Getting rid of toxic behaviour whether its smoking or jealousy, binge-eating or anger (and how often are they inextricably linked!) creates space within us for change, transformation and empowerment.
A detox is a form of rebirth, as old habits die and new positive ones are encouraged to grow. Sometimes we fear change and we are holding onto something that prevents us from letting go. It sounds very simple to 'let go,' but when we have spent a long time creating habits, they are often firmly engrained in the mind and body.
What is holding us back from creating change? First things first, we have to really want to change.
Health guru Deepak Chopra says "recognise that your intentions are extremely powerful." And Taoist healer, the Barefoot Doctor says "It's only your thought processes that limit what you can achieve in this abundant universe!"
If you do want to make a change in your life, you need to take responsibility for yourself. Your life is your business, so create a business plan with realistic goals and contingency plans for tough times.
Having a mental picture of yourself in one month or one year's time creates a goal - but don't put that mythical new you on a pedestal. If you create too much of a 'dream' you, you will always be dissatisfied with yourself in the here and now and the reality you create will never be good enough, will never live up to expectations.
"Watch your internal dialogue," says Deepak Chopra. "Is it coming from your ego, which is seeking for approval or trying to dominate or convince or cajole or seduce or manipulate? Ask yourself where is my internal dialogue coming from. Is it coming from my ego or is it coming from my soul? Because if it is coming from my soul, then I don't need to convince, cajole, control, manipulate. I just need to flow with what is happening."
Detox Your Body
We eat for many reasons, not all to do with hunger! Sometimes we eat to fill a void in our lives, because we are upset, or because we are treating ourselves for a job well done… and sometimes we eat because we are hungry.
If you want to lose weight, or eat healthier, it is important to look at why and when you eat. Of course cutting calories and doing exercise helps us maintain our bodies, but often we do not listen to our bodies needs and that is when we create problems.
Nutritionist Russell Jacobs, makes a simple analogy… "We don't fill up the car with petrol and then leave it parked!"
We can literally cut ourselves off from the neck down and fail to listen to the wisdom of the body. Usually we defer decisions to the 'rational' mind. We second-guess every situation from the mind, rather than feeling it out through the body - gut instinct or intuition. Acknowledging our instinctual selves unlocks a deeper understanding of the body and our paths or choices in life.
We also need to listen to our language. We may say we want to 'give up' smoking or 'give up' chocolate… giving up implies denying ourselves something.
So you need to look at 'giving up' from another viewpoint; from the positive, like saying "I will stop smoking to improve my breathing or I will eat raw fruit or veg because it is more nourishing than fried foods."
Detox Your Mind
Author Deborah Marshall Warren has pinpointed some questions which reveal a lot about what goes on inside your head…
Have you forgotten to think about yourself?
Do you think the cup is half empty, rather than half-full?
Do you have worries and niggles constantly on your mind?
Do your days come and go without much difference between them?
Is there something you'd like to do but never seem to have time?
Would you like to wake up looking forward to the day ahead?
Could you do with a giggle?
Would you like to change your world?
Getting on the emotional rollercoaster whether its hormonal or otherwise can create stress in the body and prevent us living our full potential. The more we react to situations, by flying off the handle or dissolving into tears, the more we create these reactions as our normal ways of being - and quite often these have an impact in that we eat or smoke to calm down.
Whether we get angry, frustrated, jealous or over sensitive, understanding what triggers us can show us where our insecurities lie, where we feel weak and where we feel out of control.
Control is a key aspect of the third chakra at the solar plexus. Our anger can shine a light on our deepest selves, as we so often use anger as a mask, a cover-up for what's really going on inside - grief, self-doubt, pain, vulnerability. We don't like to acknowledge that we have been hurt or that we feel pain, so we act out, we lash out, we cover it up with anger.
Sitali Pranayam is a simple breathwork which can diffuse anger if we are likely to blow a fuse.
Sit comfortably and stick out your tongue slightly so that it makes a 'U' shape (genetically some people cannot do this, so if this is your case, just breathe over the tongue,) then take a deep breath in through the mouth, through the 'U' shape and breathe out through the nose.
Meditation creates mental space. Whether it is silent meditation or mantra, we create a stillness, a centredness, a connection that is priceless.
According to Yogi Bhajan, master of Kundalini Yoga, Jesus and Buddha practiced a meditation called Smiling Buddha Kriya and I recommend it to help you be in the moment and feel good about yourself.
Sit with a straight spine. Arms are bent at the elbows with elbows touching ribs, and the forearms and hands sticking out at 30 degrees.
Hold the ring and the little fingers down with the thumb, keeping the index and middle fingers together and straight up, palms facing forward.
Concentrate at the third eye and mentally chant and vibrate SA TA NA MA at the third eye. Sa Ta Na Ma means I am Truth. The mantra connects the third eye to the heart.
If we can slip into that space of centredness, that space of connection, we have more chance to see our life's path, to feel our heart's desires and when we have this connection, all our dreams for the future have the support to grow and blossom.