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Dinacharya in Ayurveda: The Art of Living in Rhythm With Your Body

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Dinacharya? You might think the words morning routine, right? And what does your morning routine include? Waking up early, brushing your teeth, scraping your tongue, drinking warm water, exercising, meditating, and perhaps some oil pulling. Then you begin your day feeling particularly disciplined. Yes, some of these practices are indeed part of the Ayurvedic approach to daily living, but Dinacharya is much bigger than this list of things that we do. It extends far beyond waking up and going to bed. Even the way we eat, the timing of our meals and the way food is prepared can influence how we experience our day-to-day health. I recently spoke about some of these in my new YouTube video, “5 Ayurvedic Eating Habits I Wish Everyone Knew | Part 1.” If you want to understand how everyday eating habits can be approached, I go into this in much more detail there. [Watch: 5 Ayurvedic Eating Habits I Wish Everyone Knew | Part 1] Ashtanga Hridayam has an entire chapter dedicated to Dinacharya, and Vagbhata begins the chapter with a very simple instruction: “Brahme muhurte uttishthēt.” Wake up during Brahma Muhurta. Now, what exactly is Brahma Muhurta? A Muhurta is a traditional unit of time, approximately 48 minutes. Brahma Muhurta refers to the period before sunrise, traditionally beginning two Muhurtas, or approximately 96 minutes, before sunrise and lasting for about 48 minutes. So, depending on the time of sunrise, it generally falls somewhere around 1.5 hours before sunrise. And there is a reason Ayurveda places such importance on this particular window. This is considered a time dominated by Vata, the Dosha associated with movement, lightness and subtle activity. It is the transition between night and day. The environment is quieter, there is less sensory stimulation, and the mind is considered to be more receptive and clear. The chapter then talks about Danta Dhavana, using twigs from specific trees like Arka, Nyagrodha, Khadira, and Karanja, chosen for tastes that are Kashaya (astringent), Katu (pungent), or Tikta (bitter). And it specifically mentions cleaning your teeth without hurting the gums, “dantamaamsaanyabaadhayan.” It’s such a small detail, but it tells you something important about how nothing is too minor to matter. Even your mouth, the very first point of contact between you and your food, gets its own careful instruction. The body is made up of all these small things, and the way you care for them every day eventually becomes part of your overall health. From Danta Dhavana, the text moves into Anjana, or the care of the eyes. Vagbhata recommends Sauviranjana as a daily practice for the eyes and mentions Rasanjana at intervals for cleansing. Again, what stands out to me is the attention to detail. The eyes are not treated as something separate from the rest of the body. They are another part of the body that needs regular care. And when you think about how much of our day today is spent looking at screens, this idea of simply paying attention to the condition of our eyes feels particularly relevant. Then comes Nasya, Gandusha, and Dhoomapana, with the use of Tambula. These practices belong to a very different medical context, and they should not simply be copied into a morning routine without understanding who they are intended for and under what circumstances. But what is interesting, and what I want to point out here, is how comprehensive the total idea of daily care was. From the mouth, nose, eyes, skin, the head, and all the senses, everything had a place in Dinacharya. There was an understanding that health was made up of all these systems that need to be cared for continuously. It was not about waiting for something to go wrong and then addressing it. And then we come to Abhyanga, which is one of the most recognisable practices today. Vagbhata says, “Abhyangam acharet nityam.” He recommended regular oiling of the body, emphasising particularly on the head, ears, and feet, and describing benefits related to the skin, vitality, strength and sleep. I have also made a detailed video about Abhyanga, if you wish to understand the practice in more detail. [Watch the video here.] Then finally comes Vyayama, or exercise. Exercise that is appropriate can bring lightness to the body, improve our capacity for work, support digestion and help reduce excess fat. But we must understand that exercise is not the same for everybody, and it is certainly not meant to be excessive. Vagbhata actually gives detailed instructions about who should exercise, how much they should exercise and when exercise should be avoided. He says that exercise should be done up to approximately half of one’s capacity, rather than pushing the body beyond what it can comfortably tolerate. And I think this is an important distinction. And Dinacharya doesn’t just stop with the physical body. This is where I find the chapter particularly interesting, because Vagbhata gradually moves from taking care of your body to how you conduct yourself. He speaks about using words that are truthful, measured and pleasant: “Kāle hitam mitam brūyād avisaṃvādi peśalam.” Speak at the right time. Speak what is beneficial, measured, truthful and pleasant. He speaks about compassion, generosity, humility and how we should conduct ourselves even when dealing with people who may not treat us well in return. And this tells us something important about what Ayurveda actually meant by health. It was never only about physical health. The way you conduct yourself is also part of your well-being. The way you speak, the way you behave, the conflicts that you create, the anger you hold on to, and the way you treat other people all become part of the environment in which your body and mind have… Continue reading Dinacharya in Ayurveda: The Art of Living in Rhythm With Your Body

Satva, Rajas and Tamas: The Three Forces Behind How We Think and Act

When we look at something that already exists, we tend to focus on what we can see. To us, in our mind, a book is a book, a building is a building and a person is a person. But let us go a little deeper, what made that thing come into existence in the first place? What happened before we could see the finished form? What allowed an idea to become reality? According to the Ayurvedic understanding of nature, three fundamental qualities are involved in this process: Satva, Rajas and Tamas. These are not substances in the ordinary physical sense. They are the principles that influence how things are conceived, developed, organised and eventually brought into a definite form. They also influence how we think, respond to situations and behave. From an idea to something real Think about something as simple as a printed page. Before the page existed, someone first had an idea. They imagined that information could be communicated through a page. Then came the practical process where the paper had to be selected, its size had to be decided, the text had to be organized and the printing process had to be worked out. Only then could the page actually be produced. This can be understood through the three qualities. Satva is associated with clarity, awareness and the emergence of an idea. Rajas is associated with activity, movement and the effort required to bring that idea into action. Tamas provides stability, limitation and resistance to further alternatives. It allows something to settle into a definite form. All three have a role. An idea without action remains an idea while an action without direction becomes scattered and without some form of limitation or stability, nothing is ever finalised. This principle can be observed everywhere, from something as simple as making a page to something as complex as the development of a living being. Satva, Rajas and Tamas in the mind Ayurveda extends this idea beyond the physical world and applies it to Manas, or the mind. Every person has Satva, Rajas and Tamas in relative dominance. This explains us why two people can experience exactly the same situation but respond to it completely differently. This is where understanding the predominance of Satva, Rajas and Tamas becomes important. The Satva-dominant mind A person in whom Satva is more prominent tends to be curious, observant and interested in understanding things. They want to know why something happened. If they fall ill, they may want to understand the cause, the relationship between their habits and their symptoms, and what they can do to improve their situation. They may also be better able to remain composed during difficult circumstances. Instead of immediately reacting, they tend to step back, understand what is happening and work towards a solution. This does not mean that a Satva-dominant person does not experience pain, fear or distress. Rather, their ability to understand and process the situation can influence how they respond to it. The Rajas-dominant mind Rajas is associated with movement, activity and constant engagement. A Rajas-dominant person may be more expressive about both pleasure and discomfort. They may actively seek experiences, stimulation and reassurance. If something happens to them, they may not necessarily be interested in understanding the deeper cause immediately. What they often need first is clear guidance and reassurance. Once they feel confident about the course of action, they may be able to move forward. Their mind is active and constantly responding to what is happening around them. The Tamas-dominant mind Tamas is associated with resistance, confusion and difficulty in moving forward. A Tamas-dominant person may struggle to understand or accept what is happening around them. When they are facing a difficult situation, fear and apprehension may become stronger. They may repeatedly question advice, seek opinions from several people and still find it difficult to make a decision. Even with the outcome seeming clear, they may find it difficult to take a first step. This is also why the same advice might not help every person, as they might not react to it in a similar way. Why this matters in Ayurveda For Ayurveda, treating a person is not limited to identifying physical symptoms. The way a person perceives, expresses and responds to those symptoms also matters. Let us take an example, someone may experience severe pain but barely express it while there is another person who may express relatively mild pain very dramatically. Someone else may not even understand that their symptoms require attention. Now, the individual’s mental state might affect the way they communicate or show signs to understand about their condition. If a practitioner judges the severity of a condition only by outward expression, there is a possibility of misunderstanding the situation. Ayurveda’s understanding of Satva, Rajas and Tamas also highlights something that is often overlooked in modern conversations about health. Two people can have similar physical circumstances but very different experiences of illness. Our perception, emotional response, understanding and behaviour can influence how we deal with what is happening to us. This does not mean that mental qualities magically determine whether someone will recover. Nor does it mean that a person’s illness is simply a result of their mindset. Rather, the Ayurvedic framework recognises that the mind is part of the individual’s overall experience and therefore deserves attention during care. Three qualities, one constantly changing mind Satva, Rajas and Tamas should not be understood as three permanent personality categories. They are present in everyone, in different proportions, and can change depending on circumstances. A person may be calm and thoughtful in one situation, highly restless in another and completely withdrawn in a third. The important… Continue reading Satva, Rajas and Tamas: The Three Forces Behind How We Think and Act

Samanya and Vishesha: The Ayurvedic Principle of Balance

Think of this situation, you probably find it familiar. You come home tired, and instead of hitting the gym or going for a walk, all you want to do is sleep. So, you lie down but when you get up instead of feeling refreshed, you feel even more tired. There might also be days when you feel jittery and restless instead. So, you go for a walk or hit the gym hoping it will help. But rather than feeling energised, you end up feeling even more wired than when you started. You must have noticed that nobody has really taught us this. We just vaguely assume that rest will fix our tiredness, or movement will fix our restlessness, without actually stopping to think about whether they really do. Interestingly, Ayurveda has actually talked about this phenomenon. The Charaka Samhita has a verse that describes this very pattern. सामान्यमेकत्वकरं, विशेषस्तु पृथक्त्वकृत् । तुल्यार्थता हि सामान्यं, विशेषस्तु विपर्ययः ॥ It can be roughly translated to Samanya brings things together, Vishesha pulls them apart. Samanya is sameness of quality; Vishesha is its opposite. This verse introduces us to two words. One is samanya, which means sameness or similarity. The other is vishesha, which means difference or distinction. And the principle the text is pointing towards is that things that are similar to each other tend to increase each other, while things that are opposite to each other tend to reduce each other. It’s almost like fields, where one thing can either reinforce what is already there or counter it. Rest is slow. So, if you are already feeling heavy and slow, more rest isn’t necessarily going to rebalance you. It only reinforces that feeling of heaviness and sluggishness. On the other hand, restlessness is hot and fast. So, if you respond to that feeling with more movement, you might end up feeling even more hot and wired rather than actually calming the restlessness. You’re reinforcing the qualities that are already present. Now that we think about it, it sounds obvious. But we rarely think about our own habits in these terms. This principle can also be applied to the food we consume and our body’s internal balances, what Ayurveda calls the doshas. It’s quite simple. Whatever quality is already present in excess, you don’t add more of it. You reach for its opposite instead. On a cold day, for example, if you’re already feeling stiff, dry and cold you naturally want to add some warmth. Similarly, if you’re feeling sluggish or heavy after a meal, you probably don’t want to eat something even heavier, right? You want something lighter. In fact, the very first chapter of the Charaka Samhita, called Dirghanjivitiya, which is about the desire for long life, talks about exactly which tastes can calm which imbalances. It goes through all six rasas, or tastes, and explains their qualities and what can be used to pacify different states. Take Vata, for example. Vata is dry and is associated with movement. So, it is calmed by substances with opposite qualities. If you’re feeling dry and cold, if you’re in a Vata state, you would reach for sweet, sour and salty tastes because these carry qualities of moisture, warmth and weight. Or if you feel like your Pitta is rising, you’re overheated or you’re feeling short-tempered, bitter and sweet tastes can help cool things down. And this is important: none of the six tastes are universally good or universally bad. It’s not that sweet is unhealthy and bitter is healthy. Each taste has its place whether it is helpful or unhelpful depends entirely on the state it is meeting. There is no fixed list where cold foods are always bad or sweet foods are always bad. It depends entirely on the person, the place, the timing, and the state of the body, not just the substance itself. This is one of the core ideas of Ayurveda. It is individualistic. The same food or medicine can be helpful for one person but not for another. If you must have also noticed, even for the same person, something that suits them one day may not suit them on another day. It depends on what qualities they are already carrying in excess at that particular time. Ayurveda says that even a well-known poison, used with the right knowledge, at the right dose, for the right person, can become the best possible medicine. And a substance that’s technically medicine, used without that understanding, can do as much damage as poison. The substance alone is never the whole story. You have to look at what you’re giving, who you’re giving it to, why you’re giving it, how much you’re giving, and under what circumstances. And this brings us back to samanya and vishesha. Because the real question isn’t simply, “Is this food good?” Ayurveda’s answer is rarely just about the thing itself. It is about the relationship between the thing and the person receiving it. If this way of looking at Ayurveda interests you, you might enjoy our courses on the Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam, where we go deeper into the texts and the ideas behind them. Sometimes, going back to the original texts can change the way you understand Ayurveda, and even the way you look at your own life.

5 Ways Ayurveda Understands Food and Digestion

Most of us consider food in terms of calories, protein, carbs, or whatever the latest diet trend tells us we should be eating. Ayurveda looks at food a little differently. Food is not just fuel in Ayurveda. It can affect digestion, energy levels, mood and general well-being. Ayurveda asks not just, “How much should I eat?” but “What am I eating? When am I eating it? And is it right for me?” And to understand this way of looking at food, we first need to understand how it describes food and its effects on the body. Here are five ways Ayurveda understands food, digestion and eating. Food Is Understood Through Six Tastes, Not Just Flavour In Ayurveda, taste is not only a matter of enjoyment, but is seen as a direct indication of the effect a food has on the body. The shad rasa, or six tastes, are mentioned in the classical texts: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Every taste has its effects and qualities. Sweet foods for example have traditionally been seen as building and nourishing. Bitter foods are considered to be lightening and detoxifying. Pungent foods are supposed to stimulate digestion. It is not that any one taste is inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’, a well-balanced meal or diet should ideally include a variety of tastes, since each one plays a different role in the body’s response to food. Digestion Is Treated as the Centre of Health One of the most fundamental principles of nutrition in Ayurveda is the concept of Agni, or digestive fire. Agni refers to the body’s capacity to process and transform what we take in, not just food, but also experiences and emotions. Even the most nutritious diet cannot be considered useful if the body cannot process it well. That is why it is equally important to pay attention not just to what we eat, but also to our ability to digest it. How do we measure that? Your body is always giving you signals. If you feel sluggish or bloated after having a heavy meal then it might be a sign of slow digestion. If your meals leave you with acidity, and you feel hungry very often, these may be signs that your digestion is not functioning optimally. That is why, Ayurveda emphasizes heavily on eating at regular times, being mindful when eating and avoiding overeating. Food Is Classified by Its Effect on the Body, Not Just Its Content In Ayurveda, food is not understood only by what it contains like the carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins or minerals. It is also understood through its qualities and the way it affects the body after we eat it. Foods are described as heavy or light, hot or cold, dry or oily, among other qualities. These qualities help us understand how a particular food may influence digestion and the body. For example, some foods may be nutritious but still feel heavy or difficult to digest. This is why Ayurveda pays attention not just to the food itself, but also to how it is prepared, what it is combined with, and how it is eaten. Cooking, using spices and choosing the right combinations are not simply about making food more flavourful but are also considered ways of making food easier for the body to digest and use. So, in Ayurveda, eating healthy is not only about choosing the food with the best nutritional profile. It is also about understanding how that food interacts with your body. Seasons and Individual Constitution Shape What “Balanced” Means Ayurveda does not believe that there is one perfect diet that works for everyone. It looks at each person differently through the concept of the three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These are understood as different combinations of qualities that influence how our body and mind function. This is why the same food may not affect everyone in exactly the same way. What feels light and comfortable for one person may feel heavy or unsuitable for another. Ayurveda also considers the season and environment when deciding what is appropriate to eat. Our needs can change with shifts in weather, temperature and routine. For example, the foods and habits that may feel appropriate during a hot summer can be very different from what suits the body during a cold or dry season. So, Ayurvedic nutrition is not about following a fixed list of “good” and “bad” foods. It is about understanding what your body needs at a particular time and in a particular situation. Food and Lifestyle Are Never Completely Separate Ayurveda does not look at food as something separate from the rest of our daily life. Sleep, stress, exercise, daily routine and even the time at which we eat can influence how our body handles food. Think about eating the same meal on two different days. One day, you may sit down calmly and eat without distractions. On another day, you may eat the same meal while rushing, working or feeling stressed. The food may be the same, but the way you experience the meal can be very different. This is why Ayurveda places importance not only on what we eat, but also on how, when and in what state we eat it. The idea is simple. Food is one part of our health, but our daily habits, routines and environment play a role too. Whether you’re simply curious about Ayurveda or want to study it seriously, understanding the classical texts is the best place to begin. You can check out my courses on Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam and start learning Ayurveda beyond social media and simplified wellness advice.

Why Ayurveda Is More Relevant Than Ever in Modern Medicine

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The healthcare industry today is trying to solve problems that are very different from what it was trying to solve fifty years ago. Because of advancements in technology across every sector and equally rapid changes in lifestyle, the health challenges people face today are completely different from what they were decades ago. People are now far more prone and susceptible to chronic diseases, lifestyle disorders, stress-related illnesses and metabolic conditions. Healthcare is no longer just about treating disease after it appears. It is also about understanding why these conditions develop in the first place, who may be more susceptible to them, and how they can be prevented or managed in the long run. In many ways, healthcare has moved from simply treating disease to understanding the person behind that disease. This is where Ayurveda comes into the picture. Although Ayurveda is over two thousand years old, it has always approached health differently. It has always believed in treating the root cause instead of waiting for disease to become the focus of treatment. According to Ayurveda, our body constantly sends signals about its state of health, and disease is often the final stage of a long-term imbalance rather than the beginning of an illness. Every individual is unique. Ayurveda had already described health as something very personal. The basic principles of Ayurveda are built around Prakriti, Dosha and Agni. The first step in Ayurveda, even before diagnosing or treating disease, is understanding a person’s Prakriti, or individual constitution. It is believed that every individual has a unique constitution that affects how their body functions, how they respond to food, lifestyle and the environment, and even their tendency to develop certain health conditions. Doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are the three functional principles that regulate movement, transformation and structure in the body. Every individual has all three Doshas, but in different proportions, making every person’s physiology unique. Agni refers to the body’s metabolic fire. According to Ayurveda, healthy Agni is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption and overall health. When Agni becomes weak or disturbed, it can lead to the formation of Ama, or toxins, which accumulate in the body over time and eventually contribute to disease. Through these concepts, Ayurveda tells us that even two people with the same condition may require completely different treatments because it is not only treating the disease, but also understanding the person, their constitution, what is happening inside their body, and what they may be more susceptible to. This is why Ayurveda becomes even more relevant when we look at chronic diseases. In Ayurveda, chronic diseases are known as Chirakari Vyadhi, which means conditions that develop gradually because of long-standing imbalances caused by improper diet, unhealthy lifestyle, disturbed metabolism and psychological factors. Disease is not viewed as something that suddenly appears. It is understood as the result of imbalances that have been developing over time. That is why Ayurveda places equal importance on both physical and mental health because it recognises both as contributing factors to a person’s overall well-being. Treatment is therefore not limited to medicines alone. Depending on the individual’s condition, it may include dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, therapies, herbal medicines, yoga, meditation and Panchakarma. In essence, Ayurveda looks at the body, the mind and the spirit as interconnected, rather than treating them separately. If all these ideas sound familiar today, it is because modern healthcare is increasingly moving towards personalised medicine, preventive healthcare and long-term disease management. Yet despite this comprehensive philosophy, Ayurveda is still viewed by many people as a system of herbs, detoxes and supplements. How did that happen? Part of the answer lies in history. During the colonial period, when the British came to India, they brought Western medicine with them and favoured it within the colonial healthcare system. Ayurveda was gradually pushed to the margins. Ayurvedic practitioners were discredited, traditional institutions lost support, and Western medical education became the preferred system. Even then, Ayurveda did not disappear completely. States like Kerala continued to preserve classical Ayurvedic knowledge, with generations of Vaidyas passing it down through practice and teaching. But history is only one part of the story. Over time, Ayurveda also became commercialised. Instead of being understood as a complete healthcare system, it gradually became associated with the products it prescribed. Today, when most people hear the word Ayurveda, the first thing that comes to mind are herbs, turmeric, detoxes and supplements, rather than physician consultation, constitutional diet, lifestyle and preventive healthcare. Somewhere along the way, an entire healthcare system came to be viewed merely as a supplement industry. That perception, however, is beginning to change. The NITI Aayog–PwC report released earlier this week highlights both Ayurveda’s global reach and its biggest challenge. Ayurveda is now formally recognised in nearly 30 countries, and India has more than 355,000 trained Ayurvedic practitioners. Yet almost 95% of them never practise outside India. The report also notes that Ayurvedic product exports have doubled from US$1.09 billion in 2014 to US$2.16 billion in 2023, reaching nearly 150 countries. However, most of these products are still classified internationally as dietary supplements rather than medicines because of regulatory gaps. That single statistic explains a lot. The world is buying Ayurveda as a supplement because Ayurveda has not yet fully entered the medicine category globally. At the same time, research is also moving forward. For years, Ayurvedic clinical trials have been criticised for methodological limitations such as small sample sizes, single-centre studies and inadequate reporting. A 2025 update to the international CONSORT reporting standards is now encouraging Ayurvedic clinical research to follow the same level of rigour expected in modern medical research. New fields such as Ayurgenomics are exploring whether concepts like Prakriti have measurable biological and genetic correlations that may help explain why individuals respond differently… Continue reading Why Ayurveda Is More Relevant Than Ever in Modern Medicine