Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Self-care: the NEW New Year's Resolution

Hi friends,
I have not written in two weeks now, mostly because I have been on an increasingly strict Ayurvedic cleanse called the Ejuva Program for most of January. I am in the final five days! This program goes from simply adding a set of herbs and a psyllium-husk drink into your normal three-meals-a-day routine, in phase one, increasing the number of sets of herbs and psyllium drinks each week, and decreasing the number of meals, till you get to phase four: four sets of herbs and psyllium drinks, and zero meals (but fresh fruit and veggie juices are permitted). The depth of the cleanse is apparent in that I am barely able to formulate words, and for each five letters I type, I make about three mistakes! (Ok I am exaggerating about it but seriously, I am on another planet mentally.)

Still, I want to say a word here about the tradition of the New Year's Resolution: that happy spark of enthusiasm so many have when approaching the New Year, when each "resolvee" plans to finally lose that weight, add on that exercise program, quit that bad habit, etc. ALL of which involve "D-O-I-N-G," which is why they most oftentimes fail. These programs and regimes are strictly based on a masculine approach to power, which is power OVER. Attempting to put something into, or take something out of, your life, based on a mental concept of some perceived reward (I will be skinnier, more fit, stronger, healthier, etc.) None of those things are wrong or bad... but what is unfortunate is that many of us do not accept ourselves as we are NOW. We adopt these resolutions to try to change ourselves into the people we want to be. And why? Because we are not happy with ourselves the way we are. And so we try to change, with all our will, and fail, and then of course have more ammunition with which to beat ourselves up. I have done this particular New Year’s dance SO many times!

So how to get out of this cycle? Well, I am 27 days into my cleansing program, and am actually fasting on veggie juice - in the winter, no less - and while I am finding it challenging on some levels (cold!), overall, it has been easy to continue. Why? Because I am not doing it for any other reason than to take care of myself. I have no other goal. I don't care if I lose weight; I don't worry about what others think. My entire goal is about self-care. I want to promote the healthiest, happiest body of which I am capable, and as I became aware of some problems with my elimination system over the past few years, (which really have been with me through my whole life) here I am doing a four-week cleanse in the middle of the winter and (mostly) loving it. Frigging awesome!

So, I sign off this week in the very happy (and increasingly less murky) depths of resetting and rejuvenating my digestive and eliminative systems. I thank the Spirit for giving me the time and space to do this inner work, as well as for the strength to stick to it.

Blessings of self-care to you all,
Harmony