As a yoga teacher and ayurveda practitioner, people always ask me, what can I do to have more energy throughout the day?”
The simple answer is “learn to be more cool, calm and composed.” This is something my vedantic teacher always reminds me of, and it is something I continually strive towards.
The second question often is, “well how do I do that?”
The answer to that question is start your day with actions that promote being calm, cool and composed. I involves the practice of Dinacharya.
Dinacharya is a Sanskrit word and an important principle used in Ayurveda. The word essentially means “Daily Wellness Routine”. It is a key component to physical, emotional and mental health.
According to Dr. Vasant Lad, a world renowned ayurvedic physician, creating and maintaining a daily wellness routine is…
“Absolutely necessary to bring radical change in body, mind, and consciousness. Routine helps to establish balance in one’s constitution. It also regularizes a person’s biological clock, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, and generates self-esteem, discipline, peace, happiness, and longevity.”
So how do you start your day with a daily wellness routine that fosters the energy of being calm, cool and composed?
Here are 5 easy actions you can include every morning as part of your daily wellness routine:
1. Wake Up Earlier Each Morning
If possible, wake up before the sun rises, when it is cool and there are sattvic (balancing) qualities in nature that refreshes the senses and creates a calm and peaceful mind.
2. Say the Right Affirmation Before Getting out of Bed
Right after waking, place your right right hand on your heart and your left hand over your right. Then, say a prayer or affirmation that is meaningful to you and finish with “I am Calm, Cool and Composed”. “May all my actions create joy, love and peace for myself and others.”
3. Clean Your Face, Mouth, and Eyes with Cool Water and Mist
Splash and wash your face with cold water and try to keep your eyes open as you do so to rinse out the eyes. Dry your face with a clean towel. Next rinse your mouth out with cold water. Finally, you can mist your face with some rose water which is very cooling, soothing and healing for all ayurveda constitutions.
4. Drink Cool Rose Water in the Morning
Drink a full glass of water that has been infused with rose petals, preferably in a pure copper cup or glass jar filled the night before. This cleanses and cools your whole digestive system including the liver and kidneys. In winter or fall months, you can drink water at room temperature or warm/hot water. Note: It is not a good idea to start the day with tea or coffee, as this depletes kidney energy and can stress the adrenals.
5. Do Cooling Breath Work & Meditation
Start with deep yogic breaths followed by alternate nostril breathing and ending with shitali breaths (curling up your tongue lengthwise and breathing through it like a straw). These breathing techniques will establish the energy of being cool calm and composed. You can also use some cooling and calming essential oils such as jasmine, sandalwood or rose and apply it to your hands or face before your meditation and breath work. You can practice for a few minutes throughout the day as needed.
Namaste
Jai