Morning Check-in – Greeting the New Day
It is not hard to feel isolated in these lockdown times.
And as we know only too well it is not good for our health – mental or otherwise. When
thinking about this it seemed that there are so many ways that we can connect to the world
outside of our four walls each morning. And it is good to remember that human contact is
not the only form of connection. When we can feel the connection to all forms of life and
be thankful that we share our world with all manner of beings, including spiritual beings, the
trees, animals, and rocks as well as sun, moon and earth – then we can discover that we are
not alone – nor is it possible!
I have had a way of doing a morning check-in for many years now, and it is not about just
connecting to people. It goes something like this:
Greet the day:
- With thanks to our beloved Sun for bringing light and warmth, which means
we can see all that is around us
- Greetings to our Earth for supporting and sustaining us, giving us stability and
grounding in our lives
- Thank you to the plants that nourish us and beautify our world and the
waters that make this possible
- With three deep breaths take in the offering of the air that inspires us and
provides oxygen for our bodies.
Greet myself:
- Place myself in the middle of the circle of sun and fire, earth, waters and air
- What do I need today to balance and sustain myself?
- Am I grounded and connected to earth?
- Am I centred and balanced?
- I usually need something to find a good balance!
Some physical exercise always helps me:
- Deep breathing
- Cross crawl – exaggerated walking with opposite hand touching the knee
- Arm stretches – above the head – to the sides of the body – towards the
- Find a way of moving the body that feels good.
- I can feel my three-dimensional self as I do it.
- Or you may do some yoga, meditation, chi gong, tai chi or other form of
regular practice, to bring you into a state of readiness to embark on the day
ahead.
Then I check in with myself – is there anything else that I need? Best done with deep
breathing into the belly, feet planted on the ground and making a link between the centre
of the earth and the centre of the cosmos, a lightning rod of pure connection. This can be a
great affirmation to yourself that you are there for you!
This reminds me of the way that the elders in many tribal communities would greet the
dawn and sun each morning – giving thanks – and setting up the day to be in connection
with their people and the world they live in. Thankfulness goes a long way towards
connection. And you don’t have to be an elder to do this!
Enjoy finding your way with this, adding in the exercises, thanks and reflections that are good for you.
With love and connection
Carrie
Photo courtesy of Vic Jenkins https://thesoulsjourney.co.uk/
