10 ways into an Ayurvedic day – ridiculously simple + wholly nourishing 🍯

A bit like breathing... the supportive things I do, that I've stopped thinking about...

It’s funny… the things we instinctively do – from how we sneeze or tie our shoelaces, to the side of the bed we sleep on, or how often we brush our teeth – get so embedded into the daily foundation, that we no longer need to think about them… we just DO them.

When I found my way to a more Ayurvedic way of living, 15 years ago, there were things that were wholly new to me – tongue scraping, ghee, never heating honey (and only eating raw honey), starting each day with a mug of warm water… but these things, along with many more, have now become so intrinsic… not a day goes by when I don’t automatically do/choose most of them.

This week, at work, I was talking to some colleagues about the importance of morning light in the eyes – something that science now strongly supports for its ability to help regulate our circadian rhythms which has a huge impact on our overall health (and in women, is a cornerstone of regulated hormones) – and realised that Ayurveda – the 5000 year old science of living well, indigenous to India – already knew how important those early sunrise hours were to our overall wellbeing.

Brahma Muhurta – translated as ‘the time of the creator’, or ‘Brahma/God’s hour’ – is at the heart of Hindu spiritual practice, and falls in the (approximately) 90 minutes before sunrise… when one might meditate and prepare themselves – physically + spiritually – so that when the sun rises, they are already clear, balanced, and ready to embrace the day ahead.

And while the above holds more relevance to those who lead deeply spiritual lives (perhaps less likely to have to navigate school runs and full-time working weeks!) – the idea of that golden morning time has stayed with me, and whatever time I wake up, I realise that I have my own ‘running order’ of choices, that just cascade naturally outward, from the moment I wake up.

In this letter, I’ll be exploring the simple choices I make every morning and then the regular, routine choices I make, each week, that form a gentle foundation… placing me in the season, in my own body – in ways that feel nourishing, gentle & supportive.

I also take a deeper dive into tongue analysis according to Traditional Chinese Medicine – it’s fascinating stuff!