The Daily Ayurvedic Rituals That Help to Ground This Teacher and Author

What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed in the morning? A well-rounded morning routine sets the tone for the day and gets you prepped—both mentally and physically—before you dive into a packed schedule filled with emails, chores, happy hours, workouts, and more. Our series Morning Person profiles those who have mastered the art of the morning routine.

Tune in every week here and on our Instagram to learn exactly how the pros get it all done before the sun comes up, from their go-to breakfasts to their a.m. workouts.

While Ayurveda is one of the oldest holistic healing systems with its roots originating in India, its teachings and rituals are widely used around the world today. From common wellness practices like dry brushing and tongue scraping to meditation, and even using food as a remedy, people have been turning to Ayurvedic wisdom for centuries.

Through her New York Times best-selling book, Healthy, Happy, Sexy: Ayurveda Wisdom for Modern Women, Katie Silcox M.A. is passionate about making Ayurvedic teachings accessible and sustainable for everyone. She is also the founder of The Shakti School, an online Ayurveda certification program.

Silcox shows us how she incorporates Ayurvedic practices into her daily self-care rituals. Keep scrolling to see the rest of her grounding morning routine.

6 A.M.

Ideally, I'll try to get up with the sun, but it’s important to let your body sleep as much as it needs, especially if you are tired. Right as soon as I wake up, I like to scrape my tongue. Our bodies work really hard to detox overnight, so it’s important to get all the excess bacteria off in the mornings.

Next, I'll flush out my nasal passages using a neti pot with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. What most people don't know is that when you do these practices daily, it sets off a whole cascade of detoxing throughout the rest of your body. These ancient rituals send a signal to your body to release the gunk.

6:30 A.M.

Giving yourself a massage is a big part of an Ayurvedic routine and when I make the time, I know it'll be a great morning. Since it's currently summer, I love using this fire and heat-reducing massage oil from Bayan Botanicals. 

Your skin is your biggest organ, so when you put these herbs on your body, it's going into all those layers of your skin. My morning self-massage helps my nervous system feel safe, held, and loved, and who doesn't need more of that? 

6:45 A.M.

Next, I'll head downstairs to have some warm lemon water, which helps to wake up my liver enzymes. I'll also make a cup of green tea and I love the loose leaf tea from Rishi. It's not cheap but it's worth it. Green tea is rich in health-boosting polyphenols.

7 A.M.

The best part of my morning is my meditation, which I consider a non-negotiable. Whether it's five or 45 minutes, this is the time when I set my intention and energy for the rest of the day. Our spiritual practice is not supposed to be perfect or heal everything, it's really about learning to love and accept all of ourselves.

If you're new to meditation, we have a lot of free resources at the Shakti School, including my Spirit Sessions podcast, with guided meditations and practices that make it easy for anyone to begin.

7:30 A.M.

After my meditation, I’ll make myself a smoothie loaded with arugula, blueberries, half an avocado, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and my favorite Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Chocolate Protein Powder.

8 A.M.

Now it’s time to get to work! I’ll be sure to carve some time for a workout later on depending on my moon cycle.

But since I’m about to be on my cycle, I'll plan to go on a walk later today during a phone call and then do a little wind-down yoga afterward. Other days, I'll make weight-lifting a priority. I'm a firm believer that youth isn't determined by wrinkles, but how much muscle mass you can retain!

Up next, The Slow Morning Routine That Helps Creator Mik Zazon Combat Burnout.