CHAPTER 8
How to Pacify Vata
When vata dosha is out of balance, there are several ways to pacify and soothe vata. Vata’s qualities are dryness, mobility, and spaciousness, and when out of balance, vata dosha can cause you to feel cold, anxious, and spacey. So, to pacify vata, you’ll treat yourself to experiences that have the opposite qualities. Also, if you know you have a predominance of vata dosha in your constitution, you can keep it in check before it becomes noticeably out of balance.
If you can keep vata pacified without waiting to see signs of imbalance, that is best. If you know you have a lot of vata in your constitution, then it won’t be a surprise to you that during certain times of day, certain times of year, and later in life, you will need to be especially conscious of vata dosha.
Because you know what times of day, what times of year, and what times of life are considered vata times, you can take caution to be particularly nurturing during those times. Since vata time of day is 2–6 P.M. (and 2–6 A.M.), do your best to avoid activities that can make you stirred up or anxious during those hours. Try breathwork and yoga for vata at that time of day. Or soak in a hot bath, give yourself a soothing massage, or take a nap. You don’t have to spend the whole four hours from 2–6 P.M. doing very soothing things, but try to do something calming for vata during those hours each day. Be mindful during vata time of day, and take breaks when you can.
Talk to your Ayurvedic specialist about herbs for vata time of year if you are prone to vata imbalance. She may recommend you take ashwaganda, which can address some vata disorders, including joint discomfort and anxiety. Talk to your specialist about dosage and if it would be right for you, any time of year, and particularly during vata season.
Because the fall and winter are vata times of year and your later years of life are vata years, these are times in your life to be particularly aware of how you are affected. Do what you can to stay warm: drink plenty of warm liquids, give yourself warm oil massages at least once per day, eat warm foods, and calm your mind. The darkness of the wintertime can aid meditation and introspection, so use that to your advantage. Calming the mind and warming the body are especially important during vata season and vata time of life. Because you know this, you can start taking care of vata before you notice particular imbalances.
It’s very important to keep an eye on yourself to see if vata is out of balance. It’s also important to be grateful for the wonderful aspects of vata—all of the bodily functions it assists (including the workings of the heart and circulatory system) and how it helps the mind and your connection to higher levels of consciousness. So take time, while being careful to balance vata, to also appreciate it for all it offers with its movement, expansiveness, and airy qualities.
As always with the doshas, remember that like increases like and opposites balance. So you’ll need to remember the qualities that are associated with vata and then choose foods that have the opposite qualities. Vata qualities are dry, airy, and cool, so you’ll choose foods that are moist, dense, and warm. Also, when you eat, take time to sit down and eat slowly. Savor the tastes, aromas, and textures. Don’t talk too much, watch TV, or read while eating. Focus just on eating, and relax.
According to Dr. Lad, for vata it’s best to have about 50 percent of your diet be whole grains. Have 20 percent protein, 20 to 30 percent vegetables, and an optional 10 percent fruit. (For vatas, remember it’s best to cook the fruit and vegetables and add warming spices for taste and to enhance digestion.)
The best whole grains for vata are cooked oats, quinoa, and rice. Again, remember that you want to avoid dry foods, so even though rice is a wonderful grain for vata, rice cakes are not.
Legumes are a great source of protein. Examples of legumes for vata include lentils, mung beans, mung dahl, and occasionally tofu. Tofu is processed, so it’s best to have it in moderation.
Many proteins are just fine for vata: beef, chicken, salmon, sardines, seafood, and tuna are all nourishing for someone of vata constitution.
One of the qualities of vata is cold, so choose to eat foods that are warm in temperature and/or in their energetic qualities. Some warming foods that are great for vata are sweet fruits (not dried), such as apples (cooked), coconut, grapes, oranges, peaches, and strawberries. Vegetables should be cooked, and most vegetables would be great for vata when cooked, including asparagus, carrots, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, spinach, and zucchini.
For vata, nuts and seeds are great. It’s best to eat them in moderation, and soak almonds in water overnight to make them easier to digest. Some examples of nuts to enjoy are almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts.
When it comes to popcorn, eat it in moderation and add condiments to it to balance its airy qualities. Popcorn isn’t a great snack choice for vata. If you are going to eat popcorn, you could add ghee or olive oil to it to balance the dry and airy qualities. Salt and pepper are fine for vata, too.
Seeds to add to your meals include chia, flax, halva, pumpkin, and sesame. You can add them on top of your cooked vegetables or your grains to add texture and essential nutrients.
Most condiments are fine for vata, but just remember that in your diet you want to cut down on processed foods. So, if you want pickled relish, choose the most natural ingredients in that relish, and the same goes for ketchup. Great ideas for condiments for vata constitution are gomasio, kelp, kombu, salt, seaweed, and tamari.
Aromas are helpful tools for balancing the doshas. Aromas are apparent in foods, herbs, and spices, as well as in essential oils. You can be intentional about the aromas you’re cooking with. And because a warm bath is balancing for vata dosha, if you have a predominance of vata in your constitution, you would benefit from a soothing warm bath with aromatherapy. Self-massage is also a grounding practice for vata, and you can mix massage oil with soothing aromas for vata.
Experiment with aromas and see which ones work best for you. In general, cooking with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove could be beneficial to vata. Each time you make yourself a meal, remember this is a chance to fill your kitchen with aromas. For example, if you’re in the mood for an apple, cook the apple in honey, and don’t forget to sprinkle it with at least one spice, such as cinnamon. Experiment with the various aromas, learning which scents affect you in positive ways. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try combinations that you’ve never tried before.
Essential oils are not meant to be put directly onto the skin. You can mix essential oils in high-quality oil, such as extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or sesame oil, and then put a few drops of that mixture into your bath or onto your skin. The typical way to figure out the ratio of base oil to essential oil is to measure the base oil in milliliters, then divide that number in half. That number is the maximum number of drops of essential oil you’ll need to add to the mix. It doesn’t take much; essential oils are very potent.
Aromas that are balancing for vata are pine, lavender, and frankincense. Try them out for yourself, and see which ones work best for you. Since everyone is unique, you will have your preference. Red rose, musk, and camphor, because of their sweet and warming tones, can also balance vata.
Essential oils are all natural and used for many conditions and ailments. They are concentrated oils that come from trees, plants, and grasses. Their aromas carry the healing properties and energy from their original source and can be used in baths, lotions, and oils, and in diffusers.
Keeping to a daily routine will help vata. Routine creates a structure that can help ground and stabilize the vata energy. If a vata type knows she has a schedule, it’s easier for her to focus and stay on task. When the options get too numerous, a vata type could find herself feeling indecisive and unable to focus on any one thing.
For vata, doing the morning routine slowly and mindfully is key. Wake up around 6 or 7 A.M., and know that you have an hour to do your morning rituals. Take your time cleaning your teeth, gums, tongue, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Choose to do breathwork and yoga postures that are soothing, grounding, calming, and stabilizing. Drink warm water, and take a warm bath or shower. Transition mindfully into your waking hours.
Vata types are prone to having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. If you’re a vata type, you may wake up in the middle of the night between 2 and 6 A.M.: vata time. So your morning and evening routines are particularly important to calm and ground your mobile and potentially anxious energy.
After you’ve done your morning routine, have a warm and soothing breakfast. Take your time eating, and if you can, eat breakfast in silence. Sit down, and focus just on your morning meal. Enjoy the warmth and nourishing qualities of your breakfast.
For vata, it will help if you eat lunch at the same time every day. It matters less what exact time it is and more that you do it around the same time each day. Ideally, start eating between 11 A.M. and noon. Relax, chew your food slowly, and don’t talk too much while eating. In the afternoon, when the clock strikes 2 P.M., be mindful that you’re headed into vata time. Take care of yourself from 2–6 P.M., knowing this is the time that vata could become heightened. Take some breaks from work if you can. Take a tea break, find time for a nap, or take a walk outside and feel the grounding energy of the earth. Here is a standing meditation you can do at any time of day to help you feel grounded.
STANDING MEDITATION
Pause and feel the echo of the meditation in the mind and body, tuning in to what is present. Enjoy this standing meditation anytime you need to experience grounding and stability in your life.
It’s very important for vata types to eat dinner mindfully and slowly. Eating around 6 P.M. would be ideal. If you were to eat dinner around 6 P.M., it would be fine to continue to do some work for about an hour after dinner. Stopping stimulating activity by 8:30 P.M. would be really supportive for vata. At that point, do some calming and soothing activities with your family, friends, or by yourself. Let the mind relax. Spend time feeling nurtured and grounded. Around 9 P.M., start an evening self-care routine to get ready for bed.
Drinking a cup of warm milk before bed has soothing qualities for vata constitution. You can add a teaspoon of ghee and a few spices, such as turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon or nutmeg, for enhanced vata-balancing qualities. Ghee is a wonderful antidote for vata’s dry and brittle qualities.
Before going to bed, it’s great for vata to do a self-massage, particularly of the feet and the crown of the head. Take your time massaging the feet with warm oil, and luxuriate in the sensations as you massage your feet. Take nice, deep breaths. After massaging your feet, wash your hands with warm, soapy water, and then apply oil to the crown of your head and forehead. This type of massage is very soothing and calming for vata.
Try to get into bed by 10 P.M. Have enough blankets to keep yourself warm. You may find you’ll sleep well with heavy blankets, as the weight of the blankets feels grounding and secure. Do what you can to feel warm and grounded.
Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, RN, Ayurvedic health and lifestyle coach, and 200- and 500-hour yoga teacher-trainer at Kripalu Center, in Lenox, Massachusetts designed the following breathwork section and yoga sequence for vata types. Contact her at www.sudhalundeen.com to order her Taming the Winds of Vata CD, which guides you through another yoga sequence for balancing vata dosha.
The purity of the air you breathe is, of course, very important. But how you breathe is equally if not more important—at the cellular level and as it impacts your thoughts and feelings. When vata dosha goes out of balance, you may feel a heightened sense of indecisiveness, anxiety, and fear. Anxiety and fear tend to affect the breath by producing short, shallow upper-chest breathing. Thus, the most important breathing practices to tame vata dosha are those that produce a calm and steady breath pattern.
One of the most well-known breathing techniques for producing a calm and steady breath pattern is nadi shodhana, an alternate nostril, channel purifying, and balancing breath. To do this, breathe in through one nostril, and exhale out the other. Then, inhale through that side and exhale out the first.
When speaking of the power of the breath, it’s helpful to know about the nadi system. Nadis are the energy channels of the body that provide the “vehicle” for the flow of prana (life force) and consciousness throughout the entire body. The central nadi is called the Sushumna, which runs from the base or root of the spinal column (muladhara chakra) to the crown of the head (sahasrara chakra). Two other important nadis, the Ida and Pingala begin at the base of the spine, crisscross over and around the Sushumna, and end up together at the crown of the head. The chakras are energy vortexes (sometimes described as spinning wheels of energy) that exist where the Ida and Pingala cross.
The Ida ends at the left hemisphere of the brain (some say the left nostril), and the Pingala ends at the right. The Ida has cooling properties and relates to the feminine principle. The Pingala has heating properties and relates to the masculine principle.
Throughout the day the breath automatically fluctuates between the two nadis. There is a shift from right to left nostrils being open about every sixty to ninety minutes in the healthy person. This balancing of Ida and Pingala causes prana to flow evenly and is part of the natural balancing process of the body.
When the nadis are clear and balanced, certain external signs appear. They are lightness and leanness of the body, brilliancy in complexion, increased gastric fire, and the absence of restlessness in the body. These are some obvious signs of a healthy body.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR NADI SHODHANA
If your arm gets tired, you can prop it on a cushion or with your other hand. When the nadis are open, there is a natural feeling of calm and ease of being.
Do I have to use the Vishnu mudra hand position?
You may use Vishnu mudra or the power of the mind to imagine one nostril opening and the other closing. By focusing attention on the closed or less open nostril, it will gradually open. This can take a while to master, but with practice, it will happen.
Another important breath is Dirgha breath, the three-part or yogic breath. When you do this, you welcome the breath deep into the lungs, causing the belly and ribs to expand three-dimensionally. An easy way to learn this is by lying on your back with the knees bent. Once in this position, follow these instructions:
DIRGHA BREATH, LYING ON YOUR BACK
Practice Dirgha breath for one to five minutes. Then pause and notice the effect. You will likely feel calmer and more grounded, awake and clear. That is, you will feel more “balanced.” A major goal of Ayurveda is achieving that sense of a balanced state in body and mind.
The warming breath helps correct the cooling tendency of vata. The right nostril relates to the Pingala, or Sun energy, side. Using the same hand position as in nadi shodhana, start by breathing in the right nostril and exhaling out the left. Repeat. Breathe back in the right and breathe out the left. Continue for a minute or so.
This is a steady in-and-out breath, combined with the silent repetition of the words (mantra) So and Hum. The breath naturally makes these two sounds: Sooooooo as you inhale and Hummmmmm as you exhale. This practice is very helpful in balancing the Ida and Pingala.
Once you get the gist of this, continue the practice with your hands resting comfortably in your lap. And, remember, for all of these breathing practices, it is important to be seated comfortably, head aligned over the spine, with your back upright and shoulders relaxed.
When thinking about your yoga practice, remember that vata dosha is associated with the elements space and air. The key qualities of these elements are cold, light, dry, rough, and mobile. Vata dosha will become imbalanced if your activities and other lifestyle choices increase those qualities. The route to bringing vata back to balance is to favor activities that are calming and grounding. A regular yoga, meditation, and breathing practice can do wonders, in conjunction with the vata-pacifying lifestyle choices you make off your yoga mat.
Although it’s true that each pose has specific effects on the doshas, when considering which postures to practice, remember that how you practice the pose is more important than which pose you choose.
TIPS FOR A VATA-PACIFYING YOGA PRACTICE
Most poses are good for balancing vata. Some are more inherently calming and grounding. As vata “resides” in the large intestine, pelvic area, and lower abdomen, poses that compress or stretch these areas will help balance vata.
Poses to be avoided or modified are those that are overly stimulating to the nervous system, such as rapid vinyasa sequences or postures that put excessive pressure on the joints—especially the neck, shoulders, and knees.
Standing poses strengthen the body, steady the mind, and build concentration. After doing gentle joint warm-ups, do one or more of the following standing postures.
TADASANA: MOUNTAIN POSE
UTKATASANA: CHAIR POSE
VIRABHADRASANA, WARRIOR I
TREE POSE
Yoga poses on the floor help ground energy, build strength, and increase flexibility.
NAVASANA, BOAT POSE, BELLY DOWN
GARBASANA, CHILD POSE
SHAVASANA, REST POSE
Keep in mind that for vata, regularity, rhythm, and consistency of practice are key. Vata types tend to want to jump around and keep trying out new things. See if you can stick with these postures, and notice their effects before following the urge to move on to something else.
Consult with your doctors and healers before doing yoga. During practice, if you feel any sharp pain, stop what you’re doing and relax. Consult your doctor before taking on any new physical practice like yoga, especially if you are pregnant or have cardiovascular or respiratory conditions.