Ayurvedic Practices

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Ayurvedic Practices

Ayurvedic practices are all about rituals, both daily and seasonally. The daily Ayurvedic practices are called Dinacharya also referred to as the Ayurvedic daily routine. This includes general hygiene habits as well as spiritual practices like yoga, pranayama and meditation. The seasonal Ayurvedic practices are called Ritucharya also referred to as the Ayurvedic seasonal routine. This includes eating seasonally appropriate foods as well as modifying the Dinacharya practices according to the season.

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Dinacharya (Daily Routines)

Dinacharya translates from Sanskrit to “the day’s teaching”. The way that we live out each day plays a major role in the degree of balance or imbalance we bring into our lives. The following activities are those that may be included in everyone’s daily life to create and maintain balance. The cleansing practices described below are intended to heighten the function of each of the sense organs. This is done to provide for clearer perception of one’s reality, allowing the mind to have more accurate information from which to make its constant decisions. Cleaning the sense organs will also assist with the level of Prana absorption.

  • Awake before dawn

  • Evacuate bladder and bowels

  • Drink warm water with honey & lemon

  • Oral Hygiene

  • Personal Hygiene

    • Bathe with ubtan over body and face & soap only in areas where it is needed

    • Wear clean clothes made from natural fibers

    • Jala Neti

    • Nasya

    • Self-Abhyanga with Daily Massage Oil

    • Karna Purna with ear oil

  • Meditate (morning & evening)

  • Pranayama

  • Yoga

  • Exercise

  • Eating

    • Eat meals on-time

    • Eat slowly & mindfully

    • Eat largest meal at midday

    • Take short walks after meals

  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water

  • Sip CCF tea, herbal tea or warm water

  • Asleep by 10pm

Ritucharya (Seasonal Routines)

  • Food

    • Eat seasonally appropriate foods

    • Avoid cold foods in cold months and hot/spicy foods in hot months

    • Eat light foods in the spring and summer seasons.

    • Eat heavier foods in the autumn/fall and winter seasons.

    • Avoid kapha-aggravating foods in the kapha season (winter and early spring)

    • Avoid pitta-aggravating foods in pitta season (late spring and summer)

    • Avoid vata-aggravating foods in vata season (autumn/fall and early winter)

  • Sleep

    • Awake with the sun as it changes it’s sunrise throughout the seasons

    • Avoid napping during the spring and autumn/fall seasons.

    • Napping can be beneficial during the summer season.

  • Clothes

    • Wear lighter and more breathable clothes during the warm months

    • Wear heavier and warmer clothes during the cold months

  • Dinacharya

    • During the autumn/fall and winter use warming Abhyanga oils with a sesame oil base.

    • During the summer use neutral or cooling Abhyanga oils with a sunflower oil or coconut oil base.

    • During the spring and if experiencing congestion in the wintertime, try the practice of garshana using garshana gloves or exfoliating gloves. You can also try the Ayurvedic practice of udvartana using a body ubtan or herbal body cleanser.

    • Using sandalwood oil and powder during the summer season.

    • Excessive exercise is to be avoided during the summer season while you can benefit from more exercise during the winter season.

  • Activities

    • Avoid too much windy weather during the autumn/fall season, but enjoying nice cooling breezes during the summer months is recommended.

    • Avoid too much sunlight during the summer season, but get more sunlight during the winter season.

    • Panchakarma is best performed during the autumn/fall season as well as the spring season.

If you want to learn how to modify the Dinacharya and Ritucharya Ayurvedic practices to balance your unique constitution and doshic imbalances, schedule an Ayurvedic Wellness Coaching program or Ayurvedic Consultation today.