Balancing Your Doshas

If you ask most people what would give them a sense of freedom and security, the answer would likely include money – owning a house outright, being able to pay off all their bills, having enough money to send their children to college. With few exceptions, almost everyone dreams about having more money. But how much is enough?

There are billionaires who don’t feel like they have enough because they compare themselves with others who possess more. Their mood fluctuates with the stock market, feeling exhilarated when their investments are doing well and despairing when their value falls. Yet others who have more modest means live rich and abundant lives.

There isn’t a direct correlation between the amount of money a person has in the bank and how abundant and free he or she feels. Wealth is actually a state of consciousness. It is an awareness that we are part of the field of all possibilities, connected to an infinite source of ideas, abundance, love, and creativity. Reality is always a selective act of perception, and we have the power to choose a reality that can make us happy or miserable.

You are already moving toward an expanded state of awareness by reading about higher consciousness, opening yourself to new ideas, and perhaps through meditation, yoga, or other spiritual practices. It is also useful to consider how your mind-body constitution or dosha influences your perceptions and relationship to money and the material world. The innate tendencies of each of the doshas are described below.

Vata Dosha

Vatas like money for the freedom it offers and tend to spend impulsively. Their active, creative nature allows them to make money quickly, but they often have difficulty saving. If they receive unexpected income, such as a tax refund or small inheritance, they are likely to go on a shopping spree rather than putting the money away in a savings account or investing it for the long-term.

The challenge for Vatas is acknowledging their impulsive nature and consciously developing financial discipline. If your predominant dosha is Vata, start by putting a portion of your monthly income in a savings account or investment that doesn’t allow you to immediately withdraw the money the moment you fall in love with a new car or piece of jewelry.

Pitta Dosha

Pittas are inherently ambitious, disciplined, and intelligent, and consequently they often earn excellent incomes. However, issues of control are likely to dominate their relationship with money. They tend to equate the money they make with the expenditure of their life energy, and are not comfortable relinquishing control to a partner, spouse, or financial consultant. Pittas carefully research their purchases and may end up spending a disproportionate amount of time analyzing a deal compared to the amount of money they end up saving. When they do spend money, it is usually for things that enhance their status, such as designer clothing, nice cars, paintings, housing, or jewelry.

The challenge for Pitta types is giving themselves permission to allocate some portion of their income for pure enjoyment, accepting that it is okay to be frivolous on occasion. Pittas also benefit from learning to be generous and letting go. One of the best ways to do this is to give away something anonymously. It’s a chance to open the flow of your heart without receiving direct compensation for your actions.

Kapha Dosha

If your predominant dosha is Kapha, your relationship to money will have paradoxical qualities. On the one hand, Kaphas have a steady, methodical nature and are good at saving money. When they are out of balance, Kaphas suffer from possessiveness and the tendency to hoard money, which can lead to financial stagnation. On the other hand, Kaphas usually like to spend money on sensual pleasures such as gourmet meals, luxurious massages, and beautiful art.

If your Kapha is out of balance, it helps to think about in terms of circulation. You can try an experiment right now: Stop and hold your breath for as long as you can. Keep holding! Now release the air from your lungs, noticing how good it feels to let go of your breath and allow fresh air to circulate into your body. Money is also a form of energy, and when you allow it to flow, trusting that the universe will always meet your needs, you will experience more freedom and joy in your life.