My Dinacharya Notebook

One tool that I think has been indispensable to my Dinacharya journey up until now has been my journal, in which I briefly record the main observations, activities, and joys of the day. Given to me by my Mom over a year ago, my journal is a 6x8 spiral notebook decorated with royal peacocks, serene lotus blossoms, and colorful flowers and butterflies. I was saving the notebook for something very special, and thought using it to record this important new endeavor would do it justice.

Here is a picture of the journal that I would like to share with you:

In the market for a nice notebook that you would like to use for a special purpose? I have compiled a few of my favorites in the Amazon widget below. Like my notebook, they are all from Punch Studio, and I love how they are so colorful, yet also practical and sturdy. If you are interested in these notebooks please use the links in the widget to navigate to Amazon.com- any purchase you make via these links would benefit me with a (very small) commission, which I would appreciate very much. Also please let me know if you have a link to Amazon.com on your blog/website, and I will try to do the same for you.

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May all beings be happy!

Dinacharya: My practice so far

It's been almost two months since I first started my journey of paying closer attention to the day's natural rhythms, and consistently performing several of the practices recommended by the Ayurvedic guidelines of Dinacharya. So far I must say that I am pleased, since I am already experiencing the benefits.  

So far I have consistently:

Gone to bed earlier
Used the tongue scraper
Drank warm water upon waking
Practiced Abhyanga (warm oil massage)
Written in a journal
Continued morning sun salutations
Meditated

I have already made more changes than I thought I would, which surprises me because in the past positive change has been so difficult (or at least very slow) for me. As I've said before posts featuring my journey with Dinacharya will not be the major topic of this blog (of course, unless you want it to be!), but I will periodically post whatever insights I am able to make.

Thanks for reading this post. Are you also interested in Ayurveda? What attracted you to it? Do you feel that it has benefitted your life? How?

May all beings be happy!        

Dinacharya: The basics

In my last post I discussed my desire to follow a daily routine that is in harmony with the daily cycles and rhythms of nature. I believe that Dinacharya, or the daily routine based upon Ayurvedic principles, is a great guide for cultivating such a routine.

Dinacharya is a Sanskrit word, which, like many Sanskrit words, is made up of several related parts, each with their own meaning. Here they are:

din = day or daily

cha = to walk forward

acharya = the learned teacher, walking their students forwards towards knowledge

charya = practiced wisdom through routine

Thus: Dinacharya refers to the wisdom of cultivating a daily routine where one lives each day well.*

This idea of living each day 'well' is focused upon following and being in harmony with the daily cycles. In Ayurvedic thought, there are five natural elements, including space, air, fire, water, and earth. In human beings elements are represented in three doshas, or biological energies of body and mind. These include Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (water and earth).** 

In addition to human beings, doshas have also been assigned to specific times in the day, when each of the corresponding elements is said to dominate. Here are the times:

Vata: 2am - 6am and 2pm - 6pm

Kapha: 6am - 10am and 6pm - 10pm 

Pitta: 10am - 2pm and 10pm - 2am*** 

That's where Dinacharya comes in. The fact that certain elements dominate specific parts of the 24-hour cycle means that certain activities are better suited to specific times. For example, it is beneficial to wake and meditate in the air-dominated Vata hours before 6am, while it is best to eat our largest meal (lunch) during the 10am and 2pm Pitta time, when the fire element (and digestive fire) are strongest. 

Other emphases of the daily routine outlined by Dinacharya include: 

Before rising from bed:

Waking with a positive intention for the day

Assessing the body for any imbalances, being mindful of the body

Mind/memory exercise: Without judgement recalling the previous day's events from morning to bedtime

Arising:

Scraping the tongue with tongue scraper to remove toxins (called ama) deposited overnight

Drinking a glass of warm water (perhaps with some lemon and a little honey)

Morning ablutions: Washing face, brushing teeth, gargling

Emptying the bowels

Dry brushing the skin

Morning routine:

Light exercises such as sun salutations, yoga, walking, swimming, etc. 

Oil massage (Abhyanga): Massage the body (or at least the ears, forehead, and feet)    

Shower

Meditation/Prayer

Breakfast ~ 7am

Lunch ~ 12pm

Tea ~ 4pm

Dinner ~ 6-7pm

The time between 10am and 2pm is the best time for productive work, after 2pm for creativity, and after 6pm for dinner/light exercise/relaxation/intimacy. 

Another meditation session can be done before dinner, around twilight/sunset.

Spend the evening relaxing and free from major stimulation. 

Retire between 10 and 11pm. 

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So how will all this relate to me, someone who lacks discipline, has a hard time keeping a schedule, and feels perpetually out-of-whack? Well, I am hoping that by being mindful of these natural cycles, I can slowly allow myself to become in tune with them once again. My intention is that this process is a gentle, non-judgmental one, as I allow myself to experience the joy of discovering the rhythms of nature, instead of fighting against them. I am excited about this new adventure, but unlike the past, not in a frenzied, impatient way, but with soft, open-minded anticipation. 

As of now, I have only been able to do a small fraction of what is outlined above, but that's okay. Like I've said before, I've been out of sync for such a long time, so it is only natural that it would take some time to get back into the rhythm of things. Although I am instinctively drawn to each of the practices recommended by Dinacharya, I also have to test each one out, to make sure the sequence, timing, and the activity itself is right for me. 

Of course my blog here at BCB will not focus on this process, but I will keep you updated now and then. As always, I look forward to your comments about what you think of the ideas in this post, and welcome any insight or experience you may have had.

May all beings be happy!

*****   

 *Note: This definition was provided by the Dinacharya Institute's website. The Dinacharya Institute is a school dedicated to teaching students how to embrace and cultivate this ancient daily routine in our modern world, and is located in New York, NY. 

**This information was obtained from the Ayurveda 101 page from the Eat.Taste.Heal website, which is dedicated to teaching people to use Ayurvedic principles and diet to better their lives.

*** Information about the times and recommended activities outlined by Dinacharya was obtained from the Ayurveda Place website, which has a blog dedicated to informing people about Ayurveda, and also sells a variety of Ayurvedic products. 

Dinacharya: becoming in tune with life's rhythms

I generally don't make New Year's resolutions, and seeing that I am slowly weening myself of my own perfectionist tendencies, perhaps making one is not the best idea anyway. Sure, I want the typical things, i.e. to be better about writing cards and letters, remembering people's birthdays, decluttering, losing weight, and to have super-toned arms. But even if I were the resolution-making type, I feel that items like these are just distracting from the bigger picture- and from what I really want. 

What I want is simple, yet also profound, intriguing- and potentially quite challenging. 

I want to become more in tune with life, and the rhythms that help make us who we are. 

For so many years I have juggled various obligations- and been a slave to many masters, mainly the clock, the calendar, coursework, exams, labwork, my dissertation, and the expectations of others. The result is that although I may have accomplished a lot academically, years of ignoring and pushing aside the natural rhythms of life has left me feeling unsettled. I feel that for the first time in a long time, the current lull of activity in my life has given me the opportunity to focus on these rhythms, and to dedicate myself to becoming in tune with them. 

Although my efforts to cultivate mindfulness would probably count as 'tuning in', they have been sporadic, and more focused on my own actions, rather than how they fit into the bigger picture. As someone interested in Ayurveda (the ancient Hindu system of traditional medicine), I have time and again come across the concept of Dinacharya, or recommended daily routine. I won't get into all the details here, but I will just say that I am impressed with the way Ayurveda determines how to treat and nourish the whole person, based upon carefully determined characteristics of an individual. What's more, is through the recommended daily/weekly actions of Dinacharya, one learns to be in tune with one's own body- and the natural world around us.

Why is this so important to me? I feel that in today's fast paced, modern world, we are vulnerable not only to stress and exhaustion, but to losing sight of who we are- and where we fit within the backdrop of the natural universe. And let's be honest, despite all the gizmos, gadgets, and apps we humans have invented to entertain and comfort ourselves, the serenity of a peaceful natural setting outmatches our "smart" phone every time.  

What does all this have with Buddhism? To put it simply, I think that in becoming aware of natural phenomena outside the context of ourselves will be a great endeavor in cultivating mindfulness, not only of the natural world, but in how we are connected to it. This type of wisdom is something I believe would have strong and lasting effects on the physical, emotional, and mental health of sentient beings- and perhaps even on the earth's environment.    

So, as far as 'tuning in' I am viewing this as a very long-term goal. After all, years (maybe decades) of being 'tuned out' will certainly take some undoing. But it is not a race. I know it will be hard to switch gears- thinking about he turning of the earth, the changing of the seasons, the phases of the moon- it might all sound very remote. But we must never forget that these things are part of who we are- things we think we have abandoned and forgotten. But we can get back in touch with them, even on a very simple level, if we just take the time to watch and listen. 

And that's just what I intend to do. 

*****

What did you think about the ideas presented in this post? Do you think it is possible to reconnect with the natural rhythms of life, especially after being 'tuned out' so long? Is it important to even try? How do you think the above relates to Buddhism, if at all? 

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" ~ Lao Tzu

May all beings be happy!