Ayurveda is an ancient healing system that dates back 5,000 years to the Sanskrit texts of India, with ‘ayus’ meaning life and ‘veda’ meaning wisdom. Taking into account our body, emotions, and spirit. Ayurveda is focused on three different energies that we all have: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These three energies are known as doshas and we all have varying proportions of each one. Like most things, our doshas can fall in and out of balance, affected by the environment we live in, the foods we eat, and the time of year. When our doshas are out of balance, we see this in our health, our mood, and our overall well being.
Through greater awareness and understanding of your dosha and the principles of Ayurveda, you will better achieve balance. Edith Alig Gagné, one of our Modo yogis, will be hosting a 4 part workshop beginning in October. A Chopra certified instructor, she has travelled to California and learned directly from Dr. Deepak Chopra the principles of Ayurveda and how to spread this knowledge and its benefits to her students. She will guide us in discovering our doshas and how to bring them back in balance. To better understand what we can learn from these upcoming sessions, I have asked Edith some questions:
Why is Ayurveda important?
Ayurveda dates back thousands of years and is known to be the oldest health system in the world. Mind-body are connected and the mind has the power to heal and transform the body. Ayurveda is often referred to as the mother of all medicine and a sister science to yoga. It includes meditation as one of the most powerful tools used to balance the mind and body.
Briefly explain the 3 doshas.
Doshas are the foundation for Ayurveda and express unique blends of emotional, physical, and mental characteristics. There are three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. They are all derived from the five elements of nature. Vata types are commonly quick thinking, thin, and fast moving while a Pitta type will have a fiery personality and reddish complexion. Kapha types typically have a solid body frame and calm temperament. When we consider the imbalances that take place, a Pitta imbalance may result from their tendency to overdo things, which often manifests as infection and inflammation. By identifying your unique mind-body type, you can make conscious choices to balance unbalanced doshas.
What can you benefit from understanding your dosha?
Understanding your unique dosha and the specific needs that derive from it allow you to make optimal choices to create a lifestyle that supports your unique nature. In doing so, you can achieve and maintain a joyful and vibrant state of health.
