“I THINK WE ARE HITTING BOTTOM WITH OUR JUDGEMENTS,” SAYS GABRIELLE BERNSTEIN, CURLED UP IN A SPIRIT JUNKIE TEE AND WORN REDONE JEANS IN HER NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT. “It’s just so loud right now. Social media has made it way worse and then there’s politics. The overall divisive nature of the world is so heightened.” It’s this cultural climate that inspired the best-selling author and speaker’s latest book, Judgment Detox – Release the beliefs that hold you back from living a better life“It was a psychic hit,” explains Bernstein on what motivated the book. “It was just a feeling, ‘This is what you have to do right now.’ I was told to do it.” We caught up with Bernstein and her best friend Micaela Ezra who walked us through the pair’s inspirational Spirit Junkie Cards (Ezra designed the illustrations paired with excerpts from Bernstein’s best-sellig tome The Universe Has Your Back) and over a macrobiotic lunch, Bernstein taught us how to cleanse yourself of judgement, her recent love of cooking and how she stays grounded when spreading her message around the world–plus they debuted their cute new line of Spirit Junkie tees!

Photography by Ryan Petrus


Your new book is entitled Judgment Detox. Are three tips you could follow for a daily judgment detox?

The first step is to witness your judgment without judgment. Pay attention to your judgments throughout the day and take an inventory of those judgments. If you just took that inventory of your judgment throughout the day, it’s a major first step. Just look and it every day and document, “Who am I judging, how is it making me feel, what could this be reminiscent of the past?” The second step is to honor the wounds. It’s all about honoring and recognizing the wounds that live beneath the judgement and the reason that you judge in the first place. The third step is to put love on the altar, which means a lot of prayer – your conscious daily thoughts are judgmental so replace them with something else.

When we judge, whether it’s through social media or IRL, are there little practices we can always come back to?
There’s a step called, “See for the first time,” which is all about having a practice of seeing someone through this different lens. There is also a meditation for oneness, which helps see people through the lens of love. The final step is forgiveness.

To switch gears, you’ve been posting a lot about your cooking adventures! AKA, “The Gabby Cooking Show” which we love. What inspired that?
It’s really fun and meditative for me. I could be exhausted and still cook an entire meal.  I like that there’s freedom. I follow guidelines but can also be free within them.

What’s your favorite thing to make right now?
I like making stews. I’ll make lamb stews, hunter’s chicken which is vegetables and chicken and spices. You put it in the Dutch oven for two hours, which makes the chicken just fall off the bone.

You travel so much for work. When you’re on the road, what are your tricks for staying grounded and healthy?
I take Oil of Oregano with me wherever I go. I swear by it.  There’s a live one and it’s dangerously potent but I live for it. I take a digestive enzyme from Dr. Morrison’s with every meal and I take a probiotic. I love Gaia products. Their golden milk is so good! I like it so much that I drink it a few times a day. There’s a little bit of date in it so it’s sweet. I also take Vitamin D, prenatals, Chinese herbs and Olive Leaf.

Do you bring all of that when you travel?
Yeah, like a crazy person.

Do you care about clean beauty?
I’ll only use organic on my body.  I love Aura Glow oil and I also use the Kaia Naturals cream – it’s this gorgeous lavender cream.  But for my face, I use the Biologique Recherche. I love their masks and the P50 V Lotion. It stinks so you have to put something else on top after it.  You should get this, it’s a non-negotiable.

What’s your workout regimen like these days?
I love this thing called Blogilates. It’s 5 minute arms, 10 minute abs. The whole thing is a half hour!

What about self-care?
I get acupuncture every week and I get a massage.

What does breakfast look like?
I have a protein shake for breakfast. I put Equilibrium powder in it and fiber and flax seeds and Dr. Morrison’s protein powder, which is pea-based.

What’s your favorite place to eat out in the city?
Supper is his favorite place and Hearth, I love their bone broth. And obviously, Souen. I usually get the yuba skins, salmon and salad. The last time I flew, I put it in a mason jar and took it on the plane.

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