Foundations of Ayurveda Session 5 | Module 1 with Maria Garre
AYURVEDA’S DEFINITION OF HEALTH samadosha, samagnischa samadhatumala kriyaha prasanna atmenindriya manaha swasthya ityabhidheeyate
DOSHAS VATA SPACE + AIR mobile, cold, subtle, clear, dry, rough, light
PITTA FIRE + WATER hot, sharp, pungent, spreading, oily, light
KAPHA WATER + EARTH liquid, heavy, cool, static, dense, smooth, oily, sticky
VATA CHARACTERISTICS Voice
Fast talker, jumps from subject to subject, dry, hoarse
Skin
cold, dry, thin, dark, tans easily, rough and cracked
physical frame
very tall or short, thin, delicate and slender, irregular, prominent joints, low weight, large/irregular teeth
Hair
thin, curly, wiry, dark, frizzy
Nails/Hands
dry, rough, irregular, ridges, flake and brake easily, long and thin fingers
Eyes
gray, dark blue, dark brown, small, tiny
Digestion
variable, irregular, nervous appetite, easily skip meal and forget to eat, bloating, constipation, flatulence
Sleep
irregular, light, scanty, possible insomnia, waking 2-4 am
Energy Levels
erratic, comes in waves, low stamina, stimulant use, variable
Mood/Mind
variable, creative, inspirational, easily excitable, learn fast and forget easily
VATA associated with movement. governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of heart, all movements of cytoplasm and cell membrane, nervous system.
PITTA CHARACTERISTICS Voice
loud, sharp, precise, focused, dominating, exacting
Skin
warm,coppery,flushed easily, oily, acne or rash prone, sensitive, sun sensitive
physical frame
medium, defined muscles, athletic, balanced weight, sharp features, medium teeth (yellowish)
Hair
premature gray, straight, blond/brown/red, falls easily
Nails/Hands
soft, strong, pliable, pink and warm, medium hands and fingers
Eyes
light color, sharp, piercing, light sensitive, irritated easily
Digestion
strong, hunger brings irritation, low blood sugar sensitive, loose stools, regular BM
Sleep
average sleep, light sleep, hard to fall asleep, night owl
Energy Levels
good, regular energy, consistent, competitive and driven
Mood/Mind
positive, determined, intense, intelligent, accomplished, can hide emotions of hurt, sadness
PITTA Expressed as metabolism. Governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, all transformations.
KAPHA CHARACTERISTICS Voice
soft, deep, slow, dull, slow speech, calm
Skin
thick, cool and clammy, oil, smooth, burns but then tans
physical frame
large bone, stocky, solid, strong, wide hips or shoulders, difficult losing weight, large white teeth
Hair
thick, abundant, shiny, wavy, often brown
Hands/Nails
strong, large, thick, white, soft, symmetrical, small hands, stocky fingers
Eyes
large, white, bright, frown, thick eyelashes and brows
Digestion
slow digestion, stable appetite, can skip meals, comfort eating
Sleep
heavy sleep, loves to sleep, difficulty waking
Energy Levels
solid, strong stamina, hard to motivate, slow to start
Mood/Mind
strong, loving, attachment, loyal, hard to change
KAPHA Lubrication and cohesion. Supplies “glue’ that holds things together in the body - plaster. Lubricates joints, moisturizes skin, maintains immunity, water balance, and secretions.
doshas and their location in the body VATA: below the navel, urinary bladder, intestines, pelvic region, thighs, legs and bones PITTA: between navel and chest, sweat, lymph, blood, stomach KAPHA: upper part of throat, head, neck, joints, upper portion of stomach and fat tissues of the body.
heavy
light
slow/dull
sharpt
cold
hot
oily
dry
smooth
rough
dense
liquid
soft
hard
principle “like increasing like” and
static
mobile
“opposites balancing opposites” is
cloudy/sticky
clear
gross
subtle
LIKE INCREASES LIKE All of nature has qualities that impact on our constitutional well being. Ayurvedic principle that like increases like, meaning that the qualities of our constitution can be added to by qualities that are similar to it. This
central to understanding how Ayurvedic treatments work.