Day 10

The hours between 2:00pm and 6:00pm seem to be the hardest. I start to feel tired, which is typical of me even off the fast - and my mouth gets dry and I start to feel this empty feeling in my jaw - like it wants to be working, but isn't. I think I'm clenching my teeth shut and by mid-afternoon, my face muscles start to hurt. I'm thinking of having a mint or something in the afternoons, just to keep my face relaxed. Kismet - today I got a newsletter from The Breathing Room, a local yoga studio,
talking about Lion's Pose and how relaxing it is for the face. I think the Universe gives us what we need as long as we're open to receiving it.

From the newsletter:



Start by kneeling on the floor and cross your ankles at the back. If you have knee issues, sit in easy pose. Back should be upright with hands resting on the thighs.Inhale deeply through your nose and then exhale with your mouth opened wide and tongue extending outwards. While exhaling, make a distinctive “ha” sound resembling the roar of a lion, feeling the breath passing through the back of your throat. Fix your gaze at the spot between the eyebrows or at the top of your nose. Repeat 10 times consecutively for maximum benefits.

I'm feeling much better in general today. I have energy. I got a lot of stuff done. I can sleep in a little later tomorrow morning.

My end-of-day routine now involves watching/reading my favorite fasting blogs. It's great because they are going through the same thing I am. They feel tired some days, they want to stop some days - and they push through it. This blogger reminded me that a lot of this fast is mental - and if I'm thinking about what I don't have, I'll feel a lot worse than I need to. When I can think about all the great things about this fast, I start to feel good. When I'm having fun mixing juices, when I notice the handful of extra fabric in the seat of my pants, when I take my weekly trip to the Farmer's Market - these are the moments I wouldn't have had without this fast.