Incorporating health self-care rituals into your daily routine can significantly improve your physical and mental well-being. Simple practices like staying hydrated, eating balanced meals rich in nutrients, and engaging in regular physical activity create a foundation for overall health. Prioritizing mindfulness through meditation or journaling can reduce stress and enhance emotional resilience. Equally important is ensuring adequate sleep, as it supports recovery and boosts energy levels. These lessons remind us that small, consistent efforts are the key to nurturing our health and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Your journey to wellness starts with these thoughtful, intentional habits.

An early to bed, early to rise lifestyle centered around daily meditation and/or prayer is prioritized, because it helps align ourselves with Nature. The cause of all imbalance and disease is attributed to mistake of intellect, known as Pragya-Apharad. This is because consciousness and our physiology are one and the same. This was emphasized repeatedly throughout my years of studying graduate level Ayurvedic Wellness at Maharishi International University. This branch of Ayurvedic Wellness is centered around TM, and the campus in Fairfield, Iowa has a Panchakarma clinic and two large golden domes for meditation, one for women and another for men. 

A good organic vegetarian diet is recommended. If you do eat meat, it's recommended to eat it at the noon meal, which should be the main meal of the day, for that's when the Sun is at its zenith, and therefore the Jathar Agni, which is the king of all the Agnis and resides in the duodenum just below the stomach is strongest. The Jathar Agni is the main belly fire and it ignites the digestive fires of all the dhatus (tissues) and every cell. We will discuss the optimal diet for each Dosha type and which tastes to favor and which to avoid during the upcoming lessons. 

Abhyanga is a type of herbalized oil massage which is offered in Panchakarma clinics by two TM practicing experts. This can be applied by oneself daily and is one of the most important Dinacharya practices, for it activates the parasympathetic nervous system. I will be including a video illustrating the best way to apply the oil - always beginning with the head, followed by face and neck, chest and torso, upper and lower back, arms, legs, buttocks, hands and feet. The motion is circular for the head, elbows, knees, stomach and chest, with long gliding motions (effleurage) for the torso and limbs. I will wear a t-shirt and shorts to give a live demonstration during our second live class. Abhyanga is soothing and nourishing. It helps the skin to retain moisture more effectively.

The best oil for Abhyanga is organic cured sesame oil. In lieu of that, organic extra virgin olive oil and fractionated coconut oil are the best. Olive oil is best in winter and coconut oil better for the summer. A mixture of both divided equally is also great. The best essential oils to add to your Abhyanga mixture depend on your dosha type and any sort of imbalance you might have. For pain, frankincense is the best to add. It is also good to add 12 drops of frankincense to 6 tablespoons of castor oil to massage into the skin in areas where you would like to stimulate collagen production. Castor oil (Eranda) is an excellent oil for detoxing. It can be used to help detoxify the lungs and the abdominal organs. Flannel pack cloths with straps are available on Etsy, and allow for copious amounts of castor oil (1/4 cup) to be applied for half an hour to these areas while resting with a heating pad on top. This is followed with a warm shower or bath. 

During the winter, I like to put my fleece onesies on while my Abhyanga is soaking in and do 15 minutes of yoga before taking my bath. Twenty minutes is the optimal amount of time for allowing the Abhyanga oil to soak in. Longer than that is not an efficient use of oil. The nasya oil can be applied up to five times for each nostril. I will usually do my Transcendental Meditation after this routine in the evening, whereas in the morning, I do 15 minutes of yoga asanas and then 20 minutes of TM immediately upon rising, after my dental hygiene and using the restroom.

Gondusha is the act of gargling warm oil. Sesame oil is best, fractionated coconut oil or organic extra virgin olive oil also suffice. Oil pulling is sloshing that oil in the mouth for anywhere from five to twenty minutes. Then spit it out into a ziplock plastic bag or an old plastic container with a well fitted lid, because the oil pulls toxins out of the mouth and becomes quite thick and will clog up the drain. And due to the presence of toxins, it is not recommended to just spit it out into the trash without being placed in a secure container first. 

Kansa wands and Gua sha blades are some tools I like to incorporate into my Abhyanga when giving myself a spa day. The Kansa wands are wooden massage tools with copper smooth tips which are hand held for massaging. They are wonderful tools for self-massage. They are also great for massaging others. I will be demonstrating how to use these tools during our Abhyanga workshop zoom class.

Scraping with Gua Sha blades help stimulate your collagen fibroblasts, as does using a stone skin roller. Mine is rose quartz. Keeping the stone roller and a Gua Sha blade in the freezer helps make it a superb self-care for relieving puffiness around the eyes and soothing fine lines on the forehead and around the eyes. Scraping with Gua Sha blades can be performed all over the body. They help pull Ama out of the body. 

 

Manuka honey also makes an excellent addition, especially if dealing with blemishes.

Castor oil is also good for blemishes, because of its ability to draw toxins out of the body. Castor oil is wonderful for blepharitis (dry eyes), and can be applied by placing a few drops on freshly washed hands and then gently massaged all over the eyelids. The same can be done for the outer ears. Sesame oil or organic extra virgin olive oil can be warmed and a few drops placed in each ear to soften ear wax. Castor oil is also used for internal cleansing. It can be taken orally, 1 tsp each morning, to remain regular. It is also used for Virechana, a five day cleansing process which is done seasonally and should only be done when able to stay home throughout, or stay in a Panchakarma clinic center like the one at MIU. There is also one at the Raj if expense is not an issue. A bland vegetarian diet with increasing amounts of Castor oil taken each morning is taken during Virechana. The alternate substances (Gunas) are ghee, which is clarified butter; pippali tea; and Triphala - Haritaki, Bibhitaki, and Amilaki or Amla berry. We will be discussing Triphala and Ghee in more depth later on, as well as several other herbs and medicinal spices. 

Castor oil is great for muscle injuries as well, by applying a generous amount (1/8 cup) to the painful area and then place a warm compress over that. It is also wonderful for helping boils to come to a head and heal.

I also make a face mask with sandalwood and rose powder and powdered milk, which leaves the skin smooth and radiant. I will also go over some acupressure points which are good to stimulate during your Abhyanga, and some special neck strengthening exercises due to all of us living in the digital age with electronic devices like our cellphones which we look down at frequently and sometimes for extended periods of time. I like to set a timer when scrolling so as to not get stuck and waste a bunch of my precious time. Turning all electronics off or on airplane mode at night will help provide uninterrupted sleep. The EMFs we are constantly being bombarded with wreak havoc on the Centralnervous system. It is best to go to sleep between 8 and 10 p.m. This way the body is deeply resting while Pitta finishes digesting not only dinner, but mental Ama. 

Worrisome thoughts are what create mental Ama. Transcendental Meditation does wonders at clearing these types of thoughts out of the mind, and a good routine with early bedtime creates an atmosphere aligned with Nature and balances the doshas, allowing them to do their work properly.

The best thing to drink first thing in the morning is lukewarm honey water. This adds magnesium to the body and the scraping action of the lemon juice helps prepare the microbiome for nutrition. Drinking warm water throughout the day is also very therapeutic and is a primary recommendation given for initial Ayurvedic consultations.  Digestive spices and herbs like sweet fennel, cardamom, 

Stones and crystals like amethyst, hematite, fluorite and shungite help pull EMFs out of the body. Manmade orgonite works quite well also, and there are orgonite pendants and even stickers to place on the back of devices to help minimize the EMFs. So does standing barefoot on the ground, which is why this is so grounding. Crystals are great for balancing the chakras, and I like to make crystal grids with intention. Carnelion, red jasper, hematite, ruby and shungite are good for Muladhara, the root chakra, which connects us to the electrical grid we were born into and which we will walk in all the days of our life. It glows red and is symbolized by a two leaf lotus blossom. It is here we connect with all of humanity, our family, all of creation. Amber and Tiger’s eye are good for balancing Svatisthana, the sacral chakra, which glows orange and is the source of our creativity and fertility. Here we carry babies and our sensuality. Citrine and lemon jasper are some of the stones which are beneficial to Manipura, the solar plexus chakra, which is the home of the self amid Self, our confidence and emotional strength. Emerald, jade, aventurine and rose quartz bless Anahata, the heart chakra, which radiates green light. The upper heart chakra shines pink and is the home of a teeny tiny Bodhi tree, where we kneel and pray to the Divine Spirit which created us all. Our love and our deepest desires and longings reside here. The heart is the root of the subdosha Prana. Sedaka is the subdosha which rules the inner heart. Blue lace agate, turquoise, larimar are good for opening Ajna, the throat chakra, which shines blue . All we say and all we don’t say, our shrieks and wails and laughter and our songs all come from the throat. Lapis lazuli and sodalite are good for Vissudha, the third eye chakra, which radiates indigo blue light. Amethyst, clear quartz and selenite help open Sahasrara, the crown chakra which radiates violet and white light. It is here we connect with our Higher Self, with all that is of Heaven and is Holy. 

Nasya is a form of sinus moisturization with warm herbalized oil, preferably organic cured sesame oil. Gondusha is a form of gargling oil, which compliments the practice of oil pulling quite nicely. Oil pulling is the practice of sloshing a teaspoon of coconut oil in the mouth from 5-20 minutes, followed by careful disposal in a ziplock baggie, for the coconut oil can clog the drain. This helps pull toxins out of the mouth and strengthens the teeth and gums. 

Transcendental Meditation is the most important form of Dinacharya, for it provides the structure and peace of mind which naturally leads towards good health. Consulting holy books such as the Bhagavad-Gita, the Holy Bible, or anything written by spiritual teachers help clear mental Ama and keep the mind focused on healing and our connection with our Higher Selves, our closest connection to the Divine, our Creator Mother/Father, Source, Spirit, or whatever or however you choose to perceive it. 

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