Inspired Action

Exercise: Ran every day this week, plus yoga stretching everyday and dry-skin brushing everyday!
Day 29

Tomorrow is day 30 of juice fast!

Hola Amigos and Amigas

I am blogging less as I'm starting to research and develop content for my websites!

Can't recommend fasting enough juice or water. Whenever I want to focus on something I fast it helps you root out the distractions. I've been doing mainly oranges and organic too. It's true what they say about citrus juice, it really gets at the crud that sticks on your insides, I've had bowel movements nearly ever day despite not taking in any solid food.

I've been enjoying the running and the dry skin brushing. All these habits teach the principle of delayed gratification. The longer you fast the greater the effects. On day 24 I was flying, that's when I moved up a dimension. The mental clarity and spiritual attunement is amazing.

During this fast I have completed 'Calling in the One' by Katherine Woodward Thomas
http://www.amazon.com/Calling-One-Weeks-Attract-Love/dp/1400049296

I did all 49 exercises one each day and have set my intention, and feel very proud of myself commitment does indeed bring it's own reward. I heard about this book through reading about it on a review of a different book. I read the reviews and decided to get it. The book is a real labour of love and provides the tools for doing relationship with your soulmate, but I would add any relationship would benefit.

This is what Katherine wrote at the end of the book:

"In my work over the years I have come to see that people are divided into two categories. Those who want love in their lives and will faithfully do the work to actualise love; and those who want love in their lives but won't. Those who will do the work understand love as a creative action that they are free to choose in any given moment. Those who won't do the work tend to see love as a thing to get or as a place to hide out. I pray with all my heart that I have enticed you toward the former. For that is the fulfilment of my purpose in life - to ever expand my capacity to give and receive love with all those who cross my path, and to help others to do the same. You, dear reader, are the fulfilment of love for me. And now I beseech you to please pass it forward".

I cried because she inspired me. I loved the definition of love as creative action we can choose any time (including how we choose to nourish ourselves!). The book is brilliantly written and having a chapter to read a day with an exercise provides an excellent way of breaking it down. I can't recommend it enough. I have a full a4 notebook of my notes and exercises that I keep reviewing. Well you know I had been working through 'Life on Purpose' by Brad Swift. But I took a break after passage 4. And it has worked out beautifully (as indeed things do!) because I felt it was time to complete it especially as 'Calling in the One' had meant I had done even more questioning and internal work that would enhance the process. Plus so much of the book chimed with Life on Purpose, and indeed Katherine had defined her own purpose too! I decided to go back to the beginning and do a bit every morning after my run replacing the 'Calling in the One' reading and exercises. It was a little more difficult as it is not set out in daily format, and I found just as I was getting into the exercise I would have to get ready for work!

Anway I did that for a week, and got up to Bank holiday monday. I decided that Monday I would do the rest of the book. And I did I started at 7.30am after my run and apart from an hour outside in the afternoon I kept going until 9.30pm. Felt VERY GOOD!

The next day I woke up with such peace and for the next few day I kept finding pieces of my life purpose jumping out at me from various things I was reading, loads of little synchronicities. I asked myself how am I extending freedom in this situation?, Have I worshipped today?, is this a should action or an inspired action?. And I'm so grateful for the process and seeing it through, and best of all my purpose 'clicks' so I find I am always referring back to it. I immediately birthed a purposeful prayer project, and other inspired projects in the pipeline. Everything perfect in its time.

Here is something that Brad wrote towards the end of the book:

"As a person on purpose, you have within you the seed that may one day grow into your being a servant to the world - when the context of your life is no longer about you. In fact, at that point it stops being just about your family, your close network of friends, your community, or even your country, and it expands to include the whole world and its role in the Universe."

http://www.lifeonpurpose.com/index.php?page=1

Amazing possibilities..

My life on purpose..

..A life of freedom rooted in wholeness, beauty, truth, order and love. A life of worship, inspired action and full self-expression.

And of course this makes it so clear why I am passionate about pursuing and sharing health that is informed by the principles of life, and exploring the reasons and potential for eating a fresh, live plant-based diet among other things!

Lovely Synchronicities

Juice: Orange/celery juice
Exercise: Yoga, dry-skin brushing
Results so far: very smooth skin, since I started my fast the shoulder that I strained has gotten better each day. From waking with it feeling very stiff before the fast, on just the first day I woke and it wasn't the first thing that caught my attention. Bowel movements (BMs practically everyday). Some mucous release via throat. Very high mental clarity.

I am 8 days in to my annual summer fast (abstaining from solids, just fresh juice and water) and cleanse! I am full of energy although yesterday felt really drowsy. For me I've found every seven days the cleansing seems to go up a level. As part of my commitment I'm running everyday (I rested today), doing yoga everyday and dry-skin brushing everyday to rev up the lymph drainage system. I'm also doing some reading before I leave for work. When I run I do a running meditation, just focusing on and repeating one phrase the whole way. It probably sounds counterintuitive but I have even more energy than when I'm eating solid foods. Which proves the point that food doesn not give us energy, food provides fuel and material for repair and construction. Our (nerve) energy is replenished through sleep.

It feels great to start each day this way. And good to hit the end of the first week milestone. It's been a very busy week and had a two day awayday so had to plan in advance re what to do at lunchtimes to avoid drawing attention to myself. But when you decide and commit to something, an answer always come through. And everything worked out plus I took my own juice with me.

So many synchronicities have been happening as well. When synchronicities (lots of meaningful connected happenings) it shows you are on your path and not out of 'sync'. I had been thinking about being able to buy all my fruit and veg organic. I buy some things organic at the moment like carrots and smaller items. And I also wanted to find a nice organic delivery company so I don't have to carry too much as well, and begin to see more of my vision manifest. I'd looked at a couple of the well known ones but I didn't feel 'drawn' to them. So left it for a while knowing that it would come.

Then I was thinking about possibly doing a mainly orange juice fast. I came across the cute site through reading one of my raw school emails. http://www.fruitgod.com/index.html and Anne had done an orange juice fast which made me think aha!.

Then I decided to have another search for organic delivery companies and found this!
http://www.organicdelivery.co.uk/shopfront/shopfront.php

Immediately I was drawn to them, before I explored what they had to offer. Then I saw they sold juicing oranges! I stepped out in faith and put my first order in and yesterday (yes, they do Saturday deliveries!) I returned home to a box of fresh, fragrant organic oranges. The customer service over the phone was great (can also order online). I resonated with their 'reason for being' and I hope to buy more organic from them. To top it off in the newsletter that came with the box, their was a short article how I think it's the owners, went to on holiday to Cornwall to stay with friends who ate only raw foods, how cool is that?! And then (yes, there is more) there a mini profile on Saf raw restaurant which I've not only visited but is down the road from where I work! Happy to be connected to a business that gets my lifestyle.

Also Planet Organic has opened in Mossy Well. Do you think I'm being set up!

Having a Rest

Food: 2 bananas, orange and pineapple juice, bunch of grapes, some dates, small bag of cashews
Exercise: Escalators, long walk

I fasted yesterday, I'm back to my one day a week fasting . If you fast one day a week for a whole year, you are going without food for 14% of the year, imagine the rest you give your body not to mention the the ripple effect on your finances, the environment, the time you can spend on something else.. If you keep going at one day a week after seven years you would have fasted for the equivalent of one year imagine the rest and rejuvenation for the body.

I read a recommendation somewhere of one day a week, one week a month and one month a year.

This is not the same as starvation, or an eating disorder or being forced to go with out because there is no food. This is voluntary fasting from a place of love with the full understanding of what it means and what to expect. It has spiritual, physical and mental benefits.

Fasting is not something you just jump into, in the same way you don't just jump into running for a marathon, you train for it! First of all you prepare your mind, you read and learn about the discipline, then you start to practise e.g. with fasting start with one meal or snack time and monitor your feelings, your body etc. You can do this with support of a health practitioner.

I always find extended fasts much easier than one day fasts. The first day is the hardest it's that jarring between eating (sometimes continuously) and then not. But once you've relaxed into it it's very liberating, your mind becomes very focused. Initially there may be detox symptoms, depending on how you eat.

My little toes were sore from a pair of sandals I bought and yesterday the pain completely disappeared. I felt very peaceful too. Plus I had a real boost to my self-esteem for seeing it through.

I've been fasting regularly now for two years and a half years (sometimes water and sometimes with fresh juice). I'm really glad I did the training, and I still am training... It's a habit that can easily get lost because it's so contrary to modern lifestyles, but it's one I personally want to keep.

Lara Bar Feedback

Water fast Day 2

Started yesterday, felt great. Went into town, plus did some errands locally. Today feeling more like I wanted to sleep, had a couple of appointments that took me out. And met briefly with a couple of friends in a bar after church. Had water obviously! But they ordered nuts too. And although I wasn't hungry they looked appealing! Need to up the water intake 1-2 pints every hour.

Got a great response from Lara Bars re the mouldy product. Am really chuffed about that because I really wanted them to live up to my expectations and they did. I've found out they are now sold at Sainsbury' s. I saw pecan pie, apple pie and ginger snap. My favourite was cashew cookie but think that's been usurped by ginger snap. http://www.iherb.com/ has great discounts if you want to buy in bulk.

Now it is generally understood that combining nuts and dried fruit 'aint great. So for those who are thinking that, what I'll say is this when you eat these you don't get the coating on the teeth you get when eating dates alone, and or large quantities of nuts, which is not that beneficial if you can't get to a toothbrush quick. This is probably because of the way the ingredients have been pulvarised. The packet is clearly labelled with nutritional info and calorie content so you can monitor your intake. So one bar is really going to be okay. Eating more than that will depend on your individual constitution, and whether you eat them in close proximity to other foods. I don't have a problem with them at all, I just try to have a very good intake of fresh fruit during the day to keep the numbers down! But these are great for transitioning and for something denser particularly in the colder months. The main thing is to eat or nibble them slowly (yes hard I know) and chew thoroughly as you should do with all food. The bars are great for sharing with cookies and rawies alike and can be a great conversation starter on raw. So pack a bundle to your Christmas day gathering, to help you (and maybe some others) pass on the crisps and chocs!

Get Into Your Lab

Exercise: Bodyweight exercises
Food: 7 bananas, canteloupe 'milk', salad - cucumber, avocado, pomodorino tomatoes and herby dressing, dates and some almonds.

Canteloupe milk is canteloupe melon whizzed up in my Blendtech blender with some water. It looks and tastes like milkshake. Strange but true. The almonds are finished now, and I want to take a break from nuts. Although again digestion and elimination today excellent, which I put down to a combo of things waiting until noon to eat, eating simply with distinct gaps between 'meals' and by no means the least, regular fasting. So today I had bananas at noon, 'milk' at 2pm, salad at 4pm, dates at 7pm and almonds (very late at 10 pm) and I will probably go to bed at 1am. I have been sleeping very well but haven't got up to run which I miss. I think leaving out the nuts will help me still sleep well, but also able to bound out of bed for a run. And next week I'll restart the experiment of not eating after 5pm.

The upshot of this is it is good to experiment, and test things. It keeps things exciting, and helps one find the right 'flow'. You know where everything just fits and seems effortless and so enjoyable. Found another great website www.rawfoodexplained.com

I think I am going to start a separate fasting blog. I've done quite a few now and would love to share what I've learnt to date. Fasting is the most underrated spiritual discipline and health promotion tool ever. And quite frankly that is a complete and utter travesty.

Sleep 101

Exercise: Yoga
Food: 6 bananas, celery and mango smoothie, salad - baby leaves, avocado, pomodorino tomatoes with french dressing, some almonds.

I think I had about 3 hours sleep last night. I woke up okay but not completely refreshed, which in the main part was because I was nibbling on almonds up until I went to bed. I knew this wasn't a great decision to make but did it anyway. But it's good I learnt more. So basically my body was digesting them all night. Began to feel sleepy during the day but functioning very well. I noticed that when I am eating very low fat raw, basically the above without the almonds (I only use half a small avocado in my salads) I can sleep for four hours and I wake up refreshed and don't feel sleepy at all during the day. And I feel even better the next morning if the previous day had been productive on many levels ie used my time wisely. So lessons for me.
1. Don't eat up to the wire
2. Keep it low fat as much as possible
3. Living purposefully improves quality of sleep regardless of length of sleep

I may revise my no eating after 7pm because at the moment it does not seem to fit because of my many evening engagements. So maybe I will just stop eating after my late afternoon salad and see how I go. It's just a more easily recognisable cut off point in my current schedule. The reason I will try this is not to deny myself, but I actually don't feel hungry after that. But if in my experiment I feel the need to have something then I will.

Many people who eat raw (whatever amount) find their need for sleep decreases but it varies in amount, in fact for some it increases. I think this is linked to the state of your health when you start, how raw you go which is linked to how much cleansing will be taking place, plus your own unique sleep needs. I find I need more sleep particularly when doing extended fasting and I just go with it. It's not a competition, it's an ADVENTURE.

Like Peas in a Pod

Exercise: Run
Food: None - water fast

My tummy is now perfectly fine. Fasting and eating raw definitely go together. Fasting certainly helped me transition to raw much more easily that maybe I would have done. It help brings focus plus of course the physical cleansing. And eating raw makes fasting much easier and more enjoyable. Because biologically appropriate foods are regularly being consumed the side effects normally associated with fasting are eliminated or reduced greatly (depending on the condition of your health to start with). I don't have any headaches or weakness. I know it's only a day but that would floor many, including myself not that long ago. If you do fast as part of your lifestyle and you eat cooked I would encourage you to break your fast with raw foods and aim to eat only raw for at least a week afterwards. This will allow you to better feel the effects of fasting and help your body adjust to solids. And you never know it may be the start of something new.

And if you eat raw (however much), I would encourage you to try fasting, water or juice(maybe starting off with missing an evening meal if you are a complete newbie) to help you on your raw journey and give your body time to do some healing work. This can all be done with the support of a competent medical or health practitioner. A couple of sites to check out are www.freedomyou.com and www.fasting.com

Fasting and eating raw, like two peas in a pod.

Real Taste

Exercise: Resting
Food: None

Am doing a water fast today. Noticed some toothache yesterday, so hoping as my body rests it will be able to focus on helping that heal, remineralise etc.

While we are on the subject of fasting, I've observed when I was eating high raw but significant cooked vegan too, that whenever I broke the fast the only thing that actually tasted like it did 'in my head' was raw fruit and veg. You know how you begin to anticipate breaking it with the food of your choice, well this once I had sourdough bread and houmous. And no lie the houmous that always tasted great, just seemed sooo salty, and the bread like cardboard, even though normally I would have found it delicious. Even if you are eating cooked, I would not recommend breaking a fast with cooked food. On the other hand one time I just cut up a fresh pear and it was even better than I imagined it would be, absolutely stunning.

Your body talks, learn the language.

Have Courage

Exercise: Run
Food: None

Today I'm doing a water fast primarily for spiritual reasons but also appreciate the opportunity to give my body a rest, particularly after the frenetic activity of the past twelve days. Did I feel hungry? No not really, occasionally I felt something. But it wasn't hunger as such more the thing that kicks in when you are feeling bored and start to move towards the kitchen!

I found a great article on courage today by Steve Pavlina. And it absolutely rocks. It was immediately helpful and I applied it to yesterday's dilemna. I hope it helps you too. http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/courage-to-live-consciously.htm

A short and sweet post today as I'm taking it easy. Slept in until 12 noon:) Enjoy the article.