Vata

The last dosha is vata. What makes me a classic vata?  I tend to flit from one thing to another. I am quick thinking, lots of energy, creative, intuitive, I tend to take in information quickly but I can also easily forget it. Yoga is an important tool to quiet, center and ground myself. Warm, calming foods and soothing herbal teas keep me in equilibrium.

Incorporating Ayurveda into my life

Here is an example of my morning routine. Typically I rise at 6 a.m., allowing plenty of time before the pace of the day begins. Starting with a stimulating cup of green tea, I dry brush my body to improve my skin and blood circulation, following with a self-body massage of purifying essential oils mixed with sesame oil. A warm shower follows to cleanse and allow the oil to penetrate my skin. After that, yoga and meditation act as a remedy to center and ground myself for the day ahead. A breakfast of granola in summer months and oatmeal in winter months, fruit, and herbal tea gives me the vata comfort food that my dosha needs.

An Ayurvedic practitioner

I shared office space with an Ayurvedic practitioner in the past and it gave me numerous opportunities to discuss this ancient system of self-healing. In the belief of Ayurveda, we are multi-layered beings influenced by our diet, emotions, and environment. Ayurveda is a system of self-care. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you. What are your symptoms speaking to you about? Do not mask them. Instead, use them to understand the root of the problem. Learn to be aware of who you are in relationship to your environment. These ideas allow an awareness that self-monitors your body, keeping you healthy and happy. Emanating from that center place can be described as true beauty flowing from inner to outer. 

In a Nutshell

Ayurveda says that everyone is unique, and that self-understanding is the ultimate goal, the foundation of life. To understand yourself can only benefit your health and life. In knowing your dosha, you can better understand what makes up your psychological and physical strengths and weaknesses. In this way, you can anticipate illness or imbalances and take precautions to avoid them. This means altering your lifestyle in such things as daily routine, diet, exercise or environment. It is keeping these things in balance that provides optimal health. A simple example is paying attention to the seasons, respecting each season for its beauty and natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Reverence to the time of year reflects your own innate relationship, keeping you aware and sensitive to the ever-changing cycles of life. This process also works with your personal relationships, helping you to understand others. This brings you clarity, compassion, and love. Ayurveda gives you a baseline, but this baseline is not static. It ebbs and flows. It is awareness in maintaining a vibrant equilibrium in the dance of life.

For more information, visit http://ayurveda.com/ and www.truewellbeing.net