Altar<\/h3>\n
Then, I lay out my mat and set up an altar in front of it. The altar is highly dependent upon my mood, and usually contains treasures and gifts I\u2019ve gathered from around the world. Today, it holds a black, scented candle that was given to me in Tulum, Mexico, a vibrant red flower, and a quartz crystal sphere. Sometimes, I use statues of deities from the Indian Pantheon, as they are the most resonant with me stemming from a dedicated yoga and chanting practice.<\/p>\n
Mantra<\/h3>\n
This brings us to chanting. When I get onto my mat, I chant a mantra. Lately, I like to dance or sway while I am chanting to free some of that morning stiffness. Some of the mantras I work with include \u201cOm Namo Lakshmi,\u201d \u201cOm Namah Shivaya,\u201d and \u201cHey Ma Durga.\u201d I choose my mantra based on the sort of energy that I would like to invoke for the day.<\/p>\n
Asana<\/h3>\n
Now, I move. I ease my body open and awake with 5\u201310 rounds of sun salutations, always adapting the flow to my current needs. I can literally feel my body\u2019s gradual expansion, spaciousness and attentiveness, and this tends to translate to a lightness of being.<\/p>\n
Meditation<\/h3>\n
Now, I sit on my cushion for 10\u00a0minutes. And see what happens.<\/p>\n
Drink<\/h3>\n
Now the time is right for warm, lemon water. This feels like a cleansing of the palate, a preparation for my digestive system to take on the day\u2019s fare, and another way that I respect my body.<\/p>\n
Eat<\/h3>\n
When I fix breakfast, and my bowl sits before me (often avocado toast or banana pancakes), I hover my hands above it and offer a blessing to the Earth for its bounty and to all of the hands that took part in bringing this nourishment to my body. Then I take a big breath, and dig in.<\/p>\n
This is just how my morning ritual is manifesting right now, but it\u2019s all about you, your needs, and what helps you to feel inspired. You might incorporate oil pulling, abhyanga (Ayurvedic self massage), journaling, a gratitude practice, a tea ritual, etc\u2026 How do you start your day?<\/p>\n
Photo by Ali Kaukas<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014<\/p>\n Connect with your true sense of Self with these sacred daily rituals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":308,"featured_media":27738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1056],"tags":[1119,735,1117,1118],"class_list":["post-27656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vitality","tag-morning-ritual","tag-ritual","tag-sacred","tag-sacred-living"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"anj_garudasana\"](\"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/anj_garudasana.jpg\")
Andrea Manitsas\u2014affectionately called \u201cAnj\u201d\u2014is a yoga teacher based in San Francisco and Berkeley, where her Oms resonate down the block and around the corner. She is known for a bhakti-filled class with a whole lotta soul and a fierce flow. Andrea also writes and edits. And travels\u2014a lot. She takes her teaching on the road with yoga retreats around the warm world.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"