Relentless heat, major tropical storms, an overbearing sun piercing your eyes, never enough shade… If this is all you can see about summer, you are most likely of a Pitta dosha and you need to be careful in summertime; read on.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of preventative health care, rejuvenation and longevity. Ayurveda is a way of life that creates harmony by teaching you to honor your individual nature, while consciously following the rhythms and cycles of the natural world. Ayurveda is the Science of Life or the study of natural law; the essence of Ayurveda has always existed.  Ancient Vedic texts tell us that the Rishis, or holy men of India, acquired the knowledge of Ayurveda through the observation of nature and meditation.  Ayurveda predates the written word so its exact beginnings are difficult to calculate, but we know the Vedic texts date beyond five thousand years.

Ayurveda is based on elemental principles that pertain to life on earth. Two fundamental principals of Ayurveda are:  like increases like, and opposite actions balance one another. Every living thing is affected by these simple, yet essential, laws of nature. Ayurvedic philosophy establishes the Five Great Elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth as the building blocks of the natural world. These five elements pair-up in three combinations to form the primary forces of nature called doshas. Doshas regulate all natural processes of your body, mind and emotions, as well as, all aspects of your life. Air and ether form the Vata dosha.  Fire and water make up the Pitta dosha.  Water and earth create the Kapha dosha.

“By its fiery nature, Pitta is intense, purposeful and passionate.”

According to Ayurveda, you were born with a unique combination of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, that resulted in your Prakriti, or constitutional nature. Your Prakriti is fixed throughout your lifetime, but can go out of balance, as it is influenced by the time of day, the season, your diet, environmental conditions, and your place in the cycle of life. Dosha means that which changes. The forces of Vata, Pitta and Kapha are constantly moving to maintain a natural state of balance. Your current doshic state is called your Vikriti. With your awareness of your Prakriti or personal nature, and the impact the environment has on your life; the practice of Ayurveda provides you with the tools necessary for living in harmony despite the forces of emotional stress, business and family pressures, or the heat of summer.