The Importance of Vata Dosha
The ancient Ayurvedic physician Vagbhata stated that Pitta and Kapha dosha, as well as the bodily tissues (dhatus) and waste products (malas) cannot move themselves, as only Vata has movement (gati). Vata also brings food into and out of the body, representing movement also.
There is also a famous saying in the ancient Ayurvedic text, Sushruta Samhita (Sutrasthana, 21):
“Tatra va gati gandha na yo iti vayu” – meaning that “Va” means gati (movement) and that “Ta” means one who controls – thus Vata is the controller of movement.
Basically, when Pitta and Kapha get disturbed, it can happen only due to Vata getting disturbed, as Vata alone moves them. Without Vata, there is no movement of Pitta or Kapha, and hence Vata controls as well as disturbs the other doshas, in deficiency and in excess.
Thus, in Ayurvedic therapy, Vata is the most important factor. In fact, Vata is responsible for most diseases in Ayurveda itself; It is said that 80 diseases are of Vata; 40 of Pitta and 20 of Kapha on this note.
The ancient Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana, 12.8) also states:
“Vayu yantra tantra dhara pravartak” – or that Vata or Vayu (wind) controls all the functions of the body itself. It controls the mind and body, thus, any disruptions hence come from Vata.
In the treatment of Vata, many factors are considered, such as reducing vata by diet, lifestyle, oleation therapy (snehana) and also basti (enemas), which are all methods to help reduce Vata dosha.
Hence, Vata has an important place in Ayurveda and in Ayurvedic Healing itself.
In today’s world, we live in a “Vata world” – meaning things that agitate the mind through Vata-provoking emotions. The media feeds us mass hysteria, fears and fuels anxieties and depressions in people, causing excess worry and self-examination from a negative perspective.
I also realised this when I first began treating people with Ayurveda – that everyone, somewhere, suffered from Vata problems – whether it be rheumatic, mental / psychological or otherwise.
Ayurvedic doctors (Vaidyas) in India will also tell you that treating Vata is the key to Ayurvedic treatment, as when you treat Vata, everything else falls into place. It is also quite simple, when we think about this principle ourselves also.
Consider that someone has accumulation of Kapha in the joints (excess Shleshaka Kapha, responsible for joint lubrication), and it causes congestion and swelling in the joints. We can easily detect this is due to deficient Vyana-Vayu, the sub-form of Vata dosha that is responsible for circulation, and thus, as circulation is not occurring in the body. Hence, we need to increase Vyana-vayu, the circulating form of Vata.
We must remember that Vata moves the other doshas, and hence also moves the accumulation of doshas from their sites of accumulation to their new sites, where they cause trouble.
People in Old Age (65+) also suffer from Vata problems, primarily because this is considered the “Vata stage” of life. Hyperactive activity also causes Vata imbalances, as do accidents.
Other factors include excessive working, reading loudly, singing, laughing, chronic illness, blood loss, smoking, falling, skipping meals, upper-body and mental shock, fasting, waking during the night, carrying heavy weights, horse-riding, fear. Anxiety, loneliness, worry, grief, intake of dry, light, cold foods as well as dry climates, rainy season and as we have already mentioned, old age, are all factors that disturb Vata.
So basically – most things that we, as humans do, causes Vata problems!
There is also a famous saying in the ancient Ayurvedic text, Sushruta Samhita (Sutrasthana, 21):
“Tatra va gati gandha na yo iti vayu” – meaning that “Va” means gati (movement) and that “Ta” means one who controls – thus Vata is the controller of movement.
Basically, when Pitta and Kapha get disturbed, it can happen only due to Vata getting disturbed, as Vata alone moves them. Without Vata, there is no movement of Pitta or Kapha, and hence Vata controls as well as disturbs the other doshas, in deficiency and in excess.
Thus, in Ayurvedic therapy, Vata is the most important factor. In fact, Vata is responsible for most diseases in Ayurveda itself; It is said that 80 diseases are of Vata; 40 of Pitta and 20 of Kapha on this note.
The ancient Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana, 12.8) also states:
“Vayu yantra tantra dhara pravartak” – or that Vata or Vayu (wind) controls all the functions of the body itself. It controls the mind and body, thus, any disruptions hence come from Vata.
In the treatment of Vata, many factors are considered, such as reducing vata by diet, lifestyle, oleation therapy (snehana) and also basti (enemas), which are all methods to help reduce Vata dosha.
Hence, Vata has an important place in Ayurveda and in Ayurvedic Healing itself.
In today’s world, we live in a “Vata world” – meaning things that agitate the mind through Vata-provoking emotions. The media feeds us mass hysteria, fears and fuels anxieties and depressions in people, causing excess worry and self-examination from a negative perspective.
I also realised this when I first began treating people with Ayurveda – that everyone, somewhere, suffered from Vata problems – whether it be rheumatic, mental / psychological or otherwise.
Ayurvedic doctors (Vaidyas) in India will also tell you that treating Vata is the key to Ayurvedic treatment, as when you treat Vata, everything else falls into place. It is also quite simple, when we think about this principle ourselves also.
Consider that someone has accumulation of Kapha in the joints (excess Shleshaka Kapha, responsible for joint lubrication), and it causes congestion and swelling in the joints. We can easily detect this is due to deficient Vyana-Vayu, the sub-form of Vata dosha that is responsible for circulation, and thus, as circulation is not occurring in the body. Hence, we need to increase Vyana-vayu, the circulating form of Vata.
We must remember that Vata moves the other doshas, and hence also moves the accumulation of doshas from their sites of accumulation to their new sites, where they cause trouble.
People in Old Age (65+) also suffer from Vata problems, primarily because this is considered the “Vata stage” of life. Hyperactive activity also causes Vata imbalances, as do accidents.
Other factors include excessive working, reading loudly, singing, laughing, chronic illness, blood loss, smoking, falling, skipping meals, upper-body and mental shock, fasting, waking during the night, carrying heavy weights, horse-riding, fear. Anxiety, loneliness, worry, grief, intake of dry, light, cold foods as well as dry climates, rainy season and as we have already mentioned, old age, are all factors that disturb Vata.
So basically – most things that we, as humans do, causes Vata problems!
No comments:
Post a Comment