What Dosha Needs Attention?

Those who are new to Ayurveda are often puzzled about how to get started. It's actually not that complicated. The first priority is to reduce Ama if excessive and resolve indigestion. Along the way it always helps to improve habits. The next priority is to balance the Doshas. This brief questionnaire will help you identify which Dosha is most likely to be causing current symptoms.

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Background

Ayurveda offers a framework for understanding individual differences and how to harmonize with them to maintain balance in the face of change in order to enjoy a long, vital life. These differences are captured by the Sanskrit word Prakriti, which means manifest Nature. Individual Prakriti is most simply described as a proportion of the three Doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which respectively reflect movement, metabolism and structure in mind and body—and thereby characterize individual differences.. The Doshas act as a buffer to help insulate us from changes induced by the cycles of nature.

A Stich in Time Saves Nine

Six Stages of Imbalance

Diseases are many. Imbalances are few. Disease is merely the tip of the iceberg of imbalance. Six stages of Dosha imbalance can be assessed from the radial pulse, signs and symptoms.

This is the power of Ayurveda: to identify and correct imbalances when they are easy to treat—before they lead to irreversible changes. A Dosha first accumulates in its proper place. This stage is often accompanied by a natural desire for those things that will restore balance according to the Principle of Similars and Opposites. For example, if we are feeling cold, it would be natural to desire warm food and drink.

If the Dosha continues to accumulate, then it will become aggravated. At this stage, spontaneous desires can become perverse. We can crave more of whatever is throwing us out of balance—for example, feeling hot, yet continuing to eat hot, spicy food and drink alcoholic beverages— creating a vicious cycle. At some point, an aggravated Dosha will spill out of its place. Where does it go? Into the places of the other Doshas. This disturbs their function and often gives rise to more significant "pre-clinical" symptoms.

Now, if the progression is not corrected, the aggravated Dosha will get stuck in places of weakness, particularly where the fine channels of the body (Shrotas) are blocked by Ama. Localization is the final prelude to manifestation of disease. The stage is commonly accompanied by prodromal symptoms of disease as recognized by western medicine. Once a diagnosable disease finally erupts, there still may be opportunity to reverse the process before it becomes severe or chronic. In general, western medicine does a good job of handling life-threatening disease, even if it fails to correct the imbalances that gave rise to it.

Patterns of Disease

By the time disease erupts, often more than one Dosha is involved. Nevertheless, the qualities of the Doshas can be compared to the qualities that characterize the disease and used as a guide to identify which Dosha is the chief culprit. Diseases involving a single Dosha are generally curable. Those involving two Doshas can usually be treated, even if the treatment is difficult. When all three Doshas are involved, palliation may be possible, but because of the inter-relationships among them, the treatment of any one will tend to aggravate one or more of the others. That's a situation we would all want to avoid.

Dosha imbalance often manifests as indigestion. Because healthy digestion is essential for making healthy tissues, we always give priority to fixing indigestion. The digestion questionnaire will help you identify which Dosha might be causing problems there. If a Dosha is disturbing digestion, then it will likely be contributing to problems elsewhere.

Vata Dosha, having qualities of Space and Air, is the most ethereal of the Doshas. For this reason, it is the one that is most likely to go out of balance. Vata causes twice as many diseases as Pitta. In turn, Pitta causes twice as many diseases as Kapha. Kapha is inherently stable, so it is difficult to throw it out of balance. When Kapha does get aggravated, it most likely manifests as a problem with weak digestion and Ama. Other symptoms related to disturbances of the functions of Kapha most often result from Vata or Pitta moving into its place. So, when in doubt, if Ama is not prominent, assume the problem is related to Vata or Pitta

Pitta imbalance is typically characterized by redness, burning sensations, heat or inflammation. Vata imbalance will typically manifest as irregularity, pain, dryness or weakness. Think of stress. Stress is one of the major causes of disease. Stress hits hard on that aspect of Vata involved with the mind. It also depletes Ojas, the source of strength, vitality and immunity. Meditation such as TM provides an antidote. This is one mechanism accounting for its effectiveness in promoting health in a holistic way. Beyond this, the best long term strategy is to recognize and deal with imbalances of the Doshas before they lead to problems.

A pulse reading is the most accurate method to assess for imbalance, but this brief questionnaire is an easy place to start. It catalogues common results of imbalances in Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Instructions for Completing the Dosha Imbalance Questionnaire

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Dosha Imbalance Questionnaire

When selecting your responses, think about what is most generally true about you at the present time.

Body-Related Items
Please indicate the degree to which the following statements apply to you Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Somewhat
Disagree
Neutral Somewhat
Agree
Agree Strongly
Agree
I'm suffering from dry skin 1
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5
6
7
I have trouble with inflammation 1
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7
I feel lethargic too much of the time 1
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7
I have burning sensations in my body 1
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7
I suffer with body pains 1
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My skin is excessively oily 1
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7
I often have a sweet or salty taste in my mouth 1
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I'm craving more warmth 1
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I have trouble with my eyes 1
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I'm bothered by heat 1
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7
I have a nagging dry cough 1
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I feel too heavy 1
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My throat is too dry 1
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7
I have trouble with body odor 1
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7
I'm having joint problems 1
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7
I have trouble gaining weight 1
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7
I'm bothered with sinus congestion 1
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7
I feel fatigued too much 1
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7
I've lost my interest or ability to enjoy sex 1
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I wish I had more energy 1
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Headaches are a problem for me 1
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I have skin rashes 1
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7
I often cough up phlegm 1
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7
I've put on too much weight 1
2
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5
6
7

Mind-Related Items
Please indicate the degree to which the following statements apply to you Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Somewhat
Disagree
Neutral Somewhat
Agree
Agree Strongly
Agree
I feel sad too much of the time 1
2
3
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5
6
7
I feel discontented 1
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7
I'm overly critical of others 1
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7
My mind is buzzing with too many thoughts 1
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7
I'm angry too often 1
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7
I find myself caught up in hate 1
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7
My heart feels broken 1
2
3
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5
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7
I've become too greedy 1
2
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7
I'm bothered by jealousy 1
2
3
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7
My habit of procrastination is causing me trouble 1
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7
I'm troubled by fear 1
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7
I'm too impatient 1
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My sexual desire has become excessive 1
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I've lost my sense of generosity 1
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I worry too much 1
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I frequently wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep 1
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I have a lot of trouble falling asleep 1
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I want to sleep too much 1
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7
I've become too irritable 1
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6
7
I have trouble forgiving others 1
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5
6
7
I'm bothered by anxiety 1
2
3
4
5
6
7

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Original questionnaire adapted with permission from Fundamentals of Maharishi Ayurveda © 2011 Maharishi Ayurveda Products International, Inc.