As many cities in the U.S. are beginning to re-open, and the days of sheltering in place will soon be coming to an end, you may be wondering what life after quarantine is going to look like, and what you can do to make sure that you are staying healthy, safe, and grounded.
The world as a whole is taking precautions, and the U.S. is urging states to be prepared whilst the white house gives guidelines around testing, health safety, and healthcare system capacity. (1)
It’s clear that we will be returning to a “new normal”, and for many of us, the thought of that is a bit unsettling.
What might you expect?
Will personal concerns come up?
How can you best take care of yourself to make sure you feel balanced?
Luckily, we have a 5,000+-year-old system that can give you powerful tips on how YOU can best reintegrate – according to your Dosha!
Read on to learn how Ayurveda can help you feel prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually as we collectively make our way back out into the world.
“When you become the master of your mind, you are the master of everything”
-Swami Sat Chit Ananda
Vata Dosha
The Vata Dosha governs movement and degeneration (i.e. depletion/exhaustion) in the body and shows up in the colon, joints, and throughout the bones and orifices in the body.
The main qualities of the Vata Dosha include:
- Dry
- Rough
- Light
- Cold
- Mobile
- Sporadic
- Scattered
Elements
Ether and Air
Mental Traits When in a State of:
Peace and Clarity: Creative, enthusiastic, inspired, truthful, genuine.
Agitation: Nervous, anxious, manic, worrisome, fearful, indecisive.
Stagnancy: Depressed, prone to addiction, may experience suicidal thoughts, shiny object syndrome, mental imbalance.
Main Concerns You May Have about Re-integrating into society when you are Vata predominant:
- Feelings of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty around returning to your daily life and routines.
- A sense of worry about being in large crowds or new rules that are being put in place.
- If you developed depression while being stuck at home, you may be lacking motivation around returning to social settings and interactions. That’s OK!
- You may feel nervous about expressing your boundaries around social distancing to your peers in fear of judgment.
- Fear around the possibilities of contracting coronavirus could translate to obsessive hand washing, sanitizing, and isolation. While these are great measures to take for safety, it may start to feel like it’s hindering you from the possibility of living a normal life.
- You might notice your anxiety increases when you see others not taking the same precautions you are taking to stay safe.
Vata-Pacifying Tips for Reintegration and Balance
Use the Power of Mantra:
- I am safe inside myself and in my surroundings.
- I trust myself to make the right decisions for me.
- I am doing the best I can to stay healthy and safe.
- I am enough.
- I am grounded in this present moment.
- In this moment, I am well and I can be grateful for that.
Color Therapy:
Use color therapy by wearing colors like red (root chakra power!), yellow (self-trust and personal boundaries), orange (connection with others), blue (calming), green (soothing), or white (purifying). Also, you can place these colors around your environment.
Eat Grounding and Nourishing Foods:
A great ayurvedic breakfast for Vata types include a warm bowl of oatmeal (with ghee and nut or seed butter) that is both nourishing and grounding.
You might also try having warm soup for lunch or heating up some hearty root vegetables like carrots, yams, or turnips for dinner.
Try Yoga:
Incorporating a yin yoga, restorative, or Iyengar yoga practice into your routine once or twice a week is a great way to find peace, balance, and clarity.
Self-care:
Try doing self-massage (abhyanga) to help you feel grounded.
Abhyanga is a warm oil massage for the body, mind, and joints which can be done in the morning before you start your day. You will feel that it is a great way to relax the body and ground the mind and spirit when you do it at night.
Check out my Free Ayurvedic Massage Guide!
It’s Important to Remember:
With “deranged” or imbalanced Vata, there is excess air in the mind which can cause you to feel as though your worries and fears are whirling around like an uncontrollable storm. While it doesn’t feel like it, this is a normal reaction for Vata.
Remember to be gentle, loving, and kind towards yourself as you do what it takes to ground and soothe your energy. Believe that you are loved and that you create your own safety through speaking your truth and knowing your boundaries. This will help you approach reintegration from a more peaceful and practical place.
Pitta Dosha
Pitta Dosha governs the metabolic energies of the body. It’s seated in the stomach, liver, spleen, and gall bladder.
The main qualities of the Pitta Dosha include:
- Oily
- Sharp
- Hot
- Light
- Fleshy Smell
- Spreading
- Liquid
Elements
Fire and Water
Mental Traits When in a State of:
Peace and Clarity: Physical and mental strength, natural leadership mentality, clear and perceptive thinker, spiritual, passionate, great teacher, highly intelligent, warmth.
Agitation: Prone to anger, judgmental, controlling, jealous, a tendency to be contradicting, and “right.”
Stagnancy: Prone to violence, hateful thoughts, vindictive, hurtful, will often address others with a sharp tongue.
Main Concerns You May Have About Re-integrating Back into Society when you are Pitta predominant:
- Feelings of anger and disappointment in the face of false or confusing information.
- Judgments may come up around others and their fears around social interactions and being in close proximity, especially if their beliefs don’t align with your own.
- You may feel like revolting against the new rules set in place because you feel smothered or held down by them. This could lead to rebellion and before you know it, you’re looking for the next protest to join in on!
- There is a possibility that you find yourself being more aggressive than usual about asserting your own boundaries around social distancing.
- You may not feel any fear at all because you have taken the time to do intensive research around the virus and your knowledge has allowed you to cultivate a sense of safety within.
Tips for Reintegration and Balance:
Use the Power of Mantra:
- I choose to honor the views of others, even if they are not my own.
- I am cool and calm in the face of adversity.
- I have faith that this too shall pass.
- I use my strength to be of service to others.
Color Therapy:
Cooling colors like white (purifying), blue (cooling), or green (soothing) are great to incorporate into your wardrobe, jewelry, or surroundings on those days when you feel a bit hot-tempered.
Keeping Yourself Nourished and Well-Fed:
For the Pitta Dosha, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
In fact, it’s important not to skip any meals because the term “hangry” is very real thing for a Pitta dominant person!
To make sure you are able to keep yourself balanced throughout the day, pack snacks, and make sure you pause to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Set a reminder in your phone if you need to!
Cooling foods like cucumbers, avocados, sprouts, baked red potatoes, fresh mangos, red organic grapes, and pears are great choices for you.
Exercise:
The #1 way for Pitta types to blow off steam is to get the body moving. Try a burst of vinyasa flow yoga for 20 minutes or go for a run or bike ride to get your blood pumping and bring you to a place of balance.
Self-care Tips:
Give yourself space and time to cool down and unplug from social media and screens. Do this by taking time and space for yourself to go out in nature, breathe in the fresh air and spend time in silence.
It’s Important to Remember:
While Pitta is typically able to rise above fear, the aggravation of the news and the chatter on social media may cause you to feel annoyed, angry, or even antisocial.
You may also find yourself wanting to express your opinions in a way that comes off as a bit aggressive towards others. While it’s okay to feel passionate, make sure that you are also being mindful of the humans that exist on the other end of the screen.
Tap into your unique ability to show compassion and try to see things from a different perspective by turning your fire into your passion! Consider spearheading initiatives in your workplace or community to make sure people are staying safe and getting their needs met.
Kapha Dosha
The Kapha Dosha governs the lungs and heart which gives the most love and affection but can also be very attached and prone to depression.
The main qualities of the Kapha Dosha include:
- Heavy
- Wet
- Cool
- Smooth
- Static
- Dense
- Soft
Elements
Earth and Water
Mental Traits When in a State of:
Peace and Clarity: Nurturing, calm, peaceful, compassionate, loving, jolly, generous, forgiving, great caregivers.
Agitation: Attached or obsessive, possessive, stubborn, prone to holding a grudge.
Stagnancy: Glutenous, lethargic, low self-esteem, lack of motivation.
Main Concerns You May Have about Re-integrating into Society when you are Kapha predominant:
- Feelings of lethargy around going back to your regular life and schedule.
- There may be a fear around not having enough masks or hand sanitizer in the workplace. This could cause you to be the one in the office that is keeping a secret stash in your desk drawer.
- You may feel a sense of control over others when it comes to making sure that social distancing rules are being followed.
- You may have a hard time accepting new rules around interaction and social distancing in the workplace or find it hard to implement them for yourself, as Kapha types are not typically fond of change.
- You may find it challenging to talk about your true feelings around the difficulties you are experiencing adapting to change.
Tips for Reintegration:
Use the Power of Mantra:
- There are enough resources for everyone, including me.
- I am open to change and capable of adapting.
- It is safe for me to share my feelings with others.
- I am deserving of support.
- I am enough.
Color Therapy:
You may find yourself in need of a pick me up. Try incorporating bright, stimulating colors like yellows, oranges, gold, and red into your clothing and environment.
Balancing Diet for Kapha Dosha:
Favor light food choices over dense ones.
Incorporate bitter and pungent foods like lettuce, peppers, and dark leafy greens.
Adding foods and drinks that are astringent in taste is also a good idea. Try adding a hot cup of green tea to your breakfast or sip on ginger-hibiscus tea throughout the day.
If you find that after quarantine, you are feeling a bit more heavy and lethargic than usual, consider intermittent fasting once or twice a week or more.
Self-Care Tips:
Lighten up your mood by putting on your favorite playlist when you get home and sing like nobody’s listening!
Also, add some vigorous exercise into your weekly routine to get your blood flowing. This is a great way to move and release stagnant energy.
It’s Important to Remember:
Your truest nature is to be caring, kind, loving, and stable. Oftentimes, people look to you to be the pillar of truth and practicality.
You are able to bring people a sense of calm in times of chaos. Use your love as your superpower during these times of uncertainty and share your energy with those in need.
Consider doing acts of service like helping your neighbor start a garden or picking up groceries for the elderly. This will lighten your spirit as well as someone’s day.
We’re All In This Together!
Getting to the root of how you feel can make a huge difference in how you handle your day to day life.
My hope is that this article has helped you to feel more at ease around returning to life after quarantine.
Feel free to share what’s been coming up for you below. I want this space to be your community of love, safety, and support.
If you aren’t quite clear on what your Ayurvedic blueprint is, but you want to make sure you’re ready to get back out into the world with a solid plan for self-care, take my Free Dosha Quiz today!
