Discover the Principles and Practices of Ayurvedic Dinacharya for Optimal Health and Well-being
Imagine waking up every morning feeling energized, refreshed, and ready to tackle the day ahead. Your body is in harmony with the natural rhythms of the day and the seasons, and your mind is clear and focused. This may seem like a far-fetched dream, but it can become a reality with the practice of Ayurvedic Dinacharya.
Dinacharya (Sanskrit: दिनचर्या), as the name suggests, is a daily regimen – that is based on the principles of Ayurveda, – to maintain health and prevent disease. Ayurvedic Dinacharya involves a set of practices that are designed to align the body with the natural rhythms of the day and the seasons.
According to Ayurveda, every individual is unique, and their daily routine should be tailored to their specific needs and dosha balance. A well-planned Dinacharya can help maintain the balance of the three doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – and promote overall well-being. In this blog, we will explore what Ayurvedic Dinacharya is? and how it can benefit your health.
Dinacharya – Daily Routine as per Ayurveda
A typical Ayurvedic Dinacharya begins from the time you wake up. Our body follows the circadian cycle, and so do the doshas in the body. Mornings (6 am -10 am) are dominated by Kapha dosha, followed by Pitta dosha between 10 am to 2 pm, Vata dominates from 2 pm to 6 pm, and the same cycle of dosha dominance continues at night. Considering these natural diurnal variations, Ayurveda smartly incorporates activities that will neutralize or balance the alleviated doshas and maintain the state of health.
Dinacharya includes various practices –
Waking up –
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of waking up early before sunrise to caress health
Shoucha vidhi –
Attending natural urges, especially urine and motions are important, this should be followed by oral hygiene
Dantadhawan (Brushing) –
Kinds of toothpaste or dantamanjan used for oral hygiene pacifies and cleanse the excess Kapha and refresh the mouth
Oral Practices –
Practices like Kawal (gargles), Gandush (oil pulling), and Dhoompan (medicated smoke inhalation) are recommended for oral hygiene during the Kapha period. These practices cleanse the excess Kapha, balance it, and strengthen the teeth and gums
Anjan and Nasya –
The incorporation of practices like Anjan and Nasya balances the doshas in the eyes and nasal cavity respectively
Abhyanga –
Similarly, to balance the Vata dosha in the body, Abhyanga or oil massage is recommended on a daily basis, especially on the head, feet, and ears
Exercise –
Exercise is an important part of the daily chore, to strengthen the body, kindle digestive fire i.e., Agni, and promote digestion
Snan –
Bathing and Udavartan (body scrubbing) are body cleansing practices. The use of the right temperature of the water on the head and body, daily and according to season, time of bathing, etc is essential
Aahar –
Food eating habits, type of food and its Rasa (tastes), cooking methods, time and duration of eating food everything matters when it comes to health. Ayurveda explains the food ritual, known as Aahar vidhi visheshaytan
Healthy Dinacharya –
The Daily chores, work, travel, and finally Sleep, their time and duration as per age, all come under Dinacharya. Healthy Dinacharya helps to achieve dosha balance, physical and mental health, and longevity
Thus intending to maintain Swasthya and prevent Vyadhi, as mentioned in shlok “Swasthasya swasthya rakshanam,aaturasya vikaar prashamanam cha”, Ayurveda has explained all these Charya in detail, their benefits and the associated Dos and Don’ts. we shall know in detail all these Charya individually in upcoming blogs with the proper methods and their benefits. Till then …
