the rhythm of fate & the ticking of time

Spring is finally here.

The season where nature clears out the cobwebs and focuses on rehydrating and replenishing what has survived the cold, dry winter to prepare the lifeforce of this hemisphere for an expansive season of warmth, regeneration and the experience to thrive. Being that humans are a part of nature, you may be experiencing this phenomena through allergies, colds, dehydration, and overall sluggishness. What a beautiful thing and how lucky we are as humans to get to partake in the ebbs and flows of nature, herself; never rushed yet always arriving precisely on time.

Over the course of the past week I have spent a lot of my time thinking about just that, time. Thinking about how I’ve used my time, how experiences I have had felt like lifetimes ago; figments of a reality that used to exist in the same brain through which I experience life today. Both wildly different and beautiful in their own way. Each path leading me to where I am now.

In all of this analyzing of my time, I have derived a core goal.

The one thing I hope to take the most of from this life, is my time.

How, where, and with whom you spend your time is crucial to how you feel about living - the core concept in my self-defined definition of an Ayurvedic lifestyle. One of my main anchor points to intentionally using my time has been the development of my routines. I have also discovered that I love establishing routines. Something that should have been wildly obvious about me if you’re a believer in the cosmos.

I have a routine for most things I do which guides me to use my time as efficiently and inherently as possible. These habits change with the seasons because our energy levels are different depending on the time of year. One thing that doesn’t change is my morning routine. The use of my morning routine sets me up to feel the way I would like to feel in the mornings (slow, nourished & refreshed) instead of just cramming myself full of caffeine & anxiety in hopes that energy will lead me to be productive and fulfilled. (spoiler alert: it doesn’t)

My morning routine consists of nothing extravagant by any means. That fact is by design because I crave simplicity. The time of day most of us begin to wake correlates to kapha (aka earth) energy. Kapha energy is slow. Kapha is nourishing; it is grounding and dense and luxurious. I aim to begin my day with the same vibes the universe gifts me each morning.

First things first, I wake up and rid my body of toxins. This includes a tongue scrape. I splash water on my face, followed by a gentle face massage with oils that I have curated to suit my skin best based on the environment I am in & how I am feeling. I will put oils in my hair if it’s seemingly dry.

When the bathroom portion of my morning routine is done I head to the kitchen where I wash the oil off my hands & boil some water. I slice fresh lemon, squeezing some of the juice into an oversized coffee mug. I add ‘six seconds’ of honey, which is not a precise measurement, however it is an intentional one. Just like it sounds, I lightly squeeze the honey bottle for six seconds into the fresh lemon juice. I peel & slice some fresh ginger and add that to my coffee mug. Once the water is hot it is added to the mug and I stir the mixture with a wooden spoon (keeping everything as close to nature as I possibly can) and add green tea. That’s it. It truly is that simple.

I feel more energized, less distracted and ready to take on the morning when I start by taking care of & connecting to myself for the first 10-15 minutes upon waking. Simple routines are the best in my opinion because you give yourself less leeway to deter yourself from performing it.

My routine saves me on days when I feel like I can’t save myself. Lucky for me, those days are nearly non-existent anymore which I partly attribute to the implementation of my routines. Establishing a routine means finding what is truly important to you and placing yourself there on purpose because you want to and not because you have to. It’s a commitment to yourself to do what makes you feel best.

When you feel your best, you make better decisions. You begin to think in a way that is more aligned to who you are and what you wish to accomplish with your time here.

I think that’s a really beautiful way to start.