Living Ayurveda
with a Daily Routine

A daily routine is fundamentally important in bringing about transformation and balance to the body, mind, and spirit. Routine balances all the elements of the body as it moves through the day; from digestion, absorption and assimilation to self-esteem, happiness, and longevity. Following a routine is easier for some than it is for others. Please remember that the setting of the sun ushers in the rising of a new sun and a new day. If you “fall off the wagon” due to circumstances beyond your control, have compassion for yourself and climb right back on and continue the journey. The science of Ayurveda is about the journey, not about any kind of destination.

1. Get up before the sun

Sunrise varies according to the seasons (and may not even appear in the Pacific Northwest) but on average vata people should get up about 6 a.m., pitta people by 5.30 a.m., and kapha by 4.30 a.m.

2. Gratitude

Gratitude is an important part of health and well being. Please feel free to use whatever form of gratitude you are drawn to the start your day. Dr. Vasant Lad recommends this prayer:

"Dear God, you are inside of me, within my very breath, within each bird, each mighty mountain.
Your sweet touch reaches everything and I am well protected.
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."

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.

3. Wash the Face, Mouth, and Eyes

Splash your face with cold water and rinse out your mouth. Wash your eyes with cool water (or one of the eye washes mentioned below) and massage the eyelids by gently rubbing them. Blink your eyes 7 times and rotate your eyes in all directions. Dry your face with a clean towel.

Eyewash

• Tridoshic: try triphala eyewash -¼ tsp. in 1 cup water, boil for 10 minutes, cool and strain.
• Pitta: use cool water or rose water from organic rose petals - most commercial rose water has chemicals in it that will sting the eyes.
• Kapha: try diluted cranberry juice, 3-5 drops in a teaspoon of distilled water.

4. Drink Water in the Morning

Then drink a glass of room temperature water with a splash of lemon juice. This washes the GI track, flushes the kidneys, and stimulates peristalsis. It is not a good idea to start the day with tea or coffee, as this drains kidney energy, stresses the adrenals, causing constipation; plus it’s habit forming.

5. Toilet

Improper digestion of the previous night's meal or lack of sound sleep can prevent early morning bowel movement. However, water, followed by sitting on the toilet at a set time each day, helps to regulate bowel movements. Alternate nostril breathing may also help.

6. Tongue

Gently scrape the tongue from the back forward, until you have scraped the whole surface for 7-14 strokes. This stimulates the internal organs, helps digestion, and removes dead bacteria.. Stainless steel or plastic tongue scrapers can be used by all people.

7. Brush Teeth

Always use a soft toothbrush and an astringent, pungent, and bitter toothpaste or powder. Rub Triphala powder on receding gum lines and strengthen them with sesame oil gargle (below).

8. Gargling

To strengthen teeth, gums, and jaw, improve the voice and remove wrinkles from cheeks, gargle twice a day 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.

9. Chewing

Chewing a handful of sesame seeds helps receding gums and strengthens teeth. Chewing 1 tsp of fennel seed in the morning stimulates the liver and the stomach and improves digestive fire. After chewing, brush the teeth again without using toothpaste or powder.

10. Nose Drops (Nasya)

Putting 3 to 5 drops of warm ghee (clarified butter) or 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 the door to the brain, so nose drops nourish prana and enliven intelligence (saline sprays are not the same thing).

• Vata: sesame oil, ghee, or vacha (calamus) oil.
• Pitta: brahmi ghee, sunflower or coconut oil.
• Kapha: vacha (calamus root) oil.

11. Ear drops

Conditions such as ringing in the ears, excess ear wax, poor hearing, lockjaw, and TMJ, are all due to vata in the ears. Putting 5 drops of warm sesame oil in each ear can help these disorders. Then give the ears a light dusting with your constitution herb. Wrap it in a few layers of cheesecloth then tap against the ear.

• Vata: mahanarayan oil, dust with dashamula.
• Pitta: brahmi oil, dust with sandalwood powder.
• Kapha: neem oil, dust with vacha powder.

12. Self Massage (Abhyanga)

Rub warm oil over the head and body. Gentle, daily oil massage of the scalp can bring happiness, as well as prevent headache, baldness, graying, and receding hairline. Oiling your body before bedtime will help induce sound sleep and keep the skin soft.

• Vata: use warm sesame oil.
• Pitta: use warm sunflower or coconut oil.
• Kapha: use warm sunflower or mustard oil.

13. Shower

Bathing is cleansing and refreshing. It removes sweat, dirt, and fatigue, brings energy to the body, clarity to the mind. Hot showers are not good for a pitta constitution, especially very hot water over the head.

14. Clothing

Wearing clean clothes in the colors that soothe your constitution contributes to a sense of health and well being.

15. Scent

Aromatherapy is a form of medicine and should be used carefully to balance the constitution. Essential oils are valuable tools for bringing happiness, peace and wellbeing to the user. It is important to use scents that balance the doshas.

Essential Oils

• Vata: Lavender, Clary Sage, Jatamansi, Vetiver,  Frankincense
• Pitta: Lavender, Peppermint,  Jatamansi, Vetiver
• Kapha: Orange peel, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh

16. Yoga

(check the yoga schedule for our listing of yoga classes)

Regular exercise, especially yoga, improves circulation, strength, and endurance. It helps one relax and have sound sleep, and improves digestion and elimination. Exercise daily until sweat forms on the forehead, armpits, and spine.

• Vata: Sun salutation x 12, done slowly; Leg lifting; Camel; Cobra; Cat; Cow. Slow, gentle exercise.
• Pitta: Moon salutation x 16, moderately fast; Fish; Boat; Bow. Calming exercise.
• Kapha: Sun salutation x 12, done rapidly; Bridge; Peacock; Palm tree; Lion. Vigorous exercise.

17. Pranayama

(these breathing techniques are taught at Fern Life Center)

After exercise, sit quietly and do some deep breathing exercises as follows:

• Vata: 12 alternate nostril breaths
• Pitta: 16 cooling shitali breaths (curling up your tongue lengthwise and breathing through it)
• Kapha: 100 bhastrika (short, fast breaths)

18. Meditation

It is important to meditate morning and evening for at least 15 minutes. Meditate in the way you are accustomed, or try the "Empty Bowl Meditation". Meditation brings balance and peace into your life.

Empty Bowl Meditation (Kevala Kumbhak)

from Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc

Sit comfortably and quietly with palms up and open, placed on knees, like empty bowls. Open the mouth slightly and touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth, behind the front teeth. Pay attention to the breath. Let the lungs breathe with no effort on your part. Breath is object of awareness. Simply watch the movement of breath. As you are watching the movement of your breath, pay attention to the tip of your nose. Just be aware of the touch of air going into the nose. Cool air going in, warm air coming out. Sit this way, quietly, observing breath, for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, follow the breath. Go with the air into the nose, throat, heart, diaphragm, deep down into the belly behind the belly button, where you will experience a natural stop. Stay in this stop for a fraction of a second, then follow the breath on exhalation, as it reverses its course up from the belly behind the diaphragm, heart, throat, out through the nose. and out of the body to about 9" in front of the nose to a second stop.

The first stop is behind the belly button, the second stop is outside the body in space. At these two stops, breath stops. At these two stops, time stops. Movement of breath is time. In these two stops, only existence is present. In these two stops you are surrounded by peace and love. In these stops, God is present. In these stops you become like an empty bowl. The moment you become like an empty bowl, the divine lips can touch you. God will seek you and pour benediction into you. Let the lungs breathe and you become the empty bowl. Practice this meditation for 15 minutes in the morning and in the evening. As you practice this meditation, over the days, weeks, months, you will find your time in the stops naturally prolonging until eventually inner and outer will merge at the 3rd eye and everything will happen within you.

You may also practice this meditation in a prone position.

19. Breakfast

Your meal should be light in the hot months or if your digestion (agni) is low, and more substantial in the cold months. Please see the section for dosha (constitution) balancing food choices. Enjoy your day!

Typical Daily Schedule for Each Dosha

	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Wake-up	6 am	5:30 AM	4:30 AM
Breakfast	8 am	7:30 AM	7 AM
Lunch	11 am to 12 pm	12 PM	12 to 1 PM
Supper	6 pm	6 to 7 PM	7 to 8 PM
Sleep	10 pm Sleep on your back	10 to 11 PM Sleep on your right side	11 to 12 PM Sleep on your left side

Disclaimer: The sole purpose of this website is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disease. If you have any serious, acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional or make an appointment during business hours with one of our medical providers who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are seeking the medical advice of a trained Ayurvedic expert, call us.