Is 5am Good For You?

Balanced Goddesses

Two mornings a week, my alarm blares at 5:20 AM, a sound that could rival a rock concert! I hit snooze just once—okay, maybe twice—before I muster the courage to slide out of the warm cocoon of my bed and embark on my mini-adventure to the Waypoint for my online yoga class with the inspiring Abhiji.

Boats leaning, winds howling!

Picture this: I’m tiptoeing across the pontoons, braving the howling wind and driving rain like a yoga warrior on a mission. Yes, it might feel like I’m walking through a scene from a dramatic movie (complete with ominous soundtrack), but the thought of my mat and the energising presence of Abhiji and friends makes it all worthwhile.

Not every walk to the Waypoint is so treacherous!

Once 6 AM rolls around, I’m ready to immerse myself in the practice. And while the journey there might be a wild ride, I can confidently say—without a doubt—that I never regret the choice to turn up on time. After all, who wouldn’t want to start their day feeling like a balanced goddess, even if it means battling the elements?

I am lucky to share the class with 2 other Cumbrians, MC and Simon. We have a massive respect for each other and a really close connection with Abhiji who taught us all in person when visiting Rishikesh.

Our 60 minute class has structure and discipline, mixing mantras, traditional Hatha and Ashtanga yoga and breathwork. Our teacher Abhiji is a yoga guru like no other, with a teaching style that’s purer than the spring water you wish you were drinking instead of that lukewarm coffee! He’s the kind of teacher who makes sure we stick with every posture until we’ve mastered it, which sometimes feels like waiting for a kettle to boil—except the kettle is somehow a pretzel counting to 10 in slow motion. But hey, who doesn’t enjoy a bit of suspense in their morning routine?

You just know that in the very near future, we’ll be doing this very same asana with no guidance, mid flow whilst progressing to the next level with a 'levitate’ pose or something equally demanding. So like dedicated students, we practice between classes, not just to embed the lessons in our brains but mainly to avoid a full-on performance of “The Not-So-Graceful Yogis” when we’re back in class. Because in our intimate crew of three, there’s nowhere to hide. If I fall over, my fellow yogis are not just witnesses; they’re also likely to give me a standing ovation—just not the kind I had hoped for! Whilst Abhiji quietly says "mmm", before saying "Yogis what are you doing? Are you still sleeping? " Harsh but true 🤣🫣

So, there you have it—yoga with Abhiji isn’t just about finding your center; it’s about making sure your center isn’t doing a slapstick routine.

Some asanas I know I will never master but others my mind craves the concentration needed to do them. I have fun practicing between Abhiji sessions and often capture my progress on video to check alignment and then have another bash. Not that I am obsessed you understand.

When in yoga practice we use blocks and straps often. Abhiji promotes the use to help us achieve the correct alignment but sometimes I have been known to travel without them. As you know I travel a lot and have been caught out twice but never again as my improvisation has been shocking! Once I used a stocking as a strap, (it was all I could find in the bedroom at such short notice) and I have also had to use the restaurant condiment boxes as blocks, not so stable as their hollow and only glued together.🫣🫣 I now have enough blocks and straps to build a house, carpet it with yoga mats and have several swings.

Postures should be steady and comfortable but little is comfortable at first in Yoga and so breathing through the discomfort is essential. Discomfort is different to pain. We must be on the edge and stretch stretch stretch to transform. "Not feeling the stretch, then why practice?" is a Abhiji saying heard often! Usually heard just as we are about to look for mercy. Got to love him though because by the end of practice I can reach several inches further in any direction. I should be taller than 4 foot 10 inches by now surely!!!

At the end of every practice I recognise the stillness of my mind. What a treat this is for me. A big thing that my yoga practice of late has taught me is, it's not all about a flexible body, as nice as that is, it's about well being and focusing my mind.

My Mantra ❤️

So, why do I endure the 5 AM wake-up call and the chilly trek to yoga with Abhiji? Especially as I could be snuggled under my cozy blankets with Gary being gentle rocked by the sea below my bed, but instead, I channel my inner warrior, feeling so rejuvenated that even the coffee machine gives me a nod of approval. There is something strangely exhilarating about mastering a pose in silence and focusing only on that very moment in time. Plus by the time the sun is up, I have already conquered the world—or at least my yoga space, making me feel like a zen master with enough energy to take on emails, emerging talent workshops and even the unreasonable demands of the high seas.

When I finally roll out of class, I don’t just step into the day; I catapult into it, zen-like and ready to enlighten the caffeine-dependent masses with my early morning glow. Trust me, after a few sessions, you too would find that the only thing more flexible than your body is your morning routine—who knows, you might even start considering 5 AM a normal hour with me!

Together we practice and how grateful am I.