Day 3 - Trance of Consumption
Trance (noun):
A half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli, typically as induced by hypnosis or entered by a medium.Long before the iPhone, cable news, TikTok, Tinder, Erewhon, fried chicken, and Vegas, the practice of yoga took root as a guiding light in the art of presence. Even thousands of years ago, there existed a profound recognition of the need to quiet the incessant chatter of the mind.
And now here we are — living inside the full acceleration of the information age.
The puppet strings of social media and the 24-hour news cycle have cracked the code on what gets (and keeps) our attention — anything that taps the negativity bias — and they are pulling hard. Very hard.
The repetitive allure of chatter can quietly pull us away from our conscious state. And before we know it, that pint of ice cream is mysteriously empty while we’re still “working” away on our laptop. Or we’ve scrolled for 40 minutes and can’t quite explain how.
The familiar question arises: How did that happen?
Yes — what we are consuming goes far beyond food.
It includes everything we take in consciously and subconsciously, and it often has a profound effect on us.When a trance takes hold, it can shape our actions, our mood, and even our relationships. Once it ensnares the mind, we find ourselves stuck in looping stories and mindless behaviors — often without even realizing it.
What’s fascinating is the domino effect of our consumptive patterns.
Excessive, stressful work turns into impulsive online shopping with just one click.
Mindlessly scrolling on instagram leads to buying that online course you’re never gonna take.
Heavy news consumption turns into anxiety, which turns into numbing, which turns into… more consumption.In these moments, instead of consciously experiencing our body, we check out.
We trance out.Taking a deliberate pause to notice these patterns brings us back to Awareness.
And awareness is always the doorway to something greater.This pause mirrors the healing interlude our body receives through intermittent fasting — a break that allows the digestive system to rest, repair, and reset. In the same way, creating space from mental and media input gives your nervous system a chance to recalibrate.
Today, we meet the Trance of Consumption from the inside out.
Not with judgment.
With curiosity.
With choice.
JOURNAL
What do you do when you notice your mind caught in a looping story?
What is your current relationship with the news? How does it affect your body and mood?
What is your relationship with social media — before, during, and after you scroll?
Begin a practice of daily pages (morning, afternoon, or evening — choose what’s realistic). Pen to paper. No editing. Let it move.
ACTION
Incorporate a 12-hour intermittent fasting window each day for the rest of the cleanse.
Meditate 3–5 minutes in the morning before looking at your phone.
Create Media Fasting windows — times of day where you intentionally opt out.
Make a conscious choice about how you stay informed with the news. (This is power.)
Set a timer when working and avoid drifting into distracted shopping, eating, or scrolling. When it goes off: stand up and take 5 slow breaths.
Remove unnecessary alerts from your phone and computer.
Try a guided meditation to move from story back into body. I continue to recommend Tara Brach’s RAIN practice (ideally with a partner if possible).
RECIPE
You can really make this one your own!
How I like to modify this classic take on Pho:
use brown rice vermicelli
use kale stems and chop them up into 1-inch pieces
use mung beans instead of adzuki beans
use bone broth as the base