I started my first cleanse in over a year. That's a huge amount of time for me between cleanses. Typically, I would have cleansed last spring and done another Juice Feast, and if not that, definitely in the Fall to detoxify and build my system for Winter. Though I thought about it both times, meeting myself where I needed to be met, when the pull not to "quite yet" was greater than the desire to start one, I waited on cleansing and continued to eat.
Holiday time a year ago, as those who read my blog may know, I inserted a cleanse right in the middle of the season to pull my energies away the holiday foods and energies that pull us all down the rabbit hole. That cleanse ended up literally saving my life, as readers of T.H.E. Blog know. This year, I had a lot of difficult things I was navigating in my life during that exact period of time, but I chose not to cleanse. Life challenges and Holidays = weight gain and lowered energy for me. I dropped the weight simply by going back to the foods that I love and trusting my body, but the energy, moods, emotions and thoughts were still with me, taking up way too much space and pulling me away from my visions, goals and dreams. With all the cleansing I have done, including the 31-day juice feast, I have been feeling that the foods I ate during the holidays sent my body back into old "cellular memory" that surfaced in the forms of thoughts and emotions I hadn't experienced in years. Clearing those out was my primary reason for this Winter cleanse.
I am fortunate to have clear and shining skin, without acne or major disturbances. Eating a Raw lifestyle continues to support its collagen production and clarity. I believe that a raw foods way of life, by nature of its sheer alkalinity and frequency is the only way of eating that combats aging through the skin. Over the last couple of months, I saw hormonal changes in my skin that I never experienced before, with breakouts in certain key areas that correspond to the organ system. My skin was screaming out for a cleanse. If skin could talk (after all, it is the largest organ, unlike what some men may think :) mine was chattering away.
So here I am, ending Day 1 of my cleanse. I'm doing The Master Cleanser this time - tried and true, I thank Stanley Burroughs once again for creating a cleanse that has stood the test of time.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/360680135411?lpid=82
Like my 31-day Juice Feast, T.H.E. Blog will chronicle my cleanse for the next 10 days.
Just an update and important for any newcomers to know from a seasoned cleanser:
My day started off powerfully with lots of energy for the cleanse and minimal hunger. I had vitality and an uplifted mood that carried me through till after a counseling session. I even rebounded on the mini trampoline for some movement and exercise.
In the second half of my day, I had intended to do some reading and note taking for which I had designated the time. I was clear and looking forward to spending the afternoon in what I had envisioned - cuddled on the couch with a blanket and my computer nearby.
I put myself into a couple of phone conversations that though seemingly fine, brought me back into all my "circular thinking" that has been taking me away from my body and my quietness. One of my main reasons for this cleanse is to clear out the old emotions that have been taking up a lot of space lately inside of me.
It was right after the calls that all my energy was suddenly zapped :) and for a moment I thought: Oh, I can't do this. Why don't I just eat and bag the cleanse. How am I going to do this for 10 days?? It would feel so much better to eat.
I can honestly share that this was emotional (not physical) hunger roaring like a lion!!
And then I changed my plans totally and went into bed for a long nap!
It was super hard to get up, and I thought of skipping my evening Master Cleanser quarts and staying in bed.
One foot in front of the other, here I am, up and having made my second two quarts and almost finished drinking the last one. I am no longer hungry or tired and in fact have enough energy to write this post. Note to myself and to all cleansers: Take the time to stay with your choices and remember that sometimes even talking with dear friends is not what you need. You may just need inner quiet. That is cleansing in itself. Trust your body, trust your intuition, stay with your intention and honor the cleanse. PS - If your body needs a nap, grab it!
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Day 10 Final Day of My Autumn Cleanse!
October 9 Day 9 Master Cleanser:
7:15 AM Enema
9:15 AM 1 Quart Master Cleanser with: 1 quart warmed water, 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, pulp (and seeds), 4 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne spicy
11:15 AM Core Strengthening Exercises
1:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
7:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
Total: 3 Quarts
October 10 Day 10 Master Cleanser:
9:55 AM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
1:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
7:00 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
Total: 3 Quarts
I cannot believe it's almost over, and that tomorrow morning, I'll be starting my day with 8 ounces of soaked organic prunes and no Master Cleanser. Moving right into my life, I'll be having a lunchtime counseling session as well, though I will be somewhere that I can eat raw and light. Still, it feels strange to think about.
Though I feel complete and in gratitude that I cleansed according to my vision and commitment, I also feel a little sad to let it go. If I weren't moving into some venues where I would be sharing meals with other people, I would keep it going for a few more days. My body feels like it is in its truth, so to speak. I am releasing old beliefs and ways of coping every day, and meeting myself in all aspects of my life without food as an avoidance masked as pleasure.
How often do we just eat for the pure joy of eating? When I cleanse, I see an even deeper layer than I was aware. As much as I counsel others in Ecstatic Eating! and what it means to purely nourish ourselves and have a passionate relationship with our food, our bodies and our health, I understand how even I can deceive myself sometimes around food. I would say that I quite often do know the distinction between eating for the unadulterated sake of eating and eating to momentarily fill, avoid, numb or push away life. But even I witnessed a number of times during the past ten days, where if I had been eating solid food, I would have reached for it in relation to my experience of my life at just that moment. It's subtle sometimes, as those moments can also correlate with true hunger or mealtime; but it's that moment when food becomes a reaction rather than an action.
In the wild, animals don't look at the clock or even the sun to gage their hunger; they feel it instinctively. Because their emotional senses are not nearly as developed as ours (though their spiritual senses are, if you've ever had a cat), the stuff of life does not cloud their instinct. Even if a lion cub gets killed by another lion, its parent does not track down food to quell the sadness. It is only the human species who acts out their life experiences with food.
Today was a particularly difficult day for me emotionally. I had a major disappointment and an expectation of something in my life that didn't come to pass. I even had what I would call a meltdown in terms of the depth of emotion, pain and frustration I felt about this. At that moment, I felt physically wiped and exhausted, with no desire to uphold all the fabulous commitments in my life. Luckily, my commitment to myself and self-love rose above this painful period of time, and I put one foot in front of the other, walking through my day where I needed to be, until the feelings passed. There is no doubt that had I been eating solid food, I would have reached for something healthy, raw and fabulous a few times during those hours; I would have used food to soothe my mood.
Cleansing not only cleans out the waste and toxins; it is also a time for us to retrain our somatic, body response in not acting out with food in reaction to the intensity of emotion; that if we remove the food at that moment, the intensity will still pass, not by numbing out, but by allowing. Even more, the emotion will not be digested along with the food. Throughout my years of counseling, I have encountered a number of clients who, even after shifting into very aligned eating for weight loss, were not losing. Once we cleared out the old emotional waste, then the weight could come off. We digest our food with our lives, and cleansing is an opportunity to heal that response mechanism and return to our highest relationship with food; the one with which we were born and were meant to have.
I will take this gift with me tomorrow as I move into Ecstatic Eating!
I want to also thank my Facebook Ecstatic Eating! community for supporting me and one another in this adventure called a cleanse. As I finish mine, others are now inspired to start theirs. Thank you.
7:15 AM Enema
9:15 AM 1 Quart Master Cleanser with: 1 quart warmed water, 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, pulp (and seeds), 4 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne spicy
11:15 AM Core Strengthening Exercises
1:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
7:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
Total: 3 Quarts
October 10 Day 10 Master Cleanser:
9:55 AM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
1:30 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
7:00 PM 1 Quart Master Cleanser
Total: 3 Quarts
I cannot believe it's almost over, and that tomorrow morning, I'll be starting my day with 8 ounces of soaked organic prunes and no Master Cleanser. Moving right into my life, I'll be having a lunchtime counseling session as well, though I will be somewhere that I can eat raw and light. Still, it feels strange to think about.
Though I feel complete and in gratitude that I cleansed according to my vision and commitment, I also feel a little sad to let it go. If I weren't moving into some venues where I would be sharing meals with other people, I would keep it going for a few more days. My body feels like it is in its truth, so to speak. I am releasing old beliefs and ways of coping every day, and meeting myself in all aspects of my life without food as an avoidance masked as pleasure.
How often do we just eat for the pure joy of eating? When I cleanse, I see an even deeper layer than I was aware. As much as I counsel others in Ecstatic Eating! and what it means to purely nourish ourselves and have a passionate relationship with our food, our bodies and our health, I understand how even I can deceive myself sometimes around food. I would say that I quite often do know the distinction between eating for the unadulterated sake of eating and eating to momentarily fill, avoid, numb or push away life. But even I witnessed a number of times during the past ten days, where if I had been eating solid food, I would have reached for it in relation to my experience of my life at just that moment. It's subtle sometimes, as those moments can also correlate with true hunger or mealtime; but it's that moment when food becomes a reaction rather than an action.
In the wild, animals don't look at the clock or even the sun to gage their hunger; they feel it instinctively. Because their emotional senses are not nearly as developed as ours (though their spiritual senses are, if you've ever had a cat), the stuff of life does not cloud their instinct. Even if a lion cub gets killed by another lion, its parent does not track down food to quell the sadness. It is only the human species who acts out their life experiences with food.
Today was a particularly difficult day for me emotionally. I had a major disappointment and an expectation of something in my life that didn't come to pass. I even had what I would call a meltdown in terms of the depth of emotion, pain and frustration I felt about this. At that moment, I felt physically wiped and exhausted, with no desire to uphold all the fabulous commitments in my life. Luckily, my commitment to myself and self-love rose above this painful period of time, and I put one foot in front of the other, walking through my day where I needed to be, until the feelings passed. There is no doubt that had I been eating solid food, I would have reached for something healthy, raw and fabulous a few times during those hours; I would have used food to soothe my mood.
Cleansing not only cleans out the waste and toxins; it is also a time for us to retrain our somatic, body response in not acting out with food in reaction to the intensity of emotion; that if we remove the food at that moment, the intensity will still pass, not by numbing out, but by allowing. Even more, the emotion will not be digested along with the food. Throughout my years of counseling, I have encountered a number of clients who, even after shifting into very aligned eating for weight loss, were not losing. Once we cleared out the old emotional waste, then the weight could come off. We digest our food with our lives, and cleansing is an opportunity to heal that response mechanism and return to our highest relationship with food; the one with which we were born and were meant to have.
I will take this gift with me tomorrow as I move into Ecstatic Eating!
I want to also thank my Facebook Ecstatic Eating! community for supporting me and one another in this adventure called a cleanse. As I finish mine, others are now inspired to start theirs. Thank you.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
5 Girls Juicing Days 22 - 28 Morning - Juice Feast
Good Morning World!
I feel magnificent. Two days to go in our Juice Feast; it's been 4 weeks today!
I realized a dream of being able to cleanse and live on only juicing for one month.
Cleanse Menu:
4/30 Day 22
Master Cleanser Day 7
Salt water flush
Cleansed my bathroom sink (see below :)
1 quart master cleanse early afternoon
1 quart master cleanser early evening
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 3 quarts
5/1 Day 23
Master Cleanser Day 8
1 quart master cleanse morning
1 quart master cleanse later afternoon
1 quart master cleanse evening
Total: 3 quarts
5/2 Day 24
Master Cleanser Day 9
2 quarts master cleanse morning - needed it!
1 quart master cleanse afternoon
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 1 gallon
5/3 Day 25
Master Cleanser Day 10
1 quart master cleanse morning
1 quart master cleanse afternoon
1 quart master cleanse evening
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 1 gallon
5/4 Day 26
Warm salt water flush, followed by 30 minutes laying on my right side - 2 hour wait to eliminate
12:00 noon: 16 oz. juice of 1 whole organic cantaloupe and cilantro - the most delicious juice of liquid bliss ever!
8 oz. of 1/2 bunch spinach, 1 container grape tomatoes, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, parsley
20 chlorella tabs
Night: 1 litre coconut water
Total: 1 litre 24 oz.
5/5 Day 27
1 quart cantelope cilantro juice
2 teaspoons bee pollen
22 oz. cantaloupe cilantro juice
1 quart 8 oz. beet, collards, cucumber, apple
1 teaspoon bee pollen
Hot bath with Jota ozonated Rizol oil (oils of clove, Moxa, thyme, marjoram, oil of bitter almonds, frankincense, Rizoles from ozonated pure raw lipid plant extracts) and salt scrub
1 litre coconut oil
Total: 1 gallon
5/5 Day 28 Today!
1 quart spinach, carrots, celery, red pepper and dill
1 teaspoon bee pollen
My bathroom sink was filling up and not draining properly. Guess what? It was filled with "old waste" ands needed to be cleansed! One morning, I had alot of energy and plumbed my sink myself, clearing out the cabinet below, unhooking the drain, cleansing the sink of its "gunk," and rehooking the drain. It felt so fabulous to know I had the capacity to do this on my own, without a plumber or brawny man :) I also appreciated the black waste as I cleaned it with bare hands from my sink; it was all the stuff that had served me well and now needed to be let go, revealing a sparkling clean drain. The metaphor was not lost on me! I am responsible for my own cleansing; I am capable of my own cleansing; I know what has to be released and what gets revealed under the layers of mud. My purpose is to stay in my own process and not another's business, so to speak. It is my responsibility to cleanse my "stuff" and get to my higher self. It is from there I can relate to others.
On the topic of elimination, my last salt water flush took two hours before I released. It required patience, as I knew I couldn't start juicing until the flush worked, so that meant waiting till noon to drink. I felt pretty cleaned out, and then the last two days, I started releasing on my own without any flushes. It feels like the last of the old garbage making its way out.
On the subject of going back to juicing, my experience of drinking my canteloupe-cilantro juice deserves a description. I am not exaggerating when I say that this juice was the sweetest taste I ever experienced. It was passionate and sublime, and I literally felt all of amy chakra energy centers open, including my sexual chakra. It reminds me of when I lecture on food, and share how a child who grows up on fast food often cannot taste the sweetness of a string bean or a piece of broccoli. Maybe it's because I was drinking Master Cleanser for 10 days; I'm not sure. All I know is that I never tasted something so delicious in my life, and I've eaten all kinds of foods of every nationality. I will hold onto that flavor and somatic (body) response for a long time, going back to it when I need inspiration, a tangible reminder of the sweetness of life or when I want to eat more quickly than my body should be.
Just a mention of my last few days of Master Cleanser. Days 7 and 8, my body only desired 3 quarts, rather than the gallon I had been consuming every day. Then Day 9, my body felt weak and I "downed" 2 quarts just in the morning. What I see from this is another reminder to observe the changes during the cleanse and honor your body with what it needs in that moment. It may shift from day-to-day.
I would also recommend waiting till completion of the cleanse to have any new "processes" done connected to your physical being. In other words, I had originally planned to have my hair done a couple of weeks ago, and my body clearly told me that it was in the process of cleansing and to wait until I was done with my cleanse to go to my stylist. We want to let go of the old before we bring in the new. Also, I waited on a dental consult as well. If you do go, I recommend waiting on any x-rays or procedures until your cleanse is finished.
I am sitting in wonder of the last month. Could it be that in only 3 days I will be eating solid food? If I didn't have some new things in my life happening, I would stay on this cleanse for longer. It does feel a bit weird to think of chewing! That being said, when we commit to a process and length of time, it is important to honor our orginal commitment; mine being to Juice Feast for 1 month; 30 days. That is a powerful methodology for any and all aspects of our lives; stay with the time you allot to something. In other words, if you are working on a project and have designated two hours in your day to focus on it, when that two hours is up, stop working an move onto something else. It's a wonderful methodology to accomplish your goals and homor your commitments.
Wednesday evening, Nubia is having the 5 Girls over, minus Irina, who is in Paris celebrating her life with dear friends. We'll be breaking bread with a raw potluck, though I will start my re-initiation to solid food with soaked prunes and prune water on Wednesday morning.
I appreciate everyone who inspired me on my journey and all the moments that have led up to this last month. I have been empowered by our fabulous Facebook Juice Feast community! Whenever I had a low moment, I would go on FB and see a hundred and fifteen names holding the energy for each of us to juice a little more in our lives; letting go of the old and bringing in the new. Thank you for keeping me on my path.
With Love and Gratitude,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
I feel magnificent. Two days to go in our Juice Feast; it's been 4 weeks today!
I realized a dream of being able to cleanse and live on only juicing for one month.
Cleanse Menu:
4/30 Day 22
Master Cleanser Day 7
Salt water flush
Cleansed my bathroom sink (see below :)
1 quart master cleanse early afternoon
1 quart master cleanser early evening
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 3 quarts
5/1 Day 23
Master Cleanser Day 8
1 quart master cleanse morning
1 quart master cleanse later afternoon
1 quart master cleanse evening
Total: 3 quarts
5/2 Day 24
Master Cleanser Day 9
2 quarts master cleanse morning - needed it!
1 quart master cleanse afternoon
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 1 gallon
5/3 Day 25
Master Cleanser Day 10
1 quart master cleanse morning
1 quart master cleanse afternoon
1 quart master cleanse evening
1 quart master cleanse night
Total: 1 gallon
5/4 Day 26
Warm salt water flush, followed by 30 minutes laying on my right side - 2 hour wait to eliminate
12:00 noon: 16 oz. juice of 1 whole organic cantaloupe and cilantro - the most delicious juice of liquid bliss ever!
8 oz. of 1/2 bunch spinach, 1 container grape tomatoes, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, parsley
20 chlorella tabs
Night: 1 litre coconut water
Total: 1 litre 24 oz.
5/5 Day 27
1 quart cantelope cilantro juice
2 teaspoons bee pollen
22 oz. cantaloupe cilantro juice
1 quart 8 oz. beet, collards, cucumber, apple
1 teaspoon bee pollen
Hot bath with Jota ozonated Rizol oil (oils of clove, Moxa, thyme, marjoram, oil of bitter almonds, frankincense, Rizoles from ozonated pure raw lipid plant extracts) and salt scrub
1 litre coconut oil
Total: 1 gallon
5/5 Day 28 Today!
1 quart spinach, carrots, celery, red pepper and dill
1 teaspoon bee pollen
My bathroom sink was filling up and not draining properly. Guess what? It was filled with "old waste" ands needed to be cleansed! One morning, I had alot of energy and plumbed my sink myself, clearing out the cabinet below, unhooking the drain, cleansing the sink of its "gunk," and rehooking the drain. It felt so fabulous to know I had the capacity to do this on my own, without a plumber or brawny man :) I also appreciated the black waste as I cleaned it with bare hands from my sink; it was all the stuff that had served me well and now needed to be let go, revealing a sparkling clean drain. The metaphor was not lost on me! I am responsible for my own cleansing; I am capable of my own cleansing; I know what has to be released and what gets revealed under the layers of mud. My purpose is to stay in my own process and not another's business, so to speak. It is my responsibility to cleanse my "stuff" and get to my higher self. It is from there I can relate to others.
On the topic of elimination, my last salt water flush took two hours before I released. It required patience, as I knew I couldn't start juicing until the flush worked, so that meant waiting till noon to drink. I felt pretty cleaned out, and then the last two days, I started releasing on my own without any flushes. It feels like the last of the old garbage making its way out.
On the subject of going back to juicing, my experience of drinking my canteloupe-cilantro juice deserves a description. I am not exaggerating when I say that this juice was the sweetest taste I ever experienced. It was passionate and sublime, and I literally felt all of amy chakra energy centers open, including my sexual chakra. It reminds me of when I lecture on food, and share how a child who grows up on fast food often cannot taste the sweetness of a string bean or a piece of broccoli. Maybe it's because I was drinking Master Cleanser for 10 days; I'm not sure. All I know is that I never tasted something so delicious in my life, and I've eaten all kinds of foods of every nationality. I will hold onto that flavor and somatic (body) response for a long time, going back to it when I need inspiration, a tangible reminder of the sweetness of life or when I want to eat more quickly than my body should be.
Just a mention of my last few days of Master Cleanser. Days 7 and 8, my body only desired 3 quarts, rather than the gallon I had been consuming every day. Then Day 9, my body felt weak and I "downed" 2 quarts just in the morning. What I see from this is another reminder to observe the changes during the cleanse and honor your body with what it needs in that moment. It may shift from day-to-day.
I would also recommend waiting till completion of the cleanse to have any new "processes" done connected to your physical being. In other words, I had originally planned to have my hair done a couple of weeks ago, and my body clearly told me that it was in the process of cleansing and to wait until I was done with my cleanse to go to my stylist. We want to let go of the old before we bring in the new. Also, I waited on a dental consult as well. If you do go, I recommend waiting on any x-rays or procedures until your cleanse is finished.
I am sitting in wonder of the last month. Could it be that in only 3 days I will be eating solid food? If I didn't have some new things in my life happening, I would stay on this cleanse for longer. It does feel a bit weird to think of chewing! That being said, when we commit to a process and length of time, it is important to honor our orginal commitment; mine being to Juice Feast for 1 month; 30 days. That is a powerful methodology for any and all aspects of our lives; stay with the time you allot to something. In other words, if you are working on a project and have designated two hours in your day to focus on it, when that two hours is up, stop working an move onto something else. It's a wonderful methodology to accomplish your goals and homor your commitments.
Wednesday evening, Nubia is having the 5 Girls over, minus Irina, who is in Paris celebrating her life with dear friends. We'll be breaking bread with a raw potluck, though I will start my re-initiation to solid food with soaked prunes and prune water on Wednesday morning.
I appreciate everyone who inspired me on my journey and all the moments that have led up to this last month. I have been empowered by our fabulous Facebook Juice Feast community! Whenever I had a low moment, I would go on FB and see a hundred and fifteen names holding the energy for each of us to juice a little more in our lives; letting go of the old and bringing in the new. Thank you for keeping me on my path.
With Love and Gratitude,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
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