Skip to main content

Doshas


     Doshas translates to 'that which can go out of balance'. There are three of them - Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and they govern the functions of the body. All three are present in everyone, but the combination is unique only to you. Prakriti is the state of dosha predominance in the nature of each person, established at the time of conception and does not change, although it can be modified. There are daily, seasonal and lifetime changes that can affect you Prakriti. You can have a single dosha predominance, dual dosha predominance, and rarely we find a tridosha (all three) predominance. 

    Knowing your Prakriti helps you know yourself better. Preventative and treatment plans are dependent upon this information. Maintaining physical balance, harmony at the subtle levels, appropriate regimens, understanding disorder tendencies, proper diet & herbs, exercise routines, safe and effective treatments and adding life to our living - are many of the things knowing your Prakriti can help with.

    To find out your Prakriti you should speak with an Ayurvedic professional. Currently, I am practicing this with family and friends. 

    Here are some basic tendencies of each dosha:

Vata people are full of energy, they keep the conversation going and they inspire us with all the ideas they pull out of thin air. Generally, they are slim and slender with prominent bones. They typically have small features, dry skin and dry hair. They are very intuitive, imaginative and artistic. They have actions of always moving and always changing, even with their mind. They are very creative people but can have a tendency to be a natural worrier. 

Pitta people are bright, they are confident with a clear vision and make great leaders. Generally, they have a medium build with strong muscles and sharp features. They naturally are great speakers, precise, and tidy and also love list making. They tend to be always hungry, can get 'hangry' and have a fast metabolism. They can be opinionated and have a tendency to get irritable easily. 

Kapha people are stable, dependable and nurturing. Our tried and true people. Generally, they have rounded features and thick hair. They are the peacemakers with a good endurance and strong immune system. They can gain weight easily and get attached quickly. They tend to be good listeners, but can be shy and sometimes a bit lazy. 

    Are any of these jumping out to you? There are lots of questions and even more questions to refine those answers to figure out your unique Prakriti. These questions bring about a lot of self reflection as we answer them with how we have been in majority of our life, not just what is happening right now or this year. It's been so fascinating to learn the energetic tendencies and how they are all connected. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prevention Science

      Svasthavrtta is the science of Ayurvedic prevention, creating balance for complete physical, sensory, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The goal is to achieve, maintain and preserve health and to prevent disease.      We do this by utilizing daily routines, seasonal routines, and living a pure lifestyle. Pure in the sense of the right diet, water, air, proper exercise, hygiene, a healthy livelihood, meditation and not bringing harm to yourself & others. The right lifestyle doesn't mean to suppress our nature, but bring out its deeper powers. To live in harmony. This is unique to each person, as is everything in Ayurveda. There are only a few guidelines that are standard for all.      Timing is one of the guidelines. Nature is a cycle. Our bodies also work best in a cycle. What time we wake, eat and sleep is very important. It can be a hard adjustment with changing work schedules and our tasks throughout the day. But working towards th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Importance of Timing in Ayurveda

       We have 24 hours, two hands. It’s something I’ve heard one of my Ayurvedic teachers say and boy did that hit home. Let me give you a little background on myself. I’ve always been an ambitious person. Goals and plans to help myself, family and the people in my community feel their best! Some of them are quite lofty, but I also think they are fully attainable. I’m a hairstylist, massage therapist, business owner and a few months away from completing my Ayurvedic Health Counselor certification. I spend time with a lot of people in my community. Seeing them leave my chair or office with confidence, relief from pain and tension, and knowing they’ve been heard brings me great joy. With the many things I enjoy doing, I’m also a very busy person. Like many of my clients, we all wear multiple hats to get things accomplished and have been ingrained into the hustle mentality. Family, taking care of your home, varying work schedules and tasks, people who need you fully pr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ayurvedic Nutrition

        Nutrition through an Ayurvedic lens is quite different from the conventional view. The conventional view is we eat for personal preference, by habit, for body image and because of emotions. Calories are taken into consideration along with different food groups. The saying 'You are what you eat' comes to mind. Through the Ayurvedic lens we view food as life sustaining, with focus on the panca mahabutas (the five elements) and how the body processes what we eat, or agni (digestion). It's based on our individual constitution (prakriti) and the sadrasatmaka ahara (the six tastes). Food is considered Ahara, or anything we take in to nourish our body and mind. This includes food, water, breath and perceptions/senses/emotions. The saying is 'You are what you digest'. No food is bad, but it depends on the context and the need to understand yourself and your digestion. Ayurveda's interesting approach to include the mind, senses and breath is like nothing we'v...
Post a Comment
Read more