Day 4 of my week long juicing experience brought a couple of ahas…deeper realizations and a greater awareness about my body, and another what is this feeling? moment.
The awareness of experiencing a new feeling occurred in the shower, where I do some of my best contemplating. I woke up feeling energetic and lighter in my body. There is actually a scientific reason for both. The body uses up to 50% of its energy each day, digesting food. Since I am only drinking liquids, which move rapidly through the digestive system, I am freeing up energy.
And I am not carrying partially disgested food in my intestinal tract, hence the feeling of being lighter, and leaner. It is possible I’ve lost a bit of weight too this week. I’ll verify that this Monday.
As I showered I noticed that the energetic feeling I was experiencing was actually extending beyond my body about 8 inches. My hands tingled with energy as I experimentally passed them through my energetic field, or aura.
I am very familiar with energy work and the aura and I have felt similar surges in my energy after doing meditation. So far I have not located an account of anyone else feeling this heightened sense of enegy beyond her body during juicing. However, I will do further research on the phenomenon. It would seem that as my body cleanses and grows healthier my energy field is doing the same.
Besides my morning celery juice, I only drank two other juices today.
This recipe made 32 ounces of refreshing green juice! I sipped on it all afternoon, which is why I skipped a mid-afternoon juice. I didn’t need one. This light crisp juice was my favorite today.
I was curious about this recipe that includes a jalapeño in the ingredients. I expected a spicy juice and although it had a great flavor it really didn’t have much of a kick. There was a bit of heat in my mouth after I drank it and that was it. Perhaps if I’d left the seeds in…
The other realization I had today began during a conversation I had with my friend Cate. We discussed health, among other topics, and chatted about how important it is to listen to what our bodies need, as identified through cravings and the sense of being drawn or repulsed by certain foods.
I was drawn to more vegetables today, and less fruit, for example. I honored that craving, as my body let me know what nutrients it required, by drinking juices that were primary made from veggies.
Sadly, until very recently, I have not paid attention to what my body was asking for. I chose instead to eat a poor, if very common, diet full of sugar, dairy, gluten and processed “food”. I did so, even though my body reacted negatively to those foods.
Talking to Cate, I realized that all my life I’ve shown an intolerance toward dairy, wheat and sugar that resulted in digestive issues that began in childhood. By the time I was an adult I suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, gall bladder problems, reoccurring stomach pain and acid reflux. I kept anti acids with me at all times…and continued eating what I had always eaten.
I am so grateful that I finally started listening and changed my diet. Going plant based isn’t for everyone. But it is absolutely right for me. How do I know? Because my body is responding so positively to this new way of eating.
Juicing this week is nourishing my body at a deep level. And surprisingly, it is nourishing my mind and spirit as well, allowing new thoughts to arise, freeing up time to include yoga in my daily routine, and raising my awareness about how incredible my body is as it responds with health and wellness.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made indeed. I’m glad I have remembered that, and now choose to honor who I am.