the participants were forced into a way of life where they depended on their 'spirit'. they came closer to the holy or pure spirit & thus real joy & well-being
in other words, their mind was not dragged down by the lust, restlessness, poison & boredom (withdrawal symptoms) that come from being addicted to sensual & material pleasures
therefore, it is not necessary to return to the jungle or to the land (although that can be very beneficial)
the important thing is to place your faith & trust in God & God alone
but now, you are really placing your trust in socialising at your church, your friends, your wife, your TV, your Johnny Walker Black Label, etc
you have never really placed your entire faith in God
currently your religion is like an insurance policy. you gain your pleasure from your home & contents, your car, your money, etc, but you pay a token amount each to insure these things
similarly, your real faith (religion) is your home & contents, your car, your money, etc, rather than your insurance policy
true poverty is something mental rather than material
Buddha's first teaching was about the Middle Way because many thought in his time, like many medieval Christian monks, that tormenting the body with poverty was a way to freedom
but Buddha taught obtain the necessary requisites of food (one or two meals is enough), clothing, shelter & medicine and then to rely on Nirvana (aka 'God') for mental happiness, which will bring the highest happiness
however, we won't understand these secrets unless we actually have real faith
