Is your skin dry, rough, thin?
Are you underweight?
Is your mind constantly in a whirl?
Do you worry incessantly?
Are you constantly restless or agitated or find yourself full of energy?
Do you experience constipation?
Do you suffer from insomnia or very light sleep?
Do you suffer from skin/ lips dryness or have brittle nails?
Do you have spells of forgetfulness?
Do you experience discomfort in the joints?
If you answered yes for most of the questions then you are a Vaat predominant Person.
Vata dosha is made up of Akash or ether (space) and vayu (air) elements.
The word vata means to blow or move like the wind.
Fuctions Of VAAT :
Creativity
Joy
Communication
Hearing
Touch
Respiration
Heart function
Circulation
Menstruation; delivery of baby
Orgasm
Elimination of wastes (urine, feces, sweat)
Movement of thoughts and feelings, and the general functioning of our nervous system
All physical movements
Vata dosha is best understood in terms of its component parts, its subdoshas, which are the five types of vata or five types of movement. Each subdosha defines a direction of movement and governs specific actions in the body.
Prana Vayu:
The senses, creative thinking, reasoning, enthusiasm, leader of all 15 categories of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Prana vayu represents the force that draws sensory experience to us. It is the force of attraction and has a magnetic nature. The way it functions determines the types of impressions we expose ourselves to. Prana vayu resides in the head and heart (chest) where desire dwells, choices are made, and sensory experience is processed. When it is healthy, we are drawn toward that which is harmonious and which brings us health and well-being. When prana vayu is out of balance, we misuse our senses and bring inside of us that which will cause disease.
Samana Vayu:
Whereas prana vayu represents the force of attraction, samana vayu represents the force of absorption, pulling the impressions we are drawn to toward the center of our being. For example, samana vayu carries nutrients from the intestines into the circulatory system, and the sensations of things we touch are carried from the skin to the central nervous system. When samana vayu is functioning properly, impressions are properly absorbed. When it is in a state of dysfunction, absorption becomes difficult, and malnourishment or numbness may occur.
Vyana Vayu:
Once absorbed, an impression must be acted upon. This is the role of vyana vayu, which is the force that circulates the response, moving it from the center toward the periphery. Following our examples, in the digestive system blood carries the nutrients throughout the body so that each cell receives its proper supply. In the nervous system, a signal is sent from the central nervous system toward a muscle or organ.
Udana Vayu:
Governs the Quality of voice, memory, movements of thought.
Udana vayu is responsible for action and expression, which means putting the energy received to work. Cells take the energy received and perform their unique functions. Nutrients are used for cellular energy and for building proteins. The nerves instruct muscles and organs to act properly.
Apana Vayu:
Cellular activity produces both work and waste. While udana vayu is responsible for the work, apana vayu is responsible for cleaning up the waste. Apana vayu eliminates waste primarily through the functions of urination, defecation, and menstruation. It is responsible for all the downward flowing energy of the body and as such is also responsible for the energy needed for carrying the child out of the womb and into the world.
Physical Characters :
Light: The bones of the body are narrow
Cold: A person tends to become chilled easier than others
Dry: The skin or eyes have a tendency to become dry
Mobile: A person moves quickly, often with a lack of focus
Subtle: The mind is open to new ideas, expansive, and interested in the esoteric
Hard: If the tissues of the body become dry, they will then become hard; this is easiest to see as an imbalance
Flowing: The mind flows easily from one idea to the next
Sharp: The bridge of the nose is thinner and sharper than in other constitutional types
Rough: As the skin becomes drier, it becomes rougher; which is easiest to see as an imbalance
Clear: The eyes are clear
Vaat Mind
Vaat types are enthusiastic, vibrant, and quick to learn, but also have very poor memory retention.
They are often very creative, flexible, mature, spiritually perceptive and mentally desciplined.
Vaat types make excellent counselors or teachers and are happiest when surrounded by the beauty of nature.
The vaat nervous system is usually on alert and can be highly sensitive to sounds.
The vaat mind tends to be restless, and even a bit scattered.
That said, vaat types often have profound spiritual potential and can be extremely sensitive and attuned to subtle energies.
They are quick to anger but also to forgive.
In next Post symptoms of Imbalanced Vaat are discussed.