Explore Your Inner Balance with Ayurveda's Doshas
When individuals discover Ayurveda, they hear of the three Doshas, the three constitutions that make up the mind-body types. We are born with our own unique balance of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When one or more of these Doshas becomes aggravated or depleted, imbalances accumulate and affect one or more systems, shifting one’s natural state of balance. Food, seasons, environment, lifestyle, emotions and more influences this dynamic movement. Ayurveda offers guidance in understanding one’s unique constitution and how to make everyday choices that support a personal return to balance.
Exploring your Ayurvedic Dosha empowers you to make everyday choices to support your overall well-being and inner peace. It’s important to understand that the three Doshas pertain to qualities found in nature; dry, wet, fast, slow. This helps to identify what qualities we are expressing, what qualities we are incorporating into our lives, and how they are serving us. One of the fundamental teachings in Ayurveda is that “like attracts like and the opposites create balance”. When we recognize what qualities are expressing themselves more dominantly, we can incorporate the opposite qualities in order to shift back into a more balanced state.
The Three Doshas
The Vata Dosha governs movement, the nervous system, the flow of prana, creativity and flexibility. It is connected to the ether and air elements, the space where everything manifests and the wind that moves all energies. Vata qualities are dry, light, cool, rough, subtle, and mobile.
The Pitta Dosha governs transformation, digestion and intellect. It is connected to the fire and water elements, offering the heat and fluidity to assimilate and process food, emotions and thoughts. Pitta qualities are oily, sharp, hot, light, spreading, and liquid.
The Kapha Dosha governs lubrication, structure, and cohesiveness. It is connected to the water and earth elements, providing moisture, hydration and loving embrace. Kapha qualities are unctuous, cool, heavy, slow, smooth, soft, and stable.
How to incorporate the Doshas into your everyday balance.
Start becoming more aware of your mind and body. What is it expressing? What feels irritating? What feels good? What is the quality of your skin? Is it dry and rough (Vata), or irritated and red (Pitta), or oily and pale (Kapha)? What are your challenging mental states? Do you tend towards anxiety and fear (Vata), irritability and anger (Pitta), or depression and lethargy (Kapha)? What is your ideal daily schedule? Is it spontaneous and irregular (Vata), over scheduled and rigid (Pitta), or routine but slow to get started (Kapha)?
Recognizing the qualities you can ask yourself if this is too fast, slow it down. If this is to dry, bring in more oil and moisture. If this is too rough, smooth it out. If I am too hot, cool it down. If I am too slow, bring in more movement to invigorate. You can recognize the qualities in the food you eat, is it dry, oily, heating or cooling.
If you tend towards anxious energy and constipation (Vata), try eating your meals at regular times and avoiding raw foods, incorporating warm cooked foods with healthy oils. If you tend towards feeling warm and it’s the summer season (Pitta), you may want to incorporate more cooling foods and lifestyle choices, such as not being in the heat of the sun, swimming in cool water and incorporating mint, coconut and more salads into your diet. If you tend towards putting on weight easily and craving sweets (Kapha), avoid cold drinks and incorporate room temperature or warm drinks instead, along with warming spices such as ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and chilli.
