Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Three Doshas
The Three Doshas of Indian culture, also known as Ayurveda Doshas, are much like the four humors during the Elizabethan period in Europe. Doshas are the energies that make up every individual. Various Dosha proportions determine a persons physiological and personality traits (sound familiar?). The Three Doshas are Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha, and Kapha Dosha. Vata Dosha is the energy that controls bodily function associated with motion (blood circulation, breathing, blinking, etc.). When in balance, Vata Dosha provides for creativity and vitality; however, when out of balance, it can produce fear and anxiety. Pitta Dosha controls the body's metabolic systems (digestion, absorption, nutrition, temperature). When it's in balance it leads to contentment and intelligence, and when it's out of balance it causes ulcers and anger. Kapha Dosha is energy that controls the bodies growth. It moisturizes the skin, supplies water to all body parts, and maintains the immune system. When it is in balance a person will express their love and forgiveness. When it is out of balance a person will feel insecure and envious.
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3 comments:
That's really cool; I like the connections to other cultures. It does seem really similar to the four humours, even the side effects of them being out of balance are kind of like the external manifestations of the different humors that we saw in the Canterbury Tales last year.
It definitely is cool to see the similarity between beliefs in cultures all around the globe. It just seems so odd to believe that certain bodily fluids cause certain personality types or flaws. I can not imagine a doctor telling me that a certain emotion is caused by my build up of bile. People throughout history, and even today, will desperately try to find answers to thing they do not understand and when they do not find the answer, they make one up. It is just so interesting to think that two cultures so seemingly different came up with such similar answers to the same question.
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