UNDERSTANDING VATA DOSHA

VATA DOSHA: THE FORCE OF MOTION

Vata dosha is comprised of the air & ether elements. Imagine these elements coming into contact with your being. What qualities do air & ether (the space in between things) possess? How do they feel in your body & mind? Are air & ether: light or heavy, hot or cold, static or flowing? Let us help you answer these questions. Air & ether are both inherently light, dry, cold, mobile & flowing. Since these are the qualities that comprise these elements & these elements are what create vata dosha, then vata dosha reflects these qualities as well. A vata type reflects the air & ether qualities in their physical, mental & emotional bodies. A vata body is irregular; sometimes thin with long bones or sometimes vata manifests as a pear-shaped figure. Commonly, vata types have difficulty gaining weight. The personality is restless, adventurous, dreamy, bubbly & charismatic. The vata soul is creative, artistic & inspires others. It is quite difficult to pin down a vata type person because their nature is inherently mobile. They love movement, change & jump at the idea of trying new things. The unofficial mascot of vata dosha is a hummingbird or butterfly. They are always moving, fluttering from place to place. To some it may seem that vata types lack direction but to the vata type person, that is exactly what makes them feel alive.

When vata is out of balance within a person, the tendency is for excess movement & motion in the body & mind. This can lead to anxiety, overwhelm, insomnia & fear. In the physical body, vata imbalance manifests as coldness, dryness & constipation. In the skin, imbalance can be seen & felt as dry, rough, thin, fine lines, premature aging & wrinkles. 

Vata Balancing Products

VATA SKINCARE

Vata type skin is ruled by the elements air & ether. When in balance, vata type skin is olive tone, slightly cool, dry & has fine pores. When out of balance, this skin type is prone to excess dryness, blackheads, fine lines, premature aging & wrinkles. Wrinkles tend to be most predominant in the forehead region & around the eyes. Our Vata Skincare Ritual is specifically formulated to counterbalance vata qualities by providing moisture, strength, warmth & nourishment to dry &/or mature skin.

TIPS FOR RADIANT VATA SKIN

• Avoid raw & cold foods.
• Eat warm, unctuous, well-spiced foods prepared in healthy oils such as ghee. Herbs like turmeric, cumin & nutmeg are excellent for pacifying vata.

Ahara Traditional Ghee

• Drink warm lemon water first thing in the morning to promote peristaltic action in the large intestine.
• Stay warm. Always bring a sweater & avoid cold, dry environments.
• Routine is key for keeping vata in balance, thus developing daily routines is necessary.
• Create a yoga practice that emphasizes grounding movement through postures like Mountain Pose & Child’s Pose. Move slowly and gently.
• Practice grounding breathing exercises known as pranayama.

• Cultivate a daily meditation practice. Start with just 5 minutes a day & slowly move towards 20-30 minutes per day.
• Take warm Coconut Milk Baths to calm the nervous system & mental body.
• Perform self-massage daily with our Vata Body Oil to keep the skin tissue supple & moisturized.
• Drink Triphala at night to support healthy elimination & tonification of the colon. 
• Use our Vata Skincare Ritual morning & evening to experience the benefits of Ayurvedic skincare formulated specifically for balancing dry, vata type skin.