by Meenakshi Gupta | August 10, 2014 8:54 am
In Today’s life, the body is constantly being worn out & liable to be thrown out of balance. It must be nourished & maintained by the right foods, truthful conduct & practice of hygiene that are conducive to health and longevity.
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance to maintain health and cure the disease of the ill. To maintain the health some activities are mentioned in Ayurveda under the term dinacharya (Daily Routine). A daily routine is absolutely necessary to bring radical change in body, mind, and consciousness. It normalizes a person’s biological clock, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, and engenders self-esteem, discipline, peace, happiness, and longevity. Ayurveda recommends that in order to be optimally healthy we should tune our bodies to the nature’s master cycle which in turn regulates the various other rhythms.
Wake up during brahmamuhurta
Brahmamuhurta or amritvela -the ambrosial hours – God’s Hours is the morning period an hour and a half before sunrise. After a good night’s sleep, the mind is refreshed, calm and serene. There is a preponderance of sattva or purity in the mind at this time, as well as in the atmosphere. Sleeping during the later than 6:00 a.m. causes the channels of communication to be clogged with impurities, leading to a dull mind, depressed moods and slow communication between heart, soul & mind. Right after waking, look at your hands for a few moments, then quietly move them over your face and chest. This cleans the aura and it symbolizes honest labor.
Say Prayers before leaving the bed
Thank you God for this beautiful day before me.
May joy, love, peace and compassion be part of my life and all those around me on this day
I am healing and I am healed. “
O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains and forests on her body, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I bow to you. Please forgive me for touching you with my feet.
After this prayer touch the ground with your right hand, then the same hand to the forehead, with great love and respect to Mother Earth.
Eliminate
As soon as possible empty your colon and bladder. This is a time when one should not be in a rush, and should allow the natural rhythms of one’s bodies to carry out natural functions. If you wait until later in the morning or during the day you are slowly poisoning yourself and creating an opportunity for chronic conditions to arise.
Cleaning of face, Mouth and eyes
Wash the eyes with normal tap water.
Try triphala eyewash with 1/4 tsp. in 1 cup water, boil for 8- 10 minutes, cool and strain with Muslin cloth. This eyewash is good for all Dosha type.
Brush the teeth. Neem, an extremely bitter herb, is said to be really good for oral health. Bitter, astringent and pungent herbs are best for fighting cavities, as they are Kapha-pacifying and carry antibacterial activity.
Scrape Your Tongue
Scrape the tongue with a tongue cleaner to purify your mouth. This can be best done with a smooth tongue scraper made of gold, silver, copper, tin, brass or stainless steel Ayurveda considers the coating of the tongue as an indicator of ‘Ama’ or toxins in the colon.
Gargling (Oil Pulling)
To strengthen teeth, gums, and jaw, daily gargle with warm sesame oil. Hold the oil in your mouth, swish it around vigorously, then spit it out and gently massage the gums with a finger. Don’t forget to wash inside of your mouth with warm salted water to get rid of any oil residue.
Drink a glass of water
It is always good to drink a glass of water (preferably from a pure copper cup filled the night before) after brushing your teeth and scraping your tongue & after oil pulling. This will stimulate the peristalsis & helps in elimination.
Chewing
Chewing in the morning stimulates the liver and the stomach and improves digestive fire. Betel leaves, mint & holy basil leaves are easily available herbs.
Nasal Drops (Nasyam)
Putting 4-5 drops of warm sesame oil into each nostril in the morning helps to lubricate the nose, clean the sinuses, and improve voice, vision, and mental clarity. Our nose is gateway to the brain, so putting warm oil drops nourish prana and bring intelligence.
Oil drops in the Ears (Karana purana)
Putting 4-5 drops of warm sesame oil in each ear can be helpful in conditions such as ringing in the ears, excess ear wax, poor hearing, lockjaw, and TMJ. These are the conditions due to vata imbalance in the ears.
Abhyanga or Warm oil self-massage
Abhyanga should be done daily, it wards off old age, physical exertion and aggravation for Vata; bequeaths good vision, induce good sleep and healthy skin.
For vata use warm sesame oil.
For pitta use warm coconut oil.
For kapha use warm sunflower.
Bathing
Bathing is purifying, aphrodisiac. It removes sweat, dirt, and fatigue. It also brings positive energy to the body, clarity to the mind, and sacredness to your life.
Along with bathing, one should cut hair, nails, and mustache. One should keep the feet and orifices (ears, nose, eyes, feet, urethra and anus) clean of waste to promote intelligence, purity and longevity.
Exercise & Yoga
Regular exercise like walking and yoga improves circulation and strength. It improves digestion and elimination & induce good sleep. Exercise daily to half of your capacity, which is until sweat forms on the forehead, armpits, nose & spine.
Vata: walking, qi gong or Tai qi, gentle restorative yoga like Camel; Cobra; Cat; Cow. Walking, all form of Gentle exercise are good.
Pitta: Swimming, brisk walking, moderate hiking Moon salutation, Fish; Boat; Bow. All form of Calming exercise are good.
Kapha: Weight lifting, brisk hiking, jogging, running and energetic forms of yoga like Sun salutation; Bridge; Peacock; Palm tree all forms of Vigorous exercise are good .
Yogic Breathing or Pranayama
Prana is the vital energy needed by our physical and subtle layers, without which the body would perish. It is what keeps us alive. Pranayama is the control of prana through the breath. These techniques rely on breathing through the nostrils.
12 alternate nostril breaths for vata;
16 cooling shitali breaths (curling up your tongue lengthwise and breathing through it) for pitta;
100 bhastrika (short, fast breaths) for kapha.
Just as unhealthy lifestyles are the principal causes of modern-day illnesses, healthy lifestyles can result in an improved feeling of wellness that is critical to optimal health.
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