The Mid-Morning Awakening

Do you ever find yourself lost and lacking direction? You have a yearning but you're not sure where to put your focus, your drive, your passion. Or maybe a question that needs an answer has been bouncing off the walls of your mind for too long...

I challenge you, my wonderful community. To ride the wave of the mid-morning focus...

If, for some of us, we might find ourselves reaching for a second coffee or cheeky hobnob at 11 am, we might be affected by a poor night's sleep(hello parents) or be naturally a night owl(artists finding the 4 am magic hour for creativity!). But for me personally I love this time, it's my favourite time to study, work or learn and also to practise yoga.

I have been guiding soundbaths for a while now, over 5 years of vibrational wonder that teaches me something new every time I come in contact with my instruments. But I've never had the opportunity to hold space for a group mid-morning. So, here is 2026, things are going to get exciting, different, and experimental.

A new event called Vision and Clarity is on the timetable, currently held at the yurt. We will dive into a deep and profound practice, but rather than at night, we will be doing this mid-morning.

Why? I hear you ask...

If you geek out over neuroscience and brainwave entrainment, then read on,

• Optimal Alertness: Most adults experience a natural wave of alertness and mental clarity that peaks in the mid-morning, a pattern driven by the body's internal circadian rhythm. Although this can be associated with high beta wave activity (12 - 30Hz active, problem-solving state) and low alpha wave activity (8 - 12Hz relaxed, less attentive state) during tasks it is a wonderful time to stop 'overthinking' and drop into meditation to ask for guidance and insight.

• Performance Peak: Studies suggest the brain is most receptive to learning new theories and grasping complex concepts between approximately 10 am and 2 pm, making mid-morning an ideal time for important tasks, problem-solving, and decision-making. Stuck in a space where you need some answers? They are always within you, so we dive deep into a sound scape to bring this into practice.

So this may read as counterintuitive, why shall we lie down and rest when our mind is focused, ready for activity and problem solving? Well, that is exactly why. We come back to the first question of this article, do you need help connecting to your intuition, do you have brain fog, lack of focus or are just struggling to know how to move forward?

Or maybe your heart needs a bit of magic, for me I can easily get stuck in 'doing' mode, this year my to-do list is exceptionally long, and I miss the magic, the spiritual wonder of visions, insights, emotional truths and compassion.

Sometimes, we just get stuck in 'thinking mode' or even talk ourselves out of the answers, if we are fuelled by fear or have a default for perfectionism.

WORKING WITH THE PINEAL GLAND

Throughout ancient texts, there is always a reference to the Pineal Gland, in yogic tradition it is known as the Ajna Chakra, the third eye.

Research shows that this gland has photo receptors in it and it’s actually lined with similar tissues as the retina.  It also has the same wiring to the visual cortex in the brain as the eyes. It is part of our hormonal system and secretes melatonin(controls our internal body clock/circadian rhythm).

There are also tiny floating crystals in the pineal gland that vibrate when under pressure and give off light.  This is called piezoluminescence and is well documented in research papers. Hence, one of the many reasons we might see light and colour, visions or insights during a Soundbath.

So during this morning sound session, we will be raising awareness to the third eye, using sound and vibration to literally clear a pathway towards our intuition, wisdom and calm internal clock(as well as helping your internal circadian rhythm and allowing your parasympathetic nervous system to come back online)

• Melatonin's Neuroprotective Role: Melatonin produced by the pineal gland has neuroprotective and antioxidant properties.

• Cognition and Mood: The pineal gland's regulation of melatonin levels influences mood and sleep patterns, which in turn affect the cognitive functions managed by the PFC(prefrontal cortex).

• Meditation and Structural Changes: Research suggests a potential link between a meditation practice (which often involves focusing on the "third-eye center" associated with these areas in spiritual traditions) and increased structural integrity or signal intensity in the pineal gland, and potentially better maintenance of general grey matter, including in cortical networks. Grey matter, rich in neuron cell bodies, forms the brain's cortex (outer layer) and deep nuclei, processing information for functions like memory, emotion, and movement;

VISION & CLARITY

So perhaps this post hasn't been particularly personal or spiritual, but for me, it's all part of the same thing. I find the more 'research' I do off my own back, which was never taught in class, my fascination and wonder grows. The profound practice of soundbathing is a tool that is so profound and remarkable.

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