More isn't always better
Identifying patterns, taking responsibility, and making change
One of the things I value most about Ayurveda is how it teaches me to recognize my patterns and reasonably predict outcomes based on those patterns. Knowing that my original constitution is pitta-kapha gives me insight to what my tendencies are and what patterns to be on the look out for. It helps me course correct after I was, perhaps, a little unhinged during summer or continue making that choices that help me move closer to myself. In essence, it’s about taking responsibility for my actions and my energy…for my LIFE.
Pitta is the pattern of fire and water. It translates as “that which burns.” It’s responsible for digestion, metabolism, hormones, eyesight, ambition, drive, productivity, charisma, and other fiery qualities and processes. People with a lot of pitta are the Type A people who tend to overwork and overdo. They usually swing between two extremes of 0 to 100, from high energy to burnout, from avoiding “the thing” to doing it the most. They thrive on intensity and believe that more is always better (until they’re forced to slow down, rest, and recover…).
I know this first hand because I’ve lived this pattern, in really big ways and in much smaller ways. In college, I was studying real estate finance and development (one of very few women in the whole program), worked 3 jobs, trained for triathlons (placing first in my age group many times), and practiced Bikram yoga, while also partying, dating, and planning for life after college. Once I graduated, I worked at one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world, went from Bikram yoga to Baptiste, then studied to become a yoga teacher. My life was intense and having it any other way would’ve felt like failure.
Then I broke my finger right before my yoga teacher training (YTT) and had to have surgery. I was forced to slow down. I had to learn how to chop food and cook one-handed. My work was entirely dependent on typing and I had to put together reports with only one hand. I could only take the yin and restorative yoga classes to satisfy my YTT class requirement because I couldn’t apply any pressure to my hand nor get it damp in a hot, sweaty studio. And perhaps worst of all, I had to learn how to ask for help *cringe*
During those three months of being in a cast, I came face to face with a lot of my shadows, which turns out, are many of the lies that society has unconsciously imprinted onto us. Like how I believed…
the more I achieved, the more worthy I would be…yet, despite all my achievements, I still never felt good enough.
the more intense, the bigger the payoff.
if something was good for me, MORE of it would be better.
rest and slowing down was lazy, a waste of precious time that could be used to do something…anything.
And it’s because of the Ayurveda portion of my YTT that I realized: everything is a pattern. From the way nature cycles through seasons, and how those seasons have specific energies, and how those energies can cause certain imbalances which can be more or less prominent depending on one’s constitution. Or how each person has their own concentration of elements and those elements cause some people to be super creative and full of ideas, while others are great at strategizing and execution, and yet others have stamina and endurance to see things all the way through without burning out.
It’s what helped me understand on a visceral and spiritual level that because everything is a pattern, my actions have predictable outcomes and if I want a different outcome, I have to take different actions. If I continued to live an intense life, then I could reasonably predict how sometime in the future, I would be suffering from inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Or how, more recently, if I didn’t start working out and moving my body again, I would find myself suffering from a lack of purpose and conditions of stagnation.
SO, I’ve since learned that:
the medicine is in the dose.
too much of a good thing can become poison.
something is not for everyone, but there’s something for everyone.
And sometimes the patterns we find ourselves in aren’t because of anything we actually did and are instead just a naturally occurring season of life (looking at you perimenopause). Just as each of nature’s seasons is a pattern, so are life’s seasons.
Here are 3 simple “categories” of patterns which is very broad and not all encompassing but helpful nonetheless:
Degeneration and depletion. Things might feel like they’ve fallen apart lately and no matter what you do, you feel a soul deep weariness. It’s hard to find a rhyme or reason to what’s causing your current state because it seems to change day to day or there’s lots of moving pieces to it. Your ovulation or menstrual bleed might be irregular. Constipation, insomnia, dry skin, anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, and unpredictable energy levels are common symptoms for you. This primarily points to a vata imbalance.
Inflammation and infection. You’re experiencing a lot more heat in general. You’ve noticed that you’re quicker to anger than normal, hypercritical (of self and/or others), and often find yourself resentful. You find it difficult to turn off the to-do list mania and often struggle falling asleep because your mind continues to pick up speed like an avalanche. You may be struggling with skin issues like acne, hives, or rashes; recurrent infections like UTIs, yeast infections, or even toenail fungus; or heavy periods with shorter cycles and lots of clots. This primarily points to a pitta imbalance.
Congestion and stagnation. You might feel like you’re stuck in a rut with no clear path or ladder to climb out. Things just feel…stale and stagnant. The monotony is wearing on you and it’s been feeling like more than you can handle, causing you to withdraw and isolate yourself. You find yourself sleeping in when you can, sometimes til noon, and often have a really groggy, sluggish start to your day. You may be dealing with sinus or lung congestion, slow digestion, swelling of the joints or extremities, and menstrual cycles that are long (>35 days) with sticky period blood, dull but constant cramping, and extreme fatigue. This primarily points to a kapha imbalance.
And the simplest way to move in the direction of balance is to bring in opposite qualities.
If you’re noticing a pattern of depletion and degeneration, what do you need to replenish and regenerate?
If you’re noticing a pattern of inflammation and infection, what do you need to cleanse, soothe, and heal?
If you’re noticing a pattern of congestion and stagnation, what do you need to stimulate, inspire, flow?
I’m currently offering 30min Pay-What-You-Want Ayurveda consults every Wednesday. Book a time here then you’ll fill out a quick intake form that will help me determine your dosha and your current pattern of imbalance. Together, we’ll create a pathway towards balance with simple action steps. Come with a focus like hormones, period, skin, digestion and we’ll identify the pattern that’s caused it and the pattern to change it.