dosha

Dosha is a central concept in Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine from the Indian subcontinent. The term dosha is Sanskrit for a fault or imperfection, but in Ayurveda it refers to functional principles or energies that govern physiological and psychological processes. Ayurveda recognizes three primary doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—that arise from the five elements and interact to determine an individual’s health, body type, and temperament.

Vata is associated with movement and all processes that involve motion in the body, such as nerve activity, respiration, and elimination. It is characterized as light, dry, cold, rough, subtle, and mobile. Pitta governs transformation, metabolism, digestion, and body temperature, with qualities that are hot, sharp, oily, light, and liquid. Kapha provides structure and cohesion, offering lubrication and stability, and is associated with heaviness, slow pace, coolness, moisture, and smoothness.

Each person has a unique constitution, or prakriti, defined by the relative dominance of the three doshas at conception. Imbalances, or vikriti, occur when dosha activity is disrupted by factors such as diet, lifestyle, stress, seasonal changes, or age. Imbalances are thought to manifest as dosha-specific symptoms, for example Vata imbalance may cause dry skin and anxiety, Pitta imbalance may produce heat and inflammation, and Kapha imbalance may lead to congestion and lethargy.

Ayurvedic care aims to restore balance among the doshas through diet, daily and seasonal routines, herbal remedies, massage, and lifestyle adjustments. In contemporary usage, dosha remains a foundational framework for understanding individual differences in health and wellness within Ayurveda.