Ayurveda & Mindfulness: The Four Inputs of Life

In the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, there are four essential elements that we take into our bodies to nurture, nourish, and maintain the flow of life. These four inputs align beautifully with mindfulness, especially the practices outlined in my free guide, “5 Minute Mindfulness for Mamas.”

You can find a link to download the guide at the end of this post. The four inputs according to Ayurveda are: Food, Water, Breath, and Perception. Let’s explore each one and I’ll share a healthy tip for each.

Food

Our health, vitality, and growth are deeply connected to the food we consume. As public health leader Dr. C. Everett Koop once said, “No disease can be cured unless it is supplemented by the right diet. 90% of diseases can be prevented by the right diet alone.”

Ayurveda teaches us that “we are what we digest.” This means that our health is not just about what we eat, but how well our bodies can break down and absorb nutrients from our food.

Eating mindfully is an easy way to promote healthy digestion. You can learn how to eat mindfully in the free guide at the end of this post.

Healthy tip: Try expressing gratitude for your food before you eat. This can help improve your mood and enhance your digestion. For example, you could give thanks for the farmers, transport people, shop workers, the soil, air, sun, water, plants, bees, and worms that all played a part in bringing the food to your plate.

Water

Water is vital for circulation, nourishment and elimination in our bodies. Optimal water intake allows these functions to occur in a balanced way.

Like eating mindfully, we can drink mindfully in order to be more conscious of our water intake. We can it sip slowly, giving thanks for the rainclouds that bring us our water.

Healthy Tip: Try to drink warm water or herbal teas to aid digestion. Cold beverages can weaken our digestive power as our bodies have to use energy to warm up.

Breath

Our breath not only provides us with the oxygen we need to survive, but it can also help us regulate our mind, emotions, and ability to concentrate. Breathing practices can even help us regulate our body systems such as metabolism.

Healthy Tip: Practice mindful breathing. This involves paying attention to your breath and noticing its qualities without judgment. You can find a mindful breathing exercise in the guide.

Perception

Perception, or the way we interpret the information received through our senses (our experiences), can have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing.
Healthy Tip: Be mindful of your screen time. Spending too much time in front of screens can lead to sensory overload. Try to balance this with time spent in nature, which can have a restorative effect on all of your senses. You can learn how to walk mindfully in nature in the free guide below.

Your free guide as promised:

5 Minute Mindfulness Practices for Busy Moms