Like many women, my weight went up and down for years. But that was only after I felt stuck at one size for most of my adult life. At some point during my late 20s I was able to cross the first plateau in my journey, but it wasn't until I got married that things really started to shift.
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| "Peace and blessing manifest with every lesson learned." -Erykah Badu |
It was the dress of course. Or perhaps the pictures. Regardless, I was not going look at that day for the rest of my life and not be completely happy with what I saw. So I ran. I lost a lot of weight and I felt beautiful on our wedding day, but I still felt uncomfortable in my body in so many ways.
Before I knew it, I had reached that point in life where my age was quickly associated with the fact that Swan and I do not have children. I do believe the ticking of the biological clock is most often the whispers of those around us, but I've learned to smile and nod in love.
Regardless, I caved to the pressure and responded as those who know me well can guess that I would. Each time I would smile and think, "I'll show you. I'll be in better shape than I was in high school before AND after children."
"Liberation through purification." - Queen Afua
This time my ego and analytical mind met at Queen Afua's work. I took a Natural Family Planning Course in 2010 and her books were recommended reading. In one of her works she shared that women should consider detoxing consistently for at least two years before they had children. And that is how I arrived at the most effective health and wellness ritual I have experienced to date.
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| "My Soul flies free like a willow tree." Erykah Badu |
I started to detox for at least 7 days with each season, but it wasn't until last year when I finished the Organic Beauty Detox created by Akua Auset that I finally understood how to keep the weight off.
"When you loose something subconsciously and energetically, you want to find it. To release it is a conscious choice." - Akua Auset
Through my training and work as a yoga instructor, I understood how emotions can become trapped in the body. When I considered the weight that always seemed to return, it was clear to me that it was time to let some things go. For 30 days in 2013 I focused more on letting go of opinions and the need for approval, past hurts and disappointments and years of body shame. At the end, I felt lighter than I ever had in life although I had weighed less in the past.
This year I followed the same process and can honestly say this is the lightest I have ever felt in body and in Spirit.
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| "Bag Lady... Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go..." - Erykah Badu |
So before you hit Google to research detoxing or send an email to Akua to find out more about the Organic Beauty Detox ask yourself what you need to release. If you honor the truth of what you hear, you will release the heaviest weight in that moment.
