The 5 Sense Therapy's
In Ayurveda we use what is referred to as The 5 Sense Therapy's to help to bring the body back into its natural balance.
Just as our spines can get misaligned, so can our digestion, our mental state, our emotional body, as well as the elements that make up our physical body. We take in experiences through all 5 of our senses. It is important when treating a dosha imbalance to take into consideration all of the ways we take in the world around us.
Everything that we are exposed to can either help heal, or ail us. The things we see, smell, hear, taste, and touch will impact our natural state either by bringing us closer to, or farther away from our natural constitution.
Since it is July, pitta season, I'm going to use pitta dosha as an example of how the 5 sense therapy's can be used to calm an overheated pitta dosha.
Pitta contains the elements of fire and oil. When exposed to heat, the fire within us heats up, and can create problems.
I have a strong pitta constitution, so it is easy for me to get vitiated when exposed to too much heat. In the summer months, I feel myself becoming more impatient, and judgmental. I get headaches in the summer. My skin breaks out. Some people get skin rashes, or may suffer from indigestion. Recognizing these symptoms has helped me to bring my body into balance using the 5 sense therapies before the pitta imbalance can create more serious ailments.
1. TASTE: When eating foods or drinking beverages, think of foods that taste spicy, hot, pungent, sour, or salty. Those tastes carry the element of fire. You want to stay away from these tastes when treating a pitta imbalance. Instead you want to eat foods that have a cooling effect on the body. Foods such as salads, sweet melons, mint, coconut are excellent foods for pitta.
2. TOUCH: The things we touch can either be hot, or cold. They can either create aggression, or calmness. Since pitta dosha also carries the element of oil, you want to stay away from oily lotions, or body creams, or soaps. You want to take cool showers. Taking a dip in a cool ocean, or stream will calm your skin, and soothe your mind. Holding a cool clear crystal in the palm of your hand will also soothe a pitta dosha with touch.
3. SIGHT: Everything that we take in with our eyes will have an impact on our mental and emotional body. Remember, Ayurveda considers both the mental and emotional bodies to be just as significant as the physical body. When we watch aggressive movies, or horror films, we agitate our mental and emotional state. If you constantly watch aggressive things on TV, or in your daily life, this will eventually seep from your mind, into you emotions, and your body. When feeling pitta vitiated, it is helpful to look at things that are cool, calming, and beautiful. Staying outside on the night of a full moon, to look at the stars and feel the coolness of the night air is my favorite way to treat a pitta vitiation with sight.
4. SMELL: Aromatherapy works. There's a reason why diffusers, candles, and essential oils are so popular. It's because the sense of smell is extremely powerful. It can trigger emotions. Ayurveda considers aromatherapy an essential method of treating a dosha imbalance. Candles and oils are great, but plants, herbs and flowers are just as potent. Mint is a common herb that grows in many gardens. Putting freshly cut mint in a vase will help to bring pitta into balance by using the sense of smell.
5. SOUND: Think of how you feel when you listen to a heavy metal music album versus a soft jazz. There's a reason that sports teams don't listen to Kenny G before having to play a game. The sounds that we are exposed to on a regular basis will impact the elements within us, either helping to maintain balance, or create imbalance. If you are feeling pitta vitiated, it's not a good idea to blast a Metallica song on your stereo. The sounds of nature are excellent in helping alleviate a pitta vitiation. My favorite is the sound of the ocean, or a stream. Cool water puts out fire. Listening to the sounds of moving water, will bring forth the feelings of calm, coolness, and relaxation.
Do you think that you are Pitta? Do you think that you may be experiencing a pitta imbalance? If you have any questions about this, or ayurveda in general, please reach out. I would love to help you. As always, much love and namaste.
Sabrina