Day 12 - Cleansing the Spirit

It’s interesting that the subject of spirituality is weaving its way through our discussions right now. But it should come as no surprise - this is one of the most potent times of year. We’ve just seen the end of Ramadan and Rosh Hashanah; Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated on September 11th. Yom Kippur is taking place right now, and pagans will celebrate Mabon, the autumn equinox on September 21st. This is a time of renewal (shout out to Ramona!) and repentance, a time to give thanks for the abundance in our lives, and a time to look inward as we slow down after the carefree chaos of summer.

When I began learning about cleansing, Karyn Calabrese, whom I’ve mentioned frequently in earlier posts, told me that it was the portal to the spirit. But I didn’t get it. The way I perceived it, cleansing was only about the body. I mean, come on – you either modified or stopped your food intake – that’s totally physical! In my limited view, the spiritual existed in some unseen ethereal realm; a place that transcended the physical. And I saw the two as mutually exclusive...

...Until I did my first cleanse. Right away the physical part of cleansing began to manifest spiritual issues. At first, I had to deal with the feeling of deprivation – deprivation of my beloved distractions like peanut M&Ms, pizza, CokeZero, and sauvignon blanc. So I busied myself in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes and filling the fridge up with rice, lentil, and quinoa dishes, and soups of every color and texture. But once the fridge was full, there was nothing left to do but sit with the stillness that comes with cleansing.

You know what I’m talking about – that moment when you pick up a wine glass or a piece of cheese and then remember it’s off limits. The stillness hits right then - when you realize how much of your life is taken up in the pursuit of cleanse-unfriendly substances. And you’re faced with the task of filling up that time with something else. And it’s hard at first. So you sit in the stillness. And wonder what the hell to do.

I read. A lot. A self-help devotee, I’ve got all the bestsellers on my bookshelves. I return to "The Artist’s Way" again and again, I love anything by Deepak Choprah, and I’m a sucker for all things Dr. Wayne Dyer. But this time I turned to Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth.” It forced me to look at myself honestly – to strip away the myths I had created about myself, my life, and how I’d gotten to where I was. And I didn’t like where I was – on the verge of a divorce; or what I saw – an angry woman who was a victim, a bitch, and scared shitless.

But cleansing was the equivalent of being given a freshly sharpened machete to hack through the underbrush of my psyche. I faced ancient issues that had been lurking for decades and informing my actions and emotions, even in the present day. And I dealt with them rationally. That was something I'd never done before; in the past I always turned to something that would alter my consciousness (sugar, caffeine, or alcohol). But this time I didn’t have anything to turn to. Except myself.

I cried almost every day for the first 18 days. I grieved for my marriage, for myself, for all the mistakes I’d made, for all the wrongs I’d done. When the tears subsided, I examined the behaviors that had gotten me to where I was at that moment. And then I focused on changing them.

I decided that in the same way that I was practicing mindful eating, I’d practice mindful living. In the same way I considered the effects of my food choices, I would consider the effects of my actions. And in the same way I took responsibility for my diet, I would take responsibility for my life. And in so doing, I reclaimed my power. Check it out – power over my food choices; power over my life choices. How’s that for symmetry?!!

I gained confidence as I got further into the cleanse – I was doing something I never thought I could – and it bolstered my strength. I was no longer angry because I was no longer a victim. And I was no longer scared because I trusted my own strength. As I cleared away all the emotional debris that had kept me from a life of gratitude and hope, I could see that life developing - because I was finally creating it.

Cleansing helped me to reconnect with my authentic self, my soul, my spirit - whatever you want to call the part of me that invites and honors compassion, joy and love.

I don’t have a name for my higher power, but then again, I haven’t been in a plane that’s going down. Even so, I don’t doubt for a second that there’s a source that drives me. And as long as I keep the channels in this body clean, that source has a way to move through me. I believe spirituality is a collaborative effort - as long as I’m on Earth, my body is responsible for transporting my soul. And I think my soul deserves better than a junk heap. That’s why I’m here.

No matter your spiritual affiliation, I hope this rich season brings you a sense of abundance and gratitude. I hope you’re feeling healthy and happy. And I hope you’re feeling refreshed and renewed, in body and spirit. If you’re fasting for Yom Kippur today, I wish you an easy fast. And I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

With love,
i