Crunch Time

Peace Y’all,

I used to fast for 3 weeks every year when I was a Christian. It was part of my Lenten and Hoodoo ritual preparation for Easter and Spring. Yes, Serenity touches many ciphers….. But when I became righteous, I stopped. For many reasons. I wanted to completely separate from my previous incarnation. I figured I could do it in May when the God “Raises the Rod.” That didn’t really happen. But in my devotion to my Culture, this thing I did, got lost. Well, I’m taking Jerusalem back.

I like fasting. It reboots my body in a good way. First it is a shock to the system. You need that sometimes. I always managed to lose a couple of pounds in the process. Stuff comes out that I cannot identify. I feel stronger at the end of fasting; and that is a good thing no matter how you slice it. There have been times where a second impromptu yearly fast needs to happen just to put me in order. When I am faced with personal challenges and I find my response to said challenges is inappropriate, but for some reason I feel strongly compelled to do the foolishness, then I know I’m out of order and need to put myself back together. I do that with fasting. Not usually 3 weeks but at least 10-14 days.

Here are a few of the reasons that I fast like this: the elimination of toxins, reduced allergy symptoms, healing and cleaning of the digestive system, increased energy mental acuity improvements and improvements in my skin. Basically, I will be so fresh and so clean clean by Asiatic New Year.

On the flip side, I suppose you can’t have the thunder without the rain….
There are a few minor discomforts you may notice during juice fasting. These include: feeling cold constantly, light headedness/dizziness, bad breath, body odor, constipation or diarrhea, stomach ache, acne or other skin eruptions, increased dreaming, changes in sleep patterns aches and pains, frequent urination, coated tongue - a result of your body shedding toxins and cleansing itself, headaches – possibly the result of withdrawal from caffeine or a reduction in salt or sugar consumption and changes in my menstrual cycle. The standard detox symptoms. This was easier to accomplish when I was single. Oh well, the God can handle it.

I don’t just fast and that’s it. I take advantage of this time of stillness to make decisions. You know how the 85% gets thoughtful and reflective at the end of the Gregorian year? I do this near the Asiatic New Year. Not saying I don’t make resolutions starting January 1st, I check on them and make more come the Vernal Equinox. I also tweak things in my life: I spring clean my surroundings with all the additional energy and time. I take the time to reevaluate my habits and appearances. I revamp personal programs. I make it a priority to read books. I treat myself with beneficial herbal programs so that I’m at my best when I finish. It becomes an all out Serenity focuses fest. I can put a fresh foot forward

My goals with this fast are to alleviate my eczema, combat my anemia (it’s getting real bad y’all) and restore my vitality. I feel like I’m aging. I want to feel young and spry again. In preparation I have been eating more and more fresh fruits, vegetables and kitchari. It’s very hard on the body to just abruptly start and stop fasting. So come Thursday, March 1st to Wednesday March 21st, I will be drinking all my meals, daily dry brushing, ingestion raspberry leaf tea tonic and barley water, nasal rinsing and oiling. I will cease sodas, coffees, and dairy. I will weekly deep tissue oil, and salt water flush. At the end of the fast… there will be a liver flush. If that doesn’t do it for me, I will have to make my peace as an old person.


Peace