What Element (Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Ether) Are You?
The bioenergetics that make up all of creation explained through Ayurveda
What is Ayurveda and My Story:
Ayurveda is a medical science that is over 10,000 years old. It was preserved in the mountains of south India in the state of Kerala. It is a wholistic science based on the laws of nature. The Vedic texts have preserved the knowledge of Ayurveda which means ‘the science of life’. The goal of Ayurveda is to increase longevity so that we can thrive in this lifetime and have more time to attain liberation and connection with the divine. When we are healthy we feel good, we are happy and we contribute to society.
When each individual thrives, our society thrives.
Ayurveda has survived temple burnings, war, colonization and the test of time. If something works it is revered as sacred, protected and passed down. Many texts of Ayurveda were lost due to the the tragedies mentioned above, but many survived.
I encountered Ayurveda when I attended my first yoga training at the Sivanada ashram in the Bahamas in 2013. Mark Hepburn, the director of the California School of Ayurveda was doing a lecture in the evening during one of the satsangs explaining what Ayurveda was and the different bioenergetics/humours= doshas; how they affect our behaviour, our preference and our health. It captivated me, I was struck by how profound and deep, yet simple and common sense it was. I began to read books on Ayurveda, devouring whatever I could and trying to figure out which dosha I was.
Then in 2016 I was fortunate enough to go to India and was able to do a panchakarma (a cleanse and a whole body rejuvenation protocol) that changed my life. I had been struggling with chronic adrenal fatigue at this point, unable to work or do much more than a couple errands a day for two years. I had been to doctors and was trying to get help, but nothing was working. The panchakarma transformed my body and after 3 weeks I felt I was in a different body. All my issues were gone; the extreme fatigue, the digestive issues, the joint pain, skin issues etc. While, I was there I studied Ayurvedic body therapies and learned the fundamentals of Ayurveda.
In 2020 I went to Art school, the whole time lagging in the back of mind was Ayurveda… However, studying Ayurveda in Canada wasn’t an option as there was no schools and I definitely wasn’t going to go back to India during a pandemic. I researched schools in North America and came across Kerala Ayurveda in California. I have been studying with them since and have completed my Ayurvedic Health Coach certification, Ayurvedic Health Counsellor Certification and now am completing my Ayurvedic Practitioners Certification. Next week I will be travelling to India to work in a hospital as an intern.
Each level I have gone deeper and deeper, peeling back the layers of this never ending beautiful pearl. The wisdom is so profound and a joy to learn.
Ayurveda is a gift from Mother Earth for all beings
The Doshas:
Dosha means that which can go out of balance or that with fault. All of creation including you, is made up of the elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether. These elements come together to form the doshas.
Earth and water (the heaviest elements) combine to form Kapha.
Fire and a small amount of water combine to form Pitta.
Air and ether (the lightest elements) combine to form Vata.
Each element has its own qualities for example fire is hot, sharp, light and water is moist, liquid, cold. When the elements combine with their qualities they form a dosha. The dosha can go out of balance because it is energy that moves and can transform. The elements which become the doshas form our bodies. Our bodies are not static, but a living organism which grows, shifts and changes; it governs our metabolism, our personality, our tendencies and affinities.
The qualities of the doshas impact how they present themselves in reality and in our bodies:
Kapha: Heavy, cold, moist, dull, soft, sticky, static
Pitta: Light, hot, sharp, oily, mobile, liquid, acidic
Vata: Light, cold, rough, dry, subtle and mobile
At the moment of our conception- based on genetics, the dosha of our parents and the environment they lived in; our birth constitution (Prakuti) is formed. Our Prakuti cannot be changed, it is how our body and mind is formed and it is composed mainly of those elements because they were the ones most dominant at the time.
Our Prakuti will be either a combination of Vata, Pitta or Kapha. The combinations are either V, P, K, or VP, VK, PK, or VPK. The most common is a dual dosha which is a combination of two doshas, the most rare is tridoshic which is an equal combination of all three.
The Prakuti affects our metabolism, our tendencies, our affinities, what we like to do, what we dislike, what our personalities is like and our longevity and how prone we are to certain diseases.
Explaining the Doshas:
KAPHA:
Kapha: Heavy, cold, moist, dull, soft, sticky, static
Kapha types are dominant in the energies of Earth and Water.
Kapha types are very stable people because earth is solid and water is cohesive. They are more stable in their thoughts and their preferences. Their body will show this stability with strong bones, thick muscles, their veins will not show through the skin. Their skin and their hair is thick and luxurious and a bit oily. They are a calming, loving presence and tend to go with the flow but can be very stubborn if imbalanced. They have a tendency to hold on to things and this means they can also hold on to excess weight if they indulge in heavier kapha like foods (wheat, dairy, excess meat etc). They are big boned and can have rounded, childlike faces. They love to be around family, to cook, garden and take care of others.
They are prone to issues like obesity, diabetes, allergies, congestion in the lymph or respiratory issues.
Their strengths are their stable nature and they have a strong constitution and can withstand stress easier than other doshas. They tend to have strong immune system and do not fall ill as often as others. They make great parents and tend to have a lot of offspring. They are great friends and healers.
Their weaknesses are that they can be stubborn, hold on to resentments or grudges for too long, stay in comfortable situations for too long, they need a lot of motivation to get moving and although they are intelligent it can take them some time to grasp something.
PITTA:
Pitta: Light, hot, sharp, oily, mobile, liquid, acidic
Pitta types are dominant in the energies of Fire and a small amount of Water which keeps the fire from consuming itself.
Pitta people tend to be medium in build and size. They are very athletic and driven. They are passionate and ambitious. Because of the illuminating quality of fire, they are intelligent and sharp. They grasp concepts quickly and are great at debating and thinking critically. They make great lawyers and academics. Due to their fiery nature they may have red or a reddish tint to their hair or skin, they may have freckles. They are warm people and can be emotionally sensitive. They like to have plans, to do lists and be organized.
They can get easily irritated or over heated if the weather is too hot or if they haven’t eaten. They are prone to issues with inflammation, infections, skin diseases and stress.
Their strengths are how efficient they are, their intelligence and their organization skills. They are athletic and driven.
The weaknesses of those with a pitta constitution can be their ease at getting irritated or angry. They cannot handle hot weather, being in the sun too long or skipping a meal and need to make sure to keep calm and cool. They can have a tendency to overwork or be sharp with their words.
VATA:
Vata: Light, cold, rough, dry, subtle and mobile
Vata types are dominant in the energies of Air and Ether.
Air and Ether make an individual more irregular and mobile. They may have extra long legs or arms or a large nose or ears compared to the size of their face. They can be very short or very tall. They can be wiry or lanky and have a harder time putting on weight. They will be spontaneous, like change and enjoy doing creative things. They love to talk and tell stories. They can be very chatty and have many friends but not necessary close ones. They can be the social butterfly and get easily over stimulated if they consume too much caffeine or sugar. They are attracted to music, art, dance, travel and spirituality.
Due to the dryness and lightness of their system they can be prone to feeling ungrounded, panic, fear, constipation, arthritis, issues with the nervous system and the skeletal system.
Their strengths are their flexibility, their open mindedness, their creativity. They are the dreamers of society and can bring in innovative inventions and technology.
Their weaknesses are their fragility, they can be prone to getting sick more often. Although they like to be in the action it can deplete them and they need routine and calmness to keep them grounded and healthy. They can spend money easily and be prone to fearful thoughts and anxieties.
The Secret to Balance:
Like increases Like.
Opposites decrease.
If someone is a kapha type with kapha issues they would choose the opposite qualities to keep themselves in balance. If someone feels heavy; eat lighter, exercise and get the body moving.
If someone is a pitta type and feels overheated, then they would do activities to cool down. Go swimming, eat cooling foods like coriander and cucumber.
If someone if a vata type and feeling ungrounded and dry, then eating heavier more oily food would help ground and nourish the system.
The secret is to apply the law of opposites.
A Drop in the Ocean
This is only a drop of knowledge within the ocean of Ayurveda. There is so much to learn and the more you know the more there is to know. There is many layers and when you understand one layer, another appears. This science is incredible in its simplicity, practicality and its complexity. Ayurveda is the laws of nature and knowing these principles and physics allows one to know how creation functions and how to remedy when something goes out of balance.
Knowing ones Prakuti is benefical to know how to stay in balance during ones time on Earth. However, knowing your Prakuti can be a bit confusing. When we have imbalances then it can cover up our true nature (our Prakuti). There are online quizzes to know ones Prakuti but again we are not always aware of what is causing something, or may have a skewed perception of ourselves. A consultation with an ayurvedic practitioner can help you to know what your prakuti/ what element you are and if you have an imbalance.
Thank you for reading
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Much love,
Thalita
My art is for sale. If you see a piece of art that you are interested in please message me.
Your paintings are beautiful!!! ❤️
I love this write up. As a vata I put much thought into everyday decisions. It doesn’t take much at all to throw me out of balance. But I do enjoy it 😅