ViRa If we look at the people around us, we realize that we all are different from one another in many ways, we are not alike both physically and mentally. In Ayurveda, they say that each person possesses a unique constitution and we must understand the constitution we owned for our own happiness and well-being. The constitution is called “Prakruti” in Sanskrit meaning “nature”, “creativity” or “the first creation”. There three major constitutional types called Vata, Pitta and Kapha, exist according to the three biological energies Air, Fire, and Water, which are the root forces of our life. let’s learn about them:-
- Vata – The energy composed of Ether and Air elements but the Air is main element, governs movement, and is responsible for the discharge of all impulses. It works mainly through the brain and nervous system. Vata governs breathing, blinking of an eyelid, movements in the muscles and tissues, pulsations in the heart, all the expansion and contraction. Vata also governs the feelings and emotions as freshness, nervousness, fear, anxiety, and pain. Vata formed from two elements Ether and Air, and it’s seated in the large intestine, pelvic floor cavity, bones, ears, skin, and thighs.
- Pitta – The energy composed of the Water and Fire elements but Fire is the main element, it’s the body’s heat energy. Fire cannot exist directly in the body but it is held in hot liquids like blood and digestive fluids. Pitta governs digestion, absorption, nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, and skin coloration. On a psychological level, Pitta governs judgment, reasoning, understanding, anger, hate, and jealousy. Pitta is formed with two elements Fire and Water, and it’s seated in the small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, blood, fat eyes, and skin.
- Kapha – The energy composed of Water and Earth elements but water is the main element, it governs forms and substances, and is responsible for weight, cohesion, stability, strength, and natural tissue resistance. Kapha lubricates the joints, provides moisture to the skin, helps to heal the wounds, fills the space in the body, supports memory retention, gives energy to the heart and lungs, maintains immunity. Psychologically Kapha is responsible for attachment, greed, mental calm, desires, and mental stability. It’s seated in the chest, throat, head, sinuses, nose, mouth, stomach, joints, plasma, and the liquid secretions of the body like mucus.
A basic principle of healing in Ayurveda holds that the imbalanced dosha is the reason for all the diseases and health problems, one may create a balance in the internal forces working in an individual by making changes in diet and lifestyle. According to Ayurveda, the first requirement for healing oneself and others is a clear understanding of the three Dosha, because no standardized medicine can adequately deal with all our individual variations.
