daily Ayurvedic rituals
May 31, 2022
1. Drink Warm Water in the Morning
Drink a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon in the morning. This washes the GI track, flushes the kidneys, and stimulates peristalsis. It is ideal to start the day with tea or coffee, as this drains kidney energy, stresses the adrenals, causes constipation, and is habit-forming. Option to fill a copper cup with room temperature water the evening before to drink in the rising hours as well before food.
2. Clean your Teeth
Always use a soft toothbrush and an astringent, pungent, and bitter toothpaste or powder; Neem is preferred for Ayurvedic teeth cleaning. The traditional Indian toothbrush is a Neem or Licorice stick, which dislodges fine food particles from between teeth and makes strong, healthy gums. Peelu tree (miwak) twigs are also used.
3. Scrape your Tongue
Gently scrape the tongue from the back forward, until you have scraped the whole surface for 7 strokes. This stimulates the internal organs, helps digestion, and removes dead bacteria. Ideally, vata can use a gold scraper, pitta a silver one, and kapha copper. Stainless steel can be used by all people.
4. Oil Pulling
After tongue scraping, a traditional oil pulling formula with sesame oil, coconut oil, clove, and peppermint. Ayurvedic oil pulling has been studied to fight plaque and reduce sulfur compounds that cause bad breath. Swish continuously for about 5-15 mins, as it takes time for the oils to saponify, or turn from oil into a more soap-like substance, and become activated as antiseptic for your mouth.
5. Chewing
Chewing a handful of black sesame seeds helps receding gums and strengthens teeth. Alternatively, chew 3-5 dried dates and an inch of dried coconut meat. Chewing in the morning stimulates the liver and the stomach and improves digestive fire.
6. Nasal Drops (Nasya)
Putting 3 to 5 drops of warm ghee or 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 bring intelligence.
For vata: sesame oil, ghee, or vacha (calamus) oil.
For pitta: brahmi ghee, sunflower or coconut oil.
For kapha: vacha (calamus root) oil.
7. Apply Oil to the Head & Body (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.
For vata use warm sesame oil.
For pitta use warm sunflower or coconut oil.
For kapha use warm sunflower or mustard oil.
8. Exercise
Regular exercise, especially yoga, improves circulation, strength, and endurance. It helps one relax and have sound sleep, and improves digestion and elimination. Exercise daily to half of your capacity, which is 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.
9. Pranayama
After exercise, sit quietly and do some deep breathing exercises as follows:
12 alternate nostril breaths for vata;
16 cooling shitali breaths (curling up your tongue lengthwise and breathing through it) for pitta;
100 bhastrika (short, fast breaths) for kapha.
