LAST DAY!

Yesterday, i did two things I was afraid to do for the rest of my fast. I rode my bike, and I went to yoga. Yoga was awesome-- only five people showed up, anyway, and I just told the instructor (who was an eight-month pregnant substitute, and really great!) that I was fasting and going to take it easy. She was totally understanding (duh, she's a yoga instructor) and just told me to do whatever I needed to do. Her class was a pretty gentle Vinyasa anyway, and I just rested in child's pose when I needed to. I got a little light-headed-- woo, blood rush when I dive up or down!-- but it wasn't a problem. I felt very present and able.

There are a few things I have forgotten to notice this week that are different when I am fasting. I mentioned before the feeling of calm I've had. I don't get jittery or anxious really at all, which is no not say I don't get any emotion, but I don't feel anxiety for little to no reason, like one does with, oh, say, too much caffeine? I also hardly sweat!

And, though I am hesitant to publicize this, but I think I lost at least ten pounds. I weighed myself in the nude back in Portland at 140, and yesterday at the Y, clothed, at 130. Obviously, it is not a standardized measure, but there is definitely stuff missing. The reason I said I am hesitant to say it is because, being female, weight loss is so often assumed to be a desirable, even lusted after, experience (even for women with a very healthy, or even low, BMI). This is stupid! I reiterate-- I wasn't fasting to lose weight. I'll leave it at that.

So, do I feel cleansed? Uhm. Well. Not really. But I feel pretty good, and I'm glad I did this, and glad I made it through. I think it's pretty important to experiment and challenge your lifestyle occasionally. If you don't ask questions, how can you ever learn anything?