The Elements + The Doshas

The word "Ayurveda" translates to "Science of Life". Although this practice was created by humans, it is not limited to human life. In fact, the more we know about nature, the better we are able to understand Ayurveda and how it applies to us. 

Firstly, we will dive into the elements. I’m sure you’ve heard of them! Water, Earth, Fire, Air, and Ether (space). These elements exist in the natural world as well as within your body. Let’s look at some examples.

Water Element is found in nature in the form of lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, and rain. Water is found within the body in the form of sweat, tears, breast milk, lymph, urine, saliva and sexual fluids. Your kidneys are also associated with the water element. Humans are made up of roughly 60% of water. 

Earth Element is found within nature in the dirt, trees, mountains, and rocks- basically anything with density and structure. Earth Element within your body is found in the form of muscle, bone, and fat. 

Fire Element is found in nature in the form of seasonal heat and solar energy. The Fire Element warms the Earth so plants can grow. The Fire element can be destructive and/or transformative. The Fire Element shows up in the body as the blood, the metabolic system, digestive system, eye color, skin color, and the liver.

Air Element in nature is found in the Air! Beyond that, the Air element is found in anything that is moving and changing. Like leaves falling off of the trees in early fall. The Air Element is found within the body in our breath, the nervous system, elimination system and the brain. 

The Ether Element is deeply intertwined with the Air Element. Ether is the space through which the air or energy can move. Within the body, you can think of the space within your veins and nerves through which things flow. Ether is not a container, rather it is the space within the container. 

Now, once you’ve taken in how the 5 elements are present in nature and in your body, we will move onto the Doshas. Ayurveda likes to simplify, so in this practice, we combine elemental forces to further understand them. 

We combine Water & Earth to create the Kapha Dosha. 

We combine Air & Ether to create the Vata Dosha. 

Lastly, there is Fire which creates the Pitta Dosha. (Technically, Pitta is composed of Fire and Water. For simplicity, we will just say fire.)

Okay, so what exactly is a Dosha? The Doshas are energetic and elemental forces that circulate throughout the body and govern physical, mental and emotional characteristics. The word Dosha directly translates to “fault”. Although the Doshas can show up as faults, flaws or disease, they are also what make us loving, passionate, creative and unique. How the Doshas show up in your body is determined by whether we are in or out of balance. (Balance meaning healthy and happy.) It is important to note that everybody has all 5 elements and all 3 doshas within them. What makes us unique is the exact ratio of Kapha, Vata and Pitta that exists within us. We call this ratio your constitution

Here are some other examples of how the doshas show up in our lives: 

Each Season has a Dosha!  

  • Fall to early winter is Vata season. Think of the leaves falling off of the trees. The wind is blowing. The air is dry and cold. There might be snow around this time, but it is dry, scanty and maybe even icy. Vata season is cold, dry, mobile, subtle, and light.

  • Late winter to spring is Kapha season. In late winter, the snow is heavier, wetter and more regular. The temperature rises, the earth softens and flowers begin blooming. Kapha season is moist, smooth, heavy, cool and dense.

  • Summer is Pitta season. The moisture from spring slowly dries out. Wildfires often happen during this season. Heat waves may occur. Pitta season is hot, sharp, mobile and light.

Dosha and Time of Life

  • Kapha time of life is birth to puberty

  • Pitta time of life is puberty to menopause - or around age 50

  • Vata time of life is menopause/age 50 to the end

Doshas and Emotions/Attributes

  • Vata can show up as anxiety, fear, worry or spaciness. In balance, people with high vata are likely to be creative, artistic, spiritual, and esoteric. 

  • Kapha can show up as depression, lethargy, and unhealthy attachment towards people and objects. When in balance, people with high kapha are nurturing, loving, grounded, romantic, and calm.

  • Pitta can show up as anger, judgment, and intensity. When in balance, people with high pitta are fantastic leaders, hard working, and passionate.

Doshas and Energies

  • Vata is Kinetic Energy

  • Kapha is Potential Energy

  • Pitta is Metabolic Energy

Doshas and Time of Day

  • 6-10 (am & pm) is the Kapha time of day.

  • 10-2 (am & pm) is the Pitta time of day.

  • 2-6 (am & pm) is the Vata time of day. 

Qualities of the Doshas

  • Vata is cold, dry, mobile, subtle, rough, clear and light.

  • Kapha is cool, heavy, slow, dull, smooth, slimy, solid, stable and cloudy.

  • Pitta is hot, oily, sharp, light, mobile and liquid. 

So, what next? You may be wondering what your constitution is. There are many quizzes out there to determine what your constitution is. I encourage to start by practicing Svadhyaya or self study. Observe how your body changes throughout the day + the seasons and perhaps get in touch with your true nature. You can ask yourself, how do the elements show up in my body + mind? Which elements do I feel most connected to and why?

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