A person with a predominance of Vata in their constitution has a predominance of the elements air & space in their constitution. Attributes that constitute what ayurveda calls Vata are :
- lightness
- dryness
- mobility
- penetrating
- cool
- clear
- rough
- dispersing
In excess these attributes imbalance Vata while their opposites calm Vata.
An understanding of what Vata is & where it sits in the body helps enable us to balance Vata.
To see the Vata constitution or a Vata imbalance we need to be aware of these qualities or attributes (listed above) & how they manifest in both people & the environment.
Vata is associated with all motion in both the body - mind & world - to imagine what Vata energy feels like - one need only imagine the wind & reflect on what it can do - dry our clothes, clear away congestion (like a sneeze), cool us with breezes on hot days & destroy whole cities with cyclonic force. Similarly, Vata dries dampness in the body, dispels congestion, cools us down & can create painful wind like moving pains in the body, especially the colon.
Vata types are described as being quick witted & always on the go both physically/mentally or both; an inability to slow down, get grounded, or stop is evidence of an imbalance in this *dosha & will of often show up first in the digestion or skin.
Vata is found in abundance in the skin, brain, ears, bones joints & thighs. The Vata dosha's primary residence in the body is the colon & any kind of surgery in this region can create an imbalance in this dosha.
Those with a predominance of Vata in their constitution - are likely to have dark, curly, wiry or fine hair, delicate, fine skin with small even pores, that tans easily, nails that tend towards being brittle & fine, thin lips that crack easily & small brown or grey eyes.
They will be short or tall in stature with irregular features & tend towards being thin (most Vata types find it hard to gain weight & then once they do tend to lose it just as easily).
Imbalances in this dosha show up more readily in autumn & winter when Vata is at its peak - as dry, cracked hands, feet or nails, all dry skin conditions, flatulence, constipation, bloating, nervous twitching & aching joints, anxiety, fear, worry & confusion related to these mental states or memory loss.
Vata is most active in the late afternoon & early evening from 2pm to 6pm & early morning from 2am to 6am
Balance Vata by:
- Avoiding the cold & staying warm
- Avoiding cold, raw, uncooked or old foods, especially apples & members of the cabbage family
- Saying good bye to ice-cream unless it contains warming spices or it's a heat wave!
- Avoiding most beans & pulses (anything larger than a lentil is hard for Vata to digest).
- Making sure your food is moist & well lubricated - of all the dosha's you can afford to eat good quality butters & oils liberally!
- Choosing warming slow cooked food containing warming spices(see links for cookbooks)
- Remembering that sweet, sour & salty tastes support you
- Keeping a regular daily routine (of all the things you could do - this one is key!) because you find this difficult
- Resting & meditating
- Having regular massages
- Taking warm baths, regular self massage with warm Rasasara Vata Body Oil, compresses & applying the Rasasara daily beauty ritual - as recommended
- Creating a calm, warm & stable environment in which to live & work
- Surrounding yourself with warm & loving people
Rasasara Skinfoods Ayurvedic Skincare
Vata Beauty Rituals / Replenish/ Normal - Dry
Vata Morning Ritual
Cleansing Compress - fill a basin with warm to hot water & add 5 - 8 drops of the Cleansing Compress Drops - submerge a clean face cloth in the basin & wring out well - compress your face firmly with the cloth, breathing deeply inhaling the herbaceous smells of the essential oils. Apply pressure to any areas of tension on the face - focus on areas that are prone to blackheads, pimples & congestion or deep lines.
Exfoliate - (extremely dry Vata types can exfoliate once daily either morning or night, depending upon convenience). Using the scoop provided, mix 1 scoop of exfoliant with enough water to make a light paste in the palm of your hand & gently massage using circular motions your entire face & under chin; this can be performed in the * shower or over a basin i.e. utilizing your compressing water to rinse off.* If exfoliating in the shower avoid taking the whole jar into shower as moisture will eventually cause the exfoliant to deteriorate. Towel pat dry.
Tone/Hydrate - Mist the entire face with Aromatic Hydrating Mist (omit if skin is still damp)
Moisturise - In the palm of your hand mix *4- 5 drops of Nourishing Oil + *2 sprays of Aromatic Mist into a light cream. Press onto & massage into the face & neck, using upward strokes & gentle circular motions around the cheeks. * Adjust your oil to water ratio with the seasons, your skin will need more oil in the dryer months & more Aromatic Hydrating Mist in the hotter months, as you reconnect with your skins needs you will become more attuned to your bodies needs.
Enjoy - Experience being grounded. Take a deep breath and reconnect with your inner
beauty.
Vata Evening Ritual
Cleanse - gently cleanse the face & neck with the Cleansing Bar of *choice, lather into a rich cream either in the shower or over a basin, avoiding the delicate eye area. Pat face dry with a soft towel. *Cleansing bars will vary according to your skins needs i.e. you may be a combination of both Vata & Pitta Or Vata & Kapha, therefore Vata cleansing is appropriate during the drier months of autumn & winter, Pitta cleansing during summer & Kapha cleansing during spring when breakouts are more likely to occur.
Exfoliate - if your skin is extremely dry daily exfoliating will help remove dead skin & allow Vata Nourishing Oils in - so if you missed the morning exfoliation apply it in the evening.
Tone/Hydrate - spray the entire face & neck with Vata Aromatic Mist
Moisturise & Revitalise - in the palm of your hand place 2 drops of Chandra Revitalising Oil with 3 drops of Vata Nourishing Oil + 3 spays of Vata Hydrating Mist ( again adjust to your skins changing needs). Press gently onto the face & gently massage into your skin, using upward strokes & gentle circular motions around the cheeks. See Natural Face lift.
Enjoy - Experience being grounded. Take a deep breath and reconnect with your inner beauty.
Vata Weekly Nourishing Mask
Compress - follow the compressing ritual provided in the daily morning ritual only this time include the entire décolletage.
Deeply nourish gently apply a layer of Rasa Skin Balm to the entire face, neck & décolletage. Now repeat the compression ritual above using a hot face washer & quick compressions so as not to burn the skin - the aim is to steam the skin balm into the skin. This treatment can be applied when your skin is in need of a quick lift in a hurry.
Mask - rejuvenating & hydrating this mask will yield maximum results when applied after the above nourishing treatment. Take 1- 2 scoops of Vata Exfoliant/Mask & mix with 1 tbls of yogurt or avocado & enough water to make a smooth thick paste. Apply to the entire face using fingers or cosmetic brush. The mask stays active whilst wet/spray mist with Aromatic Mist.
Enjoy - use this time to relax placing the mind on the breath, releasing any fears & worries. Leave for 10 - 20 min & gently remove with tepid water.
Vata Bi- Weekly - Self Massage
This treatment is highly recommended for Vata types of any age & anyone who wants to avoid a Vata imbalance
Warm -30 - 50 mls of Vata Body Nourishing Oil in a small basin of boiling water for 3 minutes by placing it in a small container that can sit in the basin of boiling water.
Massage In a warm comfortable place with a towel underneath you begin the massage starting with each foot using circular motions around the joints &working up and down along each limb.
Mantra use this meditative time to focus on the breathe & repeat the mantra Om Nama Shivaya, this means, I honor the divinity that resides in me. Allow 10 -30 minutes for this highly rejuvenating practice.
Bath soak in a warm bath to enable the oils & herbs to penetrate deeply into the tissues loosening toxins & allowing them to be released via the GI tract.
Download your Rasasara Skincare Routine -
Vata Skincare Routine
Pitta Skincare Routine
Kapha Skincare Routine
Vata types are described as being quick witted &
always on the go both physically / mentally or both; an inability to
slow down. Learn more