Mindful Eating and an Ayurvedic After-Dinner Wind-Down Routine
In This Article
Read about mindful, distraction-free eating and a traditional after-dinner-to-bedtime routine, based on Ayurvedic practices.
Don’t watch television while eating. Pay attention to the food. Eating food with attention becomes meditation. And when you are eating with awareness, you will not eat too much; you’ll eat just a sufficient amount.
It is better to eat when the sun is up. Eating late at night will change the body chemistry, sleep will be disturbed, and you will not feel rested in the morning. If you eat supper around 6, by 9 the stomach will be empty and you will sleep soundly. AFTER DINNER Sing songs while you wash the dishes.
Keep smiling. About an hour after dinner, if you are taking triphala (an herbal compound that is both strengthening and purifying), take ½ teaspoon with some warm water. Then if you like, you can watch TV, perhaps some news. You should know what’s happening in this world of ours.
Or you can read a magazine or a book. BEFORE GOING TO BED Before you go to bed, some spiritual reading is important, even if only for a few minutes. And don’t forget to drink a cup of hot milk, with a little ginger, cardamom, and turmeric. Drinking milk at bedtime helps to induce sound sleep.
According to Ayurveda, that milk also nourishes shukra dhatu, the body’s highly refined reproductive tissue. Rubbing a little oil on the soles of your feet and on the scalp is also soothing and promotes restful sleep. Finally, before you go to bed, do a few minutes of meditation. Sit quietly and watch your breath.