How to Meditate: Morning Meditation

Waking up in the morning feeling refreshed is always the ideal, but it's not always the reality. Staying in the comfort of your own bed - the warmth, the tranquillity, away from all the troubles of the world that will await once you step out of that little cocoon - can seem like the better option. Which is why so many of us opt for pressing the snooze alarm rather than commit to waking up. But any sleep you get after that snooze alarm (scientifically!) will not make you feel any more refreshed.

Instead of the snooze alarm, I would urge you instead to try morning meditation. You can still take part in this without having to get up from your bed, and it is a way that you might slowly wake up and begin your day recharged.

Deep Breathing

Begin with some deep breathing. One hand on your chest, one hand on your stomach. The hand on your stomach should move, but not the one placed on your chest as you want all the breath to come from your diaphragm. 

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and breathe out for 6 seconds. (This timing is a suggestion. If this feels to short or too long for you, change it. The most important thing is to breathe out longer than you breathe in).

Sink deeper into your mattress. Relax your muscles. Relax your face. Relax your shoulders. Allow your whole body to sink. Now you can begin your morning meditation. 

Internal Scan

We begin with an internal scan. A mental check-in. 

How are you feeling today?

Is your mind busy or empty?

The thoughts that are now in your mind, can you label them? Are there to-do lists? Planning thoughts? Are there judgements? Worries?

We are not trying to change any of these thoughts that pop into your mind, we are just trying to notice them. Even if you notice a thought that is not particularly nice which maybe why you aren't wanting to get out of bed, notice the thought, label it and move on to another thought.

Once you have done a scan of your mind for thoughts, begin to scan your feelings.

How are you feeling emotionally? Are you relaxed, content?

How are you feeling physically? Is there pain anywhere? A pain in your back? Pressure around your eyes, around your temples?

Once again, we are just noticing and accepting what is there.

Importance of Today

Now you know how you are feeling, let's set you up for the day.

What is important to you in your life today? One thing that focuses your day. Is it work? Home life? Health?

How do you want to behave today that will impact this focus?

If your best self was to show up today, living the best version of yourself, what would we see you doing?

Set an Intention

You know how you are feeling. 

You know what today's focus is. 

You know how you would act if your best self was in charge. 

Now is the time for you to take today by the reigns.

Set an intention to move towards the focus of the day (the thing that you labelled as the most important thing for today). See how you can move towards that goal in small ways throughout the day.

If possible, try and take some action that will help you live by what is important to you (your work, home life, health).

Now you have focus. You are ready to greet the day.

Say to yourself:

I will not let fear of failing hold me back from going after what I want.

Now open your eyes, and leave your bed and sleep behind.

I hope that this morning meditation will help you wake up feeling a little bit more motivated, that little bit more refreshed. 

A lot of the body scanning that you do within this meditation might bring up negative aspects, such as bad thoughts or pain that you may be suffering from. It's important to note that in the second part of setting the intention for the day, you can choose to focus on those issues and setting them as something to work towards solving. Yoga for muscle pain, a warm bath, talking to someone about your mental health. Or you, can accept these negative aspects and choose to focus on something else you value more in your day. 

Know if you do find negative aspects within your body scan, that doesn't mean you will have a bad day, or that things will get worse simply because you did not wake up positive and pain-free. Very few people can say they wake up entirely free of worry or pain. Strength does not come from being free of these negative aspects of life, it comes from overcoming them. And I believe in you and your will to overcome these obstacles. 

Blessed Be,

Diana Greenbird