The Importance of Finding Our Balance for the Health-Disease Process

According to Ayurveda, an imbalance of the doshas* lies behind all illnesses.

When the doshas differ from one’s individual constitution, prakriti* and the imbalance of the dosha increases faster than the body can expel or assimilate the increase, there is an accumulation of a dosha. It’s not necessarily our primary dosha that goes out of balance either; any of the three doshas can do this.

We may or may not notice this accumulation, as it isn’t particularly obvious in the early stages, or we shrug it off thinking that this imbalance is part of our age or life stage.

At these early stages of imbalance, it is very possible to adjust factors that will affect an excess of a particular dosha and so restore balance and health. We can look at our own personal constitution and look at changes from our usual state, to see if too much of a particular dosha is apparent. But don’t focus just on one symptom; look for an emerging pattern that will highlight what is happening. Increased doshas are sometimes felt, with the experience of negative emotions.

A diet and lifestyle that’s not suited to our constitution will cause doshic levels to gradually increase. However, other challenges or traumas: bereavement, accidents, surgery or living/working in difficult environments can lead to further and larger imbalances. Restoring balance back to prakriti involves adjustments to minimise that dosha, with factors relevant to our day-to-day life; whether that’s what we eat and drink, our daily routine, type of and time for work and rest, exercise and sense of connection to others and ourself. We may not be fully able to identify what’s happening or have all of the answers ourself, so support and guidance in the right direction helps.

For the disease process to continue and a disease to become established, there needs to be a weakness in a particular tissue type. Then the symptoms become noticeable because they interfere with our day-to-day experience and enjoyment of life and cause us discomfort or pain. This is when we have a recognisable disease and definable diagnosis.

Even at this point, health can be restored by rebalancing the dosha to to return back to our prakriti, although as the disease by now is established, it requires an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner to identify the symptoms, the roots and the sequential pattern.

Ayurveda seeks to maintain our good health by recognising our constitutional balance and seeking to restore that balance. Good health is maintained by honouring that the body, mind and consciousness are in constant interaction and relationship with other people and the environment we are in.

It's an intelligent approach, however it calls on us to take responsibility for our health. This is tapas*, the self-management that is required for making adjustments and choices with awareness and our sense of wisdom.

Key words -

*dosha – three vital energies, vata, pitta, kapha; responsible for all physiological and psychological processes in body-mind. Each dosha is a combination of two elements

*prakriti – baseline individual constitution made up of a particular ratio of the doshas

*tapas – self-discipline, self-management, austerity, control of the senses - from kriya yoga