Why knowing the Ayurvedic constitution is important?
The Ayurvedic Constitution, or the mind-body makeup, is a unique depiction of one's being in existence. The special therm for it, Dosha, has a multitude of meanings in Sanskrit, including the essential principal, type of energy, tendency, kind of imperfection... The constitution is set at birth, and it's balanced state provides the person with the best of health and mind harmony. All negative influences, that people experience through the life, tend to destabilise it. They can bring upon an illness, if persist for some extended time. Restoring the balance is the ultimate goal of Ayurveda, which employs the complex of methods in synergy: lifestyle changes, diet recommendations, herbalism, cleansing procedures, spiritual practices, physical and mental exercises.
What are the Ayurvedic constitutions / Doshas?
The major constitutional types are comprised of the unique combinations of the basic cosmic elements and manifest the dominance of some of them over the others.
Vata is the life force behind all the movements and processes in the body. Space and Air, which constitute it, provide speediness of reactions and speech, quick grasping of ideas, creativity and sensitivity. One of the major difficulties of the type is ungroundedness, followed by generally low energy, and lesser tolerance to the extremes.
Pitta is concerned with fuelling the energy: all metabolic processes, nutrition transformation into the cell building and maintenance blocks, keeping the temperature of the body are Pitta's functions.
Fire and Water are her main attributes and give her the power of concentration and intelligence, as well as good memory and comprehension. The out of balance Pitta resolves into anger bursts, intolerance, inflammations in the body and fevers.
Pitta
Kapha
Kapha is associated with the bodily integrity and stability, providing the biological fluids, skeletal and muscular structures. It's functions are enabled by the presence of Earth and Water as the principal elements. The lubrication of joints, skin, brain, maintenance of immunity are governed by Kapha. Having a strong and stable physic people with predominantly Kapha constitution are grounded and loving by nature. When aggravated this type becomes possessive and greedy, experiencing obsessive attachment.
The dual constitutions with any two major Doshas manifesting themselves almost equally also exist. The triple Dosha presence of even intensity has a name Tri- Dosha.
To determine the Ayurvedic constitutional profile the practitioner uses visual observations, analyses the information about the habitual reactions of the person to climatic conditions, preferences in diet, psychological responses, and behavioural aspects.