Dinacharya (Daily Routine)

The Classical Ayurvedic Daily Rhythm (Dinacharya)

Dinacharya means daily rhythm aligned with the sun's clock. The Ashtanga Hridayam dedicates an entire chapter to it — because the ancient physicians understood that HOW you structure your day matters more than any single supplement or treatment. Total time across the day: 30–45 minutes. Start with one practice. Let it settle. Add the next.

*Agni – Digestive Fire. Ojas – Life force

🌙 PRE-DAWN · Before 6am

Rise before Kapha sets in — waking past 7am means waking into heaviness, not refreshment

Toilet routine first — elimination each morning is a sign of strong Agni and balanced Vata

Wash face, hands and eyes — cool water clears overnight Pitta from the eyes and refreshes the mind

Fresh air — even 5 minutes — morning Prana-rich air directly nourishes your life force

🌅 MORNING RITUAL · 6–8am

CCF Tea — Cumin + Coriander + Fennel (1 tsp each, boiled 5 min, strained) Kindles Agni gently. Reduces gas and bloating. Safe for all constitutions, all seasons. Before anything else — especially before coffee

Tongue examination White coating = Ama present, Kapha elevated → eat light warm food today.

Yellow/orange tinge = Pitta elevated → avoid spicy and fermented food.

Pink and clean = Agni is strong → nourish yourself well today

Tongue scraping — Jihwa Prakshalana (copper tongue scraper recommended, before eating or drinking) Removes overnight Ama before you reabsorb it. First and most important daily habit.

Oil pulling — Kavala Graha (1 tbsp sesame oil, swish 5–7 min, spit in bin or toilet bowl) Pulls toxins from the oral lymphatic tissue. Strengthens teeth and gums. Reduces bacteria by up to 70%.

Nasya — Pratimarsha (2 drops warm “Anu Thailam”. If not available, ghee in each nostril) Lubricates the nasal passages — the gateway to the brain. Protects against pathogens. Calms the nervous system. Essential in Sydney's dry winter.

Anjana — Eye Care Splash clean cool water or rosewater over closed eyes. Clears overnight Pitta from the eyes. Especially important for screen workers.

Abhyanga — Warm Oil Self-Massage (sesame oil) Long strokes on limbs, circles on joints. 5–10 minutes before shower. Nourishes all tissues. Calms Vata. Lubricates joints. Stimulates lymphatic drainage. Builds Ojas.

Exercise — Vyayama (to half capacity — light sweat, nose breathing still possible) Sun Salutations + Pranayama. Move all joints. Build internal heat. Support Agni. Never exercise to exhaustion — it depletes Ojas

Warm bath (always warm in winter — cold water closes channels and shocks the nervous system) Optional: use powdered green gram (mung bean flour) as a natural gentle cleanser instead of soap.

☀️ MIDDAY · 10am–2pm — PITTA PEAK

Your main meal at lunch Agni peaks with the midday sun. This is when food fully transforms into energy and Ojas. The same meal eaten at 8pm becomes Ama overnight.

Include all six tastes Sweet (grains, ghee, root veg) · Sour (lemon, tamarind) · Salty (rock salt) Pungent (ginger, pepper) · Bitter (greens, turmeric) · Astringent (lentils, pomegranate) A meal with all six tastes naturally satisfies — reducing cravings and overeating

Wait 3–6 hours before eating again Agni needs uninterrupted time to process. Snacking before the previous meal is digested creates Ama. Wait for genuine hunger — not habit hunger.

Wash hands, face and eyes after meals A grounding ritual that signals to the nervous system the meal is complete.

🌙 EVENING RITUALS · 6pm onwards

Dinner before 7pm — light, warm, easily digestible Soups, lentils, cooked vegetables. No raw, cold or heavy food after dark. If eating post-sunset, eat within 3 hours of sunset maximum.

100 steps after dinner — Shatapavali (gentle walk, not brisk exercise) Stimulates peristalsis. Prevents post-meal lethargy.

Screens away by 8pm At 10pm internal Pitta rises — your body begins tissue repair, hormone regulation and cellular rebuilding. Blue light blocks this cycle entirely. Every night this happens you accumulate a restoration deficit. So ideally you should be sleeping before 10pm. This means going to bed around 9 pm.

Pada Abhyanga — Warm oil on feet (3–5 min, sesame oil, socks on if needed, sleep) Activates Marma points(energy centers) on the soles connected to the nervous system. Most reliable sleep-transforming habit in Ayurveda. Results within 3 nights for most people.

Shiro Abhyanga — Gentle head massage (2–3 times per week) Warm sesame or brahmi oil on the scalp. Reduces insomnia and Vata in the mind. Calms racing thoughts. Improves hair. Nourishes the master Marma point at the crown.

Sleep before 10pm Your body's own nightly Panchakarma begins at 10pm. Every hour before midnight is worth two after.

Close the day with a small prayer, chanting or gratitude The last mental impression before sleep — Manasika Aahar — shapes the quality of rest and the state you wake into. End in Sattva.

YOUR FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLES

If life is full — do just these five:

Practice - Time - Why It Matters Most (5 Mins)

1. Tongue scraping - 30 sec - Removes overnight Ama before reabsorption

2. CCF tea or warm water - 2 min - Kindles Agni before anything else enters

3. Biggest meal at lunch - Timing shift - Agni peaks at noon — use that peak

4. Warm oil on feet before bed - 3 min - Calms the nervous system, transforms sleep

5. Screens off by 9pm - Ongoing - Protects the body's own nightly repair window

"Swastha — established in oneself. That is health in Ayurveda."

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