Luvena Rangel: Holistic Wellness
The latest edition of the Shenomics Mentoring Circle was about Consciousness based Wellness. Our guest expert Luvena Rangel, founder of The Curvy Yogi, took us through certain simple yet powerful fundamentals of Ayurveda-based wellness.
Wellness
When we think of wellness, we often think of it as the absence of illness. Luvena explained, that the concept of wellness goes beyond physical wellbeing. Whether we look at it from the perspective of happiness or quality to life, true wellness includes wellbeing at all four aspects of our being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Even if one out of the four aspects is out of balance, we are unable to experience the wholeness of life. The imbalance takes away from our ability to make conscious and mindful choices.
Consciousness
Consciousness-based wellness aims at building the “awareness” from which we make choices for ourselves and those around us. As per consciousness-based wellness, our behavioral traits are dependent on our mind-body constitution. This modality draws from eastern philosophies. Luvena gave us a glimpse of how Ayurveda takes into account the mind-body constitution based on the five elements or the Panchabhutas in our constitution.
The Five Elements and The Three Doshas
Vata, Pitta and Kapha are three doshas or the three pillars of energy systems that are crucial for our wellbeing. Each dosha is made up of two of the five elements ( air, earth, ether, fire, and water).
Vata – Vata is made up of air and ether. Air gives it the characteristics of mobility and dryness while ether imparts subtlety and lightness. Vata dominant body types are lean, cool and dry. Vata supports vivaciousness, energy and quick learning. On the flipside, when Vata is out of balance, it can cause anxiety and insomnia.
Pitta – Pitta has qualities of fire and water bringing in warmth and moisture into the body. Pitta dominant body types tend to be muscular. Pitta brings in wit and precision into the personality. When pitta goes out of balance, it creates a tendency to get over critical, short-tempered and argumentative.
Kapha – Kapha is made of earth and water. These two elements lend a certain heaviness, density and a sense of “cool” to Kapha bodies. Kapha personalities tend to be calm, loyal, thoughtful, loving and patient. When kapha is out of balance, it manifests as resistance to change and stubbornness – an “I don’t want to deal with it” kind of an attitude.
Knowledge of these three doshas and our individual constitution not only helps us manage our own well-being, but it also equips us with leading more effectively – because knowing oneself lies at the heart of leading the self and others mindfully. The awareness of what could be driving our behavior unfavorably can help us slow down and make choices that are more appropriate to the situation at hand. This knowledge can also help us understand why those we work closely with, may have certain behavioral dispositions which are very different from ours. We are able to appreciate and acknowledge differences and leverage these differences to create more balanced teams. Consequently, we make better choices, moment to moment.
The Balancing Act – Eating for your body type
What we choose to eat can have a significant impact on keeping our energies balanced. Different foods can cause specific doshas to increase or decrease, therefore, knowing our constitution and consciously choosing our food can help us create wellness.
– Grounding and hydrating foods work well for those with Vata body types
– Cooling foods calm Pitta
– Energizing and stimulating foods work best for Kapha
Using the senses to support mental and emotional wellbeing
Just like food balances the doshas in our body, what we take in through our sense has the potential to create balance at a mental and emotional level.
The sense of smell:
– Fragrances like sandalwood, rose and Indian jasmine have a cooling effect and hence work well to calm down Pitta.
– Cinnamon and citrus work well for stimulating Kapha.
– Earthy fragrances like frankincense help ground Vata.
The sense of sight:
The sight of greenery and nature help all three doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
The sense of sound:
– Sounds of flowing water and the guitar help the pitta constitution.
– Wind instruments help Kapha bodies.
– Instruments like the piano are grounding and help Vata.
The sense of touch:
The sense of touch works its magic through massages.
– Coconut oil cools the body and works well for Pitta.
– Mustard or Olive oil works well for Vata
– Grapeseed oil works well for Kapha.
Exploring Connection for Spiritual wellbeing
Connection to the divine and connecting with oneself through journaling or meditation helps build the bridge to spiritual connections. Connecting with each other and nourishing relationships also enhance spiritual wellbeing.
Thank you Luvena, for opening the doors for us to explore the wonderful wisdom of consciousness based wellness.
About the Expert
Luvena Rangel is a body positive Yoga Teacher Trainer with a background in Medicine and Holistic Health and teaching credentials in Ayurveda and Meditation. She also has over 15 years of experience in global operations, marketing & customer excellence in the multinational Energy & Aviation industry. As Founder of The Curvy Yogi, she models inclusive and accessible yoga – going beyond stereotypes. Today, Luvena is one of Bangalore’s leading Yoga Anatomy & Physiology and Philosophy educators. Her expertise lies in holistic management of spinal conditions, physiological disorders and thyroid imbalances as well as practical exploration of life & human behavior. Luvena is a strong advocate & consultant for belonging and conscious organizational culture with an active approach towards Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion. She has worked with eBay, HPE, LifeCell, Bangalore Police, BHEL & others and has also been an advisor to Yoga Alliance US for numerous projects.
