My Morning Routine: Kirat Randhawa
Kirat Randhawa is the queen of morning rituals. Just reading through her approach to mindful mornings is enough to make you feel relaxed and renewed. Learn how this NYC-based meditation instructor sets the tone for her day, and check out her Morning Ritual: Daily Meditations series on Alo Moves.
7:30 a.m. - I wake up and spend a few moments in bed resting. I enjoy waking up on the earlier side, but I'm adamant about sleeping eight hours. So if I happen to sleep later, I'll also wake up later. I start the day off with a prayer from the female Buddha, Tara: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha (I prostrate to the Liberator, Mother of all the Victorious Ones). Essentially, when I chant this first thing in the morning, I'm allowing myself to take refuge in her grace and strength and feel her support throughout the day.
7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. - I drink a tall glass of water as I transition out of my bed and into my day. I make a morning tea blend with fennel, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, ginger, and caraway and allow that to simmer while I freshen up and play with my skincare routine. My beauty staples for my morning routine include EltaMD (for daily sunscreen), Sahajan Radiance Face Serum, Take Time Out for Beauty Renewing Eye Oil, and Skin Gym Rose Quartz Eye Roller. Other favorites that I play with in the evening that sometimes I'll include in my morning routine (as a replacement) are Living Libations Sea Buckthorn Oil, SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3, Take Time out for Beauty Restore & Repair Facial Oil, and Osmia Organics Black Clay Facial Soap. From this point of arrival, I'll light any favorable incense around my space to also awaken the space and create an environment of comfort.
8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Once my space has been set up, I proceed to drink my tea while I read a piece of work that's currently inspiring me. I love literature, so I'm usually rotating between two to three different pieces at any given time. Right now, I'm reading Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger by Lama Rod Owens and The Phenomenology of Spirit by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This is my favorite time of the day as it involves two of my favorite things: tea and reading. I like to situate myself somewhere in the apartment where the sun is shining in, or at least some degree of natural light. I will typically spend a few moments in meditation after I read, although I will practice for a longer period of time (30-60 minutes) in the afternoon between 3-6 p.m.
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Matcha time! My second favorite time of the day. After I read, I typically make myself a hot cup of matcha tea with ceremonial matcha from Matcha Kari or Matchaful. I am in awe of the way the matcha smells as I froth it gently with the whisk and water. The vibrancy of the color in addition to the natural earthiness of its taste makes me feel incredibly grounded and expansive. This kind of tea is symbolic for me in so many ways; it allows me to step into the world around me while settling so deeply into my interior life. I absolutely, absolutely love it. After sipping on this beauty, I do 50 minutes or so of Pilates. Periodically, I'll add in a more high-intensity form of workout. Sometimes I'll go for a morning walk in Brooklyn to grab a matcha before I work out to support a local business — this is also a beautiful opportunity for me to connect with the earth and immediately land into my feeling body (instead of the thinking mind).
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - After I shower, this is when I step into clothing that makes me feel beautiful and receptive to my environment. I love the color black; I also wear a lot of simple, pared-back silhouettes and clothing (fabric, color, style) with a more relaxed, minimalist feel. Depending on if I'm working out at home (or elsewhere) and the type of workout, my skincare routine may happen after I shower. I'll most definitely put on lipstick (maroon, red, warm colors) and pop on my favorite daily gold jewelry. Now that I feel fully embodied, I'll make myself a smoothie (or smoothie bowl) with probiotics, protein powder, almond butter, banana, avocado, spinach, flax oil, and water/almond milk).
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - This is when I enjoy my smoothie, read The New Yorker, and begin to catch up on emails. I very rarely schedule anything before noon as my morning routine is integral to my well-being and my ability to show up and serve the larger community.
Want to practice meditation with Kirat Randhawa? Check out her Morning Ritual: Daily Meditations series. Try it for free with a 14-day trial to Alo Moves.
