A few weeks ago in our post about a kapha-balancing diet, we shared how kapha is the dosha with the fewest diseases associated. Kapha’s earth and water elements are stable by nature and less prone to go out of balance than vata’s air or pitta’s fire. This is why people with dominant kapha in their constitutions tend to live long, healthy lives. However, one factor can easily aggravate kapha, and it is quite common in our modern lifestyle: sedentary living.
End kapha imbalance with a different way of living
It used to be that people moved their bodies as part of a normal day. We walked instead of drove, we worked with our hands instead of at a computer and we cooked instead of tapping the microwave button. This meant that movement was a natural part of the human experience. We were leaner, more mentally alert and attuned to the world around us. There was no other way to be.
It’s true that modern conveniences have given us more time in our days, but most people have chosen to fill it by sitting in front of a television and eating too often. This has led to a significant increase in weight gain (and the backup of toxins that come with it), mental dullness and emotional inertia. These signs of kapha imbalance have an impact far beyond the individual -- the physical, mental and emotional numbness that comes with a sedentary lifestyle results in us giving up our power to governments and corporations. Sedentary living, and kapha imbalance, clouds our connection to the God of our hearts, the place where we are able to make decisions that benefit our highest good.
It’s time for a new lifestyle, one that allows for a full expression of who we really are. This comes when we tap into the power of our physical bodies through daily movement, sharpen our minds by engaging in the world around us and tune into our emotions so we can be more present in life. By making small changes in how you live, you will release the inertia that pulls you toward the couch and experience the positive qualities of kapha, such as compassion, love and nurturing.
Lifestyle tips to balance kapha dosha
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Move your body. Moving your body in a sattvic manner each day creates lightness and energy to balance kapha’s heavy, dense qualities. But that doesn’t mean spending three hours at the gym each day. It’s as simple as getting up once an hour from your computer, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and enjoying a 10-minute walk after a meal. Yoga asana is especially powerful as a daily practice (we’ll share a kapha-balancing asana sequence next month). Just 15 minutes each morning upon rising is a great daily routine. Make movement a part of your daily routine and kapha will stay happy.
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Meditate. It may feel contradictory to sit still now that you know about the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, but meditation is great for kapha. This dosha’s dull, heavy qualities are balanced by welcoming light, subtle energy that comes from meditation. Connecting to your inner self on a regular basis will illuminate a much deeper level of existence than the physical density of your body.
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Sleep enough, but not too much. People with a lot of kapha dosha in their constitution enjoy deep, healing sleep. But when imbalanced, kapha can crave too much sleep, which leads to tamas, or dullness and inertia. Make it a practice to get about 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Be sure to wake before 6:00 a.m. before the kapha time of day begins. After this time, getting out of bed becomes harder and you will feel heavier through the day.
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Release attachment. Kapha dosha is responsible for the sweet and caring emotions that we all enjoy in life. But when it is imbalanced, kapha creates attachment to emotions, experiences and material goods. Make a practice of recognizing feelings and attachments as they arise. Acknowledge them, then let go. The free download of our Intuitive Energy Practice basic tools offers a few simple techniques that you can use to clear your space of anything that is holding you down in life.
While most people have two doshas that are dominant, it’s helpful to remember that all three are present in your body and each one needs tending. The key is maintaining balance of all three doshas in relationship to one another. Don’t overdo anything -- work toward a sattvic lifestyle that allows for the proper flow of prana and all three doshas will find their groove.