Time to bring yourself into alignment with your values.

If you are feeling stuck, unclear, unsettled, and generally not at ease…than it may be a good time to introduce fasting as a technique for bringing to the surface what needs to be remedied.

A lot of people use food, drugs and alcohol as an emotional comfort blanket, and I’m certainly no exception. This behavior is a symptom of masking the truth of your deepest issues. Dampening the discomfort of intense feelings with substances or distractions are only hindering one’s ability to know thyself.

I have been incorporating different fasting routines into my life for the last four years, and it has become one of my favorite ways to get back into alignment with my core, feel-good centered space. Fasting is a tool that yields positive outcomes and results spanning beyond physiological effects.

Yes, the elimination of sugar cravings, weight loss, curing unhealthy habits of snacking and late night eating as well as increasing insulin sensitivity while tapping into a new stream of energy that feels amazing is a winning outcome.

However, one of the least talked about effects that fasting brings to the table is Shadow Work.

Shadow work has to do with an interesting detox pathway known as psychic clearing. When you undergo a fast there is a confrontation with aspects of yourself that have been unacknowledged and buried in the unconscious, your body. As you go deeper into a fasted state, this leads to feelings rising to the surface where they are exposed, sensitized and ready for the process of healing.

Removing the seal of an enveloped trauma is like taking the blankets off during a snowstorm.

Unleashing these shadowy parts of yourself at the most unexpected moments can be rather messy and unappealing to people you interact with, trust me. This is your shit, so don’t throw it around for others to deal with. Being aware of this probable outcome can help you to navigate the psychic clearing process with dignity.

Preparation for Shadow Work

Intention

This is where it all starts. Clearly as possible, define your intentions for undergoing a fast. Write it down in your journal, or somewhere that makes sense to you. A sticky note on the fridge works! This binds the will with meaning, creating strength of mind and commitment. There is always at least one moment, probably many, where you begin to question your decision to abstain. I find that the reassurance of scientifically proven benefits of fasting helps to resolve my willpower. I will listen to my favorite podcasting doctors and read books about fasting. Let reason and logic override your impulse.

Timing

Choose a time frame that is not during an especially stressful period. Stress hormones may be temporarily elevated as your body metabolically switches into a fasted state. This could be overwhelming and counterproductive while already under high levels of stress. If you’re too busy, then that’s an indicator that it’s time to clear some space up in your schedule for more self-care. One other important timing nuance is for women specifically. Do not fast during the week before you start your menstruation cycle. It will interfere with progesterone production. If you want to know more about how to time fasting with your cycle, I recommend you check out Dr. Mindy Pelz and her newest book, Fast Like a Girl.

Projects

It’s important to make a list of activities for your body and brain to engage in while you’re abstaining from food. The self-sabotaging aspect of yourself wants to interfere with your intentions and will cunningly try to reason with you as to why this is not a good idea. If your focus is directed on a project where your mind is engaged and your body is in motion, then it is easier to let the time go by in productivity. Warning, you may be reorganizing your garage or cleaning places that are often neglected.

Expression

This is very important. Now that you have unlocked the trauma, you need an outlet for the psychic energy to be released into. This is where it becomes very personal. Your authentic expression during this intense phase is like detox alchemical gold. As your body is opening up, remember to allow the energy to move through you. In the peace that comes from releasing, you can breathe more deeply and feel more relaxed. Journaling, dancing, singing, listening to music, or just about anything that pulls you into a stream of creative and conscious expression is key.

Purification

You may experience your energy field as feeling a bit heavy, charged and dense. This in turn can carry over into your home environment. If you already have a body and home purification technique, then clear and charge in any way that you normally would. Be sure to use sage or other sacred plants of your preference to release the debris. If this is not something you have done before, this is a great time to learn about how to do it. I like to use sage and tuning forks as I move through the home beginning in the eastern quarter and moving through each room and doorway as I visualize the energy returning to the Earth. It’s a lot like dusting or vacuuming. After clearing, draw up energy from the core of the Earth and draw down the energy from the Sun and cosmos, creating a trifold current and toroidal shield, containing and protecting. Your imagination and intention work together.

Water

All water can be programmed and charged with sound, intentions, and words. Drink charged water with added minerals to have an elixir of biochemical electricity optimized for your personal healing experience. Give yourself the gift of relaxing with water. Take a hot shower or bath with magnesium Epsom salts and essential oils. Go to a nearby body of water such as a lake, river, creek or ocean. Connect with the waters of the Earth and express gratitude for the power of water that flows through your body.

Space

Lastly, give yourself plenty of space to go on this journey within. That means letting the experience teach you something new about yourself. Creating space for the truth to rise to the surface and be heard means tuning in and listening. Space is giving yourself permission to touch the wounds of trauma and to allow healing to unfold organically.

Be patient and stay committed to the process as it evolves you.

Bless,

Shauna Mayfield – Thera Phase Art

www.lovelifegivecare.com

If you’re interested in learning about how trauma can be healed, I am reading The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk and writing a series of blog posts as I go through the chapters.