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THE DOSHA THEORYAyurveda defines a human being as the assemblage of the five maha bhutas plus jivatman (individual consciousness). The five maha bhutas give rise to the doshas (psycho-physical tendencies). The doshas are derived by combining different pairs of the five elements. The three doshas are: Vata, (ether/air) Pitta (fire/water) and Kapha (earth/water). The five elements are the building blocks of all matter and the doshas organize the elements for their function in the human body. There are seven possible combinations of vata, pitta and kapha. Every individual has all three doshas within them but it is the dominance of any one, two or all three that makes up a person’s individual prakruti (constitution). Established at conception, prakruti is the psycho-physical constitution of an individual. It creates the inborn tendencies that influence how one experiences life. When functioning normally and present in normal quantities, the doshas maintain balance in all body processes. When out of balance they create dis-ease. The imbalanced state is referred to as vikruti. If the present state of the doshas is the same as prakruti, that individual is balanced and healthy. Vikruti is the result of any aspects of diet, lifestyle, emotions, age, and environment which continually change from moment to moment. No matter what the constitution, it is possible to achieve optimal health through proper diet, cooking methods, lifestyle habits and an attitude towards life that specifically suits each individual. Vata – The word Vata is derived from the Sanskrit verb “vah” which means vehicle; to carry; to move. The elements of ether and air combine to form the dosha of Vata. Vata is connected to the nervous system and therefore reaches every part of the body. Traditionally, Ayurveda calls these the “winds” of the body – the impulses traveling along nerves, muscles, blood vessels and anywhere there is bodily motion. Vata has the qualities of dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile, and clear and is responsible for joy, happiness, creativity, speech, sneezing and elimination. Vata is associated with the guna sattva and the vital life force of prana. Pitta – The word Pitta is derived from the Sanskrit word “tap” meaning heat; austere. The elements of fire and water combine to form the dosha Pitta. Pitta is responsible for metabolism and is equated with the body’s heat as well as digestion of food and thought. Pitta has the qualities of hot, sharp, light, liquid and slightly oily and the attributes include acuteness of sight, sharp thinking, concentration and comprehension. Pitta is associated with the guna rajas and the fire element Agni. Kapha – The word Kapha is derived from the Sanskrit roots “Ka” which means water and “pha” which means to flourish. The elements of water and earth combine to form the dosha Kapha. Kapha comprises all our cells, tissues and organs as is responsible for maintaining structure of the body as well as keeping it moist and well lubricated. Kapha has the qualities of cold, dense, moist, soft and cloudy and the attributes include love, compassion, forgiveness, a steady mind and great memory. Kapha is related to the guna tamas and the elements of earth and water. SEAT OF THE DOSHASBesides being located in each and every cell, each dosha has a primary location known as its “seat”. The seat of Vata is the colon, the seat of Pitta is the small intestine and the seat of Kapha is the chest. If a dosha is starting to go out of balance, the first symptom will often occur at its seat. Keeping one’s doshas in balance is necessary for total health. The doshas are balanced when they are in a dynamic equilibrium. When your doshas are in balance your health is good. When the doshas are out of balance, dis-ease may result. On the physical level, an increase in Vata may cause dryness or gas, an increase in Pitta may cause inflammation and hyperacidity and an increase in Kapha may cause weight gain, congestion or edema. On the psychological level, an increase in Vata may cause fear and anxiety, an increase in Pitta may cause hostility and anger and an increase in Kapha may cause sadness, lethargy and depression. TASTE AND THE FIVE ELEMENTSEvery substance is made up of some combination of the five basic elements so these elements are present in all six tastes. The Fire, Air and Ether elements are light and tend to move upward. They move the dosha energies upwards, producing lightness. On the other hand, Earth and Water elements are heavy and move downward, producing heaviness in the body. The tastes act upon the doshas and will either increase or decrease the quality of the dosha.
SIX TASTES AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE DOSHASThe following chart illustrates how the different tastes affect the doshas.
PRANA, OJAS, TEJAS (THE THREE VITAL ESSENCES)Prana, Ojas and Tejas are the subtle counterparts of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. On the simplest terms Prana relates to the air element and Vata; Tejas relates to the fire element and Pitta, and Ojas relates to the water element and Kapha. They are the positive essences of the three doshas and control ordinary mind-body function. They also keep us free of disease. If oriented properly they can reveal higher evolutionary potential. While increases in the doshas cause disease, increases in these vital essences promote positive health. These three forces are the keys to vitality, clarity and endurance. Prana is the primal life force, the subtle energy behind all mind-body function and the catalyst for all matter to manifest. It is responsible for coordination of breath, senses and mind. Prana is the vital energy taken in through liquids and breathing, and is carried through the liquids in our bodies (blood and plasma) as well as absorbed through the senses of hearing and touch. Prana in the mind allows it to move and respond to the challenges of life. Prana is also responsible for enthusiasm and expression in the psyche. Prana, at the deepest levels of consciousness, governs the development of higher states of consciousness.
Tejas is inner radiance, the subtle energy of fire, through which we digest impressions and thoughts. Tejas, fed through visual impressions, is the essence of the heat we absorb through food as well as sunlight. It is what enables the mind to perceive and judge correctly. It governs the development of higher perceptual qualities. Tejas at the deepest levels of consciousness holds the accumulated insight of our will and spiritual aspirations. Ojas is primal vigor, the subtle energy of water as our vital energy reserve - the essence of digested food, impressions and thoughts. Ojas is fed through sensory impressions of taste and smell. It provides psychological stability and endurance. At the deepest levels of consciousness, Ojas is the material power from which the soul produces the koshas (energy bodies) and provides calm nourishment to higher states of consciousness. AGNI & AMAAgni refers to the universal principle of transformation in all its forms. The primary function of agni in the human being is digestion, absorption, assimilation and transformation of food and sensation into energy, yielding nutrition, knowledge and understanding. Agni is vital for visual perception, regulation of temperature, skin luster, confidence, courage, enthusiasm, laughter, mental clarity, intelligence, reasoning capacity and the production and utilization of prana in respiration and cellular breathing. Agni maintains flow of cellular communication, gives patience, provides strength and maintains lifespan and vitality. Without agni it would be impossible to digest any food or sensory experience. Factors such as detrimental lifestyle, diet, bad food combining and repressed emotions can cause one or more doshas to become aggravated. This soon disturbs agni, with the result being that food cannot be properly digested. The undigested food turns into a toxic sticky substance called ama.
Ama
is the root cause of many dis-eases. The
presence of ama in the system leads to fatigue and a feeling
of heaviness. It may induce constipation, indigestion,
flatulence, diarrhea, bad breath, perverted taste and mental
confusion. Ama blocks access to energy, liveliness and
intelligence. It builds up toxins in the physiology and can cause blockages in the arteries, joints and
other vital organs. |
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