Talking on the phone with Dharma Buddy last week prior to his return to Colorado for three and a half weeks, he suggested that we do the Lemonade Master Cleanse. For those not familiar with this extreme fast/diet, it means consuming nothing but lemonade with cayenne pepper and maple syrup for days on end. Supposedly very health-enhancing.
“No frickin’ way!” was my knee-jerk response. We talked a bit, and I agreed to consider it.
I slept on it, and journaled, and pondered – and, to be honest, recruited evidence from several friends that I did not want to do this. The next day as I was getting ready to eat lunch, I noticed that my salad – normally a nourishing delight – was not all that appealing. It was 11°F and snowing outside, and I wanted something warm and comforting like soup. I imagined the prospect of only lemonade, and suddenly my salad was much more interesting. I sent off an email to DB with a counter suggestion.
Which is how I got myself into this: a seven-day detox starting on Saturday. Already, I’ve eliminated alcohol and caffeine, and cut down on wheat, dairy and meat – mostly without physical symptoms.
What has started to show up are some old patterns I thought I had “handled”. Last night I was hungry later in the evening, and noticed that it felt like more than just physical hunger – there were the added tinges of desperation and craving that I have only experienced when restricting food. Are there little beasties in my GI system that are not getting fed the way they are used to?
I declared up front that this is not about weight loss for me; it’s about exploring what my attachments and assumptions are, to be curious and fascinated by what shows up, to try out a different way of eating.
And already, this morning, I woke up unusually hungry. My impulse was to jump on the scale, and I noticed that the number wasn’t particularly satisfying. Noticing the patterns of thoughts and beliefs and responses. I could commit to not weighing myself, and that feels like a closing down, when what I’m wanting now is to open to it all, to experience it all, and be curious and fascinated by it all.
Ho Moira,
UNfortunately we are legion. I learned this year that if all the cells of my body were counted in a genetic census that less than half of them would be sporting *my* DNA (from some article that sounded true)! So I think your intuition is right on that some part of the chorus is unhappy with the change in the menu.
FORtunately, it’s NOT a democracy! Monarchies RULE!
Love your DNA,
TP
Comment by Tall Paul of Sacret Spaces — February 20, 2010 @ 1:43 am
Oh yuck I hate this lemonade fast! The stuff made me wanna throw up every time I tried to drink it. lol If I remember correctly (it’s been a couple years since I’ve done this fast) I only made it through about 1/2 of the first day and that was it.
Comment by Tishia - My Weight Loss Story — March 20, 2010 @ 12:09 pm