Do You Know Your Dosha?

Have you ever wondered why people can be so different in the way we act, feel, approach careers, or even the foods we like?

For example, I am always cold. It doesn’t matter if it’s a beautiful sunny day, you will more than likely find me with goosebumps. People look at me like I’m a crazy person, wondering how are you cold right now?

Or why some people are satisfied with easy going work and will finish their job simply when they finish it. While others may be a spit-fire to complete the job to the deepest of details as quickly as possible.

Some Yogis prefer a slow yin yoga practice while others will grab weights and do arm curls in Warrior 2.

To help explain the “why” behind our differences, we can look to Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga.

Ayurveda (translates to “life knowledge”) is comprised of the five elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth. All of these elements are said to be present in all living things and so then units all of us at our core.

And Ayurveda is made up of doshas, unique mind-body energy types that help explain why we do what we do and why we feel what we feel.

So yes, there is a reason why I am always cold!

But it is the degree to which how much of the elements are present in each of us that makes us unique. The doshas help guide us to show us what foods to eat, what physical exercise is good for us, and what mental practices we should take on to feel balanced in life.

So, it’s this “life knowledge” that we can use and tap into to live up to our truest potential and feel amazing doing it.

Let’s go deeper with this.

The Doshas

There are three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each are all present in us, but usually, 1-2 are dominant in a given moment. We will see shifts in our doshas as we move through the year and our lifecycle, which help to keep us in balance with where we currently are in life.

Vata

Elements: Space and Air
Physical characteristics: naturally thin and slender, they are cold and can have dry skin
Personality characteristics: outgoing, talkative, creative, they snack often
When balanced: they feel full of energy, take on creative endeavors and focused
When imbalanced: people experience insomnia, anxiety, they worry a lot and find it hard to focus
What to enjoy: a calm environment, routines, go to bed on time, meditate daily, exercise daily, and eat warm foods that are sweet, sour and salty
What to avoid: high intense situations, going to bed late, drinking caffeine, and bitter foods

Pitta

Elements: Fire and Water
Physical characteristics: medium build body, muscular, and have a consistent weight
Personality characteristics: they have a fire burning inside. They have the tendency to be intense, confident, goal-oriented and great leaders. They love spicy foods
When balanced: they feel warm, they effectively lead others and feel smart in whatever they take on
When imbalanced: they feel angry, impatient, and bossy. Their body will feel overheated, can get heartburn, inflamed, and feel irritable
What to enjoy: calming atmospheres, calm exercises, calming activities, and eat foods that are sweet and bitter
What to avoid: over-working, competitive situations, caffeine, and sour and salty foods

Kapha

Elements: Earth and Water
Physical characteristics: solid build body, strong, and may be stout.
Personality characteristics: they are calm, humorous, supportive, loyal and patient.
When balanced: they feel easygoing, emotionally stable, supportive to people in their lives and trustworthy
When imbalanced: they can feel sluggish, gain weight, lust for materialism, be jealous, and can resist healthy change
What to enjoy: loving environments, fun activities, regular wake-up and bedtimes and eat foods that are pungent and bitter
What to avoid: lack of physical activity, too much time indoors, and cooling foods that are sweet and salty

Which dosha(s) do you resonate with?

When balanced, you can see that you would feel at your optimal self, and simply happy. When imbalanced, that is when serious unhealthy habits can form and may lead to physical diseases.