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How do you start off the day?
zenguitar
Bad BuddhistNew England Veteran
Hail, noble Sangha. I am wondering how people here get themselves into the proper frame of mind at the start of each day. I ask because I find that my anxiety level seems highest early in the morning. Do you meditate? Pray? Recite mantras? Do headstands? Some combination of the above? Just curious as to what works best for you. Thanks.
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I can't do anything until I've had some coffee, but I do try to re-establish mindfulness as I wake up. If you feel anxious just be mindful of it.
For myself it really depends on the day and what I have on my plate.
I can't meditate first thing in the morning because there's too much contemplation going on about what I've learned in the last 24 hours and what I plan to do with the next. It's like a routine or exercise so I don't count it as day dreaming.
I have my tea, try to eat something healthy, maybe read for a spell or come here. Then I get going.
i brush my teeth and then have tea and only after tea, i think i can do anything in the morning.
turn on ipad and try to be wise on New Buddhist . . . not working so far some would say . . . then meditate . . .
should meditate first . . . I am such a cushion slacker . . .
I "meditate" while waking up unless my leisure is interrupted by bladder, parrot getting into something expensive and irreplaceable, a visitor, an appointment. It's a super simple 'meditation' where I sense my awareness to the far reaches of my fingers and toes and then have it fill the half fathom? or so of this body (I'm five feet tall). If I continue to be unmolested by waking life, I do a spot of metta. I'm working to get myself to do the metta first, like a habit, as it seems quite 'powerful' and beneficial as far as first intentions for the day goes.
And then, I roll out of bed
.
I do some yoga then meditate. generally I find some yoga helps me get into a good frame of mind for meditation.
Go to the bathroom first!
After that, everything falls into line.
Kia Ora,
"How do you start off the day ?
By awaking from a dream into a dreamlike state with this aspiration:
"May I clearly perceive all experiences
to be as insubstantial as the dream fabric
of the night and instantly awaken
to perceive the pure wisdom display
in the arising of every phenomenon !"
With this aspiration in mind, I perform a tea ceremony with my breakfast, I check for messages on the net, read some news, shower...Then it's cushion time (approx 30 mins)
If it's a work day, then with a smile I go to work and if it's not, then also with a smile I do what needs to be done...
"Nothing Special"
Metta Shoshin .
..
Thanks everyone. I wonder if I should shift my meditation session to the morning rather than evening. Ideally of course I think I should do both am and pm.
I wake up before everyone in the house....while the coffee is brewing, I visit the altar, say a few intentions, and then sit in the back yard for a few mins. listening to the birds/geese and taking in some breaths and eyeballing the clouds turning pink and purple from the sunrise. ..
..
@zenguitar
I've tried out lots of variations , and this is not exactly traditional but.....
I find that rolling that out of bed with the minimal of thought and just sitting in zazen meditation (30 min) before doing anything else suits me best.
My meditation simply gets what ever my body & mind isupon waking up and it somehow more strongly sets up the meditative inertia of my day.
You might well have more energy in the morning.
Morning works best for me, probably because in the evening, with hubby and son around, it's harder to wedge in a time slot.
I do some deep-breathing on waking up and still on bed.
Then it's hectic (but mindful) breakfast preparation for the family.
Once I see dear family off, sometimes I check the mail, sometimes I go straight into the shower.
And when I'm through with the beauty ritual (takes longer with age -more maintenance to do), in comes my yoga session and my meditation session.
Throughout the day, mindful pauses of mala mantra reciting here and there, to wiggle my awareness back to focus as needed.
No evening anything for me.
Just leading as mindful a life as I can throughout the day.
i think it may depend on personal choice - as some people are more of an early morning person and some people are more of a late evening person. though the spiritual texts suggest morning should be a more better time for meditation than evening. as far as i am concerned, i try to sit in morning, though i think i should not call it meditation, rather a daily routine activity of setting aside some time for sitting while keeping my eyes closed. if i am not able to sit in morning due to some reason, then i try to sit in evening.
I think one good reason for morning meditation is that a good session can "set you up" for the day.
Kia Ora,
And one good reason for evening meditation is that it's a good way to 'unwind' and let go....
..
So one could make a meditation sandwich of their day's events. .
Metta Shoshin .
..
Yoga first, meditation second, study third. Then breakfast/shower/chores/whatever else. But that is just my schedule. Before I do meditation, I get my kids up and off to school, so I am up for about 45 minutes before I start yoga. On weekends I get up before everyone else to keep my routine. But I also do not have to work so that makes things much easier.
Yoga calms my body so that it is easier to calm my mind. A lot of the purpose of yoga as a system (and not just a fitness routine) is for just that purpose-to bring unity to the mind and body as preparation for meditation and study.
First the 5 precepts (or 8 if it's an Uposatha Observance day), 3 Refuges, and Homage to the Buddha. Then out the door within 15 minutes of waking up to lead an hour of meditation with the sangha at dawn!
Whoa, now that's serious preparation!
I stagger out of bed, brush my teeth (I almost said 'wash my teeth' as it's said here but that sounds a bit awkward, doesn't it? Like hosing them with a Kärcher or something. Not that dirty.), then I do three prostrations to my little altar and try to take refuge but usually it's just three rather mechanical, half-hearted prostrations. Then I chant to Kuanyin (or at least, I try to.) and meditate. I try also to read something inspirational. Then breakfast, some tea and then I'll leave the house and walk happily wherever I might be obliged to go (Somehow the morning walk is almost more or less happy, even if I was going to the hospital. Or to the uni.)
I have to say, I've never quite got the magnificence of morning meditation ("The mind is so much clearer in the morning!"), I'm not even sleepy or anything, but just in a very deep, foggy and extremly dull state crowded with thoughts that seem to have some sort of hangover. Even though I am a morning person...
I used to do a little yoga or chigong before meditation and also chant mantras with a counter (puns intented) and have more strict timing with meditation but recently I've been a bit ill (and in doubt) so its just something.
But the yoga/chigong part will do a comeback!
That's very good! You're living in a community then?
I put the coffee on while the sky is getting light, meditate/pray, exercise then choose an emotion to watch for the day (for example, today it's anger). Then I do the get ready for work morning routine thing...
Well, so far so good.... I haven't sworn, been nasty, been thoughtless, had a stiff drink, smoked any pot or kicked the cat at all today.
Now - to get out of bed......
"Well, so far so good.... I haven't sworn, been nasty, been thoughtless, had a stiff drink, smoked any pot or kicked the cat at all today.
Now - to get out of bed......"
:-)
Oh, you too....?!
First brush my teeth and wash my face and put some cloths on this body iam renting, and then doing some meditation 30 min (counting my breath 1,2,3.... and contemplating impermanence, anatta ), then some yoga postures. 20 min. Yoga helps a lot
If my attention when falling asleep is on my physical awareness of my breath,
then this inertia is what is first noticed when waking again.
It puts into perspective, whatever sense gate info follows me from my sleep.
out of bed, feed the cat who is meowing, make coffee and meditate ten minutes while the coffee is brewing.
If I have the time and anxious/bothersome thoughts, I just listen and feel them wherever I'm at. Otherwise its just start the day by staying grounded in the body as it goes through the routine.
LOL
Bed? We used to dream of having a bed.
Must admit I can not actually get out of bed as I sleep on the floor. Think I inadvertently went a little overboard on the precept about not having a high bed (one of the extras).
Must refrain from posting 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch.
No sketch . . .
[serene smile enters Lobsterian conciousness] I have attained limited cyber non-attachment . . .
Lately I've been starting the day with a few choice words to the alarm clock, finding the nearest source of caffeine and then waiting till I can English properly
I have a nice cup of rosy lee.
My morning routine is actually quite extensive. It's a good thing I don't work or I'd have to get up at 3am!
I get up and get the kids ready for school, make lunches, review daily schedule, that kind of stuff. I do any shoveling and clean off the cars.
Once everyone is gone, I do my yoga. Then I meditate. Then I go through my ayurvedic routine and shower. Then I eat. After that I do my study/preliminaries. By the time I am doing with that, it's about lunch time.
not really sure what's going to happen when I have to eventually go back to work, but I'm resisting doing it for now, lol.
Late as usual.
I drag myself stumbling and mumbling out of bed, slip into some clothes, and head out the door. If I'm lucky, I'll have time to grab some coffee and trail mix at the local gas station. I have three problems contributing to my early morning grogginess. First, I'm on some potent medication that makes me sleepy, especially early in the morning. Secondly, I have to get up at 4:30 AM every day. And finally, like a little kid, I hate going to bed on time.
Some of you have very extensive morning routines. Where on earth do you find all the energy for that? Do you exercise a lot? Or have you all just naturally had a lot of pep?
I'm on a lot of meds too @nakazid
-I usually try to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. That helps...
I am by nature a morning person. Whatever I have to do during the day, if it is not done by 11am, it likely won't get done at all. I am very active and busy until mid afternoon, then I'm ready to quiet down (which doesn't happen with 3 busy kids, but ideally that is what would happen, lol). I do best when I can get up earlier than the kids, and in the summer when it's warm and sunrise is early, I am often up by 5am. Winter is harder, it's cold and dark, but I am up by 6. It gives me some quiet time and I can enjoy making kids' lunches and such before the busy morning starts.
I also get a good amount of quality sleep, though I need less of it when I meditate consistently. I sleep about 7 hours, but when I was younger I needed closer to 9 hours. Of course, I don't work so I don't have that stress to deal with nor do I have to worry about changing from home-me to work-me and then back to home-me. Having so much time to take care of my needs helps. Also, my diet has a huge impact on how I feel day to day, and even hour to hour. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies keep me feeling the best.
Hmm, maybe the answer is more liver. Yum, yum.
With some fava beans and a nice chianti...............
Jodi Foster is gorgeous....
She speaks highly of you, too.....
The Book 'Silence of the Lambs' actually cites Hannibal as drinking an Amarone with the liver.... but they changed it in the film to Chianti, because hey feared too many Americans would have confused 'Amarone' with 'Amaretto'.....
I can't believe I'm reading this on a Buddhist forum..
Oh, that's sweet! Do you think she'll phone?
She will . . . but not you
Sometimes the truth hurts
Oh, Jodi, and I thought you really cared! But seriously, what a great actress and very versatile. Did you see her in "Contact"?
Contact is one of a handful of movies I watch again and again...not lately, though.
Awesome story! The first time I saw her as an actress was on a Kung Fu episode - she was just a kidlet then.
We are on a Buddhist forum? Nobody tells me Nothing!
Emptiness is form, form is emptiness
Toast is toasty.
Milk is milky