In Sanskrit, the daily routine is called the Dinacharya. ‘Din’ means ‘day’ and ‘acharya’ means ‘to follow’ or ‘close to’. The Dinacharya is an ideal daily schedule taking into account nature’s cycle. Here’s is guide to a spiritually and physically sound day:
Positive step
Step out of the bed and touch the ground with the leg on that side of the body wherein the flow of breath is dominant (check nostrils).
Clean up
Rinse with cold water. Water is an electrical conductor and can never irritate sensitive tissues. Wash hands, face, mouth and eyes with cool water. Clean nose, teeth and tongue.
Meditate and exercise
Relax - do pranayama until the breath flows evenly through both nostrils. Meditate while centering your energy in the heart chakra or at the third eye. Take a short, slow walk in the fresh morning air. Surround yourself with simple and soothing visuals, preferable white items like fresh and fragrant flowers with subtle colours.
Vyayama or physical exercise comprises some yoga postures like Surya Namaskar or sun salutation and breathing exercises like Nadi Shodhan Pranayam. But it can be anything including a walk or a swim. Early morning exercises remove stagnation in the body and mind, strengthen the digestive fire, reduce fat and give you an overall feeling of lightness and joy as they fill your body with good prana. However, instead of strenuous exercise, exercising at one fourth to one half of your capacity is recommended.
Pamper yourself
Massage the body (abhyanga) with sesame oil. Massaging the scalp, forehead, temples, hand and feet for about 2-3 minutes is sufficient.
Bathe right
Bathe in water which is neither too hot nor too cold. You’re now ready for the rest of the day! Some recommendations for other times of day from Ayurveda are given below:
Noon - time
Lunch should be taken early between 12-1 pm as it coincides with the peak period which is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the heaviest meal of the day. After the meal it is good to take a walk, to help the food be digested. Anything more than a short nap should be avoided because sleeping in the day is prohibited in Ayurveda.
Twilight zone
This is a special time of balance between day and night. This is the time for evening prayers and meditations.
Dinner
Dinner should be taken around 6-7 pm. It should be lighter than lunch, taken at least three hours before bedtime as this gives the body ample time to digest the food. Sleeping just after the dinner with a heavy stomach should be avoided. Walk to aid digestion for about 10 - 15 minutes.
Bedtime
The ideal time to sleep is by 10:30 pm. To calm the system, one can massage the soles of the feet before going to bed.