Morning meditation: the secret to a great day

Taking 10 minutes to meditate in the morning can set you up for a calm, compassionate and productive day ahead. A Meditation practitioner explains why and discusses some morning meditations you can try out. 

Consider the extent of your potential achievements if you commenced each day feeling refreshed, enthusiastic, and innovative. Conversely, envision departure accompanied by a sense of being inundated, disoriented, and discontent. Even before you leave your bed, if you find yourself anxious and pressed for time, morning meditation could be the remedy you need.

You have no control over the events of the day, but with morning meditation, you can ground your body and spirit in tranquility, clarity, and compassion. And doing it does not even require thirty minutes or an hour. With the investment of a mere ten minutes, one can incorporate these attributes into their daily existence.

The importance of morning meditation

Indeed, a significant number of individuals opt to initiate their meditation practice in the morning. Why? This is because mornings are unique.

Upon awakening, you are initially in a distinct state. Your mind, spirit, and body are at ease and receptive. The effects of one's actions are more pronounced when performed first thing in the morning compared to other times of the day. Which do you believe will contribute to your day's happiness? Engaging in the consumption of newsfeeds that promote tension and unhappiness, as opposed to dedicating time for self-care, solitude, and acceptance?

Finally, on the practical side of things, mornings are often quieter. It can be a wonderful time to sit and rest in the silence inside you, free from distractions.

The benefits of morning meditation

A morning meditation routine will bring you all the usual benefits of meditation:

• Increasing self-awareness and self-compassion
• Strengthening empathy
• Decreasing anxiety and depression
• Rediscovering the spiritual dimension in your life
• Boosting well-being and happiness
• Improving concentration and attention 
• Expanding creativity and problem-solving
• Increasing equanimity and fair-mindedness

Furthermore, a meditation routine in the morning will give you these added, special benefits:

• Starting the day with compassion 
  People don’t meditate to become good meditators, they meditate to become more self-aware, compassionate and happy, and to share these gifts with the people they care about most. When you start your day with these qualities, you’ll automatically bring them into your conversations with friends and family, your responses to things not going your way, your tasks at work and how you 'talk' to yourself.
   
• Starting the day calm and rejuvenated
  Meditation is like a massage for your nervous system. The calming and rejuvenating effects of meditation are now well proven. You can begin your day relaxed and content, focused and ready to meet whatever comes your way. Instead of your usual morning stresses, you can start your day with a positive, empowering experience.

Tips for morning meditation

Sounds good, right? If you’d like to give morning meditation a try, here are some tips to get started.

Where and when

With a bit of thought, you can easily find 10 minutes in your morning, wither by skipping your morning social media surfing habit or setting your alarm that little bit earlier. Depending on the type of meditation you choose, you can do your morning meditation routine almost anywhere:

• In bed
• Sitting in a quiet space in your home. 
• On the train or bus on your morning commute

Types of meditation

There are an extensive variety of meditation practices from which to select the first thing in the morning. There exist practices that involve the utilization of various bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions, respiration, concentration, and the investigation of one's innermost self.

Indeed, one can transform any activity that captivates their interest into a morning meditation. A selection of the most well-liked morning meditations follows.

1) Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness, the central practice of meditation, can be an excellent method to begin the day. Mindfulness is devoting one's complete attention to the present instant, imbued with curiosity and benevolence. By cultivating mindfulness, one begins each day with a state of receptiveness and inclusivity, embracing any experience that may arise—be it anxiety, joy, anticipation, or physical ache. A practice of simply being with oneself in a tolerant and compassionate manner incorporates everything.

2) Body scan/embodiment meditations

Body scan techniques are a delightful method for transitioning from sleep to consciousness. It is possible to perform a body scan while still in bed; however, a little extra focus is required to prevent falling back asleep.

Body scan techniques direct you to sequentially sense each part of your body, beginning with your fingertips and progressing to your stomach and toenails. While your mind takes a break, this practice can be an excellent way to allow your awareness to permeate all parts of your body in the morning, when it is more receptive. This will allow you to feel energized and profoundly present. To begin, view our body scan meditation script video below, or continue reading to learn more about this well-known and effective method by clicking the link. 

3) Breath meditations

Breathwork is a powerful choice for meditations in the morning. And there are a whole range of breath meditations, from those that create relaxation – such as conscious breathing – to those that increase mental focus and energy. So, you can choose one that best fits your needs in the morning:

Also read: Shah Rukh Khan’s Workout Routine and Diet Plan

Equalized breath: sample morning meditation

I’d like to show you how to do a simple breathing practice you can do at home or on your morning commute. The Equalized Breath will relax your nervous system and give you a stable 'home base' to come back to when your mind wanders. Don’t worry, everyone gets distracted. It’s not ‘wrong,’ it’s a key part of meditation practice.

• Find a comfortable sitting position and, if you can, let your eyes gently close.
• Take a minute to allow your body to really relax and take a few deep breaths.
• For this practice, adjust your breath so all four parts are of equal length. You count to four during your in breath, hold your breath to a count of four, exhale for four, and hold your breath out to a count of four. Then hold for four again. 
• It’s really important not to strain. If four seconds feels too long, reduce it to three. And, if you can comfortably do longer, try for six seconds. The important things are: not to strain and to keep all four parts equal in length.
• And, when a thought, feeling or sensation distracts you, that’s OK. Just start again, breathing and counting, focusing on your breath. 
• Do your best to be non-judgmental with yourself if your mind wanders off. Remember: mindfulness is watching ‘with kindness and curiosity.’ Kindness encourages you to open. Judgement closes you down.

It could be that beginning your exploration of meditation with morning meditation yields the most profound effects. You will also develop a sense of presence and calmness, become more empathetic and forgiving towards yourself, and establish a connection with stillness and resilience through ten minutes or more of morning meditation. Attempt a week of a particular practice that you find appealing. Observe the physical and mental effects of beginning each day with greater composure, empathy, and clarity.