Discover

your Dosha
Guidebook
Uncover the magic of what makes you, *you*
so you can calm your stress + anxiety,
deepen your practice + teaching, and start
living your deeper purpose.

By Mel Singh
Welcome!
First and foremost, I’m SO glad you’re
here!

If we’re just meeting, allow me to

introduce myself: I’m Mel -
Kinesiologist, Yoga + Ayurveda
Wellness Counsellor, Meditation
teacher (+teacher trainer), Life
Coach and Mama to a little girl
named Satya.
Almost a decade ago I sustained several concussions as a rugby
player that completely changed my life, leaving me with intense
anxiety, wonky digestion, and an inability to cope with stress.

Little did I know this awful experience was the catalyst for deeper
transformation, mind-body-spirit.

My healing journey sent me on a spiritual path into Meditation, then

Yoga, and eventually Ayurveda which completely changed my life.

I coupled this beautiful ancient wisdom with modern science from my

degree in kinesiology, and certification in functional nutrition and
the rest is history.

I went from being an unconscious, beer drinking, meat eating,

party-animal rugby player, with severe anxiety and burn out, to a
conscious, purpose driven practitioner who feels more calm,
energized in my thirties with a *very active* 4 year old than I did in
my twenties with, let’s be honest, not a whole lot of responsibility.
 Taking the Quiz
If you haven't already taken our short form Dosha Quiz you can do that
HERE.

This guidebook is a powerful resources to use alongside the quiz so you

can directly apply what you're learning to the answers you've got.

Tips for taking the quiz:

1. Be honest and answer with whats *generally true* to access your

natural born constitution vs answering with what's coming up right
now which will give you more of an indication of any current
imbalances.
2. Have a close friend or family member help you to give you unbiased
answers if you want.
3. Don't panic if you have taken 34 Dosha quizzes and they give you
different results each time - you are a dynamic being, and as you will
learn in this guide you are constantly shifting. You may have been in
a particular imbalance during those times which may result in
skewed results/answers. Refer to tip 1 for getting the most accurate
results for your test
4. Enjoy!
 What are the Doshas?
The Doshas, simply but are the bio-energetic forces at play behind all
body and mind functions. They not only produce the body and it’s tissues,
but they are the root cause of the disease process in the body,
according to Ayurveda.

In my experience, the concept of Doshas give us a language to talk

about the qualities and energies inherent within and around us. They
help explain our natural physical and emotional tendencies, and guide
us toward balance.

The word Dosha means “what darkens”, spoils or causes things to decay
because when out of balance the have the capacity to create dis-ease
within the body and mind.

However, when in balance they help us more deeply understand our

inherent gifts, nature and superpowers. Understanding these energetic
forces is important for healing from stress and anxiety, living a life in
alignment with our gifts and deeper purpose, as well as going deeper in
our practice and teaching.

We are not *ONE* thing.

Now, while you have taken a quiz and may have identified your
constitution - it’s important to understand we have them ALL in us all the
time. We are composed of all the elements, and they exist within us all to
varying degrees, and in varying amounts.

I like to think they are the ingredients that make us, us.

The Doshas are in a constant state of flux - ebbing and flowing and
interacting with one another throughout the day, year, and seasons.
Each Dosha serve a unique and special purpose within us which we will
cover in a bit.
It’s important to remember that one isn’t “better” than the others,
they are just different. So don’t get caught up thinking, “YES! I got
Vata, the BEST Dosha.”

They all have their positive and empowering attributes, and they
all have their negative and disempowering aspects. We must
honour and surrender to all the parts of the Doshas, and work
toward living in alignment with our nature, or Prakriti.

The Doshas teach us about our inherent gifts and strengths within
the body and mind, but also our greatest opportunities for growth,
or where we may feel challenged.

When we understand our constitution and our natural strengths,

we can begin to lean into them rather than working against them,
creating more ease, energy, stress resilience and a greater sense
of alignment and purpose.

Similarly, when we understand our challenges, we can do things

within our lives to balance them and accommodate them, rather
than feeling at the mercy of them.

The magic of Ayurveda is about understanding our nature, and

living in harmony with it.

I hope this guide brings you clarity around your unique gifts and
magic, and supports your on your journey.

Alright, let's get into things, and discover the Doshas!

Vata Dosha - Wind + Space
Vata Dosha is associated with air and ether, and literally translates to
“that which moves things.” It is the prime force of the nervous system,
and the motivating force behind the other two Doshas. It is associated
with Prana - the life force - behind the other two Doshas.

Characteristics of Vata Dosha:

On a physical level Vata’s are thin, light, and slight. They will have small
bones, delicate features, thin hair, and a generally thin frame with light
eyes. Their mental nature will also reflect this lightness.
They will also tend toward Vata disturbances in the body and mind like
anxiety, stress, overwhelm, dry skin, constipation and gas.
Stress and anxiety are actually an excess of Vata Dosha within the
nervous system which can manifest in anyone, regardless of their
Prakruti (aka natural born constitution).

Gifts
Vata Dosha people have dominant wind and space elements within
them; I always like to cue my students to think about these elements.
What do these elements look like when they are in balance? What is
available to use, and how does it feel when the wind is flowing, and
there is spaciousness around?

Take a moment and reflect.

When the wind and ether elements are in balance within us, or
dominant in a Vata type person it gives them the ability to easily and
effortlessly pivot, shift and adapt to “go with the flow.” They are
extremely creative, generally they are musicians, writers, poets,
creatives of some sort. Creativity and communication are their
superpower.
They are the most open to change, and trying new things - so
working with Vata’s can be fun and exciting because they are
willing to get creative and innovative with healing methods.

Challenges

The same wind and space can also be their downfall. Once again,
think about what the wind and space elements might cause in
excess? What happens when there is too much wind?

Excess of wind and space causes chaos in the body and mind.
Think of a tornado in open space. They may have trouble feeling
grounded, focusing and concentrating, and may tend toward
anxiety and nervous distress.

They can take on too many things all at once, and have a hard
time completing things. They can also be challenging to work with,
because they may be inconsistent, flighty, and easily
overwhelmed.
Pitta Dosha - Fire + Water
Pitta Dosha is associated with fire and water. It translates to that
which digests things - and comes from the Sanskrit word “tap” which
means to heat cook or transform. It is responsible for all transformation
in the body - on a chemical and metabolic level - it also governs our
mental digestion, our ability to perceive reality and understand things
as they are.

Characteristics of Pitta
On a physical level, Pittas are moderately developed, and strong. They
will gain muscle easily, can be very strong with a good amount of
endurance and strength and are generally good at physical activity.
They have strong Agni, or digestive fire which means they can digest
just about anything. They’re very smart, discerning, and logical.

Gifts:

They have a dominance of fire and oil - so again, let’s think about what
fire and oil do when they are in balance. Reflect for a moment.

The image that comes to my mind is a Diya, or a candle; the luminous,

bright and piercing nature. The energy that lights up a room, and
allows us to see things clearly.

Pitta types literally light up the room when they walk in; they are
discerning and very smart. The fire within them makes them “lit up”
about life and their goals. When Pitta is well balanced, they will be
very determined, courageous, strong willed, and able to stand in their
power. They will be sure of themselves, confident, strong physically and
mentally. These people make incredible and resilient entrepreneurs,
and “goal-getters” because they are highly motivated.
Their fire of discernment and the “fire” they have lit beneath them to
get going is their superpower in this world. They will set goals and take
the actions necessary to complete them.

Challenges:
Let’s reflect on what happens to the fire element when it get’s out of
balance; either too much, or too little.

Too much fire will burn our house down; it can burn you up and out. Too
little and we lack the fire, drive and motivation to do anything.
Pitta types however, because they are dominant in fire energy tend
toward an excess of fire, rather than a lack of.

When pitta is out of balance (in excess), this may manifest in the body
and mind as anger, frustration, and present a dominating and overly
judgemental quality. Physically they might experience things like acid
reflux, feeling super hot, or have an acne breakout or skin rash. Fever
and inflammation are associated with Pitta imbalance.

Pitta’s are the most likely to “burn out” from working too hard and not
taking enough breaks. They can be sensitive to too much stimulation,
especially from electronics as the light can aggravate them.
Kapha Dosha - Earth and Water
Kapha Dosha is associated with the elements of water and earth.
Kapha translates to “that which sticks together.” Kapha gives
nourishment, provides substance, and support to our being. It makes up
the bulk of our physical tissues. Mentally it provides support and
stability of the mind, and is the ultimate grounding quality.

Kapha governs positive emotions like love, compassion, kindness

patience and forgiveness - it is the vehicle, like the substance that the
other two Doshas sort of travel in.

Characteristics of Kapha
Kaphas are strong, sturdy and grounded. Like an oak tree. They are
calm, and loving, calm, patient and steady. From a physical
perspective, Kapha people tend to be on the heavier side, which isn’t a
bad thing - it simply is their nature. They’ll notice it’s easy for them to
gain weight, they’ll have thick hair and big features like big eyes, thick
eyebrows, big forehead, big joints. They’re generally really strong, and
have good endurance once they get going.

Gifts:

Finally, let’s reflect on what a balanced earth and water elements look
like and make available.
Earth provides stability and a solid foundation for us to thrive. Water
allows for flow, for emotional intelligence and empathy to be
sustained.

Kapha’s superpowers lie in their earthy, and watery nature. The earth
element allows them to be grounded and to hold space for others to
share. Their watery and more emotional nature makes them extremely
emotionally intelligent which again, allows for them to absorb and hold
space for others.
They are amazing healers, friends, and confidants. They make amazing
counsellors, friends and partners. Their superpower also lies in their
consistency. While it may be hard for them to get going, a steady
kapha will keep up with what they do.

Challenges:

What does it look like when we have earth and water elements in an
imbalanced state? Take a moment and reflect.

Too much earth and water creates a thick sludge; it creates stuckness
in the body and mind. Too little, and we dry up, with little foundation to
stand on. Kapha types, with their dominance of water and earth tend
toward excess of these elements.

Physically this can manifest as lots of phlegm, mucous, and digestion

will be even slower which will cause toxins to build up in the body, and
gives them trouble losing weight. Their digestion is generally slow, and
they need lots of spices to get things going.

We may also experience a general feeling of stuckness and stagnation

in our body and mind. The consistency is great when it is being
consistent with POSITIVE habits, but this also means they will be
consistent with not so great habits. When out of balance, Kapha’s will
feel lazy, tired, maybe tend toward depression or sadness. They often
lack motivation to get up, and get going - they may require additional
motivation and support for this. They may find themselves wallowing in
their emotional nature.
 Dual + Tridoshas
It’s important to remember, as I said earlier, we are not *one*
thing. Many (most) of us are actually a combination of 2 main
Doshas, or perhaps in rare cases an equal combination of the two.
When things go out of balance…

It’s important thing to understand is that we are not static beings;

we are dynamic and constantly ebbing, flowing and interacting
with the world around us.

While our natural born constitution may be one thing - such as

Pitta Dosha, when external forces and factors such as the food we
eat, lifestyle, weather changes, trauma and physical injury
happen, our balance gets disrupted.

This is when we may feel the disempowered Pitta Dosha symptoms

arising, or, perhaps feel the negative effects of excess Vata or
Kapha within the system.

Stress, Anxiety and the Doshas

Vata Dosha, as a good rule of thumb is the Dosha which tends to
get out of balance first due to it’s light and mobile nature.
Stress and anxiety are generally speaking an imbalance of Vata
Dosha - an excess of the space and air elements within the
nervous system. This can happen *irrespective* of what your
Prakriti or born Doshic constitution is.
 How the Doshas manifest stress
+ anxiety:
Vata

Generally Vata’s are more suscptible to this energy, and can be

affected more intensely because of the dominance of
wind/space in their body and mind already.
They may feel intensely ungrounded, spacey in the mind, thoughts
running a hundred miles an hour, and like they just can’t get out of
their head.

In Yoga practice this may look like frantic movements, unable to

focus and concentrate, and feeling jittery post-practice.

Pitta

Generally Pittas will feel a combination or anxious, nervous

energy, mixed with anger and irritability. The wind fans their flame
and may create an energy of over-achieving, and a situation that
can lead to nervous burn out and exhaustion.

Kapha

Kaphas will likely be able to tolerate more, but generally in my

experience Kapha anxiety and stress manifests as feeling stuck
and stagnant. They feel the anxious energy in their body, they feel
stressed and overwhelmed but feel unmotivated to do anything to
change it.

In Yoga practice this may look like taking an extended break from
practice and finding it hard to get back on the mat, or feeling
heavy, lethargic and generally unmotivated within the practice.
 Creating Balance + What's next?
Well, I wish it was as simple as something I could just whip out in a
quick e-book like this, but there’s a bit more to it than that.

The next best step would be to take a look at our free “Chaos to Calm”
Workshop.

You can register for the workshop HERE.

I go way deeper into the foundations of Ayurveda, the 3+1 pillars of
healing from stress and anxiety, and some powerful next steps to take.
You can register for the workshop HERE.

Or, if you've been craving greater depth of study and embodiment, I

invite you to take a look at + apply for Embodied Ayurveda - our
course + certificate program that walks you through how to live in
radical alignment with your Ayurvedic blueprint so that a calm, resilient
body and mind is a natural consequence, all while getting a deep
understanding of Ayurvedic wisdom in a practical way.

You can check out Embodied Ayurveda HERE.

II hope this guide was helpful for you, and helped to clarify the
Doshas in a way that feels accessible.

Share with us your biggest takeaway over on Instagram by

tagging @Yogifuel in your stories.

Hope to see you around the interwebs soon, and grateful to have
you in our growing community,

Mel