Fasting and Self-Restraint: Embracing Moderation
Based on the quote in which fasting is described as an exercise in self-restraint, one can assume the following. The inability to "feed" the inner evil, symbolically represented by the metaphor of cutlets, indicates that a person consciously rejects the excesses that could satisfy his immediate desires or aggressive impulses. As stated in the source, fasting helps one understand that happiness does not depend on the amount consumed or on material attributes, and the substitution of cutlets for cucumbers is a time-tested form of fasting ( link txt). Thus, if the inner part associated with negative impulses remains "unfed," it may indicate that the system of self-restraint is working effectively and that the person is refraining from succumbing to their not-always-beneficial passions.Supporting citation(s):"As it is said, fasting is an exercise in self-restraint. It is a way to understand that your happiness does not depend on the quantity and composition of what you eat, the ‘coolness’ of your mobile phone or country house, or the availability of nonstop entertainment. Cucumbers instead of cutlets are merely a time-tested form of fasting, though for Orthodox Christians it has never been an absolute requirement." (source: link txt)