Posts In: kapha

by Nick

So you want to know what doshas are?

To explain what the doshas are, let’s start with a little bit of background information about Ayurveda first.  Ayur-what?

Glad you asked.  Ayurveda is an ancient science designed to offer humans an optimal opportunity at life through balancing and harmonising inherent physical and energetic qualities.  Ayurveda is often referred to as a complimentary science to Yoga.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, for simplicities sake, let’s just say that all beings embody three basic qualities which are called doshas.

We are all born with a set ratio of these three doshas and we can optimise our life experience by maintaining this healthy, natural balance.  Our natural doshic balance usually exhibits one of these doshas as being dominant.  This means there is an infinite number of combinations throughout living beings.

Most of us at any particular time will experience an imbalance of these doshas to some degree, whether we are aware of it or not.  The three main lifestyle influences on the doshas are diet, sleep and energy management.  Other things that may create imbalance of the doshas are life stage, seasons, traumatic life events and injuries.

The aim of embracing Ayurvedic practices is to maintain a healthy, sustainable balance by being aware of diet, sleep and energy and managing these three aspects of life appropriately.

The doshas include quite definite and definable characteristics and by comparing your energetic, emotional and physical attributes to these known characteristics, your doshic ratio can be discovered.

Let’s examine the three doshas in a little more detail.

Vata is linked to the elements of air and ether.  Vata is light and mobile.  Physically, a vata dominant person would generally be either really tall or really short, and thin.  Extremes of height are attributes of vata.  If you think about it, you probably know people that you find to be energetic, artistic, enthusiastic, but who also may become easily overwhelmed and anxious.  These people are exhibiting vata dominant attributes.

Now think of someone you know who has a larger build, is stocky, maybe with smooth, soft skin and thick, voluminous hair.  This person is possibly calmer, more compassionate and stable, strong, steady and consistent.  You might also find this person to be a bit more slower moving, stubborn and seeking security and stability.  This person is exhibiting the dominant attributes of kapha.  Kapha is linked to the elements of earth and water, and includes the qualities of heaviness, moistness and slower movement.

Now that you understand the doshic extremes, let’s have a look at the middle.

Pitta sits somewhere in the middle ground between vata and kapha, embracing the elements of fire and water.   The qualities of pitta include heat, light and instability.  You can probably bring to mind someone who has a medium build and musculature, possibly with a rosy complexion.  Generally warm, friendly and intelligent, this person may also become angry, critical and selfish when out of balance.  This person is exhibiting pitta dominant attributes.

By now you’ll probably be interested to know how to discover your own doshic ratio.  This is best revealed by consulting with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. 

Your Ayurvedic practitioner has many tools available to help manage imbalances, some of these may include:

• understanding and controlling diet
• movement practices including yogic asana (postures)
• breathing techniques
• lifestyle recommendations
• meditation practices
• dinacharya (self-care routines to establish balance)
• panchakarma (cleansing treatment)

Through a knowledge of the doshas, it is possible to better manage one’s self and potentially help others via the promotion of self awareness and sensitivity to subtle changes in the body, mind and nervous system.  An individual’s knowledge of their own nature can, when applied with some discipline, assist to maintain optimal functionality of physical, energetic and mental faculties.  

We don’t come with operating instructions, so generally bumble through life blissfully unaware of the patterns and habits that are overriding rather than supporting our divine blueprint.

Armed with a little knowledge, we are better capable of understanding, communicating and empathising with our fellow humans.  We can simply be more effective in all areas of our lives – work, play, sleep, relationships and spiritual evolution.

There is a substantial amount of information available to educate yourself further on this subject, and we’d love to be your guide through this.

You can book an Ayurvedic Yoga Consultation to learn about your own doshas and imbalances, and receive a personalised dosha balancing sequence and guidance.

Or you can broaden your knowledge by joining us for one of our Ayurveda and Yoga workshops.