Dating back over 5000 years, Ayurveda literally translates to the knowledge of life. This holistic science is the knowledge of complete balance of The body, the mind, and the spirit. Any imbalance in this synthesis can cause physical ailments.
Ayurveda prescribes the following techniques to attain balance between the body, mind and consciousness.
Yoga, meditation, proper sleep and balanced diet suggested in Ayurvedic texts is paramount to maintain harmony between the three doshas.
- Wake up early before 7 am. This is the time when air or vata dominates our body. Body and mind are refresh and on a fast pace like air.
- Never shy from morning ritual of general hygiene. Taking bath is very important for washing out all the dead skin and also normalize blood circulation in the body
- Eat fresh food. Avoid reheating food. Reheating the food decrease its nutritional value. It is best to eat seasonal food and try to add locally grown fruits and vegetable in the diet.
- Heavy meal should be taken in the daytime, specifically before 12 pm. Never eat after 8pm. Eating late may cause digestive issues. Late evening our body goes in kapha cycle (ie. heaviness increases) hence we feel sleepy. If our digestive system is working that time then it hinder in kapha cycle and in turn it can cause indigestion, acidity and disturbed sleep.
- Try to go to bed before 10pm. Sleep is very important to detoxify body and regeneration. It also cleanse our mind form various thought. 7 to 8 hrs of sleep is ideal. If we see Nature’s cycle, 8 to 9 hrs is the time of darkness or the time to relax our bodies and mind. We have lot of distractions and should be avoided.
- Ayurveda believes in the age-old adage “prevention is better than cure. The principles or teachings of Ayurveda provide us with a system that asks us to engage in preventive care. We can use home remedies to prevent from seasonal changes eg. Turmeric, cinnamon, Ginger, Basil, has excellent benefits during winter season
Whether you’re balancing your doshas through asanas or mindful meditation, beginners might feel sceptical at first. The trick is to dedicate yourself to this process religiously.
Remember, the aim of Ayurveda is to make sure your body, mind and spirit are in perfect sync so you can be the best possible version of yourself.
