Morning Rituals:
Waking-up:
The ideal time to rise is three hours before sunrise or at least, ½ to 1 hour before sunrise. It is called Brahma Muhurta in Ayurveda and yoga science. Keeping a scheduled wake up time gets your body and mind set in a rhythm to gracefully begin your daily activities. In the early morning, Sattva Guna is most prevalent, so it is the best to meditate. The body is well rested after night’s sleep and the mind is alert, focused and peaceful.
Cleansing:
Having a bowel movement first thing in the morning is a sign of good health (The vata cycle in the early morning helps prompt the body’s natural urge. Resisting a natural urge will aggravate vata dosha resulting into related health conditions). A bowel movement each morning is also a sign of healthy digestive system.
Tongue Scraping:
Use a tongue cleaner made up of Gold, Silver or Copper to remove the bacteria-filled coating on the tongue and to stimulate digestive system. This practice is very useful for our oral and digestive health, since it removes Ama and gets rid of foul breath.
Brush your teeth:
Try using a tooth powder, a fluoride free combination of herbs (such as neem, babul, khair and karanja) and minerals for cleansing the mouth, strengthen the gums, kill bacteria and reduce bad breath and excessive Kapha.
Gargling/oil pulling:
oil in the mouth for a few minutes, Daily swishing helps strengthen the teeth, gums, jaw, and voice, while improving the sense of taste. Oils that can be used include Sesame, coconut, or Arimedadi Thailam. Juice of neem or Triphala could also be used for this purpose.
Self-massage (Abhyanga), Ear lubrication, and Nasal lubrication and other processes:
Self-massage:
This is a profound practice of rejuvenation and loving selfcare. Performing a self-massage with warm oil (Sesame oil, coconut and Mustard oils are recommended for different Doshas balance) calms the nervous system, lubricates and rejuvenates and promote healthy circulation. Whole body massage is also beneficial to prevent aging, strengthen the body, increase stamina and tones muscles, soothes skin, prevent wrinkles and improves the sense of touch.
Ear Lubrication:
oiling the ears by gently pouring drops of warm medicated oils into each ear canal it is called karna puran. Massaging ear lobes is also recommended by Ayurveda to activate marma points.
Nasal Lubrication/Nasaya:
Place a Nasaya oil in each nostril. Ayurveda also recommends to perform Nasaya with herbal oils such as Anu Thailam to sharpen the mental faculty and benefits in a few disorders such as sinusitis.
Bathing:
Cleanses the skin of impurities and sweat; reduce heat and relaxes the body, mind and senses; improves digestion; reduce lethargy and sleepiness; opens the srotas and cleanses the subtle malas.
