What Are Doshas and How You Can Connect To Them
The world of Ayurveda dates back 3,000 years and is globally recognized for its ability to provide healing and wellness. In many countries, it is the oldest dated healing science in the world. Ayurveda includes a wide range of arts including meditation, yoga, practitioner services, and an overall way of living.
The focus of Ayurveda is to provide a way of interconnectedness to ourselves and the world around us--providing balance between all things. There are many ways that one can balance themselves and one's energy. An effective method is connecting mind, energy, and body through the doshas.
About The Doshas:
In Ayurveda, one of the fundamental principles is that everything in the universe is comprised of the 5 elements: fire, air, water, earth, and space. According to ancient texts, we are also made up of fragments of these elements. Thus, causing everything within us to be connected as well as everything around us.
From a basic understanding, these elements combine to form a combination within our body, soul, and consciousness to create our dosha. Throughout the universe, beings are said to have one of three of the common doshas based on the elements within them. Those that dive deeper into Ayurveda will come to understand that there are various combinations of doshas that an individual can have based on unique general makeup. However, all beings fall into one of the 3 doshas.
To find out which dosha you are, take the dosha quiz.
Vata Dosha:
The elements that make up the Vata dosha are space and air. Those with a Vata dosha are commonly found to be thin in appearance, very fast-paced, and quick in movement. Their mindset is highly creative and artistic. Those with Vata doshas are quick to remember and sometimes quick to forget, too. When a Vata Dosha is out of balance, they often experience things like constipation, sleeplessness, anxiety, panic attacks, and dry skin, hair, and nails.
Due to their naturally thin appearance, they commonly have cooler skin around their fingers and toes and tend to fluctuate in weight relatively quickly. It is beneficial that your doshas remain as balanced as possible to not only help your physical body, but also your mind and energy. Diet is an important part of balancing your dosha as the digestive system stimulates our mental and emotional energy.
Foods to Eat: eggs, fish, seafood, chicken, bananas, grapes, apples, berries, avocado, cooked vegetables, oats, rice, herbal and spiced warm teas.
Foods to Avoid: dried fruits, tomatoes, raw onions, buckwheat, corn, fatty foods, white sugar, soda, coffee, and black tea.
To help aid in building balance within your Vata Dosha, use the Vata Essential Oil to help promote emotional and mental healing and connection within the body.
*Finding recipes based on your dosha can be challenging. We decided to add a recipe for each dosha to help you get started on your wellness journey.
Mix Veggie Salad Recipe:
Ingredients:
Sweet potato
Carrot
Coconut
Salt to taste
Oil
How to prepare:
Steam or boil the sweet potato
Blanch (boil, and then, cool) the carrots
Mix the vegetables
Sprinkle some grated coconut over it
Add salt to taste
Drizzle some oil on the mixture
Toss and serve
Suggestions:
In general, it will be best to cook the vegetables.
You can also pick from this choice of vegetables for the salad - beets, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, peas, potatoes, sweet pumpkin, radish, spinach, berries, cherries, fresh dates and figs. It will add color and flavor to your vata recipe.
As part of the salad dressing, you may choose from among these - lemon juice, chili powder, hing (asafetida) powder, rock salt, sugar/jaggery and til (sesame seed) oil.
Recipe From The Art of Living—for more Vata Recipes—click here!
Pitta Dosha:
Those with a Pitta Dosha have elements of fire and water within them. They are typically of a medium-sized build and are known for their fiery passion and motivation. They usually love a challenge and have a bold personality. Some common personality traits include being enthusiastic, driven, passionate, competitive, and energetic. When Pitta doshas are out of balance, they typically experience physical signs like inflammation, issues with digestion, heartburn, and skin irritation.
Due to their highly competitive drive (and sometimes temper) those with a Pitta dosha are rarely ever cold. Even during the winter months, Pitta hands and feet remain tend to remain warm in temperature.
To help aid in building balance within your Pitta Dosha, use the Pitta Essential Oil to help promote emotional and mental healing and connection within the body.
Foods to Eat: eggs, bananas, pears, melons, grapes, raw vegetables, wheat, rice, barley, cool water, sweet juices, and tea.
Foods to Avoid: sour fruits (lemons, apples, grapefruit), garlic, tomatoes, radishes, onions, buckwheat, corn, almond oil, and sesame oil.
Green Beans with Turmeric and Ginger Recipe:
Ingredients:
3 cups green beans cut to ½ inch pieces
½ cup water
2 tablespoons (tbsp.) ghee
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
A pinch of hing (asafetida)
½ tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
Salt to taste
Lemon juice
How to prepare:
Boil the green beans in a pan with water. Add a pinch of salt and stir.
Wait till the beans are tender and then turn off the flame.
Warm the ghee and add the spices. Once the mustard seeds pop, add the turmeric powder and hing. Also, add ginger. Once, a warm aroma fills the room, transfer the contents to the beans.
Mix the contents, and adjust the salt to suit your taste.
Sprinkle some lemon juice over it.
It is ready to serve.
Recipe From The Art of Living—For more Pitta Recipes—click here!
Kapha Dosha:
The elements that make up the Kapha dosha are water and earth. Those with a kapha dosha are typically of a larger build. They usually have a strong memory, are very generous, introverted, and tend to have a more positive outlook on life. When kapha doshas are out of balance they tend to experience congestion, intense tiredness, excessive sleeping, and nausea.
Kapha doshas tend to enjoy the smaller things in life. Commonly known for their simple way of living, and their tendency to relax and overindulge. For this, they tend to be a little heavier in weight and less active. To keep a kapha dosha in balance is to keep them active both physically and mentally.
To help aid in building balance within your Pitta Dosha, use the Kapha Essential Oil, to help promote emotional and mental healing and connection within the body.
Foods to Eat: dark meat in chicken and turkey, berries, dried fruit, raisins, cherries, garlic, cabbage, mushrooms, oats, quinoa, couscous, herbal teas, tea with cinnamon, and lemon and honey water.
Foods to Avoid: pineapple, bananas, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, white or brown rice, wheat, butter, coconut oil, all sugar.
Kapha Salad:
Ingredients:
¼ cup moong (green gram) sprouts
2 grated carrots
Lettuce
Lemon
Oil
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper
How to prepare:
Mix sprouts with the vegetables.
Drizzle lemon juice or oil over it.
Add salt to taste.
Toss and serve.
Suggestions:
In general, most pungent and bitter vegetables may be used in kapha dosha remedies. Choose and add from this list - beet greens, beets, bitter melon, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, green beans, green chilies, leafy greens, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, lemons and limes.
As part of the salad dressing for this Ayurvedic recipe for kapha, you may choose from among these - lemon, wholegrain mustard or dry powder, raw honey, olive oil, thyme, salt & black pepper.
Recipe from The Art of Living—For more Kapha Recipes—Click here!
Read More: Essential Oil Spotlight
Doshas are a wonderful way to better understand your energy through body and mind connection. Once you have determined your primary dosha, you can better understand ways to promote balance to assist in increasing efficiency, productiveness, and promoting overall wellness. Many Ayurvedic practitioners will help to determine your dosha prior to treatments to better assist your body, mind, and energy due to differences in diets, treatments, and daily routines.
Once you start balancing your dosha, you can then progress into an established routine. This can include practicing forms of wellness, meditation, receiving services, and more. There is no wrong way to practice Ayurveda, and you are welcome to start your Ayurvedic journey at any time. Connect to yourself through connecting through the world of Ayurveda.