For five weeks, I was on a very structured program to purge my body of toxins while also finding stillness and centering through meditation, yoga and journaling. It was an amazing experience and I am so proud that I made my way through it, had such an intensive introduction to ayurveda and began better connecting my spirituality with the food and supplements I put in my body and the make-up, skincare and other products I put on my body.
The best part of the cleanse is that I did it all for myself. Of course, it impacted the people around me, which is inevitable when you suddenly yank caffeine, alcohol, meat and all other animal products, sugar, yeast and sex from your life. I really had no choice but to meditate like crazy since all those restrictions made morning time, meal time and bed time pretty lonely. I was too crabby from the coffee detox to really care, though. And although I was exhausted, bitter and full to the brim of cooked vegetables, I was committed to completing through the cleanse.
And I did. I even opted to go an extra week with the other people doing the course when the sweet, supportive ayurvedic practitioner said we may have more to learn and gain from going on a few more days. Then when I consulted with an ayurvedic skincare guru and she said I should keep on going on my own for yet another week, I was surprised I agreed. I was irritated and feeling deprived of tacos and milk, but I agreed.
On the last day of those long and detoxing weeks, I am pretty sure I cried. OK, I sobbed. I am not sure if it was the last evacuation of toxins or simply my body's wail for a vanilla latte, twelve Oreos and gimlet for breakfast. Whatever it was, I was so done -- in body, mind and spirit.
From this distance, I can look back and see how it helped, how it challenged and how it didn't work for me. The cleanse shifted my thinking and it brought meditation back into my life and made me more mindful about what I eat and why. Even though I struggled, I felt I was investing in myself and in being kinder to my body (and let's face it, gallons of coffee and red meat aren't always kind to the bod). I loved that and I still rely on a lot of what I learned about ayurveda and myself in those challenging weeks.
That said, I am not sure if I could ever do it again. But then, I wasn't sure I could ever do it at all. I would certainly never do it without the guidance and safety of a professional. And whether I dive back into a cleanse again or not, I will certainly not forget that alongside all the goodness there was a lot of crabbiness, hunger and crying.
First, share your thoughts on cleanses in the comments: Would you ever do a detox like this? If you already have made it through one, would you dare do it again?
Then help a reader out: Shine reader Janie posted about her concerns about not wanting to eat following her Ramadan fast. What advice do you have for her?
[photo credit: Getty Images]
