The qualities of Vata are dry, light, cool, rough, subtle, and mobile.
Vata Pacifying Daily Routine
Nearly everywhere we look in nature, there are creatures engaging in some sort of consistent daily routine. The natural world at large is deeply influenced by the rhythms of nature – the rising and setting of the sun, the cycles of the seasons, and the underlying impulses directing the broader community of life. This Sanskrit line lists the main qualities of vata and provides a key to understanding what it means to have a predominantly vata prakriti. So, having a vata-predominant prakriti means that these qualities express themselves generously throughout your mental, emotional, and physical make up.
The "light" quality may manifest itself as giving you a lanky physique but excess lightness may manifest as being underweight, having muscle wasting, light bones, insomnia, or feeling "spacey" or insecure.
The cold quality of vata may lead you to feel cold more easily than others around you, have cold hands and feet, and crave warmth.
The subtle quality may express itself as being introverted, creative, and having an active fantasy life.
The mobile quality may lead to a healthy ability to "multi-task" or, in excess, to scattered attention, a fidgety tendency, tremors, and nervousness. It may manifest as extremes; as in being very tall or very short or being drastically different weights at different times in your life.
Increasing the inherent qualities of vata will increase vata in your body, mind, and spirit. As vata is inherently cool—cool weather, cool foods, the cool seasons and times of day, and even cool emotions can increase vata. Likewise, dry seasons, foods, environments, or emotions will increase the dry quality and thereby increase vata and can lead to dry conditions like constipation or dry skin or brittle skin, lips, hair, nails.
In general, it is best to move through life as if you were a master. Ask yourself, "If a master were faced with this situation, how would she act?" Then enjoy playing that part.
Balancing Vata - Guidelines For Decreasing Vata
Signs and Symptoms of Increased Vata - You may be experiencing some of the following signs or symptoms:
nervousness, anxiety, panic, fear
twitches, tics, tremors, spasms
dry or chapped skin
constipation, gas, bloating, dry, hard stools
low body weight
dislike of cold and wind
difficulty tolerating loud noises
light, interrupted sleep
spacey, scattered feeling
excess thinking or worrying
To decrease vata, Ayurveda has given us dietary, lifestyle and herbal treatment strategies. Here are a few underlying concepts that these strategies are based on:Routine-Warmth-Serenity-Nourishment
General Guidelines for a Vata-Reducing Diet
Enjoy Food:
Foods that are naturally sweet, sour, and salty in taste.
Warm foods, both energetically and in temperature. Whole, freshly cooked foods.
A limited selection of legumes, including mung dahl, tofu or tempeh that is well-cooked and warm soy milk spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Warming spices like ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and cumin, but not extremely hot spices like cayenne pepper.
Plenty of room temperature or warm drinks.
Dairy, as long as it is not very cold. Avoid drinking milk with your meals. It is best to have it warm and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, at least an hour before or after other food.
A generous amount of high-quality oils or ghee in your daily diet.
Routine times for your meals.
Taking a deep breath after swallowing your last bite and heading off for your next activity.
Eating your meal in a peaceful environment.
Avoid Food:
Foods that are bitter, astringent, and pungent.
Foods that are cooling, both energetically and in temperature.
Dry and light foods (e.g. popcorn and crackers).
Too much raw food, especially in the mornings and evenings (salads, carrot sticks, raw fruit, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, etc.)
Most beans, including cold soy products.
Highly processed foods (like canned or frozen foods, "TV" dinners or pastries).
Cold or carbonated drinks.
Caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants.
Overeating or eating very heavy meals.
Eating fresh fruit or drinking fruit juice within ½ hour of any other food.
Foods or drinks that contain refined sugar or corn syrup.
Deep fried foods.
Alcohol.
Vata-Pacifying Herbal Remedies
Herbs are useful allies when it comes to balancing the doshas. Ayurveda has a long history detailing the use of herbs and herbal combinations. General formulas based on traditional combinations of herbs are also used. In Ayurvedic seances I will customize herbal formulas to suit the your unique constitutions.
Enjoy life:
Live as you would imagine a master would: with calm awareness and a gentle pace.
A regular, daily routine with regular times for eating, sleeping, working, etc.
A daily 10–20 minute massage with ½ cup warm coconut or sesame oil.
A gentle stretching exercise routine that includes a calm, stretch-focused form of yoga, chi gong, walking, swimming (but don’t get chilled) about five times per week.
Keeping warm, no matter what the weather.
Sweet, soothing music, smells, scenes and company.
Vata-reducing oils, herbs and remedies.
Our lives, environments and health change regularly. I recommend that you do Vikriti test every month.
Manage your Vata-Pitta Constitution
Being a vata-pitta type means that two doshas are predominant in your constitution. It is usually best to manage a dual dosha prakriti according to the season. In general as a vata-pitta, follow a vata-pacifying regimen during the fall and winter seasons, during the change of seasons and especially when the weather is cold and windy. Follow a pitta-pacifying regimen during the spring and summer and especially when the weather is warm.
Manage your Vata-Kapha Constitution
Being a vata-kapha type means that two doshas are predominant in your constitution. It is usually best to manage a dual dosha prakriti according to the season. In general, as a vata-kapha follow a vata-pacifying regimen during the summer and fall seasons, during the change of seasons and especially when the weather is cool and dry. Follow a kapha-pacifying regimen during the winter and spring and especially when the weather is cool and damp.
Being a vata-pitta-kapha type means that all three doshas are strong forces in your constitution. If you are one of the rare people who possess this prakriti, good news: you have a very sturdy constitution. You tend to get sick less than others and can tolerate a wide variety of seasons and environmental conditions. By nature, your constitutional forces will tend to balance each other and maintain a healthy equilibrium. Whether your doshas are quantitatively equal or one or two are a bit more dominant, the strategy for managing them is the same. You manage them primarily according to the season. In general, follow a vata-pacifying regimen during the fall and early winter, during the change of seasons and especially when the weather is cool, dry and windy. Follow a pitta-pacifying regimen during the late spring and summer seasons and especially when the weather is hot. Follow a kapha-pacifying regimen during the late winter and spring and especially when the weather is cool and damp.
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Nearly everywhere we look in nature, there are creatures engaging in some sort of consistent daily routine. The natural world at large is deeply influenced by the rhythms of nature – the rising and setting of the sun, the cycles of the seasons, and the underlying impulses directing the broader community of life. Continue Research PLACATORY MORNING SCHEMA