Marc Titus, Author at Sedona Yoga Festival • Page 2 of 7

Yogi Detox

Jan 31, 2017 | Sedona Yoga, Sedona Yoga Retreat

This is part 4 of a multipart blog series. Click here to read part 1.

Do yourself a favor… I did! I took a 10-day vacation (well, almost 10-days… i will explain below) from the normal foods and ways I eat and wow! what a difference… Read on as I share my conclusions from the recent yogi detox I undertook.

The Purium 10-day Transformation makes things super easy. There are five products that I cycle through each day, beginning when I wake and ending a few hours before I go to bed. Every 2 waking hours, I attend to fueling my body. It’s simple.

Wake, take 5 Super Amino 23’s, and a Super-Lyte.

2 hours later, 2 scoops of Power Shake and 2 Super-CleansR.

2 hours later 5 Super Amino 23’s, and a Super-Lyte.

2 hours later, 2 scoops of Power Shake and 2 Super-CleansR.

2 hours later 5 Super Amino 23’s, and a Super-Lyte.

2 hours later, 2 scoops of Power Shake…

2 hours later, 2 ounces ApotheCherry.

Flex foods, these and more…

*I can add flex foods from a list including cucumber, apples, honey, avocado, greens, etc… OR if I need to I can add a flex MEAL from a larger list including fish, chicken, quinoa, and more.

Here’s the thing… This program pretty much takes the habits away from eating, when one sticks to the schedule. And the choices are already made, so again… NO THINKING. Which is what I wanted! Thinking uses energy and so do subconscious habits, patterns and unwanted behaviors. But, I wanted to focus that energy on SEEING those habits and CHANGING them.

And that is just what happened and why this is truly a yogi detox! Undeniably so, my body had a physical detox/cleanse the first 4 or 5 days and it certainly was nice to give my digestive tract a break for a few days, providing HIGH QUALITY, NUTRIENT DENSE SUPERFOODS at regular intervals in liquid and pill form. Along with plenty of Sedona’s FINEST water, my body was certainly taken good care of nutrition wise.

So, what happens on a yogi detox?

My weather was conducive to inner work… !

Well, yogi’s systematically shine the light of consciousness on their thoughts, words and actions, discerning a wholesome course through life for the most part. Often I slip, but I am ever-vigilant to stay the course, right my ways and move from an ever-evolving place of neutrality and consciousness… towards myself and others. Occasionally… (actually, more often-than-not these past several months for me), I really lose my way, and get identified too deeply with the material world… PTSD kicks in and I live in a shitty place.

It was time to bring out the big guns, so when Heather said she was taking a yoga retreat in San Diego, I jumped at the opportunity to have some alone time for the yogi detox and thus jump start my new year, my new practice, my new life and our new businesses!

I am very pleased…

The thing about transformation is this… in the end, nothing remains of that which was transformed. There are times when it happens in an instant and one is forever different, but my experience has been more like a journey… ‘peeling the onion’, layer upon layer reveals something new to transcend… transmute… transform.

And so, the yogi detox with support from the Purium Product line is my goto for a deep cleanse. In my experience, its simplicity allows for redirecting all the available energy towards introspection if one desires. The body goes through its machinations, ego attempting to dissuade, but if One stays present and observes it all for a few days patterns emerge. Add gentle yoga sadhana with pranayama and meditation to complete a slam dunk for rapid transformation.

The super-cool thing about a Purium 10-day Transformation is how flexible it can be! I did 7 days full on, following the schedule and adding the 3 flex snacks per day. During this time I limited my activity, but maintained a fairly strong yoga practice of 60-90 minutes and 20-30 minutes of meditation. Then I flew to San Diego for the Innaugural San Diego Yoga Festival and my activity increased. On day 8, in addition to the schedule, I added a meal… of nigiri, seaweed salad, cucumber salad and yup… sake. I approached this meal with the highest level of consciousness. Every mouthful, the Divine… Blessed. no problem.

Day 9, even more activity… and I was feeling kinda ungrounded… Street Tacos, butternut infused whiskey sour. Again, completely conscious… again, no problem.

Day 10, even more activity… and I was actually hungry… Finding the best place to eat that night was fraught with problems… complete with a non-stop verbal conflict at the restaurant we felt GOOD about going to… finally landing on a second best, but by then… not very conscious… suffice to say… BIG PROBLEMS… Someone even got hit outside the restaurant towards the end of the meal. So, the grass-fed burger and hand cut fries… nope. didn’t work.

Here’s the thing about a yogi detox… Everything comes to your aid. Including serious indigestion, as the yogi continuously and relentlessly shines the light of consciousness into all areas of their lives. These experiences showed me something about myself (that I needed to see… to know.)

It has been a few days now, I am still having a Power Shake and Aminos daily… and I have brought an even higher awareness to conscious living, eating, sleeping, playing, traveling… everything. I have again seen how important it is to fuel this HIGH PERFORMANCE vehicle of consciousness evolving with the highest octane super-foods I can get my hands on.

It is up to me to create the optimum environment for my being to thrive and I have found diet to play a role. I feel different; like I am firing on all cylinders. I am clearer in mind, more peaceful in my thoughts, less reactive, happier for sure! The physical detox, along with the flexibility of these products to suit your needs and goals, combined with the simplicity and ease of use makes it this yogi’s choice to support a personal home-based retreat that can really take you deep.

+++++SPOILER ALERT+++++

Days 3-5 are notorious… and for me no different. All of my being was focused on erasing some deep grooves… creating NEW NEURAL PATHWAYS… NEW EXPERIENCES… Much happened between days 3-5, but that is another story…

Yoga for PTSD

Jan 9, 2017 | Sedona Yoga, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Yoga Conference

I have suffered enough…

I think that’s what happened… Somewhere from the darkness, this knowing came. I have suffered enough! So quiet, it was that it must have merely dawned on me at some point and through the fog of despair this near imperceptible feeling became the catalyst that has propelled me to where I am today, such an advocate of yoga for PTSD.

As I conjecture, taking a moment now to look back, I wonder if God’s graceful and consistent whisper wasn’t, “you have suffered enough…” and somewhere deep within the one who was wounded, a hidden back door opened allowing said Grace to enter. Albeit unbeknownst to me at the time, as I was deeply identified with the one who was ill and couldn’t get out of bed, the pain so agonizing as to put me to the floor in tears, yet, Grace did come.

yoga for ptsd

You see, that is the thing about trauma and PTSD (and why yoga for ptsd is so helpful)… One gets deeply wrapped up in the experience, so much so that there is no new experience, without the bodies memory of the impact of the event. And when it gets extremely bad, the body never comes out of fight/flight, the memory of the event no longer so prevalent as everything in the world around me is sharp and harmful… or at least that is what my nervous system can tell me.

As imperceptible as this feeling/notion was at the beginning, I can say now, looking back, that it gained momentum, slowly at first, oh so very slowly, and it did pick up, but jeepers the agony of it… I get it! What I am speaking about was mere months ago, and the gain in momentum is still variable, yet undeniably so, progress is being made… consciousness is expanding. Ultimately, something within me fully acknowledged that I had suffered enough.

And that’s when things around me began to change… starting with the pain, something began to release and all I can say is assistance showed up, every single time I needed it. Miraculous, in plain speak, but in retrospect, I can see the elegance of it all. God is not intending human beings to suffer. and yet we do… amazingly well, I might add! The Human Race has become earthly residential experts at it, and few succeed in completely becoming free of this uniquely human condition.

So I work at it… it’s not always easy… Sometimes, I am successful… most often I fall short. But I have found through my practices (yoga for ptsd) there is a Presence whom is always there for me when I falter and the forgiveness I struggle to give myself, is ever-present when I am tuned with it…

That is the work… imperceptible whisper heard from my bed of despair, but full on conversations, inspirations, vitality, direction and drive when I am feeling good…

I suffered enough… and yet, still everyday… I face the chasm; its yawn could envelope me, if I let it and when I remember to turn away from the observations that pull me toward that gaping yaw, I feel good! Needless to say, I have determined it is my responsibility to focus on that which allows me best to feel at ease in my being and have gained empirical evidence that doing so not only brings Joy, but also clears the way for an easier path with less obstacles and greater achievements.

Clarity comes and life flows easily. Dharma… Service in Action. Consciousness itself expanding on its leading edge, through YOU. That’s COOL! Right!!??

Something happens… call it a miracle (because no short of could it be!) Somehow… the point of identification can shift, does shift and we begin to see the wounded one and realize we can observe him or her. Rest in this awareness when it comes… nurture and allow it to return frequently. Find ways that work for you to cultivate this feeling, because it is a feeling only you will know and your way to it will be unique to you. Always remember, no matter where you are on your journey… teachers will come and go, leaders, too. You are the only constant and ultimately your unique way and practice will be revealed… to you, unfolded by you and realized by you. Yes, you will be guided, a student and a teacher, and you will experience many, many things… but, it will always be up to you to find your way hOMe when the cacophony returns, and it will return.

I am READY… are you? (Yoga for PTSD)

Join me at the Sedona Yoga Festival, March 9-12, 2017 for the first of its kind; Traumatic Stress, Healing & Resiliency with Yoga: an optional integrated training at the upcoming consciousness evolution conference held every year in the place I am blessed to call home. Each year, SYF becomes a platform for giving back, as we train yoga teachers, care givers and survivors alike to understand the needs of a significant population in our over-stressed American culture; those affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its often debilitating symptoms, consequences and effects. We have trained hundreds over the years and affected the lives of thousands. Yoga for PTSD works. Period.

This year we aim higher (holding space for 210 attendees…) and by integrating this optional track into the festival schedule, we believe we will see more graduates from this CEU approved series of master classes and workshops than ever before!

SYF GIVES BACK program faculty have always been carefully selected by Heather and I to provide the largest scope possible to identifying, understanding and solving the problem through the the Science of Yoga, Meditation and other energy medicine modalities. This year, several of the faculty have been monumental in my healing journey; their methods and teachings instrumental in my post-traumatic growth.

I can personally attest to the efficacy of these practices and if applied, consistently, diligently and with focus, one can experience a shift… relief comes, even if but for a moment, it comes… and it will lead to more.

And one day… not too far in the future, you will take a moment to look back and say, “I suffered enough… have you?”

“There is another way…”, You will say.

From Presents to Presence… the best gift of All.

Dec 26, 2016 | Sedona Yoga, Sedona Yoga Retreat, Yoga Festival, Yoga Philosophy

This is part 3 of a multipart blog series. Click here to read part 1.

It’s time… the glory and the chaos of the holidays is drawing to a close; the new year is ahead now and our sight may drift to the future as we contemplate where we’ve been and where we would like to go… in presence.

Where do you want to go?

This time of year is universal in its opportunity to grow and expand our horizons; to find an inner solace that soothes the past in hopes of wiping the slate clean. We all carry baggage; our bodies often bearing the scars of times past and humanity as a whole has come to see the New Year as the time for fresh starts and letting go…

On the heels of Christmas (I grew up celebrating this time of year in this way), I think we have an Aumazing Opportunity! I mean, let’s think about it… The Spirit of the Holidays is the same, regardless of the Holiday one celebrates… Presence.

“Be like Him that we celebrate today… regardless of race, religion or creed; kindness and compassion. Love everlast.”

Spirit… The Life Force, Consciousness. God. Whatever you choose to call it, even whether or not you choose to acknowledge it, it exists and is the very fabric of reality that weaves us all together in inexplicable ways.

Presence

But, what does it want?

I have come to see, through a lifetime of empirical studies, my path, that it, ultimately wants nothing more than to expand into new territories of experience, and we, the human being, appearing to be its most advanced avatar, must realize that in its omnipresence it could not possibly want to destroy us, rather it is the giver of LIFE and without it I could no longer write, sit, think, or type, nor could it experience itself expanding through me anymore… Why would it want to harm me, let alone any of its Creations?

Yet, we look around us today and there is such uncertainty and fear… tumultuous times, I have said often, even now, this Holiday Season, humanity seems to be walking the razor’s edge, precipice on either side, wondering when it all may come crumbling down.

I awoke today, the day after Christmas, with a slight panic… like, something is wrong, and yet, I know this is not true. It means something is out of balance within me, the scales tipped to the darker side of consciousness where fear and uncertainty live and after looking deep inside, again I find my solace; my peace. Presence. Om Shanti.

I have come to realize that I HAVE A HUGE PART TO PLAY IN ALL THIS. (and so do you… it turns out.)

You see, my teachers have all told me, as have pretty much ALL the saints, sages and masters that have come before, that I (and you… ) are Happiness itself… Joy itself… Love itself… BLISS… ANANDA… Ecstasy.

I have experienced this to be true, maybe you have too! Fleeting at times, yet when I release all the stress and trappings of our modern ways, quiet my mind, purify my body and tune into my Souls’ voice… Peace is there. Joy is there. Happiness is there. Presence.

Mark Whitwell tells us that if we come away from our practice in any other state than described above, then we aren’t doing yoga…. I laugh out loud at this now, as it sinks in…

And like a ton of bricks it hits me (again)… head in palm…

I don’t go to my practices to seek aggravation, frustration, anger, or fear… those only exist in my fragmented and unbalanced mind, body and spirt…. NOPE!!!! what happens when I find my way… my balance… is undeniably PEACE…. Happiness, Joy Itself.

THEREFORE… that is the underlying reality for ALL OF US…

So, we have our work cut out for us… and to be true it is our work… your work. Mine.

Focussed practice ahead! Presence.

It is time…. that we come hOMe.

(I am planning to do a spiritual detox and total body cleanse beginning in the next few days…it has helped me in the past to gain, presence and clarity… let me know in the comments if you would like to join in! and Click here to see part 1 in this multi-part blog series!)

Namaste.

Total Body Cleanse – Find your way hOMe.

Dec 13, 2016 | Sedona Yoga, Sedona Yoga Retreat, Yoga Conference

This is part 2 of a multipart blog series. Click here to read part 1.

We’ve been in the flow lately… undeniably so. It has been remarkable and filled with insights and as I was cleaning houses (old and new), I found something! Not a total body cleanse, although important and part of the story, rather something more profound; perhaps a miracle, I have to say the experience has altered me somehow. Or… maybe I was just primed to see something (from my last total body cleanse…), again, to be reminded just how this journey called life works. I marvel at it, truly… and yet, it seems to be a continuous struggle to maintain this view… or did. Let me explain.

We moved…

20 or so days ago, Heather and I spontaneously discussed the perfect place to live; a place we could expand our lives and grow, something we could share with family & friends, a place we could grow our business and share with our tribe. We listed all the things we would want, right down to the neighborhood; we were very specific. Today, I am sitting in the back office of that home writing this blog!

Everyone can relate, I am certain, to the experience of moving… Yet, we both handled it in stride! I admit, there were a few times that it got challenging, yet I was able to literally turn 180 degrees from the thoughts, words or actions that were noticeably blocking the energy of expansion. Somehow, I was able to maintain a peaceful clarity throughout what certainly looked like chaos from the outside, eventually the perceived chaos diminished and now I gaze upon a completely new experience! So, how did I do it?

I didn’t! It was the Flow… We are in it. All of us, all the time. Prana, Chi, Energy, Universal Energy, God, the Great Mystery… on and on the traditions describe something like “a fabric of reality”, something that keeps it all together, connects all creation, and so on… (So I am gonna leave that part alone and know that if you are reading this, we are close enough or on the same sheet. )

I have been shown over & over again, on this near 20 year journey into understanding myself and allowing consciousness to expand through me, that indeed there is something working on our behalf… in the ethers, I like to say. Now, I am thinking, just straight up what I am calling ethers is actually it! But truthfully, I have NO CLUE!

My teacher says, “we are happy… that is our nature.” And all the times I looked at him and thought, “hmmmm…. no shit, there must be something to this”, I am now realizing… yup! there is.

These past several days have shown me yet again that we are indeed part of something much grander than I could ever figure out. I received empirical data to support my conclusions and directly experienced something palpable and profound. The only way to describe it is to say this.

There is a place I found… only I don’t have to go anywhere, although it feels like I leave it sometimes, where I feel safe, secure and nurtured and HAPPY, yes, happy. and I don’t mean ‘happy to have passed the test!’ or ‘happy to see you!’ or ‘my children make me happy’ or ‘happy its friday’, no I am talking about a deep sense of joy or bliss. ultimately, these words do it no justice. but i know the feeling. and when I feel that way, things work out… the Energy wants to expand, Consciousness is evolving and it is doing it through us. Aware or not, it is happening. When I tune into that feeling…

I am that feeling. I have come to that conclusion now and that it is up to me to support this human being in experiencing its birthright. Bliss, ananda… all the sages, saints, mystics and masters have pointed humanity to this fact. Ok… mind blown. again, as I said. I am a yogi, that is what is ironic… one might think, I got it… but the chatter in my mind has had its way with me, too! (and likely will again, albeit each time is less and less intense!)

Lets do a little 2+2…

All the saints, sages, masters, mystics…, the Wayne Dyers and Eckhart Tolle’s, the Beatles and other celebs… Jim Carrey, for goodness sake! google it. Jim Carrey Awakening… bam! My teachers… ALL SAYING THE SAME THING.

Now, again… me.

Does that mean what I think it means! yup… AVAILABLE TO ALL… They do call it the Infinite… that means everywhere… you, me, them… over there, here, yesterday, tomorrow… it is here, now. Always.

Cleaning my homes last week (1 old & 1 new) I found something… It was here all the time, silently waiting for me to return; to notice. (yes, i have been here before… maybe you have, too!) I found a temple, a true hOMe that I carry in my heart… a place I can never leave, nor ever go; I have always been here; safe, nurtured, supported and cared for. And so have you.

Total Body Cleanse

It is up to each of us to gain the clarity; consciousness is evolving through us all. Are you stuck? This is where the total body cleanse comes in. Of all the practices I have turned to over the years to gain and maintain my clarity, one sticks out to be the very best and quite honestly a rapid way to achieve clarity and gain insights when you are feeling out of sorts. A total body cleanse has been my goto over the years to feel lighter in body… mind & spirit. I firmly believe that our food system in the US is a contributing factor to systemic issues of low energy, physical & mental illness, along with a host of other issues plaguing our society. Cleaning up your diet for 10 days, is not only a great way to begin to entertain some discipline your life, but the healthy, happy vitality that results from the 10-day Transformation of a total body cleanse will bring some zing back into your life and a sure cure to feeling stuck over or after the holidays. There are many out there so do your research; many are not pure, organic, non-gmo, sustainably harvested, etc… but that may not matter to you. If it does, click here to learn more about the products I use daily.

There are many practices available to facilitate the expansion of consciousness within you… We aim to share what has worked for us: Yoga, Meditation, Energy Medicine, along with dietary support in the form of supplements and organic, non-gmo, minimally processed foods. Please comment below what has worked for you…

Join us in the flow! SYF2017 is right around the corner… and Aumbase Sedona has some great offerings, including a Total Yoga Detox with Luke Ketterhagen January 19-22! and remember, this hOMe was inspired by something bigger than us … look for us on airBnB soon and as hosts to a private total body cleanse retreat in our hOMe… with us.

Namaste.

Spiritual Detox; A Whole Body Cleanse, The Key to a Happier Life?

Nov 17, 2016 | Sedona Yoga, Sedona Yoga Retreat

Sometimes we feel stuck… Lord knows I have! It seems it is an inevitable aspect of the Spiritual Journey and the whole body cleanse & spiritual detox is a good way through. Often I have found myself in troubled times, wondering why everything seems to be held in suspended animation while my heart & soul quietly continue to keep my attention on what is really going on. Trust me… the awful chatter that can arise in our minds, often self-directed negative talk, is an incredibly destructive force. It is what prevents most of us from stepping into a deeply authentic place, sidelining ourselves from life… stuck. It doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t feel right, and yet, stuck is the harbinger of greatness!

Consciousness is always evolving, and aligned with it, we, too are always expanding. We just need to keep up… and I believe when we feel stuck, it is merely a clear sign that we are not keeping up. So, here’s the cool thing… the Spiritual Journey is all about noticing the signs, right? Then we can respond to them in a manner that allows unimpeded growth in all areas of your life… physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual. However, it does take some personal discipline and desire to move forward… to get unstuck.

It feels good to be in the flow, we all know it… have all been there at least a few times, albeit, often unawares of how we got there, yet undeniably so, it feels really good! You know it, deep in your body, the only way out of those heavy sensations and experiences is through…

Spiritual Detox & Whole Body Cleanse – a way to the light…

Think about it… how it feels. Heavy right? Dense… Dark. These are and so many more words can describe the feelings we have when we are stuck. So, logically, it would make sense that if we got “lighter” ourselves something might shift. Yes? I thought so… and every time I have undertaken either a spiritual detox or whole body cleanse (often together), I have experienced a lighter & brighter state of being. Much more peace, clarity, balance, harmony, serenity… downright goodness has followed.

It’s a pretty simple formula really, cleanse the body, mind & spirit… inside and out. Ten days is pretty standard, although I have experimented with a variety of lengths of time and have somewhat concluded that your body will tell you when you are done. It’s all about cultivating a greater intimacy with yourself, being able to filter out what is not you, to find you; that quiet whisper, always guiding us, always present. Often we can’t hear it over the cacophony of distractions our senses report. Our bodies, minds and spirits are polluted with so many toxins from every day western life that it is near impossible to feel into our intuition, or get in the flow. If this is your first Spiritual Detox or whole body cleanse, commit to at least 10 to 14 days. (there is something deeply profound about a 40-day experience… let me know in the comments below if you would like to know more about that.)

sydney-peace There can be no other outcome than transformation, if one commits. No other possibility than to know the lightness of being or effortless ease possible to every human being.

The Spiritual Detox & Whole Body Cleanse can be as simple as switching to a mono-diet with only organic, non-gmo ingredients and turning off the tv (particularly the news and social media) to sophisticated ancient protocols, practices and treatments all aimed at purifying the body and mind. As body/mind become pure, our energy increases, as does our ability to move energy through the more subtler aspects of our being. We become clear.

Who doesn’t want clarity these days, right!!??

Stay tuned, as we explore this topic further in future posts… The holidays are a good time to begin practicing some mindfulness and create an awareness around your own personal situation. Often the stresses pile up during the holidays and we find our selves exhausted and strained in the new year. Let’s prevent that from happening this year! We know this time of year can be challenging, so go easy on yourself and plan a post holiday getaway where you can experience your own Spiritual Detox and whole body cleanse. Supercharge your New Year with a New YOU!

Make life epic… because it is. Namaste.

This is part 1 of a multi-part blogpost. Click here to read part 2.

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