# Everyday Ayurveda: Daily Habits That Can Change Your Life in a Day - Type: #book - ASIN: B015O6BC4C - Authors: [[Bhaswati Bhattacharya]] - Highlights - They need no validation or approval; their observations and healthy patients are enough. - Dinacharya restores our agni, or inner fire, unclogs our senses, strengthens our mind and connects us to our soul, empowering us to transform our lives. - brahme muhurte uttisthet swastho raksartham ayushah: |1| To preserve a wholesome life of health and protect his wisdom and happiness, one should rise early during the period of Brahma muhurta. Astānga Hrdaya of Vāgbhata, Sūtra-sthāna; chapter 2, sloka - Follow your instinct and watch your body’s reaction; adjust according to how it worked for you. This self-adjustment through trial and error, and observation is called upasaya, advised by Āyurveda as one of the best ways of tailoring what you need for your body. - the day is composed of thirty periods of 48 minutes each, called muhurtas. Brahma muhurta is two periods before dawn, in the span during twilight. If sunrise occurs at 6 a.m., Brahma muhurta at that location on that day is from 4.24 a.m. to 5.12 a.m., changing daily. - Healthy vāta activities offset unhealthy vāta flows and dilute imbalances. For example, a person consumed by worry can shift that imbalance by rising early each morning and grounding the hyperactive, worried mind with a walk in nature or with a healthy, structured workout. Strenuous exercise, an unstructured morning of arguments or a scurry of activity will not ground the person. During these hours, a person can quickly replace the aberrant vāta flows with healthy vāta by engaging in the most spacious secure space, the mind. Therefore, no matter how tired a healthy person feels, the magic of the early morning should not be missed. - Āyurveda suggests we surrender to the awesome powers of nature that inherently rule us. - In the deep of the night, just after our deepest sleep, around 4.30 a.m., our bodies are at their lowest body temperature. Low body temperatures are associated with healing, as proteins work slower and create less waste at low temperatures. - From 4 to 6 a.m., we should ideally spend time in reflection, peace, nature, meditation, yoga and similar activities that unite the mind and spirit with the body and the life we have created. From 6 to 7 a.m., we should prepare for the coming busy stretch of morning. - To get back to the natural innate rhythm that all biological creatures have with the earth, a person should focus on good habits in the late evening and work towards good sleep that allows for early rising. - During this time, we should consider the digestion status of the food eaten the previous day and night. Is the gut feeling clean? Is there pain? Is there hunger? - ‘you are what you digest’ not ‘you are what you eat’. - Breathe through the top of your head directly into your heart space (the centre of your chest, not the physical heart). You can visualize a golden, luminous stream of compassion and love coming to you from all of your spiritual teachers, past, present and future, and from all realized beings. Feel a sense of grace expanding throughout your body. Rub your palms together quickly to generate warmth and then gently massage your face. Repeat this sequence for your head, arms and hands with long, smooth strokes. - Before getting out of bed, reach down and touch the floor with your hand. Bend fully, gently and briefly. Āyurveda suggests that we touch the earth before walking all over her all day in an ode of respect. On a practical level, this bending compresses the abdomen and helps to move the old contents of the intestines down and out, a movement called apana vayu, to ready for excretion and cleansing of the body’s main canal, called srotoshodhana (srota = channel; shodhana = cleanse). - Upon rising, Āyurveda suggests ācamana, that you drink a palmful of water from your right hand. The water should be either lukewarm or at room temperature, but not ice cold. Ideally, it should be boiled and stored overnight in a copper container. Copper is one of the necessary trace elements for the body, something people have forgotten from fear of heavy metals. The minuscule parts per million (ppm) of copper help to strengthen the muscles and cleanse the intestines. This early morning - This palmful of water is to be drunk before going to the bathroom and proceeding with the day. As warm water - If you have sluggish bowel movements, drink a mug of freshly boiled, very warm water every morning as soon as you awaken, before you eat or drink anything else. Add fresh ginger to the second serving, but only if you are not prone to acid reflux. Rid the body of waste as soon as possible in the morning. - Āyurveda recommends powders of ginger, black pepper and long pepper, known as trikatu; or the powder of three powerful fruits that are commonly used to detoxify the blood and liver, known as triphala. These powders are ideally applied with the finger, so we can feel the crevices and ridges inside the mouth, increasing body awareness. - My mother used beautifully drawn pictures that symbolize the facets of human potential: wisdom, abundance, healing, love, wealth and perseverance. These pictures were the pantheon of deities that filled Hindu mythology. - Getting centred has more value than just being religious: it is an ode to the inner self. - deity. What is most important is to have a place where we can stop, settle our mind and be present for a moment or two early in the day. Without this focus, we run around all day with our minds disconnected from our bodies. Who wants to be on a highway with a car whose driver does not know where she/he is going? Vision is a powerful tool for orienting the mind. Therefore, Āyurveda says we should look at our parents or elders, beloved priests, the sacred fire, the sun, gold, a cow, ghee or clean water early in the morning to invoke thoughts that are auspicious. - The emotions that our mind produce when we see inspirational stimuli produce neurotransmitters that promote health, whereas chronic negativity and hopelessness caused by failure, bullying and violence will decrease the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline, and cause abnormal functioning of the limbic system, where our emotions seem to be processed. It also causes a malfunction of the connections between our hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals, causing a strong overdrive and output of cortisol, which suppresses the immune system. - In addition, interactions are encouraged with small children and loved ones who will not judge them. They are integrated into household tasks to feel needed, and conversation with the family is used to engage them in relationships and communication, and to enable them to engage with their inner selves. They spend time daily in the morning and evening sandhya, guided by family and friends, looking at and touching auspicious objects while imbibing their energy, at the time when the natural - During her sandhya pūja every day, my mother’s ode to the change of light is accompanied by arati, blessings of light from the heat of a candle or oil lamp. Called arātrika in Sanskrit, meaning something that removes rātri (darkness), it is a ritual of worship, a part of pūja, wherein light is offered to the deities. It is a symbolic gesture of lighting our insides or enlightening our inner selves. The entire ritual requires a series of offerings into a fire or in the direction of worship, usually facing north or north-east. Eight objects are offered sequentially, using clockwise motions, as symbols of the five elements of which we are made—ether/space, air/wind, fire, water and earth. Firstly, incense or agarbatti is offered, representing the smell and solidity of earth. It is followed by sprinkling water, and then burning a light or candle to honour the fire in us. Thereafter, a peacock fan is used to convey the qualities of air, movement and wind, followed by movements with a cow, horse or yak tail to offer acknowledgment of subtle ether or space. In addition, offerings are made using a jal-shankh, or water-filled conch shell that opens to the left, to symbolize water and liquidity. Blowing of a shankh (conch shell) represents sound and the ethers. A trishul symbolizes the magnetic forces in the ethers. A plate of flowers sprinkled with sandalwood represents the earth and its ever-new nature. New cloth of cotton or silk corresponds to the weavings of earth and fruit reminds us of the bounty of earth. Though arati differs for occasions and cultures, it is very precise about providing auspicious offerings that symbolize our inner selves, to our inner selves symbolized by the deities. - Engage each of the five senses with something pleasant in the morning, such as incense, flowers, a picture of a deity, clean water, recitation of mantras and rock sugar. - Āyurveda asks you to stop and be aware of your senses, to consciously begin the day by choosing nature and sacred relationships to fill your indriyas, as you start your day. - Finish your early morning routine by observing your reflection after meditation. Note whether you are happy and satisfied with your appearance. - Therefore, perfect calm and happiness that is reflected on a symmetric face actually corresponds to peace inside. Perceptive people sense these micro-expressions in others, and that is why good businessmen will insist on meeting in person for important discussions and signing of important documents. - The discipline of yoga and the study of adhyatmika both address the yoking of the mind, with its infinite possibilities and quick movement. The sense organs, the five gyan-indriyas, interface our mind and soul with the world. Overstimulation of the sense organs leads to addictions, uncompensated desires and the ripu or trappings of the mind. Understimulation leads to withdrawal, depression, lack of connection and hopelessness from lack of experience. - If one is truly hunting for power, Āyurveda advises spending part of each day learning about sadvrtta. Power originates from the inside, not from wealth, family name, age, fame or forced respect from codified laws of our profession. True power derives from moral strength and spiritual mastery, - They need no validation or approval; their observations and healthy patients are enough. - Dinacharya restores our agni, or inner fire, unclogs our senses, strengthens our mind and connects us to our soul, empowering us to transform our lives. - brahme muhurte uttisthet swastho raksartham ayushah: |1| To preserve a wholesome life of health and protect his wisdom and happiness, one should rise early during the period of Brahma muhurta. Astānga Hrdaya of Vāgbhata, Sūtra-sthāna; chapter 2, sloka - Follow your instinct and watch your body’s reaction; adjust according to how it worked for you. This self-adjustment through trial and error, and observation is called upasaya, advised by Āyurveda as one of the best ways of tailoring what you need for your body. - the day is composed of thirty periods of 48 minutes each, called muhurtas. Brahma muhurta is two periods before dawn, in the span during twilight. If sunrise occurs at 6 a.m., Brahma muhurta at that location on that day is from 4.24 a.m. to 5.12 a.m., changing daily. - Healthy vāta activities offset unhealthy vāta flows and dilute imbalances. For example, a person consumed by worry can shift that imbalance by rising early each morning and grounding the hyperactive, worried mind with a walk in nature or with a healthy, structured workout. Strenuous exercise, an unstructured morning of arguments or a scurry of activity will not ground the person. During these hours, a person can quickly replace the aberrant vāta flows with healthy vāta by engaging in the most spacious secure space, the mind. Therefore, no matter how tired a healthy person feels, the magic of the early morning should not be missed. - Āyurveda suggests we surrender to the awesome powers of nature that inherently rule us. - In the deep of the night, just after our deepest sleep, around 4.30 a.m., our bodies are at their lowest body temperature. Low body temperatures are associated with healing, as proteins work slower and create less waste at low temperatures. - From 4 to 6 a.m., we should ideally spend time in reflection, peace, nature, meditation, yoga and similar activities that unite the mind and spirit with the body and the life we have created. From 6 to 7 a.m., we should prepare for the coming busy stretch of morning. - To get back to the natural innate rhythm that all biological creatures have with the earth, a person should focus on good habits in the late evening and work towards good sleep that allows for early rising. - During this time, we should consider the digestion status of the food eaten the previous day and night. Is the gut feeling clean? Is there pain? Is there hunger? - ‘you are what you digest’ not ‘you are what you eat’. - Breathe through the top of your head directly into your heart space (the centre of your chest, not the physical heart). You can visualize a golden, luminous stream of compassion and love coming to you from all of your spiritual teachers, past, present and future, and from all realized beings. Feel a sense of grace expanding throughout your body. Rub your palms together quickly to generate warmth and then gently massage your face. Repeat this sequence for your head, arms and hands with long, smooth strokes. - Before getting out of bed, reach down and touch the floor with your hand. Bend fully, gently and briefly. Āyurveda suggests that we touch the earth before walking all over her all day in an ode of respect. On a practical level, this bending compresses the abdomen and helps to move the old contents of the intestines down and out, a movement called apana vayu, to ready for excretion and cleansing of the body’s main canal, called srotoshodhana (srota = channel; shodhana = cleanse). - Upon rising, Āyurveda suggests ācamana, that you drink a palmful of water from your right hand. The water should be either lukewarm or at room temperature, but not ice cold. Ideally, it should be boiled and stored overnight in a copper container. Copper is one of the necessary trace elements for the body, something people have forgotten from fear of heavy metals. The minuscule parts per million (ppm) of copper help to strengthen the muscles and cleanse the intestines. This early morning - This palmful of water is to be drunk before going to the bathroom and proceeding with the day. As warm water - If you have sluggish bowel movements, drink a mug of freshly boiled, very warm water every morning as soon as you awaken, before you eat or drink anything else. Add fresh ginger to the second serving, but only if you are not prone to acid reflux. Rid the body of waste as soon as possible in the morning. - Āyurveda recommends powders of ginger, black pepper and long pepper, known as trikatu; or the powder of three powerful fruits that are commonly used to detoxify the blood and liver, known as triphala. These powders are ideally applied with the finger, so we can feel the crevices and ridges inside the mouth, increasing body awareness. - My mother used beautifully drawn pictures that symbolize the facets of human potential: wisdom, abundance, healing, love, wealth and perseverance. These pictures were the pantheon of deities that filled Hindu mythology. - Getting centred has more value than just being religious: it is an ode to the inner self. - deity. What is most important is to have a place where we can stop, settle our mind and be present for a moment or two early in the day. Without this focus, we run around all day with our minds disconnected from our bodies. Who wants to be on a highway with a car whose driver does not know where she/he is going? Vision is a powerful tool for orienting the mind. Therefore, Āyurveda says we should look at our parents or elders, beloved priests, the sacred fire, the sun, gold, a cow, ghee or clean water early in the morning to invoke thoughts that are auspicious. - The emotions that our mind produce when we see inspirational stimuli produce neurotransmitters that promote health, whereas chronic negativity and hopelessness caused by failure, bullying and violence will decrease the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline, and cause abnormal functioning of the limbic system, where our emotions seem to be processed. It also causes a malfunction of the connections between our hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals, causing a strong overdrive and output of cortisol, which suppresses the immune system. - In addition, interactions are encouraged with small children and loved ones who will not judge them. They are integrated into household tasks to feel needed, and conversation with the family is used to engage them in relationships and communication, and to enable them to engage with their inner selves. They spend time daily in the morning and evening sandhya, guided by family and friends, looking at and touching auspicious objects while imbibing their energy, at the time when the natural - During her sandhya pūja every day, my mother’s ode to the change of light is accompanied by arati, blessings of light from the heat of a candle or oil lamp. Called arātrika in Sanskrit, meaning something that removes rātri (darkness), it is a ritual of worship, a part of pūja, wherein light is offered to the deities. It is a symbolic gesture of lighting our insides or enlightening our inner selves. The entire ritual requires a series of offerings into a fire or in the direction of worship, usually facing north or north-east. Eight objects are offered sequentially, using clockwise motions, as symbols of the five elements of which we are made—ether/space, air/wind, fire, water and earth. Firstly, incense or agarbatti is offered, representing the smell and solidity of earth. It is followed by sprinkling water, and then burning a light or candle to honour the fire in us. Thereafter, a peacock fan is used to convey the qualities of air, movement and wind, followed by movements with a cow, horse or yak tail to offer acknowledgment of subtle ether or space. In addition, offerings are made using a jal-shankh, or water-filled conch shell that opens to the left, to symbolize water and liquidity. Blowing of a shankh (conch shell) represents sound and the ethers. A trishul symbolizes the magnetic forces in the ethers. A plate of flowers sprinkled with sandalwood represents the earth and its ever-new nature. New cloth of cotton or silk corresponds to the weavings of earth and fruit reminds us of the bounty of earth. Though arati differs for occasions and cultures, it is very precise about providing auspicious offerings that symbolize our inner selves, to our inner selves symbolized by the deities. - Engage each of the five senses with something pleasant in the morning, such as incense, flowers, a picture of a deity, clean water, recitation of mantras and rock sugar. - Āyurveda asks you to stop and be aware of your senses, to consciously begin the day by choosing nature and sacred relationships to fill your indriyas, as you start your day. - Finish your early morning routine by observing your reflection after meditation. Note whether you are happy and satisfied with your appearance. - Therefore, perfect calm and happiness that is reflected on a symmetric face actually corresponds to peace inside. Perceptive people sense these micro-expressions in others, and that is why good businessmen will insist on meeting in person for important discussions and signing of important documents. - The discipline of yoga and the study of adhyatmika both address the yoking of the mind, with its infinite possibilities and quick movement. The sense organs, the five gyan-indriyas, interface our mind and soul with the world. Overstimulation of the sense organs leads to addictions, uncompensated desires and the ripu or trappings of the mind. Understimulation leads to withdrawal, depression, lack of connection and hopelessness from lack of experience. - If one is truly hunting for power, Āyurveda advises spending part of each day learning about sadvrtta. Power originates from the inside, not from wealth, family name, age, fame or forced respect from codified laws of our profession. True power derives from moral strength and spiritual mastery, - Notes -