Create a Vata-balancing Daily Routine

Establishing a supportive daily routine is a crucial part of the Ayurvedic lifestyle, but it is particularly essential when vata is provoked. Our physiology is very much adapted to—and supported by—a sense of routine. Vata is highly mobile and active, so when it is elevated, we are very likely over-committed, stressed-out, and exhausted. Our bodies may feel fragile and run down, our minds flighty and ungrounded. And as much as we may resist it, a sense of routine is potent medicine for balancing vata because it creates a number of anchor points throughout the day that serve to ground one’s energy, calm the nervous system, and disrupt the self-perpetuating cycles of stress and busy-ness that have become the norm for so many of us.

It’s important to note that following an Ayurvedic daily routine does not mean that you should schedule every moment of every day. Instead, it’s about creating consistency with a handful of habits that are repeated each day at similar times. This invites the body to relax into a sense of safety, normalcy, and ease. While the traditional Ayurvedic daily routine could easily require several hours, we recommend that you start with a few simple commitments—things like going to bed and getting up at the same times each day, eating three meals at roughly the same times daily, and pampering yourself with one or two quiet, nourishing practices that calm the mind and soothe the nervous system. Below, you’ll find several ideas and suggestions. They are nothing more. Please keep it simple at first. You can always expand your routine once the initial elements become second nature to you.

Throughout Your Day

Though morning and evening are the most important places to focus your attention when you are first establishing a daily routine, there are a few other things to be mindful of as you navigate your day.

Eat Three Square Meals Daily

Make sure that you have three nutritious meals each day, taking one or two of your recommended digestive herbal tablets about twenty minutes before each meal. Do your best to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at consistent times as well. Excess vata can easily leave us feeling spacey and forgetful—so much so that we may forget to eat. Whereas eating regularly stabilizes the body, grounds the energy, nourishes the tissues, and helps to strengthen the digestive fire. Therefore, we want to avoid skipping or delaying meals whenever possible. Even if you don’t feel hungry, err on the side of sitting down to eat, giving yourself time to receive your food slowly and mindfully. Your body will thank you.

Honor Your Energy Levels

Because excess vata can leave us feeling tired and run down, honoring your energy levels is truly one of the most important things you can do to balance vata. Leave space in your schedule for down time, rest, and relaxation. Maybe take some time to pamper yourself, even (think massage, steam bath, or something similar). It is equally important to pace yourself in your activities so as not to wear yourself out. Practice saying no to new commitments that don’t feel fully aligned, and be willing to take a stand for your own self-care. Do your best to slow down and really enjoy your day as it unfolds.

Movement and Exercise

When vata is high, we want to be very slow and intentional about physical activity. Too much intense exercise can actually be quite vata-aggravating. So if you are going to be active, take it easy, follow the principles of the Vata-Pacifying Approach to Fitness, and consider including the following in your daily or weekly routine:

• Yoga or gentle stretching. Vata-Pacifying Yoga is best for vata, and any gentle stretching will usually be supportive. Take care to listen to your body and to move slowly. Focus on cultivating fluidity in your movements. Avoid moving quickly, and see if you can foster a relaxed, restorative relationship with your activities.
• Gentle exercise. The best forms of exercise for vata are those that are relatively slow, gentle, and grounding—things like walking, gentle cycling, tai chi, chi gong, or swimming (be sure to avoid becoming chilled). The best time of day to exercise is when kapha predominates the atmosphere, between 6–10 a.m. and p.m.

Herbal Support

Be sure to establish times to take the formulas in your recommended herbal bundle, as well as any herbs you might be taking to manage more specific conditions. If you are unsure when to take your different herbs, here are some useful suggestions:

• Rejuvenating herbs and formulas. Take formulas such as Healthy Vata, Healthy Pitta, or Healthy Kapha upon waking (other rejuvenatives like Ashwagandha and Chyavanprash are also generally taken at this time).
• Digestive herbs and formulas. Take formulas like Vata Digest, Pitta Digest, or Kapha Digest about twenty minutes before meals.
• Triphala (or amalaki, bibhitaki, haritaki). Take these herbs about half an hour before bed.
• Other therapeutic herbs and formulas. Take these after meals.

Herbs can only support us effectively if we take them regularly, so the most important thing is to actually take your herbs. If you forget, take them whenever you remember. Please keep in mind that consistency is far more important than the timing of when you take what. Ultimately, the most important thing is to create an herbal regimen that will work for you on a consistent basis, even if it means you do something different than what is suggested above.

Less is More

Because vata is so deeply supported by a sense of routine, following a vata-pacifying daily routine can be a turning point in your path toward balance. Remember to keep it simple. It’s best to start with a few consistent touchstones throughout each day, work with those for a couple of weeks, and then re-assess your capacity to stick with them. At first, you may actually find that you need to simplify even further in order to be successful. You can always expand your routine as the initial elements you commit to become second nature. Until then, it is far better to keep things doable than to over-commit. When you are ready to deepen your commitment to self-care, we have a far more comprehensive resource on creating an ideal Ayurvedic Vata-Pacifying Daily Routine. But please establish a basic routine first. Even a minimalistic routine can offer profound benefits that you will notice every day. So celebrate simplicity, embrace taking time for yourself, and enjoy easing yourself into a sense of routine.

Source: Banyan Botanicals