Mindfulness Training Online – Mornings and Meditation

Mindfulness training online program urged us to practice every day. I used to miss 2-3 daily practices a week because I can’t seem to insert them in my schedule. But then I tried doing it first thing in the morning.

You open your eyes, and it’s Monday. You bury your face unto your pillow to feel the reminiscent feel of the weekend. Opening your eyes, you see the clock, and your mind races thinking of the tasks ahead. It’s the Monday rush. You end your day and feel the fatigue, then you go to bed and repeat.

But before you continue you might like to consider our free worksheet on exploring “Why Do I Feel Like This”. Please download this worksheet here.

In this article:
Reasons to start a Morning Meditation Practice
Exercise and Meditation: Which should come first?
How to Set Up Your Morning Meditation Practice

I would say I was not too fond of this cycle that I started incorporating morning meditation in my daily practice. If you want it quick, you can set the alarm 15 minutes before your actual time to get up, start your day simply paying attention to your breathing. You can even do this with your eyes closed. When you’re ready or when your alarm ticks again, you’ll feel more prepared to start your day! There are even claims that a daily ten minute-practice can help you feel calmer and more grounded.

Reasons to start a Morning Meditation Practice

1. Always wake up on the right side of the bed

Doing a morning meditation helps you ease and program your mind to focus and be optimistic about your day. Imagine starting your day calmly, even with a lot of schedules and deliverables for the day!

You may not like the concept of putting that phone into snooze but not taking a bit of sleep, but will you instead wake up with thoughts of being in a hurry?

When I was a meditation beginner on my mindfulness training online, I started practicing for five minutes and worked my way up. You can do that too!

2. Improve your awareness

You do know how hard it is to keep yourself from not thinking, right? It’s the common reason why people find it hard to practice meditation and mindfulness but what they don’t know is that you don’t really have to think of ‘nothingness’!

Naturally, your mind jumps from one thought to another (this concept is called “monkey mind” in Buddhism). But with the buzz of social media and other digital distractions, you likely get overwhelmed early if you’ll start your day browsing your phone.

Why not instead, try focusing on your breath minutes before you get up, then look at the thoughts that come to you, nope, you’re not going to dwell on them, you’ll just acknowledge your cluttered thoughts —some thoughts might make sense while other ideas may come out of nowhere. You just recognize them then move to another.

My meditation teacher training course taught me that this is also a good practice for detaching yourself from your habitual thought patterns. As you continue to practice recognizing thoughts without dwelling on them, you’re training your mind to move away when harmful ones come. By regular practice, you can gain control of your thoughts, and being in control can help move you transform into a compassionate, proactive state of being rather than being reactive.

3. Move away from stress and anxiety

Easing stress is just one of the benefits that meditation gives. Beginning your day in a relaxed and calm state can also help you be less bothered by the minor mishaps in life and reduce your overall stress and anxiety.

4. A bigger perspective

Morning meditation helps you step back from all the chaos and see the bigger picture of our actions, thoughts, and words more clearly. Creating a balanced perspective from everyday practice can be a valuable tool for living a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Exercise and Meditation: Which should come first?

I asked my meditation teacher which should go first. Well, his answer is: it depends on what you want for the day. You can start with any of the two, no cons! Doing meditating before working out allows you to ease, relax, and stretch your muscles, especially with a body scanning meditation. At the same time, you can improve your focus and control that are important when working out—on the other hand, meditating after a workout reduces cortisol levels (too much cortisol can become stress) which tend to elevate when you’re exercising.

How to use the Disney Strategy

You can use the Strategy on your own, is coaching others or with a team. These tips help make it work better

• Do it spatially i.e. stand in different locations for each of the thinking phases. This keeps the different styles of thinking separate
• If you are running the Strategy alone do so aloud – when asking yourself the questions for each stage and when answering them.

Run the strategy in 2 stages (A) Preparation and (B) Walk through the technique.

How to Set the Mood For Your Morning Meditation Practice

1. Find what works for you

Before committing to a meditation practice, you can first try a few other kinds of meditation to help you select which is best for you. You can first try to find what enables you to focus or that you can truly focus on. It can be music, the breath, or an object. You can also try first if you’re comfortable doing breath meditation, body-scan meditation, or mindfulness meditation.

The point of focus that works for me is my breath. I did try a few other focal points in our mindfulness training online, and I found that I’m one of those that can’t focus when I hear music, even if they’re of nature or calming ones. Remember that it’s not accessible to practice your focusing skill.

Some people give up early because they believe that meditation is about emptying the mind of thoughts. Well, that’s not true because whenever your thoughts bug you off your meditation, having a single point of focus can help you get back to your calming practice. You can even use walking meditation and smiling meditation!

2. Find your place and position

Remember that you can do your morning meditation however you want and where you want! You can do this sitting of slumping on a sofa or even lying on your bed! Be in a position that’s right and comfortable for you. As long as you fit and you’re feeling good in it, then go! I know how hard it is to get up straight in the morning.

3. Enhance your spot if you have one.

If you decide to have a spot for your morning meditation, try enhancing the location by having a cushion for sitting, a mat, candles, or focus objects. You can even put some plants just to get into the mood of calmness!

4. Sit up straight.

I did say that you can do it anywhere, even when you’re in a slump, but ideally, meditation is best done with an erect spine. This helps you focus and trigger the desire to wake in calm.

5. Meditate first thing.

Whatever your method, place, or position, always try to make it the first thing you do. Before you satisfy the urge to open the tv for news and scroll through your social media and emails, find that sense of calm first while your mind is still soft and fluid. If you can do it at the same time each morning, then good for you!

When I started putting meditation at the start of my day, not only was I able to comply with our daily practice for my meditation teacher training course, I was also able to create an excellent calm start for my day.

As you spend time to mindfulness training online you probably find yourself feeling kinder, calmer, and more patient. These shifts in your experience are likely to generate changes in other parts of your life as well.

 

Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally off first thing in the morning? Download our ‘Why Do I Feel Like This Journal’ to explore your early thoughts and emotions—and start each day with mindful clarity and calm.