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Ayurveda
Balance and the Doshas
by Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra
 According to Ayurveda,
internal balance is the key to perfect health. This natural internal state
of balance is described in terms of an important Ayurvedic concept - the doshas. Each person is born with a unique combination of the three doshas,
Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
"The Ayurvedic theory of disease and healing has a very solid scientific
base," says Dr. John Peterson, Maharishi Ayurveda physician from Muncie,
Indiana. "After all, human beings are part of the universe, and are
composed of the same five elements as everything in creation. Quantum
physicists call these five elements the five basic spin types. The
ancients called them space, air, fire, water and earth. Ayurveda
describes the three governing principles or doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha,
as combinations of these elements. Vata comes from space and air. Pitta
comes from fire and water. Kapha comes from water and earth. The nature of
these elements gives us a clue about the properties of the doshas.
Vata governs movement, Pitta governs heat, metabolism and transformation,
and Kapha governs structure and fluid balance. Even children can quickly
come to understand themselves, their friends and all of nature in terms of
Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It is the
interplay among the three doshas that determines the health of a living
being."
More About Vata
Vata governs all movement in
the mind and body. It controls such things as blood flow, elimination of
wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind. Since
Pitta and Kapha cannot move without it, Vata is considered the leader of
the three Ayurvedic principles in the body.
These are the sub-categories
or sub-doshas under Vata:
-
Prana Vata: The senses,
creative thinking, reasoning, enthusiasm, leader of all 15 categories of
Vata, Pitta and Kapha
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Udana Vata: Quality of voice,
memory, movements of thought
-
Samana Vata; Movement of food
through digestive tract
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Apana Vata: Elimination of
wastes, sexual function, menstrual cycle
-
Vyana Vata: Blood flow, heart
rhythm, perspiration, sense of touch
More About Pitta
Pitta governs bodily functions
concerned with heat and metabolism, and directs all biochemical reactions
and the process of energy exchange. For example, Pitta controls how we
digest foods, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we
discriminate between right and wrong. Pitta governs the important
digestive "Agnis" or fires of the body.
Pitta dosha is further divided
into the following sub-doshas:
-
Alochaka Pitta: Functioning of
the eyes
-
Bhrajaka Pitta: Healthy glow
of the skin
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Sadhaka Pitta: Desire, drive,
decisiveness, spirituality
-
Pachaka Pitta: Digestion,
assimilation, metabolism for healthy nutrients and tissues
-
Ranjaka Pitta: Healthy,
toxin-free blood
More About Kapha
Kapha governs the structure
and cohesion of the organism. It is responsible for biological strength,
natural tissue resistance, and proper body structure. It also governs
lubrication in the mind and body. It controls weight, growth, lubrication
for the joints and lungs, and formation of all the seven tissues:
nutritive fluids, blood, fat, muscles, bones, marrow and reproductive
tissues.
These are the sub-doshas of
Kapha:
-
Tarpaka Kapha: Moisture for
nose, mouth, eyes and brain
-
Bhodaka Kapha: Sense of taste,
which is essential for good digestion
-
Kledaka Kapha: Moisture of the
stomach lining for good digestion
-
Avalambaka Kapha: Protects the
heart, strong muscles, healthy lungs
-
Sleshaka Kapha: Lubrication of
the joints, soft and supple skin
Restoring Balance
An individual may have a
natural predominance of one or more doshas. These doshas need not be
present in equal proportion in an individual to ensure balance, but they
need to be functioning in harmony with each other.
According to Ayurveda,
disorders stem from an excess of a dosha or a shortage of a dosha, whereas
maintaining balance of the doshas results in good health. For example,
when Pitta is in balance in an individual, digestion is normal, but an
aggravated Pitta can result in ulcers and acid indigestion.
Over time, the natural balance
of the doshas in an individual can be disturbed by a number of factors,
such as improper diet, poor digestion, high day-to-day stress levels and
environmental pollution and chemicals. The Ayurvedic approach to health is
all about restoring this natural balance, through dietary and lifestyle
recommendations as well as herbal formulations. The goal is not to treat
surface symptoms, but the underlying imbalance, thus creating long-term
health and a strong immune system.
February 27, 2002
Disclaimer:
Information provided in this article is for the sole purpose of imparting education on
Ayurveda and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult your physician.
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