Zen Morning Rituals under 30 minutes
Morning Rituals for Mindfulness
[ THRYVE MORNING RITUALS ]
Mornings can be one of the best times of the day to find a moment of stillness, grounding, and setting intentions for the day. Sometimes we don’t have the time or space to do a full ritual and if all you have is 5 minutes use that time mindfully to really connect with your inner self. Here are a few ways Thryve Founder, Casey James dedicates time for herself every morning altering them depending on how much time she has.
Thryve Founder’s Rituals
Speaking from personal experience with two little ones, trying to find the time for yourself in the mornings is not always easy. My daughter is usually our alarm clock since she wakes up at 5:15am/5.45am, so once we get her up and settled, my husband will take on breakfast for the kids most of the mornings and this allows me to take at least 20 minutes for “me time”. I find if I don’t do this, I feel ungrounded through the rest of the day and just can’t be as present for myself, my work or kids.
1. Drink a Cup of Warm Water with Lemon + Tea
For me, tea is a big part of my lifestyle. I drink 3-4 cups a day usually. Coffee was never something I could drink so my early mornings always include a large cup of my favourite cup of black tea, usually blended with hints of chocolate or caramel. The rest of the day, its green tea for me!
But first, I try to drink a cup of warm water and slice of lemon. This helps cleanse my skin and body and wakes me up gently. Studies have shown that first thing in the morning can help flush the digestive system and rehydrate the body.
2. Morning Movement (either Yoga, Nature Walk/Run or Home Workout)
Movement is huge for me. I find if I don’t get it in first thing in the morning, I will never get it done in the day. I try to do some form of movement 4-5 days a week even if its just for 10 minutes. It all depends on how I feel. If I’m extra tired, I will do gentle stretching and yoga but if I have some energy, I’ll either go for a run/walk and listen to a podcast or a running playlist or will do a workout at home from a few of my favourite workout apps.
3. Meditate
At the moment, my meditation takes 10-15 minutes or less since it just gets too busy in the day and evenings to do more. UI have worked on a beautiful meditation practice for a few years now called the Loving Kindness Meditation which is based on a buddhist practice to gain love, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
You repeat 4 sentences 3 times in five stages which goes like this:
May I be safe from inner and outer harm.
May I be healthy in body and mind.
May I be happy in body and mind.
May I live with peace, and ease of well-being.
The other 4 phases replace “May I” with 2. “May you” (calling to mind someone that you care about), 3. “May you” (someone you have neutrals feelings towards), 4. “May you” (bring to mind a group of people or animals), and lastly, 5. “May you” (imagine yourself sending loving-kindness to all beings everywhere).
This isn’t something I do everyday, but when I need a deeper and focused session or am going through a more challenging time, I like to practice this. It takes less than 15 minutes and sets a grounding tone to your mental state and positively changes how you view yourself and others.
A few other mediation practices I do are:
The Chakra Girl Meditation Bundle which focuses on the 7 main chakras. I use my selection of crystals when I do her meditation.
Practice meditation through one of my favourite meditation apps like Calm or HeadSpace (check out our blog post on Meditation Apps to Ground the Soul for more!)
4. Create a ‘Sacred Space’ in your home
I’ve dedicated a room in my home where I do yoga, home workouts and meditate. It is a space which is very zen to me where I house my crystals, incense, buddhas and candles, journals, and books for self-growth.
5. Meditation Cards
I have three collections of meditation cards that I do my best to use ever day. This is one of the most essential parts to my day. I find when I don’t do this, I feel off balance. The cards include a collection of Fairy Cards and Goddess Cards. I pull 3-4 per day and make sure to take in what they have said and allow to guide me through the day. They truly are magical and speak so powerfully to me at the moment.
5. Crystal Ritual with Sage, Paleo Santo
I LOVE to burn either Paleo Santo or Sage as a clearing ritual in the mornings. I have a ritual for my crystals where I lay them out in front of my on my yoga mat and hold one of the crystals (whatever speaks to me that day) in my left hand while setting my intentions for the day. Sometimes I don’t get much time to do this as my youngest is quite curious of the crystals and will take a few and run off LOL but I take in as much as I can and will either pack a crystal with me for the day in my bag or pocket or have specific crystals like Rose Quartz or Amethyst by my bedside table at night.
6. Mindful Breathing Techniques
I am still exploring the best breathing techniques that would work for me, but I find deep breathing incredibly grounding AND it can be done anywhere! So if you don’t have time in the mornings, or feel like you need to do more throughout the day, this is a great exercise.
A few I am working on now are:
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Taking six deep breaths in and out
Deep breathing and visualization (for example, visualizing a pink light floating through you or surrounding you) for 1-2 minutes. This can also tie into the 7 Chakras and visualizing each chakra with breath.
7. Journal Writing
I have never been a big fan or writing in journals but I realized I had a set expectation of how to write in a journal and it should always be done that way, my hands would cramp up and I would just give up. Lately however, I have found journaling so powerful and profound in for my daily thoughts and to get grounded. I don’t have time to do it ever day but when I do, I may only write down in point form, my gratitudes for the day, or my thoughts that are in mind mind at the moment.
How do you start your morning? Have you tried any of the things we do to prepare for the day?