What are doshas?
According to Ayurveda (perhaps the oldest health system on the planet... TCM might be as old), doshas are the three energies that form you, everything you eat, everything in your environment, everything in the universe.
The doshas themselves are combinations of the five great elements known as pancha mahabhoota (paunch-ah ma-ha-boot-ah) in Sanskrit (the language used to originally write down the Ayurvedic texts).
You'll probably recognize these great elements:
- ether or space: nothingness, vast expanse
- air
- fire
- water
- earth
The doshas encompass these five elements like this:
- Vata (vah-tah) dosha: combines the ether and air elements
- Pitta (pit-uh) dosha: combines the fire and water elements
- Kapha (cough-ah) dosha: combines the water and earth elements
Because of their composition, each of the doshas displays different qualities like these:
Qualities of Vata Dosha
In Ayurveda, everything in the universe (including your mind and your body) exhibit some blend of 20 qualities. These qualities are in pairs of 10, and each of the doshas is defined by 10 qualities (representing one set of pairs).
For vata dosha (consisting of space and air), the 10 qualities are:
- mobile
- dry
- rough
- light
- cold
- subtle
- clear
- hard
- sharp
- fluid
Qualities of Pitta Dosha
For pitta dosha (exhibiting the qualities of fire and a little water), the 10 qualities are:
- mobile
- dry
- rough
- light
- hot
- subtle
- clear
- hard
- sharp
- fluid
Qualities of Kapha Dosha
For pitta dosha (exhibiting the qualities of water and earth), the 10 qualities are:
- static
- wet
- smooth
- dense
- cold
- gross
- cloudy
- soft
- dull
- stable
According to Ayurveda, balancing these qualities within yourself (through intentional lifestyle and diet choices), restores your body's ability to heal itself and allows you to achieve optimal health*.
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*Disclaimer: These statements have not been reviewed by the FDA and should not be used as a diagnosis or recommendation for treating disease.
About the Author
Brandy's a formulation scientist and self-proclaimed health geek who loves hiking, gardening, bird-watching, and body boarding.
Her struggle with acne during her teens and 20s led to a holistic and healthy approach to skincare, embracing skin as an organ to be loved and cared for rather than a canvas to wage war on.
Since 2008, she's been developing all-in-one products for a simple routine at home, & Rain Organica started when her backpacking friends asked for a portable skincare routine to keep their skin healthy & happy on and off the trails.
You can try Rain Organica for yourself with The Essentials Kit, a complete skincare routine in just 3 steps.
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