purify thyself

There have been times in my life when I have truly felt pure.  When pure, I wake up with the sun and get out of bed onto light feet.  I feel alive in each moment and in that moment entirely.  I more water than anything else, if anything else and eat a plethora of veggies.  I meditate and do yoga daily.  Oh, what I aspire to be as this pure being!

These times of true purity come with discipline stemming from passion and careful consideration.  In 2012, there was a time a felt pure, it was one month, and that month was May.  Since May, I have come along way.  I sleep in many hours after the sun rises.  When I awake, I go back to sleep and when I finally do get up out of my way-too-comfortable bed, I feel heavy in my body.  I continue the day starting with a glass of water and a healthy, plant-based, protein breakfast.  By lunch, the corn, and processed foods begin to seep into the meals.  By dinner, I am eating white flours, cheeses and drinking scrumptious micro brews.  Oh no!  I have forgotten to stretch or meditate today.  I decide to watch TV, where I fall asleep in a chair.  Then wake up in the darkest part of night to move so sluggishly back to my bed.  The cycle repeats.

Today, I am breaking that cycle.  I am now on a journey to purify thyself.  To shed the extra weight, the extra sleep, the extra intakes, and the laziness!  All those things that are not a part of me and do not aid in my spiritual life are being let go. I have decided on a kick-butt cleanse to whip me back into MYSELF.  This is known to many as the Master Cleanse.

Preparing for the Master Cleanse

Some things to gather ahead of time:
1. Organic Ground Cayenne Pepper
2. 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup, Grade B
3. Fine Ground Sea Salt: unprocessed and unbleached, only dried and ground
4. Herbal Laxative Tablets (I'm using Swiss Kriss)
5. Non-Caffeinated Herbal Teas: This is the only cheat so I got two yummy teas I know I love, Indian Spice, and Green Tea Decaf from Yogi Teas
6. A BPA-free water bottle.  I love my glass Life Factory water bottle because there is no risk of toxins coming off into my water and it has a silicone sleeve so that when I drop (which I do), it doesn't break.  You will want to have pure water with you at all times.
7. VEGGIES! and some fruits for a couple days-worth of eating.  The phasing in and out of the cleanse calls for these lovely live foods.

Some Tips from Previous Attempters:
*If you are taking any medication, the cleanse can flush it through you before it even does its job.  This can lead to withdrawal sickness within the first day of the actual cleanse.  Ladies, I don't know if this applies to oral contraceptives, but I would use a back-up contraceptive the month of your cleanse just in case!
*I am refraining from very strenuous activity during the cleanse to allow my body to heal itself, and not overwork it.
*Pick your timing wisely.  Think about holidays, events, work, etc.  I start a Tiffany Cruikshank yoga workshop today and so I'm only beginning to phase in.  My first day of the actual cleanse will be on Monday, the day after the workshop ends.
*Drink water, drink water, drink water!