CHAPTER
3

The Cornerstone of Ayurveda

In This Chapter

Ayurveda is more than a medical science; it’s a multifaceted philosophy based on the earth’s natural elements. You are a reflection of your environment, and the fire, wind, and waters of the earth exist within you.

In this chapter, I discuss the cornerstone of Ayurveda, the philosophies it’s based on, the elements it relates to, the layers of your body, and the three universal qualities that exist in all things.

The Vedas

Although Ayurveda was passed on orally for many generations, it was first written down in the Vedas, the most ancient Sanskrit text, on which Hinduism is based. The Vedas are books of wisdom that offer guidelines on how to live your life for optimal well-being. (The word Veda itself means “knowledge.”) There are four main Vedas:

 1. The Rig Veda: The Book of Mantra (estimated to be written between 3000 and 2500 B.C.E.) (it needs a “the” in front of it, like the Bible or the Torah)

 2. The Yajur Veda: The Book of Ritual (estimated to be written between 1200 and 1000 B.C.E.), Sam Veda (1200 to 1000 B.C.E.), and Atharva Veda (1200 to 1000 B.C.E.)

 3. The Sama Veda: The Book of Chant (estimated to be written between 1200 and 1000 B.C.E.)

 4. The Atharva Veda: The Book of Magical Formulas (estimated to be written between 1200 and 1000 B.C.E.)

Following these four Vedas are four secondary teachings, called the Upavedas. Ayurveda is one of these Upavedas and the sole system in the Vedas with the purpose of improving health.

The Upavedas

The Upavedas are considered “applied knowledge” and refer to subjects of technicality. The four Upavedas are as follows:

Gandharvaveda: The study of aesthetics, including art, music, dance, poetry, and sculpture.

Dhanurveda: The science of archery and warfare.

Ayurveda: The science of health and life (the topic of this book!).

Sthapartaveda: The study of architecture and engineering.

Some schools consider Arthasastra the fourth Upaveda, instead of Sthapartaveda. Arthasastra is the science of policy, governance, and economics.

Definition

The Upavedas are secondary Vedic teachings that go into four technical subjects—the arts, warfare, health, and architecture.

These studies are written about extensively, not only for their technical purposes but also as a means of transcendence. They are each considered important facets of civilization, from how to build structures to how to make art. The Vedas and Upavedas are extremely multidimensional texts that outline the importance of being well-rounded individuals and societies.

Shad Darshan: The Six Philosophies of Life

Ayurvedic philosophy is based on the Shad Darshan, the six Vedic philosophies of life. These philosophies are Samkhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Yoga, and Vedanta.

The first three philosophies, Samkhya, Nyaya, and Vaisheshika, are concerned with the physical world—how we heal the body and relate to the outside world. The latter three, Mimamsa, Yoga, and Vedanta, relate to understanding the inner realm and how we can evolve consciously. According to Ayurveda, true health lies in the balance between the two—physical and spiritual, inner and outer. All six philosophies lead to self-realization, just in different ways. It’s important to know about Shad Darshan while studying Ayurveda because it illustrates that we should be just as concerned with the outside world as the inside world.

Wisdom of the Ages

The Shad Darshan philosophy contains the concept of Purusha, which means “city.” Your body is believed to be a city with many houses, which are your body parts. You are not just comprised of individual, unrelated limbs and organs, but rather an entire city, with all these houses interconnected to make you a whole.

The Mind-Body Connection

The mind-body connection is a cornerstone of Ayurveda. Whatever happens in the body is reflected in the mind and vice versa. A patient cannot be treated based on a single symptom but rather the individual must be looked at as a whole. All the houses in the city are interrelated, and if one is out of electricity, the others will go in overdrive to make up for it. This is why it’s important to be sure all parts of your being are functioning properly.

The Three Doshas and the Five Elements That Create Them

Ayurveda is based on the natural elements found on Earth, the elements we see, feel, and hear around us: fire, water, earth, air, and ether (space). We have all experienced each of these elements.

These elements exist not only in the planet, but also in your body, where they represent different components of your physical and mental characteristics. Fire is hot and powerful, while water is fluid and cool. Earth is dense and grounding, while air is light and moving. Ether is the one you can’t see but can feel. It’s the vastness of looking up at the stars on a clear day. It’s your intuition.

Ayurveda uses these elements as references to explain all aspects of your physical and mental well-being. Each of us is born with a certain amount of these elements—some people are more fiery while others are more watery. If you’ve ever read your horoscope, they, too, relate to various elements, such as fire signs and earth signs.

However, Ayurveda takes a more scientific approach to the elements. It sees air as the movement of gas in your colon. It sees earth as your body compositing fat. It sees fire as your metabolism breaking down your food. It sees water as the hydration running through your cells. It sees ether as the space in your gastrointestinal tract. By understanding these elements, you can unlock hidden dimensions of your physical and emotional well-being.

These five elements make up the three Doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These Doshas are energies used to describe your food, body, mind, environment, and everything else. Let me explain a bit more about what they are.

Vata is comprised of ether and air, while Pitta is comprised of fire and water, and Kapha is made up of water and Earth.

Vata: Air and Ether

The first Dosha is Vata, comprised of air and ether. It is dry, light, cold, rough, and mobile, just like air and ether energies. It is predominantly in your small intestines, colon, bones, pelvic area, belly button, heart, and head.

Vata is in charge of movement in the body, including the heartbeat, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and diaphragm. Vata governs blood circulation; elimination of feces, urine, and sweat; respiration; ingestion; communication; heart function; menstruation; orgasm; hearing; touch; creativity; emotions; the nervous system; peristalsis and enzyme secretion; nutrient assimilation; and exercise and all other physical movement.

When Vata is out of balance, you experience symptoms in these areas. Examples in the body include poor blood circulation, feeling cold all the time, respiratory issues, heart palpitations, hearing problems, loss of senses, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Examples in the digestive system include constipation, bloating, gas, discomfort after eating, loss of appetite, low stomach acid, and inability to assimilate nutrients from foods. Examples in the pelvic area include amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), inability to orgasm, vaginal dryness, loss of interest in sex, and infertility. Examples in the mind include insomnia, anxiety, flakiness, indecisiveness, moodiness, dementia, Alzheimer’s, loss of memory, forgetfulness, lack of creativity, nervous impulses, mental instability, fatigue, and restlessness.

Definition

Vata is comprised of air and ether elements, regulating your nervous system and all movements within your body. When Vata is out of balance, you experience constipation, bloating, anxiety, irregular periods, and other related issues.

Pitta: Fire and Water

The second Dosha is Pitta, comprised of fire and water. It is hot, sharp, oily, liquid, and light, just like fire and water. It is predominantly in your stomach, small intestines, blood, liver, gallbladder, and spleen.

Pitta is in charge of transformation in the body, including digestion, metabolism, and nutrient absorption. Pitta works in your body as digestive enzymes in your small intestines and hydrochloric acid/pepsin in your stomach, helping your body break down food. Pitta is also present in your liver as bile and in your blood as hemoglobin. Your body releases excess Pitta through your sweat, which is why it’s important to sweat regularly to release built-up Pitta. Pitta also governs metabolism, digestion, appetite, assimilation of nutrients, thirst, taste, vision, body temperature, luster of skin and hair, food and skin sensitivities, intelligence, courage, ambition, and determination.

When Pitta is out of balance, you experience symptoms in these areas. Examples in the body include feeling hot all the time, excess and/or foul-smelling sweat, early balding or graying hair, poor eyesight, excess bile, liver malfunctions, light sensitivity, and yellow eyes or skin. Examples in the digestive system include diarrhea, hyperacidity, heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcers. Examples in the mind include anger, frustration, narcissism, competitiveness, stress, burnout, irritability, hatred, and impatience.

Definition

Pitta is comprised of fire and water elements, governing your stomach and all transformations within your body. When Pitta is out of balance, you experience heartburn, overheating, anger, impatience, and other related issues.

Kapha: Earth and Water

The third Dosha is Kapha, comprised of earth and water. It is heavy, slow, cold, oily, soft, dense, and liquid, just like earth and water. It is predominantly in your lungs, stomach, pancreas, plasma, lymph system, joints, sinuses, nose, and tongue.

Kapha is in charge of structure in the body, including bone density, fat regulation, strength, and stamina. Kapha is like the earth, providing stability and support for your body, holding you together. Kapha has a lubricating quality, relieving friction between the cells and organs. It’s present in your joints and muscles, making you strong. All bodily fluids, such as saliva and mucus, are related to Kapha. Kapha also governs lubrication, structure, energy, growth, stability, repair and restoration (including sleep), mucus, body mass and fat, moisture, grounding, nurturance, memory retention, kindness, and giving.

When Kapha is out of balance, you experience symptoms in these areas. Examples in the body include feeling cold all the time, clammy hands, weight gain, lethargy, mucus buildup, white-coated tongue, asthma, phlegm, infections, swelling, and water retention. Examples in the digestive system include slow metabolism, heaviness after meals, slow and sticky stools, and bloating. Examples in the mind include laziness, depression, loneliness, longing, sadness, jealousy, and attachment.

Definition

Kapha is comprised of earth and water elements, governing your bone density and all structure within your body. When Kapha is out of balance, you experience heaviness, fatigue, water retention, depression, and other related issues.

We Are All the Doshas

The three Doshas are the building blocks for all matter—food, people, environments, and everything else. The more you become aware of the Doshas, the more you’ll be able to see the interconnectivity of your own body. In Chapter 4, I help you determine which Dosha is most prevalent in you.

Keep in mind each of us has all three Doshas and all five elements within us. They all govern specific functions of your body, and without one, you would be left imbalanced. Some of us have a certain Dosha more predominant than another, which is why we may experience an imbalance in that Dosha. I want you first to be aware of how Dosha functions in your body before you try to figure out which one you are because really, you are all three. Without all the Doshas, your body would not function. They work with one another, in cooperation, and their imbalances affect one another.

Ayurveda is not a myth, theory, superstition, or religion but rather an intricate inner and outer scientific system that uses these elements to better understand the human body and psyche. The more comfortable you become with this terminology, the better you can understand the world you live in. Instead of looking at gas, you can look at excess air. Instead of looking at a rash, you can call it excess fire. Once you are aware of the elemental relations of each of your imbalances, you can connect them to other symptoms you may not have realized were interconnected. Each of these Doshas has a specific role in the larger machine, your human form.

The mind and body are interconnected, so a physical imbalance in a certain Dosha may lead to a mental disparity and vice versa. Pay close attention to how the mental and physical imbalances of the Dosha are interconnected and observe if any relate to you.

The Least You Need to Know

  • Ayurveda is one of the four Upavedas, or technical Vedic sciences. The others include the arts, warfare, and architecture.
  • Ayurveda is based on the five elements—air, ether, fire, water, and earth—which comprise the three Doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
  • Vata is comprised of air and ether. It controls the nervous system and all movement in the body.
  • Pitta is comprised of fire and water. It operates the stomach and all transformation in the body.
  • Kapha is comprised of earth and water. It regulates the structure and all stability in the body.
  • You are a combination of all three Doshas but in varying amounts.