It’s about knowing the human rhythm. All living things need specific conditions to grow and thrive: plants with their ideal light and humidity, fish with their pH and dissolved oxygen levels. We are no different.
This list is logical, and as simple as you can get. If I was to hand over a pet human to a pet owner, these are the six conditions I would educate them on to ensure their pet human will live happily ever after.
(Scientologists, I hope I didn't just agrivate your suppressed memories)
1. And on the Seventh Day, Juice
Over-eating is just bad for you. No one likes an over-eater, not your stomach, not your small intestine, not your blood supply. Over-eating tires our entire system, with undigested food sitting there too long, fermenting in unkindness. If we don’t like traffic jams, why should we over-eat?
And that was five lines of off-topic.
My point: Make one day a week a no-solid-food day. Take broth and ginger-spiced juices in cold weather, vegetable and fruit juices on warm days. Explore the rich and vast green tea universe. It’s a day of rest for your system, to catch up on those outstanding fixes and re-fuels.
2. Superfood for Dinner
How great would you feel if you ate an early, light dinner? (hint: it’s really great) Make lunch the main meal of the day. If dinner has a tantrum and demands to be the center of your day, try to get it happening as early as possible. Uncouple (shoot me) the meal from its bland name, call it something romantic like, the Sunset Meal. My favourite Sunset Meal is wilted salad. If I'm not so hungry, vegetable juice with spirulina.
When I drink dense, green superfood at night, like spirulina or chlorophyll, I need one whole hour less of sleep, and wake feeling very switched on. Try it. Let me know if this works for you too!
Do I need to tell you that a gin and tonic doesn't count as a light dinner? All alcohol does is absorb the beautiful extra energy you're making with your noble efforts of eating consciously.
3. Early Sleep
It’s the ol’ sleep-before-your-gall-bladder-gets-to-work adage that has stood the test of time. It’s this simple: if I fall asleep before 11pm, I sleep solidly, and wake extremely refreshed. If I stay up late, like I have to do sometimes, I wake later and never shake the heavy feeling. It’s impossible for me to grab my day by the collar and shake free a tonne of inspiration. Instead, the day slowly drags my sandbag body to the finish line. Am I being too dramatic?
4. Water
Again, super simple: drink a large glass of water every hour. Every single process that occurs in the body requires water. Drink more upon rising and before bed. Not just any water, unless you're looking for trouble. Make it free from fluoride or chlorine additives. Some water filters can mess with the water ions, mineral content or pH. Research before you buy. Naturally sourced water is a luxury, I know, but excellent if you can get it.
5. Meditation
There’s meditation and then there’s meditation. It’s a universe if you are ever curious to enter and explore. I practice meditation techniques which unlock (keeping it humble here) a lot of energy, but I can’t tell you what they are. Traditional lineages of meditation schools will teach you several practices that slowly increase your ability to contain larger amounts of energy.
One needs to master concentration before the more powerful meditation practices are attempted. If you are interested in learning how to meditate, I recommend exploring schools like Kriya Yoga, Vipassana, Zazen, or Transcendental Meditation (TM). There are others. Let me know in the comments which ones you like.
6. Breathe Deeply
This is not something new. It’s just vital. Exercise makes energy. The diaphragm is such a powerful muscle. Its central location carries a lot of meaning beyond our pursuit of energy. Deep full breaths massage our organs, and detoxifies our blood. It takes in prana, or life-force energy. Move your body, breathe and respectfully challenge the cardio pulmonary system. Are you holding anything emotional? Try exercise and the energy that you generate will move it – which is a good thing.
It’s That Easy
- Wake early, drink water, meditate even if it’s for ten minutes.
- Exercise.
- Eat small meals that are alive with fresh alkaline goodness.
- Stay hydrated.
- Eat a delicious, satisfying lunch.
- Enjoy light Sunset Dinners.
- Meditate again in the evening, ten minutes is an excellent start.
- Go to bed before 11pm.
When it becomes habit, you’ll have more time in your day. When there's no huge dinner to prepare late into the evening, with more energy generated from exercise, and more productive morning hours, which passion will you choose to persue?
