Points covered in this episode:
How the different doshas handle goals & Resolutions
Vata likes change and new projects
And will use their creative nature to think of lots of things they want to do and change.
Pitta wants achievement
They like to set goals and make plans.
They can get frustrated when things don’t click into place as they plan.
Kapha struggles with motivation
Kapha can focus and move forward with goals, but they need to do it steadily. Not a bad thing. Their challenge is energy and motivation.
When kapha increases it resists change…
It’s Kapha season
That means the energy of Winter is most unlikely time to make change!
The environment is not supportive of change or achievement.
Attributes / energies at play
Qualities of kapha are: cold, wet, heavy, dull, slow, sticky, steady (or static), cloudy, liquid, dense, solid/gross.
What can we do instead of making resolutions?
Live in step with the season, and bring some warmth and light into our days with a healing routine.
Ayurveda prescribes balancing practices – called Ritucharya – for every season. Practices that help us maintain a balanced mind and body.
Here are some of the recommendations for Winter:
Ayurveda teaches that like increases like, for example: cold increases cold. So, the general rule is to apply gentle opposites to our diet and environment for balance.
Warm baths, or showers.
Warm, dry clothes to keep the body temperature from dropping.
Oil massage to avoid dry skin and nourish the nerves.
Avoid consuming cold, frozen foods, and beverages in winters as they can aggravate kapha dosha.
Go for warm soups, meals, and drinks to combat the natural accumulation of kapha.
Active movement.
Get out in the sun whenever you can.
Prefer sweet, sour and salty tastes as they can help keep vata in check.
How is knowing this helpful for calming anxiety?
Because the kapha season has some qualities that are helpful for calming anxiety. If we know them and use them they can benefit us, but if we’re trying to push through we lose that benefit and become depleted.
Anxiety is provoked by striving, or over-achieving. The vata nature can write a long list of goals but struggle to focus on one and bring it into steady action. This increase stress, overwhelms the mind and can make us feel despondent.
There are qualities in this season that are the opposite of the vata qualities that can provoke anxiety. Qualities like heavy, static, slow, dense balance the quick, subtle changeable nature of vata.
Kapha qualities are contentment, compassion, forgiveness, sleep, nourishment, repair, and regeneration. Those are good areas to focus on in the New Year that have a seasonal boost according to Ayurveda. It’s a good time for journaling, clearing, nourishing foods, and good rest.
We benefit from good self-care and warmth in the Winter months, to keep anxiety in check and lead us towards the more active nearby of Spring, ready to ease into positive change.
Resting, reading, walking, and warmth will all help take good care of our bodies and minds in this New Year.
