A Day in the Life of Myra Lewin to Inspire Your Daily Routine

Myra Lewin is a highly respected teacher of Yoga and Ayurveda whose holistic approach to wellness has been refined by decades of personal practice and devoted work with clients and students. In 1999, Myra founded Hale Pule, supporting thousands of clients to live a balanced life and educating students in the artful science of Ayurveda and Yoga. In this article, she shares her personal approach to an Ayurvedic daily routine.
 

Daily practices are something that give you a foundation for living. They have a powerful effect not only on a particular day, but on how you feel long term.

This is why we say we "practice" Ayurveda and Yoga. Life is the practice.

Healthy and harmonious practices give us a sense of structure and connection to our essence, helping to keep the doshas calm, particularly vata dosha. They also give us a strong foundation from which we can step into all of the opportunities in life—by coming to know ourselves.
 

My Morning Routine

We do these daily practices in the morning in order to set the energy for the day, so that we've cared for ourselves in order to be of service to everything else in life.

I spend these early hours of the day in silence, without electronics.

Agni hotra, a fire ceremony, takes place at the moment of sunrise, as well as sunset. The alchemy of the fire offering and mantra purifies the environment and all those who witness it.

I follow this with meditation and a yoga practice, which takes about an hour and typically includes sun salutations (surya namaskar), standing poses, inversions, back bends, forward bends, twists, and Savasana (Corpse Pose).

And then there's breakfast. Usually it's some combination of whatever's in season and I typically stick to no more than three fruits. I chant a mantra before each meal to express appreciation for the food and all of life.

It's a good idea to stay upright after eating—some gentle walking alone or in good company is always welcome. I like to walk in the rice paddies here in Bali and see the farmers. As I walk, I'm practicing mindfulness.

A practice is something where you're conscious of what you're doing. It's really important to bring sattva into it—to bring some balance and harmony into it. So when it comes to your dinacharya, your daily self-care, this is something we want to consider.

The sattva needs to be there. It's an act of self-love—to bring balance into life.

My Midday Routine

After I’ve completed my morning routine, I have consultations and healing sessions with clients, team meetings, and writing projects. I like to do creative work during the vata time of day in the afternoon.

I eat my meals generally at the same time every day. Before preparing lunch or dinner, I organize everything that will go into the next meal—spices, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Cooking and preparing food intuitively is just one way I practice connecting to my five senses.

When we care for and nourish the five senses, this really anchors us right into the moment. It cultivates presence, allowing us to simply step into what is next rather than letting our mind run ahead. It gives us access to the sixth sense and cultivates our overall energy.

My Evening Routine

At night, I wind down with quiet activities like listening to the nighttime insects and gazing at the flickering stars. These days, I'm learning how to play a Balinese flute, and I follow this practice with a milky nightcap.

Adding a little nutmeg or poppy seeds to warm milk has a sedative quality that supports sound sleep. Sometimes my kitties snuggle in close to see if they can get some milk too.

To get ready for bed, I brush my teeth, braid my hair, and put a little warm oil on my forehead, the top of my head at the fontanelle, and on the soles of my feet.

I do a vibrational cleansing exercise every night before bed. With lots of time sitting at the computer these days, it's very helpful to clear the electromagnetic field. Then lights are out by 9 p.m. Going to bed before pitta time of night at 10 p.m. provides deeper, more restful sleep.
 

When beginning to cultivate daily routines and rituals, consistency is what's most important. It’s something we do on a regular basis with a commitment to our well-being. I recommend starting with one or two things and then letting it grow organically so that you can deeply experience the effects of your practice. In this way, the benefits accumulate overtime and lead to graceful aging.