Vivacious Vata
you animate the world
Vata is made up of
Air and Space
Take a moment to think about air and space. What do they feel like? They are light. They are dry. They are cold. They are flowing. They are hard, perhaps impossible, to hold down. This is also what Vata feels like in our body - light, dry, cold, spacious, quick, flowing. Vata is in all of us. It governs all of the movement in our bodies and is a critical part of our health and functioning. When Vata is balanced, it shows up as energy, excitement, agility, creativity, enthusiasm, adventurism and responsiveness. People predominant in Vata often love talking, moving and embracing new experiences. Only when Vata becomes too much or too aggravated does it become a problem. When Vata is off balance, it can show up as weakness, coldness, dryness, anxiety, worry, hypertension, constipation, bloating, gas, depletion, body aches, indecisiveness and/or chronic stress. This makes sense when we circle back to the qualities of air and space. A little bit of air and space is a great thing. Too much causes problems.
Light . Cold . Dry . Mobile
Vata is an Energy we all Want and Need in our lives
We definitely don’t want to get rid of Vata! Vata is what moves everything in our body and helps keep it functioning. We just want to keep it in check, because when it is out of balance, it can wreak havoc on our physical, mental and emotional lives. So how do you know if Vata is balanced or getting out of control? See below to learn the signs as well as the key food and practices to keep Vata stable.
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Energy, Enthusiasm, Creativity, Excitability, Fun, Inspiration, Spontaneity, Mobility, Flexibility, Agility
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Exhaustion, Depletion, Scatteredness, Hyperactivity, Fear, Indecisiveness, Anxiety, Gas, Bloating, Constipation, Cracking Joints
To Balance Vata…
Eat Warm Unctuous Food
Vata is cold and dry, so warm moist food helps balance those cold and dry qualities. Some examples:
Dhal and Kitchari
Soups and Stews
Roasted or Stirfried Vegetables
Warm Grain salad
Eat Heavy Sweet Food
Vata is light and airy, so sweet and heavy foods help ground and secure those qualities. Some examples:
Soaked Nuts and Seeds
Avocados, Sweet Potatoes and Root Vegetables
Grans and Legumes
Good Fats and Oils
Use Warming Herbs + Spices
Herbs and spices are nature’s medicine cabinet and are particularly great for Vata, especially:
Cinnamon and Cloves
Ginger and Turmeric
Cumin and Cardamom
Rock Salt and Black Pepper
Schedule and Routine
Wind can make Vatas feel scattered so routine is important for providing more stability. For example:
Regular wake up time
Regular bed time
Regular meal times
Regular exercise practice
Abhyanga - Oil Massage
Massage oil is warm, unctuous, heavy and soft, the perfect qualities to balance Vata. Try this:
Morning or night, take 10 minutes
Warm some cold-pressed sesame oil
Massage your body in circular motions
Leave on for minimum 20 mins before showering
Light Exercise and Pranayama
Vata governs breath and so pranayama, breath work, is very important. Also do not over-exercise. Instead:
Walking, yoga or swimming
Daily breath-work, especially Nadi Shodhana
Have a regular exercise routine
Don’t over-exert yourself
Mantra for Vata.
Ground Your Bubbles but
Don’t Lose Your Fizz