Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya - Everyday Ayurveda: Habits to change your life

In the show where every conversation inspires a song, Jack Stafford interviews Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya about her book 'Everyday Ayurveda: Daily Habits That Can Change Your Life in a Day'.  

Living between Manhattan and Kashi, Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya is a licensed, board-certified physician, integrating 'Good Medicine' with Ayurveda for the past fifteen years. She is Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and a PhD researcher in Ayurveda at Banaras Hindu University. She is a 2014 senior Fulbright-Nehru Scholar, recipient of American Medical Association's Leadership Award and the first Indian to speak at Commencement Exercises at Harvard University. Her work is featured in the documentary, Healers: Journey into Ayurveda.   

Stream the song: https://ffm.to/therulesofayurveda  



THE RULES OF AYURVEDA (DINACHARYA)

Waking up

Before the sun

You have your motions

One-by-one



Clean out the Kapha

From your head

Accumulated

While in bed



Clean the teeth

And scrape the tongue

Gargle with oil

Then Abhyanga



I get tired of the rules



Nasal drops

Salute the sun

Wash your body

When you’re done



Meditate

And then hydrate

Break your fast

Very late



Exercise

December to May

To only half

Capacity

Well I get tired of the rules



But every time I go a little crazy

Do something I know is really wrong

I wake up in the morning feeling so bad

That I go running... to the rules



Not holding a sneeze

Or stopping a yawn

No activities

At dusk or dawn



Only breathing

Through your nose

Never eating

When the right ones closed



All 6 tastes

In every meal

The ratio

For how you feel

I get tired of the rules



Avoiding incompatible

Foods

Mixing with fruit

It precludes



Then you lie

On your left side

While you digest

What's inside



Control the body

Speech and mind

Granting gifts

And being kind

I get tired of the rules  



But when I forget contraindications

Don't change with the seasons or my situation

Whenever I act mindlessly, I feel so bad

I  go running to.... to the rules



Speaking little

Speaking good

Speaking only

When you should



Not causing ill will

Telling lies

No dissension

In others lives



With a smile

The first to greet

Insults received

Never repeat

I get tired of the rules



Living a life that's

Filled with dharma

Pursuing only

Pleasure and kama



Not believing

All you see

But nor suspect

Conspiracy



Perfect the skill

Of adoring others

Sharing profits

As with brothers



Not loving

living alone

Compassion for all

Is always shown



And having the long life

And the health

The reputation

And the wealth



Who's tired... of the rules?