On the day before I was supposed to officially leave the Monterey peninsula, I journeyed, one last time, to Big Sur, the place that drew me here in the first place. It seemed a fitting bookend to this almost two-year chapter in my life. My friend Joy and I drove down to Esalen to spend a day in the warm mineral baths and drink in the luscious moistness of the rain-soaked day. It’s been raining a lot lately, here on the Central Coast of California, but it wasn’t until we were driving that familiar stretch of Highway 1 that we realized what rain can do to a hillside. It’s amazing what the plants in water-deprived California can do with a few weeks of rain. Every hillside sprouted verdant new growth in the most vibrant shade of spring green. Even those devastated by the Basin Complex fire are enjoying brilliant rebirth. The sight brought a huge smile to my face.

It got me thinking. If a region decimated by fire can enjoy such glorious resurrection, couldn’t those of us who are a little charred by life embrace that same potential, that vibrant sense of possibility and life? After I saw the beating Big Sur took after the fire, I feared that Big Sur’s beauty might never be the same in my lifetime. And yet, it’s only been a few months and already, Mother Nature (or should I say Mother Nurture?) is conspiring to return Big Sur to her previous green glory. What if it's within our power to do the same for ourselves?

In 2006, I gave birth by C-section to my daughter Siena, my sixteen-year-old loveball of a dog passed away, my beloved father died of cancer, my husband cut two fingers off his left hand, and I quit my job. It was one hellfire of a year, and by the end of it, I thought that I would live the rest of my life black and sooty, that I would never be green again. But seeing the bright green growth in Big Sur reminded me that I am already sprouting new growth. Three years have past, and time has filled me with chlorophyll. Maybe all I need is a little water to help me blossom.

So starting on Monday, I am doing the Clear Center Cleanse with Tricia Barrett, the founder of Green Resurrection, and Lita Collins, Clear Center’s nutritionist. My instructions are as follows:

7 days before the cleanse: Eliminate caffeine, alcohol, sugar, preservatives and additives. (Apparently, by doing this you allow your adrenal glands to rest, recuperate and strengthen themselves before the cleanse.)

4 days before the cleanse: Eliminate animal flesh, dairy and wheat. (These mucous and acid forming foods inhibit detoxification in the digestive tract, preventing your body from efficiently releasing toxins through the colon. When your digestive tract is mucous-free, it is more able to absorb the peak level of nutrients provided during the cleanse, as well as achieve a more alkaline pH.)

2 days before the cleanse: Increase water consumption to half your body weight in ounces. (For example, a 140 pound person needs to consume at least 70 ounces of water per day). By increasing your intake of water, you maximize hydration and allow cells to transfer waste products more efficiently throughout the body. Lita and Tricia recommend a diet of 75-100% raw foods during the 2 days leading up to the cleanse, in order to supply plenty of fiber and enzymes before the cleanse begins.

So I’m ready. Didn’t drink wine at my art opening last night, skipped the cookie Siena offered me, and have been eating kale, sprouts, and seeds instead of chicken. (For a committed omnivore, I must admit that kale isn’t half bad when you mix it with Bragg’s Liquid Amino, olive oil, and lemon juice.)

We’ll see how it goes, but I’m optimistic. After all, it’s a new year, we have a new President, I started a new job, and we moved to a new city and a new house. The movers come with the last of our stuff on Sunday and my cleanse starts the next day. Seems like new green growth to me. I figure I might as well kick off my new life with a cleanse. You know how it goes- out with the old, and all that. Maybe the green juice, wheat grass, and mineral broths will wash me anew and leave me ready for whatever’s coming next, leaving me like the fertile soil of Big Sur….ready to sprout.