“Watching over one’s body and maintaining it daily is one of the major concerns of Indian thought, because the quest for purity is fundamental for the development of the being. In Ayurveda, it is considered that without the support of the body, the soul could not be there. We must therefore maintain this body”, explains Sylvie Verbois, author of various books on Ayurveda.
Body treatments contribute in particular to eliminating ama, these deposits of toxins that can affect the proper functioning and regeneration of different tissues. They are also an opportunity to observe this body which, sometimes, sends us signs of imbalance.
The Dinacharya: The Daily Routine
These different gestures constitute the “dinacharya”, this “daily routine” which, alongside diet and state of mind, constitutes one of the three pillars of health according to Ayurveda. “These daily gestures are of crucial importance for anyone who wants to approach health and well-being from a preventive angle”, emphasizes Michèle Beck, Ayurvedic consultant and therapist.
#1 Get up early
“When we rise with the sun, we are in the vata period. After 6 hours, we are in the kapha period, which weighs down our body”, explains Samuel Ganes, author of my trainer ayurveda(ed. Eyrolles).
#2 Swipe water on your face
It helps to wake up, to clarify one’s thoughts and to remove the secretions accumulated during the night. “This avoids any obstruction of the movement of vital energy (prana) and bodily fluids”, specifies Michèle Beck. We do not forget the eyes: we throw cool water while keeping our eyes open, then we do a few blinks and rotations in all directions.
Test tomorrow morning: you will quickly see the benefits of this ultra-simple gesture!
#3 Clean your nose
Jala neti , or “cleansing with water” in Sanskrit, designates that of the nose and sinuses. It is made with a sort of small watering can called a lota which is filled with lukewarm water to which sea salt has been added. The mouthpiece is introduced into one nostril, the head tilted at 45 degrees to the opposite side and the body leaning slightly forward, and the water is poured (a half to a lota). The water then flows out on its own through the other nostril. We blow our nose and we do the same on the opposite nostril. Jala neti is particularly recommended for people with ENT problems.
#4 Clean your mouth
In addition to brushing the teeth with a toothpaste with plants and essential oils (neem, amalaki, clove, mint…), jihwa prakshalana, cleaning the tongue, is the key gesture of Ayurvedic oral hygiene. It is very simple: with a small silver spoon or a copper tongue scraper with bactericidal properties, we remove the whitish deposit that covers the tongue in more or less quantity after a night’s sleep.
This gesture allows on the one hand to prevent ama (toxins) from being reabsorbed and accumulating elsewhere, on the other hand to stimulate agni, the digestive fire. It’s much better than brushing your tongue with your toothbrush… and swallowing a lot of that deposit!
#5 Drink your morning water
We drink “us ha pan”, the “dawn drink”. This “morning water” should be drunk on an empty stomach, after cleaning the mouth. “The water is at body temperature, and especially not added lemon so as not to start the digestion process”, warns Samuel Ganes.
Ideally, we wait 20 minutes before breakfast.
Read also :
- Well in your body with Ayurvedic massages
- 4 Ayurvedic recipes for hair
- Nutritional advice according to your dosha
