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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 1:48:01 PM
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Namaste Friends,
I am opening this thread because I am going to do an AYP weekend retreat this weekend and have a few questions.
First, is it okay to fast during this time period or would that be too much? My idea is to sweat out the last of the methadone from my system by eating nothing, not speaking, and following the retreat guidelines with the inclusion of a Bikrams Yoga Class.
Which brings me to my second question...Is it okay to turn my morning physical activity session into a longer one if I skip the second physical activity session? Or can I shorten one of the study time periods to accomodate a 90minute Bikrams Hot Yoga class, and a 20 minute drive there and back or is this straying too far from the original schedule and will decrease the effectiveness of it?
And lastly, when one is "silent", does that mean no communication or just no talking?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Oct 17 2008 3:53:11 PM |
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yogani
USA
5242 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 4:12:02 PM
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Hi Carson:
A retreat is doing less, except for possibly a pre-planned extra practice routine each morning, and staying put more or less. The more stuff you add, the more likely the chance for an imbalance and/or overload.
If you want to do a food fast and get in the car to go do Bikram, then perhaps better to do regular practices like always and do those other things. That could be overdoing too, so be prepared to self-pace sooner rather than later. 
The key elements of a retreat are a highly structured schedule, no responsibilities (except for keeping the schedule), and no major decision making. Satsang (spiritual company) is also important on a retreat, especially for beginners, so maybe better not to do a first retreat by yourself.
Just some food for thought.
All the best!
The guru is in you.
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 4:30:31 PM
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Hi Yogani,
Thank you for your reply....
My reasoning for doing a retreat this weekend is purely timing. I am on day 4 without methadone, and I should (according to all data) test positive (urine test) for methadone for at least another 6 weeks.
I have no real spiritual friends in my area of Canada anymore (my best friends are either oversees writing thesis' or are living in other parts of the country now) and I am going to be stuck doing this alone I think. My wife will be around to help take care of the dogs and stuff, but I really wanted to do this this weekend.
And I really wanted to do it this weekend because this is my first "clean" weekend in years, and I kinda wanted to spend it in silence. I thought that Bikrams was appropriate because the extra sweating and workout will help to move the last of the methadone out of my fatty tissues and into my excretory system. I thought that fasting would also contribute to this. So perhaps I will save the extra practices for another time, and just do my regular practices, fast, do Bikrams, and be silent. Hopefully this will help to get me through the last of this methadone crap.
Love,
Carson |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 4:31:51 PM
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| One thing that I do every once in a while for a few days in a row is grape fasting... wherein all you eat all day are grapes. If you do it over an extended period, having something like V8 or some soup for dinner helps get some salt into your system. You can read up a bit more here and here. Actually the whole thread is helpful. This really cleans out your system and yet you don't feel hungry or tired while on this fast. |
Edited by - Shanti on Oct 17 2008 4:35:36 PM |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 4:38:58 PM
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Thanks Shanti, very interesting....Did you know that some grapes are really high in some monatomic elements? Was that part of your reasoning in picking grapes in particular to eat during the fast? Thanks for the links!
Love,
Carson |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 5:19:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
Thanks Shanti, very interesting....Did you know that some grapes are really high in some monatomic elements? Was that part of your reasoning in picking grapes in particular to eat during the fast? Thanks for the links!
Love,
Carson
Monatomic what????
No.. I just tried it when David and Sparkle and rest were on it.. and I loved it. And.. it is easy.. don't feel hungry.. don't feel tired or lethargic or achy.. yet you can feel the difference in you when on it.. and even after I stop it.. I can stay away from junk food... I lose the urge to snack and nibble at food between meals.. esp. when at work. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2008 : 12:07:53 AM
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I bought $20 worth of organic grapes at the Market tonight before I started my "retreat" at sundown. They taste great and so far I'm not too hungry even though I just got home from a Bikram's class.
I've decided o be a little lax on the retreat, and am not going to follow the schedule to a "T" but instead do my regular practices +1 each day, fast, do Bikrams and be silent until Monday morning. Hopefully this will help to get the last of the methadone out of my system and give me some extra clarity for next week.
Love,
Carson |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2008 : 09:48:18 AM
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All the best Carson.
Remember.. it is not all or nothing.. so at any point you feel overload.. do step back.
But then you have proven us, our worries were not required, many times.. and hopefully you will do so again.. and not have any overload.
Again, wish you all the best. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 12:13:44 PM
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So my weekend was amazing. I LOVE being silent!!! So awesome to see all the effort put into communicating things that aren't absolutely necessary to communicate. I spend a lot of time talking about stuff I could just be silent about. I think I prefer silence now. haha. I ended up only doing Bikrams once, on Friday evening because my legs were so sore the next two days I couldn't have gone back if I wanted! haha. A couple of hot baths solved that though.
It was also great to realize how much time, effort and cash is spent on food and eating. The grapes were a God sent, as I don't know if I could have done just a water fast. It really wasn't too bad because of the grapes. And breaking the fast....oh my God!! I've never enjoyed a meal like I did this morning! My wife and I went grocery shopping for the first time in over a month last night, and it was TORTURE to pick out all this delicious food and smell my wife's dinner and not be able to eat anything but grapes, but waiting truly made my morning meal the best meal I've ever had. mmmmmmmmm......
I ended up sticking almost exactly to the retreat schedule, (added bathing and grocery shopping in there....shouldn't there be some time on there for bathing?) and almost finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" which is killing my wife since we are having to share the book.
In my activity time I took my dogs for a walk in the park which was a lesson in letting go let me tell you...Not being able to say anything to your dogs while they romp around terrorizing each other and scaring the hell out of other people and dogs was a lesson in letting go. In fact I think that was the main lesson of the weekend....let go....stop trying to control everything and just let go...a big lesson for me. One I needed to learn desperately and am thankful to have a new perspective on now.
So far no overload to speak of, but I am about to start an Art of Living course on Sudarshan Kriya and may have to back off of AYP for 5 days...we'll see. Thanks again for the input Yogani and Shanti...It was a weekend to remember for sure.
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Oct 20 2008 1:57:18 PM |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 12:17:59 PM
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P.S. I am FULLY clean and healthy now....a miracle in itself. I am sleeping better now, I have not had to take a Tylenol 1 with Codiene for 3 days now and my head cold is gone too. Now I just have to completely kick this marijuana habit and .....That could be a little harder though as I don't have much of a desire to quit that yet...it will come in time. For now I will be happy with my current progress....
Love,
Carson |
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selfonlypath
France
297 Posts |
Posted - Oct 20 2008 : 11:19:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
Now I just have to completely kick this marijuana habit and .....That could be a little harder though as I don't have much of a desire to quit that yet...it will come in time.
Hey Carson, I would like to know which drug, entheogen or hallucinogen you took for the first time in your life & was it marijuana ?
Albert |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2008 : 01:17:03 AM
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Yes Albert, it was marijuana.
Love,
Carson |
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Weekend Retreat Questions
