Vata dosha is a combination of Air and Ether elements; it is cold and dry, irregular and agile, so to bring it back to balance you need to use essential oils with the properties that reduce Vata’s natural tendencies.
Choose oils that have sweet, warm and sour aromas. According to Deepak Chopra, the most suitable oils for Vata dosha are: Basil, Rose, Clove, Geranium, Orange, Vanilla, and Patchouli. You can also use camphor, cardamom, bay leaf, eucalyptus, ginger, thyme, lavender, cinnamon, chamomile, bergamot, rosewood, lemongrass, myrrh, tangerine, sandalwood, sweet orange and ylang ylang.
Since pure essential oils are quite powerful, it is advised to dilute them with carrier oils before applying on your skin.
Good carrier oils are: sesame, castor, avocado, olive oil, jojoba or grape seed oil.
If you are pregnant, consult with a physician before using any of these oils.
How To Use Essential Oils To Balance Vata Dosha?
Aromatherapy is the common way to use them. Add 10 drops of essential oil to hot water, and let the scent fill the place for around 30 minutes.
There are other ways to extract the aroma: through the use of candles or portable diffusers.
Another way is to place a drop of oil on the back of your hand or wrist, so that you can inhale it from time to time.
You can try various combinations of the essential oils for Vata dosha to unlock your best blends.
Massage is an important part of the ayurvedic therapy. It helps to relax muscles, improve their tone, increase blood circulation and lymph flow. Your mental stress and physical tension can also be relieved by a good massage.
To enhance the positive effect, dilute an appropriate essential oil in carrier oil before applying to the skin. The common proportion is about 20-30 drops of essential oil per 60ml or 4 tablespoons of carrier oil. If your skin is too sensitive, you may want to reduce the amount to 10-15 drops per 60 ml.
Using Oil on Your Face
Facial skin is gentler so smaller amount of oil is usually required. To apply oil to your face, dilute 3-5 drops to 1 ounce (30ml) of carrier oil (good options are jojoba and almond oil).
To make a facial mask, prepare a mixture of oatmeal, clay and water with a smooth texture, and add 2-4 drops of essential oil to it, then use it on your face.
Another way is to create a facial steam bath. It’s very simple: just prepare 2 liters of hot water, add 2 drops of oil to it, and hang your face over the water to let the steam wrap your face gently.
Oil for the Body
Taking bath is a good way to balance Vata dosha, and if you add some oil to it the overall effect will be even better. For a full tub use 5-15 drops of essential oil and up to 5 drops will be enough for a sitz bath.
Dilute an essential oil to a carrier oil, raw organic honey or mix it with bath salts to help the oil disperse in the water (otherwise it may stay on the water’s surface).
To use oil after the shower, put it on your hands, and rub them together and quickly spread the oil all over your body while the skin is still damp. Leave it to dry.
Since our feet contain lots of important acupressure points, keeping them healthy will affect the whole body. The skin on our feet can absorb nutrients and healing substances pretty quickly, so you can add 3-5 drops of oil to a bowl of water, and use to bath your feet or hands. Such baths are helpful for relieving aching joints or problems with the circulation. If you use cool water it can energize you; warm water promotes better relaxation.