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 ...