Creating a Sacred Morning Practice
My intention for creating the Sacred Morning Practice #practicefor30days community is:
“To create an easy accountability structure/container for anyone who wants to nurture the habit of prioritizing a daily Sacred Morning Practice.”
The What?
What is a Sacred Morning Practice?
In my own definition, it is an intentional period of time where we complete actions that elevate our hearts and minds to the highest good of ourselves and the good of the whole of creation. From the time that we open our eyes after the night’s sleep until the “worldly” duties and interactions of the day start.
Disclaimer: I can only ever share my own experiences and that is what I aim to do here. I would like to encourage YOU to not believe anything I share with you as the truth, I’m asking you to search your own heart, cultivate your practice and have your own direct experiences. I’m not an expert, teacher or guru, I’m a friend introducing you to a way that cultivates uplifting habits that feel easy and light over the period of 30 days.
Okay, let’s jump in and celebrate this life-trip together!
Everyone is unique,
… and everyone has different goals, some of us are seeking enlightenment in this lifetime, and others might seek relief from pain and suffering in this moment… think about your own drive and desire for your life. That’s going to determine the depth and intensity of your Sacred Morning Practice.
A Sacred Morning Practice might look different for you than for a friend, loved one, or stranger and this is why I want to encourage you to start EXPERIMENTING with what feels good to you, what brings you peace, healing, and what brings you closer to Source Energy, the Creator, God, Universe whatever you connect to as the Higher Power.
The Yogis practice Sadhana (meaning Spiritual Practice in Sanskrit)
Muslims practice Fajr
Buddhists and Hindus practice Puja
Christians practice morning Devotional time or morning Mass for Catholics
Someone who doesn’t follow a religious system might have a gratitude practice, saying affirmations, journaling, meditation, nature walks, the options are infinite.
It could be taking just 2 minutes after waking up and setting intentions for the day,
Or it could be a structured 1 - 3 hour period of Yoga Asanas, Breath Work, Mantra- and Silent Meditation.
✨ Please forgive my ignorance if there are any errors regarding any religions and if I’ve not included your specific practice, the options literally are endless, you are welcome to correct me if the need arises. The above are examples as a way to illustrate how different it could be for everyone choosing to cultivate a Sacred Morning Practice.
There is no wrong or right way…
… to create a Sacred Morning Practice, especially if you’ve never tried it before. And THIS is the reason for me to invite you to see the next 30 days as a way to experiment and discover your ideal Sacred Morning Practice. Only YOU know what feels right and good for you.
But what if I fail?
Let’s cancel that word (failure) from our practice vocab from the get-go 🙅🏼♀️, and replace it with “I learned”. There’s no Sacred Morning Practice-Police anyway 😉. Let’s take on the next 30 days with a sense of curiosity and lightness and give yourself permission to release self-judgment and the desire for perfection. Let that sh💩t go!
The When?
June 1st until June 30th - We will create a Sacred Morning Practice for 30 days. And if you discover this #practicefor30days post later than June 1st, no worries, you can join any time, whether it’s 5 days in or 20 days in, or do it at any time when you feel called to do it.
For my shift working friends - I was a flight attendant for almost 7 years (many moons ago 😅) and I totally understand the unstructured lifestyle of an upside-down routine. Please feel included, you are so welcome to join and create your own Sacred Practice the moment after waking up from your rest, as I know that marks the start of your day in your unique lifestyle.
For my friends who have ”normal” night and day routines - Ideally, the Sacred Morning Practice starts from the moment you wake up in the AM after the night’s sleep.
In my own experience, the most ideal time is just before sunrise. I knowww, I knowwww, this body and mind of mine identify as a night owl, but I’ve “learned” 😉 so many times that when I sleep in late and start my Sacred Morning Practice later in the morning, there are so many distractions in the outside environment (garbage trucks, traffic noises, lawnmowers, the neighbor’s animated chatter, the smell of coffee someone is brewing in the house 😅) that it makes it harder to focus on my practice. I’ve learned to create time boundaries for myself to get to bed at the appropriate time at night and wake up between 4:30 and 5 am on most days.
With that said, I want to encourage you to experiment with what works for YOU, not anyone else but you.
The Who?
If you are reading this and feel a whisper in your heart to participate, you are so welcome to join and if you would like to share this with someone you know who is also a seeker, please do so.
The Where?
I’ll post daily prompts on my Instagram stories for the 30-day practice starting with “Day 1” on Monday, May 31st.
Please check in on the days that you are on social media if you want to take part in the accountability check, otherwise, if you take a break from social media (which I often do and recommend we all do) continue your practice in blissful privacy.
Where to conduct YOUR practice you ask? Check out “The How” - The Outlined Practice. 👇🏽
The How?
Let’s get to the core of our Sacred Morning #practicefor30days.
I want to emphasize the fact that your practice is your practice. What feels good to me, might not feel good to you. I’m not a teacher, a guru, or a specialist, I’m just a friend introducing you to creating a practice that will undoubtedly elevate your life in many ways, as it does mine. (Little insider tip, experiencing calm and peace within is one of the first signs of being in a higher state… you’re welcome 😉).
I’d love to give you three options to consider for our #practicefor30days.
Already Established practice - if you already have an established Sacred Morning Practice and you are here for the community aspect and maybe want to tweak your practice, please continue with what brings you to the fullest expression of joy, peace, and love. Rock on Soul brother and sister! We are each other’s mirrors and teachers.
The Free Flowing practice - do whatever it is that you want to, the only criteria are to be intentional with the time bubble that you create between waking up and starting your daily duties and activities.
The Outlined practice - I give you some outlines and guidelines to consider and feel out and you fill in the space between the lines with your own color and inspired “activities.”
Here we go…
The Outlined practice
The Night Before
Creating an intention. We’ll talk about creating and setting intentions all the time! An intention is nothing other than a focus point. Where we focus, that’s where our energy flows. We’re assisting our mind and body by giving it a target to focus on when we set intentions and make the experience much more meaningful and valuable at the same time.
Before you fall asleep, create an intention to do your Sacred Morning Practice upon waking the next morning. While setting your intention, focus on the way you’ll feel during and after you practice. This is also an optimal time to reflect on what you’ve learned from the past day’s Sacred Morning Practice. If you missed today’s practice, check in about what the reason was and what do you want to differently, how would you like to tweak your environment and practice to really feel good to you.
Choose an alarm sound that is soothing and beautiful to wake up to. (Insider peek; ‘Where the streets have no name’ by U2 is my fave alarm clock! That intro though! Makes me feel energized for the day.)
Put your alarm clock or phone a few meters away from your bed. Not only is it safer for your brain and body not to be in close proximity of potentially harmful electro magnetic frequencies (EMF’s), it also helps us to actually getttt outttt offff bedddd. (Putting my hand up 🙋♀️). In other words, don’t take your phone to bed… looking at you!!! 🤓 Put your phone on airplane mode and turn off your wifi setting, it will help with the temptation to check your notifications the next morning.
2. Upon Waking
Whatever your thoughts are doing when you wake up, I want to remind you that you are not your thoughts, you don’t have to give any meaning or judgment to the thoughts that are running through your mind. Practice the SHIFT. Shift your thoughts to gratitude and appreciation immediately the moment you notice that you are not feeling/thinking your best. (This practice really helps me, as I often wake up not thinking/feeling energetic and fresh due to 4D movie dreams throughout the night and I’d rather hit the snooze button and continue sleeping.)
Keep your phone on airplane mode with wifi settings off until after your morning practice. I think we’ve all experienced the msg/email/social media rabbit hole when we check that first notification after waking up. This is a personal boundary that is very important to create.
Have a big glass (250ml - 500ml) of water (or lemon/herbal water) and then go to the bathroom to do your business.
If you have pets or kiddies that need a check-in, please do so, I trust you’ll figure this part out for your unique Sacred Morning Practice.
Optional - I like to play solfeggio frequencies or sacred-sounding music when I get to the bathroom. (Insider peek - If I have to speak to anyone, I speak in a soft tone or sweetly let them know that I don’t want to talk, but otherwise, I remain in silence.)
We want to minimize the impressions and distractions from the outside world, hence the measures above. The world/your job/social media/emails etc will still be there after your morning practice.
3. Purify
Water. Purify with water. Take a quick shower and brush your teeth, we’re preparing for an important meeting with ourSelves (Soul/Spirit) and with Infinite Intelligence/Source Energy/Divine Mother/The Creator/God/Cosmic Consciousness/The Universe or however you relate to your Higher Power, and purification of the mind and body is an important step before we start our practice. If you are unable to take a shower, wash your face and hands and brush your teeth.
Sacred smoke. This is optional, however, there are interesting research results which proved that sacred smoke from burning sage or palo santo not only has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties which purify the air, but it also increases the negative ions in the air. (That’s why it feels so good when you’re at the ocean, or waking up before dawn, the air is charged with negative ions and it’s healing and good for us.) If this feels good to you, purify the air of your meditation space with sacred smoke (choose sustainable options), and where possible ensure that there is plenty of ventilation in your sacred space.
Note - You can use the sacred smoke just before you start your practice as a grounding element to set your intention or starting prayer.
4. Your Practice
This is the part where you fill in the colors with what your heart is calling for. It could be 2 minutes or 3 hours or longer, this is for your to decide and explore.
Maybe it is a guided meditation on an app or youtube, Wim Hoff breathing or other breathwork practices, maybe it’s prayer and study of Holy scriptures, maybe it’s practicing mindful movement or playing an instrument, maybe it’s your own spiritual practice, maybe it’s just lying on the floor listening to a sound healing track or maybe it’s sitting on the floor in quiet meditation. The choices are limitless and if you don’t have a specific practice that you adhere to, I want to lovingly invite you to explore and experiment with a range of different experiences that you feel drawn to and ‘pings’ your heart.
Here are a few guidelines that I personally observe and if it feels good for you, you’re welcome to include them in your practice.
Note - Ricardo and I host a group meditation every Tuesday (see the membership page) and have been offering our tribe a structured Sacred Morning Practice (or Sadhana) on request. If that calls to you, you’re welcome to join us.
Clothing - Ensure your clothing is super comfortable and warm/cool enough for your environment. If possible, loose-fitting natural fibers like cotton, hemp, linen, silk, or wool are best to wear. The body conducts electricity and we want energy to flow, not be blocked by tight-fitting clothes that are made from synthetic materials.
Dedicated Space - Create a dedicated space in your room, apartment, home, or garden that is clean and aesthetically pleasing to you where you won’t be interrupted. Preferably not your bed, do I even have to explain why? 😉.
If you have pets, ensure that they are in their happy place and not in your space. One of my meditation teachers taught me that animals are attracted to the elevated vibrations that meditation creates and the animal’s energy and consciousness are detrimental to your practice and could be an obvious distraction. If you choose to practice in nature choose a place with complete privacy.
Mommies with small children, this is the optimal time to teach the little nuggets about a sacred morning practice and because they are so pure, you might be surprised at how easily they take to it. Also, know that this season might be a challenging one to have a consistent morning practice, but in the words of Ram Dass, your children are often your spiritual practice. I love you!
Dedicated Seat - Whether it’s a pillow, folded blanket, prayer mat, yoga mat, chair etc, please ensure that it’s YOUR special seat that only YOU sit on and use solely for your practice. Over time you’ll build up the energy on that item (and in that space) and that intensifying energy will help take you deeper into your Sacred Morning Practice. If it’s made of natural fibers, that’s an extra bonus!
Grounding Items - Some people like to have items that assist their practice like images of saints, precious stones and crystals, burning candles or incense, an altar with sacred objects and books. This is where you fill in the color or your practice if you feel called to it.
Intention or Prayer - The start of your practice could start with setting an intention and saying an opening prayer. The moment I start my practice, I light a candle and honor the element of fire first, then I say a prayer asking for guidance, a pure heart, and an illumined mind.
The Core Practice - As mentioned above, this is a beautiful opportunity to explore what elevates your mind and heart, what centers you and connects your Soul/Spirit to your Higher Power.
Breath - No matter what your practice is, constantly remind yourself to breathe deeply and slowly.
Mindset - There is no perfection, no goal, no performance measures in a Sacred Morning Practice, take the pressure off yourself to have a “specific” experience. Adopt a child-like mindset of curiosity, lightness and wonderment and just observe (meaning, “see” the emotions/thoughts without judgement or putting meaning to it) whatever comes up for you during your practice.
Be a kind and gentle observer and hold space for yourself in a nurturing and compassionate way. Maybe frustration comes up for you, because thoughts are interrupting your meditation AGAIN, just observe the frustration and release it, if you feel uncomfortable in your seat, just observe the discomfort, adjust and release it. Maybe you get interrupted by something and feel annoyed, again, just witness those thoughts and give yourself permission to release it. Invite ease and lightness to be a part of your practice.
Completing your Practice - At the end of your practice is a beautiful place to acknowledge yourself, your teachers, your loved ones, the ascended master, angels, your energetic guidance team, etc. A little bow of humility and strength to those your honor. Fill in the blanks where you feel the need to.
Journaling
An ideal time to journal is right after your Sacred Morning Practice when the mind is calm and clear and it’s easier to reflect. You can choose to write bullet points or paragraphs, documenting your experiences and insights.
Sometimes thoughts/emotions/ideas/memories come up during our Sacred Morning practice and we want to express, document, or release those in the form of writing. (Insider tip: Sometimes we wonder how some people write, create or invent incredible books, art or products… this is where the magic often happens, my friend ✨)
Here are some journal prompts to reflect and document your post-Sacred Morning Practice experience:
How did I feel before, during, and after my Sacred Morning Practice?
What came up for me during my sacred morning practice?
How do I want to act on it? Release it? Love it? Surrender? Allow it? Follow my energy and take action? Forgive it? Share it? Create it? etc.
What do I want to do differently in my next morning practice?
What is my intention for the rest of the day? What do I want my day to look and feel like?
Conclusion
I’m looking forward to connect throughout the month of June, my dear friend. You are welcome to share your journey on Instagram by using the hashtag #practicefor30days if you are comfortable with that. You’re also welcome to keep your practice private, there is absolutely no requirements, express yourself the way that you feel comfortable with.
I might not always respond to messages on social media immediately, as I’ve created strong personal time boundaries regarding the SM-rabbithole - 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening - to use my time productively (and I encourage you to do the same). I thank you for your grace and patience in advance for slow replies. 🤗
As always, I love and appreciate you!
Nadine
