Balance

Grounding in a Vata world

This post was originally published on 16/06/2011 and updated on 01/02/2020

Life today is busy, busy, busy! We push ourselves more than at any time in the history of the planet. We juggle time to fit in as much as possible. Grounding your Vata and bringing balance to your life has never been more important.

Vatas everyday obstacles

Often our idea of resting and relaxing is watching TV and using the internet at the same time. Multi-tasking has taken on a whole new meaning. We jump from one web page to another, have multiple applications open on our computers and live with our phones in our hands.

Stillness, peace and tranquillity are things that we long for but often what we don’t have time for.

Such a lifestyle can lead to Vata imbalances, regardless of your dosha. If you live a life that has little downtime and you are constantly on the go then you could end up with excess Vata. Some of the more common signs that you have become imbalanced are; constipation, insomnia, anxiety, fluctuations in weight, restlessness, dryness of skin, joints or hair and digestive problems.

So what can we do?

How can we stop constantly running around? It’s not that hard when you stop and think about it, but therein lies the problem – stopping! We find it so hard to stop. And when we do, we are rarely present.

For some reason, we find it unacceptable to stop and do nothing. We must fill up every waking moment with some task. How often have you watched something on TV that you weren’t interested in? Or spend hours on your phone doing nothing in particular?

Quite a lot I’d say. I know I can …except for the TV part.

How often do you make your break a real break where you don’t do anything? How often do you truly do nothing?

When did it become so hard to treat yourself to some time out? It really is some of the most enjoyable medicine you will ever have the pleasure of taking.

And once you get a taste of it and discover how beneficial such simple pleasures are, you will find that all your stresses are not so big. They may still be there but the stress in your body will have reduced making life a whole lot easier to deal with.

Grounding Vata in the busy, Rajasic world

Stop and do nothing. This does not mean watching TV or surfing the net, this means doing nothing! See what stillness really is. Go sit in a park, in the forest, at the beach and just be still. Your mind will probably fight you at first but over time you will learn to tame it.

Meditation. Once you are able to stop and your mind gets comfortable with the idea of not having to do something then you can try meditation. It’s a great way to give your mind a rest and let it have some time out from the constant thinking it is subjected to day after day.
Take a bath. Fill up the tub with warm water, add some oils light some candles, put on some music (or not) and put a do not disturb sign on the door! Lay back and let the warmth and aroma do the work.

Journal Write down your thoughts. Draw, paint or whatever works for you.
Go for a walk. In nature if possible. But not a power walk. a stop and smell the roses kinda walk.

Do yoga, tai chi, qigong or some form of slow meditative activity that will help you to slow down and come into your body and ground.
Breathe. Learn pranayama and use your breath to bring stillness to your mind and nervous system.
Massage. Treat yourself to a massage and make self-massage a part of your life.
Eat grounding food. This means warm, moist and heavy. Grains (if you can tolerate them) legumes, root vegetables. Stay away from cold, dry, light food. I
Stop moving. Do things that keep you in one place and do not require a lot of effort.
And always be gentle with yourself.