Ayurveda is one of the oldest natural healing sciences. In Sanskrit,
Ayurveda means the "Science of Life". It's a holistic approach focused on
prevention and encourages balance in all aspects of your life: Your diet.
Your sleep. Your Lifestyle. Your pastimes. Your surroundings. Your way of
thinking.
By considering all of these aspects of your life and depending on your
natural constitution, you can make adjustments and lifestyle changes that
harmonize the mind, body and spirit.
Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, each person has a particular
pattern of energy—an individual combination of physical, mental and
emotional characteristics—which comprises their own constitution. This
constitution is determined at conception by a number of factors and
remains the same throughout your life. Your constitution is a unique
combination of the doshas.
Understanding your dosha constitution of Vata, Pitta and Kapha is essential for knowing how to heal yourself. By putting this knowledge into action, you can bring more harmony to your being by making simple adjustments to your diet, lifestyle and mindset.
A vata type reflects the air & ether qualities in their physical, mental & emotional bodies. A vata body is irregular; sometimes thin with long bones or sometimes vata manifests as a pear-shaped figure. Commonly, vata types have difficulty gaining weight. The personality is restless, adventurous, dreamy, bubbly & charismatic. The vata soul is creative, artistic & inspires others. They love movement, change & jump at the idea of trying new things. When vata is out of balance within a person, the tendency is for excess movement & motion in the body & mind. This can lead to anxiety, overwhelm, insomnia & fear. In the physical body, vata imbalance manifests as coldness, dryness & constipation.
The qualities of fire and water are inherently hot, light, sharp, oily and flowing. Pitta manifests in the physical body through a medium frame and athletic build, making it easy for this body type to sustain muscle tone. A pitta personality tends to be a natural born leader, who is passionate and courageous and great communicator. Pitta types value organization and completion of tasks is a must. When they are in balance, they have a beautiful blend of the fire and water element which displays in a powerful, compassionate nature, inspiring others to achieve their goals. Imbalance in pitta, there is a tendency for hyperacidity, ulcers and inflammation. In the mind, excess pitta leads to irritability, jealousy, impatience, a judgmental attitude and anger.
Earth and water are both by nature: dense, heavy, cold, static and dull. Kapha dosha is the force of stability due to the grounded, stable elements that create it. It is very easy for kapha-types to gain weight and also hard for them to lose it. They have large features: abundant hair, large eyes and thick lips. A kapha personality is sweet, loving and loyal. They are the people at the party or social gathering making sure everyone else is okay. Kapha-types are also solid, steady and enjoy routine. When kapha is out of balance, in the physical body, there can be weight gain, excess mucous, lethargy and nausea associated in the digestive tract. Stubbornness and attachment may become an issue in the emotional body.
According to Ayurveda and the Vedic traditions, once we've begun our journey to harmonize imbalances of the doshas, we are then able to fulfill our deepest desires.
With each of the categories above: