Ayurveda and oils by Honey from Seed of Self
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is one of humanity’s oldest holistic health and life sciences, it is an Indian system for whole life wellness and optimal living. One of the primary purposes of Ayurveda is to bring us back into balance with nature which is innately harmonic, aligned and healing.
Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils can actually be traced back to Ayurveda in which the oils are used to reignite the qualities of plants in a person and their temperament.
While this life science can be incredibly detailed we can also use some of the ideas in a gentle and simple manner. Especially during times of stress, worry or change and when we’ve been separated from the natural world these age-old techniques are straightforward ways to come back into our natural state which is balanced, grounded and vibrant.
What are the doshas?
Most people have heard of Ayurveda in relation to the Doshas - Vata, Pitta, Kapha. These are groupings of elemental forces that make up our individual constitutions which easily go out of balance. Like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda looks to balance the elements in order to get back into harmony.
Vata = wind and ether/space (cold)
Pitta = fire and water (hot)
Kapha = earth and water (cold/heavy)
The doshas out of balance?
A very simple way to work with this ancient wisdom is to gently notice and begin balancing the elements present in you. These change all the time according to what’s happening in your life, what you’re eating or thinking or doing, where in the world you are and what season it is among many other factors!
Here are some examples of these Doshas as out of balance:
Vata - anxiety, overwhelm, overthinking, ungroundedness, indecisiveness, hard to settle, dry skin, brittle hair, sleep issues, coldness, sore joints, lack of consistency, inability to complete projects/books/ideas, bloating and gas.
Pitta - excess anger, aggression, unhelpful competitiveness, fast moving, skin rashes, rosacea, thinning hair, short-temperedness, over-doing, heartburn, too quick digestion and metabolism.
Kapha - excess worry, sadness, heaviness, weight gain, depression, retaining water, lethargy, fatigue, excess sleeping, unable to wake up bright in the morning, slow starter and lack of motivation to begin.
Gentle lifestyle tips to balance:
The easiest way to work with the elements or doshas is to balance with the opposite quality!
Vata needs warm and slow.
Doing one thing at a time until completion, closing some tabs, warm foods and spices like cinnamon stewed apple and oats, the Dreaming oil to support rest and sleep, making sure the body is kept warm, rugging up on windy days, lavender and chamomile teas, soft music, yin yoga and the Let Go oil to bring in some sweetness and grounding amongst any stressful times.
Pitta needs cool and calm.
Slow it down, take some deep breaths, stop paying attention to what others are doing or achieving and instead spend some time getting to know and love yourself, cooling foods and spices like cucumber in salads and mint teas, the Purify oil to raise your spirits with out warming up your competitive drive, cool the mind with meditation, watch rom-coms and read uplifting books, the Calm oil at the end of your day to bring you back into the present moment.
Kapha needs hot and fast.
Get out of bed with the sun and go for a brisk walk in the fresh air, hop on the yoga mat and do some faster flows, eating light and heating foods like hot curries and spicy teas with fresh ginger, keep the body nice and warm, find motivating tasks, bring joy consistently into your work, dry brushing, body scrubs, nurture yourself just as much as you nurture others and the Uplifting oil so that you can tap into that inner radiance.
About me / contact
Honey is an Ayurvedic Consultant, Yoga Teacher and Womens’ Embodiment mentor. She draws on ancient wisdom methods to bring you back into alignment and to tap into your most radiant, beautiful and blossoming self. She is building a wonderful community of conscious living and fulfilled women all over the world.