Ayurvedic Body Types: Determining The Real ‘YOU’

Ayurveda is an interesting science of life guiding us to learn more about ourselves. It throws light into our unique system and aids us in exploring who we are, what suits us the best and how to live a holistic and comprehensive life?

Ayurveda trusts that the entire Universe inclusive of the human body is made up of 5 predominant elements known as Devanagari, popularly known as ‘Panch Booth, where Panch indicates 5 and Booth stands for the chief elements of the universe namely:

  1. Water called as Jala
  2. Earth called as Prthvi
  3. Air known as Vayu
  4. Sky called as Akasa
  5. Fire known as Agni

According to Ayurveda the human body constitutes of 7 primary elements known as ‘Saptadhatu’ and they are:

  1. Rasa dhatu defines Plasma or Chyle
  2. Rakta dhatu indicates Blood
  3. Mamsa dhatu means Flesh
  4. Medha dhatu stands for Fat
  5. Asthi dhatu means Bone
  6. Majja dhatu stands for Marrow
  7. Sukra dhatu denotes female reproductive tissue or semen

Based upon these elements and its constituents, human body is classified and expressed as the equilibrium of 3 fundamental energies (Dosha) also known as humors or principles of mind and body. Ayurveda uses the 5 primary elements of the Universe to define human body types as a combination of these five elements namely air, water, fire, ether and earth in different proportions within the humors. The Ayurvedic science says that every individual is made up of a unique combination of 3 body and mind principles, creating our explicit physical and mental personality. The 3 major Doshas are:

Vata Dosha: Vata Dosha is a representative of wind and is a combination of air and space (ether) where air dominates. It can be called as the controlling authority of the power vested with our body and it directs the other two doshas. This humor regulates the circulation, function of the nervous system, and the movements of our body along with emotional and bodily development.

Predominant characteristics: When an individual has a chief composition of Vata, he/she will look lean, act faster and stay flexible while being creative, conversational, visionary, artistic and fervent with full of energy. Imbalance of this energy can cause loss of memory, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, fear, dry skin, bloating and few other digestive disorders like indigestion, intestinal gas and constipation.

Pitta Dosha: Pitta Dosha is a blend of fire and water and it signifies bile. With fire being the superior element, Pitta is responsible for all kinds of corporeal actions concerning heat like digestion, creation of energy with the help of hormones and takes care of metabolism, body temperature and absorption.

Predominant characteristics: A proper balance of Pitta upholds intelligence, confidence, competitiveness, glowing complexion and leadership capabilities with a sizzling temper. Pitta disparity can cause jealously, anger, annoyance, disgust and other bodily problems like ulcer, high blood pressure, skin irritation, heartburn and soreness.

Kapha Dosha: With water as the overriding element, Kapha or phlegm is an arrangement of water and earth responsible for connecting bones, tissues, muscles and tendons. It is wholly in charge for the structure of the body by supplying fluid strength to all parts of the body while maintaining consistency, stability, solidity, skin health and proper lubrication of joints.

Predominant characteristics: Kapha balance aids in exhibiting tranquil, trustworthy, lovable and compassionate personalities, generally with hefty body structure. The unevenness of this type will lead to obesity, congestion, lethargic attitude and slow digestion.

Ayurvedic discipline states that the human body is said to be healthy when it strikes a balance between these 3 energy elements and when there is discrepancy, the body tends to become unwholesome and turns detrimental.

Reference Links:

  1. Ayurveda by Wikipedia
  2. Ayurvedic Body Type: Find Your Dosha by The Dr.OZ Show
  3. Ayurvedic Principles For Mind-Body Balance by Ayurvedic Talk

Types of Ayurveda: 2 Major Divisions of the Ayurveda Family

The history of Ayurveda is as old as the history of Neem trees that can be marked back to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization of India. Generally, old traditions, out-of-date cultures and old-fashioned practices turn obsolete in due course of time but think if something is spreading its divine power all around the world even after 5000 solid years, what could be the authentic reason lying behind it? The concrete single word answer for this question is just ‘TRUTH’ and truth only in its way of healing humanity wholly.

Each solitary website on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic treatment will have its own way of defining Ayurveda. Apart from its real meaning ‘the knowledge of life’, few may call it as a holistic approach, magical science of healing, best way to treat human illness, natural way of curing mankind and many more. I’d like to remember Ayurveda with the term Ssshh…….. Yes! Let’s call it as the supreme system for superior healing holistically and the silent system as well. Looks easy for you too… to remember this heavenly science, right!!!

Many confuse the types of Ayurveda with Ayurvedic body types also known as doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha but to signify unmistakably, the science of Ayurveda can be put into two major classifications namely the Traditional Ayurveda and Maharishi Ayurveda. These two types of Ayurveda work based on the individual Ayurvedic body types, which says that each individual is distinctive and have a discrete structure of energy compiling mental, physical, behavioral and environmental uniqueness.

  • Traditional Ayurveda: Ayurveda is trusted to have its root from two of the prominent religions in India namely Hinduism and Buddhism. This ancient structured method of healing has its traditional concepts listed in the sacred books known as Vedas. Few other sources say that this conventional system is received from Indian God Brahma by the blessed God of medicine known as Dhanvantari. Traditional Ayurvedic theory emphasizes on good metabolism supported by problem-free digestion and apt excretion that guides to vivacity along with meditation, yoga and other physical exercises.
  • Maharishi Ayurveda:  Maharishi Ayurveda is a contemporary resurgence of traditional Ayurveda system projected by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1980s based upon his interest in fortifying the ancient Ayurvedic science in the late 1970s. Maharishi Ayur Veda insists on Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) that presents an all-inclusive knowledge for experiencing the untainted realization of this world by slowing down the aging process through prompt treatment and prevention of diseases. This type of Ayurveda talks about the impact of optimistic feelings for balancing your life with accordance to the natural pace of your body.

Traditional as well as Maharishi Ayurveda believes that health conditions are a result of disparity of the doshas. Both these methods try to treat the whole system by enhancing the inner intelligence for striking balance between these doshas with the help of herbal medicines and Ayurvedic essential oils. To end with, the most remarkable fact is that this great medicinal science is recognized by WHO (World Health Organization) as the effectual and refined way of natural healing.

References:

  1. Ayurveda by Wikipedia
  2. Maharishi Vedic Approach To Health by eNotes
  3. Ayurveda by University of Maryland Medical Center

Ayurvedic Doshas: An Intense Learning For The Insight Of Your Life

It is not necessary for you to be a Doctor to know about your body’s functioning and the aspects that are responsible for your every single action. Knowing more about your body and the reasons behind specific conditions makes you life a meaningful life. Say for example, do you know the real reason for sneezing? Human nose has mucous membrane and when its nerve endings get irritated either due to dust, allergy or cold, you end up sneezing where the trouble-causing elements are emitted.  Sounds interesting right! If a human being’s single action has so many reasons behind, then think of the complexity in learning the entire system. To our surprise, the divine science of Ayurveda has classified human body types into 3 simple and easy to understand elements based on the vital parts of Mother Nature. It is also known as Doshas and the 3 essential energy elements defining the physical constitution of a human body according to Ayurveda are Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Perfect balance of these bio-energies contributes to a healthy system and dosha imbalance leads to sickness or ill-health. Knowledge about these Ayurvedic body types will help you understand the functioning of your body and which particular dosha level contributes to your unique characteristics, attributes and health conditions.

1. Vata (Air): Vata is the most imperative among the three doshas and vata imbalance can end up in imbalance of the rest of the two doshas also. As a prominent energy element vata is responsible for all the kinds of eliminations, destructions and discharge of numerous substances from the human body to aid its better working. Few such body ejections are sweat, semen, urine, fetus, feces and few more. Controls metabolism and contributes to the vital activities like muscular movements, motivation, brain functioning along with the sensory nerves, nervous functions, respiration, circulation, heartbeat and many more.

People who are vata dominant have tall physique and a dark complexion but are extremely creative and farsighted. Sleeplessness, too much of exercise and profusion of sexual feelings can cause vata imbalance leading to digestive problems, anxiety etc. Old age, sultry summer and dusk are connected with vata energy.  

2. Pitta (Fire): Your body has its own fire and it is expelled when there is a need for proper running. Pitta is your body’s conversion force that burns the things that you ingest and transforms the food into the types of energy that your body demands. Vision, ability of the body to maintain appropriate temperature, reasoning capabilities, digestion, judging potential, strength of your mind and body are influenced by pitta force.     

Pitta influence reflects a fair complexion, medium structure and supple skin and has the courage and determination to face problems and resolve them efficaciously. These perfection-lovers are generally well thought-out and zealous leaders who cannot stand incomplete and fragmentary activities, which make them burning and lose their tempers. They can be affected by hot food items, high exposure to sun, alcohol and constrained feelings. Inconsistency might show the way to ulcers, skin problems, heartburn and excessive heating of the body. Autumn, noontime and maturity are associated with Pitta.

3. Kapha (Earth): Your physical beauty and your structure are solely contributed to kapha element in your body as this gives the shape to human body with its lubricating properties that connects the tissues, muscles and bones. Your strength, muscle, vigor, stamina and the ability to repair and replenish are attributed to kapha predominance. This weighty energy element checks the abrasion between the different parts of your body by moistening it while granting you the energy to a fertile reproductive system.

Kapha governing individuals will never fail in impressing and influencing others with their benevolent, dedicated and affectionate personalities. They have a heavy and well-built structure with an average complexion. Dairy products and sugary items can be trouble-making and unevenness of kapha can make them overweight, sappy, sluggish and lose excess energy with a poor digestion process. Pleasant dawn, adolescence and wintry weather are correlated with Kapha element.

Hope this helped you to have an intense learning for the real insight of your momentous life and now that you’ll know why something happens in your body, which is the greatest library in the world.

Reference links:

  1. Dosha by Wikipedia
  2. Dosha in Ayurveda by Organic India
  3. Ayurveda by SREEKRISHNA Ayurveda Panchakarma Center