Morning Rituals for Grief: When Exhaustion & Fatigue Plague You

Recharge yourself with the etheric vitality that surrounds you

You are exhausted to the point that it scares you. Some days your insides feel like stone, other days it feels as though you are carrying the weight of the galaxy on your back. For months now, you have been experiencing fatigue which could also manifest as irritability or just general aches and pains in your body. No matter how much you sleep or how much time you take off work or do daily chores, you always still end up empty.

As you much as you know that you need self-care, getting out of bed, taking a shower, getting dressed, and making food is akin to asking you to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

The process of grieving drains you at all levels of your being: physically, emotionally, mentally, psychologically, and spiritually. Your body is in a continuous state of hyperarousal, your emotional centers are on overdrive and your mind is spinning in endless loops. During this time, it is important to practice restorative rituals like somatic self-soothing and grounding rituals as well as distraction activities to replenish your depleted resources.

Here is a gentle morning ritual to nourish and nurture you at different levels, at the same time introducing fresh energy to support you throughout your day.

Getting Started

• Try to get up at the same time each morning. The starting times here are for demonstration purposes only
• Spend as much or as little time as you need on the different activities. For example, you might prefer 10 minutes of light stretching instead of an hour-long sweat session.
• Your morning starts the night before. Make sure you get good sleep and plan for the next day.
• In grief, when everything feels out of control, setting a small personal intention for the day can help you feel more in control and supported.  I have included an intention for your ritual and a mantra for the day specific to this ritual, but feel free to modify it to something that resonates more with you

Ritual Flow - Orinoco

Time: 30 – 90 minutes

Ritual Intention: I give myself permission to be fully regenerated, energized, and reorganized at all levels of being by my inner intelligence

7:00 A.M.: It might take you more time to fully wake up. Allow yourself the grace of a slow start and press play on this energizing playlist to get the blood moving in your body and set the mood for your day.

7:10 A.M.: Say your intention out loud or listen to this affirmation for energy episode

7:15 A.M.: Lying down, perform “Breathe of Fire” to generate heat and energize your body

• Begin by taking deep breathes, inhaling and exhaling through your nostrils for about a minute
• When you are ready, open your mouth and start panting like a dog – quick short inhales and exhales. Let the inhales be passive and the exhales be forceful
• Once you have the rhythm, close your mouth, and continue to exhale forcefully through your nose. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded at any point, stop and breathe normally
• Practice for about 30 seconds and then gently switch back to your natural breathing rhythm. You can increase from 30 to 60s and beyond over time.

7:30 A.M.: Perform this earthing meditation for 10-15minutes to infuse your body with fresh energy. You can do this while listening to music

• Visualize red roots growing out from the bottom of your feet to the center of the earth
• With each inhale, visualize golden light streaming up from the earth into your body, energizing and cleansing you. With each exhale, allow any aches, pains, and general fatigue to leave your body

7:45 A.M.: Lying down, perform these yoga poses for about 10 – 15 minutes to get the blood flowing in your body.

8:00 A.M.: Slowly make your way to the shower and finish the last 30 seconds with a blast of cold water to energize you. If you cannot summon the energy to take a shower, try to run cold water over your face or use a washcloth.

8:15 A.M.: Drink ginseng tea to boost energy and have a green smoothie or just a protein shake for breakfast.

8:30 A.M.: As you drink your smoothie or sip on some caffeine, watch a comedy to get some laughs in and release serotonin, watch a motivational video or listen to music to pump you up.

9:00 A.M: Have an energized day!

Throughout the day, when you feel exhaustion creep in, take a few minutes to perform the breath of fire, to energize your body.

Additional Resources

• Podcast: Listen to this good mourning grief podcast to get some tips on how to deal with exhaustion in grief.
• Music: Listen to this Energizing Fun Morning Mix or Energizing Sunday Morning Mix for a boost of energy.

Mantra for the Day: I am nourished and regenerated at all levels of my being by the etheric vitality all around me.

Lightness and levity will come

The exhaustion and fatigue in early grief could feel insurmountable especially if you used to be able to from sunrise to sundown in the past. Please remember that you are grieving at all levels of your being. With time, restorative rituals, and grief work, you will begin to return to your energetic self.

If you find yourself struggling with anxiety, emotional overwhelm, grief brain, and mental ruminations, check out the first article in this series for morning rituals to support you on your grieving journey.

In the next article in this series, I will cover a morning ritual to support you when you experience loneliness in grief, especially in the mornings.