Five Simple Ayurvedic Practices (that changed my life for the better)
a person sitting in meditation facing the sun and mountains in the background
Like yoga, learning the principles of Ayurveda have changed my life for the better. However, there are a few Ayurvedic habits that have made the biggest impact on my daily life. Some of them may see difficult, but trust me when I say these are the ones that are worth it.
Move and meditate in the morning. When we first get up, we need movement to wake up and get the energy flowing. We also need movement to prepare the body before trying to sit for meditation. Movement can look different for everybody, and my movement practice changes periodically based on my body’s needs. I recommend starting with range of motion movement through all the major joints in the body. You can always add on a walk, a yoga practice, or even strengthening exercises. After movement, spend some time sitting in silence. You can watch your breath, watch your thoughts, watch a candle flame. Almost anything can serve as a focal point. If you have trouble with losing your focus, try a guided meditation practice instead.
Eat an earlier, lighter dinner. Just like it sounds, an earlier, lighter dinner means being finished eating at least 3 hours before bedtime, and eating a smaller dinner. I usually use a salad plate at dinner to make sure I don’t eat too much. Digestion is slower by dinner time, so eating less will ensure you are done digesting before sleeping. This is a key component to health according to Ayurveda.
Be asleep by 10pm, and awake by 6am. The timing of our daily cycles has to do with the predominant energy shifting throughout the day. If we follow the Ayurvedic clock, we need to be asleep during the Kapha time of the day (6-10 am/pm). Kapha with its grounding, heavy energy makes it easier to fall asleep. Past ten, we move into Pitta time (10am/pm -2am/pm), and its fiery energy makes it more difficult to sleep. Similarly, we want to wake up before Kapha in the morning, because it makes it easier to wake up. Waking up during Kapha time tends to make us feel more sluggish.
Eat seasonally. Nature always tells us what we should be eating to support balance. A trip to the Farmer’s Market or simply being aware of what is seasonally available, ensures our diet has the best ingredients for our health. As we approach fall, we eat more apples and pumpkin. Cruciferous vegetables start to come back in as do greens. All of these can help us feed the body for the change of season.
Practice daily self-massage. The Ayurvedic practice of Abhyanga is self-massage with oil. The type of oil we use is based on our constitution (or dosha). Sesame is best for Vata and Kapha, Coconut for Pitta, and Sunflower is considered tri-doshic (good for all doshas.) The oils are great for soothing the nervous system, and the massage helps to bring consciousness into your whole body. Plus, it’s nourishing for your skin, especially since we become drier with age. There are also massage oils with herbs specifically designed to help soothe your dosha. I recommend the ones from Banyan Botanicals.