About the three biotypes: Vata, Pitta and Kapha; they define from our tendencies to certain diseases, to our most intimate tastes and aversions; but more importantly, they endow us conscience and self-knowledge; which are clue elements to live in harmony with people that surround us.

• How important are the biotypes in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is an auxiliary science. It considers that health has a specific meaning and sense to help us accomplish our purpose in this life, and not just to be healthy without doing anything. Ayurveda gives us the tools to be healthy for a longer period of time, and to diagnose illnesses (or diseases) with anticipation to be able to treat them faster. Among those tools, great value is given to the knowledge of how we are as human beings. From here emerges the whole idea of what we call biotypes, which in its original language, (Sanskrit), receive the name of Doshas.

• What are the Doshas specifically?

They are a lot of things at the same time. They are different energies that get combined inside the body to make it function properly. These biotypes are three, but they all have an enormous richness. Generally, it is accurate to use the example that they are as wide as a radio bandwidth. A radio, depending on how is oriented, and the day in which is turned on, it has a point where it starts to receive the sound waves, the signal (or frequency) and another where it ends. That particular point is also represented in a human being’s “wave signals”, it corresponds to his/her biotype, even though each person, as individual, is unique.

If we were to try to translate literally the word Dosha, it refers to “that which decays, (declines or fades)”. When somebody says: “I am Vata, Pitta or Kapha”, what s/he is actually saying is that as time passes, her/his deterioration will start developing with certain specific characteristics. What s/he is expressing is that over the years, s/he could present more problems in some determined areas more than in others if s/he does not take the proper care or measures to avoid such results… This is precisely the Dosha’s (or biotypes) fundamental objective: to know how we are, and what we are exposed to for the way we are.  From this form of consciousness, we can prevent illnesses, perhaps through our nourishment, life style, physical activity and mental harmony.

• What are the functions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha?

The function of the energy or force of Vata in the body is related to movement. For instance, food that enters the body, moves, and then is eliminated. The intake of nutrients to cells, and the exit of waste products. In the mental area, it has to do with the captured impressions by our external sensors, meaning: our senses. This is the energy that recollects all information. Vata function imbalance is manifested in the detained or altered movement (tremors, tics, cardiac arrhythmias, etc.)

The function of the Pitta force has to do with metabolic processes, with the transformations. The food exposed to this energy transforms itself in the most important nutrients for the body. Pitta is represented for its intestinal (duodenum) power; in the cells, through the mitochondria (the transformation source and cellular energy), and at brain level is the one that having many ideas synthesizes a central one which will guide us in our activity. Pitta is the analyst, the one who with all the compiled information, discovers the diagnostic and decides how to act.

On the other hand, the Kapha function is related with memory; in the body is the most related force to corporal structure, with the concrete, the thick and material. Besides the function of keeping ideas, Kapha gathers the experience which will store in memory.

For all these reasons, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are forces (energies) which we should all have. Nobody could live without them, even if there is always one that predominates.

• How is someone whose predominant biotype is Vata?

The balanced Vata individual is slim, active, movable, creative, not interested in food, (when there is obesity in a Vata person, it varies, he/she can gain up 30 kilos, go down 20, and then gain again 15 more); works a lot, sometimes until s/he runs out of energy. Vata people are happy, eloquent, witty, original, agile, light as if s/he could levitate or float in the air. An example of an athlete Vata, would b a jockey or a gymnast.  Another example would be the famous Quijote: a thin, tall man who worries about philosophical matters and cannot remain anchored in the same place.

• What are the main characteristics of an unbalanced Vata?

An unbalanced Vata is someone with significant energetic ups and downs, high tendency to malnutrition and to lose weight, bad digestive function, abdominal distension due to gas accumulation, tendency to constipation, suffers from different kinds of pains (migraines, articulate pains, neurological); this is someone with fear and anxiety, with verbiage instead of loquacious; very inconstant. An example of this would be a young anorexic girl, who eats poorly (or deficiently), and at the same time has an exhaustive physical activity.    

• How is someone whose predominant biotype is Pitta?

Pitta people have a more muscular contexture, they are warm, transpire more, known for having a very good appetite, and can eat just about anything without worrying, nothing upsets their stomach nor makes them gain weight or get fat, (unless s/he is defeated by her/his voracity and transforms her/himself into an obese for overeating); Pitta have pale skin, get easily sunburned and then get pale again, might have freckles, premature white, gray hair or baldness.

At a mental level is the person that has the ability to bring others together, forms groups with enthusiasm and transmits (conveys) passion. Pitta possesses a significant determination centered in a main objective.   While Vata is creative, Pitta is executive. An example of Pitta is the warrior archetype, the sportsman (woman) with intermediate contexture or the entrepreneur. Another characteristic example is Othello: someone jealous and very authoritative.

·        What are the main characteristics of an unbalanced Pitta?

At a physical level is someone with many skin eruptions (rashes or spots on the skin); with tendency to diarrhea; gastritis or digestive irritation; workaholic (addicted to work) because there is nothing else that interests him/her; usually is an authoritarian, jealous, bossy, ireful person; it is someone who is capable of throwing us a knife when we are discussing something with them.

·        How is someone whose biotype is Kapha?

A balanced Kapha is someone with bulk (thicker or fuller) contexture, with tendency to gain weight, (the obese Kapha are due to the metabolism they have, because they transform everything they eat in structure, and at the same time they are very sedentary); they have clear skin complexion; transpire mildly and continuously; they have affable character; they are the ones with whom we feel comfortable right away, and the ones that solve any problem in front of a plate full of food. They have difficulty to learn but once they do, they never forget it (what we call “elephant memory”, in other words, very large contexture with a very prolonged mental retention). >From the cultural point of view Kapha inspires benevolent and negative feelings (“the nice fat and dumb”), but from the Ayurveda perspective, it is the healthiest biotype. An example of a balanced Kapha sportsman (woman) is the rugby (American football) player who plays the pillar position, with thick solid neck, without a gram of fat, that looks like a bull; the weight lifter would be an intermediate Kapha example, and the sumo wrestler a very unbalanced Kapha.

·        What are the main characteristics of an unbalanced Kapha?

An unbalanced Kapha has slow mind and body; s/he is obese, gluttonous, produces much mucus and has a major mental attachment (s/he is so traditionalist that if a son or daughter goes to live 20 meters away from home s/he would be worried and desperate to know if s/he is alright and anything that “might happen” to her/him).

·        Are there stages in life in which Vata, Pitta and Kapha predominate aside from our own biotype?

Yes, indeed. Babies and children smile a lot, are very affectionate, happy and always full of mucus. In this stage, Kapha predominates. What happens with a little one that goes through this period and that besides possesses Kapha as his own biotype? S/he would be more exposed to colds, bronchitis and respiratory problems. On the other hand, during adolescence predominates Pitta. They are those teenagers who empty the refrigerator because they feel voraciously hungry, they transpire with an unpleasant odor, they are full of pimples and are very passionate. If on top of that the teenager possesses the Pitta, during this stage s/he is going to be predisposed to suffer from acne, hepatitis and even severe infections. The adult stage also presents many of the Pitta characteristics, even though in a different level of intensity. Last, but not least, in the golden years predominates the Vata energy. This is the elder, thin individual, who does not sleep much, that suffers from constipation, fearful and feels pain all over his/her body.

·        How does a specialist determine someone’s biotype?

With a personal interview, observation, palpation and pulse. Sometimes a predominant characteristic may stand out and helps orientate the specialist. The physical aspects (features) observed are size and body structure, muscular contexture and weight. Secondary matters such as eye color, shape of the face, teeth, nails, hair; organism (body) functions (transpiration, digestion, etc.); as well as the interrelationship with other people and nature are also observed. All these factors influence determining each individual’s biotype.

·        Why is it useful to know which biotype predominates in us?

To know our biotype is to know which is our balance. What predominates in us is a determined (specific) force, and since it is there in abundance, as time goes by, it may lead us to a certain tendency without the proper counterpart, making us tilt. For instance a Vata person is going to think that s/he has to be constantly moving, always creating, s/he cannot be doing something routine. That will end up being a load. This is precisely the confusion that Ayurveda clears out, that this tendency to imbalance is not what does us good, but instead is what makes us ill.

·        In what way are Vata, Pitta and Kapha manifested in children?

Vata kids are active, moving, with jumping eyes, their parents keep complaining because they hardly eat and have trouble sleeping. The Pitta child is strong and moody (bad temper). And how is the Kapha kid? S/he is the calm (easygoing), fat child with a soft and peaceful look, affectionate, and likes to be pampered.

·        Are there cases in which two biotypes predominate in identical proportions?

That is correct. Someone who has practically even the energies Kapha- Vata, s/he is going to have a large contexture and is going to dance like the gods. These are the people that one sees and cannot explain how they are so light and agile with all the weight they have on them. Like this there are other cases of combined biotypes.

·        Can the biotype be a self-knowledge tool?

Indeed. Ayurveda provides us a valuable tool for self-knowledge: consciousness. With it we can detect how we function facing life. We find out that the biotypes are a reality and that they allow us to see that we are naturally determined to be in a certain way. From the self-knowledge of our own biotype and the others’ emerges an enormous tolerance. If I accept myself the way I am, and I understand it; I accept the others around me the way they are and I understand them as well.

Back to Top