AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is the natural medicine system originating from the Vedic texts, still in practice today throughout India and the rest of the world; maybe more relevant than ever as we look back at ancient systems for insights to modern problems.

I believe the foundation of Ayurveda comes down to the following two concepts;
1. We are all unique, made up of unique types of energy
2. Our undeniable connectivity to the natural world

The initial dive into Ayurveda can seem a bit overwhelming. Ayurveda is both beautifully simple and logical as well as being insanely in-depth. Keep in mind, in order to become a qualified Ayurvedic doctor, it is akin to receiving a western medical degree and requires at least 5 years of study. You would not expect to become a doctor by reading a blog post, so don’t expect to master Ayurvedic wisdom in a few reads either. That said, there are some fun, easy and accessible ways Ayurveda can help you right away and this starts with knowing your PRAKRITI.

 

THE THREE DOSHAS: VATA|PITTA|KAPHA

There are three doshas in Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The doshas describe the physical and psychological body state. The doshas are made up of the structural elements of the universe; WATER, AIR, FIRE, EARTH AND ETHER. Air and Space combine to make Vata, Fire and Water combine to make Pitta, Water and Earth combine to make Kapha.
Each dosha is expressed with physical and psychological characteristics. As a very basic example, Vata is represented by movement so a racing mind is a Vata quality. Pitta is represented by fire so heartburn represents a Pitta imbalance. Kapha is represented by Earth so a mothering nature is a kapha quality. See, both simple and complex!

YOUR PRAKRITI

Our constitution or Prakriti is the ratio or interplay of the three doshas that we were born into. Our Prakriti is our true nature and will never change throughout our entire lifetime. Our Prakriti is derived from our unique combination of the three doshas. How predominant or passive each one is is what defines our Prakriti.

If you were to see an Ayurvedic doctor, she/he would also start by establishing your Prakriti, for your Prakriti is your blueprint to a thriving life. This would be established by taking your pulse, possibly observing your tongue and an overall assessment of your physical characteristics (done just by observing you) and finally a series of questions such as the ones below.

The questions below will give you a great understanding of the 3 doshas and finally give you your PRAKRITI. But if you are serious about moving into an Ayurvedic lifestyle, it is best to have a professional Ayurvedic doctor establish your Prakriti for you.

TAKE THE PRAKRITI QUIZ BELOW TO GET YOUR PERSONALISED RESULTS THEN DOWNLOAD THE PRAKRITI E-BOOK WHERE YOU CAN DIVE INTO ALL ASPECTS OF EACH DOSHA.