INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA

Kapha: In Balance
Vata: In Balance ● Earth + water = mud
● Air + Space ● Wise
○ Air - moves the weather ○ People with a lot of earth; rain
● Quick, light, dry, subtle, rough takes time to soak up the rain
○ Learn things quickly and forgets it ○ Takes time to understand
quickly information
○ Lighter bone structure ○ Embodies knowledge
○ Lighter muscles ● Long memory
○ Less fat ● Strong, heavy, soft, firm
○ Dry skin ○ Endomorph body
○ Sensitive ● Compassionate, patient
○ Internal Organs are dry and rough ● Loyal, steady nature
● Imaginative, creative ● Stored energy
● Exhilarated
● Spontaneous, changeable Vata: Out of Balance
○ Nature to be spontaneous and ● Quick mind → ​Spinning Mind
changeable ● Forgetfulness
○ Go with the flow ● Insomnia
● Sensitive ○ Mind is going but the body is tired
● Quick energy/movements - Tire easily ○ Notice things at a subtle level
○ Energy goes in spurts ● Worry, anxiety, fear
○ Usual lifestyle is very different from ○ Signs that the vata is in imbalance
vata ● Feeling “spacey” or “light-headed”
○ Digestion is catered to eating small ○ “I am _____”
portions in short spans ● Constipation or gas
● Cold ● Chills, shakiness

Pitta: In Balance Pitta” Out of Balance

● Fire + water - water boils ● Sharp-mind → ​Sharp tongue
● Sharp intellect, hot, driven ● Judgemental
○ Fiery mind ● Critical
○ Physically and emotionally hot ○ Self-judgemental then to others
○ Water + Fire = Steam, drives an ● Easily frustrated and irritated
engine ● Perfectionist
● Articulate ● Overachiever
● Good sense of judgement/Critical-thinking ● Overly competitive
● Decisive
● Organized, efficient Kapha: Out of Balance
○ Moves objects and organize them ● Dull
○ Plans ahead ● Heavy
● Medium build, memory and energy ● Lethargic
○ Mesomorph ● Depressed
○ May show in memory or body ● Stuck
● Reddish color of hair/Early balding or gray ○ Have no idea what to do
○ Fire is hot and burns color out of ● Hold on to fluids, fat, possessions
the hair ○ Body swells and holds on to fluids
 ○ Starts craving heavy food and fat ● Get out and socialize
○ Hold on to things around their ● Regular exercise
environment and hold on to things ● Seek variety
○ Too muchness (mucousy, etc.) ○ Take a break and do something
different
Am I in balance? ○ Don’t dabble on doing something
● Not reliable for a long time
● Reduces sweet, heavy foods and dairy
● Do I eat when I’m hungry, stop when full? products
● Do I have plenty of energy for the day? ● Routinely clean out clutter
● Are my relationships good? ○ Remove the cloudiness and clutter
● Is my elimination good? in your life
● Am I generally peaceful and joyous?

Restoring Balance for Vata

● Calm you mind: meditation
○ If out of balance they crave more
and this makes it worse thus doing
nothing fixes it
○ Meditation involving sound heals or
chanting mantra
● Create regular habits
○ Too much spontaneity creates an
imbalance
● Quiet
● Rest
○ Pushing yourself strips off energy
○ Being fully rested help you to do
more
● Warmth
● Steady nourishment

Restoring Balance for Pitta

● Let go of the need to have things go the
way you think they should go
● Cool off
○ Cool food
○ Cool atmosphere or environment
● Timely meals
● Non-competitive activities
● Practice being non-judgemental
● Don’t compare
● Leisure and unstructured schedule
○ Unstructured time
○ Plan a day with no plan

Restoring Balance for Kapha

● Need to get moving