Gypsy Camp, Living the Gypsy Life, Santa Barbara, Spring 2007.
I just came back from a little short adventure where I enjoyed some quality gypsy time! Every time I go on a trip like this one, I realize how much I love the gypsy lifestyle. It just makes me so happy to be playing in nature, sleeping in tents, cooking outdoors and watching the stars under the moonlight…
This weekend I was here with a bunch of other gypsies, experiencing the true essence of living.
Images from my weekend:
Organic coconut water for breakfast
Lots of gypsies crafts
Crystals and Stones
Fortune Tellers tents
Henna on gypsy girls hands
Massage and Yoga
Watching artists paint huge panels
Hula hooping to breaks and beats
Poi and staff spinning in the sunshine
A parade of stilt walkers
Dancing in a tree house dome decorated with roots and foliage
Drumming by the fire
Burning designs on wood with a magnifier (and the sun!)
Colorful gypsy wear ~ skirts, veils, fans…
Furry hats and pouches
Big chunky boots
Performers, musicians, clowns
Gypsies properly adorned like gods and goddesses…
Lots of Eye Candy (gypsies are hot!)
Body paint
Costume making
Green Living workshops
Two glowing dragons and two sea horses
Sparkling glitter around my eyes
Bindi jewels
Tribal jewelery around my neck, wrists and waist
Putting on a big furry coat to go for a long quiet walk in the dark misty night
Enjoying my gypsy man 24/7!
Can you get the idea? This was such a lively time!
I’m excited to be in California where amazing creative people devote their time to create events that share the magical gypsy spirit and the desire for leading a simpler fuller life.
For more glimpses of my gypsy time in the forest, go here!
(I’m slowly uploading pics)
***
And for those of you who have followed my cleanse journey… Yes! I’m still cleansing. But this is my last week! Yay! I’m so adjusted to it though, that I think I’ll keep it going longer in terms of eating raw organic produce and brewing cleansing teas. I lost some weight and I feel great. My skin also feels smooth and rejuvenated. My tongue is cleaner than ever too (whatever than means)!
Rich and I prepared a bunch of healthy raw snacks to take with us and we also kept taking our herbs during the entire camping trip.
Oh! BTW – I’m going to create a pdf with the detailed cleanse plan for those of you who are interested in trying it! Stay tuned… I’ll be posting it later this week.
Hugs and Love,

Flowers on my walks, Spring 2007, San Francisco.
As I write this I am onto my Day 8 -
But by now… You were probably wondering if I made it, right? Sorry for the delay on reporting… I’m still cleansing!! Yay! And I’m still holding up just fine. I just have not been able choose computer over outdoors lately. The weather in San Francisco has been absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been walking, hiking and laying out in the sun… (Need to get my Vitamin D, right?)
On days 4 &5, I found myself completely adjusted to the new routine. Don’t they say it takes 3 days to create a new habit? I guess that is true! I was hardly bothered by being on liquids by day 4. I mean, there is no question the “animal crackers” kept staring at me all day at work… But I was trying to be humorous about it. They looked at me and I looked back at them… Sweet temptation… Nonetheless, we had the understanding that “we were taking a break” from our relationship… hehehe… We still are…
The best thing about the fast was that I took up long walks at lunch time, over the usual rush to grab a bite. I actually did not miss having to get in the car, drive off somewhere, eat lunch quickly and run back to my desk filling overwhelmed. It took me only 10 minutes to drink my juice, so there was a lot more time to move, breathe and relax. Also, my break felt longer and I didn’t get full, which kept me alert all day. In general, I felt a great sense of expansion!
I liked the whole thing so much, that I’m now considering to bring food to work more often instead of eating out. Especially healthy raw snacks and juices. Can you believe I’ve never done that? I always eat out. In rare occasions I’ve brought in a leftover from home… But after doing this, I definitely want to commit to the extra care to myself for longer. I want to invest in the preparation of something yummy and healthy that will nurture me and keep my energy up. After all, I need my stamina to hold onto the those fabulous personal projects in my spare time!
At the end of Day 5, as planned, Rich and I broke the juice diet with a delicious miso soup, with tofu, seaweed and green onions. It was wonderful to have something a bit more salty! I’ve always been more into salty snacks than sweets…
I don’t know if I mentioned before, but this fast should last 3-5 days only. So, I am actually finished with the liquid phase! Yay!
Now, we’re following up with the “rebuilding phase”. This phase includes taking “GAIA’s” herbal detox supplements and adding one or 2 light meals a day (green salads, raw or lightly steamed veggies, fruits, tofu, whole grains and even white fish).
If you’re interested in following the same program, you should be aware that it is really a 4 week commitment.
Week 1 – prep (say no to: sugars, caffeine, red meat, wheat, dairy)
Week 2 – liquid fast as described in previous posts (primarily colon cleanse)
Week 3 & 4 – rebuild phase (with GAIA supplements – cleanse colon, lungs, kidneys, liver and blood)
*****
Day 6 & 7 were easy breezy. For the rebuild you can check the book/site “Cooking for Healthy Healing” for menu ideas. Our menu consisted of:
* before breakfast: Take 1 heaping teaspoon of GAIA Rejuve Powder (pysillium husks) in 8-10 oz. of warm water. Shake well and drink quickly before the liquid thickens.
* breakfast with a small cup of plain low fat yogurt and fruit (strawberry, blueberry and banana)
* mid morning: GAIA herbs + organic fruit juice (apple)
* lunch: GAIA herbs + raw veggie salad. A dessert plate of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers, sprouts, a slice of tomato and a couple of slices of avocado (I love avocado!).
* mid afternoon: GAIA herbs + juice or fruit or veggie snack
* dinner: GAIA + a dessert plate of steam veggies with tofu + sm salad
And it pays off to be good! As part of our detox program, on Day 7, we decided to indulge in 1hr massages at my favorite spa in San Francisco! Mmmm… I am so glad Rich and I are sharing this experience together!
Onto Day 8…

Nasal Bliss, Kerala, 2004.
I decided to combine Day 2 and Day 3 because, well… I’m onto Day 4 now! Yay!
It’s been fun so far! I can’t believe how easy it’s been and how energized I feel. The more I do it, the more I awe at the fact that I can get by without food, without dying! Silly, but true. So I’m currently paying attention and trying to see why I usually eat. If drinking fresh juices is enough to keep me going, then why do I always need so much? Why do I need munchies in the afternoon?
I noticed too, that even though this is about detoxing and health, the best reward for me has actually been on the emotional level. Just like food! I see myself enjoying the extra care I’m giving to myself. I’m thinking that I’m so damn cute carrying a bag to work with four different bottles (colorful and labeled!) filled with juices Rich and I prepared together… I’m enjoying the fact that people ask me about it and find it inspiring… I love the idea that maybe someone will try this cleanse and perhaps, get something positive out of it… And I’m mostly pleased about how nice I’ve been to myself. I confess that I haven’t felt this proud or happy about myself in a long long time. (Maybe you’re thinking: Come on… it’s only been 3 days. What’s to be proud?) And you’re probably right. Many people have done a cleanse before… But not me. And I can’t remember when was the last time I felt so in tune and content like now. I guess just knowing that I can access self control is very powerful! I feel very “hardcore” , as I joke with Rich. Okay. You can see how this has gone to my head! But that is the point. I’m feeling in control of my life right now thanks to a very simple shift and commitment. And isn’t that the key to break inertia and create transformation? I think I need to apply this concept in every dept of my life, no?
All right, I know you also want to hear the juicy stuff. Am I starving? Is my belly growling? Do I have any cravings? Did I shave off any pounds yet? No. No. No. Yes! I did shave off 7 pounds in 3 days. From where? Not sure. But it’s true. And I know… Maybe I’ll get it all back… But hey, maybe I won’t? And what a mood boost that is for now! So there you go. I see it as a bonus.
In terms of hunger, I’m not going to lie. I do feel a bit hungry everytime when it’s half an hour to my next “drink”… But it’s bearable, because I know that my next juice is going to satisfy me up until the next one and so forth. It’s totally managable. If I feel a bit hungry in my belly, I just acknowledge it. I say to myself: Well, I’m hungry… Oh. Okay… Then I kind of ignore it, cuz I know the next drink will come soon enough. No need to panic! Plus, I noticed that if I give that hunger sensation 2 minutes (basically igonoring it), it becomes thirst! Seriously. And better, as soon as I drink water, the sensation goes away. And my god, I’m drinking so much more water than I EVER did before. The more I drink it, the thirstier I am. It’s as if I’ve finally given room for that neglected need to speak up. Today I drank 4.5 liters of water. I cannot even believe it myself! On really busy days at work, it’s very common for me to forget about drinking water and have maybe… 2 glasses all day (Shame on me!!)! The trick has been to walk around with a 1.5 liters bottle everywhere I go and… Chug Chug Chug. It works!
Finally, I have added nasal wash to my cleanse. I fill up half of the “Alladin” bottle (above) with warm water and a tiny bit of sea salt. I rinse as the picture shows, the water goes in one nostril and comes out of the other. I’ve been doing it every morning and I feel like it clears my head and wipes off the slate for a new day! This is something I learned when living in an Ashram in India and I swear by it. If you have any synus issues this is for you too!
Onto Day 4!