Sunday 19 April 2015

Detox Diary Day One

So, it struck me as I lay in bed this morning, feeling like death warmed up, that a lot of you probably haven't ever experienced a detox.  You might wonder what it's all about.  You might wonder how you feel.  As I said, I'm at Moinhos Vehlhos doing a ten day juice fast (reporting for Queen of Retreats).  I figured that, while I'm here, I'll try to write up a daily diary telling you what's actually goes on on detox. Who knows, it might persuade you to try it - or it might put you off for life!
Then again, I might run out of steam entirely.

I'll stick to the detox elements on the whole - you'll have to wait for the QoR report for the full Monty.

Of course, if all this leaves you completely cold, then feel free to avoid me for the next week or so.

So, yesterday...

Had about an hour's sleep (you know the score - when you know you have to get up at 3.30am, it's damn tough to slumber) so felt pretty grim at Bristol Airport.  Ate a granola yoghurt pot and plugged myself into FlowerSpirit's meditations and listened to those on loop for the duration of the flight (dozing in between).  'You'll be met at the airport by someone wearing a yellow t-shirt,' Frank had said (Frank is the co-founder of Moinhos).  Usually I peer at signs myopically but there was no missing the phalanx of people in canary yellow.  I shared the cab with a lovely woman called Bianca so barely noticed the journey.

The first thing I noticed at MV was the peace.  It's set in a valley, surrounded by trees - bathed in birdsong.  Quite magical.

I nibbled on some fruit (oranges straight from the tree) and got my bearings.  Supper was vegetable soup - with chunks of courgette, sweet potato and carrot.  Last solid food for a while.
Feeling pretty good.
Back to my room and realised I should have shut the door.  Three house martens have decided to make themselves at home and are swooping around the room, perching on my mosquito net and using my duvet as a bathroom. Twenty minutes of gentle persuasion later we part company.

I have all kinds of good intentions for meditating, doing some wind-down yoga, reading, whatever but my body has other ideas.  I lie back on the bed and I'm fast asleep by 9pm.

Am I hungry?  Not remotely.  Not yet at any rate.




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