Early in the morning, when it is still quiet outside and the world is turning a little slower, is the best time to start your day consciously. In Ayurveda, a mindful morning routine is one of the basic pillars of self-care. For your Ayurvedic morning routine, 3 simple steps will help you to bring yourself physically and mentally into harmony and to draw new energy.
Most people already unconsciously follow a certain morning ritual: When we stretch and move after getting up, open the windows and make coffee or tea, we take these steps according to a pattern that has proven itself to us. Often, such a "ritual" follows the rules of effectiveness - we have learned how to do things most quickly so that we can quickly devote ourselves to our many tasks.
If you want to integrate the health-promoting elements of Ayurveda into this process, it is important to first take a step back. It's not about moving as quickly as possible - rather, you should consciously take a few minutes to support your health and increase your well-being.
Mindfulness even before getting up
A mindful start to the day begins while you are still under the warm covers. Do not use this moment after waking up to mentally go through all the tasks of the day or to search the smartphone for the latest news, but take a few minutes to answer the following questions:
- What am I grateful for today?
- Which person or living being especially needs my attention today?
- When can I schedule time for myself today?
At the latest, when the alarm clock rings for the second time, you start the day without hectic, but with a calm mind and concrete goals. Now it's time to give your body the attention it deserves. Because during the night a lot of important detoxification processes have taken place in your organism. In Ayurveda there are therefore three types of cleansing that optimally dissolve toxins and strengthen your defenses:
- Scrape tongue
- Oil draw
- Drinking warm lemon water
1. tongue scrape
In Ayurvedic medical diagnosis, the tongue plays a major role - after all, it is understood as a quasi "extension" of the gastrointestinal tract, which reflects our state of health. As in Western medicine, coatings on the tongue can indicate diseases or imbalances. A stainless steel tongue scraper can be used to remove debris and toxins and stimulate digestion. To do this, gently place the scraper in the back third of the tongue's surface and pull it forward several times (watch out for the gag reflex). Clean the tongue scraper with warm water.
2. pull oil
Do you have a bad taste in your mouth in the morning? No need to worry - this is caused by waste products and toxins accumulating in the oral cavity during sleep. It is important to remove these immediately after getting up, because with the first sip of tea or coffee at the latest, you would rinse the excreted substances directly back into the body. The easiest way to thoroughly cleanse the mouth is with oil pulling. The positive effects of this traditional Ayurvedic technique are now also recognized in Western medicine.
Here's how oil pulling works: Take about a teaspoon of sesame oil, coconut oil or another organic oil of your choice in your mouth and "pull" it slowly through all areas of the oral cavity and the interdental spaces for between eight and ten minutes.
After treatment, spit the oil into a paper towel and dispose of it in the household waste. Now rinse your mouth thoroughly with water and brush your teeth as usual with a mild toothpaste.
3. drink warm lemon water
For the last step of your Ayurvedic morning ritual, put a pot of water on to boil a little longer than usual - ideally between 10 and 30 minutes. Add lemon or even ginger or turmeric to taste to make the water even more invigorating. Drink the water warm in small sips. You not only provide your body with the necessary liquid after the night, but also stimulate your metabolism. This way, the following breakfast can be digested better.
As you can see, the three Ayurvedic cleansing techniques can be easily integrated into your existing morning ritual. After a few days, the steps will become routine and you will start your day more mindful, healthier and more balanced!
