Sometimes stress shows up as a buzzing, moving feeling; other times we get so overwhelmed we feel stuck, unable to do anything. These are just two ways our nervous system can respond to stress (flight and freeze states). These states also correspond to specific imbalances in the doshas (constitutions) in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). The doshas are vata (dominated by air and ether elements), kapha (earth and water), and pitta (fire with some water).
Flight (as well as flop/faint) correspond to a vata imbalance and freeze (and fawn) to a kapha imbalance. The air and ether of vata can move too fast and even collapse from a lack of stability. The earth and water of kapha can turn to mud and get stuck. You probably also heard of the fight response, which corresponds to a pitta imbalance (too much fire can get angry when out of balance). More on the doshas here. These stress responses can be incredibly helpful for our survival when we are in dangerous situations, less so when they become chronic and stuck.
I also think it’s important to mention that sometimes dangerous situations can be lifelong due to oppressions we face in various identities (such as the violence facing the transgender community or the Black community, among others). What do we do then when there may be a very real, lifelong threat to our existence? I think there is a dual need for nervous system regulation (and flexibility) as well as broader systemic change of oppressive systems i.e. we shouldn’t have to regulate our nervous system to somehow better deal with toxic systems! Rather with flexible, responsive nervous systems, we can advocate for change without getting burnt out (and especially those of us with privilege so that others can regulate and then rest!)
Join me for upcoming classes at the Congregation, where I’ll be focusing on various stress responses and how we can work with them. On April 6th, I’ll examine that stuck, overwhelmed kind of stress and how we can began to thaw and unfreeze. It will be all about balancing kapha (the springtime dosha) so that we grow and create change from a stable (not stuck!) place.