Dinacharya: Daily Practices and Routines in Ayurveda

• Format: YTT Short Course
• Chose four Short Courses to create an Eclectic Weekend Module
• Also part of “Swasthavritta: The Enlightened Self Care of Ayurveda” YTT Themed Intensive Module
• Instruction Time: 3 hours

A daily routine (dinacharya) is absolutely necessary to bring radical change in body, mind, and consciousness. Routine helps to establish balance in one’s constitution. Our bodies are rhythmic by nature. The heart beat carries its own particular rhythm, described in the Vedas as synchronized to the pace of our steps upon the earth. Ayurveda views all disease as rooted in the interuption of one or more of our natural biorhythms. Researchers refer to these biorhythmic fluctuations as “biological tides”. Intrinsically, the natural desire of our body is to maintain healthy cycles. Healthy cycles maintain the body, while erratic or broken cycles create disease. This course will review the 6 primary cycles with which the human body has adapted, and practices (daily, evening and seasonal) which can be easily employed to create a deep stability within the bodymind.

Yoga Alliance: This program satisfies Yoga Alliance requirements for anatomy and physiology, philosophy, lifestyle and ethics, and elective hours.

Course Outline (3 hrs)

• The Biorhytmic Body
• Six Master Cycles of the Body and Nature
• The Necessity of Routines
• The Diurnal Cycle (24 Hr Day) and the Doshas (Vata Time, Pitta Time, Kapha Time)
• Dinacharya: The Daily Practices
• Daily Scheduling by Dosha Type
• Ratricharya: The Evening Practices
• Sleep in Ayurveda
• Ritucharya: Seasonal Routines and Practices
• Adana (Accumulation) and Visarga (Release) Periods of the Year
• Sanchaya, Pracopa, and Prashama: The Birth, Peak, and Decline of All Things
• Modification of Lifestyle to Harmonize to Each Season
• Ritucharya for Spring (Kapha Season)
• Kapha Balancing Herbs
• Kapha Balancing Tea
• Ritucharya for Summer (Pitta Season)
• Pitta Balancing Herbs
• Pitta Balancing Tea
• Ritucharya for Fall and Winter (Vata Season)
• Vata Balancing Herbs
• Vata Balancing Tea
• Ritusandhi: 2-Week Transition Periods Between Seasons