A bit of rest after a violent abduction does miracles. During this rest, I've been reading about the lives of the ascetic saints. They renounced both the pleasures and toils of life.
I do believe in purifying the body via fasting in order to purify the soul. But these saints went to extremes. They practiced self-mortification, refusing food and laying down to meditate and pray continuously. They went to the desert so be removed from outside stimuli, such as the sounds and smells of the city. Many of them miraculously stayed alive despite not eating for years, clearly a proof that they were in God's grace (although disbelievers often claim they were secretly nibbling on insects or dry bread).
I imagine they would have enjoyed the situation I found myself in, being able to devote themselves fully to prayer. Perhaps somewhere there are still ascetics who practice this way... the cluster is a vast place. But it is not for me, I know now. I prefer to interact with my fellow humans.
