In Western thought, we typically separate the functions of mind and body. We are accustomed to thinking of illness as being either physical or psychological. In Ayurvedic thought, we perceive all illness as involving both mind and body. Physical changes affect mental processes. Likewise, our emotions and thoughts affect our physical functions. The body follows the mind and the mind follows the body. Whatever you attach to mentally will manifest itself in your body. By knowing your underlying mental state, you can understand what dosha is likely to be causing imbalances in your health.
Dreams provide clues for Ayurvedic practitioners about the mental and emotional states of a person. Paying attention to your own dreams is one way that you can learn about what dosha needs to be balanced for you. Below are some tips to help you practice your own dream
analysis.
First, a review:
Unbalanced Vata causes people to dream about fearful situations and flying. Such dreams include: flying through the air, becoming a bird, being in an airplane, being alone, people chasing you, your romantic partner leaving you, betrayal, any dream scenario in which you feel frightened, insecure, or lonely.
Unbalanced Pitta causes dreams that relate to image, conflict, and career. Such dream scenarios include: being late for something, showing up to an event or place wearing no clothing or being inappropriately dressed, your physical appearance suddenly changing, dreaming about your job, failing a test, fire, physical fights, arguments, war, and violence.
Unbalanced Kapha causes dreams that are full of water and indulgence. Unbalanced Kapha causes dreams such as seeing your own death, drowning, eating lots of sugary foods, or being unable to move quickly.
If you cannot remember your dreams, try this exercise for one week. Each night before you go to bed, state this intention out loud three times, “I will remember my dreams.”
The following week, you will likely begin to remember parts of your dreams, if not all of them.
Dreams provide clues for Ayurvedic practitioners about the mental and emotional states of a person. Paying attention to your own dreams is one way that you can learn about what dosha needs to be balanced for you. Below are some tips to help you practice your own dream
analysis.
First, a review:
Unbalanced Vata causes people to dream about fearful situations and flying. Such dreams include: flying through the air, becoming a bird, being in an airplane, being alone, people chasing you, your romantic partner leaving you, betrayal, any dream scenario in which you feel frightened, insecure, or lonely.
Unbalanced Pitta causes dreams that relate to image, conflict, and career. Such dream scenarios include: being late for something, showing up to an event or place wearing no clothing or being inappropriately dressed, your physical appearance suddenly changing, dreaming about your job, failing a test, fire, physical fights, arguments, war, and violence.
Unbalanced Kapha causes dreams that are full of water and indulgence. Unbalanced Kapha causes dreams such as seeing your own death, drowning, eating lots of sugary foods, or being unable to move quickly.
If you cannot remember your dreams, try this exercise for one week. Each night before you go to bed, state this intention out loud three times, “I will remember my dreams.”
The following week, you will likely begin to remember parts of your dreams, if not all of them.
The Practice of Dream Journaling
My most influential meditation teacher was a Tibetan monk named Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen. The first thing he said to me about meditation was, “Meditation does not mean think about nothing. Meditation means tame your mind.”
Taming the mind means training the mind to be in harmony with the body. A tame mind is thinking about what the body is doing. A
tame mind can also become quiet enough to gain insights into spiritual matters, healing, and your life’s purpose. Dream journaling is a wonderful meditative practice that can help to tame the mind through learning about underlying mental and emotional states.
To practice dream journaling, keep a small notebook next to your bed. When you wake up each morning, quickly jot down notes about your dreams from the night before. Over time, you will be able to notice emotional patterns for yourself that show themselves in your dreams. These patterns will let you know what dosha tends to be out of balance for you, and also which emotions you are likely storing in your body. Emotions are important to work through and let go rather than to repress and store. Stored emotions manifest later in life as physical illness in specific body parts. For example, a woman who has a traumatic relationship with her mother can develop reproductive health issues.
Once you learn what dosha correlates with your mental patterns, you can take action to help balance that dosha. Eating a dosha-balancing diet calms the dominant dosha and helps to balance both mind and body.
My most influential meditation teacher was a Tibetan monk named Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen. The first thing he said to me about meditation was, “Meditation does not mean think about nothing. Meditation means tame your mind.”
Taming the mind means training the mind to be in harmony with the body. A tame mind is thinking about what the body is doing. A
tame mind can also become quiet enough to gain insights into spiritual matters, healing, and your life’s purpose. Dream journaling is a wonderful meditative practice that can help to tame the mind through learning about underlying mental and emotional states.
To practice dream journaling, keep a small notebook next to your bed. When you wake up each morning, quickly jot down notes about your dreams from the night before. Over time, you will be able to notice emotional patterns for yourself that show themselves in your dreams. These patterns will let you know what dosha tends to be out of balance for you, and also which emotions you are likely storing in your body. Emotions are important to work through and let go rather than to repress and store. Stored emotions manifest later in life as physical illness in specific body parts. For example, a woman who has a traumatic relationship with her mother can develop reproductive health issues.
Once you learn what dosha correlates with your mental patterns, you can take action to help balance that dosha. Eating a dosha-balancing diet calms the dominant dosha and helps to balance both mind and body.