• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Secondary Navigation Social Media Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Vimeo
YOGUE

YOGUE

Yoga Inspired Life Style

  • About
    • About Insiya
    • Published Writing
    • Yogue in the Press
    • Contact
    • Calendar
    • Subscribe
    • Get on my Mailing List
  • Recipes
  • Ayurveda
  • Yoga
  • Wellness
    • Life
    • Parenting
    • People
    • Explore
  • Home

Dinacharya: Essential Daily Ayurvedic Practices to stay Vital, Joyful + Balanced

Aug. 09, 2014

flower offering, india
Flower offerings, India

Hello dear readers, I’m finally back in one of my favourite cities in the world, Vancouver, BC.  Honestly, there is almost no other place I would rather be in the summer.  It is the one season we forget the damp, cool, rainy climes of the North West and embrace the seemingly endless days of sunshine with abandon and joy.

Today, I bicycled with my son on the back seat to his favourite beach park in Kitsilano and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling a toothy, happy smile. It wasn’t just the wind blowing through my hair, or the ocean breeze. Deep inside, I felt, amidst all the movement of travel that I’ve experienced since you last heard from me, that I had once again re-found a sense of stillness.

Perhaps my conversation this morning with one of my dear teachers, the amazing, inspiring Ayurveda teacher Robert Svoboda helped, but so did this feeling that I was once again in flow.

photo 12
Morning sun salutations, Bali.

That’s why I want to share some of my essential tips to find this sense of vitality, nourishment and aliveness daily.   As I was speaking with Dr. Svoboda, he reminded me again that because our world is so fast paced and whirling, it is more important than ever today to do exactly the opposite, i.e. to slow down, to perform actions with focus, care and grace, to be immersed in the process of what you do, rather than shifting from one thing before the next has even had a moment to bloom.  On that note, stop checking your text messages while you read this! 🙂

photo 13
Listen to your body… wisdom.

In Ayurveda, your daily routine is essential.  As any parent knows, children need a rhythm. It is vitally important to their circadian rhythms, to their digestion and to the vibrancy and growth of their tissues at a cellular level. Well, guess what, we adults need rhythm and routine too.  And though it can seem counter intuitive, the discipline of a routine is what offers us freedom.  I shared this information with my Urban Ayurveda classes at Wanderlust, Tahoe, and here it is for you.

Feel free to print this out and paste on your refrigerator, or bathroom mirror, it will be handy, I promise. The Charaka Samhita and the Ashtanga Hrdayam are two ancient classical Ayurvedic texts that outline a routine for our days. And in Ayurvedic fashion, they focus on all the details of life, from small to large. Dinacharya means “mastery of your day.”

photo 14
Our classroom at Wanderlust, Tahoe. Wow!

Before this list of daily rituals stresses you out, take a breath. You’ll notice that most of the practices are about how you begin your day and often if you are able to wake up just a half hour earlier, you will be surprised by how much you can fit in. Ayurveda believes that the mornings truly set the tone for everything that comes after.

DINACHARYA:

  1. Awake early during Brahmamuhurta or amritavela the early hours of the morning from 3 a.m. to dawn.
  2. Eliminate: this is a time when the natural bodily rhythms are in sync and allow our bodies to eliminate waste products easily.
  3. Oral hygiene: Brush teeth and scrape the tongue with a special tongue scraper, a tool made of metal that helps to remove the coating on the tongue, an indication of your digestive health. If the coating on the tongue is thick, it is a reminder to eat light and simple foods.
  4. Drink a glass of warm water, ideal after teeth brushing and tongue scraping so that you don’t ingest bacteria once again. Also can stimulate peristalsis so you can have a bowel movement.
  5. Splash cool water in the eyes to cleanse them thoroughly.
  6. Meditate or take a few moments to feel peace and gratitude before the day begins.
  7. Exercise: ideally, according to your constitution and the season. Ayurveda recommends that the Kapha dosha (earth dominant) is the only one that can sustain strenuous exercise, Pitta (fire dominant) people can do moderate exercise such as hiking, walking, light jogging while Vata (air/ ether dominant) dosha should stick to restorative and gentle yoga practices and tai chi sort of exercises.
  8. Give yourself an “abhyanga” oil massage. Use sesame oil in early spring then transition to almond oil if your circulation is weak, i.e. you have cold hands and feet. Use coconut oil if you have excessive heat in your body. Take a tablespoon of the oil in the palm of your hand and apply it over your body in short, gentle strokes, from the extremities to your centre. This will calm your nervous system and put you in a positive frame of mind.
  9. Bathe in warm water.
  10. After bathing, apply natural aromatic oils appropriate to your constitution and dress wearing clothing ideally made of natural fibres. Hint: Lavender is soothing to all Ayurvedic constitutions, particularly calming for Vata and Pitta, Eucalyptus or lemon is wonderful for Kapha, and Jasmine can be nice for Pitta also.
  11. Eat a light breakfast that is both grounding and easily digestible. Avoid the sweet taste especially if you feel lethargic, but instead use warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom to ignite your digestive fire.
  12. Eat your main meal when the sun is strongest, i.e. between midday to 2 p.m. Your evening meal should be eaten close to sundown and should be much lighter. This will help your digestion more than any over the counter herbal supplement or pill you have ever taken.
  13. End your day with quiet and contemplation. Turn off all your various devices before you sleep. Sleep early, ideally by 10 p.m.

Ultimately, according to Ayurveda we are all here to fulfill our “dharma” or our calling here on the planet.  Isn’t that such a powerful thought? Think about that for a moment!  To support ourselves in doing so, we must be healthy; for which it is essential that we live in harmony and rhythm with nature, get literally in the flow.

Give yourself 1 month to see if you can include even 4 of these recommendations.  I would love to know if  they have helped anything in your life to shift.  Please keep me posted via your comments and emails.  I look forward to hearing back from you.

Namaste + Om. Insiya

Tweet
PinIt

Category: Ayurveda, Blog Tags: India, ayurveda, well-being, yoga

← Previous Post
How to Give Green Smoothies the Ayurvedic Green Light
Next Post →
nagnAta: luxe fashion for the Gypset Yogini

You may also like

Daily Habits for Happiness
The Bali BLISS List: Our Fav Yogi Friendly Cafes in Canggu
Marie Kondo Yoga

About Insiya Rasiwala-Finn

Yogini + Ayurvedic Coach, Writer and Conscious Mama. Believes in regenerative, slow living, holistic design and living mindfully every day.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Norma Watters says

    September 12, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    Hi Insiya: Thank you for your blog. I just started an Ayurvedic lifestyle as it compliments my yoga practice as well. I love your recipe for Almond Milk. I would really enjoy more recipes, especially to calm a Pitta/Vata Dosha. If you have any you recommend can you please send them along.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Peace and love,
    Norma

    Reply
    • admin says

      September 17, 2014 at 5:09 am

      Dear Norma: thank you for your comment! I will start posting up some more recipes. A simple dal one is on its way this week. We have been on the road but are finally getting closer to being settled so i will have a little more time once again! 🙂 welcome to YOGUE. namaste.

      Reply
  2. Glenna Bain says

    August 17, 2017 at 8:03 pm

    Dear Insiya:
    Thank you so much for this piece. It was wonderful to meet you and your husband in Bali. I loved reading the suggestions as well as the various types/doshas, i.e. Kapha, Pitta, Vata. How does one determine which type you are? I hope to see you again soon. Much love and gratitude! Glenna

    Reply
    • yogue says

      November 1, 2017 at 10:31 pm

      Hello Glenna:
      I will write more about the different doshas soon, but in the meanwhile, do pick up a copy of Dr. Vasant Lad’s book Ayurveda the Science of Self Healing which has some great insights and a dosha questionnaire. peace and aloha.

      Reply
  3. SarahF says

    February 20, 2019 at 4:13 pm

    I attended your Urban Ayurveda talk at the Victoria Yoga Conference last weekend. I really enjoyed it and am eager to learn more about how I can incorporate Ayurveda into my everyday life. This post is an excellent start and complement to your talk. Thank you!

    Reply
    • yogue says

      February 20, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      So happy to hear Sarah!!! Please be in touch w any questions as you continue on your journey of health and wellness!!! 🙂

      Reply
      • SarahF says

        February 22, 2019 at 5:35 pm

        Thank you! I may very well take you up on that. 🙂

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

ABOUT YOGUE  Hi, I'm Insiya. Journey with me as we live slow, scatter beauty and tread lightly on the planet.

Find me online

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Vimeo

Recipes

Spiced Apple Almond Muffins

Once there was a busy mama and yoga teacher who … [Read More...] about Spiced Apple Almond Muffins

Simple Spiced Summer Oatmeal

Summer has been rushing by...   until we arrived … [Read More...] about Simple Spiced Summer Oatmeal

Ayurvedic Chai: My Favorite Recipe

Contrary to popular belief, an oh-too-sweet chai … [Read More...] about Ayurvedic Chai: My Favorite Recipe

Summer Popsicles: with an Ayurvedic Twist

We love popsicles around here in the … [Read More...] about Summer Popsicles: with an Ayurvedic Twist

Menu

  • About
    • About Insiya
    • Published Writing
    • Yogue in the Press
    • Contact
    • Calendar
    • Subscribe
    • Get on my Mailing List
  • Recipes
  • Ayurveda
  • Yoga
  • Wellness
    • Life
    • Parenting
    • People
    • Explore
  • Home

insiyafinn

Yesterday was so life affirming and heart filling! Yesterday was so life affirming and heart filling!!! 

We got out on a hike in sooke and I’m so proud of my mama for traversing some steep climbs and even more steep and rocky downhill paths. I felt energized and so happy to be outside in a forest that smelled cool and fresh and pine-resin-y… @theblissologist and lion even got into the icy cold glacial streams and then we picked up grandma @carolefinnartist and enjoyed some delicious pizza on the deck @stokedpizzeria near sombrio…

My family kept cautioning me to not push myself - but honestly and truly I think I was just high on feeling alive and being amidst the waterfalls and green of what has turned into a very hot spring (climate change is real friends…)…

Yesterday was such an affirmation of how much we all need to be outside to reconnect within to what really matters…

Thanks ananda lion for making me a mama 12 years ago and thanks to my mom @sararasiwala for your love always… also it made me so happy that eoin got to see his mama too! Life is short. Keep those you love close and fill it with beauty and kindness.

Ps. I did wear a dress hiking (just because) and I am very tired today but was it worth it? YES ❤️

#yogue #mothersday #family #familymatters #healing #healinsiya #healcancer #cancerthriver
Photo sprinkles… Stepping out into spring. L- Photo sprinkles… 

Stepping out into spring.

L-R: A Saturday picnic w @yogalink + Carole + dingo the bali dog and my mom. Thanks for the chai @sararasiwala 😁 and the pic @theblissologist ✨
Blossoms on the hill.
Blossoms inside :)
Homemade spinach and mushroom quiche.. so good 💫
Pakoras by mom… aka delish chickpea fritters 
Daisies :)
And
Apricot nectar and strawberries yesterday… 
/ shadows and sunshine :) 
Heart shaped flowers…

Feeling all this golden light and springtime goodness. :) 

🌺💕☀️

#healingjourney #wholefoods #growth #changes #shift #insiyafinn #healinsiya #healcancer
So I decided to share this picture here because fi So I decided to share this picture here because firstly today was so special. I got to see a dear dear friend who I haven’t seen since before the pandemic and we got to finally connect a few steps away from home. Yes this is currently Victoria (or it was this morning when the sun was bright and warm)…

And yet this morning was hard won. Yesterday after weeks of things going relatively well I had what is called a partical blockage with my ileostomy. I think it was caused by my not chewing my lunch as slowly as I normally do…(I will blame this on both being v hungry and that my dear mom’s cooking is dangerously delicious) 😁 when my girlfriend came to see me yesterday, I had low energy and a strange cramping sensation in the stomach and lower rib area. This progressively got worse and worse until my body with all its wisdom tried to push my lunch out of me. In other words I threw up. Consistently and continuously.

Meanwhile life at home continued on. My son arrived home after a canoeing weekend. I needed back rubs w tiger balm or whatever would help in the moment; and tried to help organize dinner. And my friend later that evening shared how she felt the privilege of being here to help and to witness the rough stuff. Which just felt so dear and real and loving.

And this is why I want to share this story today. It feels scary to put all of this out into the world but I have been thinking that when we hide the hard things behind walls of fear or worry about what others will think, I think we curtail our capacity to be loving, compassionate humans. After all at our core we want the same things. To live and love well. I feel like I share a lot here but I have found it hard to write about the really gnarly moments. There have been so many. What I will say I am so thankful for however is that because I have experienced so much with the ileostomy, I knew I had to ride the waves of pain out until they stopped. And they did and I finally slept last night and stayed out of emerg at the hospital.

And awoke to a new day. And a new opportunity to make the most of this precious moment.

Thanks for being here!

#healcancer #healinsiya #viclife #oakbay #friendship
It’s three weeks post my big surgery. The last f It’s three weeks post my big surgery. The last fortnight has been a wave of highs and lows. It felt like every time I felt a little better something new would happen again that I needed to understand and navigate. 

Meanwhile my inner mind has been a whirling w so so much. I have so many thoughts and so many ideas every day. And having to still be quite still has forced me to pay attention to them. 

The word that keeps coming up is reclamation - reclaiming who I am and how I want to live my life moving forward… life seems a little less like I’m on the edge of a precipice - except in the middle of the night - but things still feel urgent - like I will run out of time before I get to do all the things I would like to. And I have been trying to stay true and listen to the emotions that come up as I continue to navigate the journey beyond - which as yet is a big unknown! 

Today was an easy day to reclaim how much living in harmony with our seasons means to me. How much I love being outside. This afternoon mom and I went for a glorious walk in the sunshine and then lion, our pup and I had some weeding fun in the garden. 

A friend asked me how I am feeling earlier today. I guess the answer today is so happy and grateful to be here and to live in such a beautiful place to call home close to the ocean and sea lions and the meadows and flowers and forests. I am cherishing these little moments. They feel big these days.

Thanks for being here. Xo 

#healing #gratitude #gardening #healinsiya #healcancer #coloncancercanada

📷 @sararasiwala 💖
Today is a reminder for myself and possibly you as Today is a reminder for myself and possibly you as well to not get discouraged… 

Recovery takes time.

there are moments of feeling on top of the world and there are others where I feel flat and tired. 

There is my mind trying to propel me forward beyond the constraints of my body; and my body then signaling with a sharp outcry - you cannot do X, please rest. 

There is life with all its chaos and wants and needs coming at you, because you don’t live in a bubble, the ones you are in relationship with also have needs… 

And so you remind yourself that all you can do is keep showing up now, in this moment, in the best way possible… don’t do more, it’s not necessary- especially right now…

Be gentle today. Happy Sunday.

🙏🏼❤️✨

#journal #healing #recovery #cancer #healcancer #healinsiya #slowlife #yogalife #mentalhealth
Home again. Short - very short and slow - walks do Home again.
Short - very short and slow - walks down our street.
Strawberries at breakfast.
So many Hugs from my son.
Back rubs from my husband
My mom’s continuous kindnesses that keep the day humming.
Friends saying hello and bringing food and tinctures.
And flowers that I cut from our wild garden tonight which is coming alive with all sorts of surprises.

I had tulips in my hospital room the entire 11 days and I can tell you how much they inspired me. As their petals opened up slowly I grew stronger and more able every day after surgery. I saw the colors shining against the dull hues of the room when I awoke each morning and in the sunshine they glistened.

Flowers have healing powers say researchers, apparently patients who can see trees and flowers from their hospital windows vs those who cannot, take less pain medication and have shorter hospital stays… and yes they both relax and uplift us. 

I’ve always loved flowers. Only now I understand why.

Happy weekend!
#grateful #flowers #healingpowerofflowers #healcancer #healinsiya #natureheals #holisticwellness
Load More Follow on Instagram

Footer

Live slow, tread lightly, scatter beauty.

More

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Vimeo

Search

Copyright © 2023 · Your Site Name

Lexi Theme by Code + Coconut

 

Loading Comments...