Our world is made up of basic 5 elements – Ether, Air, Earth, Fire and Water. These 5 elements have their own characteristics. When these elements come together in combination, it results in 3 forms of energy. These 3 forms of energies are also known as Dosha or Tridosha – Kapha, Pitta and Vata. These 3 energies govern our bodies, their physical, psychological and emotional aspects.
To know more about elements – 5 Elements in Ayurveda, 3 States of Energy in Ayurveda
Each person has a unique combination of these energies. Some might have one dosha predominating the other two whilst some might have two doshas. The one that is at a high level is said to be the default dosha of the person.
For e.g. If in a person, Vata Dosha is more than Pitta and Kapha, then his dosha is said to be Vat Dosha.
These 3 doshas have their own individual characteristics and they govern certain aspects of our bodies. Each dosha has their own specifications and functions and affects specific areas of our body.
The basic attributes of these doshas come from the attributes of the elements they are made up of.
A body or a person is said to be well when all of his/her doshas are well balanced.
If any one of the doshas goes out of balance, he or she will face problems in places where that dosha affects the most.
Element Combination – Air and Ether
Qualities – Light, Cool, Dry, Mobile
Physical Body Attributes– They tend to have light muscles, light bodyweight, They move and talk fast. Their skin and hair are dry.
Psychological attributes – Talkative, enthusiastic, creative and flexible.
Imbalanced Vata – The person is prone to anxiety, stress, depression. They become overwhelmed, have difficulty in sleeping, cannot make clear decisions or cannot think clearly.
Element Combination – Fire and Water where Fire predominates
Qualities – Hot, Sharp, Penetrating,
Physical Body Attributes – They have oily skin, sharp features, have penetrating eyes, are moderately or average built and have good muscular strength
Psychological attributes – Highly focused, courageous, competitive, sharp, easy with communication and straight to the point
Unbalanced Pitta – The person becomes aggressive, they become angry, have resentments and jealousy takes over.
Combination – Earth and Water
Qualities – Cool, stable, heavy, moist
Physical Attributes – heavy bones, large built, lustrous hair, shiny skin, low metabolism.
Psychological attributes – stable, not prone to change, do good under stress, rigid, conservative, comfort seekers.