the doshas: explained

Written By Samantha Cushing

Okay so you’ve been hearing about Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. What do they mean? Why are they important?

Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are the three doshas in Ayurvedic teachings. What is a dosha? A dosha is simply a mix of two of the five elements- space, air, water, fire and earth. In Ayurveda, we use doshas instead of elements because we see that there are always two elements that like to be in pairs. Doshas are a cornerstone of Ayurveda- they are a way of us to understand ourselves not just physically, but emotionally, and mentally. Vata is the dosha that is made up of space and air. Pitta is comprised of fire and water, and Kapha is made up of water and earth. In all of nature, we see these doshas. Each plant, animal, and human has its unique mix of doshas. Let’s give a basic idea below of how each dosha might look in humans and in nature.

VATA: AIR + SPACE

  • Sensitive, spiritual types

  • Creative-types, musicians, artists

  • Smaller frame, usually tall or short

  • Fine hair, sometimes curly and brown

  • Quick-moving, smaller eyes

  • Crooked teeth

  • Frail, breaking nails

  • Bring lightness, clarity, information

  • Prone to anxiety, worry, feelings of loneliness/isolation

  • Dreamer

  • Quick-witted, forgets easily

  • Irregular digestion

  • Very social, tire quickly

  • Love to travel, be in motion

  • Has lots of ideas, sometimes can’t follow through on them

  • Deviated septum nose

  • Prone to dryness (dry skin, constipation, cracking joints)

  • Vata stage of life: 50s-60+

  • Vata animal representation: hummingbird

PITTA: FIRE + WATER

  • Leader-type, driven

  • Courageous, unafraid, competitive

  • Strong digestion

  • Prone to feelings of anger, jealousy

  • Spends money on luxurious items

  • Medium build and frame, muscular

  • Prone to acne, red face, overheating

  • Hates hot, humid climates and loves cool

  • Straight, silky blonde or red hair

  • Freckles

  • Sharp, pointy nose

  • Intense gaze

  • Intelligent, sharp mind

  • Green eyes

  • Perfectionistic, can be hard on themselves and others

  • Strong appetite

  • Pitta stage of life: puberty-mid 50s

  • Pitta animal representation: lion

KAPHA: WATER + EARTH

  • Calm, loving, stable

  • Caretaker, compassionate types

  • People pleasers

  • Thick, curly, abundant hair

  • Heavier set frame

  • Large, doe-eyes (usually blue or brown)

  • Prone to weight gain

  • Love sweets

  • Prone to edema/water retention

  • Deep, solid faith

  • Prone to emotions of laziness, sluggishness, and attachment

  • Good with saving money

  • Even skin tone, ages well

  • Sluggish digestion

  • Sensitive to others emotions

  • Kapha stage of life: birth-puberty

  • Kapha animal representation: elephant

This is a very general overview of the three doshas and some very basic qualities. We all have a unique mix of all three of these doshas, but usually one or two are more dominant. This can sometimes take many years to discover what one’s dominant mix of these doshas is (Prakruti). To help understand your unique doshic makeup more clearly and begin to work with this information, schedule a consult with Samantha.

Samantha Cushing
Previous

SLEEP HEALTH
Next

DAILY DETOX PROTOCOLS