Grounded Kapha
You Help Keep Everything + Everyone Stable
Kapha is made up of
Earth and Water
Take a moment to think about earth and water when you mix it together. What does it make? What does it feel like? It becomes clay or mud. Cool, heavy, sticky and moist. This is also what Kapha feels like in our mind and body. We all need Kapha. It brings everything together. It builds and holds and moistens. It is the glue and lubrication of our tissues so that everything functions properly. Without Kapha, we deteriorate. When Vata is balanced, it shows up in us as qualities of strength, stability, calmness, loyalty, generosity, love, stamina and affection. You know that beautiful friend that is always there for everyone? Always the calm and grounded person to go to? Generously sharing love, gifts and wisdom? Chances are, they are predominantly Kapha!. Only when Kapha becomes too much or out of balance does it become a problem. And usually a big one! When Kapha is off balance, it can show up as excess weight, heaviness, dullness, sluggishness, lack of motivation and drive, depression, puffiness, swelling, water retention, congestion and allergies.
Cool . Heavy . Moist . Stable
Kapha is an Energy we all Want and Need in our lives
We definitely don’t want to get rid of Kapha! It is the glue and lubrication that keeps us strong and healthy. We just need to keep it balanced. Because when it is out of balance, it can wreak havoc on our physical, mental and emotional lives. So how do know if Kapha is balanced or getting out of control? See below to learn the signs as well as the key food and lifestyle practices to keep Kapha stable.
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Strength, Stability, Compassion, Love, Loyalty, Generosity, Consistency, Reliability, Focused and Strong Stamina
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Heaviness, Sluggishness, Insecurity, Possessiveness, Depression, Dullness, Sinus and Respiratory Challenges, Low Appetite and Slow Digestion
To Balance Kapha…
Eat Light + Warm Food
Vata is cold and heavy, so light and warm food helps balance those cold and heavy qualities. Try:
Warm grain salads
Light soups and stews
Stir fried vegetables
Stewed fruit with cinnamon
Avoid Heavy + Oily Food
Kapha is heavy and oily so fried and oily foods will aggravate Kapha. Enjoy light food with minimal oil.
Rice or quinoa flakes instead of oats for porridge
Light fruit over heavy, like berries over bananas
Light veggies + leafy greens over root vegetables
Drying grains such as barley and buckwheat
Use Warm + Pungent Spices
Herbs + spices are nature’s medicine cabinet. Warm + pungent spices are particularly great for Kapha:
Cinnamon and Cloves
Ginger and Turmeric
Cumin and Cardamom
Black pepper and chilli in small amounts
Stay Active and Spontaneous
Kapha’s heavy + sticky qualities can create dullness so it’s important to stay active + spontaneous:
Get moving first thing in the morning
Regularly mix up your schedule
Exercise and work from different locations
Explore, travel and adventure
Let go and Forgive
Kapha’s heavy and sticky qualities can make it hard to let go but holding on aggravates Kapha further. Try:
Somatic movement to release stuck emotions
Forgiveness meditation
Regularly decluttering your space
Journaling any stuck thoughts and feelings
Exercise and Pranayama
Out of all the doshas, Kapha’s often like to exercise the least but need it the most! Try to get moving every day:
Walking, running, cycling and/or dance
Strengths and weight-lifting
Kapalabhati breath for invigoration
Get out in nature - swimming and hiking
Mantra for Kapha.
Lighten Your Load So You Can
Spread Your Love