Identifying Imbalance
Identifying imbalances in the mind or body is a language of intuition that can only be developed through practice and self inquiry. When a dosha becomes dominant over time, it is classified as a long term imbalance which can develop into disease or degeneration of the body or mind. The awareness of this imbalance is important in order for you to begin the practice of returning back to a peaceful state of being.
What causes the mind and body to be out of balance?
The lack of being present and listening to your intuition is the main reason you may find yourself out of balance. The fast pace of life and environmental changes we experience now, such as travel, routine disturbances, overworking, poor diets, stress, or overstimulation from technology all contribute to the imbalance of the doshas. Living sustainably one day at a time is the only way to have longevity and vitality.
Signs of Imbalance
Awareness is everything. Explore, ask questions and let your intuition lead the way. As you inspect your symptoms of imbalance, the first things to address is your diet and lifestyle practices. Ask yourself if you are eating well and seasonally and wether or not your daily habits and routines are contributing to your health and peace of mind. Doshas naturally fluctuate throughout the seasons, throughout your day, location, body, mind, and life stage. Disconnection from nature, consuming processed foods, traveling frequently, feeling stressed, or poor hygiene practices all contribute to an imbalanced state of being. Understanding you personal imbalances can help inform you on what choices you must make every day from what you eat, when you sleep, how you move, and what rituals to implement in order to access your equilibrium.
Your dosha is your energetic constitution and energy cannot be eliminated, but it can be transformed. Transforming and morphing your energy is the main action or goal of balancing your dosha. An unstable energy can be treated by harnessing the opposite energy to support or elevate the opposite dosha. To simplify the concept here is an example; If you feel hot and you drink hot tea, you will aggravate that feeling of heat and will feel hotter. If you feel hot and you drink cold water and swim in cold water, you will feel cooler. While this example is very simple and obvious, our intuition works very similarly to trying to help us stay in balance.
Paying close attention how you feel every day both physically and emotionally can help simplify the process of getting back into balance. As you dabble and learn the concept of finding your equilibrium, maybe begin to journal and keep note of things that feel signifiant to you throughout your daily experiences.
Balancing your Agni
Nurturing your agni or digestive fire is one of the most important aspects of Ayurveda. All dis-ease leads back to the digestion which can answer most if not all of our health and emotional troubles. The agni is responsible for processing and digesting all information that we receive through our senses, not only the food we consume. It is the pitta energy that governs all transformations, specifically energy into matter.
In Ayurveda, there are thirteen types of agni that are recognized, all of which play a leading role in processing, digesting, and transforming all information. When the digestive system operates smoothly, it is the power house that produces strength, longevity, and vitality.
Sama Agni
Sama agni refers to a balanced and healthy state of digestion and internal fire. This is present when the body can digest a moderate amount of food with ease during any season while allowing the body to absorb nutrients and vitality. You will also notice that in this state you can maintain a regular appetite and consistent elimination, defined as well formed bowel movements that occur one to two times daily without any challenges.
Vishama Agni
Vishama agni is a type of agni in which vata dosha is dominant. This imbalance expresses itself as irregular appetite, poor digestion, abdominal pain after meals, gas, burping, constipation, gurgling intestines, and food sensitivity. It can also show up as anxiety, fear, insecurity and forgetfulness. In order to find balance, establish a consistent eating schedule and sleep routine. Eat cooked and warm meals, especially soups or anything liquid based.
Tikshna Agni
This type of agni is governed by pitta dosha. It is hot, sharp fiery and quick, most present in the summer season. Tikshna agni can express itself as hyper-metabolism, fast moving elimination, large appetite, heartburn, loose stools, ulcers, diarrhea, indigestion, and inflammation. Avoid eating spicy, oily, or stimulating foods such as coffee or alcohol. Practice soothing breath work, yoga, keeping a joyful heart, and eating cold or raw foods.
Manda Agni
Manda agni is associated with excess kapha dosha, representing the slow, heavy, damp and cold winter season. This type of agni is present in the body when the feelings of sluggishness, heaviness or dullness arise. You may also feel congested, weak, lethargic, weight gain, or tired. To balance this heavy and slow energy, avoid snacking between meals, eat warming, light, and well spiced foods. Fast until hunger rises and keep you body moving between meals to stimulate digestion.
Elimination Health
In Ayurveda, the quality and ease of elimination can tell you almost everything you need to know about your digestion and dominant dosha in the body. Even if you consume all of the healthiest foods, if your elimination isn’t healthy, you will face many challenges in your health. Your body produces waste products in the form of urine, sweat and stool, all of which we refer to as ‘malas’. When you don’t properly eliminate all of these toxins, they begin to accumulate in the body and transform into chronic disease. Part of maintaining a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, is paying close attention your elimination patterns. Generally speaking, dry stool means the colon has excess vata. Loose stools often mean that there is excess pitta dosha in the colon. Sticky, slow and uncomfortable stools means that excess kapha is dominant in the colon. Taking note on your elimination patterns can help inform you on how to get back to a balanced state of being.
Q: Can you identify which agni you lean towards? What habits can you identify that contribute to to that state?
What are some habits that support a strong digestion?
Establish a regular meal and sleep routine and try your best to maintain it. Avoid skipping meals or eating between meals. Allow yourself 4-5 hours between each meal to let your body fully digest.
Eat your largest meal between noon and two in the afternoon, when the sun is at it’s highest and the agni at its strongest.
If your digestion feel slow or weak, eat well cooked and warm meals. Avoid raw foods at this time.
Avoid drinking liquids with your meals, as it dilutes your gastric acids that help break down food. Instead wait an hour before or after a meal.
Only eat when you feel hungry and relaxed. Eating in a stressed state of mind is harmful to the agni.
Try to remain present when you eat, avoiding distractions such as your device or walking.
Chew your food well so the stomach doesn’t have to work as hard. In the situation that you’ve over-eated, lay on your left side for 20-30 minutes to stimulate digestion.
