Dinacharya: The Ayurvedic Daily Ritual to Start the Year Right

Adopting a few practices from Ayurvedic medicine can help us start the year 2024 on the right foot. Let's delve into Dinacharya, a daily ritual known for lightening both body and mind.

Rinsing the Mouth

The day begins with drinking a glass of warm water to gently awaken the digestive system and replenish extracellular fluid. Then, before brushing the teeth, the tongue is cleaned with a tongue scraper (available in pharmacies or organic stores) to remove toxins. This is followed by Gandush, a mouth bath with a tablespoon of organic virgin sesame oil. This ancient practice helps massage the mucous membranes and maintain the health of the teeth, gums, and throat.

Cleansing Eyes and Sinuses

Jala neti, an Indian technique, helps decongest and purify the sinuses. It involves pouring slightly salted warm water into one nostril and letting it flow out of the other. This is followed by Nadi Shodhana, an alternate nostril breathing: the right nostril is closed with the right thumb, and one inhales with the left nostril, then reverses the gesture. Don’t forget to clean around the eyes too, using soothing cornflower water.

Sun Salutation

In yoga, the Sun Salutation is a sequence of 12 dynamic postures performed in the morning upon waking up. They help work on breathing, support, and balance through easy-to-perform figures: the dog, the cobra, the mountain... Check out YouTube to learn the basics: Domyos, Easy Yoga for Dummies, Yoga Master Class...

Breathing for Detoxification

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique that allows for deep cellular cleansing and eliminates carbon dioxide. For three minutes, take deep breaths, followed by very short exhalations while contracting the perineum and stomach. Then, exhale and breathe normally with closed eyes.

Silent Meditation

Spend fifteen minutes in a quiet place. Sit on the floor, back straight, hands on the knees. Focus on your breath to slow down your breathing rate, close your eyes, and imagine a landscape, visualizing its details. Embrace its strength, calm, and stability.

Vegan Breakfast

On the menu: tea or herbal infusion, seasonal vegetable juice, fresh fruits and dried fruits, fruit compotes, whole grain bread, muesli, or yogi pancakes (egg-free, made with flour, ghee, water, plant-based milk, grated apples or pears, spices like cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric...).