Understanding the Doshas for Better Health

“In the practice of Ayuveda we try to bring people back into balance and at the same time let their true nature shine through. The two processes are really the same.”–Deepak Chopra. Ayurvedic practitioners look at each client as a unique composition of the doshas, which are distinct mind-body types. In Ayurveda, there is no separation between the two. The first dosha is vata, and it is usually the first to become imbalanced and over time will take the others with it. It is governed by air and ether and is linked to the intestines, circulation, and the heart. Characteristics of vata are coolness, movement, speed, dryness, and roughness. The second dosha is pitta. It is governed by fire and water and is linked to digestion, metabolism, and perspiration. Characteristics of pitta are heat, sweat, sharpness, and sour odors. The third dosha is kapha. It is governed by water and earth and is linked to the mucous membranes. Characteristics of kapha are heaviness, sweetness, steadiness, softness, and slowness. Everyone is a combination of the three doshas, and at the time of our birth, we are composed of a harmonious balance of all three—not necessarily an equal balance, but a combination that forms our perfect mental and physical constitution, our prakriti. Over the course of one’s life, we will shift from our prakriti, our harmonious balance of the doshas, into a disharmonious vikriti, which literally means a deviation from nature. Our doshas become imbalanced over a period of time due to some lifestyle choices: eating the wrong foods, not getting enough rest, harboring negative emotions, and enduring physical and mental strain. On the other hand, our doshas can be balanced through diet, exercise, daily routine, and seasonal routine. The Ayurvedic bliss therapies that I practice are rituals that are intended to balance a person’s vikriti and to restore harmony among the doshas.
Daily habits are the best way to keep the doshas balanced. Eating properly and getting adequate rest are good habits to maintain. When we go for long periods of time without practicing good physical, mental, and emotional habits, we accumulate toxic residue in the body that Ayurvedic practitioners call ama. The Ayurvedic bliss therapies are designed to remove the body of ama and restore the healthy flow of energy throughout the body. Abhyanga is a full-body massage done with herbalized oil according to one’s dosha that helps to flush out toxins through the lymphatic system and is good for all mind-body types. Swedana is a steam treatment that encourages the body to sweat and is good for vata-types. Shirodhara is a warm oil treatment that calms the nervous system and is good for pitta-types. Udvartana is a dry herbal scrub that stimulates circulation and is good for kapha-types. All of these treatments are used to encourage the body’s own healing process by moving toxins out through natural channels of elimination.
Health and happiness lie within balanced doshas that represent our natural mind-body state, our prakriti. It is up to us to keep our doshas balanced through our daily habits. Signs of vata imbalance include worry, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, arthritis, chapped skin, muscle spasms, IBS, menstrual pain, and lower back pain. To balance vata dosha, keep regular habits, cover up to keep your body warm, seek quiet environments, eat regular meals, get ample rest, and do a self-massage or receive abhyanga to ward off dryness. Signs of pitta imbalance include anger, hostility, irritability, criticism of yourself or others, argumentative behavior, skin inflammations and rashes, acne, heartburn, ulcers, hot flashes, and excessive thirst. To balance pitta, practice eating and drinking in moderation, seek coolness (apply cool compresses to forehead, or drink cool but not iced water), pay attention to leisure and downtime, seek exposure to natural beauty (it is traditionally recommended that pittas watch the sunset, look at the full moon, and walk beside lakes and running water—easy to do here in Summit County), decrease your intake of caffeine, and receive shirodhara with cooling coconut oil to promote relaxation. Signs of kapha imbalance include mental dullness, over-attachment, depression, physical weariness, procrastination, inability to accept change, possessiveness, oversleeping, excess mucous or phlegm, allergies, asthma, aching joints, bloating, sinus congestion, cysts and other growths. To balance kapha, seek stimulation, seek variety in life, reduce sweet foods, stay warm, avoid damp weather, exercise daily, drink warm fluids during the day, and perform a dry skin brushing (garshana) or receive udvartana to promote circulation.
Erica Ragusa is a Breckenridge Massage Therapist at ambika.massagetherapy.com