Living in Harmony with Nature

Here are 5 quick and easy tips for you to live in harmony with nature:

1. Wake up with Nature
In Ayurveda, the sun is worshipped and considered the source of health, power, strength, and spiritual well-being. Awakening between 4-6am gives us the opportunity to greet the sun, appreciate it, and welcome its amazing qualities into our lives. The time between 4-6am is a spiritually elevated and charged time, during which it is very auspicious to meditate and develop a more positive mindset.

2. Form a Morning Ritual
Wonder what to do once you start waking up earlier? There are many morning practices recommended by Ayurveda to help ground you, and give you more strength and clarity to go through your day. If the central purpose of a morning routine is to calm the nervous system and ground the being before the day begins, then meditation, pranayama, prayer, or quiet reflection are perhaps its most essential elements. You may already have a practice that speaks to you. If not, simply sitting quietly and breathing slowly and deeply for a few minutes can have a tremendously beneficial effect.

3. Follow a Routine
A daily routine invites health, vitality, and a sense of clarity into our lives. Adopting an appropriate daily routine is undoubtedly one of the most grounding and nurturing things you could do for yourself, and while the concept of having a daily routine is at the heart of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, no single prescription is right for everyone. The general template can and should be adapted to meet the needs of each individual’s constitution and current state of balance. And that’s the beauty of it, because the right daily routine can dramatically improve your life.

4. Eat to Nourish
Foods that are whole and unadulterated contain more of the intelligence of nature, and thus create more vitality, alertness and happiness when you eat them. Just think of this. If you eat an ayurvedic meal composed of fresh, organic vegetables, whole grains and dhal (lentils) lovingly cooked in delicious spices and garnished with panir (fresh cheese) and fresh-fruit chutney, how will you feel afterwards? Contented and satisfied. Now consider how you'd feel after eating a meal consisting of canned vegetables, packaged breads and food fried in rancid oils, served at a fast-food restaurant! The result might be dullness and depression — and even disease if you eat that way every day. A diet consisting of light, easy-to-digest foods is recommended for almost anyone.

5. Sleep to recover
Sleep is one of the pillars of Ayurveda, and is considered as important as diet in maintaining health and balance in the body. Sleep is the time when the body is able to repair and heal itself. The mind and emotions also become balanced through sleep. Avoid too much stimulation at night to help calm the mind and emotions. Let go of body tension. It helps to have the attitude of total surrender when going to bed. Let go of your problems. Bedtime is not the time to try to solve your problems.