Restoring Balance
Ayurveda views everything - our mind, body emotions and our whole world - as an interplay of three fundamental principles or doshas – they are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Our body shape, our mental and emotional make-up, our food preferences, whether we prefer a warmer or cooler climate, our dominant emotions… are all an expression of these three doshas. When our doshas are out of balance, we have problems, when in balance we have health and happiness. The good news? Restoring balance and keeping ourselves in balance can be easy and fun...
A Deeper Understanding
Ayurveda explains that the world is formed from a combination of five elements - space, air, fire, water and earth. These five elements combine to create three doshas or operators of nature called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These doshas influence our mind body balance at the junction point where thought turns into matter. They allow mind and body to communicate and any imbalance or discomfort is the first sign that your mind and body are not perfectly coordinated.
- Vata governs movement or motion to guide breathing, blood circulation, passing of food through the digestive tract and the sending and receiving of nerve impulses from the brain.
- Pitta governs digestion and metabolism to process the transformation of food, air, water, thoughts and feelings throughout the mind and body.
- Kapha governs structure and cohesion to hold cells and matter together to form muscle, fat, bone and sinew.
The qualities of Vata, Pitta and Kapha determine your natural tendencies, likes and dislikes. They reflect how nature intends you to live. By listening to and following these natural tendencies your body is capable of achieving balance with minimal effort on your part.
Learn about your unique mind body type here: You are unique>