Pacifying Dosha Routines

[shelley]

We tend to accent diet matters, but there are other things we can be doing to make us feel better emotionally, rest our minds, help us be at peace - or more active if we're in a sluggish slump - that don't involve food, and these tend to get overlooked. The path to wellness and balance is a holistic path, so let's not overlook these other options!

During both the cleansing and maintenance stages, there are certain routines that we can do regularly or as needed to restore balance.

For a Kapha person, balance means having good energy, a willingness to try new things and let go of the old, exploring new ideas. A kapha imbalance would be a tendancy to be jealous, possessive, fanatic, or lethargic, heavy, in a slump.

For a Pitta person, balance means having clear goals, outlets for competitive urges, regular times of calm and peace even if just 20 minutes in the sauna after a workout. Imbalance would be taking on too much at once, irritation, bouts of anger, too demanding of self and others, perfectionism.

For a Vata person, balance means being active and expressive without a lot of drama, gossip, absent-mindedness, nervousness or anxiety. Good steady energy for most of the day without abusing it to the point of exhaustion. Enough of a regular routine that meals and rest times are not neglected, enough exercise so that they're not just exercising their mind.

The one exercise that suits all Doshas and combination doshas is Yoga. Bikram Yoga to be exact.

One of the lifestyle change that benefits all Doshas tremendously is to get full-body massages regularly. It's also a good idea to get some of those Sharper Image or Brookstone massage tools. Pitta people especially benefit from the tingler type skull massage tools (see below).

A good full-body massage keeps energy (Chi and Vata) moving, increases circulation and therefore oxygen, takes out toxins from the skin, lymph and muscles, and sends messages to our brain and nervous system that are primal, reminiscint of being massaged in the womb. It's common to experience releases of stored emotions and cell memory, so don't be surprised if you end up crying either during or after the massage.

When it comes to choosing a massage therapist, look beyond the credentials and go by how they make you feel. You want one who would make a good friend, someone you feel very comfortable with. They should be able to challenge your pain threshold without exceeding it, and after just a few directions from you take it from there and get the touch right.

I prefer therapists who are quiet and don't talk much, since it's my time to have a quiet brain, but a Kapha person might perfer a talkative therapist who's on the more energetic side and gets them to laugh their way through it.