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My typical day begins at 5 am. Today, I really look forward to rising before the sun and greeting everyone with joy. I must admit, it took me some time to find my Morning Glory.
Blissful rest was always interrupted by insidious honking and silenced with my right hand as I quickly hit the snooze button to give me at least 10 additional minutes of sleep. The plush purple toasty fur-lined slippers that awaited the arrival of my feet to slide in to begin the normal daily routine, were very rarely in reach. Next, as I waddled downstairs to grab the kettle from the stove, fill it with water for coffee (still yawning), dings from my iPhone alerting me to brand new emails, text messages, Facebook messages and notifications and invites to events that I would never attend grab the first moments of my day.
As I pour the creamer in my coffee, my mind is already beginning to list out all the items that will be placed on the "to do list" creating my agenda for the day. Before I have taken one sip or sat down for devotion, my mind has dictated at least twenty tasks that need to be accomplished by 3pm.
With my mind racing around everything that needs to be done for the day, enjoying the solitude while basking in serenity is slipping away …
But wait.
I woke up early for solitude and devotional time to clear my mind thus bringing forth feelings of serenity and clarity to pave the way for a more productive day …
If any of these sounds is remotely familiar then you can more than likely also refer as the day unfolds, so do the responsibilities and the ever increasing demands that are piled upon you. Within the midst of all of it, are your personal aspirations and desires.
Without surrendering your white flag, you begin to read books and listen to audios on how to jam seven hours into three to become more efficient so that you have more "me" and family time. You up your intake of vitamins and supplements, temporarily change your eating habits and join the gym all trying to continue ironing your shero cape and not relent. Yet, feelings of fatigue, low energy, occasional mood swings and irritability have now become a part of your personality while stress and thoughts of depression are knocking at the door for permanent residency.
I'm reminded of the 80's song by Karen White, where in the video poised with strength, she serenades her uniformed husband, I'm not your superwoman. The scenes switch back and forth as we viewers are relating to the stamina she exudes as she is hanging up laundry and then cooking dinner (all while looking good in her heels). What is it in some of us that believes we can and should play the balancing act of twenty item task list and still meet the needs of others around us?
The above daily routine I described, used to be me. Running the hamster wheel worried me out and left me feeling overwhelmed and discontent. I still wake each day at five am with the same responsibilities yet with a new mindful approach in gaining my Morning Glory.
I believe in the search of happiness, fulfillment, security, financial stability, career advancement and other personal goals, our true focus gets lost. With so many distractions; a lack of direction and / or definite purpose, daily stressors, family responsibilities, demands of co-workers, expectations of others, and personal aspirations, our judgment gets cloudy leaving some in a standstill of hazy mental fog. The lack of serenity skills to assist us with balancing the surge of raging emotions that swing like pendulum to meet the pressures of life unfortunately result in the inability to focus and remain grounded. Yet there are some who pick up other peoples burdens and responsibilities adding them to an already jam-packed schedule; over-stuffing their own nap-sack causing complications and strain. This "strain" is the emotional baggage (nap-sack) causing tension, headaches, fatigue, irritability and more. Trying to rearrange your day, adding supplements, vitamins and the like only temporarily mask the symptoms of what your body and spirit are trying to tell you. Burnout and exhaustion have arrived and if not tended, the toxicity from uncontrolled emotions can have catastrophic effects in the spirit, soul and body.
Your spirit eventually becomes weighed down which can leave feelings of doubt, insecurity and anxiety. Proverbs 12:25 provides a timely reminder that we should not allow anxiety to take root as it can cause depression. Today we see more and more commercials for medicines to treat the symptoms of depression. Depression has been commonly referred to as the "common cold" of mental illness and if left untreated can lead to suicide. It's time to deal with the root causes and stop masking symptoms of burnout and exhaustion to prevent full-blown depression. But how?
One approach … Morning Glory.
Morning Glory is a serenity skill that I have developed in preparation for daily devotional time. It will give a guide to quieting the "white noise" or clear the mental fog so you can focus on learning to live a life of love and appreciation. It provides you with some basics to develop compassion for self and others using the power of imagination to heal the soul while releasing toxic emotions.
Let's begin!
Keeping in mind that we are three-part bees (spirit, soul and body), every part of you is connected. If you have a tense mind (which resides in your soul), you have a tense body. Optimal results are achieved when allowing at least 20 minutes to perform The Morning Glory Serenity in the morning prior to your personal devotional time. It will assist you with clearing the clutter and the random thoughts that try to invade your mind as you seek wisdom in asking the Lord God to establish your thoughts and steps for the day.
1. Find a comfortable place to sit and pay attention to your breathing. Focus on the love of God, His grace and mercy being extended to you this morning. Begin to focus on your breathing. Imagine that each breath you take is the Spirit of the Living God coming into your body cleansing and healing it. Concentrate on the sensation of the cleansing air moving in and out of your nose and mouth. Notice your belly move in and out.
2. Pay attention to your breathing. Allow your belly to rise as you inhale and to slowly fall back down as you exhale. Take some time to breathe deeply as you prepare to welcome the Holy Spirit.
3. First concentrate on your forehead. As you breathe in, notice the muscles of your forehead. Become aware of any muscle tension in this area of your body. As you breathe out, let go of any muscle tension you find by purposely relaxing the muscles. It begins with an awareness of the tension on the in-breath, and letting go of the tension on the out-breath. Repeat for several slow deep breaths.
4. Next concentrate on any muscle tension in a particular body area as you inhale (like your shoulders). Now, as you exhale, consciously loosen and release that tension. Imagine the breath traveling into that particular area is a radiant healing light, then traveling out as you exhale. As the breath leaves the area, visualize the muscles slackening, as if your breath is carrying away any tension and stress you may have. Each time you breathe, make sure you are taking slow, deep breaths, concentrating on noting how your belly rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
5. You may be aware of thoughts or feelings rising into your consciousness, or even possibly images popping up in your mind's eye. Perhaps you are aware of impinging worries, anxieties, fears, fantasies, or other preoccupations involving the past or future. It's okay and do not allow it to distract you. It is not a "failure" of your efforts to relax or become mindful; you are learning a brand new skill to support you in learning to take control of random thoughts and responses.
6. Begin to recite the following phrases (or an affirmative scripture focused on love):
– I am filled with love, joy, peace.
– I am filled with longsuffering, kindness, goodness.
– I am filled with faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
– I am filled with the wisdom and knowledge of God.
– I am strengthened with may through His Spirit in my inner self.
– I have been renewed in the spirit of my mind through Christ.
Allow the feelings to arise with these words. Repeat the phrases, letting the feelings permeate your mind and body. (Continue this practice for a few weeks until you sense an authentic loving kindness towards yourself.)
If and when you notice that you've been carried away in a stream of associations, pleasely observe them. Then, gently return your awareness to your breath. Your breath is the gift of God giving you life; healing and cleansing your spirit, soul and body. Allow your breathing to once again become your focus, letting your thoughts recede to the background. Your awareness of your breathing helps anchor you in the present.
For the remaining time, keep your awareness focused on your breath and how it travels into your body; healing all tension and stress restoring the presence of peace and the euphoria of love. Gradually bring your consciousness back to your surroundings.
When you feel ready, start with this meditation practice, using the same phrases, but gradually expand the focus of your love, kindness, and appreciation to include others. Imagine the person and thoughtfully recite the sentences:
– I am filled with love, joy, peace.
– I am filled with longsuffering, kindness, goodness.
– I am filled with faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
– and so on (same as above).
Transformation Take Away …
Remember, consistency is the key. The more consistent practice of this practice along with other spiritual beliefs (attending church services, praying regularly, etc.) along with serenity skills such as Morning Glory can greatly reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. Thoughtfully consider including a regular exercise program and vitamin supplement and gain overall tremendous health benefits.
Morning Glory Serenity has the potential to bridge the gap between yourself and others replacing fear, worries, and anxieties with love and compassion. I would love to hear how Morning Glory is working for you! Post how it's going for you and what you are receiving below. Looking forward to hearing from you!
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Source by Kerri D Herndon
