4 Simple Morning Practices to Increase Presence and
Inspire Higher Consciousness
Living mindfully can feel like the elusive holy grail of health and wellness. Busy lives and hectic schedules make us feel far removed from the sense of peace and stillness we may find during a yoga class for example, or a healing retreat in the woods. But being present in mind, body and spirit is not a separate reality from the daily space we occupy, no matter how fast paced our lives can feel. Mindfulness is attainable in our day to day experience with the simplest of practices.
Each morning we are blessed with a brand new day in which to reset, renew and bring awareness into our being. Morning routines are precious opportunities to set the pace for the journey ahead of us. Each days rising of the sun is a new opportunity to be intentional about the choices we make for ourselves, the healthy habits we chose to incorporate into our reality. Indeed to begin again with each and every day is a true gift.
The following 4 Morning Practices are simple yet effective ways to harness your presence of being and infuse your day ahead with mindfulness and higher consciousness. By giving your fullness and attention to the earliest moments of your waking life, before any and all distractions enter your energetic space, you’ve created the intentional container by which your day will unfold. No matter the order, no matter the hour, commit to these short daily practices and welcome presence and wellbeing into your world.
1. Stretching
Moving the body is the key to starting your day off well. We do a disservice to our physical bodies when we move straight from sleep into the chaos of our waking world. Easy gentle movements right away in the morning can be more enlivening than a cup of coffee and more nourishing than even the most nutritious breakfast. A gentle yoga practice, or simply some easy stretches of the body, moving through the spine and the side bodies, reaching to the sky and touching ones toes can do wonders for our energy and the movement of blood. Begin your day with gentle exercise and experience the powerful effects of a body prepared to face the day ahead.
2. Water
Like plants which thrive on the sunlight and water from the earth, we too are our best when the soil of our body is rich. Water is life, hydration is healing and the best foundation for a healthy mind and body is drinking water. In the Ayurvedic tradition, warm water with lemon first thing in the morning balances the alkalinity and PH of the body, stimulates the digestive tract while the high mineral content of the citrus helps move toxins through and out of the body. Whether warm with lemon or cool from the tap, do your body the small yet powerful favor of intentionally hydrating first thing in the morning.
3. Intention Setting and Gratitude
This practice is quick but profound to the seeker of a full and rich existence. Setting intentions for your day is a powerful tool for creating ones reality. You might write these in a journal or simply speak them to yourself, but by being clear about your intentions, you’ve engaged with the energetic world around you and honored your path with clarity and purpose. Likewise a lovely practice is taking a moment of gratitude. Either written or spoken you might simply list the things in this life you are grateful for. By bringing this sentiment to your heart and your mind, you may live more deeply in the space of gratitude, intentionally and with the fullness of yourself.
4. Breath Work and Meditation.
However novice or advanced your meditation practice, dedicating the first few moments of your day to stillness and deep breaths is a powerful tool for increasing mindfulness. The body and the blood crave oxygen. Deepening the breath, slowing the heart rate, and stilling the mind nourishes our physical and mental being on a powerful level. Whether you have five or fifty minutes to dedicate to your meditation, be sure to focus on the breath, harnessing your full awareness, lengthening your inhales, experiencing a short exhale. With this simple practice you invite a presence and stillness to your reality that is available for you to return to throughout your day.