MEDHYA YOGA & WELLNESS

Have you ever thought why some people are lean and thin no matter how much they eat, and why some people tend to put on weight even by just looking at food? 

The answer to this is given in Ayurveda and forms the basis of all ayurvedic treatment. It is because of the Dosha or humour dominant in our body. 

Let us see what these doshas are.

According to the ancient Vedic seers the universe is made up of 5 elements – earth, water, fire, air and ether. Whatever exist in the macrocosm also exist in the microcosm, and so, everything that exist in the universe including this human body is also made up of these 5 elements. 

The sages also observed there are 3 primal forces that control the creation born out of these elements. These three forces are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, also called doshas.

The Main qualities of the three humors are:

Humour	Quality	Characteristic
VATA	Cold, dry, light, irregular, fast	Like wind
PITTA	Hot, oily, light, penetrating, moving	Like fire
KAPHA	Cold, oily, heavy, regular, slow	Like water

The doshas are present in different proportions in each of us and determine both our physical as well as mental characteristics. Our individuality according to Ayurveda is determined by seeing which of the three natural forces/ dosha dominate in us. 

Let us take a look at the three doshas how the way they determine our personality:

VATA

Vata is a combination of Air and ether and is the energy of movement. A vata dominant person is naturally lean and does not gain weight easily. They have variable metabolism, dry skin and hair. Their circulation tends to be weak or variable, as is their immune system. They are often very talkative and speedy in a scattered sort of way. 

Vata is creativity, intuition. It is abstract and fluid, changeable and adaptable. Vata is present in all artists of every medium. When in balance a vata person is creative, full of ideas and flexible. They have a quick mind and are often intellectually bright. 

An imbalanced vata however, brings depression, stress and anxiety and worry. Irregularities manifest throughout the body and mind. All nervous disorders are due to vata.

Think of a scientist or an artist – that is pure Vata!

PITTA 

Pitta is a combination of Water and Fire, and is the energy of heat & transformation. Pitta controls the process of digestion and metabolism in the body. 

A pitta dominant person is of medium size and height, does not gain much weight. They have oily skin which is prone to infections or pimples, even later as an adult. Their hair is slightly oily and may turn gray at a young age. Their complexion may be fair or reddish, in either case they sunburn easily.

Pitta fuels our ambition, and intellect. It’s responsible for that competitive drive and sharp focus we all need. A pitta person is the most motivated and goal oriented. Pitta is discrimination of the mind. They like to create things and put ideas into form. They are passionate and motivated. Their mind likes and needs to be stimulated through learning and seeking.

When disturbed they usually become frustrated which can turn to anger, irritability and jealousy. Excess pitta causes all kinds of burning  and heat related disorders such as inflammations, reflux, & Menstruation problems.

Think of a leader or an entrepreneur, that is Pitta!

KAPHA

Finally we have Kapha which is a combination of earth and water. It is the energy of cohesion and provides stability. 

A Kapha dominant person is larger in build with thicker bones and bodies. They have the slowest metabolism and tend to put on weight easily. They tend to have thicker arms and legs than the other types. They have the best quality of skin and hair, both slightly oily but with good lusture.  A Kapha dominant individual will have the strongest immune system.

Kapha governs our strength, immunity, and emotional well-being. It is the quality of stability, mentally and emotionally. They are less concerned with intellectual pursuits than the others and prefer emotional relationships with live beings – plants, animals or people. They enjoy being and need to be with others and prefer a few deep relationships to many superficial ones. When balanced, a Kapha person is patient, grounded, & compassionate. They are the most reliable and least self-oriented of the three in a balanced state.

When imbalanced kapha creates huge emotional needs and feelings of lack of love and security. They tend to internalize their emotions by accumulating them which may take the form of fat, tumors, cysts etc. They have a tendency to be lethargic and do stress eating. 

Think of a loving and caring mother who nurtures her children – that is Kapha!

These three principles or doshas combine to make ten different personality types namely – Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta,Vata-Kapha, Pitta-Vata, Pita-kapha, Kapha-Vata, Kapha-Pitta, Vata-Pitta-Kapha.

There is one very helpful trick to help us recognize our natal constitution, and that is by looking at our tongue. A very wide broad tongue is kapha in nature and a very narrow tongue is vata. A pitta tongue is not wider than the outer edges of the teeth – it is in between the other two in width. The mixed constitutions are in between the pure types. E.g a pitta-kapha tongue will be broader than a pitta tongue and narrower than a kapha tongue. This is a simple but very effective way to know our natal constitution. 

Knowing our individual constitution is empowering because then we can better understand our nature and take corrective measures to treat the imbalances in our doshas and our body.