Tips for Balancing Vata: Grounding through Commitment to Self & Practice
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Ayurveda is the Sister Science of Yoga, an ancient holistic form of medicine from India and way of life that’s over 6000 years old.
The Autumn Season is officially here with its teachings to embrace Change. The leaves and temperature are changing, some of us are in back-to-school or new schedule mode, and of course daily life changes arise in big and small ways.
The ability to embrace change (which is of course, a constant) is a superpower. And like anything we practice, that ability grows stronger with repetition and mindfulness.
Coupled with self-compassion, the Embracing Change Superpower helps us to ride the waves of being human, with all its pleasure and pain, with more equanimity, ease, and joy.
For some, it feels like a muscle we've exercised, and we can ride the waves with some level of grace, but for many of us, it's not so easy, and we may notice lots of resistance or stress... and it's all totally natural. Oh how human of us :)
Ayurveda says that Fall is Vata Season - when the Air element within and around us can easily go out of balance.
When Air is balanced, it shows up as creativity, positive movement, embracing change, higher thinking, and the ability to see new perspectives.
When it's out of balance, it shows up as scattered mind, doing 10 things at once, dryness, flightiness, insomnia, joint pain, too much anxiety or stress, constant "doing" to the point of exhaustion, and overstimulating the sympathetic nervous system (fight-flight-freeze response, among other things).
Ayurveda and Yoga offer practices for grounding (Earth element) and routine as the antidote for Vata imbalance. In a world that values constant doing and accumulation, grounding and emptying practices support us in maintaining balance.
They help us to enjoy life, embrace a process-oriented perspective, feel at ease, and connect deeply with ourselves and others.
Vata dosha is comprised of air and ether, and it’s characterized by these qualities: dry, light, cool, and mobile.
If our lifestyle and basic constitution create too much of these qualities, we can go out of balance in the ways mentioned as well as many other ways (more in another post).
To return to balance, we need things that cultivate the opposite of the air and ether qualities - so we want to add more things that are moist, heavy, warm, and grounding … it could show up as something simple like adding an extra clothing layer or blanket when you’re cold, drinking warm tea or nurturing a grounding Yoga asana practice.
Here’s a few simple daily practices that can make a world of difference and create a sense of clarity, grounding, creativity, inner peace and deeper connection to your Self, your Practice and to the people and things that matter most to you (it’s all connected!).
Practice a regular sleep schedule: 8 hours is ideal, going to sleep by 10/10:30p and waking by sunrise
Start your day with a glass of warm water
Meditate for 5 mins (or more if you have a regular practice).
If meditation is new to you, keep it simple - focus on the point between the eyebrows. Touch your finger to that point to bring attention there.
Any time your attention wanders, it’s totally normal - bring your focus back without judgment each time. With daily repetition and increasing your meditation time, focus gets stronger.
Oil massage
Apply warm almond or sesame oil to your feet, hands, or entire body for 5 minutes.
If using Ayurveda oils from DYA’s studio or almond oil, feel free to leave it on all day. If using sesame oil, leave on for at least 15 minutes, then wash off in warm shower or bath.
Favor grounding, warm foods cooked with spices like fresh ginger, a little cumin and cinnamon, a pinch of turmeric
Favor foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, any root vegetables, moist warming soups or grains cooked with oil or ghee, or these delicious kichari and oatmeal recipes
Avoid raw, dry, cold, undercooked foods
Favor high quality sweeteners like raw honey, maple syrup, adding raisins to oatmeal, etc.
Warm shower or bath
Feel free to use lavender oil or some oil that feels calming for you
Instead of doing 10 things at once, try doing one thing at a time to completion
Even if you must multi-task, do it mindfully - slowing down if possible and feeling your feet in the ground and the sensations of your breathing
Example: if you’re currently working on 10 projects at once or reading 10 books at once, choose one or even two or three and focus on finishing one to completion.
Practice Yoga or go for walks in nature consistently
If you have a full schedule, try adding 3 or more weekly yoga classes to your calendar as a non-negotiable in your meetings calendar - remember you’re a priority too!
If 3 doesn’t work, try 2 or whatever works for you - remind yourself it’s ok to say no to some things so you can say yes to yourself.
Restorative Yoga is fabulous - even just 10 minutes a day makes a difference.
For good sleep:
Drink warm organic whole milk lightly boiled with a pinch of turmeric, pinch of nutmeg and 3-4 cardamom seeds (optional fresh ginger and two threads of saffron)
Reduce stimulation at least an hour before bedtime - avoid using devices or things with bright screens, lower the lights, get into bed and wind down by reading a book instead of too much tv or doing a calming breathing practice like Viloma 1
This is a good start. Don’t take my word for it… try for yourself consistently for at least 2 weeks and see how these practices affect your body and mind.
You’ll find these small changes get easier with consistency and do wonders for creating more balance, grounding and ease!
with love,
Deanna
Deanna is an Ayurvedic Health Coach, trained in NYC and India. She’s also the founder of Dhyana Yoga Arts, a Yoga for Backcare & Scoliosis Specialist, and E-RYT & YACEP.
