Rituals

Rituals are actions we perform routinely, marking a specific purpose, intent, or moment. Traditionally rituals connected us to our Highest Power. For some of us, a ritual may be sitting and drinking our morning coffee as we start the new day. For others, lighting a candle may promote reflection or signal remembrance. Some of us may have the same rituals but with different meanings. Rituals can be a way to manage our stress and anxiety, connect us to others, or an expression of our deepest values and beliefs. In Ayurveda, wellness is centered around ritual. This ritual is called Dinacharya. Dinacharya is the daily routine that is meaningful to you and promotes mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. We must look at our values and daily practices and see how they support one another. A critical theory in Ayurveda is that ‘” like attracts like” and “opposites heal.” When we are in a sattvic(balanced) state, we are content and unattached, and our daily routines are done in a mindful, thoughtful, and meaningful way. When we are out of balance and stressed, even our most meaningful rituals get lost in our haste, delusion, or attachment. This month we will practice pausing to reflect on our values and routines. More than just alignment in our bodies, we will focus on alignment in our daily lives. Here are some rituals you may want to develop for your mind, body, and heart.

Warm Lemon water (instead of coffee) to begin the day.

Daily prayer and meditation.

Daily walks or yoga.

Warm Milk with Nutmeg at bedtime

Self-Massage with warm oil

Prayer or lighting a candle before a meal.

Some of these simple rituals have helped manage pain, stress, anxiety, and sleep and even reconnect them to their bodies after trauma.

To create your ritual, begin with your why. What is the relationship you want to strengthen? What is the value you associate with that relationship? How are you reflecting on this through simple daily actions?

If your schedule is running you, one of the things we will do together in an Ayurveda Consult is to optimize your schedule based on these values. Do not overlook the small moments in your day.

During our in-person classes, we have our own rituals at Prana. Removing our shoes to ground and steady our minds, setting intentions at the beginning of class, the lavender essential oil, and ending our classes with the Sanskrit word, Namaste' as a gesture of peace offering to one another. Rituals give action to our values, power to our highest relationships, and connection in our communities.