I often use this phrase when working with clients and it is a great reminder about how to live our lives while supporting our health.  We live in a world of “Doing.” We are often in the midst of going to do something and, once we’ve arrived at one place, going somewhere else to do something else. This constant movement is hard on the body and can be harder on the mind. Even when we take a break from our constant “Doing” many often turn to surfing the internet or streaming or gaming – which is just another form of “Doing”. 

Ayurveda has always advocated a “Prepare-Do-Recover” approach.  Consider Pancha Karma… This cleanse begins with preparation in the Purva Karma phase.  Without adequate attention at this phase, the body is ill prepared for cleansing.  If we do not prepare to cleanse, we may clear the digestive tract, but have done little to nothing to direct the ama from its site at the tissues back to the gastrointestinal tract.  The efforts of cleansing then will clear a channel that is not ready for clearing. 

The second phase, the Pradhan Karma, is the cleansing phase.  If we have prepared well, this will occur with full effect and minimal discomfort.  The biggest challenges occur when the body is not yet ready for cleansing and we try to cleanse anyway.  The focus of the Pancha Karma is cleansing, just as we tend to focus our full energy on “Doing” but without preparation, we have wasted our time and money. 

The third phase, the Paschat Karma, is the recovery phase. During this time we reignite the agni, following a samsarjana krama protocol.  We begin the process of restoring the healthy state of the dhatus and building Ojas by instituting rasayana herbs, foods, and practices.  We regain the health and strength of the body by following the “Prepare-Do-Recover” approach.

This methodical approach to healing does not just apply to ,Pancha Karma; it can benefit virtually all of life’s challenges I first realized this years ago, when I had a cold.  The cold stopped my “doing.”  I stopped all activity and used all my tools to address this viral imbalance.  As soon as the symptoms were gone, I was back to doing whatever I had been doing before, non-stop.  

When I reflected as to how my patterns set the stage for my disease, I recognized that I did not prepare for my daily activities by including self-care in my morning routines or rest in my afternoon, I just started doing whatever I had planned and kept doing until I was fatigued. This left me easily depleted and ripe for infection. The infection laid me low for a time but as soon as it was gone, I did not consider how to recover my Ojas, I just got right back into doing more and more, setting the stage for the next opportunistic infection.  This reflection was my, “A-ha!” moment.  My behavior was negatively impacting my health and a little proactive care could right the imbalance.

When I see a client in this same cycle, I encourage them to take on the Prepare-Do-Recover mindset.  This leaves them with strong Ojas and a better ability to stave off illness and fatigue. 

Prepare

Preparing includes taking stock of the potential impact of the planned activities. If a stressful time is on the horizon, then double down on self-care and stress reduction. If travel is anticipated, take time to build solidity and stability into the routine.  Considering how planned activities will impact physical, mental, and emotional well-being allows us to better prepare for them.  

Apart from specific activities, we can prepare by incorporating healthy daily routines regularly.  This means a morning that includes self-care practices for the body and mind before stepping into the stresses of the day.  Sometimes I call this, “Paying Yourself First,” which means that I’ll have plenty of energy surplus for the work of the day. In the afternoon, we reassess our evening’s needs and adjust accordingly.  In the evening, our nighttime routines set the stage for restful sleep. 

Do

We want to be able to engage in our lives in the way we choose. Too often Ayurveda is deemed to be full of rules limiting our activities.  I like to remind my clients that this only occurs if we neglect to prepare appropriately for what we want to do or if we neglect our recovery from what we have done.  By incorporating adequate self-care we will be less depleted by the activities we engage in. 

Go and do, do what you want, knowing that you have adequately prepared for the challenges you will face in that activity. Imagine you are planning to run a marathon.  Your preparation will include diet and lifestyle, possibly for months, to minimize any negative impact of your chosen activity. If you have prepared yourself appropriately, you will suffer fewer consequences of your activities regardless of how physically or mentally stressful they may be. 

Recover

Too often our recovery includes minimal attention to the actual needs of our bodies and minds.  We may reach for medicines or treatments that will reduce the pain and other challenges that are immediately eminent but do little to restore the state of balance we had achieved before the activity.  After my cold, I raced back to work, confident that the lack of symptoms indicated wellness.  But did it? I had done nothing to rebuild Ojas.  

When we work with ourselves –  or our clients – we may observe the imbalances that are created when we fail to prepare for or recover from our activities.  With an illness, the different stages become clearly evident; but the stages of preparation and recovery are not always so obvious. This is a practice we can commit to on a daily basis.  By putting self-care  and recovery at the top of the priority list, we will have the energy, stamina, and Ojas to address all the things we’d like to do.