Morning meditation routine in your life but you do not know where or how to start, then this is for you. 

If you would like to instaure a new morning meditation routine in your life but you do not know where or how to start, then this is for you.  We are all under so much pressure to perform in all areas of our lives. We have to be a good daughter or/and a good mom, a good sister, a good friend, or a good employee, that we do not have the energy to undertake big changes. We are too tired to aspire for something better thinking it will require so much effort on our part. 

Some might believe that change needs to be radical, big and significant for it to matter, and yet this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Change comes from simply truly wanting it and is achieved one baby step at a time. It requires us to fall and not comply many times, and yet still have the determination to stand up knowing that’s just one step of the way.

Though staying motivated can be hard, be gentle with yourselves and accept the days where you feel you failed, knowing that tomorrow will be a new day. One tip of advice, start with just one change, whatever that might be! It can be drinking warm water in the morning, or not using your phone for the first hour of the day. It can be starting with a journal, moving your body for 30 min or simply meditating. Research shows that you need to repeat the same action for 21 days for it to become a habit, we say let’s give it a bit longer 🙂 

Now to establish a new habit, you have to choose whatever feels right for you and stick to it for one month. Build it into your schedule just as you would for showers, drinking coffee or brushing your teeth. Successful people have a few things in common. Maybe they get up early, maybe they write down their goals, or maybe they meditate but what’s more important is that they are persistent enough to push past any obstacles that come their way, because they believe they are worth the time. 

You are worth your time! So in this blog we will give you a few tips on how to start a small meditation routine.

Why a Morning Meditation?

Scientific researches are confirming what yogis, monks, and masters have known for centuries: meditation practices not only reduce anxiety, depression, and pain, but also increase attention span and creativity. They can help relieve stress and even medical conditions. It is a way to develop the mind in order to live a more fulfilling life.

People who do things in the morning are more likely to get anything done than those who wait until the evening. Why? Well in the morning the mind has not yet had the time to discourage you. You haven’t got an entire day of distractions and excuses ahead of you yet. You start your day with a clear head, able to take on the day with a different perspective. Now let’s be honest, to reap the benefits of meditation you will need to be consistent. It will take you some time before you can sense the changes. 

How Long Should I Meditate For?

For as long as you can! Meditation is a habit that you build. Ideally, you’ll eventually meditate until you feel your body and mind let go.  Now of course we do not all have the luxury of time and meditating can be difficult to fit into a busy morning schedule. It should not become an added stress to your already stressful day, so you should start with a comfortable time you can spare. Try starting small: 5 minutes a day and MAYBE, you can add a short session during your workday instead of grabbing coffee or breakfast

Please think of all the time you spend on social media, so you can see that in reality, you do have a few minutes just for yourself.

“Make it non-negotiable,” aim to meditate at the same time every day. If you think it will be easier to do it first thing upon waking up, before your day starts getting hectic and rushed, simply sit up in bed and do it right away. “The more you do it, the more the benefits will compound,”

Of course the more time you can spare the better it is. But please don’t beat yourself up with the “shoulds” of your mind. You should not do anything in a particular way, you simply try and give it your best. So for newbies, 5 minutes is all it takes. For others, maybe you can extend it to 10, 15 or 20 minutes. From our experience, we feel 20 minutes is a good time.

What should we do in our Morning Meditation?

1. Find a quiet place free from distractions.

Block out noise & distractions, especially electronics. Find a time and space where you will not be bothered. Listening to particular kinds of music such as binaural beats or specially designed music that directs one tone into one ear and a different tone into the other can be helpful as a start. We hope you will get to the point of meditating with no help and no music, but if you feel it helps you concentrate, give yourselves all the help you need.

2. Get comfy.

Find a position that is comfortable for you to sit in. You might be sitting on a chair, a sofa, or the floor, cross-legged, just make sure you keep a long spine. Place your hands on your knees, palms up. If you are familiar with mudras, you can use the ones you like, otherwise just start simply. If you suffer from lower-back pain, an even more comfortable posture might be seiza, a Japanese style of sitting where you kneel on the floor and sit on your heels (again, place a pillow under your butt for greater comfort).

3. Breathe.

Start your meditation by focusing on the breath. Listen to the inflow and the outflow of your breath. Take slow, deep breaths, nose breaths if possible and do your best to keep your mind on the rhythm of your breathing. Feel the fresh air coming in and the warmth of the air coming out. 

Observe the breath and your body. Where are you breathing, in your chest or in the belly? Is the breath short or long? Deep or superficial? Remember there are no right answers, you are just discovering yourselves.

Of course, you’ll have thoughts that will creep up on you and that is OK! We are not trying to quieten the mind, we are learning how not to give attention to the stories that are being told to us by us. When you catch yourself thinking, just acknowledge that the thoughts got your attention and with love just come back to your breath.

There’s a Zen saying that goes like: “you can invite your thoughts in, but don’t serve them tea.”

4. Let go.

This is the hardest lesson, and this is what we are all aiming for. Letting go of our control to simply flow with the rhythm of life. This can be a lifelong lesson, however this is not what we are talking about here.

You want to learn to relax every muscle in your body, especially if your main goal in the first place is to reduce stress and promote peace of mind. Now bring your attention to any parts of the body that feel tense, and with an exhalation or a sigh, try and release that tension. If it persists, simply accept it.

You can gamify it a bit, With every exhale, try to relax a little bit more. See how much you can let go. As you relax some muscles, you’ll become aware that others are tight, so direct your attention to them and release them in sequence. “Allow your armor to melt off,” and you’ll begin to feel like you’re floating.

Since you are concentrating on the inflow and outflow of your breath, you would like to reach a point where you are breathing as if you are sleeping, fluidly and softly. You can focus your thoughts on the fact that the inhalation is not yours, it is a gift. Now the exhale is all yours, you decide how to use it. 

One other aspect of letting go that we think is crucial is letting go of any ideas you might have on what meditation should be or look like. Let go of the image you would like of yourselves and simply accept exactly where you are at the moment!

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