Find your Rhythm: Strategies to Enhance Energy and Rest
Greetings from the Winter Solstice. While you’re reading this after the solstice has passed, I’m writing to you now, in a cocoon of darkness, stillness and reflection. I’ve made some huge personal shifts this year, which began before the pandemic. As a result of these life changes, I’ve had more space to listen.
Without travel and other distractions, I’ve felt the voices of the seasons, the moon, and the sun differently than I had before. There’s a wisdom in the rhythm of nature, as she ebbs and flows. The season of the year, the cycle of the moon, the rise and fall of the sun… even the hours of each day have their own energies.
For many of my younger years I didn’t understand that. I pushed through minutes, days and months of my body asking for rest, even when I had the time to slow down. The pulse of nature, my body and its rhythms, weren’t aspects of life that I was taught to listen to. Rather, my body’s needs were something I attempted to overcome through will and intellect.
My strong sense of will morphed into being very routine-orientated as a child. But the routines I implemented weren’t rooted in the cycles of nature or my body. They were born out of a sense that I was broken in some way – that something (likely many things) had to be fixed. I needed leadership and structure, and because I wasn’t getting that guidance from the outside, I constructed it for myself.
If I had to choose a coping method for little Emily, while growing up in a house of uncertainty and fear, implementing routines is a pretty good one. However, this coping strategy came at a cost. The style of self-discipline I adopted was cold, rigid, and unforgiving. The aftertaste, sour.
NOURISHING SELF-DISCIPLINE
It was well into my adulthood when I learned about the yogic principle of Nourishing Self-Discipline, tapas. The difference between little Emily’s correctional approach to discipline, and the tapas of yoga, is the recognition of wholeness and the presence of compassion.
The traditions of yoga are rooted in the belief that at our core, we are already whole and complete, just as we are. There’s no original sin, nothing to fix, no redemption. And, it’s not necessary to bring in self-criticism, when we engage in self-discipline.
Nourishing Self-Discipline is an essential part of every yoga practitioner’s path to awakening. Deconstructing unskillful movement or thought patterns, and building our capacity to stay present with challenging emotions, all takes practice… plus compassion. Let’s try not to be jerks to ourselves as we’re figuring things out, okay?
Commitment to a regular practice is an important part of tapas. Just think of how long you’ve practiced the habit you want to change… months? Years? Tapas is a dedication to yourself and to your practice, and ultimately to waking up. And, regular practice is easier when we can find rhythm in our routines.
There will be some times in our lives where we can steward Nourishing Self-Discipline for ourselves. At other times, we may need to lean into others for support, tools and encouragement. Ahem, Hi :)
DAILY RHYTHM / DINACHARYA
I’d like to share a weekly calendar I made for you (and another document with more details), which highlights the changing energies and qualities of the hours of each day and night, through the lens of Ayurveda. This Ayurvedic Daily Rhythm is called dinacharya. Aligning our daily schedules (times of activity and rest, work, meals, practice, exercise, etc.) with the natural energy of the day, allows us to “ride the wave” of whatever’s happening in nature. Whether that’s heightened creativity in the afternoon, or enhanced digestion during the mid-day hours, dinacharya is a structure to rest into, that can make all the things we do a little easier.
In Ayurveda, there are three basic constitutional types, called doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. We each have a unique blend of each of the three doshas, which is kind of like our blue-print. When we understand how our dosha expresses health, stress and imbalance, we can refine how we’re supporting our bodies, minds and hearts.
I’ve written a bit on the Ayurvedic doshas, and you can find out more information here:
Ayurveda recommends certain activities and practices at particular times of the day, for optimal health and resiliency. Each dosha is dominant during two different portions of the 24-hour day. Dinacharya helps us tailor and synchronize our daily schedules, while keeping the strengths and challenges of each dosha/time of day, in mind.
In the dinacharya documents, I’ve listed suggestions for activities and practices that are aligned with the time of day, and some “notice” considerations. The “notice” expressions are examples of how that dosha may present when out of balance.
The easiest times of day for habit creation (whether they are skillful or unskillful habits) are during the kapha times of the day. So, as you’re envisioning your daily rhythm to align with your bigger vision of how you want to move and be in the world, pay special attention to these times, and include activities and practices that support this bigger vision.
In my personal dinacharya, I also include the lunar cycle, my fertility cycle (broken down into four seasons), and any other event of nature or culture that I feel is notable.
Over the years of learning to listen and dance with nature, I’ve found that my energy naturally evens out when I move at her pace. When she rests, I rest. When she’s awake and moving, I am too. This is what I wish for you – to find greater ease in the rhythm of your day, month and year.
Happy New Year!