Application #1: Waking up with Brachos

Method: I approach the bracha as a nefesh seeking human tov consistent with Brayshees. I intend to zoom into our little frameworks in Aretz from the astronauts higher cosmic perspective of universe. In so doing I will see the enslaving tendency to view Aretz as subject to our power in that specific area that the Brachot of the morning attempt to address. I will zoom in to Earth at various speeds until I find this specific framework of “getting up in the morning” I want to explore as the particular aspect of the processes in matter that are me. As I guide my nefesh screen upon this focus land masses and oceans, mountain ranges great forests –identifying features of continents come into view. As I reflect I use the d’varim of the first perek of brayshees as my narrator.
The "bechira" challenge of default life
I immediately realize that my actual experience of Tov is contrary to that indicated by Brayshees. As I zoom in toward My Yishuv a world of resources awaiting my design and soevereignty - my melacha- to attain reality. Indeed, in my yishuv, it is our divine right to impose our chosen name upon the resources of the world to attain eternity of fame. We wake up in the morning not to seek knowledge, but to “live life”. As I zoom in closer and closer on a typical 7 AM Monday, I see a social world whose potential needs much “tikkun”.
Sensory knowledge approach
For the people I see, waking up in the morning is an ordeal whose major focus is drinking coffee and taking a shower. I see people smacking their snooze buttons, grumbling, whining , protesting the invasion of blissful sleep. In every possible way the comfort of sleep is preserved, blankets are pulled over heads to block light, night and sleep rescued from the onslought of day and work. How easily I can identify, pop into their experience and feel it myself!
In essence "waking up" is a struggle to establish focus of nefesh on whatever ones "day" of production motion, the projecting of nefesh power to change environments that the “day” is going to be about. We resist the work part of day as long as we can, but in the end the survival urge prevails over the urge for pleasure. We rush out of bed "late" yet again. The person transitions into "schedule mode" they must rush to the mission of school or work.

But is work or school a human purpose? Is it a tov consonent with “Va-yar Elokim Ki Tov'? Obviously not. As I see the hordes of newly showered and caffeinated people march, in vast lines of traffic, to work and school, I clearly note that the “day” will be seeking nothing more than kavod- hevel ends meaningful only in a human centered world that contradicts the essential message of “Va-yar Elokim Ki Tov'. I see students exhorted to study to “get ahead” to “get into college” or “to make a name for themselves”. I see workers exhorted by their leaders to focus on the task, team project or corporate vision. The workers and students have been dreading this the entire commute. They plunge into their "work day" nonetheless, cursing out the hated talking heads, teachers managers leaders, even as they somewhat buy into their vision. Why else trudge along, doing the bidding of the task masters? After all is there anything else, any mission other than the life we already live? How easy it is to pop into their experience,feel their anger and despair. They don't realize the choice that is right in front of their noses. This vision they are stuck in make sense only if I limit myself to the zoom dreamed up by talking heads like Heryshef who believe the resources of aretz can be made into an eternal testament to their name. I can choose not to see things this way, to see them instead through the lens of Brayshees. But what is the manner to do this? How do I bring back the cosmic perspective into my morning routine, liberate myself from slavishly implementing the dream of the "stars"?

The Mitzva as a "bechira" instrument
It is from this vantage point that I approach the instruments of hashkama baboker.

סדר התפילה
1 לעולם יהא אדם ירא שמיים בסתר, ומודה על האמת, ודובר אמת בלבבו; ישכים ויאמר, ריבון כל העולמים--לא על צדקותינו אנחנו מפילים תחנונינו לפניך, כי על רחמיך הרבים. מה אנו, מה חיינו, מה חסדנו, מה צדקנו, מה מעשינו, מה נאמר לפניך, ה' אלוהינו. הלוא הגיבורים כאין לפניך, ואנשי השם כלא היו, וחכמים כבלי מדע, ונבונים כבלי השכל. כי כל מעשינו תוהו, וימי חיינו הבל לפניך; כמו שכתוב בדברי קודשך--ומותר האדם מן הבהמה אין, כי הכול הבל.
2 אבל אנחנו עמך, בני בריתך: בני אברהם--אוהבך, שנשבעת לו בהר המורייה; זרע יצחק--עקידך, שנעקד על גבי מזבחך; עדת יעקוב--בנך, בכורך, שמאהבתך שאהבת אותו ושמחתך ששמחת בו, קראת אותו ישראל וישורון.
3 לפיכך אנו חייבין להודות לך, ולשבחך ולפארך, ולרוממך וליתן הודיה ושבח לשמך. חייבין אנו לומר לפניך בכל יום, ערב ובוקר--שמע, ישראל: ה' אלוהינו, ה' אחד. אשרינו, מה טוב חלקנו, מה נעים גורלנו, מה יפה מאוד ירושתנו. אשרינו, שאנו משכימין ומעריבין ואומרין--שמע, ישראל: ה' אלוהינו, ה' אחד.
4 אתה הוא קודם שנברא העולם, ואתה הוא אחר שנברא העולם; אתה הוא בעולם הזה, ואתה הוא לעולם הבא; אתה הוא ראשון, ואתה הוא אחרון. קדש את שמך הגדול והקדוש, בעולמך; ובישועתך, תרים ותגביה קרננו. ברוך מקדש את שמו, ברבים.