Category: ayurveda

The Middle Path, Balanced Doshas, and the Yoga That Flows From Simplicity

I have been observing something again and again, not from books but from life, body, sensation and inner process. Ayurveda says that Vata, Pitta and Kapha — the three doshas — tend to stay in equilibrium in a healthy person. When Vata increases, which means when activity or chanchalta rises in the system, heat also rises. This heat is nothing but Pitta. And when this heat gets too much, the body tries to cool itself down by producing Kapha, which is mucous, moisture or heaviness. If you observe this cycle carefully, this is the picture of disease, of inflammation, or imbalance in any part of the body. It could be in the stomach, joints, mind, or nerves. It starts with overactivity, turns into heat, and then ends in fluid or swelling. I have noticed this rhythm silently playing out in me, in others, in animals, in nature. It is not a theory anymore, but a felt reality.

Modern science also does the same thing but with its own language. Antibiotics try to kill the bacteria that are drawn to the body when agitation is high. Antipyretics try to cool down the heat, the fever that is nothing but excess Pitta. Anti-inflammatory medicines try to reduce the fluid buildup or swelling that comes with Kapha’s reaction. So the difference is only in the way of addressing. Modern medicine tries to suppress what’s already expressed. But Ayurveda tries to stop the doshas from becoming unbalanced in the first place. That is the only real difference.

This leads to a deeper understanding. Like attracts like. When there is inner restlessness, bacteria that feed on restlessness find a place to thrive. When agitation is controlled at the root, these bacteria may not even be attracted. The soil of imbalance is gone. I believe that is the true prevention. Pitta is not just heat, it also includes inflammation, injury, and inner burning of tissues and mind. When this goes out of hand, modern medicines suppress it by anti-inflammatories. But in this suppression, they subdue all Pitta, even the good one that maintains digestion and intelligence. They cool it too much, which leads to problems.

Similarly, in states of vata dosha dominated agitation or frustration, the mind can lose its natural awareness, making one prone to mishaps or accidents or one goes into quarrel with others. Such incidents often lead to bodily injuries, which in turn generate inflammatory heat and secretions—manifestations of aggravated Pitta and Kapha. When fever persists without proper recovery, the body may eventually shift toward a cold, sinking temperature, a sign of deep Kapha imbalance, sometimes preceding death. This sequence reflects the deeper truth that Vata dosha is often the root imbalance that disturbs and triggers the other two doshas—Pitta and Kapha. However it’s not so always. In intellectuals, vata dosha may be starting dosha, because they mostly have uprising energy that may unground them. In drug addict type people, cough dosha may be main cause. In angry type people, pitta dosha may be main culprit. As most of the people in general public are intellectual types to keep today’s sophisticated society running smoothly, so I think vata dosha may be main culprit in them. That’s why they regularly need proper grounding. Social ceremonies, entertainments, festivals, fares, tours and travels probably serve the same purpose. Kaph dominated sleepy and heavy people need stimulants like tea, coffee etc. that increases vata of mindfulness and pitta of energetic activity. Pitta dominated violence loving people are itself attracted towards depressants like alcohol etc to counteract excess pitta with kaph. These are just examples, and there are different types of methods so called good and bad to balance doshas in the society, but we call them habit or instinct of people, however they are basically driven by the hidden longing to balance the three doshas or three gunas. It’s the same thing, guna becoming it’s opposite that’s dosha if unbalanced. Therefore, in such destabilized states, rest, grounding, and centering practices as per the condition are essential. The methods used should be appropriate to the individual’s condition—gentle yet effective. Some practitioners, especially those seeking rapid grounding, may resort to the use of Panchamakara (the five Tantric elements) in a disciplined and conscious manner. These are traditionally known to anchor energy quickly and deeply, bringing one back to balance when used wisely.

Ayurveda is not just herbs. It is intimately tied with Yoga. Yoga only becomes real when all three doshas are in balance. Not too much, not too little. How can anyone do Yoga with a heavy body, or a restless body, or a heated body? In modern medicine, when Vata-type uprising acidity like GERD is treated with antacids, they may cool the acid-fire but they create drowsiness, heaviness, a Kapha-like dullness. Vata type uprising is still there, only acid-pitta has been subdued. When pain and fever of Pitta origin are suppressed with drugs, they again affect the stomach, lead to dryness, bloating or more Vata or pitta originated in new form of stomach acid. Means one form of pitta subdued but new form of pitta is originated. It’s like moving fire from one furnase to another. One imbalance leads to another. It’s a cycle of managing reactions, not removing the cause. Ayurveda simply tells us to avoid oily, spicy, hard-to-digest food that causes all these doshas to go out of balance in the first place. Simple living is more than enough to prevent most suffering.

But to be honest, it’s not completely one-sided. I’ve experienced that lower steps of Yoga like Karma Yoga, Anasakti Yoga, or even glimpses of nondual clarity can come back faster with modern medicine too. Sometimes more effectively than Ayurveda. This is because modern medicine can quickly lift you out of tamas or inertia. A painkiller, or a sleeping pill, or a nerve relaxant can temporarily stop the heaviness and let the mind reflect or detach. But these are lower stairs. When one climbs higher in Yoga, like pranayama or subtle meditation, then modern medicine becomes too rough. It disturbs the subtle rhythms. That’s where the Ayurvedic lifestyle becomes necessary. I have not yet achieved the higher states of Yoga permanently. I have touched some glimpses through direct experience — where the ‘I’ dissolved for a few seconds, and bliss filled the brain. But I pulled back. I lowered the experience consciously. So I am not claiming any Samadhi. I am still learning. Still trying.

From this place of honest limitation, I wonder — what happens when a dosha is too low, not too high. This is never discussed much. But I feel it matters deeply. If Vata is too low, there is no enthusiasm. Energy cannot rise. Breath becomes dull. Meditation has no inspiration. If Pitta is too low, there is no drive to transform. Asanas feel lifeless. Digestion becomes too weak. If Kapha is low, the person becomes ungrounded, anxious, too light. No anchor to sit in silence. No strength to hold a steady state. So Yoga is not about reducing doshas. It’s about keeping each one just enough. Only when they are in balance — not excess, not deficient — can true Yoga begin.

Vata is needed to lift energy and imagination. Pitta is needed to give heat and fire for action. Kapha is needed for grounding and stillness. If any one is missing, Yoga practice becomes dry, painful, scattered, or incomplete. This understanding changed how I look at daily life. Now I don’t just avoid excess. I also notice what is lacking and try to nourish that. If my mind is too floaty, I bring Kapha back with warm food and stillness. If I feel dull, I stimulate gently to bring back Pitta and Vata.

Then I asked myself, if Ayurveda always taught this middle balancing way, then why is the middle path credited to the Buddha? The answer became clear through contemplation. Ayurveda taught balance for health. Yoga aimed for inner stillness by refining energy. But Buddha took it deeper. He turned this balance into a path to liberation. He said neither indulgence nor denial leads to freedom. Only balance in thought, action, and even breath can free the mind from suffering. So he didn’t invent the middle path — he discovered its deepest spiritual meaning and made it accessible beyond the Vedic system.

Yoga, on the other hand, says even Sattva has to be transcended. That we must go beyond the three gunas — Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. But how can that happen unless we first balance them? I have seen this in myself. When Rajas is too much, I feel over-driven. When Tamas is high, I feel dull and lazy. Even Sattva, when I cling to it, makes me feel proud or isolated. So first, the lifestyle has to balance the gunas. Then only they can cancel each other out, and the mind rests in silence. The outer balance becomes the doorway to inner stillness. However, it’s other thing that Savikalpa samadhi and its peak as awakening is achieved with pure and boundless sattva guna but later on it also need to be discarded or cancelled out to enter nirvikalp samadhi.

This is not imagination. It is an ongoing, unfinished journey I live daily. I am not beyond gunas. I still fall into excess or deficiency. But I’ve started to notice more quickly. And Yoga is becoming more natural when I eat better, breathe gently, sleep with rhythm, and avoid overstimulation. I now know that Ayurveda prepares the field. Yoga plants the seed. Buddha opens the sky. But they all meet in one simple truth — that balance, neither too much nor too little, is the key to both health and liberation.

This path is not about showing off or collecting spiritual achievements. It is about quietly correcting the imbalances before they take root. It is about not fighting the body, not forcing the breath, not rushing the mind. Just walking a middle path, step by step, until one day, we don’t need to walk anymore.

Understanding Ayurvedic Basti: A Gentle Detox Method

Many people hear the word basti and think of it as something complicated or mysterious. Some even think it means sitting in a tub of water and sucking it up through the anus. Others think of it as a type of Ayurvedic enema. The truth is, both ideas are partially correct. But to really understand what basti means, and how it can help you, it’s important to know that there are actually two systems where this word is used — one is Ayurvedic basti and the other is yogic vasti.

In Ayurveda, basti is one of the five main detox methods called Panchakarma. It focuses on cleansing the colon, which Ayurveda considers the home of Vata — the dosha responsible for all kinds of movement in the body and mind. When Vata is out of balance, people can feel anxious, constipated, dry, weak, or restless. Basti helps bring Vata back into balance. There are two types: Niruha basti, which uses a water-based herbal mixture, and Anuvasana basti, which uses warm medicated oil. When done in a small daily dose, the oil-based version is called Matra Basti, and that’s the one most suitable for home use.

Matra Basti is very simple. You warm about 30 to 60 ml of special Ayurvedic oil and insert it into the rectum using a syringe or soft enema bulb. You lie on your left side, bend your right knee, gently insert the nozzle and squeeze. Then you just relax and allow the oil to be absorbed. It doesn’t create an urge to go to the toilet. The oil gets absorbed by the colon and nourishes your nerves, calms your mind, and even improves digestion and sleep. This is a safe, gentle way to maintain health, especially for those who often suffer from constipation, gas, low energy, or stress.

However, it’s important to use clean and safe methods. If the syringe or nozzle is dirty, or if the oil is contaminated or expired, there is a small risk of infection. This is rare, but possible. Infection can also happen if you try basti while having bleeding piles, cuts near the anus, or active infections. To stay safe, always wash your syringe or enema bulb thoroughly with hot water before and after each use. If it’s a reusable one, you can even boil it occasionally. Use oil that is fresh, sealed, and from a reliable brand. Store it in a clean, dry place. Never try basti when you’re running a fever or feeling too weak. And avoid using basti if you have diarrhea or bleeding from the rectum, unless a doctor guides you. Your hands, towel, and the space where you lie down should all be clean. And never share your basti tools with anyone else.

Some people ask if they can use modern disposable enema kits from a medical store for Ayurvedic basti. The answer is yes, you can. Just throw away the chemical solution inside, wash the bottle and nozzle, and fill it with warm Ayurvedic oil. It becomes a perfect tool for doing Matra Basti at home. This is very useful for those who want to avoid full Panchakarma sessions or can’t visit an Ayurvedic clinic often.

Now, here’s where the confusion starts. Some people hear about basti in yoga traditions and think it means sitting in water and sucking it into the anus. That’s actually a different practice called yogic vasti. In this ancient technique, a trained yogi sits in a tub or river and uses abdominal control to suck water into the colon through the rectum. This requires mastery of Nauli, a technique that churns the belly muscles. The water is then expelled after a short time. It’s a deep cleansing kriya and not meant for beginners. It’s rarely practiced today except by highly trained yogis. But since both involve cleansing the colon, the names basti and vasti sometimes get mixed up.

In truth, both Ayurvedic basti and yogic vasti aim to purify the colon and help the body and mind. But their methods are very different. Yogic vasti needs special body control, no tools, and lots of training. Ayurvedic basti uses oils and syringes or enema tools, and is much easier to do regularly at home under some basic guidance. You could say yogic vasti is more like a natural suction method for cleansing, while Ayurvedic basti is more like a healing and nourishing method that also removes toxins.

In fact, it’s surprising that Ayurvedic basti isn’t already sold like allopathic enema kits. There should be a product where you get a bottle of basti oil and a soft reusable syringe in a box. That would make basti simple and accessible for everyone. It would be useful for elders, office workers, women after delivery, people with stress or poor sleep, or anyone feeling dried out and exhausted. Such a product would also save people from relying too much on chemical laxatives or stool softeners.

Some Ayurvedic brands do sell basti oils like Kshirabala or Balashwagandhadi Taila, but you usually have to buy the syringe separately. Still, this is a great way to start. You don’t need to be a yogi or a doctor. Just learn the basics, use clean tools, and follow a gentle approach. The benefits are deeper than just clearing your bowels. People feel grounded, less anxious, and more mentally peaceful after regular Matra Basti.

Another safety point to remember is that basti should not be done immediately after eating. Wait at least two to three hours after a meal. Also, avoid it during your menstrual period or if you’re already weak from illness. Always test the oil’s temperature before use — it should feel warm but not hot. If you ever feel pain, burning, or swelling after basti, stop immediately. And if fever or rectal discomfort appears, consult a doctor. Though such cases are rare, it’s better to be cautious. Basti is very safe when done properly, but as with any healing practice, a little care goes a long way.

To sum it up, basti in Ayurveda and vasti in yoga both have ancient roots and powerful health effects. But for most people today, Matra Basti using warm oil and a syringe is the safest, easiest, and most beneficial version. It can be done at home, especially in the evening, and it supports the nervous system, gut, and mind. If done correctly, it’s deeply healing. Yogic vasti, on the other hand, is more of a rare skill that belongs to advanced spiritual training.

If you’ve ever wondered about basti, or felt confused about the methods, now you know the full picture. With the right oil, a clean syringe, gentle technique, and some care, you can bring this timeless wisdom into your daily life — and experience the calm, clarity, and strength it offers.