Daily Routine

Dinacharya (Daily Routine/ Daily Regimem): 

तत्च नित्य प्रयुज्जीत स्वास्थ्यम्  येनानुवर्तते । अजातानां विकाराणां अनुत्पत्तिकरं च यत्।। – (Charak Samhita Su. 5/ 13)

To maintain a complete health state (the Tri-doshas in a state of healthy equilibrium, digestion & metabolism (Agni) in proper order), one should regularly use such articles or follow such things which are conductive to maintain a good health and are capable of preventing the attacks of diseases. For this, Ayurveda has described a specific daily routine for each individual which is known as ‘Dinacharya’ (literary means; Dina(Day) & Charya (Routine))

1)   Arising: (Wake up early in the morning):

As we all know that our biological clock has been attuned to the rising and setting of the sun, it is obviously better to awake before a ‘Muhurta’ (before 45 minutes around -exactly 48 minutes is considered as one ‘Muhurta’ ) to  the sunrise in perfect synchronization to the natural clock, as per Ayurveda. Take deep breath for around 5-10 minutes to get maximum oxygen available in the atmosphere during that time for nourishing our body cells. Ayurveda believes that, before a Muhurta to the sunrise time known as ‘Brahma-muhurta’ and one should awaken during that time, to maintain his/her good health. Such a routine prevents old age naturally (works as Anti-ageing therapy).

Remember:
Early to bed and early to rise, That is the way to be healthy & wise.

2)   Oral Hygiene:
(Tooth brushing/ Tongue Scrapping/ Gargles/ Chewing up Mouth Fresher):

One should daily use the fresh ‘teeth cleaning stick’ collected from the trees which are having astringent, pungent or bitter in taste. The stick should be about 12 Angulas( around 9 inches) long, in which top/one end portion should be crushed and it should be in such way( make it smooth) that the gums are not being affected. Ayurveda has recommend such ideal trees from which we can use for making teeth cleaning stick. Those are: Karanja (Pongamia pinnata), Karavira (Nerium indicum), Arka (Calotropis gigantea), Malati (Aganosma dichotoma), Kakubha(Terminalia arjuna), Asana (Terminalia tomentosa), Vata (Ficus bengalensis), Ashwatha (Ficus religiosa), Nimba( Azadirecta indica), Bakula (Mimusops elengi), Babbula  ( Acacia Arabica) etc. It helps remove the foul smell and tastelessness. It removes the dirt deposited on the tongue, teeth and mouth.

Tongue scrapers, which should not be sharp edged and are curved, are to be made of metals like gold, silver, copper, tin and brass. The dirt deposited at the root of the tongue, obstructs expiration and gives rise to foul smell should be scraped regularly by using tongue scraper.

Til Oil (Black Sesame seeds Oil) gargling is the best amongst all type of gargles, as per Ayurveda. It is beneficial for the strength of jaws, depth of voice, flabbiness of face, excellent gustatory sensation and good taste for food. One, who is used to such gargles never gets dryness of throat nor do his lips ever get cracked, his/her teeth will never be carious and teeth become deep-rooted, he/she will not have any toothache & his/her teeth can chew even the hardest eatables.
One, who is desirous of clarity, taste and good smell of mouth should keep in mouth or chewing up, the fruits of Jati/Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), Katuka (Hibiscus abelmoschus), Puga (Areca catechu), Kakkola (Piper cubeba), Suksmaila/ Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), Flower stalk of lavanga/ Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Fresh leaf of tambula (Piper betle), Extract of karpura/ Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) and Fennel seeds.

3) Natural Urges:

One should never suppress the natural physical urges as hunger, thrust, sleep, sneezing, yawning, vomiting, defecation (bowel evacuation), urine, flatus and semen ejaculation because suppressing these natural urges will lead to discomfort and even many diseases.

After having toothbrush, one has to drink 1-2 glass of luke warm water, through which the physical force creates and even the peristaltic movement of intestines will stimulates which leads to urge of defecation (bowel evacuation), thus the waste products of the body which is deposited overnight will flush out. Defecation once or twice daily is good for maintaining complete health. Look at your eliminations each morning and if you noticed any disturbance, then it indicates poor digestion, better to go on a fast for single time or a day. It will allow the body to rest to correct the system before the disease sets in.

4) Exercise:

 

Regular exercise increases the body’s stamina and resistance to diseases by facilitating the immune system, clearing all channels, promoting blood circulation up to the body cells & remove body waste from the cells and destroying excess fat from the body tissues. One should go for exercise depending of his/her age and body type. The obese person can go for heavy exercise but for lean & thin person, morning walk and aerobics would be the better options.

Morning walk, swimming and yoga exercises are good for maintaining body in shape.
5) Abhyanga: Ayurvedic Oil Massage:

One who practises Ayurvedic oil massage regularly, oil massage makes the skin supple; it controls Vata Dosh(body humor) by the opposite properties; it enhances peripheral blood circulation and encourages quicker removal of metabolic waste; relaxing the body. He/she become resistant to exhaustions and exertions; the body, even if subjected to injuries or heavy and stressful work is not much injured. One’s physique becomes smooth, flabby, strong and charming. By applying the oil massage regularly the onslaught of aging is slackened. Follow the normal direction of hair growth; use a little extra oil over the body’s vital parts. Do massage whole over the body, but in case of short of time, at least do massage of Ayurvedic oils on scalp/head, ears & soles of both feet daily.

Ayurvedic/ Indian Head Massage:

One who does massage of Ayurvedic oil on his/her head regularly does not suffer from headache, baldness, greying of hair and even hair fall. Strength of his/her head and forehead is specially enhanced; his/her hair become black in colour, smooth, long and deep-rooted; his/her sense organs work properly; the skin of his/her face becomes brightened (get lustre on the face). Massage of Ayurvedic oil enhances sound sleep (beneficial for who suffer from insomnia /sleeplessness even beneficial for who take sleeping pills from long time) and happiness.

Ayurvedic/ Indian Foot Massage:

Massaging Ayurvedic oil on the feet regularly; roughness, immobility, dryness, fatigue and numbness are instantaneously cured; strength and steadiness of feet is improved; the eye sight becomes clear and vitiated vata dosh (a body humor) is relieved thereby. It also prevents from sciatica, cracking of feet, constriction of vessels and ligaments of feet.

 

Ear Massage:

One who does massage of Ayurvedic oil on his/her external ear and even dropped it into the ears regularly in proper dosage (usually 4-5 drops in each ear for healthy one) prevents him/her from ear diseases due to vitiated vata dosh (a body humor), torticollis/ stiffness of neck, lock jaw, difficulty in hearing and partial deafness and even complete deafness at some extent in the youngsters.

Udavartana: (Massage by Ayurvedic herbal powders):

After having Ayurvedic oil massage, one should go for Udavartana/ massage by Ayurvedic herbal powders whole over the body, through which the body eliminates bad smell, excessive sweating, feeling of heaviness in the body, drowsiness,  itching and even removes undesirable dirt.

 
6) Snana (Bathing):

Bathing is purifying; improves vigour, vitality and life-span; removes fatigue, sweating and dirt of the body. It brins strength in the body and is an excellence for the enhancement of Ojas (lustre).

 

7) Dressing:

 

 

 

 

Wearing clean apparel adds the bodily charm, reputation, longevity and prevents in-auspiciousness. It brings pleasure, grace, competence to participate in conferences and good look.

8) Use of fragrance:

Use of perfumes or aftershaves, stimulates vigour and vitality, produces good smell in the body and enhances longevity and charm; it is pleasing to the mind and it prevents in-auspiciousness.

 

9) Use of Ornaments:

 

 

 

Wearing of gems and ornaments adds the prosperity, auspiciousness, longevity, grace; prevents dangers from snakes, evil spirits, etc. It is pleasant and charming. It is also enhancing the Ojas (lustre).

10) Care for Hair & Nails:

The dressing and cutting of hair (including shaving) and nails adds the vigour & vitality, longevity, cleanliness and beauty.

 

 

 

 

11) Use of Anjana (Collyrium):

For caring the eyes and prevent it from various eye disorders, one should daily apply ‘Sauviranjana’ (collyrium) made from antimony. Rasanjana (a preparation of Berberis aristata) is to be applied once in a week for lacrymation of the eyes.

As per Ayurveda, Eyes are the sight of Pitta Dosh( a body humor), and they are specially susceptible to Kapha/ Shleshma Dosh (a body humor), therefore this therapy drains the vitiated Kapha Dosh from the eyes and is good for keeping vision clear. As different types of tarnished gold (ornaments) are spotlessly cleaned by means of oil, cloth and hair brush, thus by the use of collyrium, the eyes of human beings become spotlessly bright like the moon in the clear sky.

A strong collyrium must not be applied to the eyes during the day time as the eyes become weakened by drainage & will be adversely affected at the sight of the sun. Thus, the collyrium meant for drainage should apply only during night.

12) Dhumpan: Ayurvedic Smoking:

One should daily smoke of a cigar made by some special Ayurvedic herbs with the help of cigar pipe.

List of these special Ayurvedic herbs given below should be ground, made to a paste and applied to a reed, and then made into a cigar of the shape of barley grain having the thickness (at the centre) of a thumb and length of about 8 Angulas praman( about 6’’ inches long), it should then be dried up and the reed be taken out of it. With the help of a cigar-pipe one should regularly smoke that cigar after greasing it with some unctuous substances like ghrita (clarified butter), taila(oil), Madhuchchhishta( beeswax)  or meda(fat) and apply fire to it. This is altogether harmless.

 

List of special Ayurvedic herbs which are being used to make a cigar:

Harenuca (Pisum sativum), Priyangu (Callicarpa macrophylla), Prithvika (Nigella sativa), Kesara (Mesua ferrea), Hribera (Pavonia odorata), Chandana (Santalum album), Patra (Cinnamomum tamala), Twak (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Ela (Elettaria cardamomum), Ushira (Vetiveria zizanioides), Padmaka (Prunus cerasoides), Dhyamaka (Cymbopogon schoenanthus),  Madhuka (Glycerrhiza glabra), Mamsi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Guggulu (Commifora mukul), Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha), Sarkara (Sugar), Bark of Nyagrodha (Ficus bengalensis), Udumbara( Ficus racemosa), Ashwaththa (Ficus religiosa), Plaksha (Ficus lacor), Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa), Vanya (Cyperus tenuiflorus), Sarjarasa (resin of Vateria indica), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), Shaileya (Permellia perforate), Kamala (Nelumbo nucifera), Utpala (Nymphaea alba), Shriveshtaka (resinous extract from Pinus roxburghii ), Shallaki (Boswellia serrata).

Ayurvedic smoking cures heaviness of head, head-ache, chronic rhinitis (running nose), hemicranias, ear-ache, pain in eyes, cough, hiccough, dyspnoea, asthma, obstruction in throat, weakness of teeth, discharge from the morbid ear, nose and eye, purulent smell coming from nose and mouth, tooth-ache, anorexia, lock jaw, torticollis/ stiffness of neck, pruritus, infective conditions, paleness of face, excessive salivation, impaired voice, tonsillitis, uvulitis, alopecia, greying of hair, falling of hair, sneezing, excessive drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and hypersomnia/ excessive desire of sleeping, It also strengthens hair, skull bones, sense organs and voice. Howsoever strong the diseases may be, pertaining to head and neck arising out of Vata Dosh and Kapha Dosh, they do not affect the person who is used to Ayurvedic smoking by oral route.

Eight times are prescribed for habitual smoking. One having self control should smoke after bathing, eating, tongue scraping, sneezing, brushing the teeth, nasya (nasal therapy), anjana (collyrium) and after sleep. This (smoking at these eight times) prevents diseases of head and neck.  Smoke in a single time, smoking is to be done thrice and three puffs each time. This is known as ‘Prayogik Dhumpan’ (habitual variety of smoking). During the prescribed times, a wise person should smoke only twice in a day for habitual variety of smoking.

Clarity of mind, throat and sense organs, lightness of head, throat and chest, liquefication of cough and elimination of the vitiated Vata & Kapha Dosh are features of correct smoking.

If one is go for smoke untimely (except the above 8 times) or overdone, smoking causes such troubles as deafness, blindness, dumbness, bleeding from different parts of the body and giddiness.

One for whom the smoking is prescribed should smoke through the nose in the event of diseases relating to the head, nose and eyes, and through the mouth for diseases of the throat. While smoking through the nose, one should exhale through mouth but if one smokes through the mouth, he should not exhale through the nose because of the smoke moving in the reverse direction instantaneously affects the eyes. With the body erect, eyes looking front, mind concentrated and having self control, one should sit at ease and smoke three times, thrice during each time, through one nostril while closing the other one.

13) Nasya: Nasal Therapy:

One who administered Nasya therapy (Application of Ayurvedic herbs into the nostrils, in the form of oil and powder) in time according to the prescribed method, his eyes, nose and ears can not be affected by any morbidity.

One can daily administered Ayurvedic oil in to the nostrils, 2 drops in each nostril (known as ‘Pratimarsh Nasya’) with the help of dropper, at least 2-3 times in a day. This Pratimarsh Nasya can be used on daily base.

With regularly use of nasya (nasal therapy), hair and beard never become white or grey; one never experiences of hair fall, rather than that hairs grow luxuriously and become thick and smooth from the base. With the use of nasya, diseases like torticollis/ stiffness of neck, headache, facial paralysis, lock jaw, chronic rhinitis (running nose), hemicranias and tremors of the head can be successfully cured and his/her veins, joints, ligaments and tendons of head and neck gain greater strength. One’s face becomes cheerful and plumpy and voice become clear and there is considerable strength in them. Diseases relating to head and neck do not attack him/her all of a sudden. Even though, he might be growing old, old age does not affect his/her head and face (in the form of loosen skin, grey hair, weakness of senses etc.)

14) Prayer:

 

 
Prayer or Worship is considered to be an integral part of the ‘Hinduism’ way of living. The chanting of ’Mantras’ is the most popular form of worship in Hinduism. ‘Yoga’ and ‘Meditation’ are also considered as a form of devotional service towards the Lord.

Meaning of some of the ‘Mantras’ popular in contemporary Hinduism:

• “From the unreal, lead us to the Real; from darkness, lead us unto Light and from death, lead us to Immortality. Ohmmm……
• May all be happy, May all be healthy, May we all experience what is good and let no one suffer.

15) Diet (Breakfast/Lunch/ Dinner):

One should eat in proper quantity. The quantity of food to be taken, again, depends upon the power (including metabolism).

The amount of food gets digested as well as metabolized in proper time without disturbing the equilibrium of body elements, is to be regarded as the proper quantity.
Taken in appropriate quantity, food certainly helps the individual in bringing about strength, complexion, happiness, and longevity without disturbing the equilibrium of body elements.

According to Ayurveda, for maintaining a complete health, one should follow the Ayurvedic life-style (given on the home page)

16) Employment/ Job selection:

 

Since work consumes one third part of our lives and success or failure in one’s profession affects self confidence and self worth. So it is important that the nature of work should be match well with one’s ‘Prakriti’(Physical and Mental Constitution).

One should always be ready to greet the people on the job place.
One should adopt only such occupation which do not clash with virtuous path. One should follow the path of peace and engage himself/herself in studies. This is how one can attain happiness.

17) Sleep:

When the mind including sensory and motor organs is exhausted and they dissociate themselves from their objects, then the individual sleeps.

Happiness, misery, nourishment, emaciation, strength, weakness, vigour & vitality, sterility, knowledge, ignorance, life and death – all these depend on the proper or improper sleep.

The ‘physiological sleep’ (known as ‘Bhutdhatri’), caused by the very nature of the night, if properly enjoyed brings happiness and longevity in the people. Whereas untimely and excessive sleep and prolonged vigil take away both the happiness & longevity, like the night of destruction.