Experience the throb of this energy first in your head, in your shoulders and arms, your belly, legs and feet. Then, 'sweep' it several times through your body, from the toes to the head and back again. Feel every cell and fibre filled with its subtle power.

New Year resolutions, they say, are meant to be broken. So, Farah Baria refuses to make any, resolving instead on starting every day right

Why do we do it? Why do we spend the first day of every new year making all those grandiose resolutions - and then the rest of the year, undoing them? The answer, in a word, is hope: the very human need to aspire, to renew, to flower. But, the opportunity to reinvent ourselves need not be restricted to the annual prelude; in fact, every new day is a brand new chance to start all over again. Which is why, in Ayurveda, the ancient Science of Life, dawn is the most sacred part of the day.

With the first glimmer of light, about ninety minutes before the sun peeps over the eastern horizon, comes a great surge of cosmic energy. Sleeping creatures awake, shaking the sloth from their bodies. Then, less than half an hour before sunrise, a second surge of energy suffuses the atmosphere, much more powerful than the first. This is the single most important moment of the day, the time when body chemistry is set for all living beings. Sanskrit scriptures call it Brahma Mahoorta, the time of Brahman or cosmic consciousness. Rising before dawn, therefore, is the key to healthy living. Accordingly, Ayurveda prescribes ten morning rituals to greet the new day:

The first of these is 'tuning in' or connecting to the Divine Self within us. A good way to do this is to visualise a pristine ray of sunlight flooding your body with its ethereal energy. Experience the throb of this energy first in your head, in your shoulders and arms, your belly, legs and feet. Then, 'sweep' it several times through your body, from the toes to the head and back again. Feel every cell and fibre filled with its subtle power.

Sit up and drink a glass of water, preferably left overnight in a copper vessel, to flush out the digestive tract. During sleep, the human system directs all its refuse to the bowels and bladder, so it's important to clear the trash before resetting your biochemical clock.

Splash your eyes with cool water and, simultaneously swish water into your mouth. The act of splashing the eyes electrically charges the water, which then conducts the current to the optic nerves. And filling the mouth with water balances the circuit. Remember the Sanskrit saying: 'Whenever you wash your hands, wash your face. Whenever you wash your mouth, wash your eyes.'

Brush your teeth with an Ayurvedic toothpaste containing neem, the traditional cleanser. Scraping the tongue with a steel or copper scraper will also banish the residue of last night's biryani.

In Ayurveda, the nose is the doorway to the brain, regulating the breath which in turn controls both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The best way to clean the nose is to suck a mild, lukewarm salt solution through the nostrils and spit it out through the mouth. After this nasal wash, apply a drop of sesame oil to each nostril.

Garshana, or a dry body massage comes next. Take a natural loofah and brush the entire body in firm upward strokes, starting with the feet and working your way to the head. (Use clockwise motions on the knees, elbows and belly). Garshana stimulates the lymphatic system which drains toxic waste from the cells.

Lightly massaging the entire body with a thin film of sesame or olive oil makes your skin feel warm and supple. This is crucial, because, apart from being one of the largest organs of elimination, the skin contains thousands of cutaneous nerves that connect to each part of the body and also produces many endocrine hormones. Abhyanga, or the morning massage, thus has a twofold effect, soothing both the nervous system and the glands. In addition, it rejuvenates the skin, tones the muscles and eliminates impurities. Again, you start with the feet and work your way up. (In fact, a mini massage can include just the head and feet since these extremities contain most of the body's nerve endings.) Remember to use only organic, cold pressed oil, as much of it is absorbed through the skin.

Primed by garshana and abhyanga, the body is now ready for exercise. Charaka, the founding father of Ayurveda, believed that 'physical exercise imparts lightness, a capacity for work, firmness, tolerance of difficulties and stimulates digestion.' His recommendation: a brisk half hour walk followed by the yogic Sun Salutation, a classic series of twelve dynamic postures that combine strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness. Follow this up with a few yogic asanas and pranayama, or breathing exercises.

Now for the crowning moment: the bath. According to the scriptures, daily bathing purifies the body, mind and spirit, increases semen, promotes longevity, stops perspiration, removes sleep, allays irritation and slakes chronic thirst! Lukewarm water that more or less equals body temperature is best; too hot dulls the mind and weakens the muscles, too cold irritates the nerves and shocks the system but there are individual variations. Probably a good indicator of the right bath temperature is how you feel after: if you're refreshed, invigorated and inspired, you're on the right track.

Finally - breakfast! Since morning is the sathvik or blissful time of day, stick only to sathvik food: light, juicy fruits (but not the citrus variety), wholegrain cereals, nuts and dairy are all good choices. They promote peace, harmony and cosmic consciousness.

Now for those New Year resolutions….

For the rest of the article, pick up VERVE’s January-February, 2005 issue