The previous Great NEWS post was on Cruise Coaching and Common Sense tips and today we ask Does Your Dosha Define You? During my seminar on the Mariner of the Seas it was evident that most people are unaware of the concept of Dosha. Today’s post offers a basic overview of each dosha and some simple steps and strategies offering profound affects on your happiness, harmony and health. These Dosha details will deliver a simple owner’s manual on how your body and mind function under various conditions. After reading Does Your Dosha Define You be sure to access the dosha quiz questions. This will help you learn your dosha mix in order to apply these proven principles in your daily life for happiness, harmony and health.
Ayurveda
Body-mind principles affect and influence every aspect of our behavior, being and thinking.
Have you heard about the ancient eastern wisdom from India called Ayurveda? While many people are unfamiliar with Ayurveda which is referred to as “the science of life/ knowledge” it will be very beneficial to learn more about these profound principles. It has been written about for more than 5,000 years and in practice for much longer. It offers great heath, lifestyle and nutrition guidelines that are very easy to follow and helpful for anyone willing to open their hearts and minds to beneficial new information.
Dosha is a word from India that translates as body-mind constitution or body-mind personality. In Ayurveda there are five main elements that exist within and outside our bodies. These elements are referred to as: air, earth, fire, space and water.
Our body and mind integrates these five main elements into three profound principles known as doshas. The body-mind principles affect and influence every aspect of our behavior, being and thinking. The three doshas are referred to as Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Vata – Pitta – Kapha
Vata is a combination of the elements of air and space. This governs change and movement in our body and mind.
Pitta combines fire and water. This determines the digestion and metabolism of energy, food and information.
Kapha is a blending of earth and water. This helps to maintain and protect the structure and workings of the body and mind.
The aspects of these three dosha’s are evident in every cell, gland, organ and tissue in the body and mind. These profound principles are essential for life and control your metabolism, movement and protection. While everyone has aspects of all three doshas, we each combine them together in different and unique ways. This custom blend of dosha traits will determine the different and distinctive qualities of our body and mind systems. Normally a person has one primary dosha with a blend of the other two dosha added in for unique and various manifestation of characteristics and combinations.
Vata – Change and Movement
When Vata is in balance, a person will be eager, energized, enthusiastic and have a fit and lean body.
When the Vata dosha is more dominant a person will experience activity, change and movement as a stronger manifestation of your natural being. A Vata dominant person will usually be very active, exhibit a creative and energetic mind and talk faster. When Vata is in balance, a person will be eager, energized, enthusiastic and have a fit and lean body.
When the Vata dosha is out of balance due to excess strain and stress in life a person feels out of control, overwhelmed and scattered. A person my experience anxiety, distractions, insomnia, overload and restlessness. One’s appetite and digestion may be off, constipation may be common and skipped meals may cause weight loss. When early symptoms of a Vata imbalance appear be sure to eat well, meditate, slow down and make time for more rest and sleep.
Pitta – Metabolism and Transformation
When a Pitta dosha is out of balance it may be a signal to enjoy a cool salad.
When the Pitta dosha is more dominant a person will experience stronger appetite, competition, digestion, leadership and processing of energy and information. When Pitta is out of balance the fire begins to burn too hot in the body and mind which can lead to anger, balding, grey hair, heartburn, hypertension, inflammatory conditions, irritability and ulcers that indicate excess fire element.
When a Pitta dosha is out of balance it may be a signal to drink water, enjoy a cool salad or walk barefoot on grass to cool down a bit. Stop trying to do too much in too little time and start being less aggressive, competitive, controlling, critical, demanding, irritated and over domineering. Implement steps to be happier and healthier by relaxing more with a swim or walk in nature while enjoying the beach, blue sky, green plants and water scenery.
Kapha – Movement and Structure
When the Kapha dosha is more dominant people are content, happy, reliable, patient, salt of the earth, solid and strong. When Kapha is out of balance people tend to experience more allergies, congestion, fluid retention, gain weight, mucus and sluggishness in their body. Too much Kapha also shows up as an aversion to change, resistance and stubbornness. An excess of Kapha may lead to holding on to jobs, people, relationships, things and weight.
Let go of stagnant emotions, people, places and things that are adding to your heavy feelings and weighing you down.
To help excess Kapha it is helpful to stop the heavy feelings and foods and start exercising, flowing, moving and releasing today. It helps to avoid excess calories, cut back on oils and sweet foods, eat lighter foods and enjoy more spicy foods and the spice of life. Let go of stagnant emotions, people, places and things that are adding to your heavy feelings and weighing you down.
Now that you understand a bit more about the three dosha characteristics read to the end to take the helpful dosha quiz to learn more about your specific dosha combinations and traits.
Learning strategies and suggestions for your unique dosha combination will help you with balance and maintenance as you attain and sustain a better quality of life. Just like doing a mechanics diagnostic test on your car this body – mind diagnosis will help you understand areas that will benefit from being adjusted, modified, repaired or replaced. When you know your core traits you can make more supportive choices. Regardless of your dosha traits and body – mind type remember that meditation and yoga are simple and small steps anyone can utilize to help maintain or rebalance each dosha for optimal health.
Whether one has a spaced out Vata, a sizzling hot Pitta or a sluggish Kapha you can help bring back balance and harmony with a consistent daily practice of meditation and yoga.
It’s essential to understand the core proven principles that influence how your body and mind act, interact and react each day.
This Great NEWS post Does Your Dosha Define You is written to help people understand the core proven principles that influence how your body and mind act, interact and react each day. The outcome is to help people be more informed and intelligent regarding their choices to improve their long term happiness, harmony and health. With this simple dosha summary you now have simple steps and strategies to help guide your body and mind with compassion and confidence. After you take the dosha quiz the answer to the question Does Your Dosha Define You will be clear to you.
For your specific Dosha profile please go to the Chopra Center website for the Dosha quiz at: http://doshaquiz.chopra.com/
After you read more details and insights from Deepak Chopra you will learn more insights about how Does Your Dosha Define You?
What is your current Gap?
What behaviors, habits and lifestyle choices are more apparent and appropriate for you now that you understand your dosha? How will apply these great guidelines to improve your body and mind well being?
Mastery Action Plan (MAP)
What new actions and decisions will help you improve your body and mind? To learn more about the Ayurveda – Perfect Health training you can also visit my Chopra Center Teacher page at: http://www.choprateachers.com/michaelmorningstar
Call to Action
What comments, commitments or questions do you have regarding Ayurveda and your dosha?
Next week the Great NEWS blog will share:
Anti Aging with Ayurveda
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