In Vedic culture, mornings are considered an auspicious and optimal time for spiritual devotion and energy renewal. Speaking for myself in particular, since building a consistent, daily morning routine packed with simple yet effective self-care rituals it has helped me to set a calm and inviting tone for my day regardless of my hectic schedule and overwhelming responsibilities. In this article, I’ll share with you all my sacred morning routine which takes around 45 minutes total! I’ll also share a list of general activities that can help you as you build your own routine.
According to Ayurveda, the first three hours of the morning starting from 1-hour and 36 minutes before sunrise and ending at 48 minutes after sunrise are considered vital to energy renewal and abundance. While I’ll go into the details of a more extensive Vedic-based morning routine in a future article, today’s article is mainly to help those just beginning to build a solid morning routine and in need of something quick and easy to begin implementing as soon as tomorrow!
My morning routine tends to go like this:
5 Minute Prayer: Upon waking, I start my day slowly. Before checking my phone I spend the first 5 minutes still sitting in my bed to say a quick prayer. I thank God for another opportunity at life, gratitude for nature, gratitude for all that I have, and sharing my anxieties and hopes for a great day ahead.
1 Minute Tidy: After getting out of bed I make sure to open my blinds to invite in the sunlight. I make my bed covers before I head off out of my room
10 Minute Tea: The art of making tea is quite beautiful. Brewing a good cup of tea is quite involved and requires you to be all-immersed and present. I start by boiling water, this takes a few minutes.
7 Minute Cleanse: As my water boils I like to use the bathroom. I brush my teeth and tongue scrape (article on importance of tongue scraping soon to come!). I also cleanse my face.
10 Minute Tea (continued): By the time I’m done with my cleanse, my water is boiled and I’m ready to finish brewing my tea. I find making tea from tea leaves to be a more rewarding process. I place my leaves in the hot water and wait around 3-5 minutes for it to steep. After I’m done steeping, I use a strainer and pour the tea into a separate cup or flask. At this point the tea is very hot, so as I wait for my tea to cool down I begin a short meditation with pranayama.
Pranayama/Meditation (10 minutes): Pranayama is the practice of controlling breath. It is great to add a few breathing techniques into your arsenal as you dive into meditation practices. You can also incorporate chanting mantras as well as other yoga practices during this time. If I have to get to class or the clinic early in the morning, I time this practice accordingly. However, if I do not have responsibilities early in the morning, I feel more comfortable taking a bit more time to indulge. Additionally, weather permitting if I can meditate outside on my balcony I will but if it’s too cold I’ll stay indoors.
After this session, I drink my tea which has cooled down
The rest of my morning involves making breakfast, showering, and getting ready for the rest of the day.
While this practice works for me and my lifestyle, there are tons of ways to modify a schedule to work for you! It took me awhile to figure out what works and doesn’t work for me, so don’t be frustrated! Here are some other options you can consider:
Activities that help to reduce anxiety in your morning can include:
Meditation
Yoga
Journaling
Preparing a cup of a tea
Light cardio
Walking or sitting outside
Clearing your room
Making your bed
Watering your plants
Praying
Listening to music
Preparing a hearty breakfast
My biggest advice when you decide to build your routine is, be as specific and consistent as possible. Without a doubt, you'll begin to see the difference if you keep at it!