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Do more than ‘Remain Neutral’ | Why I Do a Seasonal Cleanse

Cleansing is important to me – it has been the most important catalyst for deepening my understanding of Ayurveda, in my own body.  Those of you who are on my email list have all received a copy of my one day Ayurvedic cleanse guide.  Did you use it? What did you think of it?

Over the past 4 years of twice-yearly doing an Ayurvedic cleanse,  each one has been different. Each time I approach it, and plan it, I feel different.  Mostly, my cleanses were and are more a time of intention, pulling back, turning in and tuning in.  Sometimes I like what I see, other times it’s super challenging and feels like during that season I took two steps backward, one step forward.  The cleanse was that step forward and I am grateful that I am creating that habit for myself…my body starts to know when the season shift is coming…and tells my mind it’s time to pick a start date.

Ayurvedic cleansing is usually centered around eating kitchari.  I’m sure amny of you are familiar with this – might already have opinions of loving it or so-not-loving it.  For those of you who don’t – there is a recipe in my 1 day cleanse guide, that I mentioned above. Two actually.

Why do it?

The goals of an Ayurvedic cleanse are to improve digestion, remove or burn up toxins, and improve our willpower.  Strengthening your will power might take a little force, or the yogic term we use is tapas, a purification through effort.  An important aspect, which juxtaposes this effort, is also taking more time to nourish yourself, especially through living your more ideal routine, getting enough sleep, and learning self massage.

By making a little effort, it becomes easier the next time.  In my experience, stretching your will power is best done gently – just like any stretch.  Regular stretching over time is going to be more beneficial than say, forcing yourself into a split, and tearing your hamstrings.  Making it difficult or impossible to even walk 🙂 With this concentrated effort, over a week, ad done twice per year, stretching your will power becomes easier – making it just EASIER to make better decisions around food, drinking, or expending your energy is ways you do not want to.

Wouldn’t it be great if things – anything – was just plain easier in this life?

“Slowly and slowly”

Digestion is the crucial piece to all healing in Ayurvedic medicine – as well as preventative medicine.  Fasting is an interesting and important practice which can improve digestion – and there are certainly helpful and not so helpful ways to do it.  A juice cleanse might serve some constitutions, at certain times of the year. Skipping breakfast in the Spring time may serve someone with a heavier Kapha constitution.  Eating a mono-diet of kitchari is one way to very safely introduce a fast into your life.

According to the Ayurvedic understanding, our digestion is known as our agni.  This word relates to our metabolic fire. Our ability to assmilate and absorb. There are very specific guidelines in Ayurvedic medicine for taking care of our agni.  It’s not really an ‘anything goes’ approach, though that’s how most of us approach our diets and eating.

An Ayurvedic Cleanse is an opportunity to learn about and experience some of those food rules – even if it’s just for the week – it’s beneficial to help clear up and clean up soe of the little messes we create throughout the rest of the year.

And sometimes those habits just happen to stick around, because they feel good, and just MAKE SENSE.  Oh, how I love this stuff.

Do more than Remain Neutral

One of my mentors, Dr. Claudia Welch, says that in her experience, it takes at least 2 hours of self care per day to just remain neutral.  And by remaining neutral, she means staying level and sane and maintaining our current state of health in our world as it is today.  Amongst all the environmental stresses, our work, family responsibilities, social pressures.  2 hours to keep your head above water.  And how many of us are really doing this?

Self care can include the Ayurvedic techniques, and yoga, and baths, and cooking for yourself, and taking walks.  Whatever works for you.

Setting aside time for a seasonal cleanse is how I have taken leaps forward in my health and well-being – beyond just the remaining neutral.  It’s a concentrated dose of me time.

Do your worst- and commit to a little me time this Spring. It’s the best time of the year to cleanse.

If you’re like me and have been feeling sluggish, sleeping in, have a little sinus congestion, nausea, or a few extra pounds from winter, get on board with us for April. Nature’s lightening up, and it just makes sense that we follow suit.

The next group cleanse is: October 12-18, 2015

EARLY BIRD PRICE: $75 – Goes up to $95 October 6.

Commit early and save

 

limegingercleanseJOIN

PS: If you’ve cleansed before, and are ready to go deeper, talk with me about a guided home panchakarma.  This traditional Ayurvedic cleansing practice follows a very similar protocol as the group cleanse, but it requires one on one guidance because we utilize purgation techniques which are not for everyone.  Apply here.

 

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Is your life sustainable?

My husband is taking a certification course here in Vermont this month in Sustainable Building and Design.  Sustainable is an idea we’re all hip to now – we’re encouraged to support sustainability in the environment, by buying organic food, etc.

At least that is what I first think of – FOOD.  Supporting sustainable agriculture, or farming, and recycling, as well as composting – the latter two things making me feel like I am hopefully making my life here on earth more sustainable…that Mother Earth can sustain herself for longer from the stress my lifestyle puts on her, I suppose, if I do these things.

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Though his course is called Sustainable Building and Design, his teachers encouraged him to find a better word – striving for more than just sustainable.

He gave me this example, ‘If someone asked how our marriage was, would you say ‘sustainable?’  And that really made me think again about this word we tote around.  Do we want to just sustain the planet as it is now?  Or do things really need to improve around here?

Sustainable’s not enough.

Now the word seems like we’re just hoping for neutral (SIDE NOTE: This is often a realistic starting place, and we talk about this in The Healing Diet).  So…how can we be progressive?  What can we do to THRIVE?

Sticking with the example of my husband – his teachers are introducing him to permaculture.  Many of you might know what that means – but I didn’t .  Very basically, it’s using the laws or patterns found in nature in the most productive way possible.  In as many ways as possible, improving the natural strengths found within your environment.

It can be slower going than traditional agriculture.  First, one must simply observe.  For months, seasons, years even, to discover the patterns.

And then it’s time to take action, incorporating changes slowly, so they’ll stick.  And so then you’ll be informed on the next way to supplement the pattern in the best way.  The fruit might be months away, or even years.

Luckily, in Ayurveda, the fruit comes faster than that.  The human body is incredibly resilient.  So as you can see, I found so many parallels in this model to what it takes to upgrade to an Ayurvedic lifestyle.  To a better diet.  To a better relationship with yourself, and food choices.

All we are is another manifestation nature. 

We just need to learn and observe the patterns in our own bodies. To connect with the rhythms of nature within ourselves.  Then we can take action!

And what I love about Ayurveda is that there are direct action steps to self healing and making change.  For changing your state of mind.  For working with your metabolism, and not against it.  For thriving as a human being, not just ‘sustaining.’  (Though, again, sustaining is better than sinking, loves, it’s okay if you’re in need of a raising up! It’s important to start where you are – in fact, it’s the only place you CAN start!)

Are you in the service industry?

I want to hear from you.  Do you feel like your life is sustainable right now? Is your stress level sustainable?  Do you give out more than you’re taking in?

If you’re a health coach, massage therapist, yoga teacher – you are a care giver – serving others is your dharma. You need to be thriving, not just surviving to hold space for your clients healing.  If you’re interested in studying Ayurveda (to take YOUR health to the next level – and possibly your clients!) I want you in this Spring’s The Healing Diet.  And I’m giving a big discount to you in my next newsletter.  If you apply today, you’ll can still get it – just be sure to let me know what kind of care -giver you are!

Do you walk your talk?  I’ll share my experiences with this…next time.

Love,

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