“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” - Heraclitus, 544 B.C.
The wise words of Ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, now over two and a half thousand years old. Never have they felt more true; having forded a two-month river of juice for the second time in my life. The first time I undertook a sixty-day juice fast, I weighed 270+ lbs, and suffered from a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis. That was in June 2014, six and a half years before I would repeat the process in November 2020.
Now just four days on the other side of a second extended fast, I feel moved to share the experience while still deeply connected to it and still in the integration. It became a deeply spiritual journey, even though it may not have necessarily began that way. In hindsight, that was a similarity shared with the first fast over half a decade ago. What started as a physical challenge, became a spiritual quest that lead to the jungles of Peru.
The differences between the two fasting experiences were much greater than the similarities that tie them together. I drank the same juices in the same order by following the same plan, but it wasn’t the same river and I am most certainly not the same man. I came to this recent fast over 100 lbs lighter, and the only persistent physical pain I was enduring was a long standing case over tendinitis, going back over a year.
MOTIVATION
So why did I decide to do such an extreme fast once again, after all those years? There were a few reasons. I’ve spent most of the past year cultivating a life lead by feeling, as opposed to a life lead by thinking. The latter hadn’t often served me well. I had realised that the best decisions in my life were always those that I felt deep down that I had no option but to follow, even when it made little sense. Like doing sixty day fasts.
Circumstances had presented me with a two-month window within which I could complete another long juice fast. It was chance to re-live an experience that had been a big pivot point in the trajectory of my life, over six years earlier. I had long been feeling like the time was right to write the book that shared the story of how I regained my health, and this fast would provide a perfect, closing chapter. Literally book-ending the journey.
A global pandemic and resulting national lock-down meant that for at least two months, I would be unable to do the physically taxing outdoor workshops I teach through Causeway Living. Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t have decided to do the fast. Being full of energy and at my best for those who invest in my events is of the utmost importance to me, and that simply wouldn’t have been possible if I was in the middle of a fast.
WRITING
Not only was the two-month downtime from my business an opportunity to do the fast, it was an opportunity to fully focus on writing the book too. This ended up marking another significant difference between the first fast I did, and the recent one. During the original fast, my sole aim was to complete it. Completing my recent fast was also the top priority, but I also had secondary aims of writing a book and other responsibilities.
Not only was I focusing on making and drinking the four different juices a day as prescribed on the fasting plan, I was aiming to get at least 1000 words a day down on screen. I was keeping Causeway Living active by running weekly Dash & Splash events, including a charity special at Christmas for Aware NI, and updating social media accounts. I even managed to sell a car, and all kinds of other life tasks like helping out family.
Fulfilling all of these intentions on such a reduced number of calories was not easy. I’m not really sure how anyone completes the fasting plan I followed with additional responsibilities like an office job, or kids to care for. Max respect to anyone who does or has. I was gifted a real insight into how privileged I am that at thirty three years old; my life circumstances allowing me to follow my heart’s desire. I plan to use this privilege wisely.
LESSONS
I learned so much throughout the sixty days of my fast and in the four days that have followed since. I intend on greatly expanding on this in my upcoming book, but there are specific things in my heart that I want to share immediately while it’s fresh and I’m living it. The experience was another affirmation to me that life is a mystical experience with much more going on than meets the eye, or that reductionist science can explain.
Bizarre ‘coincidences’ abounded as the fast drew to a close, and in the days since. I received a BIG lesson in slowing down and relaxing. I had been so Spartan-strict for the final two months of 2020 and my intention to continue that way of being on into this year was met by fierce resistance by existence. I was awoken in the middle of the night with a high level of pain and inflammation that I’m not ashamed to admit terrified me.
Speaking to a friend, guide and mentor, I got a clear message that it was essential for me to stop. Slow down. Breathe. Go easy on myself. Eat food without guilt. Relax. Do nothing and enjoy it. Read a book I enjoy. Listen to music and dance in my kitchen. Create art. Write some poetry. Act in a way that moved my spirit, ensuring it wasn’t driven by an ulterior motive. Just do for the sake of doing. Then it’s no longer really ‘doing’, it’s ‘being’.
JUST BE
I really leant into the relaxation and created some imagery based on visionary experiences I recently had. Seeing my fear given form as teeth, eyes and formless decay. Faith, trust and love was shown to me as granite hexagons being projected forward through time and space. Glowing golden orange and yellow, the strong, grey rock was solid and unstoppable. I wish I were better able to represent what I can see in my mind’s eye.
What I’m unable to represent visually, I feel more competent at being able to express in words. That’s where I feel my soul shines brightest: as written word. I can create visually, I can speak publicly, but neither do the same justice to the light within as what I’m capable of sharing in writing. Hence the desire to write a book. Hence following my feeling and writing this blog post with no ulterior motive. Continuing to do for doing’s sake.
I also wrote a poem called ‘JUST BE’ that you can read in the previous blog entry. It is accompanied by the image below I created as a companion piece. The beauty of nature and reality and the simulation; our perception. Something I believe can be coded when you are connected to a deeper part of yourself that knows the desire of your soul, and not just the desire of your ego or what you’ve been programmed to want.
INTEGRATION
Following my feeling of moving into relaxation almost immediately worked on the inflammation and physical pain I felt. I spent nearly two hours talking to my friend who helped me through the experience and fear, and by the end of the conversation I already felt half-way back to ‘normal’. I awoke the next morning feeling fine again. This felt like borderline magic; inexplicable pain and inflammation visiting and gone again in 24 hours.
I feel like the lessons that I’ve been getting on the other side of the fast represent an opportunity for me to finally step into my fullest potential. My aim is to fully integrate a more relaxed way of being into the tasks and responsibilities necessary for fulfilling my greater intentions. Complete my book. Attract the perfect, small number of 1-to-1 Causeway Coaching clients who I can work with online while moving to Thailand this year.
I don’t need to disregard hard won lessons in discipline and the true magic in that side of life, but I do need to strive for balance between my routines and completing that regimen in joy and with a sense of fun. I’ll be doing this in all areas of life; enjoying cooking different foods and experimenting with different forms of exercise. Being creative more often just for the sake of creation. Let go of ulterior motives. Trust God’s Plan.
If you’re still reading this far into a long blog post, I’m certain there’s something in here that strikes a chord within your soul. Take some time to be silent today. Clear your mind. Go for a walk. Be still. Listen to what you know is the next step. I’ll be able to offer support along your journey, in due course. If you want to be added to the waiting list for 1-to-1 Causeway Coaching, send an email to scott@causewayliving.com and let me know.
In the meantime, I’ll be enjoying the process of completing my book. Working with existing clients who it feels right to continue serving. Making some of those delicious meals pictured above, shot in an earlier part of 2020 when I was beginning to expand my culinary skills. Skills I’m excited to put back into action after two months of no solid food and eating simple fare so far, so as not to stress my digestive system and take it easy.
Huge thank you for your ongoing support and continuing to read what I have to offer until the book comes out this year. I often get asked what the best way to offer some support is in the meantime. I closed my Patreon account in 2020 and moved recurring donations over to the Dash & Splash page of the website for those who wanted to support that ongoing, free weekly event. It’s possible to offer something that way by clicking here.
Love, thanks and best wishes for 2021,
