Morning rituals for me involve many of the usual suspects—lighting candles, burning incense, ringing bells, bowing, reading inspirational words, setting intentions. But at the heart of these morning rituals lies practicing Recording and Listening exercises and spending dedicated time with one’s self, a.k.a., the truly unique and spectacular human being that is mine to steward. 

Ideally morning rituals happen first thing, followed by a short break and meditation. I often set aside a small task beforehand to do during the break. They seem to work just as well with the order reversed. And no problem if circumstances request a shift in the schedule and they become afternoon or evening rituals. Altogether they might take 20 or 30 minutes, perhaps a bit longer when there’s the luxury to linger. If circumstances are dire, 10 minutes can do quite nicely. And then there are those days where the usual sequence just won’t do. If there’s something or someone in need of attention, I might start with a two-handed exercise and/or an interview process and tarry there until attention is freed up and with thisherenow.

You would think morning rituals would begin in the morning, but they actually begin the evening before. At the end of each day, I make a recording that is mostly a travel log of the day’s activities. This can include almost anything and everything. Insights do find their way onto these recordings, but I tend to record these in a separate file titled Process Notes—or sometimes in both places if I’m looking to work an insight into my bones. Five to six minutes seems to take care of these recap-of-the-day recordings, some shorter, some longer depending on goings on. If there are spans of time I’m not recalling, I’m suspicious it’s because I wasn’t fully present. Good information to have.

The next morning, I listen back through this recording. Like the old icebreaker at a workshop, I listen as if I will be introducing the person speaking through the recorder to everyone else in the room. The likes, dislikes, concerns, challenges, joys, successes, language, tone of voice all register—no meanings attached—just attention highlighting the conversation as it moves through awareness. The conditioned tendency is to identify with the likes, dislikes, concerns and challenges of the person speaking. My job is to brush these attempted conditioned insertions aside and keep moving through the layers of separation. With diligence and sincerity, a moment or two of grace are inevitable. The intelligence in this body comes into contact with the intelligence emanating from the recorder, reflecting each other, as if over and over discovering love for the first time, the joy of intelligence knowing itself. 

Next up I listen to a random recording from a file where many of the Love Letters I’ve written to myself have accumulated. Time to sit back and practice receiving, let unconditional love wash over me, let Life whisper its sweet nothings and reveal it’s on my side, it has my back, I can relax and enjoy all that is on offer. Continuing, I move to the Process Notes file and listen to a specific recording, if there’s one in mind, or a random recording or two to highlight and refresh the cutting edge of Practice. And finally, I often check in with the Mentor via a two-handed exercise or begin a brief interview process with whomever seems to be around or in need. 

What a way to start the day!

Gasshō.

Do you have a favorite R/L insight, idea, or practice tool? We’d love to hear it! Send us your favorite quick tip (75 words or less) or submit your idea for a blog post.