Aging is natural. Suffering is not.
Night sweats, hot flashes, thinning hair, weight gain, dry skin, insomnia, irritability, loss of libido, joint stiffness, vaginal dryness, gastrointestinal issues and inability to focus, just to name a few, are often blamed on hormonal imbalances as women age. Hormones are the chemical messengers that coordinate different functions in the body and naturally fluctuate, surge and lessen, depending on our stage of life. And, while fluctuating hormones are natural, that does NOT mean that our suffering is inevitable.
Throughout our lifetime, we are a hormonal soup with a variety of ingredients…this is natural. But, when we experience symptomatic dis-comfort or dis-ease, that is a sign something is off.
A symptom is our Body’s way of communicating an imbalance. And dis-comfort caused by natural hormonal changes can often be addressed by understanding the elemental qualities within ourselves, as well as the qualities of the stage of life we are living.
Ayurveda divides the human lifespan into stages.
- Kapha stage: 0-16 yrs. Childhood. Time of growth, building and learning.
- Pitta stage: 16-40 yrs. Adolescence and Adulthood. Time of change, transformation, achievement and accomplishment,
- Vata stage: 40-99yrs. Aging. Time of letting go and transitioning,
Each of these stages has a dosha that presides over it, bringing the elemental qualities into play. These doshic qualities combined with our Prakriti (our nature) and vikriti (imbalance) can help to identify a solution to the symptomic imbalance.
Aging is inevitable. Harmony is possible.
As a yoga therapist, if I can determine a client’s current stage of life, dosha (constitution), and elements of the symptom, I can prescribe tools for Balance.
Food, exercise, herbs, oils, vitamins and minerals, lifestyle choices as well as particular types of asana (poses), pranayama (breathing) and meditation, are some of the ways in which I can offer a counter measure to the symptom. These tools cannot rectify imbalances in a day or even a week, but it can be done with time. Consistency, inquiry, reflection and a willingness to heal over a period of time, will provide lasting results and an easier transition through this stage we call Life.
