Why follow the day's natural rhythm?
Flowing with the wisdom of the day | The delights of Dinacharya
A key to daily energy management - An Ayurvedic daily routine.
What if you could have even energy throughout your day… like ditch the morning grogginess; let go of the
4pm slump; stave off those sugar and caffeine cravings for pick me ups; not feel shattered when you finish
work?
Well…
I can’t promise you miracles but I can sure as anything affirm that working with “dinacharya” is gonna
be a very helpful addition to your daily dos. The word “dinacharya” literally means, “to follow the
knowledge of the day” in Sanskrit. This Ayurvedic concept is based on the idea that building a simple
structure into your day allows you to keep the doshas ofvata, pitta and kapha in balance, maintain healthy agni
and support strong ojas. If you want to find out more about doshas and Ayurveda see here.
Aligning yourself in this way means it will help you stay mentally balanced, allowing for better relationships in
life, and ultimately allow you to live according to your intentions. Think about this: You may have the intention
(even a resolution) to start a meditation or mindfulness practice because you know it will do you good and
everyone keeps posting about the benefits. You start by meditate a few times – just whenever you can fit it in.
But after a couple weeks, the practice is overtaken by 2 distractions and/or demands from your mind, family,
career and life.
You know your not alone in this right?!
Well, creating a supportive dinacharya is the key to great health and making the changes you want to see in
your life. I totally serious! Once I began to implement the measure of dinacharya so much shifted for me in
terms of how I could show up in my day. Through a simple daily structure, you become in control
of your day instead of it controlling you. And we all know how that can feel right? Like you are just getting
through or always trying to catch up, feeling overwhelmed or like there’s just not enough time.
If you are looking to begin meditating (or want to enhance your health, eat better, exercise more, spend
time with family), rather than making a resolution, create a dinacharya that allows you to create grounding
in your day so you can better honour the intention you have created. It will lay the foundation for everything
else to fall into place in your life.
So here’s what I’ve got for you..
How to build a simple Ayurvedic daily routine today
Start establishing your dinacharya with just a few simple things. Don’t ever try and do it all from zero… I’ve so
been there… it ends up as a big NOTHING. Best you build it gradually and consistently. I’ve included a basic
structure below. Once you relax into these practices, there are many other components that you may want to
add, such as abhyanga (we’ll get on to that another time;)).
1. Wake before sunrise. Waking early ensures you avoid sleeping past the heavier kapha time, which can lead to grogginess and inertia. If sunrise is late where you live, aim to get out of bed before 6:00 a.m.
2.Cleanse. Scrape your tongue, brush your teeth, nasal passages and bathe.
3. Breathe and PAUSE- Meditation, yoga asana or any other spiritual practice or supportive exercise to bring
balance to your mind and body.
4. Eat breakfast between 7:30- 8:30 a.m. Take 20 minutes to sit down whilst you eat and give your digestion a good start for the day.
5. Eat lunch between 12:00 and 1p.m. Setting a designated time to eat lunch each day has improved my digestion immensely. It basically improves your health by reducing the chances that you’ll overeat or eat poorly because you are too hungry. Walking away from work or daily activities for a short time to eat also helps you come back with a clear focus for your afternoon. Be sure to sit down while you eat and leave your phone, email or other distractions behind.
6. Eat dinner between 5.30- 6:30 p.m. This gives your body enough time to digest before bedtime so you can
avoid feeling foggy and heavy in the morning.
7. Wind down rituals (including shutting off electronics) one hour before bedtime and focus on your spiritual
practice, reading or quiet time with loved ones. This prepares your body for the transition to sleep, ensuring
a peaceful rest and more energy for the next day.
8. Go to bed before 10:00 p.m. Getting to sleep before the more active pitta time begins ensures you don’t get
caught in the “second wind” trap – heading back to the screen, booking things, shopping, cleaning your closets out at midnight… oh lord that dreaded second wind! I think it goes without saying you and I both know it will not lead to feeling good the next day.
A few thoughts..
While this structure may seem simple, the impact is truly life changing. This is because the greatest benefit
dinacharya offers is calming vata dosha by more closely tuning to your body’s natural rhythms and reducing the stress associated with a lack of routine. When the wind energy of vata is out of balance, the excessive movement can quickly throw pitta and kapha doshas out of balance. But with dinacharya, vata is grounded and supported through routine and can help balance the other doshas. And, in the free spaces in between the structured times, balanced vata supports greater creativity and mental flexibility. Through this change, you can begin to experience deeper enjoyment in life – and have your intentions stick all year long.
Create a Daily wellness journal - A daily wellness journal tracks your daily activities so
you can become more familiar with your daily patterns. Then, you can begin to see the results of your actions
on your health. Learn more about the journal and access a copy here.
Doing this has been such a game changer in my daily rhythms and energy management. It took time to build up gradually. I so recommend staying with simplicity and consistency.
Do let me know how you get on!
With love,
Em x
With thanks to Hale Pule for the inspiration.