Cleansing

Well, after a heavy, philosophical post yesterday, I figured I might follow it with one that was a little more superficial.  Yes, that's a little contradictory - in fact, my claims at searching "Santosha" are themselves contradictory as anyone who knows my shopping habits can attest.  Suffice it to say, I do admit I've got a lot of things to get in check if I'm going to be honest in my yogic lifestyle.
This spring, "Cleansing" was everywhere, most likely in an attempt to get everyone "bikini body" ready.  Try the Blueprint Cleanse - you'll drop 10 pounds in 15 days.  Try the Master Cleanse - 5 pounds in 5 days.  The GOOP cleanse - you'll look just like Gwyneth did at the Oscars!  Well, I attempted the Zrii detox.  And it got me absolutely NO results.  Wish Santosha was on my radar back then - I would have been content and satisfied with my jiggly thighs and soft tummy.  Alas, I am human, and like all humans, I struggle with finding contentment and satisfaction.
I digress.  The Zrii cleanse is promoted by the Chopra Center (the DEEPAK Chopra Center), which is where I first learned about it.  The Center was offering a 7 day Zrii detox kit to kick off the spring and rid your body of accumulated toxins, excess fluid, and in the process, you "might" lose a few pounds (like 7-10!), but "we're not promising anything".
Good thing they didn't, because I didn't lose 7 pounds.  I gained 5.  On top of the 5 I had gained over the winter.  Yeah, I'm not really at my fighting weight, and my recent addiction to Liquorice Allsorts (I know, strange...but they're surprisingly yummy! Creamy, coconut-y, anise-y.  I somehow got hooked.) isn't helping.  I did the detox over the Easter break, for the most part because the literature accompanying the kit mentioned it was best to be free from distractions and have easy access to the bathroom (Hey, that sounds promising - really getting rid of that toxic stuff, eh?).  What they weren't counting on was my easy access to Coconut M&Ms and Cadbury mini eggs.
I started each day by taking 3 capsules of some greenish brown herbal blend.  15 minutes after that, I was to drink something reminiscent of old-school Metamucil (a greenish powder which was stirred into 8 oz of water) AND drink a full tablespoon of Zrii "CitrusCleansing Oil".  I gagged.  I gagged every single time I had to swallow that tablespoon, so I reduced it to half a tablespoon, and eventually eliminated it.  Well, maybe that oil was essential to the cleanse and that's why I gained weight instead of losing.
What really happened is that I wasn't being mindful - haven't been mindful - and that's what balancing your weight (and LIFE!) is about.  Being mindful about what I'm eating, when I'm eating it, and how I'm eating is a lifestyle change.  That kind of change is the one that gets results - not some quick fix 5 to 7 day detoxing cleanse with crazy ingredients that supposedly "stoke the inner fire" and increase your metabolism to lose weight.  What you're inevitably losing is water weight - which you will gain back when the cleanse is done, unless you use the cleanse to jumpstart your LIFESTYLE change.
In the meantime, if you're feeling clogged with toxins and would like to rid your body of the "ick" that's in there, try cleansing through asana.  Simple spinal twists wring out the kidneys and liver - your "built-in" detoxifiers.  Gentle backbends offer the same benefits.  Add these postures to your lifestyle changes, and you'll lose the weight AND actually detox!
Thanks for reading....more to follow!