Welcome, Yoga Body Yogis!

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Daily Focus

Pre-Cleanse Focus A Lit Intention

Body Love is an essential aspect to this cleanse. Start the day with warm/hot lemon water and sip on it throughout the day. At some point today or tonight, take a moment to hand write your intention (word or phrase) on a piece of paper. Light a candle and place the paper underneath or next to the candle to illuminate and give light to your intention. Take a few deep breaths. Notice how your body responds to candle light, how your eyes perhaps feel more ease. In the same way your intention can hold purpose and light as you feel a sense of ease around all of it. This is the way to embodiment.

Day 1 | Love Thyself

Today’s focus of Body Love embraces our physical body, our mental body and the collective body. Basically, our entire humanity. Judging ourselves and others is the first toxin we will collectively practice releasing today. This toxin bears the seed of violence and yet it is so subtle that it can embed its way into the fabric of our being if left unchecked. One of the eight limbs of yoga describes the practice of ahimsa or non-violence. As part of our cleanse, I invite you to lean into these sage yogic principles.

Here’s the good news: There is a great clearing that can happen when we recognize where and how we turn on ourselves. And there are actions we can take to transform this tendency. So… how free do you want to be?

ACTION: Take some time to write in your journal the follow things:

• First, write your word of focus for the cleanse on one clean page. Next page, answer there questions:

• How do you judge others?

• How do you judge yourself?

• How would you feel if you didn’t turn on yourself and others like that?

• How would this practice of ‘ahimsa’ (or non-violence of thought/word/actions) help you feel more in alignment with your word?

Day 2 | ‘New’ Power

One of the great gifts of this ritual of a cleanse is that we take a moment to do a little inventory on our lives and our habits.  Where are we stuck?  Where are we fixed?  Where are we dug in?  All of those tendencies can take us out of the present moment and away from real intimacy.  Our focus for today is on letting in things that are new (and healthy).  New ideas, new recipes, new sensations in a yoga pose, new dreams in our heart and all of the new habits we are committing to for these 21-days!  There are so many ways to notice and allow in newness without shopping.  We can bring ourselves to a receptive state of allowing in new things when we simply notice nuance and colors in nature.  For today, consider these actions to bring you into the receptive state of newness.

ACTION:  Approach Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) as if this is something new and reflect on why you would do this - bowing to the sun.  For thousands of years, yogis have been honoring the sun with sacred practices such as surya namaskar (sun salutations).  Take some moments and think and feel about the power of the sun.  Bring a newness to your practice tomorrow.  Perhaps, you’ll feel a reverence for the sun.  Let’s connect to an appreciation for our yoga practice and this powerful star called the sun.  Come to practice with the newness of a beginners mind and the wisdom of a yogis heart.

JOURNALING:  ‘New’ Power

• Reflect on a time when something new came into your life and had a positive impact.

• Make a list of 3 new recipes you’d like to try - and/or share a favorite

• Make a list of 3 places you’d like to visit

• If there is something new you’ve been wanting to create. Make a list of actions you can do to bring this to fruition.

Day 3 | The Energy of Food + Lymphatic Flow Tools

As we all know, food is a major source of energy.   From what we eat to how much we eat to when we eat to how we eat — all of these things affect the energy in our body.  Today, I woke up on day three of no refined sugar and I could feel the effect this is having on my sleep.  For me, I sleep better when I avoid sugar.  In our talk with Andrea, she brought up the sage guidance to consider our own energy as we prepare our food (among other highlights today).  

In today’s focus and actions, we will look at cultivating a sadna around food.  And we will explore or revisit the ayurvedic practice of dry brushing.  Let’s all take a moment to check in with where you are on the cleanse and how you are feeling your body.  We kicked this cleanse off with a lot of inner work around intention.  Now, we bring to focus what we are putting into our body and what is our intention there?

ACTIONS

• Cultivating Sadhana around Food (eating with intention): what do you do while cooking? If you have kids, I am sure your hands are full and it will be enough to simply take a deep breath and recognize you are a gift in this world, raising kids and preparing a meal. For others, to whatever degree you can control the environment, consciously choose how you prepare your food. Maybe play music instead of the news? Or talk to a loved one? Or focus simply on the act of preparing your meal. Reflect on where your food came from and give thanks. Take a few breaths as we enter the kitchen. Maintain cleanliness in kitchen/around food. Notice how we eat: sitting v standing. Give the food our attention. Slow down a little, chew your food. Eat with your mouth closed - or else. (I’ll be going into that tomorrow). : )

• Dry Brushing: this is an ayurvedic practice that helps to stimulate the lymphatic system and improv circulation. As a compliment to today’s ‘lymphatic’ yoga flow, please follow this link to instructions dry brushing and where to get one.

JOURNAL

• On a clean page, write you word (again), your cleanse goals, and how you feel on day three.

Day 4  | The 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, Twitter, Erewhon, Grinder, fried chicken and Vegas, the practice of yoga took seed as a way to teach us to be more present. Even thousands of years ago, there was a calling to treat the chatter of the mind. Chatter can become so repetitive and alluring that it will pull us away from our conscious state. And before we know it, that pint of ice cream is gone as we were working away on our laptop. ‘How did that happen!? (Again).’

As we move into day four on our cleanse, we deepen our practice of conscious awareness and notice two things: what we are taking into our body and how we are moving our body. Many commented that today’s yoga practice stirred up some heat. So, drink a little extra water now. Maybe close your eyes and take 3-5 deep breaths.

Consumption is about many things and while food is certainly one of them, it’s not all of them. Often a trance takes hold when our mind consumes ‘story’ on repeat. What’s interesting is how our consumptive behaviors coexist and domino into each other. Too much work on your browser finds you one click shopping online. And instead of consciously experiencing our body in these moments, we trance out. So we are going to create some tools to bring us out of the trance and into the sunlight. Some of these ideas came from our group chat today so thank you for sharing and helping to co-create our Cleanse 2.0!

JOURNAL

• Write down at least three things you do as ‘tools’ for coping when your body/mind is disturbed, uncomfortable, irritated, etc. Here are some ideas from our pow wow: burn sage/palosanto, get in nature, take a walk, hold selenite or other crystals that feel comforting, wash hands/let them run under fresh water, lie down, scream in the car, listen to a sound bath, write it out, do a yoga practice. My #1 tool is staring at Rumi (my dog).

ACTION

• Be with your body when you are challenged. Make a commitment to yourself that the next time something difficult happens, you will take some time and gently observe the sensations in your body. Before reaching for something that will ultimately make you feel worse, try some of the tools you wrote down. (Note: if you have severe PTSD, this may to too confronting so please speak to a trained professional if you have found that stillness conjures too much sensation).

• Meditate for 3-5 minutes in the morning before looking at your phone.

Day 5 | The Way to Breathe

Breathing with the mouth closed is a foundational element of a vinyasa flow practice. Throughout our yoga flows, we apply ‘ujaayi’ breath, (which means ‘victorious' breath). We practice it by creating a soft sound in the back of our throat on the inhalation and the exhalation. It sounds a little bit like the ocean or Darth Vader and should be quite subtle. The mouth is closed and the whispering sound tunes our focus and creates an inner heat. Because of this building of heat, it is always best to hydrate before and after practice rather than during so you we don’t put out that fire.

Today, I invite you to begin to notice how you breathe when you are not doing yoga. If you find yourself breathing with your mouth open, close your mouth and redirect the habit. Mouth closed breathing will help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which stimulates digestion, activates the metabolism and helps the body to relax. Whereas mouth breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system and moves our body to ‘fight or flight’ mode, causing cortisol levels to spike and fat to to get stored in the body.

While we can course correct our breathing during waking hours, for many it is difficult to manage while sleeping. Recently, I have been experimenting with taping my mouth while I sleep. Once taped, I test that I can breath through my nose easily and that my lips can slightly part if needed. Please note that for anyone interested in trying this, you may want to consult your doctor first.

For more inspiration and ideas around how we breathe, here are a few suggestions:

LISTEN

• The Way to Breathe - podcast interview with Patrick McKeown, author of 'The Oxygen Advantage.' This podcast will help change the way you think about breathing and hopefully value our vital life force so we take better care with our breathing habits.

ACTION

• Mouth Taping at Night. Try taping your mouth as you sleep. Do you notice any changes in energy the next day? Here is a link to a mouth tape recommended in The Oxygen Advantage. Or explore these other sleep tape options. And again, you may want to consult a doctor before trying this at home.

• Read ‘Breath' by James Nestor. This is another great book on breath that I loved and is getting huge acclaim.

Day 6 | Stay Commited

On our cleanse inquiry form, this was a statement many people agreed with.  So here we are at day six looking at just that: follow through.  Ahhhh, commitment.  

There are two sides to every coin — even commitment.  For some, we begin things with great determination, but then we lose steam and commitment wavers.  For others, feeling too contained can actually wreak havoc on the physical, mental, and emotional body.  So, I encourage all of us to pause today and check in with where we are on the cleanse.  Is that great resolve you had just days ago starting to fade?   

For those who always follow through with everything, all the time, how can you soften?  Even while reading this right now.  Take a moment and turn your head from the scream, close your eyes, and soften the energy around your eyes.  

The ultimate commitment is commitment to self-love and this includes our body and how we talk about ourselves in our head.  Self love allows us to build mastery over presence, not just with ourselves, but with others.  And this presence leaves a trace in our body and in our world.  

PONDER/JOURNAL

• Think of who you are, what you do and how you do it as creating little ‘traces’ that get left behind. I love the idea of traces and how subtle the exchange of energy can be - as it is never destroyed.  Traces can have real impact even when seemingly subtle.  So, write about what traces you would like to leave behind.  Or more simply, how do you want others to feel after having spent time with you.  There are many areas you can choose to address here: work, creativity, home and love are a few that come to mind.  

• Part 2: are there any behaviors of traces you feel you would want to adapt or clean up?  When we know better, we do better.

ACTION

• Catch up on any of the actions from days 1-5 that speak to you.

Day 7 | The Life Changing Magic of Oprah.  What?

Is there someone you can think of whom if you were invited to lunch with them, it would be really exciting?  Oprah, Obama, Diane Keaton?  I don’t know, who would it be for you?  

Today is all about Spring Cleaning and how to follow through with commitments to ourselves.  Look at your environment, your home, your car, your space of work and write down one area you will clean up this week.   The goal is to start small so this doesn’t turn into some regrettable try to’ effort., but it feels more manageable.  You can pick something that would literally take you 20 minutes or an hour.   

If you find yourself with resistance in following through, pretend this appointment is your meeting with Oprah so to speak.  Whoever you are putting on that pedestal of committing to seeing, step up there with them.  And don’t put anyone on a pedestal that you wouldn’t stand on yourself.  We are all reflections of each other.  You can stay inspired and humble, while also remembering you are a gift and a treasure in this world.  

ACTION

• Write down one are you will clean this week.

• Write down when you will clean that area.

• Spend 20 min or more cleaning that one area.

• Feel yourself on that pedestal of self care and note how you feel in your body as you complete the task.

Our environment can absolutely shift how we feel.  Even those jam packed closets with tightly closed doors.  The good news is that we can take actions  to shift our environment.  For a great read on this, check out the wildly acclaimed book by Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Day 8 | The Ultimate Antidote to Self-Hatred + Amenity Cures

As we dive into week two, we get into tools that treat the tyranny of the mind that can cause any feelings of self-hatred.  Today in our talk, we discusses and shared things we have done that we are proud of.  When pride is toxic, it turns into arrogance.  When pride is healthy, we are in self-love and thus able to be of service in our world.  

One of the best ways, I know to treat the stream of thoughts that beat us down is getting into service of any kind.  So, I am going to combine an action for spring cleaning today along with a way to give back.

ACTION

• Amenity Cures. If you look in your bathroom, do you have things that are old or expired? Throw them out. Do you have things that you just don’t use? Gather these things and set them aside for donation. If you are in Los Angeles, I have someone who regularly volunteers to hand out amenity kits and he would love our donations. So, today, clean up your space. Keep what you use and love. Clean the space before setting in the items you are keeping. Then share the donation items that are new and unused that you won’t be using.

• Amenity Giving. If your amenity/bathroom space is already well sorted, take one bag and see if you can collect items you are not using that you could take to good will. While clearing your space of clutter, you can be helping people who are in need. If you are giving clothes, wash them first! Give in a way you would want to receive. This is a beautiful way to practice exchange.

JOURNAL

• Make a list of 3-10 things you are proud of in your life. Keep this in a journal or some place where you will be able to reference it. Write about or draw an image of how it made you feel during one of those times. Notice sensation in your body as you do this.

The actions we do, change the way we feel. 

Day 9 | A Mindful Kitchen

It’s a lot easier to eat healthy things when our kitchen is set up mindfully.  Take some time to look in your cabinets and fridge and see if you can clean out anything in there.   Do you have items you aren’t using that could be donated?  Or old items that should be discarded?  I know many of you did this on our last cleanse, but have a look.  You might find that you have enough food for dinner and don’t need to go to Erewhon for expensive, albeit delicious cauliflower.

Part of having a mindful approach in the kitchen is to have a System of Habits when it comes to shopping and food prep.  While this may sound like an extra thing to do and commit to, it ultimately saves you time and can become the perfect set up for healthier meal habits.  And if you already have a system, see if there is anything new you might add or change this week.  Maybe pick a new recipe and adjust your shopping list to keep things fresh.   Having a system doesn’t need to be rigid.  It can organically evolve and grow & change with the seasons of life.

ACTION

• Clear out old items from the fridge that need to be discarded. Donate things you won’t use.

• Clean the surface areas where you did the clearing.

• Create a System of Habit for when you food shop and when you food prep each week. If you know you like to snack, prepare or buy healthy options.

• Think about food prep. If you prefer fresh kale over bagged kale, pick a food prep day to clean and prep all the kale. It will be much easier to use it and prepare it when it’s time to make a meal. Maybe prepare tahini for the week or make some hummus or a soup to have for several days.

• Notice how you feel in your body as things become more streamlined for you.

JOURNAL

• Write down foods that you know make you feel good (in a healthy way). Next, write down a few recipes you make or would like to make.

Day 10 | Gut Health

Sometimes referred to as the second brain, our gut can inform a tremendous part of how our body functions and our overall well-being. It acts as a brain for the body and affects our autonomic nervous system. Just like our brain, when our gut is agitated, cortisol can surge and it can spike our adrenaline. Whereas with regulated gut function, more harmonious chemistry such as dopamine and serotonin secrete throughout the body. And the #1 cause of disturbed gut health is actually fried chicken. Wait, no, it’s not fried chicken. (That’s number two). The #1 cause of disrupted gut health is in fact — stress.

Having a well balanced yoga practice includes the physical flow (asana), meditation, breath practices and nourishment - literally, what we put into our body! When we practice all of these elements, we create the perfect cocktail to actually treat stress and feel good! Dare I say, it’s better than tequila?

In today’s talk, ayurvedic healer, Andrea Emmerich discusses gut health more in depth. From the value of Triphala to understanding bile -- (a fluid that aids in digestion) -- to how to cultivate real inner health as a habit. Her talk is full of wonderful, doable tips and offers a better understanding to what is happening inside of our gut.

My personal goals is that coming to your mat on a daily basis re-familiarizes us with habits that become a part of our life. And as Andrea so wisely mentioned today, if we create these healthy habits, then we can detour from them from time to time. And then return home again to what makes us really feel good.

ACTION

• Do today’s practice. A light flow, some twisting and shoulder opening.

• Watch today’s talk.

• Make a Liver Tonic this week. Recipe on our Ayurvedic Resource Page

JOURNAL

• Write about some of the things you learned in today’s talk that you either understand better or would like to try or integrate as something new.

• Write about how gut health relates to your personal overall health as your body’s second brain.

Day 11 | From the Inside Out

In our chat today, Andrea dropped the mic with a little “gut health coda moment” that I wanted to share with you.  And forgive me, but this is a paraphrasing quote.  She said that ‘in Ayurveda, every disease starts in the digestive system.  And if there is an imbalance that is not seen or treated, then it keeps moving as everything moves into the blood.  Then the blood likes to cleanse itself and then it relocates, diversifies — and then it manifests somewhere that is your weakest spot. So as we heal in Ayurveda, we go to that spot where you present with symptoms and bring it back to the digestive system and fix it there.’

Today, let’s focus from the inside out.  What are three things you are doing during these three weeks that you feel are supporting your inner body and gut health? We’re half way there, so it’s a great time to access where we are and how we plan to move through the second half of the cleanse.  Some of the tools we’ve brought up (that many of you may already do):  warm lemon water in the morning, apple cider vinegar (diluted with water) before a meal, Andrea’s liver tonic, 5 minute morning meditation.  Yes, even meditation affects the chemistry in the body.

Now, move out a layer and we notice your home environment.  Some of you have cleaned out your bathroom amenities, your fridge, and now today we focus on an edit in our wardrobe and donating some clothes.  (You can also pencil in a time you plan to do this so as not to overwhelm your to do list).  But, rather than skip it.  Consider smaller steps.  Fill up one bag of clutter and clear some of your space.  Our environment can greatly reflect what is going on with us, too.  Are you storing things in the wrong room?  Do you have office supplies in the dining room?  Consider the flow of your space altogether.

ACTION

• Dip into some of the body cleansing tools so they become a routine, a habit - hydrate, warm lemon water, meditation, liver tonic, using ghee, not eating before bed, etc.

• Wardrobe Edit. Go through your wardrobe closet or pick a drawer. Fill up one bag (or more) with things you are not using and donate them. Here is a link to Los Angeles Help the Homeless. www.lahth.com

JOURNAL-TATE

• If there is a part of your body that has been bothering you. Write to it as if asking a friend how they are doing. (And see if you get any information back). Consider the yoga practice and healthful actions you are taking to help treat your entire body system. Notice how your body feels when we bring a gentle awareness to the places of pain.

Day 12 | Making Time

Wanna have more time to do things you love to do?  Are there times you have too many appointments and you don’t want to go?  Do you cancel?  Do you over-schedule and over-commit yourself on a consistent basis?  On the other end of the spectrum, are you a ‘time cop?’  In his break out book, ‘The Big Leap,’ Gay Hendricks describes time as something we don’t have, but something we make.  Rooted in the ideas of Einstein, we are the source of time.

(Why should I care?  I’m drinking my celery juice.  Leave me alone, Alex!)

Being over-committed can be toxic for our body on two levels.  You know the story of the person so busy, they couldn’t take time for anything and then their body shut down as if to say ‘really?  you don’t have time for me?!’  Well, your body doesn’t have to have a total rebellion to exhibit signs of too-muchness.  Fatigue is a classic byproduct of over-commitment, both mentally and physically.  Think of the space we could clear up by not being so tapped.  

Not only can this be toxic for our body, but it can also have a ripple effect.  Being chronically late, flakey or over-committed to ‘people please’ has a negative impact on other people.  How we treat other people affects us as well.  The exchange is off and our body knows.  But, we can bring things back to harmony.

This is the good news - once we are realize there is an imbalance, we can create real change in actions and awareness.  

JOURNAL

• Make a list of your values and what makes you feel most alive. Prioritize your time around your values. For ex: You may find yourself consumed with work because creativity is a core value. And then you can remember that when you choose to do so much of it.

ACTION

• Instead of saying/thinking ‘I don’t have time for…’ Say/think ‘I’m not making time for.... right now/ever.’ Time is not something we have or don’t have. It’s something we make.

• For more on this idea of Einstein Time as being something that begins with us, read ‘The Big Leap’ by Gay Hendricks.

Day 13 | Digital Detox Cures

Most of us seem to know we need to detox from so much digital interfacing.  Today, I wanted to create a more detailed list of ideas on just how to do that.  You may already be doing some or most of these.  Feel free to respond with extra ideas so I can add them to this list.

It’s no secret that apps and mega powers like facebook are designed to acquire one of the most valued commodities on the market right now: our attention. In the attention economy space, we as humans are essentially being hacked. It’s widely known that psychological tools to control human behavior are employed to get and keep our attention. Hence all the likes, alerts and data collection.

You know who really knows this? Every layer of the human body - mental, physical, emotional, spiritual. Yoga is a science of the mind meant to quiet the chitta vritti — or chatter of the mind. Digital disruption creates a lot of chatter. Overuse of our devices affects our nervous system in many ways. Whether you are suffering from adrenal fatigue or the emotionally crushing blow of ‘compare and despair’ on social media, too much screen time can turn into ‘mean time’ on your poor body.

What’s great is that there are some things we can do to withdraw from the vortex. We can mindfully choose what we consume when it comes to information, cyber-social interactions, news v. propaganda, and entertainment. We can in fact pull out of the trance of consumption.

Here are some of the benefits of treating digi-overload: improved sleep, better cognitive function, less agitation/more content, healthier relationships, increased productivity, better physical health, and a decrease in neck, wrist and back pain.  Altogether, a little digital detox helps us to be more present.

Reclaim your attention & reconnect with Awareness with some of these Digital Detox Cures:

ACTION

• remove alerts/notifications from your phone/computer/apps - (if not 100% necessary)

• set smartphone boundaries: remove social media and limit use of web browser on your mobile device

• answer most email (and text when possible) from your computer - this is ergonomically far better for you

• use night mode on your phone

• enjoy paper media/read a book before bed

• listen to music before bed

• make out with someone you like/love

• dim the lights toward end of day; use candle light

• take a bath with 1/2 epsom salt, 1/2 baking soda

• do a facial mask and spa-out with some cold cucumber slices on your eyes

• lie on the floor at the end of the day, put your hand on your belly and feel the rise and fall of your breath through the nose

• do a headstand or invert your legs for 5 minutes as an alternative to lying on the floor

• set time boundaries: at night, set your morning alarm 1-2 hours before bed and then don’t look at your phone again

• set physical boundaries by placing your phone on the other side of the room as you sleep

• when you wake up, meditate for 5+ minutes before looking at your phone; reclaim you energy for the day

• try jogging sometimes without music and listen to your feet

• use an ergonomic mouse at your laptop

• use blue blockers for screen time

Day 14 | Anchoring in Truth

We come to the mat to meet ourselves, truly.  Think of today as a gentle invitation to anchor you to the touchstone of truth inside yourself.  When you read or hear these words, does your body expand or contract?  That will tell you a lot.  If there is contraction or resistance, gently lean in with a curious heart as if to say to yourself, ‘hey, friend - what’s going on inside?’  One of the reasons it’s so difficult when we are out of alignment with our truth is because our body always knows the real deal.  On the other hand, if this invitation of aligning to truth opens space inside of you, linger there.  

TOOLS

One of the ways we can anchor ourselves in yoga and meditation is by using mantra.  Today, I introduced the mantra ‘satnam’ which means ‘I am truth’ or truth is my essence.’  The more we get clear and align to guiding principles, the more we clear toxic clutter that has as grip on us in mind and body.  Anchoring ourselves, we invoke a sacred space to connect to our divine essence.

ACTION

• Before you go to bed tonight, find a quiet space and dim the lights.  Light a candle.  Sit with this mantra: Om satnam om.  Listen quietly for the sound of these words as a 5% whisper as you sit quietly for 5-10 minutes.  

• Alternative Satnam Meditation: inhale ‘sat,’ exhale ’nam’ for five minutes.

JOURNAL

• Write about what truth means to you.

• When you think of truth, do you feel resistance or does it open space in you? Write about that. How does it show up in your yoga practice, if at all? Resistance is gold when we listen to it and get underneath what’s really going on. Sometimes suddenly, we rediscover a purpose for living.

Day 15 | What if it Works?

Well, well, well.  Clearly, the satnam ‘I am truth’ mantra worked!  Whether you practiced it or somehow it seeped into your yoga body pores, I know it worked.  Wanna know how I know?  Because so many people confessed that they fell off the cleanse over the weekend as if I had given them a smoothie laced with truth serum.  And so… we’re back!

Today is all about staying in possibility. This sentiment was so wisely summed up by Ranie in our our chat today when she said: ‘what if it works?’  Today is not about beating yourself up for not doing enough or not doing things better.  There are far more useful ways to redirect our energy and get the results we actually want.  

Moving into Week Three, I encourage you to dust off the powdered sugar and embrace these days we have together.

DAYDREAM/JOURNAL

• Spend some time thinking about where you are in this cleanse process. Think about why you came. And then think about where you are going with it. Learning how to come back to a pose or a practice or a commitment is where we really start to grow.

• Write about ‘What if it works’ in your journal as it applies to your cleanse + any of these things: your health, relationships, work/creativity, finances, home, and dreams.

• Tackle Resistance. Make a list of any fears for why it wouldn’t work. Write them on the back of a sticky note or postcard. Then write the opposite of that fear on the front side.

READ

• I’ll give a second shout out for Gay Hendrick’s book here, The Big Leap as it really speaks to this sentiment of possibility. He describes something called the Upper Limit Problem. Identifying our belief systems that run our lives can have a profound impact on the actions we choose. This is another great clearing opportunity in our cleanse.

MEDITATE/PRACTICE

• Mantras invoke the use of sound vibration to focus the mind. So do prayers. This Set Aside Prayer has helped me through countless moments. (If you believe in god or goddess, direct it there. Or go to the ocean and say it there. Or just simply say/think these words in any meaningful way that is authentic to you).

• Assume Good Intent. This is another useful tool when challenged. Remember that we really don’t know what happened with someone in act one (or two) of their lives that causes them to be the way they are and do the things they do.

Day 16 | Toxic Allergins + Support

Part of cleansing is understanding how to integrate in our world. While I am full of ideas to share for today’s practice, I think it’s equally important to give pause and recognize the enormous news of today in the Chauvin trial. That justice is served may not mean it all worked out because that’s simply not possible, but some of it did.

One of the first teachings of the Buddha acknowledges that there is suffering. By now, you may be sensing that this cleanse is about a lot more than good kale chips and food combining. Together we are working on acknowledging our own places of resistance and suffering. Today, we are addressing allergies, toxins and the role of support in our lives.

Allergy: noun

• a damaging immune response by the body to a substance, especially pollen, fur, a particular food, or dust, to which it has become hypersensitive.

• feeling of dislike or aversion

What we are allergic to is about more than shellfish and pollen. So we practice yoga, self care tools and how to eat clean because it 100% affects our mind, body and immune system. Toxins to avoid such as greed, hatred, and violence are equally as important to avoid as dairy, sugar and nicotine. Here are some tools to treat toxic accumulation and re-build a solid sense of support in our lives.

ACTION

• Neti Pot. If you get seasonal allergies, try using a neti pot. (Instructions on our Ayurvedic Tools Page. Only about 25% of our nose is what we see on our face. Inside the body, our nose works diligently to purify the air we breath in. An excellent holistic way of clearing the nasal cavity of toxins is to use a neti pot. It’s so effective it might make drug manufacturers sweat a little.

• Wash your pillow cases more frequently during heavy pollen season.

• Wash your body and hair in the evening during heavy pollen season (or cover your hair more when outside to avoid over-washing hair).

• Take locally grown bee pollen.

• Avoid dairy.

JOURNAL/MEDITATE

• Where do you need support in your life? Write down something you can do to get that support? Who can you give support to today?

• Approach the following with question with a gentle curiosity. Are there any energetic toxins you want to release? Greed, violence, hatred, gossip? These words may sound charged because they are charged. They are poison. Sit and open your heart and see if there is anything lingering in you right now that you would like to release. Simply write it out with the following words: ‘I am releasing _______.’

• After completing the journaling today, wash your hands under warm or cool water. Splash some water on your face. Lie down or sit for 3 minutes with your hand over your heart. This process is like a big ol’ scrub down your soul has been waiting for.

Day 17 | Scattered, Smothered & Covered

The negativity bias is a natural condition that is a part of our hard wiring as humans. It creates in us a tendency to register negative stimuli more readily than positive stimuli. And then we linger there. These aren’t things we do because we’re bad people. It is a part of our nature. But only a part. The more we deepen our yoga & meditation practice, and pick up tools for self care, the more we can wake up and recognize the stimuli wreaking havoc on our mind/body experience. Instead of lingering ad nauseam, we pick up useful tools to move through difficult moments.

Which is to say, we don’t have to feel scattered, smothered and covered all the time.

Now ‘grit’ is something many of us get as a result of our negativity bias, or simply by moving through painful events. Grit is a sense of courage and resolve that builds human character. Grits (plural) are yummy breakfast food, best served with lots of salt, pepper and ghee -- now that we’re all a bunch of ayurvedazines. (Yes, I made up that word).

Grit is the byproduct of pulling out of the negativity bias trance (where we linger), and doing better. By ‘doing better,’ I mean doing things that align to our natural essence. In moments of difficulty, we rise up (sometimes after revolting). Ultimately, there is a moment where we align to our values. A clear resolve kicks in and courage begins to brew as we really get to know who we are and what we want in this life.

JOURNAL

• Write about any challenge you had in the past that helped you develop grit. In this writing, see if these words resonate: ‘And then I found courage and __________ happened. I am a badass and I am loved.’

ACTION

• If there is something you feel called to do that is courageous and you feel supported and safe doing it, then do it.

• Listen to a sound bath at the end of the day. One of the reasons I keep doing these is so we don’t have to feel so scattered before bed.

Last night, in the sound bath (watch/listen here), I referenced a poem I will share with you here. As he was writing his final final poem inside his final book of poetry, after having already been diagnosed with cancer, Raymond Carver wrote these touching words. It is a true declaration of love to a life well lived.

Pointing us to our north star of body love on this cleanse, I hope you all feel the love that I have for you and this group. Whether you are there every day or you are scraping it together to make one a week. I think of you in my own meditation and look forward to having you when you can be with us live or in the ether of on demand. We don’t have to feel scattered, smothered and covered. We have our sangha. We have our tools. We have our practice.

Day 18 🌼 I Am

When it comes down to it, I truly believe that we come to this practice to meet ourselves. To get quiet enough and integrate in our body and then say to ourselves ‘hello, I’m hOMe.’ We go from a compartmentalized self towards a more connected & effulgent sense of who we are with love at the center of our being. As we wake up to what is going on with us on any given day, we arrive at a truly great tool here: discernment.

With discernment, we have the opportunity to sense what our thoughts are saying. Then, feel how the story resonates in the domain of our body. What are we identifying with? 'I am so tired.’ 'I am cold.’ 'I am so mad at so and so.’ But here comes discernment. Instead of identifying these things where they embed in the fabric of our being, we can begin to simply label them as they arise: ‘tired, cold, asshole’ respectively speaking. Assimilating this mindful approach can be very cleansing for the mind body experience.

According to neuroscientist Jill Bolte-Taylor, the physiological lifespan of an emotion in the body and brain is 90 seconds. This means that emotions trigger chemistry causing sensations to arise, activate and dissipate within that short timeframe. Identification with story is what begins to bake it in and play on repeat. This doesn’t happen because we are too sensitive or some bullshit like that. This happens because we are wired to attach story and meaning to things.

And so we have a practice. And we take moments like this to cleanse. And maybe we get extra help along the way.

We’ve already set a Sankalpa (or intention) for our cleanse. And we can nuance our intention at any given moment. Waking up means we integrate and embody what we are saying in a mindful way. ‘I am clear, I am wow, I am love.’ These intentions don’t live outside of us. The lie of the mind (along with the negativity bias) will tell you otherwise, but they live deep inside each and every one of us.

And so we return today. We return to the embodiment of ‘I Am.’ Also, said to be a variation of the sound of Om, and for some the words of ‘I Am’ represent god. Quite simply, ‘I am’ is a way to allow our deepest nature to shine forth.

JOURNAL

• Without editing yourself, write down how you are doing now. This is not a curated post for insta. Be honest. Then, take any words that you would like to integrate and write them out in the form of ‘I am.’ For the rest of the feelings that came up, write them out as passing emotions/thoughts. Remember that emotion is meant to pass though you.

ACTION

• You Matter. As a potent and humorous reminder to not allow your identity to be defined by how others may treat you, listen to this podcast ‘You Matter' by Iyanla Vanzant.

Day 19 | Facial Friday

The largest organ on our body is our skin. And a little TLC goes a long way. Taking care of our skin is as important as cleansing our liver and our gut. For today and our final weekend, plan on giving yourself a facial. Choose a holistic mask, one made free of parabens and animal testing. (Please send your favorites and I will gather suggestions for our resource page). To keep it easy, you can find something at Whole Foods, Erewhon or Lassens. Tonight, I plan to try this bio-detox mask that was gifted to me. Keep cucumbers in the fridge each week so you can put cucumber slices over your eyes when you mask. This will keep you from looking at screens and truly give your face a break.

I’m also going to share a few of the holistic and ayurvedic tips we discussed in class today, as well as a special offer.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR CLEANSERS!

• Fable & Mane ~ 30% off. Our very own cleanser, Thuy has been working with small minority black/brown/and asian owned businesses and one of the brands she works with is Fable and Mane. Y’all, I checked out there site and I’m obsessed. It’s an amazing vegan/clean beauty haircare brand that is founded by two close friends of hers. Use the code: THUYFRIENDS to receive 30% off. Thank you, Thuy!

ACUPUNCTURE

• If you are in Los Angeles, I love my acupuncturist: Energetic Acupuncture on Larchmont. They take insurance and you can text him to schedule an appointment. His name is Aom. 213-610-7142

ACTIONS | (directions & tips are on our Ayurvedic Tools page)

Skin Care Cleansing

• Read the labels. Use products that are free from parabens, sulfates and artificial fragrances.

• Wash face and neck with warm water. Always splash with cold water several times when you are finished.

• Do a mask once a week. #facialfridays for the win!

• Dry brush before showering. This can feel as good as a morning cup of coffee and helps the body’s lymphatic system clear toxins in our body.

• Self Abhyanga. This is a self massage and total body hydration practice. Use a light oil such as Refined Sesame Oil by Banyan before or after your shower.

• Clean your feet at the end of the day. Then hydrate them with Welleda Skin Food Body Butter.

• Support small businesses when possible and companies that don’t do animal testing.

Oral Care Cleansing

• If you wake up with a dry mouth in the morning, try taping your mouth at night. You are probably sleeping with your mouth open which can aggravate gums and cause plaque to build up.

• Try water flossing. This is an excellent add on to traditional brushing and flossing to support healthy gums.

• Tongue scraping in the morning. Our tongue tells the whole story of the body. Scraping the tongue is a simple way to reduce bacteria in the mouth that can cause cavities, gum disease and bad breath.

• Try oil pulling. You can use the Daily Swish by Banyan or simply use coconut oil. Swish for 5-10 minutes. Do not swallow or spit down the drain. Simply spit it out using a dixie cup or something you can throw in the trash.

• JOURNAL

• We started the day with gratitude. Let’s finish the day by writing down 3-10 things we are grateful for. And when you wake up, simply think/say ‘thank you’ before your open your eyes.

Day 20 | What Would Love Do?

Doing things out of love is a strong place to start anything. But, often we do things out of guilt or some sense of obligation. You know that feeling when you do something out of obligation with whiff of guilt lingering like a rain cloud about to break? A good question to ask when feeling obligated is ‘what am I committed to?’ And ‘is it in alignment with my values/does it align to love?’

We aren’t obligated to do a cleanse, but we might be committed to it. Perhaps there are days we come to the mat and take that contrary action to show up even though we didn’t quite feel like it. That can be a loving act. Another person might skip the class to take care of themselves in a different way because they just know inside what is right. That can be a loving act. Or you decide to share in food that isn’t in your ‘cleanse protocol’ and you enjoy the moment and get back on the beam the next day. That can be a loving act. Some days things feel in flow. Other days, it’s messy. But we do our best and we do it for love. Perfection is a fiction (unless you’re Beyoncé).

The quote above by Jack Kornfield speaks so deeply to me not only as a life skill, but also as a way to approach our relationship to this cleanse. From day one, I named our north star: Body Love - mind/body/soul. We’ve explored many prompts and suggestions. We are moving deeper now into acknowledging genuine appreciation for the things we have in our lives. So, we realize no matter how many things we plan to create and change, we do ‘want what we have’ already.

This is all so important because the more we do this work, the more we can help others. And the more we help others, the more our soul sings.

JOURNAL

• Write down your top five values. If you like things in view, write them on sticky notes so you can see them during the day.

• Write out your commitments. Do they align to your values?

ACTION

• Help others. Is there someone you could help today? This can be with a thought, a call, an action?

• Send a loving thought/prayer to someone you don’t like.

• Give blood. If you can give blood, I highly recommend doing it. I stopped giving blood for years because I thought I would faint and was so squeamish after trying to do it. I finally went back this past January to give blood. They had everyone lie down and I had a great experience. It’s also incredibly nourishing for your body on a physical level.

• Donate stuff. If there are any items you haven’t donated yet that you gathered during the cleanse, set a time to give them away this week.