Every morning is a gift. A gift worthy of magic and majestic awe just like any other significant life event. Each morning we are affirmed in our consciousness in the here and now. Each morning sets the tone of our entire day, don't let the magic of waking up slip away, thats been my goal as of lately.
Writing this post, I'm half way though my first year of graduate school, and while my ultimate aim is becoming a "master" in the subject of psychology, the bigger lesson I've learned so far is how to be a master of each - grateful- day. We live in a time of busy-ness, we are rewarded by society with the notion that being busy equals being successful. So where do we find time for magic? for mindfulness? for our daily practice?
I'll be honest, as much as I love early morning meditation and 90 min yoga routines, that doesn't always fit into my schedule. A very wise yogi, Robert Moses, once told me "Make your goals super easy, then you'll have no trouble completing them!". At first this sounded like a cop-out to me, but how could I argue with this glowing person? Moses went on to discuss that instead of setting a goal to complete 16+ sun salutations a day he recommends just starting with 4, if you feel like moving past that goal, great! But four is pretty doable, is it not?
Setting small goals isn't a way to back out of doing things that are difficult or resolving to being lazy, it's a way to maintain practicality in your practice. More importantly it also is supported by the brain! One thing I've learned, is that the brain functions really well when it has the sensation of completing a task, i.e the to-do list. Studies have found that each time you "complete" something or mark something off your to-do list, your brain releases serotonin- the chemical that makes you feel happy and satisfied.
With my new rhythm with school and studying I've become really in love with my morning routine. I wake up, brush my teeth and hair, drink some water and then I fill my coffee pot up to the rim and boil at a medium heat. It takes about 30 minutes for the water to boil and for my coffee to be made. Meanwhile, as the stove gently hums, and my brain becomes excited for my morning cup of chi-moving fabulousness, I go to my mat which faces a window overlooking some trees. I sit in silence, practice my breathing exercises, move my body with gentle stretches and send prayers out to the day. Each day the practice varies depending on how I'm feeling some days are more rigorous and some days I just rest in child’s pose. Once the coffee is made I bring it to the mat and sip with enjoyment and gratitude- then my day has begun.
For those of you that are A-type, go getter, Pittas in the morning who have no trouble doing 30 sun salutations each day, way to go! Keep up the good work. I'm serious, you inspire many. But if you're at all like me, try resetting your outlook on goals, start simple and go from there. The more we can truly listen and be with ourselves without guilt or punishment for "not doing it right" or " not doing enough" the better we are at actually completing things and moving forward with the day. Having an open routine in the morning like I described has actually created more motivation for in me for staying on my mat and diving into a longer 90 min or so practice on many days, but without the guilt or feeling of shame if it doesn't happen. Some days its just gentle movements, meditation, coffee, and I'm off - on to other tasks of the day, and that's ok. My mind still feels that sense of accomplishment and the sensation of a healthy start to my day.
I wish you the best in each moment, and each day.