Tips for balancing your personal energy

Tips for balancing your personal energy
By: Marissa Anteby

Are you light and airy? How about hot and spicy? Staid and fair? These are all descriptions of different characteristics associated with Ayurveda.

Derived from the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit, the word, ayur=life, and veda=knowledge. Ayurveda is therefore a culmination of 'life-knowledge.' This form of science deals with the proper maintenance of (prana) life-force energy, in order to attain healthy living and return to an original state of pure consciousness. Still hazy? Simply put, it's a healing prescription for mindful living through diet and exercise, which leads to happiness. Doesn't sound like a very novel idea? That's because it's been around for over 5,000 years!

According to Ayurvedic principles, people's constitution of energy can be categorized in three different types, or a combination of varying degrees of one or more of the three.

The three categories of (doshas) personal energy are Vata=air, Pitta=fire, and Kapha=earth. Tapping into these tridoshas is different for each individual, according to their unique makeup. Practicing yoga postures, or being put in to specific poses, as done in a Thai Yoga Massage (assisted stretches,) activates one, two, or all of the doshas.

The harmonizing of doshas can be accomplished by incorporating more postures that are opposite of your dominant dosha and strengthening of the weaker doshas. For example, if your are a fast-paced nervous Vata type, slow, gentle soothing postures will be most beneficial to you. The rhythm and intensity is adjusted accordingly; slow and gentle for Vata, non-vigorous and relaxing for Pitta, energetic and uplifting for Kapha.

In addition to nutrition and physical activity, the doshas can be balanced via the five senses. Each sense is associated with one of the five elements of the universe; ether, air, fire, water, and earth. There is a corresponding therapy for each of the senses and elements. They are as follows:
Element:..........Sense:..........Therapy:
ether...............sound...........mantra meditation
air..................touch...........massage therapy
fire.................vision...........color therapy
water..............taste............food/nutrition
earth...............smell...........aroma therapy

These kinds of homeopathic remedies emphasize the prevention of dis-ease in the body. The necessity of your thoughtful analysis of what's going on in your life and in your body, is an empowering tool of self-education. You continually learn new ways to take responsibility for your own well-being.

See which category you most fall in to:
Vata: Autumn, light, dry, mobile, rough, cold, thin, clear, accommodative, creative, intelligent, natural teacher, musician, spiritual leader, artist, and philosopher.
Pitta: Summer, hot, sharp, sour, adaptable, ambitious, sharp, intelligent leader, business-minded, administrator, director, pioneer, and intense.
Kapha: Winter, well built, slow, fair, calm, serene, peaceful, stable, dependable, nurturing, good memory, provider, artist, dancer, doctor, or accountant.

If you associate mostly with Vata traits, you should do things that calm, slow, steady, ground, and strengthen you, in order to bring more consistency in to your life. Try to avoid eating pungent, bitter, stringent, light, dry, cold food (cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli.) Do use essential oils of lavender, cedarwood, juniper, ylang-ylang, patchouli, myrrh, sage, and geranium.

If you associate mostly with Pitta traits, you should do things that cool, relax, surrender, forgive, and diffuse your energy, in order to remain more gentle and calm. Try to avoid eating sour, salty, caffeinated foods (hot peppers, beets, garlic, coffee.) Do use essential oils of sandalwood, rose, gardenia, saffron, jasmine, lotus, and vetivert.

If you associate mostly with Kapha traits, you should do things that stimulate, move, warm, lighten, and release you, in order to energize your body and keep you going. Try to avoid eating sweet, heavy, wheat, dairy foods (sweet potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, avacado, coconut.) Do use essential oils of eucalyptus, basil, rosemary, peppermint, lemon, camphor, frankincense, and sage.

When you balance your doshas, you will rest in a place of bliss beyond space and time. It's a breaking of the chains of thoughts that keep you hostage all day long. Imagine the ultimate connection to yourself through the letting go of your connections. I know, these are difficult concepts to grasp...even harder to master. But then again, it's the journey, not the destination, that matters!

Marissa Anteby
marissa@embodyinc.com
www.embodyinc.com