🌟 What 4 Days Without Food or Water Taught Me About Gratitude
A few days ago, I returned from a 9-day vision quest in the jungles of Mexico. I had a sleeping bag, a mosquito net, and the clothes on my back. Let me tell you, re-entry into the world of running water, soft beds, and grocery stores has felt luxurious in a way I didn’t know was possible.
I dry fasted for 4 days and 4 nights. No food. No water. Just me, my thoughts, Mother Earth beneath me, and…way too many ants. 🐜
I didn’t go out there to prove anything or check some box on a spiritual to-do list. I went because something in me knew it was time to listen — really listen — to the wisdom of Nature and the parts of myself I normally drown out with coffee, work, and Amazon Prime.
And when food, comfort, convenience, and distractions are stripped away, what you’re left with is…yourself. Your mind, body, fears, strength, humor, and imagination (which can work for or against you when you’re all alone in the wilderness!).
🌵 The Moment Everything Got Quiet
The first few days were rough, not gonna lie. I was dehydrated, tired, itchy, uncomfortable, and emotionally raw. I was also stuck in some pretty intense mental loops. This quest was my third, and I had gone in with the intention of exploring shadow work…and let's just say my mind took that assignment very seriously. 🌀
But in between the discomfort and the negative thought spirals were these precious moments when I realized I was present. No to-do lists. No notifications. No self-criticism or wondering if I was doing it “right.”
Just stillness, breath, and Nature. 🌿
I could almost feel my nervous system recalibrating, like my body was saying: “Finally. She’s not multitasking.”
🍉 Breaking the Fast: The Most Delicious Fruit of My Life
When the fast ended on Day 5, a visitor from base camp brought me:
A few pieces of fruit
A 1.5-liter bottle of tea made from plant medicine
And I swear to you, I have never enjoyed a piece of watermelon as much as I did that one. 🤤
Every bite felt sacred. I even ate part of the rind.
In that moment, I understood how much we take for granted every day:
The water that pours from our faucets.
The fruit that grows from the Earth.
The bodies that carry us through everything even when we don’t treat them like partners.
I felt gratitude in a way I’ve never felt gratitude before — not as self-help rhetoric, but as a full-body, soul-level recognition of how much we are supported, even when we forget to notice.
I realized that I already have everything I need.
💛 The Lesson My Body Taught Me
Throughout this whole experience, one of the things that struck me was the sheer resilience of the human body.
My body — this midlife body that has seen trauma, stress, illness, injuries, heartbreak, hormonal chaos, sleepless nights, adventures in 40+ countries, and more raves and festivals than I can count — carried me through 9 days of fasting in the jungle.
It reminded me:
This body is resilient. It is wise. It is not something to fix.
It’s something to thank.
We spend so much time at war with our bodies…yet our bodies spend all their time trying to keep us alive.
Maybe it’s time to shift the relationship and start treating them with the respect, honor, and gratitude they deserve.
🌙 What This Means for You (Yes, You)
You might not be doing a vision quest in Mexico anytime soon (and please don’t unless it’s under a structured lineage and you’re healthy enough 🙃), but the lesson still applies:
Your body is doing more for you than you realize.
Your mind is stronger than you give it credit for.
And there is wisdom inside you and all around you that only reveals itself when you create even a little space to listen.
You don’t have to fast to understand that your body and brain are doing far more for you than you notice in day-to-day life. We are constantly recalibrating, healing, protecting, adapting, and evolving. Sometimes the medicine is simply in remembering this.
I came home with a deeper appreciation for my body, Mother Earth, and the tiny luxuries of daily life — including, very honestly, toilet paper. 🧻
🌿 If You’re Looking for Support…
If you’ve been craving a deeper reconnection with your health or your sense of purpose, I invite you to explore my integrative coaching and natural medicine offerings.
I work with people of all ages and backgrounds who are seeking:
Physical healing
Emotional clarity
Lifestyle change
Support through transitions, stress, grief, or growth
A more grounded relationship with their body and mind
I offer 1:1 coaching, group programs, and psychedelic facilitation and integration.
If you feel called to work together, you can learn more here:
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