Daily Routine

Dinacharya: Our Morning Routine

In Ayurveda, there is something called dinacharya, which means, our daily morning routine. Ancient Ayurvedic texts gave us an outline to follow around the dinacharya, which support balance and well-being for every dosha. These classical texts, known as The Ashtanga Hrdayam and Charaka Samhita tell us that if we wake during the “ambrosial hours” (between 3am and dawn), with a peaceful, pleasant sense of joy, then our day will follow in that healing tone.

Upon waking, we want to eliminate. It is during this time that the downward flow of apana vayu is most prevalent, supporting the downward flow of elimination in our bodies. If our bodies are congested, the Triphala herbal blend can help aid in digestion and elimination.

We will then want to brush our teeth with an herbal toothpaste made from the neem plant. This a kapha-pacifying herb that helps fight cavities and rid the mouth of unwanted bacteria and other toxins. In addition to brushing the teeth, we also want to scrape our tongues with a tongue scraper, moving from the back of the tongue to the front, several times. We then drink a cup of warm for hydration and further stimulation of the bowels.

We can also massage the gums and gargle with warm, untoasted sesame oil for further support of oral health. Neem oil is also regarded as highly beneficial for gum health. Massage the gums with neem oil if you suffer from gum disease.

We then splash our eyes and face with cooling water to wake them up. This is both refreshing and rejuvenating.

Now, it’s time to meditate. Meditating in these early morning ambrosial hours brings peace and clarity to our mental faculties, so that we can go within to obtain deep insights or ask for grace from the divine. Do your meditation with love during these early morning hours and you will transform and expand your consciousness -- essential for your spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being.

After meditation is a good time for physical exercise. This may take the form of yogic sun salutations, tai chi, a morning swim, a run, a walk in the woods, or aerobics class – whatever form of exercise supports your dosha.

We can round out our morning routine with the warm oil self-massage known as abhyanga. Ayurveda is filled with instructions and routine for therapeutically using warm oils for the entire body. These oil rituals promote long life and nourishment for every dosha.

It’s at this time when we hop in the shower to cleanse and bathe our bodies, sealing in the warm oils and showering ourselves with the purification of water. The morning bath can be sensual in nature, and highly beneficial to our bodies, minds, and spirits. Every life-giving ritual of the morning dinacharya is ideally done with a sense of self-care compassion, and love. While these techniques may seem like a lot at first, you’ll find that when you make them a daily habit, your life feels richer and supported in ways you could never imagine.