Mental Detox

MUSING

A couple weeks ago, as I was settling in for my nightly sleep, what I can best summarize as a ‘mental detox’ occurred.  It was fascinating to observe and unpleasant to receive.

A week early, while cleaning out a cabinet, a ‘detox’ kit from Desert Sage Herbs reappeared. Purchased March of 2020 as businesses were shutting down and struggling; it held appeal and allowed me to support local.  When it appeared again, it was the time to embrace the invitation and see where it took me.

My self-assessment was that a little more discipline in my dietary intake would identify what I was overlooking and that, overall, my food diet was healthy and supportive. Just 24 hours into the detox it became clear this was an incorrect assessment; a dull achy head presented itself for much of the day and into the next. An unexpected surprise, this seemed to point to processed food, specifically sugar and habitual patterns of eating without full attentiveness.

 Yet the biggest surprise came on the 7th night, settling in for sleep, I was disrupted by a mental detox. It’s presented as all sorts of ‘insights’ that, while helpful to see, were unpleasant to witness. The subtleties of thoughts revealed themselves in cascades and waves, including revealing thinking patterns of superiority, inferiority, grasping, being unkind in thoughts, words or actions, and more. The details matter to me, for they point me in the direction of shadow work and allow me to accept the invitation for additional exploration. This work becomes easier with practice and as the deluge of unpleasant revealing continued, almost like a picture show of where the light has not yet reached, mostly it was received for what it is – another step in the journey. Albeit, still unpleasant.

This continued into the next day and then, equally unexpectedly, came heightened mental clarity. The appropriate actions were more evident, less consternation about choices, and an ongoing ease with reactive patterns slowing down. This carrot, plus how I feel physically, continues to invite me to practice heightened awareness of physical consumption.

The detox kit included herbal teas, drops, and essential oil roller with simple instructions. I recognized immediately how often a piece of chocolate after a meal or mid-day was being used. The instructions are simple; consume whole, unprocessed, clean food, avoid sugar and caffeine.

 This approach, or others, are only appropriate when the time is right for you, and you’ll know it. My detox kit sat in a cabinet for 18 months before the time was right. It is yet one more option to see what our patterns are, where are we unaware of what we are consuming – physically and otherwise? It offers an opportunity for insight, reflection, and noticing. From that place of non-judgement, we can decide if there are changes that will serve not only us, but also the greater good.

 There are many ways to step back; a physical detox may be one. Social media another. Attentiveness to what we take in mentally another – books, movies, news, series. Another allows all emotions to arise, be felt, and released. 

Is there an invitation for you to detox emotionally, physically, or mentally to heighten spiritual awareness? Need support? I’m here!  

MODALITY

Yoga body psychology supports our opening to who we are; it is a detox of sorts on several levels. Through this modality, also called Yoga Therapy, the places in the body that are holding on to ‘something’ can be identified and gradually, whatever that something is, can be released. Breath is supported as a revealer of those places needing our attention and is part of the mechanism by of letting go or reducing the grasp of what we are holding too tightly. Breath helps reveal the areas where a detox is invited.

The body knows. It is a repository of information just waiting to be accessed to support us on our life journey. Our physical and energetic body is standing by, sometimes patiently and sometimes not, waiting for us to pause and listen to the messages it desires to share. These messages, when received, allow us to live more fully in our body. When we ignore the messages, the body becomes impatient and will ‘speak up’ more and more, until we finally pay attention.

Through the practice of breath and yoga therapy, we invite the body to speak so we can learn. We can access the innate knowing of deep wisdom that is unique to us. Planted there to be revealed at the time that is appropriate. Just like a detox, the body does not need to hold it any longer and it can be released, revealed, and simply allowed to be as it is. That also means we no longer need to hold on tightly any longer. There is no longer a need, often unconscious, to repress or hold back.

Once the repressed emotions or stories or physical tightness is softened, and often moved, we are lighter, move with more ease. We are more open to what we can learn and where our path is guiding us. We feel better on many levels. Our openness increases and we are receptive to various opinions. Our mental acuity can increase and there is clarity of purpose and action.

The body knows. Listen. Listening takes practice and that is where support can be helpful, and that is why I get to do what I do. Help people find a little more ease, a little more light, and more physical, mental and emotional flexibility in life. So we all shine brighter. Curious to learn more? Book a free consult or an exploratory session.