Hey there, my lovely friends 👋🏼
It's Taurus season, and as a fellow Taurean, I'm all about finding comfort in the simple things. So, I'm taking the time to celebrate by embracing the stability and pleasure of this beautiful season 🍃.
As I promised, I'm here to share my daily practices with you each Monday, so you too can feel more grounded and stable in your life. Today, I want to introduce you to a practice that has had a profound impact on my life and nervous system. It's called "waking into awareness," and I learned it from my old teacher, Amarananda Bhairavan.
Most of us are so conditioned to hop out of bed and rush through our day, but our nervous systems would be better served by a slower start. After practicing this morning ritual for over a decade, I can say without a doubt that it's made a significant difference in my stress levels for the entire day. The mornings that I forget to wake into awareness and jump out of bed at the ring of my alarm lead to days that feel rushed and scattered.
This practice is straightforward, and you don't need any special equipment, a guided meditation, or even a playlist. You don’t even need to get out of bed to begin and it’ll only take 5-10 minutes of your time. Start by listening to the sounds of the morning, notice your breath flow in and out, stretch your body, and wiggle your toes. Then, when you do get out of bed, instead of rushing to start your day, take a moment to feel your feet on the earth beneath you. Look around, and take in the present moment.
Before scrolling through social media or checking your email, take a moment to step outside and see the sunlight. Studies show that this simple act can help increase melanin production, which can reduce the risk of sunburn. Believe me, I haven't been burned in years, even though I’ve lived in some of the sunniest places on the planet, it works 😊.
When I first started doing this practice, it felt really hard. Being a recovering "type-A" personality who was also a high-achieving working mother, my brain was conditioned to believe I didn't have time to ease into my day. But I trusted the process, and with time, I spent at least 5 minutes savoring that sweet space between sleep and wake. I love the way my sheets feel on my skin, and the birds have so much to say early in the morning.
As a Taurus, I'm all about embracing the simple, sensual aspects of life, and this practice invites us to slow down and savor it all. So, I encourage you to give it a try and see how it works for you.
Take care and stay grounded, my friends. I'll be back next Monday with more practices to share with you.
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