The cornerstone of Ayurvedic work is the concept of the three doshas: Vata dosha, made of air and ether; Pitta dosha, made of fire and water; and Kapha dosha made of earth and water. We already know that the elements make up our world around us. Ayurveda goes one step further and says that the elements, therefore the doshas, are what human beings, and all living creatures, are made of as well. What makes each of us different is the amount of each element each of us has in our make-up.
If we have more air and ether, we may love to daydream, be creative and original. We may have “pie-in-the-sky” visions and ideas, but may have difficulty seeing them through. This is Vata dosha. If we have more fire, we may love competition and have a strong drive and focus. There is a tendency to dominate but managed properly this fire quality can be a bright light in dark times. This describes the Pitta dosha. And if we are largely earth and water, there is a steadiness and stability about us. We may enjoy family, care-taking, and resist change. We may be emotional and find our joy being with others in relationship. This is Kapha dosha. Our elemental make-up is determined at the moment of conception, and once understood, can be a very helpful guide in our lives as we will know what our tendencies are, strengths are, and potential pitfalls. This original Doshic formula is called our Prakruti dosha.
But childhood experiences, life choices, environment, upbringing, diseases, job choices, etc., all have an impact on us. We are not separate from the world around us! For example, we may live in a damp climate, or perhaps we are constantly surrounded by “fiery” people. Maybe we spend a lot of time in our thoughts and dreams (air) or maybe we are down to earth and practical. Perhaps we respond to life with a “go with the flow” attitude, or maybe we burrow down and resist change. Some of our behaviors and tendencies may be innate and connected to the Prakruti as described above, but others may have been learned over time, consciously or unconsciously, perhaps out of necessity or societal pressure and have made footprints in our make-up. The elements are constantly in flux and responding to our environment. This current state of the doshas or elements within us is called our Vikruti dosha.
The most important job of the Ayurvedic practitioner is to work closely with a client to determine the Prakruti and Vikruti dosha to the greatest degree of accuracy. The understanding is that the closer the Vikruti is to the Prakruti (i.e., the less we have deviated from our True Nature), the greater the health and resistance to disease, and the happier the individual. In other words, the closer we live in harmonay with our True Nature, the healthier and more satisfied we will be in life! The Practitioner works with the client to understand their Prakruti and Vikruti, and then gently apply treatments that help bring the Vikruti back to the Prakruit, restoring health.
There are quick easy ways that you can get a feel of your dosha. Quick quizzes are readily available online and in yoga and Ayurvedic books. They can get us an idea of what our dosha is, but the problem is we don’t really know what we are getting, is it our Prakruti or our Vikruti? Chances are, is a combination of both of these, and probably a lot closer to the Vikruti (current state). Take also into account that when you take a quiz, you are taking it FROM the state of your vikruti, so even with best intentions, your answers may not be objective. To get the most accurate assessment of your dosha, both the Prakruti and Vikruti, it is the best choice to work with a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner who can take everything into account. You may be surprised that what you thought was your dosha, isn’t really your dosha after all!
So why is it so important to have as accurate of an assessment as possible? Because the entire treatment protocol, from recommended foods, herbs, lifestyle changes, bodywork and more are all based upon this initial assessment. Everything we do as Ayurvedic Practitioners supports the individual as a whole – we do not attempt to address every symptom singly. This is in honor of the body’s own ability to heal itself – that often just recognizing our primary dosha (Prakruti) and our imbalances (Vikruti) sets into motion the energy and motivation we need to begin the healing process. It is amazing how often, just simply truly understanding these pieces, healing begins immediately! It’s as if the body says “thank you for seeing me so clearly”! From there the body reveals more and more truths to us as balance is restored and health is maximized. There is nothing quite like an Ayurvedic Journey as one of the highest practices to honor ourselves, nature, and the world around us.
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