PACIFYING VATA
PACIFYING VATA
Vata is irregular, moving, light, dry, cool, fine, quick, and rough. It is pacified by practices that are regular, stable, heavy, oily, heating, viscous, slow, and smooth, as these characteristics are opposite to its own.
Lifestyle
Regularity is the key for pacifying vata. Those with a lot of vata have a tendency to become irregular in their movement and bodily rhythms, so try to keep to a fixed routine of eating, working, and sleeping.
WHAT TO DO
- Maintain a fixed daily routine.
- Relax regularly.
- Go on countryside walks in the sunshine.
- Spend time in quiet contemplation.
- Listen to calming music.
- Take warm baths.
WHAT NOT TO DO
- Get too stressed.
- Eat at irregular times.
- Consume caffeine.
- Talk too much.
- Sleep too little.
- Exercise too regularly.
- Become exposed to drafts and cold.
- Activities that cause sensory overload.
MASSAGE
Oil massage with heating oils is one of the best and most effective lifestyle practices to pacify elevated vata. If you have a tendency toward vata imbalance, you should make oil massages a regular part of your routine.
EXERCISE
Grounding or strengthbuilding exercise and any sport with slow, directed movements pacify vata. Weightlifting is particularly good, as it provides stability and substance to counteract vata’s lightness and mobility. Those with a lot of vata in their constitution should be careful to avoid overexertion.
Diet
Those wishing to pacify vata benefit from a regular diet of warm, soupy food, and only consuming drinks hot. A diet to pacify vata contains more fats and grains than diets for other doshas.
Yoga and meditation
Vata’s tendency for movement, irregularity, and lightness benefits from the focus, quiet, and the calming and grounding effects of yoga and meditation.
Practitioner treatments
You may wish to go to an Ayurvedic practitioner. They will assess you first, and may then recommend oil treatments, such as a full body massage or enemas to pacify vata, or a full panchakarma treatment to eliminate elevated vata.
“Vata in harmony is enthusiasm, normal breathing and movement, and the proper elimination of malas.” CHARAKA
