Scott Gerson M.D., Ph.D. (Ayurveda)
The Three Doshas
The three Bioenergies
Vata-Pitta-Kapha
The Five Elements
Everything in the universe is made up of combinations
of the Five Elements (Pancha Mahabhutas). This includes the human being which
also acquires a soul or spirit. These five elements are known as:
- · Space or Akasha
- · Air or Vayu
- · Fire or Tejas
- · Water or Apa
- · Earth or Prithvi
These five elements, it should be understood, derive
from and are expressions of an unmanifest and undifferentiated Creative
Principle, which is One. These five elements are to be understood in a material
sense as well as a subtle sense. By earth we are to understand not only the
terrain of our planet or the iron in our red blood cells and spleen, but also
the quality of steadfastness of mind, strength of one’s moral fiber, one’s slow
and quiet undeterred advancement towards a goal, and the resistance to the
manifestations of others. By water we mean to imply the cohesive aspects of
reality which flows into and holds things together, perfectly and simply
witnessed in the ubiquitous H20 molecule. And the other elements too were
intended by the ancient vaidyas (physicians) to communicate the essential
universal principle inherent in a particular element. By fire we mean the
universal force in nature that produces heat and radiates light; it is our
passion to pursue despite obstacles and delays; it is what burns away the cloak
of ignorance (avidya) and allows the Truth to shine with brilliance. Fire
removes doubt from the mother-substance of human heart and replaces it with
joy. Air is that transparent, rarefied, kinetic force which sets the universe
in motion; it moves the blood through the vessels, wastes from the body,
thoughts through the mind; it moves the birds to warmer climates in winter, it
moves the planets around their suns. Space is the subtlest of all elements
which is everywhere and touches everything; in the mind it is the vessel which
receives all impressions, in the heart space accepts love; space is receptivity
and non-resistance to what is true.
Thus these Five Subtle Elements (Pancha Mahabhutas)
form the basis for all things found in the material creation, from a grain of
sand to the complex physiology of every human being. Balancing these elements
in just the right way for each unique individual is the key to maintaining
health and treating disease should it arise, whether it be physical, mental, or
spiritual.
The Tridosha
The five elements can be seen to exist in the material
universe at all scales both organic and inorganic, from peas to planets. When
they enter into the biology of a living organism, man for example, they acquire
a biological form. This means that the five elements are coded into three
biological forces which govern all life processes. These three forces are known
as the three doshas, or simply thetridosha.. The tridosha regulates every
physiological and psychological process in the living organism. The interplay
among them determines the qualities and conditions of the individual. A harmonious
state of the three doshas creates balance and health; an imbalance, which might
be an excess (vrddhi) or deficiency (ksaya), manifests as a sign or symptom of
disease.
The three doshas are known as Vata, Pitta , and Kapha.
You can think of these three doshas as fundamental
biological energies which regulate all the life processes of an individual. And
as we will discuss later, although all individuals are made up of these same
three energies, we all have them in unique proportions. The doshas obtain their
qualities by virtue of their elemental composition as we can see in the simple
diagram below.
Each of the three doshas is composed of two elements
as shown here:
Elements Composing The Tridosha
Vata
Space (Akasha)
Air (Vayu)
Space (Akasha)
Air (Vayu)
Pitta
Fire (Tejas)
Water (Apa)
Fire (Tejas)
Water (Apa)
Kapha
Water (Apa)
Earth (Prithvi)
Water (Apa)
Earth (Prithvi)
Thus, Vata is composed
of space and air, Pitta of fire and water, and Kapha of water and earth.. Vata
dosha has the mobility and quickness of space and air; Pitta dosha the
metabolic qualities of fire and water; Kapha dosha the stability and solidity
of water and earth. Interestingly, the Sanskrit entomology of the word dosha
gives it the meaning of “blemish, that which darkens”. This alerts us to the
fact that when in balance these force are life-supporting but when imbalanced
they are the agents of disease and misery.
More Insights on The Tridosha
Doshas are of two varieties: saririka (bodily) and
manasika (psychological, of the mind). This is often a point of great confusion
in Ayurvedic circles. Let’s look at these two types of doshas more closely. The
saririka doshas are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. They are what we mean when we use the term
“tridosha”. They are material in form, yet can manifest in aspects of mind as
well. Generally, they are intimately connected to physical activities. The
manasika doshas are Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva.. These are often referred to as
the three gunas, or three qualities, of the mind. Manasika doshas have
reference only to the mind and mental activities.
An intimate inter-relationship exists between these
two types of doshas. In fact, according to Charaka, derangements in one arena
is always accompanied by changes in the other (Charaka Samhita, Sarirasthana
4,35-36.).
However, greater importance is attributed to the
tridosha (bodily doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) as the primary causative
agents of disease. For every individual, each dosha has a unique quantity
(pramana), quality (guna), and action (karma) in the physiology. Equipoise of
these three attributes with respect to an individual engenders health. When
this balance is disturbed through indulgence in foods and habits which are
similar in nature to a specific dosha, this causes vriddhi--increase--in that
dosha; food and habits of a dissimilar nature to that dosha will likewise cause
its kasaya, or decrease. This is the Ayurvedic doctrine of “like increases
like”.
Thus if you are cold and you drink iced water or eat ice
cream, you will become colder; similarly if you are hot and you consume cayenne
peppers or other pungent tastes, you will become hotter. Or if you are dry and
you spend a long period of time in a strong wind, you will lose more moisture
due to evaporation and become drier.
If these examples seem simple and common sense, then
you have learned an important feature of Ayurvedic wisdom: its always simple
and intuitive.
Vata Dosha
The term vata stems from a
Sanskrit word "vaayu" which means “that which moves things”; it is
sometimes translated as wind. It is composed of the elements space and air--the
lightest and subtlest of the five elements. It is considered in some ways to be
the most influential of the three doshas because it is the moving force behind
the other two doshas, which are incapable of movement without it. Vata dosha is
responsible for all the somatic activities and sensations. It is the
intelligence which channels perceptions (temperature, pressure, sweetness,
lightening, violin music, etc.) through the appropriate sensory organs,
converts them into internal psychological events, and then orchestrates the
appropriate response via the organs of action. it is responsible for all
movements in the mind and body: the movement of air in and out of the lungs,
the flow of blood through the circulatory system, nutrients through the
alimentary tract, and thoughts through the mind. Vata promotes a healthy
balance between the thought and emotion and gives rise to creativity, activity
and clear comprehension.
Because, among other
functions, Vata regulates the nervous processes involved with movement,
thoughts, emotions, eating, drinking, elimination, and our general functioning,
its disturbance can often have far-reaching consequences.
Here is a table which
summarizes the manifestations of a balanced or unbalanced (excessive) Vata
dosha:
Effects of Vata Dosha
Effect
of Balanced Vata
|
Effect of Unbalanced
(Excess)Vata
|
Proper coordination of all body functions
|
Body functions impaired or disorganized.
|
Normal movements associated with eating,
digestion, and elimination
|
Movements for eating, digestion, and
elimination disturbed (bloating, constipation, gas)
|
Mental activity controlled and precise
|
Mental agitation, confusion; impaired memory
|
Control of the organs of perception and the
organs of action
|
Perception and action are inappropriate;
senses are dulled; responses untimely
|
Stimulation of digestive juices
|
Deficiency of the digestive juices
|
Desire to lead an active life; vitality,
curiosity and natural interest
|
Loss of energy and joy for life
|
Normal drying of occasional mucous discharges
|
Persistent bodily discharges
|
Normal respiratory function
|
Shortness of breath, dry cough, disturbance in
respiratory movements
|
Normal sleep pattern
|
Insomnia, light or interrupted sleep
|
Excellent energy level
|
Non-specific fatigue, anxiety, worry,
cold-intolerance, depletion of Life Force
|
Pitta Dosha
The term pitta comes from the
Sanskrit word pinj meaning “to shine” (according to Sir Monier-Williams its
exact entomology is a mystery). It carries the meaning of “that which digests”
and is associated with the idea of being yellow-tinged or bilious. In its
widest sense, Paittika digestive function includes all chemical and metabolic
transformations in the body as well as processes which promote heat production
(i.e. conversion of iodine to triiodotyrosine in the thyroid gland). Pitta also
governs our ability to digest ideas and impressions and to therefore perceive
the true nature of reality. It stimulates the intellect and creates enthusiasm
and determination.
Pitta is often regarded as the
“fire” within the body. Think of it as the energy stored in the chemical bonds
of all the organic substances which make us up: its encoded in our hormones,
enzymes, organic acids, and neurotransmitters. Charaka Samhita, an ancient
Ayurvedic text, teaches that pitta functions in digestion, heat production, providing
color to the blood, vision, and skin luster.
Here is a table which
summarizes the manifestations of a balanced or unbalanced (excessive) Pitta
dosha:
Effects of Pitta Dosha
Effect of Balanced Pitta
|
Effect of
Unbalanced (Excess)Pitta
|
Strong and complete digestion
|
Incomplete digestion; poor differentiation
between nutrients and wastes
|
Normal heat and thirst mechanisms
|
Irregular body temperature, disturbed
perspiration, unregulated fluid intake
|
Excellent vision
|
Impaired vision
|
Good complexion; healthy facial tone and
coloration
|
Variable, blotchy skin color, inflamed;
unhealthy appearance
|
Hair lustrous and usually slightly wavy
|
Irritable, anxious, driven, obsessed
|
Courageous, cheerful, focused
|
Loss of energy and joy for life
|
Stimulated, open intellect
|
Dullness of reasoning faculty
|
Steadfast concentration on the truth;
disciplined, responsible
|
Spiritually impoverished
|
Efficient assimilation of foods
|
Heartburn, peptic ulcer, irritable bowels,
hemorrhoids, diarrhea, alcoholism
|
Kapha Dosha
The term kapha derives from
the Sanskrit word "shlish" which means “that which holds things
together; to embrace; coherent”. In fact, one of the other designations for
kapha appearing in some of the older literature is shleshma.. It is the force
which provides structure to everything from an individual atom or cell to the
sturdy musculoskeletal frame. It gives strength, stability, and endurance--both
physical and psychological--and promotes human emotions and capacities such as
love, compassion, empathy, understanding, forgiveness, loyalty and patience.
One very important function of Kapha dosha in the human body is that it governs
immunity and resistance against disease; it’s energy promotes self-healing and
the ongoing processes of self-repairs of which we are largely unaware. Where
Vata and Pitta effects become active in the body, Kapha acts to limit and
control these two forces and prevent their excessive activity. The two
mahabhutas which compose Kapha are water and earth. Together, these two
prototypical elements form the fundamental protoplasm of life. Kapha imparts
mind-body-spirit stability and resilience. It is the anabolic force in the body
which governs the formation of neuropeptides, stomach linings, and all new
cells and tissues of the body which are constantly being destroyed and
re-created.
Here is a table which summarizes the manifestations of
balanced and unbalanced (excessive) kapha dosha:
Effects of Kapha Dosha
Effect of Balanced Kapha
|
Effect of
Unbalanced (Excess)Kapha
|
Excellent nutritional status; firm
musculature, strong bones
|
Poor nutritional status, flabby, fatigued
|
Adequate moisture and lubrication throughout
the body
|
Dry; decreased mucous and saliva
|
Well-knit joints
|
Loose joints, prone to sprains
|
Stable, compact, and strong physique
|
Soft and weakened physique; obese
|
Sexual potency, strong immunity
|
Sexual impotency, sedentary, diminished
immunity
|
Calm, forgiving, understanding, patient
|
Intolerant, insecure, jealous, rude
|
Strong digestion, regular appetite
|
Slow digestion, appetite unregulated
|
Physiological amounts of respiratory moisture
|
Excess mucous production
|
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