˄

6.18.18

yoga wake up app

The perfect morning routine doesn’t require elaborate rituals and the downtime of a royal; just a few extra mindful minutes in bed.

Yoga Wake Up is a smartphone app designed to ease us out of deep sleep with easy stretches, light yoga and guided meditations from major yogi pros. Check out the story on their new bedtime features here. Yogi, meditator, photographer and artist Miki Ash shares a few keys to her perfect morning routine below. Refresh your own routine and enter to win a morning upgrade in the comments below… 

The older I get, the earlier I seem to want to wake up. Maybe I’ve lost my taste for evening shenanigans, but the early mornings just feel increasingly sacred. Mornings are a chance to set myself up for success in every way for the day that lies ahead. Infinite possibilities require a solid foundation, ya know?

With the seasons and, let’s be honest, my mood, my morning rituals change, but there are a few things I cannot get my day started without.

Meditation

Meditation has easily become the most important thing in my life. It has transformed me over and over again, continuously shedding layers and revealing my deepest truth. It has taught me to love myself and to take care of myself. This in turn has helped me to love and appreciate others more fully and deeply. It has allowed me to rise to the demands of life with grace and ease (when I practice regularly, that is).

Movement

I love moving my body in the morning. Waking up my muscles and getting my heart rate up just feels so good. It’s not about getting in the highest intensity workout. It’s about treating this vehicle that gets you around all day with the love it sooo deserves. While I love going to all kinds of classes, lately I’ve been loving the intimacy of practicing or working out at home. Then I can stay in my PJs and have a mini dance-party sesh!

Gratitude

Thank you. Thank you for this day. Thank you for this breath. Thank you for my health. Thank you. Gratitude has become such a sacred and nourishing practice for me. It usually unfolds in two parts. When I first wake up, when I’m still in bed and usually before I even open my eyes, I send my gratitude for the day and for my life to the universe. It just makes every moment feel so special. The second half of my gratitude practice usually takes place when I walk my pup, Bodhi. I make sure to leave my phone at home so I can be really present. I take the whole walk to list the things I can think of to express gratitude for. And yes, sometimes I say these thank yous out loud, and, yes, sometimes I do get weird looks. It’s okay though, I just flash a smile and walk on.

Coffee/Matcha

My morning concoction is my favorite thing ever. I either blend matcha or make a little French press or coffee. In said concoction, I include MCT oil, a heaping tablespoon of ghee, collagen, reishi mushrooms or some adaptogen mix (chaga, lion’s mane, etc.), lots of cinnamon, stevia and almond milk. Blend up until frothy and enjoy! I love this as a meal substitute because it keeps me full and my energy sustained for the whole morning instead of spiking and fading. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Hope this insight into my morning will help you experience a little more magic in yours!

TCM Special Offer:

The Yoga Wake Up app is giving Chalkboard readers 25% off  a subscription this summer! To subscribe, simply download the app here and enter “TCM” for special pricing. The download itself is free.

Want to win a free three-month subscription? Tell us your favorite bedtime ritual in the comments below. We will select a winner at random by Friday June 29th.

Bottom banner image
From our friends

Comments


  1. My favorite bedtime ritual is usually just alone time in my bedroom on Sundays. I take a shower and bring my arsenal with me. I was my hair and deep condition it. I soap up with a charcoal soap, then do a lavender scrub after. meanwhile clean my face with a face oil, then a detox scrub. After, I moisturize and put on my comfy night shirt and get in bed and watch one of my favorite shows that I had recorded earlier in the week or I just check up on any of my YouTube faves to see if they posted something new then meditate for 5 minutes with my app and lights out at 10pm.

    Vivian Enrique | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  2. An herbal face steam followed by a self massage with chamomile and lavender oil on my arms and legs!

    Krystal | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  3. 10 minutes of yin yoga and 10 minute meditation

    LaShawn | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  4. I read a passage aloud from Pema Chodron’s, The Pocket, every night. Then I lean over, kiss my boyfriend goodnight and tell him that I love him!

    Haley | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  5. Every night I take a deep moisturizing cream and massage all over my face, neck, and décolletage for 10 minutes. I like to put on a podcast, audiobook, or music for hands-free relaxation before bed.

    Chelsea | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  6. My aim is to be in bed by 10:30 but with a 10month old it doesn’t always work the way I plan! I always have a large glass of water while I’m getting ready for bed and another for through the night. After a bath (if I’m lucky) I cleanse with Honey Bee Beautiful cleansing balm and use their fabulously rose geranium scented facial oil to massage my face and neck. This is so calming and refreshing for the mind. I’m usually asleep before I can meditate fully!

    Hannah Griffiths | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  7. Since the doctor diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, I decided a good nights rest was more important than ever. Sleep with fibro can be hard. Especially since I choose not to take medicine for my fibro pain and deal with symptoms in a more holistic way. Not everyone is this lucky. But I’m careful not to over do it each day. A good self-care sleep ritual doesn’t have to take a lot of time.

    I usually start winding down about 9-10 pm with a cup of zen tea with scoop of ashwagandha with a dropper of CBD oil. I’ve found taking the ashwagandha powder in my tea in the evening has greatly improved my sleep. I’ve also found the CBD oil helps the fibro pain, sleep, control appetite during the day, and so much more.

    On nights where my pain is fierce, I make time for a hot bath with Epsom salts with a few drops of essential oils. Basically making my own mini herbal bath soak oasis. I also use a few drops of lavender oil in my bath as well.

    Between the warm tea, CBD oil, and hot bath, I’m more than ready for bedtime. But I don’t stop there. I usually play mediation music and do a series of muscle meditation that my massage therapist suggested. I just signed up for the app, I’m always on the lookout for meditation and yoga apps.

    Chante Drew res | 06.18.2018 | Reply
  8. My favorite bedtime ritual is just a warm shower; it really helps me relax. I used to have a cup of chamomile tea before bed but that just sent me running to the bathroom at 2 in the morning so if I have tea, it’s at least an hour or two before I go to bed!

    Audrey Marsh | 06.19.2018 | Reply
  9. My boyfriend and I wait for the dogs to go to sleep, then turn out the lights, light a candle and climb into bed with a cup of tea. As we sip our tea we play the “grateful game”, where we take turns sharing what we were grateful for that specific day, until one of us can’t come up with a response at our turn (or until we’re laughing too hard about how ridiculous our responses have gotten).

    Amanda | 06.21.2018 | Reply
  10. Wonderful article! Really helpful!

    Vivek Pratap | 07.11.2018 | Reply

Leave A Comment


*