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Prayer puts possibility in motion.
What is the first thing you did
this morning?
Starting the day with prayer and meditation is one of the best habits we
can adopt for a healthy, happy, more spiritually-conscious life. Think of it
as setting a divine direction for your thoughts, speech, and actions in the
day ahead. Establishing a daily routine makes it easier. If we don't waste
time or energy trying to decide if we will begin our day with prayer, and
when, where, or how we will do this, we are free to use that energy more
constructively by simply beginning our practice.
Like anything else that we do for self-care, repetition has a positive
cumulative effect. Morning prayer stabilizes and clarifies the mind and
body by bringing our attention and awareness into the present moment.
Instead of allowing our mind to race ahead into the day by thinking about
what we have to do, or checking the television or computer to see what is
going on in the outer world, we start the day by drawing upon our inner,
divine resources. We bless the day ahead by making this conscious begin-
ning—clearing our minds and attuning our consciousness to the higher
true Self. We start the day in God, aware of our larger true life.
I like to include my body as well as my heart and mind in my morning
prayer. The physical dimension of prayer can be accomplished in many
simple ways, such as lighting a candle, ringing a bell, bowing, or bringing
both the hands to the heart center in the prayer mudra, known as anjali.
Attuning your consciousness to Spirit, focusing your attention on the
present moment, opening your heart with devotion, and aligning the body
with a prayerful action, is a powerful way to begin each day.
If you meditate in the morning, then your time of meditation can natu-
rally follow your prayer for beginning the day. If you meditate later in the
day, you will have the benefit of having begun your day with prayer, even
though your more formal practice of meditation occurs later.