Do you know your Dosha? Dosha Know?
This is an introduction to Ayurveda...please study on because this is an ancient facinating art that can bring your health, balance an vitality!
AYUR-life VEDA-knowledge or science Ayurveda is a medical science and its purpose is to heal and maintain the quality and longevity of life. It is both systematize knowledge and practical wisdom combining all phases of life, body,
mind and spirit.
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
The building blocks of material creation
Space/Ether: empty, light, subtle, formless
Air: dry, clear, light, mobile
Fire: hot, dry, sharp
Water: fluid, heavy, soft
Earth: heavy, hard, dense
The five elements combine into 3 basic energies called Doshas. Dosha in Sanskrit means “fault”.
All people have all the three Doshas, but one is usually primary, one secondary and the third least prominent. The Doshas are responsible for all our individual differences and preferences in life on all levels of body, mind and consciousness.
VATA: composed of air and ether. Energy of movement
PITTA: composed of fire and water. Energy of transformation
KAPHA: composed of water and earth. Energy of lubrication
Each person's combination of the 3 doshas is determined at the moment of conception by the
parents genetics, diet, lifestyle, emotions etc. It is called Prakruti, which means nature, and
doesn't change trough out life except in some very rare cases. Example: vata1 pitta3 kapha2.
When the doshas are imbalanced, and in a different state from the original state of the
constitution, it is called Vikruti or unnatural.
VATA CHARACTERISTICS:
• small body frame
• dry skin
• hates cold, loves hot
• low appetite
• walks fast
• talks fast
• doing many things at once
• loves to travel
• loves change
• difficulty with stability and commitment
• creative
• learns quickly, forgets quickly
• joyful, happy
• may experience fear, loneliness, anxiety
PITTA CHARACTERISTICS:
• medium body type
• red flushed skin
• hates heat
• likes fame
• strong appetite
• leaders
• logical
• organized
• perfectionist
• sharp and bright mind
• may experience anger, judgmental, aggression
KAPHA CHARACTERISTICS:
• strong healthy body
• oily skin
• calm nature
• steady appetite
• walks and talks slow
• peaceful
• patient
• grounded
• stable
• may experience depression, greed, attachment
THE 6 TASTES:
Sweet = Earth+Water
Sour = Earth+ Fire
Salty = Water+ Fire
Pungent = Fire+Air
Bitter = Air+Space
Astringent = Air+Earth
THE 6 TASTES AND THE DOSHAS:
Beneficial for Vata: sweet, sour, salty
Beneficial for Pitta: sweet, bitter, astringent
Beneficial for Kapha: pungent, bitter, astringent
THE 20 BASIC QUALITIES:
heavy - light
oily - dry
stable - mobile
slimy - rough
gross - subtle
cold - hot
slow - sharp
soft - hard
dense - liquid
cloudy - clear
CERTAIN FOODS AND THEIR QUALITIES:
heavy: cheese, meat, beans
light: rice, popcorn, sprouts
cold: ice cream, mint
hot: chili peppers, alcohol, tobacco
oily: avocado, coconut
dry: millet, dry cereal
slow: meat
sharp: onion, garlic
MEAL TIME FOR EACH DOSHA:
Vata: Breakfast- 8 A.M Lunch-11 A.M-noon Dinner- 6 P.M
Pitta: Breakfast- 7:30 A.M Lunch-noon Dinner- 6-7 P.M
Kapha:Breakfast- 7 A.M Lunch-noon-1 P.M Dinner- 7-8 P.M
IMPROPER EATING HABITS:
1. overeating
2. eating soon after a full meal
3. drinking to much water during a meal
4. drinking very chilled water
5. eating at the wrong time of the day
6. eating fruits with the meal
7. eating without real hunger
8. emotional eating
9. exercise after eating
10. eating while driving
THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE VATA:
• Worry
• Fasting
• Not getting enough sleep
• Eating on the run
• Keeping no routine
• Eating dry and frozen foods
• Running around a lot
• Using drugs
• Repressing feelings
THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE PITTA:
• Drinking plenty of alcohol.
• Eating spicy food.
• Emphasizing on tomatoes, chillies, raw onions, sour foods
• Exercising during the hottest time of the day
• Using drugs
• Avoiding cool fresh peaceful places
• Repressing your feelings
THINGS THAT WILL IMBALANCE KAPHA:
• Taking long naps after meals
• Eating fatty, oily foods
• Overeating
• Denying your creative self.
• Assume someone else will do it
• No exercise
• Ice cream
• Beer
• Repressing your feelings
HOW TO BALANCE VATA:
• keep warm
• choose warm food and spices
• avoid extreme cold, and cold or frozen drinks and foods
• minimize your intake of raw foods
• emphasize sweet, salty and sour tastes in your food choice
• keep a regular routine
HOW TO BALANCE PITTA:
• keep cool
• avoid excess heat, steam and humidity
• avoid excess oils, fried food, caffeine, salt, alcohol, red meat and hot spices
• eat cooling, non spicy foods
• emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables
• emphasize sweet, bitter and astringent tastes in your food choice
• get plenty of fresh air
HOW TO BALANCE KAPHA:
• get plenty of physical exercise every day
• keep your consumption of fats to the minimum
• avoid iced foods, drinks, sweets and an excessive amount of bread
• choose foods which are warm, light and dry
• avoid dairy foods
• emphasize pungent, bitter and astringent tastes in your food choice
• indulge in fresh vegetables, herbs and spices
• change your routine
The Chompra Center has a fun quiz you can take online to get a general idea of the doshas which you consist. http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/
The best way to discover your Dosha make up is to consult with an Ayurvedic Doctor.
I hope you enjoyed this blog on the Doshas and Ayurveda. Our goal is to expose ideas and practices that can be incorporated to help make your life better...give new things a try with a concerted effort...you may change your life for good!
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