Re: Day 18 of 40. First cleanse ever. Am having a hard time for the first time in 18 days, don't want to give up.

Funny! Yeah, it does sound like somekinda dance ;+D

Usually for me after around the 3 week mark is when the mental, psychologial. intellectual, introspective things is kicking into high gear and the internal dialog really quiets down. Understanding begins to happen more from an intuitive perspective without the usual ordinary chatter of the mind talking to itself explaning/describing things. Again that is my proclevity to self "observe". Anything on that horizon for you?

Everything that happens in our system has a chemical basis including every thought we have. When you fast you are basically changing your internal chemistry in a way that you have never experienced before. It affords you a view of life and yourself from an unprecedented perspective. It's not a chemically "forced" instant alteration as with drugs and alcohol but it's more a "freeing" of you psyche and you can have some profound introspective revelations. Besides the obvious physical benefits this is what really attracts me to the longer fasts. It's like a re-spawning. You get a "do over".  Very cool stuff. Great period for some "alone time" and some "soul searching". Great time to meditate if that is something you're attacted to. Long walks in the woods are great during this time. I have been well into my fasts when I've gone on whitewater canoe paddles and the parallel between the physical and the internal of "going with the flow" has been nothing short of delightful and insightful.