I LOVE Halloween because it frees us all to reveal our inner everything. I don't need much permission to show off my inner goofball and this celebration of our inner and outer demons is a great time for me to be oh-so-goofy!

Above, I'm with my dear friend Peter McDowell at the best costume party I've ever been to, Beezlebub. The party was in Chicago's south side in a giant warehouse. GREAT TIME. 

I love embracing and embodying my inner instincts and intentions. This is a yogic practice, after all. On Halloween, I can wear these intentions on my sleeve. My costume was a 3 eyed old timey boxer. My 3rd eye of AJNA CHAKRA - the 6th chakra of intuition - revealed! My TAPAS - self discipline - shown through as a determined boxer who will hang in there and fight to do what's right with determination and will power! My SHIVA, my masculine powerful side on my face and chest with all that intense hair. I love it! 

I hope you had fun connecting to your inner self this Halloween, as well. Booooooo.

Today is the last day of my Autumn Cleanse, inspired by Yoga Journal. The toughest part was day 5. I REALLY wanted gelato. I live around the corner from Black Dog Gelato which makes the BEST gelato in Chicago, hands down. About every other week, I buy a small cup of salty cashew and carmel gelato with whatever flavor there excites me. What also excites me is organic eggs. See the photo of a nice breakfast I enjoy. Gluten free bread that I baked with grilled "cheese bread" and an organic egg on an egg plate named, "Chickie". (Yes, the plate has a name.)

Instead of gelato, I ate yogurt with locally milked honey. It was GOOD. So good, that I'm in love with the food that I have in my home. In love with the mung beans and rice that I've eaten for a week. I'm especially in love with the idea of not having to leave my home and spend money to eat. 

The cleanse inspired me to go inwards more to rely on internal resources to be satisfied with the food I had ("No, Mia, you really DON'T need gelato.") The cleanse inspired me to eat more healthy - I don't miss refined white sugar, at all, as long as I have more local honey. I don't miss garlic and onion, surprisingly. I certainly don't miss bread or chocolate. I wasn't even tempted to drink wine. WOW. 

I did cheat and have a few french fries this past week and I had some popcorn, but I'm letting myself off the hook. I did a great job of cleansing myself. Now to cleanse the cleanse! Tomorrow, I'll have organic oatmeal with raisons and dates, made with flax milk. I can't wait to get "dirty" after the cleanse!