Day 8 of Juice Feasting - to the beat of the drum ... juicing tips

It has officially been a week since the start of my Juice Feast, and I'm mighty proud of myself, yes m'am. I'm taking one day at a time, one temptation at a time, one detox reaction as it comes, letting it be, letting myself be... and I am immensely grateful to know how to use our innate connection to the infinite Source. With it, my Ray of Light, I have been able to let go of each emotional hunger episode, as soon as they came up, and of each irritation or emotional detox symptom... I have been able to have a source of strength and support that is becoming ever present as I let go of the cellular gunk that my body was carrying for so long.

So I am writing to the beat of the drum, as my friends are having a drum circle in the next room, and I have learned not to wait until the dead of the night to write, until I am no longer coherent, and practically drooling on the keyboard.

What have I learned this week?

- that cats will cross the street in hot pursuit of another cat even when they know to stay away from it otherwise

- that celery is best juiced if it is chopped up in large pieces, so that the long fibers do not gunk up the juicer

- that pineapple foams up like crazy and the foam goes all over the juicer and counter (note to self: blend it already! Didn't you learnt that lesson the first time?)

- that gunky greens like spinach or parsley have the same above mentioned foaming action

- that spinach and carrot stains on one, no, two, of your favorite shirts could teach you to reserve an old T-shirt for juicing purposes

- that beets should be juiced last, cause no matter how many times you rinse the juicer, the (now rendered pink) pineapple juice will taste like beet (Alex reading over my shoulder just suggested pineapple, wheatgrass and mint as a "Oh sooo good combination") Try it and tell me. There is no organic mint in the supermarket but I know of a path where wild mint grows. Out of necessity, I think that before this cleanse is over, you will be able to call me Miss Wildwoman, foraging expert.

- that the best way to juice most fruits and tomato is to blend them, then pass them through an inside out (so the seams are on the outside and do not collect all the pulpy gunk) nut mylk bag, stretched over a gallon size pitcher which is just the right size to keep the bag in place.

- that the best way to squeeze the juice out of said mylk bag is to *twist* the mylk bag so that the gunk doesn't escape all over the place and into the juice you've so lovingly pressed with your own hands

- that the best way to clean the bag is to turn it inside out again, so that the pulp is on the outside, and to hold its opening around the faucet, seams in this time, so that the flowing water carries out all the gunk

- that as many as 6 tomatoes will form a gooey blob and refuse to pass through the bag (do it in smaller batches and rinse the bag in between)

- that keeping your counter and workspace super clean while juicing and after juicing is really important for hygiene and makes you want to juice again: wipe the juicer / blender base clean everytime, spray a natural disinfectant cleaner (I use Thieves, by Young Living Oils) on the counter top and wipe it, rinse your chopping board, knife and mylk bag in between each kind of produce, reassemble your juicer before leaving, thoroughly wash your containers, better yet, pour boiling water in them (carefully so that you do not burn yourself, or that they do not crack) Like my father used to say "A clean workspace equals no accidents!"

- that carrot juice doesn't really show on the wooden floor, and that's great, but that celery, kale, spinach and beets really do show, so you start your own modern painting on the floor after a few days and call it installation art (optional: leave the clumps of pulp on the floor, if you wish to create a living piece of art with creepy crawlies, just in time for Halloween)

- that getting a massage is completely justified on a - mmm, daily? - basis because it is a "cleansing aid" I'm still floating from the one I had today

- that going to sleep and a drum circle happening on my bed (aka my friends' couch) do not mix

- that you are better off removing the plug (on a green star) and pouring water through the juicer a few times when you are done, so that the gunk escapes out of the juicer *before* you dismantle it to clean it

- that juices are better done and stored separately, aka a jar of celery, one of carrot ... so you can mix as you want during the day, instead of being stuck with one flavor combination

- that the gift of the annoying people, no matter how big, is a really annoying gift when it's in your face, and really a wonderful gift... when you finally unwrap it and transform yourself in order to find it

- that your body will tell you what it needs that day, your job is just to follow it and really listen. It needs different building or renovation tools everyday, depending on the internal job that needs to get done. Try painting with a hammer instead of a brush and you will get the picture. The right tool for the job! The right food depending your body's needs for that particular day and the detoxing job its tackling with.

- that you can make yummy raw crackers with the pulp and give them away, sell them, freeze them, instead of overflowing your only one green bin (waist high municipal composting bin) that is supposed to last you the entire week. Helloooo, those things are soooo small once you start dumping your sprouting trays' dirt in them!!

- that my friend Mike is high on apple juice cause he is convinced that tickling me under my chin will help me connect to Source (note to all of you out there: I shriek when tickled, so do not try this at home!)

Those are all important lessons, that I will take to my grave, if I do not forget them before and have to relearn them all over again.

What about you? What life altering lessons did you learn this week? Please comment!

To those of you reading, know that you are an immense support in this process, and my thanks go out to you a thousand times.

With love,

Tamara