When I started this practice,
I was in the midst of a very severe spiritual and mental health crisis.
I did this practice every morning and saw slow,
Gradual improvements that over time transformed and restored my state of being back to calm,
Clarity,
Groundedness,
And love.
I hope it helps you too.
This practice can be done anywhere,
But I found it to be most powerful when it's practiced outside.
I also like to be barefoot and feel my feet on the ground.
The benefits of this practice are amplified with fresh air,
Sunlight,
And connection to nature.
But do whatever works best for you.
You can also be seated or standing.
Feel free to pause the audio now if you'd like to find a new spot.
Starting with your eyes open,
Take a slow,
Deep breath,
Feeling the fresh air fill your body,
Calming your mind,
Arriving here.
Let's start with what I call eye-gazing with nature.
Slowly scan your surroundings and stop when you see something that brings you a sense of beauty or wonder.
It could be a plant,
A tree,
An ordinary object,
Or even your hand.
Once you've settled on something,
Softly gaze at it with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
I'll give you a couple minutes now.
Beautiful.
Watch as the mind calms,
Details emerge,
And something seemingly ordinary becomes extraordinary.
And gently letting go of our eye-gazing practice.
Beautiful.
Take another slow,
Deep breath.
The rest of the practice,
Feel free to leave your eyes open or closed,
Or a mix of both.
Just do what feels right.
Now we're going to express gratitude for all the blessings in our life.
I recommend focusing on anything you feel especially grateful for,
Or something that you usually take for granted.
I also recommend doing this out loud,
But you can do it silently as well.
You can speak to the universe,
A higher power,
Or whatever way resonates for you and brings you the feeling of gratitude.
I'll give you a couple minutes now.
And gently wrapping up our expression of gratitude.
Next,
We'll bring in the energy of loving-kindness.
Take a moment to connect to your heart.
Breathe into your heart space.
If you'd like,
You can try placing a hand on your heart.
Now we're going to express our wishes of loving-kindness.
These could be wishes for your friends and family,
For specific people who are going through a hard time,
For yourself,
For all beings,
For the world,
Or a mix.
An example from my own practice is,
May all beings be happy,
Safe,
And live with a sense of freedom and abundance.
Express your heart's deepest wishes in whatever way feels aligned for you.
I'll give you a couple minutes now.
And gently wrapping up our expression of loving-kindness.
Beautiful.
For our last practice,
We'll express our intentions for the day ahead.
Think of this part as giving yourself advice for the day.
You could remind yourself of some advice you've received that resonated,
Any insights you've had recently,
What's been helpful or unhelpful lately,
A pattern you'd like to shift,
A quote,
Saying,
Or wisdom teaching that's stuck with you.
Some examples from my practice are,
Be patient,
Go with the flow,
Take it one step at a time today.
Follow your heart.
Take it easy.
Take it slow.
Focus on self-care.
It's okay to say no with kindness.
It's okay to speak my truth with kindness.
Everything in life is a balance.
Be myself.
Enjoy the journey.
Savor each precious moment.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Trust the process.
Let go of expectations.
Be gentle with myself.
Love is my compass.
Speak to yourself like you're giving advice to a close friend.
I'll give you a couple minutes now.
Gently wrapping up your expression of intention.
Beautiful.
Whether this is day one of your morning practice or day 101,
I honor you for your will and commitment.
It's not easy to create a new habit.
A morning practice can really shift your state of being and set the tone for your entire day.
If you stick with it,
It can gradually transform your life.
Your life is a reflection of your state of being.
But give yourself grace.
If you miss a few days or even a few weeks,
Let that be okay.
You'll be more likely to stick with it if you are kind and flexible with your practice.
If I have to be somewhere early,
I do this practice on my drive.
Once you get the hang of it,
Try it without the recording.
There's something about there being just you and nature.
Just you and the universe.
I hope this practice is as helpful for you as it has been for me.
May your day be blessed with wonder,
Gratitude,
Love,
And wisdom.
