Ayurveda Doshas
also: The Concept of Tri Doshas
Ayurveda uses a different concept of humours than the four humours of traditional Greco-Roman and European medieval medicine. Dosha (or, sometimes, Dosa)is often translated as the Sanskrit term for humour. Whereas Greek & Roman humours were considered fluids, Ayurvedic doshas are the manifestations of elemental forces in the physical body, and not as physical substances in themselves.
Together all three Doshas form the Tridosha, which means the 'three doshas'. Dosha is a Sanskrit word which literally means "deviation". It is one of the Basic Principles, (Maulik Siddhant) of Ayurveda. There are three primary Doshas:
Their existence in the human body is considered individually, however two doshas can combine, (dwidoshaj) as can all three doshas (Tridoshaj or Sannipataj).
The 3 main doshas are: Vata (combination of the space and air elements), Pitta (analogous to the fire element), Kapha (combination of water and earth elements).
In Ayurveda, all bodily processes are believed to be governed by a balance of the 3 doshas. If all doshas are in balance the person is normal and in good health. Whichever dosha appears to dominate a person's behavior and physique is called his constitution type.
Each constitution type has particular strengths and susceptibilities. 'Tridoshas are considered similar to aetiological factors, which are responsible for one's normal health condition. There is an interesting parallel with the Western concept of athletic (pitta), leptosomic (vata) and pycnic (kapha) constitutional types.
