My Morning Mantra

This post is inspired by a fabulous kit I received from the good folks at Colgate and I was pleased to see that it contained the four essential things I need to get my day off to a golden start. It had the rather gorgeous Colgate 360° Charcoal Gold toothbrush which I’ve used before and love, a jazzy water bottle and a gold mug. The fourth thing, you ask? The packaging – the black box is just perfect for me to keep my knick knacks corralled.

So.

Here’s my morning mantra

I am an early riser. I absolutely must begin my day by brushing my teeth. On a sidenote, I discovered that I always close my eyes when I do that. Strange. Took me all these years to focus and realize. That’s what being mindful does to you! Hmm. Funny.

I then splash my face with cold water. There’s something about cold water on the face that feels very good in the morning. Kind of like the penultimate wake up call. The ultimate comes much later.

I then carelessly wipe my hands on my towel – but prefer not to dry my face. Yes, even in winter. Crazy little things, habits.

I head straight to my “pooja” room, such as it is – and grin at God. Look, I am not religious, but I have an altar I’ve grown up with and the pictures of all the deities are so familiar – rather like a bunch of old friends. I tell them I’ll be right back and grabbing the packet of milk from my fridge, I head to the kitchen. I place the milk on the counter. I then drink two glasses of water.

By now, my system is whispering to me, Hey Vidya, where’s the coffee?

Smiling, I pour the milk into a container and set it on the stove. Then I boil some water.

While they’re doing their jobs, I get my coffee filter out and fit it. I spoon coffee into the top compartment, inhaling the aroma in anticipation of that first of fresh coffee.

By this time the water has heated and I pour some over the coffee. I am filled with happiness as I wait for the “tick, tick tick” of the coffee percolating into the lower compartment.

I am not disappointed, because no sooner than that thought flows, so does the coffee. I am in a trance… from which I wake up when I hear the milk rising in a rush to boil over. I catch it just before it touches the brim and switch off the stove.

I have set out a blue mug for Sury, a BIG steel tumbler for me and another tumbler to offer milk at the altar. A pinch of sugar into this tumbler (I have divine company buddying up with me in deference to my diabetes), a couple of spoons into Sury’s mug, none for me.

I fill the small glass with milk and carry it reverently to the altar and set it there. I smile again at all those present and light the lamp. As the flame flares up, I adjust the wick so it looks like a pretty dot of fire and light an incense stick.

As the mild fragrance envelops me, I join my hands and start my conversation with those present. Oh, call it self-talk if you want. I begin with gratitude for another bright day, regardless of the weather. I set my intentions, promising to do my best to accomplish whatever I’ve listed. I pray for my family, my friends. Yes, I also pray for world peace.

Five minutes later, I step out of this sacred place, smiling and ready to rock my day.

Next on the agenda is the COFFEE! I switch on the radio – we listen to the Vividh Bharati station airing Bhule bisre geet every day –  flick the hot water switch on.

My ears are tuned to the sound of Sury singing, which he invariably does as soon as the first song begins!

Happily I make our coffees while he brings in the milk bag and newspaper tucked into the latch on our front door.

We settle down to enjoy our first coffee of the day, to the sound of music, the sight of pigeons in our verandah, plotting and planning their day just as we’re reviewing ours, laughing at silly things in the newspaper, until the final drop of coffee has been consumed.

As Sury still hangs on to the warmth of his coffee mug, I head off to the kitchen to start cooking, thinking about how wonderful my day is going to be, the books I’ll read, the people I’ll talk to ….

“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—then make that day count!”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

And that’s what my #Colgate360GoldMornings are like!

Yours?