Discovering dosha

Demysti¢ing the holistic health method of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is a preventive health ecosystem that works within the laws of nature and is based on balancing the elements of air, space, earth, fire and water, which come together to create the three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha.

The doshas are essentially a system to identify energy patterns in our body and everyone has all of these doshic qualities in them at all times but in varying amounts. By viewing our lives through the doshic system and identifying the most dominant qualities in each of us, we can work toward balance and prevent disease.

The word ‘dosha’ actually means ‘fault’ in Sanskrit, but this doesn’t mean a fault in the traditional western sense of the word, rather as an asset to help identify our default way of being. The doshas allow us to understand ourselves better and learn how to return to our soul’s essence.

To identify our doshic makeup, we first identify our natural constitution or ‘prakruti’, which is our dosha at the time of our conception or arrival on this Earth.

Secondly, we identify our doshic ‘vikruti’, our current doshic state of imbalance. This current imbalance is influenced by multiple factors, including trauma growing up, our environment, relationships or the food we eat.

When creating doshic balance, we start addressing our vikruti first. As we manage our current state of imbalance, we naturally return to our prakruti, our soul’s natural state of being.

Vata – The Creative

Airy vata is governed by the nervous system and based on the elements of air and space, which, like the wind, can manifest in the body as cold, dry and light. Air is also the force that controls our movement, regulates the nervous system and oversees waste elimination.

Vata body constitutions tend to be tall and thin; they can have di iculty gaining weight and digestive issues from too much air in the body, such as bloating and constipation. Their mental symptoms can manifest in the forms of anxiety and insomnia, as they can have too much air nd in their thoughts and live in their heads. If out of balance, people can refer to them as ‘airy fairy.’

To balance the vata dosha, focus on grounding the nervous system, building bodily strength, staying in warm environments and having warming and cooked foods. These aspects help to soothe the vata dosha’s airy state of imbalance and allow them to get out of their heads and ground into their bodies to access their creative flow.

Pitta – The Leader

Fiery pitta types are governed by the digestive system, based on the elements of fire and water, and are natural-born leaders with powerful intellect and ambition. This fiery dosha is brimming with energy and heat, but this drive can lead to perfectionism, leading to frustration and anger.

Pitta-influenced body constitutions have medium-athletic builds and tend to carry their weight around their middle to lower bodies. Their aura is (unsurprisingly) fiery, and they can get aggravated easily with those around them and rise to angry outbursts quickly if they feel frustrated with their peers or partners.

To balance the pitta dosha, they need to manage their internal heat with slow and conscious breathing and movement and consume pitta-pacifying foods, which are cooling and drying foods. This helps to cool and calm their bodies’ natural inflammatory state and balances their digestive system and, therefore, their ability to digest life. Doing so allows them to show up more fully in the present moment and be more loving and purposeful in their passionate pursuit of life.

Kapha – The Nurturer

Kapha is the Earth mama dosha, which is governed by the bodily structure (bones, fat and muscles) and is based on earth and water elements. Kapha is the most loving and nurturing of all the doshas, but this can be to their detriment as they can give too much of themselves, leaving them feeling exhausted and depressed.

To balance the kapha dosha, it’s essential to have daily movement to get this earth and water-based energy moving. Movement, warmer environments and heating and light foods will help to speed up their metabolisms, which will help to get this often slower-moving dosha feeling lighter, content and happy in life.

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