#33 - Don't suppress your natual urges

In many cultures, our modern lives make many of us ashamed of natural urges. We wait for a moment to be alone. We are constantly under pressure to stand up to expectations.

We go to the toilet when a meeting is over, we suppress yawning in public, we retain our coughing when we are in the theatre. We are trained to conform and suppress our natural urges - unfortunately creating very unhealthy habits. It's time to decode some programs, or at least understand how harmful they can be.

This week you learn about urges and understand that those are absolutely natural and that they shouldn't be suppressed. In the meantime, we divide them into suppress and not suppress categories.

Modern tendency

Our civilisation is forgetting about natural wisdom. We get disconnected from the body. We are very often focused on curing the result of imbalance by using external sources like pills. Actually, it's often that the pill doesn't get into the root of the disease, therefore, leading to further organ dysfunctions. Let alone not learning from past mistakes, but this is a topic for another time.

It is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. Along with Ancient Chinese Medicine, it's one of the oldest holistic healing systems.

Ayurveda in Sanskrit means "The science of life". It was taught for thousands of years in an oral tradition from realized masters to their disciplines.

It's believed that health depends on the balance between the mind, body, and spirit. The main goal is to promote a good healthy lifestyle and prevention.

Ayurveda is all about addressing the root reasons why you manifest health challenges. The suppression of natural urges is a common cause of imbalance.

Ayurveda is based on the idea that the world is made of five elements: Aakash (space), Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Teja (fire), and Vayu (air). Combinations of each element results in three types (term - dosha - doshas) they are called Vata, Pitta, Kapha. Balance of each of those energies results in psychological, mental, emotional, and physical health. Although the body is composed of all three doshas. A special combination determines your dosha.

Ayurveda defines seven categories of body types: vata, pitta, kapha, vata-pitta, pitta-kapha, vata-kapha, tri-dosha. There is no best dosha. Each has its own advantages or disadvantages.

There are some funny tests online, I can't talk about their reliability. An Ayurvedic practitioner can help you more accurately in determining your dosha. If you will determine your dosha, it will be easier to create the life that will bring balance and harmony to your dominant energy.

Imbalances in the doshas are generally caused by unsupportive diet and lifestyle choices, insufficient exercise, as well as stress or emotional trauma.

You can learn a lot from Ayurveda about natural therapies, lifestyle, essential oils, diet, herbs, species, massages, and other natural ways to detoxify the body.

It diagnoses through questioning, observation, physical exam, and inference. Some of the practices include observation of a pulse, tongue, eyes.

Everything to build understanding and to keep the balance of energies within the body.

It's merely a brief introduction of Ayurveda. Maybe you will find it interesting for further studies. There is a lack of researches supporting this approach, however, it definitely can bring more understanding, balance, and well-being to one's life.

As a principle of mobility, Vata regulates all activities in the body, mental and psychological.It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes.

• Elements: Space (ether) and Air

• Associated with: movement and communication

• Months of prominent activity: November, December, January, February

• Described as: cold, light, dry, rough, flowing, and spacious, subtle, mobile, clear

• Vata dominant people: energetic, and creative, thinking outside the box, can become easily distracted, the mood is highly dependent on the weather, people around them, and the foods they eat, easily fatigued, tend to make money quickly and spend it quickly, not good planners, highly sensitive to the cold

• Body type: normally lean, skinny, often with long, thin frames and narrow shoulders and hips

• In balance: learn quickly, highly creative, multitasker, kind-hearted, flexible, naturally slim

• Focus: follow a regular daily routine, manage stress through meditation and other calming activities, maintain a warm body temperature by avoiding cold weather and consuming warm foods and drinks, get plenty of rest, steam baths, humidifiers, in general are helpful, daily oil massage is also recommended

• Diet: regularity of meals is important, salty, sweet, sour, warm, moist, easily digestible foods are recommended

• Exercises: due to the “on-the-go” nature, focus on activities that involve constant movement, such as cycling, running, walking, dynamic yoga flow, tai chi, cardio

• Out of balance: forgetful, fearful, anxious, unstable mood, get overwhelmed easily, trouble sleeping, irregular appetite and eating patterns, isolation, loneliness, physical and energetic depletion, unstable and ungrounded, mental confusion

• Sickness tendencies: abnormal movements in the body, such as tics, tremors, muscle spasms, dry skin, cough, and dry hair, emphysema, pneumonia and arthritis, flatulence, twitches, aching joints, nerve disorders, constipation, digestive issues and gas, poor circulation

• What can cause imbalance: frequent travel, loud noises, continual stimulation, drugs, sugar, alcohol, exposure to cold, cold liquids and foods, high consumption of spicy and astringent foods

It has many qualities of fire. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. It promotes vitality and appetite.

• Elements: Fire and Water

• Associated with: digestion and transformation

• Months of prominent activity: July, August, September, October

• Described as: hot, light, sharp, liquid, mobile

• Pitta dominant people: sharp intelligence, usually have a muscular build, athletic, strong leaders, highly motivated, goal-oriented, competitive, good appetite, seek material prosperity, lower tolerance for sunlight, heat, and hard physical work.

• Body type: warm skin, bodies medium build, coppery skin, may have many moles and freckles, hair silky and often experience premature greying or hair loss

• In balance: intelligent, purposeful, learns quickly, self-determined, masters skills easily, a strong desire for success, strong body, natural leaders, quick metabolism, good circulation, healthy skin and hair

• Focus: on work-life balance, avoid extreme heat (e.g., weather, spicy food), meditation, massages, inhaling cooling scents to relax the body

• Diet: vegetarianism, cooling, non-spicy food, sweet, bitter and astringent tastes, cool foods such as sweet fruits, dairy products, limit salt intake.

• Exercises: be mindful of body limits, avoid exercising in the heat, team sports, exercise at the coolest part of the day.

• Out of balance: impatient, prone to conflict, always hungry, mood swings, sensitive to hot temperatures, frustration, anger, jealously, criticism, short temper

• Sickness tendencies: acne, inflammatory disorders, ulcers, fevers, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, colitis, sore throats, poison ivy

• What can cause imbalance: excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, spicy, oily, fried, hot, salty, fermented foods, sour, salty, or coffee.

Bones, muscles, tendons, and "glue'' that holds everything together are connected to this dosha. It supplies the water for all body parts and systems.

• Elements: Earth and Water

• Associated with: cohesiveness, structure, lubrication

• Months of prominent activity: March, April, May, June

• Described as: slow, cold, stable, heavy, steady, oily, dense, stable

• Kapha dominant people: blessed with strength, thick-boned, caring, rarely get upset, think before acting, go through life slow, loving dispositions, stable, grounded, tend to avoid exercising

• Body type: skin oily and smooth, gain weight easily and have a slow metabolism, thick skin, bodies and muscles are well developed

• In balance: loving, calm, forgiving, strong bones and joints, good immune system, wise, happy, empathy, patience, mental stability

• Focus: focus on regular exercise, stay overall active, maintain a warm body temperature (e.g. by sitting in a sauna or eating warm food), establish a regular sleep routine, limit overall consumption of food

• Diet: eat light, dry food, a low-fat diet or bitter pungent, astringent tastes

• Exercises: find a workout buddy, combine cardio and weight-resistance exercises, any type of movement is beneficial

• Out of balance: full of attachment, greed, envy, over-weight, bad metabolism, over-sleeping, depression, lack of motivation, lethargy, resistance to change, stagnation

• Sickness tendencies: flu, sinus congestion, and other diseases involving mucous, sluggishness, excess weight, diabetes, water retention, and headaches

• What can cause imbalance: excessive food consumption, heavy food, dairy, ice-cold food or drinks, fatty, oily food, sweet, salty, daytime naps.

Now it's time for the main topic of this week.

Here are the 14 natural urges Ayurveda warns against holding back:

• Urine

• Bowels

• Gas

• Vomiting

• Sneezing

• Burping

• Yawning

• Hunger

• Thirst

• Tears

• Sleep

• Ejaculation

• Increased breathing

• Coughing

They are crucial and vital for the functions of our bodies. We should reconsider the way we see and handle our urges, and not be too prompt to judge, hide or control it. If you’re in a public place and don’t want to express a natural urge, simply excuse yourself for a moment and step away into a more private place. Your health will thank you.

The body has the ability to auto-regulate itself to get rid of toxins or respond to external forces. If we stop and prevent this natural power, it can be harmful and produce different diseases.

• It can cause the accumulation of toxins in the body,

• The nervous system and biological clock can be impacted,

• Or other possible health consequences (see next page).

I was also surprised the first time I saw this long list of diseases that might occur when we get into the habit of suppressing natural urges. I personally have a lot of trust in the Ayurvedic way of life, as I found very often a lot of practical knowledge in it.

• Suppression of flatus: abdominal tumour, loss of vision, heart disease, urinary retention, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, inadequate excretion, chronic indigestion.

• Suppression of defecation: cramps, migraines, abdominal pain, headaches, tensions, heaviness, difficulty in passing stool, flatulence, bloating, constipation, pain in calf muscles, colds.

• Suppression of urine: it might cause mild discomfort at first, calculus in the urinary tract, pain in the bladder and phallus, dysuria, pain while passing urine, urinary infections, abdominal pain, headaches, bending of the body, distension, fulness of the lower abdomen.

• Suppression of sneezing: migraines, ENT disorders, facial paralysis, painful neck spasms, torticollis.

• Suppression of yawning: migraines, ENT disorders, paralysis, forward bending of the body convulsion, contractions, numbness, tremors, the body shaking.

• Suppression of sleep: disorders of eyes, head, fatigue, overall pain, debilitating of organs, loss of consciousness and awareness, lethargy, bodily aches, loss of attention, chronic headaches and migraines, disturbed mental activity, ailments of the eyes, digestive disorders and insomnia.

• Suppression of thirst: overall weakness, heart diseases, deafening, dehydration, decreased brain function, and an immediate decline in mental and physical performance. Early symptoms of dehydration are loss of hearing, faintness, fatigue, and vertigo.

• Suppression of hunger (does not include healthy fasting): overall pain, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, pain in the abdomen, fainting, emaciation, loss of appetite, depression and lowered mental efficiency.

• Suppression of belching - eructation reflex: loss of appetite, dyspnea, heart diseases, hiccups.

• Suppression of breathing upon exertion: abdominal tumour, heart disease, troubles with senses, faintness, fatigue, vertigo, and various circulatory ailments. It may cause decreased awareness and bloating.

• Suppression of crying: ENT disorders, heart troubles, upper chest tumours, psychosomatics disorders, torticollis, eye ailments, chronic headaches, chronic sinusitis, vertigo and loss of appetite, rhinitis, running nose.

• Suppression of vomiting: skin disorders and discolouration, edema, fever, dyspnea, itches, and rashes, loss of appetite, loss of motivation, anemia, cold and flu, nausea and multiple serious skin disorders, and pigmentation of the face.

• Suppression of genital fluids and discharge (exception Brahmacharya): swelling, fever, overall pain, impotence, obstructions, heart disorder, genital pains, bodily aches, mental stress, urinary disorders, various hormonal and psychosomatic disorders.

• Suppression of coughing: issues with taste, breathing, heart diseases.

Remember positive virtues, which need to be cultivated?

The below, on the contrary, are mentioned to be suppressed, when one wants a long and happy life:

• Deeds: desire for another woman/man, theft, violence, ill-treatment.

• Emotional/spiritual: greed, grief, fear, anger, vanity, shamelessness, jealousy, excessive desire, and malice.

• Speech: speaking bad words, speaking excessively, backbiting, lies, and untimely words.

It's good to understand, that you are a free man, and you can decide to do whatever you want. Be wise about your decisions. Put your attention to contemplate on possible consequences of behaving according to "negative" urges.

Prohibitions never work well on human beings. Much more potential to create a lot of positivity around is to build a deep understanding the results of decisions.

What other urges must be suppressed?

There is plenty more to discover about Ayurveda especially about spices, diet, herbs, and ways to detoxify the body.

After this topic, you might come up with the conclusion that there isn't anyone who can be called a bad person. There are people which have an imbalance in their energies. We will talk about more techniques to balance energies throughout the course.

There are obviously special processes, described by Ayurveda, on how to deal with many health problems. In this article, I would like to focus on changing your mind programs - habits.

That's why I encourage you to become more aware from this day on, about your natural urges, and how your body feels when you accept and when you decide to suppress those natural processes.

You might like to find out what is your dominant dosha and adjust your diet, as well as your lifestyle accordingly.

So that's another puzzle. Stay blessed!