Ayurveda literally means the “knowledge of life”. Dinacharya (routine to follow daily) and Ritucharya (routine to follow seasonally) are the important aspects of Ayurvedic lifestyle for curing the disease and maintaining a state of well-being.
Every physical body constitutes Tridoshas – D3 (i.e. Vata, Pitta & Kapha) in varying combination and these individual elements naturally vary throughout the day and night. For instance, Kapha (K-Dosh) is dominant in the morning and hence due to its grounding property, one feels heavy and lazy. Thus bathing and exercising counteracts the K-Dosh properties and leaves one alert and energetic.
D3 are also affected by the seasonal variation, for instance, ‘hot and dry’ properties of the summer season will lead to the dominance of Vata (V-Dosh i.e Air element) and Pitta (P-Dosh i.e. Fire element). During this season, exhaustion and decreased appetite are commonly experienced, therefore it’s beneficial to increase the fluid intake; rest well and to keep the outdoor activities to the minimum.
Tri-Gunas (mind properties, G3 i.e. Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) exhibit variation throughout the day, hence centering activities like meditation and study are best accomplished in the early hours of the morning when Sattva is dominant with its inherent properties of clarity, calmness, and purity.
It is thus evident that if the daily activities and food intake complement the natural rhythm, a healthy state of mind, body, and consciousness could be achieved.
The foremost step is to wake up early before the sunrise, and equally important is to get a good sleep by disabling distractions like mobiles, television, etc… and retiring to bed on time.
5 Easy Ayurvedic Rituals
Here are the five easiest and practical rituals that will assist in living the Ayurvedic way.
1. Elimination Of The Waste
V-Dosh dominates the early hours of the day and facilitates the natural bowel movements. Drinking a cup of warm water also aids the process. Suppressing the urges to evacuate manifests into discomfort and diseases, in the long run, hence it’s advisable to prioritize the elimination.
2. Oral Cleansing
Oil pulling (Gandoosh) could be easily adopted by taking 1-2 tablespoon of lukewarm oil (coconut/sesame oil), swishing it around the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes, thereafter spitting it off.
Traditionally fresh stems of Neem (Azadarichta Indica); Ashvatha (Ficus Religiosa); Babbula (Acacia Arabica), etc… were used to brush the teeth. Various herbal powdered preparation and pastes are now available that could be used to brush the teeth for clearing the deposits and removing excess oil following the oil pulling.
The next step is to cleanse the tongue with a U-shaped metal cleaner by scraping it towards the tip of the tongue.
These simple and practical cleansing rituals will ensure a good oral health by preventing decay and discoloration of teeth, reducing the sensitivity of tooth, strengthening the jaw bones, nerves, and muscles, nourishing the taste buds, relieving the foul odor and improving the quality of the voice.
3. Exercise – Meditation
Physical exercise of any kind like jogging, brisk walking or yoga helps keep the mind and body active, burns excess fat, increases appetite & stamina, and strengthens the body. Ayurveda recommends exercising one-half of the body capacity or till the time we start to sweat.
Meditation or sitting silently for few minutes in a day helps to focus our mind, and is the best way to alleviate stress, increase concentration, and focus on the daily tasks.
4. Oil Massage And Bathing
Regular oil massage on the body with sesame oil, olive oil or coconut oil will soothe, strengthen the body, improve blood circulation and make the skin lustrous. Sesame oil is used to pacify V-Dosh, olive oil for K-Dosh and coconut oil with its cooling properties pacifies P-Dosh.
Bathing with hot water after massage removes excess oil, cleanses the body, increases vitality and refreshes the mind.
5. Food And Balanced Diet
A healthy appetite is a prime factor for attaining the benefits of good food. Secondly, mindfulness in eating the meal that is cooked in the right manner with the herbs and spices aids the digestive fire (Agni-A-Fire) and maintains the equilibrium of tissues (D7; Dhatus) and Doshas (D3) in the body.
A general rule to follow is that the food inherently “heavy to digest’ like meat, dairy products, carbohydrates are to be consumed three-fourth of the intake capacity only. Whereas ‘easy to digest’ foods like fruits and healthy snacks (like popcorn) intake should also be limited, and not be consumed excessively.
Food consumed in appropriate quantity and at proper intervals promotes strength, good health, radiant complexion, the feeling of contentment, and long life in an individual.
“Although bound by the limitations of time and availability of healthy resources in the modern world; seeking every opportunity to stay in rhythm with nature is the wisest choice we can make!”
Note
- Saptadhatus (D7) – Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Meda, Asthi, Majja, Shukra.
- Tridoshas (D3) – Vata, Pitta & Kapha.
- Kapha Dosha – K-Dosh is the bio-element with dominant Earth & Water.
- Vata Dosha – V- Dosh is the bio-element with dominant Air & Ether.
- Pitta Dosha – P-Dosh is the bio-element with dominant Fire Agni ( A-Fire) – Digestive Fire.
- *Tri-Gunas (G3) – Sattva, Rajas, Tamas are the properties of the mind.
