Each spring, I detox and cleanse for two weeks. This year, when we began to shelter in place, my husband and I decided, “now is the time” since we wouldn’t be going anywhere for a bit.
When people found out, they would use adjectives like “good,” “brave,” “disciplined,” and “crazy” to describe us.
I felt these were totally unwarranted because we had done this process together so many times before. We knew out pitfalls, both personally and as a couple. The only difference (or so I thought) was that we wouldn’t have any time at all to be in different buildings. (Riiiiiiight. Read on.)
Image © Renato Abati/Pexels
Here are the reasons why we chose this time:
• Being home all the time would make it easier. There would be no socializing, parties, or occasions where there would be non-cleanse foods that could be tempting. (Honestly, this one was more for him than me. I just get really upset with anyone who has the audacity to eat anything in front of me.) Plus, not having to go anywhere would make the endless hours of food-prep more manageable.
• Relationship preservation. We would not run the risk of being boring or too tired when out with friends.
• Less explaining. We would not have to explain why we brought our own food wherever we went. This is not fun. Ever.
• Insensitive people would be saved from the wrath of irritable cleansers. We would not have to sit through the questions, peoples’ lists of foods they could “never give up,” recipes for things we can’t eat, or stories of others feeling less-than because they are triggered by our desire to take this challenge on.
• Freedom from grocery insanity! We would not have to go grocery shopping for 2 weeks. Empty shelves, panic-buying, potential infection, NO THANK YOU. We have shopping for this down to a science. We were efficient and well-stocked.
During any detox, you are releasing toxins of all varieties—including stored emotions. When we are really busy, sometimes it’s easier to put things out of your mind. Being home for the entire time puts your triggers and reactions right in your face, so you have no choice but to observe yourself and decide if this is a pattern that is serving anymore.
Sensitives have completely unrealistic expectations of ourselves. We spend so much time telling everyone else not to be so hard on themselves and do not extend that same courtesy inward. We expect ourselves to be superhuman—able to handle everything that comes at us and do it all at the exact same time.
And, when the ENTIRE WORLD is predominantly in a state of fear and/or anxiety, it can be completely overwhelming on a normal day. This gets magnified by about a bazillion (conservative estimate) on a day when you are going really deeply inside yourself to clean house, surrender, and release.
And there was no place to run because we were stuck at home.
What I didn’t expect:
• The reiteration in the pause—it works just like an echo. If left on its own, the mind defaults to thought patterns that have carved deep groves, like a swiftly moving river, over the course of many years or lifetimes. Becoming aware shows us the need to build a dam so that the flow of thought energy gets re-routed to a place where it can be utilized in a more appropriate and efficient way. The materials with which we build the dam are our tools—movement, creativity, prayer, meditation, relaxation, breathing, joy, play, etc. I spent A LOT of time doing those things over the course of these two weeks.
• The lack of physical cravings—for almost anything. (Minus the tiny square of chocolate I wanted on day 2.) I don’t usually crave a lot, but I do always know what I want to eat for my first post-cleanse meal. Not this time.
• Perfect timing. Before we began, I told my husband, “We need to start TOMORROW.” He was less than thrilled, but I kept checking in and the Guidance was there. This was not the surprise part because I know my nudgings are reliable. The bonus was that it turned out that we needed to be purified and finished for the 4.4 gate, which was not even on my radar at the time.
• Allowing instead of pushing (on workdays.) I'm pretty good at this at other times. Some afternoons, I couldn’t do anything but earthing and bathing in the sun’s rays. I gave in and didn’t push myself through this need. This was true symbiosis, as nature was restoring herself at the same time. Allowing the natural rhythm ensured that everything got done with ease and grace.
• No one was traumatized. We have a thing about being there for everyone else, even if we don’t have the energy. For the first time ever, I canceled appointments one afternoon because my body elemental was communicating a hard no to work. Everyone was rescheduled, there were no casualties, and I didn’t feel like the most irresponsible person on the planet. In fact, I had quite the opposite experience!
As one of us heals, we all heal, but we have to be willing to do the work. Because of my cleanse experience, the whole world has a little more awareness of their mental ruts and pitfalls. Everyone now knows on some level that they can accomplish anything and that taking time to re-set is incredibly important to being able to hold the vibration for their Divine Work. This works the same with any self-improvement, growth, and unconditionally loving activity that you are engaged in!
What I realize now, was that every one of those adjectives that people used was true—we are good, disciplined, brave, and yes, maybe even a little bit crazy. And we need to start ourselves (all of us) to receive credit for who we are. We deflect and refocus attention constantly. What if, we each allowed ourselves to embody the fullness of our being? What if every person in the world allowed themselves to realize how true all of the incredible adjectives that others used to describe them were? What effect would owning our powers and our worth have on the world?
We are each so much stronger than we give ourselves credit for. When we follow our Guidance, all of the power of the Universe is harnessed to assist us in the process. All we have to do is listen and act.
Let’s all try it and see what we create.
TLDR:
You can do things that you think are too hard. Even if you only realize how hard they are after you’ve started.
The Universe is supporting you.