Routine of the Day

Awaken before sunrise. Evacuate bowels and bladder after awakening. Bathe every day to create a sense of bodily freshness.

Twelve pranayamas in the morning or evening create freshness of mind and body.
Do not take breakfast after 8:00 a.m. Wash hands before and after eating. Brush teeth after meals. Fifteen minutes after meals, take a short walk. Eat in silence with awareness of food. Eat slowly. Each day massage the gums with the finger and sesame oil. Fast one day a week to help reduce toxins in the body. Sleep before 10:00 p.m.

Diet and Digestion

One teaspoon of grated fresh ginger with a pinch of salt is a good appetizer. Drinking lassi (buttermilk) with a pinch of ginger or cumin powder helps digestion. A teaspoon of ghee with rice helps digestion. A glass of raw, warm milk with ginger taken at bedtime is nourishing to the body and calms the mind. Overeating is unhealthy. Drinking water immediately before or after taking food adversely affects digestion. Prolonged fasting is unhealthy. Consuming excess water may produce obesity. Excess intake of cold drinks reduces resistance and creates excess mucus. Store water in a copper vessel or put copper pennines in the water. This water is good for the liver and spleen.

Taking a nap after lunch will increase kapha and body weight.

Physical Hygiene

If possible, gaze at the rays of the sun at dawn for five minutes daily to improve eyesight. Gazing at a steady flame, morning and evening for ten minutes, improves eyesight. Do not repress the natural urges of the body, i.e, defecation, urination, coughing, sneezing, yawning, belching and passing gas. During a fever, do not eat and observe a ginger tea fast. Rubbing the soles of the feet with sesame oil before bedtime produces a calm, quiet sleep. Application of oil to the head calms the mind and induces sound sleep.

Oil massage promotes circulation and relieves excess vata.

Dont sleep on the belly. Reading in bed will injure the eyesight. Bad breath may indicate constipation, poor digestion, an unhygienic mouth and toxins in the colon. Body odor indicates toxins in the system.

Lying on the back for fifteen minutes (shavasan) calms the mind and relaxes the body.
Dry hair immediately after washing to prevent sinus problems. Blowing the nose forcibly may be injurious to the ears, eyes and nose. Continuous nose picking and scratching the anus may be a sign of worms in the body. Long fingernails may be unhygienic.

Cracking the joints may be injurious to the body (causes vata derangement vata). Repeated masturbation may be injurious to the body (causes vata derangement). It is harmful to have sex during menstruation (causes deranged vata).
After sex, milk heated with raw cashews and raw sugar promotes strength and maintains sexual energy.

Oral and anal sex are unhygienic (causes vata derangement).

Sex immediately after meals is injurious to the body. Avoid physical exertion such as yoga or running during menstruation.

Mental Hygiene

Fear and nervousness dissipate energy and aggravate vata. Possessiveness, greed and attachment enhance kapha. Worry weakens the heart. Hate and anger create toxins in the body and aggravate pitta. Excessive talking dissipates energy and aggravates vata.

Time
Time, like matter, is measurable. The substance of time moves and measurements exist to measure these movements: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. There are also divisions of time within the day: morning, midday, afternoon, evening, midnight and dawn; and of the year into seasons. Like time, the bodily humors are constantly in motion. There is a definite relationship between the movement of the tridosha and the movement or passage of time. The increase or decrease of these three humors in the body is related to the cycles of time. Morning, from sunrise till ten oclock, is a time of kapha. Because of the predominance of kapha humor at this time, one feels energetic and fresh and also a little heavy. At mid-morning, kapha slowly merges into pitta. From ten in the morning till two in the afternoon is the time when pitta is secreted and hunger increases. One feels hungry, light and hot. The afternoon from two oclock until the sun sets is the time of vata when one feels active, light and supple. Early in the evening rom about six oclock until ten is again kapha time, a period of cool air, inertia and little energy. Then from ten at night till two in the morning are the peak hours of pitta when food is digested. Early in the morning before sunrise is again vata time. Breakfast should be eaten early in the morning between about seven and eight oclock. Pitta and vata people should eat breakfast: however, since eating at kapha time will increase kapha in the body. People of kapha constitution should not eat breakfast. The best time to eat lunch is at the beginning of pitta time between ten and eleven in the morning. It is better to eat when the sun is up for the sun is the closest friend of man. Eating late at night will completely change the body chemistry ; sleep will be disturbed and one will have unsetting dreams so that upon awakening one will not feel rested. If dinner is eaten at six oclock, by nine the stomach will be empty and sleep will be sound. If the time of eating is changed so that meals are taken in keeping with the rhythm of the tridosha, a drastic change in ones living habits will occur. Not only the time of day but also the seasons of the year are related to the movements of the tridosha. In the fall, September, October and November, the leaves fall, there is wind and the temperature begins to drop. At this time of year, vata predominates. Winter lasts from December to February. It is a time of clouds, snow and cold temperatures. This weather increases kapha and during this time colds, congestion, cough, bronchitis and pharyngitis or preavalent. Spring, March through May, is the junction between winter and summer. Kapha is aggravated in early spring and pitta in the later part of spring. In early spring, the accumulated kapha of winter is liquefied and slowly dries. The heat of the later spring increases the heat of pitta in the body, encouraging pitta disorders such as summer diarrhea, burning eyes, sunburn, hives, rash, dermatitis and burning feet. It can be demonstrated, therefore, that changes in the time of day and season produce changes in the bodily humors, vata, pitta and kapha . Awareness of these changes helps one to keep in touch with the flow of energy in the external and internal environments.

SUN AND MOON

The concept of time encompasses not only the measurements of the clock and calendar, but also the phases of the moon and the flow of solar energy. All these changes relate to the bodily humors. The sun is related to human awareness or consciousness and the moon to the mind, which creates changes in emotions and mental faculties. The moon is the goddess of water which governs kapha. The moons attributes are: cool, white, slow and dense. These are also attributes of kapha. During the full moon, kapha is aggravated in the body and the water element is stimulated in the external environment. At this time, the water in the ocean swells to create high tides.

Lifestyle and Routine

According to Ayurveda , routine plays a very important role in health . A natural life is a life regulated according to the individual constitution . It is best to have a daily regimen governing all daily actions such as the time one wakes up in the morning and the the time one begins body purifications and meditation. Early in the morning , preferably before sunrise one should wake up , excrete waste products and clean teeth and mouth . Next , one should look at the tongue , eyes , nose and throat and clean them . By examining the tongue , it is possible to detect pathological changes that may be occurring in the respective organs. After this examination, drinking a glass of warm water will help to clean the kidneys and large intestine. To clean the tongue, use a silver scraper. This process will serve to massage the tongue as well as the internal organs that correlate with the different areas of the tongue. One should then massage the body with the oil and take a bath. This will produce a sense of freshness and alertness. After the bath, put on comfortable clothes for exercise and meditation. Breathing exercises also are important in the daily regimen. After exercises, rest comfortably on the back with arms and legs outstretched and breathe from the lower abdomen. Breakfast may follow exercise and meditation. Lunch should be eaten before noon, if possible, and dinner before sunset. It is best to go to bed before ten oclock . This regimen follows the flow of energy within the body and in the external environment. It is necessary at all times to remain aware of that flow in order to get the maximum benefit from your daily routine. Other practices may be added to the routine depending on the individual constitution. For example, an oil massage is suggested in the evening for people of vata constitution. Certain sleeping habits are advisable. Since the left side of a person contains female, or lunar energy and the right side contains male, or solar energy, the position in which one sleeps and breathes has a significant effect on the constitution and the balance of energies in the body. If one always sleeps on the left side, it will suppress the lunar energy and aggravate the solar energy. The aggravation of solar energy may create pitta in the body. So, a person of pitta constitution should sleep on the right side. When one sleeps on the left side, lunar energy is suppressed and solar energy is opened. Sleeping in this position is recommended for vata and kapha types.

Daily Routine

A daily routine is absolutely necessary to bring radical change in body, mind, and consciousness. Routine helps to establish balance in one's constitution. It also regularizes a person's biological clock, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, and generates self-esteem, discipline, peace, happiness, and longevity. 1. Wake Up Early in the Morning It is good to wake up before the sun rises, when there are loving (sattvic) qualities in nature that bring peace of mind and freshness to the senses. Sunrise varies according to the seasons, but on average vata people should get up about 6 a.m., pitta people by 5.30 a.m., and kapha by 4.30 a.m. Right after waking, look at your hands for a few moments, then gently move them over your face and chest down to the waist. This cleans the aura. 2. Say a Prayer before Leaving the Bed "Dear God, you are inside of me, within my very breath, within each bird, each mighty mountain. Your sweet touch reaches everything and I am well protected. Thank you God for this beautiful day before me. May joy, love, peace and compassion be part of my life and all those around me on this day. I am healing and I am healed." After this prayer touch the ground with your right hand, then the same hand to the forehead, with great love and respect to Mother Earth. 3. Clean the Face, Mouth, and Eyes Splash your face with cold water and rinse out your mouth. Wash your eyes with cool water (or one of the eye washes mentioned below) and massage the eyelids by gently rubbing them. Blink your eyes 7 times and rotate your eyes in all directions. Dry your face with a clean towel. Tridoshic eyewash: try triphala eyewash - tsp. in 1 cup water, boil for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Pitta eyewash: use cool water or rose water from organic rose petals - most commercial rose water has chemicals in it that will sting the eyes. Kapha eyewash: try diluted cranberry juice, 3-5 drops in a teaspoon of distilled water. 4. Drink Water in the Morning Then drink one and half litre of room temperature water, preferably from a pure copper cup filled the night before. This washes the GI track, flushes the kidneys, and stimulates peristalsis. It is not a good idea to start the day with tea or coffee, as this drains kidney energy, stresses the adrenals, causes constipation, and is habit-forming. 5. Evacuation Sit, or better squat, on the toilet and have a bowel movement. Improper digestion of the previous night's meal or lack of sound sleep can prevent this. However the water, followed by sitting on the toilet at a set time each day, helps to regulate bowel movements. Alternate nostril breathing may also help. After evacuation wash the anal orifice with warm water, then the hands with soap.

6. Scrape your Tongue Gently scrape the tongue from the back forward, until you have scraped the whole surface for 7-14 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.

7. Clean your Teeth Always use a soft toothbrush and an astringent, pungent, and bitter toothpaste or powder. The traditional Indian toothbrush is a neem stick, which dislodges fine food particles from between teeth and makes strong, healthy gums. Licorice root sticks are also used. Roasted almond shell powder can be used for vata and kapha, and ground neem for pitta. 8. Gargling To strengthen teeth, gums, and jaw, improve the voice and remove wrinkles from cheeks, gargle twice a day with warm sesame oil. Hold the oil in your mouth, swish it around vigorously, then spit it out and gently massage the gums with a finger. 9. Chewing Chewing a handful of 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. After chewing, brush the teeth again without using toothpaste or powder. 10. 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.

11. Oil Drops in the Ears (Karana purana) Conditions such as ringing in the ears, excess ear wax, poor hearing, lockjaw, and TMJ, are all due to vata in the ears. Putting 5 drops of warm sesame oil in each ear can help these disorders. Then give the ears a light dusting with your constitution herb. Wrap it in a few layers of cheesecloth then tap against the ear. Vata: mahanarayan oil, dust with dashamula. Pitta: brahmi oil, dust with sandalwood powder. Kapha: neem oil, dust with vacha powder

12. 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

13. Bathing Bathing is cleansing and refreshing. It removes sweat, dirt, and fatigue, brings energy to the body, clarity to the mind, and holiness to your life. 14. Dressing Wearing clean clothes brings beauty and virtue 15. Use of Perfumes Using natural scents, essential oils, or perfumes brings freshness, charm, and joy. It gives vitality to the body and improves self-esteem. For vata the best scent to use is hina or amber. For pitta try using khus, sandalwood, or jasmine. For kapha use either amber or musk 16. 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 17. 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. 18. Meditation It is important to meditate morning and evening for at least 15 minutes. Meditate in the way you are accustomed, or try the "Empty Bowl Meditation". Meditation brings balance and peace into your life.

19. Now it is time for your breakfast! Your meal should be light in the hot months or if your agni is low, and more substantial in the cold. Enjoy your day!

Wake up Breakfast Lunch Supper Sleep

Typical Daily Schedule for Each Dosha Vata Pitta 6 AM 5:30 AM Before 8 AM 7:30 AM 11 AM to 12 PM 12 PM 6 PM 6 to 7 PM Before 10 PM 10 to 11 PM Sleep on your back Sleep on your right side

Kapha 4:30 AM 7 AM 12 to 1 PM 7 to 8 PM 11 to 12 PM Sleep on your left side

God Bless us all.. Dedicated to Acharya Charaka(ancient Ayurvedic guru)

N.Vishnu Prakash namburivishnuprakash@gmail.com namburivishnuprakash@yahoo.co.u k