I know a lot of spiritual teachers recommend that we start our mornings off with the same routine everyday, whether that be 5 minutes of meditation, or a certain ritual. I like the idea, but I've never been one for routines. For example, what if I had a solid routine that involved 10 minutes of gratitude journaling, but when I woke my eyes, I just couldn't wait to get out of bed and go for a beach run? Am I going to simmer myself down with the gratitude write, just because I'm 'supposed to'. Heck no. I'm off running. But that's just me.
So my 'routine' in the morning is simply to honour + acknowledge the new day in some way. Much of the time, when I open my eyes, I simply say 'Hi Spirit!'. But I've also discovered a host of different ways I can start the morning off right, and while, again, I'm not one to repeat the same morning ritual over and over, I'll always do something that reminds me that everyday is sacred - there's nothing quite like the moment when you open your eyes to a new one.
Here are some of my favourite ways to honour the morning:
Art: Heiner Luepke
1. Prayer
This one is a constant for me. From a simple, yet powerful prayer from A Course in Miracles that goes: "Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say? And to whom?" to a prayer specific for your day like "Angels, thank you for guiding me through my interview, and ensuring that I speak from the heart, and connect with the people around me", prayer can alter your mood and the course of your day significantly.
Sometimes I like to spend a good 15-20 minutes in constant prayer before I get out of bed. I love when I do this, it has a tangible, magical, and undeniably peaceful effect on my whole being.
2. Green Juice
Green Juice has become a bit of a trend these days, but for good reason. If you've ever experienced a good, organic green juice on an empty stomach, you'll know what I'm talking about! Green Juice alkalizes the body, delivering key nutrition to your cells instantly, without asking your body to output energy to digest. The buzz from a green juice first thing has a profound effect on your mood + energy levels. It is a GREAT way to get going.
Eating before consuming a green juice isn't a good idea, as it might cause stomach cramping and kind of negates the positive effects of green juice in the first place. This is because your body is already working to digest the food in your stomach, and the digestive enzymes are flowing. Green juice doesn't have fibre, so it doesn't need to be digested. Again, drink it on an empty stomach, and it's like a shot of chlorphyll directly to your blood stream. No work needed. Just benefits to be had.
If you don't have a juicer, no worries. This is what I do: Simply throw your greens (kale, spinach, etc) with a citrus fruit (orange, lemon) into a blender, pour at least 2 cups of water over it. Blend. Strain through a strainer, cheesecloth, or a nut mylk bag.
3. Movement
Your body has been snoozing all night. When I take the time to do a bit of yoga or dance first thing in the morning, it's amazing at all the little crackles that my spine emits as it comes back into alignment and openness. I usually just do something like 5 sun salutations, and have a few minute dance party - nothing too crazy. :) Just enough to get my spine and muscles woken up, so the energy is flowing, and I have more focus for my day!
4. Wake Up Slow
When you don't have to rush off to work (which I never do... big gratitude to entrepreneurship!) it can be nice to simply lie in bed, and wake up slow - especially after you've just woken up from some nice feeling dreams. Daze off back to sleep, meditate, enjoy being cozy. It feels so good. If when you do this, you feel guilt (as I once did) - it's a sign that you're not letting yourself relax, and it's a good idea to breathe through it, and ask for help from your angels. You might also be picking up on the hectic energy of the world around you, so shield yourself with some nice pink or bright blue light (through visualization) - and see if that helps.
5. Dream Journal
One of the absolute best ways to recall your dreams is to get into the practice of dream journalling - but this isn't the only bonus. Often, when we write down our dreams, we have a much easier time deciphering what they're trying to tell us.
When you write them down, pay attention to the specific wording you use, and the details you chose to jot down. Reread what you wrote, asking your dream guides for help in interpreting the messages accurately. Do this at least a few times, and you'll be amazed at the information that can be accessed through the dreamtime. The lessons you learn will likely affect your waking life profoundly.