Unveil Your Inner Radiance: 12 Ayurvedic Practices to Blossom in the New Year

By Kami Lavani

As the first rays of the new year pierce through the winter chill, a potent energy stirs within us. It’s a yearning for change, a whisper that beckons us to shed the past year’s heaviness and embrace a vibrant new beginning. In Ayurveda any time of transition is seen as an auspicious opportunity for self-reflection, renewal, and alignment with our authentic nature

Ayurveda teaches that true transformation begins from within. By incorporating these 12 transformative practices into your life, you can embark on a journey to nourish your body, mind, and spirit, setting the stage for a year brimming with health, happiness, and inner radiance.

The Importance of Starting Fresh

Just as spring awakens the earth after a long winter, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of cleansing and balancing the body to prepare for new beginnings. Panchakarma, the ultimate detoxification process in Ayurveda, offers a deeper level of internal purification. 

However, the 12 practices we’ll explore can be done independently or alongside a panchakarma program, empowering you to cultivate a foundation for well-being throughout the year!

The 12 Ayurvedic Practices for Transformation

1. Morning Rituals to Set the Tone: The morning is your greatest anchor to empower your day intentionally. Begin your day with a gentle cleanse. Start by scraping your tongue 10 times to remove toxins. Then practice oil pulling with sesame seed oil, coconut oil, or Banyan Botanical Daily Swish by putting 1 tablespoon of oil in the mouth and swishing it around the full mouth and through the teeth for 15 – 20 minutes. Oil pulling will cleanse the head space, including the oral cavity, help stimulate your appetite and enhance your taste buds. It also has the added benefit of strengthening the facial muscles for a more youthful look! Finally, sip warm water with lemon, igniting your agni, digestive fire, and boosting clarity.
   
   
2. Abhyanga (Self-Massage): Pamper yourself with a head or foot massage two or three times a week. You can use bhringaraj or brahmi oil to nourish the hair, prompt hair growth and clarity of the mind. Start by warming the oil and gently work the oil from the scalp towards the ends of the hair. Tip from the experts: when you wash your hair, put shampoo directly on your hair before adding water for the easiest oil removal. 

   Foot massages are wonderful this time of year to bring grounding and warmth to the body. Apply bhringaraj oil to the feet before bed to help calm the nervous system and aid in sleep. Put on socks after apply to prevent slipping while walking after.
   
   

3. Practice Mindful Eating: Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of conscious eating. Chew slowly, appreciating the flavors and textures with each bit. Try to only focus on the food and not distractions around you. This fosters a deeper connection with food and improves digestion.
   
   
4. Detoxify with Seasonal Eating: Embrace the bounty of nature by incorporating fresh, seasonal produce into your diet this winter like winter greens and root vegetables. Winter is a time for warming spices like ginger and turmeric, known for their digestive and anti-inflammatory properties.
   
   
5. Prioritize Hydration: Water is the elixir of life. Our body absorbs warm or room temperature water easier because it does not have to heat the water to our body temperature. In the winter months try sipping on warm water throughout the day to stay hydrated. 

   To add a nice detoxing tea to the day, try cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds commonly referred to as CCF. To make CCF add ⅓ teaspoons of each in a cup of water (also available pre-made by Banyan Botanicals). Bring to a boil and turn off the stove then let the tea sit for 10 minutes then strain and enjoy!
   
   

6. Establish a Consistent Sleep Routine: Just as the sun sets and rises, our bodies crave a predictable sleep-wake cycle. Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily, creating a stable foundation for your circadian rhythm. We recommend trying to sleep before 10pm as the body naturally gets a second wind around this time as your body heads into the night pitta time. Avoiding stimuli an hour before bed such as T.V. and phones creates a nice sleep hygiene allowing us to fall into our natural circadian rhythm.
   
   
7. Pranayama (Breathing Exercises): Pranayama is a powerful tool for stress management and energization. Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) can be incorporated into your daily routine either in the morning or evening for a sense of calm and renewed vitality. 

   To practice, sit in a comfortable seated position. Using your right hand curl your index and middle finger into the palm. Bring your right hand to the nose. Using your thumb close the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril. Then close the left nostril with your ring finger and open the right nostril and exhale. Keeping the left nostril closed inhale through the right nostril. Then close the right nostril with your thumb and open the left nostril to exhale. This is one round. Try starting with 7 rounds and slowly increase to 15 rounds.
   
   

8. Gentle Yoga for Balance: Start your day with grounding yoga poses that connect you to the earth. Sun salutations is a wonderfully balanced sequence that will invigorate and align your body, mind, and spirit. You can add twists to help open up the sides giving a nice stretch to our visceral organs.
   
   
9. Meditation and Mindfulness: Our name, SoHum, comes from a powerful meditation practice. SoHum literally translates to “I am That”. That can refer to  the Divine, the Universe, or whatever greater connection speaks to you. When we breathe, we naturally make the sound “so” inhaling and the sound “hum” exhaling. In a way we are always practicing this meditation, we just may not always be attuned to it. 

   To practice this meditation, begin sitting in a comfortable position. Become aware of your breath. Inhale saying silently in your mind “so” and bring the breath to your belly button. Pause for a second. Exhale saying slightly in your mind “hum”. Follow your breath out of your nostrils and pause for a second. Repeat saying “so” on the inhale and “hum” on the exhale. Begin with 5-10 minutes and allow your time to naturally increase.
   
   

10. Embrace Nature: Our bodies and its cycles are a mirror of the rhythms of nature. Embracing nature in winter, though seemingly counterintuitive, offers unique opportunities for rejuvenation and reflection. The quiet stillness of winter allows us to turn inward, mirroring nature’s own period of dormancy, and fostering introspection. Observing the stark beauty of the winter landscape—the bare branches, the crisp air, the glistening frost—can bring a sense of peace and connection to the natural cycles of life. By bundling up and venturing outdoors for walks, hikes, or even simply observing from a window, we can reap the mental and physical benefits of fresh air, sunlight (even on cloudy days), and a deeper connection to the present moment.
    
    
11. Incorporate Ayurvedic Herbs: Nature offers a treasure trove of healing herbs. Consider incorporating key herbs this winter like ashwagandha for stress management, triphala for digestive support, and brahmi for cognitive function.
    
    
12. Commit to a Panchakarma Retreat: Committing to an annual Panchakarma retreat at SoHum Mountain Healing offers a profound opportunity to deeply cleanse and rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. By removing accumulated toxins and restoring balance to your doshas, panchakarma sets the stage for optimal health and well-being in the year ahead. SoHum’s serene mountain setting provides the perfect sanctuary for this transformative process, allowing you to disconnect from daily stressors and fully immerse yourself in healing. With expert Ayurvedic practitioners guiding your personalized journey, you’ll experience a profound sense of renewal and return home feeling revitalized and ready to embrace life with renewed vigor.

Final Thoughts

As you step into this new year, we invite you to embrace these Ayurvedic practices as a pathway to inner radiance. Whether you incorporate a few simple rituals into your daily life or choose to embark on a deeper transformative journey with a Panchakarma retreat at SoHum Mountain Healing, know that you are capable of profound renewal. By aligning with the wisdom of Ayurveda and the rhythms of nature, you can cultivate a vibrant sense of well-being, setting the stage for a year filled with health, happiness, and the blossoming of your truest self. We at SoHum are here to support you on this journey, offering a sanctuary for healing and transformation amidst the serene beauty of the mountains.