[‘Part II’ has turned into a recollection of my past ten days rather than a dissertation on social networking; I have written up a separate post that discusses just that.]
It is Monday and as promised I am back in the saddle with ‘Part II’. I trust all of you had a fulfilling past week, and if you didn’t… well, it’s water under the bridge now. Take the best and learn from the rest (Cheesy, yet easily obtained).
I have gained much knowledge in my absence, most of which carries a great deal of depth. For now I will start with the most simplistic and see where that leads. If you have yet to read ‘Part I’ (See above post) I recommend that you do so at some point. It’s kind of like ‘The Godfather” whereas the second film is the best, but you need the first to lie down a bit of structure (We all know about the third Godfather…sheesh). While skimming through a bit of my emails Sunday night I have caught several of the questions you are asking – a majority of the answer are written clearly in my previous blog post. So do read through it, which will save me from retyping. (Thank You!)
The Details:
This short break from the world has opened my eyes to a great deal. Foremost, is the need for food – the obvious eye opener, right? With this particular cleanse the book states that your body is supplied the exact amount of minerals and nutrients needed to make it through the day. It also states that all actual hunger pangs will dissipate.
During this process I had realized that while I was not hungry I was constantly craving food. Does this mean that food is an addiction? Because after all, I was getting the nutrients I need, correct? This is all positively food for thought.
Pun intended.
I did at many times feel as if I was weaker. On “Day 6” I went to the park to shoot hoops and it was a struggle to keep shooting. I left there with a desire for protein. I returned to the book to see if it included any writings about mans need for it. There was a brief paragraph stating that the human being is made up of only 16 percent protein. Continuing to state that a majority of the protein that we need – we breathe.
Yeh… I don’t get it either.
The writer intrepidly says that we gather protein in the carbon dioxide and oxygen that we intake throughout the day. And that man’s need for it to survive is greatly exaggerated. He is very adamant that all should join him in a strict raw vegetable, fruit and nut diet – until death.
But whatever, I’m going to eat a steak again very soon.
Day after day I felt physically weak and had the same desire for protein and/or iron. The book does state that if you feel weak or unsatisfied to simply “have another.” This is something I had not done. I only partook in the minimum required amount of the concoction per day.
It is called the lemonade diet. Believe you me it is NOT lemonade. Straight up fresh squeezed lemon juice (makes you pucker up something fierce), grade B maple (right off the tree) and cayenne pepper. Not exactly something you’d want on a warm summer day.
So delightful.
I drank said concoction at least three times a day for ten days straight. Having a cup of hot tea, one that promotes “movement”, both morning and night. Every other day I would do what was called a “salt wash”… let me tell you. This is NOT a pleasant experience. Sparing the grueling details, this wash is the devil.
In the waking hours of “Day 10” I suddenly lost all desire to eat anything or partake in one dose of the “lemonade.” I was determined to go out with a bang on my last day, so I sucked it up and guzzled like crazy all day long.
The Benefits:
My goal in doing ‘The Master Cleanse’ was not to lose weight. My intent was to complete an actual cleanse of all toxins in my body, for the first time ever. I have heard it discussed by many throughout these past few years and always put it off. The timing seemed right for me to participate in this now as I had already been fasting (for spiritual reasoning) four days prior to beginning the cleanse.
Having said that, I am 6’ 1” in height and prior to this madness weighed in at approximately 190 pounds – about average for my size and build. My current weight is 172 pounds. That’s 18 pounds shed in just ten days – for all you math whiz-kids.
I have not lost any muscle tone, that I can tell, which is a great thing. You’d think after dropping 18 pounds I’d resemble a heroin addict rocker.
[Warning: Completely “Non-Medical” Analysis Approaching]
After “Day 5” I began to feel the actual cleanse itself taking place. You know, internally. I felt as if someone had been scrubbing my entire insides clean. This is VERY hard to explain unless you have experienced it. But believe me when I say that you can really tell the difference. My joints and muscles feel much better, very free. As if things are flowing properly – blood etc. My mind is much clearer (not including the spiritual benefits). It truly feels as if I had just “Benjamin-Buttoned” about ten years (Yeh, I made it a verb. It means to reverse age. So, I guess I’m saying I feel ten years younger).
Exercise, and the like, is something that is usually a part of my life in some form or another. Be it walking, playing basketball or hitting the gym. I have fallen out of anything habitual in this area for quite sometime. In doing this cleanse it has now become a strong desire to discipline myself to taking steps to maintaining a healthy body.
[I am already partaking ritualistically in a few different forms of exercise.]
The Multi-Media Fast:
Starting Monday of last week I decided to set aside everything that was a major distraction and pull myself into complete focus. I began by leaving the Internet and my phone for a week. WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR! Let me tell you, it was so nice not to feel like a slave attached to these things. As much as I LOVE keeping in touch with everyone’s life, and being accessible to all when I can, this was heavenly.
I felt as is I stepped back into time, back to a simpler day and age. I spoke on the phone a couple of times with my immediate family – aside from that it was the silence and I for a majority of my days. Wednesday night after watching a couple of films I turned off the TV and all music until I had completed my cleanse (yesterday).
This was when things got really quiet.
I dove into studying a couple of books written by one of my favourite authors, a contemplative monk. His books on the inner self and renewal are hard reads yet very life changing. I completed 3 books throughout this past week – between that and my time in meditation focus, and prayer I believe I experienced much growth. I’ll get to that later on.
As far as fasting media goes…
I think it is a much-needed thing for all of us. I would like to challenge you to try it for just one full day and see how you feel. Don’t fear the silence; don’t fear being alone with yourself. Embrace it. And the excuse of, “I can’t be away from my email/phone” doesn’t fly. You can, and you should.
Sitting in the silence of everyday life is something I usually do once a day for a few minutes. To have the silence continue for 4 days gives one a great perspective on the mind.
I plan to “sign-off” once a week and reflect. I will MAKE time for it. I believe it is needed for balance. This rat race lifestyle that we are all plugged into does not have to control us. If I had it my way I’d fast from the world 6 months out of the year. But this isn’t an option for me, yet.
How disciplined am I?
I had an advanced copy of ‘No Line On The Horizon’ the new album from U2 last week and did NOT listen to a single track, nary a one. Not eating food for ten days is one thing… sucking down this nasty concoction for ten days is another… BUT not listening to the new album from my favourite band, while having it in my hands, is a greater feat than even Superman could handle.
[BTW – I have now listened to the new album about 100 times; I think it’s amazing, I’ll write a blog about it eventually.]
On a serious note, self-discipline is the key to success. If you lack it – start small. Begin by taking baby steps. Even the smallest accomplishment will seem great. You are your own person, I can’t stress this enough. You will not live and grow at the same pace of those around you – the sooner you realize this the better off you are and the more YOU will take the shape of who you were meant to be. I will touch on the importance of finding who you are in my next lengthy writing. Just know that you climb your own mountain in this life and if you wait for others to carry you up it you’ll wait ‘til others are putting you six feet under.
Why am I thinking about this?
That is a question I asked continually as my mind would wander into regions of thought that stayed no course of reality. Allowing ones intellect to travel for sake of the creative imagination is one thing, yet to drift off into pointless banter over issues that hold no weight, one way or the other, began to seem pointless. Many of my thoughts throughout the day consisted of things I had no control over (When living constantly in complete silence you must battle your mind that is attempting to go where it pleases).
Why sit and stew when there is nothing that can be done about it. I have been learning to deal with what is handed to me one day at a time. Yes, I have many goals for the future that I am constantly working towards but the proper handling of the day that I am living in will reflect greatly upon the outcome of the future.
The Spiritual:
Regardless of your background or upbringing on religious matters I think most all of us can come to an agreement on one thing. There is a spiritual side in all of us. It saddens me that most travel throughout their lives without ever touching upon this, much less drawing from it.
Spirituality is something I hold very dear; it is a major part of who I am. I believe it exists without a religious barrier and it doesn’t need a name or a moniker. If it did it would be put on by man, thus destroying it.
Not to stray completely off topic but I feel the need to stress that I think man has taken almost full control of religion AND (dare I say it) Christianity.
“Gasp!”
The focus and “goal” in living the Christian life has deviated so far from the gospel truth that it sickens me and does make me hesitate in having any association. The frontrunners of Christianity today have become so obnoxiously loud in an attempt to be heard that it stifles the religion as a whole (Not to mention how tainted the word “religion” has become).
I know that humans are going to screw up; after all we are human. I know that we are all able to live in grace. Believe me there are PLENTY of beautiful souls out there accomplishing great things in the name of God.
You will rarely hear me rant on and on about things of this nature. I’d rather live it, personally, than talk about it all day long. Here are the last two thoughts on this direct topic that I will leave you with…
“The loudest one in the room IS the weakest.”
“Actions speak louder than words.”
Okay, now that that’s settled, back to Spirituality…
In the silence so much can be heard; in fact, you can hear everything.
[My discussion of this will be brief. Why you might ask? Because one, it is very personal to me. And two, I think that the depth of what I’ve learned is best left a mystery. In a one on one conversation I do not mind sharing where this time has taken me, if I feel comfortable doing so.]
This time set aside to focus solely on the inner “Cory Basil” has been above and beyond a blessing. If in the material world I missed out on work or a certain job here or there, it matters not. I consider this to be a personal stand that I made to grow, on the inside.
And I was not let down.
I have matured to a new level in my Spiritual journey and to me that is priceless. This time has not given me a ”writing on the wall”, per se, as in, “My child, go here… do this.”
However it has drawn back into me the ability to focus and pinpoint direction with a much clearer plan. I have been able to prioritize even down to the precious seconds what I should be doing with my time, and how I should be focusing.
[This post is well over 2,000 words and I need to wrap it up as to not lose you all. I will finish it off with one last thing that is on my mind…]
In Closing:
I made a strong point personally at the beginning of 2008 that I would no longer associate myself with negativity.
Plain and simple.
Friends I have had or do have that feed on negativity and think that it is humorous or necessary to constantly belittle others or talk down to others in front of or behind their back I have all but cut these people out of my life. This is not to say that I think in any way that I am better than those who do but to say that I have no room for it in my life.
The effects of negative energy on a person like myself are too powerful. I feel as though it is ill for my soul to partake or be a part. It brings me down. I feel the need to state this publically so that you know where I stand.
There is a time and place for venting and getting everything out about how you feel regarding life or old “so and so”. That’s what your parents, spouses and closest friends are for. If this is a habit of yours stop spewing negativity about everyone. Do you really think it does you any good? Do you really feel better about yourself in doing so?
This is NOT the same as – I’m having a bad day, negative things have happened to me that are out of my control or today my dog died and I’m sad. I think we all know which negativity I am speaking of.
What today looks like for me:
As I’m sure you know, leaving the Internet and my phone for a week caused a ginormous outpouring of emails, facebook inbox letters, twitter replies/direct messages, voice mails and text messages. I am trying to sort through all of these and get to “work related” ones ASAP and the rest will follow suit.
My next post, which I have been developing, will consist of all things Social Networking.
Do check back for that. And as always, thank you greatly for taking the time out of your day to partake in my writings. I do hope that in some way they have challenged you or at least caused you to reflect on your personal life.
Godspeed.
Cory Basil
