Dinacharya, the tradition of setting a daily routine, is one of the most important Ayurvedic practices to enhance health and overall well-being. Take a few minutes every day and consciously introduce Ayurvedic rituals into your day. This way you will be healthy and successful in your daily life and work with Ayurveda. Here we give you a few tips on how you can practice Ayurveda in everyday life!
Why rituals are important
Rituals are important because they give us structure and clarity. Our body likes regular routines because they keep it healthy by helping it to relieve stress. Ayurvedic rituals also calm our mind. They are moments of contemplation and give us the certainty that we are doing something good for ourselves.
Would you like to practice more Ayurveda in your everyday life, but don't know how best to start? Introducing a few Ayurvedic rituals is ideal! Soon the practices will become routine and have a permanent place in your daily life. Step by step, you can make your life healthier and more positive.
The following video gives you a brief overview of the possibilities you have to enrich your day with Ayurvedic rituals.
Now we will show you Ayurveda rituals for different times of the day and also those that you can use at any time . This way, Ayurveda also works in everyday life!
Morning: a healthy start to the day with Ayurveda
Ayurvedic morning rituals help you to start the day fit and vital. Hygiene and purification come first. But the mind also needs to get going in the morning and can be gently activated with yoga.
Warm water
Start the day with a typical Ayurvedic morning routine: After getting up, drink a glass of warm or hot water with lemon juice or ginger. It stimulates digestion and rids the body of toxins that have built up. Depending on your taste, you can also add a little honey. The water acts like a pleasant inner shower and is especially good for the body in the morning!
Tongue scraping
Oral hygiene is very important in Ayurveda and begins with scraping the tongue every morning. The great thing about this is that it is very quick and still has a wonderful detoxifying effect! Get yourself a tongue scraper and work your way from the root of the tongue to the tip in gentle scraping movements. This way you reduce metabolic waste products and also promote your oral health.
Morning yoga
If you schedule some time for yoga exercises first thing in the morning, you can collect yourself and start the day stronger. We are not talking about a strenuous workout programme here. Quite the opposite! After a few gentle Yoga exercises in the morning you'll start the day feeling refreshed and relaxed, even if you only spend a few minutes on it. Try it!
Midday: consciously pause with Ayurveda in everyday life
Lunchtime is the right time to recharge your batteries and get ready for the rest of the day. During the lunch break, therefore, one thing above all is on the agenda: recharge your batteries!
High energy meal
Plan your diet so that your main meal is at midday. When the sun is at its highest, the digestive fire Agni is at its most active. So have a high-energy meal, but don't go overboard with the portion. About two handfuls should be enough. But above all, don't gulp down the meal, but chew and consciously enjoy every bite!
Easy walking
Exercise is important for health as long as it is not too strenuous. Ayurveda recommends moderate exercise in particular. A light walk during the lunch break stimulates the circulation and helps to renew energy. The excursion outdoors does not have to take long at all! A few minutes alone or with a work colleague is enough. If you feel like it, you can combine this with a soothing Walking meditation massage.
In between: These rituals always go!
Of course, you do not have to strictly adhere to certain times of the day for all Ayurvedic rituals. There are also routines that you can perform from time to time in order to integrate Ayurveda into your everyday life and make your day healthier.
Take a time out
Everyday life can often be quite demanding. That's why it's important to take a short break every now and then. Take a 30-60 minute time-out every day in which you concentrate only on yourself. This works best between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. or in the evening between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., because the body is then in the regeneration phase.
Just close your eyes, breathe deeply and focus exclusively on yourself. Consciously listen to yourself and observe your flow of thoughts without judging it. Even a short break from the daily grind is good for you and helps you to return to your centre.
Drink enough water
In Ayurveda, it has long been known that drinking water Warm water has positive effects on digestion and fat burning. It is best to boil the water in an open saucepan on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes. If you then fill the water into a thermos flask, you can drink it again and again throughout the day .
Consciously avoid snacks between meals
Probably one of the biggest differences between the Western and the Ayurvedic philosophy of life is that Ayurveda does not eat between meals. Concentrate on your main meals and leave unnecessary food intake in between. When you feel the urge, consciously stop and drink a glass of hot water instead.
In the evening: relax and unwind
After a balanced day, it is important to be able to relax in the evening. For this reason, the Ayurvedic rituals for the evening are primarily aimed at relaxing body and mind.
Ayurveda milk drink in the evening
Treat yourself to a golden milk in the evening with this delicious ritual! The drink gets its colour from turmeric and has an anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effect. Especially in the evening, the milk is also calming. You don't need many ingredients:
- a cup of plant milk
- one tablespoon (or more to taste) of turmeric paste
- one tablespoon coconut oil
- a pinch of cinnamon
- one teaspoon honey
Heat the milk and stir in the turmeric paste. Then add coconut oil, cinnamon and honey. Pour everything into a cup, stir regularly and enjoy the golden milk!
Meditate to switch off
Meditating is a wonderful way to let go and simply brush away disturbing thoughts. In this way, meditation forms a restful evening ritual with which you can leave the turmoil of the day behind you. A few minutes of conscious meditation can be wonderfully cleansing! Which meditation technique you choose is, of course, entirely up to you! Just choose the method that does you good and relaxes you best.
A calming end to the day
Adequate and healthy sleep is very important for your well-being. In the evening, it is therefore important to introduce rituals that relax you. Massage your feet with sesame oil or surround yourself with soothing scents like sandalwood and vanilla. Over time, the body associates these scents with relaxation and automatically becomes calmer when you perceive the smells.
To fall asleep faster, you should also limit your screen time. This means: don't answer any more emails in the evening and preferably put your mobile phone away completely. Spend the evening hours with family and friends or read a good book so that your mind can rest.
Add more contentment and well-being to your life by incorporating a few Ayurvedic rituals into your daily routine. Once you get used to it, add more and soon Ayurveda will enrich your daily life. Have fun trying it out!
