Morning is different: From tongue scratching to barefoot walking or 5 easy rituals to help you start the day calm and strong
Dry brushing: a loving awakening of the body
A tried and tested morning activity that you may never have heard of before is brushing your body skin. Slowly and pleasantly, with a natural brush with medium-hard bristles. It is run dry over the skin before the morning shower.
It's not a hot beauty trend, but a proven method to kick-start the lymphatic system, get the blood flowing, improve skin texture and give the body a nice boost of energy. It wakes you up more reliably than espresso, and it's very, very pleasant. It's always important to move in the direction of the heart, because that's how the lymph flows through the body. The ritual doesn't take more than a few minutes, but you'll feel the effects immediately - your body will warm up, your skin will turn pink and your mood will improve.
Tongue cleansing: the perfect detox without a smoothie
Even when we rest at night, our body is working hard. Regenerating, sorting, storing. And what it can't process, it deposits on the tongue, among other things. The ancient Ayurvedic practice rids us of these toxins, bacteria and debris from the digestive system by cleansing the tongue in the morning. This cleansing ritual does not involve the use of a toothbrush but a special scraper, ideally copper or stainless steel. This simple procedure improves breath, aids digestion and promotes proper functioning of the immune system.
In the morning, most of us spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom looking in the mirror, so why not add an extra minute dedicated exclusively to tongue care. It's a purely practical thing, but there's also something symbolic in this Ayurvedic ritual: when we wake up, we cleanse our communication system, from which only beautiful words will flow throughout the day. We start the day fresh, without the imprint of the previous days.
Morning candle: the light that anchors you in the new day
We associate candles more with the evening mood, relaxation, slowing down. See what a flame does to you in the morning. It's a kind of accelerated substitute for meditation. The scent of a candle and its flame have the magical ability to anchor you in the present moment. Sit in silence and stare into the flickering light for a while. It's a form of inner stillness, where the candle becomes an anchor in the fast morning traffic, reminding you that a new day is beginning and only you can set its pace.
Choose perhaps just a plain white candle or a scented one to suit your taste. Reach for a lemon or orange scent to help you find work-life balance. Try eucalyptus, sage or vanilla. Find your own ideal setting to make the first intense experience of the day a pleasant one before you even get to work.
Mindful coffee drinking: a cup full of mindfulness
For most of us, coffee is inherent to the morning. But hand on heart, how do we drink it? Instead of gulping down a cup on your way to work, try giving your morning drink your full attention. Turn an automatic habit into a micro-ritual. Five minutes of just you and a cup of fragrant hot coffee. Put down your cell phone. Instead of emails, watch the hot steam rise from the surface of your drink. Feel the temperature of the cup, the smell, the first sip. Allow yourself to be fully present.
Zdroj: Giphy
Mindful drinking - whether espresso, matcha, or peppermint tea - can bring you as much peace as ten minutes of meditation. And you don't have to sit on the floor in a lotus. It's a simple but intense way to connect with reality in the morning.
Barefoot walking: a connection to the earth that thrives
Running around outside barefoot? Sounds like a childhood memory. And maybe that's why it works so well. Walking barefoot in the morning - whether on grass, dirt, or a wooden floor - reminds you of your essential connection to nature. Foot toground contact, or earthing, is a technique favoured not only by alternative lifestyle enthusiasts but also by biohackers and therapists. Just a few minutes of barefoot contact with the ground is enough to tune the body into a calmer mode. Cortisol is lowered, mood improves. According to some studies, grounding has a positive effect on sleep and inflammatory processes in the body. Plus, it's incredibly pleasurable.
There's no need to run around the woods - although dog owners will tell you there's no better start to the day than a walk through the awakening nature. It gets the job done, even if you go barefoot in the backyard for a few minutes, take a stroll on the patio, or even just stand on the balcony. Let your feet feel the world around you. Remind yourself that, in addition to your daily duties and responsibilities, you also have a body that carries all of this on its shoulders and therefore deserves to be cared for. So how do you successfully step into the day? Barefoot!
You deserve a good morning
If you hate mornings, it's just a sign that you haven't yet discovered their true potential. Think of the morning as an open door. It's up to you whether you enter it at your own pace, or fly into it in chaos.
Whether just one or all of the rituals described here appeal to you, remember: they are just an option, not another source of stress if you fail to follow them. It doesn't matter how often you light a candle at breakfast, or that you didn't get more than a coffee to go yesterday. What matters is that you start paying attention to your morning. Because as the start is, so is the ride!
