Spring Cleansing

Spring Cleansing…

Ahhh…I love, love, love the Spring. For me, it so fresh and so clean, rejuvenating, and joyous. When most people think of Spring they think of cleaning out their closets and drawers, and, I too, think of it as a time for cleaning out the house, the car, and wherever else I have an accumulation of important un~ necessities. However, I also find it a great time to clean out more than the usual sorts of clutter. For me, it’s also a time to clean out my mind and body.


The BODY
Every year, for the past few years, I take the opportunity that spring and summer bring me, and I cleanse~detox my body. Depending on how I feel, I usually do about a week fast to cleanse out some of the toxins that have accumulated in my body from the previous year. This includes, but is not limited to: environmental pollution (wiffs of cigarettes, car exhaust, etc.), refined white flours and sugars, cell phone~microwave~computer radiation, mercury, caffeine, alcohol, chemicals in foods~drinks, genetically engineered foods, hormones, antibiotics, additives, MSG, and whatever else may be floating around that we aren’t aware of. I realize that a week fast barely skims the surface of what my body has hoarded and absorbed over the years, and yet, each year when I do this I am that much more aware of these toxins over the course of the next year. This year, I am consciously aware that I did 1000% better than the previous year in terms of what I ate and drank: more organic, grass-fed meats and organic fruits and vegetables, tons of water, less white-refined sugars and flours, less to none processed foods, etc. etc.

Knowing this, I feel confident that each spring cleansing will be an easier and easier rite of passage with the idea that it will release the other toxins, I can’t control, with much less effort.

FIRST FAST
I started fasting when I went to Thailand years ago and did a 7day fast that included yoga, meditation, and colemas (self-administered ‘colonics’). In all my years of living on this Earth, I have never felt as radiant as I did after that fast. I remember using that word too, ‘radiant’ as I felt alive; a rebirth if you will. It was such a beautiful feeling, I felt glorious, and since then I have chosen to fast once or twice a year. With each fast, I feel so much lighter, so much freer, so clean, and so new: A starting over again for the next year. With each new year I become more conscious of what I consume, ingest, and take-in.

The MIND
Along with fasting, I also acknowledge what behaviors do not serve me, what thoughts don’t make me feel good, and what emotional patterns inhibit my growth. In the past, this meant releasing any friendships that were toxic and energetically draining, releasing obligation, fears, pressures, societal~cultural ideals, limiting belief systems, and projections from others. Getting to know myself was the number one priority and I found it difficult to do so with everyone else’s ideas and beliefs that were engrained into my system. How can any one learn who they are when there is so much conditioning going on? I realized that many of my beliefs came from parents, family, friends, movies, news, media, and teachers, counselors, religious/political ideals... How could I learn my own thoughts, beliefs, and opinions, when I was unconsciously absorbing and conforming to everyone else’s?

I began to deconstruct my belief systems. This was a powerful tool for me to begin to learn who I was. I would begin questioning and becoming curious as to why I believed the things that I did. This started out with little things like: Why do I like Ice Cream so much? all the way to my religious~political beliefs. I began to deconstruct and question and become curious about my current thoughts on the subject. I asked myself: Do I still really believe this? Does this label truly represent who I am? Why do I need a label? It was also important for me to realize that what served me 10 years ago, may not serve me now.

I was a Pescetarian for almost 10 years and only recently decided to question why I was one to begin with at all. Well, 10 years ago, I didn’t eat much meat, was mostly vegetarian, and took a nutrition class in college stressing that our teeth weren’t built for eating meat (And yes, the torturing of animals, the antibiotics and hormones they injected in the animals, etc.) At the time my perception was that meat was not essential for my own survival, and this belief served me well back then. My body was totally different and not eating meat was beneficial for me during this period of my life…however, as my body was forced to acclimate to another country (when I moved to Korea), not eating meat became very detrimental for me. My body was yelling at me to take better care of it and provide it with much needed protein, but my stubborn beliefs ultimately caused serious damage to my body which then began to deteriorate. Ultimately, my body knew best, but my mental beliefs were a conflict of interest.

Deconstructing my belief systems didn’t stop there because I also went through my political/religious/spiritual beliefs, ideas, thoughts, wants and desires as well. It was a process, no doubt, but for me, very worthwhile and extremely liberating. Today, I am a totally different person than I was 10 years ago. To hold the same beliefs I had then, now, would be very limiting and would stunt my growth. I am not saying that every person’s views will change as mine did, but I found that it’s important to realize why you believe things. Otherwise, you might keep on believing them because that is all you know. Wouldn’t it be nice to learn something new about yourself this year? To discover that you are more than you think you are?

The PROCESS
1-Choose a belief
2-Ask yourself where does this belief come from? Who taught me this? When and where did I first begin to believe this?
3-How did it serve me then?
4-Does it serve me now?
5-Do I still really believe this?
6-Research your views (as they are now) and see if it really defines you.
7-What do I believe now?
8-Does this limit me? Is there still more to learn?

Be curious!! Ask questions!

Spring 2010 Cleanse
Master Cleanse

This Monday (March 15, 2010), I will begin a 5+ day fast. I am doing the Master Cleanse in a way that suits me best (although you can get the book and see what feels good to you).

Organic Lemons
Ceyenne Pepper
Water (the purest possible)
Organic Maple Syrup Grade A

I use everything as Organic as I possibly can. If your going to clean yourself out…It’s best not to have things that contain any additives or chemicals, which would defeat the purpose in my opinion. Please do not use sink water, but splurge this week and get some Voss or Figi or any water that is filtered and that tastes good to you. You can use Palm Sugar or Agave Nectar in lieu of the maple syrup if you want a sugar alternative. I don’t put in recipe amounts…I just add a little of this and a little of that to where the concoction taste good to me, although, I would say don’t overdue it on the maple syrup. ☺

Ease up on your food intake during the previous days leading up to the fast, that way the Monday start-up won’t be such an extreme experience. Ease yourself into it, and on the Sunday before you begin, eat very, very light and you may begin the concoction. During the week, I just drink and drink throughout the day. I don’t worry about having certain amounts at certain times, if I feel hunger I drink!

When it comes to exercise, be very kind to yourself. Do some yoga, Pilates, or walk around the neighborhood or beach, maybe a small hike, or movement to music. This is not a time for extreme exercise. Don’t overdue anything, keep stress at bay, meditate, contemplate, question, create inquiry. Explore emotions that may be coming up for you, pay attention to your dreams and day dreams, get a massage, facial, or take a bath with Epson salt…This is your time to detoxify, discover and love you.

Also, if this feels like something you want to try, I highly recommend not telling others, and/or being very prepared for their opposing ‘knowledge’ and fears that they will project onto you. You want to feel good doing what feels good to you; don’t allow other people’s ‘hidden agendas’ to hinder your wants and desires. This would also be a great rebirth for someone who doesn’t do things b/c of others peoples’ projections. Be your own person again, do what feels good to you; don’t worry about how your doing this might affect others. Only you are with you 24hours a day, everyday. And ONLY you know what is best for you. ☺