Ayurveda is an ancient science about the laws and principles of nature. It is over 5,000 years old and is often known as Yoga’s sister science. The literal translation of this Sanskrit word “Ayur” means life and “Veda” means knowledge or science. Therefore, it is known as the science of life.
The principles of Ayurveda were designed to develop our human potential – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Ayurveda is used as prevention and curative medicine, by maintaining a unique balance for each individual through the body, mind and consciousness through our diet, emotional regulation, sleep, mindsets, lifestyle, movement, cleansing protocols and herbal remedies.
Each individual is considered unique and each one needs their own personalized regime and equilibrium to keep them in balance in all aspects of their life.
Ayurveda doshas – Body types
In Ayurveda, we use a concept called “doshas” which reflect the 5 elements in nature: space (also known as ether), air, fire, water and earth. These elements have certain unique qualities.
The three doshas are manifested in everything around us – plants and trees, human beings, animals, the seasons, our relationships, and our temperaments. The list is endless on how these elements manifest in our life. Each human being has a unique proportion of these 5 elements within them which is their true nature (Prakruti).
Ayurveda describes the 3 doshas or energies as the following:
- Vata: Made up of air and ether elements.
- Pitta: Made up of fire and water elements.
- Kapha: Made up of earth and water elements.
Each individual is a unique combination of these doshas, which is known as our Prakurti and it will manifest in how we look, how we speak, how we think and behave and our habits for eating, sleeping and our preferences. We have all of these three doshas, however in different proportions. Our lifestyle, diet habits, the seasonal changes and stress will impact our unique blueprint and this disturbance shows up in dis-ease in the body or mind.
Ayurvedic principles can be applied for treatments of many health conditions, such as:
- All types of digestive issues such as gas, bloating, gastrointestinal issues, colitis, acidity or sluggish elimination.
- Alzheimer disease
- Anxiety and depression
- Auto-immune disorders
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s disease,
- Skin conditions
- And more
How can we apply Ayurveda to our modern-day life?
Understanding your Prakruti in Ayurveda is like unlocking the secret code to your body’s unique blueprint and current state of health. Prakruti represents your innate constitution—the delicate balance of doshas you were born with—while Vikruti reflects your present condition, often influenced by lifestyle, diet, lack of movement and environmental factors.
By gaining insight into these fundamental Ayurvedic concepts, you empower yourself to make informed decisions about your health, tailoring your diet, exercise, and daily routines to align with your body’s natural tendencies and address any imbalances. This personalized approach to wellness can lead to improved energy levels, better digestion, enhanced mental clarity, and an overall sense of harmony in your life.
In essence, knowing your Prakruti and Vikruti is the first step towards achieving optimal health and longevity through the time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda. My goal is to help you return to balance by uncovering patterns that may be contributing to health disturbances, and address underlying imbalances, rather than quick fixes.
In my coaching sessions, I empower my clients with faith and belief in themselves to help them move towards ease in their life. We are all meant to experience happiness and good health in this lifetime. That is our true nature.
