(And a few Sankrit words.)
Hello hello Hi! Hopefully you have a bit of a background with Ayurveda, and you know what it means. Hopefully, you’ve also seen the 1 min video I made, introducing you to the subject of constitutions.
Here it is again.
The concept of Ayurvedic constitutions is fascinating. Let’s dig in. If you watched the video, you came across a few Sanskrit words.
PRAKRUTI — means nature. Like mother nature, biological life, etc. In Vedic philosophy, the Goddess energy of the universe is called Prakruti.
From the Ayurvedic perspective, the word Prakruti refers to your unique ‘nature’, personality, blueprint, constitution.
The 5 universal elements – space, air, fire, water, earth — function as 3 energies in our world. Each is called a “DOSHA”.
The Three Doshas are…
VATA – Space & Air, it is the principle of MOVEMENT & MOBILITY.
PITTA – Fire & Water (as fuel) is the principle of TRANSFORMATION & DIGESTION.
KAPHA – Earth & Water is the principle of STRUCTURE & STABILITY.
Let’s get to know them.
VATA – the principle of Movement.
Vata is considered the Queen of the doshas. Because it’s the one that is mobile (& pushes the other two around.) Vata is responsible for everything that moves in our bodies and our environment.
In our environment, we notice it as a gentle breeze or a devastating wind-storm.
In our bodies, it governs our respiration, the movement in our nervous system, our circulatory system, even our racing minds and thoughts.
In a state of balance (think about a gentle breeze), it is our creativity, our flexibility. A Vata predominance can show as talking fast and someone always on the move.
In a state of imbalance, it can create a sense of ungroundedness, anxiety and chaos. It can be restlessness, fear, a sense of feeling cold and jittery.
To balance, Vata, we must stay warm, grounded, and have a regular routine. Eating warm, rooty foods and soups, along with warming spices are simple ways of staying in balance.
PITTA – the principle of transformation.
Fire transforms wood into ash. Similarly, the fire element in us, helps us transform, metabolize and digest what we eat, what we think, and governs the millions of chemical reactions in our bodies every second, including our hormonal system.
In our environment, it shows up as the gentle warmth of the sun or a raging forest fire. In our bodies, it is the temperature of our bodies, how we understand what we take in through our sense, and even how we digest and process emotions. It is the transformative energy that turns an apple into nutrients in our digestive track, and turns the nutrients into cellular matter in each cell.
In a state of balance, Pitta drives us, gets us to be organized and have a plan and make decisions. Out of balance, we can get “hangry”, impatient, or angry “hotheaded.” Road rage always seems worse on hot summery days..
The main seat of Pitta is the small intestine, so often heart-burn or “hot” digestive issues can be clues to pitta going out of whack. The liver and spleen are also Pitta organs. Pitta also relates to our skin and blood — excess heat will show as irritation and redness on the skin.
To balance Pitta, we add the qualities of cool, soft, grounding.
Cooling foods, drinks and activities must be your jam in the pitta season (summer) and when your own inner Pitta is heating things up.
Cooling foods are cucumbers, coriander & cilantro, coconut water/milk, sweet fruits. Leafy greens and bitter herbs are also typically cooling.
Cooling activities are swimming, moon-bathing, cooling yoga asana and breathing techniques.
Soften pitta by slowing down any intense activities and intense mental or emotional work. Breathe, take breaks and become present with your body.
Add heaviness and stability with grounding activities. A gentle walk in tree-cover rather than a run in the mid-day sun, a restorative or hatha yoga class rather than hot hot yoga.
