Vata is a Sanskrit word often translated as “wind”, but also as “space and air”, and sometimes, “that which moves things”. I t is one of the three “Dosha’s” found in Ayurveda texts of ancient India. Dosha’s are among other things, personality types, as well as physical body types, corresponding with the elements. They are sometimes translated as “humours”, and can be thought of as a way of classifying which physical elements a person and their body exhibit. “Kapha” Dosha is considered, “Earth with a little bit of water” and Pitta Dosha is “fire”, sometimes “fire with a little bit of water”.
Vata in Balance :
People with Vata Dosha as their constitution, tend to be light and airy, thin, and quick. Change is second nature to them, and they do it well and often. A balanced person with Vata Dosha can be expected to be very creative, and able to take on and complete a variety of projects at once.
Vata out of Balance:
When Vata Dosha people are imbalanced, or Kapha and Pitta Dosha people find themselves under too much Vata influence, it leads to what is commonly called a “Vata Imbalance”. Vata Imbalance is pandemic in our society, and it’s symptoms are familiar to most. Many people who are teased about being “space cadets”, or “air-heads” are actually suffering from a Vata Imbalance. Symptoms include: fear, anxiety, burping or excessive gas, light sleeping or inability to sleep through the night, inability to concentrate, and inability to stay on task. Short term memory problems also occur, such as the inability to remember what you ate for breakfast, or even if you ate breakfast.
Vata Re-Balancing:
Vata can be re-balanced through a variety of means. Diet and eating habits are often the first things that are adjusted. Eating foods that are considered Kapha or earth like, can ground you and keep you stable. This means cooking it ! Since Vata people tend to like things light and airy, they find themselves often eating food raw. Raw fruits and vegetables are good for you, but try balancing it them out with meat if you aren’t a vegetarian, or cooked roots, and legumes if you are. Potatoes work particularly well for some reason. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Many people with Vata as their primary Dosha tend to eat standing up or on the run, slowing down and eating at a table may help add some earthiness to your meal.
Another change that is often made is adding simple flexible routines. People with Vata Dosha can often be distracted by the quickness of their own minds and short, flexible routines will often take care of such minor but annoying worries as whether you turned off the light or locked the door.
Determining Your Dosha
If you are interested in finding out what your Dosha is, there are many Dosha tests available on the internet.
A nice self test as well as a wealth of information about Ayurvedic medicine can be found at : ayurvedahc.com . Anahatabalance.com has a test under “Daily Practices” that you can print out. Naturesformulary.com has a lovely test that has columns for each Dosha and allows you to choose traits from more than one. This is important because, while rare, there people who are considered “Tri-dosha”, in which all three Dosha’s are equally balanced.
A balanced Vata Dosha person can accomplish great things, particularly, in the arts or academics, where quickness of mind and flexibility are often required. Knowing your Dosha, planning accordingly, and keeping it in balance, can be the key to accomplishing those great things, and “moving” you way to the life you want.
