Monday Memo: A Balanced Routine

chaplainscollege

About ten years ago, I read a book that changed my life. I know, that sounds so dramatic doesn't it? But it's true - it changed the way I look at health. I set off to find every book I could find on the subject of Ayurveda and recently completed the Ayurveda Counselor program. Every class was so inspiring but I was pregnant during the whole program so by the time the classes were complete I had a newborn on my hands and wasn't able to fully practice all that I had learned. Fast forward two years - now I have another newborn (ok, he's 7 months, but that's still newish, right?) and a toddler, which doesn't lend itself to very much free time or any time really to fully take care of myself. So I find little ways to balance my days. Here is a typical dinacharya or ayurvedic and yogic daily routine. I have bolded the parts that I am able to do everyday - with the goal in mind to complete them all...some day.

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Morning 5:30 - 8 AM
1. Arise early in the morning, preferably 30 minutes before sunrise. (not that it's my choice)
2. Evacuate bowels and bladder.
3. Clean and brush teeth.
4. Clean or scrape the tongue with a tongue scraper.
5. Clean the eyes by sprinkling with cold water.
6. Drink a glass of clean water at room temp with a teaspoon of honey and lemon juice. (I drink hot water with ghee, sesame oil and honey)
7. Perform a warm sesame oil massage to head, body and soles of feet. (I just do my feet)
8. Brief warm-up exercises, stretches, yoga or 5 -1 sun salutations for 10 -12 minutes
9. Bath or warm shower. (somedays)
10. Wear clean and comfortable dress suitable to season and activity.
11. Pranayama
12. Meditation
13. Breakfast consisting of balanced foods
14. Work or study

Evening 6 - 7 PM
1. Physical exercises for 20-30 minutes.
2. Leave an interval of 20-30 minutes between exercise and dinner.
3. Dinner consisting of balanced foods
4. Brief walk for 15-20 minutes
5. Relaxing and recreational activity
6. Early to bed 9:30-10 PM

I also massage my feet with sesame oil before going to bed. It helps my raging vata. I try to do the neti pot  every morning but most often than not, I get interrupted by urgent needs for snuggle time or breakfast or what-not and then the task gets swept behind the chaos. I'll share my recipes for homemade Ayurvedic beauty products in a future post...