Morning Rituals

I believe strongly in morning rituals. Through the years, I've noticed that when I'm intentional about setting time aside first thing in the morning it sets the tone for the rest of my day. I find that I'm less anxious and overwhelmed and I have the emotional capacity for others.

When I first began this practice, I thought it had to be something elaborate. I thought I had to commit to reading whole passages of scripture, completing a full 60-minute powerflow, and then meditating for an hour. I soon realized that the only requirement was that I find a moment of stillness before the chaos of the day!

Now my morning ritual is more pared down, but it's still nourishing to my soul. What does it look like now, you might ask? It's simple really. I wake every morning and meditate for 15 minutes. Before I meditate, I light a candle and say a prayer asking for blessing and protection for myself and my loved ones, and I give thanks for all that I've already received. I also listen for guidance for the day. Often, I'm given clear direction or a resolution to a problem that has been troubling me.

Next, I read a page of an Inspirational text while I'm drinking a cup of coffee or tea, and I write 3-full pages of stream of consciousness journaling-- what author Julia Cameron calls Morning Pages. I just write whatever comes to my mind and I find that this practice frees me mentally to think more clearly about the day's tasks before me.

The caveat is that I never skip a day. If I have an appointment that requires me to leave the house first thing in the morning, I wake up earlier so that there's still time for my Morning Ritual. I've found that I'm a much more loving and generous person this way!

If you're not already in the practice of creating a Morning Ritual, I encourage you to get started. It doesn't have to be complicated. Just find a moment of stillness and think of 10 things you're grateful for or think about a loved one and send them loving energy for their day. Maybe buy a special blend of coffee or tea and enjoy it in solitude as you gaze out the window. Keep it simple at first. If it feels good, then you're doing it right!

Whatever it is, make it your time and do it every day. Fill your cup so that there's overflow for others!