The Three Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha
The three doshas in Ayruveda are kapha, vatta, and pitta. They are considered to be responsible for the huge variety of individual differences and preferences that people have. The Ayruvedic philosophy believes that these three doshas influence who we are and what we do, from our choices of food to our styles of relating to others. They also govern the biological and pshychological processes of our body, mind and consciousness.
They regulate the creation, maintenance and destruction of our bodily tissues and our elimination of waste. The three doshas also govern our emotions. If we are balanced, the doshas can generate noble qualities with in us such as compassion, love, understanding and tolerance. When their balance is disturbed by stress, improper diet or other factors, they can cause negative emotions such as anger, intolerance, anxiety and greed.
In Ayurveda, vata is considered the bodily air principle associated with the energy of movement. Pitta is the principle of fire associated with the energy of digestion and metablolism. And kapha is the principle of water associated with the energy of lubrication and structure.
Everyone has a combination of these three doshas. However, one of them is usually, one is secondary and the third is least prominent. Just as each person has an individual combination of physical, mental and emotional characteristics that make up his or her constitution, each has a unique balance of vata, pitta and kapha.
If you would like to take a quiz to find your dosha, we recommend Deepak Chopra's quiz.