22. October 2009 by admin.

Don’t you love America? If you ain’t got it, you can buy it, complete with free shipping.  Yes, that’s right directly through e-bay, buy willpower and self-discipline, subliminally, so you don’t even have to waste a moment of your time thinking consciously about what drives us crazy or to great success.

Its early in the morning and I have gotten lost in music  preparing for the workshop when it came to mind this is definitely Willpower pushing me through to keep my commitments and it’s an all too familiar feeling.  But I also know the joy of cleansing and getting on my Yoga Mat every day and that gives the impression of Self-Discipline. Are these five pillars to Self-Discipline really accurate, Acceptance, Willpower, Hard Work, Industry, and Persistence and could Willpower be a part of Self-Discipline?  Went looking to the net for ideas, although inspirational quotes aren’t my favorite form of communication, these seemed worth the glance:

“I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish
humble tasks as though they were great and noble.  The world is moved along,
not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny
pushes of each honest worker.” -   Helen Keller
“Yoga is a light which, once lit, will never dim. The better you practice, the brighter the flame.” -  B. K. S. Iyengar
“You are what your deep, driving desire is.
As your deep, driving desire is, so is your will.
As your will is, so is your deed.
As your deed is, so is your destiny.” -   Upanishads

And as I dug deeper I found this comment on a weight loss website that brought in another perspective:

… i don’t develop a plan and then expect to hold myself to it when the moment of ‘choosing’ arrives. That is what willpower is to me, and when i think self-discipline, i conceive of consequences for not adhering to a plan i developed in advance, regardless of what circumstances may arrive for that future event.  When you’re acting out of willpower, you’re making a plan in advance and sticking to it regardless of what’s happening in the present moment. You are disregarding your present-moment experience. That is very different from what Normal Eating teaches. When you’re acting out of self-care, you learn to be present in the moment, aware of your feelings and needs in real time. This allows you to cope with triggers in productive ways so you don’t need to self-soothe with food. How you think about something matters enormously. When you think in terms of self-discipline and willpower, you can fail. It’s diet-think. When you think in terms of freedom, self-love, and choice, it’s all good and it feels effortless….

This comment on Willpower seemed very exhausting, but certainly accurate.

Lastly some heady advice on Will from Papaji ,who was my teacher’s, teacher’s, teacher for a time and is how I heard of him.  Along with three other books,I pray to finish and comprehend before I die, is  Papaji:Wake up and Roar,  a collection of interviews taken throughout his life edited by Eli Jaxon-Bear.  The interview question is; I can’t will myself to change.  You can’t will yourself not to have desires, because that is more of the ego isn’t it?

 This will cannot be rejected so easily.  This will, “I want to be free”- let’s call it the last will, the last desire for the highest thing, which is perfection, eternity, emptiness it cannot be rejected.  It will take you somewhere and then it will vanish.  This desire will burn itself out, and what will remains is your nature. So be thankful for this will. Very few lucky people will choose this freedom. Cling firmly to this desire, and it will take you to freedom and then vanish.  Every desire needs the support of another desire.  Otherwise, one desire is no desire.  Therefore, it is freedom itself.  There the means and end are the same.  Intense desire for freedom alone, allowing on other desire to rise is freedom itself.

Once you consciously know you are free, desire will rise, they will not have a ground because these will be roasted seeds.  They will not have sprouted in the memory. You will already know the end.

All desires actually end in freedom.  Your desire is fulfilled and you are empty.  The emptiness brings you happiness, but it is unconscious.  You attribute your happiness to a possession, not the emptiness.  It is the freedom from desire that gives you happiness.

Only an instant is required for this recognition.  Once only.  Just a moment.  Look into and recognize your Self within this instant.  You don’t need a long program spread over years to recognize this freedom.  You are already free.  It is only recognition that isn’t there, that you are postponing.  You must recognize your own nature or you will not be happy.

Tell me what you think about willpower and freedom!

On those big words, good night,

Deby

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20. October 2009 by admin.

Usually some where on the second or third day the reality sets in, the headaches and/or unusual amounts of irritable behavior appear and the hunger starts to become bothersome.  As you travel throughout your thinking, you will begin to experience obstacles of fear and unbelief.  Be it a wall or fence they usually disappear and shouldn’t deter you from your goals, of course if its something serious, well you should reevaluate.

Here are few tips to success:

Talk to people in support of your program,

Turn off the TV

Get Alone with God

Feast on uplifting words

Meditate

Go for walks alone

Practice Yoga

Be quite

Do not enter into needless temptation

Sleep

In other words consider spending time enjoying the emptiness of your belly, breaking old patterns, resting, enjoying the solitude, finding your peace.

Nameste,

Deby

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18. October 2009 by admin.

Detoxing has become a media buzz word and commercial event that can be viewed on perplexing things such as  labels of energy drinks, while on the other end of the spectrum Microsoft doesn’t even recognize it as word in their spell checker, what’s up with that?  Not being an expert, I am bringing you research from Giam, a very popular resource for healthy living.

From reading the celebrity rags, you may think that detox is something you do by either checking into a cushy rehabilitation facility or consuming nothing but liquids for 21 days. It seems either overly arduous or something only the rich and idle have time to do. But your body is designed to engage in detoxification every day. D-tox (detoxification) is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health.

Daily life produces toxins—there’s no way around that. “We’re exposed to extreme amounts of toxins from air pollution, household chemicals, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, processed foods and other things,” says Isabel Clark, R.H.N., founder of Clark Wellness in Washington, D.C. The body has mechanisms for eliminating toxins, such as breathing, sweating, urinating and bowel movements, but sometimes it needs a little bit of help.

“A detox or cleanse will make you feel cleaner, clearer and lighter,” Clark says. It can also jump-start a weight-loss program, help you transition between seasons, regulate digestion and help you identify food allergies or trigger foods. In fact, a detox serves a powerful purpose, says Elson Haas, M.D., author of The New Detox Diet: The Complete Guide for Lifelong Vitality with Recipes, Menus and Detox Plans. “Detox is a process to help people heal,” he says.

Giam also reports, there are three main systems of the body that play a crucial role in the elimination of wastes — circulatory, digestive and lymph. The circulatory system pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen to and carrying waste products away from cells. The digestive system processes the food we eat, separating nutrients from waste and eliminating anything the body doesn’t need. And the lymphatic system collects intracellular fluid from throughout the body and transports it to the lymph nodes where anything harmful (such as bacteria or other contaminants) can be removed before the lymphatic fluid is returned to the bloodstream. It’s a robust system that works well on its own. But in order to help your body keep up with the heavy demands our stressful lives and nutrient-poor modern diet place on these systems, the trick is to give your body an assist so it can perform its natural detoxing function. And yoga is an ideal companion.  Most forms of vigorous exercise stimulate all three systems of elimination to some extent, thereby helping the body in its quest to detox. But yoga, with its focus on systematically stretching and compressing every part of the body, is particularly well-suited to keeping the waste-removal departments of the body functioning well.

“In a well-rounded yoga practice, every part of the body is pushed, pulled, twisted, turned and upended,” explains New York City yoga teacher Witold Fitz-Simon, founder of the yogaartandscience.com blog. “This facilitates the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide, lactic acid and lymphatic fluid from the deep tissues and extremities of the body that a jog or a bike ride just don’t reach.”

During cleanse week, the three instructors are being very conscious of your journey, modifying poses along the way as  confirming our commitment that Yoga is an integral part to helping the body squeeze out the toxins, firm you up, de-bloat, reset metabolism, cleanse inner body and oxygenate your blood. Don’t miss classes this week being gentle on yourself throughout the practice.  

NEW IN TOWN:  Just off the barge is a new easy energizing way to detox and a perfect compliment to your cleanse this week.  Terese Jones is offering up (by appointment) at the White Lotus Center an Ionic Foot Bath.  With much scepticism, I’ve had the benefit of a dozen or so ionic foot baths with varied and wonderful results.  This new professional equipment she brings to town is very powerful and worth discussing with her. Terese gave Sarasvati and myself footbaths Friday night while we conspired about the poses and live music we will present during the workshop scheduled for October 23rd.  We both felt soothed and curious as we sat patiently in the bath and we would be happy to share our remarkable results.

Terese commented on how it’s a great compliment to any type of cleanse, renewing  your cells so they can excrete toxins that are accumulated in our day-to-day life.  Bringing more energy, life force to the body, the ionic footbath aids in rejuvenating the liver and kidneys allowing them to work more efficiently so the body can eliminate even more toxin while you cleanse as well as helps to pull toxin form the joints helping to create a pain free existence.  Cell renewal, one of the key components of the bath,  is also a great prevention to restoring the cells to their natural state and aids the body to remain disease free and efficient.  There are several testimonies about the healing effects to patients of cancer, MS, Parkinson’s and many others including Terese.  Along with a heavy metal detox program the footbaths helped her heal her liver after 8 years of pain and extensive medical testing from the best hospitals.  Safe and efficient the foot baths have aided many in weaning themselves from medication as potent as blood thinners to thyroid prescriptions.

Give Terese a call 907-209-9292, she recommends two foot baths during the cleanse, while space is limited she will make this opportunity a regular part of the community. 

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

(peace repeated 3 times, to honor your body, mind and soul)

Deby

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15. October 2009 by admin.

Imagine being able to just pop around the corner for a colonic, flow through a Jivamukti yoga workshop, pamper yourself with a day long massage and sauna treatment, take part in an Ayurveda check up, or even have specially prepared fasting juices delivered to your home.   What luxury to have a wealth of resources at the tip of our fingers, but give up rugged can do qualities of small town Alaska NEVER!

It’s that adaptability to any challenge so endearing about Ketchikan.  If you’re still toying with what type of fast you want to do, be inspired by this retreat near the Big Apple and create a regime of your own, giving up (sugar, caffeine, alcohol) and just one meal each day, replacing it with your favorite juice concoction centered on the Chakras.

Long before the art of dissection was practiced, the ancient yogis were able to deduce certain subtle aspects of human anatomy through close observation of their own bodies.  They estimated that within the body there were between 75,000 and 350,000 channels called nadis; the nadis are pathways of sensation along which the life force, prana, travels.  Three important nadis emerged running vertically from the base of the skull to the tailbone(similar to the spine) and two others (similar to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system) weaving back and forth to cross over the vertical channel, where these two channels intersect are called the chakras. The chakras, also referred to as wheels have distinct properties relative to the physical location in the body.  When a chakra is open to the flow of prana, then the characteristics of the chakra become manifest.  For example, when the heart chakra is open then you are healthy, compassionate and psychologically stable and centered.

According to a very easy and practical book “A Handbook of Chakra Healing”  Charkra work is an energy therapy that improves the condition of your energy system and through simple exercises; you can raise the level of your energy and strengthen your powers of intuition, as well as recognize problems that arise from energy blockages.  Its positive effects include stimulation of the metabolism, detoxification and strengthening of the immune system by infusing cells and organs with healing energy. The mind and spirit are not left out as Chakras are not just energy centers they’re centers of awareness and over time this work can help resolve afflictions such as anxiety, stress, removing negative attitudes toward live so that you can look forward to experience serenity, happiness and inner peace in short period of time.

With an excerpt from the book (see link on left) or online you can take the Chakra Personality Test to determine which chakras are dominate and which are weak and which have blockages.  Take it now and again at the end of the cleanse to see a shift in your balance.

Throughout this cleanse, you may want to strengthen your life energy by focusing on two Chakras: sensuous love in the sacral chakra and spiritual, universal love in the heart charka. The union of both charkas expands the entire potential for human love.  As we all know the power of love to change the world can bring about a multitude of positive changes and more happiness.  Who doesn’t want that?

More do-it yourself:   SPA TREATMENT as outlined in this recent Yoga Journal newsletter.

A day at the spa is a fine antidote to the sense of imbalance that we all experience from time to time. But you don’t have to wait for a windfall to indulge yourself. You can create many of the same benefits at home.   The most important element for your home-spa day is uninterrupted time. Take a personal day from work, send the kids and husband out for some bonding time, turn off your phones. Fill the tub with hot water and let the steam fill the room. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil or create a “bath tea” by filling a cotton sock with a mixture of dried herbs, tying it at the top, and letting it soak in the water. While you wait for the water to cool a bit, exfoliate your skin with a natural-bristle body brush, using circular motions. When you’re done wrap up in a comfy robe or some loungewear, and make a cup of your favorite herbal tea. Now that you are scrubbed, relaxed, and warm, prepare an herbal facial steam and take time to nourish your soul as well as your body. Read uplifting words—poetry, yoga philosophy—or write in your journal. Whatever else you do today, go slowly and gently. Letting a sense of peace and relaxation settle deep into your bones may be the most pampering thing of all.

Namaste,

Deby

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14. October 2009 by admin.

100# of organic groceries from Charlie’s Produce are on the way and with other fellow cleansers, I have opted for Terese’s Juice cleanse.  This Juice Cleanse selection was mostly because I trusted her familiarity to easily lead the way.   The detox/fast support in town is amazing, at Rain Country yesterday; they helped me through their isles to locate the remaining ingredients, making recommendations and substitutions with confidence. The bonus occurred when I unpacked my loot to discover they had slipped in a free sample of a product called “Detox Deodorant for night time use”. How cool is that? 

Having someone there to encourage and answer questions along the way is so effective.  Divers know this and organized themselves as Dive Buddy’s, it works successfully and as a result their dive is pleasurable and safer.  Wikipedia defines this system:

The buddy system is the situation which occurs when two divers of similar interest and equal experience and ability share a dive, continuously monitoring each other throughout the entry, the dive and the exit, and remaining within such distance that they could render immediate assistance to each other if required.^[1]

—B Halstead, Line dancing and the buddy system

I doubt I could ask just anyone to help with the Enema portion of the cleanse, as this is like night cave diving-scary stuff, but I know Terese will be there to laugh and answer those delicate questions that any amount of Google couldn’t resolve!  If you haven’t found your Dive Buddy let me know, there is a growing swell of participants on this path to help. 

Shanti,

Deby Slagle

907-225-4055

debys@baranof.net

P.S.  Working with a techie to help resolve the “comment” portion of the blog so we can start to thread encouragement (similar to Facebook) and support through this site as well resolve why you can’t click on a post and “jump to” that section vs. scrolling down to the post.

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12. October 2009 by admin.

It’s great to hear all the dialogue about this challenge.   Probably the loudest concern is do I have to give up my coffee?  If you’re selecting one of these options the answer is YES!  And you might want to start it sooner rather than later, that is why being prepared will make the cleanse move smoothly.

 Preparing for the fast is like getting ready for your vacation, research, pack and go!  One comrade has already devised a plan to sort through and clean out two rooms and remodel during the fast.  Visualizing some strategies to replace cooking and eating will certainly help.  Here is one link that says it like it is E-How , where else?  These timeless steps (cut/paste from the net) brought a smile thinking of who was posting this English translation.

Before:
3 days before: Abstain from tobacco, coffee and sugar
2 days before: Abstain from bread, rice, cooked grains or carbs
1 day before: Eat mostly fruit, vegetables and nuts
Few days before arrival, skipping dinner in the evenings could prepare the body better for prolonged periods of fasting. Alternatively, eating only banana or salad at night could be very beneficial.

During:  Avoid use of OTC drugs and medicines. Drink much liquid (preferably not too cold or hot)

Preparing for a juice fast is starting to seem  more like work than the other two cleanses with needs for a strategy  so you have  fresh juice throughout the day, but nonetheless I’m looking forward to something new.  The references in Juicy Health  seem pretty comprehensive on arming yourself for the road ahead.

Of course if your fast is for spiritual reasons,  be it Christian  , Others, or starting a Spiritual Journal, preparing your soul must not be overlooked. 

I hope you had a chance to be out in the full change of season today, leaves were swirling around my head, feathers gently floating down from behind the sun and this unusual pattern of leaves held down by water just outside Salmon Landing was strangely foretelling.

One week and counting!

Deby

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11. October 2009 by admin.

Where to start? There are too many cleanses available, so the list below is narrowed down to three of the most popular and trying to be impartial about personal preferences, have left most of the commentary to the diet components.    While each detox has elements in common such as drink lots of filtered water,  suplement with herbal teas, avoid solid food, after that their methods shift dramatically. 

THE MASTER CLEANSE 

Of these three options, it is the most radical change in your diet.  The diet was created by Stanley Burroughs who was an early advocate of natural health, and believed in the body’s natural ability to heal itself.  There are many books and online resources The Master Cleanse,  The Master Cleanse Manual, The Master Cleanse Diet, Master Cleanse Secrets , that should answer all your questions.  Essentially, every morning  start your day with a salt water teaser, followed by unlimited amounts of lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup, herbal tea, filtered water and end your evening with a laxative tea.  MMMMM.  I think its worth the splurge on the Grade B maple syrup (found at the health food store), unless of course you find yourself on day 13 hunched over the jug, reminiscent of Gollum in Lord of the Rings, chanting “my precious”, while slamming back maple syrup shooters with  Black-strap molasses chasers, b/c well you’re hungry.  In that case have some grade A on hand.  I also liked to deconstruct the recipes, not sure if that was OK, but I couldn’t do the good morning salt water drink, and ended up using the prescribed amount of salt dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water followed by the remaining water, and let my stomach do the mixing. Completely bored, I also drank lots of hot water with cayenne, then shortly after sipped the maple syrup, like sherry, with lemon juice. It worked.

THE COLON CLEANSE

I think this one is a little obvious as to its purpose and by the trophy pictures on this site Blessed Herbs, you can be sure it is a moving event.  This cleanse has a little more variety in the diet, think Metamucil without the sugar.  Once past the shocking images I did like the product at  Blessed Herbs, the directions are super simple and the packaging  slick, complete with a souvenir mason jar that I still can get a little PTSD when I drink my water from it.  Anyway, with a break from solid foods, the thought here is  the large amount of psyllium  and laxative supplements wipe the intestinal track clean, enabling it once again to function properly. Don’t hasten in drinking the psyllium powder/juice concoction as it sets up quickly like glue! This also had an added bonus which is to savor home made vegetable broth and miso in the day/evening as a comfort.  Here’s the pitch: A clean colon will guarantee that all the vitamins in your food will be properly absorbed and used for the benefit of your body! A clean colon will also keep your body free of a lot of waste and toxins that play a big part in creating disease. 

THE JUICE CLEANSE

Believe it or not, this is the fast I’m doing and still can’t decide which one to recommend.   Terese is really the expert on this cleanse as she has done it many times, while just back today on the ferry, armed with her recipes and juicer, will share her recipes/resources after collecting them at tonights Yoga class.  The one she is recommending also uses psyllium (in smaller amounts) and clay to help go after the toxins in the liver and colon.  During my search also found recipes from Prolific Living blog, as well as  stories about her Yoga/5 day cleanse which are similar to Terese’s without the supplements. The last one on the table centers on juices that stimulate the chakras.     Know its short notice, but plan to purchase bulk organic groceries to be barged up for arrival Monday, so let me know if you’re interested in purchasing supplies by 10/12, will have the recipes up and can help you narrow down your shopping list.

 OTHER

Would love to hear about other cleanses that you have experience with.  Also, even if you’re not selecting from this list but want to attempt a less extreme cleanse, try eliminating one or several things from your diet such as caffeine, alcohol, sugar and increase the amount of water you’re drinking and notice what happens at the end of a week. 

All of these cleanses will create a metamorphosis that you cannot completely predict, wonderful side benefits, as well as  ”moments” of extreme challenge, because the experience is invaluable will share thoughts about the process later in the week.

Gods speed,

Deby

Debys@baranof.net

225-4055

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