Dosha Theory
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Seat of the Doshas |
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Taste and the Five Elements |
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Six Tastes and their Effect on the Doshas |
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Prana, Ojas, Tejas (The Three Vital Essences) |
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Agni & Ama |
AGNI & AMA
Agni 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.