The edge of Spring is tangible. I feel the wildflower’s urge to push up through the heavy earth and sprout anew. Then I see the news (from my home country and my adopted one), and feel a similar urge toward progress, toward action. In seasons like this one, when so many things call my attention and pull at my limbs to move, I know that I will be at my best if I am moving with purpose. I call on my practices to support me, to help me show up fully for myself, my community, the world. Today, I’m sharing some of these practices in the hope that they will support you, too.  // michelle

p.s. wanna skip the poetics and go straight to the practice tips? click here.
(don’t you wish every recipe blog would do that?)

Most days, I wake in the dark (sometimes to the dog, pawing at my chest). I give my face and body a gentle rub. I rinse my face and mouth, take the dog out. I turn on the kettle, light a candle, slice a lemon into my favorite mug. I sit on the living room floor and breathe, sipping the hot water, meditating on intention for the day and the sensations of the water traveling through my tissues. (Sometimes this is accompanied by a soundtrack of legos or cartoons). I move my body gently for a few minutes, then practice a mantra, perhaps only silently, usually three times through before someone needs my attention… 

This 20 minutes is sacred, a ritual I’ve curated over decades. The surroundings have changed a hundred times, but the ritual, at its heart, has stayed the same. What makes ritual from a routine? What separates practice from habit?

Definitions of ritual describe a repeated action involving the same gestures or movements every time, performed with some significance or symbolism. The way I’ve come to understand it in practice, ritual action is intentional (not just on purpose but with purpose, imbued with specific intention) and it’s connective (bringing you into vivid awareness of yourself and/or the greater Whole). 

Brushing your teeth, making your bed, preparing coffee or tea, any of these daily routines could become ritual. Let them be intentional, connective, and preferably, in the first moments of your day.

Starting the day with clarity and purpose

The myriad benefits of ritual are well documented, ditto for having a morning routine. Many of us adopted more contemplative practices and routines early in the pandemic, both because we had more time and because we needed extra support to keep our heads above water. Now is the time to double down, building on these habits to support our flourishing in these times, not just surviving. 

Morning seems tailor-made for ritual and practice. For a few moments of hazy not-quite-consciousness, we exist in liminal space. It’s a threshold. We can stumble across it, harried, or we can acknowledge it as we step across with purpose. Making that choice might mean rising a little earlier, giving ourselves time to be in transition, but it doesn’t have to. It might just be a shift in mindset during those first few moments that allows you to move through the morning with intention.

It’s the same when we start our asana practice with a few moments to tune in, so that we’re more likely to move with intention, and the asana can have a purpose beyond the physical. I think of asana practice as a reflection of life practice, the practice of Yoga that isn’t just something you do, but a way of doing everything, a way of being. So around here, when we talk about supporting your home practice, we don’t just mean on the mat. We’re about cultivating habits that support your life and building a life that supports you - body, mind, and spirit.

I want to be clear (ha!) that starting with clarity is not the same as clearing the mind, just as meditation is not an absence of thought. We’re gathering up awareness that’s been strewn across multiple devices and scenes and responsibilities, and allowing ourselves to see our thoughts through the lens of intention.  

Seeking and Setting Intention

When intention is at the heart of your morning, it’s more likely to be at the heart of your day. How do you want to move through the world today? Maybe the question is, ‘how can I be of service?’ or as one of my teachers asks simply, ‘what am I up to?’ It’s a question that doesn’t require outside input, that doesn’t change based on the notifications, headlines, and calendar reminders that will soon greet you. It’s a question more for your heart than your mind, and an answer that forms slowly, clearing the haze like the sun clears the morning fog. 

Ok sure, real poetic, but how do I actually do this in real life? Here are four steps to approaching your morning with intention; I’ll use my own morning rituals as example.

intentional practices for morning

1. Before turning to outside noise (ahem, your phone), connect inward first. When you first emerge from sleep, greet your body and your breath, however you choose to do that. For me it looks like:

Take a deep breath. As you exhale, gently massage the sleep from your eyes and face. Feet on the earth, another breath, and a quick massage and brush-off for your whole body before you stand up. Rinse your face and mouth, put on another layer or some socks to keep warm.

2. Allow a gentle entry for your senses. If you have the choice, opt for dim lights or candle light (I keep a little desk lamp on the kitchen counter for this purpose). If you drink water in the morning, let it be room temperature or even body temperature. If there are objects you’ll interact with every morning, let them be things that bring you joy or comfort (or both!). For me this looks like:

Turn on the kettle or the tap, light a candle, cut a slice of lemon into a cup that feels good in your hands and at your lips. Once you’ve poured the water, sit with it in the quietest space that is available. Sit in a way that is supported, where you can stay awake but easeful.

3. Set an intention for the day and let it permeate your mind, body, and spirit. Already you’ve shown yourself respect and kindness by allowing for this time to connect. How will you show up for yourself, your community, your work, and whatever else is ahead today? Choose a word or a succinct phrase to describe your intention. Then do something to integrate: repeat it aloud a certain number of times, write it down, mark each exhale with this intention in your mind’s voice - experiment and do what feels best. For me, this is combined with the ritual of sipping warm water, and it looks like:

Holding the cup in your hands, imagine pouring your intention into the water with your mind, as if intention would attach to each molecule. Then, as you sip the water, be present to this liquid imbued with intention as it’s in your mouth, as it flows down your throat toward your belly. Imagine the little water molecules hydrating the tissues of your body, while also settling intention into your actions, words, and thoughts for the day.

(( Not gonna lie, I could write a whole post just about this practice. How using (and even traveling with) a favorite mug reminds me to control the controllables and to make space for things that bring me pleasure; how each breath is a simultaneous offering to myself and to everything else, how intention seems to resound in my mind and in my bones… It’s the heart of my whole morning. No matter where I am in the world, or how much time I have, I sit with myself and my cup of water for these precious moments of connection, and it has made a world of difference in what has been a pretty wild time to be alive. Whatever practices settle themselves into your morning, be sure you have one that travels, one that’s a constant no matter what. ))

4. Give yourself a moment of transition. Maybe intention-setting is all there’s time for in your morning, or maybe there’s a walk, an asana practice, coffee preparation or writing. Maybe the ritual ends because you’ve completed the process or maybe because a dog or a child or a doorbell calls you away. But before you move on to what’s next, give yourself an exhale - something to close this ritual and transition into the day. It might look like Savasana, or a resounding Om, it might literally be one full breath and exhale before you answer whatever is calling. Listen, you deserve that much, your practice deserves that much. Repeat after me: I have time to exhale. 

Tips for establishing your morning ritual

It could be as simple as these four steps above, or even simpler, to start the day with intention. If you want to nudge your routine toward ritual, I encourage you to take some time to write it down, and think about the intention behind each action. What does washing your face or brushing your teeth first thing in the morning signify? Is it about awakening your senses, or maybe clearing the residue of the past to start the day anew (or because your parents told you to and then it stuck)? Whatever you are already doing every day, find out if there’s a deeper intention behind it, and if so, be aware of it.

 Simply having intention in mind while you do something will make a difference. Start there. Then if you feel you need to add a particular practice (mantra, reading, tarot, movement - whatever calls you), take some time to think about how to add that in a way that’s sustainable for your daily life. If you live with other people, talk to them about it, as much as you feel is appropriate. It could be as simple as “I’m going to try a quieter morning tomorrow” or a request for support like “hey, can you keep the cat/baby/robot vacuum out of the living room in the morning? I need a few minutes to myself.” 

Make adjustments as needed, maybe seasonally. Over time, you’ll settle into a morning that feels right, nourishing, and connective. I’m sharing my (current) morning rituals and routine below as an example, in case it can be helpful. Most days it’s about an hour of intentional movement and stillness, punctuated by household chores and family care. All of it feels like ritual, from the mantra to the espresso, because I do it with intention in mind, and holding awareness of my connection to the greater Whole… 

I would also like to note for the record that there are days when the morning doesn’t go as planned at all - someone is sick; I’m up early to catch a plane; we sleep through our alarms and have half an hour before we leave for school. That’s when having that one non-negotiable ritual is essential. Whether I have an hour or ten minutes, I can start the day with intention. I can turn on the kettle or the tap when I get up and fill my mug with hot water. I can sit with myself for a minute, clarifying intention for the day. I can remind myself, no matter what kind of day is unfolding, I have time to exhale.

//

My Morning Ritual, Spring 2023

5:45am

- a deep breath; self massage and brush-off
- use the toilet; rinse my face; brush my teeth with water
- dress for outside; accompany the dog on her morning constitutional
- turn on the kettle, light a candle, cut a slice of lemon for my mug
- water + intention ritual; gentle movement; recite mantra 3 times aloud
- exhale.
(if my family is awake by now, I’ll pause to say good morning and check in)
~ 6:15am
- put away clean dishes; make coffee for the grown-ups
- sit at my desk and set a timer for 5-10 minutes with my notebook and pencil
- prepare a simple breakfast for myself and clean off the surface where I’ll eat
- (if it’s warm, I’ll put a stick of copal on the terrace to ward off mosquitoes so I can eat outside :)
- sit down and take at least five minutes to focus on eating mindfully
~ 7 am, I’ll start nudging my son out of his own sleepy-liminal-space toward breakfast and we’ll both get ready for the day. If I have more time, or I’m traveling solo, I might go for a walk or practice asana before getting to practicalities. 

Do you have a morning ritual or routine? I’d love to hear about it! If not, is there something else that helps you feel connected and grounded, no matter where you are? Drop a comment below, let’s learn from each other. 💓