When I fist discovered Ayurveda, like most of us ~ I was fascinated with the concept of the Doshas. The three bio energies that lived with in us and made up our Prakruti or Ayurvedic Constitution. When I started to deepen my studies, I soon realised that the doshas are much more than just our constitution but, are energetic forces that flow through all aspects of life.
The doshas ~ pitta, vata & kapha move within not only our bodies & minds but within certain times in our life, the seasons, certain imbalances & something I found particularly, fascinating ~ through the hours of the day.
Just as the Doshas cycle within us, they cycle through each day in which we live.
Throughout our day, different doshas are more predominant in line with the rhythms of Nature. In understanding this knowledge, we can learn to embrace & balance the natural energy as it flows throughout our day.
For me ~ this has been one of the biggest revelations in Ayurveda Studies & has had a strong impact in my life. Like so much of this knowledge it creates simple explanations for why we feel the way that we do.
Ever wondered why you feel tired or sluggish if you sleep past 7am?
Or why your energy drops off past 2pm and you find it hard to focus?
Or maybe why you get a sudden wave of energy around 10pm?
Me too.
Ayurveda gives us the answers and more importantly ~ helps us to remember our natural way of being, in line with Nature’s rhythms. Use this knowledge to help you change the way you look at your day & embrace & balance your energy as it flows.
Let’s take a look at a natural cycle of the day according to Ayurveda:
6-10am Kapha Energy
When we begin our day, the Dosha that is most predominant is Kapha Dosha, which holds the energy of Earth and Water. When Kapha is present the energy is slower, softer and more grounded. We have woken from sleep and it is natural that most of us take a little time to come into our day ~ Although have you noticed if you sleep in through this time, you might tend to feel a bit lethargic and unmotivated? We want to both embrace and balance the energy of Kapha Dosha by feeling nourished but not sluggish.
How can you embrace & balance this energy:
~ Rise early before 7am
~ Drink Warm Water or Tea to stimulate your digestive system
~ Practice Dincharya (Ayurvedic Daily cleansing practices) such as tongue scraping, oil pulling or Abyangha (self oil massage).
~ Move your body to “break up” the stagnancy of Kapha. Do some energizing Yoga practice or go for a brisk walk.
~ Get morning sun to lighten the dark from sleep and charge up your body.
~ Eat a nourishing, warm & lightly spiced breakfast. Our digestive system is still awakening so it is best to not have a heavy, big breakfast.
~ Journal, write lists and start to get motivated for your day.
10-2pm Pitta Energy
From 10am we move into Pitta time, the Dosha most associated with Fire (& secondary Water). When Pitta is present the energy is strong, motivated and productive. It is when the sun is at it’s highest & most of us are in the peak of our day. We want to harness Pitta by using this as our productive time but also create balance by not allowing ourselves to get overheated.
How to embrace & balance this energy:
~ This is the most productive time in your day. Use it to complete your most important work & tasks during this time.
~ Your digestion is at it’s strongest as the sun peaks so have your largest meal of the day at Lunchtime (Ideally between 12-1pm). We also have the longest amount of time to digest it.
~ Avoid getting too much sun, eating overly hot or spicy meals or doing things that aggravate you to avoid overheating.
~Pitta holds an energy that is social & confident, use this time to make your most strong communications for the day ~ important phone calls or meetings.
~It is best to avoid exercise during this time as we already have a natural peak of heat & energy with the sun.
2-6pm Vata Energy
From 2pm we move into Vata time, the Dosha most associated with Air & Ether. When Vata is present the energy is more light, creative & mobile. During this time in the afternoon, often we find our Pitta focus weaning and we are more inclined for other activities. We want to embrace this energy by using this time to be creative, social or move our body.
How to embrace and balance this energy:
~ Use this time for creativity. If you are required to create something out of the box or innovative at work, now is the time to use your imagination.
~ If you have the luxury of a free afternoon use it for creative hobbies, reading fiction novels or trying out a new recipe in your kitchen.
~ This is also a great time for movement, as it will feel like a natural tendency. Go for an afternoon walk or take a yoga class.
~ If you are working it’s a good time to take a short break, go for a stroll and make a cup of chai.
6-10pm Kapha Energy
As our day starts to wind down we naturally arrive back into a Kapha state. This is when most of us end our working day, are enjoying our evening meal and start to wind down. We want to embrace this heavier, grounded time to prepare us for sleep.
How to embrace & Balance:
~ Have a warm, light and nourishing meal. Our digestion needs to begin to slow down to conserve our energy for sleep, so keep your dinner simple and easy to digest. Ayurveda recommends this to be your smallest meal.
~ Go for a short stroll after dinner or help do the dishes as light movement helps to ease your digestion.
~ Start to switch of devices, turn down the lights and make your space warm & cozy.
~ Massage your feet with warm oil before bed or do a full evening Abyangha if time permits.
~ Ideally be asleep before 10pm when the second wave of Pitta will soon hit and most of us feel a natural burst of energy.
10pm – 2am Pitta Energy
Pitta returns at 10pm when we are ideally in our most deep sleep. Whilst resting, the transformative energy of Pitta allows us to digest & detoxify from our day. Although if we are awake at this time ~ it can give us a second wave of energy and often causes us to struggle to sleep. Do you ever notice around 10-11pm you get a burst of energy and then find it hard to fall asleep?
How to embrace & Balance:
~ We want to already be asleep by the time Pitta arrives at 10pm.
~ If having trouble getting to bed at this time or lifestyle may not permit it we want to balance the energy as much as we can. Avoid being productive, socializing or using technology. Balance with energy of Kapha as best you can.
~ If you are waking in the middle of the night during this time it may indicate a Pitta Imbalance.
2-6am Vata Energy
Vata circulates back in the early hours of the morning. It is a transitional time when our day is just about to begin as the sun rises. In honoring Vata it is said to be a time of higher consciousness and Yoga & Ayurveda will recommend it is the optimum time for spiritual practices. We can also understand this practically, as for most of us that time before the world (and our loved ones) wake; we are at our most peaceful.
How to Embrace & Balance:
~ Rise early before 6am when we feel light & subtle and before the heaviness of Kapha arrives.
~ Use this time for your Spiritual Practices. Practice Meditation, Asana and Pranayama or any practices that require you to turn inwards.
~ This is a great time for Dinacharya practices, especially Abayangha (self oil massage) to balance the Vata energy.
~ You may also like to use this time to harness a clear mind for reflection or journaling.
~ Enjoy (if you can) spending this time alone as it’s when our senses our most heightened, subtle & at peace.
If we learn to look at our day through an Ayurvedic lense we can start to learn how the Doshas naturally move through our day. We are able to understand our natural tendencies & use this is a guide to harness balance & embrace our energy.
I hope this work serves you in the same way as it serves me ~ as a way to come back to Nature & ultimately come back to self. X