Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good
- Nina Simone
The darkness, cold and seemingly endless void-like abyss of winter is a natural process of dissolution. It is in the times when we are pushed to our limits of endurance that we crack under the weight and pressure of it all, and through this crack we may notice the new light of dawn. Spring is the time when new life emerges in those moments where we allow ourselves to crack and breakdown, break wide open to a new way of living.
The darkness of winter naturally dissolves the parts of us that no longer serve our highest potential. It can be painful, confusing and frightening, and we can be left feeling raw, fragile and bare. And yet, the promise of spring reminds us of our innate capacity to regenerate. Allowing the natural process of our little deaths each winter is how we breakthrough old limiting perceptions so that we may see with fresh eyes, and notice that new life always comes.
It is always the darkest before dawn.
Every morning the body-mind is renewed with life-force energy after having a restful sleep, the body has been still and the conscious mind has been in other restorative states of consciousness, thus we wake up renewed. Not only do our organs and tissues go into deep states of repair but our central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord, are bathed, cleansed and energized in the primordial cerebrospinal fluid.
As we awaken in the morning our body-mind is in a renewed and energized state of being and this is why it is a potent time to do a self-care practise. Do you notice that when you wake up there is a moment of still being half asleep, a little dreamy, a little spacey? We tend to shock ourselves out of this state with coffee, technology and thoughts about our list of things to do, but I would say that we are missing out on an important time of deep insight.
When we remain in this liminal space a little longer we allow our body-mind to integrate everything that happened during the night so that we may feel whole in the morning. Before we roll out of bed we secure the cocoon of our energy that makes us feel whole. And we allow our mind the space to be free from past constraints if only for a few moments. But in those few moments you never know what burst of inspiration and insight may rush in. Ushering in a new dawn, new day and new life.
DAWN RITUAL
- One day a week, minimum. Do not set your alarm.
- Allow yourself to wake up naturally, but before you come fully into your doing mind, place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly.
- Remain absolutely still in this primordial liminal regenerative space.
- Before your doing mind kicks in allow your body-mind to simply bathe in the half-awake half-asleep state.
- As your doing mind begins to come online harness it to your breath, bring your awareness to the sensation of each inhale and each exhale.
- And as you begin to get distracted with your 'to do' list give your mind an activity for just a few minutes before you start your day of doing.
- Visualise or imagine your inhale drawing energy from the crown of your head down the front of your body to your pelvic floor.
- And visualise or imagine your exhale drawing energy from your tailbone up your spine to the crown of your head.
- Continue this breath awareness practise for at least 9 cycles of breath.
- This is your cocoon of energy that maintains your wholeness. Allowing your body-mind to amplify your renewed energy for the new dawn, new day and new life ahead.
{Dawn Ritual is inspired by the Taoist micro-cosmic orbit practise}