A morning routine is practically synonymous with Ayurveda, the science of life and longevity. How we start our day directly impacts the entire remainder of the day, and when we add up our days over time, they create the substance of our lives.
In other words, if you're looking to change your life, your morning routine is an excellent place to start.
When practiced consistently, your routine will generate health, clarity, and abundant energy. And when you have a foundation of natural energy, you are free to pursue your goals and live a life that is meaningful to you.
Ayurveda does not prescribe a one-size-fits-all morning routine. Rather, it celebrates our uniqueness, and because we all have our own special cadence, our morning routines will be particular to us.
Our biological rhythms, our lifestyles, our circumstances, and even our desires will all factor in to how we craft a daily routine that supports us. It may take a little experimenting to find what feels good, what's realistic, and what's not.
It's true there are some followers of Ayurveda who rise before the sun (way before the sun), perform ablutions, fire rituals, self-massage, yoga, meditation, and more. But don't let that intimidate you, and don't feel like you need a long or elaborate routine.
There are others who are satisfied with a gentle morning stretch, a warm shower, and a simple breakfast. And still others who count it a good day when they get out of bed and dress themselves. Most of us are some combination of these examples, given the day.
Unlocking Your Natural Energy & Vitality
As we well know, mornings that begin haphazardly can create an imprint on the rest of the day. So how can we create a morning routine that will nurture, sustain, and open the doors to our own deep well of natural energy?
An intentional morning routine does more than support your body—it nourishes your mind and soul.
In true Ayurvedic fashion, the more you can nourish and honor your whole self, the more you will be able to tap into your natural vital energy, living in tune with yourself and your purposeful intentions.
By tapping into this energy before the day gets away from you, at the time of day when your body is most receptive, you are structuring your day—your life—to support your intentions and your happiness.
A Morning Routine as an Intention
While your personal morning routine will be distinct, there is an underlying common thread that will supercharge your routine with the energy of positive transformation.
Think of your morning routine as a way to honor yourself and to set a positive intention for the day ahead.
In scientific terms, intention setting is supported by the concept of neuroplasticity—the belief that our brains are adaptive and that neural pathways can be restructured by learning, challenge, and experience. 1
In the Yoga tradition, this is called sankalpa. In Sanskrit, kalpa means “vow” or “a sacred precept, law, or rule,” and san means “honoring or bestowing.” Thus, sankalpa is a sacred vow, or law, that we honor or bestow.2 In this way, our morning routine essentially becomes a sacred vow that we bestow, on ourselves, on others, and on our day.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
With a morning routine framed as an intention for your life, how then might you go about constructing a routine that supports your highest purpose? Or, in more modest terms, how can you start your day in a way that makes you happy?
Like mathematics, there are so many combinations of morning routine variables. The right routine is the one that feels good to you. Here are a few Ayurvedic building blocks to take into consideration for an energizing daily routine, but remember that there are many ways to approach this, and the "right" routine for you is the one that fits your life.
Rise & Shine | Essentials of a Morning Routine
Get Enough Sleep
Your morning routine actually starts the night before, with your evening routine. Supporting yourself with a calming evening routine is the best way to encourage a good night's rest.
If you are one with a high amount of vata or pitta in your system and have a difficult time winding down, I Sleep Soundly is a wonderfully supportive formula to help relax the mind so the body can rest. Rubbing your feet and temples with Sleep Easy Oil is a simple and useful kindness you can offer yourself before bed.
In the Ayurvedic tradition, sleep is one of the four pillars of health. In fact, the lack of adequate sleep, defined as at least seven hours of quality sleep per night, is one factor in many chronic health conditions.3 So, be sure to nurture quality sleep!
Wake Up at the Same Time Each Day
Did you know that there is a kapha, pitta, and vata time of day? The qualities of each dosha are more prevalent in nature during their governing times.
For example, kapha rules the time between 6 to 10 a.m. and p.m., which means that kapha's heavy, slow, and stable qualities prevail during this time. For this reason, when we sleep in, or even past 6 a.m., we generally have more difficulty rousing ourselves out of bed.
This is also why, if we stay up past 10 p.m., we seem to catch a “second wind”—we move into the pitta time of night, which brings with it pitta's fire and drive, reawakening our minds and desires to accomplish and do. This pitta time of night lasts from approximately 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. when we transition to the vata time of the morning, from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Some may find themselves waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. This wakefulness is influenced by the vata time of the morning. This is also why you may find that you naturally wake up before the sunrise, still receptive to this vata energy in the environment, which provides a lightness and clarity. Before 6 a.m. is an excellent time to begin your day. You may want to journal, write down your dreams, or invoke a mantra or affirmation for your day.4
Scrape Your Tongue
There are a few practices particularly unique to Ayurveda. Tongue scraping is one of them. Along with clearing your tongue of bacteria accumulated through the night, scraping your tongue is said to stimulate your digestive organs and enhance your sense of taste.
It's also strangely addicting. You will miss scraping your tongue first thing in the morning should you find yourself without your tongue cleaner. This makes a good preparatory step to brushing your teeth. Follow this up with Daily Swish, an herbal oil formulated especially for oil pulling, and you have an exemplary oral hygiene routine!
Give Yourself a Massage
In Ayurveda, the practice of self-massage, or abhyanga, is another vital component of a daily routine. With an herbal oil formulated for your dosha, self-massage calms the nervous system, increases circulation and the flow of lymph, and is a significant expression of self-love.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word, sneha, that is central to the practice of abhyanga. Sneha translates to “oil or unctuousness,” and also “love.” Thus, when we take the time to anoint ourselves with oil, we can think of it as wrapping ourselves with love.
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
Exercise
Again, this will be specific to your personal preference and productivity style, as well as your age, your constitution, your current state of balance, and the season. For more in depth reading on this subject, check out our Ayurvedic Approach to Fitness.
Some love to get a good workout in first thing in the morning. Others prefer a moderate walk or gentle stretch. Whatever your choice, exercise is an indispensable way of starting your day with a sense of energy and rejuvenation.
Drink Water
Every process, cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies needs water to work properly and efficiently. Starting the day with hydration is another good habit to practice. If you drink water, the Ayurvedic preference is that it is warm or at least room temperature.
If you prefer to start your day with a cup of tea, CCF Tea, a blend of cumin, coriander, and fennels seeds, is especially hydrating, excellent for supporting the appetite and digestive process, and good for all three doshas.
Take Your Herbs
Humans have used plants for their beneficial properties probably since the dawn of humankind. In the words of Ayurvedic physicians David Frawley and Vasant Lad,
“Plants bring us love, the nourishing power of the sun, which is the same energy of all the stars, of all light.”
This is just one reason to take your herbs! And just as you set an intention with your routine, you can also set an intention with your herbs. Taking your herbs can be a way of slowing down just enough to listen to our bodies and what they need in the moment.
To start your day off with a boost of natural energy, try taking Everyday Endurance or sipping on Bitter & Bold or Masala Chai.
A Few More Ideas…
Of course, there are many more ideas and Ayurvedic practices you can incorporate to create the perfect morning routine that will nourish you and help unlock your natural vitality and energy. Here are a few more ideas to inspire you:
- Do dosha-balancing yoga.
- Include time for self-care.
- Tap into your creative side.
- Practice pranayama.
- Take time to meditate.
- Spend some time each day in nature.
- Do what you love. Listen to music, write, cook—whatever your medium may be, dedicate a little time daily to nourish your soul.
- Practice gratitude.
- Connect with a loved one.
- Say I love you. This could be to a loved one, your pet—or to yourself.
Whether you incorporate one or all of these suggestions, we invite you to enjoy the process as you find what resonates with you. Again, there is no wrong way to build your morning routine, as long as you feel centered, clear, and ready for the day!
