{Ritual Recipe} Reconnect + Reset for an inspired day

This morning ritual comes at the perfect time – when back-to-school mornings have left us with very little of it to spare.

Since having my world joyfully turned upside down and needing to re-create time and space for myself to connect with what matters most, while not losing myself in the process, I’ve always found deep comfort and connection by bookending my day with a Morning and Evening Practice. Having a morning ritual has proven especially important for my sanity!

I recently shared a part of my Evening Practice which has helped connect me to gratitude, strength, and peace for even the most exhausted version of myself, at the end of even the most difficult of days. Resetting and Renewing myself through morning ritual has been just as important, if not more so.

Mornings like this are my ideal. The sun rising above the pines and the deep presence of the horses holding me in the stillness. And while I rarely get to experience it with my physical body these days, the feeling that washes over me in these moments is just One Breath away.

I happen to love mornings. Even after being up nursing my newborn throughout the night, it’s so important for me to rise with the sun and greet the day in the quiet moments before the chaos of three young boys descends upon the house. To relish the stillness of the dark and find hope in the new beginnings of the sun rising above the stand of towering pines as the birds sing in joyous chorus.

<insert record scratch sound>

Let me tell you how often that happens. Maybe 10% of the time. And I’m so very grateful for those rare moments! So what happens on the other days when it’s the chaos that’s welcoming into the day, we’re running late, lunches aren’t packed, and the coffee pot is dry?

I say one word, take one breath, drink some water, and I’m immediately re-connected to the energy of those ideal, slow mornings. I’m re-aligned with my Values, and I’m once again ready to live with intention from that place of Values. It’s like having a personal Reset button. Ctril+Alt+Delete. Yep, a morning ritual can have that much power for you too!

One Word

When I have the opportunity to be alone with Nature, watch the sun rise, and meditate in silence, I will often meditate on a single word. Most often these words come from my process of Living in Alignment. I may also ask Spirit/Source/God to provide me with the word I most need in this moment or to move through a current challenge. I connect with the energy and meaning of that word and feel where it lives within my own body.

When I spend time creating energy and momentum around this One Word, I create an energetic space I can return to, connect with, and once again feel that Divine inspiration. I can recreate that energy in the present moment because I’ve already created that in my body.

One Breath

Breath is our gateway from the outer world to our inner world. By simply following my breath into my body, I can feel it moving to that place where the energy of my One Word lives. Taking that One Breath with slow intention creates a pause in time. This break in time in space, however small, is all we need to slip into a different way of being. Yes it takes practice, and yes it is both greatly powerful and possible. To get there, begin right now. Breathe.

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Drinking in the Energy

My first introduction to the world of quantum physics was nearly 15 years ago through the movie What The Bleep Do We Know. It was here that I first heard of Dr Masaru Emoto and his experiments with water and how they react to words and intentions. While these experiments have been met with criticism and his methodology found to be irreplicable, the image of literally filling my body with beautiful liquid intention remains a potent visual for me. Regardless of replications that both prove and disprove Dr Emoto’s original hypothesis, I know imagery works for me and I use that image to infuse my day with intention.

The words that I choose or are gifted to me during my meditations are written down and placed where I’ll see them throughout the day. I display my One Word on my office desk, next to the coffee maker, and in my car as a few examples. A current health goal of mine is to drink an abundance of water each day. This is especially important as a nursing mama who’s getting little sleep.

I carry a water bottle with me at all times. I will set my bottle down on these One Words and imagine the intention imbuing each molecule of my water. As I take a drink of water, I once again recall the intention of my One Word. I imagine myself drinking in this intention as it fills my entire body. The imagery is powerful!

The 30 Second Ritual

When I combine these elements of Breath, Intention, and Visualization, this small but meaningful morning ritual takes me all of 30 seconds to engage in. Some days, that’s all I need. Some days, I have to put the brakes on and call a 5 minute mama moment (if there’s time!). Some days I engage in my 30 second ritual many, many times throughout the day. Which I wouldn’t do if it didn’t work.

I invite you to create a similar morning ritual that fits your lifestyle and supports you in Reconnecting and Resetting. May this mini-ritual uplift, inspire, and add a little extra intention to your everyday, every day.

with love and in joy,