Master Cleansing; purification ritual

cleansing experience and purification tips.

I'm currently in day 8 of the master cleanse. I have been doing this internal cleaning since i was about 17. Back then, when i ate a pretty standard american diet, I needed it bad. It was a lot more intense, with a strong detox effect at least one of the days, usually the 3rd and 4th day. I would get light headed and confused, unable to connect my thoughts very well. That would pass and towards the end of the cleanse, I would become so clear and energetic, rejuvenated.

since for the last 3 and a half years, i've followed this dairy- and gluten-free diet, maybe i'm not as dirty on the inside. At times over the course of this new lifestyle, i've been more or less clean, depending on whether i was choosing to or not to consume sugars, caffeine, non-glutenous grains, alcohol, and meats. I wanted to cleanse recently as I had been smoking cigarettes, eating sugar and fried foods often, and over-indulging in alcohol which led me to more poor food choices. (I ate PIZZA! ergh! i don't even like pizza!) I was feeling bad. physically sluggish and inflamed, exhausted. So, i decided to use the cleanse as my gateway to the radiant health I have known before. On day 8, it seems to be working. I'm enjoying the clarity of sobriety and mornings without caffeine. Stretching and yoga asanas have become a daily routine, as well as light meditation. AND i can't wait to eat clean, nourishing foods when I am finished. I prepared a batch of kimchi for when i'm done, and I have plenty of veggie scraps for broth.

I drank a lot of tea during this cleanse, as well as incorporating coconut water a couple of times. i had one foggy day- the 2nd day, and it was just in the evening. i was spacey. Since then i've felt pretty normal. Clear. My sleep has been better. The one thing that has been going on is a lot of muscle soreness, though. There are insane knots in my shoulders, my glutes are sore, and my mid-back has been bothering me so much! i feel like I can't do anything for more than 10-15 minutes before i'm uncomfortable.

on the cleanse, your tongue turns white




or yellow.


but then, it clears.

advice:

if you're using smooth move, make sure you take it 10-12 hours before you need to leave the house in the morning, as you do not want to be out in your car or walking or public transportation and have that urge. if you use salt water, I don't know what to tell you. that stuff makes me feel terrible. but everyone's different.


definitely drink water between cleanse drinks. and herbals tea so you get to have some flavor action and some other nutrients. this also helps you form poop.

you may be inclined to think a lot about food. go for it. you may find yourself obsessing about more healthful things. read about different dietary choices, read recipes! read about radiant health. enjoy planning out the way you will think and feel about the food you will enjoy when you are finished.

smelling other peoples' food can feel like a feast to someone on a cleanse. I find that it is not frustrating at all, and i love smelling what people are cooking. walk into an indian or thai restaurant and smell the air! don't be afraid to sit with friends who are eating. you'll be fine.






PURIFICATION, beyond the master cleanse

to enhance your rejuvenation, and come out feeling pure and fresh, i suggest you perform some rituals for yourself.

-take baths. assuming you enjoy them. cleansing is a time to pamper your physical self. adding epsom salts helps pull toxins, so its physically helpful, too. i have been adding patchouli-mint salts to my baths, which make me feel grounded and refreshed.


-clean your environment! get rid of anything that isn't serving you. anything you don't LOVE or put to use *frequently* is junk. clean your windows and kitchen and bathroom, get the air circulating! even if its cold out, open the window wide for a moment to replace stagnant air with fresh, clean air.

-sit comfortably in comfortable clothing that you love. put on any jewelry or other adornments which make you feel powerful or special. birds and feathers, snakes and skins, are good totems to have around you for the energy of rejuvenation. stones such as quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst will give you more healing, cleansing energy. light candles with intention.
visualize the changes you want to make. take time to list on paper or in your mind the things you are leaving behind and the things you are moving towards. picture yourself in the situations you want to create for yourself. imagine radiant health, what that looks, feels, and tastes like. spend a few moments focused on your breathing, breathing out the old, breathing in the new.



-exfoliate!!! use a dry brush and/or a salt scrub. dry brushing also increases lymph circulation, therefore stimulating MORE internal cleansing! sweet.

-smudge your home and your body with a sage bundle. I suggest doing this at the very end of the cleanse, in the evening of your last full day of it, before the day you plan to break it. Smudging purifies the energy around you, dispelling stale stuff and cleansing everything. its a powerful feeling, walking into an environment that has been cleansed this way. get all the corners and closets and under the bed!


enjoy the time. pamper yourself. get enough rest. get some light exercise in every day, like stretching, dancing, yoga, walking, galavating, etc. make sure to spend time in nature. happy cleansing <3 <3 jackie