seven gentle ways.
1. wake up naturally… without an alarm, whenever possible.
2. tune into <you> before you tune into <anything else>
*no phone or devices for as long as possible.
at least until you've checked in with all of you- mind, body, soul.
*get up, drink water, stretch for at least a few minutes.
*sit in stillness and quiet and see how you're feeling.
3. yoga.
the all encompassing, mind-body-soul magic trio. combining conscious movement of the body with conscious breath work with inward focused concentration. literally magic.
*yoga in the morning.
wake your body up in a gentle, delightful, and intentional way. this is a great way to tune into your body, especially first thing in the morning, where you're able to feel what's really good. starting off your day by bringing your attention to your body, mind, and breath… a foundation of intention and awareness for the rest of your day. your body also neeeeds to stretch when it wakes up. it's essential to how you feel all day, as well as your long term health.
*yoga in the middle of the day.
to bring your awareness back into your body… back into your breath… back into your intention for the day… to give you the energy to keep going… even just five minutes here and five minutes there (:
*yoga at night.
to bring it back to you… to wind it down… to thank your body for all it did today… to thank your mind… and to nourish your entire being after a long day in the world.
4. pranayama.
the intentional practice of breath regulation through specific exercises and techniques. it is a magical practice that originated in india. as did the entire practice of yoga. in sanskrit our prana is our breath or our vital life force. this is truly the number one way to bring awareness into each moment, and into your life as a whole. when you take the time to take a deep breath, it really grounds you back into your true self. that's why when we're mad, we take a deep breath (or ten) before we react. and it typically yields a better outcome, haha. well, take that a hop skip and a jump forward with intentional breathwork, and you will find yourself more in tune with who you are as a whole… more in tune with each moment… more aware and more <here> with each breath…
5. meditation.
meditation is the observance and focusing of the mind. a common misconception of meditation is that the goal is to still the mind. while our bodies may be still while we meditate, we practice meditation to see what's truly going on inside our heads- where our attention lies, and what our thoughts hold. and the lens of the meditative state is one free of judgement. the meditative state is often achieved by focusing on our breath.
whenever you feel called to meditate:
find a quiet, peaceful place...
find yourself in a comfortable position- seated or lying down...
close your eyes...
and focus on your breath...
if it is difficult for you to focus on your breath, begin counting your breaths.
inhale, that's one...
exhale, that's two...
inhale, that's three...
continue on at your own breath until you get to ten, and repeat as you wish.
think of your thoughts like a train passing by...
and you can see the train and you can look at the train but you can't get on the train.
keep coming back to your breath.
you can see the thoughts passing in your mind, and that's okay...
but don't get on the train.
don't hang onto those thoughts.
keep coming back to your breath.
iwether that's seeing where they came from, seeing where they go, disliking the thought or even love on the thought... don't hang onto those thoughts. don't get on the train.
keep coming back to your breath.
6. set an intention for your day.
your intention can be to be here now, to love yourself more, to be productive… whatever it is, set an intention for each day. and then move throughout the day with that being your compass. and make sure to set an intention that you want to explore, not one you think you should explore. i love to set my intention on my yoga mat, after pranayama and a few moments of stillness in child's pose.
7. journal.
journaling is really just talking to yourself mannn, and it's so healthy. it's a way to articulate into words what you're feeling, and become more aware of those feelings yourself. and since it's just you talking to you, the words are a true full expression of how you're really feeling within all the layers of you… it's a way to express those feelings to yourself, and get them out- release them from within you… you become your own best friend, your own therapist. and it's really cool because you can look back into what and how you were feeling during certain times with a fresh perspective (a new day) and see what was really going on. you can journal in a notebook, sketchbook, your phone, your computer, hit a voice memo, do a video journal... so many cool and convenient ways these days.
journaling in the morning is great to tune into <you> before you start your day in the world. this is a good time to set an intention for your day.
journaling in the middle of the day is awesome and a way to ground back into your intention and stay present during the midst of everything.
and journaling at night is amazing because you get to reflect on what happened during your day, how you're feeling, etc.
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