Welcome to our third and final article of our three part Ayurveda series! Ayurveda (Ayur = Knowledge, Veda = Life) is such a vast resource for countless ways to enhance wellness throughout your life. We’ve barely scratched the surface, so we hope you’ll take your continued interest and deep dive into this wonderful world of self-healing healthcare wisdom.
In this article, we will review how the Dosha elements affect times of the day, explore the subtle body, and how to monitor the mind.
As mentioned in the first article, Ayurveda highlights three aspects to a lifestyle that can create more health: Routine, Moderation and Natural Rhythms. Designing your day with a framework that includes habits to be done at the same time; such as your cleanliness routine, eating, sleeping, meditating and movement you enjoy to help balance your doshas (which we spoke about in our second article). So let’s learn which times of day will help support our efforts the most.
The Daily Clock
Each day has flows of energy and different elements feel stronger at certain times. When we become aware of those rhythms, our efforts can feel more supported by the Universe.
It is also interesting to note that each dosha has different sleep needs.
Getting enough sleep contributes to keeping the mind healthy. In addition to movement you enjoy, other practices that positively affect the state of balance in our mind and subtle body are positive thinking and meditation. The mind is naturally clear and harmonious (sattvic). However when we experience negative thoughts and emotions, such as greed and fear, the mind becomes more restless and agitated (rajasic) or lethargic and resistant (tamasic).
Noticing The Subtle Body Through The Three Gunas:
SATTVA - The Energy of Harmony & Clarity
It reveals truth, makes us feel centered and strong, as well as brings contentment, peace, and stability. Sattva is dominant in a healthy mind. A sattva influenced person may be adaptable, courageous, calm, enthusiastic, intelligent, devoted, positive, sympathetic, and humble.
RAJAS - The Energy of Movement & Agitation
It can bring about change, expansion, and passion, but it can also deceive us into thinking happiness comes from external pleasures. Rajas in excess creates hyperactivity, bringing about tension and fatigue. Under the influence of rajas, a person may be anxious, aggressive, compulsive, indecisive, judgmental, restless, manipulative, jealous, unreliable, and materialistic.
TAMAS - The Energy of Inertia & Contradiction
It can highlight the power of ignorance and darkness that can resist positive change and cause indifference to our and other’s well-being. A person under the influence of tamas might be depressed, submissive, dishonest, destructive, apathetic, dull, lethargic, hateful, or prone to addiction.
Monitor Your Mind:
Meditation and positive thinking removes rajas and tamas and increases sattva, calming and uplifting the mind. The mind is part of the subtle body, and like the physical body, must be cared for. Practice the habit of becoming aware of the nature of your thoughts.
First, acknowledge that the mind is conditioned and you may have resistance to meditation caused by subconscious beliefs placed in our minds by information from others, which we need to overcome. Become aware of your mental state and the rajas (agitation) and tamas (resistance). The more you participate in this work, the more awareness you will find. Be the silent observer of your thoughts and consider whether they are sattvic, rajasic or tamasic. Realize our minds affect our physical bodies; our cells are constantly under the influence of the thoughts in our mind.
Practice Awareness/Meditation:
- • Sit comfortably in a quiet place with your back straight and eyes closed
- • Take a few deep breaths and begin
- • Relax your mind, concentrate on the present moment, focus on your body and breath
- • Shift your mental focus, visualize an open space or a calm lake without waves
- • Try to observe your mind, becoming aware of the type of thoughts and emotions that arise within you
- • If you notice negativity or disturbing thoughts, do not try to drive them out, focus on your breath
- • Visualize yourself exhaling all the negativity out of your mind
“When you meditate, some irrelevant thoughts may enter your mind. Ignore them. They will pass” -Swami Sivananda
Positive Thoughts/Affirmations:
- • My heart is filled with gratitude towards life
- • I accept myself as I am
- • All is happening for my good, to make me strong and aware
- • My mind is clear and calm like a lake with no waves
- • I surrender to the Self within
- • My will is pure and irresistible
“Thought is a dynamic force; it shapes your destiny. Entertain pure and noble thoughts always.” -Swami Sivananda
I hope you are starting to feel more relaxed, aware, and harmonious within yourself. Self-care of mind and body is an essential part of Ayurveda Healthcare! Choose one new practice to enhance your daily routine, dedicating a time window for it each day. How have you been enjoying the relaxing ritual, Abhyanga, self-massage into your routine? If you haven’t started yet, you can read about it and other ways to pacify your Doshas when out of balance in our second article HERE. If you’re just joining us now, and would like to incorporate more routines to promote wellness and balance for your lifestyle, you can learn more about your Doshas in our first article HERE.
It’s been an honor to be a vessel of information and relay some of this ancient wisdom to you. I am wishing you all wellness and I hope your days are filled with more sattva than anything else. Remember, you already have everything you need. Anytime you feel thoughts pulling you under, become aware, that awareness will set you free. Allow yourself to find more awareness and gratitude through your days and watch your life transform!
This blog was written by Meg Ramirez, please click here to learn more about the author.
References:
https://www.nourishmyself.com/ayurvedic-clock/