Cleanse. Detox. Fast.

Why would anyone want to give up food (glorious food) for a few days?  I'm asking myself that same question as I sit here.  Hungry.   Sleepy.  With a fuzzy brain.

Well, no one really wants to go through the process of detoxification.  It's the results that make it satisfying.  Because after the fast is over (what're a few days anyway?), food tastes like heaven, your skin and eyes are clear and bright, and you just feel lighter -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically.

Cleansing your body flushes it, so that only the good stuff remains.  If I feel like hell right now, it's only because I have toxins, and they are coming to the surface, wanting out.

After all, I'm sure you -- like myself -- enjoy the occasional indulgence:  a few drinks with friends, a cupcake or two at a baby shower, the overly carb-ed meals.  I'm sure also that you -- like myself -- may have over-indulged during the holiday season, feeling perhaps sluggish or ornery or downright unbalanced.  

Well, imagine all that over-indulgence adding up to years of over-indulgence.  I mean, your system's not going to clean itself out all by itself (well, accept when you get sick -- that's your body's way of saying: "Help!  You are not taking care of me!")

I used to cleanse more frequently, say once a year.  But due to Precious Baby's birth two years ago, I haven't in a long time!  (Fasting while pregnant or nursing is a no-no.)  And honestly, let's face it, when is it ever a good time for a cleanse?  There's always something going on in our non-stop society that makes it very, very, very inconvenient.

Anyway, lucky for me, I eat a pretty darn clean diet so I'm never too out of whack.  I don't eat meat.  I have caffeine only when I want a treat or I'm desperate.  I drink a lot less alcohol than my friends do.  (ha!)  And I happen to love feeling good, so that means fruits and vegetables, hopefully organic.  Smoothies, salads, yummy vegetarian dishes, you get the idea.  I do eat seafood (salmon, yum) and dairy, but not every day.  I have a sweet tooth, so don't think I'm a total saint.  (Getting hungrier...)

I've been putting this cleanse off, but this week, I made the commitment.  It's not going to be anything too extreme.  I have done the Master Cleanse several times, and one time, for the entire ten days.  While I felt great afterwards, I do think that's a little intense...

This time, I'm mixing it up.  The basics for any cleanse are as follows:

• Lots of water, with a little lemon squeezed in
• More water
• Some sort of "flush" in the mornings 
• Try to sweat a little
• Take some salt baths
• Drink some detox tea or herbs known for their detoxifying qualities.
• Nothing too strenuous exercise-wise.  Walking and yoga are perfect.

Sometimes it's nice to ease into a cleanse.  For this cleanse, I am preparing by eating kitchari, a dish that came from India.  My dear friend, Cristina Urioste, turned me onto this meal after we met at Mount Madonna Yoga Center in Santa Cruz, California.  I could not get enough of the stuff.  Supposedly the gurus fast on this for days because of its healthful properties.  Made well, it's delicious!  Check out these recipes for kitchari.  It's basically rice and mung beans and some Indian herbs.

Kitchari with carrots and parsley (source)

I'm also drinking some juices here and there, for prep.  Crazy enough, I was in Whole Foods yesterday, and they don't have a juice bar there!!  Something about an Alabama law not allowing unpasteurized drinks to be sold... (What?  Can we please change this?)  I was planning on a fresh apple, carrot, beet, ginger, lemon concoction for a treat, but nooooo.  Anyway, sips of my daughter's smoothie sufficed (thanks, Vitamix!).

Tomorrow, I will start the flush.  I'm going to use Cristina's recommendation of mixing olive oil, Redmond Real Salt, horseradish, and lemon.  (Ask her about her Natural Energy Eating Guide that she wrote!)  I know, it sounds awful, but it's better than the salt flush that comes with the Master Cleanse!  Then I will drink the Master Cleanse lemonade all day as well as water and Yogi Detox tea, if I feel like it.  I'll do the same thing the next day.

Master Cleanse concoction in the works

Soooo if I'm moody these next two days, you'll know why.  Flushing your body also helps flush away emotional debris, so a good cry may be on the agenda.  Then by Friday, I hope to be high-flying??  We'll see how toxic my body really is!  This is usually how it happens, although for people with less-clean diets, it will take a good four days of fasting to get "the high." 

On Friday, I'll break the fast with a day of juice and perhaps a salad or some fruit.  Anything raw will work.  After that, I'll try to stick to as healthful foods as possible, maybe even go raw for a week afterwards to really set my body right.  And, of course, I'll avoid too much (if any) alcohol this weekend.  

While I do think a four-day cleanse would be better, I'm just taking this one as it comes.  If I feel like my body needs more, I'll reconsider next week's eating, maybe throw in a day of just juice.  Because that's the beauty of having all that gunk out of your system:  you KNOW what your body wants and needs.  (See the movie, SuperSize Me, for more on that.)  The flavor of food will be more intense because my taste buds will be more sensitive.  Any cravings for the bad stuff will dissipate because the bad stuff will just make me feel bad.  My thoughts will be clearer as a result of a clear system.  

Yeah, looking forward to that...

For other good reads or good folks on eating well, check out:
Spork Foods  (Heather is a good friend of mine -- sign up for her online cooking class and your life will change!  They've got a new book too!)
Andrew Weil's books  (I like Spontaneous Happiness.)
John Robbin's books  (Diet for a New America and Food Revolution are just plain must-reads if you care about your body and the planet.  And animals.)

Actually, check out Spork's links -- much more thorough and very right on.

Happy eating!  (or not eating)

Goodwill Tears (aka Why Clutter Clearing Can Be So Damn Hard)

Yesterday I finally completed the dull errand of dropping off a few bags of clothes off at the Goodwill.  They had been sitting in my trunk since before Christmas, and it just had not been a priority.  I forced myself to go that extra mile out of the way to get it over with.

If you have never donated to such a place, it works like this:  You pull into the back of the building, and there are a couple of huge bins full of what looks like junk.  A nice young man wearing headphones comes out of a warehouse-y part of the facility, takes your items, and dumps them on top of the bins, on top of all the junky items.  Then he hands you a clipboard, you fill out a little form, he rips off a copy for you, and you drive off.

Easy, right?

Well, yesterday, I cried.  Yes, I cried at the Goodwill.  Just for a few seconds as I was driving away.  But still.  There were tears.  Real ones.

You see, the majority of those items (besides a few shirts I had never worn and some outdated shoes) were my daughter's baby clothes.  Now, don't get  me wrong;  I am sentimental to an extent.  (Oh, maybe you already figured that out.)  I do have some of her more beautiful or precious items packed away in storage.  And I did give quite a few of her clothes to a good friend who is expecting a girl any day now.

But there were a LOT of things I didn't keep:
Little leggings that she wore only twice.
A plain white Kissy Kissy shirt that now had a yellow collar due to baby food.
Her first birthday outfit that was now covered in cake stains that wouldn't budge.

These precious, teeny tiny little cute, darling pieces of clothing (memories?) were now dumped in the back of a sad building on top of old TVs and half-broken chairs and other people's robes.

It was all I could do to keep myself from rummaging through her clothes (careful to avoid all else in the bin) to make sure I wasn't tossing away something that really mattered.  Something really special.  Something that I'd be a fool to let go of.

Yeah, I rummaged.  But just for a split second, telling the nice young man, "I just have to make sure I'm not throwing away something that I just can't live without..."  Then my need to keep some dignity kicked in.  I backed off, slumped into the driver's seat, and drove off.

That's when the tears came.  I couldn't believe how hard this was!

But then, something happened.  I thought of all the times, as a feng shui consultant, that I have gone into people's homes or written articles or given lectures on the importance of letting go of "items that no longer serve you," a.k.a. clutter.

And in that moment, I realized how truly hard it can be for some people.  (Hence, the idea for this blog was born.)

You see, I'm a pretty good purger.  I'm really fine with getting rid of things from ex-boyfriends and furniture that was never that great anyway.  So, it took me by surprise to get so emotional about clothes that no longer fit my child.  In those few minutes of actually going through the act of letting go, a lot of emotion came up!  Thoughts rushed through:  "What if my pregnant friend would want these?"  "These clothes are so cute -- who am I to just give them away?"  "Oh my precious little baby is about to turn two."  "Wait, what if there are some things she can still wear?" "What if I was in a rush and put the wrong things in here?"  "I'm sure a few stains won't matter to my pregnant friend."  And then, a big one:  "What if I decide to have another baby, and it's a little girl, and I'm getting rid of all these clothes, and...and...and..."

Sigh.  Shwew.  Yeah.

So, what I'm trying to say is this:  I know it's easy to say, "Clear your clutter."  I feel like a broken record by the amount of times I say it.  Clear your clutter clear your clutter clear your clutter....screechhhh.

But, you see, the reason it's so difficult to clear clutter is exactly the reason why it is so important.  Each and every item in your home holds a charge.  If you are using something frequently and you love it right now, it has a very positive, high-vibration charge.  If an item holds a positive, high-vibration charge, it keeps you in a positive, high-vibration energy too!  It is actually and literally serving you.  It is helping you go into the world and be your best self.

It's those "other" items that get us in trouble.  The necklace from that friend that turned out to be not-so-nice.  The plates from the in-laws that you never use but you are keeping them out of guilt.  The once-favorite dress that you wore so many times with the ex that treated you horribly.  And yes, the baby clothes with the spit-up stains.

I can say very assuredly that those items are most likely NOT serving you at all.  In fact, they are keeping you in some old energy patterns that are indeed holding you back from living a better, happier, freer life.  You are afraid to let them go for some reason, yes?  (The necklace is expensive.  The in-laws will ask where the plates are.  You look great in that dress although you haven't worn it in five years.  And you might have another baby one day...and what will she wear?)  The key word here is "afraid."  Unless we truly let go, trusting God, the Universe, Great Spirit, etc. to provide a nicer necklace from a nicer person and a prettier dress with "better vibes," then we will remain stuck.  

Look, change is not easy.  Especially when the thing that you are changing is you -- because this is what is really happening when you decide to clear things out.  But the truth is, the only thing that is painful about change is the RESISTANCE to change.  Things are going to change!  Let me say that again, Things are going to change.  They are always changing.  It's happening, and it's happening fast!  And the more we hold on to what was, the harder the process will be.   While it may look like letting go is difficult (crying, kicking, screaming, more crying), that's really just part of the process.  

Yesterday, I cried.  

Today, I'm just glad I got an errand over with.  

My Bahamian Friday the 13th

In 1997, I was invited to go on a three-week boat tour of the Caribbean with friends of the family.  In my world, this is something you don’t turn down!  John and his dad, Bill, were taking their 42-foot Bertram from Mobile down through the Intercoastal Waterway in Florida and over to the Bahamas.  This had been a long-term dream for Bill, and he was making it happen.

I grew up on the water – Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico – to be specific.  I had visited the Bahamas once or twice, so I knew the lure of the aqua waters, the pastel houses, the easy smiles, and “island time.”  And I loved it.  An island girl I was, and an island girl I will always be.

      We had many adventures in those three weeks, but one day in particular comes to mind.... a certain Friday the 13th.

      We had docked in Walker Cay, still one of my favorite islands to this day.

marina at Walker Cay

Bill and John and some other folks that had joined us for part of the trip wanted to go scuba diving.  The dive shop told us about a reef some ways out, so we made for it that morning, excited to see what the day would hold.  I wasn’t certified in diving at the time, but I do love to snorkel, so I too was looking forward to it.  And yes, it was Friday the 13th...

Bill, with his masterful captain skills, found the exact spot – the island was out of sight – and he put John and I (mostly John) to work on putting out the anchor.  We were both on the bow, when I spotted a huge shadowy creature swimming fast right by the boat.

“Shark!!!” I yelled.  John sprinted to the port side of the boat where I was. 

“Where?  Where?”  he asked, ecstatic.  He, unlike most humans, loved sharks.

“It just went under the boat.” 

We both went starboard. 

Then we saw another shadow, and another.    Big ones.  All around us!

A thrill rose up my body.  These were not sharks.

“They’re dolphins!” I said.  This time it was my turn to be ecstatic. 

It had always been a distant dream of mine to swim with dolphins.  Ever since I was a little girl, I fantasized about being the girl in all those almost-cartoonish images of a person holding on to a dolphin’s fin and being carried swiftly through the waters.  But it was one of those far-off notions.  At the time, I didn’t know anyone who had swum with dolphins.  If Sea World or Disney had such an experience, I wasn’t aware of it.  We had porpoises in the Gulf, but they were just pretty things to spot, mostly through binoculars, not creatures that may take us on a joy ride. 

But here on the bow of this boat in the middle of the waters, a new reality came to light.  Everyone on the boat livened up at the realization that we were surrounded by twenty-five or so dolphins, swimming freely in the blue-green waters.  While everyone peered over the sides, I ran for my snorkel gear.  (John was close behind me, I have to add.)  Within minutes, I was in the water, observing these gorgeous creatures through the lens of my mask.

that's me swimming with the dolphins!

beauties -- all photos taken by John Haffner

So close....

At first they were intimidating.  They were big!  Even from a few feet, I could determine their massive strength and the fact that, well, if they decided to turn on me, I wouldn’t have a chance.  But after a few minutes of swimming near them, my nerves settled.  They squeaked that familiar sound that I had heard recordings of so many times.  Some of them would swim near the surface, while others would dive up and down.  It was if they were putting on a show.  Some swam in unison, and there was even a baby close to his mom in the mix. 

By this time, everyone on the boat had jumped in, all geared up.  Oh, and did I mention the reef?  This was all happening amidst a backdrop of the vivid colors of a natural reef just below. 

After about a half-hour of swimming with the dolphins, John and I got a little bolder.  (Okay, maybe John got bold before half hour.)  They were swimming so close to us, that we could just almost touch them.  We'd try to reach them, but like puppies playing a game, they’d move out of our grasp – an inch or so – just before we could touch them.  They were sensitive to even the slightest movement, and the grace in which they slipped out of reach still impresses me. 

The mom and baby got close to me.  Just as before, I reached out to the mom, and for a split second, felt the smooth surface of her skin!  She let me touch her!  Strange, because it was definitely by choice  -- HER choice…

After about an hour, the dolphins started to scatter.   Only a few remained and then they left too.  It was about time for us to pull up anchor and head back to land anyway.  But what an experience! 

That day, I discovered that dreams do come true.  Cheesy as it sounds, it’s true!  My view of reality changed that day.  If something as amazing and elusive as swimming with wild dolphins could happen to me, what else could?! 

Interestingly enough,  this all happened on Friday the 13^th.  

The dolphins and me.  Note the date!

I had never been entirely superstitious of that date, but after that episode, I definitely am!  From that day on, how could Friday the 13^th be anything but lucky!  Not UN-lucky.  And since then, I’ve had peaceful and happy Friday the 13ths ever since.

Life truly is how you look at it…

Here are some more photos from the trip.  All taken or choreographed by the talented John Haffner (find more photos from this trip or more under the name "gorgeouscoyote" on Flickr.com)  A big thank you to the Haffners for such an amazing trip!

John, Bill, and I on board the Gung Ho

The crew that swam with the dolphins

John and I with some new friends in front of the Gung Ho

John finds a starfish

Wishing you a dream-come-true day -- today and every day!

New! DIY Feng Shui Kits

It began as an idea, as all good things do.  It really stumped me that there was no one-stop shop for the feng shui cures that I was giving my clients.  So I thought:  I should make a kit.  So I did!

It's had many evolutions and here it is (on the shelves in a recent test run in a local store) -- in today's version:

A kit full of fun goodies that will have you giddy and ready to implement feng shui easily and effortlessly in your life!

Here's what the label on the back of the box says:

Feng shui specialist Katie Rogers brings the ancient Chinese art and science of feng shui straight to your home with this fun, eco-friendly, Do-It-Yourself Feng Shui Kit [DIY FSK]. 

Feng shui has the power to improve your life in all areas, including health, love, money, creativity, and career.  The simple yet effective “cures” included in this kit are:

·       The DIY FSK User Guide by Katie Rogers

·       White Sage Smudge Stick to cleanse negativity

·       Round-faceted Crystal for balance & harmony

·       Wish-Come-True Box by Bluedogz Design

·       Good Energy Spray to revitalize your home & office

·       Good Intention Candle

·       Red Ribbon Cures for prosperity

·       Bonus Feng Shui Tips*

And here are some photos of what's inside.  Ensured to bring smiles and good fortune!

white sage smudge stick

crystal in red velvet pouch

candle inside cute little box

smells great!

And my favorite!  A Mini Ribbon Box designed by Nadine Lerner of Bluedogz Design that I've dubbed as the Wish-Come-True Box.  (P.S. There's a surprise inside!)

And yes, it has appeared in InStyle Magazine.

wishes come true with this box!

And of course, there are instructions on how to put these and the other cures to use!

I'm really excited for these kits.  I've set the intention that they find great homes and bring great energy to whomever receives them.

I'm selling them for $34.99 which is a DEAL!  If you order more than 4, you will get 10% off total price.

Order from me directly.  Email katierogersfengshui@gmail.com with your name, quantity, shipping addresses, etc.  I am going the old-fashioned way so you'll have to send me a check when I get the total to you.  Supply is limited, so hurry!

Happy Holidays!  I hope I can make yours brighter!

festive red door (from pinchomez.com)

Roll Tide!

My parents both attended the University of Alabama.  In fact, they met there on a blind date.  Therefore, I was raised as an Alabama fan.

There is a certain percentage of the world that knows what that means -- "to be raised as an Alabama fan."  Most of them live in the state of Alabama, but not all of them.

It means:  although I attended a different university, Roll Tide Roll is in my blood.

My grandfather used to take people by the busloads (literally) to the games to tailgate, including we children on occasion.  Our pantry held some very special Coca-Cola bottles that were never to be touched because Bear Bryant's picture appeared on them.  Pompoms of red and white were part of our toy collection.   And it was really fun to see my father on TV when he had his stint as President of the Mobile chapter of the Alabama Alumni Association.  And I despised the colors orange and blue.

However, I admit it.  I forgot all about football while living out west.  I'm a chameleon of culture this way, and because of this trait, it's also the reason why I've become a re-born Alabama fan after having moved back to my home state.

To celebrate this re-sparked passion for my parents' alma mater, and because I had a wild hair the weekend of November 5th, I strapped a boxed 4 x 4 foot canvas to the top of my car and drove over to Tuscaloosa to carry out my vision.

I wanted to paint.  I wanted to paint big.  I wanted to paint Big Al.  And I wanted to do it in the middle of the action.  So I found a corner near the stadium, set up my oversized easel, squeezed some reds and silvers and whites onto my palette, and I went to work.

almost done

It was such a blast!  Alabama fans of all ages approached me to comment on the painting.  The cop who was tending to this particular corner happened to have a camera, and he was very accommodating to my artistic endeavor, to my relief.

good cop

Oh, and in case you missed it, that LSU/Alabama game on November 5th was dubbed "the game of the century."  Of course, the ending was not so happy, but this is why the "re-match" on January 9th is going to be one heck of a game!

As for the painting, I had several offers that day, but the painting has yet to find a home.  (It may have had something to do with folks not wanting to carry a huge canvas INTO the game.)

Christmas gift, anyone?

Garden of Eden & How to Paint on Unstretched Canvas

Adam & Eve.  The classic.  The second painting in the series of "Miracle Paintings" of scenes from the Bible.

I wanted the Tree of Knowledge to be front and center.  And I wanted color.  And pretty things like flowers and animals and a stream.  And of course, a very innocent Adam and Eve.

Here it is on the easel.  I think the colors are more true to life in this shot.  I have yet to get professional photographs of these...obviously.

I thought I'd share my process on how to paint on unstretched canvas, as when I started, I found there was little information on how-to.

First, I buy a roll of unstretched high-quality canvas.  Because I want the scrolls/paintings to be durable, I buy canvas that is already primed.  The problem there is that the primed side is a white primer, and I like the look of the natural canvas.

I had Lowe's cut me a piece of heavy particle board to the size of the paintings.  Then I lay the board on the floor and place the roll of canvas over it, and I cut it (carefully) to size.  I then take these sturdy pieces of wood that you see in the picture and some clamps that I found at the hardware store, and I stretch the canvas taut onto the particle board.  This step is important because no one wants to paint on a buckled canvas!

After the canvas is stretched, I slather a generous coat of clear Gesso onto the unprimed side.  This keeps the integrity of the natural look while still preparing it for painting.  I let it dry, then I move it onto this easel built especially for this project.  (Thanks, Dr. Foss!)

And I'm set to paint!

When I'm done, I take the canvas to my favorite alteration ladies at ABC Sewing in Homewood.  They sew the top and the bottom so that I can slip a rod into it for hanging.  I then tie some nifty gold-tasseled rope on it, and walah, I have a "scroll" ready to hang in the Children's Sanctuary!

Creation - the Miracle Paintings series

Last year I was commissioned by St. Paul's Church in Mobile to do thirty paintings for their children's sanctuary.  Every couple of months, I sit with the pastor there, and he tells me which scenes from the Bible I am to paint next.  Each canvas is about 3 x 4 feet big, and they aren't stretched so that they can hang scroll-like around the room.

This gig has been such a blessing.

I call the series the Miracle Paintings for several reasons, but mostly because I realized that the Bible, in its essence, is a collection of amazing, bizarre, and completely miraculous stories that happened a long, long time ago.  I'm a big believer and lover of miracles, having experienced quite a few of my own, and this seemed more tangible than "the Word of God" or anything of that nature.

I was never that great of a Sunday School student so some of the stories are brand new to me.  I have to say -- getting to know the Bible in this context has been enlightening and fun.  I mean, these are some great stories!  I, for one, believe in God (or Great Spirit or the Universe or whatever you want to call "It"), and I like God a lot, so I'm happy to be taking these stories to heart and then hopefully doing them some justice with paint and canvas.

In the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season, I've decided to post and chat about each painting that I have done.  The pastor's (awesome) vision was to do them chronologically according to the Bible, so...  I hope to have a nativity scene for Christmas Day, but I haven't been assigned that one yet.  Ha!

Here is Creation.

I think the story goes without saying, but if you want to read it again, here's a good link to the passage in Genesis.

I am in absolute love with color, so when God spoke, "Let there be light," not only did I imagine the brightest beautiful light, but all the colors that come with it.  And He created it all in seven days, and there are seven colors in the rainbow, so I rolled with that.  Sky, water, man, woman, earth, creatures, light.  It's the ultimate miracle -- that all of this exists at all.  Bask in that thought for a few seconds.  Big one, right?