Morning
Rituals
“Get
out of bed slowly, observing the shift in your center of balance as
you move into upright position. Stand erect, without strain. Only
human beings stand in such a way, their spines a vertical oblation to
the divine. Feel your feet on the ground. Step attentively, aware of
the the pressure as your soles touch the earth. Expand your awareness
in various ways as you go about your morning activities...”
Philip
Zaleski & Paul Kaufman (Gifts of the Spirit)
My
dogs have their individual morning rituals. Liza, in peppy-puppy
fashion, arises quickly and nudges Julie, then comes to my bed to
make certain I'm awake. If I dally in bed, she reaches as high as her
non-existent legs allow and makes soft whinny sounds until I sit up.
Julie is an old girl. It takes her longer. She rises slowly, opens
to a wide-mouth, tongue-unfurling, yawn, stretches in 'praise Allah'
fashion, and then shakes down the full length of her body. Liza races
to the basement stairs, and Julie and I follow in various stages of
slow-motion, get the kinks out, stumbling gaits.
Morning
is sacred space for me. I love watching first light glowing an
orangey-pink, highlighting the houses across the way. I like to
measure out the coffee and set it to dripping first thing. With cup
in hand, and having given the dogs a morning treat, I head to the
laptop to write this blog to you. By now the sun is up and brightly
shining through my east-facing window. I have placed an African
wrap-skirt given to me by traveling friends, across a bar at the
window to block the sun enough to see the computer screen. It reminds
me that women on the other side of the earth have their morning rituals, too. They wrap on a skirt just like this one, and go
about the doings of their day.
First
light is a good time to pray. In many religious traditions, people
arise and give thanks for their rest and for their waking to a new
day. They may meditate before filling their stomachs, or ritually
bathe hands and face, or chant the rising of the sun. Black Elk,
Sioux holy man, daily observed the rising of the morning star, which had
special significance to his tribe.
Whatever
way you mark morning, it is well to begin by acknowledging that grace
has brought you to this moment, given you the dual blessings of sound
sleep and waking renewal. Give thanks for the ability to live and
love another day on God's green earth.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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