Ayurveda Flashcards

Question

What is Kapha Dosha

Answer 1

is the principle of protection, nourishment, and stability. It is made up of the earth and water elements. People with a predominance of Kapha in their nature tend to be heavyset, with a calm, grounded demeanor and a tendency to think things through and move at a slow, measured pace. When Kapha is balanced, it creates calmness, sweetness, and loyalty. When Kapha is out of balance, it can cause weight gain, lethargy, and resistance to healthy change.

Answer 2

The fifth of the five master elements is earth, known in Sanskrit as prithvi. The dominant quality of earth is structure. It has the ability to express form in an infinite number of ways. Outside of our body, earth is represented by the ground we walk upon, the mountains that reach up to the sky, rocks, buildings, the planets, and all dense objects that surround us. Inside of our body, earth is represented by the hard or dense parts of our physiology, including our skeletal and muscular systems and our organs. - See more at: https://www.chopra-online.com/course/view.php?id=3§ion=15#sthash.Lr5NuDRe.dpuf

Answer 3

The fourth pancha mahabhuta is water. Known in Sanskrit as jala, water is an essential element in every cell of every living being. Without the cohesive liquid of the cells, the vital functions that support life would not be possible. Water makes up roughly 85 percent of the planet. Water is expressed in the oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, and the air we breathe. Every animal, plant, and even Mother Earth is an expression of water. Water makes up approximately 55 to 78 percent of the human body. (The percentage varies according to a person's age, gender, and individual composition.) Water has two dominant qualities: protection and cohesiveness. Water protects and supports our body in many ways and is also the medium that connects everything in our body to everything else.

Answer 4

The third pancha mahabhuta is fire. In Sanskrit, the fire element is called tejas, and it is present in everything that generates heat and light. Fire is the principle that governs transformation in living systems. Outside of our body, the element of fire is expressed by the sun, which heats and fuels everything on the planet. Inside of our body, fire is expressed by our own internal digestive fire. In Ayurveda this digestive fire is known as agni, a Sanskrit term that is the etymological root of the English words ignition and ignite. When our agni is robust, we can easily digest our food, extracting that which nourishes and eliminating the rest. A strong digestive fire produces a substance called ojas, which Ayurveda describes as the "vital nectar" in our body and mind. A healthy fire also eliminates toxic residue, known as ama. We also have an emotional agni that metabolizes our emotions and experiences. If our emotional agni is weak, we may accumulate toxic residue in our bodymind. The inability to metabolize emotions produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food. In fact, pent-up anger, long-held sadness, and lingering guilt are more debilitating for most people than problems with physical digestion. The dominant quality of fire is transformation, a quantum leap in which something brand-new is created from the elements at hand. Breathing and digestion depend on the process of transformation. Food and air aren't just cycled through our body, but undergo a chemical process that transforms their very nature.

Answer 5

A strong digestive fire produces a substance called ojas, which Ayurveda describes as the "vital nectar" in our body and mind.

Answer 6

Let’s look at the first of the five master elements: space. The Sanskrit word for space is akasha. Each element has both an external expression and internal expression. In the external world, the space element represents the open expanse that contains everything. In the universe, space expresses itself as the vast emptiness that underlies the physical world. When you look up at the night sky, you can feel the ever-expanding space of the universe. Inside our body, space expresses itself in the hollow parts of our physiology. Each atom in our body contains a proton, a neutron, and an electron that make up only 1% of its matter. The other 99% of an atom is space. Although our body appears to be a solid object, in reality, its essential nature is space. In addition to an internal and external expression, each element also has a specific characteristic or dominant quality. The dominant quality of space is potential or infinite possibilities.

Answer 7

The second of the pancha mahabhutas is air. The Sanskrit word for air is vayu. The dominant quality of air is change. There is no regularity in its movement. Outside of our body, air is expressed by the wind. It has no structure or form. It is the animating force of life and is expressed in everything that moves. The wind blows and it stops, then it blows again. It is inconsistent, unreliable, and uncertain. The essence of vayu is captured in the common expression that the only constant in life, is change. Within our body, air is expressed by our circulation, nerve impulses, and breath-the inflow and outflow of our most vital energy.

Answer 8

``` Cold Light Dry Irregular Rough Mobile Quick Changeable ```

Answer 9

``` Hot Light Intense Penetrating Pungent Sharp Acidic Moist ```

Answer 10

``` Cold Heavy Solid Stable Smooth Slow Steady Enduring ```

Answer 11

Thin, light frame Variable digestion and sleep patterns Dry skin and hair Cold hands and feet Move and talk quickly Resist routine Welcome new experiences Enthusiastic and vivacious -

Answer 12

Good digestion Energetic Creative Adaptable Shows initiative Good communicator Spontaneous Quick to grasp new information

Answer 13

Overactive mind Anxiety Fatigue Difficulty concentrating Insomnia Constipation Gas, bloating Depression

Answer 14

Medium build Strong digestion Warm body temperature Sleeps soundly for short periods Sharp intellect Direct and precise Stays close to routine Courageous -

Answer 15

Bright Warm, friendly Good decision-maker Good leader Strong digestion Strong follow through Steady momentum Inspiring to others

Answer 16

Anger and irritability Harsh criticism of others Impatience Jealousy Skin rashes Inflammation Indigestion Stomach ulcers -

Answer 17

``` Heavyset Smooth skin and thick hair Deep, sound sleep Slow moving Good stamina Easygoing Methodical,thoughtful nature Enjoys routine ```

Answer 18

Steady energy Consistent Loyal Strong Supportive Content Calm Natural resistance to illness

Answer 19

Dullness or lethargy Resistance to change Neediness Overattachment Congestion Overweight Complacency Depression -

Answer 20

Deviating from nature

Answer 21

Vata: Sounds that are warm, relaxing, and grounding quell the nervous tension of excess Vata. The balancing vibrations of Gregorian chants, Bach cello partitas, and soothing New Age pieces can calm a jittery Vata dosha. -

Answer 22

Pitta: Pitta is balanced with cooler, sweeter sounds, including the soothing sounds of nature - falling rain, ocean waves, or bubbling streams. Cool jazz, flute music, and Mozart also cool Pitta's excess heat. -

Answer 23

Kapha: Music with a driving beat and melody can invigorate the heavy earth energy of Kapha, which has a tendency to become sluggish or dull. Experiment with rock and roll, rap, passionate classical pieces, drumming, and spirited world music -