What's Your Dosha?

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Skinny, muscular, soft. These words are commonly associated with the three doshas, but these physical characteristics barely scratch the surface of the ancient practice of Ayurveda and are even a little misleading.

Don't know what a dosha is? The short version of it is your "type," and what we mean by type here is body types and tendencies of the mind. Sure the spirit is associated with the dosha, but today let's just focus on the things often on our agendas, the body and mind. 

Better words for describing the doshas, from the TriHealth website are:

Vata=dry, light, cold, rough, subtle and agitated in qualities

Pitta=a little oily, is sharp, hot, light, unpleasant in odor, mobile and liquid

Kapha=wet, cold, heavy, dull, sticky, soft and firm

 The seasons are often referred to by dosha. For example, Summertime is Pitta time, Wintertime is Kapha time and the Spring and Fall are often associated as Vata times. Pretty cool stuff, huh? So maybe you're wondering what your dosha is? You and your Ayurvedic
practitioner are truly the people who can determine this for sure, but a fun quiz can help get you started. Here are a few to choose from:

• The Chopra Dosha Quiz
• What's Your Dosha Quiz
• Yoga Journal Dosha Quiz

Once you know your dosha, you can uncover all kinds of ways to understand your own body better, mental tendencies and the best way for you to heal. (Dig a little deeper with the doshas here: Learn more about your dosha) We all know by now that what we put in our bodies significantly affects our health. We also know what we do with our bodies affects our body and mind. But have you considered what you put on your body?

TriHealth massage oils are great for every body, and we can help you find the right one. Take a sniffing tour next time you visit Akasha. The massage oils are up in the shop and smell divine. Remember, if you take a whiff of one of these oils that doesn't smell good to you, it's probably not the best one for you-but could be for someone else. These oils are for you to enjoy 20 minutes before a shower. They nourish your skin, your mind and your whole body.

For those of you concerned about using Organic products, please view the statement from the TriHealth Website: "While our products are not certified organic, there are reasons for this. Our supplier states that 50% of the herbs and ingredients used in their products are grown at their facility without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. They have not had their farm land certified organic, and currently there is no agency doing so in their region. The next 30% are wildcrafted by the “tribals”, the people of the land, who make their living by harvesting plants in the wild. We assume they are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. Because they are wildharvested, they cannot be certified organic, even if there was a certifying agency. The final 20% have been contracted out to herb growers in the area. While they are not certified organic, the manufacturer assures us that they are also grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides."

Enjoy the skin you are in!
Shanti