Let's Talk: Dinacharya 

Do you guys know regular lifestyle aka daily routine (Dinacharya) is one of the most effective tool you can adopt when it comes to mind, body, and spirit connection? Since I am going to be 40 soon, I felt this is the most appropriate article I can write about it. 

My mom and maternal grandma were the first on to introduce me gently to Ayurvedic lifestyle. They taught me an importance of doing a number of things—like eating, sleeping, and working—and establishing some sort of time to do that! 

In general, this daily routine provides great health, and sense of self joy into our life. By adopting daily routines, you are inviting grounding and nurturing things in to your life, that you can do to yourself without spending single dime. Specially in Ayurvedic lifestyle, a daily routine which we call it Dinacharya (in sanskrit) is not about following same set of habits everyone.

Some habits or rituals are not fitted for your lifestyle, can be well-fitted for other. Good thing about Ayurvedic Dinacharya that, general template can and should be adopted in person's day-to-day life while individual dosha and constitution needs to observed properly. 

With this blogpost, I wanted to start developing some template and resources which will help you all`in adopting non-toxic, ayurvedic lifestyle hacks without going crazy on yourself. I have organized this Dinacharya templates more in terms of dosha.

Main goal to develop this Dinacharya schedule so that your dosha imbalances can be avoided. So, first starting point is usually to figure out your state of balance (if you don't know your dosa, take our Ayurveda quiz and find out your dosha). 

So, let's get more deeper into

Dinacharya Meaning

Dinacharya, an ancient Sanskrit term translating to "daily routine," encapsulates a comprehensive set of rituals and practices designed to harmonize mind, body, and spirit. Rooted in the wisdom of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, Dinacharya offers a structured framework for nurturing holistic well-being.

The importance of Dinacharya lies in its profound ability to cultivate balance and vitality in our daily lives. In a world marked by constant stimulation and rapid change, adhering to a consistent daily routine provides a sense of stability and grounding.

By integrating mindful practices into our daily activities, we can enhance physical health, mental clarity, emotional resilience, and spiritual connection.

Dinacharya serves as a powerful tool for self-care and self-awareness, empowering individuals to cultivate a deeper understanding of their own unique needs and rhythms.

Through regularity and discipline in our daily routines, we can optimize our energy levels, improve digestion, enhance immunity, promote restful sleep, and foster a sense of inner peace and harmony.

So first and formore step is to find out Dosha/constitution, once you know your constitution, you can select the corresponding daily routines and apply it slowly and firmly.

I recommend that the process of finding out Dosha needs to be done multiple times in a year, as weather changes can affect your body constitutions. 

Here is the overall template of Ayurvedic Template: 

MORNING ROUTINE

• Waking up same time every single day - by waking up same time every single day will make your body and mind into natural clock. In this way, you will develop a rhythm on waking up daily. ies.

• Scrape Tongue:Tongue scraping is an important self-care ritual that can help to improve your digestion and eliminate toxins from the body. Tongue scraping is a simple process that involves using a special tool to scrape the surface of your tongue. This helps to remove bacteria, food particles, and other toxins that can build up on the tongue. Tongue scraping should be done first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth or eat breakfast.Favor warm, cooked meals, in accordance with the doshas you want to balance and the season. • Focus on eating without any distractions. 

• Brush Teeth: Try Tooth Powder or Datoon aka Neem Stick.

• Drink Warm Lime/Lemon Water: Drinking a glass warm lime/lemon water cleanses and awakens the digestive tract, develop alklin liver, and encourages a bowel movement.

• Oil Pull: Swishing and gargling with Daily Swish helps strengthen the teeth, gums, jaw, and voice, while improving the sense of taste. Swish it in your mouth for anywhere from 5–20 minutes.

 DAYTIME ROUTINE

• Body Massage/Abhyagna: One of the most important aspects of dinacharya is self-massage, or abhyanga. Abhyanga is a Ayurvedic practice that involves massaging the body with oil. This helps to improve circulation, detoxify the body, and calm the nervous system. Although you can do abhyanga on your own, it's best to receive it from a trained professional.

• Dry Brushing: Another important self-care ritual is dry brushing. Dry brushing is an excellent way to exfoliate the skin and promote lymphatic drainage.                                     It's also a great way to stimulate circulation and release toxins from the body. To dry brush correctly, use a natural bristle brush and start at your feet, moving up your legs in long strokes. Brush your arms in the same way, starting at the hands and moving up to the shoulders. Be sure to brush gently, as you don't want to irritate your skin.
• Favor warm, cooked meals, in accordance with the doshas.
• Focus on eating without any distractions.
• Nasya Oil/Ear Oil Treatments: Place a few drops of Nasya Oil in the nose and ear oil to lubricate your senes. 

NIGHT TIME ROUTINE

• Before going to bed, take Triphala. Triphala is tridoshic which contains properties of cleanse and detoxifying. Triphala has tendency to support healthy elimination upon waking in the morning.
• Sleep atleast 8 hours  and maintain same schedule.
• Warm bath or a glass of milk with nutmeg for sound sleep. 

Now we know, overall template of Ayurvedic lifestyle, how about we look into more tailored approach. 

Let's explore how Dinacharya is tailored to each dosha:

1. Vata Dinacharya: Vata dosha, governed by the elements of air and ether, is characterized by qualities such as mobility, dryness, and lightness. Vata individuals tend to be creative, enthusiastic, but may also experience fluctuations in energy and mood.                                                                                    A Vata-centric Dinacharya emphasizes grounding practices to counterbalance these tendencies. This may include regularity in daily routines, warm and nourishing meals, gentle exercise like yoga or walking, and sufficient rest.

2. Pitta Dinacharya: Pitta dosha, influenced by the elements of fire and water, embodies qualities of intensity, sharpness, and transformation. Pitta individuals are often driven, focused, but may also be prone to excess heat and inflammation. Dinacharya for Pitta types focuses on cooling and calming practices to maintain equilibrium. This may involve adopting a cooling diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, engaging in moderate exercise like swimming or cycling, practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques, and ensuring a balanced work-rest schedule.

3. Kapha Dinacharya: Kapha dosha, governed by the elements of water and earth, manifests as stability, nourishment, and endurance. Kapha individuals are typically steady, nurturing, but may struggle with sluggishness and congestion. Dinacharya for Kapha types aims to invigorate and stimulate to counteract these tendencies.                                                     This could involve incorporating invigorating activities like brisk walking or dancing, consuming light and warming foods, maintaining a consistent exercise routine, and incorporating stimulating herbs and spices into meals.

In future, I am also planning to develop dinacharya for Pitta/Vata. Pitta/Kapha, and Kapha/Pitta Dinacharya.