Weekly Round Up

"Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you."    - Mahatma Gandhi

No matter what stage I find myself in my practice, Fridays are for Primary Series, and Sundays are dedicated for Intermediate. I especially like the feeling of coming full circle on Fridays, ending with Primary. There is something absolutely satisfying about it. Then, after having Saturday off, diving into Intermediate to kick of the week sets the pace for what is up ahead. It's feels good, and necessary to follow this routine, though challenging at the same time. Going through a set cycle is an awesome access point for self observation.

Practice today, felt good, though I was a bit tired. Lately, maintaining the drishte has really started to deepen. I'm getting a sense of how not only do we move the energy or prana internally through the bandhas but also through the gaze with intent and focus, especially during vinyasa. It's all connected.

Tonight is my liver/gallbladder flush session. Yes, I'm doing another one - it's all about maintenance. The seasons seem to be shifting in Stockholm. It's already feeling like Fall. A bit early for my taste. Blah.There is no better time to do a cleanse than during the change of seasons. Our bodies naturally crave this. One reason why people often get sick during season shifts. I've quoted it many times before but the book I follow for the cleanse is The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse: An All-Natural, At-Home Flush to Purify and Rejuvenate Your Body, by Andreas Moritz, who has an informative website and blog, by the way. Check it out. He's on facebook too and really says some interesting things.

This week I was alerted to the fact Tim Miller started a blog. For those of you who may not know, I'm a huge fan of Timiji. There is so much embedded within him after over 30 years of continuous practice. He's a gem to all practicing Ashtanga yoga. A true gem. I was a bit confused because it seems he has two blogs. One where he talks of personal accounts and another that is more informational in nature. Either way, I'm loving that he's putting himself out there so candidly, and sincerely. Below are the links. I especially like his post describing what he was going through internally following Guruji's passing.

Tim Miller blog
"Dust" - By Tim Miller

I extracted the following poem from Tim's second blog, as well. I couldn't help it. One thing I remember about his workshops is that he always had the most perfect reading excerpts to share with the group. This is no exception.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend! Enjoy.

The Feast of the Epiphany

Peace Be unto Thee,  Stranger

Peace be unto thee,  stranger,  enter and be not afraid.

I have left the gate open and thou art welcome to my home.

There is room in my house for all.

I have swept the hearth and lighted the fire.

The room is warm and cheerful and you will find comfort and rest within.

The table is laid and the fruits of Life are spread before thee.

The wine is here also, it sparkles in the light.

I have set a chair for you where the sunbeams dance through the shade.

Sit and rest and refresh your soul.

Eat of the fruit and drink of the wine.

All, all is yours, and you are welcome.

  -Ernest Holmes

photo via

Unadulterated

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

(Yoda)

What a relaxing Easter weekend!

Last Friday was the evening of our liver/gallbladder cleanse, which blends into the next morning. Third time is a charm! I managed to get through with absolutely no nausea. I think my 2nd time was when I peaked. I was the most nauseous then, and a numerous amount of stones passed. This time I didn't have nearly as many release.

Since then, my digestion has revved up immensely, which had been my concern over the past year. Connecting to my food on a profound level, while clearing and managing parts of my system, has had an enormous affect on my well-being. I'm happy to have addressed these issues proactively before they became more of a problem, only having the choice to react. The good thing is, along the way I've learned invaluable information. 

The most interesting part about this journey is, with the clearing, when I see the changes that have taken place, it feels as if I'm truly seeing myself, for the first time, in a long time. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense. I guess what I'm driving at is I'm finally seeing the authenticity of who I am, healthy, vibrant, whole. Now, when I talk about changes, I'm not referring to fitting into some type of ideal fed by the external media or even into what a "yogini" is supposed to look like (whatever that is). I'm talking about looking, seeing me, unadulterated, and I like it. Pretty simple. It all goes hand in hand. When connecting on the inside, we become lit from with in.

Below I'd like to share the following video clips by Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, David Garrigues. I've just recently been introduced to his blog, which has a wealth of information in regards to the practice of Ashtanga yoga. Well written, and insightful, it's not to be missed.

In the following clips he talks in regards to the practice of yoga and the importance of diet.

Food is Matter from David Garrigues on Vimeo.


Diet and the Three Gunas from David Garrigues on Vimeo.


Digestion from David Garrigues on Vimeo.


Diet and Progress from David Garrigues on Vimeo.

Spring Cleansing

"The best piety is to enjoy. You are doing the most then to save the earth's character as an agreeable planet. And enjoyment radiates. It is of no use to try and take care of all the world. That is being taken care of when you feel delight."

(George Eliot, Middlemarch)

The best time to do a cleanse is usually during the change of season. Since we've just entered into Spring my boyfriend and I will be doing another liver and gallbladder cleanse. Since this will be my third time it won't seem like such an undertaking. After all the reading and preparation it becomes a simple process.

With my constitution, fasting cleanses, where food is restricted, don't work well for me.  I tend to lean toward this cleanse and/or panchakarma cleanses. Juicing might be another consideration at some point, however since moving, I'm not as well equipped, at the moment. At any rate, I find the liver and gallbladder cleanse supportive towards improved digestion, and assimilation. We gotta take care of that liver of ours! It's a hard worker.

I've already written so much about the liver and gallbladder cleanse, so I won't go into much detail this go around for the sake of boring everybody. I realize there's a bit of controversy out there in regards to the validity of the cleanse, however for those whom I've known personally who have done so have felt the difference, especially with liver issues. I've felt a shift since embarking on them, and that's what I go by. So much of our culture is about putting a band-aid on something. Runny after symptoms and effects. Never getting down to the root. The why. The how. The cause. It's important.

I've always been drawn to Ayurveda. With basic principles such as bringing body balance and learning how to maintain that balance is a key part of the science. Which resonates with me. 

I came across the chart below from one of my favorite blogs, HeyMonica B, on Ayurveda. Has a good way of showing the difference between western and eastern medicine. Both have their place.

We are coming into an era where prevention is just as important as treating symptoms. Something, in Ayurveda tradition, 5, 000 years in the making, has understood.

Simple, informative, and straight to the point, below is the best book I've found on the liver and gallbladder cleanse.

Coffee Enema. Who Knew?

"Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free."

(Jim Morrison)

Ok. So I guess I'm going there. The coffee enema. Geez ...

The first I heard of such a thing was many years ago. Yes, I heard Janet Jackson did them. Yes, I thought it a bit strange and overzealous. Well now, I've treaded down various paths and certain things just don't seem all that strange to me. It's all about having an open mind.

After doing a far amount of research on my own, I found that coffee enemas have been around for hundreds of years. There are many different kinds of enemas one can partake in, and the coffee enema in particular has the ability to aid the liver and detoxify the body.

Coffee enema's have also been successfully used for cancer patients as an adjunct treatment. Dr. Max Gerson, M.D. popularized this form of therapy using the coffee enema along with special diet, juices, and supplements with excellent results in the early 1900s.

Further benefits include enhanced elimination of toxins through the liver, increased bile output, and improved digestion to name a few.

I won't go any more further, but nonetheless, it's interesting. Not sure if anyone out there has experience with doing them, but if so, I would love to hear form you!!!

The Coffee Enema

Cleanse Recovery

"This is love: To fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall every moment, to let go."

(Rumi)

All done with my first liver/gallbladder cleanse! Hooray! All in all, it wasn't bad, and fairly painless. Actually there was no pain, except for the nausea I experienced last evening, which my two other friends did not experience.

Continuing from yesterday, after taking my second dose of Epsom salts, in the morning, things really started to flow ... and Violà! ... stones were released! It's amazing, lol. Most were very, very small, and the biggest ones I could see were pea sized. See the above picture. I placed a quarter next to two stones I recovered so one can see the relative size of the things. I expelled anywhere from 50 to 100 of these little guys, to my best estimate. Absolutely, painless.

The color of the stones expelled tell a story of there own. Dark green ones, are the oldest, and tan stones are usually the newest. One friend of mine had bright orange ones!!!

All in all, I'm extremely glad I did the cleanse, and feel an overall sense of well-being from doing so. The best way I can describe it is, it feels like a strong release. Obviously. Much was released. I feel as if my skin is glowing!

Again, I can't say it enough, the book we followed for the cleanse gave us a wealth of information. We followed what the author suggested to the letter. He clearly laid everything out for one to easily understand, and follow.

The book: The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse, by Andreas Moritz

He does recommend repeating the cleanse anywhere from 3 week to 1 month intervals until no further stones come out. When a cycle of stones are expelled, the ones in the back move to the front. And, the number of times one needs to repeat, all depends on one's diet history/health and such. I'm not sure when I will repeat, however I do see the benefit in adding this into one's health maintenance regimen.

After getting over the hump of doing it my first time, it really wasn't as bad as I imagined. Through my own yoga practice over the years, I've come into a strong sense of my body's intelligence, an intuitive sense, if you will, and though it may seem strange to those on the outside, I feel as if I'm on the right track ... and, I couldn't feel better about it.

What a liberating feeling. I feel wonderful!! Yipeeee!

Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse Day 6

"In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors."

(William Blake)

Cleansing day. My side effects were a bit different than my counterparts. Not sure why that is, but you know, different strokes for different folks, lol.

Had the last liter of apple juice with a twist of apple cider vinegar, in which are supposed to help further soften the stones.

Ate a light breakfast, of plain porridge with soy milk.. On the last day, no sweeteners or oils are to be used for the two meals allotted. For my second meal, brown basmati rice with mixed vegetables of tomatoe, zucchini, and shitake mushrooms. Yum!

Right before the cleansing procedures another enema is recommended so when the stones release, there is nothing in the colon to obstruct the flow. This time, I did a plain water enema using steam distilled water.

In the evening is when the first round of Epsom salts are ingested. Four tablespoons of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) added to a total of 24 ounces (three 8 oz. glasses) of filtered water in a jar. This makes four 6-oz servings. This is where I took my first, 6-oz serving. Yeah, it doesn't taste good, and I even used a straw to help ease my taste buds, haha. However, it wasn't too bad, and the serving sizes were doable. The main actions of Epsom salt are to dilate the bile ducts, making it easy for the stones to pass. In addition, the salts clear waste that obstruct the release of the gallstones.

Two hours later, I consumed my second serving of Epsom salts. Compared to my counterparts, I had the strongest laxative effect taking the solution. I was constantly running to the bathroom!!! It was unbelievable. Let me just say I was in the flow, lol.

Another two hours later, time for the grapefruit/olive oil concoction! Obviously, there's prep time, so it's good to have it ready to take two hours from the 2nd serving of Epsom salts. To my surprise, ingesting the grapefruit juice/olive oil mixture, with a twist of lime, for taste, wasn't all that bad to take down. I was expecting this to be the worst part. The important step when taking the solution is to drink it within 5 minutes, next to your already prepared bed, and LIE DOWN IMMEDIATELY, when finished. This is the essential part to the release of gallstones. It's highly recommended to lie on your back or right side only, and fall asleep.

The worst part for me was the nausea I experienced throughout the night. This was due to the sudden outpouring of gallstones and toxins from the liver, and gallbladder. Personally, I had waves of nausea, and weakness, at the same time, that didn't feel all that great. It wasn't the most comfortable feeling, but knowing I was doing myself some good, kept me going. Eventually, the nausea passed ...

All considering, I slept lightly ...

Next morning, I took the 3rd serving of Epsom salts. Once assimilated into the system, this is where one can expect the expelling of gallstones.

More on what I found later ...Yikes!

:-)

Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse Day 5

"Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul."

(Walt Whitman)

Continuing to eat my vegan meals, drink my apple juice, and fa la la ... it's been easy going. Although, I did receive some unusual sensations in my liver/gallbladder area. It wasn't painful, but it didn't really feel great either. Kinda like a throbbing sensation that lasted for maybe 15 minutes or so, and passed.

Tomorrow, will be the big day of consuming the Epsom salt mixture, along with the grapefruit juice, olive oil concoction. I'm not really looking forward to all that, but it must be done!

Hopefully all goes well ...

Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse Day 4

"Hell is not punishment, it’s training."

(Shunryu Suzuki)

Another day, and cravings have subsided. Another coffee enema. I will be writing more on that soon. Once I get around to it. However, I will say, that my second time around didn't go so well as the first. Holding for 15 minutes proves to be challenging. Maybe, my first time was beginners luck. Dumb luck, lol.

I'm feeling pretty good, despite the fact that it's been nothing but rain, clouds, and chilly temps for I don't know how long. Kinda dampens the mood a bit, but nonetheless, I'm staying positive.

It's been fun treading this journey with my two other cleansing mates. We swap notes, and experiences, and it feel more encouraging than to go at it alone, especially for the first time.

Day 3 Liver/Gallbadder Cleanse

"That’s the difference between me and the rest of the world… happiness isn’t good enough for me. I demand euphoria."

(Calvin and Hobbes)

Day 3, preparing for the cleanse, and it's all good ... so far. Still eating a vegan diet, and I find myself craving cheese, of course. Mostly because it isn't recommended during the preparation phase, and in natural fashion, I'm wanting what I can't have, lol. However, I'm broaching the idea of giving it up all together. I've already noticed how much brighter my skin looks, and the doctor who over saw my panchakarma cleanse seemed to think it wasn't all that good for me, personally.

Although, I've learned it isn't always a good idea to focus on what I can't have, and take the focus on adding as many wholesome, healthy, organic foods into my diet, along other preventative regimens, and things that no longer suit me have a way of naturally falling away on their own. Better to add in good things so they crowd out the bad, and no struggle is to be had.

Day 2 Liver/Gallbaldder Cleanse

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go."

(Dr. Seuss)

One thing I haven't made completely clear regarding the cleanse is that all 6 days are really the preparation for the actual cleanse which takes place on the last day. Day 6. So, the prep includes, like I've said before, drinking 1 liter of apple juice everyday, eating a vegan diet, and properly cleansing the colon. The book offers several choices when it comes to colon cleansing, and I opted for the coffee enema. To my disbelief, I was amazed at the list of benefits and healing properties coffee enemas entailed. There is an abundance of information and testimonials on the therapy it's self.

But, what about actually doing it? Well ...

With it being my first time, it wasn't all that bad, and fairly simple. The challenging part came when retaining the 2 quart coffee mixture. Mixture meaning, you brew the coffee, like normal, using only pure water, steam distilled being best, and of course only preparing organic coffee. The optimal retention time is at least 15 minutes, and I was struggling a bit those last few, because of the slight cramping. Thank goodness for yoga practice, because consciously breathing helped.

Afterward? Once everything was evacuated I felt great. There really is something to it, and I'll be curious to see how I feel tomorrow.

I'll be posting more info I found regarding the process of coffee enemas.

Cheers!

Day 1 Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse

"Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere."

(Albert Einstein)

Drank my liter of organic apple juice, and well, it really did it's work. Andreas Moritz, author of The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse, states that the apple juice has a strong cleansing effect. In some cases, which happened to me, stagnant bile is released by the liver and gallbladder. The fermenting effect of the juice widen the bile ducts, and Violà! There you go ...

My first thought was ... "What's a bit of apple juice gonna do?" Well, it didn't take long for it to do what it was supposed to do, lol.

Tomorrow ... drum roll, please ... the coffee enema. More on that later. I can't believe I'm about to blog about this, lol. Good times.

Embarking on a Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse

"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit."

(ee. cummings)

(Click on book for information)

Yup. Tomorrow will the start of my Liver and Gallbladder cleanse. Thankfully, I won't be doing this on my own, but with the support of two other fellow participants. Doing stuff like this with others simply helps, especially if it's for the first time.

Why? Well, there are many reasons why to do it. For one, it has been over six months since I embarked on my very first panchakarma experience. Which, by the way, I highly, highly recommend, I can't say it enough. I felt even months afterward, like my body was recalibrating to a state of continual balance. A wonderful feeling.

Two, I'm a big believer in taking preventive measures when it comes to health, and health maintenance. Anyone who knows me, and knows me well, knows that I look to the cause and not to the effect. Simply treating symptoms has proven itself to be a failure, time and time, again in the West. Being, a former pharmaceutical rep (ugh. I hate to admit, lol), and talking to hundreds of doctors, and sitting in their offices full of patients, clearly were never places of ultimate healing and rejuvenation. Of course, these are only my opinions, and observations during the years and I'm in no way knocking the profession of medicine. However, I feel like we only get one tiny aspect of what it means to live a healthy existence. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's important for me to run on all cylinders versus just hanging by a thread.

Three, well, it all comes down to the liver and the startling formation of gallstones that form there due to the nature of our diet. After some research, and learning about how important the functions of the liver are, it seems quite crazy NOT to do the cleanse. Simply put, I don't want gallstones in my body.

Benefits? Well one can expect a whole host of benefits through cleansing the liver, such as improved digestive and metabolic functions. Increased mental clarity, vitality, and energy. Clearer skin. Reversal of premature aging. Freedom from pain. Hormonal balance ...

The list goes on, and on ...

The protocol begins with drinking one liter of organic apple juice for 6 days. This helps to soften the stones via the malic acid contained in the apple juice. Not too shabby. However, the fun part comes in during the 6 day when a concoction of Epsom salts and filtered water, along with a grapefruit juice, olive oil mixture are ingested. I'll be posting more of the details during the actual day.

This should be interesting.