A 21 Day Grace Period: Day 1

<FINE PRINT: These posts contain nothing legal or binding. Just twenty-one consecutive posts about a yoga sequence and suggested eating plan that I'll be following from March 5 to 25, 2009. I'm getting ready for a yoga workshop and exploring the 21-day-habit, myth or principle?>

Why 21 Days?
My yoga teacher, Jehangir Palkhivala, has been prescribing a 21 Day healing protocol for many years and with much success. People have been relieved of symptoms from a variety of ailments in just 21 Days of a set yoga sequence and a diet of little or no processed foods.

In my search for the basis of prescribing 21 Days, there seems to be no scientific reason for it. Maxwell Maltz appears to be the one most credited for its beginnings by mentioning his research in Psycho Cybernetics. As a health and fitness regimen, 21 Days seems sufficient time to acquire the taste for some new foods and become familiar with a set exercise program and to see and feel beneficial changes in the body.

What's with the Grace Period?
I'm not doing the practice because of any health problem, it's more out of a sense of preparation as I get into the tasks leading up to the workshop to be held at my studio from April 3-6. It's the energy of excitement that I want to share with others so I didn't want to call it a 21 Day Challenge. It's a time to practice being graceful, thus, a Grace Period.

The Practice. The yoga portion consists of the Mother Sequence: 12 Classical Sun Salutations, 21 repetitions of the Tibetan Rites, 2 standing poses, 3 seated poses, 4 inverted poses and 5 finishing poses. It all takes between 45-60 minutes.

The suggested meal plans are simple:

• Breakfast = fruits
• Tea = fruits ("late afternoon snack" for those of us not raised with on daily Tea).
• Lunch and Dinner = at least half of your meal should consist of a salad (raw fruits or vegetables for lunch), before any cooked foods.
  

I'll do my best to come up with a variety, although I can easily settle into a basic menu for myself. Folks are usually stymied by the DIY (do-it-yourself) eating plan.

The Importance of This All? Well, it's all about me. Unless you decide to join in, then it'll be all about you. :)

The side effects are that one could lose a few pounds, acquire a taste for healthier, un-processed foods and  learn a yoga sequence for a home practice. I'm also taking a long look at the 21 Day mystique to see if I can apply it to other self-improvement projects.

One other thing I'll be doing is tracking this on Twitter once a day by using #dailygoals. If you're interested, please read more about it on WebWorker Daily....I have to stop now for my yoga practice.

Questions? Comments? Leave your thoughts in the comment section or follow me on Twitter. Mahalo!

Photo: Current.com