7 Actionable Ayurvedic Lifestyle Tips
Ayurveda, with its roots from the Indian subcontinent stems from the ancient Vedic culture. In Sanskrit, “Ayur” means life and “veda” means knowledge or science so it can be translated to “The Science of Life.”
Ayurveda itself is a complete, holistic science, encompassing and addressing everything from daily/seasonal routines to preventative health, health maintenance, health improvement and the treatment of disease to social and environmental guide of conduct. It’s basically a life manual to live in harmony with yourself, others and everything else, nature and the universe.
Ayurveda recognises the link between humans and the universe and their link through the elements of creations. The creation principle developed five essential elements that all life forms contain: Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
According to Ayurveda, each one of us has a unique pattern of energy or “constitution” a combination of the different degrees of these 5 elements which are represented in our physical, mental and emotional characteristics and personality. This constitution is determined at conception by a number of factors and remains the same throughout one’s life.
Ayurveda invites us to find optimal balance between mind, body and consciousness. All three of these areas are inextricably linked, meaning that an imbalance in one will affect the others.
In this blog I want to share with you very simple and practical ways we can embrace the principles of Ayurveda in our lifestyle rather than treating imbalances to connect more with our environment and naturally see how this opens up receptivity to understand and balance our self better.
1.Wake up early and go to bed early
Don’t go to bed later than 9:30 pm and make sure you disconnect from technology at least 60 minutes before sleeping. Try reading a book or doing some journaling instead of watching a series or using your phone. This will regulate your internal systems and provide the adequate rest with your body needs. Wake up early, drink some water and wash your face, don’t rush to begin your day.
2. Eat your meals sitting, without technology and with appreciation
Have you ever heard “You are what you eat” and “You are what you think” well the truth is you are both so when it comes to eating you want to make the most of it in all parts of the process
Make sure you focus on quality rather than quantity, try to buy locally and organically and cook your own meals as much as possible. It builds a deeper connection with what you consume and allows you to understand what goes in your body and what its needs are. When eating Ayurveda suggest that your main meal should be in the middle of the day and that you should sit, relax and enjoy all your meals being thankful.
3. Buy, use and wear natural sustainable products
This involves taking conscious decisions on where you are putting your energy and what you are putting into your body. Whether it is through creams, shampoos, make up, clothes, home products or food this is an invitation to be more selective about what you have around you and the impacts on all physical, mental and spiritual levels of your being. Again focus on quality and not quantity, support local produce and think about where the things you consume come from, what are they made of and how they are getting to you.
4. Be aware of the seasons
Just like each of us each season has it’s own energy pattern and it’s important you tune in with what is happening in your environment and in your life. This means adjusting your routines depending on which seasons you are in. Summer tends to have the energy of fire “Pitta” so If it’s a really hot summer day, drink lots of water with lemon, try eating more salads and cold dishes, go into the ocean/river/water more often and wear breathable clothes, you might notice you want to be outdoors. Autumn and Spring carry the energy of air “Vata” change energy and movement so if you are planning to do any detox or bring any radical change into your lifestyle doing it during this time might support you better. Winter carries the energy of water and earth “Kapha” which is usually slow and steady so be prepare to add more motivation into your life to get things done and move physically also make sure you drink warm tea and more heavy food.
Overall, each season brings and carries its distinct qualities that will interact with each of us differently so becoming aware of what is happening around you is the best way to begin. (If you are a woman you might also want to consider your inner seasons according to your menstrual cycle) Important to mention that Ayurveda recognises 6 seasons based on the geography and natural events in the area where it originated.
5. Make the mundane things in your life like work and chores a ritual and give your best attitude
Ayurveda is all about making the whole of life a ritual and a sacred experience so we can really enjoy it and life to our fullest. There is a beautiful Sanskrit word used a lot in Yoga called “SADHANA” it’s the principle that invites us to put our best attitude into everything we do and to do it consciously. It’s quite easy to do this in special moments like birthdays, or when we go to retreats or getaways but the invitation is to incorporate more of that magic into your chores and work life (which probably is where you spend most of your time).
I personally love incorporating essential oils, crystals, shells and any natural elements that bring me joy and make this space more enjoyable for whatever I’m about to do. Ayurveda doesn’t discriminate it accepts all beliefs so please make sure you incorporate whatever resonates more with you with the intention to experience life in a more meaningful and mindful way.
6. Incorporate nature in your life as much as possible
Incorporate nature in your life as much as possible, it’s the best external point of reference we have and it brings perspective into our life connecting us more with ourselves. Going for a walk or a run in the morning or the evening also incorporates movement and creates a routine that brings consistency and deepens your relationship with yourself, the perfect way to create a mindful routine and connect with your environment. If you are unable to go for a walk due to restrictions then I encourage you to take a moment to look outside your window and connect with the sky and try to incorporate plants into your space.
7. Find stillness (Meditate)
This is probably the most important and most relevant practice for anyone looking to improve their life. Meditation is a state of pure awareness by achieving a deep inward focus. There are many types of meditations and most of them consist of the following two elements: self-realisation acknowledging the existence of the self and self-experience truly experiencing your self. I personally practice and teach mantra-based meditation from the Vedic tradition as I found it’s the easiest way to calm and quiet the mind achieving a state of non-resistance. Guided meditations are a great way to begin building your capacity for inner focus and stillness. I have a couple of guided meditations on insight-timer for people who are looking to connect more inward, this is the link to my profile. https://insig.ht/CUkb0c2uMdb
The essence of the ancient healing spiritual science of Ayurveda is that within us, we each have an inexhaustible well of creativity, energy and wealth that can be used to create a better version of ourselves and a better world and we just need to tune in and become more in touch with it.
These are practical tips that I practice regularly and have experienced incredible benefits from. I invite you to try and experience the positive effects and I trust they will support you in your journey. If you would like professional support incorporating more Ayurvedic wisdom into your modern day life check out my Lifestyle Consultations services.