What Are The Doshas? Discover The 4 Ayurveda Dosha Types.

The Dosha, body and mind profiles, originate from arguably the worlds most well known holistic medical practice in the world, Ayurveda and the Doshas.  Discover Your Ayurvedic Dosha Type. So what are the Doshas?

Records show that the Indian Ayurvedic medical system has been practised for over 4,000 years.  The term Ayurveda comes from Sanskrit, one of the world’s oldest languages.

Ayus – meaning life

Vid – meaning knowledge

When put Ayus and Vid together we get

Ayurveda –  the knowledge of life

Based upon Ayurvedic teachings it is believed that there are 4 aspects of life

  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Mental
  • Spiritual

When combined these 4 aspects contribute to our overall heath and well-being.

Ayurvedic practice teaches us how to keep these aspects in balance and how to maintain a healthy equilibrium through restoring energies if we become ill.  More importantly Ayurveda helps to keep our body’s immune and defense systems strong and our physical body in optimal health.

Ayurveda is based on ancient holistic principles – the belief that holistic therapies work as prevention rather than cure.

What Are The Doshas?

Allopathic, or Western medicine, is typically “cure” based and treats the symptoms of illness and disease.  It is a practice that is applied after the onset of disease and it’s treatments are used after you become ill.

Ayurvedic medicine, and the founding principles of all holistic medicine,  is “preventative”.  This means the practitioner works with the patient before any ill health and its practices are applied to prevent illness occurring.

As with all holistic treatments Ayurveda is applied as a preventative measure and after monitoring the patient’s lifestyle:

  • diet
  • emotional state
  • level of activity
  • sex life
  • home and work conditions
  • spirituality
  • etc

Combined with this lifestyle referencing Ayurvedic practitioners encourage the use of natural organic foods and herbal remedies.  Most would also recommend the patient participates in meditation or yoga.

And it is Ayurveda where we find the term Dosha.

What Is The Dosha? – Basic Ayurvedic Beliefs And Principles:

  1. Ayurveda believes our body, like everything in nature, is composed of the five elements
    1. Space
    2. Air
    3. Fire
    4. Water
    5. Earth.
  2. The five elements when combined in certain patterns form three Body and Mind Profiles.
  3. These 3 body and mind profiles govern our physical composition and also how we tend to react and interact with others, the environment and everything around us.
  4. This then determines your Dosha.
  5. The Dosha (or doshas) are the 3 body and mind profiles.
  6. The Dosha are:
    1. Vata
    2. Pitta
    3. Kapha.

While we all tend to belong to just one Dosha, we should be aiming to achieve a unique balance of all three, comparative to the balance at the time of our birth. 

Ayurvedic practitioners believe that once the correct balance is achieved we remain in good health and maintain excellent wellbeing.

Discover What Is The Dosha - Your Ayurveda Dosha Type

Because each of you are a unique individual you are unable to balance the Dosha types (and achieve physical health and wellbeing) until you determine your unique individual proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

This needs to be done with an Ayurvedic practitioner. However it is relatively easy to self assess your dominant dosha.

Key Characteristics Of Dosha Types.

Read all 3 of the dosha types characteristics below. Keep in mind that while it is common for you to have attributes within each of the 3 the vast amount of people naturally align to one, and this is their dominant Dosha.

ELEMENTS:

AIR & SPACE

CHARACTERISTICS:

COLD, ROUGH, LIGHT, SWIFT, MOBILE, DRY

Vata Dosha Type.

  • Thin light and wiry framed body
  • long tapered fingers and toes
  • small dark eyes, small mouth, thin lips
  • dry skin and can be rough
  • hair is regular to dry
  • extreme sensitivity to cold, wind and dry weather
  • cold extremities – hands, feet, nose
  • erratic appetites, irregular digestion
  • highly imaginative but often with disjointed thoughts
  • open and tolerant of others
  • energetic but sporadic
  • light restless sleep

PACE

Balanced Vata promotes creativity and flexibility.

Unbalanced Vata produces fear and anxiety.

Physical Ailments: emphysema, pneumonia and arthritis

GUIDANCE FOR BALANCING VATA

KEEP WARM – MAINTAIN CALMNESS – AVOID RAW OR COLD FOODS STAY OUT OF COLD WEATHER – KEEP A REGULAR ROUTINE

ELEMENTS:

FIRE & WATER

CHARACTERISTICS:

HOT, SHARP, LIGHT, LIQUID, MOBILE, OILY

Pitta Dosha Type.

  • Body Types are medium to heavy, strong, well-built
  • skin is fair, warm, reddish, soft and moist.
  • many freckles and moles.
  • Skin may have rashes and acne.
  • Hair is normally fine, straight with a tendency for thinning
  • Burn easily in sun, sensitive to humidity adn heat
  • Robust appetite, irritable when meals skipped
  • Have a very sharp mind
  • Good powers of concentration
  • Normally seek to avoid and dislike hot weather
  • Benefits from daily meditation after 6 p.m.
  • Overheat duruing sleep
  • Burn candle both ends

PACE

    Balanced Pitta promotes intelligence and understanding.

    Unbalanced Pitta produces anger and jealousy.

    Physical Ailments: fevers, inflammatory diseases and jaundice.

    GUIDE FOR BALANCING PITTA

    avoid excessive heat or steam – avoid excess oil – LIMIT SALT INTAKE – EXERCISE ONLY WHEN ABLE TO KEEP COOL

    ELEMENTS:

    WATER EARTH

    CHARACTERISTICS:

    HEAVY, SLOW, COLD, OILY, SMOOTH, SOFT

    Kapha Dosha Type.

    • Body type is a larger sturdy build
    • Stocky, gain weight easily
    • Regardless of size they are usually physically strong
    • Skin is oily and moist, usually pale
    • Soft, thick, oily hair that is wavy and plentiful
    • Usually very white teeth
    • Deliberate thought patterns; Reflective and Calm
    • Dislike of damp and/or cold weather
    • Cool extremities that may be clammy
    • Heavy sleepers with a tenency to over sleep
    • Early to bed and early to rise is best for the Kapha

    PACE

    Balanced Kapha promotes calmness and forgiveness.

    Unbalanced Kapha produces greed and envy.

    Physical Ailments: Flu, Sinus, Congestion and Excess mucous.

    GUIDE FOR BALANCING KAPHA

    staying active – ensuring plenty of exercise – avoiding heavy oily foods – limit dairy and iced drinks- vary your daily routine.

    I hope this guide has explained the Dosha and you have been able to identify your Dosha Type.

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    Wishing you great health

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    What Are The Doshas? Discover The 4 Ayurveda Dosha Types.

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    1. Milos August 2, 2015
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