As the calendar flips to a new year, we are reminded of the timeless quest for self-improvement. A witty poem captures this sentiment, “I made a list of things last year that I resolved to do, But I’ll use it again this year; it’s still as good as new!” But beneath the humour lies the profound truth: our innate desire for renewal & growth.
We often commit ourselves with a list of resolutions. However, despite our best intentions, we all struggle to sustain the momentum. The culprit? Trying to do it all at once!!! Instead, we need to adopt a more incremental approach. The key is to focus on one resolution at a time, practice it for at least a month, add a new one, and continue practising it the following months.
Ayurveda is a way of life that offers a gradual and holistic approach towards better health. Adopting Ayurveda makes you more likely to continue progressing and cultivate lasting habits that nurture your body, mind and spirit.
Uncover your Ayurvedic Blueprint
Understanding your unique Ayurvedic profile, the inborn constitution (Prakriti), is the key to achieving balance. The Desh ka Prakriti Parikshan initiative under the Ministry of AYUSH has made it easier to understand and know your Prakriti by just logging into the app and following the simple procedures. Gaining insight into your Prakriti aids in making informed choices for a healthy life. This serves as a guiding blueprint to bring about the changes as per Vikriti (the current imbalances in the body). By grasping the interplay between prakriti and vikriti, you get empowered to make conscious choices, nurturing your wellbeing and restoring equilibrium.
Eat Whole, Live Whole
Being aware of your Prakriti and Vikriti, you are ready to prepare and tailor your diet for optimal balance. Ayurveda believes that most diseases occur due to an imbalance of agni. It further impacts brain health. Therefore, agni plays an essential role in maintaining a happy and healthy life. You can maintain a healthy balance by identifying the nourishing foods. Focus on one food category at a time, adopt wholesome foods and mindfully adapt your food habits. By paying attention to your body’s responses, you come closer to achieving your goal of being healthier.
Savor the Science of Ayurvedic Cooking
Empowered by your new profound understanding of the foods for your body type, be active in your healing journey. Commit to the motto, “Cook with intention, eat with balance”. No expertise is required in cooking; you may start with the basic traditional practices or learn from an experienced practitioner or an Ayurvedic cookbook. Slowly, you start enjoying the wholesome ingredients, understanding your food better and customizing it to your unique dietary requirements. Prepare your foods by adding the traditional spices and healing your gut and soul.
Listen to your Gut, It Holds the Secrets to Vitality
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of agni in maintaining body-mind equilibrium. Adhere to the meal timings. Finishing your last meal by 7:00 pm allows the agni to digest the foods and provide nourishment to your body. Eat only when you feel hungry. Agni is referred to as the conquerer of all diseases. Limiting water intake before, during or after meals aids in digestion. Drinking water just before food is considered best to avoid overeating. Also, set your distractions aside while having food. It promotes mindful eating. Adding spices in the correct proportions helps in keeping the agni in place.
Move your Body, Heal Your Mind
By knowing your Prakriti and Vikriti means you are already halfway through the path to optimal health. By adding exercise or yoga to your daily routine, you can further reduce the risk of various disorders, especially lifestyle disorders. Starting with just 10 minutes of yoga or exercise and graduating to a minimum of 30 minutes of yoga or exercise daily assists in harmonizing your body and mind. You may connect with any expert to adopt various forms of exercise specific to your body’s requirements. Regardless, yoga can be a valuable tool for cultivating physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Restful Repose: The Power of Slumber
In the modern era of artificial intelligence and modernization, we tend to ignore the most important aspect of life: Sleep. While the body needs exercise for well-being, the mind needs rest. Charak Samhita hails sleep as the foundation of a fulfilling life. Stress in various forms contributes towards negative well-being, draining out the positive energy from you. To refill this energy, sleep is the most powerful rejuvenator. Waking up before sunrise, eating before sunset, and sleeping at least two hours after dinner aid in sound sleep. Meditation and pranayama (breathing techniques) add flavour to your sleep and help your brain relax and process smoothly, enhancing productivity.
Sync with the Rhythms of Nature
Nature’s symphony is present with rhythms governing our lives. Every aspect of our existence is interconnected, from circadian cycles that regulate our sleep and wakefulness to the seasonal changes that influence our environment. Even our breath, heartbeat and hormonal cycles resonate with the natural world. By embracing the Ayurvedic principles of Dincharya and Ritucharya, you can unlock the secrets to optimal health and well-being. Spending time with nature is a rejuvenator as it exposes us to the panchmahabhutas (the five basic elements), further promoting health. Follow the natural urges. Encourage your body to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Cultivate Connection and Compassion: The Power of Sewa
Ayurveda recognizes the power of connections and relationships with one another and with the divine. One’s connection with Paramatma is considered to be the healthiest way to maintain health. Practising the principles of Yama, niyam, pratyahara, dharna, dhyana, etc., by following various disciplines of religions, we create a ripple effect of positivity. By cultivating mindful relationships and engaging in acts of service, we can lead a compassionate and vibrant world together. This sense of fulfilment aids in lowering blood pressure and increases the happiness quotient by boosting oxytocin production and reduces depression, a major cause of sorrow around the world.
Finding Balance Through Moderation
Ayurveda is a journey, not a destination. This science of well-being teaches us that every small step you take and every small thing you do contributes to your health positively or negatively. In today’s fast-paced world, everyone is rushing towards perfection, leading to depression and various other ailments. The aspirations are so high that you start compromising with the actual wealth: your health. The need of the hour is to understand that everyone is not made for everything. We need to make gentle progress rather than achieve perfection at once. Avoid succumbing to Vata’s anxious striving for immediate results, pitta’s perfectionism leading to burnouts and Kapha’s inertia causing procrastination. Instead, we need to realize our potential and set short-term goals. To maintain the long-term vision of optimal health, you need to take short steps towards maintaining balance.
Remember that Ayurveda offers a profound path to wholeness as you set intentions for the new year. By embracing these timeless wisdom principles, you will navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and purpose. Wishing everyone a transformative year of growth, healing and joyful living.