dosha: (Sanskrit) "Bodily humor; individual constitution."

Three bodily humors, which according to ayurveda regulate the body, govern its proper functioning and determine its unique constitution. These are

• vata, the air humor;
• pitta, the fire humor; and
• kapha, the water humor.

Vata has its seat in the intestinal area, pitta in the stomach, and kapha in the lung area. They govern the creation, preservation and dissolution of bodily tissue. Vata humor is metabolic, nerve energy. Pitta is the catabolic, fire energy. Kapha is the anabolic, nutritive energy.

The three doshas (tridosha) also give rise to the various emotions and correspond to the three gunas, "qualities:" sattva (quiescence- vata), rajas (activity- pitta) and tamas (inertia- kapha).

See: ayurveda, kapha, pitta, vata.

(See also: Dosha , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dosha - Fault; impurity.

(See also: Dosha ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

DOSHA: defect

(See also: DOSHA , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Dosha: the three fundamental terms of Ayurvedic physiology.

(See also: Dosha , Hinduism, Yoga, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Body Characteristics - double dosha body types

KAPHA-VATA

Vata–Kapha people tend to be tall but are average in build and most other physical qualities are just as pitta type. Vata and kapha are united in their coldness. Though they do not suffer as intensely from physical cold as do pure vata types because of the strength and insulation of kapha. They Have a double emotional need for heat.

Their lack of heat usually manifests physically as digestive disturbances, especillay constipation, respiratory disease with much mucus production is also common. They may be wary of jumping to conclutions without proper preliminary investigation.

They should use sour, salty and pungent taste foods.

(See also: Double dosha body types , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Dosha: three basic metabolic principles connecting the mind and body and biological humour.

(See also: Dosha , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Dosha:

three humours of the body; see kapha, pitta, vata

(See also: Dosha ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Characteristics of body types

For a better understanding of your Ayurvedic constitution and to cross-check the results of the test, listed below are the principal physical and psychological characteristics of persons with predominantly single dosha constitutions.

VATA

Physically such people are either very tall or very short, non- muscular, with thin and bony limbs and have a quick gait with short fast steps. Skin is generally thin, darkish and cool. The hair is thin, dark, coarse and either kinky or curly. The face is usually long and angular, often with an underdeveloped chin. The neck is thin and scrawny. Nose is small and narrow. May be long, crooked or asymmetrical also. Eyes tend to be small, narrow or sunken, dark brown or gray in color, with dull luster. The mouth being small, with thin, narrow or tight lips. Teeth are irregular, protruding, or broken, set in receding gums. And while the voice is weak, low or cracked, speech is fast with interruptions.

Creativity * Enthusiasm * Freedom * Generosity * Joy * Vitality

Vata people have restless minds and weak memories. They avoid confrontation. Have active and sensitive natures and express themselves through sport and creative pursuits. Likely to be artistic and creative with a good imagination, they will sometimes overindulge in pleasures. And are sexually the most active. Fearful, worrisome and anxious they are into questioning, theorising and over-analysis. Often dissatisfied with and unable to sustain friendships, they spend money quickly, often on trifles. With light, interrupted sleep of 5-7 hours a day.

A moderately well developed physique with mascular limbs and a purposeful, stable gait of medium speed. With a loud, strong voice and precise, convincing speech. The skin is fair, soft, lusterous, warm, and tends to burn easily in the sun – has freckles, many moles, and a tendency to rashes. And the bodies are hot and sweaty. Characterised by fine and soft, either fair or reddish hair that tends to gray soon. Face is heart-shaped, often with a pointed chin. While the neck is proportionate and of average size. A neat, pointed, and average sized nose matches the average sized eyes that are either light blue, light gray or hazel in color, with an intense luster which get red in summer or after bathing. The mouth being medium, with average lips and medium-sized, yellowish teeth.

Ambition * Concentration * Confidence * Courage * Enthusiasm for knowledge * Happiness * Intelligence

Pittas have an intellectual and precise disposition due to a very alert, focussed mind. Sharp and knife-like in anger, they are irritable, jealous and aggressive by nature. Discriminating and judgemental, they are articulate, learned and proud. With a developed sense of responsibility, they can take decisions and organise affairs well. Argumentative, but with a sense of humour, their selectively excellent memory makes them fast learners. Moderately passionate in their sexual pursuits, they spend moderately, usually on luxuries.

KAPHA

A thick, broad, well-developed frame and large, long limbs go well with a pleasant, deep and resonant voice with low, slow, rhythmic speech. The skin is usually thick, oily, pale or white and cold. Plentiful, thick, wavy, lusterous and generally brown hair is set on a large, rounded and full face. The neck is solid, with a near tree-trunk quality. A large, rounded nose and large, attractive, blue or light brown in color eyes are found in a mouth that is large with big, full lips. Teeth too are big and white and set in strong gums.

Caring * Centeredness * Compassion * Contentment * Faith * Fulfillment * Groundedness * Patience * Sense of being nourished * Stability * Support * Tenderness

Kapha predominated people are calm, steady, considerate - stable, patient personalities they are slow to anger. Not easily provoked, once angry they do not calm down easily. They are honourable, true to their word and avoid lies. Loyal, forgiving and understanding, they can be lethargic, even lazy, if not driven by others. Learning may be slow but memory will be strong. Excellent in logical analysis, they take time before reaching conclusions. Long hours of deep sleep and a strong, enduring sex drive come naturally. While they do save money, it does get spent on food. And there can at times be an element of dullness, given that a kapha mind is usually too content to seek fresh mental stimulation.

(See also: Characteristics of body types , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Body Characteristics - double dosha body types

PITTA-KAPHA

Pitta-Kapha people probably adjust best of any constitution to the confusions,irregularityand constant change which characterizes today’s world because they combine kapha’s stability and pitta's adaptability. many of the people who achieve all – round success in life are pitta-kapha. Pitta’s active metabolism balances kapha’s powerful physique to promote good health, and pitta’s anger is well tempered, by kapha’s cautiousness to encourage good mental balance.

The ease with which they succeed in the world promotes pitta’s arrogance and overconfidence and kapha’s smug self satisfaction which can insulate the personality totally and efficiently from all realisties other than the real

Bitter and Astringent are their best tastes.

(See also: Double dosha body types   , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

The Tridoshas

The Tridoshas (tri meaning three and doshas being the basic physical energies) are the primary and essential factors of the human body that govern our entire physical structure and function. Derived from the Panchmahabhutas, each dosha – which like the elements cannot be detected with our senses but their qualities can be – is a combination of any two of the five bhutas with the predominance of one. Called Vata, Pitta and Kapha in Sanskrit, these three are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind – dynamic forces that determine growth and decay. Every physical characteristic, mental capacity and the emotional tendency of a human being can therefore be explained in terms of the tridoshas.

Most of the physical phenomena ascribed to the nervous system by modern physiology for example, can be identified with Vata. Just as the entire chemical process operating in the human body can be attributed to Pitta, including enzymes, hormones and the complete nutritional system. And the activities of the skeletal and the anabolic system, actually the entire physical volume of an organism, can be considered as Kapha.

Each dosha thus shares a quality with another (although there remain slight differences in the nature of shared quality), the third having just the opposite quality. Also, each has an inherent ability to regulate and balance itself, coming from the antagonistic qualities that arise from the doshas constituent elements.

When the doshas are in balance i.e. in a state of equilibrium, we remain healthy. As Charaka, the great ayurvedic sage, explained: "Vata, pitta and kapha maintain the integrity of the living human organism in their normal state and combine so as to make the man a complete being with his indriyas (sense organs) possessed of strength, good complexion and assured of longevity." It is only when that there is imbalance within the three that disease is caused. And since it is the strongest dosha in the constitution that usually has the greatest tendency to increase, one is most susceptible to illnesses associated with an increase of the same.

It is important to realise that these three are forces and not substances. Kapha is not mucus; it is the force that causes mucus to arise. Similarly pitta is not bile; but that which causes bile to be produced. And they are called doshas – literally meaning `faults’ or `out of whack’- as they indicate the fault lines along which the system can become imbalanced.

It is equally important to understand that the three doshas within any person keep changing constantly, due to the doshic qualities of specific lifestyle and environment, such as time and season. And that these three are not separate energies but different aspects of the same energy, present together in an infinite variety of combinations, wherein their qualities overlap and interrelate.

Ayurveda however considers only three types of constitution – in monotypes just one dosha predominates, in duo types two have near similar strength, and in the very rarely found third type all three are equally powerful. Within this broad classification, there are in the first category various sub-types that are listed below for easier reference.

(See also: Tridoshas , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Buddhism: Basic Buddhist Dictionary

A basic dictionary of Buddhism terms. Please note that all words in grey like " Buddhism " are links to an archive with related articles.

Ayurvedic nutrition (Ayurvedic diet): Nutritional phase of Ayurveda. It involves eating according to

(a)           one's body type and

(b)          the season.

The activity of the doshas - three bodily humors, dynamic forces, or spirits that possess - determines one's body type. In Ayurveda, body types number seven, eight, or ten, and seasons traditionally number six. Each two-month season corresponds to a dosha; for example, the two seasons that correspond to the dosha named Pitta (see Raktamoksha) constitute the period of mid-March through mid-July. But some proponents enumerate three seasons: summer (when pitta predominates), autumn, and winter (the season of kapha); or Vata season (fall and winter), Kapha season (spring), and Pitta season (summer).

According to Ayurvedic theory, one should lessen one's intake of foods that increase (aggravate) the ascendant dosha.

(See also: Ayurvedic nutrition , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

A Yoga Dictionary from Abhyasa to Yukti.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Dosha vaishmya: pathological condition of dosha

(See also: Dosha vaishmya , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

bodily humor: Commonly, the fluids of the body, an English equivalent of the ayurvedic term dosha, which names three fundamental interbalancing principles or constituents of the human constitution. See: ayurveda, dosha.

(See also: Bodily humor , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

vata: (Sanskrit) "Movement." Vayu, "air-ether." One of the three bodily humors, called dosha, vata is known as the air humor. Principle of movement in the body. Vata dosha governs such functions as breathing and movement of the muscles and tissues.

See: ayurveda, dosha.

(See also: Vata , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

DOSHA-DHRISHTI: the vision that perceives defects

(See also: DOSHA-DHRISHTI , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Subdosha: A subdivision of a dosha; each dosha has five subdoshas that carry out different functions in the body.

(See also: Subdosha ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

upasarga: (Sanskrit) "Trouble, obstacle."

Difficulties, challenges or distractions which retard one's progress on the spiritual path. Numerous lists are given in scripture under the Sanskrit terms upasarga, dosha (defect; blemish), klesha, vighna and antaraya.

The Yogatattva Upanishad lists twenty doshas including hunger, thirst, excitement, grief, anger and greed; as well as five vighnas: sloth, boastfulness, bad company, cultivation of mantras for wrong reasons and longing for women. Patanjali names nine antarayas to success in yoga, including sickness, doubt, sloth, nonattainment and instability. Spiritually, all these obstacles unless overcome lead to a dead end of unhappiness and despair, often affording steps which can only be retraced through reincarnating again.

See: purity-impurity.

(See also: Upasarga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Prashama:  alliviation of dosha

(See also: Prashama , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)