“The Dalai Lama says that the world will be saved by Western women. Not any women, perhaps not all women, but Burning Women. Women who have stepped out of silence and into the fullness of their power. Angry women who love the world and her creatures too much to let it be destroyed so thoughtlessly for a moment longer.
Burning Woman is the heart and soul of revolution – inner and outer. She burns for change, she dances in the fire of the old, all the while visioning and weaving the new.”
― Lucy H. Pearce, Burning Woman
“The importance and visibility of women's collective anger can't be overstated. This anger takes determination, thoughtfulness, and work. It means respecting our own anger and being willing to respect the anger of other women.”
― Soraya Chemaly, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger
Notes on Ayurveda and Anger
by ANA
Ayurveda believes that anger is an expression of excess pitta in the channel of the mind. Balanced pitta in the mind is credited with a number of positive mental and emotional capacities like willpower, courage, confidence, contentment, satisfaction, enthusiasm, cooperation, acceptance, and surrender.
However, when aggravated pitta accumulates in the channel of the mind, it tends to cause accumulating heat—which can lead to anger, irritability, and other fiery emotions like envy, criticism, and excessive ambition.
Ayurveda operates on the premise that like increases like, and that opposites balance. Pitta dosha is naturally light, hot, sharp (or penetrating), oily, liquid, spreading, subtle, and clear. Therefore, exposure to these qualities—whether through our diets, lifestyle habits, relationships, or experiences—tends to increase pitta.
On the other hand, pitta is balanced by foods and experiences that are heavy, nourishing, substantive, cool (even cold), dry, stabilizing, and concrete (or tangible) in nature.
Balancing Anger
Anger and irritability are among the most classic expressions of excess pitta
Using diet, lifestyle, and supportive herbs to increase our exposure to cool, slow, and stabilizing influences will generally serve to relieve anger and irritability. These qualities help balance excess heat while softening, grounding, and containing pitta’s intensity.
A Supportive Diet
A pitta-pacifying diet <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/pitta-pacifying-diet/> that prevents the accumulation of excess heat in the body is one of the most potent therapies around.
In particular, it is important to avoid hot, spicy foods (e.g., cayenne pepper, chilies, etc.), very sour or acidic foods (like pickles or vinegar), citrus fruits, fermented foods, alcohol, and caffeine. These foods simply tend to be too intense, heating, and pitta-aggravating.
Instead, the diet should be soothing, nourishing, and grounding, favoring foods that are simple, energetically cooling <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/cooling-vs.-heating-foods/>, and relatively bland. This fare can be complemented by cool drinks, which are ideally taken between meals.
Favor the sweet <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/sweet-taste/>, bitter <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/bitter-taste/>, and astringent <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/astringent-taste/> tastes.
Minimize the sour <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/sour-taste/>, salty <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/salty-taste/>, and pungent <https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/six-tastes/pungent-taste/> (spicy) tastes.
Focus on creating meals from healthy, whole foods, while minimizing processed foods, stimulants, and refined sugars.
Supportive lifestyle habits and daily routines like yoga, breath work, massage and energy work, walks in nature, etc… can also help to balance out excess pitta
The cumulative effect of caring for ourselves in this way is quite powerful, deeply pitta-pacifying, and for many, results in a greatly improved sense of wellness in a very short period of time.
But because pitta tends to be overly sharp and perfectionistic, implementing change in a gentle, balanced way is extremely important. In other words, when pitta is aggravated, moderation and simplicity are key.
Consider starting with just a few simple adjustments:
Wake up at the same time from one day to the next.
Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at about the same times each day.
Go to sleep at a consistent time.
Nasya is an Ayurvedic herbal oil that you put into your nose and allow to go into your brain. This practice of applying medicated oil to the upper nasal passages, is actually seen as a way of offering deeply influential therapy directly to the tissues of the brain.
This practice soothes the delicate tissues of the nose, fosters unobstructed breathing, relieves accumulated stress, promotes mental clarity, and generally supports the mind.
Banyan Botanicals is my favorite company to get Ayurvedic herbs.
You can also apply the practice of self massage/oiling, which I’ve spoken about before, every evening, to soothe pitta and your nervous system.
Simplified Oil Massage: Oil the Feet and Scalp Before Bed
This can be calming, cooling and pitta- pacifying. It helps to ground and soothe the mind, pulls accumulated bodily heat downward and away from the head, and encourages sound sleep.
Don’t forget to protect your sheets by wearing a pair of old socks and a hat (or cover your pillow with an old towel
Also, a tea made of chamomile and rose can be soothing, calming and pitta-pacifying. You can steep enough for the day, let it cool and drink between meals.