Our Physiologic Energy Patterns-Energy of Movement(VATA)
In the next three blogs we'll spend some time discussing the physiologic energy patterns that are observable in the universe and comprise our energy mindbodies. In the medical energy science of Ayurveda, there are three identifiable energy patterns in Nature. There is the energy of movement, that of transformation and the energy of stability. All three are necessary for Nature to function and for us as well.
They correspond to observable energy patterns in Nature. Vata is composed of pure potential and nuclear energies; Pitta with solar and chemical energies; and Kapha with chemical and mechanical energies. These energies "out there" become physiologically expressed "in here" and are therefore biological energies as well.
Energy of Movement Any activity in the physiology that has to do with movement is under the guise of the energy pattern Vata. The movement of blood, nerve impulses, food through the GI tract, movement of the mindbody through space are all gross or subtle movements. But as I have discussed in a previous blog, mind is a participatory field of energy inclusive of the body's energy field. So movement of thought is also part of the energy movement of Vata. Energy patterns have specific qualities and Vata has seven qualities which are dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile and clear.
What famous people do we know who exhibit the tendency to predominant Vata energy pattern? President Obama, Mick Jagger and Johnny Depp come to mind. They are thin, move a lot and are creative in their professions.
There is a tendency for people with a great deal of Vata energy pattern controlling their physiology to have dry, rough skin and large intestine linings which predispose them to constipation. They may have trouble being warm due to the cold quality. Vata tends to predispose to lots of activity due to the mobile quality. With the mobile quality they may have a lot of mental activity which can lead to distraction and lack of clarity. Those of us with cardiac rhythm disturbances happen to have too much Vata energy pattern. People with osteoporosis have too much Vata energy pattern in the bone tissue layer. Popping joints do so because they have dryness in their joints.
So how can we relate this to nutrition? If Vata people have the dry quality then adding more dry nutritionally would produce imbalance. So cooked foods would be preferable over dry and cold foods. Raw vegetables would bring about imbalance for Vata because they are rough. Vata finds it difficult to gain weight due to the light and mobile qualities. As a matter of fact, Vata does best with heavy foods such as dairy, meat and root vegetables to balance the qualities of light and mobile. To counter the dry quality using oily foods would be best.
By understanding the imbalancing nature of foods through their tastes and effects on our physiologies we can begin to nourish ourselves from an energetic standpoint. To good health DrBill
