About Ayurveda

Vata: air & ether

Pitta: fire & water

Kapha: earth & water

Vata - Air & Ether

The Vata dosha is symbolized by air and ether. An expression prana, or vital energy, Vata governs all movement in the body, allowing energy to flow freely and giving rise to the other doshas. It is also reflected in the vastness of the mind and the spirit, from which insight and ideas give rise to their manifestations.

 Vata governs the breath, which is said to be closely tied to the spirit. Vata is cold, dry, fast and changing. Rapid changes in temperature, season and light are all times when Vata can be aggravated, as they are times of change.

The seasons when Vata is at its peak are fall and early winter, when the air becomes cold and dry and strong winds blow the dry leaves from the trees. The times of day when Vata is most active are between 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM, when night turns to day Vata causes the body to eliminate the waste built up over night, and between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, when day turns to night and a Vata mind may be prone to anxiety.

Since the Vata dosha gives rise to the other doshas, it is of primary importance for all individuals to pay special attention to keeping Vata in a healthy state of balance. If left unchecked, Vata can blow through the body like a cold wind, leading to dryness, pain, anxiety, irregular digestion, and constipation. Stress is a primary cause and symptom of excess Vata, and it is believed that many of the symptoms attributed to the normal aging process are actually pathological states brought on by stress.

In order to pacify Vata, one would do well to choose moist, warm foods over cold, dry ones, and avoid gas-forming, bitter and astringent foods. Keeping warm, eating high quality fats and oils with each meal and choosing sour, salty and naturally sweet foods will also help to pacify Vata.

Early nights and mornings, avoidance of stressful situations, regular meals, daily meditation, gentle exercise and daily massage with a high quality oil are all advisable lifestyle choices that will help to keep the Vata dosha in harmony. Conversely, late nights, skipping meals, sudden changes, extreme cold and dryness, use of stimulants or other drugs, and too much mental activity will all tend to aggravate the Vata dosha.

Because of its calming effect, lemongrass is a useful herb to sooth the anxious Vata mind. In combination with ginger and cinnamon, as found in Cinnergy herbal tea, it forms a traditional Ayurvedic remedy with a warming quality to treat colds and improve digestion, both useful for Vata individuals. Sweet and warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and mace are useful for pacifying the Vata dosha. Cashew curry, with its high protein content, nourishing natural oils and sweet quality, is an excellent food for pacifying Vata.