Ayurvedic Daily Routine

The ayurvedic daily routine is based on the principle that we can achieve a state of inner balance and harmony when we live in balance and harmony with nature.

The quality of our life is greatly affected by our health, and our health is affected by not only what is going on within us, but all around us.

By following an ayurvedic daily routine, one naturally falls in tune with the rhythms and energies of the day, and can achieve a state of harmony and balance physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

What are the doshas?

The ayurvedic daily routine is governed by the three doshas discovered by the ancient rishis (knowers) of India where ayurveda (the science of life) first originated. Doshas (mind-body constitution or personality) make up the energetic constitutions within us, and govern the natural rhythms of nature outside of us.

The doshas are made up of the 5 master elements (space, air, water, and earth) that make up everything within and outside of our bodies.

There are three known types of doshas: pitta, vata, and kapha. Each of these doshas has a different constitution of the 5 elements, that we see in ourselves as a quality of mind-body.

We see the doshas around us governing different rhythms or qualities of the day. These times of day are the rhythms that make up the foundation of the ayurvedic daily routine. During the time of day of a dosha, the qualities of that dosha are more dominant. When our daily routines align with the energetic rhythms of nature, our energy becomes balanced within by living harmoniously.

Ayurvedic Daily Rhythms: Doshic Times of Day

The ayurvedic daily routine provides the greatest advantages and support of nature energetically.

Vata dosha is composed  of air and space elements. Its qualities are cold, rough, It governs the time period from 2 to 6 (2am to 6am and 2pm to 6pm).

Pitta dosha is composed mostly of fire element with some water element. Its qualities are hot, moist, slightly oily, acidic, tense, sharp and light. It governs the time from 10 to 2 (10am to 2pm and 10pm to 2am).

Kapha dosha is composed of the elements earth and water. It governs qualities like sluggish, slow, oily, smooth. It governs the time from 6 to 10 (6am to 10am and 6pm to 10pm).

Ayurvedic Daily Routine:

1. (6am) Wake up close to sunrise, close to the Vata time of day (movement and freshness). If you wake up too late, you will be getting up well into kapha time (sluggish and slow).
2. Oil pull with sesame oil for 15 to 20 minutes (or until the oil becomes a whitish color). (Learn about oil pulling.) This helps to begin the bodies’ cleansing and purification process for the day.
3. Tongue scrape. Using a tongue scraper, remove the layer of white film on the surface of the tongue which are toxins (ama) built up from the night’s healing process. This also assists the body’s cleansing.
4. Have a cup of hot water to assist with daily elimination. Have an herbal tea or ginger tea to assist like Shaktiveda Cleanse Within.
5. Self-oil massage and warm shower. (Learn “Self-Abhy” the self-oil massage)
6. (7am) Practice yoga and/or meditation. (Learn to meditate)
7. (8am) Journaling or light reading
8. (8:30am) Have a light breakfast fruit, hot rice cereal or warm smoothie.
9. (9am) Work or perform usual activities. The pitta time for activity and accomplishing things is high at this time.
10. (12:30pm) Lunch should be during the pitta time of day when agni (digestive fire) is best. This should be the main meal of the day with the largest amount of food, main protein and fat source.
11. (5pm) After the day’s activity, transition into a more quiet nature by having a soothing cup of tea, or practicing meditation or yoga. These will be balancing to vata dosha which when out of balance feels stress.
12. (6:30pm) Warm, well-cooked and light dinner for kapha time of the day. Best before 7pm to be at least three hours before going to bed.
13. (8pm) Unwind from the day. Perform quiet activities like baths, reading, restorative yoga poses, or have a soothing cup of Calm Within tea. Avoid watching TV or being talkative or doing activating things that will wind you up again.
14. (10pm) Bedtime. Early enough to allow time for processing of emotions and the day. Also, if you stay up too late, you enter into the Pitta time of night, which is likely to waken you back up or disrupt sleep later in the night.

Click here to print a copy of the Ayurvedic Daily Routine (also left). Place it on your refrigerator, desk, bedroom wall, or bathroom mirror.

Contact Inner Path to learn more about the right diet and routine for your dosha, or for ayurvedic cleansing and weight loss support.