Allow me to tell you my story, a story of transformation and rebirth. My name is Julie, and I have experienced an extraordinary metamorphosis in my life through an ancient and powerful practice called Dinacharya.
In a world where chaos and stress seem to reign supreme, I discovered how to find balance and inner peace thanks to this wonderful medicine.
There was a time when my life was a whirlwind of responsibilities, pressures and uncertainties. Overwhelming work demands, relentless personal challenges and the frenetic pace of modern life had thrown me into a state of emotional and physical imbalance. I felt exhausted, disconnected from myself and my surroundings. A lotof us live these unpleasant moments of life but yet very useful for transformation.
I had already been practicing yoga for years but without having wanted to professionalize myself. Then the time came I have wished to deepen and to know these sciences. I felt I was not fully tapping into the energetic and spiritual benefits due to a lack of knowledge.
It was so powerful that today I am a yoga teacher and Ayurvedic therapist to transmit these treasures.
Ayurveda and yoga are two sister sciences.
As you have understood, I felt this need to reconnect to find myself, I realized that my health is a priority and that aging well is not a luxury.
If I had continued like this I would certainly have ended up in burnout, depression, neurotic with all the physical ailments that were beginning to manifest and the whole weight of the world on my head.
All our emotions are imprinted and if they are not expressed, they make us sick.
I also needed to transcend my fears, my anxieties, my lack of confidence, my conditioning, my energies and to create my microcosm with values that corresponded to me to finally find myself in this world and my health.
The Power of Union: Yoga and Ayurveda
Yoga and Ayurveda have definitely entered my life as a compass guiding me towards a path of deep transformation. Along with the millennial teachings of yoga and my Acharyas (Indian teachers), the Dinacharya is one of the tools that brought about this profound change.
Together, Yoga and Ayurveda form the cornerstone of profound inner transformation, aimed at self-knowledge and Self-realization. Their origins can be traced back to the Vedas, the ancient sacred texts of the Vedic tradition.
It is a holistic daily practice focused on aligning rituals and lifestyle habits with the natural rhythms of our body and mind. Over time, I have learned to incorporate these precious rituals into my morning and daily routine. Simple and meaningful activities.
So I am sharing with you today 3 rituals, among many others, which will allow you to evolve. By applying the dinacharya you will take more and more distance from the events that happen in your life, you will be better managing your emotions, you will gain in confidence, in anchoring, you will reduce your anxiety and your stress… and so many other indisputable scientifically proven points
Make no mistake, change requires regularity, intention and heart. This does not happen with a wave of a magic wand.
So how can you initiate this change?
1/ Your waking ritual
Determine what time you have to leave the house each morning, set your alarm so that you have time for yourself and accomplishhand tasks before hitting the road. It also prevents you from jumping everywhere as soon as you wake up like a robot andpull you out conditioning “metro – work – sleep”
Stop to jump…
Rather than jumping from task to task create a routine and stick to it. You waste less physical energy and brain space.
Why wake up earlier, even on weekends? Even if we are so comfortable in bed…
It’s time for you.
Isn’t it nice to have personal time alone in front of yourself? It is a way to take care of yourself and to balance yourself thanks toto routine which I will explain to you.
You strengthen your internal clock.
It is a structuring practice.
It is also a perfect way to evacuate your stress.
You enjoy what is called Brahma muhurta.
Brahma muhurta is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as “time of Brahma (one of the Hindu deities), “sacred time”, “time of the deity” or “time of the creator”. It is the first part of the morning, just before sunrise, when the energies are pure and that our prana or vital energy is considered to be the strongest. This allows us to manifest what must be according to the practices you perform.
How to do ?
When you wake up, stretch yourself, give thanks for who you are and what you have in your life. Life is simple, no need to be unhappy because you don’t have the nicest car, the nicest house, the nicest clothes.
All of this is superficial and built on unhealthy conditioning. What matters is your health, that of your family, that you may eat your fill every day, have a roof to sleep in…
Recite your mantra.
A mantra is not an affirmation, it is a sentence in Sanskrit which whenrecite thetransferred his energy. Sanskrit is called the language of the gods and it is no coincidence that mantras transform our patterns and our energies. Due to the sound vibration, you modify your body and your mind. You can start withrecite 21 times Om out loud.
Then recap your day and your goal.
And… Rise gently with love and kindness.
2/ Drink
This is called usha pan in Ayurveda. The morning drink
Many are those with digestive disorders, bloating, irregular appetite, constipation… Usha is a good start to cleanse your digestive tract.
You drink after waking up, on an empty stomach. Whether you can, drink the water contained in a copper bottle that you will have previously filled the day before.
The benefits
Water from a copper bottle provides many benefits for the digestive system. It empties the stomach and digestive tract and helps detoxify the liver and kidneys.
It is rich in antioxidants, which promote the production of new skin cells and fight against free radicals responsible for the skin aging process.
Studies have shown that copper helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, regulates blood pressure and helps lower cholesterol levels.
Its anti-inflammatory properties provide relief from pain caused by arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflamed joints. Additionally, copper strengthens bones and boosts the immune system, making it an effective remedy for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
It is one of the most essential minerals for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and the body in general. Drinking from a copper vessel helps to fill copper deficiencies and promotes optimal regulation of thyroid function.
It is best to drink it warm or hot but never cold, the same goes for the water you drink during the day.
Drink quality water without additives or herbal tea if you want but no acidifier like tea or coffee.
You can drink from 30 cl to 1l. The equivalent of a bowl is sufficient. Listen the needs of your body
After the first sips, allow at least 20 to 30 minutes before eating to allow time for the water to travel down the intestines, cleanse them and have a bowel movement. It may be faster depending on your physiology.
Drink in small sips while taking breaks, otherwise your stomach will cry out if you drink the water all at once!
3/ Practice your yoga and meditation
I practice at least 30 minutes when my days are busy. I practice every day without that my energy and my strength are not the same as well as my days which are blander and heavier.
You don’t have to be a gymnast, dancer, contortionist or yoga teacher to practice yoga.
You can start with 10 sun salutations and end with a meditation.
An ideal practice is built according to your Ayurvedic constitution but to start it will be perfect.
To meditate, I advise you to sit down either on the floor in siddhasana or on a chair if you have pain in your back or knees while keeping your feet anchored on the ground.
You can start by inhaling counting 4 then exhaling for 4.
If that leads tension in your body and mind reduces and shifts to a 3:3 ratio. Gradually you will feel more comfortable. Makes 5 cycles (1 cycle = 1 inspiration + 1 expiration).
Then, increase your ration again to 4: 4 for 5 cycles then next cycle, inhale 4 exhale 6, on the next cycle and to finish inhale 4 exhale 8.
Why would you do that?
Because the slowing of breathing leads to a decrease in:
- Heart rate.
- Blood pressure,
- Stress and stress-related illnesses
- Anxiety, tension, anger.
- More oxygen is available per breath, making your breath more efficient at feeding your cells, regenerating them and maintaining your homeostasis.
Respiration is not only a functional autonomic system
Conscious deep breathing greatly affects your cortical activities, relaxes your nervous system, which calms your mind by eliminating your thoughts and emotions.
The increased movement of the diaphragm provides a good massage to the internal organs, as the liver, pancreas, stomach, heart, and lungs are attached to the diaphragm, which moves up and down during breathing.
It is also a good preparation for childbirth.
You become aware of your breathing, you feel it and you know how to readjust it when you feel that you are breathing poorly. Bad breathing leads major medium and long-term complications, fuels stress, oxidation, inflammation…
Respiration is not only a functional autonomic system, it is the only function of the autonomic nervous system on which we have control. Breathing also gives the ability to control our mental emotional state, it is a doorway to the subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind is all that hides the way we control our life, we wait, create our positive or negative stories and the breath accesses these states.
Adopting conscious and controlled breathing with specific techniques combats stress and anxiety, depression, improves concentration, clarity, deep sleep, and increases energy.
There are 2000 techniques we can apply to gain awareness, control our mental and emotional energy and change our mental patterns.
Breathe!
So if you want to unlock your stories and habits that you hold onto, you have to be able to access your subconscious. This tool will help you rewrite the script of your subconscious because the breath is the doorway to the subconscious.
You must breathe with the body and not the mind for clarity, take action, take responsibility for your life and not be a victim. It’s getting up from your passenger seat and goingsit in the seat driver.
Pranayama or breathing exercises improve your vital functions, evacuate toxins and allow access to different planes.
If you arrive to apply these 3 principles, you will reap great mental, physical and spiritual benefits.
Relearning to breathe is what saved me too, it is what allows me to shift my moods and my emotions and to be fulfilled today.
Dinacharya includes still other more or less different cleansing rituals according to the needs of your Ayurvedic constitution. I can cite hrid dhauti to clean the tongue, or even gandusha the mouthwash with oil, neti and nasyam to deeply clean the nose and the sinuses or even garshan which is auto massage to release lymph and blood circulation. All have their goals and health benefits.
There are many others also in yogic practice.
The benefits you receive
These 3 main principles drawn from the dinacharya that I am sharing with you are the ones I started with.
Kindness and caring…
Integrating gentle practices without revolutionizing everything is the solution to last and integrate more rituals to come.
Step by step allowed me to enter the dance of Ayurvedic rituals that do good. You feel so clear that you can only go on and add more.
To practice is to honor oneself, to take one’s place entirely, to anchor oneself entirely in one’s being, to create one’s world in this world.
I am committed to taking care of myself, cultivating a healthy lifestyle, and nourishing my body with nutritious, balanced foods.
My energy level increased, my sleep became restorative and my mind calmed down. I won in mental clarity, creativity and resilience in the face of daily challenges. My body is stronger, I feel it, I get his messages, my immune system get better and I find a lasting emotional balance.
Gradually, you too will begin to feel the profound benefits of this regular practice.
You reach a different spiritual level
Beyond the physical benefits, the Dinacharya feeds your soul. It allows you to connect more deeply with yourself and with nature that surrounds you. You learn to slow down, to savor the present moment and to cultivate gratitude for the small joys of life.
You realize that there are no magic or revolutionary ways to change. The change is you who initiate it. As soon as you decide, everything falls into place. Your intention in the change is also extremely important. Thanks to simple, accessible and effective techniques, you access your authenticity, your strength, and your humanity.
Today, I am deeply grateful to my teachers for having transmitted to me and still transmitting to me these 2 medicines.
They have been my lifeline in times of turbulence, my compass in times of confusion, and my source of inspiration to live fully and authentically.
Lives changed and harmony restored
Since I started accompanying people in their practice of dinacharya, I have seen profound changes in their lives. By integrating these rituals and habits into their daily lives, they paved the way for true transformation. The beneficial effects of the dinacharya reverberated through every aspect of their being, be it physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.
Clarity and inner balance
They have gained clarity and emotional stability. They have learned to better manage the stress, anxiety and pressures of everyday life. Thanks to the regularity of the practice, they regained an inner balance and a deep harmony.
On a physical level, they felt an improvement in their vitality and energy. Dinacharya has helped boost their immune system, regulate their digestion, and promote restful sleep. They also saw an improvement in their skin tone, complexion and overall appearance.
But beyond the physical and emotional benefits, the dinacharya also opened doors to their spiritual transformation. These people have developed a deeper connection with themselves and with their true essence. They began to explore their own spirituality, cultivate gratitude and find deeper meaning in their lives.
This set of daily rituals and practices was a catalyst for transformation, guiding them towards a more fulfilling, balanced and mindful life. It is an inspiring experience to see how these simple gestures and rituals can have such a profound and meaningful impact in the lives of individuals.
May this story inspire those who feel lost or out of balance. Nothing is permanent, nothing lasts and everything changes.
“Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom and the end of fear.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
This article participates in the event “My well-being routine” of the Bonjour Mon Cycle blog. I really appreciate this blog and its natural authenticity because we share a lot of common points. And also knowledge for the best of all. One of my favorite articles is 8 activities to listen to your body and your emotions
References
Dinacharya: an answer to lifestyle disorders.
Role of Dinacharya and Ritucharya Regimen towards Promotion of Positive Health
Utilization of Ayurveda in health care: an approach for prevention, health promotion, and treatment of disease. Part 2–Ayurveda in primary health care – PubMed (nih.gov)
Increased Mental Well-Being and Reduced State Anxiety
Ayurveda and the science of aging
Effect of Ayurveda intervention, lifestyle modification and Yoga in prediabetic and type 2 diabetes