Our body’s tissues provide us with the ability to feel pleasure and pain, perceive the environment, and act following our feelings. They are the tangible components that makeup who we are and how we connect with the outside world. Ayurveda’s seven tissue layers, called (7 Dhatus ) dhatus, are essential to human health. Caring for each one can help us achieve flourishing health.
Here, we’ll examine a general review of the dhatus before delving into the rasa dhatu, the initial tissue layer. Rakta dhatu will be covered next as we explore the other dhatus in the upcoming months.
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The Seven Tissue Layers: An Overview
The word “dhatu” derives from the Sanskrit phrase “root building block.” It directly means “that which holds,” referring to the group of cells in our bodies that keep the capacity to provide us with sustenance, stability, and protection.
The word “sapta” means “seven,” hence the term “saptadhatus” relates to the seven specialised tissues that make up our bodily constitution.
The muscles (mamsa), lymph (rasa), blood (rakta), bone (asthi), fat (meda), nerves (majja), and genitals are among these seven tissue layers (shukra).
These seven tissues create our structure, support our organs, and give us the mobility to move freely.
Toxins are excreted and secondary tissues are created by our seven tissues. The “malas of saptadhatu” are the name given to these supplementary tissues.
The organic flow of nourishment enables the tissues to reflect our inner state of health. If we notice something on the skin’s surface that makes us feel self-conscious, we can interpret it as a cellular imbalance, which will tell us everything we need to know.
The Power of Touch: Dhatus
Our sense of touch has an impact on our identity, feelings, and even appearance.
When we’re joyful, our senses create a lustrous brightness, and when we’re sad, they create sadness. Even tears are created from nerve tissue, and the amount of tears we make depends on the health of our nerves.
In Ayurveda, self-massage, also known as abhyanga, is regarded as the basic method of caring for oneself. This is accomplished by massaging oil onto the body and determining which tissues require care according to one’s feelings.
Abhyanga helps us embody and stay connected through touch. It helps us love ourselves and accept what has to change.
The Function of Digestion in Dhatus
Our tissue strength depends on how well we digest our meals (and emotions).
Our tissues’ size, composition, and consistency are determined by the quantity, quality, and consistency of the food we consume.
The normal functioning of the tissues depends on the jatharagni, or stomach metabolism. Digestion impacts all dhatus layers and is vital to human health.
Each tissue has a critical role in how we look, feel, and express our beliefs through body posture and appearance. This is the activity of our dhatu agni.
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River of Life: Rasa Dhatu
The main waters of the body are referred to as Rasa, the first dhatu. Rasa is a Sanskrit word that implies liquid, juice, sap, or essence. Rasa, however, is more than just a liquid; it is the very food that creates all the other tissues.
Rasa dhatu maintains our core identity, shapes how we seem, and affects the potency of our immune system.
For immune balance and tissue strength, the lymphatic river must flow.
Rasa is plasma exchange in the lymphatic system and interstitial fluids. Breast milk and menstruation demonstrate their significance in life creation and maintenance.
Rasa dhatu influences the pituitary gland’s ability to excite or relax as required in the dynamic body, promoting equilibrium and the capability to manage stress and go with the flow.
Our lymphatic river moves and overflows into the bloodstream because of essential electrolytes. Rasa’s energy is provided by a constant flow of water, just as the waves that constantly come in and go out on the ocean.
This increases our ojas or vitality, the elixir of life that gives us the juiciness to feel and act as necessary.
Maintaining the flow of the Lymphatic River
There are various realistic strategies to support the rasa dhatu flow. The following advice is excellent for vata, pitta, and kapha doshas.
- Hydrate: Throughout the day, consume a lot of room-temperature water.
- Neti pot: Stasis can be cleaned up and removed using this ancient technique.
- Self-massage: Engage in regular abhyanga, moving your hands and feet from the feet to the heart.
- Salt scrubs: Rub your entire body vigorously, always moving in the direction of your heart.
Here are ways to recognise how each dosha affects rasa dhatu and maintain a healthy flow.
Vata in Rasa Dhatu Symptoms: Feelings of fear, anxiety, or exhaustion; cold hands and feet; dry mouth; dry skin; tightness in the chest, neck, or jawline; clenched jaw; hard lymph nodes; emaciation; dark moles.
Obtaining Balance
Exercise:
- Warm up by staying warm and taking a hot bath after a heavy workout; swimming, yoga, and stretching beforehand.
- Ashwagandha, khus, licorice, and astragalus are herbs.
- Spices include asafetida, basil, ginger, fenugreek, and oregano.
- Foods that are astringent, dry, crunchy, chilly, and uncooked should be avoided.
Rasa Dhatu with Pitta Symptoms:
sensitive glands, sensitive lymph nodes, discomfort, itchiness, profuse sweating, red moles, and emotions of annoyance or defensiveness
Obtaining Balance
Exercise:
- Swim, bike, slowly work up a sweat, stop, and then take a cool shower to cool off.
- Neem, burdock, and gentian are herbs.
- Spices: turmeric, coriander, dill, fennel, anise, mint.
- Nutrition: Stay away from acrid, sour, oily, hot, and pungent foods.
Rasa Dhatu Kapha Signs:
lymph node fluid, weight increase in the arms, thighs, or forearms, an abundance of body fluids, drowsiness, low self-esteem, or bereavement.
Obtaining Balance
Exercise:
- Swimming, strolling, working up a sweat, and energising aerobic routines.
- Herbs: Bilva, cleavers, ginger, and Brahmi.
- Spices: Marjoram, rosemary, chilli pepper, cumin, and asafoetida.
- Nutrition: Steer clear of dairy, processed carbohydrates, and sugary, salty, and greasy foods.