HOW TO BALANCE
VATA DOSHA
The vata dosha is comprised of air and ether energy, meaning it’s cold, light and free flowing. If you are currently experiencing a vata imbalance then there’s a high chance you are suffering from some or all of the following symptoms…
In Ayurveda, we say that like-increases-like. For example, if you are feeling cold and then go outside in the middle of winter, wearing only a T-shirt and sandals, then evidently you are only going to increase the cold sensation. Whereas, if you are feeling cold and you then decide to mix a lovely warm cup of cocoa and sit by the fireplace in your favourite fluffy slippers, well now you are taking actions to relieve or lessen the cold sensation. This example might seem obvious, but diagnosing symptoms like this and then performing rituals to offset those aggravations is fundamentally what embracing Ayurveda is all about. So now that you understand the process of balancing a dosha, lets talk more specifically about what you can do to balance a vata aggravation…
Vata balancing foods
Ayurveda places a huge emphasis on the importance of the foods we consume...
In fact food is seen in Ayurveda as being like medicine because all foods carry different qualities (or energies), which can affect the doshas within you. To understand the best foods for vata, we need to first look at the qualities of the dosha. The qualities of vata are… So favouring foods that are the exact opposite of these qualities will bring your vata back into balance. For example try to consume foods that are… Therefore we advise you to favour the following foods… And try to reduce or avoid the following foods…
Please take the dietary information listed above as a guide only. Ayurveda is more of a practice than a strict set of rules. There are far too many people nowadays that get bogged down in the details and at Kalsi we are on a mission to keep Ayurveda simple. Please understand that your health and wellness is entirely unique to you and we would much rather you use the advice on this page as a guide to inspire your own decisions, because (let’s be honest) nobody knows you better than you do. Please never be hard on yourself and remember that even changing just one or two of the things mentioned in this blog can reap huge returns to your health and wellness. So, on that note, let us now talk a bit more about what you can do to balance your vata dosha…
VATA BALANCING
RITUALS
Establish a Routine
This one is so important for Vata!
The vata digestion is particularly delicate and so creating a dedicated moment in your day to simply eat your food will reap so many benefits. Vata also tends to be a bit spontaneous (it repels routine) which can often lead to you feeling burnt out, confused or overwhelmed. So creating a sense of predictability, especially around meal times is perhaps the most vata pacifying ritual of all. Try to find a peaceful place to sit down and enjoy your meal. Vata types tend to always be multi-tasking, so please just turn off that TV, put away your phone and try to do nothing other than “eat” during your meal times.
Practice Abhyanga (self-massage).
Abhyanga is the Ayurvedic ritual of performing self-massage. Traditionally Abhyanga is performed with a small amount of heated oil (sesame oil is especially good for Vata) but using any oil would be just fine. You could either heat your oil gently on the kitchen stove or use a small tealight candle diffuser if you have one. Try to set 15-20 minutes aside in your day for this ritual, so you can endow yourself with some much needed love and also practice a little patience towards yourself. People who experience a vata imbalance tend to suffer from nervousness, anxiety, circulatory issues and joint pains, all of which would benefit tremendously from a self-body massage with warming oil. Even if you don’t have time for a full body rub down, then definitely try to give yourself a foot massage, especially if you have cold feet, you will be amazed at just how good you feel after doing this simple vata balancing ritual!
Slow Down
The Vata dosha is quick and always seems to be racing at a million miles per hour, which usually results in burnout! To avoid being completely exhausted at the end of the day, it is key that you try to take things a bit more slowly right now. Try to become more deliberate in your actions, focus on self-awareness and time to just breathe. Meditation is so nourishing for the vata dosha, but is actually one of the most difficult things to do when your vata runs high and you have a racing mind. If you do find it difficult to sit still and meditate, then try reciting a mantra or affirmation to stay focused. You can even mentally say the words “inhaling” and “exhaling” as you breathe in and out to develop awareness, or try raising and lowering your hands in unison with your breath. This physical action will give you a movement you can follow to keep your attention fixed during meditation.
Keep Warm
A common issue people face when experiencing a vata imbalance is forgetfulness. Sometimes you can be racing around at such a rate that you forget to do the simplest of things. Vata imbalances are often heightened when you feel cold and so remembering to keep warm at a time when you are trying to balance vata is essential. Keeping warm does not just mean wearing extra layers (of course this would depend on the season too) but simply remembering to avoid cold food and drinks is equally important. A great ritual to keep warm and balance vata is to take a nice hot bath. It will help you to slow down, relax tired muscles, relieve any tension and of course keep you nice and warm.
Ground Yourself
As we explained earlier, vata energy is derived from air and space, which gives it this light, airy-fairy and floating quality. One of the best ways to bring that energy back down to planet earth is to simply perform rituals that are grounding in nature. So what exactly do we mean by grounding? Well there are a few things you could try. Firstly, focus on eating more root vegetables. In Ayurveda it is believed that foods carry energies and so anything which grows in the ground naturally possesses grounding qualities. Think of earthy root veggies like cooked beetroots and sweet potato. If you practice yoga then focus on doing asanas that build a strong foundation to the ground, anything that brings a lot of your body into contact with the floor is extremely rejuvenating for you right now. In fact, even simply sitting on the floor is a very grounding practice and doing Savasana (dead body pose) is also perfect for balancing vata.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this blog.
And lastly…please remember that Ayurveda is more of a practice than a set of strict absolutes. Try not to get stuck in the finer details. We hope this blog can inspire you to do some vata-balancing rituals that will no doubt help you to reconnect with yourself and bring back your inner peace and harmony.Namaste. 🙏
