1. What Menopause Really Is

Menopause is commonly defined biologically as:

• Permanent cessation of menstruation
• Decreased estrogen and progesterone output
• Ovarian follicle depletion

But Ayurveda expands this definition:

• Rajonivritti = natural pause of reproductive dhatu
• Shift from reproductive phase to self-transformative phase
• Vata dosha rises as reproductive Agni declines

Menopause is a metabolic reorientation, not degeneration.

2. Why Women Fear Menopause

Culture has conditioned women to believe menopause means:

• Loss of femininity
• Loss of fertility
• Loss of desirability
• Decline in vitality

This leads to internal fears:

• “My body is decaying.”
• “My usefulness has ended.”
• “A door has closed forever.”

This fear is psychological, not biological.

3. Menopause as Inner Birth & Upward Energy Shift

Ayurveda and yogic anatomy reveal menopause as:

• Completion of biological reproductive cycles
• Beginning of inner creation

When menstruation ends:

• Apana vayu (downward) slows
• Prana vayu (upward) strengthens
• Energy moves from yoni to hridaya (heart) to mastishka (mind)

This shift enables:

• Emotional clarity
• Spiritual intuition
• Deeper self-identity
• Creative reorientation

The reproductive womb rests; the psycho-spiritual womb awakens.

Many women experience:

• Career reinvention
• Assertive boundaries
• Emotional sovereignty
• Spiritual blossoming

So menopause is not loss—it is energy liberation.

4. Ayurveda’s View of Menopause

In Ayurveda, menopause is:

• Menopause = Rajonivritti
• Artava dhatu naturally declines
• Ojas needs conservation

Doshas follow a sequence through reproductive life:

1. Kapha governs reproductive building.
2. Pitta governs ovulation and metabolism.
3. Vata rises as tissues dry and cycles become irregular.

The main imbalance during menopause is typically Vata aggravation.

5. Dosha–Specific Menopause Patterns

Vata-Dominant Menopause

Seen in:

• Anxious minds
• Thin frames
• Irregular lifestyle histories

Symptoms:

• Dryness (vaginal, skin, eyes)
• Insomnia
• Palpitations
• Anxiety
• Joint pain

Herbal Support + Dosage:

• Ashwagandha 500 mg at bedtime
• Shatavari 2–3 g with warm milk at bedtime
• Bala or ghee nasya 2 drops in each nostril at night

Diet:

• Warm, oily, grounding foods
• Avoid raw and cold foods at night

Pitta-Dominant Menopause

Seen in:

• Ambitious, perfectionist women

Symptoms:

• Hot flashes
• Anger bursts
• Acidity
• Night sweats

Herbal Support + Dosage:

• Yashtimadhu 1–2 g with ghee, morning on empty stomach
• Guduchi satva 500 mg twice daily after meals
• Praval Pishti 250 mg twice daily

Diet:

• Cooling diet, avoid sour and spicy foods
• 1/2 tsp ghee before meals

Kapha-Dominant Menopause

Seen in:

• Emotional eating patterns
• Sedentary tendencies

Symptoms:

• Weight gain
• Rise in cholesterol
• Sluggish mind
• Water retention

Herbal Support + Dosage:

• Punarnava mandoor 250 mg twice daily after meals
• Trikatu 500–750 mg before meals
• Guggulu preparations post-dinner

Diet:

• Light, warm, dry foods
• Avoid sweets at night

6. When Each Dosha Enters Menopause

Ayurveda predicts typical patterns for menopause timing:

• Vata dominant → early menopause (approximately 38–44 years)
• Pitta dominant → timely menopause (approximately 45–50 years)
• Kapha dominant → delayed menopause (approximately 50–55 years)

These correlate with tissue metabolism and hormonal reserves.

7. Smooth Menopause Transition Protocol (Timings + Herbs)

Morning (Before Breakfast)

• Wake before sunrise
• Sip cumin–fennel warm water

Herbs based on dosha:

• Vata → Ashwagandha 500 mg
• Pitta → Guduchi satva 500 mg
• Kapha → Trikatu 500 mg

Lunch (Largest Meal)

Largest meal encourages cortisol stabilization.

Add before/with food:

• Hing + ghee 1/4 tsp for Vata
• 1/2 tsp ghee for Pitta
• Dry ginger 1/2 tsp for Kapha

Evening

• Warm milk + a pinch of nutmeg for Vata
• Rose gulkand 1–2 tsp for Pitta
• Cinnamon tea (1/2 tsp in hot water) for Kapha

Before Sleep

• Nasya 2–4 drops of ghee or sesame oil
• Light foot massage
• Dim warm lighting only
• Avoid screens 60–90 minutes before bed

8. Ayurvedic Dietary & Lifestyle Anchors

• Eat dinner before 8 pm
• Maintain the same sleep–wake timing daily
• Get morning sunlight exposure
• Include weight training 3 times per week
• Avoid chronic prolonged fasting (especially in Vata types)
• Meditate for 10–20 minutes daily

9. Antarik Kumbhak 36–Breath Protocol

Purpose:

• Balances prana and apana
• Reduces vasomotor symptoms
• Calms the limbic system

Total = 36 breaths

Instructions

1. Inhale slowly for about 4 seconds.
2. Hold the breath for the specified duration for that set.
3. Exhale for roughly double the duration of the inhale.
4. Practice daily after dinner or before sleep.
5. Stop if there is any strain or dizziness.

Expected results in 3–4 weeks:

• Reduced hot flashes
• More stable emotions
• Deeper sleep
• Stronger parasympathetic tone

10. Why Menopause Marks the Birth of Selfhood

When biological reproduction stops, hormonally driven identity begins to dissolve. Energy moves inward and upward.

The decline in cyclical hormonal fluctuations removes:

• Unconscious nurturing compulsions
• Constant need for relational validation

A woman now experiences:

• Freedom to define herself
• Sovereignty of her energy
• Inner clarity
• Spiritual creativity

Menopause is not the extinguishing of fire—it is the refining of flame into light.