The Doshas
Air
VATA
Movement
Fire + Water
PITTA
Transformation
Earth +
Water
KAPHA
Protection
According to Ayurveda, your constitution is established at conception, cemented at birth, and remains constant over the course of your lifetime. It influences your physiology, your physique, your likes and dislikes, your tendencies and habits, your mental and emotional character, as well as your vulnerabilities toward imbalance and disease. It is defined by the particular combination of vata, pitta, and kapha that you were born with, and it represents your body’s natural state of equilibrium.
Because your constitution serves as your blueprint for optimal health, understanding it—with the help of curiosity and self-awareness—can be truly enlightening.
In Ayurveda, the first step is to uncover your body's constitution and to give you some of the tools necessary to begin to develop a deeper understanding. It’s important to know that we all have all three doshas in our constitutions: vata, pitta, and kapha. But the ratio between them—the specific quantitative and qualitative relationship between the three—is entirely unique to you.
Understanding Pitta: Feed your Inner Flame
The Pitta dosha controls
digestion, metabolism, and energy production. The primary function of Pitta is transformation. Those with a predominance of the Pitta principle have a fiery nature that manifests in both body and mind, think like how a log when burned transforms to ashes.
Emotional Characteristics
Pittas have a powerful intellect and a strong ability to concentrate. When they’re in balance, they are good decision-makers, teachers, and speakers. They are precise, sharp-witted, direct, and often outspoken. Out-of-balance pittas can be short-tempered and argumentative.
Physical Traits
Medium size and weight. Maybe redheaded but baldness or thinning hair is also common in a Pitta. They have excellent digestion, which sometimes leads them to believe they can eat anything. They have a warm body temperature. They sleep soundly for short periods of time and have a strong sex drive. When in balance, Pittas have a lustrous complexion, perfect digestion, abundant energy, and a strong appetite. When out of balance, Pittas may suffer from skin rashes, burning sensations, peptic ulcers, excessive body heat, heartburn, and indigestion.
Qualities of Pitta: Hot, sharp, sour, pungent, and penetrating.
Understanding Vata: De Stress & Stimulate Creativity
Vata governs movement in the body, think blood circulating around your body, the activities of the nervous system, and the process of elimination.
Emotional Characteristics
Vatas enjoy adventure and seek new exciting experiences. They can anger quickly but also forgive easily. When Vatas are in balance, they are flexible, dynamic energetic, and creative. They take initiative and can be enchanting storytellers. When unbalanced, they can deplete thier energy levels and are prone to worry and anxiousness. Often they wake up in the middle of the night with thoughts racing or suffer from insomnia. With an analytic overthinking mind, when they feel overwhelmed or stressed, their response is, “What did I do wrong?”
Movement and change are characteristic of Vata's nature. They tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and creative minds. As long as Vata stays in balance, you will be lively and enthusiastic, with a lean body.
Physical Characteristics
Those with a predominance of Vata dosha usually have a thin, light frame and excellent agility. Their energy comes in bursts and they are likely to experience sudden bouts of fatigue. Vatas typically have dry skin and hair and cold hands and feet. They sleep lightly and their digestion can be sensitive. When the Vata dosha becomes imbalanced, it manifests in the body as weight loss, constipation, hypertension, arthritis, weakness, restlessness, and digestive challenges.
Qualities of Vata: Cold, Light, Dry, Irregular, Rough, Moving, Quick, Changeable
Understanding Kapha: Stimulate and Energize
Kapha governs the structure of the body. It is the principle that holds the cells together and forms the muscle, fat, bone, and sinew. The primary function of Kapha is protection.
Emotional Characteristics
Kaphas are naturally calm, thoughtful, and loving. They have an inherent ability to enjoy life and are comfortable with the routine. When in balance, Kaphas are strong, loyal, patient, steady, and supportive. People with an excess of Kapha tend to hold on to things, jobs, and relationships long after they are no longer nourishing or necessary. Excess Kapha in the mind manifests as resistance to change and stubbornness. In the face of stress, the typical Kapha response is, “I don’t want to deal with it.”
Movement and change are characteristic of Vata's nature. They tend to always be on the go, with an energetic and creative minds. As long as Vata stays in balance, you will be lively and enthusiastic, with a lean body.
Physical Characteristics
Kapha types have a strong build and excellent stamina. Large, soft eyes; smooth, radiant skin; and thick hair are also important Kapha characteristics. Those who are predominantly Kapha sleep soundly and have regular digestion. But when Kapha builds to excess, weight gain, fluid retention, and allergies manifest in the body. When they’re out of balance, Kapha types may become overweight, sleep excessively, and suffer from asthma, diabetes, and depression.
Qualities of Kapha:
Cold, Heavy Oily, Slow, Steady, Solid & Soft,