Day 6 - Ayurvedic Journey

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VATA OVERVIEW

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement — composed of Space and Air. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes.

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Vata Summary

Body Frame Thin
Weight Hard to gain, easy to lose
Skin Cold, dry, thin
Hair Dry, frizzy, thin
Eyes Small, fine lashes, unusual color
Appetite Irregular
Evacuation Constipated; irregular; dry, small quantity
Sweat Scanty
Temperament Energetic, creative, indecisive, nervous
Memory Learns quickly, forgets quickly
Speech Talkative, fast, high-pitched, scattered
Climate Dislikes cold and dry
Activity Restless and active; social
Routines Dislikes routine, enjoys variety

Vata Constitution

Tall or very short; think and bony; low weight, hard to hold weight; dry and think skin; small eyes, brittle nails, stiff joints that crack easy, variable or poor circulation; variable appetite; low thirst, hard or dry stool, scanty urination and sweating, low or variable immune function, a tendency to pain and nervousness; high and restless activity; poor endurance and easily exhausted; poor and distrubed sleeping, frequent and restless dreams; a quick memory but absent minded. 
 

Vata Psychological

Vata types are quick in their minds with changing interests. They are talkative, informed, and intellectual. They can understand many different points of view. Vata people make good teachers, excel at communication, are good at thinking, writing, and organizing data. They make good musicians. They are creative and artistic.  They are the most flexible and adaptable to change of the three types once they understand what they need to do. 

Vata’s Subtle, Vital & Master Form: Prana

Vata’s counterpart of vital energy is prana. Prana is the primal life force responsible for the coordination of breath, senses and mind and governs higher states of consciousness. Prana is responsible for the enthusiasm and without which one suffers from depression and mental stagnation.

Prana Vayus are the currents of subtle energy that nourish the systems of the physical body. This energetic nourishment optimizes the vital energy, physiology and balance. The five prana vayus are: Apana Vayu, the downward current from the navel; Prana Vayu, the upward current of energy from the navel; the Samana Vayu, the golden sunlight of horizontal current that expands out from the center of your solar plexus on the inhalation; the Udana Vayu, from the collarbones upward for mental clarity; and Vyana Vayu, the vital energy that pervades the entire body that centers on the inhalation and radiates outward on the exhalation, supporting the physical circulation of blood, lymph, and nerves. (See: Balancing Energies: The 5 Prana Vayus)

VATA SEASONAL

Autumn is the classic vata season. However, depending on where you live, the dry and expansive qualities of vata may be prevalent components of your environment as early as summer, and the autumn may be followed by a very drying, cold, isolating, and/or windy winter.

“Vata season” is whatever time of year most embodies the attributes that characterize vata dosha: dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile, and clear (or empty).

It depends on your location. Fall season is good for cleansing. During these times, subdue mental and physical vata characteristics: foods should be heavier and nourishing.

Vata Times of Day

Vata is influential from 2am-6pm (or sunrise). Awaken before 6am to eliminate body wastes to be attuned to the lightness and free flowing energy of the vata dosha. Then, from 2pm to 6pm/sunset, when food and exercise should be light.

Vata Seasonal Effect

For Vata, the following seasonal changes can have an effect.

• Summer - Accumulation

• Rains - Aggravation

• Autumn - Mitigation

Ritucharya: Guidelines for the seasons
According to Ayurveda, the year is divided into two periods, each containing three seasons: Uttarayana, the cold months, which contains the seasons of Sharath, Hemanta, and Shishira, and Dakshinayana, the warm months, which contains the seasons Vasanta, Grishma, and Varsha.

Learn more HERE about energetic principles, or doshas, of the Ayurveda flow throughout the year for your dosha.

Vata, Imbalance and How to Balance

The VATA Burn Out!

When the air element is too high, they become isolated or hypersensitive. Vata’s may have too much to say and do not know how to relate it. They may lack determination and self-confidence and often have negative images of themselves. They can be superficial in their ideas and talk aimlessly. Their minds easily waver and can wander out of control. Their will is usually indecisive and unsteady. Vatas suffer most from fear, their first reaction to anything new or strange. They worry and easily get afflicted by anxiety. They suffer quickly from overwork and over-exercise and may overextend themselves.  

In our busy urban environment, and especially during cool and dry seasons, many of us feel scattered and overwhelmed. According to Ayurveda, these are symptoms of the imbalance of Vata Dosha – air and ether in the body and mind. Air is light and moves quickly, adapting well to change, but can also whip itself into a frenzy and get burned out.

This imbalance includes anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, spacing out, and uncontrolled proliferation of thoughts. A vata imbalance affects the nervous system. It affects the ability of the digestive system to remove waste from the body.

Some other ways imbalance reveals itself for Vata dosha are;

Physical:

• Constipation

• Gas formation or distension in the abdomen

• Dehydration

• Rough, dry skin

• General body pain and aching

• Astringent taste lingering in the mouth

• Weakness, fatigue, & low vitality

• Tremors and twitches

• Sensitivity to cold and wanting warmth

Behavioral:

• Irrationality, anxiety, nervousness, agitation, & impatience

• Desire to run away

• Confusion, fearfulness & shakiness

• Feeling ungrounded

• Excessive movement and/or speech

Coming back into balance;

1. Eat naturally - sweet, salty and sour foods (AVOID junk foods, processed sugars and excessive salt)

2. Follow a fixed routine - AVOID too many different, frenetic activities. Set your bedtime (waking and going to sleep). Try to eat at the same time and exercise at the same time each day.

3. Practice yoga postures slow and steady.

4. Stay warm, calm and relaxed. Try hot baths, warm sesame oil massages, and soothing music.

5. Learn how foods can heal and sooth you. Avoid frozen, cooling and dried foods.

6. Meditate consistently for calmness.

7. Tumeric, ashwagandha and shatavari will help balance Vata.

8. Don’t give up. Give yourself time to heal. Try therapy so you can ground yourself.

VATA DIET: FOODS + HERBS

Three words encapsulate the Vata calming diet – warming, soupy and nourishing. Vata needs foods packed with nutrients and staying power, but that are easy to digest.

Foods that are light and rough like dark green leafy vegetables are already Vata in nature, so they are only good if sautéd in ghee or olive oil or wilted in a stew.

Digestive herbs can also help Vata to digest denser proteins – tofu can be cooked with cumin seed and carom. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves or saffron can be added to teas, almond milk for warmth, digestion and an immune boost.

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BREATH | PRANAYAMA PRACTICE

Belly breathing while laying down is one of the single most calming techniques for pacifying Vata Dosha. Just lay down on the back and allow the belly to rise and fall with the inhalation and exhalation. In hectic times, this can be practiced for five minutes at a time throughout the day.

Bhramari, the bumble bee breath, creates a vibratory hum on the exhale that is known to help release stress. Try it in Child’s pose or in relaxation on the belly after Cobra.

Alternate nostril breathing works to balance the right and left energy flows of the body and taps right into these ‘subtle nerves’.

MANTRA

Repetition of prayer and mantra is soothing for imbalance.

In Ayurveda, The Gayatri mantra chanted in a low regular meter can be very stabilizing for Vata Dosha, and is also warming.

There are many ways to connect to divinity. We love this affirmation of God’s joy resulting in strength.

The Joy of the Lord is my strength

This phrase comes from Nehemiah 8:10.

MEDITATION | PRAYER

Make it a daily routine to pray and meditation. Preferably in the morning or at the same time everyday. Consider walking meditations. Another really helpful technique for Vata’s regular routine that can be combined with meditation is aromatic oil massage.

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