Diet. It’s a scary word, bringing forth all sorts of images and feelings… the hunger, the guilt after you sneak that chocolate bar. Pictures of burgers, chips and cookies race through your mind. And that feeling of deprivation! No. You can’t have those things. Those things are bad. But let’s just put all the negative emotions and attachments to one side for a minute. Because although your mind may be feeling a bit dubious about this seeming ‘deprivation’, it’s really just a trick, a facade. The fact is you may be deprived already. Not of candy or chocolate, but of nutrients. Vitamins. Minerals. The good stuff. Instead of viewing a diet as a form of torture, let’s try and see it in a new, positive light. Nourishment should be a happy process! Imagine your body is parched, your cells depleted. A diet should be like a bath for these cells, quenching their thirst. Shower your body in the good stuff. It will thank you. Enter the Detox diet. In the last article of this series, we discussed what detoxification really means. Now we need to look at how we can help our bodies to do it as efficiently as possible, and our diet is one of the most important. A Detox diet is one that tries to minimise the re-intoxication process of our daily lives. Life is toxic by nature, in the sense that the natural processes of life create toxic wastes. Breathing creates CO2, exercise creates lactic acid, eating generates mucus, plaque and faeces etc. These are just other expressions of the Yin & Yang movement of life...
‘I’m going on a detox!’ We’ve all said it, but do we really understand what it means? Detoxification has been under a lot of scrutiny by the press in recent months, which is strange considering that it is a natural phenomenon our bodies are constantly undertaking… every second of every minute of every day! The body is neutralising and transforming unwanted toxins and materials all the time. Our organs work like road sweepers cleaning the sidewalk 24/7, removing the garbage, so we can stroll down the street of life free and easy. When we talk about detoxifying, what we mean is simply helping our body do the best job it can, stress-free and happy. We all take showers right? And we tend to feel a little paranoid if we haven’t, aware that our fragrance may not be the most appealing! A detox is like a shower, washing our physical, mental and emotional body from the inside out, so our inner fragrance can smell just as good as our outer one. But what are these ghastly toxins that we need to get rid of so badly? And how do we avoid them? Well, to an extent, we can’t. Toxins are a natural part of life, and some are even created by the body itself, such as lactic acid. There are the obvious culprits; chemicals and hormones in food, exhaust fumes, solvents etc… but there are hidden toxins too, such as those created when we are under stress emotionally. Negative emotions can also be seen as toxic. Think about how you feel after an argument, or after you engage in gossiping...
Along with the rebirth of the physical center, a new training, the Work/Study Program, has also just begun here at Wandering Dao. The four participants – Aixing (Vietnam), Jesse (USA), Nils (Germany) and Maris (Estonia) – have begun a six month training to prepare themselves and the center for six weeks of retreats beginning in the end of October. In the process, they are all experiencing a sort of personal rebirth as well, as they have just completed ten-days on a detox diet and a seven-day fasting protocol. Catch a glimpse of the team in full detox mode in this video shot by Nils. It also features an in depth interview with Daniel about detox. Holistic Detox 1: Why We Need It and How To Do It from wanderingdao on Vimeo. There are more videos on the Vimeo channel too! Even now, with the fast behind them, the purification continues as the students become more and more immersed in the deep practices of the Self Healing Empowerment Essentials Program. “It seems we are all standing on the rubble of our old life and discovering that there’s now room for something new,” Maris reflects. But this space hasn’t been left empty for long as everyone is busy with their own “work” aspect of the Work/Study Program. “It is a good balance of knowledge flowing in and productivity coming out. The practices allow me to be present and work more effectively, and the work helps to solidify the practice in my mind,” remarks Jesse. Each participant is looking forward to having a very successful retreat in October and learning how to put their new skills...
