Day 202

Thoughts: Clean light foods. Freedom and lightness with light foods. I am becoming aware how I use food as a drug and how I use it to substitute and avoid feeling certain emotions. I am noticing the different experiences in the body after eating certain foods as if they are heavy or light. Light foods are raw salads, herbs, fruits, vegetables, orange and grapefruit juices. In between foods are avocado. Heavier foods are nuts, olive oil and salt. My body acts in accordance with the food I eat - I eat light foods I feel light, energetic, calm, peaceful. When I eat heavier foods - like yesterday I had a celery and brazil nut pate and for dinner had apple pie which had blended almonds and dates - and my energy is somewhat slower - heavier - dense. (Almonds are delicious soaked by the way!) I am enjoying becoming present in my own body - and can actually enjoy being in it - instead of resisting. I realize that when I become in tune with my natural vibrations I sometimes crave a light food or crave a heavy food as to serve my bodies purpose at that time whether it is working out - walking - watching a movie or working on the computer. I like the idea of eating light foods so that I am always ready for a dance session - which is becoming my favourite thing to do - dancing with myself - try it - it's best in front of a mirror because you can play with yourself - there are no rules - no one watching or judging you - go crazy - have fun - play - laugh - cry :) 
I am discovering that my body has all the information I need about what to eat and how. Most people just do not tune in and ask. The result of allowing the separation from Earth is that you no longer feel what nourishes you. 
"The food you eat contains much energy. It carries vitamins and minerals, but it also carries the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. It carries the energies of the place it grew and how it was cared for. The food may carry the energy of the bees that helped to pollinate it, the birds as they flew by. It carries the energy of the colors. In all food there is a level of light. Food contains a light fiber energy which can be diminished by disrespect. And this disrespect can rob it of its strength anywhere along the line – in handling, processing, cooking, or eating. However, it is also true that light fiber energy, being more flexible than vitamins or proteins, can be restored to food by respecting it and treating it as sacred – by ritualizing the activities connected with it." - Gina O'Connor from International Spiritual Experience. 
Jinjee the creator of the 21 Day Cleanse of only raw foods said "My 9 year old daughter Shale wants to do the cleanse along with me and yesterday she was trying to get a handle on what the cleanse is all about. Its funny she thought the cleanse meant eating clean food, and of course, she is right, but I never thought about it in those words. She asked "Are mangos clean?" -- Yes. Then she asked "So, all fruit is clean, right?" -- Yes, all fruits and vegetables are clean!"
Yesterday I was being anxious - allow my mind to make up all kind of fearful stories and so I turned to food. I binged on brazil nuts and sesame seeds. Of course right after I had the food hangover and felt groggy from eating too many nuts, and when I say too many, I know it was too many for my body at that particular time as I was not even hungry - but simply eating to punish myself and to experience the heaviness which I have been so familiar with the majority of my life. I am constantly re-creating myself as a light being, open, creative, clear - and the remembering can be the challenge for me. That struggle between mind and self. 
Jinjee says "If you are "cheating" it may simply be that your body is doing the program at your own pace in every way. Be patient with yourself. Remember our golden rule "No beating yourself up. Yesterday, while dealing with some stressful situations, I ran to food - and I really got to see how I use it as a drug! It was rather frightening, actually, to really become conscious of the extent to which I sometimes self-medicate all day with this drug. Even though it is raw, when I eat lots of raisins and cashews and salt and honey and overeat continuously, the effect is drug-like, numbing, allowing me to escape from whatever I'm feeling.
I am so grateful for this new level of consciousness regarding my behavior, which will allow me to deal with it, and take steps to come out of it. Indeed, I see myself totally re-patterning my habits through doing this cleanse. And sometimes self-knowledge and becoming aware is an important first step. So, today I am going to write down everything I eat!"
If I followed the standard 'food pyramid' in Australia or America I imagine I would experience feeling sluggish, heavy and slow as the top recommended servings is 6-8 a day of grains, rice, wheat. To much of heavy foods results in a heavy body. See my blog from Day 149. 
Something we are focusing on during this cleanse is combating compulsive eating. 
Jinjee says that if you feel yourself getting ready to start eating compulsively, try to distract yourself into doing something else that you do compulsively - like cleaning or work. Or seek pleasure elsewhere, such as the list of pleasures in life that you have written down… 
My pleasures in life are clean foods, family, friends, love, hot epsom salt and lavender baths, my husband, oneness, little yellow flowers outside my window, my garden, the squirrels playing together, my herbs, babies, present beings, the beautiful big trees in Amityville, dancing with myself, full self expression, the internet, great films, sunshine, rain and wind, a smooth wave to ride, music, clouds, space, out of the box conversations, writing blogs, writing, massages, meeting new people, working on set, skateboarding, stretching, breathing, the ocean, eating blended almonds and dates, colourful open minds, the bush, herbal teas, Australian beaches, laughing, smiling, playing oh the list goes on ... try it out for yourself! I thought this was a 'dumb' exercise to do and reluctantly started writing things, and once I started it became enjoyable! Try it you won't want to stop! It's nice to focus on the pleasures in life :) Can it do any harm?! 


Visit: www.theearthdiet.orgwww.thegardendiet.com/21dayswww.internationalspiritualexperience.comArtwork: lennyndc
Challenges: Alas, the fearful Unbelief is unbelief in yourself. Thank you for reminding me Thomas Carlyle!
Triumphs: A life lived in love will never be dull - Leo Buscaglia
What I Ate Today:
Breakfast: Orange juice with banana! Mmm energy!
Lunch: A scrumptious light herb salad! Have you ever made a salad from just herbs? I never thought to try it before this cleanse. The herbs go perfectly together - when I cut them up the flavours pour out and the smell is mmm sensational. Corriander (Cilantro), parsley, green onions, a dash of olive oil and salt with avocado slices and hemp seeds! The hemp seeds are one of the greatest things for protein (yes even more than red meat!) and on a salad they are like a perfect nutty topping :)
Dinner: A sesame do! A recipe from the 21 day cleanse. I had never had this before today - it is delicious - grounding - a nice meal for a relaxed night it. Ingredients: Soaked sunflower seeds, fresh basil, thyme and rosemary, a dash of olive oil and himalayan salt! 
Dessert: A sweet organge :) 
Snacks: My new favourite sweet snack dessert! Almond Joy I call it! Soaked almonds blended with dates, a dash of olive oil and salt. Oh my! So simple - so tasty - so sweet - it has the energy of playful, fun, young! Pure pleasure :) 
Recipe: Recipe for the foods you see on here will either be in the earth diet book released November this year - or on thegardendiet.com 
Exercise: I started the day with a walk at 6 am around my neighborhood - the morning is my absolute favourite time to be out and about - enjoying the early morning air - fresh sun - fresh air - the trees are glowing! It is quiet too - less people and less cars! I also had the greatest arm workout today - I lugged my suitcase for many blocks in Manhattan! Instead of taking the train I walked and in return a great overall body workout ;)