According to Ayurveda the human body is ruled by three fundamental life-forces; Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These are often translated as "wind", "bile" and "phlegm". Vata is also often called the biological air-humor, Pitta the biological fire-humor and Kapha the biological water-humor. 

The humors are called "Doshas" in Sanskrit, meaning what spoils or causes decay, as they are not only the forces which produce and sustain the body in their normal condition but those which when out of balance serve to destroy it. Death is inherent in life. Even our normal process of metabolism is not only growing new cells but causing old cells to die and be discarded. Growth and life must eventually turn into decay and death. Health in the body thus consists in the right balance of the creative and destructive forces of the Doshas.

Each of the biological humors is composed of two elements; the first which provides for its primary force, the second which gives a medium for its manifestation.

[ Back ] [ David Frawley ] [ Up ] [ Next ]