A few months ago, I got the urge to go into seclusion. It wasn’t really a new feeling as I’m an introvert and I enjoy my alone time. However, this time the urge was more intense and compelling. It felt almost like my body wanted me to disconnect completely from the world and reconnect with itself. I spoke to my brother about this, and he suggested I research spending a weekend in a monastery. Monasteries are famous for housing nuns and monks who are well known for living in seclusion. The idea of spending a weekend with disciplined nuns that devoted their time to God was tempting however, it wasn’t feasible at the time, so I decided to do something else instead. I took two weeks off work and visited a family member who lived in a completely different town. I went according to my intuition which nudged me to take time off my everyday lifestyle. While I was there I spent most of my days alone in my room. I made sure I didn’t have any unnecessary interactions with anyone as I was craving seclusion. The first idea I got on my first night was to go on a two weeks detox and cleanse journey.
Things I did while on my 2 weeks detox and cleanse.
1. I disconnected from the world
From my experience, it helps to disconnect from society when you go on a detox and cleanse journey. The outside world is chock-full of endless stimulants and triggers that are outside our control. Humans are stimulated by what they see, hear, taste, smell, feel, etc. Out there anything could be a stimulant, even when you don’t wish to be stimulated. Being out there in the world gives us less control over what we are bombarded with by society. We need to take time out to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with our inside world. This is best done in solitude. Think of monks that live in seclusion on mountain tops for the attainment of knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment, etc.
Disconnect from friends & colleagues – People carry energy around with them. When you want to get your mind and body right, you want to stay away from as many people as possible. Other outside energies can influence your own whether you like it or not. Ever had a person walk into the room and it suddenly felt gloomy? The aim of the detox & cleanse is to also purify your energy not clog it up further. It’s kind of like building an energetic immunity. You can do this best when you aren’t introducing new energies into your field. People also influence how you think and act. You don’t have to be someone that is easily influenced to get influenced by those around you. I have found that spending time alone helps build my identity. A well-developed identity shields you from outside influence.
Disconnect from social media, television, or anything that bombards you with endless streams of information – By now we should all know the dangers of social media and Television. I mean it’s called a television program for a reason, it programs the mind. I’m not against social media or watching TV, I’m a huge fan of movies. But, if you want to enjoy the full benefits of cleansing your mind and body, my advice is to disconnect from your electronics. Your mind needs to be as empty as possible because you can’t fill an already full mind.
2. I changed my diet
You can’t really detox or cleanse without changing your diet. Everything starts from within. You want to see a change on your outside, change your inside. The food we eat e.g processed food and junk leads to the build-up of toxins in our bodies, especially in the gut. Studies have shown that most diseases begin in the gut. If you want an overall clean system, you need to have a clean gut. Things to stay away from while detoxing are sugar, saturated fats, starch (e.g potatoes), kidney beans, alcohol. You don’t want to eat anything heavy. Also, drink lots of water.
For me, my diet consisted strictly of fruits, vegetables, hot water with lemon and honey, and ginger tea.
3. I fasted.
While on the two weeks detox I also decided to fast. If you are religious, then you already know the spiritual benefits of fasting. There are other health benefits of fasting backed up by science and I will be listing them all below.
Spiritual benefits of fasting:
– Brings you closer to God and others around you.
– Opens you up to receiving vital information that leads to spiritual enlightenment.
– Can help you cleanse your soul.
– Makes you more humble.
– Instils discipline.
– Strengthens your resolve.
Health benefits of fasting:
– Improves blood sugar control for those at risk of diabetes.
– Boosts your immunity.
– Reduces cholesterol and improves heart health.
– Improves brain function and structure.
– Aids in weight loss.
– Could delay aging and extend longevity.
– May aid in the prevention of cancer.
The longest I fasted for was going for four days straight without eating a proper meal but staying hydrated with water, lemon and honey, and ginger tea. Detoxing by fasting while simultaneously cleansing my system with my drink of choice made me feel like a superheroine by day four.
4. I prayed
Just like nuns and monks, time spent in seclusion is not complete without praying to your creator and achieving some form of spiritual enlightenment. Praying like fasting helps keep us connected to God. Prayer time for me is when I count my blessing and appreciate all the good around me.
What I experienced after the 2 weeks
I do not exaggerate when I say the way I felt going back home after the two weeks, I had never felt before. I felt clean, free, and brand-new. Everything looked better. Food tasted better. I looked better. I felt better, and I slept better. I experienced heightened senses with no more brain fog or confusion. I knew what I wanted and how to go about getting it when I got home. I also lost some weight. Weight loss was not my primary aim going into the detox but it was an inevitable by-product of detoxifying which is an added benefit.
A quick list of the benefits I experienced on my two weeks cleanse:
– I looked better – my skin and complexion looked better.
– Better vision – I saw colour better.
– Heightened senses – my five senses worked better.
– A clean fogless brain – things made more sense and I could make better decisions.
– A clean system – my insides felt well lubricated and in order.
– Weight loss.
– Improved sleep.
Conclusion
The benefits of detoxing and cleansing the body are well known and studied. What of the benefits of being in seclusion? In today’s hyper-connected world where everything is fast-paced and in your face it might seem like we are all expected to be extroverts. The way I see it is this, if you spend most of your time ‘out there’, all you are doing is clogging your mind, body, and soul with stimulants and toxicity, most of which aren’t good for you. Spending time alone to explore your solitude helps you confront yourself. This is the time you reflect on your past actions and plan effectively for the future. It’s also in solitude that we learn how to out-maneuver some of the toxicity that surrounds us daily.
2 Comments
That’s very interesting. I’ll give it a try. Mine would be 7 days fasting, praying (novena and morning mass), disconnection from the internet /people and a sit at home operation.
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