When we train in the morning we connect to rising earth energy
The key points in this article are:
- The Taoist day starts before dawn.
- Modern science recognises the importance of sustained morning training, something the Taoists have known for millennia.
- At Sea Cloud Hall, we offer safe, structured morning classes which are a joy to be a part of.
When is morning training?
As a child, I loved sleeping in! Who didn’t? But as my Taoist training informed ever more aspects of my life I realised that the day starts much earlier than I thought1. Additionally, training just as dawn is breaking made a transformational difference to my attitude to time, and my relationship with the space and nature around me.
Morning training means being up to greet the rising sun and feel the moment when the energy of the day changes.
Why is morning training beneficial to our health?
Modern science recognises that consistent morning training offers unique, superior benefits for weight management, metabolic health, and exercise adherence. In other words, once we have the habit, we keep to it. Furthermore, exercising in the morning is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk, including a 30% lower risk of obesity and 35% lower risk of diabetes2,3,4.
In our Taoist practice we train in the morning because that’s when yang energy rises and we nourish ourselves with its vitality, strength, and brightness. Our energy is warmed by the planet’s energy and we connect to the world around us.
What is the best thing to do in the morning?
The best thing to do in the morning is a gentle warm up to wake the mind and muscles and prepare the body for exercise. Then we should energise the lungs with some strong daoyin breathing before exercising our body vigorously. A suggested morning training plan is in my book, Way Out, pages 250 to 253. But the best thing to do is come to a morning class!
What we do at Sea Cloud Hall.
At Sea Cloud Hall we hold classes for existing and beginner students on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Please follow the links to the sign-up page to register.
Join us and feel the warmth of the sun on your face and watch the mist slowly rise from Kirkstall Meadows. Listen to the ducks as the river rolls past. Very often we see Willow and Hazel, the young roe deer living on the meadows. They watch from the long grass, their long ears twitching.
Is that not a wonderful way to start the day?
References:
1. Yeung, Wai-Yii and Green, Ben, 2017, Way Out: A Daoist Pather to a Fearless Life, International Daoist Society, Leeds, (page 115)
2. Sweeny, Erica, 2026, Early-Morning Exercise May Yield Extra Heart Benefits, online at https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/early-morning-exercise-may-yield-extra-heart-benefits/
3. Schumacher, Leah et al, 2021, Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial For Individuals with Obesity, PMCID: PMC7492403 NIHMSID: NIHMS1593938 PMID: 32658039 and online https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7492403/
4. Davis, Scott, undated, discussion on the beneficial impacts of sustained morning training on may significantly reduce risks of heart disease, hypertension, cholesterol issues, diabetes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=83KY6VleoSw
#Lee Family Taoist Arts #Taoism #goodmorning #sunrise
