The First Night & Day of My S Journey!

"I often observe in the fasting participants that by four days of fasting, concentration seems to improve, creative thinking expands, depression lifts, insomnia stops, anxieties fade, the mind becomes more tranquil and a natural joy begins to appear. It is my hypothesis that when the physical toxins are cleared from the brain cells, mind-brain function automatically and significantly improves and spiritual capacities expands."
- Gabriel Cousins, M.D. (psychiatry)

YEEAAAAAH!! I made it through the first 24 hours! My dreams last night and this morning were vivid and multiple. The first dream was a shocker when I walked into my bedroom to see my ex-boyfriend curled up in my bed. He had returned. I was actually happy to see him and jumped in the bed giving him a kiss and a hug. I thought I was over this dude? What the hell's going on? It's been a year now since we broke up dramatically.

In another dream, I gifted a sistah friend with a beautiful pair of African earrings after she explained that she was trying to get a new cell phone but both her cards were not accepted.  One of my older sisters appeared in the next dream along with another friend who was my 1st grade King and I his Queen; followed by another one with an army of soldiers outside my home who later appeared in the bedroom of my son in a lineup. Okay, by now you're thinking what's with the dreams?

Dreams are a portal to our underground world where the unfinished and unprocessed workings of our being are stored away by our unconscious mind. The message from the higher realm sometimes come through the images and symbols of our dreams. And our inner child is the gatekeeper as well as the messenger of the divine realm.  When we are unable to see clearly or completely resolve certain experiences in our conscious life, our dreams can point us towards resolution and completion.  Upon awakening, this morning, I wrote down each dream and reflected on them and what messages they bring to me. And without having to go into details here, they were all eye openers and the messages came clear to me.  I love it when I recall my dreams! It shows me that I am once again connected with my inner child. It shows that she is not upset or have been ignored. When she is not cared for and loved, she shuts down and blurs the lines to the dream world.  My dreams will guide me along the path of this spiritual journey and water detox; and to begin with a series is something for me to cheer about.

I woke up this morning with tightness and discomfort in my lower back and abdominal area. This usually happens when I have gone over the top with eating and the pressure from the fullness weighs down on the organs in my core.   It can sometimes be an indication of built up sexual energy.  My right arm and right shoulder were still sore. I somehow pulled the muscles between my wrist and my elbow and now my right deltoid muscle tissues are sore after waking up a couple of days ago. All on the right side - which is our male/masculine side.  Overexerted? Breathing, stretching and drinking three glasses of water and then having a bowel movement brought considerable relief. A walk with the dog, followed by an hour of dancing and a series of sun salutations, plus self energy work completely whipped out the uncomfortable sensations in my lower back and core region and brought about ease and movement.

I also did a great deal of reading today. A book on my shelf called  Using Energy to Heal by Wendell H. Hoffman caught my attention and so I began reading it this morning. It goes without saying that it was just what the universe ordered. It is a powerful old book that transcends time. Here's a hint, get rid of all aluminum in your kitchen and home. Throw them away. Here are a couple of catch words..... Broadcasting....Projection Healing.

I've been alone with the dog since my son is with his Dad.  For most of the day, I've been in silence or in a one-way conversation with "Midnite" (our puppy).  I spent some time sitting in the sun to absorb its solar power.  It's pretty energizing. The question that came up for me today was: "WHERE DO I BELONG?"  A perfect question that frames a longing, yearning and desire to be with kindred spirits and evolved souls and to be at home with my earthly spiritual family. Most times I feel as though I am from another planet, displaced and out of touch, most likely wasting my time and energy with people that do not particularly add value to my life. It brought to light the frustration and boredom with the many facebook statuses, comments and images that line up in the home page when I log on.  I was reminded of the disgust with the way of life in America and how people of color have a long way to go beyond the chains of slavery.  Imagine turning on the TV and scrolling to see "Basketball Wives for the first time - a couple of days ago - only to be totally sad and disappointed of such garbage being fed to those who look at themselves.  Or again for the first time skipping to "Baisden After Dark" to find him sitting with a glass of wine and a liquor bar as a prop on his set. Are you serious?  Or as I scroll through my old phone book, I am not the least excited about calling or receiving a call from anyone in it.  I definitely do not desire any "small talk" during this S journey. Gosh "ST" can be draining. Somehow, I need more, somehow much of what I see is not feeding my soul at all.  Where are my true spiritual family I ask? They are out there somewhere and I open up to receive them in my life.  I call on my TRUE TRIBE!!

It was later on that I began to think of food when I entered the kitchen. I allowed those sensations to simply pass by. Then my son calls to check in on me only to add descriptions of some of my favorite foods to tease me. LOL! Gosh this is tough! Without food and eating, there is more time, space and energy to do otherwise. Damn... we spend a lot of time eating or thinking about, talking about food and eating or shopping for it.  Life in the west revolves around food. It's the core of socialization, the professional life, the family, relationships and life in general.  The plate of food or buffet always stands or sits between two or more people like a center piece - whether it's a date, a business meeting at a restaurant, a conference, friends or family gather together,  an evening out - you name it. People eat when they are bored, they eat when they are emotional. Truth is food runs our lives and we eat too damn much.  And  of course corporations are profiting off our  addictions to food while keeping humans sick. So here I am with no food and plenty of time.

I took a couple of nice long naps today, which is a life saver. I haven't enjoyed such in a while. After moments of a self-pleasuring meditation I relaxed into sleep land where I didn't have to think about food or eating. In one of my dreams a friend - who in waking life is not a very good influence food wise (the buster has a horrible diet) - was looking for a place to eat and then I went back home with food on mind, suddenly remembering that I was on a water fast. LOL!!

I have been consuming lots of water.  I psyched myself to see water as food. When I feel hungry or think of food, I pour myself a glass of water and drink at least two in a row to get that feeling I would usually have in my belly after eating. Water is now my food during this journey. So I bless it and drink it. I've already had a gallon and a half and I know that I'll finish the other half gallon before I retire this evening.

I also practiced the inner smile from the Tao tradition as well as the micro cosmic orbit introduced to me by Mantak Chia and taught during a Healing Love Summer Retreat I attended 2 years ago in the Appalaccian mountains with Michael Winn who co-authored the popular book Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energies. I found myself intermittently repeating my simple affirmation "I love myself" through out the day.

A few inches have already melted from my belly area and I feel lighter and see the difference. I am also remembering to salivate. The saliva is a powerful healing fluid that we already carry in our body as mentioned in  The Sexual Teachings of the White Tigress which delves into the micronutrients and health benefits of both saliva and semen. Salivating also helps to dissolve the feelings of hunger in the mouth and breaks down toxic in the body while keeping your vagina lubricated.

Before I sign off, I'd like to emphasize the importance of drinking an abundance of water during a water fast. If you do not normally drink a lot of water or find it hard to do, you will have a rough time with a water fast. If you fall in that category, I strongly advise you to begin a practice of drinking plenty of water during the prep stage for fasting. Begin to flush your body with more water than you usually do so that once you begin your fast it will not be a shock to you and your system. I consider myself very fortunate since I am the water goddess (sometimes water police) hehehe! I normally drink lots of water anyway, so this lightens things up a bit for me during a fast. Don't go for more than two hours without drinking. Plus if you have an animal based diet you are likely to encounter a lot of the pain and agony of your body working so hard to break down and release the toxins and poisons you put into it over time. I have a dairy & meat free diet (I do eat seafood -wild salmon mostly- from time to time) and I do not indulge in artificial, sodas, junk foods with preservatives and therefore, day one was not as bad for me as it would be for a meat eater. My issue is that I love eating so what I do have in my diet I consume a lot of. As an African woman, I eat a lot of rice so I have carbohydrate cravings that I am now trying to shake.  Oh one more thing, it is also wise to eat raw foods during the prep stage for your fast. Try not to go on a binge the day and night before because it is a recipe for pain and agony the first 2 or 3 days of your water fast.

Remember if you become friends with water before your fast, it will be your best friend and companion during your fast.  See you later!!

The COUNT DOWN to a SPIRITUAL JOURNEY!

            I declare this day, Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 as the day of initiation into an Aqua Fast! 

At first, I resisted the idea. My ego whipped up excuses, disregarded others efforts to do this and even tried to get out of it by trying to come up with another avenue that was different. My higher self prevailed while my ancestors spoke to me saying "...this is an ancient phenomenon and you are an ancient soul who needs to remember who you are."  So I finally surrendered and for the last few days I've been prepping mind, heart and soul to begin at 6pm this evening under the New Moon. My dreams have already been powerfully vivid as I stand to take this plunge and accept this challenge.

I am not doing this fast to loose weight. Although from my before pictures (taken yesterday in the nude), I can see that I can benefit from a few inches off my belly, waist and thighs. I don't normally obsess about weight and always love and accept my body just as it is because it has been nothing but good to me with its wisdom and ability to guide, protect and warn me as needed. I can now serve my own body by working for and with it and not against it.

I have finally admitted to myself that I am a food addict. (Exhale!) Foods had become my cushion, my refuge, my barrier to feeling my emotions, a distraction from the truth. I observed just how tired I was today and the resistance around simply letting go and taking a nap. Instead, got on the internet, browsed facebook, then  made my way to the fridge and consumed a bowl of watermelon and then some okra and rice. I saw myself in motion and realized that I even eat when I am tired to avoid resting. (smh) 

My purpose for this journey is primarily SPIRITUAL, as I see it as a way to reconnect with my true divine self that sits under all the layers I've accumulated. I seek to plunge into the depth of my WOMB through this fast. I seek its authentic wisdom and powers - much of which is clouded; I seek to move through this gateway of LIFE.  I also seek MENTAL CLARITY since the colon is the second mind and I have become mentally congested from life and its demands, social networking, excess information, emails, the human experience and everyone trying to market some product or promote themselves as something they most likely may not be but strive for the attainment of money and recognition. It has all taken a toll on me as a sensitive being. As the days go by I am already discovering that there are other hidden reasons I am engaging and embarking upon this Journey with a promise that more will be revealed. And although I am not including my son this time around, I am also doing this water fast for HIM.

I just started an evening job and was concerned about it being an issue, but it's an easy job where I don't exert much energy and am blessed with the space and time to write.  It is my opportunity to learn how to better conserve my energy and I will remember to always put an extra shield of light around me to protect me everywhere I go.

I have done other methods of detoxification in the past. From the lemonade diet,  juicing, raw food detox, no water ~ no food fasting, salt water fast, to lemon and water fast. I’ve even done a sex fast, mental fast, voice fast and human fast. This time I am combining the wisdom of the past while allowing myself to be guided by divine wisdom and the love & light of my ancestors. Since this is long weekend for me, it allows the perfect start up which is usually the toughest point of a complete fast. I will be able to transition back to the work week with the hardest days behind me. 

Some of the nurturing activities I have lined up for this journey are:

            ~ Daily dry brushing and sea salt baths

            ~ Daily meditation and prayers

            ~ A daily routine of dance and yoga

            ~ Daily sun bathing

            ~ Daily walks with the dog (Midnite)

            ~ Doses of laughter (jokes and humorous stories from friends,  videos, movies, etc.)

            ~ Daily journaling and documentation of this journey
            ~ Outreach to others that are fasting

Based on the findings and wisdom of my research, I will not be using toothpaste, nor will I be adding lemon or salt to my water. I wanted to do this initially but I understand that since the mind Is the starting point for digestion, then my mind would alert my body in a way that says I am consuming food and my body will act accordingly. The idea is to not confuse nor bring about disparity between my body and mind. They need to work together harmoniously – with none fooling the other.

 I will also talk far less during this fast because from my experience talking and even thinking requires energy and effort. I will be learning and practicing energy conservation within and around me.  There are also other tools that I will integrate into my daily routine:

            ~ White sage - daily smudging

            ~ Glass candles on my altar and tea-light candles through out my home

            ~ Incense

            ~ Create my own spritz (will use this to refresh my face and body during the day.)

            ~ A lavender sache to carry in my purse for aroma-therapeutic boosting moments

           

Being that 2011 is my numerological 7 year. It is a year of deep reflection and reception. I am truly in a divine feminine space this year and it has been rather challenging maintaining that space with so many externals and distractions. Nature has consistently reminded me and provided the time and space to be  more in a yin state. I am now being guided to take it to a whole new level.  The clearing of my heart and mind are leading dimensions of this journey. I am not challenged health wise. I had a complete physical and gynecological check up early spring and the results were great. I did however, experience intermittent pains under my left arm pit area. I had a screening that was a nightmare in itself as I felt assaulted by the medical industrial complex and their procedures for scanning women for breast cancer. I declined their suggestions for a biopsy and ignored all their phone calls and letters. Instead, I  turned to the wisdom of my own body to hear what it was trying to communicate to me through the sensations under my left arm. It spoke to me and I followed its instructions to restore balance and understood the heart of the message in those pains. I no longer have the pains under my arms because I followed the source and began resolving it. This aqua detox and journey will finalize that ordeal once and for all. And later on in my journey I will share what I did and how women can prevent breast cancer by developing a deeper relationship with their body and taking back their power.  

Cancer is not contagious and it can not be contracted through water, humans interaction or otherwise.  It is a dark seed planted by self that grows in its infested ways. There shall NEVER ever be an actual CURE for cancer. Campaigns which has been going on for decades are all LIES. Each woman has the answer within her that sits behind her breasts. Until she looks inside her HEART she will forever be subjected to chemical abuse, misinformation, blindings and manmade medical tortures while she misses the beauty and message that her body brings and the opportunity to access her own divine feminine wisdom. Perhaps Cancer is not an enemy to fight after all, but the dark mother within knocking on the heart of your door and trying to get you to honor and recognize its place.

I welcome the love and support of my family, friends, loved ones and social network. To those who are inspired to follow me, I say welcome aboard. I hope that you will gain much from this journey as I am about to.

Your comments, questions, suggestions, sharing are already appreciated and accepted.  You can reach me via email @ ecosensualliving@gmail.com As well, I invite you to follow my blog. Just scroll down to the bottom of my blog and click on Follow!  

I thank you in the spirit of wellness!!!