Cleanse/Fast for Energy Work

[BAMF]

I am starting this thread because I've noticed that HappyKarma does so many 21 day cleanses in relation to his Reiki trainings/attunements.

I would like to hear more about how energy workers feel about keeping their own bodies clean and clear with diet, exercise, fluids in order to facilitate a more efficient/effective energy work session.

Do you think it is necessary?

Have you noticed a difference?

Have you changed your eating/drinking/exercise habits as you evolved as an energy worker?

Thank you for your insights and experience!

 

[Robert B]

Hey akb :

I am an avid believer in fasting and detox,and I think it really makes a huge difference--I always feel so much better if I fast and detox after a rough week or an attunement-I have been doing it since I began my Reiki journey,and it's just something I do regularly. I was always told by my Reiki Master that only a clean Reiki channel sends good energy. I have just become a Reiki Master recently(yay !!)and have been changing several things I was doing-- for example during this Cleanse, I am not consuming any carbonated or alcoholic beverages,chocolate,large amounts of red meat or refined sugars.....that cuts out my steak and Budweiser,oh well! I am also exercising more,journaling dreams and random thoughts, and meditating regularly.I give myself 4-5 self treatments per day,and just can't begin my day without it! Also,completing a proper 21 day (or sometimes longer) cleanse will prepare,purify and open each Chakra fully. This will ensure one is a clear channel for Reiki energy to flow! I am always told I always have much stronger energy following a cleanse. I am very pleased at just how much Reiki has changed me on all levels so far,and I look forward to what's to come. I feel this is where the Universe wants me,and I am happy to oblige! Hope this helps!

Love and Light- t059
Johnny

 

[Dr. Natural]

Cleanse/Fast for Energy Work

I am starting this thread because I've noticed that HappyKarma does so many 21 day cleanses in relation to his Reiki trainings/attunements.

I would like to hear more about how energy workers feel about keeping their own bodies clean and clear with diet, exercise, fluids in order to facilitate a more efficient/effective energy work session.

Do you think it is necessary?

Have you noticed a difference?

Have you changed your eating/drinking/exercise habits as you evolved as an energy worker?

Thank you for your insights and experience!

Hi there Akb,

I am only level 2 reiki and I have noticed that each attunement the cleanout process comes in two ways for me. It comes in the physical sense with my body just expelling things out if you know what I mean and then it comes, at least for me in the dream realm. After each of my attunements for each level I have noticed that the dream I have that night is cleaning me out in some way or another. My first one was more personal and dealt with someone from my past and when I got level 2 it was more centered on a self cleanout and I will not get into the second dream because it was a bit icky but both were definately cleaning my mind and soul out for the energy to flow better.

I am in college so eating right does pose a bit of a challenge but I do my best. I try and have a balanced 3 meals a day with at least one meal having a fruit or vegetable in it somehow. I do have my days where it is not possible to eat great but I just increase my water intake on those days and for me, that works. All in all, I have noticed marked differences within my body and even how I handle stress from day to day.

Hope that helps and answers some questions. Best of luck and be well.

holistichealer

 

[Ed J]

From Oct 21 - Dec 23 '06, I did cleansing fast from all refined sugar, massageplanetfiene, and alcohol as a part of martial arts energy-work training. For six of those weeks, "intimate physical relations" were also forbidden (tyring to put it nicely). I cannot begin to descibe to you what a difference it made both in energy flow through me to my clients, and in my ability to sense the energy-flow of my clients.

My opinion is that, while it may not be absolutely necessary for an energy-worker to fast/eat healthy/exercise, etc, it *is* absolutely necessary to do so if an energy-worker wants to realize his or her full potential.

Did that make any sense?

It's not something that most folks can keep up indefinitely. I drop the massageplanetfiene for about 2 weeks out of each month, but I still eat sugar and have the occasional glass of wine now.

Kemilyna (who is very sad to have reached the bottom of her cup of black tea with milk and sugar just now).

 

[Deo Maskey]

I had forgotten how cleansing some simple dietary changes can be until I read this thread...

At school a cleanse or a fast meant something like only brown rice and chapparal, or the polarity diet that the founder would lead (see http://www.weare1.us/Health%20Building.html ).

Unrefined, organic, vegetarian food? That was just the daily fare.

The first three weeks were such a major adjustment though. I won't tell you the details of what my digestive system went through ;-) We learned that an organic vegetarian whole foods diet was naturally cleansing, and that for folks used to the Standard American Diet (that was most of us students) it could be uncomfortably cleansing at first.

These days my diet at home is still fairly whole, organic, and vegetarian. It's eating out that really gets me. Everything goes out the window, except for a tendency to prefer taquerias that offer brown rice and whole wheat tortillas.

So the first step for me to clean things up is always eating out less (not at all seems so impossible). I haven't experimented with any of the cleansing herbs... my normal life doesn't offer the proper space for that. To really do it, I think I would need to do a retreat. Mmmm that sounds like such a good idea.

Vacation as cleanse. Gimme.

 

[MR.GPH]

It's been about two months since I've given up meats and alcohol and I have noticed that I feel much cleaner inside and my energy feels lighter.

I also feel that I am putting out more energy/intention during my massage sessions, but I have also been meditating, invoking blessings, and practicing yoga more as well.

 

[villaltaroger]

Happy New Year All,
I'm reopening this to ask for help from those who have done a cleansing fast. I have been interested in doing one for years but had some reservations 1) I have no discipline and 2) more importantly- I'm concerned about my energy levels and ability to continue to provide massage. The detox smells are also concerning...
Has anyone successfully fasted and continued to work? Did you still drink juice? How long did you fast? Did ya stink?
Please help!

 

[I hate Peugeot]

Wow, no one replied to sasafrass' question?

Well, I am in the last week of my current cleanse, and it is finishing up fabulously I think.

So to address your concerns:

1) Discipline... yes, this is needed But it is a muscle that can be built up. Try a couple of one-day cleanse first. Then try some three-days. Then try a week. You will learn lots in each phase that you can bring into the next.

Also, start out with a low intensity cleanse. Don't try to jump into a full fast... fasting in general may not even be what you need/want. There are many different ways to cleanse... try cutting out meat, alcohol, and massageplanetfeine for starters. After you can do that for a week, maybe try for example three days of that and in the middle day you only eat brown rice, mung beans, and vegetables.

2) Energy levels... YMMV, but I have not had a huge problem with this while doing a three week cleanse with nutritional support (a powdered supplement called Medi-Clear). I did notice less energy in at least the first week to 10 day, but that just meant I stayed at home more. Also my sleep wasn't stable during that time, so it's hard to say how much of that was the diet.

3) Smells... I have not noticed much in the way of this. Again, YMMV. But starting out with short term experiments should give you the information you need.

BTW, if you believe the marketing materials of the makers of Medi-Clear, the liver needs proper nutritional support in order to cleanse properly. I am very doubtful about full fasts or juice only fasts for the vast majority of people. I think they are only for experienced folks who know what they're doing and why. I don't think they are necessary for most people's purposes.

 

[Adrianna Q]

I developed Orthorexia after doing a cleanse diet so I am very wary of it. I would not recommend attempting something like this alone.

I think there needs to be a lot more research into this.. at the moment mainstream health practitioners seem to be completely dismissive of "detox diets"
The difficult thing is that once you start "cleansing" it is hard to know when to stop... so many dramatic changes happen in the body and it is hard to go back to eating "normally" after restricting your diet for a period of time. If you are underweight this can lead to a form of anorexia which is very dangerous...

 

[confusion]

I developed Orthorexia after doing a cleanse diet so I am very wary of it. I would not recommend attempting something like this alone.

I think there needs to be a lot more research into this.. at the moment mainstream health practitioners seem to be completely dismissive of "detox diets"
The difficult thing is that once you start "cleansing" it is hard to know when to stop... so many dramatic changes happen in the body and it is hard to go back to eating "normally" after restricting your diet for a period of time. If you are underweight this can lead to a form of anorexia which is very dangerous...

 

[Drogo]

Happy New Year All,
I'm reopening this to ask for help from those who have done a cleansing fast. I have been interested in doing one for years but had some reservations 1) I have no discipline and 2) more importantly- I'm concerned about my energy levels and ability to continue to provide massage. The detox smells are also concerning...
Has anyone successfully fasted and continued to work? Did you still drink juice? How long did you fast? Did ya stink?
Please help!

I don't do reiki and I try to keep my energy work to a minimum. However, regarding fasting: I am just finishing up a second three day, water only fast. The nice thing about a fast is that you have the ability to break it at any time. Some people suggest try it and see how far you get. This second fast I am on, was much harder than the first one. I don't know why, except for maybe that I worked the first 8 hours of it. I started it at 2pm and had clients until finishing at 10:30pm that first night.

For the first water fast I did, I did not work the first day. Personally, I cannot work the second or third day, due to headaches and fatigue. This particular fast (second one) has triggered some severe headaches and some very bad nightmares. I think I am just getting rid of crap.

I will also say that on the second day of this second fast, I washed a LOT of sheets and folded them, as well as worked on a woodworking project (shelf). I'd suggest not doing such, but I am such a zippy person it is hard for me to stay more on the still side. Though the second fast I have learned the power of remaining calm and not moving too much. Too much movement = weak and tired.

I have also not slept well during this second fast. However, I did not sleep well during the first, and had not had good sleep for at least the past 6 years (roughly 4 - maybe 5 good hours a night if I was lucky). Most of that cleared up with the first fast, so I am hoping that once this second fast is over, my sleep patterns are back to a good 8 hours.

I have also been doing these fasts as a help to my hubby who is doing them for specific health reasons -- severe pesticide poisoning detox.

Other related issues: some skin problems due to a stress-related situation for a few years now that acupuncture, herbs and the fasts (with newfound sleep) seem to be clearing out. So, as much as they suck, I still think for me they are worth it.

I also make sure and leave a final recovery day after the fast, in my scedule where I don't work. It has made a great difference for me.

As for smells, the first water fast I did made me stink, bad. This one has not been so obvious.

For cleanses: I highly recommend Standard Process' 21 Day Purification Program. I really like their Protein Shake a lot. In regard to the headaches I mentioned below, please make note that hubby is detoxing from pesticide poisoning, so generally those kind of headaches would not be something to expect for an average healthy person.

My comments from Ugh protein shakes

Hubby did a similar cleanse (21 Day Purification Program) with Standard Process, and though their Protein Mix (SP Complete) is excellent... 2 scoops, 4 slices of frozen peaches, 4 ice cubes and almond milk blended up in a Magic Bullet -- it knocked him on his rear.

He had some muncher headaches.

Meeforum.xxxenics also has detox options. Like Standard Process this must be purchased through a doctor/chiropractor. I have tried the UltraClear program (not sure how they are doing it now) about 17 years ago and I think the taste was terrible, but I bet in the past 17 years they've improved on that. I am just a Standard Process gal. Different strokes for different folks. Both companies are good.



~*~

I developed Orthorexia...

I didn't know what Orthorexia was, so I looked it up. I thought maybe some other people would appreciate me posting the found info here, so they didn't have to go on a search:

Orthorexia nervosa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Orthorexia, or orthorexia nervosa is a term coined by Steven Bratman, a Colorado MD, to denote an eating disorder characterized by excessive focus on eating healthy foods. In rare cases, this focus may turn into a fixation so extreme that it can lead to severe malnutrition or even death.[1][2]

Bratman coined the term in 1997 from the Greek orthos, "correct or right", and orexis for "appetite"[3]. Literally "correct appetite", the word is modeled on anorexia, "without appetite", as used in definition of the condition anorexia nervosa. Bratman describes orthorexia as an unhealthy obsession (as in obsessive-compulsive disorder) with what the sufferer considers to be healthy eating. The subject may avoid certain foods, such as those containing fats, preservatives, animal products, or other ingredients considered by the subject to be unhealthy; if the dietary restrictions are too severe or improperly managed, malnutrition can result. Bratman asserts that "emaciation is common among followers of certain health food diets, such as rawfoodism, and this can at times reach the extremes seen in anorexia nervosa." In addition, he claims that "anorexic orthorexia" can be as dangerous as anorexia. However, he states, "the underlying motivation is quite different. While an anorexic wants to lose weight, an orthorexic wants to feel pure, healthy and natural. Eating disorder specialists may fail to understand this distinction, leading to a disconnect between orthorexic and physician."[1][4]

According to the Macmillan English Dictionary, the word is entering the English lexicon.[5]. It is not an official medical diagnosis, and it is not listed in the DSM-IV[6]. However, it is used as a diagnosis by some practitioners who have documented the damaging results of the condition, as they have seen in their practices.[7][8][9]

Diagnostic criteria
As of January 2007, two peer-reviewed studies have been published on the condition. [10] [11] In the studies, Donini et al define orthorexia nervosa as a "maniacal obsession for healthy foods" and propose several diagnostic criteria.[10] Sufferers of orthorexia often display symptoms consistent with obsessive-compulsive disorder and have an exaggerated concern with healthy eating patterns. A diagnostic questionnaire has been developed for orthorexia sufferers, similar to questionnaires for other eating disorders.[11] Bratman proposes an initial self-test composed of two direct questions: "Do you care more about the virtue of what you eat than the pleasure you receive from eating it?... Does your diet socially isolate you?" [12]

Symptoms and Theory
Symptoms of orthorexia nervosa may include obsession with healthy eating, emaciation, and death by starvation. Orthorexic subjects typically have specific feelings towards different types of food. Preserved products are described as "dangerous", industrially produced products as "artificial", and biological products as "healthy". Sufferers demonstrate a strong or uncontrollable desire to eat when feeling nervous, excited, happy or guilty. According to the abstract of a 2004 study quoted on PubMed, a service of the National Institutes of Health, "The analysis of the physiological characteristics, the social-cultural and the psychological behaviour that characterises subjects suffering from ON shows a higher prevalence in men and in those with a lower level of education."[10]

Biology of orthorexia nervosa
There has been no investigation into whether there may be a biological cause specific to orthorexia nervosa. However, Donini et al link orthorexia to a food-centered manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorder, which is thought to have specific biological causes.

 

[tori w]

Pueppi, thanks for the info on orthorexia. I actually have 2 male clients with this disorder and I really didn't know that much about it. The part about it being a food-centered manifestation of OCD is useful knowledge.

 

[Rock Firestorm]

Ok so I feel a little dumb for asking this, but what the heck are you guys talking about with the smells?? Like BO or what? Is it TMI?? lol

Also, if you are cleansing and putting in healthier stuff, why would that make one smell bad?

:::cringing in advance at the answer::::: :roll:

 

[GoodyGoody]

Your body seems to spit stuff out when you detox. Somtimes it can make you stinky.

 

[The Beckster]

Biology of orthorexia nervosa
There has been no investigation into whether there may be a biological cause specific to orthorexia nervosa. However, Donini et al link orthorexia to a food-centered manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorder, which is thought to have specific biological causes.

That is very interesting, thanks for posting that. I know there are many factors that contribute to the development of an eating disorder... though I wasn't aware before I started the cleanse, I have always had personality factors that predisposed me to anorexia/bulimia.. for anybody with these predispositions any kind of diet can become a trigger for ED symptoms.
Anorexics restrict their food intake because they are afraid of gaining weight, Orthorexics restrict because they are afraid of toxicity caused by the food ...the motivation is slightly different but the result is the same.

 

[MrRawr]

I have not done a fast since last december, though I feel my body is craving one at the moment.
The best types of fast's I have found are juice fasts. I can say that my juicer is one of the best things I have in my kitchen, since drinking the juice right away is an important key for it to be effective.
Soaking in hot epsom salt baths while detoxing can help with the stinky problem, by the way. The epsom salts can help draw more out of you through your skin, so it can clear that crap out a bit better. I use roughly 2 cups of salt and a few drops of eucalyptus oil, to help open and clear my senses too.