A great start to the morning with Ayurveda

How to start a healthy and successful day? What does Ayurveda say about the best time to get up? The answers to these questions and much more are in this article.

Ayurveda has taught for thousands of years that the different cycles of nature (e.g. day/night, seasons, life phases) affect our body and mind, and it also teaches how we can use these rhythms. The classical Ayurvedic literature describes detailed procedures to support health and youthfulness through our daily routine, or Dinacharya.

We offer you the best Ayurveda tips for your morning routine.

You may be wondering how you can incorporate so many things in a modern lifestyle, in which you perhaps have to prepare breakfast for the kids and do many other things before you get to work.

Just start with the tips that you can easily implement, and build up slowly. Enjoy a new level of wellbeing and a healthy feeling of balance.

The ideal time to get up

Ayurveda recommends getting up before 6:00 am (ideally), during the morning Vata period, and going to bed before 22:00 pm during the evening Kapha period.

Ayurveda morning routine: fresh and relaxed into the day

After getting up, brush your teeth and clean your tongue. This removes toxins and bacteria that accumulated overnight, so they don’t go back into the body.

To activate digestion, you can enjoy a glass of room temperature water, and then empty the bladder and bowels.

Now get the circulation going! Light physical exercise such as a brisk walk or ‘sun salutation’ (Surya Namaskar) are ideal pick-me-ups.

Then back into the bathroom for an Ayurvedic oil massage (Abhyanga) and ‘oil pulling’ (Gandusha). You can apply the massage oil first, and while it is soaking in do Gandusha.

Abhyanga

An Ayurvedic self-massage is gentle but profound, and is easy to perform. You feel ‘protected’ all day, and completely comfortable in your skin.

Try it out! Instructions can be found here.

Kapha types are advised to do a Garshan massage (dry massage with raw silk gloves) instead of, or before Abhyanga.

Gandusha or ‘oil pulling’

For Gandusha use ripened sesame oil (1 to 2 tablespoons). Suck the oil back and forth in the mouth and gargle slightly until it is frothy. Then spit it into a container (not down the drain). The Ayurvedic texts praise Gandusha as an effective means for strengthening voice, jaw, taste perception and protection against tooth decay.

Bath or shower, shaving and nail-care finish the morning hygiene routine.

If you practise yoga and meditation, now is the time to enjoy this quiet appointment with yourself.

What to wear? The Ayurvedic texts recommend ‘Clean and comfortable clothing suitable to the season and your activities’.

A light breakfast is optional, and then plunge into a power day!

By the way, with a little practice what looks quite long and detailed here becomes an enrichment for every day.

We wish you a great start to your day,
Your Maharishi Ayurveda Team