Ritual Routine
The practice of treating each day as a Ritual is a strong routine. Having a Ritual is as simple as doing the same thing every morning, something that sets me up for success. It could be taking three deep breaths between each task of the day, or mentally saying to myself three things that I’m grateful for first thing when I wake up.
Really what it is, is concentration. Focusing my energy on the task at hand, by grounding myself in the here and now. Writing out a plan for each week can be a very good way to get into a rhythm, a productive flow. Nature has a rhythm. Everything does, and when we stay connected to the beat, we come together with the symphony of the earth. Having a certain Genre of music for different parts or environments of my day is a strong way to bring me to the appropriate mindset.
Of course, rules are meant to be broken to promote a change. When we have a routine we stick to, it encourages us to always strive for a smarter, better, and more mindful approach to the music.
If I’ve got the basic idea of how the rest of my day is going to look, I can be completely present in what I am doing at the moment. In the event that I change my mind in regards to what my plan says, I can be sure that the decision that I made best suits my energy.
Self Rebellion! Rebelling against myself! haha that is self discipline, writing out the best outputs for my energy and then having the the will to follow that. It’s harder than it sounds! It’s really crazy to think about how self discipline is Self Care. “Self Discipline is Self Care” There’s a voice somewhere in my mind that is too lazy to do what I know is best for my health and prosperity. It’s a daily practice to quiet that voice and it starts with my meditation in the morning. Focusing on the breath and getting into the body. However that may look. For me it’s a few sun salutations of yoga or seated Meditation. It only takes like 20-40 minutes!The morning is a very powerful time for the subconscious mind. (The Part of the mind of which one is not fully aware, but which influences one’s actions and feelings). Making an effort to still the thoughts on the surface can allow us to listen to the inside.
Something that is very sacred to me and that I love to discuss is food. That’s right! that thing we might not pay too much attention to, but our life depends on it! I treat every or at least one of my meals a day as a sacred Ritual. I sit down with my family, friends, or myself with no distractions. I try to be fully present in nourishing my mind, body and soul. Before I start eating, I take 3 deep breaths and take a minute to express gratitude for the food that I have and where it came from.
I like having rituals that I look forward to. I have a regimen for coming home after work. Staple Sensory stimulants; the Smell of Peppermint essential oil, the touch of my Selenite crystal, sitting on my Meditation cushion. Just A trigger for my senses to calm down.
There’s a cleanse for stagnant energy on every plane; Physical, Mental, and spiritual. What I mean by cleansing stagnant energy is just clearing that which might not serve me. Making way for that which does. A Shower can be intentional for the physical plane. The spiritual plane for me is to have a feeling of purpose. Trusting that I am doing my best to better each day keeps me believing that my soul incarnated for a reason, That I’m connected to a higher power. A Prayer can just be gratitude for that which we do have.
Having established what I think is the best exertion of my energy for the day let’s me go to sleep satisfied. Feeling like I’m doing something right with my life.
That’s a good segue into talking about ending the day with punctuation. The night is very sacred as well, and it’s consistent. We can be invited to be the same. I like to read or journal with my Legs up the wall a little before I go to bed. It’s similar to closing the curtains at the end of show, sealing in the day. Retrospecting on the day, with an aim to clear the mind. That is my night time journal prompt. It’s a Cue for my brain waves to start moving towards a delta state.
Everyday can be a ritual if I approach each task with intention. A routine gives me confidence in my will to live. Following my plan for the week is a discipline I can be proud of and feel good about breaking. Bringing awareness to the roots of our existence like food and breath, helps me find gratitude in the higher power. The morning is the most powerful time to set myself up for full potential and having punctuation throughout the day keeps me focused. Closing every night with consistency clears my mind
~Misha Botyaroff
“Self Care Is the New Health Care”
