A routine is extremely important, let’s understand why. In yoga, it is said that one should be in the present. What does it mean to be in the present? It means that one should take stock of where one is, at this moment in time and whether it resonates with where one wants to be. Now how can one take stock? This is where one needs to understand one’s own routine. All successful people in the world give credit to their personalised and standardised routine for their success. Isn't it true though? We all are given an equal number of hours in the day, yet a lot of people in the world do much more in the same number of hours as others?
No matter what your life goals are, the path to reach there is determined by your routine. For a healthy and happy life, if one can incorporate the following in the daily routine, it could prove to be helpful.
Yoga believes that we should wake up at the Brahma Muhurta, which is 2 hours prior sunrise. Waking up with the sun harmonises our circadian rhythm. Another reason is that this is the time of least distractions as there isn't much activity around us, so any activity done at this time is done with complete focus, determination and a fresh mindset.
On waking up, offer prayers to whosoever you believe in. This helps you begin the day on a positive note and prepares you for the day ahead.
Cleansing the body is considered a very important part of yoga. Take time to mindfully brush your teeth. Prepare the body to release the toxins of the previous day, by drinking 2 glasses of warm water. One should freshen up and bathe before beginning their daily routine yoga asana practice. Oils as per personal needs can be used to massage the body before a bath, so that the skin is well nourished.
Yoga gives us 6 Kriyas to cleanse different parts of our body. They are known as Shat-kriyas and they purify our physical and subtle bodies. These 6 Kriyas are -
1. Neti - nasal cleansing
2. Dhauti - digestive tract cleansing
3. Nauli - intestinal cleansing /abdominal massage
4. Basti - colon cleansing
5. Kapalabhati - skull shining breath
6. Tratak - steady focused gazing
These 6 Kriyas should be done regularly. Some of these may be done daily, some on a weekly or monthly basis in order to keep the body healthy and energetic. These kriyas help the body to release the toxins and cleanse hence aiding all round good health.
Asana or e xercise helps us align and distribute the energy throughout our body. Asana practice should be done on an empty stomach or with a gap of 2-3 hours after a meal. It is recommended that asana practice be done twice a day, but that may vary as per availability of time. Doing Asanas or yogic exercises in the morning energises the body and prepares it to fully participate in the day ahead.
Suryanamaskar is an incredibly energetic practice that serves as an exercise for the entire body. Yoga recommends that it be practised daily.
Any asana or exercise should begin with exercises that warm up the body and end with exercises that slowly cool down the body so that the body doesn’t go into a shock and get injured.
Pranayama after A sana is the best way to reap all its benefits. As there is sufficient blood and oxygen flowing throughout the body, Pranayama calms the mind and balances the energy.
Both Asana and Pranayama prepare the body for the practice of meditation. Meditation can be done in different ways, it can either be a guided meditation, Om chanting or mantra chanting. One can also simply practise conscious breathing. Meditation helps one focus on one’s purpose in life or simply on one’s goals.
Yoga recommends Mitahara, it means eating moderately - not too much nor too little. Mitahara also means that ½ part of the stomach is to be filled with food, ¼ part is to be filled with liquids (such as soup or buttermilk) and ¼ part is left empty. Yoga doesn't believe in fasting for long hours.
One should not consume water 1 hour prior to or after meals. Water should also not be consumed during a meal.
It is recommended to have 4 meals a day - breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. Yoga and Ayurveda believe that one should consume a vegetarian diet that includes a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, dairy, etc. The food should not have too many spices and should be freshly cooked (sattvic). Have a light dinner as early as possible, closer to sunset. Make sure to follow the same meal timings everyday as when the body forms a habit of eating at the same timings, the digestive fire regulates itself as per its timings.
Every 1-2 hours, stretch yourself. Stretching yourself completely is a very important part of the daily routine practices that often goes unnoticed. Get up from your desk and walk. Loosen the muscles and your eyes from the constant stress and strain experienced during work. You can also do certain asanas that will give your spine some relief from the sitting position such as Talasana, Konasana, Vakrasana, etc.
When you come back home after work, make sure to relax; any asana (Makarasana, Shavasana, Dradasana, Balasana, etc.) which relaxes the body, will do. Doing Diaphragmatic Breathing, a Pranayama technique introduced by our founder, Shri Yogendraji can help calm the thoughts. To do this Pranayama, lie supine with your knees pulled up close to the hips. Keeping a distance of 1 foot between your feet, bring the knees close to each other. Place one hand on the abdomen and the other beside you. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhaling, move the abdomen up and exhaling, let it come down naturally. Equalise inhalation and exhalation. This will prepare the mind and body to sleep.
You can also unwind by doing something creative or pursuing a hobby such as reading, writing, etc. It is often the case that people overlook pursuing their own creativity, but creative hobbies as part of the daily routine are considered to be extremely fruitful for personal growth and recreation.
Take time to objectively reflect on the happenings of the day to wrap up the day mentally. And, in the spirit of beginning a new day tomorrow, you can write a gratitude journal to thank the universe for all the things you are grateful for during the day. Most importantly, do not bring work home.
Having a daily routine that includes all the above mentioned criteria leads to a happy, healthy and balanced life.
It might seem difficult to incorporate everything into an already hectic day but if we make changes slowly and consistently we can create a new healthy routine for ourselves. Understanding that these changes are going to help us regain our health and lead a more active and fulfilled life can be the motivation towards a positive change.