There are a huge number of articles, videos and books on how to practice different techniques – including asana, pranayama or mudras. But so little people talk about the preparation before we start our yoga practices – or so called ‘’morning routine’’
Here are some useful Insights which will help you to establish your ‘’morning yoga ritual’’ – deepen your practice and dive into more easily to seize the best out of any of your daily yoga practice.
- 1. Wake up – Brahmamurtha – keep the light down
- 2. Kriya Yoga – Drink Water & Bathroom
- 3. Sauca – Shower and cleaning
- 4. Practice Mouna – Phone & electrical devices
- 5. Light on the Fire – candle or lamp
- 6. Burn the incense stick
- 7. Dress up & roll out your rug!
- 8. Savasana – Relaxing with full focus
1. Wake up – Brahmamurtha – keep the light down
It is stated in many ancient texts that yoga practice starts way before we think. To make it simpler – the way you spend your day – what you do, eat, places you visit or people you meet will have an impact on your practice the next day.
Make sure you go to sleep prepared without unnecessary thoughts.
The best time to wake up is – always at the same time. Ideally during Brahmamurtha period that begins one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise, and ends 48 minutes before sunrise. It is traditionally the penultimate phase or muhurta of the night, and is considered an auspicious time for all practices of yoga and most appropriate for meditation, worship or any other spiritual practice.
The reason is very practical in many ways – the world still sleeps; phones and emails are not bothering us and we can fully dedicate our focus to inner journey.
If we keep it consistent, we will teach the body to adjust and waking up will become easier and smoother. It’s just a little effort and practice.
2. Kriya Yoga – Drink Water & Bathroom
After waking up – turn off your alarm – and move very slowly to the bathroom. Scratch off your tongue with a tongue cleaner – get rid of the ama which was accumulated throughout the night and use the toilet if necessary.
Once you get rid of the stuff which was the result of overnight cleansing – it’s time to nourish and wake up the body from outside and make it work again!
Drink a glass or two of warm water – you need to start gently. Your whole body was resting so try to avoid giving it any type of shocks from early morning – especially with ice cold water or super-hot acidic drinks like coffee for example.
Try to keep it as natural and neutral as possible. The water will wake the whole body up and you might feel like calling for another round to visit the bathroom.
That’s great – cause the belly is getting empty and the body wants to be as light as possible.
3.Sauca – Shower and cleaning
After using the toilet – take care of the body.
Have a shower, brush your teeth. The water and movements will slowly stimulate the muscles and the process of waking up will speed up.
We should always be ‘’clean’’ when stepping on the yoga mat. Since you might sweat during the practice, avoid any unnecessary perfumes or cosmetics to allow the cleansing of the skin and body.
4. Practice Mouna – Phone & electrical devices
During the whole morning try to practice mouna – quietness.
Your mind is rested over the night (if you are lucky enough and you can have a good sleep or if you can sleep at all that’s also a great win! Some people are suffering from Insomnia – don’t take your sleep for granted!)
Use an advantage of it – the world is silent; nothing is disturbing you – DO NOT GIVE any food to your mind yet! That means – turning on the radio, unnecessary talking, reading newspapers, scrolling the social media for 30 minutes before you actually leave the bed.
These are all the impressions which will have an impact not only on your practice, but on your mind and brain throughout the day! Save yourself from it – you will only gain, trust me!
There is nothing so important happening on Instagram that you need to see it at 5 am (except if you are the CEO of the company LOL)
5. Light on the Fire – candle or lamp
Light on the candle or oil lamp. The element of fire is very important during our yoga practices. We need to burn our previous karmas and clean the body and the mind. During our practice we practice with our inner fire – agni – as well. And when eating, we taking care of our digestive fire as well’’
I personally don’t like candles that much – too much waste, most of them are made out of petrol or soy which is not so good in the end – for your lungs, apartment or the environment. I love to use simple oil lamps – using local natural oil, cotton thread and that’s all.
I recently found a beautiful video on our relationship with the fire from Dr. Robert Svoboda – in case you want to see click here.
6. Burn the incense stick
Burn the incense stick and place it in the proper incense holder.
Find the fragrance which suits you well. The one which is not very strong, not irritating and especially not toxic. You should never get a headache from smelling the incense stick! If you have such experience, you might have had a poor quality one, which contained toxic ingredients and glues.
Incense sticks which are made from natural materials have more power. Not only the smell but they have the ability of cleaning the space, keeping the energy flow in the room and invoking hire powers with the fragrances which are their favorite. Every Deity (meaning – A deity or a god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred). The Oxford Dictionary of English defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. Every deity has its ‘’own’’ sacred plant – ex. Lord Shiva – the First Yogi – is worshiped with the Sandalwood.
Therefore, having this in mind, you can address your sankalpa to specific Deiti before the practice.
Natural incense is not only pleasing to the senses. The power is way bigger than we are aware of.
In case you would like to try some of our natural hand-rolled incense, find them all here.
7.Dress up & roll out your rug!
Prepare the extra towel, yoga block, yoga strap or any other things you might need. That will keep you focused and you will not leave ‘’the zone’’
Once you have all the things ready – step on your yoga rug – chant a prayer and start your practice!
In case you are short on time – don’t worry. Set yourself an alarm and put the phone somewhere out of your reach. No matter what, you will be focused on your practice and you do what you can. Without checking the clock every 5 minutes and judging yourself and whole situation as how short on time you are and how the whole world has more time for yoga practice than you.
Don’t do it to yourself. Practice – do your best – meaning best of that particular day and moment.
Be aware, don’t think about things which are waiting for you. This is time for your practice – be here now. Listen to your Inner-self whatever happens – happens.
That is the experience you came here for today.
8. Savasana – Relaxing with full focus
When setting up the alarm make sure you keep yourself enough time for SAVASANA – corpse pose.
It’s super important to dedicate at least 15 minutes and stay there to give body and mind to stabilize and recover after the practice. On the other hand, enjoy the sensation after the practice, feel the lightness and peace within and around you. Pay attention to every subtle movement and sensation in your body and the mind. The more you focus on it, the longer it will last.
In case you lose your body temperature fast, you can cover yourself with the Leela towel to have the feeling of safety and coziness. The cold sensation will not disturb your meditative state.
Many of the herbs we use in our manufacture have grounding properties which will make your meditation more accessible.
Remember- This is not a sleeping pose! Don’t sink in the pleasure – better said than done I know 😀
Keep the sensation with you – that lightness and sattvic feeling as long as you can – expand it every day a little bit.
In this way, the yoga practice can be carried out throughout the day and you can make this moment last every time more and more.
This is the routine which me and Monika follow before our yoga practice.
Let us know if it was any useful or if you have any other questions!
Share with us your pre-yoga routine in case you do something else!
See you next time!
Love, Monika & Martin
