Mindful Moment #42 - Wake Up Well

Waking Well

In the wee hours of the morning, long before the sun comes up, my alarm clock goes off. Time to get up and start the day. I am a “hit the snooze button several times” kind of gal, but since other people who don’t have alarm clocks rely on me getting them to school on time, I don’t get to luxuriate in my snoozes. Just one before I have to start the morning routines. So, I go through this period of rushing around (no matter how much I prepare the night before, this still happens nearly every morning) looking for shoes, finding the library book, remembering the art project—just generally having to raise my energy to accomplish the task, sometimes with coffee, but most often without. By the time the school drop off is done, I have this lull in my energy. Like my body took off while my soul was still in bed. I’m in a weird auto-pilot mode that is hard to disengage.

So far, I haven’t found the solution to this lull. Post drop-off coffee helps, but I am still unproductive, unorganized, and paralyzed with procrastination. Sometimes if I am wearing the right outfit or feeling especially comfortable in my body, I can reset after taking a minute to write a list. But sometimes, I cannot get a handle on whatever this “lull” is until after lunch. I feel guilty about wasting my own time. I get frustrated by my own lack of decisive action and follow through. I beat myself up about everything I am not getting done, and anxiety starts to creep up. Next, I start feeling overwhelmed. Then it becomes this whole thing where I avoid myself, and I start daydreaming about some distraction I’d rather be doing.

BUT, in the spirit of my self-improvement New Year’s resolution to “transform” in more ways than one this year, I started paying attention to myself. I started listening to the self-talk and my inner dialogue when I am having this lull that is lingering into an unproductive day. Why does an abrupt early morning wake up turn into this cycle of self-sabotage that creates a vacuum in my psyche? Is that even the true cause of my discontent? It seems deeper than not being a “morning person,” that’s for sure.

I was wallowing around in this malaise of “what is wrong with me?” when I noticed that I was feeling the anxiety in my gut. Hm. Solar plexus chakra.

What are the symptoms of a blocked solar plexus chakra, you may wonder. Well, let me tell you, they are: worry, lack of decision-making agency, anxiety, low self-esteem, procrastination, low energy, fatigue, and inauthenticity. Various teachers cite the solar plexus chakra as the center of personal power and when it is working as it should, you’ll be able to exhibit self-confidence, wisdom, self-expression, independence, and decisiveness.

Is the morning jump to action without mindfully waking causing me to create unbalanced energy in my solar plexus chakra? I will confess to not being mindful in the mornings (obviously), and driving myself through with sheer determination. Could a “Boom! Wake up!” alarm be sidetracking my whole day?
YES. As it turns out, that is exactly what I am doing. Sleep scientists coined a term for that morning lull I experience! It’s called “sleep inertia.”

Now, it is your body just trying to protect you from unwanted waking. That initial grogginess can linger for minutes to hours. I’ll admit to being relieved that this is a known phenomenon. Sleep scientists are going to suggest going to bed earlier, taking naps, and having gentler alarms to slowly, gradually wake up. I am going to suggest to myself that I add intention to my waking process in which the solar plexus chakra is opened and involved in setting the energy for the day. If I can’t snooze several times or wait for the sun to wake me up, I need a plan to counter this sleep inertia.

Please join me in this mediation—do it in the morning for just five minutes, or longer if you have the time to spare. If you’d like, listen to a sound bath or recording featuring 528hz frequencies.

The solar plexus chakra is yellow. I want you to imagine a yellow ray of sunshine softly glowing all around you. Focus your energy on your upper abdomen, just under your ribcage.

Breathe deeply, expanding your lungs fully, all the way down to your belly. Hold the breath for a count of six, release. Repeat three times. Continue breathing deeply as you consider each of these affirmations.

I honor the soul existing in this body in this reality and in this time.

I am a powerful human being.

I am strong and capable.

I am free to be my authentic self.

I am the master of my reality.

I am the decider of my destiny.

I deserve happiness and success.

I love myself.

I am awake.

Envision your solar plexus chakra rotating to the left, spinning like a little internal fan of ability. Now you can rise to the challenges of the day, assured of your internal wakefulness and capabilities.

If you need to set an alarm for this exercise, please do. I’d hate to make everyone late with too many positive affirmations. But Iwould be so pleased if anyone else escapes the dreaded morning lull with a morning mediation to stop that self-sabotage of sleep inertia.

Here’s to waking well, friends!
Namaste

Amy

INSPIRATIONS THIS WEEK

We’re feeling inspired by these incredible and thought provoking pieces:

Discovery of new ice may change our understanding of waterResearchers at UCL and the University of Cambridge have discovered a new type of ice that more closely resembles liquid water than any other known ices and that may rewrite our understanding of water and its many anomalies.
If You’ve Ever Cried During Yoga, You’re Not Alone. Here’s What Science Suggests HappensHow contemporary research and ancient tradition explain the unexpected emotional release.
Saturn’s moon Mimas may be a ‘stealth’ ocean world“If Mimas has an ocean, it represents a new class of small, ‘stealth’ ocean worlds with surfaces that do not betray the ocean’s existence.”

That’s all for today, y’all – remember, taking time to focus on you is an act of love.

We hope you found this helpful – don’t hesitate to reply with any feedback on how we can improve future Mindful Moments! We can’t wait to hear from you.