Five elements, three doshas....
Ayurveda sees the manifest world, including human beings, as comprised of the five basic elements: space, air, fire, water, earth. The five elements in turn combine to create three bio-physical forces within the individual, known as doshas, which are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind. Each dosha is a combination of two of the five elements, with one predominant.
Space and Air combine to create Vata dosha
Fire and Water combine to create Pitta dosha
Water and Earth combine to create Kapha dosha
Our natural constitution never changes….
From conception, every person has within them varying degrees of all three doshas and it is this combination, which determines the unique physical, psychological and emotional constitution of that individual. This is known as your prakriti - your basic, unique constitution - and it never changes.
but life = relationships, work, weather, the seasons and food can imbalance us….
Daily life can cause the doshas to become imbalanced due to our diet, lifestyle, relationships, stress levels, environment, weather and seasons. This state is known as vikriti - your current constitution - and it is constantly changing, although most of us will have tendencies towards the same imbalance basis our natural constitution.
so Ayurveda’s lifestyle approach seeks balance with our own nature for a long healthy life
An Ayurvedic consultation will seek to establish both your prakriti and vikriti in terms of the doshas. Following your consultation, a tailored plan of Ayurveda’s holistic range of integrated treatments is devised specifically for you, including advice on diet and lifestyle as well as organic herbal supplements, massage and yoga. The goal of these Ayurvedic treatments is to gently rebalance the doshas and return your body and mind to their unique constitution (prakriti), and therefore to their happiest, healthiest state.
