Morning rituals are a must these days. They help us to stay grounded, focused, and clear with a go to foundational structured routine. If our schedule changes, it’s a way we know well that we can come back to again and again. My personal morning rituals have changed over the years, however, this one I find functional, therapeutic, and energizing. I interweave these rituals into my morning along with other tasks that I need to do like feed my cat Gemma or get dressed etc. These five things will make such a difference.
Most of these rituals come from the sister science of yoga called Ayurveda, which dates back to 5,000 years or so. Ancient lifestyle techniques and nuances that DO make a huge difference. Little changes as well as the vinyasa krama of things, or the order in which we do things, have an impact. Drinking water before taking a shower, hydrates your system. Showers or bathing can be even more dyhydrating, according to The book Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom by Acharya Shunya, so, drinking 8-16oz before showering, makes a difference over time in regulating inflammation, stress etc. The key is to being steady and consistent over time.
1.) Stretch a little while in bed: open your arms up, yawn if you have to, lay on your back and twist to the right with arms overhead elongating the legs in the opposite direction then to the left. Any nook and cranny that feels like it needs a good stretch. This gently wakes up the body instead of just popping out of bed right away, going from a 1 to a 10, which is not good for our nervous system. Allow the stretches to be gentle and meaningful.
2.) Drinking Water: In Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga, drinking 8oz of room temperature or cool water when first waking up is best because we lose a lot of water when we sleep. If your mind is more awake or stressy then you would like it to be, you can also drink warm tea. Sometimes, I feel I need 16oz of water if my sleep wasn’t as deep. So at least 8oz. It’s also a good idea to rinse your mouth out a couple times before drinking your water as well or gargle. you can add a few lemon slices to aid in digestion or, sometimes I add a few drops of flower essence for clarity and focus. Flower essences aid in hormonal rebalancing if the mind is groggy. This will help with feeling more present and refreshed when coming out of a deep slumber.
3.) Face and Body Scrubbing: I like to use a face scrub as well as bodywash with a loofa that scrubs dead skin cells that accumulate. This keeps skin smooth, glowing, and refreshed. Skin is known as the largest organ of the body. Then of course, any other things you do in the shower that is needed for the day.
4.) Dry Brushing and Oiling: When coming out of the shower, I like to dry brush my skin. It is an ancient practice that brushes the dead skin cells off, stimulating lymph flow. This is detoxifying and motivates circulation. Start from your feet going up the front of your body, next your arms, then down the back of your body. You can google dry brushing for more instructions with more details. You can find dry brushes at wholefoods or online.
Oiling is OMAZING! Take a warming oil, like sesame oil, and rub it on your cerebellum, also in the areas around the backs of the ears. We hold a lot of stress in this area. Give the neck a nice massage as well. Game changer when it come to stress relief.
5.) Meditation Intentional Breathing: Meditating for at least 20 minutes a day is a must. If you can do an hour, that is ideal. Let’s start with 20 minutes. 10 minutes of ujjayi breathing while sitting in virasana (google virasana) is so transformative. This oceanic breath is therapeutic and stimulates all of the nerve plexuses known as chakras. You can learn how to do Ujjayi breathing on my Instagram under the series tab called breathing techniques. I then do Kabalabhati breathing, 3 rounds to cleanse my aura while also working the core ab muscles (video also under the same tab). Next, I meditate for 10 more minutes in silence, listening to what is coming through me as well as feeling any feelings that are coming up at the moment. If your mind has a lot of big emotions, you can journal as well. I dance my emotions out, so not a fan of journaling, but do it if there are lots of pent up emotions. Occasionally I will sing Sanskrit mantra which is the language of love and light. Next week I will post a few beloved mantras I do that are really powerful.
Incorporate these rituals into your morning for a day that will start you on a better foot. Feeling energized as well as relaxed going into your day is much better than a whirlwind of chaos. You are soo worth it my dear.