If I had to choose the most important chapter in this book, I would pick this one without hesitation. The reason is: if you read no other chapter but this one, you will have learned how to “do” Ayurveda. Regardless of your dosha type, prakriti or vikriti, you can follow the advice here to achieve that elusive thing — balance — in your life with the utmost ease.
Let me start by telling you about a man I used to know — a man who lived a life very close to the Ayurvedic ideal.
As children, we often spent the summer vacation with our grandparents, who lived in a lovely little earth-scented village. Every night, I would resolve to watch the dawn, which Grandpa told me was breathtaking against the cornstalks. I am ashamed to say that I always woke up long after the roosters had finished crowing. By that time, the sun would be high in the sky, and Grandpa hard at work in the fields.
It is about Grandpa that I want to tell you.
My grandfather never popped a pill. At the ripe young age of eighty-seven, he rose daily under a still-inky sky. Be it January or July, he bathed under a gushing tap of ice-cold water in the verandah, wearing only a muslin loincloth. He chewed on a twig from a neem tree to clean his teeth and strengthen his gums. After his ablutions, he would do yoga exercises. Village folk looked up to him — quite literally, for he was tall and strong, with a booming voice.
Grandma complemented her husband’s energy perfectly. By the time he was ready for breakfast, at about 7:00 A.M., she would be bathed and ready, too — with a hearty meal of fresh griddle bread and hot vegetable curry, laden with dollops of homemade ghee.
No one was surprised when, one night, Grandpa and Grandma fought off and captured three robbers who broke into their farmhouse. Vaidyas would give the credit to my grandparents’ dincharya (din: “day,” charya: “to follow”), or daily routine, which moved in perfect rhythm with nature’s own clock.
How punctually the sun tiptoes up, then shines boldly overhead, and finally climbs down the sky. How unfailingly the birds twitter out of their nests, gather food all day, and slip back home as dusk falls. Of course these eternal rhythms are wondrous in themselves, but they can take on new meaning if you stop to think about them in the context of your own life.
Think about it. Given a choice, your body would follow a similar rhythm. Your lungs would love to fill up with the fresh morning air. Your stomach would welcome a complete meal at noon, when both appetite and digestive power are at their peak. After an early dinner, your mind and body would like to settle down for the night.
But, alas, we don’t often allow ourselves such luxuries. When the sun sets, we surround ourselves with bright indoor lights. When the mind asks to rest, we force it to watch a late-night film. Lunch is often a cold, hurried affair — grabbed between meetings.
I happened to point this out to a friend who had been “grabbing” lunch for five years. She saw red. “Tell me something,” she demanded, “what does Ayurveda expect you to do? Not attend meetings, not earn a living? This is not France, where everything shuts down at lunchtime!” I refrained from pointing out to her that their leisurely lunch could be a major reason why the French suffer fewer heart attacks — even though they eat four times more butter — than Americans do.
But then I do understand what she means. Right now, when life is a daily struggle to take in a full breath — let alone a fresh meal — it does seem a little unreasonable to work at changing a whole lifestyle. But then that is why I admire Ayurveda so much; it never asks you to wipe your slate clean and begin afresh. Being the user-friendly system of healing that it is, Ayurveda asks you to introduce change slowly and comfortably until your healthy new habits weave themselves into your daily routine.
There are two good reasons why the vaidya does not want you to rush into lifestyle changes. First, forced change is like a crash diet or a sudden storm; it won’t last. Second, compelling yourself to adjust to a new routine, even if it’s beneficial to you, is in itself a source of stress to the mind — and stress of any kind is against Ayurvedic principles.
Therefore, Ayurveda invites you to discover your healthier self, step by baby step.
Delicious! That’s the word I would use to describe the ideal Ayurvedic routine, which is built not to suit other people — clients, boss, friends, spouse, child — but to please the one person who matters most in your life: YOU. This, to me, is its unique selling point.
Going back to Grandfather’s daily routine, let us admit that he was able to follow it because he lived so close to nature. Had he been a big-city executive, his appointment book might have looked something like this:
9:00 Board meeting
11:00 Briefing/teleconference
1:00 Luncheon meeting
2:00 Discussions with delegates
5:00 Addressing press conference
7:00 Rotary Club speech
An admirer of success is sure to see in this diary an enviable lifestyle. A vaidya would see in it an arduous one, guaranteed to produce tons of disorder-causing ama. Everything in this person’s day obviously revolves around other people, and that is not just because he or she is such a busy executive. Whatever your profession or situation, your lifestyle is probably not tailor-made for you.
When I was a television journalist in India, for instance, I did not even have a fixed schedule. I would have given anything to have one! News of a raging fire or a sudden political crisis meant that I went without a bath, breakfast, lunch — sometimes dinner, too.
Even today, when I have a more relaxed job, my weekends are seldom my own. They start with making breakfast for the family and end with making lunch for Monday. In between, I clean the bathrooms, make beds, and shop for groceries. Any time that I want purely for myself, I have to steal. I am sure I am echoing a story everyone has heard.
The question I am asking here is, What space or time do you and I keep in our day for an appointment with ourselves? As far as Ayurveda is concerned, this is a question of supreme importance, and the answer should ideally be: All day! This is, of course, not to say that we should shrink into ourselves and forget about everyone and everything else. The logic of the vaidya is: only when you are centered in yourself can you establish a truly meaningful relationship with the world.
Think about it, and the meaning of this plain statement will shine clearly before you. When you wake up groggy and rush out of the house without breakfast, you cannot expect to give your best to the meeting in progress. With your nerves stretched like ropes inside your head, you cannot hope to spread cheer among friends and family.
The solution, as I said, is delicious.
How about acting as your own personal secretary and rescheduling your appointment book not by your wrist-watch but by nature’s clock?
That is, what if your daily planner looked like this?
The light-and-swift vata dosha dominates the early morning hours, making it an ideal time for you to start your day. Arise early, ideally by 6:00 or before the sun rises. At this glorious hour, all of nature is waking up — the sun, the birds, the flowers. The air is fresh and calm. Your body and mind are rested and ready for renewal. Your organs of elimination are ready to shed yesterday’s waste. There is in this hour a purity, a godliness in nature that your spirit will love.
Before you leave your bed, take a few moments to think sunny thoughts about the day that stretches ahead. I am reminded here of the words of English writer Monica Baldwin: “The moment when you first wake up in the morning, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn’t, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there.”
If you have a baby who keeps you awake through the night, or young kids who demand all of your attention in the morning, you could try to get your kids in bed early. That way, you might soon develop a rhythm of waking up half an hour before they do. It will give you peace and quiet for thirty minutes, as well as a head start on your day.
If you work night shifts, however, you might want to sleep through the morning — and that would be perfectly justified. Also, vaidyas recommend drinking plenty of water if you have been working in the late-night pitta hours; this keeps digestion smooth.
Whatever you do, don’t push yourself into an early-rising routine; that will only be an additional strain, and the point of Ayurveda is not to strain you in any way.
Pay attention to those small ablutions; they are big on health benefits. Wash your face. Clean your eyes, nose, and mouth. Stick out your tongue and look at it in the mirror. Is it coated with white? That’s a visible sign of ama, or undigested toxic matter. If it stays there, your breath will feel stale and your taste buds will be unable to do their job. Scrape your tongue with a specially designed silver or stainless steel scraper, called a tongue cleaner or tongue scraper (see resources for buying information), working back to front six or seven times. Feel your breath freshen instantly. According to vaidyas, this scraping action also ignites the body’s engine, so to speak, preparing it to perform its daily job of respiration, circulation, digestion, and elimination more efficiently.
Drink a full of glass of warm water. This will get your kidneys and bowels ready for evacuation. If a rushed routine has you accustomed to an irregular bowel movement, don’t try to get it back to regularity in a hurry. Reestablishing the morning rhythm will take time. Five minutes after you drink warm water, try to have a bowel movement. If it does not happen, don’t worry; within the next few days, you will probably be able to regularize this vital part of your healthy routine.
Early morning being vata time, your skin tends to be dry. Give it moisture and suppleness by massaging in a good-quality Ayurvedic oil; cold-pressed, chemical-free, organic sesame oil works best. If you are new to self-massage, you only have to try it once to understand its benefits. I know of no other therapy that can so quickly both fill you with energy and make you feel totally rested. Massage accomplishes this by boosting your circulation while simultaneously calming your nervous system.
Ayurvedic healers have prepared a step-by-step massage technique, designed to give you the maximum benefit from this morning routine. You will find this complete technique in chapter 10.
Long before exercise became a modern mantra, Ayurveda’s founding father, Sage Charaka, was singing generous praises of it. He lauded its capacity to burn ama, restore “flow” to the body’s essential channels, strengthen the mind, and even delay aging. Daily exercise has, therefore, always been a vital part of the ideal Ayurvedic routine.
But, vaidyas caution, there is such a thing as too much exercise. People who fight too hard to be fit defy one of the most basic Ayurvedic rules: moderation in everything. The result? Instead of feeling energized, they feel exhausted. And by stretching their muscles too far, they disturb their overall balance instead of restoring it.
So let your rule of thumb be to spend only half of your available energy reserve at one time. There is no calculator or monitor that can tell you when you’ve used up 50 percent of your reserve, but your body will give you signals. If you can keep up conversation while walking, feel light and lively after your workout, and enjoy your game of tennis, your body is happy. But if you’re sweating profusely, breathing through your mouth, and starting to feel exhausted, it is time to stop. It’s really that simple.
Before breakfast is the ideal time to get your morning exercise. Some forms of exercise, such as a brisk twenty-minute walk and simple yoga asanas, balance all three doshas and are considered ideal.
“Never leave home on an empty stomach.” Grandmothers in India have said this for so many generations that it has taken on the status of folklore. When you read about Ayurveda, you come to understand the reason for the Indian grandmothers’ insistence on breakfast.
After it has been awakened and cleansed, the human body needs to be nourished. If you deprive it of that nutrition, it will produce acid and make you feel uncomfortable. Come noon, the digestive fire will rise, adding to the acid levels and making you feel uncomfortable. In addition, missing out on breakfast disturbs sadhaka pitta, the subdosha that looks after emotions — particularly the feelings of comfort and contentment. If you miss breakfast regularly, you will eventually disturb the balance of all three doshas.
But the good news is that you can restore that lost balance quite easily if you work your way back to a good morning meal. As with everything else, go slowly in breaking the no-breakfast habit. Start with a fresh fruit or vegetable juice and gradually get your stomach accustomed to such foods as almonds or raisins soaked overnight in water, warm bread with honey, cooked cereal, and fresh juicy fruit of your choice.
Most of us don’t think twice about following up a bowl of cereal or a cup of coffee with a glass of juice. The Ayurvedic practice, however, is to not combine milk with acidic foods such as sour fruit, yogurt, or cheese. The acidic properties of these foods, it is believed, curdle the milk in the stomach. This can result in disturbed digestion. Moreover — and this might come as a surprise — drinking orange juice first thing in the morning is a kind of acid assault on the stomach; it is better to drink it later in the day. A nourishing alternative is to start your day with a stewed apple or pear. In chapter 9, I will describe the method of preparing stewed fruit.
About coffee: vaidyas advise avoiding caffeinated beverages altogether, but if you find that impossible to do, then at least limit your intake to two cups a day. If you take milk in your coffee, boil it first; doing this is believed to reduce the side effects of caffeine to some extent.
Wash your hands before and after eating. Clean your teeth and tongue after every meal. If possible, get some gentle exercise after eating, such as a brief stroll, to aid digestion. Apply a soothing Ayurvedic perfume, made from essential oils. Dress with care; the color and texture of your clothes should reflect the harmony within you. These things may sound obvious — even trivial — but it is surprising how many of us neglect to do them the way they should be done.
Lunch deserves to be your largest meal of the day because afternoon is when two powerful forces are at their peak: the energy of the sun, and the “fire” of your digestion. Even if you work in an office, you needn’t be stuck with choosing between a sandwich and, well, a sandwich. With a little planning, you can treat yourself to a hot, fresh meal at work by using a slow-cooker. Just put fresh vegetables and the grains of your choice into the cooker in the morning, and by lunchtime you will have a healthful soup ready.
Here are some general guidelines on lunch: Ayurvedic philosophy says that the ideal quantity of food for a single meal is the amount that can be scooped up with both hands. Don’t gobble; chew. Be aware of the food you are eating; concentrate on it. If possible, eat in silence without talking or laughing — and certainly without arguing. You’ll help your metabolic process.
The often-asked question is: to drink or not to drink water with your meal? Vaidyas say it is okay to sip a cup of room-temperature or warm water during your meal. If your meal is too dry, you can drink more than that. If you are drinking soup or lentils with lunch, then keep it to one cup. Drinking water about forty-five minutes after lunch is also good because it gives digestion a boost. Generally, drinking water at regular intervals through the day will work wonders for you.
Snacking between meals can lead to an erratic appetite, but as long as your last meal is fully digested before you snack, it won’t harm you. When the urge to snack attacks, quickly think back to your last meal; if you ate it less than four hours ago, skip the snack.
Eating by about 7:00 P.M. is ideal, and allows time for your dinner to be properly digested before going to bed. Keep this meal light: soups, one-pot vegetable stews, quick-cooking grains like buckwheat, and sautéed vegetables make nourishing yet non-heavy dinners. Whenever possible, go for a gentle walk (around thirty minutes) before retiring.
Relax with light music, or lie in bed and breathe deeply, until you feel calm and mentally settled. Reading a book before bedtime can sometimes stimulate the mind instead of settling it, thus interfering with good sleep. Ideally, lights should be out at 10:00. The best sleeping position is on your side with knees slightly bent. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
There! You now have a pleasant, nurturing routine, as opposed to the “routine” routine you had been following. Isn’t it surprising how much more you can squeeze into your day and still depressurize your life instead of cramming it with stress?
In between these essentials, you would, of course, fit in your work-related appointments. Pepper the margins of your planner with interesting tips, reminders, and positive affirmations. A sampling:
• Refreshing Reminder: drink two extra glasses of water tomorrow.
• Note to Myself: Today I am a symphony of health and joy. I’m tuning the strings of my violin. I’m learning to realign my priorities and take life day by organized day. That is why the press conference figures second. My breakfast figures first.
Rewriting your appointment book in this way can help you live Ayurvedically every single day. And to live Ayurvedically is to live a long, happy, fulfilled life. Of course, there will be times when you cannot keep up with your Ayurvedic routine. Don’t let that frustrate you. Accept the breaks just as you’ve learned to accept commercials interrupting your favorite television show. They’re part of life. Be patient, and learn to calmly pick up the threads afresh.
Have a happy, healing, Ayurvedic day!