Now what? Beginner tips to make Ayurveda a part of your life

It’s easy to take a quiz and learn your dosha. But once you label yourself a vata, pitta, kapha, or a combination…what’s next? Let’s look at how to apply this powerful information to your daily life.

 

Today, I want to share 4 simple steps you can take to put Ayurveda into practice and help you feel more balanced and easeful.

First things first – are you unsure what your dosha is? Then take this quiz.

 

Enhance the positive qualities of your dosha

Now that you know what your dosha is, I want to share about the positive qualities of each dosha. It’s so easy to get caught up in the negatives and worried about symptoms. But each dosha actually has beautiful qualities when they are in balance. Appreciating these strengths and helping to enhance these positive qualities will allow you to feel the joy of your dosha and thrive, not just survive.

• The positive qualities of pitta. Pitta folks are a force of nature. They’re charismatic, attractive, lively, and fun. They have a magnetic personality and are always ready for an adventure. Need direction? Need a plan? Find your pitta friends.
• The positive qualities of kapha. Kapha folks are always there for you. They’re loyal. They’re just nice. And they know how to have fun. If you want someone to throw a soiree, someone to have your back in a pinch, or someone to take care of your baby/dog, call on kapha.
• The positive qualities of vata. Your vata friend is a little…out there, but in the best way possible. They’re creative, spiritual, and altogether interesting. They’re also the people who can see how all of the disparate pieces of a problem fit together to find a solution. Call on vata if you need someone to get crafty and make home decorations or want to have a refreshing conversation about life, meaning, and ethics.

 

Feeling better about your dosha? I hope so.

 

What if I have two doshas?

No problem! Most of us are predominantly a combination of two doshas. If you’re trying to figure out which dosha to focus on for your balancing – examine the symptoms you’re currently having define those as a specfic dosha imbalance, and then address bringing that one into balance. For example, I’m generally vata-pitta (i.e., more vata than pitta), but if I’m having issues with red skin, acne, or inflammation, I’ll address pitta issues rather than vata problems.

 

Four ways to bring Ayurveda into your day

1. Optimize your meal timing. Each dosha will thrive with a different combination of meal times and amounts.

• Predominantly Kapha: You feel best with 2 regular meals at lunch and dinner and a small breakfast. You might be someone that enjoys and excels when you practice intermittent fasting.
• Predominantly Pitta: You want 3 regular, hearty meals evenly spaced through the day to avoid hanger.
• Predominantly Vata: Make sure to have 3 regular, nourishing meals eaten seated with 1-2 snacks as needed.

 

2. Find your best workout. Energy levels and stamina differs based on your dosha, and you’ll want to adjust your workouts accordingly.

• Predominantly Kapha: choose a more intense workout that gets your heart rate going, preferably in the morning. Kaphas tend to be great endurance athletes.
• Predominantly Pitta: do a challenging, intelligent workout, but you don’t need a lot of extra heat. Skip the bootcamp workouts where the instructor yells at you, and instead go for workouts that help you connect to nature and the power of your body.
• Predominantly Vata: Keep it creative, and keep it grounding. Circuit training can have too many activities and can feel overstimulating. Instead, go for regular, repetitive movements like walking, yoga, and swimming. Develop a routine with your workouts, doing similar activities on certain days, and don’t be afraid to move a little slower and build strength.

3. Shift your schedule. Your daily schedule can dramatically affect your happiness and energy levels over time.

• Predominantly Kapha: get a workout in the morning. When you start your day with movement, you can use that momentum to keep you going through the day and avoid energy slumps and Netflix binges.
• Predominantly Pitta: make sure you get some time to connect with others. Make room to share, to lead, and to be part of a community that you’re passionate about.
• Predominantly Vata: you’ll think it’s a great idea to run all over town and have 6 projects happening at the same time, but slow it down a little bit. Get more structure in your schedule, create a regular routine, and aim to finish projects, not just start them.

 

4. Embrace your dosha’s strengths. Each dosha has beautiful, positive qualities that you can use to your advantage.

• Predominantly Pitta: put yourself in leadership positions.
• Predominantly Kapha: help everyone band together around a common cause or goal.
• Predominantly Vata: keep creating and embrace your “out-there” ideas. The more you focus on the positive qualities inherent to you, the more you’ll thrive.

 

Your assignment

Which of these 4 tipcs can you introduce to your day to be an even better you? Leave a comment below to let me know!

 

  Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day,