fast this year. Only four and a half days left as I write this. Or maybe it’s just that I’m getting older.

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My plans to go to Maine this weekend fell through terribly. I had forgotten that Bar Harbor is totally shut down until spring. There would be no drives through the highway of Acadia National Park, or reading books in local cafes that only open for the summer season. Just a splattering of locals and probably far more solitude than I can handle. Especially since I realized… the Fast, for me, is about fellowship. Primarily. It is about connecting.

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day 1, monday, i learned just how long 12 hours without food is, and just how tired your body gets without food. but i also leanred the simple joy that comes with the reward of eating. day 2, i learned that i can do a lot with my time when i can’t eat. but at the same time, i can only do so much because i don’t have a lot of energy. day 3, today, i struggled to make it to 7:11. from the time i got home, 5:30, til the time i ate dinner, i was anxious and hungry, and whiney and wanting food because of the long rehearsal i was just at. and usually when i get home from reherasal, the first thing i do is eat. its the first day my muscles have felt noticibly strange as well- my joints keep popping, my muscles keep cramping, and my legs keep feeling warm.

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i am lucky to have some super creative friends who are a constant source of inspiration. two of them, amy and leila, created a site last year called nineteen days, where they documented the baha’i fast through photographs. they would each take a photograph at dawn, and then at dusk, and post them as a composite with a quote from the baha’i writings, along with some brief musings on the fast. i loved this site and was eagerly anticipating it starting up again this year. well, you can imagine my excitement and glee (i love the word GLEE) when amy asked if i would participate this year. they asked 19 guest bloggers in total to post their dawn and dusk photographs for one of the days of the fast. my day was yesterday and you can see my photographs here

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I’m currently staying on the top floor of a kindergarten in Battambang, Cambodia, and from my room I can hear the children laughing and playing in the classrooms below. The door at the back of my little flat leads out to the roof, the best place to catch a nice breeze at the end of a hot, dry afternoon. A few of us were up there a couple of nights ago, waiting for the sun to set so we could break our fast with fresh mangos or dragon fruit or guavas or oranges (it’s currently the Baha’i fast).

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yesterday i went to Ritsurin Park with angela, andrew, and haruna (ando-san’s daughter whos 22 and is home for the uni holidays). it was so peaceful and beautiful, and it was a good time for us to get to know haruna and vice-versa. harunas fairly quiet, and im not hugely outgoing either, so when ive seen her before at social events its gotten a bit awkward, but after spending 3hrs together it got rid of all that. i also think shes incredible cos we were speaking in english for the whole time, except when i occasionally talked to her in japanese, and she didnt seem to mind at all. today shes coming over here again to plan the Naw Ruz party (Baha’i new year) were having on friday night here. im also looking forward to that cos it signals the end of the Fast which ive really been enjoying cos its all spiritualish and stuff but at the same time i looove food and especially in japan where the food is actually nice 99% of the time…

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