Doshas: The Vital Energies of Ayurveda and the Path to Self-Knowledge. Part II.

After delving into the universe of doshas and understanding how Vata, Pitta and Kapha shape the body, mind, and emotions in the previous article, it's time to take an even more intimate step on this journey: learning to recognize which one manifests most strongly within us.

Identifying the predominant dosha — our Prakruti — is like looking into an inner mirror that reveals our original nature. In this article, I will also introduce the concept of Vikruti, the state of imbalance of the doshas.

This self-knowledge paves the way for more conscious choices in our daily lives, from our diet to our spiritual practices, and transforms the way we care for ourselves. This is where Ayurveda ceases to be just theory and begins to become a living practice in our body, heart, and routine.

Next, we will explore how to identify our predominant dosha (Prakruti) and how this discovery can transform the way we care for ourselves.

🧭How to Identify Your Predominant Dosha (Prakruti).

In Ayurveda, each person is born with a unique combination of the three doshas — Vata, Pitta and Kapha — that determines their physical, mental, and emotional makeup. This combination, called Prakruti, is like an energetic imprint that remains relatively constant throughout life.

Knowing your own Prakruti is one of the most important steps to living in balance and preventing disease.

🧬 What is Prakruti?

Prakruti is each individual's original constitution, formed at the moment of conception. It reflects the natural proportion of doshas in the body and mind, and influences everything from physical structure to food preferences, emotional patterns, and reactions to the environment.

For example:

🌬️✨ A person with Vata dominance may be thin, creative, and sensitive to the cold.

🔥💧 A person with a predominant Pitta tends to have good digestion, an analytical mind, and a tendency toward irritability.

💧🌳 A person with a predominant Kapha tends to have a robust structure, a calm personality, and a tendency toward slowness.

Prakruti is not a "label," but rather a tool for self-knowledge. By understanding it, we can adapt our diet, lifestyle, and self-care practices to respect our nature and avoid imbalances.

🔍 Methods for Identifying the Predominant Dosha.

There are several ways to discover your Prakruti, and the ideal is to combine different approaches:

1. Conscious Self-Observation

Observing your body, mind, and emotions over time is a fundamental practice. Ask yourself:

• What is your body like? Thin, average, or robust?
• How do you react to cold or heat?
• How are your appetite and digestion?
• How do you sleep? Light or deep sleep?
• What is your mind like? Quick, logical, or thoughtful?
• How do you deal with stress? Anxiety, irritation, or apathy?

2. Ayurvedic Questionnaires

There are questionnaires developed by Ayurvedic therapists that help identify dominant patterns. These questionnaires include questions about:

• Eating habits.
• Daily routine.
• Emotional reactions.
• Recurring physical symptoms.

While useful, questionnaires should be seen as a starting point, not a definitive diagnosis.

3. Consultation with an Ayurvedic therapist

A qualified professional can perform a more accurate assessment, which includes:

• Pulse reading (Nadi Pariksha) — a traditional technique that allows you to sense the doshas through the rhythm and quality of the pulse.
• Observation of the tongue, eyes, skin, and posture.
• Analysis of personal and family history.

This approach is more comprehensive and respects the classical principles of Ayurveda.

🧘 Practical Examples of Constitutions.

🔹 Predominant Vata

Thin body, visible joints.

Dry skin, tendency to cold.

Creative but scattered mind.

Fluctuating emotions, prone to anxiety.

🔹 Predominant Pitta

Medium body, warm and sensitive skin.

Strong digestion, intense appetite.

Logical and determined mind.

Intense emotions, tendency to irritation.

🔹 Predominant Kapha

Robust body, moist and cold skin.

Slow metabolism, tendency to weight gain.

Calm and stable mind.

Deep emotions, tendency to attachment.

🧭 The Importance of Knowing Prakruti.

Knowing your predominant dosha allows you to:

• Choose foods that promote balance.
• Adopt routines that respect the body's natural rhythm.
• Recognize early signs of imbalance.
• Cultivate spiritual and emotional practices that are in keeping with nature.

Ayurveda does not propose a one-size-fits-all approach. On the contrary, it values ​​individuality and teaches us to live in accordance with who we truly are.

Next, we will introduce the concept of Vikruti — the state of imbalance of the doshas — and understand how it manifests and how it can be corrected.

⚖️Introduction to the Concept of Vikruti (Imbalance).

In Ayurveda, the ideal state of health is one in which the doshas are in balance, respecting each person's original constitution — Prakruti. However, throughout life, various internal and external factors can temporarily alter this natural balance, giving rise to what is called Vikruti: the state of imbalance of the doshas.

🧬 What is Vikruti?

Vikruti is the current state of the doshas, ​​which may or may not coincide with Prakruti. While the original constitution is stable and determined at the moment of conception, Vikruti is dynamic and reflects the impact of lifestyle, diet, emotions, environment, and seasons on our bodies.

For example:

A person with Prakruti Pitta may, at a certain stage in life, experience symptoms of excess Vata — such as anxiety, insomnia, or dryness — due to stress or an inadequate diet.

Someone with a Kapha constitution may experience an aggravation of this dosha during the winter, experiencing sluggishness, congestion, and apathy.

Recognizing Vikruti is essential for applying the therapeutic principles of Ayurveda, which aim to restore the balance of the doshas rather than alter the original constitution.

🌪️ Common Causes of Dosha Imbalance.

Imbalances can arise for a variety of reasons, including:

1. Improper Diet

• Vata is aggravated by cold, dry, and raw foods.
• Pitta is aggravated by spicy, acidic, and oily foods.
• Kapha is aggravated by heavy, sweet, and fatty foods.

2. Irregular Routine

• Irregular sleep and meal times.
• Lack of physical activity or excessive exertion.
• Prolonged exposure to screens and artificial stimuli.

3. Emotional Factors

• Vata is unbalanced by fear, instability, and overstimulation.
• Pitta is unbalanced by anger, frustration, and competitiveness.
• Kapha is unbalanced by attachment, sadness, and resistance to change.

4. Influence of the Seasons

• Autumn tends to aggravate Vata.
• Summer aggravates Pitta.
• Winter and early spring aggravate Kapha.

🔍 How to Recognize Vikruti.

Observing physical, emotional, and mental symptoms is essential to identify the dosha that is out of balance. Here are some typical signs:

🔹 Excess of Vata

Anxiety, insomnia, racing thoughts.

Dry skin, constipation, fatigue.

Feeling of instability and distraction.

🔹 Excess of Pitta

Irritability, impatience, anger.

Heartburn, inflammation, excessive sweating.

Tendency to judgment and perfectionism.

🔹 Excess of Kapha

Lethargy, drowsiness, melancholy.

Congestion, fluid retention, weight gain.

Difficulty letting go and initiating change.

🧘‍♀️ Restoring Balance: The Ayurvedic Path.

Ayurveda proposes a personalized approach to correcting Vikruti, always respecting Prakruti. The main therapeutic tools include:

1. A diet appropriate for the aggravated dosha

• Vata: warm, moist, nourishing, and comforting foods.
• Pitta: cool, mild, sweet, and calming foods.
• Kapha: light, dry, spicy, and stimulating foods.

2. Daily Routine (Dinacharya)

• Regular times for waking, eating, and sleeping.
• Practices such as self-massage with oils, meditation, and yoga.
• Avoiding excessive stimulation and cultivating moments of silence.

3. Use of herbs and Ayurvedic therapies

• Herbal preparations specific to each dosha.
• Treatments such as Shirodhara, Abhyanga, and Panchakarma.
• Aromatherapy, chromotherapy, and purification practices.

🌱 Balance as a continuous practice

In Ayurveda, health is not just the absence of disease — it is a state of dynamic balance between the doshas, ​​tissues, organs, mind, and spirit. Recognizing Vikruti is an act of deep listening and personal responsibility. By adjusting our habits and choices, we can restore harmony and live in accordance with our true nature.

🌟The Doshas as Starting Points for Transformation.

Throughout this article, we journey through the universe of the doshas — Vata, Pitta and Kapha — and understand how these vital forces shape our physical, mental, and emotional constitution. We learn that each person possesses a unique combination of these energies, called Prakruti, and that temporary imbalances, known as Vikruti, are part of life but can be recognized and corrected with awareness.

Ayurveda invites us to observe, listen to, and respect our nature. It's not about changing who we are, but about recognizing our rhythms, tendencies, and needs, and living in tune with them. The doshas are just the beginning of this journey, a gateway to a more mindful, balanced, and deeply human way of life.

But the true path to harmony begins when we understand the difference between constitution and imbalance, and learn to cultivate practices that help us maintain balance throughout the seasons, challenges, and transformations of life.

In the next article — Prakruti and Vikruti: The Path to Harmony — we will delve deeper into this distinction, explore how lifestyle can aggravate or balance the doshas, ​​and discover practical tools for observation and inner listening. It will be an invitation to self-awareness and reconnection with body, emotions, and mind.

✨ Your nature is not a problem to solve. It is wisdom to remember.

👽 WRITTEN BY: Cristalina Gomes 🛸 AUTHOR'S LINKS: SPACESHIPS | UNIVERSE