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A Little Time More
40 Days of Fasting is a collection of 40 poems resulting from a four-week period of fasting and covering forgiveness, service, humility, and enlightenment. Why was this an important collection for you to write?
Interestingly, I didn’t intend to write much, maybe journal my thoughts during the fast, but as the prologue explains, these unconscious impulses to chronicle a stream of messages, counsel, and admonitions suddenly came through in rich, poetic form. Strange indeed, for never was I an enthusiast of this genre of art. Now, 40 Days of Fasting is the product of this uncanny and provocative inner experience.
How do you know when a poem is truly finished?
I came out of this interfacing with Carlos – my muse – when no more words were channeled. There was a silence, an emptiness, and a mental weariness after the experience. There was an abrupt end to the flow of words.
Do you have a favorite poem in the book, and if so, why does it hold special meaning for you?
“A Time Appointed,” I would say. It centers on death, the most significant of all initiations we experience in a given incarnation. Scripturally, we are told that there’s a time–irrevocable–for us to be called home; not a second before or after are we summoned. But there are times, few and far between, when we can petition for a moment, a little time more, not for selfish ends, but to complete a service unfinished for the betterment of others. In these rare cases, it is granted by Source. And I have reason to believe this based on my own experience. “A Time Appointed” ventures into this phenomenon.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from 40 Days of Fasting?
I pray that this work is studied, not just read. Therein are timeless, irrefutable teachings that speak to us. These truths liberate us from the world’s illusions and the seemingly ceaseless cycle of suffering.
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This book is not merely about abstaining from food or water. It is a journey through the soul’s deep yearning to reunite with its Source. Each poem is a meditation-on love, death, healing, divine presence, spiritual purity, and the human struggle for truth. These recitations echo ancient teachings while remaining deeply personal, echoing the author’s own trials, revelations, and reconciliations.
40 Days of Fasting invites readers to slow down and reflect. Drawing on spiritual philosophies from various traditions-Christianity, Islam, Eastern mysticism, and metaphysical teachings-the poems act as spiritual signposts, guiding us back to our essence. Themes of divine mercy, inner light, karmic justice, sacred union, and the soul’s eternal nature are explored with poetic grace.
Whether read as a devotional companion, a meditative guide, or a poetic reflection, this book touches something universal. It does not preach. It invites. It does not declare answers. It helps the reader ask the right questions.
Above all, 40 Days of Fasting is a testament to the soul’s quiet knowing and the sacred power of listening during times of intentional silence. It is both a personal diary and a mystical manual-an offering to all those walking the spiritual path with faith, doubt, longing, and hope.
40 Days of Fasting
40 Days of Fasting, by Glenville Ashby, is a deeply personal and spiritual collection of 40 poetic recitations born during a sacred period of fasting by Glenville Ashby. Each poem is a meditation, guided by an inner voice named Carlos, and thematically grouped across four weeks: forgiveness, service, humility, and enlightenment. The book fuses mystical insight with raw self-examination, drawing from a rich palette of religious traditions and personal memories. As Ashby fasts from dawn to dusk, the poems become transmissions—messages of divine origin channeled through the lens of his lived experience.
What moved me most about this book was its honesty. There’s a rare vulnerability here. He confesses old betrayals and regrets, and rather than justify them, he holds them up to the light. The language is direct but poetic. Sometimes I felt like I was eavesdropping on a prayer, other times it felt like I was reading someone’s sacred diary. The recurring theme that stuck with me was personal accountability: how even the smallest wrongs can weigh on the soul if left unresolved. That’s a hard truth, but Ashby presents it with such tenderness that I didn’t feel judged—I felt invited to reflect, too.
The writing, while poetic and sometimes cryptic, never veers into fluff. These poems demand patience. They’re not meant to be skimmed. They whisper more than they shout. But when they land, they hit deep. Some, like “Roots Run Deep” and “The Veil,” made me stop in my tracks. Others, like “Tantra” and “The Divine Tongue,” explore esoteric ideas with grace and daring. At times, I found myself wrestling with the metaphysical elements—especially the idea of channeling a spirit guide—but even then, I appreciated Ashby’s courage to fully surrender to the experience. He doesn’t try to convince the reader. He simply shares what came.
40 Days of Fasting is a companion for quiet nights and long mornings. It’s for anyone walking through a spiritual fog, for anyone who feels like their prayers echo back without answers. For seekers, grievers, and those in transition, this book holds a gentle power. It doesn’t promise to fix you, but it just might help you find your footing.
Pages: 70 | ASIN : B0F8W1Z87F
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