We look where we want to go; we go where we want to look.

Daily routines also known as Dinacharya in Ayurveda, can keep the senses clear, and the mind and breath be well supported. Choose one you wish to try that you feel will give you the support you need for clarity of vision and direction of your walk.

Daily Routine Invitations:

Simple Daily Practices (Dinacharya) to support the sensory organ of Eyes/Vision (sense organs are the way our mind receives information from the world).

Eyes (sight/vision)

• Consider the images you take in movies, books, nature, etc. and lessen the images and time in front of a screen–power down. Our eyes need to digest all we see long after we see the images.
• Cool water in the eyes upon waking/ghee (clarified butter) or castor oil in them at night before bed.
• During the day if on a screen a lot, practice blinking rapidly 10-15 times followed by 5 slow closures of the eyes. Then slowly move your eyes up and down. Corner to corner, counterclockwise and clockwise, each movement patterns for 3-5 times.
• Massage the eyes, eyebrows, and corners of the eyes.
• Shavasana/relaxation with an unscented​ ​eye mask.
• Gaze on a full moon, or a full moon reflection on the water to cool the fire of the eyes.

Simple Daily Practices to nourish our motor organ of feet/locomotion/movement (motor organs are the way we act/impress upon the world).

Feet (walking)​

• Walk outside to be bathed in the elements of nature.
• Walk barefoot. Notice your rhythm of your feet on the Earth.
• Stand in Tadasana–Mountain pose and feel the grounding and rising of energy within your system.
• Practice looking where you are going. Put the phone away and look straight ahead, near and far to stimulate your vision and the pace of your gait.
• Massage your feet.
• Wash feet and put oil on the feet before bed.
• Use a ​marma stick​ to stimulate the feet.

Invitations for Self Study:

Simple Daily Practices to Nourish the Sensory Motor Loop with the Breath and the Mind –

Notice your Breath:

• Pay attention to what happens to your breath when you transition from stillness to movement, walking into running, from running to walking back to standing. How does it change or stay steady and continuous as you change your speed of walking slow or fast?
• Notice when the breath remains diaphragmatic and supports your movement and speed with ease, smoothness, quietness, continuous. Pay attention to how this supports your mind being calm and focused or when the breath is out of sync with the movement, too shallow, or being held. What does it do to the mind and the body?
• Notice what happens when your eyes are relaxed to your breath. When your eyes are gazing on something of beauty or something that creates tension or fear, what it does to your breath?
• Notice what happens when you close your eyes and direct your awareness to your breath.

Notice your Mind:

• How does your mind’s patterning direct where you focus your gaze? What do you pay attention to? And direct where you move in your world and in service of your life purpose?
• Get a feel for how the fire of inspiration moves within this sensory motor loop. How does it illuminate your own self-realization? Pay attention where you are in step or out of step with your life and innate rhythm and how your gaze informs this.

Journal your observations and findings as you open this magnificent sensory motor loop of the eyes and the feet–sight and movement.

Elizabeth Sullivan is an expert instructor, certified yoga therapist, and practitioner in Yoga, Energy Work and Ayurveda. She supports the body to optimally function using neuromuscular reeducation and working with energy patterns. By integrating and aligning body, mind and spirit energy, she creates relaxation, increased energy flow, optimized sleep and a clear mind for her clients. Her work helps people hold higher consciousness to live their optimal lives. Elizabeth offers private lessons, group classes and workshops, and online programs for health practitioners, and also writes for health publications. She holds advanced degrees in Dev. Psychology, Education and Writing, along with certifications in each instructional area. To learn more, visit elizabetheilerssullivan.com.