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Ayurvedic Insight
Issue #46, January 2006
In This Issue
Article: New Year, New Routine by Felicia M. Tomasko
New Year’s may sometimes seem like an arbitrary date upon which to begin counting the new year, or taking on a new
outlook, and in some cases a new life, but its seemingly random celebration is rooted in history and follows soon
after the marking of the Winter Solstice, a day of equal day and night. After the Solstice, our days stretch out
longer and extend further. This transition, even in our modern world of artificial lights, shift work and alarm clocks,
is noted by our bodies. So, the month of January is a nearly perfect time to implement new rituals and add some health
promoting practices to familiar routines. Focusing on the Ayurvedic practice of dinacharya, or organizing a daily routine,
can be a tool for maintaining health.
According to traditional Ayurvedic wisdom, it is recommended to not necessarily change all habits at once, but to gradually
shift, to replace the old with the new. Therefore, you don’t have to add every suggested part of the routine to your day.
It may in fact seem overwhelming sometimes, and you could feel that if only it were possible to just follow an Ayurvedic
routine and not work or have other obligations, life would be perfect. Pick the practices that work the best for you
personally, or that have the greatest impact on your health and well-being. And, you don’t need to change everything
all at once. Our mind identifies with our habits and hobbies, even if they are not necessarily what serves us. Just as our
reflection in the mirror becomes familiar, our habits can be comfortable friends, like the well-worn clothes in the closet.
And similar to how a periodic closet-cleaning can refresh our wardrobe, occasional examinations and fine-tuning of our daily
patterns can be a powerful tool for supporting our own health. The New Year is an opportune time to initiate this action of
examining your routine and adding health-promoting rituals to a daily plan. Some of these practices listed in this article
have been discussed in recent editions of the Ayurvedic Insight and will be merely mentioned here.
In a yearly housecleaning, examine your bathroom. Adding a neti pot or nasya oil to the counter next to your toothbrush and
dental floss, and incorporating its use in the morning’s practice can be especially helpful this time of year to prevent
congestion in winter sinuses. For detailed instructions on using a neti pot, see Ayurvedic Insight December issue or David
Frawley’s recent book on the art of neti. Another item to add to a toothbrush rack is a tongue scraper. Scraping the tongue
only takes a moment or two after toothbrushing and can remove odor and decay-causing bacteria as well as encourage the
removal of toxins from the digestive tract.
Your morning routine, particularly in the winter, can benefit from some stimulation to reduce excess kapha, the heavy water
and earth elements. Dry brushing before the shower or bath with a natural-bristled brush fires up inner heat through the skin,
encourages lymphatic drainage and stimulates the immune system. After dry brushing, massage with warm oil provides nourishment
to dry winter skin assaulted by cold air and dehydrating central heat. To warm oil, place in a basin of hot water for a few
minutes while performing tooth care and dry brushing. Some stimulating winter oils include blends of sesame or sunflower and
Banyan's Kapha Massage oil. A warm shower or bath after massaging the skin helps the oil penetrate deeply.
The middle of the day is when our agni, or digestive fire, is at its most fiery. Eating the largest meal of the day at
noon supports the natural cycles of our metabolism. A large lunch is beneficial for both maintaining a healthy weight as
well as managing afternoon energy levels, particularly in the winter. Choose foods that are warm and soothing, with a bit
of simulating fire. Adding heating spices like cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cloves and garlic this time of year can be supportive
for kindling the digestive fire and stimulating metabolism. Root vegetables are particularly warming, and casseroles with a
variety of colorful veggies and some warm spices heat the body from within.
When evaluating energy levels, look at your current routine to see what’s working. Do you have a cup, a mug, or a venti morning
coffee, and then crash later in the day? Although caffeine can produce a buzz and can even help sharpen your thoughts in the
short-term, its long-term effects include increasing the body’s stress response, which can be damaging for rejuvenation and
stamina in the big picture. If you tend to have cycles of low energy, listlessness, peaks (after caffeine) and then crash and
burn throughout the day, examine your trips to the corner cafe or coffee pot. The use of herbs to stimulate the mind like
Banyan’s Mental Clarity formula can be helpful for long-term benefit.
Hot drinks are an effective way of stimulating body, mind and digestion, and are one of the body and mind’s best friends in the
winter season. Rather than coffee, try tulsi tea. Tusi, or holy basil, has a number of beneficial properties. It is an
antioxidant as well as an adaptogen that helps us cope with and recover from the effects of stress. Brahmi, or gotu kola, can be
helpful for sustained mental sharpness. Ginger is an antioxidant that also stimulates digestion and kindles inner heat. Many
other herbal teas have powerful medicinal effects; find the one that you enjoy.
Detoxification may be on your mind during the New Year, particularly after December indulgences. One simple addition to a daily
routine that counteracts holiday excess is drinking a cup of hot water first thing in the morning. To augment and increase its
cleansing power, add a wedge of lemon (to warm vata and reduce excess kapha), lime (to cool high pitta), or honey
(to scrape excess kapha). Other cleansing morning beverages include: triphala tea or decoction (drink 30 minutes before or two
hours after eating to support the removal of toxins from the digestive tract), bhumyamalaki to support liver dextoxification,
tulsi for its adaptogenic effects, brahmi or gotu kola to sharpen the mind, or cumin, coriander and fennel to balance the
digestive system.
Experiment to discover your favorite time of day to add some movement or exercise to your routine. Particularly if you have a
job that is primarily sedentary, exercise, dance, yoga asana or other form of movement is necessary, particularly in the winter,
to support optimal health. It is all-too-easy to spend hours each day at a desk, couch or in a car. Remember that consistency
brings more power to your practice, a regular routine packs a greater punch than the weekend warrior’s binge.
Asana specifically is good for preparing body and mind for yoga’s more subltle practices like pranayama (breath techniques),
savasana (relaxation), meditation, chanting, study or prayer. One or more of these practices may be on your list of New Year’s
resolutions. As your organize your day, slot them in, even if it means marking them on your calendar or scheduling them in your
PDA. Yoga’s subtle practices not only focus the mind and calm all three doshas when done appropriately, but they support the
immune system as well as overall longevity.
A few restorative poses can reduce stress in a body worn out by work and soothe the nervous system. For ideas, try out
Judith Lasater’s book Relax and Renew, or find an evening restorative class at a nearby studio or health club.
As you get home from work, or wind down for the evening, choose evening practices that calm mind and body. Uplifting stories
and time with family and friends are more sattvic, or calming and relaxing, than the sensationalism of the evening news. If you
find that you have trouble sleeping at night, or wake up often, evaluate the last thing you do before going to bed. A late night
horror flick or a recounting of the day’s tragedies might be upsetting to the nervous system.
Turn off the lights before bed. Darkness allows for the release of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. Neti at night
can help cleanse the nadis, or subtle channels of the body before bed. Warm milk with ashwagandha is not only a soporific,
promoting sound sleep, it is also rejuvenating for the adrenals and hormonal system. Essential oils like grounding khus,
uplifting rose or peaceful sandalwood sprinkled or sprayed on a pillowcase or applied to the feet can soothe the body and
mind before bed. The weight of an eye pillow filled with lavender and flax can also calm an overactive mind.
Another traditional Ayurvedic remedy for sound sleep can be particularly helpful in the cold winter months. Oiling the feet
before bed using warming sesame not only calms the airy vata dosha, but can also stimulate circulation in chilly feet.
Socks can help protect your sheets from the oil. Keep a bottle on a nightstand and take a few moments to pamper yourself.
When organizing a routine, it is important to remember that it is daily habits rather than occasional indulgences that
impact our state of health the most. While we may see routine as a prison, it can be a structure that sets us free.
Felicia Tomasko is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher and writer living in Santa Barbara, California. Felicia can be
contacted at feliciatomasko@yahoo.com. She is a staff writer for LA Yoga Ayurveda and Health magazine. This article is
adapted from a published article in the magazine. Subscription information for the magazine can be found at
www.layogamagazine.com.
Exclusive Offer for Ayurvedic Insight Subscribers
During January, we are happy to offer special savings on Mental Clarity!
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Promotes memory and intelligence
500 mg tablets, 90 per bottle
Ingredients:
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To place an order and save on each bottle of Mental Clarity herbal tablets, call us toll-free at 1.800.953.6424 and mention promotion code
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AY106 in the "Promotional Code" box of the check-out form.
All orders must be received by January 31, 2006. This offer may not be used in conjunction with other special offers or
discounts.
Ayurvedic Recipe: Punjabi Greens
- 2 small or 1 very large bunch of kale or other dark leafy green
- 2 T ghee or olive oil
- 1/2- 1 t whole cumin seeds
- 1 t turmeric
- 1/8 t hing or epazote
- 3 T onion, chopped (optional)
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
Wash greens and chop into one-inch slices. Warm ghee in a large skillet and add cumin seeds, turmeric and hing.
Add onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the greens and cover. Cook over medium-low heat until tender, about
8 minutes, stirring once or twice. The vegetables may or may not need any salt.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Ayurvedic Cooking for
Westerners by Amadea Morningstar, Lotus Press, P.O. Box 325,
Twin Lakes, WI 53181.©1995 All Rights Reserved.
Upcoming Events
- National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) will have their
third annual conference on October 20-23, 2005 at the Alexis Park
Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Presentations and workshops for all
levels will be offered along with keynote speakers Alakananda Ma,
David Simon, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait and Palitha Serasinghe. For
conference details, registration or vendor information contact
Info@AyurvedaLV.org or call 702 456 8061.
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