Ayurveda and Aromatherapy

Ayurveda is the traditional medicine of India. More than 5,000 years old, Ayurveda has essential oils very present in many of its therapies and preparations. This medicine is based on the fact that the human body and mind are influenced by five basic senses: air, fire, water, earth and ether or "space." When two of these elements are combined, they form the so-called "doshas" or higher operating principles. The three doshas They receive the following names:

• VATA (ether and air): Controls movement, breathing, blood circulation, digestion and the central nervous system.
• PITTA (fire and water): Controls metabolism, the assimilation of food and water.
• KAPHA (earth and water): Controls the structure and formation of muscles, fat, bones and joints.

These three doshas are related to each other, in such a way that when one of the doshas becomes unbalanced with the other two, the same thing happens according to the constitution of each of them. In this way, by observing the symptoms and mental state, you can identify which dosha is unbalanced and look for the appropriate combination of essential oils to restore balance. For example, people with a lot of VATA move quickly, think quickly and have a nervous temperament; PITTA type people are mutable like the wind; and those of the KAPHA type tend to have a calm and realistic temperament. However, a person with the three predominant doshas can lean towards any of the doshas.

Positive and negative states of the body and mind associated with each dosha

• Balanced VATA state: Imaginative, sensitive, spontaneous, happy and adaptable.
• Imbalanced VATA State: Nervous tension, mood swings, scattered thoughts, insomnia, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, premenstrual syndrome, lack of attention, loss of concentration, muscle pain, hypersensitivity to noise, constipation, impatience, poor resistance , hypertension, intolerance to cold and windy weather.

• Balanced PITTA state: Intellectual, self-confident, enterprising and cheerful.
• Unbalanced PITTA state: Anger, hostility, violent outbursts, jealousy, self-criticism, resentment, controversy, tyrannical behavior, intolerance of delays, excessive hunger or thirst, hot flashes (during menopause), severe menstrual pain, heartburn, unpleasant body odor , intolerance to humid weather in summer or the electrically charged atmosphere before the storm.
• Balanced KAPHA state: Calm, indolent, courageous, forgiving and affectionate.
• Unbalanced KAPHA state: Mental slowness, lethargy, possessiveness, lightheadedness, depression, procrastination, inability to accept changes, seasonal emotional disorders (winter depression), premenstrual lassitude, menstrual fatigue, excessive sleeping, slow movements, colds, fluid retention, pain of the joints, heaviness of the limbs, frequent chills, intolerance to cold and humidity.

Aromas in Ayurveda

VATA Aromas: To balance VATA it is advisable to use warm, sweet and acidic aromas.

• Warm: Basil, bergamot, cardamom, cedar, cinnamon, clove, fennel, frankincense, ginger, marjoram, patchouli, vetiver.
• Sweets: Chamomile, grapefruit, tangerine, jasmine, lavender, orange, palmarosa, rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
• Acids: Lemon, lime.

PITTA aromas: In this case it is convenient to use sweet and fresh aromas. Some of the sweet scents can also be warm, such as cinnamon and fennel.

• Sweets: Bergamot, chamomile, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, geranium, jasmine, cardamom, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
• Cold: Cypress, lavender, mint, petitgrain, pine.

KAPHA aromas: To balance the KAPHA it is convenient to use a mixture of warm and spicy aromas. However, many of these oils are also classified as sweet and an excess of sweet aroma increases KAPHA. Therefore, a subordinate position must be maintained; for example, the sweeter aromas of bergamot, geranium and coriander, and also highlight pungent fragrances such as ginger, black pepper, rosemary and juniper.

• Warm: Basil, bergamot, cedar, coriander, incense, geranium, marjoram, myrrh, rosemary.
• Spicy: Black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, juniper.

Ayurvedic Marma Points

They are specific sites in the body that balance the doshas and their related health situations when oils are applied to them. The following table summarizes the main marma points for each dosha.