Well-being in Ayurveda begins with small, consistent acts of self care each day. Beginning the morning with ritual is so important because it sets the tone for the rest of the day and keeps the body in balance. Within just a few days of doing this morning routine consistently, you will feel a difference in your clarity, focus, and energy levels throughout the day.
This morning routine can be adjusted based on your specific imbalances. If you’re feeling like you need a little extra energy, add in a quick dry brush session, or if you’re running low on time, just pick a few of the items on the list to add to your routine. These small daily changes make a huge difference.
- Set the tone. Begin your day with a moment of intention, focus, prayer, or gratitude. Before you even open your eyes in the morning, think about your intention for the day. If you have the time, extend this into a longer 20-minute meditation. Martha loves practicing Transcendental Meditation twice a day, but any amount of time is helpful.
- Scrape your tongue. As soon as you get out of bed, before even taking a sip of water, scrape your tongue gently from the back of your tongue to the front. While you sleep, your body excretes a lot of toxic buildup through your tongue and bacteria gathers in your mouth. Tongue scraping ensures that you’re not re-absorbing what your body is trying to get rid of.
- Oil Pull. Place about one tablespoon of our Herbalized Pulling Oil (plain coconut or sesame oil can be used as well) in your mouth. Swish it around and pull through your teeth for 10-15 minutes. Spit out the oil and brush your teeth and tongue. Oil pulling is so good for your oral health and getting rid of bacteria and pulling oil-soluble contaminants out of the mouth.
- Give yourself a quick self-abhyanga. Using warm, herbalized sesame oil (check out our dosha-balancing versions crafted to calm, cool, or energize). If you’d like your own custom herbalized oil, schedule a consult and we’ll make one just for you. Use circular strokes around the joints, long strokes on other areas, always working towards your heart.
- Re-mineralize and hydrate. Jump-start digestion and hydrate your cells with a glass of warm water with lemon and a teaspoon of trace minerals (our favorite is the Blue Ocean Minerals brand). The trace minerals help with nutrient absorbtion and hydration.
- Eat a nourishing breakfast. Begin the day with an easily digestible, nourishing breakfast such as our Rice Cereal or a couple slices of Surya Bread with ghee or almond butter. In Ayurveda, having healthy digestion is a crucial foundation for overall well-being. Eating a warm and satisfying yet light breakfast stokes your digestive fire, known as Agni. To further support your agni, have a couple tablets of triphala before your meals or sip on our Coriander Cumin Fennel Tea between meals.
Try comitting to this routine every day for a week. You’ll likely notice a palpable shift in your mood, energy, and overall well-being even in that short time. Getting into the groove of a consistent morning routine can be challenging, but it really is worth the extra effort— and once you’re in the habit, you’ll start to crave these practices and really feel off when you don’t do them. If you’d like a more individualized routine crafted for your specific health goals, we’re here to support you. Schedule a consult with Martha.