A·yur·ve·da
Ayurveda is an ancient natural wellness system from India. More than 5,000 years old, this time-honored tradition of healing awakens your body’s innate intelligence and repair mechanisms. On a practical level, Ayurveda—the “science of life”—helps you find balance through simple daily rituals, diet and herbs- although we focus more on the rituals and treatments at Blue Lotus Spa.
Throughout this website, we help to guide you by indicating treatments to balance your dosha or to counter what our environment is experiencing at the time with our change of seasons. Feel free to take our recommendations or simply choose a treatment that sounds beneficial to you and your spirit.
It’s all about you and your own unique needs.
The Doshas & The Elements
As with the elements, all three of the doshas can be found in everyone and everything, but in different proportions. They combine to create different climates, different foods, different species, and even different individuals within the same species.
In fact, the particular ratio of vata, pitta, and kapha within each of us provides us with a blueprint for optimal health (otherwise known as our constitution), and plays a significant roll in our individual physical, mental, and emotional character traits—as well as our unique strengths and vulnerabilities.
Dosha Functions
Dosha Qualities
These qualities make balancing the doshas very intuitive because, according to Ayurveda, like increases like and opposites balance.
When any one of the doshas is aggravated, we can generally promote a return to balance by reducing the influence of that dosha’s qualities, while favoring their opposites.
If we know which specific qualities are aggravated, we can focus on pacifying those qualities in particular, while favoring foods, herbs, and experiences that amplify their opposing energies.
This table shows the ten pairs of opposites most commonly referenced in Ayurveda.
Vata (ether, air)
Vata dosha is the Ayurvedic mind-body element associated with air and space. It’s light, cool, and dry in nature, and it governs all movement and processes in your mind and body—including processes like blood flow, elimination, breathing, and the movement of thoughts in your mind.
One of the foundational principles of Ayurveda is that “like increases like,” and opposites balance. Therefore, because Vata dosha is cool, light, and dry, it benefits from things that are warming, grounding, and nurturing.
Take time to nurture yourself and your Vata dosha and schedule a Shirodhara treatment, Indian Head Massage or Abhyanga at Blue Lotus Spa.
Activities to try: Yoga Nidra class or grounding Restorative-style class at Sanctuary Wellness, our yoga studio!
Pitta (fire, water)
Pitta dosha is hot, sharp, and oily in nature, it benefits from things that are cooling and soothing. Some of the easiest ways to restore balance to Pitta: engaging in cooling activities like swimming, strolling in nature (but not under the hot sun), and doing light-hearted things like spending time with loved-ones and children.
Give yourself an Abhyanga (self-massage with warm oil) each day before bathing, using a cooling oil such as coconut. Or schedule an Abhyanga, Cooling Coconut Lime Body Treatment or Soothing Gel mask add-on at Blue Lotus Spa.
Activities to try: Slow Flow Vinyasa, Thai Yoga and Chakra Balancing yoga classes at our yoga studio, Sanctuary Wellness Studio!
Kapha (earth, water)
Kapha dosha is the Ayurvedic mind-body element associated with earth and water. It’s slow, moist, cool, oily, heavy, smooth, and steady in nature and embodies structure, lubrication, and stability in the mind and body.
Enjoy a little bit of vigorous regular exercise every day.
Nurture your Kapha dosha at Blue Lotus Spa and schedule a Charcoal Detox Treatment, facial peel or the Energizing Lemon Body Peel.
Try a Vinyasa or HEATED Vinyasa class at Sanctuary Wellness, our yoga studio!