“The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep! You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep! People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep!” -Rumi
The snooze button being pressed repeatedly, breakfast on the go, and a general feeling of racing against time to get to where you need to be. Does this sound like your morning everyday? Many people associate the morning with an anxiety ridden mad dash. A mad dash to the finish line that’s ironically the beginning of the day. As easy as it can be to fall into a habit of doing everything on auto-pilot to make it out the door on time, could this be negatively impacting you more then you realize? If you think about it, isn’t the way you start your day going to set the tone for everything that follows? If you begin with chaos and disorder, can you expect to be as connected, productive and happy as you want to be?
If you feel like you need to start off the day in a more peaceful and relaxed way, adding morning rituals can be the answer.
The sunrise symbolizes new beginnings and beneath all the busyness, the morning holds a special kind of magic that’s always there to connect with.
Begin to test out morning rituals and see which ones feel right. Choose morning rituals that make you want to get out of bed in the morning. Make sure you decide on ones that you can make into a habit without dreading. Maybe you can’t dedicate 30 minutes or more of your morning time to rituals, but even 5-10 minutes can make a world of difference.
Here are 8 Morning Rituals that can help you start your day with a clear mind and ppen heart:
1. Wake up and really enjoy your coffee
Coffee is one of those things you get used to having and can easily be taken for granted. If you are a coffee drinker in the morning, imagine not having it available tomorrow. Just that thought alone could bring a sense of panic on. Appreciating coffee for all its glory can really create a sense of gratitude and joy early in the morning.
2. Drink water with lemon
If coffee isn’t your thing, lemon water is a detoxifying and calming drink to begin the day with. During winter months, hot water and lemon is warming and really helps to heat up the body. Lemons help with digestion and to balance pH in the body so making this a morning ritual can really help you feel a sense of letting go of the day before and starting a brand new day.
3. Do some yoga poses
If yoga isn’t part of your morning yet, consider it. Yoga is a great and gentle way to get the body moving and to start to clear your head. During the warmer months, try and do yoga outdoors to connect with nature. Sun Salutations in the morning are energizing and a way to open your heart and strengthen your mind.
4. Breathwork
Breathwork is often pushed to the back burner because of the lack of time people have to commit to it. However, different forms of breathing techniques are the perfect thing to try as a morning ritual. Breathwork helps with overall well-being and is a potent and effective self-healing tool you can turn to.
5. Start a meditation practice
Developing a meditation practice in the morning helps to control your thoughts and help ease any leftover stress from the day before. Our mind is much more at ease first thing in the morning so meditation can be even more beneficial if you do it then. When you start out, be patient with it and start to take note of the way your day goes on the days you do it versus the days you don’t do it. Meditation is possibly the most powerful morning ritual you can do for a clear and calm mind.
6. Ground yourself by eating greens
Eating or drinking greens first thing in the morning just feels right. It’s refreshing, healthy and a way to start off fueling your body with good nutrition. Consider blending or juicing greens as a morning ritual and start to add fruits and vegetables that are in season to really connect to nature.
7. Foam Roll
Foam rolling is one of those things that falls into the category of I know I should do it more but I forget about it. Adding foam rolling as a morning ritual is a smart way to take care of your muscles while giving yourself a little quiet time.
8. Set An Intention
Whether it’s in your mind or you write it down, set an intention for the day. Being mindful about your day and how you want to feel can make a world of difference. Energy flows where attention goes so it only makes sense to set yourself up for what you hope for.
Get creative and use these 8 ideas for morning rituals for a clear mind and open heart to explore what works for you. Remember, your morning sets the tone for your day, so use this powerful time to get into the best headspace possible to enjoy the days of your life.
By Suzanne Kvilhaug
Practice Yoga or Meditation to Start your perfect day, right now on YogaDownload.com.
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