Your Little Guide To The Doshas
Learn what the doshas are in Ayurveda and how Vata, Pitta, and Kapha shape your mind, body, and spirit. Discover how to balance your doshas with practical tips for every season.
If you’ve dipped your toes into Ayurveda, you’ve probably heard of the doshas. In Sanskrit, “dosha” means “that which can go out of balance.” They’re the forces of nature that shape everything about us—our digestion, our mood, the way we think, and even how we show up in relationships.
Ayurveda teaches that the doshas come from the five great elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether (space). These elements combine to form the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
It’s important to remember that you have all three doshas within you. One (or two) may be more dominant, but every dosha plays a role in your physical body, your mind, and your soul.
How the Doshas Show Up in You
Kapha (Earth + Water) brings stability, compassion, and structure.
Pitta (Fire + Water) drives transformation, digestion, and sharp focus.
Vata (Air + Ether) sparks creativity, movement, and adaptability.
The Golden Rule: Like Increases Like, Opposites Create Balance
One of Ayurveda’s most practical principles is that like increases like, and opposites balance.
For example, in the cold of winter, eating lots of raw salads and frozen smoothies will increase the cold quality in your body. Your body is so intelligent—it will try to counteract this by creating more internal lubrication. By the time spring arrives, that “extra moisture” may show up as allergies or congestion.
On the other hand, if you warm yourself in winter with soups, stews, and grounding meals, you balance the season’s cold, dry qualities—and you move into spring with more ease.
Kapha Dosha
Made of: Earth + Water
Qualities: Heavy, cold, moist, steady, smooth, soft
Main sites: Stomach and lungs
The Kapha Archetype
Kapha types are strong, steady, and resilient. They often have larger frames, strong bones, and a calm presence. They love routine and are naturally nurturing.
Kapha Season
Spring, when snow melts and new growth begins, is Kapha season. Just as the earth is soft and heavy with water, your body can feel heavier, more congested, or sluggish if Kapha is out of balance.
Kapha Time of Day
6–10 AM and 6–10 PM. If you’ve ever felt groggy trying to wake up at 8 AM, you’ve felt the pull of Kapha time.
Pitta Dosha
Made of: Fire + Water
Qualities: Hot, oily, sharp, light, spreading
Main site: Small intestine
The Pitta Archetype
Pitta types often have medium builds, strong digestion, and an intensity that shows up in their eyes, voice, and drive. They’re natural leaders and love structure.
Pitta Season
Summer is Pitta season. Heat and intensity are everywhere, which can bring out irritability, inflammation, or burnout if not balanced.
Pitta Time of Day
10 AM–2 PM and 10 PM–2 AM. Midday is your prime time for focused work and your biggest meal of the day since digestion is strongest. Nighttime Pitta can feel like a “second wind”—if you don’t go to bed before it kicks in, you may find yourself up late.
Vata Dosha
Made of: Air + Ether
Qualities: Cold, light, dry, mobile, subtle
Main sites: Colon, ears, skin, nervous system
The Vata Archetype
Vata types often have lighter frames, cool hands and feet, quick thoughts, and lots of creativity. They love to multitask and travel, but can also struggle with staying grounded.
Vata Season
Late fall and winter carry Vata’s qualities of cold, dryness, and movement. This is when skin dries out, joints crack, and the mind may feel more restless.
Vata Time of Day
2–6 AM and 2–6 PM. Early mornings are deeply spiritual, perfect for meditation and gentle practices. Late afternoons are when many of us crave a snack, coffee, or quick pick-me-up—it’s Vata time calling.
It’s All About Balance
Ayurveda doesn’t ask us to fit into a box. Instead, it invites us to notice qualities—in our food, the weather, and ourselves. When you see a quality increasing, you bring in its opposite to restore balance.
As the Caraka Saṃhitā reminds us, health is the state of equilibrium between the doshas, while disease arises when they’re out of balance.
What nourishes me may not nourish you, and that’s the beauty of Ayurveda. It’s not one-size-fits-all—it’s a practice of paying attention, noticing what’s shifting, and making small, intentional choices to come back into balance.
