“Good morning is not just a word, its an action and a belief to live the entire day well. Morning is the time when you set the tone for the rest of the day. Set it right!”
Fain Blake
Every morning when we rise, each and every one of us are given a precious and priceless gift. We have the opportunity to start fresh. Whether you consider yourself to be a morning person or not, creating a simple routine in the morning when you wake up can set you on the right track to move through your day with a little bit more ease and grace. And, who would not want a little less effort in their lives these days?
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.”
Meister Eckhart
1. Linger a little longer
Let the first thing you do when you open your eyes be just that. Open your eyes. Give yourself and opportunity to drink in this precious moment of awakening. Many of us literally dread that moment each day when you have to wake up. Let’s be honest. If you actually dread opening your eyes in the morning – is that really setting yourself up for a good beginning to the rest of the day? This may take some practice, but if you allow yourself 3-5 minutes to wake up slowly and gently, stretching your body, feeling the rest that you received the night before preparing you for the day ahead and actually visualizing yourself having a great day – then you are giving yourself the best possible start to having a great day!
2. Wait a while before turning on your computers
For at least 30-45 minutes after you wake up, try not to have any devices working on you. No television. No computer. No phone. Your email will be there. Facebook will be there. The to-do lists and the calendars will be there.
3. Have a glass of warm water with lemon.
Studies show that drinking a glass of warm lemon water supports immune function, battles bad breath, can jumpstart weight loss and much, much more. It also just makes you feel good. And that’s a good thing.
4. Find a few moments for stillness
It’s no surprise any more that meditation is good for the body, mind and spirit. Taking five to 15 minutes a day to still your mind and focus on your breath, a mantra, a flower or just simply taking a quiet walk in nature aids in lowering stress levels, more restful sleep and cultivating more mindfulness throughout your day.
5. Don’t forget to say “thank you”
Starting your day with a thankful heart is such a simple but impactful practice. You can end your meditation by taking a few moments to sit with gratitude for all of the things in your life you wish to give thanks for.
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
Marcus Aurelius
The True Nature Community extends beyond the retreats we host in Costa Rica. Our family or sangha reaches right into the heart of the teachers we connect with and supporting them at home, in their local studios and the students and communities they serve on a daily basis.
She is bringing together a group of bright beings to teach along with her during this retreat. True Nature co-founder 
Karina Mirsky is a certified ParaYoga teacher and the director of Sangha Yoga in Kalamazoo, MI. She holds a master’s degree in East/West Psychology and is an adjunct professor of Yoga Studies at Antioch University Midwest. Karina draws on her experience as a performance artist, massage therapist, and cancer survivor to convey yoga as a therapeutic science and catalyst for personal transformation. In the March 2008 issue of Yoga Journal, she was featured as one of 21 teachers under the age of 40 shaping the future of yoga in America. Karina hosts teacher trainings and conducts private practice at Sangha Yoga, leads seminars in the USA and Canada, and holds annual retreats in Costa Rica.
5:30am – Good Morning!! Be prepared to rise with the sun in Costa Rica. And if the sun doesn’t lure you out of bed, then the sounds of the jungle or the neighbors roosters just might!
7:00-9:00am – Morning session with your retreat leader. You can feel every hair on your body standing up with pure joy as you tuck your yoga mat under your arm and walk to the yoga deck to do what you came here to do. Practice yoga in the exquisite and breathtaking settings that Costa Rica has to offer. We guarantee this is nothing less than a magical feeling!
1:00pm – LUNCH – Fresh squeezed fruit juices, brightly colored greens and lots of opportunities to try out Costa Rican typical dishes like rice and beans.
6:oopm – DINNER – Enjoy the community and bonding by sitting around a table and enjoying a meal together.
We often get caught up in thinking that mindfulness, love and compassion will reveal themselves to us in a climatic and dramatic way. We begin to “expect” something like this and with those expectations, we can miss the message that the present moment is sending us. And that is, that this very moment is enough.
So, what about the moments when you are sitting in traffic? Or, when you are arguing with your partner? Or when you walk into the laundry room and the clothes are stacked up to the ceiling and you wish you could just close the door and make them disappear? What about the moments when you feel overwhelmed with all there is to do and you wish you could manifest more hours in the day to get everything done? Well, those moments are just as real and just as important as the ones when you find yourself immersed in the delight and laughter of your children. We must be able to find presence in those uncomfortable moments as well. But, it takes time. It takes patience and most of all, it takes practice.
