First, a true story
One bright and sunny day last April I was walking in my neighborhood with a friend when suddenly, without warning, I found myself flat out on the rough cement, resting on my right shoulder. My right arm was inert. I could not move it. I could not stand up alone —I couldn’t move it at all! l was bruised and aching and I couldn’t stand up on my own! Oh my God!
What had happened? Thoughts immediately came swooping in: I will never use my arm again, I can’t work or drive ever again, my life is ruined. What about all of my plans? Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do wrong? I am so mad at myself for ruining my life.
My mind quickly went negative, catastrophized and despaired.
It turned out I had broken my shoulder; I had tripped on a raised sidewalk. After x-rays and physical therapy, now, four months later, I am almost back to normal.
But I am not back to “normal” yet and there may be a new normal.
The new normal of the “old person!” Because I am in the Vata stage of life according to Ayurveda. (Photo is of me in my 40’s in India at my professor Dr. Trivedi’s funeral-shraddha.)
During the Vata stage of life (from around age 40 to the end), no matter what our constitution, Ayurveda says the process of Vata is increasing. That means our muscles are drying out, our nerves are less supported by the fatty acid myelin sheath (kapha decreases) and uninsulated nerves are jumpier. Thus the mind and body can experience more anxiety. If you are still trying to multi-task, accidents can happen. Because response time is less when nerves are not well grounded.
Here are a few signs of Vata being high and out of balance at any age: indecision, worry, anxiety, physical aches and pains, emotional pain, feeling ungrounded, unsupported, the mind jumping around and especially going negative. You feel like you are being blown about by the winds of your life experiences, you go where they lead you, you have lost the power to determine your own path and make clear decisions.
A few suggestions on dealing with these signs of Vata imbalance:
- There are many Ayurvedic strategies for reducing Vata. Such as breathing techniques, mantra, meditation, oiling the body, changing the diet and lifestyle, techniques for controlling the mind. (The mind is often the cause of disease and its stories can imbalance the doshas).
- The most important thing is to find the specific cause of your imbalance(so you can remove it! In an Ayurvedic consultation you will find out what your nature is and the causes of your imbalances. In it you will get individualized diet and lifestyle recommendations and a unique herbal formula and guidance for restoring the balance of your doshas.
- Look into Pancha Karma at Lotus, it is the best and most amazing Vata reducing procedure in Ayurveda, restoring balance, bringing deep rest and rejuvenation. It is a deep, relaxing, transformational cleanse.
Have an Ayurvedic full body warm herbal oil massage, Abhyanga, which begins the healing that Pancha Karma completes. If that is out of your budget, do self-massages with Ayurvedic herbal oil once a week or more often. And eat more kitcheree! (photo below)
One good thing about being in the Vata stage of life is you can become less attached to things and people that come and go and find more happiness and peace of mind by accepting everything exactly the way it is. And accepting people (who can be so annoying sometimes!) exactly the way they are too. Swaha! So be it! So it is! After so many years we begin to see the patterns in life. We can give up trying to manipulate our life into the shape we want and work with what we are presented with. See where nature supports us (instead of pushing the river to get what we want). It’s easier to go with the river current than fight against it. Going with it, we can also guide our path through it.
Going with the river also means going with our passion—not our mind/ideas/thoughts. Our passion often reveals what it is in our nature to do: our dharma, the purpose of our life. The purpose of our life lies in the expression of our nature, according to Ayurveda. An Ayurvedic consultation always starts with discovering your unique nature, the cause of the variance from your nature, and a path to restore your balance, power and purpose.
I offer free 15 minute consultations with insight into your nature and tips for restoring balance on your pathway to health. If you are interested, call me at 831-566-0735 or email me at ccopple@lotusayurveda.com
It’s time to come out of the Covid hibernation and create communities again!
All are welcome to our Holiday Open House at Lotus on Sunday, December 17 from 1-3 pm. It will be an opportunity to connect, eat and get a free raffle ticket for a half hour Ayurvedic consultation!
Oceans of love,
Cynthia
