Back to Real Life

It will be a relief. To be honest, I hated this program. Fasting is hard, and the point is to be someplace you're totally relaxed and where you can focus on yourself and on your experience. Instead, I was annoyed by everything (and not just out of fasting bitchiness -- that went away at day 4): the program grounds, which are inconveniently spread out (not to mention there's construction! Didn't I leave the dusty Olympic construction site that is Beijing to get some peace and quiet here?!), and the bungalow, which can be described as uninspiring at best. The mediocre beach and generally un-picturesque surroundings. This especially is a big drawback for me, given my new penchant for taking photos.

In all fairness, I've never found a fasting program I've really been happy with, which is why I try a different one each time. Turns out this schedule is jam-packed with lectures, which for a first-time faster is probably a great thing, but I've learned all I want to know about nutrition, food combining, and how awful alcohol and meat are for me. Yes, I agree that they will probably kill me -- and to a certain extent, I'm ok with that. I will never live on a tropical island on a raw diet of fruit and nuts, give Reiki and talk to my inner child. I came here to get away from schedules and do My Own Thing. Classes, aside from yoga, were not part of my plan.  

What usually pushes me over the edge is the people who run these programs, because their perspective is generally so far removed from mine that relating on any level is nearly impossible. Still, I gave the first class a try, just to see. I'd heard great things about this woman and was curious why she has such a following... but she disappointed me by lecturing on information right in the materials she'd asked us to read. Fine, no epiphany here -- but I couldn't help thinking, why assign reading if you're just going to talk through it all in class?

The next day, feeling ridiculously crappy, I let her know I wouldn't be coming to class. She surprised me by _insisting_ I come, saying very forcefully how important the classes are. Hang on, I wanted to say, I'm not asking permission, just letting you know out of politeness! What is this, high school? Well, I didn't have any trouble cutting class then and I certainly don't now. *grins*  

Anyways, you get the jist. It was still worth coming – I feel happier, healthier and altogether better for having fasted 7 days. If nothing else, the program made me happy to go back to my real life... and considering I was feeling a wee bit fed up with it before, that's no small thing.