PSYCHOLOGY
BALANCING THE BODY WHILE WE EAT OR ADJUSTMENT OF THE DOSHAS WITH FOOD VATA
Balancing Doshas will correct and stabilize the physiology and functions under their control.
If you scored maximum on your VATA Dosha or if this is your prevailing Dosha, here are some suggestions:
1. Diet and general recommendations to decrease Vata:
Warm, dense, soft meals and drinks are recommended, buttery food. Prevailing tastes in your food should be: sweet, salty and sour. You can eat well to satiety.
Cereals: rice, wheat, sprouted wheat, flax seeds.
Dairy: all dairy
Sweeteners: honey, molasses, cane sugar, natural syrups.
Vegetable oils: all
Fruits: all sweet fruits, water melon and melons.
Veggies: Steamed or boiled, beets, carrots, asparagus, potatoes, cucumbers, onion, dandelion, lettuce.
Nuts: all kind of nuts
Spices: onion, garlic, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, salt, clove, grain mustard.
Food of animal origin: goose, duck, fish, crab, horseflesh, chicken, lamb, eggs, seafood.
Soups: soup of dry flour, nettle soup, garlic soup, broth.
Herbs: licorice, nutmeg, ferula, juniper, elfwort, sophora, elder, raspberries, pine, canker-bloom, mallow.
The Vata type usually feel decrease in their energy during the second part of the day. Tea is recommended, especially Licorice tea.
If on the contrary your Vata is too low and you would like to increase it, the following diet is recommended:
General recommendations: light eating or fasting, dry meals, cool food. Tastes : bitter, burning and astringent.
Cereals: barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye, oat.
Sweeteners: AVOID ALL
Dairy: AVOID ALL
Vegetable oils: AVOID ALL
Fruits: dried fruits, apples, pears, pomegranate, cranberries, olives.
Veggies: eat all veggies raw – cabbage, potatoes, peas, lettuce, spinach, parsley, celery, beans.
Nuts: AVOID ALL
Spices: pepper
Food of animal origin: beef, pork, rabbit.
Soups: peas soup.
Herbs and other: skullcap, barberry, Bunge pepper, gentian, sage, buttercup, acorns and oak bark. Brewer’s yeast, mummy and musk. The last three especially stimulate Vata.
WHAT IS MY DOSHA?
Every human being is born with his own Dosha combination. It is determined at conception. The integration of the principles “Air” “Bile” “Mucus” in the parents are rearranged when the sperm meets the egg. Additional energies/radiation and other influences from the environment impose “universal cliché” on these combination of Dosha/principles, and determines it for life.
Fixed in this way, the individual Doshas will dictate the bones and the frame of the body, mental inclinations, character’s traits, gustatory habits, life span and many more.
IN THE PROCESS OF LIFE WE CAN ACTIVELY INFLUENCE AND CHANGE THE RATIO COMBINATION OF THE THREE VITAL PRINCIPLES/DOSHAS. WE ARE CREATING OURSELVES.
But as soon as we stop purposefully doing that, the combination of our Doshas/vital principals, quickly goes back to the one determined at birth.
Depending on which Dosha prevails in the body, develops the individual constitution. According to Ayurveda, Chzud-Shi, and even modern science, thee are seven distinctive types of people and many intermediate. Three types are Monodosha – one of the Doshas is strongly expressed. The next three are with two strongly expressed Doshas/principles- Wind-Bile (Vata-Pitta), Wind- Mucus (Vata-Kapha) and Bile-Mucus (Pitta-Kapha), and the last type is the person with about balanced Doshas.
Lets do the Dosha quiz
VATA
1. Fine-boned, thin man.
2.The wrist is thin, feels cold and dry.
3. Quick movements, easy gait.
PITTA
1. Medium build, reddish hair, thin or gray hair, baldness.
2. Medium wrist, feels warm and pleasant.
3. Movements are balanced, normal walking.
KAPHA
1.Boned, full- bodied man with tendency to gain wait.
2.Broad wrist, feels cold and wet.
3.Smooth movements, delayed, leisurely slow walking
BODY’S PHYSIOLOGY
VATA
4.All processes run quickly.
5.In spite of a normal diet, challenging to gain wait, digestive problems.
6. Fast, light sleep.
PITTA
4.Unbalanced processes, run impulsively – can run fast, than slow.
5.Good digestion, but if the intake of food is delayed, feelings of irritation will occur.
6.Sleep is good, with dreams.
KAPHA
4.Processes proceed slowly in the body.
5.Despite the normal diet, easily gains weight, difficulties to loose it.
6. Sleeps more than 8 hours, good peaceful sleep.
PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL ABILITIES
VATA
7.I am enthusiastic and avid
8. Fast comprehend new information and also quickly forget.
9. People think of me as of very social and talkative person.
PITTA
7. I try to be punctual and organized.
8. Sometimes I memorize new information quickly, other times difficult.
9. I can get upset easily.
KAPHA
7. New undertakings are challenging
8. Challenging assimilation of new information, but once memorized, the retention is good.
9. Calm
FAVORED FOODS, SEASONS AND DISEASES
VATA
10. Warm, buttery, loves to eat well
11. Discomfort during cold weather, winter makes the skin dry
12. Fussines, weight loss, dry skin, constipation, arthritis
PITTA
10. The food is cool, eat in moderation
11. Discomfort during the hot season, tired during the summer
12. Inflammations with fever, stomach ulcers, heartburn, anxiety and irritability
KAPHA
10. Warn, dry food, not greasy, eat a little
11. Discomfort during the raining season, humidity.
12. Weight gain, depression, feeling cold, skin is pale, running nose
Now lets score the results using a simple 0-5 system.
0- This does not describe me,this is not me.
1- I have something like that.
2- There is little of it.
3- Medium expressed.
4- Well expressed.
5- This future you have the most pronounced.
After you put down the scores that you believe represent you best, separately calculate the scores for each Dosha by adding them together- for Vatta, Pitta,…. Than look which Dosha or a few of them score the highest. If the amount you score on one Dosha is 10 times higher that the next Dosha, this is your prevailing Dosha.
It is important to know what Dosha is and how it affects our body. When we have that knowledge, we have the tools to influence not only our moods, bodies, self-esteem, but also completely change our lives.
Dosha Kapha, Pitta and Vata
DOSHA KAPHA
So as we already know, Dosha Kapha is the “mucus” in our body. The Human Body relies on this Dosha for the material part of the body, for the adhesion of the molecules and giving them a specific form. This principle/Dosha, works on the levels of cell, molecule, organ and the body as a whole.
Because “mucus” is compound of the elements – Water and Earth, it is cold and slimy formation. The excessive increase of this Dosha leads to accumulation of cold mucus in the body, in the beginning from the top of the body to the diaphragm. The ancient Tibetan recorded that when this Dosha increases excessively in the body the following symptoms will display:
1.The urine will be colorless, with negligible vapor and odor.
2. The tongue and gums white, insipid taste in the mouth.
3. Snot and phlegm in the head and chest, depression, tightness in the chest.
4. Aggravation of mucosal disorders, (in cold, damp weather).
5. Swollen eyelids, eyes whitish.
6. Disturbed appetite, impaired digestion.
7. There is no heat, the body swells, pustules appear on the skin.
8. The kidneys hurt, lower back, joints are inactive, itchy skin.
9. Poor memory, drowsiness, weakness.
DOSHA PITTA
This is the Dosha compound from the elements Water and Fire. It is responsible for the maintenance of the temperature in our body, as well as all the physiological reactions- digestion, metabolism, immunity. e.x. This is “the fire of our own body”, not from an outside source.
The excessive increase of this Dosha in the body leads to accumulation of “heat” in the body. Body temperature rises, the digestion is upset. The symptoms of the excessive increase of Dosha Pitta a
1.The urine is yellow-reddish, with a strong vapor and odor.
2. The tongue is covered with thick coating, sour taste in the mouth.
3. Red-yellow sputum, brackish; thirst
4. Exacerbation of bile disorders
5. Headaches,body burns, dry in the nostrils.
6. Yellow-red clouds in the eyes, sudden cramps.
7. Insomnia at night and during the day can not fall asleep.
8. Sweating, smell
DOSHA VATA
This Dosha is responsible for the circulation in our body. It includes all the multiple paths of movement: airflow during inhalation and exhalation,the quickness of thought processes, the circulation of the blood (sanguimotion), lymph and other liquids, the speed of chemical reactions in the cell and the biological process in general,the removal of feces, urine, mucus and e.x. The best way to express this principle is the abstract concept of movement,”the wind” in our body. We think of a movement when we can see something change location in space, but we don’t see “the moving power” behind it. Because this Dosha is compound of Ether and Air, it has “dry” and “cold” properties. If this Dosha increases excessively in the body:
1. The urine is clear as water, foams, after settling remains clean.
2.The tongue is red, dry and rough, astringent taste in the mouth.
3. Cough with muddy phlegm, constipation.
4. Pain in the lower back, sacrum and the acetabulum, as well as in many other joints pain is observed as from “beating”.
5. Weight loss, dry skin, stabbing pain in the neck, chest and jaw
6. Desire to move, the breath is haltingly, the consciousness is excited.
7. The head goes numb and dizzy, tinnitus, insomnia, tremor and twitching.
So now we know the basic symptoms when the three Doshas are out of balance. Next we will dive into more detailed description of each Constitution and will do a quick quiz to find out our individual constitution.
What is Dosha and how it is important for The Human Body
VIJÑĀNA- translated to English as Consciousness, Mind, Life Force, Discernment.
From our own Soul appears vijñāna of the organs.
From Earth – the meat, bones, nose and smell
from Water-blood, the tongue, the sense of taste and moisture
from Fire – the warmth, color, eyes and vision
from Air – the breath, skin and touch
from Space – the openings, ears, the voice, from previous habits-ability for actions. The concourse of these conditions and cause and effect ties, forms the Body.
Chzud-Shi
The ancient Ayurvedic healers, Tibetan, Central Asians, even the Europeans – never started the treatment without determining first the Individual Constitution of the patient. All of them unanimously claim that the Physical Human’s Body is build from 5 elements :
1. Ether (Space)
2. Air
3. Fire
4. Water
5. Earth
So according to the ancient healers and the hypotheses of the modern scientist :
The Element Ether or Space is introduced in the body in the nose, the space in the mouth, in the gastrointestinal tract, in the respiratory ways, the rib cage, capillaries and e.x. The Ether gives the body space for development.
Everything that moves inside the body is governed by the second Element – Air-the movement of the muscles, pulsation of the heart, the expansion and contraction of lungs, the movement of the gastrointestinal tract and the stomach, the nerve impulses, the mental activity.
The Element of Fire inside the Human Body is the metabolism. This Element acts in the digestive system, shows like intellect in the gray matter of the brain cells, is active in the eye’s retina, perceiving the light. The stability of your immune system depends of this Element as well as the activity of the enzymes ( which are responsible for transforming one substances to others).
The Element Water shows in the secretion of the stomach juice, the salivary glands, the blood plasma, the cytoplasm of cells.
The Element of Earth represents the “hard” bodily structures — bones, joints, nails, hair, tendons, muscles and skin.
All 5 Elements are represented in 5 human senses, and through the organs they are connected to the 5 activities:
1.The Ether is associated with the function of hearing. The ear, as the organ of hearing, expresses action through the organ of speech, which gives meaning to human language.
2. Air is related to the sense of touch. The organ is the skin. The hand is transmitting the sense of touch.
3. Fire manifests as heat, light and color — it is connected to the vision. The eye, as the organ of vision, is ruling the walking and its connected to the feet.
4. Water is associated with the organs of taste. The tongue is closely related to the functions of the genitalia (penis, clitoris). In Ayurveda the penis/clitoris is believed to be the “lower tongue,” and the tongue in the mouth — “the higher tongue”. The man in control of his “higher tongue” naturally controls his “lower tongue” or his sexual behavior.
5. Earth is associated with the sense of smell. The nose, the organ of smell, is functionally connected with the work of the anus, the organ of elimination. It is clearly visible in a person that suffers from constipation — his breath is unpleasant as a result, his sense of smell is blunted.
Naturally, the Human Body, as a live organism, can exist only as mutually equilibrated system of 5 Elements. The ancient wise man, explain the phenomena of life by dividing all vital expressions in the organism in three basic vital principles.
– The Elements of Ether and Air, connecting, create “the wind inside your body”-the Ayurvedic term is Dosha Vata.
– The Elements water and Fire create in our body “the bile” or ” the fire in our body” – In Ayurveda – Dosha Pitta.
– The Elements of Earth and Water when connect create in the body “mucus” – Dosha Kapha.
Using only this concepts it is simple to describe the Individual Constitution of the man. Those three Most Important Vital Principles : Dosha Vata, Dosha Pitta and Dosha Kapha – give us clear localization of ” The Wind, The Bile and The Mucus” in Human Body.
THE DOCTOR OF THE FUTURE WILL GIVE NO MEDICINE BUT WILL INTEREST HIS PATIENTS IN THE CARE OF THE HUMAN FRAME, IN DIET, AND IN THE CAUSE AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE.- Thomas Edison
Lets say-“the doctor of the present — right NOW”-should be concerned with the health of his patients. However, the responsibility to maintain your body is yours in the first place. So here we go, lets talk more about what’s truly important – Healthy Life.
Do you know what is the source of Life?
The basis of all life in this Universe is pulsation. The source of it is inside the organism — it is The Heart.
The Heart is able to generate the pulsations inside itself without any outside stimulation. It can keep going in the appropriate environment even after taken outside of the body. The end of pulsation means – End of Life. This means that the Heart is the reason/source of Life, it is our Soul.
Next important question:
What do you know about your blood?
The ancient Tibetan medicine mentions two types of “channels” inside the human body — white and black. The name comes from the dark color — black are all the channels connected with the heart. The black channels are moving the blood in our body. Only a thin layer of our blood has a red color. The volume of the blood has the same properties as “the blackbody” — in physics is a surface that absorbs all the energy falling on it. This is really important to understand. Our body, since the blood is everywhere inside it, is absorbing all kinds of energy/radiation from the outside environment. Our inside organs are absorbing from this energy/radiation only the colors that correlate with their color, structure and form. This is the reason why the ancient Hindu and Chines medicine believes that inside the liver flows green energy, inside the heart — red, inside the spleen-yellow, inside the lungs — white, and inside the kidneys — blue.
Understanding the knowledge, you can’t help but feel deep respect and amazement for the simple and effective engineering of creation — “Mother Nature” or “Father Universe”.
As we can see it is logical that all the energy/radiation from the environment will strongly affect the “work” of our body. By working on our physical bodies we can strengthen and influence our subtle bodies, according to our Evolution. The result of this “work” is the restructuring of our physical body, leading to the appearance of completely new qualities. Those qualities are actually easily achieved by simple exercises and procedures, but with clear mental sub base and deep inside content.
So it is clear that in order to achieve and maintain complete health, the “work” should be done not only with our physical body, but all our 5 bodies or levels of human bodies. Are you ready to dive deeply into the knowledge of your own body and take full responsibility for your own well being ?
If yes, just keep reading and observing yourself carefully, your body will give you clear signs that you cannot ignore.
Psychology or Spirituality?
Psychologists explore different spheres of human activities – from obvious human behavior to hidden emotions, and cognition. The word Psychology originates from the Greek “Psyche” – meaning mind, soul, spirit, breath, and “Logos”- meaning study, research. “Study of the soul, spirit”. It is safe to say that psych
ology is concerned with the human being and everything that comes with it. Spirituality is much broader than the concept of religion, which is focused on prescribed beliefs and rituals. Spirituality is our need to search for significance and connection with others and the transcendent force of the Universe. Many are helped to discover their spirituality through the guidance of religion, but many others have allowed unpleasant experiences with religion to cause them to neglect their spiritual development. This development emphasizes humanistic ideas on qualities such as love, compassion, tolerance, patience, forgiveness, responsibility, harmony, contentment and concern for others. These spiritual values or psychological needs are as important as the satisfaction of our thirst, hunger, and sexual yearnings. I believe we are all born spiritual psychologists in our minds and hearts. Without exception, we all want to understand our own life, the everyday issues of love, loneliness, suffering and death. We strive for harmony and meaning. We recognize that the human species is just one of more than a million species in the world. Our time on Earth is limited as with other living creatures. Life is a voyage to Death, no matter what one’s race, religion or social standing. We all are heading toward the same inevitable place. Each of us is confronted with social environment that leaves us frustrated and plagued by unjust laws and social barriers. Psychology helps us to focus on forces inside us that we can become aware of and control eventually. Let us remind ourselves that not everything in Life is controllable and not all of Life’s questions are answerable. Uncertainty, mystery, and suffering are our eternal companions. The Miracle of self-reflection, the realization of Life’s totality, not merely one’s patterns of unconscious conflicts, or thoughts and feelings, happens when we open up and share, equally amerced in the search for answers. Equally vulnerable. “All is flux, nothing remains the same, nothing endures but change.” So wrote the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Openness to change is essential for our wellbeing. Nature’s gift is our ability to be flexible, to change gracefully, to modify habitual behaviors and to grow. Every character is capable of intellectual, emotional or spiritual evolution. One encouraging truth about the turbulent times in which we live is that – Nobody knows what to do next. This makes us more equal than we have ever been before. Curiously enough, the beauty is that you never know from what direction the answers will come, so pay kind attention to everyone you meet along the way.
FEAR – OR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE?
It seems, as fear is a lifelong presence in each of us. We get rid of some of our apprehensions, but then the one that are left, suddenly become more vivid and painful. Why?
The fear itself has been around for eons. It is present even in the simplest one-celled organisms – Amebas. When the Amoeba feels endangered, the Ameba squeezes out the cytoplasm, shrinks, like in attempt to disappear. The lizard looses its tail; the ostrich hides its head.
Nature’s function to protect and preserve is great. Our nature as Homo sapiens cannot be changed under the technological development; we are still the same inside, as we were million years ago. Even though now the risk of being physically eaten is less, undoubtedly today we have increasing variety list of different dangers. (Including the threat of being scared to death – possibly from all the TV med commercials.)
Animals also experience the symptoms we all are well familiar with: anxiety, panic, fright it is a multilevel spasm. Everything contracts – muscles, vessels, bronchi, diaphragm, stomach, intestines, heart…Sometimes the reaction can be the opposite – involuntary relaxation, paralysis….
The fear is like a virus, parasite that lives with us but is not who we are. Often in western psychology, we get the idea that it is we who are damaged at the core. This can not be farther from the truth. We, human beings, are not and have never been damaged goods. We are fascinating beautiful beings when we know who we are.
So who are we and what is the nature of our relationship with fear?
Fear is a tree with many branches. There are various attempts made to classify and clarify this phenomenon. The trunk of this ancient tree is fear of Death from one side, and fear of Life from the other. The fear of Death is actually a fear of the pure unknown, “nothingness”. It is impossible to imagine your own Nonbeing. This fear is stronger that the dreads of suffering, which can be understood, endured and overcome, but the uncertainty – what do you do with it? The fear of Life is the second wing of the same bird. The fear of Death is a concept that belongs to our consciousness. Nevertheless, our deep unconscious levels, where all our terrors reside, do not have this concept. It is just “before the tension takes form – mass”.
It is not rare for human beings to have one “general” irrespective trepidation, but usually it “specializes” in concrete areas:
– Mystical and psychic- all religious punishments, fear of God, Devil, superstition, magic…. FEAR OF YOUR OWN THOUGHTS
– Social-evaluative – exam anxiety, fear of communication, public speaking, the opposite sex, shame, guilt, to be bad, ugly, not smart enough, fear of responsibility/failure, to be seen as weak… NOT GOOD ENOUGH
– Common fears or phobias- fear of the dark, loneliness, getting old, fear for the life of your loved ones, war, natural disasters…FEAR OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL
– Panic attacks- objectless sense of apprehension, fear of everything = fear of nothing… I AM HELPLESS
– Decision making phobias – fear to make a choice of spouse, job, profession….I AM NOT COMPETENT
– Fear of space – agoraphobia- fear of wide-open spaces, claustrophobia- confined space, astrophobia …. WHERE IS MY PERSONAL SPACE
– Fear of authority and aggression- physical insult, psychological, from your boss….I AM A VICTIM
– Dependence fear – soteriophobia, fear of deprivation of different agents – drugs, tobacco, alcohol, people, food, money….I AM ALONE
– Physical fears- fear of pain, dentist, blood, diseases, health, germs….I AM IN DANGER
Between all this concrete object fears and the “general” primary fear, we can insert the so-called transition fear – “floating” fear, looking to attach to something. (Similar to the Anger, looking for excuse to explode.) The powerful hovering mass of unattached fear is rooted deep in our unconscious being. The absence of desire to know and study yourself and not understanding the root of the feelings and emotions we all go trough can cause much dysfunction and confusion in our lives.
It is logical than to conclude that Fear is nothing more but absence of consciousness, focused, directed willingness to explore our minds, investigate our soul and discover our limitless potential.
No one is to blame for any dysfunction. Our parents, siblings, guardians, friends, enemies or you – are our hidden teachers that challenge us and make life interesting. In one respect, all this people who caused us problems and pain, are victims of a heritage dysfunction themselves, that goes back to the distant past.
Human experience and folklore tell us that each one of us is responsible for making changes and enlightening ourselves. We can turn our own fears into our strengths. We can support the other person’s efforts at becoming free. In order to be successful we must draw a clear distinction between our dysfunctions/fears and ourselves.
selfactualizeyourself 