What is a chakra?

The chakras are energy centres in our subtle bodies and we normally talk about the seven main chakras – the first six are situated on the spine and the crown chakra on top of the head.

The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means “wheel” or “disk”.
The seven major chakras are:
Base chakra - Located at the base of the spine, associated with survival.
Sacral chakra - Located in the lower abdomen, associated with emotions and sexuality.
Solar Plexus chakra - Located in the solar plexus, associated with personal power, will and self-esteem.
Heart chakra - Located over the sternum, associated with love.
Throat chakra - Located in the throat, associated with communication and creativity.
Brow/Third Eye chakra - Located in the centre of the forehead, associated with clairvoyance, intuition and imagination.
Crown chakra - Located at the top of the head, associated with knowledge, understanding and transcendent consciousness.

The chakra system is universal – everyone has got chakras. Most people I have met in my work have got blocks in at least one of the chakras. The only exception that I have come across, has been after a Reiki  attunement; the chakras are spinning happily and the energy flow is beautiful and almost perfect. It is quite extraordinary! Imagine if we had a Reiki treatment every day.

The Physical Body &  the Chakras

Each of the Chakras affect different parts of the physical body.

Base – Adrenal glands, kidneys and spine. The solid aspect of the body, such as bones, teeth, hair, skin, legs and feet.
Sacral – Reproductive system, ovaries, testes, the bladder, urinary tract, appendix, pelvis, lower digestive organs, lower back.
Solar Plexus – Pancreas, digestive system, gall bladder, stomach, small intestine, liver, pancreas, spleen, muscles and middle back.
Heart – Thymus gland, lungs, blood, vagus nerve, circulatory system, diaphragm, oesophagus, immune system, upper back, shoulders, ribs/breasts, arms and hands.
Throat – Thyroid, parathyroid, trachea, metabolism, mouth and gums, neck, throat, the lungs, alimentary canal, bronchial and vocal apparatus and the lymphatic system.
Brow/Third Eye – Pineal gland, lower brain, hypothalamus, endocrine system, head, face, the second (weak) eye, ears, nose and nervous system.
Crown – Pituitary gland, upper brain and dominant eye.

 
Why work with the Chakras?

We all carry blocks in our subtle system.
With blocks I mean toxins, traumas, thought patterns, negative thoughts, memories and attachments to other people. Blocks can be caused by mental, emotional, spiritual and physical issues and traumas.
In my experience a block in the subtle body normally starts with a thought, which later creates a disturbance in our energy field, and finally manifests as a problem in the physical body - like headaches, cancer, colds and aches and pains.
Illness and disease begins as a vibration, like a string that vibrates out of tune. The block vibrates out of tune and effects the whole chakra, and possibly more than one.

All is connected – and all aspects need to be balanced, aligned and made whole in order for us to be healthy.
All of our chakras need to spin and vibrate in harmony with each other for you to be healthy, happy and balanced.
If you can learn how to tap into your own power, you can use that power to create a healthy body and mind.

In my Chakra workshop I cover different techniques:  sound, aromatherapy, crystals, yoga and guided meditations, which will allow you to work with, and heal, your chakra system.

Hundreds of years ago people went to the village Wise Woman (or Cunning Man) for healing of any kind. This Wise Woman was a doctor, midwife, counsellor, herbal expert and psychic – all at the same time. She helped the people in the village with their day to day problems, like the removal of warts, to reduce fever or inflammation, or advice on their love life.

In modern times the role of the Wise Woman/Cunning Man has been divided: we now have GP’s, Midwives, Psychotherapists, Herbalists, Mediums – and so on. And still we are doing exactly the same thing now as a hundred years ago. We are helping people to heal and to feel better.

A colleague of mine once said that he was a Problem Solver more than a therapist.

And I believe a modern therapist could, and should!, be more than what they state on their business cards.

I am an Aromatherapist, Massage Therapist and Reiki Healer & Master/Teacher. But through my work with clients I have become a counsellor, spiritual guide and life coach. I’ve started using crystals in my treatments and I also use my intuition. If needed I can give guidance by reading the Tarot or look to Astrology for help. I am also a friend who listens to my client’s problems and concerns.

I use my wonderful essential oils every day; both in my work and in my private life. Growing up with a “Herbal Mum” has given me a strong belief in the healing that is found in nature. Our ancestors used Willow bark for pain relief (it’s what aspirin is, after all, only the chemical version!), Elderflowers to reduce fever and Chamomile for just about everything.

So even though I have a growing pile of diplomas and can put certain letters after my name, I am still very much a modern Wise Woman.

The Willow Way is based on the knowledge of the Wise Women of the past, mixed with modern massage techniques, Reiki healing and my intuition and hypnotic touch.

Walking the Willow way is striving to follow the Natural way, to use both old  and new knowledge and work with the powers of the Natural World: trees, herbs, flowers, and crystals.

Green Cleaning

This morning I noticed that the sink in the bathroom seemed quite blocked. Not so strange, considering there are two girls with long hair and one fluffy cat living in this house.

Off I went to the supermarket to buy some drainage unblocking stuff. I was horrifed when I noticed that all of the products on the shelves are pretty hardcore chemicals. You are advised to wear protective eye goggles and gloves when using this. And keep it away from skin, it said on the bottle, or else you will get burns. (I get enough burns as it is, thank you! See Tip of the Month – July)

I’m a “Green Girl” – I use Ecover for cleaning, I recycle, buy non-chemical toiletries and organic food whenever I can. I’m a vegetarian and also trying to tread lightly on this Earth; leaving a small a trace as possible.

So it went against all of my principles to buy this corrosive poison and pour it into the water system and, eventually, into Mother Earth herself.

I decided to use the good old trick – bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar – instead. This is how you do it:

Pour about one quarter cup of Bicarbonate of soda down the drain with about one cup of vinegar. This makes a chemical reaction, which involves a lot of fizzing. Then pour some hot water down the drain and voila! Clean drains and a clean Earth.

Apparently bicarbonate of soda can be used for other types of cleaning as well. You can us it in solution to clean inside fridges, microwaves, teapots, cafetieres, filter coffee machines, glassware and kitchen utensils.

This month, why not try and use as many earth-friendly cleaning products as you can! There are plenty of green household tips to be found on the internet.

"We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do." Barbara Ward, Only One Earth, 1972

Walk in Beauty!
Helena x

This is a regular feature on my website, www.willowtherapy.com. Feel free to share the information, but please credit me if you do. Thank you J

(c) Helena Lundvik 2010

Lavender – the Best Remedy for Burns

I burn myself on average once a week – mostly when I’m using the oven. Why?  According to Louise Hay it has to do with “burning up, being incensed”. I think it’s also due to my clumsiness and trying to do too many things at once.

Anyway, my bottle of organic Lavender essential oil (Lavandula Angustifolia) is never far away. As soon as I get another nasty, red burn I splash some neat oil directly onto the skin. After using ice cold water to draw out the heat, of course.

I then allow it to dry and re-apply some more oil if necessary.

(If your burn is very nasty, or doesn’t heal properly, please see a doctor.)

Lavender is truly wonderful! I poured hot water from the kettle on my hand the other day (I was aiming for the mug) and I immediately reached for a bottle with this amazing oil. The next day there was only a small, red mark on my little finger, which I had neglected to treat with Lavender.

The reason why Lavender is so beneficial for burns is because of the antiseptic, analgesic and cytophylactic properties, which will “ease the pain of a burn, prevent infection and promote rapid healing.”

And as always when you’re using pure essential oils at home, keep them well away from children, pets, eyes and open skin. If you accidentally get some oil into your eye, rinse with plenty of cold water and seek medical advice.

I would also like to point out that using essential oils on skin that will be exposed to the sun is not a good idea. I never forget the story about the woman who put neat Bergamot oil – which is phototoxic – all over her body and then went to lie in the sunbed. She thought that the oil would help her to tan more quickly. Her burns were very, very bad indeed.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Helena x

Feel free to share the information, but please credit me if you do. Thank you!

(c) Helena Lundvik 2010

What is Reiki Healing

Reiki is the Life Force that is within all living things.

I sometimes explain a Reiki session as “unblocking your drain” – mentally and physically. We all carry around lots of “goo” – negative energies, fears, worries, situations, hurtful words... These lesser energies sit in our chakra system and energy body, blocking the flow of living light, creating dis-ease, illnesses and depression. Reiki will help to rid the physical body and the light body of these blocks, making you healthier and whole.

It is my belief that all healing systems come from the same Source; the Source of all Creation. There are only different ways to 'tap into' the energy, and different names for the different  techniques. This could be slightly confusing when you're setting out on your healing journey - Reiki healing, Shamanic healing, Crystal healing, Reconnective healing, Spiritual healing... Where to begin?
I would suggest that you try the different methods for yourself until you find the one that works for you.

Reiki energy looks to me like the most beautiful white silvery light and when the energy shines into my Crown chakra and out of my hands it fills me with the deepest peace. And I remember how to breathe again. How to be still and listen.

Giving Reiki is as wonderful as receiving it!

If you are curious I would gently suggest that you try a treatment. Everyone have different experiences during a Reiki treatment. As a Healer I can simply say that no two treatments are the same. Ever.

What You Can Do With Reiki

How to use the Reiki energy is up to you. Originally, so the story tells us, Usui Sensei taught Reiki as a tool for self development and self healing, and to help you on your spiritual path. Healing others was just a lucky side effect!

The only limits are your own limits! You can use the energy for yourself, family, friends, pets, plants, food, water, situations, the planet.... Play with it, have fun, try for yourself and see what works.

You don’t have to be psychic to be a good healer. However, the more healing you do, the more you will develop your psychic abilities (yes, we all have some!). And being psychic certainly helps.

Reiki can also help you with your own spiritual development and to be more in tune with your Inner Guidance.

What Happens After A Reiki Attunement

You will go through a 21-day cleansing cycle. For one day at a time you will go through the seven major chakras, one by one. This cycle will repeat itself twice, giving a total of 21 days. The experience is very different from student to student. Some will feel angry, some will cry, or laugh or simply feel like normal, only with more energy.

I recommend that you keep a Reiki journal where you can write down your experiences, dreams, thoughts, emotions or whatever may arise during the 21 days.

You can continue to write in your journal even after the 21 days, once you have begun giving treatments to family and friends. It might help you to understand what you are going through and how to deal with certain issues that might surface. It will also help you on your own healing path.

Reiki has a habit of detoxing you. I therefore suggest that you do a short detox before the attunement. It doesn’t have to be a “hardcore” detox where you only eat raw food and drink spring water. Simply cut down on caffeine, sugar, salt, processed food, alcohol, red meat, cigarettes and ready meals. It is not necessary, but you will thank me later!

My theory is: the cleaner the vessel, the purer the energy will be that comes through you.

Imagine pure spring water being transported through a drainage system that is rusty, dirty and full of slime. The water that comes out of the tap is not going to be particularly pure anymore.

I always do a detox at least seven days before I teach a Reiki class. And I do it for my students as much as for myself.

What Is Healing

Any kind of healing triggers a “crisis” in most people. It could be from any kind of treatment: Reiki, Acupressure, Massage or after a Yoga or Meditation class.

I don’t like to use the word “crisis”, however it has become quite popular amongst alternative practitioners.

It is not a “crisis” that you will go through, in my opinion, rather a deep transformation and a shedding of skin. You are letting go of something that you have carried with you for some time; months, years, even lifetimes.

Once the blocks are starting to shift within you, you may feel a bit wobbly, tearful, and possibly angry. But it is part of your healing process and will pass, that much I can promise you!

After my Reiki Master training I felt like I had jet-lag, vertigo and a bad hungover for over a week. But afterwards, I felt so much lighter and more in tune with the world.

After a healing session you might feel strong emotions like anger or worry, fear or sadness You might feel like crying, hiding or breaking something. Healing could be linked to grief – you are letting go of something that has been your security blanket for a long time, no matter how bad it is for you.

A Reiki session could kick-start such a healing process, on a deep soul level. Be aware of your dreams, thoughts and emotions after a Reiki session. Sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better. There is no quick-fix, no easy way out, no one else can do this for you.

Remember:

• The healing needs to start with YOU. If you don't wish to get better, you won't. Are you stuck in the victim archetype?
• Let the healing take the time it needs. It has taken you some time to get to this stage, you won't get well overnight. However, miracles do happen.
• Let go. Let go. Let go. Trust the process and let go.
• Be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself.
  

Your healing journey is as personal as you are. It will never be the same for two people.

Healing is the path towards feeling better, more happy and calm, more content and more in tune with your true self.

How To Find Your Own Spiritual Path

Stay open. Be brave. Ask questions. Answers may appear where least you expect it.

Sit in silence for at least 7 minutes every day and learn how to listen to your inner guidance.

Take note of your dreams, what is your unconscious trying to tell you? What do you love doing? When do you feel most alive or at peace? Everyone has got a talent, even if you don’t think so.

Challenge yourself. Try something you have never done before, like horse riding, bungy jumping, knitting or learing a new language.

The more open you are, the quicker you will find your path. Perhaps you will find that you are already walking it. Once it is clear to you, treat it with respect and with curiosity. And don’t forget to have fun!

How to Face your Shadow (Reiki 3)

Most people fear the dark, the unknown. They fear the wolf-hour when the night is the darkest, when thoughts are true, sometimes twisted, and deep. This is the time of facing your demons.

Like the shamans you must journey through the darkness that is within you and face whatever it is you fear the most. To become a great healer you must do this. You will never be able to heal others unless you have dealt with the dusty, dark corners of your own soul. Once you have begun the process, you will know that it is worth it. The first step in the dark, with no light and many fears surfacing is the worst. But like the shaman you will come out on the other side, with more knowledge, braver and stronger.

(We will cover this topic in more depth in Reiki 2 and 3)

The Role of the Healer (Reiki 2 and 3)

Healing is hard work. If you are a great healer, there is nothing fluffy about what you do. Yes, you are healing with light and love. But you are also dealing with people’s innermost fears and you might find that you attract lower dimensional beings.

Know how to protect yourself. Know your Guides. Know yourself. Listen to the advice from your Higher Self. If in doubt – absolutely don’t!

Practise, practise and practise some more.

Do your daily meditation exercises.

Become familiar with the Maharic Seal meditation and do it often (Reiki 1).

Stay open. Stay positive. Laugh! It will scare away most demons.

Every time you encounter resistance or some dark “goo”, breathe and work through it. Resistance is good – it means you are on to something big!

Learn a divination system like the Tarot, Astrology, I Ching or how to read tea leaves – whatever suits you. Practise your intuition. Listen to your dreams and your gut feeling.

Keep a journal.

Keep learning, keep moving and never take anything for granted.

(I am running classes on how to heal and balance our seven main Chakras. See my website more more information)

Tread Lightly on the Earth

Your responsibility as a healer means to take care of Mother Earth and all beings on this planet.

Be humble. Be kind to yourself and others.

You are never powerless. There is always something you can do. Look around you. Begin with what is closest to you. You can help by recycling, buying organic, locally produced food and products which haven’t been tested on animals and don’t contain any harmful chemicals. You can become a volunteer at a local charity. Send healing to Mother Earth, to war zones and conflicts – sending healing takes around 5 minutes a day.

Become aware of yourself and your thoughts – are you starting the day with a negative affirmation? Do you believe that you create your own reality with your thoughts? Try for yourself – thank the Universe, Mother Earth, the Source, God, your ancestors and yourself for this new day, for the challenges that may or may not arise, for being alive. Give thanks for all the blessings that are already with you. See yourself as a happy, content human being who live in abundance every day.

Take responsibility for your actions.

One of the sacred laws is that you should never do anything to hurt the children – and remember that the children are the humans, animals, plants, trees and any living thing on this planet. Treat Mother Earth and each other with respect.

Extract From My Personal Reiki Diary

After the Reiki 2 attunement (Summer 2006):

“I have plunged deep into my soul and found issues, thoughts and feelings that have been blocking my energy for decades. And the more I find out about these issues and sticky, painful memories and emotions, and the more I accept them and love them, the more I find. It’s like my soul has been waiting for this awakening for so long and when I’m finally there it hits with me all its power. I have been to hell and back during a weekend. I have been humiliated and scared to the point where I thought I couldn’t go on.

But I can.

Since last September I have been on a roller-coaster ride to discovery and I have totally reinvented myself.

I have also changed my job, moved house and stopped drinking as much as I used to. Slowly I am giving up these things I thought I couldn’t live without (even people and places) just to prove to myself that I can.

When I consciously started on this journey through self-discovery I asked for change. I longed for my life to change – and for me to become the one I always knew I was.

And here I am, a bit shaken, but fully aware and filled with the love and energy that is the Source and it is only the beginning.

...and I keep listening to the voice within the wind; to its story, its song.”

Perhaps this article has answered some of your Reiki questions. Perhaps not. Sometimes words are not enough; it is the feeling of Reiki that is important. The Reiki energy will do the healing, and do it well.

Reiki could be like sitting with your back to a tree, feeling the warm sun on your face and the wind in your hair. Or like watching the ocean. Or like standing completely still in a light, warm summer rain.

Reiki is part of the natural world, and it is part of you.

We all have the ability to heal and to be healed; we have only forgotten.

Reiki can help you to reconnect to the Healer within, with your true self.

You are the Creator of your own Universe. What will you create today?

(c) Helena Lundvik 2009

What is inspiring me at the moment:

Books:
'Wheels of Life - A User's Guide to the Chakra System' - Anodea Judith
'How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body' - David R. Hamilton
'2012 and the Galactic Centre - The Return of the Great Mother' - Christine R. Page
'Quantum Healing' - Deepak Chopra
'You Can Heal Your Life' - Louise L. Hay
'Detox Yourself' - Jane Scrivner
'Women Who Run With the Wolves' - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
'The Power of Now' - Eckhart Tolle
'Anatomy of the Spirit - The Seven Stages of Power and Healing' - Caroline Myss
Avalonia's Book of Chakras
'Why Kindness is Good for You' - David R. Hamilton

Music:
'Grace' & 'Live in Concert' - Snatam Kaur
'Shamanic Healing' - Kamal (my all time favourite healing CD)
Anything with Sigur Ros (Icelandic beauty)
'For Emma, Forever Ago' - Bon Iver
Last FM (great online radio station)
'Live in Concert' - Deva Premal

Quotes:
"Be edgy & healing, disruptive & inspiring, half-crazy & profoundly real."
(Don't know who said this, but I like it!)

"At the very instant that you think, "I'm happy", a chemical messenger translates your emotion, which has no solid existence whatever in the material world, into a bit of matter so perfectly attuned to your desire that literally every cell in your body learns of your happiness and joins in. The fact that you can instantly talk to 50 million cells in their own language is just as inexplicable as the moment when nature created the first photon out of empty space."
- Deepak Chopra, 'Quantum Healing'

"The hands are the most formative, the most sensitive of our living tools. Soul and spirit that permeate them in training them, do not only form them but flow beyond them into the world as objective power of love, as blessing, as healing forces."
- Dr. Hauschka

"Compassion is not religious business, it is human business. It is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival."
- HH The Dalai Lama

I have decided to do a proper detox, of body, mind AND life. I feel sluggish, tired and my energy levels are low. I don’t eat too much of the “bad stuff”, but I could do better. And I’m definitely eating too much chocolate, cheese, bread and coffee.

I came across the book “Detox Your Life” and thought, why not! Let’s try this.

This detox programme means doing all of the following EVERY DAY:

20 mins of exercise

Dry skin brushing

Positive affirmations

Laugh heartily

Meditation & relaxation

Breathe properly for at least 5 mins

COLD shower

Self massage

I actually can’t wait (how sad is that?!) to do this. I have my list of what to eat, my fab new body brush, big bags of dried fruit and nuts, and positive affirmations lined up. (Hopefully I’ll still have a social life after the 30 days are up!)

A word of warning – don’t talk to me on my first day of detox as it’s very likely I’ll bite your head off.

Lack of coffee does that to me....

Oh dear.

I really need a detox.

Ready, set, start munching!

DAY 1 - 21st September

I feel terrible. Simply awful. This is not so much to do with the start of my detox... I'm suffering from a weekend of no sleep and too much wine. And I'm really craving coffee and cheese on toast with loads of mayonnaise. Instead I begin the day with a bowl of crunchy pears, goats yoghurt and seeds. I was a bit sceptic about the goat's yoghurt, but I have to say that it actually tastes fine.

No clients until this evening, thank god. So after a cold shower (which woke me up, if nothing else) I dragged myself to Sainsbury's (and it was smelling of freshly brewed coffee in there. I swear!) to buy all sorts of healthy food like cabbage and fennel and garlic.

Planning to catch up on some sleep after a rather yummy lunch of stir fried prawns and broccoli and red coleslaw.

Headache!!! Catnap turned into a long sleep. Using a massage oil infused with lemongrass at work in case I smell of detox-fumes and garlic.

What have I let myself into???

DAY 2

Woke up smelling my flatmate's coffee. I duly drank the hot water and lemon and tucked into a bowl of pears, apples and goats yoghurt.

My stomach feels dodgy. My head feels fuzzy and a dull ache has been bothering me all morning.

Trying to catch up on some work emails. No work until 6pm this evening, which is good.

I've been invited to two birthday parties this Saturday. Great. I'll just watch everyone else get drunk whilst sipping still water. This might be harder than I thought!
I've had loads of herbal tea, but that little voice in my head is whispering about COFFEE

Right. Time for a run in the woods. Affirmation for today: I deserve to detox!

DAY 3

Headache is slightly better today. Tried a different breakfast: home made musli with grated apple, goats yoghurt and honey. Tasted really lovely and filled me up nicely.

I was sniffing around my flatmate’s coffee pot, and the smell satisfied me a bit.

Still feeling tired in the mornings, can’t wait for that burst of energy that is promised in the book. Maybe I’m a bit impatient...

I felt so much better after the dry skin brushing, cold shower and massage with sweet almond oil. My skin is so much smoother already! Yay!

I even felt like doing my Reiki meditation, so could tick off 10 mins total relaxation and 5 mins quality breathing.

The legs feel sore after the run yesterday (gosh, I’m so unfit!) so decided that today’s exercise is a brisk walk to Muswell Hill and back. Bought three more garlic bulbs – vampires stay away!

Feeling hungry most of the time. I saw three clients for massages last night and had to nip out and get a bag of unsalted nuts in between as I was starving. Probably drank about 2,5 litres of water, which is good.

Off to a course this evening so stuffing my bag with nuts and dried fruit for the journey home.

So far the experience hasn’t been too bad. Most of the food is raw, so my jaws are getting a work out too! I’ve spent a lot of time making hummus, cutting vegetables and preparing salads. The food I’ve made has been yummy, I guess being a vegetarian since I was 19 helps.

A slightly scary fact: I’ve been drinking coffee since I was about 15. At least 1-2 cups a day. So in total I’ve been drinking around 7,000 cups of coffee in my life. And that’s if I’ve had ONE CUP a day. The truth is probably nearer to 13,870 cups of coffee in my life.

Wow. That IS scary.

DAY 4

Good things about doing the detox program (so far....):

1. My skin feels sooo much softer.

2. I feel really healthy whilst crunching on bean sprouts and carrots and drinking beetroot juice.

3. I actually enjoy the exercise! Went for a walk on Hampstead Heath today for about 2 hours.

4. My fear of cabbage has more or less vanished. (When I was little I used to suffer from ear infections quite a bit. So my parents used to put a piece of cabbage in my ear overnight to help with the pain. Yes, it's true. I can't remember if it helped, only the smell of the cabbage...)

Trying things about the detox program:

1. NO CHOCOLATE. And today I really really needed a piece of chocolate.

2. Walking through a supermarket is torture. Everything I'm not allowed to eat looks delicious. Especially the chocolate.

3. Headaches. Yep, I've still got them. When will this end?

4. No coffee. Oh, it's hard! But I shall prevail.

DAY 8

....and I'm feeling GOOD!

After a week on the Detox Program I can say that it definitely works. I've been feeling so much more energetic and happy the last few days. My body wakes me up after exactly 8 hours sleep, which I find fascinating. I simply can't sleep any longer.

Been going for a run in the woods every day as well as doing some yoga stretches. I actually miss the exercise if I don't do it. I'm amazed!

The headaches are gone, as well as the mood swings. I just feel like I'm ready for anything.

Went for a walk on Hampstead Heath yesterday for over 2 hours. My friend had an ice cream and I only felt a little jealous... In the café later on I realised that the only thing on the menu that I could eat was a side dish of vegetables. Not very exciting, so I settled for a cup of fresh mint tea.

The only thing that worries me about the detox is that I might lose weight. I don't need to get any slimmer, I just like to get rid of the toxins in my body. So I'm eating loads of nuts and oily fish instead of chocolate.

Talking about chocolate... Green & Black has come up with a new espresso flavoured chocolate. How nice is that!? I was staring at it in Planet Organic whilst paying for goat's yoghurt and rice cakes. I believe this chocolate will be the first thing I buy once the 30 days are up!

DAY 15

I'm dreaming about CAKE every night. About eating cake and ruining all the good work that I've done so far.

However, in reality I haven't touch anything "bad" for two weeks. Yay!

I've even managed to have some sort of social life, drinking sparkling water whilst everyone else gets drunk and smelly. And I'm still having fun!

Before the detox I used to get very grumpy if I didn't get food regularly. Now I just get dizzy and lightheaded, so I make sure that I always have a bag of nuts with me. Just in case.

My recent discovery is the fish monger in Muswell Hill. Their fish is delicious! And so much nicer than supermarket fish. I'm totally addicted to the smoked mackerel, yum!

Haven't been doing great on the exercise front, though.I did plan to go for a run today but it's just too wet for my liking. Ah well. I think three hours of massaging is enough exercise for today.

Perhaps tomorrow the rain will have stopped...

DAY 21

I can't believe I'm on day 21 already! It's gone so fast.

Off to dinner at a friend's house tonight and she's cooking a detox dinner. The support I've had from friends have been incredible, noone has questioned my reasons for doing a detox. I think I'm very lucky as most people I surround myself with are either into holistic healing and yoga, or on some kind of spritual path. I even think I've inspired one or two of my friends to do a detox themselves!

Food takes up a big part of my life and planning ahead is essential. I always make sure that I have a bag of nuts and dried fruit in my bag for emergencies.

After three weeks I hardly think about coffee or dairy products. My biggest cravings are for chocolate and cake. However, I've decided that after my detox has finished I'm only going to eat good quality chocolate. Alchemy in Camden does the best ever raw vegan cakes, which I can eat happily in 10 days' time. Wohoo!

At the moment I don't feel like "poisioning" my body with unpure food, so hopefully I can stick to the changes I've made to my diet.

Energy levels have gone up. I stayed up until 11.30 last night reading about Quantum Healing. Yeah!

DAY 22

Got a bit of a headache today... Not sure why, though. I had some potato wedges last night at a friend's house (very yummy!) and it was a tiny bit of salt on them. Hm. Does this mean that I can never eat salt again, or I'll get a headache? That'll be hard to stick to.

I'm actually a little scared of eating "normal" food again. I guess I have to take is slow and re-introduce food carefully.

Not sure what to do about coffee. I don't miss it that much. Guess I could try decaf?

I actually can't concentrate with this headache, so I'll go and do something mind numbing now, like cleaning!

DAY 28

Wohoo! Only two more days of cold showers :)

Went for a looong run this morning and actually over took two people. Ok, one was old and one was quite big, but anyway...

I feel that I have really built up my strength, which is fab, so will continue with the exercising. And I'll probably continue with the dry skin brushing as well; my skin loves it.

I'm so used to planning my food intake that I forgot that Tuesday is my last day on the detox program. Travelling to Sweden on Thursday to organise a Retreat and was worried that there was nothing I could eat at the airport. There must be some sort of healthy food at Stansted, I'll keep you posted! I really don't feel like eating a white bread sandwich with cheddar cheese the first thing I do.

The two things I'm going to re-introduce into my diet are chocolate and bread. Coffee will have to wait! After the first week I really didn't crave coffee, though, so it's not a problem anymore. Dairy will follow shortly after the bread and chocolate, if all goes well.

Here's to being more healthy and fit! My stomach's looking good. Yay!