This is a chapter from my book, “Divorce the Divorce: A 52 Step Journey to Unlimted Happiness.” It is available on Amazon. This chapter describes my morning ritual. Maybe this is the week to create a morning ritual. With the holidays around the corner, it is a great way to relieve stress and ground yourself before you start the day.
Chapter 19
Morning Rituals
“In the silence of the heart God speaks. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence.”
-Mother Teresa
I have my morning ritual; it is a time that I cherish. I believe this time helps me stay centered and calm throughout the day. Most mornings, I get up early, while it is still dark and the world is quiet. I make myself a cup of coffee and retreat to my “meditation chair.” It is an oversized, comfortable chair with a large basket of inspirational books next to it. This hour that I spend every morning is a gift to myself. Most days there are no startling insights: just time to pray, go deep into my soul, and be in God’s presence. This week, try to give yourself a gift of silence each morning.
My morning ritual consists of meditation, journaling, inspirational reading, and sitting in silence. I begin reading while enjoying my coffee. By my chair, I have several books to choose from. Next I meditate for about 20 minutes. This is followed by journaling and praying. Some days, I do not have the luxury of an hour and that is alright. This morning ritual has helped me transform my life from fear to peace and love. Some mornings I wake up feeling ho-hum, but after my quiet time, I feel ready and excited to begin another day. Besides some books, I have some crystals on the small table next to my chair. It is my sacred space. There are many ideas and activities in this book that can be suggestions to help you transform your life. I consider my Morning Ritual as the cornerstone to my spiritual practice.
As women, we are accustomed to nurturing others, and it can be difficult to carve out the time to nurture ourselves. But through changes, it is even more important that we find this time to connect with our inner beauty, our inner peace, and our soul. This is where we will find the courage and the answers to move forward with our lives. Sitting in silence can be uneasy at first and maybe a little frightening. The hurts, the betrayals, and the fears will probably all surface. In this silence, you will begin little, by little to heal and begin, little by little to create a beautiful new life. You will gradually replace fear with love.
Try doing this for the next 21 days as an experiment, and see how you feel at the end of the 21 days.
Activity
Create Your Own Morning Ritual
1. Pick out a spot in your home that you can remain undisturbed. It is preferable to have a chair to sit on. If you do not have an hour to spend, try half an hour.
2. Inspirational Reading – Pick out several books to keep by your side. I like to have a variety depending on what my mood is. Currently, I am reading, “Thoughts in Solitude” by Thomas Merton. I also have a book of daily inspirational messages that I read right before my meditation. My old standby is “Around the Year with Emmet Fox.” I also enjoy, “The Book of Awakening” by Mark Nepo. I usually read for about 20 minutes while sipping my coffee.
3. Meditation – If you do not have a meditation practice, a breathing meditation may be the way to start. Sit silently and concentrate on your breath going in and out of your body. When thoughts come, just let them go. Do not engage the thoughts. Just breathe. I set a timer for 20 minutes.
4. Journaling – After meditation, open your journal and begin to write. Let the pen just flow. Some mornings, I may write a letter to God.
5. Silence and Reflection – Before you leave the chair, spend a few minutes in quiet reflection and prayer.
These are just my suggestions. Be flexible and create your own morning ritual. It is a beautiful way to begin a day and in time you will see a change in your life. It could be less anxiety, less stress, more love, or more peace.
Mid-Week Delight
Watch a sunrise and a sunset in silence.