Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping

Spring Cleanse: What next? Nothing!

Image via Pick the Brain

If you took part in the Spring Cleanse, did you practice clearing the time and space to sit in silence for five or ten minutes each day? Maybe you already have a regular meditation practice. If so, awesome! But if not then this is the gift I want to offer you from the cleanse. This is your free take home bonus prize!

You can start your daily meditation practice today. If you already started it as part of the cleanse you can keep going. Keep finding those ten minutes every day to sit in the silence.

Beginner's meditation practice is very simple and I promise you that you can do it and that, if you are doing it, you are doing it right.

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. You don't need to sit cross=legged on a cushion if that isn't comfortable. Sit on a chair, but still a little forward if you can so that your back is unsupported and long.

Set an alarm so that you don't have to keep checking the time. If you have one that will sound with something melodic rather than a jarring siren, all the better. Try setting it for ten minutes.

You can practice with your eyes closed or with them gently open, gazing softly at the ground in front of you. Either is fine, see which you prefer.

Take a few rounds of breath to feel your body. As you inhale feel the length and space in your spine, feel your stomach rise, feel your chest expand. As you exhale feel the weight of your body release down into the ground or the chair. Feel the support of the earth or chair beneath you. Inhaling feel space and expansion, exhaling feel release and support.

I find it really helpful to take this time to ground myself in the sensations of my body. It begins to draw my attention in towards centre. Being aware of physical sensations also requires paying attention to the 'right here and now'.

Now, let your mind rest on your breath. Pay attention to your breath. You are not trying to control your breath, not trying to make it different in any way. Simply paying attention to it. 

When your mind wanders away from the breath, and you come to your attention in the middle of a blow-by-blow replay of your latest argument with your husband/wife/child, simply notice that you have drifted into thought and gently return your mind to the breath.

When you next wander from the breath, and realise that you are half-way through a thirty item mental grocery list, simply notice that you have drifted into though and gently return your mind to the breath.

Do you see a pattern here? It really is as simple as that. Your mind will get busy, that is what thinking minds do. Your work here is simply to notice and to realise that you can choose not to go on that journey with the mind. You choose, gently and without judging yourself, to return to the object of your meditation, the breath.

When I first started meditation practice I felt like my mind was a puppy dog. As many times as I gently returned it to the breath it would race off again. Training a puppy takes extraordinary patience, gentleness and perseverance. My mind is much the same. 

Once you set aside the time to sit and practice in this simple way every day you will no doubt find, as I did, many ways to worry about whether you are "doing it right" or not. Know this: If you have carved out the time and you have sat down and you are practicing some form of simple meditation then you are doing it. You are not doing it wrong. You are doing it.

You already know how to be still, you already know peace. Everything is already within you. By making this time every day you are finding your way back to what was already there.

Spring Cleanse: Week Four

Teaching an outdoor yoga class for International Day of Climate Action. Photo by Pedram Pirnia.

Wow! We are already halfway though the final week of the cleanse. I don't know about you but this process has not gone at all according to plan for me, but I suspect that what I've ended up with was exactly what I needed.

I've been reflecting on what worked best for me this time around (clearing space in my home and - especially - choosing to take a break from negative thoughts about a particular situation) and what really didn't seem to take for me this time at all (giving up chocolate and wine - which I managed fine six months ago).

Instead of leaping into judging myself for my 'weakness' on the chocolate and wine I've been listening to the words of my Buddhist teacher. He encourages me to really listen with kindness to the part of me that thinks or does things of which my judging mind does not approve.  He's not suggesting that I should get all caught up in the stories that might come along with that voice ('I am weak and indulgent') but to hear what my heart is really saying.

What I heard is 'I feel unacknowledged'. The chocolate/glass of wine feels like an acknowledgment of how hard I've been working, a way of treating myself. Listening to that voice and finding some tenderness for it enabled me to create space for that part of me. There was no need to push it away or attach myself to that feeling, I could simply acknowledge it with kindness and know that it too would pass. 

How about you? When you reflect on the cleanse process what do you see? What do you think you'll want to keep up once we get to the end of this month?

Spring Cleanse: Week Three - Clearing Space

We are half-way there! I've you've cut out or cut back on anything that you felt wasn't really doing you much good then I'd love to hear how you are going. My biggest changes were to cut right back on anything with processed sugar in it (no Deluxe cafe oatie slices this month, sigh) and alcohol. Last time I did a cleanse, at the beginning of winter, I had been feeling much more unbalanced and I was giving up caffeine so the whole experience was quite a bit more intense. This time I'm taking things a little bit easier, making exceptions for special occasions and focusing on clearing space in other areas of my life as well. 

The idea of clearing space has been coming up for me a lot lately. It is part of the Mondo Beyondo process of making room for your deepest dreams to come to life and it feels like something that I need a little more of this spring.

Last week I went through my wardrobe and all of my drawers and pulled out anything that I didn't love. I took some of the clothing along to a clothing swap with four fabulous girlfriends, which was a lot of fun. We each brought along clothing (and books and jewelry) that we knew wasn't right for us but which was still in great shape. Then, over a potluck dinner, we took turns holding up the clothes we had brought. There was much hilarity at the wildly inappropriate clothing choices we had all made at some point, but it almost always turned out that our clothing duds were someone else's clothing bonanza. I knew I didn't need new clothing so I went home with a couple of books and two irresistably good warm woolen jumpers. But another friend who is pregnant went home with a whole new wardrobe for her changing body shape. Sound good to you? Why not organise your own clothing or book swap with a few friends?

Yesterday I sorted and re-filed all the digital photos and documents on my computer and backed them up onto an external hard drive. It had been difficult to find the photos I wanted when I needed them and the big old mess of folders and images made me feel a bit overwhelmed whenever I looked at them. While I was doing that my boyfriend was clearing out, resorting and re-shelving all the books and CDs on the book shelves (he's a Virgo!). By the end of the day I was feeling decidedly light and clear-headed, a sure sign of some effective space-clearing.

Making space can take many forms. It might be as simple as clearing the piles of papers off the surface you use for your creative work. It could be as significant as letting go of a relationship which has become toxic. It might involve setting aside a day a week when you stay away from the internet, saying no to a request or taking ten minutes every day to sit in silence. You'll know where you need to clear space by paying attention to what makes you feel overwhelmed.

This week I plan to keep making space in my home by clearing out unloved or un-needed "stuff" and to make space in my heart by continuing to make time each day to sit in the quiet with myself. How about you?

Spring Cleanse: Week Two

How is it going for you?

It's been a mixed bag for me. I've been having a great time teaching myself how to sprout beans and make raw dips. My vegetable garden is at it's zenith so I'm enjoying gathering up the ingredients for my green juices and salads from my own back yard.

On the other hand I was invited out for dinner last night. It was the first time I'd met the couple and she was a French chef who had prepared a delicious, very light but not quite 'cleanse-proof', meal. I decided to eat everything she placed in front of me, including the glass of wine and the almond and chocolate layered meringue. I had no regrets, and enjoyed every bite. I decided that one night off the cleanse would hurt less than insulting the chef, who had obviously gone to a lot of trouble.

Today my mother came to visit with a home-made bran loaf, containing both wheat (wheat bran) and honey. Although I've been taking a break from gluten and all sweeteners this past week I had a small slice because I knew she had made it especially for me, avoiding white flour and processed sugar.

Tonight I was back to my piles of greens from the garden and a cup of delicious herbal tea for dessert. But I wanted to let you all know about the 'exceptions' to my cleanse because I know this is a challenge for some people - being able to make small exceptions to the plan, then letting them go and carrying on with the overall direction of the cleanse.

How are things going for you? Have you been making the time to sit in quietness and stillness every day? What does that feel like? What are your tips or suggestions? What have you noticed about being caffeine, alcohol, sugar, gluten, dairy and/or meat free? Are you eating more raw? How does that feel? What else have you decided to let go of this week?

Spring Cleanse: What are you ready to let go of?

Well, it hasn't looked or felt much like spring around here this past week. Earthquakes and tsunami in the Pacific have left hundreds of people dead, thousands homeless and many more devastated. Here in New Zealand a late cold snap has left farmers without any electricity as they struggle to rescue new spring lambs from the late snow. When disaster strikes I find myself questioning my decision to leave Oxfam, to leave the world of direct humanitarian assistance behind while I write this book. It has been a big change for me and it is taking some time to get used to not having a job that gives me a clear and concrete sense of what I am doing to help.

Then I take a breath. Let it out. Take another. Let it out. I remember that working in war zones or in the wake of natural disasters is only one way to change the world. Writing a book is one way to change the world. Teaching yoga is one way to change the world. Uncovering my own voice, telling my own story, telling my own truth is one way to change the world. I also remember that I don't have to change the world. I don't even have to change me. So, I shed another layer. I let go of another set of the beliefs that have served me well in the past. I'm ready to release them and rest in the space they leave behind.

This week, following the full moon, the moon is waning and it is a good time for letting go. As part of this cleanse I'm not only letting go, at least for the month, of foods and drinks that don't really nourish my body. I'm also taking a little time to notice what thoughts and beliefs I'm still carrying that don't really nourish my soul.

So as you sit in silence for a few moments every day and as you take the time to prepare and consume nourishing food for your body, notice what else you might be ready to let go of this month.

For the rest of this week let yourself settle gently into the changes you have made to your eating and drinking practices. Notice if you are feeling differently. You may experience some symptoms of detoxification this week, especially if you were consuming caffeine, sugar and/or alcohol regularly before the cleanse. Some people experience headaches, in the past I've experienced some confusion/dizziness and also some weepiness. It all passes. Just notice it as it arises and see if you can be present and aware without attaching yourself to the sensation. Use your breath and the awareness of sensations in your body to ground yourself and simply notice what is going on, without judgement.

As you notice the sensations in your body, begin to think about how you want to move your body. This first week of the cleanse, depending what level of cleanse you are doing, you might feel some sensations of fatigue or even nausea. This might be a sign to ease back on any really vigorous exercise regime and focus on gentler, restorative practices like walking or gentle yoga. If you are feeling energetic then by all means, move it! If you don't usually exercise then this week is a good time to start. Gentle, regular exercise will help manage any side-affects of the cleanse and will help increase the benefits of the cleanse as the weeks go on. 

Here are some great resources:

Kristen's Raw

If you are aiming for either total or partial raw food for the cleanse then check out this great site, which I found when Kristen herself left a lovely comment here yesterday. She has fabulous recipes and general information and advice about the raw food lifestyle.

101 Cookbooks

A great site if you are planning to mix some healthy vegetarian/vegan cooked options into your cleanse. Today's featured recipe is 'Green Soup with Ginger', yum!

Yoga Today

A great site where you can get free daily yoga practices on video, including this one which is the best place to start if you haven't practiced yoga before and can't make it along to a class.

Happy Sunday to you all.

I hope you've been having a fabulous weekend and enjoying the first days of the cleanse. Whether you have cut out coffee, tea, sodas and alcohol completely or cut back significantly - make sure you take a moment to acknowledge what you have achieved (and to let go of anything that didn't work out quite how you had planned) before we get ready for the next stage.

From Monday morning we start cleaning up the food we put in our blessed vessels as well, we continue to keep fueling ourselves with caffeine, sugar and alcohol free fluids and we continue to make time each day to sit in silence, let our heart and mind settle and have a mini-date with ourselves.

So what's new? Tuning up our eating. Here's where the cleanse really becomes your own custom tune-up. What you want to take a break from is going to depend a lot on: a) what you are already eating; and b) what you have available to eat.

The fundamental principles of the cleanse are to steer clear of processed foods, sugars, meats, acid-creating foods, dairy and gluten. But you can adjust that to suit your needs. If you are currently eating meat, cheese, sweets and salty snack foods most weeks then you might find that cutting out the sugar and meat and boosting up your fresh vegetables and whole grains is a great way to start your cleanse. You can always take it a little further next week if you are feeling good.

If you feel it won't be too much of a shock to your system then you can go a little further. My plan will be to eat at least 50% raw most days. I'll kick most days off with about half a litre or more of raw veggie juice for breakfast using mostly carrot, celery, beetroot, fresh ginger and cucumber with some chard, kale or beet leaves for green goodness. Fruit is best used sparingly because of the high sugar content. 

If you don't have a juicer you can still have vegetables for breakfast, I've made myself raw salad and brown rice bowls for breakfast. If that doesn't work for you then how about a smoothie? Bananas will kick up your sugar count but avocado or coconut are great alternatives as smoothie bases. A green smoothie based on avocado can be delicious.

If none of those options are going to work for you then try quinoa or rice porridge - I make mine with soy or almond milk and add a little cinnamon and nutmeg as well as some of those sprouted almonds. If you can't find quinoa or rice then oatmeal (not instant but traditional rolled oats) is a good option if you know that gluten is not a problem for you.

For lunch I'll be having a salad most days, or a platter of raw vegetables with my home-made hummus or guacamole dip. For the hummus take about a cup of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (soaked overnight then cooked until they are soft), add a couple of  tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste, substitute peanut or almond butter if you can't find it), a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, a sprinkle of olive oil and throw them all in a blender. Blend! For guacamole I mash avocado with a little salt, lemon juice and sometimes some thinly sliced red onion.

If I'm having a salad then I'll add a legume or a grain so that I have some protein, quinoa is my favorite but brown rice, lentils, chickpeas or black beans are also great.  If it is cold and stormy outside then I might make a vegetable soup, adding dried seaweed for it's fabulous flavour and nutritional value.

For dinner I might have steamed or grilled vegetables with a tasty grain, I might make another salad, or cook up a vegetable casserole.

For snacks during the day I generally eat small handfuls of soaked/sprouted almonds (about 5-15 is plenty) or raw veggies with a little extra hummus. One favorite snack is a half an avocado mashed in it's shell with lemon juice. Yum!

Make sure that you are drinking lots of water, at least one litre per day and preferably more. You can count your herbal teas in that amount!

I generally go without sweeteners in my tea, but if you want a little sweet then I recommend stevia, a herbal sweetener. I won't be having any honey during the cleanse because I'm steering clear of sugars completely, but you'll know if just giving up processed sugars is enough for you for now.

I've learned a lot about cleansing and eating for maximum health from Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer and the Crazy Sexy Life blog. If you join the Crazy Sexy Life site then you can access the "Adventure Cleanse Tune Up" group where you'll get huge amounts of great information about cleansing, juicing and the importance of your body's ph balance (which is at the core of my approach to cleansing). 

Okay - enough for today. Please share your favorite cleanse recipes and tomorrow I'll be back with more on moving your precious body.

Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.

— Rumi

Last week I wrote a list of 10 things you probably shouldn't say to a friend who doesn't have children. It was quite an experience. People responded, to say the least.

One of the ways in which people responded was by talking to me about it. As a result of one of those conversations I realised that one of the items on the list is probably the most important of all. It's also the item that bothers me least, these days.

What used to bother me the most was the suggestion that the love between a parent and child was much deeper, wider and more profound than any other love. The inference was that if I was unable (or unwilling for any reason) to have children then I would never experience true, deep love.

This no longer bothers me. It can still be pretty hurtful to others, though, so I still suggest you might want to think twice before launching into your rant about how only having a baby has taught you what true love is.

It no longer bothers me because now, finally, I understand that the fullest, deepest love already resides within me. If I don't experience this love for all beings all the time it is simply (ha!) because of the barriers and obstacles that I've erected around my heart, because of the way I contract and withdraw my heart in fear or shame or blame or guilt.

I'd suggest that babies have a special gift for getting us to lower those barriers. It may be their inherent vulnerability or it may be because they haven't yet put up any barriers around their own hearts, which is the same thing. But one way or another babies invite us to let down our barriers. This is particularly but not, in my experience, exclusively true of our own babies, whether by birth or otherwise.

So we let down our barriers. We engage with these marvelous little beings in moments free of fear, blame, guilt or expectation. As our hearts open we experience our own true nature, which is love, joy, equanimity and compassion. We then attribute this experience to the other being. We assume it is this wonderful baby that causes this love to arise in us (I've done the same with lovers). When, in fact, it was all within us all along.

So now when people tell me that since they have had their baby they have come to know what love really is, instead of feeling cheated I feel joy. I feel joy that another being has opened their heart. I know now that there are other paths towards an open heart. I've come to understand that although a baby may be one of the best short-cuts around, ultimately we can all learn to open our hearts irrespective of the company we are keeping. It's not easy but it is simple.

It starts with sitting still and making friends with your own mind and heart.

It's another way to change the world.

Morning sunshine!

Welcome to day two of our Spring/Fall cleanse. Today and the coming weekend is about small steps and preparation.

Yesterday you committed to this process. Good for you! You also began to clear some space out of your fridge, your pantry and your day to take better care of yourself. If you share your fridge with others then let them know you are taking a wee break from some things and much as you appreciate their generosity you would appreciate them not offering to share with you this month.

Now you have space, let's fill it with things that will nurture your body and you soul. Firstly, know that we don't need to change our eating this weekend. The changes to what you eat won't start til Monday so you have this weekend to stock up on delicious, healthy options. More on that below. But first, what changes are we making this weekend?

What we will start to be more loving about this weekend is:

• what we drink; and
• how we think.

Let's start with the most important part - our thoughts. If you are anything like me, right about now you might be thinking "Why did I do this?" You might be worrying that you won't be able to give up coffee or wine or chocolate. You might be worrying that you will "fail" at this cleanse, like you have "failed" at efforts to clean up your diet/lifestyle before.

Well firstly, you cannot fail at this cleanse. There is no rigid standard against which you will be measured. If you commit to making some changes that better serve your body, mind and spirit you have already done yourself some good.

Secondly, one thing I know to be true is that where we place our attention is where our energy will follow. What we pay attention to thrives. So I invite you to experiment this weekend. Whenever your attention wanders to the things that you have chosen to take a wee break from (wine, coffee, soda) notice what is happening. Notice where your attention is and decide whether that is where you want your energy to also flow. My guess is the answer is, not so much! So let your attention flow, instead, to the goodness of this gift to yourself. Think about what an act of kindness this is, and about the new stores of energy you are likely to begin to find within a short period of taking such good care of yourself.

So - first focus this weekend is on your thoughts and attention. Find out what works for you. Some people like to write up postive and affirming phrases and stick them around the house. Some people like to write out their thoughts in a journal, releasing the entrapping negative thoughts and working your way around to supportive and affirming thoughts. I personally find that just noticing the negative thoughts is often enough to remind me that I don't have to attach myself to them or identify with them.

So, your are directing your attention and energy towards the pleasure of doing yourself the favour of this cleanse and gratitude for your ability to do so. What else?

The second focus this weekend is on drinks. We are taking a break from caffeine, processed sugars, artificial sweeteners and alcohol. So, starting on Saturday morning, take a break from coffee and black tea, from all sodas including diet sodas and from all alcohols. Ideally throughout this cleanse you'll be drinking lots of water and as much herbal tea as you like. If you currently drink quite a lot of caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, colas etc) then you might like to drink green tea. It does contain caffeine, but much less than coffee and at this stage the important thing is to take a break from the coffee so if green tea will get you there then go ahead and drink it.

What about decaf?

There are some brands of decaffeinated coffee that are done with the Swiss Water Method. But the problem with coffee is not only caffeine, it is also a diaretic and it is acidic, so it  destabilises the akaline balance in your body. For this month, take a break. Just for the month I highly recommend taking in no coffee at all. Just try it. I never though I could do this, my boyfriend certainly never thought I could do this. But once I tried it for a month there was no going back. I've now been totally caffeine-free for six months. Give it a try, see how it feels for you.

As far as alcohol goes, the cleanse is alcohol free. But when I first did it I knew that giving up wine would be the biggest challenge for me (after coffee) so I decided that once a week, on a Saturday, I would allow myself a glass or two of the nicest red wine I could afford. I don't think it prevented the cleanse from working for me, and you may identify one thing that you want to retain as a very special once weekly treat. It might be a small bar of dark chocolate or a glass of red wine, but let's agree that it probably wouldn't be both. We are all about giving our body a really delicious break for a month, so let's not sell ourselves short...

So this weekend we are kicking off the cleanse by taking a break from coffee, black tea (NB: most chai is made from black tea, I make my own with red bush tea and it is delicious!), sodas and alcohol.

What about food?

We start that on Monday. Don't worry about it yet. But now is a good time to make sure you have some healthy supplies in the house. This is not a 'hard core' cleanse. We will be eating three meals a day! But we will be taking a break from processed and pre-packaged food. This months is all about whole foods - vegetables, whole grains, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds in particular. So stock up. Some of my pantry staples include:

• garbanzo beans (and a jar of tahini for making hummus!)
• black beans
• lentils
• brown rice (sacks of it!)
• wholemeal, rice and quinoa pasta
• qinoa!
• oils (olive, coconut and avocado in particular)
• nuts (almonds, brazil nuts etc) and nut butters, which can be homemade
• seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame etc)
• lots of vegetables including: avocado (if it is in season then it is in my vege basket), onion, garlic, chard, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, celery, carrots, beetroot, lots of fresh ginger, cucumber, lettuce, rocket, fresh herbs etc
• not so much fruit - I love fruit but it is very high in sugar and on this cleanse we'll be aiming to have no more than one or two pieces of fruit a day - preferably lower GI (more on that in a few days)

You might thinks of other things. Like bread... I don't really eat much bread  but if you are a sandwich l,over then you'll want some bread. At the minimum find a wholegrain bread. If possible then experiment with gluten free breads. Most importantly, check the ingredient list. You don't want a bread with lots of sugar in it! If you haven't already done so then now is a great time to experiment with flat breads: pita bread or mountain bread.

It will be up to you whether you want to go completely dairy, wheat/gluten or meat free on this cleanse. I'll be taking a break from wheat/gluten and from meat (which I don't eat anyway, so that's a bit of a cheat!) but I will probably have a little goat cheese and yoghurt because they seem to do me good and I've experimented in the past with cutting them out without any noticeable benefit. If you've never tried gluten or dairy or meat free then now is a good time to try. You might be surprised what a difference it makes.

Okay! That is more than enough information for one day! I won't be back with new 'instructions' until Monday. For the weekend we all have our mission: what we drink and what we think, plus stocking up for next week. Also, keep up the daily silent time. This is such a powerful tool in the cleanse that I really want to encourage you to make time for it. It might be five or ten minutes but it is probably the most valuable five or ten minutes of the cleanse each day. Again, get curious about it. I'm not going to convince you of anything. Just give it a try, every day for the month of October, and see what you think.

Most of all - talk to me! Let me know what you are thinking, feeling and doing. Let me know if any of this doesn't sound like it is going to work for you and I'll work with you to find the right alternative. It is so great having your company this month and I love knowing that we are all going to be feeling so shit hot in a matter of mere days. Woooohooo!

Spring Cleanse: Day 5

Happy Sunday to you all.

I hope you've been having a fabulous weekend and enjoying the first days of the cleanse. Whether you have cut out coffee, tea, sodas and alcohol completely or cut back significantly - make sure you take a moment to acknowledge what you have achieved (and to let go of anything that didn't work out quite how you had planned) before we get ready for the next stage.

From Monday morning we start cleaning up the food we put in our blessed vessels as well, we continue to keep fueling ourselves with caffeine, sugar and alcohol free fluids and we continue to make time each day to sit in silence, let our heart and mind settle and have a mini-date with ourselves.

So what's new? Tuning up our eating. Here's where the cleanse really becomes your own custom tune-up. What you want to take a break from is going to depend a lot on: a) what you are already eating; and b) what you have available to eat.

The fundamental principles of the cleanse are to steer clear of processed foods, sugars, meats, acid-creating foods, dairy and gluten. But you can adjust that to suit your needs. If you are currently eating meat, cheese, sweets and salty snack foods most weeks then you might find that cutting out the sugar and meat and boosting up your fresh vegetables and whole grains is a great way to start your cleanse. You can always take it a little further next week if you are feeling good.

If you feel it won't be too much of a shock to your system then you can go a little further. My plan will be to eat at least 50% raw most days. I'll kick most days off with about half a litre or more of raw veggie juice for breakfast using mostly carrot, celery, beetroot, fresh ginger and cucumber with some chard, kale or beet leaves for green goodness. Fruit is best used sparingly because of the high sugar content. 

If you don't have a juicer you can still have vegetables for breakfast, I've made myself raw salad and brown rice bowls for breakfast. If that doesn't work for you then how about a smoothie? Bananas will kick up your sugar count but avocado or coconut are great alternatives as smoothie bases. A green smoothie based on avocado can be delicious.

If none of those options are going to work for you then try quinoa or rice porridge - I make mine with soy or almond milk and add a little cinnamon and nutmeg as well as some of those sprouted almonds. If you can't find quinoa or rice then oatmeal (not instant but traditional rolled oats) is a good option if you know that gluten is not a problem for you.

For lunch I'll be having a salad most days, or a platter of raw vegetables with my home-made hummus or guacamole dip. For the hummus take about a cup of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (soaked overnight then cooked until they are soft), add a couple of  tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste, substitute peanut or almond butter if you can't find it), a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, a sprinkle of olive oil and throw them all in a blender. Blend! For guacamole I mash avocado with a little salt, lemon juice and sometimes some thinly sliced red onion.

If I'm having a salad then I'll add a legume or a grain so that I have some protein, quinoa is my favorite but brown rice, lentils, chickpeas or black beans are also great.  If it is cold and stormy outside then I might make a vegetable soup, adding dried seaweed for it's fabulous flavour and nutritional value.

For dinner I might have steamed or grilled vegetables with a tasty grain, I might make another salad, or cook up a vegetable casserole.

For snacks during the day I generally eat small handfuls of soaked/sprouted almonds (about 5-15 is plenty) or raw veggies with a little extra hummus. One favorite snack is a half an avocado mashed in it's shell with lemon juice. Yum!

Make sure that you are drinking lots of water, at least one litre per day and preferably more. You can count your herbal teas in that amount!

I generally go without sweeteners in my tea, but if you want a little sweet then I recommend stevia, a herbal sweetener. I won't be having any honey during the cleanse because I'm steering clear of sugars completely, but you'll know if just giving up processed sugars is enough for you for now.

I've learned a lot about cleansing and eating for maximum health from Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer and the Crazy Sexy Life blog. If you join the Crazy Sexy Life site then you can access the "Adventure Cleanse Tune Up" group where you'll get huge amounts of great information about cleansing, juicing and the importance of your body's ph balance (which is at the core of my approach to cleansing). 

Okay - enough for today. Please share your favorite cleanse recipes and tomorrow I'll be back with more on moving your precious body.

Change the World: Make friends with your Heart

Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.

— Rumi

Last week I wrote a list of 10 things you probably shouldn't say to a friend who doesn't have children. It was quite an experience. People responded, to say the least.

One of the ways in which people responded was by talking to me about it. As a result of one of those conversations I realised that one of the items on the list is probably the most important of all. It's also the item that bothers me least, these days.

What used to bother me the most was the suggestion that the love between a parent and child was much deeper, wider and more profound than any other love. The inference was that if I was unable (or unwilling for any reason) to have children then I would never experience true, deep love.

This no longer bothers me. It can still be pretty hurtful to others, though, so I still suggest you might want to think twice before launching into your rant about how only having a baby has taught you what true love is.

It no longer bothers me because now, finally, I understand that the fullest, deepest love already resides within me. If I don't experience this love for all beings all the time it is simply (ha!) because of the barriers and obstacles that I've erected around my heart, because of the way I contract and withdraw my heart in fear or shame or blame or guilt.

I'd suggest that babies have a special gift for getting us to lower those barriers. It may be their inherent vulnerability or it may be because they haven't yet put up any barriers around their own hearts, which is the same thing. But one way or another babies invite us to let down our barriers. This is particularly but not, in my experience, exclusively true of our own babies, whether by birth or otherwise.

So we let down our barriers. We engage with these marvelous little beings in moments free of fear, blame, guilt or expectation. As our hearts open we experience our own true nature, which is love, joy, equanimity and compassion. We then attribute this experience to the other being. We assume it is this wonderful baby that causes this love to arise in us (I've done the same with lovers). When, in fact, it was all within us all along.

So now when people tell me that since they have had their baby they have come to know what love really is, instead of feeling cheated I feel joy. I feel joy that another being has opened their heart. I know now that there are other paths towards an open heart. I've come to understand that although a baby may be one of the best short-cuts around, ultimately we can all learn to open our hearts irrespective of the company we are keeping. It's not easy but it is simple.

It starts with sitting still and making friends with your own mind and heart.

It's another way to change the world.

Spring Cleanse: Day 2, 3 and 4

Morning sunshine!

Welcome to day two of our Spring/Fall cleanse. Today and the coming weekend is about small steps and preparation.

Yesterday you committed to this process. Good for you! You also began to clear some space out of your fridge, your pantry and your day to take better care of yourself. If you share your fridge with others then let them know you are taking a wee break from some things and much as you appreciate their generosity you would appreciate them not offering to share with you this month.

Now you have space, let's fill it with things that will nurture your body and you soul. Firstly, know that we don't need to change our eating this weekend. The changes to what you eat won't start til Monday so you have this weekend to stock up on delicious, healthy options. More on that below. But first, what changes are we making this weekend?

What we will start to be more loving about this weekend is:

• what we drink; and
• how we think.

Let's start with the most important part - our thoughts. If you are anything like me, right about now you might be thinking "Why did I do this?" You might be worrying that you won't be able to give up coffee or wine or chocolate. You might be worrying that you will "fail" at this cleanse, like you have "failed" at efforts to clean up your diet/lifestyle before.

Well firstly, you cannot fail at this cleanse. There is no rigid standard against which you will be measured. If you commit to making some changes that better serve your body, mind and spirit you have already done yourself some good.

Secondly, one thing I know to be true is that where we place our attention is where our energy will follow. What we pay attention to thrives. So I invite you to experiment this weekend. Whenever your attention wanders to the things that you have chosen to take a wee break from (wine, coffee, soda) notice what is happening. Notice where your attention is and decide whether that is where you want your energy to also flow. My guess is the answer is, not so much! So let your attention flow, instead, to the goodness of this gift to yourself. Think about what an act of kindness this is, and about the new stores of energy you are likely to begin to find within a short period of taking such good care of yourself.

So - first focus this weekend is on your thoughts and attention. Find out what works for you. Some people like to write up postive and affirming phrases and stick them around the house. Some people like to write out their thoughts in a journal, releasing the entrapping negative thoughts and working your way around to supportive and affirming thoughts. I personally find that just noticing the negative thoughts is often enough to remind me that I don't have to attach myself to them or identify with them.

So, your are directing your attention and energy towards the pleasure of doing yourself the favour of this cleanse and gratitude for your ability to do so. What else?

The second focus this weekend is on drinks. We are taking a break from caffeine, processed sugars, artificial sweeteners and alcohol. So, starting on Saturday morning, take a break from coffee and black tea, from all sodas including diet sodas and from all alcohols. Ideally throughout this cleanse you'll be drinking lots of water and as much herbal tea as you like. If you currently drink quite a lot of caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, colas etc) then you might like to drink green tea. It does contain caffeine, but much less than coffee and at this stage the important thing is to take a break from the coffee so if green tea will get you there then go ahead and drink it.

What about decaf?

There are some brands of decaffeinated coffee that are done with the Swiss Water Method. But the problem with coffee is not only caffeine, it is also a diaretic and it is acidic, so it  destabilises the akaline balance in your body. For this month, take a break. Just for the month I highly recommend taking in no coffee at all. Just try it. I never though I could do this, my boyfriend certainly never thought I could do this. But once I tried it for a month there was no going back. I've now been totally caffeine-free for six months. Give it a try, see how it feels for you.

As far as alcohol goes, the cleanse is alcohol free. But when I first did it I knew that giving up wine would be the biggest challenge for me (after coffee) so I decided that once a week, on a Saturday, I would allow myself a glass or two of the nicest red wine I could afford. I don't think it prevented the cleanse from working for me, and you may identify one thing that you want to retain as a very special once weekly treat. It might be a small bar of dark chocolate or a glass of red wine, but let's agree that it probably wouldn't be both. We are all about giving our body a really delicious break for a month, so let's not sell ourselves short...

So this weekend we are kicking off the cleanse by taking a break from coffee, black tea (NB: most chai is made from black tea, I make my own with red bush tea and it is delicious!), sodas and alcohol.

What about food?

We start that on Monday. Don't worry about it yet. But now is a good time to make sure you have some healthy supplies in the house. This is not a 'hard core' cleanse. We will be eating three meals a day! But we will be taking a break from processed and pre-packaged food. This months is all about whole foods - vegetables, whole grains, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds in particular. So stock up. Some of my pantry staples include:

• garbanzo beans (and a jar of tahini for making hummus!)
• black beans
• lentils
• brown rice (sacks of it!)
• wholemeal, rice and quinoa pasta
• qinoa!
• oils (olive, coconut and avocado in particular)
• nuts (almonds, brazil nuts etc) and nut butters, which can be homemade
• seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame etc)
• lots of vegetables including: avocado (if it is in season then it is in my vege basket), onion, garlic, chard, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, celery, carrots, beetroot, lots of fresh ginger, cucumber, lettuce, rocket, fresh herbs etc
• not so much fruit - I love fruit but it is very high in sugar and on this cleanse we'll be aiming to have no more than one or two pieces of fruit a day - preferably lower GI (more on that in a few days)

You might thinks of other things. Like bread... I don't really eat much bread  but if you are a sandwich l,over then you'll want some bread. At the minimum find a wholegrain bread. If possible then experiment with gluten free breads. Most importantly, check the ingredient list. You don't want a bread with lots of sugar in it! If you haven't already done so then now is a great time to experiment with flat breads: pita bread or mountain bread.

It will be up to you whether you want to go completely dairy, wheat/gluten or meat free on this cleanse. I'll be taking a break from wheat/gluten and from meat (which I don't eat anyway, so that's a bit of a cheat!) but I will probably have a little goat cheese and yoghurt because they seem to do me good and I've experimented in the past with cutting them out without any noticeable benefit. If you've never tried gluten or dairy or meat free then now is a good time to try. You might be surprised what a difference it makes.

Okay! That is more than enough information for one day! I won't be back with new 'instructions' until Monday. For the weekend we all have our mission: what we drink and what we think, plus stocking up for next week. Also, keep up the daily silent time. This is such a powerful tool in the cleanse that I really want to encourage you to make time for it. It might be five or ten minutes but it is probably the most valuable five or ten minutes of the cleanse each day. Again, get curious about it. I'm not going to convince you of anything. Just give it a try, every day for the month of October, and see what you think.

Most of all - talk to me! Let me know what you are thinking, feeling and doing. Let me know if any of this doesn't sound like it is going to work for you and I'll work with you to find the right alternative. It is so great having your company this month and I love knowing that we are all going to be feeling so shit hot in a matter of mere days. Woooohooo!