Mrs. Gita Vadhwana
VATA BALANCING FINALLY!
A HANDBOOK OF SIMPLE REGIMES
Dedication
This book is dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
He has made available Ancient Vedic Knowledge coupled with the lifestyle to develop spiritually in the modern setting.
To my daughter Neela who nursed me in trying times.
To Dr. Sananda, jps (Dr. T. Sukumaran, BAMS) who guided me in Vata Balancing Regimes.
Publisher’s Note
Mrs. Gita Vadhwana has a great passion to share knowledge from the Vedic Culture. Even though she was born and brought up in a foreign country, her enthusiasm to maintain the values of Vedic Culture is very noteworthy. Her participation in ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) since 1969 has enhanced her knowledge in Ancient Indian Spirituality and thus she is able to share it with great ease. She travels extensively to hold seminars, workshops and retreats on subjects of Ayurveda, Vedic Culture and Spirituality.
This Vata book is the first in the series. We wait to publish her future works with much eagerness. Her forthcoming books are “Ekadasi (Non Grain) Recipes” and “Reasons and Meaning of Diwali Celebrations”.
Mr. Prakash Bhosle, Publisher at www.ebrandingindia.com
Author’s Preface
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term wherein Ayur means longevity and Veda means knowledge. Thus, Ayurveda teaches us how to live a long healthy life in harmony with nature. In this system, the five elements; earth, water, fire, air and ether combine to form the three main doshas or energies which are termed as kapha, pita, and vata.
Excess vata in the body is called a vata imbalance which is a debilitating condition and should be adjusted immediately. It is an excess of air and ether elements in the body. This is fully explained in the ancient Indian medical system; Ayurveda. This handbook gives simple, easy to follow daily regimes to bring vata into balance.
Dr. Sananda Sukumaran brought this awareness to me and helped me in my journey to health. That is why I want to share what I have learnt with others who may need this knowledge. I want to thank Bhavani Dasi (Beryl Trimble) for having unlimited patience to read through my original manuscript. I want to also thank my daughter Neela, who has helped me tremendously to manage my vata during those trying times.
Mrs. Gita Vadhwana
Introduction
Without a doubt the 21st century has divorced us from our natural environment with the onslaught of pervasive technologies.
Our lifestyles are dependent on the use of cars, mobile phones, televisions, computers and so many electric gadgets. All these items can disrupt the vata dosha in our bodies. They create imbalance due to excess air and ether from the electro-magnetic currents emitted by them. Many scientific studies have shown the detrimental effects of the modern technologies that emit these currents.
The human body is made to live in harmony with nature, that is, to live near clean water, fresh air, sunshine, trees, grass and natural environment in a joint family situation. The current culture of individualism and urbanization deprives us of this setting, which can be why health problems begin from a young age.
Having been a victim of this, my search for remedies opened the doors to Ayurveda. I found that simple forgotten techniques like vata balancing mudras, (simple hand gestures used for health), using kajal (eye ointment) and walking bare foot on the ground are just a few regimes which bring vata into balance. I know that, following a few of the techniques listed in this handbook, or all of them, will certainly balance vata in your body. Most of these techniques are recommended by Ayurvedic practitioners.
Grounding is a method which helps a person to be centered in oneself, be stable and balanced. The main text of this book consists of many techniques to reach this goal and be balanced. In material nature there are three subtle forces that influence our behaviour in every aspect of our physical, mental, and emotional life, including food and various activities. They are called Modes or “Guna” of goodness or “sattva”, passion or “rajas” and ignorance or “tamas”.
In the diet section of the book, I have left out foods in the modes of passion and ignorance like onions, garlic, leeks, meat, fish, eggs and mushrooms. These foods create unhappiness, misery, disease and ignorance. The sattva-guna (mode of goodess) creates an atmosphere of peace, serenity, and harmony in our environment and ourselves. Therefore the foods in this mode are recommended. These foods are succulent, juicy and nourishing and pleasing to the heart. They promote life, vitality, strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. In pure goodness lifestyle called “sattva guna” one will not only feel peace and calmness, but will experience real bliss and joy at soul level. In our recipes we have chosen the foods from this food group. More information on this topic is available in the age old book called “Bhagavata Gita As It Is”, Chapter 17.
It is a myth that meat consumption can balance vata. What to speak of the reaction created from the negative karma of killing animals. Laws of karma are explained in all authentic religious scriptures; and include that eating and killing animals creates sins for which one has to suffer the reactions. This suffering is called karma. Therefore we should avoid all non-vegetarian foods. There are many vegetarian proteins that can ground a person.
Questionnaire to Check Vata Imbalance
Vata is one of the subtle energies that govern the physiological aspects of person according to Ayurveda, which is a 5000 year old health science from India.
Please answer with a Yes or No:
• Do you use a cell phone?
• Are you constantly working on the laptop or computer?
• Do you travel a lot by trains, buses, planes, cars or any other such means?
• Do you live on the higher floor of a skyscraper?
• Is your work place in a high storied building?
• Are you exposed to a lot of air pollution?
• Do you suffer from anxiety, stress, and worry, lack of sleep or fear?
• Are you fickle minded, erratic or unorganized?
Do you easily get nervous, have mood swings, artificial enthusiasm and tend to forget things very quickly?
Are you restless both physically and mentally?
If you answer ‘yes’ to most of these questions, this signifies a probable predominance of vata in your body. If you are sure that you have vata imbalance, then you can use this book to help balance your vata in the case of minor imbalances or as prevention. In serious cases you should take full guidance and direction of a medical doctor.
Almost all of the regimes listed in this book were part of a person’s daily life in Vedic times, however, because of modernization, people have come away from them in the cultures they were rooted. The last few sections may seem like religious rituals, but in this era of the dawn of the New Golden Age, many people from all walks of life and cultures are familiar or introducing them in their lives and practicing some of them because of their scientific basis and the health benefits derived.
Description of Vata
Vata is one of the body types or subtle energies according to Ayurveda which signifies predominance of air and ether in a person’s constitution.
Vata when translated means ‘wind’ and it also shares similar characteristics to the wind. Vata governs the ‘movements’ in the body which includes nerve impulses, movement of muscles, blood flow, the elimination of body wastes, breathing and controlling thoughts. Vata is comparatively a very delicate dosha which easily gets imbalanced. It is a more predominant dosha, energy or body type in babies and the elderly; and therefore they may need extra personal care with this dosha in mind. Vata is also more prominent during the autumn and winter seasons thus special foods, diets, regimes and extra clothing are used during those times.