International Yoga Day 2018: Few Simple Adaptations To Your Morning Routine
As we acknowledge through World Yoga Day, the vast ocean of richness that Yoga brings us, here's a few simple adaptations to your morning routine.
To truly set off the tone of how the day will unfold and how we shall receive it, engage each of the 5 senses with uplifting and pleasant connections. As it is through these sense organs that our mind and intellect get information to process and see them as they are.
Taste- Sumukha
Smell- Sugandha
Touch - Sukatha
Hear- Sushabda
Seeing- Sudhristi
The 5 Sense organs or Gyan Indriyas according to Yoga are more than just anatomy and physiology of the nose, eyes, ear, tongue, and skin. They are instruments to perceive true and real knowledge. They are instruments and serve as mediums to see, taste, smell and sense all of the creation around us and the knowledge we perceive.
Here’s a list of a few ‘Dinacharya’ or Morning Rituals that we can introduce without a big investment of time.
As you rise from bed and before setting your feet down, touch the ground and connect with the element of earth. It’s a simple act of a) stimulating the elimination system or the chakras below the waist. b) Setting an intention of feeling grounded through the day.
My quick connections and attention I give to the mighty intelligently formed senses:
~The Sense Organ Of Eyes: Looking up at the Sun at its coming up as it still touches the horizon. This also helps set the circadian Rhythm of your body and resets to the sun.
If its late and the sun is higher, Using a cooling eye drop or a few drops of pure Rosewater with a spray. This is the reason sometimes Tratak Meditation of looking without blinking to help cleanse the eyes as the water is recommended as a technique.
~ The Sense Organ of Nose: Stepping outdoors to smell the earth, trees, the grass or a flowering plant. You could instead light an incense or an aroma candle. This is the best time to walk in the grass, tend to your garden and be close to nature.
~ The Sense Organs of Skin: A conscious movement or kriya of the body by stepping off your bed, touching the ground, to drain the stagnant lymph in the face or raising of your arms and feeling the sensations of the stretch on your skin.
Exposing the early morning's sun rays on your skin for 5 min.
~The Sense Organ of Ears: of uttering a mantra to fall upon your ears or hearing a chant. Or Brahmari asan to invoke the sense organ with a pleasant vibration.
~ The Sense Organ of Taste: Chewing on a few Tulsi leaves or a Tea infusion of herbs. Start with a Tisane or Tea made out of Tulsi or water with Honey and Lemon.
Take a moment of pause and attention in the mornings before the world takes over by choosing to consciously invite and honour the Indriyas for the real work they do.
