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Food, Lifestyle, Spirit

A Morning Ayurvedic Routine for Lasting Change

It’s so easy to get excited about a new lifestyle change at the beginning of the year. But once February hits, that bright fire of desire may start to burn out, leaving our new life goals a bit cold.

Ayurveda understands this, and encourages us to work slowly and consistently with our life changes. Its better to throw a little stone into a pond daily than try to heft a huge rock once! With little daily-routine pebbles, waves of consistency will ripple out and create a new set point for your life choices.

This slow, steady path is achieved through daily routine (or dinacharya in Sanskrit), and it is essential for real, lasting change. Here are some of the steps in Ayurveda for a bright awakening, that can help set your day on course. Print this list up. Post it in your bathroom or refrigerator until it becomes second nature.

The night before  Try to be in bed by 10 or 10:30pm (it can be a little later in the summer). The body renews and detoxifies itself between the hours of 10pm and 2am.

Rise and shine!  Generally, waking around sunrise is ideal. People who need a little more sleep are children, pregnant women, folks who feel exhausted or burned out, the elderly, or anyone who is sick. Upon waking, try not get out of bed right away. Try to be aware of your body, your breath, and a connection to gratitude. Ayurveda understands everyday as a diamond opportunity inspiring thanksgiving.

Scrape your tongue  One of my favorite Ayurvedic health tools! Buy a silver tongue scraper and scrape from back to front 10-12 times. The tongue is a mirror of your intestines. If you notice a thick coating, it may mean you may want to eat a more cleansing diet, as toxins may be present. Tongue scraping has been shown to help prevent diseases of the oral cavity, improves our ability to taste, gets rids of old food debris and prevents bad odor in the mouth. Plus, if you dont get rid of that gunk first thing in the morning, it will end up back in the body.

Brush your teeth  Check out an herbal/Ayurvedic toothpaste at your local health food store. Look for ones containing neem, triphala and/or peelu.

Washing the face, mouth, teeth and eyes   Splash some cool water on your face, or cleanse with a nice Ayurvedic soap containing neem or sandalwood. If your eyes feel dry or red, you can splash them with a little rose water. Massage your gums with warm sesame oil. This improves oral hygiene, prevents bad breath, boosts circulation in the gums and helps us maintain strong healthy teeth.

Drink warm lemon water  Squeezing half a fresh lemon into some warm water will help to wash the GI tract, flush out the kidneys and stimulates good bowel health. If your digestion feels slow, add a splash of cayenne or 1/2 tsp. of ginger root powder.

Nature calls   Going to the bathroom upon waking will help clear your digestive system. A healthy “motion” will have a soft brown log quality, little odor, and will be well-formed (like a banana). Undigested food, foul smell, mucous, blood, excessive dryness or “pellet-like” quality, as well as “sinkage” indicates digestive imbalance. Altering diet, lifestyle and using herbs will help better this.

Get oily   Self-massage, or abhyanga, is one of our best allies for radiance. In fact, the old texts say its better to pay the “oil man” today than the doctor tomorrow. Massaging your skin daily nourishes and soothes the nervous system, stimulates lymphatic flow and aids in detoxification. It also improves circulation, boosts your vitality, and makes you feel more balanced emotionally and mentally. Use a high-quality organic oil such as sesame, sunflower, or coconut. Warm the oil in your hands, then rub down, making sure not to skip any parts. Let the oil soak in for at least 20 minutes and then shower.

Meditation, prayer, devotion   I like to meditate after I’m drenched out in my warm oil.

Get your body moving   Do some exercise that suits your mood and the season. When done regularly, exercise grounds us, boosts the digestive fire, and burns up any extra fat and toxicity. Adding yoga to your routine will open and clear your energy channels, as well as your physical body.

Bathe  Use non-toxic, all-natural soaps without chemicals. Look for soaps with sandalwood, neem, and other skin-friendly herbs.

Nourish your belly  Eat a healthy, seasonally appropriate breakfast. The best time? Eating around 8-8:30 in the morning will give your agni (metabolic fire) time to be strong for lunchtime.

~Katie

This article originally appeared on the Yoga Journal Blog on February 1, 2013.

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We are throwing two LIVE book launch parties in Vi We are throwing two LIVE book launch parties in Virginia. Author talk + community fall intention ritual + the sweet sounds of @djcopavida DANCE shakedown…Featuring @common__house @djcopavida @bluebirdandco @bluebirdbookstop 🥳shoot us a line if you are coming - it’s filling up ❤️🍁🩵🍁
What if… you could come celebrate my new book Gl What if… you could come celebrate my new book Glow-Worthy with me AND bring your bestie AND possibly win a spot for BOTH OF YOU in Ayurveda School Level 1!!?✨✨✨⁣
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(yes, if you have already signed up for our 2024 class you can still win this spot)…⁣
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In celebration of the official release of my new book, Glow-Worthy, we are inviting you to a special 2-hour FREE love-event: ⁣
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✨ A Morning of Glow ✨⁣
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It’s part workshop, part party 🎈And 100% for you. ⁣
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Yes, we are gonna’ confetti you all with a TON of abundance gifts in celebration of the birth of this little book baby 🎉🎉🎉⁣
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Check out all this beautiful stuff we’re giving away for the people who come LIVE👇🏼👇🏼⁣
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✨2 FREE SPOTS TO LEVEL 1 AYURVEDA SCHOOL! ⁣
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Bring your bestie and stay for the whole event where the winners will be announced! We will also send you Glow-Worthy, Healthy Happy Sexy, the beautiful bound copy of our color-printed manual AND the textbook for class. (That’s 4 books!)⁣
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✨1 WINNER will get a free private coaching session with Katie, where we can dive into your life, career and meditative practice goals and dreams as well as how to approach perceived roadblocks and emotional obstacles. Katie currently does not see private clients, so this is a rare opportunity to connect with her on a one-on-one level. ⁣
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✨3 WINNERS will get a personalized love note and signed copy of Glow-Worthy sent to your door. ⁣
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Tag your bestie below and then get on our email list ASAP for the invite (linked in bio)! 💌💌💌
Hey beauties- 🍂🍁🍃join me for the time-tes Hey beauties- 🍂🍁🍃join me for the time-tested secrets to a fabulous fall. We will go into some of the basics of Ayurvedic fall routine- but you know me - we are going to take it deep! How can we use the portal of fall, where the veil begins to thin, to enter into a deeper relationship with SOUL loving and living? Register to attend! Links in bio 🍂🍃🍂🍁
We are stoked as all get out to have the AMAZING @ We are stoked as all get out to have the AMAZING @micah_rewilding teaching in our Level 2 classes in Ayurveda School! Micah will be joining us for a course on: REWILDING: How We Can Bring Our Ayurveda Back Outside. ⁣
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Micah is a true visionary leader and expert in mindfulness, rewilding, and nature connection. ⁣
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He is the Founding Director of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and the author of the book Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature, which found its way onto the International Space Station in 2022 and profoundly impacted US astronaut Colonel Mark T. Vande Hei's record-breaking mission. ⁣
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We cannot wait to have him teach our Level 2 students. Definitely check out our podcast conversation with Micah via the link in bio, and you can also find all the deets for Level 2 there 🌿🌿🌿
It’s getting to be that time of year in the Nort It’s getting to be that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere! 🍂🕯️☕️Come join us for a free Fall-inspired webinar on Ayurvedic practices for the cooler months (no matter what season you’re in, come and learn how you can work with Ayurveda when it’s cooler out!)⁣
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In this webinar you will learn:⁣
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🌬 What is Vata dosha and its connection to the Fall season⁣
🍠 Tips for balancing Vata through lifestyle practices, spices and food⁣
🌿 Herbal support for fighting the Fall blahs⁣
🔑 The absolute top-priority key to balancing Vata this Fall⁣
🍯 Learn about the Ayurvedic concept of Ojas - immunity, vitality and love! ⁣
🧘🏽‍♀️ How to build Ojas and the common ways we lose it during the busy fall season⁣
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Plus, you’ll also receive a downloadable booklet of delicious and healthy Vata-balancing recipes! ⁣
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Make transitioning into these cooler months so much smoother (and more aligned with Mama Nature) with Ayurveda - sign up via the link in bio to secure your spot!

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