The concept of living a life closer to nature is an ancient one that has been described as Dincharya in the ancient texts of Ayurveda. if you follow a particular daily routine or Dincharya (sanskrit) that is in tune with nature, you are likely to live longer, healthier and happier. Irrespective of what your background or medical history is, once this lifestyle is integrated into your way of living, over time, you will experience the difference in the amount of energy and enthusiasm that you feel all through the day, adding tremendously to your productivity.  Living a disciplined life which is aligned with the natural rhythm can bring physical flexibility and spiritual depth in equal measure.

A Dincharya is what makes for a harmonious and balanced living, where all your mental and physiological processes are aligned with nature and are at their pinkest health. According to Ayurveda, a day has two cycles- daylight and night cycle and each cycle is dominated by Tridoshas in various phases.

Tridoshas (Vatta, Pitta and Kapha) are bio elements that govern all physical and mental processes in us, made up of the Panchmahabhutas or the five great elements- air, water, fire, earth, space and ether. The constitution of these doshas in us gives each of us distinct individuality in terms of how we behave externally and internal functions too.  According to Ayurveda, our activities should be aligned with whichever Dosha is dominant at a given point of time. This is to avoid imbalance in the Doshas in the body which can lead to disorders and ailments over time.

The Dosha Cycle from 6 AM to 6 PM or Dina (Day time)

6 am to 10 am – Kapha dominates

10 am to 2 pm – Pitta dominates

2 pm to 6 pm – Vata dominates

Dosha cycle from 6 PM to 6 AM or Ratri (Night time)

6 pm to 10 pm – Kapha dominates

10 pm to 2 am – Pitta dominates

2 am to 6 am – Vata dominates

Early Morning

1) Wake up by Brahma Muhurta

About hour and a half before the sun rises, this time is called Brahma Muhurta. This Sattvic phase which is dominated by Vata Dosha is the freshest and most peaceful time in the day. This time is appropriate for studying, meditations, doing Yoga or prayer.

2) Drink some warm water

3) Finish your bowl ritual after drinking water. If you go to the washroom any later, it could lead to accumulation of Ama or toxins.

4) Wash your eyes with Triphala extract.

5) To clean the nasal channels, Jal Neti with lukewarm and slightly saline water is strongly recommended. It is good for those who have Sinusitis. It also improves your eye sight. The practice must be learned from an expert.

6) Scraping the tongue after brushing the teeth. This helps remove Ama deposits.

7) Oil Massage before the shower is important to relax the body muscles and keep the skin supple and moist all day. It rebalances the Vata in the body, keeps premature aging at bay and keeps the joints healthy and flexible.

Morning

8) Yoga

• A) Begin with Sudarshan Kriya, a rhythmic breathing technique that removes stressful toxins from each cell of your body, leaving you feeling clear, calm and highly energized. It is very helpful in balancing the Doshas.
• B) A few must-do Yogasanas

• Sukshma Yoga
• Surya Namaskar
• Hastottanasana
• Uttita Trikonasana
• Veerbhadrasana
• Poorvattanasan
• Ardhmatsyendasana
• Titliasana/ Badhkonasana

Pawanmuktasana

• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
• Viparita Karani/ sarvangasana
• Chaturanga Dandasana
• Shalabhasana
• Bhujangasana
• Shavasana
• Nadi Shodhan Pranayam

C) Meditate for 15-20 minutes. Just practicing Yoga poses without following it up with a relaxation technique is like smelling the food and not eating it. Relaxation should follow Yogasanas. Meditation gives the deepest rest to your being and brings clarity, just what you need to grab the day that awaits you. Clarity, enthusiasm, alertness, energy and a sense of happiness are but just a few benefits of meditating regularly. On a side note, according to Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, meditation practices work towards bringing your intentions and ideas to reality. It gives you the intuitive abilities to make the right decisions.  

9) Its breakfast time-A meal unmissable. Do not skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast could lead to gaining body weight.

10) Working with awareness- Go about your work and try to spend the day with awareness. Each step you take and each morsel of food you eat and each word you utter, become aware of the action and stillness in you and experience the heightened state of being.

Afternoon

11) Let the lunch be a heavy meal. Lunch should be between 12 PM and 2 PM when the digestive fire or Jattaragni is the strongest. According to Ayurveda, some walking after a lunch meal is helpful. It strongly suggests against afternoon siestas, except during summer.

Evening

12) Meditation to bring in the sunset. Both the twilight times, are rich in Sattva and therefore are very appropriate for meditation or spiritual practices. After a day’s activity, this time of the day provides for natural silence. All you need to do is, tune in with a nice meditation.

13) Go light on the dinner which you should have between 6PM  and 7 PM. Do not have late dinner, especially after 10 PM. During this time, Kapha kicks in and digestion is extremely slow. Do not go to bed at least 2 hours after supper.

Night

14) Sleep before 10 PM, It is ideal to hit the bed before 10 Pm during the Kapha phase when the body is heavy and tired. After then, Pitta is active and all the cleansing and detoxification processes of the body are happening around this time. If you are awake during this time, you take away from the life force which is drives these involuntary functions this time of the night.

Sleeping on the right side is good for a sound sleep but if you must sleep on a full stomach, then sleeping on the left side is better. Though 8 hours of sleep gives you good rest, if you meditate regularly this need is reduced to 5-6 hours.