Introduction
Ayurveda teaches us every individual is born with prakruti. A combination of Three dosha Vata, Pitta and Kapha determines Prakruti. Five elements create each of these Doshas. Let’s learn about these to understand how they shape our health and well-being.
Prakruti: The Unique Blend of Characteristics
- Every person has a unique combination of physical and mental characteristics or qualities which make him or her unique.
- Physical characteristics or qualities, for example
- Colour of the Eyes- Blue, Brown, black
- Height- Tall, short
- Hair type – Curly, straight
- Mental characteristics or qualities for example
- Personality- Friendly, shy, likes to meet and talk to new people
- Interests- likes to read books, enjoy sports, loves to draw
- Physical and mental characteristics are unique.
- Together, they are termed in Sanskrit “ Prakruti” in Ayurveda.
Three Doshas or Energy in Ayurveda
- Ayurveda describes the physical and mental characteristics of a person using three main ideas:
- Vata
- Pitta
- Kapha
- we call these three ideas ” Doshas”
- In other words, Dosha means energy or force.
- Furthermore, Every person has different combinations of these three energies which we call “Prakruti” in Ayurveda.
- To stay healthy and feel best, a person must find out what kind of food suits their Prakruti and Vikruti so that all Three energies stay balanced.
- Moreover, We must understand the Five basic elements which make up all things on Earth to understand Tridosha.
The Five Elements of Nature
- Element refers to fundamental parts or things that form everything on Earth.
- Everything in the world(living and non-living things) is made of Five elements
- Space
- Air
- Fire
- Water
- Earth
- By combining the Five Elements in different ways, different things(living and non-living things) are created on Earth.
Space
- Space refers to an empty area.
- People cannot see or touch it, but they can only feel it.
- It is present around us and also around the universe.
- Humans, plants, animals, stars, planets etc are placed inside space.
- It also helps to separate the Earth from the sun by placing the sun far away from the Earth.
- Things can move freely in space. For example, we can walk anywhere we want, earth revolves around the sun and orbit the sun.
- Therefore, space provides an area to settle in a place and allows one to move.
- While Gravity helps to hold a thing in place within the space.
Air
- we cannot see it.
- But it moves around us and does not stop in one place and so it is called Mobile.
- We breathe it. without air, we cannot live on Earth or any other planet. Since it’s life-giving energy on Earth, ayurveda calls it a special name “Prana”.
- It’s generally Dry. But If it has moisture it becomes humid.
Fire
- Fire helps in digestion and absorption
- In addition to this, Fire in the form of sunlight also helps plants to perform photosynthesis and helps the plant grow, ripe the fruit, and decompose the plant.
Water
- Water is the most important and necessary for every living being to keep us alive and healthy after air.
- It’s cool and is in liquid state.
- It maintains electrolyte balance in our body.
- Electrolytes refer to special minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium. Our body needs these special minerals to function properly.
- It helps to keep the environment clean by:
- In the form of rain, it helps to remove dust, smoke and other pollutants from the air and makes air clean and safe to breathe.
- When plants grow well by absorbing enough water, absorb carbon dioxide from the air and provide fresh oxygen to breathe.
- Lakes, rivers and oceans are big cleaning systems which carry dirt and waste away.
- Lakes, oceans and forests help to cool down air and help to prevent extreme temperatures.
- Water decompose Plants remains and dead animals bodies.
Earth
- It’s heavy and stable.
Maintaining balance in Five elements
- These Five elements are placed in the right amount so that living on non-living things works well and stays healthy.
- If the balance of the Five Elements is unbalanced, ie if any element is too high or too low, it can make life uncomfortable and may be dangerous.
- For example, too much water is not good for living beings.
- The quantity or level of each Five elements keeps changing based on:
- Temperature of a place
- Humidity
- season
- People have to adjust and find ways to handle these environmental changes of Five elements to stay healthy and safe.
How do the Five Elements keep us healthy?
- In all living beings, Five elements are placed in different ratios
- When the ratio of Five elements is maintained, then the person is considered healthy.
- However, if the ratio is out of balance, then the person becomes sick and will suffer from health problems. For example,
- too much earth element causes weight gain
- Additionally, excess fire element causes ulcers and a burning sensation.
- An imbalance of Five elements in the body will also cause an imbalance in mental characteristics. example
- Excess air element in the body causes fear and worry.
- Similarly, An increase in fire elements in the body causes anger and hatred.
- Too much of earth element in the body causes sadness and a lack of interest.
How Five Elements Work Together to Create Dosha
- Out of Five elements
- Air, fire and water are always active, moving and changing. example:
- Air
- Changes temperature.
- Fire
- convert raw food to cooked food.
- change the colour.
- Water
- Erodes and changes the shape of the land.
- helps the plants to grow.
- makes the flower to bloom.
- Air
- While Space and Earth are non-active but are passive and unchanging.
- Ayurveda combined Five elements in different ways to form Tridosha.
- Air and Space combine to form Vata Dosha
- Fire and Earth combine to form Pitta Dosha
- Earth and Water combine to form Kapha Dosha
- Air, fire and water are always active, moving and changing. example:
How Prakruti is decided before birth
- When a mother conceives a baby, the baby’s prakruti is shaped by:
- The Physical characteristics of parents are obtained from parents’ genes, and diet during and before pregnancy.
- Additionally, The baby obtains mental characteristics from the lifestyle, emotions and stress levels of the parents.
- Consequently, Some people are lucky because they are born with all tri dosha of prakruti as balanced. They are very healthy and have very good digestion.
- However, The majority of people have single or dual doshas as prakruti.
- We write prakruti in Ayurveda using 7 combinations:
- Vata
- Pitha
- Kapha
- Vata+Pitta
- Vata+Kapha
- Pita+Kapha
- Vata+Pitta+Kapha
Identifying your Prakruti
- In this 7 types
- Mono Doshic prakruti- Prakruti with only one dosha either Vata, pitta or kapha is called Mono Doshic prakruti.
- Dual Doshic prakruti.- On the other hand, An Individual with only two doshas either Vata+Pitta, Vata+Kapha or Pita+Kapha is called Dual Doshic prakruti.
- Tri Doshic prakruti- Moreover, Prakruti with only three doshas Vata+Pitta+Kapha called Tri Doshic prakruti.
- These 7 are numbered as 1, 2 and 3.
- For example:
- A person’s body is only made of 2 vata and 2 pitta. so we write this as V2, P2.
- A person’s Prakruti is made of 3 Vata, 3 Pitta and 3 Kapha. We write this as V3,P3,K3.
In Summary
- Prakruti in Ayurveda is a unique mixture of different qualities that make us who we are.
- It is shaped by Three main types of energy called Doshas.
- Air and Space combine to form Vata Dosha
- Fire and Earth combine to form Pitta Dosha
- Earth and Water combine to form Kapha Dosha
- The Five elements of nature create these three Doshas.
- When these are in balance we stay healthy and happy.
- However, if an imbalance occurs in the doshas, they make us sick.
- For Instance, Prakruti with only one dosha either Vata, pitta or kapha is called Mono Doshic prakruti.
- On the other hand, Prakruti with only two doshas either Vata+Pitta, Vata+Kapha or Pita+Kapha called Dual Doshic prakruti.
- Moreover, Prakruti with only three doshas either Vata+Pitta+Kapha called TriDoshic prakruti.
- To summarize, To stay healthy and feel best, a person must find out what kind of food suits their Prakruti and Vikruti so that all Three energies stay balanced.
