I'm excited to be studying the ancient healing science of Ayurveda. What exactly is Ayurveda you ask? In short, Ayurveda is a 5000+ year old, holistic self-healing method from India that covers physical, mental, emotional & spiritual health. Like yoga, Ayurveda is based upon the spiritual tradition of Vedic Science.
Through Ayurveda, methods of healing via diet, herbal remedies, exercise & lifestyle regimens are tailored to individuals, based on a unique Dosha makeup. A Dosha can best be described as an energy believed to govern the physical, mental and emotional state of an individual. With 3 Doshas: Kapha, Pitta & Vata, individuals can be any combination of the 3.
I've assembled a quick chart summarizing some of the key characteristics of each Dosha below.
I was initially attracted to Ayurveda, as it aligned with so many of the things that have been transformative in my life, recognizing there is no one sized fits all solution for anything in life - as my teacher says, the motto of Ayurveda is "it depends".
The beautiful thing about being human, is that we are 100% unique and constantly changing. Ayurveda acknowledges this, and supports individuals in tuning into themselves and learning how to best work with their unique makeup, offering a wide variety of healing and Dosha balancing modalities that can be incorporated into individuals daily routines.
In Ayurveda, each person’s Prakriti: combination & proportions of the 3 Doshas set at conception: Vata, Pitta & Kapha are determined according to the genetics, diet, lifestyle & emotions of the parents at conception.
While few lucky individuals are born with a balanced constitution (all 3 doshas equal in quantity & quality), most of us have 1 or 2 dominant Doshas.
In addition to our Prakriti, there is also a “present moment” constitution, called Vikriti, reflecting one’s current state of health.
In a person of “excellent health” the proportions of Vikriti & Prakriti will be the same, but most likely there will be a difference, as the Vikriti reflects any aspect of diet, lifestyle, emotions, age, environment, that are not in harmony with one’s prakriti.
In order to achieve optimal health and digestion, Ayurveda offers various diet & lifestyle modifications to help find balance within the Doshas.
While I recommend an in-depth Ayurvedic consultation to find your constitution, there are various online quizzes that can be taken to begin understanding your unique makeup. Once you know your makeup, you can begin exploring customized practices & lifestyle modifications to help move towards greater mental & physical health.
For anyone interested in a more in depth, personalized assessment, I am now offering individual assessments with both diet & lifestyle recommendations & ongoing support at an affordable introductory rate. DM me for more info. :)