Traveling well and arriving somewhere balanced and sane takes lots and lots of practice. There are so many unknown variables (weather, security issues, unknown places, faces, languages) and plenty of room for things to go wrong (ever forgotten your passport or ID?), not to mention the physical, mental and emotional stress that traveling can put on a person’s shoulders. It’s enough to throw Vata dosha completely out of whack, which in turn messes up all your other doshas. Sigh…

Vata is the master of the three doshas. When it goes out of balance, it leaves a wide berth for the other two (Pitta and Kapha) to run amok. The act of traveling is one of the best ways to mess with Vata since, in this day and age, you’re usually traveling very quickly, high up in the air (very dry air for that matter), and virtually imprisoned in a frantic environment with thousands of other people rushing around at the same time. Dry, light, airy, quick, out of sorts –- these are all typical characteristics of Vata imbalance. Welcome to air travel! Even if you’re not a Vata-type person, by upsetting it’s balance, you will probably find yourself irritable (if you’re predominantly Pitta) or withdrawn (if you’re Kapha).

Ayurvedic Treatments for Air Travel

There are some things you can do to ease the discomfort of traveling that will help you to arrive at your destination peacefully:

• Stay hydrated. I know they don’t let us bring our own water any more, but suck it up and pay the four dollars for a bottle of water at the airport. Either that or keep ringing the flight attendant to bring you more. Don’t get dried out.
• Keep your skin hydrated, too. Pack a small bottle of lotion in your quart-sized zip-lock baggie. Rub it on your hands, forearms and face whenever you remember. On the day of travel, rub oil into your skin before you get in the shower. Do the same once you reach your destination.
• Be sure to rub a little oil on the inside of your nose to keep your nasal passages from drying out in that horrible, re-circulated air in the passenger cabin. This will also give your nasal passages a barrier of protection against any pathogens (i.e. bacteria, viruses, etc.) that may be circulating as well.
• Bring your own food. A good, healthy meal that you can enjoy will help you feel more grounded than whatever they’re serving on the plane or in the airport. Make sure it’s something you actually want to eat – not a good time to start a strict diet.
• Meditate. You’ve got plenty of time to sit and be quiet. Why not slip into the gap? If you’re quiet and peaceful, the people seated near you will pick up on that energy. I find that when I meditate on planes, I usually come out to find everyone around me has fallen asleep.
• Do yoga when you can. In the morning, before your flight, is a good time to get you ready for many hours of sitting. Later at your hotel is also great to work the kinks out of your body from a long day of uncomfortable-ness. Don’t worry about doing a specific routine –- let your body guide you.