Dinacharya - The Daily Routine
Our ‘dinacharya’ (dina-charia) or daily routine supports us in bringing harmony and ease throughout the body, clarity to the mind, as well as reverence, inspiration and love for each day of our lives. Aligning our routine with nature’s daily and seasonal cycles, routine regulates our biological clock, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, boosts energy levels and helps generate appreciation of self, discipline, calm and longevity. Ultimately, routine helps to establish balance, generate resilience and wellness in one's constitution.
Just following this tri-doshic routine (i.e. good for all 3 doshas) each day will have resounding effects on your relationship with yourself, how you bounce back from emotional, mental or physical struggles, keep strong and energised and connect with the world. It will allow for prana, your life force, to be channelled clearly, bringing harmony and balance on all levels.
1. Tongue Cleaning
Tongue scraping is the daily Ayurvedic ritual of gently scraping unwanted toxins and residue off the tongue. This practice draws toxins or ama from the previous day’s food, prepares the digestive system by stimulating the taste buds and eliminates bad breath causing bad bacteria. Traditionally, tongue cleaners are made from copper which provides a naturally, powerful antibacterial action. It is best to scrape your tongue after brushing your teeth (using just water is fine) to remove most particles around the teeth first.
DIRECTIONS:
Open your mouth and extend your tongue; you will most likely see a white or yellowish coating on top. A thick coating indicates sluggish digestion and toxins in the gut. Place the tongue cleaner towards the back of your tongue and gently scrape the ama coating forward and out of the mouth. Rinse this waste off the tongue cleaner and repeat this process 3-8 times, including the sides as well. Dry your tongue cleaner.
2. Yoga or Other Exercise
Regular exercise, especially yoga, invigorates your circulatory, lymphatic (eliminating) and digestive systems to function at their best, whilst awakening the mind, cultivating balance, improving flexibility and building strength in both the body and mind. Added bonus, it also gives you a serotonin-dopamine boost to counter anxiety or stress.
Exercise daily until sweat forms on the forehead and armpits; another of the body’s natural detoxifying processes. Ayurveda recommends practicing 10-30 minutes of doshic balancing asanas (postures) every morning.
3. Pranayama – Gratitude – Meditation
After exercise, sit quietly and do some deep breathing or mediation – even if only for 2 minutes. These calming, powerful practices are enormously healing whilst deepening self-awareness and bringing balance and peace into your life on all levels – body, mind and heart.
PRANAYAMA SUGGESTIONS:
12 Nadi Shodhana for Vata; 16 Cooling Sitali breaths for Pitta; 100 Bhastrika for Kapha. Deep breathing throughout the day is invaluable for calming the nervous system and strengthening Agni, your digestive fire.
Mindful breathing - Throughout the day, take 10 slow, deep inhalations a few times a day. The increased oxygen and slowing breath is extremely supportive to the whole nervous system. Whilst reducing the detrimental impacts of stress and anxiety, it engages the parasympathetic ‘rest & digest’ nervous system for optimal whole-body function.
4. Oil Pulling (Gandoosha)
Oil pulling is the ritual of swishing oil through the teeth for 7-20 minutes to support overall oral health and hygiene. Perform this dinacharya every morning to strengthen teeth and gums, eradicate plaque, rebuild enamel, draw toxins from the lymph system and eliminate bad breath.
Most people use coconut oil for oil pulling as coconut oil is easily accessible and has antibacterial and antifungal properties. However, in Ayurveda cold-pressed black sesame oil is preferred due to its antibacterial, rejuvenating and highly nourishing properties.
DIRECTIONS:
Take 1 tablespoon (it might be about the quantity of the lid filled) and hold the oil in your mouth, swish it around vigorously, pull it through the teeth, and then spit it out and rinse the mouth. Start with 5 minutes then increase up to 20 minutes.
5. Drink a Morning Tonic
This is a wonderful gut-cleansing tonic to start your day with. It aids the digestive system to function properly by eliminating toxins in the gastrointestinal tract from the previous day’s food, flushing out the liver and preparing the body for elimination (bowel motion). The combination counters sluggishness in the gut and lymphatic system thus boosting immunity. Drink this first thing and wait ½ an hour until eating breakfast.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add ½-1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger to a cup of boiling water.
2. Let cool a little then add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp. is good.
3. Once cooled enough to dip your finger in add ½ tsp raw honey. It’s very important NOT to add honey until water temperature has lowered. Honey should never be cooked; it changes the molecular structure and becomes heavy, sticky and toxic to the body. You’re also missing out on most of the medicinal nutrition of honey once cooked.
6. Elimination
Making time for elimination should definitely be a part of your dinacharya routine. If you’re not eliminating daily, then you are experiencing constipation and dehydration. You can help increase bowel movement by consuming more healthy oils like ghee into your diet, more fibre, drink more warm water and incorporate herbs like the traditional ayurvedic Triphala formulation, ground flax seeds, psyllium husk or slippery elm.
If morning elimination is not part of your daily routine, begin the practice of sitting on the toilet for at least 5 minutes to support the body to eliminate and detoxify.
7. Self-Abhyanga Massage
Pronounced abi-yanga, in Sanskrit, abhy means ‘to rub’ and anga means ‘limbs’. Ayurveda teaches us that we can do this by ourselves! Self-abhyanga is the practice of anointing the body with warm oil using a mindful, loving touch and it has a multitude of benefits:
Warm oil nourishes & hydrates the skin
Restores the musculoskeletal & nervous systems
Assists with detoxification of the lymphatic system ie. releasing toxins elimination
Release of toxins makes you feel more energetic, light and vibrant for the day
Increases circulation
Stimulates the internal organs and tones the dhatus, or tissues of the body
Aids in healthy sleep
Decreases the effects of aging
During summer, Pitta people use coconut or Pitta herbal massage oil.
Have a shower 20 - 60 minutes after the massage to wash off surface toxins.
8. Eat appropriately & Strengthen digestion for better health
Eat your main meal in the middle of the day 11.30 -1.30pm when digestive Pitta energy is strongest.
Always sit down to eat.
Take 3 relaxed breaths with gratitude for the meal before you.
Eat in a peaceful state of mind and calm environment & without the distractions of a screen.
Eat sattvic foods because they nourish the mind, and promote intelligence and balance. Foods that are fresh, natural, unprocessed, and contain more of nature’s intelligence are digested quickly by the body and create Ojas.
Ojas is the sweet, vital nectar that is the essence of vitality and immunity. It is the product of good digestion and creates bliss, stable emotions, and good health in the body.
Chew your food thoroughly. This is also an anti-inflammatory action in itself because it stimulates saliva that is alkaline and neutralises excess acid in the gut.
Avoid consuming anything cold straight from the fridge or freezer – th is puts out your digestive fire.
Never over-eat or stretch the stomach.
Allow 3 hours after dinner before going to bed.
Take this time for you and enhancing your health
9. Ayurvedic sleep tonic
If you experience restless sleep, prepare a spiced milk half an hour before bedtime.
Add to 1 cup organic non-homogenised boiled milk*
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp dried ginger powder (omit where there is Pitta aggravation)
Optional extras: ¼ tsp turmeric, a sprinkle of nutmeg
Stir and sip in peace without any external stimulation.
* Dilute with water if you have trouble ingesting cow’s milk
10. Go to bed by 10 pm - WiFi radiation free
Switch off your phone, computer or TV screen at least an hour before going to bed.
Tuck yourself into bed before 10pm while the heavy earth element of Kapha can help us fall asleep. Because at around 10pm, the activating fire energy of Pitta kicks in and you may find yourself caught up in a ‘second wind’ staying up doing things that becomes depleting to your system.
This is the body’s essential time to replenish, heal and rejuvenate so that tomorrow you’re feeling restored and renewed. Also having a set sleep schedule allows your body to get into a healthy circadian rhythm. (Photo: Lux Graves)