T for Tridosha : Understand Yourself

“Self awareness is the seat of all improvement- be it health, skills or self-help.”

Where can you begin? How can you understand your body's composition?

Firstly, please take the quiz here if you are unsure of your Dosha : Click Here.

How are the Dosha still relevant?
Let's say you want to build a house, there are certain things you will check first - the land where you want to build it, the strength of the foundation, the materials you want to use, the different rooms. But before all that you will want to get a clear idea of why and how you want the house - the blueprint of possibilities.

Building our health is like building a house - the land is our body, the health of our organs is the strength of the foundation, nutrients and exercise like building materials. And self-awareness of strengths, weaknesses and temperament our blueprint.

Ayurveda gives us a framework to build that blueprint - that initial understanding that can help you steer in the right direction via. the Tridosha.

So, I’m guessing you’ve taken your Dosha quiz. Your dominant dosha is a combination of 2 of the 5 panchmahabhuta (Space, Air, Water, Earth, Fire).

Let’s start with a broad explanation :

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement — composed of Space and Air. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, vata promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, vata produces fear and anxiety.

Pitta expresses as the body’s metabolic system — made up of Fire and Water. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance, pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred and jealousy.

Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure — bones, muscles, tendons — and provides the “glue” that holds the cells together, formed from Earth and Water. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed and envy.

What are your characteristics if you are Vata :

Vata types tend to be thin and lanky. They are very mentally and physically active and enjoy creative endeavors, meeting new people, and traveling to new places. When they are balanced, vatas are flexible, have lively imaginations, and are original thinkers. When imbalanced they can get anxious, ungrounded, and can seem "flaky" about fulfilling commitments, sticking to a routine, and completing projects. They tend to run cold and dry and enjoy warm, humid weather. It's common for vata types to experience cold hands and feet, constipation, dry skin, and cracking joints. The influence of the air element in their constitution causes their energy, mood, and appetite to fluctuate dramatically. For this reason vata types often fail to eat and sleep regularly, swinging from eating heavy foods to ground and sedate themselves, or ingesting stimulants like coffee and sugar to sustain intense physical or mental activity. Insomnia and low immunity are very common problem for the sensitive vata person.

What are your characteristics if you are Pitta :

Pitta types are dominated by the fire element, which makes them innately strong, intense, and irritable. They tend to have a medium build and endurance with powerful musculature. They often have freckled skin that easily reddens in the sun, during exercise, massage, and when blushing. They are strong willed and good at doing what they think is right. They approach work and play with the same intensity and competitiveness. They are natural leaders and quick learners whose ability to easily comprehend and master new skills and concepts can make them judgmental or impatient toward people they feel are slower or less focused than themselves. They have strong digestion and intense appetites, both for food and challenges. If they miss a meal they are likely to become grumpy and may take a "bite" out of somebody instead. It is common for them to suffer from health conditions such as inflammation, rashes, acne, and loose stool. For balance, pittas need to manage their "fiery" tendencies, channeling them in productive ways and learning to recognize their destructive power.

What are your characteristics if you are Kapha :

Kapha types have strong frames and are naturally athletic as long they are exercising regularly to manage their tendency to gain weight. The influence of the earth and water elements makes them innately stable, compassionate, and loyal. They appreciate doing things in a methodical, step-by-step manner, and prefer a regular routine in their personal and professional lives. When imbalanced they can become unmotivated, stubborn, and complacent even when change is necessary. Their metabolism tends to be slow and their appetite for both food and stimulation is less intense than vata or pitta types. They benefit from exposing themselves to new environments, people, and occasionally fasting.

What are your characteristics if you are Bi-Doshic (Two Dosha):

Bi-doshic indicates that you share qualities strongly with two doshic types, and is actually how most of us are. People with dual constitutions (vata-pitta, pitta-kapha, and vata-kapha) are, in a sense, "split." Under certain conditions, one dosha will predominate and under other circumstances the other dosha will. The best way to manage bi-doshic prakriti is by the season. For example, if you have a vata-pitta or vata-kapha prakriti, during autumn, which is a vata season, you'd follow a vata-decreasing regimen. During warm weather, you'd follow a pitta-decreasing regimen. During the cold and wet season, you'd follow kapha.

What are your characteristics if you are TriDoshic (All 3 Dosha):

Tri-doshic means having equal amounts of each doshic influence. The tri-doshic person can be very strong, stable, and adaptable when in balance. When they are out of balance, however, they can experience poor health. The key is to preserving your personal balance is to hone your sensitivity for noticing potential imbalances that may arise from your environment or from dietary or emotional imbalances, and to adopt practices that will counter-balance these influences. For example, in autumn, a tri-doshic person would act if they were a person with a vata constitution and follow a vata-balancing lifestyle and diet. The same is true for the other seasons: Employ a pitta-balancing regimen when the weather is hot and a kapha-balancing regimen when the weather is cold and damp.

Now that you have a clearer idea, I’ll be sharing more around what you can do that’s best for you in the coming weeks - Stay tuned!

Answering another important question - Is Ayurveda relevant today?