Cleansing At Different Phases of Life
In Ayurveda, a full life is divided into three energetic phases of life – Kapha, Pitta and Vata. Each energy has a dominating quality, movement and function. While each one is inter-related with the other, the overall tone of these phases of life is characterized by the natural excitement of these energies.
When we are young, birth- teen years we are growing our body, our mind, our sense of self. This is because the Kapha energy, the Water and Earth qualities of building, saturating, flowing and holding together are active and dominate. As we enter adulthood, in our twenties to mid-fifties, the energy shifts to Pitta. As Kapha is more developed and less energy goes into growing the body Kapha ebbs and Pitta, the energy of transformation, mental creativity, the drive to create and contribute to family and community takes the lead. As we enter our mid-fifties, the energy shifts once again, releasing Pitta of the lead and letting Vata come forward. Vata energy is about lightness, creativity in a more abstract way, it is letting go of holding on and letting in the unknowable. Vata energy carries us to the end of our life and with its spiritual lightness carries the energy of our heart onward.
Ayurveda takes each phase of life and the uniqueness of our souls and life stories as fundamental directives for health, healing and wellbeing. Without taking these experiences into account, Ayurveda would have no ground to exist on. This is the fundamental difference between the western approach to medicine and health and this holistic approach of Ayurveda.
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Pillars of Health
Cleansing is one of the pillars of Ayurveda. Found to be effective at improving health and quality of life, cleansing is routinely advised by ayurvedic clinicians. The details of the cleanse are always tailored to the person’s state of being and this includes the time of life they are in.
Kapha Time of Life and Common Experiences & Cleansing
For those in the kapha time of their life, birth – teens, there are common conditions that arise due to this natural energy as well as conditions of the culture. In the US we are seeing the rise of depression and obesity, in addition to acne and social troubles in teens. As our culture continues to adjust to the rapid social changes that technology is driving, teens are experiencing changes in cognitive development, attention span, and self-esteem. The building, saturating, flowing and holding together functions of Kapha can easily become disrupted and adversely affect healthy development of young people. A time of life that has an affinity for trust and relationship building, person to person learning, and physical movement is being challenged by technology. The emotional challenges young people face have an nter-dependent relationship with their physiology as the processes of detoxing systems can be compromised, further reeling emotional imbalances and manifesting in physical symptoms.
Under such challenges, seasonal cleansing can be beneficial in restoring Kapha’s natural strength. While each person receives a tailored cleanse program, the intention of nourishing Kapha and stabilizing that energy as the center is classical for anyone of this age group.
A Kapha time of life cleanse would focus on optimizing the digestive and metabolic system. This is done by supporting the function of the stomach to effectively break down food, support the spleen to further transform food into nourishment and stimulating the liver and gallbladder to remove toxins.
Pitta Time of Life and Common Experiences & Cleansing
As someone ages into the Pitta time of life – twenties to mid-fifties- conditions that took root in the Kapha time can carry over and manifest into other conditions. We see this reflected in depression and obesity rates and the onset of hypertension. Additionally, we are facing cultural challenges as infertility rates rise, workforce falls, and economic instability. All this can reduce Pitta’s natural power from creative expansion into frustration and anger. At a time in our life when our energy is ripe for creating a meaningful life, implementing ideas, creating and contributing to a family and community, we are being challenged at every turn. These stressors reorient our mind to survival and Pitta’s natural strength to transform can be compromised into stagnation, leading to accumulation of toxins, inner pressure and unhealthy habits.
When heaviness gathers, it can be difficult to move things as they need to – be it thoughts, feelings, or nourishment. A seasonal cleanse for someone in a Pitta time of their life can be helpful in supporting Pitta’s natural ability to transform, process and discern.
A Pitta time of life cleanse would focus on optimizing functions that require heat. Heat is the catalyst, as well as the by-product, of all physiological processes. When there is too much heat because the body does not properly release it, or mis regulates how much is created, we can have experiences such as acid reflux, feeling hot, agitation, restlessness, irritability, and heightened sensitivity that can aggravate symptoms of allergies of food intolerances.
A cleanse for this time of life can focus on regulating the agni, (digestive fire), enzymatic function to restore effective processing, as well as support the metabolic system. Ensuring regular elimination is essential for Pitta to keep heat regulated as well as toxins from building up in our tissues and energy channels. Regular elimination also helps our mind focus on creating and less on what has already broken down. This is valuable especially during this time of life as mental creativity, intellectual maturation and expression are hallmarks of Pitta energy.
Cleanses would focus on regulating heat, enzymatic function, digestive fire, transformation and assimilation of food and life experiences.
Vata Time of Life and Common Experiences & Cleansing
As we near our mid-fifties we feel the energy begin to change once again as quality of Vata becomes dominate, and Kapha and Pitta become more supportive of the Vata expression. For many in our modern culture, this is felt as a radical shift that can be difficult to cope with. Previous times of life were marked by growth, development, and a sense of purpose rooted in becoming someone. Vata moves us with radical insight to let go. As we feel our body shift with time, changing its capacity and ability, our mind shifting from concrete analyzing to more abstract knowing, we can easily feel a loss of purpose, sense of self and efficacy. It is often a time of life when our family changes as children have grown into adults and moved into careers or family life that sets them apart from us. Or when we start to lose loved ones to illness or
injury. For many, Vata time of life can be deeply lonely and painful.
The cornerstone of Vata energy is the profound wisdom that comes from the direct experience of letting go of holding on and letting in the unknowable. It is the wisdom of knowing the inter-relationship of all things, feeling in your body the culmination of transformation is inherently purification and preparation for the more subtle part of yourself to be free. It is knowing beyond the mind and is the resonance of Love beyond feeling. As life comes to its final transformation, it is the powerful gift of Vata to unfold this unparalleled experience within us.
As we gain the experience of profound letting go, we are inclined to become colder and dryer. We can experience this in varying kinds of joint pains, digestive stagnations, memory challenges, dry skin and slower movements and processes. A cleanse during the Vata time of life focuses on integration and harmony by softening, warming, lubricating, softening tissues. The perspective is not focused on changing or correcting imbalance but rather expanding the ability to accept what is and find meaningful peace with it. In this way Ayurveda shows its respect for the course of nature and the specialness of each soul’s journey.
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Conclusion
Cleansing is a profound tool for longevity, wellness of heart, peace of mind and vitality of body. It is best practiced regularly and intentionally with the guidance of a skilled practitioner of ayurveda. Each cleanse is unique reflecting the person’s nature, their life stories, and the time of their life. Cleansing appropriately for each phase of life can help us honor the natural flow of our life energy allowing us a deeply intimate, meaningful, loving and mindful relationship with ourself and our life experience.
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