"what is in one is in the whole and therefore
ultimately each soul is responsible for the whole world."
- Gary Zukav
Introduction to Ayurveda & the 5 Elements
To understand our body on a deeper level, Ayurveda uses a system of the 3 doshas. The word dosha means “energy” or “disturbance” in Sanskrit. This is the energy that will most typically become disturbed for you, and that you need to take special care of.
The 3 doshas are:
Vata, composed of air and ether
Pitta, composed of fire and water; and,
Kapha, composed of earth and water
Each of the doshas expresses a specific blend of physical, emotional and mental
characteristics.
Let’s look at each dosha more closely.
Principles for Balancing Vata Dosha:
Keywords: Grounding, Routine, Warmth, Stability, Oleation
Vata dosha benefits the most from regular routines for eating, sleeping, working and play time.
Start your morning with a daily routine of pranayamas (breathing exercises) and meditation. Spiritual practice helps to balance and ground the naturally sensitive and etheric qualities of vata.
Vata-types benefit from gentle, warming activities that are soothing to the nervous system, such as nature walks, gentle yoga, gardening, tai chi, and dance. They love to move but it's important that they don't get overstimulated, or else they will later feel exhausted or ungrounded.
Daily self-massage with warm sesame oil is greatly beneficial for vata-types, either in the morning or evening.
Nasya (the daily application of sesame oil to the nasal passages) is also greatly beneficial for calming the mind and balancing the 5 senses.
Try to keep regular meal times. Favour warm, cooked meals and avoid skipping meals.
Avoid/reduce foods and drinks that are cold and dry, such as raw food, frozen smoothies, ice cream, popcorn, rice cakes, chips and crackers.
Vatas benefit from sweet, gentle environments, including soothing smells, music and company. Try to reduce the amount of time you spend in loud, busy or cold places, like movie theaters or shopping malls. Spending some time in silence each day is helpful.
Vata types benefit from warm environments. You may also choose to wear a hat and scarf, or to keep a shawl in your office at work.
Vatas are balanced by colours that are warming and calming, such as white, yellow, gold, violet, blue, deep reds and earthy tones. Gold (warming) is the best choice for jewellery.
Essential oils for vata dosha include lavender, rose, clary sage, patchouli, vanilla, rose, geranium, vetiver and tulsi.
If you'd like to learn more about Ayurvedic healing, you can explore our upcoming series of Ayurveda for Vibrant Living here
About the Author
Briya Freeman has been creating spaces for healing and spiritual awakening since 2011. She is passionate about exploring the potentials of human consciousness in a way that unites and transcends global culture. Her background includes 20+ years of study and practice in hatha yoga, Ayurveda, Breathontology, meditation, bioenergetics and shamanism.
As a teacher, she is known for an approach that is down-to-earth, intuitive and deeply seated. She can be reached at hello@briyafreeman.com
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