The Joy of Detox

I arrived at the Sanctuary in Koh Phangan last Sunday, a beautiful health, wellness, and detox haven on the beach. The bungalows are nestled up in the jungle where you can't hear anything but the sounds of nature, except the raging party on Friday nights! The island of Koh Phangan has become known for its full moon party which gathers about 10,000 people every month to party into the wee hours. The Sancuary, however, is a very relaxing atmosphere where people come to escape the craziness of life and reconnect. I've met some beautiful people since I've arrived, many of whom are traveling as well, and decided to stop here and do a fast along their journey....sometimes to recover from the partying they've been doing!

I was unsure about a cleanse. The seed to fast had definitely been planted, probably starting at the Yoga TTC when we talked about the kriyas, or cleansing techniques, that purify the body. And along this trip so far, many of the friends I had met along the way had mentioned fasting so I knew these were all little pointers. I talked to those who were already on a fast and they said it was wonderful, well - besides the not eating part! But surprisingly they said they weren't hungry.

I talked to Moon, the nice Thai man who runs the wellness center and he advised me to start with a 3 1/2 day cleanse and extend to 5 days if I felt good, since this was my first fast, but first I needed to start with 2 days of all raw foods...just fruits and veggies. This was difficult, especially after all the yummy Thai food I'd been eating, but I did it. My fast began on Wednesday morning with a clay and phsyllium shake at 7am...yuk! Actually, it wasn't that bad...I think those years of downing a beer helped me here..you just have to throw it back and not think about it. There are 3 more shakes throughout the day...these ones though are mixed with watermelon juice which definitely helps. In the middle of shake intervals we take 6 large herbal supplements 5 times a day. Every day at 4pm we have a self-performed colonic, which has been surprisingly pleasant...it really helps with the cleansing feeling. And our treat at the end of the day is a watery and saltless veggie broth, but the warmth satisfies and all the fasters gather around to discuss the happenings of the day.

Day 3 was the worst for me...I woke up with my heart pounding..I was shaking and it didn't feel good. And then the crying began...just pouring out. All of these reactions were normal....after 3 days of no real food, my body was screaming at me. I knew the changes to my body were just beginning...to finish now would almost be a waste. I talked to Moon and he said to see how I felt as the day went on. I had some juice that day, maybe I needed the sugar, and felt much better, so I decided to continue.

Today is day 5! I feel great. Its amazing how little your body really needs. I've also realized how much emotional eating I do...we tend to satisfy our discomforts...emotional, physical, mental...with the thought of our next meal, or a treat. Stuffing our feelings enables us to escape dealing with what is really going on inside. This has been the most profound realization for me through this experience.

Tomorrow I go off fast which means I start with a wheatgrass colonic in the morning and then only eat fruit. This light diet continues for many days to help our system get used to digesting food again. Many people have said they don't even feel hungry and the food tastes a bit funny. Interesting.

Besides the rigorous schedule, I've been thoroughly enjoying living in nature...sleeping in my bungalow in the jungle, hanging out at the beach, swimming in the sea, yoga and pilates and evening meditations. Last Thursday the pilates teacher Vicki took us out on her sailboat...it was a phenomenal day out on the water! She and her boyfriend have the privileged life of living on the sailboat and traveling...they are truly blessed, and we were blessed to join them for the day and see more of the island.

"When you make the present moment, instead of the past and future, the focal point of your life, your ability to enjoy what you do increases dramatically. Joy is the dynamic aspect of Being."

Namaste!