Posts In: pitta

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.

Have you noticed it yet? The cooler nights and not-so-hot days as you into autumn 🍁 For us in Perth, it’s not the golden colours of other parts of the world (where you might be!), but it’s our unique way of experiencing the seasonal shift.

Speaking of shifts, have you heard of the astronomical autumn equinox? It’s that special moment when day and night are perfectly balanced, and it happens around 20 March in the Southern Hemisphere each year. The autumn equinox is a wonderful opportunity to encourage the idea of balance into your yoga practice too.

To honour the transition from summer to autumn, from Pitta to Vata season, start by exploring some fun balance asanas in your practice. Poses like Vrksasana (Tree Pose), which requires a strong connection to the earth while reaching for the sky. Just like a tree, you’ll be finding stability and steadiness through your grounded foot, while letting your upper body be fluid and supple.

As you step onto your mat in this transitional season, consider setting an intention to cultivate calmness, steadiness, and focus in your body, mind, and spirit. These are all wonderful benefits that your practice can bring during this time of change, and the qualities that we look to cultivate throughout Vata season.

Have you ever noticed the subtle shifts in your body as you inhale and exhale? How in the simple act of sitting and breathing, you can be witness to the movement of energy in your body?

Inhale, exhale.

Prana, apana.

Expanding, grounding.

This movement of energy can be felt when moving and being in asana too, and Kraunchasana (Heron Pose) is one of those asana where you can focus on uniting these energies.

Prana vayu is the vitalising force, moving into the body with the inhale. You’ll feel this energy lengthening and vitalising your body. In Heron pose this is felt as the spine lifting, the collarbones broadening.

Apana vayu is the grounding force, moving to the earth with your exhale. You feel this as the softening in your body, letting go, being still. In Heron pose this is the dropping of your sitting bones, tailbone and pelvis towards the earth.

As you consciously work with these two aspects of energy – prana and apana – you’ll be able to feel and observe they way they integrate in your body and breath.

Calming your nervous system, releasing stress in the body and mind and on a more subtle level, helping you move towards a meditational and tranquil state of being 🥰

After months and years of consistent yoga practice, two magical things happen. Things that we’ve felt and experienced, that have kept us steady and calm in life.

The first is a sense of harmony that infuses life, the knowing of being in the right place, doing the right thing, and feeling in sync with nature and the universe.

Secondly the building of resilience that you need to navigate the complexities and challenges of your daily happenings.

It never ceases to amaze us how the combination of moving meditatively, consciously breathing and meditating helps to cultivate consciousness and presence! These qualities that you can embody in practice and carry with you from your mat out into your world.

You can refine these qualities of consciousness and presence with a standing balance that combines a forward bend, a big hamstring stretch and the most delicate of touches on the earth. In Sanskrit it’s called Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana, but you’ll know it as standing splits 😊

As well as finding steadiness and ease in this posture, it’s important to focus on stabilising your breath – staying connected to the pure, natural inhales and exhales that help you to be calm and grounded in your posture.

And how does this translate to everyday life? Think about the moments when you can feel your stress levels rise… at these moments, you have a choice. React and let whatever happens, happen. Or choose to feel your body, take a full breath into your belly and find the calm within the storm.

Triangles are considered to be one of the strongest shapes. They can withstand pressure and weight without changing shape, and are used in many of the most iconic architectural masterpieces – think the Great Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Pyramid.

We also create strong, stable triangle shapes in Trikonasana (Triangle pose). Trikonasana is a standing asana, strengthening the legs and opening the side body. Vibrant and spacious, strong yet cooling.

When you practice Trikonasana in Pitta season, the focus is on being grounded in the shape, which means focusing on connecting to the earth through your feet. Pressing down evenly through your feet creates two strong foundation angles to allow for stillness, expansion and calmness, in both your inner and outer experience.

Creating your own iconic, unique and beautiful triangle masterpiece 🥰