Dinacharya: Summed-Up

So much more goes into consideration when coming up with a daily schedule. We cannot simply follow the daily rhythm of someone else and pass it off as my own. What works for them may not work for us.

This same idea applies to practices. Hatha yoga may be appropriate for energized vata, but it may be detrimental for slow-moving kapha. As well as a hot vinyasa practice may be appropriate for the sluggish kapha, but can throw pitta and vata off balance by increasing the heat and energy. What is appropriate for one is not appropriate for the other. 

We can use other people's dinacharya as a reference and modify it to fit our own needs. Just as we take what Vagbhata says and modify for the 21st century and for our own lives. I find it really hard to believe that a person in this day and age will be using soft mud and water to clean the anus after defecating. Not denying that there may be people out there that decide to live like that, but the average human will not follow those practices, or simply just can't. And that is OKAY!

Ayurveda is not a prescription, one size-fits all, type of medical science; it is living as close to nature as you possibly can without creating stress or disturbance in your personal life. It is about finding yourself and your own rhythm of balancing life and nature. Your life is not the life of others, so stop comparing yourself to them and getting upset when you don't see the same results. When coming up with your own rhythm, consider this:

1. Having a morning routine such as; waking up early, tongue scraping and teeth brushing, dry scrubbing (at least on the face), asana practice, elimination, conscious breathing, prayer, and intention setting.
2. Keeping a meal schedule is super important in keeping the doshas calm and it also make life a little easier. Try to eat at the same time everyday to accustom the body and have it be ready to accept food.
3. Become conscious of your breath on a day to day basis. While you sit at your desk, while you cook, read, or just sit there, become aware of how shallow or how deep your breath is. And slowly, try to make it slower, longer, and deeper. Do a mindful breathing exercise at least once a day; turn off all electronics and just disconnect for about a minute. This is the first step towards mastering the art of meditation.
4. Apply warmed oil to the body regularly. Give yourself an oil massage and leave the oil on for about 20 minutes or longer, then wash it off without using any soap. Doing this everyday is just insanity, set a day of the week to give yourself this time to be totally present, not rushed and with no where to be.
5. Have nature time, I do evening walks usually after dinner, or sitting on the back porch to appreciate nature and her many whispers. Try to be totally present without any social media or reading material; just you, nature, and your breath.

Come up with your own schedule that is inclined with your needs and spiritual incentives. A must is to schedule meal times, conscious breathing, and elimination times. The holy trinity of healthy living.