If you’re not a morning person, you might be able to relate to this… Setting the ‘perfect alarm’ has been a process of trial and error for the past few months, and you end up relying on multiple alarms.
This is as opposed to using the snooze button. Some mornings a refreshing shower simply won’t get you to the office before 8am, and a take away coffee is the closest thing to a prayer when managing a half-hearted smile as your boss enters the room. Sounds familiar?
Then the question arises, could I possibly risk adding a “morning ritual” into the rush of the morning? Of course you can!
What if I challenged you to take a few extra moments in bed, before you jump out and head to the loo? Instead of seeing these few moments as ‘staying in bed’, rather experience it as ‘being in bed’. Take 5 minutes to settle into the day, mentally. Your routine does not have to be an hour, you could start off with 10-20 minutes. Here are a few easy starting points:
1. Breathe into wakefulness
Before even opening your eyes, bring your awareness to your breath. For one minute try to notice each breath individually – as it enters your body, invite gratitude. Do a few more deep breaths like this to help cleanse yourself of yesterday’s worrisome thoughts and this will help you set the tone for your day ahead.
OFFERINGS
New To Nia Workshop
10 March 2018
10:30 – 12:30
R200
Live Meditation with Ryan
Every Tuesday
11:30
Live Video on Facebook Page
@LifeRetreatStudio
Click here to view our calendar
2. Energize your body
I prefer to start with bringing my hands together (Anjali mudra) and rubbing the palms (to stimulate warmth) followed by a few spinal twists. Choose your movement, even if it’s just a few stretches, before you sit at your desk for most of the day. Stretch your legs, twist your wrists… before they start crawling like two spiders along your keyboard.
3. Make your bed
It may seem like such a small thing, but it makes me feel like I have accomplished the first task of the day. It helps me to make a mindshift that encourages me to make a “to-do-list” for the day ahead, and to see it through.
4. Start your day feeling refreshed
Jump-start your day with a cold shower (in yoga, we call it ishnaan). Cold showers wake you up, and bring you back to the present – as well as opening the blood cappillaries, and envigorating the skin. To many of us, the shower might be where we make most of our life choices. How often do you get out of the shower and even wonder if you washed your hair? I’m definitely guilty! Be mindful, cleanse yourself, massage your scalp, enjoy it.
5. Nourish your body
You’ve heard it before; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Drink lemon water, every single day, let it be a habit, when heading to the kitchen, your first instinct should be a soothing cup of warm lemon water, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger and honey, instead of the coffee machine. Make a nourishing breakfast. Sit down, chew your food, really chew your food and keep your thoughts for the journal.
6. Pen and paper
Set an intention for the day: this might be a goal, an affirmation, or a quote. Keep coming back to this intention during the day, when it feels like the “I don’t even have time to think” moment is entering your day. Be still, repeat your intention. Remember those thoughts that were screaming for your attention during mediation? Now is the perfect time to invite them back and put them on paper, unclutter your mind, plan your day. (Take some time to sit down and enjoy your coffee, instead of buying a take away)
Maybe this could be your go to guide to beat the Monday blues? Anyways, these are only a few things I try to commit to daily as a morning ritual and making the most of the time I have with myself for the next hour. Maybe today is the day to look your boss in the face and genuinely smile at him/her, or just smile, because you’ve spent the morning being the best version of yourself.
WHAT’S NEW ON OUR TIMETABLE!?
SUNRISE FLOW
Friday mornings 06:00 – 07:00
HEALING CIRCLE (all donations go to sponsoring 1 person per workshop who could use the financial aid… and to sponsoring 1 Yoga Teacher Training for 2019)
Wednesday evenings 19:30 – 20:30
YOGA FOR GOLFERS
Monday afternoons 17:30 – 18:15
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