Morning Meditation

   

The morning is a great time to practice meditation, especially for people new to meditation or out of practice. The mind is closer to the state of freedom in the morning. Later in the day can be a difficult time to get the mind from frantic to calm. The bridge is shorter in the morning.
Here is an idea for morning meditation practice:

1. The first suggestion is important: Do not wake up to an alarm clock. I know this isn't possible for everybody, but perhaps it would be a good idea to redesign life, if possible, to allow the body to wake up gently. Recent research (and ancient wisdom) suggests that waking up to an alarm clock is bad for physical and mental health. Don't worry about what to do today or what's wrong with the world today. You can be a raging beast later this afternoon. For now just take things slowly.

2. The next suggestion is to practice meditation before brushing your teeth, washing your face, taking a shower, or drinking coffee. Drinking room temperature water is ok.

3. For the actual practice...

• Laying: Upon waking up, take it easy. Remain in bed and breathe. Begin your meditation right here. The mind is already calm and ready. Spend at least five minutes feeling life. You might fall asleep again here. That's ok. Start a new morning again when you wake up.
• Sitting: Next slowly get out of bed and sit at the bed corner. Continue breathing. Sit at the edge of the bed with eyes closed and a straight spine. Do this for five minutes and then slowly stand. There's no need to rush. The world isn't going anywhere.
• Standing: Finally, stand at the window or outside and absorb the scenery of the morning while taking in slow deeper natural breaths. Spend as long as you like here. The world around is coming alive and you are part of it. You may see things you normally miss and experience those things as they are rather than what they are. Move as slowly as the morning sun-god. If the gods can move so slow, then surely we mortals can too. There's actually nowhere to be but here. Don't be fooled into thinking otherwise.

Now you can begin the day with a pace set by your morning meditation. Brush teeth, drink more water, have coffee or tea, some food, take a walk, and if you must go to work, do so slowly.

“Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.”
― Henry David Thoreau