The Doshas

The science of Ayurveda is based on the three primary vital energies named "doshas" in Sanskrit. The term "Dosha" means "that which decays or causes degeneration". The Doshas or the biological humors, when in excess, are the cause of the imbalance and of the disease process. Those doshas, are to be found at all levels of our being, from the most dense (the body) to the most subtle (mind and emotions), being responsible for the functioning of the human machine. The three doshas are named VATA, PITTA and KAPHA and are considered to be the basic forces of health and disease. The entire system of practices and techniques in Ayurveda is based upon the doshas and their balance.

The 3 Doshas

Once we understand how those Doshas are at work in our body, mind, emotions, psychological traits, in our climate, home environment, in the food we eat, in the seasonal change etc., Ayurveda becomes easy to understand and to apply, for Ayurveda is nothing else but the Science of the Doshas. We all have in our structure, at all levels (body, mind, senses, etc), a specific combination of these doshas and we inherit, at birth a specific constitution or what is called Prakriti.

Ayurveda goes on the principle that like increases like and therefore the state of balance can be reached through remedies of opposite nature than those that created the disease. Identifying and understanding prakriti is the first step in deciphering our unique responses to the world around us and the key to the right choices that can restore and maintain our good health.

It is important to understand that our Prakriti, or our constitution, and the imbalance (Vikritti) we might experience in the moment do not necessarily match. A person of a Pitta constitution is very likely to experience during her life more of the Pitta symptoms (such as inflammations, irritations, infections, etc). However, she could experience at a certain moment a Vata or a Kapha imbalance. We all have in the composition of our beings, no matter the constitution, some Vata, some Pitta and some Kapha, governing specific functions, organs and tissues.

In the case where the present imbalance, or the Vikriti, does not correspond to the constitution, the Prakriti, one should aim to reduce the Dosha in excess, while protecting the constitution. For example, one could be of a Vata constitution and experience temporarily a Kapha imbalance such in the case of cold and mucus accumulation; In this case, to restore balance, one needs to pacify or balance Kapha while protecting the Vata constitution.