Ayurveda is a holistic ancient healing system from India that considers every aspect of human existence ~ mind, body and soul/spirit and is known as the sister science to Yoga. It is considered a lifetime health journey, or a lifestyle, and is based on the biological qualities, or energy(ies) that make up the individual human body. We are all individuals made up of our own unique energies, consisting of the 5 basic elements (fire, water, earth, ether, air) that make up everything in the universe. Balancing and maintaing those energies within the body are at the foundation of good health and healing and are the fundamental core of Ayurveda.
Doshas are the energetic (bio-qualities) body types. There are three main Doshas. Vata (ether/air), Pitta (fire/water) and Kapha (earth/water). Each individual (the human system) is a combination of all three doshas continually seeking balance (homeostasis) throughout life. When our doshas are imbalanced, we experience “dis-ease”. Ayurveda works with the Doshas and offers a wide variety of ancient healing techniques and modalities, and a diet cohesive to your specific dosha(s), all of which are meant to be tailored to the individual. It is meant to be customized for your specific needs, as again, we are all unique in our chemical make-ups.
What I love most about Ayurveda is that it really allows you to get to know your body. What makes it tick…..or itch (which IS a sign that something is “off”). In studying Ayurveda I have learned and am very aware of how my body reacts to my diet, mental status, environmental climate I live in (or happen to be in), and just how connected EVERYTHING really is. Our bodies are miraculous biological entities made up primarily of the doshic elements and all sorts of cells, bacteria, and microbiota and are constantly renewing and repairing themselves. We are in a constant state of mitosis (cell renewal) and our cells are made from the substances (nutrients we are consuming….or not) and whatever your diet/lifestyle/etc consists of is what is making these new cells. I can geek out on the scientific/physiology side of it forever. It’s a whole other interesting subject that I will dive deeper into in future posts.
Dosha types are discovered by diving deep into the self and conducting a Dosha Test. Below are a few free Dosha tests if you’d like to discover your unique make-up. I like to do a couple to make sure the results resonate. I’m currently studying to help guide others on this journey, as I continue on mine, so if you’d like to go deeper, please feel free to reach out.
skinposium 
[…] The dosha types are based on observable mental and physical behaviors and characteristics and are associated with the functioning of our nervous system, including patterns in blood chemistry, genetic expression, metabolism and all of our physiological states. There are three fundamental substances, wind, bile, and phlegm (in Sanskrit – Vata, Pitta and Kapha) that fluctuate in the body. Those substances are affected by the seasons, the time of day, the process of digestion, and several other factors. Keeping them in a healthy balance is the major goal of Ayurveda. Here’s an earlier article I did on Ayurveda and the Doshas, where you’ll also find links to a couple of Dosha Tests. https://holisticwellnesswithcindy.com/2023/09/17/understanding-ayurveda-doshas/ […]
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