This Ayurvedic morning ritual will keep your mind and body balanced

Instead of rushing through the morning, following a dedicated routine is essential to kickstart the mind and body, enabling us to function optimally through the day

Many of us have grown up observing the small, daily rituals of people around us—like why waking up at Brahma Muhurta, the sacred time before sunrise, holds utmost supremacy in Ayurveda for mental well-being and boosting productivity, or why consuming nothing but a glass of warm water in the morning is the best way to wake your system up. Simple acts like scraping your tongue, meditating, practising sun rituals like surya namaskars and other such habits throughout the day can transform how we feel, both physically and psychologically.

Instead of rushing through the morning, devising your own routine—one that is sustainable with time—can make you feel balanced, confident, calm and strong. Setting a morning ritual and following it consistently can truly set the tone of not just your day but who you are, and how you interact with everything around you. It’s also the foundation of the Ayurvedic principle of Dinacharya, a set of routines devised more than 5,000 years ago. ‘Dinacharya’ is a Sanskrit word made up of ‘dina,’ meaning ‘day,’ and ‘acharya,’ meaning activity, explains Dr. Arun Pillai, wellness director, Dharana Retreat at Shillim, who grew up learning traditional Indian practices and Sanskrit around his late grandfather, a Bhagvatulu (Vedic preacher). “It is a daily routine designed to maintain and connect us to our internal body clock’s circadian rhythms with nature,” he says. “Innumerable research works have proven that this age-old methodology is an answer to most lifestyle and metabolic disorders in today’s world, preventing many modern diseases or systemic imbalances.”

The Ayurvedic morning routine 

Ever tried overcoming a sluggish feeling in the morning by practising yoga or meditation? It’s because you're waking your body and mind up in just the way it would like. “When our body goes into a deep sleep, it is almost like a newborn once we wake up,” explains Pillai. “The organs  and tissues of the body have been going through a repair process during your sleep.” A dedicated morning routine, however long or short it may be, is essential for the mind and body to start recouping and re-connecting, to get optimal functionality during the day. It is also one of the best ways to connect with yourself and with nature, increase mental clarity and curb negative thinking. In Ayurveda, each code of Dinacharya has scientific benefits for the entire being. Here is Pillai’s breakdown of an Ayurvedic morning ritual that will help keep your mind and body balanced.

Uttana, or wake up in Brahma Muhurta: The higher cosmic energies present during about two hours before sunrise help to align our body and mind to nature’s rhythms. This is the period of time when the cosmic energy is optimum and is most ideal to meditate, practice yoga and other spiritual activities.

Mantra, or gratitude affirmations: Whispering positive affirmations or gratitude towards life will assist in calming your mind and preparing you for the day by enhancing the secretion of happy hormones.

Achamana, or sprinkling water: Splashing a handful of water on your face will activate the sensory nerve endings of the facial muscles and bring a sense of freshness to awaken your senses, both physically and psychologically.

Jihva mula dhauti, or tongue-scraping: Tongue-scraping will remove impurities and toxins present on the tongue and enable the taste perception to be better appreciated.

Danta dhavana, or cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums: Cleaning the teeth with natural ingredients to remove bacteria and massaging the gums with herbal powders will enhance circulation, protect the good bacteria in the mouth and keep the teeth healthy.

Kavala/Gandusha, or oil-pulling and gargling: Use a simple herbal decoction to gargle and cleanse the mouth. Oil-pulling helps in oral hygiene and strengthening your gums—use plain oils like coconut or sesame to oil-pull and cleanse the throat. 

Jala neti/Nasyam or cleansing of nostrils: Performing nasyam at home isn’t as tough as it sounds. Use water to cleanse both nostrils followed by installation of a few drops of pure ghee or oils to keep the nostril moist for tackling foreign particles.

Ushapana, or drinking water: Drink at least two glasses of warm water in the morning. This will assist in cleansing all the excessive acid accumulation and toxins in the gut and bowel, and help kick start your bowel movement. 

Visarjana, or evacuation: Evacuating your bowels and bladder in the morning is very important to avoid inflammation. Ayurveda promotes evacuating the bowels before sunrise so there is no fermentation or putrefaction, which eventually causes various problems such as gas, acid reflux and bloating.

Karna poorana, or instilling oil into ears: Cleansing the ears gently with earbuds and instilling oil into the ears ensures clarity of hearing and takes care of the ears.

Udwarthanam, or applying herbal powders and pastes: Applying a paste made with dry herbal powders can help exfoliate the skin to keep it supple and clean. Further, the paste calms the sensory nerve endings on the skin.

Abhyanga, or applying oil on the body: Applying oils on the body ensures the body is well lubricated, boosts blood flow and rejuvenates the skin with sufficient nourishment.

Snana, or bathing: Bathing with herbal concoctions or even simple water will assist the body to be cleansed and reactivate the senses to maintain hygiene. 

Yoga, pranayama, dhyana: Practising a combination of surya namaskars, breathing exercises and meditation is the ultimate body and mind workout. It helps the body get adequate sun exposure and get a control over anxiety and other daily stresses. 

Breakfast: Finish your morning ritual with a sumptuous and healthy breakfast to begin the rest of your day. 

Discipline and consistency is key if you want to set a morning routine. But if adding more things to your to-do-list or waking up at dawn seems daunting, set a short, simple ritual, regardless of what time you rise—it’s really about how you spend your time between waking up and kick-starting your day rather than what time you do it. Start slow, like setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier, or including 10 minutes of pranayamas and meditation to your morning routine, and then build up. Rise up, refresh and give every part of you, from your muscle to your brain, enough time to begin another new day.

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