Shake off the winter blues, FAST!
Are you feeling sluggish, worn down or clogged up?
Did you know that the time of year we are most susceptible to illness is at the juncture between seasons?
According to yogic wisdom, as winter fades and glimpses of spring arise, we are at risk of developing congestion-related illnesses (especially if you’ve followed the instinct to huddle in your cave).
We hear a great deal about the benefits of cleansing, but one of the most effective ways of shaking off the toxic build up and tension of winter is with a short fast.
For many of us, the thought of no food or drink for any period of time sounds terribly unappealing, unless you know the long-term pay off.
In our culture of consumption, we’ve become entranced with living from one feast to the next, often diving into our next meal before our bodies have fully digested the previous one.
But in virtually all traditions and cultures, fasting is practiced as a means of purifying the body, clearing the mind and restoring the spirit.
While our heart and lungs agree to function every moment of our lives, our digestion responds well to an occasional break in order to function optimally.
If you want to step into spring, feeling fresh, light and fully alive, let your digestion nap, just for a day. By pausing this daily habit of eating, your system can detoxify, recalibrate and restore its strength.
How to get started? Choose a day when you can slow down to rest your body and mind. Then wake up, drink warm ginger and/or lemon tea and keep the pure fluids flowing all day. While you’ll want to postpone the 20km run, a slow restorative yoga class is the perfect complement.
During this time transition, I also highly recommend that you spend time assessing your vision and setting new intentions for the season of new life.
And a final bonus—enjoy the extra time in your day that you’d otherwise be spending on food preparation!
Jenny