The Doshas - Ayurvedic Dosha Principles
- Anji Green
- May 14, 2023
- 5 min read
Vata, Pitta and Kapha - collectively known as the Doshas, are one of the most foundational concepts in the tradition of Ayurveda.
But what are they, exactly? In essence, the doshas are energetic forces of nature or functional principles that help us better understand ourselves and the world around us.
Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are each essential to our physiology in some way, so no one dosha is better than, or superior to, any other. Each has a specific set of functional roles to play in the body. That said, when the doshas are out of balance, they can wreak havoc on our health.
But before we get into the specifics of the Ayurvedic Dosha Principles and the three doshas, it is helpful to understand their elemental composition and broader role in our natural world.
In Ayurveda, the most basic building blocks of the material world are the five elements: ether (space), air (wind), fire, water, and earth.
Vata is characterized by the mobile nature of Wind and Air energy
Pitta embodies the transformative nature of Fire and Water energy
And Kapha reflects the binding nature of Water and Earth energy
As with the elements, all three of the doshas can be found in everyone and everything, but in different proportions. They combine to create different climates, different foods, different species, and even different individuals within the same species.
In fact, the particular ratio of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha within you, provides you with a blueprint for optimal health, otherwise known as your constitution, this garners a significant influence on your individual physical, mental, and emotional character traits, as well as your unique strengths and vulnerabilities.
The Qualitative Nature of the Ayurvedic Dosha Principles
Each dosha is characterized by a collection of qualities that support its particular energetic:
VATA: Dry, Light, Cold, Rough, Subtle, Mobile, Clear
PITTA: Hot, Sharp, Light, Liquid, Spreading, Oily
KAPHA: Heavy, Slow, Cool, Oily, Smooth, Dense, Soft, Stable, Gross, Cloudy (Sticky)
These qualities make balancing the doshas very intuitive because, according to Ayurveda, like increases like, and opposites balance.
When any one of the doshas is aggravated, you can generally promote a return to balance by reducing the influence of that dosha’s qualities, by favouring their opposites. If you know which specific qualities are aggravated, you can focus on pacifying those qualities in particular, by introducing foods, herbs, and experiences that amplify their opposing energies.
The following table shows the ten pairs of opposites most commonly referenced in Ayurveda.
Ayurveda’s Ten Pairs of Opposites:
Heavy / Light
Cold / Hot
Oily / Dry
Smooth /
Rough
Dense / Liquid
Soft / Hard
Stable / Mobile
Gross / Subtle
Cloudy - (Sticky) / Clear
The Doshas and Their Functions:
Each of the three doshas has a unique personality determined by its particular combination of elements and qualities. At the end of the day, each dosha naturally governs specific physiological functions:
Primary Functions:
Vata: Movement and Communication
Pitta: Digestion and Transformation
Kapha: Cohesiveness, Structure, and Lubrication
While the doshas can be observed everywhere in nature, they are particularly supportive of understanding living organisms, specifically ourselves. For this reason, we will explore their primary functions in the context of human physiology.
Vata:
Vata embodies the energy of movement and is therefore often associated with wind and the
air element. Vata is linked to creativity and flexibility; it governs all movement, the flow of the breath, the pulsation of the heart, all muscle contractions, tissue movements, cellular mobility and communication throughout the mind and the nervous system.
Pitta:
Pitta represents the energy of transformation and is therefore closely aligned with the fire element. But in living organisms, pitta is largely liquid, which is why water is its secondary element. Pitta is neither mobile nor stable but spreads, much as the warmth of a fire permeates its surroundings, or as water flows in the direction dictated by the terrain.
Pitta is closely related to intelligence, understanding, and the digestion of foods, thoughts, emotions, and experiences; it governs nutrition and metabolism, body temperature, and the light of understanding.
Kapha
Kapha lends structure, solidity, and cohesiveness to all things, and is therefore associated primarily with the earth and water elements. Kapha also embodies the watery energies of love and compassion. This dosha hydrates all cells and systems, lubricates the joints, moisturizes the skin, maintains immunity, and protects the tissues.
Understanding Imbalances in the Doshas:
Imbalances in the doshas are generally caused by unsupportive diet and lifestyle choices, as well as stress or emotional trauma. These disturbances tend to upset the natural state of internal equilibrium represented by one’s constitution.
When the doshas become aggravated, each of them disrupts the body in its own unique way. Therefore, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are each associated with a particular set of health challenges and tendencies toward disease.
While you are susceptible to an excess in any of the three doshas, you also tend to be somewhat predisposed to imbalances in your predominant doshas. In other words, Vata-Pitta predominant individuals will usually tend toward Vata and Pitta imbalances before Kapha imbalances.
That said, it's possible for your current doshic imbalance to be completely different from your constitution. For example, even if someone's constitution from birth is Vata-Pitta, it's totally normal to have a build-up of Kapha. This can be for many reasons, including environmental factors, diet, or the time of year.
If you're wondering if it's possible for your dominant dosha (constitution) to change throughout life, Ayurveda would say no. While it's normal for your current state of balance to change, even frequently, your constitution is the baseline for your health and remains constant throughout your life.
Imbalanced Vata:
When out of balance, Vata tends to cause fear, anxiousness, isolation, loneliness, and exhaustion. It can lead to both physical and energetic depletion, disrupt proper communication, and cause all sorts of abnormal movements in the body such as shakiness or trembling.
Imbalanced Pitta:
When out of balance, Pitta causes fiery, reactionary emotions such as frustration, anger, jealousy, and criticism. Imbalanced pitta is often at the root of heat-related disorders, which can affect organs and tissues throughout the body like ulcers, rashes and indigestion.
Imbalanced Kapha:
When out of balance, Kapha triggers emotions of attachment, greed, and possessiveness and can also create stubbornness, lethargy, and resistance to change. Physically, Kapha's tend to invite stagnation and sluggishness in organs and tissues throughout the body, including the mind.
Befriending the Doshas in Your Life:
It is important to remember that we all have innate strengths and gifts, as well as persistent challenge areas. The doshas are a wonderful tool for understanding both, and also for recognizing and correcting any imbalances at work in our systems.
Invariably, the doshas shed light on our personal nuances, guide us in improving self-awareness, and can help us understand how to offer support to our bodies and minds, precisely where and when it matters most. As a result, cultivating a relationship with each of your three doshas can have a transformative impact on your overall health and well-being. I'd love to support you in beginning to discover the doshas in YOUR life.
If this is your first visit here, you are just becoming familiar with which and how the doshas affect your day-to-day life, this awareness can be very helpful, but it can be tricky to guess and be completely overwhelming. If you would like to find out your constitution, your current state of balance, and receive personalised recommendations based on both, please consider setting up a consultation appointment with me, we take an hour to discuss in detail your particular constitution and how best to balance both your body and mind.
Namaste
Anji
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