I never really had much of a routine up until these past couple years. Looking back, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made to my health. I used to start my day off in such a stressed, tired, and chaotic manner, which negatively effected my thoughts and interactions within my environment. Taking an hour or two for myself in the mornings has really shifted my mood and energy.
My rituals change every so often, but they always set me up for success when I am consistent. I can totally tell when I take a day or two off, because I don't feel like my best self.
Dinacharya is the Sanskrit term for "daily routine" or "to follow or be close to the day". Ayurveda teaches that your daily routine is essential to your overall health and wellbeing, for it is when you align with the rhythm of the day, you are able to cultivate balance within and with out.
In Sahara Rose's book, Idiot's Guide to Ayurveda, she emphasizes that a morning routine can increase energy and productivity, enhance digestion, improve mood, detox the body, center the mind, enhance awareness, and decrease mental fog and stress levels.
Here's a glimpse of my morning routine:
Upon awakening, I scrape my tongue, brush my teeth, wash my face, meditate, journal (I just bought A Yogic Path Reflective Journal by Sahara Rose and I am LOVING IT), do breath work, and exercise. If my digestion is off, I will have some hot water with lemon to kickstart my agni, or digestive fire. After my routine is finished, I make breakfast, open myself up to the outside world, and get to work.
Taking this time for myself in the morning really helps me get into the right mindset. I am grounded, calm, and pleasant. Since I filled up my own cup first, I am more able to connect with others and give my energy to people, my dogs, my assignments, and my passions.
There are many ways to establish a morning routine, you just have to find what feels right for you. Here are some options you can pick and choose from:
tongue scraping - It's the first thing I do in the mornings. Tongue scraping removes toxins (ama), dead cells, bacteria, fungi, and food debris. It reduces bad breath, enhances your taste buds, and improves your digestion and appearance of your tongue. It's quite satisfying to get all of that gunk off! To scrape your tongue, hold the scraper with one hand on each end. Look in the mirror, stick your tongue out. Place scraper at back of tongue, and scrape forward in one long stroke. Rinse and repeat about 7-10 times. You can go to Banyan Botanicals or Paavani Ayurveda if you're interested in purchasing one.
oil pulling - it's basically like swishing around mouthwash. Some benefits of oil pulling include improving breath, preventing cavities, strengthening gums, removing plaque, and whitening teeth. It's also great for preventing inflammation, boosting your immune system, and assisting your digestive tract. Depending on your doshic constitution, opt for sesame (warming) or coconut (cooling) oil. Paavani Ayurveda also has their own oil pulling products. To oil pull, add one tablespoon of oil into your mouth and swish around for a couple minutes. After trying this a few times, see if you can work your way up to 15 minutes. It's advised to not swallow the oil as it's now full of toxins, so spit your oil in the trash to avoid clogging your drain.
meditation/breath work - I use the app Insight Timer, which has over 55,000 meditations. There's guided, visualization, breath work, timers, music... anything you want! I usually meditate for about 20 minutes or so, depending on my time. I start out with a couple rounds of kapalabhati breath (breath of fire/skull shining breath) to generate some heat and wake up my digestion. Try to stay in a seated position during meditation instead of laying down, to avoid falling back asleep! Another way to meditate is by taking a walk out in nature. Be conscious of your steps, and pay attention to your five senses. This is a great way to get your blood flowing and connect back to Mother Earth. Walking meditation is great for grounding and self-reflection.
journaling/intention setting - You can either purchase a journal of your choosing, or just free write for 2-10 minutes. There are many gratitude journals to choose from if you prefer having prompts laid out for you. You can also just down what you are grateful for and the energetic intention/affirmation you'd like to set for the day. If you are into tarot, pulling a card or two each morning is an excellent tool for connecting to your intuition.
warm water or herbal tea - Our digestion is at its weakest upon awakening, so we need to rekindle our fire in order to digest both our food and thoughts properly. Drinking warm water with lemon or lime helps with waking, cleansing, and detoxifying our systems. Our bodies absorb hot water more easily than cold water, and it's also more hydrating.
yoga/exercise - Movement in the mornings is an essential for me. Any kind of exercise or yoga flow allows us to shake up all of the earth energy from our sleep, as it helps increase circulation, metabolism, mobility, and improves our coordination. It awakens, opens, and activates our muscles and mind so we can better take on the day ahead.
Again, these are just options so see what calls to you and try it out for a week or so. Notice how you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally after your morning ritual.
You might say, "well I don't have the time". That's an excuse. You do have the time, you just have to prioritize what's important to you. Even if you only wake up 20 minutes earlier, your mind and body will thank you. Taking this time for yourself will allow you to be more attentive and efficient throughout the duration of your day.
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