How to Approach Cleansing

There are so many types of cleanses, and ways to approach cleansing, and they are all good in a specific context. 

Your current context should determine which approach you take to cleansing.

If you are a busy person playing roles and handling responsibilities, a juice cleanse isn't a fit for you. But that doesn't mean you cannot take powerful steps to cleanse - we just need to tailor your best fit.  

Your context

Here are the questions I pose to myself and clients when customizing a cleanse approach.

What are your present signs and symptoms (Current State)?

What are your personal cleansing goals (e.g. clear inflammation, do Seasonal maintenance)?

What's going on with you emotionally?

What are the logistics of your life that the cleanse needs to happen within? (e.g. work, care taking)

Season

Equinoxes mark the time for seasonal cleansing. When it's Kapha season, we focus more on releasing accumulation. We bring in more greens than in the Fall because we're preparing for the heat of the summer. Greens have all the good Kapha balancing actions (cooling, detoxing, clearing accumulation). 

In the Fall, the approach is more focused on nourishing depleted tissues, moisturizing, grounding, and clearing any heat which built up over the summer. It's not about clearing accumulation, and is warming so more warm cooked and spiced foods are balancing (V balancing). How warming you go will depend on how much P your body is revealing vs Vata - signs and symptoms.

Signs & Symptoms

Your current signs and symptoms should guide the types of foods/drinks you use, and the way they are prepared e.g. cold pressed juice vs stew.

• If you are more inflamed (Pitta imbalanced), you'll want to do a cleanse which focuses on restoring suppleness and clearing heat.

• If you are more heavy and sluggish (Kapha imbalanced), you'll want to do a cleanse that strips away buildup and revitalizes.

• If you are more depleted and Vata imbalanced, you'll want to do a more restorative cleanse which is very gentle on digestion. 

Emotional Needs

Cleansing has clear emotional healing benefits, and cleansing is therapeutic whenever you need emotional support to:

• let go of what's not serving you (get unstuck)
• get clear (e.g. on what does serve you, on what you want)
• move from victimization into empowerment

That's where you're headed post cleanse. During cleansing, it can feel terrible as you clear out residual emotional baggage. Plan for this. You'll want to support your ability to be alone, process, cry, journal, etc.

Your Cleanse

Obviously, this is a personal choice. Only you can feel your current context and really feel in your gut what is best. You may have to fight your mind and vanity.

Your patterns should be considered. Are you someone who tends towards extremes - in this case, a more sustainable approach to healthy eating is better. If you already are quite disciplined and consistent, a more extreme approach could be a great fit. 

However, when in doubt, you can take as many steps towards:

More: greens, fruits and veggies, hydration, cleansing herbs, unprocessed fresh organic foods, soups and easy to digest forms of food

Less: meat, dairy, eggs, fish, nightshades, processed foods and condiments, uppers and downers, tamasic foods (yogis), addictive substances for you

Timing

The more steps you take towards a simple plant based, yet nourishing diet, the more your body benefits. Every step counts. Less extreme is more sustainable. Aim for a full 7 days, but something is better than nothing. At 3 days you're making good progress in the gut and emotional things will hit. Days 4-7 are harder for some, and easier for others, but this is where the deeper shift happens in your habits and tastes and emotional frequency. 

One of the most important things people miss in cleansing is to stay at home. This could affect the timing of when you wish to cleanse.

Which makes now an even more supported and practical time to cleanse. Staying at home reduces extra energy that we usually spend in transition, transfer, and outward in transactions - this is important to counter the extra energy it takes to detox. It reduces our exposure to external energetics when we are more open and vulnerable because our bodies are releasing and reprogramming. 

Support

What do you need to put down to create space for your detoxing process? You may need more rest, more alone time, more support - try to set yourself up to be able to have the supports you need in place before you start cleansing.

Are you using any new tools or approaches that you feel nervous about? That's a sign to do a guided cleanse. 

Further Resources

Guided Cleanse

Every Spring & Fall, there's a juice and kitchardi cleanse led by the wise and lovely Meredith of Pranaful. She hosts a three calls during the beginning middle and end. There are recipes and guided meditations and access to ask her any question you have the entire time. You'll be held in the process. It's already super reasonably priced, and here's a promo code if you'd like to try it out. 

https://www.pranaful.com/cleanse Promo code: SIVA 

Current State Assessments

You have these in my book, my intro course on One Commune, and my Heal Yourself program!