Doshas

Introduction

Ayurvedic medicine is based on the principle that every individual has a unique constitution that is related to the energies in the body. A balanced state is optimal for health while imbalance makes one susceptible to illnesses of the body and mind.

• Central to Ayurveda and yoga is the need to individualize teachings for each person’s unique nature and changing conditions.
• A person’s constitution is said to be determined by the three vital energies or doshas known as vata, pitta and kapha.
• The doshas represent the 5 elements or panchamahabhutas which compose everything in the universe: space, air, fire, water and earth.
• Vata is the name of the energy that controls movement. Pitta controls metabolism. Kapha controls structure.

Prakriti: Knowing Your Dominant Dosha(s)

• Every individual’s blueprint or prakriti is composed of all three doshas in different degrees, but there are usually one or two doshas that are dominant.
• An Ayurvedic practitioner will assess a person’s constitution to determine the prakriti by evaluating mind-body aspects including body features, appetite, metabolism and intellect. (See below for a link to self-tests.)
• By understanding and working with one’s individual constitution, we begin to see the likely imbalances stemming from innate tendencies.
• According to Ayurveda, when a dosha is out of balance, illness can occur in the body and the mind.
• Knowing one’s dosha can empower us to restore body and mind to a system that is balanced, healthy, and evolving.
• Ayurveda presents a vast toolbox of treatment modalities to choose from, all with the goal to reestablish one’s natural balance of vata, pitta, and kapha.