This is Deb Blum.
Welcome to my morning practice.
This is my actual morning practice that I use to start my day,
Every day.
This sadhana,
Sacred morning ritual,
Has transformed the way that I meet my day.
It helps me to remember that I'm already whole,
Already loved,
Already enough,
Even before I do a single thing.
And to awaken the sacred stillness that lives beneath all the noise.
My hope is that it becomes a sanctuary for you too,
A place that reminds you what home feels like.
You can return to this practice daily,
Or pull pieces that resonate and create your own.
However you use it,
Let it help you to start your day from a place of deep presence,
Self-connection,
And peace.
So let's settle in.
As David G.
Reminds us,
Comfort is queen.
Stretch wherever you need to,
And move your body into a comfortable position.
Gently let your eyelids float closed.
Let's take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
And release.
Continue watching your breath like you're watching waves on a shore,
Gentle,
Rhythmic,
Endless.
Breathing in,
The wave rises.
Breathing out,
It gently recedes.
Again,
Rising and receding.
One more time,
Rising and receding,
In and out.
Now let's breathe some metta,
Unconditional loving kindness,
Healing light that asks nothing of you but to receive it.
As you breathe it in,
Let it expand your heart.
And as you breathe out,
Let all of this healing light and love spread into the world with gratitude.
Again,
Breathe in.
Feel that expansion in your heart,
Filling with unconditional love and healing light.
And breathe out,
Flowing it into the world with gratitude.
One more time,
Breathe in,
Filling your heart with light.
Breathe out,
Sending that light everywhere.
Now it's time to welcome your non-physical support team.
The universe,
God,
Spirit,
Great Mother,
Source,
Whatever you call the energy that is bigger than us and holds us.
Call in the ancestors who walk beside you and all of your angels and guides.
Take a breath and receive their presence.
Even if you can't feel them,
Trust that they are there.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
And a nice long exhale.
Gently place your right hand on your heart,
And your left hand on your belly.
Or if you prefer,
Both hands cupping your cheeks the way a grandmother holds the face of a child she adores.
Feel the warmth of your own touch.
Tenderly say to yourself,
Sweet one,
I'm here.
I see you,
And I've got you.
Begin to notice a warm glow pulsing in your heart center.
Let it grow,
Slowly moving through your entire body and beyond.
Let it expand like a soft golden light that says to all of you,
You belong here.
You're safe.
You are loved.
Breathe with this light for a moment.
And as it expands,
Gently notice what's present,
What's alive in your heart right now,
What sensations are in your body.
Notice any feelings,
Discomfort,
Pain,
Fears,
Or doubts.
Just meet whatever is here.
Be with it.
Accept it.
You don't need to change anything.
You don't need to fix anything.
Just see it and hold it with tenderness.
Imagine using your hands and your arms to scoop the air as if you're gathering all of these parts closer.
Your inner child,
Your feelings.
Imagine scooping them up and pulling them into your heart,
Collecting all of you right here,
Right now,
And bringing every part home.
Tell them,
I see you.
All of you are welcome here.
Take a breath and breathe them in,
Holding all of yourself with warmth and care.
From this tender place,
It's a perfect time to begin to build a dialogue with the universe.
I'm going to ask you some sacred questions.
I'll ask each one twice.
Listen with an open heart.
You may hear something.
You may hear nothing.
Both are perfect.
Know that a seed is planted simply by asking,
Simply by listening.
Who am I?
Who am I?
What am I grateful for?
Who am I grateful for?
What do I need help with?
Where am I struggling?
Where might I need some healing?
What do I need help with?
Am I willing to allow myself to be the magnificent me I was born to be?
Am I willing to allow myself to be the magnificent me that I was born to be?
And ask the universe,
What is it that you want me to do today?
What is it that you want me to do today?
Take a long,
Slow breath in and release.
Let go of all those questions and answers.
It's time to let the universe sort it all out.
Now let's invite an intention into our awareness.
Ask your heart,
What does my heart truly long for right now?
What does my heart truly long for right now?
Whatever answer comes,
Whatever your heart desires,
Invite an intention to bring you one step closer to the fulfillment of that desire.
Allow that intention to crystallize,
And when you're clear,
Invite it into your sweet,
Tender heart.
Plant that intention like a seed in your fertile heart,
And then let it go.
You may be beginning to notice that your body is relaxing.
Your mind is calming.
The turbulence is slowing.
There is nowhere else to be.
Just this sacred,
Precious,
Present moment.
And now we're going to take it a little bit deeper.
We'll use an ancient Sanskrit mantra as our anchor,
Aham brahmasmi,
Which means,
I am the universe,
I am divine,
I am one with all that is,
Aham brahmasmi.
We'll repeat it silently over and over and over.
When you drift off to thoughts or sounds,
Which you will,
Don't resist or judge.
Just gently drift back,
Back to the mantra,
Back to the mantra,
Back to the mantra.
When you come back in the future,
Feel free to use aham brahmasmi or a mantra of your own choosing,
Or even simply watch your breath,
Your choice.
I'll ring the chime three times,
Once at the 10-minute mark,
Then at the 20-minute mark,
And finally at the 30-minute mark.
Stay for as long as you can.
I'll watch the time,
And when you hear the chime,
Sit gently with your eyes closed,
Resting in the stillness and silence.
Let's begin by saying the mantra out loud together,
Aham brahmasmi,
Then whisper it with me,
Aham brahmasmi,
And now,
Let it go silent inside of you,
Repeating it over and over and over,
Aham brahmasmi.
Take a long,
Slow breath in,
And gently let it go.
In the next breath,
We'll seal the intention we've planted,
And the seed of stillness that will follow us throughout the day.
A long,
Slow breath in,
And gently release it.
Let's celebrate our oneness by chanting om together,
The ancient sound that carries us home to our divine nature.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
Om,
And when it feels comfortable,
Slowly open your eyes,
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
And as you move through your day,
If ever you feel the need to come home to yourself,
Simply put your hand on your heart,
And remind yourself,
You're not alone,
I'm with you,
I see you,
And don't be surprised if your life starts to change in positive and unexpected ways.
Aham brahmasmi.
This is Deb Blum,
And I'll see you here again tomorrow.
Namaste.
