Exploring the Harmony of Ayurveda: 3 Doshas & Their Connection to Energy Healing
Ayurveda, the ancient system of holistic healing that originated in India, encompasses a profound understanding of the human body's regulatory systems. At its core are the three major regulatory systems, the three doshas, and their interconnectedness with the chakras, forming a harmonious tapestry that influences both physical and energetic well-being.
Three Major Regulatory Systems:
Ayurveda recognizes three primary regulatory systems, known as "Dhatu," "Mala," and "Srotas."
Dhatu: This system focuses on the body's tissues and their nourishment. It emphasizes the importance of balanced nutrition, digestion, and assimilation of nutrients to maintain optimal health.
Mala: Mala pertains to the elimination of waste from the body. It involves the proper functioning of organs responsible for excretion, emphasizing the significance of detoxification for overall well-being.
Srotas: Srotas refers to the channels or pathways that facilitate the flow of energy, nutrients, and waste throughout the body. Ensuring the smooth functioning of these channels is vital for maintaining balance.
Three Doshas:
Ayurveda categorizes individuals into three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—each representing a unique combination of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether). Individuals usually have a dominant dosha or a unique combination of two or even all three doshas. Understanding one's dosha composition is essential in Ayurveda for maintaining balance and promoting overall well-being. Lifestyle choices, dietary habits, and therapeutic interventions are often tailored to the individual's dosha constitution to restore harmony and prevent imbalances. Wellness practitioners aim to bring doshas into balance through holistic approaches, including diet, herbal remedies, yoga, and lifestyle adjustments.
Vata Dosha:
Elements: Vata is associated with the elements of air and space.
Qualities: Vata is characterized by qualities such as lightness, dryness, coldness, roughness, and mobility.
Functions: Vata governs flow - mainly all movement in the body, including nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination. It is responsible for creativity, flexibility, and the ability to experience change.
Imbalance Symptoms: When Vata is imbalanced, it can lead to anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and a feeling of being ungrounded. Physical symptoms may include joint pain, dry skin, and constipation.
Pitta Dosha:
Elements: Pitta is associated with the elements of fire and water.
Qualities: Pitta is characterized by qualities such as heat, sharpness, lightness, and oiliness.
Functions: Pitta governs energy - metabolism, digestion, and transformation in the body. It is responsible for maintaining body temperature, intelligence, and the sharpness of the senses.
Imbalance Symptoms: Imbalanced Pitta may manifest as irritability, inflammation, indigestion, and skin issues. Physical symptoms can include heartburn, acid reflux, and sensitivity to heat.
Kapha Dosha:
Elements: Kapha is associated with the elements of water and earth.
Qualities: Kapha is characterized by qualities such as heaviness, coldness, wetness, and stability.
Functions: Kapha governs structure - stability, and lubrication in the body. It is responsible for maintaining the immune system, joint function, and the structure of bodily tissues.
Imbalance Symptoms: Imbalanced Kapha may lead to lethargy, weight gain, congestion, and emotional attachment. Physical symptoms can include excessive mucus, sluggish digestion, and feelings of heaviness.
Now, Vata or Vayu governs various aspects of bodily functions. Comprising ten distinct types, each with its specific functions, these subtypes play a crucial role in maintaining balance and harmony. Let's delve into the details of each, shedding light on their unique characteristics and contributions.
Pran Vayu:
Residing in the heart or chest, Pran Vayu regulates the flow of breathing and draws sensory experiences. It holds its chief site in the head, influencing brain function and sense organs. Governing actions like swallowing, salivation, and sneezing, Pran Vayu emphasizes the intake, inspiration, propulsion, and forward movement of energy.
Apana Vayu:
Located in the lower abdomen, Apana Vayu oversees the downward motion, particularly in the excretion of toxins and feces. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in the menstrual cycle and facilitates the downward flow through the intestines, urinary and reproductive tract. Apana Vayu serves as the energy responsible for eliminating waste from the body.
Saman Vayu:
Operating at the Nabhi Chakra or Solar Plexus, Saman Vayu represents the force of absorption. It carries nutrients from the intestines into the circulatory system and ensures proper absorption of sensory impressions. Dysfunction in Samana Vayu may lead to difficulties in absorption, potentially causing malnourishment or numbness.
Udana Vayu:
Residing in the chest, Udana Vayu is linked to growth, speech, expression, ascension, and upward movement. It influences the heart and lungs, ensuring proper oxygenation through breathing. Udana Vayu also plays a role in mental alertness, memory retention, and the upward and downward functions in various areas of the body.
Vyan Vayu:
Regulating the force that circulates the response, Vyan Vayu moves energy from the center toward the periphery. It is involved in the circulation of blood, oxygen, sweat, toxins, reproductive fluids, and water throughout the body. Additionally, Vyan Vayu controls muscle and joint movement, aiding in the contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Naga Vayu:
As a sub-type of Vata, Naga Vayu regulates flow at the throat and mouth. It is responsible for functions like burping and hiccups.
Kurma Vayu:
Another sub-type, Kurma Vayu, governs the movement of the eyes, including up, down, sideways movements, and focusing. It also influences tear flow.
Krukala Vayu:
Operating in the chest region, Krukala Vayu regulates the sensations of hunger and thirst. It also plays a role in the creation of sneezing.
Devdutt Vayu:
Functioning from the nose to the throat, Devdutt Vayu induces feelings of sleepiness and triggers the act of yawning.
Dhananjay Vayu:
Present throughout the body, Dhananjay Vayu pulls and holds all body cells and parts together. It departs from the body after death, contributing to post-mortem swelling.
Energy Healing & The 3 Doshas Explained
Among the three Doshas, Vata Dosha changes are considered to be the most noticeable in an energy healing session. Now, this does not mean that healing isn’t occuring in the other two Doshas, in fact sometimes the body responding to the Kapha Dosha may appear in the form of twitches, jerks, or even an increase in pain in an area before the energy is fully released. Pitta is typically the hardest to notice an immediate change, as the shift is generally felt over the next few days in the client being treated. However, sometimes a client may claim to experience an intense amount of heat or a “swirling” of movement in an area, thus experiencing shifts in the Pitta Dosha.
Furthermore, as the Vata Dosha becomes balanced, observable corrections manifest through various body movements, acting as indicators during the healing process. In a sense, this is all the body’s way of providing feedback from the session, and can be an excellent indicator to the practioner that energy has moved.
During the healing session, as Vata pressure shifts out of the body, it often moves from one body part to another until it is fully released. This result can often be experienced in the form of burps, yawns, farts, coughs, runny sinuses, crying, laughter, vibration sensations, etc. For example, if an individual experiences foot pain, the pain may shift to the thigh or hip before completely dissipating as Vata pressure is released through burps.
Recognizing these shifting pains as indicators of healing progress, healers focus on the new area wn ere pain has moved and continue this process until Vata pressure is completely released through burps. Individuals undergoing healing sessions may report sensations such as tingling, movement, or a sense of flow in their bodies. Gas accumulation in the abdomen is also noted, and the healer may concentrate on the abdominal or solar plexus region to facilitate the release of gas. The occurrence of a physical or emotional release signals the initiation of Vata release, providing assurance that the healing process is underway, either immediately or over the next few hours.
On another note, the healer may also experience certain forms of release as they assist the client in their healing process. Sometimes the client may have resistance or trouble passing an issue on their own, therefore as the healer assists them in this process they may also release the energy in burps, or other body movements. Not to mention that the healer also recieves a healing during the session as well.
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- T.