The yoga-body cleanse : a 7-day Ayurvedic detox to rejuvenate your body and calm your mind

110 Pages·2013·1.4 MB·English

by  Westen

THE
YOGA-BODY
CLEANSE
A 7-DAY AYURVEDIC DETOX
TO REJUVENATE YOUR BODY
AND CALM YOUR MIND
ROBIN WESTEN
Copyright © 2013 Robin Westen. Design and concept © 2013 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in
any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being
imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Published in the U.S. by
ULYSSES PRESS
P.O. Box 3440
Berkeley, CA 94703
www.ulyssespress.com
ISBN: 978-1-61243-321-9
Library of Congress Control Number 2013947594
Acquisitions Editor: Katherine Furman Managing Editor: Claire Chun
Editor: Lauren Harrison
Proofreader: Elyce Berrigan-Dunlop Front cover design: Rebecca Lown
Interior design and layout: what!design @ whatweb.com
Cover photograph: © ifong/shutterstock.com
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Distributed by Publishers Group West
NOTE TO READERS
This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not
intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your
physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking a diet
regimen, including the guidelines as described in this book. Do not stop or change any prescription
medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is
made on the reader’s good judgment after consulting with his or her physician and is the reader’s sole
responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute
for a physician.
With gratitude to Tara Glazier — extraordinary yoga teacher, visionary founder,
and owner of Brooklyn’s Abaya Yoga — who helped deepen my practice, open
my heart, and turn me on to the transformational power of detox cleansing.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1: Why Clean Up Your Act?
Surprising Enemies in Your House
Dangerous Fruits and Veggies
Bad News Foods
Processed Foods
Toxic Toiletries
Destructive Emotional Reactions
At This Point, You Have a Choice
How Toxic Is Your Life?
Before Moving On
What Your Score Means
Chapter 2: All About Ayurvedics
In the Beginning
Soul Sisters and Brothers
The Yoga Connection
Ayurvedics and the Importance of Cleansing
So What Is Ama?
Doshas
What’s Your Dosha?
If You Scored Mostly A’s, Your Dosha is Vata
If You Scored Mostly B’s, Your Dosha Is Pitta
If You Scored Mostly C’s, Your Dosha Is Kapha
The Five Elements
Become Sense-Able
The Chakras
But You’re Not All That
Chapter 3: The Seven Supports
Step One: Intention
Step Two: Affirmations
Step Three: Making Time for Yourself
Step Four: The Shopping List
Recipe Ingredients:
Snacks (optional):
Supplements (optional):
Equipment:
Step Five: Setting Up Appointments
Step Six: Making the Dietary Transition
Step Seven: Set the Stage
Write a Letter
Make a Mantra Your Partner
Chapter 4: 7-Day Yoga-Body Cleanse
What to Expect
Day One
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Two
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Three
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Four
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Five
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Six
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Day Seven
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Chapter 5: Rest! Restore! Renewal!
How Renewed Are You?
Diet
Post-Cleanse Recipes
Breakfast
Lunch
Snacks
Dinner
Desserts
Follow Up with At-Home Treatments
Beautifiers
Body & Soul
Journal Reflections
Chapter 6: Weekend Warrior
Science Says Fasting Can Be Fabulous
Preparation
Think Ahead
Boosting the Warrior Spirit
Breakfast
Morning Snack
Lunch
Afternoon Snack
Dinner
Dessert
Weekend Warrior Fast Begins
Friday Evening
Saturday
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Sunday
Review
Chapter 7: Keeping It Real
Be Real: Tame Expectations
Be Real: Acknowledge Pitfalls
Be Real: Practice Simple Rules for Digestion
Be Real: Consider Food Combining
Be Real: Stay Beautiful Inside and Out
Are You Keeping It Real?
Analysis — Your Body
Analysis — Your Mind
Final Thought
Acknowledgments
About the Author
INTRODUCTION
As a yoga practitioner and meditator for over 15 years, I’ve noodled around with
lots of esoteric and practical disciplines while trying to get a hold of what this
life, my life, is all about. I figure, here I am — GO FOR IT!
I’m not alone in doing this. If you’re reading The Yoga-Body Cleanse right now,
you’ve probably also explored the nooks and crannies of your own being and in
the process rooted around in the forest of different schools of thought as to how
to approach your body. My explorations have taken me to several Zen and
Tibetan Buddhist monasteries on the East Coast, a Balinese shaking energy
adept, a hardcore tai chi master in Manhattan, several healers around the country
including one who poked the top of my head with explosive vigor, dozens of
channelers (while writing a book on the phenomenon). I’ve enjoyed time with a
renowned Chinese qigong teacher, accomplished acupuncturists and Reiki
practitioners, as well as lymphatic drainage, Swedish, Shiatsu, hot stone, deep
tissue, and Thai massage therapists. I’ve also checked out brief stints of
psychotherapy, chanted with yoga’s “rock star” Krishna Das, been hugged by
the Indian saint Amma, sat with Insight Meditation founder Sharon Saltzberg,
and joined a mind-blowing retreat in Maui with Baba Ram Dass, the author of
my personal bible, Be Here Now. Or to put it another way, I’ve been around.
And this is where I’ve landed.
My focus for the past several years has been on heart-opening yoga, introduced
to me by Tara Glazier, the founder and owner of Abhaya Yoga, a light-splattered
studio overlooking New York City’s skyline and the powerful currents of the
East River. I had been practicing yoga for at least a decade before then. But in
those days, it was a physical pursuit with occasional insights. Mostly I practiced
bringing my competitive nature to the mat. At Abhaya there was a total
turnaround. It didn’t happen overnight (if only change was so easy!), but slowly
it dawned on me that opening, rather than forcing or even trying, was key. In the
process, and over a couple of years, I experienced a new level of readiness — a