a delicious, simple, warming bowl of butternut squash soup with Nettle-Me seasoning

It’s springtime again at the Homestead, which at this elevation means a mix of snow, ice and mud with the occasional hail storm. But already we can see tiny green sprouts poking up through the thinning frost and birdsongs echoing among the lodgepoles that surround our cabin.

Reflecting on the past winter, I must confess that I really let it all go. My diet was not the greatest, and stress eating, and drinking more than usual has left me more sluggish and not as clear thinking as usual. On the plus side, I did exercise a lot more – I’m up to running 3 miles in one go! – and I quit smoking last October, successfully, and I’m breathing a lot better for it.

No doubt: it’s time for a cleanse. 

cleansing is not only good for you, it can be fun, too!

Every spring here at the Homestead, we jump-start our bodies with a short and gentle cleanse, which generally entails eating less, drinking and exercising more, and really tuning in to what our bodies need. This year, we’re expanding the idea of “cleansing” to also include our breath/speech, and our minds. Think about all the junk we feed our brains every day – from adverts to frustrating traffic to reinforcing negative self-images, and you might begin to comprehend how we are truly doing ourselves a disservice.

Deepak Chopra has championed the idea that our thoughts really do affect our physiology for decades – any of his books are recommended companions for a spring cleanse.

Bob’s Red Mill high fiber with flax hot cereal in almond milk with local honey and organic apples…now THAT’S my kinda cleanse

What do I mean by cleansing the breath and speech? This idea is based on two exercises from the Yogic tradition: one is the cleansing breath which cleanses the “subtle” body; the other is the use of mantra to “purify” our speech. I will be using a mixture of mantra, cleansing breaths, and periods of silence to get the most out of a “breath/speech” cleanse.

More details to come shortly on what each of these mean, why cleanse in the first place, safe and effective cleansing, plus some inspiring cleansing recipes to get you going!

a glassful of delicious kefir to help your body achieve balance before, during and after a cleanse

Wanna join the fun? Register here for our Spring Cleanse 2016: Body, Speech, & Mind and get in on a cleansing support group, daily cleansing recipes, schedules, yoga moves, mantras, customized cleansing plans, and more.